The Cavalier Daily Vol. 128, Issue 5
Thursday, September 21, 2017
RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY
LAWN RESIDENTS REFLECT ON AUG. 11 MOVE-IN NIGHT PAGE 9
COURTESY CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE
KUKOSKI: GENTRIFICATION IS A FORM INSTITUTIONAL RACISM PAGE 14
COURTESY CONCERT FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE
CONCERT FOR CVILLE — TOO BIG TO FAIL? PAGE 16
HOUSING ESSENTIALS LUCAS HALSE | THE CAVALIER DAILY
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Birthday Greetings to the University Community 165
YEARS AGO, seven University students came
together and established the Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Perhaps unknowingly, they thus initiated what would evolve into our current Greek System at Virginia. Since then, more than 1,500 students at the University have become members of our fraternity, and thousands more have joined our fellow groups in what is now a vibrant and diverse Greek system that includes over 50 sorority and fraternity chapters. Many of these Greek members and groups have made, and continue to make, very worthwhile contributions to the student life of our great University, as of course do many students and groups who are not Greeks. Our DKE chapter counts at least sixteen brothers who were either chair or vice-chair of our University’s Honor System, more than a hundred captains of varsity sports teams, more than a handful of All-American athletes, eleven editors-in-chief of the Cavalier Daily, and six editors-in-chief of the Corks and Curls including its founder. Hundreds more have worked hard and served well in other critical roles with these same activities and with various other publications, sports, student clubs, organizations and honoraries around the Grounds. Many more have volunteered their time and talents in less visible but equally valuable ways around the University and throughout the Charlottesville community. And, like the impressive majority of all Virginia graduates, most of our brothers have gone on after taking their degrees to become productive citizens, solid family members, constructive business and professional people, and valued community volunteers and participants. Scores have faithfully served our great country in both war and peace. Some, like other well-known UVA alums, both Greek and non-Greek, have attained prominent positions in business, government and higher education. For example, our DKE brotherhood at Virginia includes two state governors, five members of the House of Representatives, two United States Senators, a Secretary of the Navy, an ambassador to Switzerland, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a president of UNC at Chapel Hill, and three Rhodes Scholars. One brother contributed over 160 million dollars to the University. Three brothers have served the University as Rector and 13 as members of the Board of Visitors, more than a dozen as presidents of the Alumni Association, and four dozen more as Alumni board members. Over 50 DEKEs have been members of the Seven Society, and hundreds more are included in other unique Virginia honorary, academic and social societies from ribbons and rings to the Raven and 13 Societies. This demonstrated record of leadership, involvement and commitment to one’s college, community and country is in keeping with that of our sister DKE chapters, which have produced four vice presidents and five presidents of the United States. As we pause to observe our 165th birthday, we not only honor the accomplishments and blessings of our past and present but also
look to the promise of our future, both as an individual fraternity and as a much smaller part of an even greater whole. We are thankful for this great University, and for all those who daily seek to make it an even finer place, as together we strive to follow the truth, wherever it may lead. We remain forever grateful for this bountiful country, with its amazing abundance of opportunity, progress and freedom. We Dekes are proud to be a viable part of the history of this remarkable institution, which represents Mr. Jefferson’s most enduring legacy, and we look with optimism to its years ahead. We are confident that our University community will continue to thrive and prosper and we recommit ourselves and our fraternity as vigorous participants in and contributors to the University of Virginia of tomorrow. As we thank and honor all fellow students both present and past, especially our original founding brothers, we also pledge to do our part to help make our alma mater an even better place in the years ahead. Let the Lion Roar. The Brothers of Eta of Delta Kappa Epsilon
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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BOV approves renaming IRC house Buildings & Grounds Committee also approved of a plaque commemorating University’s bicentennial
NEWS
Kate Bellows | Senior Associate Editor
The Board of Visitors’ Buildings and Grounds Committee met Sept. 14 to discuss several projects in the works this year. First, the committee passed its consent agenda, which included a motion to name the Total Advising Center in Clemons Library as the Dathel and John Georges Student Center, as well as the renaming of the International Residential College’s Lewis House as Yen House. “As the International Residential College, it would be preferable to have a building named after an international student,” said Colette Sheehy, the University’s senior vice president for operations. “The proposal is to name it Yen House, after W.W. Yen, who was the first student from China to graduate from the University of Virginia and the first international student to receive a bachelor’s degree from this University.” Ivey Foreman Lewis was a University biology professor and proponent of eugenics. Lewis
also served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences between 1946 and 1953. The committee passed two action items, the first being a plaque to commemorate the University’s Bicentennial — the 200th anniversary of the laying of the University’s first cornerstone at Pavilion VII. “[The plaque] speaks to not only to the history of the University, but also the vision to the future of the Academical Village,” Sheehy said. “The text is based on Jefferson’s words in 1786, where he talks about the belief that no other short foundation save education can ensure the preservation of freedom and happiness.” The committee also approved an action item to revise the expansion of the baseball stadium at Davenport Field, expediting two projects that were to be part of the second phase to the first phase. After the action items passed, the committee moved into dis-
KATE BELLOWS | THE CAVALIER DAILY
The Board of Visitors decided to rename the International Residential College’s Lewis House after W.W. Yen, the first international student to receive a bachelor’s degree from the University.
cussion. Sheehy introduced the new University Building Official, Ben
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Hays, to the committee. Hays is a senior engineer at the University and a lecturer in the Architecture School. “Other institutions of higher education who don’t have this position locally have to wait for the people in Richmond to come to their campus and inspect their buildings and review their documents and issue their certificates of occupancy when the projects are finished,” Sheehy said. “This has been a huge advantage for us, streamlined our process and no doubt saved millions of dollars because time is money in the construction business.” Cheryl Gomez, co-chair of the Committee on Sustainability, and Bill Shobe, co-chair of the Committee on Sustainability’s Teaching and Research Subcommittee, then presented on the University’s accomplishments and goals in sustainability. “One of our important dimensions for involvement in sustainability efforts is engagement - engagement with alumni, students and community,” Shobe said. “I can tell you as someone who teaches a class in environmental economics every year that the students are just totally engaged in the subject of sustainability.” University Architect Alice Raucher then updated the Committee on Ivy Corridor Landscape Framework Plan. “The option we’re recommending is that we actually make amenity of the stormwater and have a pond on the site, along with green space,” Raucher said. “The idea of this is not unlike the
Dell, which we have just south of this area.” Rector Frank M. “Rusty” Conner III said he believed the focus ought to be on facilities the entire University can use. “There seems to be a real need for a much more significant meeting space, a performing arts center, whatever you want to describe it,” Conner said. “There seems to be increasing consensus for a … [hotel] or arts space. There also is … an interest in perhaps building a museum.” Raucher also presented the Lawn Accessibility Project, which will install a ramp on West Lawn, next to the steps south of Pavilion V and north of Pavilion IX, for persons with disabilities. “Right now, students and faculty, staff and visitors, can get to each of the terraces independently, but if you have to move from the upper terrace to the middle or lower terrace, everyone is directed back out to McCormick Road and up [an] alley,” Raucher said. “We were asked if it was possible to look for some connectivity between terraces.” Lastly, Raucher spoke about the Jeffersonian Grounds Initiative to renovate the Academic Village, including parts of Pavilion VIII and the roofs on tops of Lawn rooms. “As we move forward with the renovations, we always try to restore back to Mr. Jefferson’s intentions,” Raucher said.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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The Cavalier Daily’s
Housing Countdown Calendar
10 -11 months
9 months
8 months
3 months
2 months
• Find people you want to live with! These may be people from your hall or they might be people you met doing an extracurricular activity. • Decide if you’re looking for on-Grounds or off-Grounds housing • Start brainstorming potential places to live, and establish group preferences for housing. • Attend a Housing Resource Fair at Alumni Hall. • Make arrangements with different people if you are thinking about studying abroad for a semester.
• Reach out to rental agencies and landlords if you haven’t already and are seeking off-Grounds housing. • Seek honest feedback from current residents of housing options you’re interested in — you want to know both the pros and cons of where you’ll be living for 9 months! • Research different on-Grounds housing options. Some residences — Brown College, the language houses, Hereford College, the International Residential College and the Lawn — require applications.
• By December and January, you have probably signed a lease! • If you are still looking for options, use different Facebook pages made just for University students such as Free & For Sale, housing and individual class pages. There will still be people looking for roommates leading up until move-in.
• Check the Free & For Sale page for affordable used furniture and home goods options. • It’s the summer before move in! Now’s the time to start coordinating with roommates how you want to decorate and furnish your living space. Keep your eye out for college deals and discounts. • Create a comprehensive Google Doc of all the items you will need and have roommates sign up to buy an even amount of supplies.
• Establish a payment plan for utilities — if you are living off-Grounds, you may have to pay separately for certain utilities such as water, electricity and gas.
1 month
• If you’re living off-Grounds, you may have to pay your first rental installment before moving in — make sure to constantly check when rent is due.
Move In
• Take pictures of your apartment or house in the condition it’s in and be sure to note any damage. Let your landlord know so you’re not charged for it when you move out. • Arrange chores and bill responsibilities amongst your roommates. • In case you aren’t enjoying your new living arrangements on-Grounds, you can apply to transfer to a different home. • Enjoy your new home!
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BRITNEY PHAN AND MATT GILLAM | THE CAVALIER DAILY
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On-Grounds vs. off-Grounds housing as told by students Students consider variations in price, location and quality Alexis Gravely, Tadd Luhan and Ankita Satpathy | News Writer Amongst the several on- and off-Grounds housing options that University students can choose from, several remain popular year after year. Qualities such as location, affordability, amenities, management and overall property quality can hold sway in one’s decision regarding where to live. While on-Grounds housing options feature their own set of rules and regulations, off-Grounds housing can be complex to navigate at times, especially for students who have not searched for an apartment or house to rent before. The housing options described below are just a few of the many popular options thousands of University students live in each year.
On-Grounds housing
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Hereford College One of the University’s three residential colleges, Hereford College is located in the western part of Grounds on Observatory Hill near Scott Stadium and Runk Dining Hall. The residential college houses about 200 residents in two houses with around 28 students on each floor. In addition to dining, Runk offers laundry facilities, a convenience store and a mailroom. A single room in Hereford costs $6,370 for the academic year and a double room costs $6,050. Students from all years and majors are permitted to live in Hereford, but they must fill out an application. However, fourth-year College student Jorge Gonzales is a resident there and said the application should not cause any concern. “I mean, I don’t know of anyone who has been turned down because of their application,” Gonzales said. “More than anything, the application just serves as a way to get a head start to know you and create that community environment.” First-year students who live in Hereford are placed in double rooms, while upperclassmen typ-
ically live in single rooms with a shared bathroom. The option to live in a single room is a motivating factor for many who decide to live at the residential college. Despite the fact that the majority of its residents don’t have roommates, Hereford works to create a community among the students who live there, Gonzales said. “We actually have a Hereford Senate,” Gonzales said. “We have a committee, and we organize events. All these events [are] just to get to know the people at Hereford. We have such a variety of events that it makes it pretty easy to attend at least once a month.” Hereford is about a 25-minute walk from Central Grounds, but both Gonzales and third-year College student Luke Thompson said the distance isn’t much of an issue for them. Thompson said he can bike to class in seven minutes, and for those who don’t want to bike or walk, the Northline bus leaves roughly every 10 minutes. “It’s really not hard to get where you need to go if you’re willing to plan ahead,” Thompson said.
Lambeth Field Apartments The Lambeth Field Apartments are located a short distance from Central Grounds, between Emmet Street and Rugby Road. The complex’s 24 residential buildings house are divided into six-person or four-person suites. Lambeth Commons, located in the center of the complex, houses the popular C3 convenience store, as well as a laundry facility, mailroom and study spaces. All apartments come pre-furnished, with a common living room, dining area and kitchen complete with an electric stove and refrigerator. Bedrooms are double-occupancy, with each apartment featuring two bathrooms as opposed to a single common one. Housing in Lambeth costs $6,530 for the academic year. Most residents, particularly second-year and transfer students, choose Lambeth for its short distance from Central Grounds, typically a 13-minute walk or six minute bike ride. The area is also serviced by two bus stops that
provide service to most University Transit Service lines. Still, some said they felt the area’s location is less than ideal in its distance to the Corner. Affordability as opposed to other housing options off-Grounds was another bonus. “Lambeth was the right choice when it comes to cost,” second-year Engineering student Ryan Kann said. “Seeing how expensive off-Grounds housing can be, living here gives me a chance to look at my options for next year, while still staying relatively close to Grounds.” Second-year Engineering student Aniket Chandra said he was satisfied with his decision to live at Lambeth. “While I won’t be living at Lambeth next year, I’d recommend it for second-years and others looking for a semi off-Grounds experience without the distance and cost,” Chandra said.
Language Houses Located near the South Lawn side of Central Grounds on Jefferson Park Avenue, the Language Houses offer a one-credit language immersion learning opportunity. Students apply to live in the houses based on their knowledge and passion for the house or floor’s particular language and culture, and are then assigned to live in a single or double room. Approximately 20-27 residents live in La Casa Bolivar (the Spanish House) and La Maison Francaise (the French House), and the Shea House is home to approximately 75 residents. The Shea House is divided by floors, where each hall is dedicated to the study of a particular language. All three Language Houses require a meal plan to live in them.
A single room in all of the Language Houses costs $7,320 and a double room costs $6,530.
La Casa Bolívar (Spanish House) Like the other two language houses, there is an application process to live in the Spanish House. The process includes an interview in Spanish which takes place during the fall semester of the year before the student is going to live in the house. Logan Petkosek, a second-year College student, said the main advantage of the house is the community it creates, the opportunity to bond with others who share
a love of Latino culture and the house’s close proximity to Central Grounds. Emma Garfield, a second-year College student, also said she appreciated the culture and community in the house. “I love the location and I love improving my language skills every day,” Garfield said. “We just learn so much just speaking it throughout dinner conversations, like when we’re in the hallways.”
Shea House Shea House is comprised of single and double-occupancy rooms, although there are some single rooms on certain floors. Mehak Rana, a third-year Curry student, said she has loved her experience in the Shea House so far primarily because of the diverse community which exists in it.
“It’s a family atmosphere,” Rana said. “Not only are there so many languages in the house, but there are so many ethnicities learning one language. I really like diversity so that’s why I came here so hearing all the languages here is really interesting.”
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Assorted off-Grounds housing Oxford Hill Oxford Hill is located on Madison Avenue directly behind Management Services Corporation’s leasing office and the “MadHouse,” a location with a gym, study spaces and game room exclusively for MSC residents. Oxford Hill also has an outdoor pool for residents to use. There are one, two and three bedroom unfurnished apartments available, all with balconies that extend from the living room. The kitchen includes major appliances. Some three bedroom apartments have washers and dryers, but those without can use one of the coin-operated laundry facilities. All of the apartments are pet-friendly. Monthly rent at Oxford Hill ranges from $467 to $1,085 per
bedroom, depending on the number of bedrooms in the unit. Third-year College student Molly Roberson said the apartments’ affordability was a big factor when she decided to live there a little over a year ago. “It is very affordable, and all of my roommates wanted to be able to have free parking,” Roberson said. “We were looking for something that fit all of our budgets.” Third-year College student Claire Crawford said she and her two roommates also liked the affordability of Oxford Hill. “We were just looking for the cheapest option that looked the nicest,” Crawford said. “When me and my other roommates decided how much rent we wanted to pay, it worked out really nice.”
Crawford just recently moved into her apartment at Oxford Hill, but she said so far, she really likes it because “it’s nice” and “it’s quiet.” However, both she and Roberson agreed the location is far from classes. “It’s far away, but I don’t mind the distance at all,” Crawford said. “I take the bus [to my classes.] I tried walking in the beginning, and it was too far.” There are three bus stops near Oxford Hill for both the Inner Loop and Outer Loop routes. “I don’t mind living here,” Roberson said. “I think it’s pretty good. If you take this apartment and moved it closer, then it would be great.”
NAVYA ANNAPAREDDY | THE CAVALIER DAILY
While Oxford Hill is located farther from Grounds on Madison Avenue, there are three bus stops nearby for the Inner Loop and Outer Loop UTS routes.
The Flats The Flats at West Village is an apartment building located on West Main Street, with several floorplans ranging from one to four bedrooms and catering to both graduate and undergraduate students. Because of its location near U.Va. Hospital, it is a popular choice for some nursing students and medical students. The apartments are furnished, and residents have accessed to a fully-equipped gym and pool among other amenities — however, the rent is higher than many apartment complexes in the Wertland area. For a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment, rent is approximate-
ly $899 per person, according to Off Campus Partners. However, rent in The Flats depends on when one signs their lease, and based on tiered pricing, rent may vary. Colby White, a third-year Curry student, said the Flats apartments are worth the price for him. “It is a little pricey, but you pay for what you get, and it’s a great apartment complex,” White said. “The amenities there are fantastic, you really can’t ask for much more. All the apartments
come pre-furnished … so that makes moving into the apart-
ment basically hassle-free.” A second characteristic which may be a disadvantage for some, but isn’t for White, is the distance from Grounds. “I know it has a stigma of being super far away from Grounds and all that, but it’s really not that bad of a walk because first year I lived in Lile[-Maupin], and it probably took me about 15 minutes to get to the Rotunda, and it’s about the same distance now,” White said. “Even if you don’t like walking, there’s a trolley stop right there, so you have that option as well.”
1815 Jefferson
REED BROWN | THE CAVALIER DAILY
The Flats at West Village is a pricier option on West Main Street, but provides many amenities and is closer to the Downtown Mall than other options near Grounds.
Park Avenue Located on Jefferson Park Avenue close to Scott Stadium, 1815 JPA offers unfurnished four-bedroom apartments complete with all major appliances, including a laundry room with a full-size washer and dryer. Depending on the floor plan chosen, apartments generally come with one or two balconies and feature a breakfast bar, in addition to large living and dining areas. Monthly rent at 1815 ranges from $2,550 to $2,650 per unit. Fourth-year College student Shami Thakur’s decision to live at 1815 was mainly motivated by affordability, as well as having friends living there. “Most of my friends live here for a reasonable price,” Thakur said. “I lived at 1819 for the past two years,
so it was also an upgrade since it’s cleaner and more spacious. It has a big living room and a kitchen, which is convenient for cooking as well as studying.” In addition to upscale accomodations, 1815 also boasts a close proximity to Central Grounds — a roughly 15 minute walk — and is especially close to the Engineering School. Student parking is available outside the complex, and bus stops nearby provide access to the UTS Inner Loop line. Thakur also said she enjoys 1815 for its social aspect. Located a short walk away from other housing options at Kent Terrace, 1819, Montebello Circle and others, the area is especially popular with third- and fourth-years looking for a greater
share of independence further away from Grounds. “I like that most of my friends are a few steps away,” Thakur said. “As a fourth-year, everyone tends to get busy, so it’s nice running into friends on the way to classes or on bus-stops.” While the initial price tag may seem steep at first, Thakur said the cost is manageable and matches the quality of the accomodations. “I am graduating at the end of this school year. However, if my friends lived here again next year, I sure would consider it,” Thakur said. CHELSEA BENGSON | THE CAVALIER DAILY
1815’s apartments usually have one or two balconies and a breakfast bar.
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Deans Working Group chair presents to Student Senate Student comment period at Board of Visitors, University Guides initiative and Student Activity Fee audit also announced Thomas Roades | Associate Editor The Student Senate convened for its first meeting of the year Tuesday night in Newcomb Theater to hear from Law School Dean Risa Goluboff, who is chairing the Deans Working Group assessing the University’s response to the events of the events of Aug. 11 and 12. The Senate also heard remarks from Wes Gobar, a fourth-year College student and Black Student Alliance president, on the status of the list of demands that BSA and several other student groups are advocating for in the wake of violent white nationalist events in Charlottesville. Fourth-year College student Bryanna Miller, the student member of the Board of Visitors, also spoke about the new Student Comment Period which has been added to Board meetings, and third-year College student Ty Zirkle, Student Council’s vice president for organizations, announced an audit of the Student Activity Fee. The Student Senate meets thrice a semester to bring together student groups from across Grounds and hear proposals from students or CIOs. “The purpose of the Student Senate is to present proposals that need to gain the support of the student body to propel them to the administration or the Board of Visitors,” Zirkle said. Though most Senate meetings involve a vote to decide which of the proposals student groups will lend their support to, Tuesday night’s session did not. “This is meant to serve as a precursory Student Senate meeting,” Zirkle said. “In the future we will be voting on what initiatives to support.” He also introduced a committee that he said will be conducting an audit of Student Activity Fee spending this semester. The Student Activity Fee for the 2017-18 academic year is $50 per student and is used to support various student organizations. “There’s a number of aspects to this audit committee,” he said. “We’ve collected data working with the business services office.” He said the data shows CIOs’ spending since 2007, and the committee will be breaking it down by category — such as athletic organizations, cultural organizations and service organizations. The committee will also be conducting the first-ever CIO census. “We are looking for high student engagement since this affects all of us,” Zirkle said. After Zirkle’s introductory re-
marks, Goluboff gave an update on the progress the Deans Working Group has made in responding to the events of Aug. 11 and 12. The group consists of deans from each of the 11 schools, along with Miller and several other administrators. Goluboff explained the group’s mission, breaking it down into three categories — the first of which was improving safety and security. The group, she said, had also been tasked with assessing the climate of the University community and investigating the longterm implications of the events. Within the category of safety and security, Goluboff said the group had already made several policy recommendations and seen action on some of them. In the interests of safety and security, the Board of Visitors has declared the Academical Village an official facility, which will allow the University to regulate the presence of firearms there. Additionally, the University’s open flames policy will now be more strictly enforced. She said the group also plans reassess University policies on nonviolent demonstrations, which Goluboff said could be more complicated. She said a permitting approval process could have helped the University prepare properly for Aug. 11 and 12, but stressed the importance of preserving free speech. “I just want to be clear, this is not an attempt in any way to shut down nonviolent demonstrations on Grounds, especially by members of the University community,” Goluboff said. The second part of the group’s mission, she said, was to consider the University’s culture and climate and ensure that it is a diverse, tolerant community where all students feel comfortable. To that end, she said the group is conducting a culture and climate survey of the entire University. Another aspect of this goal included removing the Confederate plaques from the Rotunda, and considering the historical landscape of Grounds more generally. The third piece of the mission, she explained, would be to consider the long-term implications of the events for the University. “We are a university, so when momentous events happen in the world anywhere we should study them and we should teach about them,” she said. “I think we need to lead on this.” Clara Carlson, a fourth-year College student, asked Goluboff after her remarks why more stu-
SAM SPREEN | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Law School Dean Risa Goluboff chairs the Deans Working Group which is tasked to assess the University’s response to Aug. 11’s torchlit march through Grounds and Aug. 12’s white supremacist rally held Downtown.
dents are not involved in the working group. Miller is currently the only student member of the group. Goluboff responded, saying she did not convene the group so she couldn’t speak to its design, but assured Carlson that she’d sought out plenty of student input, and that Miller is an effective voice for students. Another audience member pressed the issue, asking if Goluboff, though she hadn’t convened the group, had at least asked for more students to be added to it, including those who were present during the protests. Goluboff said she understood the importance of those students’ input, but worried that including all affected students would make the group too large to function efficiently. “I get the symbolism, I really do, and I understand wanting to be heard,” she said. “My main concern is we as a working group have to do something because Aug. 11 and 12 [require] us to act.” Following Goluboff ’s presentation, Miller took the stage to brief the audience on the newly introduced Student Comment Period, which was added to the Board of Visitors meeting for the first time when they convened last week. The comment period will consist of a 20-minute section at the end of Board meetings in which two students will present their proposals. Miller went on to explain
the process for applying to present during the comment period. “The primary way is to present to the Student Senate,” she said. “You can present a proposal you want to see go before the Board.” She said the program was designed to facilitate communication on both sides between students and Board members. “Not only will they meet more students, but also you’ll be able to present your ideas in a way that's completely your own,” Miller said. She recommended large-scale proposals as the most likely to grab the Board’s attention. “The board is very focused on high-level, policy proposals, not necessarily the day-to-day,” she said. Gobar spoke next, recounting his experience with the comment period — he presented on the BSA’s demands to the Board during last week’s meeting. “I found it to be an especially valuable tool,” he said. “During the presentation I went through the demands and explained a lot of them, and gave context.” Finally, third-year Engineering student Mary Boyd Crosier spoke on behalf of the University Guides Service on a new program -— the “If These Grounds Could Talk” initiative. “What it is, is the idea of having tours combined with a dialogue,” she said. “The goal is to have them have a context about the history of
race-based discrimination in the University and Charlottesville as a whole.” She said the initiative would involve a 45-minute tour, followed by a discussion led by Resident Advisors. She hoped the program would reach at least 400 students, but hopefully many more. She listed several purposes the program had been designed to address. “The first goal is to address Thomas Jefferson as a paradox,” she said. “Jefferson as the founder of our school has a conflicting legacy.” Also included in the program’s goals, she said, are telling the stories of enslaved laborers at the University and generating awareness and dialogue surrounding the history of race-based oppression at the school. She concluded her remarks by inviting the audience to participate in the program. “If you are interested in taking a tour and learning about this, we’re doing special request tours,” Crosier said. The Student Senate will reconvene for its second meeting of the semester Tuesday, Oct. 24.
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Lawnies reflect on Aug. 11 move-in night Lawn residents first night disrupted by torchlit march
LIFE “It was around 8:30 [p.m.] that I got word that the alt-right would be coming to do something on the Lawn,” fourth-year Batten student and Lawn resident Diane D’Costa said. “There were only a few of us who moved in that day, and even fewer who were spending the night on the Lawn.” Aug. 11 was the first day the Lawn was open for its new residents, or “Lawnies,” to move in. This was also the date the white nationalist protesters marched through Central Grounds. D’Costa, a Jewish woman of color, recounted her experience and emotions as she watched the hateful group march by the door of her new room. “I heard a roar of chants that said, ‘You will not replace us,’ which then turned into, ‘Jews will not replace us,’” D’Costa said. “I looked out of my peephole and just saw flames migrating across the little view that I had. My body was physically responding to the terror. My ears were ringing, my heart felt like it was in my throat, my chest got so tight it felt like I wasn’t breathing.” As D’Costa left her Lawn room to find refuge in the neighboring pavilion and later a friend’s apartment off-Grounds, she hid her Israeli flags and took off her Hamsa necklace and Shema ring, concealing the visible indicators of her Jewish heritage. Looking back, D’Costa was mad at herself for detaching from a part of her identity, but was also genuinely terrified for her personal safety. As she watched the torches march by, D’Costa realized the individuals consciously made the decision to take time out of their day to gather and display their hate on the Lawn, a place she calls home — a home she was forced to leave. She returned to her Lawn room on the morning of Aug. 12 only to leave again later that day when the Charlottesville Mayor declared a state of emergency. “I was scared to go into what felt like a foreign city,” D’Costa said. “I packed a small bag, grabbed my keys, locked my door, ran to my car to drive home to Maryland. I felt like I was still running and fleeing like the stories of my great-grandparents who fled Poland in 1939. It was unreal.” Fourth-year College student and Lawn resident Alex Rigby also moved into his Lawn room Aug. 11 and was astonished to learn the Lawn is designated as a public space rather than a residential area, making the Uni-
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Gracie Kreth | Life Editor
DANNY BASS | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Aug. 11 was the first day the Lawn was open for its new residents, or Lawnies, to move in, and also the date that Unite the Right protesters marched through central Grounds.
versity incapable of stopping the march. “I was gobsmacked that the University couldn't stop Nazis marching through,” Rigby said. “There are children who live on the Lawn, and I couldn't believe the University allowed that to happen because it was a clear and present danger to the people living here.” Disappointed with the way the University responded to the event, Rigby said no one from the administration or working group has since reached out to him as a Lawn resident, though his living space was actively violated. He said he has not personally been given a genuine opportunity to sit down and talk about the event — something he thinks would have been helpful. He challenged the University’s public response, specifically to The White House. “This University was attacked,” Rigby said. “This town was attacked, and this University should have stood up to The White House and caused a scene. But they didn't.” Additionally, the University has not commemorated who Rigby calls some of the greatest heroes this University has ever seen — the students who surrounded and protected the Jefferson statue the night of Aug. 11.
“The University should have honored them for what they did,” Rigby said. “There was no big ceremony for them. Nothing.” The Cavalier Daily scheduled to meet with the University’s Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, Dr. Marcus L. Martin to give the University an opportunity to respond, but Dr. Martin canceled the meeting and was unable to reschedule. Neither Rigby nor D’Costa spent the night in their Lawn room after the events of Aug. 11 and 12. However, fourth-year Lawn resident and College student Casey Schmidt did. Like many other Lawnies, Schmidt had been counting down the days until he could finally move into his Lawn room. “I came down that night,” Schmidt said. “I was literally coming for the first time into my Lawn room. Had a suitcase. Ready to move in. And as I’m coming in for the first time, the torches are at the back, starting to come up on the Lawn.” He described the scene similar to Rigby’s recollection in that the Lawn was eerily peaceful. Despite the shouting, he said there were no conflicts and the crowd seemed to stay in a single-file column, avoiding groups of students, who were standing off to the side.
Nonetheless, Rigby said the hate group was inherently violent and dangerous and was clearly armed with torches. “These people are not good,” Rigby said. “There is nothing good about white supremacists. They are naturally violent, hateful people. How could you allow them to march through a space where children are living? With flames. [Aren’t] flames a threat [themselves]?” These events seemed to have left a tainted feeling on the Lawn, hurting that first milestone of a Lawnie’s last year as an undergraduate. D’Costa couldn’t be near the Lawn to witness the “March to Reclaim our Grounds” vigil because of its resemblance to the alt-right march and the fear it caused. Reflecting on the experience, D’Costa said what this group did was very uncharacteristic of the Lawn and what it is meant to symbolize, making the event that much more frightening. One of her favorite places, a place that brings her and her peers so much joy, was the setting of one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. Schmidt fears a return of these hateful groups and points to a recent encounter with a University alum and former Lawn resident as
evidence that hate still exists on Grounds and in the Charlottesville community. During the tailgating festivities of a home football game, a woman approached Schmidt asking about an anti-hate sign hanging on his door. “I was pretty off-guard when she started asking questions [about the poster] that were pointed in a more negative light,” Schmidt said. “She said something about ‘I’m disappointed to see no diversity of thought. The University is dead. We have descended into group-think.’” Schmidt pushed back against her comments, stating his disagreement as she walked away. Frustrated with the lack of genuine response to the events in Charlottesville and troubling circumstances across the country, Rigby believes the responsibility to face these problems begins with members of society. “We live in a climate in where there don’t seem to be solutions to the problems because the people in charge don’t want to face them,” Rigby said. “So, the best thing we can do is help each other create a warm and dynamic environment.”
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THE CAVALIER DAILY
LIFE • www.cavalierdaily.com
When do you consider someone a woman? On toeing the line between cautious and caring, and maybe growing up Mary Long | Life Columnist In an English class last week, my professor asked a question — tangential to the works of Emerson and Thoreau which we had previously been discussing — that’s weighed on me throughout the past two weeks since it was first brought up. It started when someone in the class casually mentioned that she lived with “three other girls.” The professor cut her off — “I don’t mean to change the subject,” he began. “But allow me to briefly change the subject. Why do you say ‘three other girls’? What makes one a girl as opposed to a woman? What makes one a boy instead of a man?” The professor asked that the class indulge him and had everyone go around stating whether they considered themselves to be a girl or woman, boy or man. The question was one I had thought about a surprising amount before — when traveling through southwestern India via buses last March, I had the empowering realization that this was me becoming a woman, that I was on my way — I was slowly but surely moving towards becoming an older, wiser, stronger version of myself. I had
the notion that I was becoming someone who I and others could and would be proud of. So, when the question was posed to me in class, I answered similarly and swore to all I wasn’t trying to avoid the question by being annoyingly lawyer-y. “I think I’m in between,” I said, “I’m becoming a woman. That’s not to say that I’m not one now, but it’s also not to say that I am entirely one yet. I’m working on it.” I became utterly fascinated with the ways in which people approached and eventually answered this question. Only one female — myself and my own ambiguity not included — out of 20 in the class said she felt herself to be more woman than girl. Meanwhile, four out of the five males said that they believed themselves to be more a man than a boy. The females tended to cite financial dependency on their parents as a key reason for them not feeling entirely womanly — the males typically said that they erred towards calling themselves “men” if only because they felt it to be a more accurate descriptor than calling themselves “boys.” After the class, I brought the question home to my seven housemates.
Each time the question was asked, it unintentionally served as a springboard for a larger discussion about our individual images of what it means to be a woman-capital-W or to be a man-capital-M. As opposed to my classmates, my housemates seemed to value maturity rather than financial independence as a key component of full-fledged womanhood. But what makes a person mature? And what is it about maturity that marks someone as having finally fulfilled some idealistic version of being a Woman or a Man as opposed to just being a regular, run-of-the-mill adult? I’m starting to think that the answer has something to do with self-respect — with a visible-yet-unassuming confidence in oneself and one’s intrinsic value. My absolute favorite writer, Joan Didion, writes about this in her 1961 essay, “On Self-Respect: Its Source, Its Power.” She says that “people with self-respect have the courage of their mistakes,” “know the price of things,” “exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of moral nerve” and embody “the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life.”
I love this idea. It’s something I strive for and struggle with, something I want to have but still feel far away from — and it’s something that is not essential to my image of adulthood per se, but is inherently tied to my more idealistic images of womanhood and of manhood. In other words — self-respect is vital not necessarily to my idea of growing up, but rather of growing into that person whom I want to one day become. But, how to get there? I think that perhaps the key to self-respect lies in striking some kind of balance between being caring and being cautious — in opening oneself up to both risk and reward — but also knowing how to walk away. Where to draw the line and when to say no. Didion touches on the strength of this sentiment at the end of her essay. “To assign unanswered letters their proper weight, to free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, the singular power of self-respect.” It’s not so easy as her emboldening words make it sound. But perhaps therein lies the beauty, and power, of self-respect — it’s something earned,
RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Mary Long
not handed. The same, I would say, goes for the reaching of womanhood, of manhood or of anything else in between. In any and every case, it’s the fact that one fought and worked and aimed to become something greater than they once were — something more self-respecting and kind-hearted and knowing than what they started out as — that makes “the becoming” such a worthy achievement.
My date to the Special Collections Library The new Cavalier Daily logo has ‘1890’ in it. I checked out the 1890 editions. John Patterson | Life Columnist
RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY
John Patterson
I like going on “self-dates” where I go do something by myself that I enjoy. I’ve gone to the movie theater, restaurants, the park and bars by myself and it’s honestly a great time, almost on par with mother-son bonding activities. My most recent date was dinner and a visit to the Special Collections Library. “I’ll take the earliest copy of The Cavalier Daily you have please,” I asked the librarian. The new Cavalier Daily logo has “1890” in it and I don’t know why but I feel like somebody
on staff needs to check that out, and everyone else is busy with real news. Five minutes later I’m sitting in the reading room alone, underground directly beneath the purple bushes I always watch the bees pollinate on my way to Alderman. A tad over-dramatically, the automatic double doors slowly open and the librarian makes unabashed eye contact with me as she walks in with a box of articles and places them in front of me. It’s pages of College Topics, the old name of The Cavalier Daily, from 1890. She leaves, silence returns. I have a knack for ruining dramatic moments, which I achieved this time by unceremoniously leaving the reading room to fill out a form so I could take pictures. Upon my return through the slow-opening doors I whip my phone out, hover over this century-old front page to take a picture, and drop my phone on it. “Sorry!” I mouth to the librarians from across the glass. Undeterred, I went to the next page where I discovered my new favorite newspaper section: “Social Notes.” It’s just a list of one-sentence blurbs about everyone’s social life that fills the entire page. For example:
“Miss Abbott is at Prof. Mallet’s, visiting her friend, Miss Estelle Burthe.” In case you were wondering. Some are oddly specific. For example, at 10 a.m. on a fateful Monday morning in March, 1890, Miss Rosa Williams married Mr. H. L. Hillebrand. The ceremony was in Rosa’s parents’ home. In the library. Wait, let me clarify: Mr. Hillebrand and his best man, Mr. Quakenbros, entered the library from the parlor. Just, you know, in case you were wondering the logistics of it. I read on. One of my personal favorites from the yellowed pages was: “Mr. Waters has returned from a short trip to Richmond. He reports the young ladies as being in ‘excellent condition.’” Let’s unpack this. Mr. Waters reported this, meaning one of my predecessors interviewed him about his trip to Richmond and may have asked: “Say, Mr. Waters, how were the young ladies in Richmond this weekend? The public needs to be informed!” I began to catch on that the Social Notes of this boys-only institution focused a lot on the ladies. “Miss Lizzie Harrison is in Richmond, where she is a great belle.”
Boom. One sentence story. Print it, baby, print it. Is Lizzie a great belle? Yes? Ok, no further questions your honor. Leave them guessing. Whatever happened to this real, unbiased journalism from the days of yore? I’m going to ask the Cav Daily higher-ups to bring back the Social Notes. Anyway, the library was closing in 15 minutes, so I put a handful of pages to the side to see what was in the middle. It was Social Notes again, and the first line read: “Miss Lizzie Harrison has really returned from Richmond.” I have five different theories about what happened to Lizzie in the handful of pages I skipped, from the report she was a great belle in Richmond to the report she really returned from the city. I also found the writing of a guy with my same job 116 years ago: a columnist. I have to say I disagree with the content of his piece, “A Defence of the Girls” which begins: “Though a modest, retiring youth, I am still so strongly saturated with a deep and tender affection for the ladies — God bless ‘em! — that my chivalrous nature is afire at the mere
thought of some recent merciless, and to my girl-imbued ear most unjust, articles on their flirting propensities. I feel called upon to come out of my shell in their defence, even at the risk of being totally annihilated by my own blushes.” So apparently College Topics was running articles complaining about girls, which girls I don’t know, being too flirty, and this author feels obligated to rescue their reputation with his knightly pen. “Our girls are too womanly, too tender, too true, to ever willingly give undeserved pain. They would never flirt – oh! hateful word – if left to their own devices,” he writes. I’ll let you take his thoughts as you will. I think the two of us have had different college experiences. I enjoyed reading these Social Notes from 1890 for the same reasons I like reading today’s obituaries — it’s a peep into a life, a time. It’s a perspective-shifter to read about all these regular human experiences, come and gone. It’s akin to looking up at all the stars and feeling small. Thought provoking stuff! I think it was a successful self-date — I would definitely take myself out again.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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A taste of home for Kennedy Nwabia Despite distance and new environment, soccer player remains grounded, dedicated
SPORTS
EMILY CARON | FEATURE WRITER On the third floor of John Paul Jones Arena, junior transfer Kennedy Nwabia sat at a high-top table clad in a pair of Puma sneakers and a navy No. 19 Paul Pogba jersey. It was 2 p.m. on a Thursday, and he was talking about food. Well, about chicken, to be specific. It’s his favorite food to make, though he’s not partial to any particular preparation of it. Fried chicken, chicken alfredo, chicken soup — you name it. Odds are he likes it. He is partial, however, to Nigerian food, especially Egusi soup. Eating American dishes was one of the hardest adjustments for Nwabia when he first came to the United States in 2013. “When I came here there were things I didn’t want to try, especially
the food,” Nwabia said. “But my host family — they made me try everything wherever we went.” The Charlottesville newcomer is a native of Nigeria, but this isn’t his first time in Virginia. He left his home country going into his junior year of high school in hopes of bettering his chances to play sports professionally by coming to the United States. After a short stint at a prep school in Omaha, Neb. — where the cold weather clashed with his West African origins — Nwabia transferred to North Cross, a prep school in Roanoke, Va. Roanoke residents Nancy and Lee Coleman took him in and supported Nwabia’s athletic endeavors, driving him to basketball and then to soccer tournaments alongside their son, Ben, who is also now a junior in college.
Avid baseball fans, they tried to convert Nwabia into a fan himself, but even their best efforts were unsuccessful. Even though the Colemans couldn’t get Nwabia on a baseball diamond, others were able to convince him to join the soccer team. Despite coming to the U.S. to play basketball, Nwabia instantly fell in love with the new sport. As a basketball player in Nigeria, he’d never played more than a game of pickup soccer until arriving at North Cross. Just two years after trying the sport out, he was a Division I starter for the University of Dayton in Ohio — leading the Flyers in scoring in his sophomore season. But between the distance from his host family in Roanoke to his dislike of the cold weather,
Nwabia decided that Dayton wasn’t quite the right fit. He transferred to Virginia in 2017, joining one of the top teams in the country just four years after playing soccer for the first time. “It just goes to show you what an athlete he is — that he can pick something up that late in life and be as good as he is,” associate men’s soccer coach Matt Chulis said. “It’s scary.” Chulis noted that Nwabia’s transition thus far has been seamless, adding that his attitude, work ethic and well-roundedness have been essential to the easy adjustment. Thousands of miles from home, over a hundred miles from his host family, in a new town with a new team, cooking is Nwabia’s way of staying connected to his roots and his values.
Players to Watch Junior halfback Olamide Zaccheaus Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall may have found his new Swiss Army knife player in Zaccheaus. With the graduation of versatile running back Taquan Mizzell, Mendenhall came into 2017 without a doit-all playmaker who can contribute as a runner, receiver and returner. Enter Zaccheaus, who put up a monster stat line against Connecticut last week in all phase. The junior caught nine passes for 122 yards, ran four times for 47 yards and totaled 56 yards on two kick returns. He helped reignite the Cavaliers’ running game while using his speed on the outside to haul in big plays from senior quarterback Kurt Benkert all afternoon. Against a formidable Boise State defensive line, Zaccheaus can help Benkert get rid of the ball fast with on quick routes and screens. Additionally, some big runs from him can help keep the offense in rhythm and open up play-action opportunities for bigger Cavalier receivers. Look for Zaccheaus to stuff the stat sheet again this week as Mendenhall continues to wield him in new ways. Senior wide receiver Doni Dowling Dowling led the way for Virginia’s trio of wide receivers that recorded over 100 receiving yards this past weekend with 136. Dowling has been a consistent target for Benkert and Virginia, having secured a reception in eight-straight games. Though it will be hard to replicate the offensive performance Virginia put on last weekend, Dowling can still help Virginia’s offense to play at a high level. He has an ability to make all sorts of plays, as evident when he caught a tipped Benkert pass and was able to take it down the field for a long yardage play against the Huskies and when he secured a long, 42-yard touchdown on a Benkert pass. If Dowling can have another strong performance, he will force Boise State’s defense to focus more on him and thereby create more space for Virginia’s other receivers. Deep ball After struggling with the deep ball in the two first two games of the season, Benkert put on a show against the Huskies. His ability to connect on downfield passes with his receivers opened up the offense in a way it hadn’t been able to thus far. Virginia’s success with the deep ball kept Connecticut’s offense honest and on its toes throughout the game. It added versatility to an offense that was able to use its success in the air to play a formidable running game also. With tougher competition this Friday, it will be key for Virginia to connect on the deep ball, keeping its offense versatile and balanced enough so that it can move the ball up the field in a variety of ways.
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ARUSHI KUMAR AND AISHA SINGH | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Virginia versus Boise State - a breakdown By CD Sports Staff After a disappointing loss to Indiana two weeks ago, Virginia bounced back in dominating fashion against Connecticut, winning 38-18. With momentum on the Cavaliers’ side, it’s time to see if the team can pull off a road victory against Boise State. This week, the CD Sports staff takes a look at some players and keys to watch out for in Friday night’s game in Boise, ID.
The Keys Striking a balance on offense Virginia’s last two games exemplify a stark contrast in how its offense has functioned. In the loss against Indiana, the Cavaliers were completely stifled in the run game, putting up only 72 yards on the ground. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae was forced to turn to Benkert to shoulder the offensive load as a result, but the gunslinger could not find a rhythm as the offense went stale. Conversely, against Connecticut — albeit a less talented defensive team — Virginia tallied 179 rushing yards, and Benkert had the one of the best games of his career with passing lanes opened up. The Virginia rushing attack will have to take pressure off Benkert Friday so the quarterback can expose the Boise State secondary. In their lone loss of the season, the Broncos allowed Washington State to pass for 433 yards and put up 47 points. The Cavaliers will have a great shot at winning if Benkert can put up big numbers, but his running game will have to earn some respect from the Bronco defense for that to happen.
“It’s either you cook something and it’s bad and you try again the next time, or you keep trying until you get it right,” Nwabia said. “The first time I tried to make alfredo, I messed it up. I took all the sauce and just threw it in the trashcan. But the next time I was better. It’s an art that way — you do something, if it’s not good, you throw it away and you come back and do it again. You just keep trying.” That unwavering commitment to getting better is the key to Kennedy’s success both on the field and in the kitchen. It’s repetition, he says — you succeed by working on something until you get it right. The more times you do it, the better you get. That’s the way he was raised, and that’s the way Nwabia approaches any challenge in life. “He’s in the training room nonstop because he just wants to be on the field,” Chulis said. “He’s so dedicated and just happy to be here. He definitely sees [soccer] as something than can help him in life.” When he came to the U.S. to play basketball, he’d never played soccer in an organized setting. But when approached about trying out for the team at North Cross, he was all in. Whatever would get him to college and give him a chance to pursue athletics at the highest level — he was game. His flexibility and his drive paid off. “Moving from Nigeria and from my family I really had to tell myself like ‘okay, this is my goal and this is where I’m trying to get to — I want to use sports to get myself a degree and see what I can do with sports from there,” Nwabia said. “Or [I’ll] fall back on my degree if that doesn’t work out.” He never expected soccer to be his golden ticket, yet it was. Just like he never expected to enjoy American food, which, for the record, he now does. But neither would have happened had he not been open to trying new things and accustomed to making the most of new situations. That’s what he’s doing now. “Since the day I picked up soccer, it’s opened a lot of doors for me,” Nwabia said. “I’ll stick with it, just keeping my head down [and] grinding, taking it day by day and giving it 100 percent every day in practice.” He still has his basketball shoes, but his cleats clearly are his focus now — oh, and beating Virginia Tech, the Coleman’s favorite school. He’s all in on the rivalry.
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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LEAD EDITORIAL
U.Va. should go test-optional
OPINION
Instituting a test-optional policy for qualifying applicants would contribute to diversity on Grounds
I
n the aftermath of the August white supremacist rallies, the Black Student Alliance took the opportunity to present a list of policy demands aimed at achieving racial justice in the University community. Among these demands was a call to the University administration to ensure black student enrollment — which currently sits around six percent — more accurately reflects state demographics, at 20 percent. This specific demand has sparked a debate over what exactly this process would look like. While the University should explore a variety of avenues to promote minority presence on Grounds, the first step in the process has to be making the ap-
plication process more accessible to underrepresented applicants. In order to open up the application process to applicants from a more diverse set of backgrounds, the University administration should consider instituting a test-optional policy. Understanding why it’s logical to make applications test-optional in certain circumstances is not rocket science. Research has established a heavy correlation between SAT scores and income, as well as racial gaps in scores. This is most often explained by the fact that students from economically privileged backgrounds have better access to expensive test preparation resources, giving them a distinct ad-
vantage over their peers. On top of that, overwhelming evidence suggests that SAT scores have no predictive power over the outcomes of students once admitted. These facts illustrate the absurd reality of the contemporary college application process, where students who have the means to take additional preparatory steps for an arbitrary exam get a leg-up over other applicants. There’s a wealth of research which suggests instituting a test-optional policy for students with a qualifying GPA significantly increases the number of underrepresented applicants, in terms of both race and socioeconomic status. When Wake Forest University
dropped their test requirement for qualifying applicants, they saw their share of minority applicants and enrolled students spike more than 10 percent over just a few years. The George Washington University saw a similar result following their decision to go test-optional. However, the benefits of a test-optional application aren’t just reserved for racial minority applicants. After implementing their test-optional policy, GW also saw a 14 percent increase of first-generation college students, regardless of race. This isn’t to say that this program would be a silver-bullet for the racial disparities in enrollment at the University. Nevertheless, on average, this
step would make the University more accessible for applicants of all income levels and racial identifications, with little to no cost to be borne by the University in terms of admission finances or academic rigor. Such an improvement, even on the margin, should be a no-brainer for the University administration. If Student Council truly intends on following through on their commitment to support the BSA demands, they should lead the charge in advocating for reformed admissions policies. While a test-optional policy does not necessarily guarantee an immediate increase in the University’s racial diversity, it is nevertheless a good start.
THE CAVALIER DAILY THE CAVALIER DAILY The Cavalier Daily is a financially and editorially independent news organization staffed and managed entirely by students of the University of Virginia. The opinions expressed in The Cavalier Daily are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration of the University of Virginia. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. Cartoons and columns represent the views of the authors. The managing board of The Cavalier Daily has sole authority over and responsibility for all content. No part of The Cavalier Daily or The Cavalier Daily online edition may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the editor-in-chief. The Cavalier Daily is published Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily. com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2016 The Cavalier Daily Inc.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
www.cavalierdaily.com • OPINION
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PATIENCE IS KEY WHEN FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE Don’t buy into the rush — you might regret it
I
t was only three weeks into my first year when someone asked me where I planned on living next year. I responded with an incredulous, “I’m only just remembering how to get from my dorm to Gibson, and I barely know anyone here” — but I couldn’t seem to shake the question. Students are supposed to be figuring out where they want to live next year, while this year is only just beginning. This can be tricky for upperclass students, but for first-years it is a highstakes game of guessing who you’ll be friends with next year. In many cases, the wiser option is to avoid the stress of immediately finding a place to live and wait to sign a lease with people you know you want to live with. While unfortunate, it is not a surprise that students sign leases so early in the year. With demand for convenient and affordable student housing outpacing sup-
ply, there is a shortage of appealing living spaces. It has become important to secure housing early if one wants to live in the “best” spots. For example, CBS Rentals had a deadline of Sept. 13 for those who wished to renew a lease. The system incentivises students to sign early, which can lead to unfortunate consequences. The early deadline means that first-year students have to decide to spend the next year with people that they may have met only three weeks prior. Signing an early lease is committing to live with a group of people a year from when you all sign. You’re placing a big bet on the fact that your friend group of today will look the same in a year. In a university packed with interesting people and intriguing opportunities, it is very possible that commitments and friendships will evolve throughout the year.
This is completely normal and healthy, but it can make a pre-arranged living situation rather complicated. I witnessed multiple instances of someone signing a lease with people either on their hall,
like choosing random roommates all over again. There’s nothing wrong with living with people you do not know very well — many of us did it as first-years, and it was a valuable experience. However, living
It is very possible that commitments and friendships will evolve throughout the year.
in their Biology class or at their orientation session, and later realizing they would rather live with a different group of people. All situations eventually resolved themselves, but the process of finding someone to take over a lease can be stressful. Signing a lease with people you have known for a short few weeks is
with friends is undeniably more enjoyable. If students are willing to wait a little bit longer to sign a lease, there is a better chance that they will end up with closer friends to live with. This obviously comes with a trade-off — waiting longer means that some housing options will already be taken. However, on-Grounds
housing options like Lambeth are in many cases both more convenient and more affordable than off-Grounds competitors. While it is stressful to hear everyone talking about their finalized housing plans for the next year, patience is its own reward. Don’t buy into the housing hysteria. Wait, settle into a grove and find people you really want to live with. Following this path will make you less stressed now and more content next year — as Michael Scott would say, it’s a “win-win-win.”
CONNOR FITZPATRICK is an Opinion columnist for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.
USING MIXED-INCOME TO ADDRESS PUBLIC HOUSING NEEDS Concentrating public housing in high-crime areas plagued by poverty is unjust
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lanning and managing viable public housing options poses significant challenges for municipal governments in Virginia and across the country. Most notably, Newport News, Va. and Norfolk, Va. epitomize the problems which current public housing options present, as well as opportunities for policymakers and municipalities for effective urban development and planning. Mixed-income development should remain at the forefront of redevelopment efforts for places like Newport News and Norfolk because this model serves the entire citizenry of the city and address key issues related to current public housing models. In Newport News, much of the public housing in the city is concentrated on the East End of the city, an area known for crime, poverty, food insecurity and violence related to drug and gang activity. Unfortunately, concentrating the bulk of public housing in the East End has effectively segregated the city, with approximately 90 percent of East End residents being black, even though blacks make up less than 40 percent of the entire population of Newport News. The current model of concentrated public housing poses two
major problems for communities and residents. Firstly, such concentration often leads to increases in crime rates, as seen in Newport News, but also in cities like Chicago and Oakland. Secondly, such conditions reinforce and perpetuate cycles of crime and poverty among affected populations.
ineffective, as it concentrates and isolates low-income residents. The way forward with public housing is incorporating a mixed-income element into redevelopment efforts, which incorporates planning public and residential spaces that are inclusive and attractive to people of diverse socioeconomic back-
It is vital that low-income residents are not simply displaced to other high-crime public housing facilities.
St. Paul’s quadrant in Norfolk presents a unique opportunity to the city. It is a 113-acre parcel in in the middle of the city, within walking distance to many of Downtown Norfolk’s entertainment venues like the Scope and Chrysler Hall. Currently outdated public housing projects — such as Tidewater Park — occupy the majority of St. Paul’s quadrant which follows a housing model popular in the mid20th century but has shown to be
grounds. St. Paul’s quadrant and the East End of Newport News present opportunities to municipal leaders to revitalize economically stagnant areas that better serve the entire community. This is crucial to offset the trend of the creation of pockets of economic depression and violent crime within a city. In many cases, public housing projects are physically fenced-off from the surrounding urban fabric — residents engage little in the greater community and
create unnecessary barriers. Although mixed-income developments are different for every site, they generally include several consistent traits. Planners and developers account for differences in needs between people of different income levels and family sizes when designing housing options, which often take the form of apartments, townhouses and single-family homes. Additionally, mixed-income development entails that certain housing options will be available for rent and for sale, and that certain options will be set aside for low-income residents for a certain period of time. Opponents often argue that mixed-income housing development efforts often lead to fewer public housing options for those who need them. When considering mixed-income development as a benefit for low-income residents, it is vital that low-income residents are not simply displaced to other high-crime public housing facilities. Additionally, opponents argue that mixed-income housing developments are a guise for state-funded gentrification, one of the most controversial topics related to urban redevelopment. However, the current model of concentrated public housing de-
velopments in Newport News and Norfolk which isolates its residents does not work. Because of poor planning and ineffective housing policies, there are entire sections of Newport News which provide little economic opportunities for its residents and exposes them to high amounts of gang-related activity and violent crime. Although Newport News is one of the most diverse cities in America, its neighborhoods remain highly racially segregated. According to Lawrence Vail, an urban studies professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mixed-income housing allows for "finding enhanced security, increased investment in the surrounding neighborhoods and higher expectations for the management when they have the pressure of people putting more of their own money into payments.” With the dispersal of crime and poverty, cities will work better for the majority of citizens.
THOMAS FERGUSON is a Viewpoint writer for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.
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OPINION • www.cavalierdaily.com
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS AND WHITE SUPREMACY By forcing minorities out of their homes, gentrification is a form of institutional racism
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y forcing minorities out of their homes, gentrification is a form of institutional racismOn the night of Tuesday, Sept. 12, a sign reading “Black Lives Matter — F—k White Supremacy,” was placed at the foot of Thomas Jefferson’s statue which sits north of the Rotunda during a protest condemning the University’s glorification of its founder. In his time, Jefferson was the quintessential symbol of white supremacy — a well-educated, land-owning and wealthy white man. He owned many slaves, founded the University, served as a governor of Virginia, wrote the Declaration of Independence and was a president of the United States. Jefferson and his legacy, including the University, serve as overt symbols of white supremacy. However, it is not solely overt symbols of white supremacy which set our society back — it is also the institutional racism which pervades deep into our society. Gentrification is part of this institutional racism which exists in Charlottesville today. Initially, gentrification is appealing with its ability to reduce crime rates, increase home values, better school systems and restore
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MIRA DU PLESSIS | THE CAVALIER DAILY
CARTOON
aged homes. Unfortunately, these deceivingly positive aspects are coupled with the removal of the original residents of these neighborhoods, usually minority groups. With wealthy developers, investors and homeowners entering a neighborhood and renovating the existing homes or constructing new properties, the original residents are priced out of their homes and forced to relocate or risk bankruptcy. Gentrification is often branded by developers and city planners as “revitalization” in order to attract middle class residents to the area with the rise of new shopping, dining, modern condos and renovated homes. However, this effort is essentially no different than the segregation which occurred in the United States after the Civil War and through the mid-20th century. Gentrification at its root is white supremacy. By forcing minorities out of their homes, gentrification is a form of institutional racism. Here in Charlottesville gentrification is actively in play. Housing prices have continued to rise over the past 17 years. Homeownership among white residents increased by 12 percent between 2000 and 2015, while homeownership among black residents decreased by 12 per-
cent in the same time period. These numbers directly demonstrate the affordable housing crisis which has been exacerbated by gentrification. Neighborhoods such as Vinegar Hill, a historically black neighborhood, are prime examples of gentrification at work in Charlottes-
the Rotunda, it is nevertheless an expression of white supremacy. It honors the middle and upper classes who destroy low-income communities and displace residents for their own capital gain and livelihood. Each time a minority family is priced out of their home,
While gentrification is not a monument that sits in front of the Rotunda, it is nevertheless an expression of white supremacy.
ville. Vinegar Hill, which sits at the western edge of the Downtown Mall, was redeveloped in the 1960s, forcing some 500 residents to relocate to the the Westhaven public housing project. Even though the Charlottesville City Council passed a resolution in 2011 apologizing for the forced relocation of Vinegar Hill residents in the 1960s, the damage was already done. Generations of Vinegar Hill natives were forced from their homes to make way for wealthy white residents and a new shopping district. While gentrification is not a monument which sits in front of
another stone is added to the white supremacist monument of gentrification. Gentrification is a form of institutional racism which pervades deep in our society, furthering the agenda of whites while simultaneously setting back minority residents in low-income communities. Even though gentrification has the ability to revitalize communities, it only serves to aid wealthy individuals. Instead of “revitalizing” these areas, developers should focus on creating affordable housing solutions. Meanwhile, local governments should provide incentives for affordable housing to developers.
Additionally, local governments should direct their attention to improving the school systems, another form of institutional racism, in low-income communities. In the wake of the terrorists attacks which occurred in Charlottesville on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, the dialogue in Charlottesville has shifted to a healthy debate over the role of the presence of white supremacy in our community, causing some to call for the removal of all statues to Jefferson from the University. However, this is not the most important debate to facilitate. Instead, we should examine the role of institutionally racist policies and practices such as gentrification. Gentrification does more to further the cause of white supremacy in the 21st century than any monument of Jefferson does. We cannot correct history, but we can certainly influence our future by working to end gentrification, improving our school systems and developing incentives for affordable housing projects.
MARY ALICE KUKOSKI is a Viewpoint writer for the Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor
PUZZLES
Across
1
1. Freestanding abstract sculpture
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8. Spanish wine, similar to champagne
EVENTS Thursday 9/21 Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA Presents: Critter Ball, 6pm-12am, Pippin Hill Vineyard Women’s Soccer vs. Miami, 7pm, Klockner Stadium Class of 2018 Presents Class Giving: Donuts & Coffee, 11am-1pm, Whispering Wall/Thornton/Campbell Hall Relay for Life Presents: Concert for a Cure, 8-10pm, UVA Chapel UPC Presents: The September Series, 8pm, The Garage Contemplation at UVA: Meditation for International Day of Peace, 5-6pm, Ern Commons Thursday Evening Sunset Series, 5:30-8:30pm, Carter Mountain Orchard Friday 9/22 Field Hockey vs. Boston College, 5pm, Turf Field Men’s Soccer vs. UNC Chapel Hill, 7pm, Klockner Stadium Class of 2018 Presents Class Giving: Launch Party, 6-8pm, Crozet Pizza & Buddhist Biker Bar Flux Presents: Open Mic Featuring Rob Gibsun, 7-10pm, Brooks Hall UPC Presents: Not Another Improv Fest!, 9pm-12am, UPC UPC Presents: Sounding Off Summer, 8-9:30pm, UPC Swing Club Presents: First Social Dance 2017, 7:15-11pm, 1515 Satruday 9/23 Track & Field/Cross Country’s Virginia Panorama Farms Invitational, 10am, Lannigan Field Classes of 2018 and 2019 Present: 5K for Mental Health Awareness, 9am-12pm, South Lawn CTC Marathon & Half Marathon Training Presents: Ten Miler, 6:4510:45am, JPJ UPC Presents: Putt Putt UVA, 9pm-1am, UPC Sunday 9/24 Women’s Soccer vs. UNC Chapel Hill, 3pm, Klockner Stadium “A Concert for Charlottesville” An Evening of Music and Unity, 4pm12am, Scott Stadium Contemplating Social Justice: Mind, Body and Spirit, 4-5:30pm, The Rotunda SHH Fig Brunch Fundraiser, 9:30am-2pm, FIG Bistro
S E S A M E S
A L A B A M A
A B A L O N E E M B O L I C
B A L L A D S
B L A N K
I N T O
L E E R O R N
S M T A E S S P H O U N A T I S H R I A E N T S
E G E S T
C P L A F R I G L O R E A V E M E I N G N C E G E N E O S N A C O N C A G I T R E N E L E A D
A T H L E T A
I C E A G E
V E T E R A N
P E R T E R
A S S I G N S
E S T E R S
3
4
5
6
17
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20 23
24
33
34
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44
16. Scares
18. Female spirit similar to siren or mermaid 19. Classical Greek portico 20. The "A" of JPA 21. Unit of energy and work equal to 10 *-7 joules 22. "Where the Sidewalk ___" 24. Pepe is a notorious example
29
40
49
50
55
56
57
58
51
52
50. ___ for Charlottesville is happening this Sunday
9. Active women's clothing chain
53. Mosquitotransmitted disease
11. Allocates jobs or duties
54. Annoy, upset
13. Region in SE France
10. Survivor of a war
14. Monetary units of Italy
26. Not pale 27. Laid to ___
57. Fires, slangily
28. Getting older
58. Ones who are in charge
23. Popular Vampire Weekend song from "Modern Vampires of the City"
Down
24. The "M" of GMU
1. "___ Up": strange 2007 film about penguins on the beach
25. To carry out, expel
36. Colorless poison gas widely used in WWI 38. Type of tree, or functional computer language 39. "Do ___ others as you would have them..." 40. A hunt for one of these creatures is usually a prank 44. Meeting for those who practice witchcraft 47. Highest cards
3. Type of edible mollusk 4. "Don't Stop Believin'" might be considered one of these 5. "___ the Woods" 6. "Coming Home" singer Leon
41 47
54
2. Trick -or-___ (to describe a person)
43
37
56. One who goes back on a contract
30. Scientific org. devoted to learning more about a dangerous type of energy abb.
42
30
32
53
55. Famous, respected
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26
46
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17. Host of show on which The Roots appear: Jimmy ___
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39 45
10
14
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38
9
21
28 31
15. They help you sell a house
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16
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13. Earth's lithosphere is composed of tectonic ___
7 13
22
33. "Hunger Games" cook Greasy ___
T R E A T E R
2
15
12. More suited to the city
31. Inherent nature
S U R F S
15
16. Pink bird, sometimes plastic
29. Group of people related through male ancestors
35. One of two types of strokes (not thrombotic) 37. Made law 41. 2002 film starring a sloth, a mammoth and a sabertoothed tiger 42. More lively 43. Organic compounds produced by reaction of acid and alcohol 45. Fresh sheet of paper, for instance 46. Argentinian city Buenos ___ 49. "The Cat in the ___"
32. Closes up
50. "Cosmos" astronomer ___ Sagan
33. Plural of a popular children's show "Street"
51. Double continuous S shaped curve
34. Brittany Howard, another performer in Sunday's event, is known for her band ___ Shakes
52. "Baltimore" singer ___ Simone
7. To make a mistake 8. One of the bands to be present at Sunday's event: ___ the Elephant
48. To make illegal, to put a stop to
*SOLUTION FROM LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE IS TO THE LEFT
A& E ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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Trash House provides safe haven for students Unofficial WXTJ residence allows students to provide audiences with music Ian McConaughy Williams | Senior Writer
WXTJ is inarguably the home of music in Charlottesville. Though not officially part of the University, the largely student-run radio station gives voices to over 100 students according to, Chase Browning, third-year College student and co-director of the station. WXTJ — found on 100.1 FM or accessed via online streaming — provides something that, structurally speaking, other radio stations simply cannot execute. Seeing as its constituency is so multitudinous, WXTJ is able to take unique shape on the airwaves. There is no one style to 100.1 FM, precisely because it puts the microphone in front of so many different faces. The outcome is a gloriously plural, in-depth
review of the music that is influencing a generation of young adults. With each DJ given a time-slot and free reign — albeit abiding by FCC rules and regulations — all throughout the day, listeners can tune in and jam out to great music and the collective voice of a subculture of the University. If WXTJ is home to music at the University, then the self-proclaimed “Trash House” is the also unofficial home of WXTJ. Located on Gordon Avenue, Trash House is home to fourth-year College students Lona Malik, Kirsten Hemrich, Nathan Maizels, fourth-year Engineering student Lane Spangler and third-year College student Tom Sobolik. It gives WXTJ a physical space to inhabit, without which the radio station would
not have nearly as much influence on students’ lives. Last Saturday displayed a pretty common Trash House weekend. The residence was hosting one of its myriad house shows, which featured local bands such as Sorority Boy and Sweet Tooth, and it served as a fundraiser for DREAMers on Grounds. Before the show, residents of the house shared their views about WXTJ and the radio subculture of the University. Malik said the name “Trash House” was originally an inside joke only among the residents since the house is “trashy,” but once the house started hosting more shows, the name just stuck. Maizels said that, despite the house’s name, the inhabitants “keep it
pretty clean.” Not only do members of the Trash House try to make the residence a place for creativity to flourish, but Malik said that it serves a greater purpose. “We try to make Trash House a community space, in a way,” Malik said. According to Hemrich, Saturday’s show at the Trash House was sort of introduction — both for the school year and for first-years interested in radio. Hemrich also said that the show raised over $400 for DREAMers on Grounds. As the location of this politically-oriented show, Trash House transcends the more traditional role of music venue as commodity space. It is
truly a hub of the community, where young artists come and go, contributing what they choose to the culture of Charlottesville. Trash House is much more than a common site for DIY concerts and student art exhibitions. It is both testament and monument, idea and reification of the lasting spirit of subculture in Charlottesville. At a school with such strong devotion to tradition, it is important to find and keep a pulse on progressive, underground movements. Trash House is a place of inclusion, where identity is as disparate as it is respected and valued. The residence on Gordon Avenue provides a stoop for free thinkers — it becomes an incubator for the variety that gives spirit to the home of the University.
Concert for Charlottesville — too big to fail? Incredible line-up is city’s most impressive musical show to date Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor
COURTESY CONCERT FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE
A Concert for Charlottesville will feature musical giants like Justin Timberlake, The Roots and Pharrell Williams.
Charlottesville — once one of the “happiest cities in America,” recently the site of fatal white nationalist rallies and now the go-to talking point for broader arguments about race relations and radicalized politics in America. The city has gone through enormous changes in less than a year, and with these changes the community has been tried and tested to the extreme. Rather than simmer down as time passes, stress levels of Charlottesville residents and University students threaten to boil over. This is the aftermath of cataclysm, when all that can be done has been but wounds are still too fresh to heal. The rallies have ended, for the time being, and though more certainly could have been done to prevent or lessen their effects, that is an argument that does
not belong in this article or even this section of the newspaper. When the dust from a horrible event has settled but the memories of the event are still all too present, some sort of release is needed. That release, as has been indicated in more than one psychological study and has been practiced in countless generations, is art. Charlottesville has always had a praise-worthy artistic presence, with a respectable array of museums, concert venues and theaters. The city might historically not have the ability of hosting big-name musical acts, unlike its northern and southern neighbors D.C. and Richmond, but nonetheless boasts a thriving, if slightly more underground live music presence. This fact, then, makes the Concert for Charlottesville all the more in-
credible and hard to believe. The lineup — featuring names such as Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Pharrell Williams and concert organizers Dave Matthews Band — seems more appropriate for Firefly or Bonnaroo than an impromptu, not to mention free concert at the University’s own Scott Stadium. For once, Charlottesville is the musical envy of all its neighboring cities. “Impromptu” almost seems insufficient to describe this event — it is truly unlike anything Charlottesville has ever seen. Its imminent existence is hard for many to grasp, and it is possible that even when these musical giants are onstage in Scott Stadium, performing for University students and Charlottesville residents alike, there will still be a sense of unreality
about the entire thing. Plans for the concert were announced September 6 by the Dave Matthews Band, not even a full month after the catalyst of the rallies. The event itself will take place this Sunday. From this perspective, it is truly amazing to witness the speed and ability with which some of the country’s most well-known musical talents can assemble their forces to create the event. It is also heartwarming that they are willing to do so. It would be so easy for those not associated with Charlottesville to turn away from and ignore the tragic events, unrest and overall controversy that is plaguing the city — and many have chosen this route. Conversely, those that choose to approach the community during this time of need, armed with music and all of its healing powers, should be unanimously welcomed and praised. Despite all the buzz surrounding the concert, much of its details are still unknown and will likely remain that way. How much stage time will each act have? Will any of the musicians combine forces onstage? What’s to be made of the mysterious “special guests”? In the same vein, it is unclear what, if any, message the Concert for Charlottesville wants to express to its attendees. The musical acts are safe choices, ranging from moderate to gleefully apolitical — of the acts, not one is overtly partisan. This is especially true of the Dave Matthews Band themselves, who abandon the political in favor of the universal, with songs that focus on such themes as love, life and death.
One of art’s most important qualities is its ability to serve as an escape from such reality-grounded issues as race relations and freedom of speech. This is not to say that such issues are not incredibly important to the community, or any community — Charlottesville is mired in a political turmoil that must be remedied — and it is also not to say that art and politics are mutually exclusive. Spike Lee’s imminent presence at the Virginia Film Festival is an excellent example of how art can and should intermingle with politics. However, art can be at its most powerful in its most timeless moments. There is a good reason why music has been a constant throughout human existence — an incredible amount of emotion can be contained in the most simple melody. This sort of emotion is particularly profound because it has different meaning for each listener. The power of a good song lies in its ability to make an impact, whatever that impact may be, on everyone that hears it. It can mean something different for everyone, maybe something entirely unlike what the artist intended, but it still produces the desired effect — all listeners are connected through the common thread of emotion. The Concert for Charlottesville is billed as “an evening of music and unity.” These two concepts — “music and unity” — go hand in hand, and the combination will undoubtedly move Charlottesville one step closer to being healed.
www.cavalierdaily.com • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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Young the Giant, Cold War Kids, Joywave join forces Trio of indie rock bands delivers solid yet predictable show Katie Wattendorf | Staff Writer It was Joywave’s “first appearance in Charlottesville,” according to Daniel Armbruster, the band’s charismatic lead singer who amiably announced his band’s own novelty to a hoard of 20-somethings who actually did know the words, despite the act’s self-proclaimed first-timer status. The cluster of fans huddled near the stage cheered under the fading daylight of 7 p.m., while Joywave erupted into its their sixth song — another one far too rocking for little Charlottesville on a Tuesday, barely an hour into the evening. Underneath the tent-like dome of the Sprint Pavilion, Joywave, along with the Cold War Kids and main act Young the Giant, delivered a lengthy showing of alternative / indie / rock / pop tunes that consisted of five or six solid standout numbers and a blurry buffet of “songs that aren’t the hits.” Despite all three of the band’s having no more than two or three top-notch tracks that hit the charts and cruised radio time for several months each, the show was able to maintain a decent energy and — more importantly — a positive vibe on a warm, end-of-summer evening in a recently wounded downtown Charlottesville. Near 8 p.m., after Joywave’s short but energetic set — proving
itself to be a powerhouse of an opening act — the second indie rock band of the night’s trifecta took the stage. Compared to the youth and vivacity and sheer sonic power of Joywave, the Cold War Kids seemed to lack energy, as one song blurred into another without a significant show of interest from the audience. Until, that is, the band played their most recent hit, “Can We Hang On?” At the onset of this upbeat, pop-rock anthem from their spring release “L.A .DIVINE,” there was a speedy migration of fans from their previous station of smoking cigarettes on the back of the lawn to the pit. Pressed to the stage, an eclectic mix of tattooed townies and University students not in the library on a Tuesday night danced to lyrics that take on a special meaning when sung in Charlottesville — “I think about tomorrow / If I can get through tonight / I know that we’ll be alright / Can we be strong?” A Rihanna cover, an honorable speech about the importance of immigrants, a rousing rendition of their most popular song “First” and an incredibly long but impressive jam session later, the Cold War Kids left the stage, kicking off a 30-minute stretch of dead time before Young the Giant came on. By this point, the venue was
as full as it was going to get, at a solid 75 to 80 percent capacity — a decent pull for a Tuesday night concert in a relatively small town featuring three bands that hold a vague “almost famous” status. A brief glance at the audience by an onlooker during that half-hour of waiting would give an interesting cross-section of Charlottesville — seven-year old kids who are up past their bedtime on a school night, dancing at a concert downtown with their “cool mom,” sitting a few feet from a 40-year old man with a beer and a tattoo sleeve who came alone and is now surrounded by University students all wearing the same Adidas Superstars and leggings. But nobody was alienated by the other — it was all just part of the laid-back magic of an indie rock concert. Finally, Young the Giant took the stage to an uproarious cheer that immediately quelled any doubts that most of the audience came specifically for them. In its long and steady set, the standout tracks were predictable — 2011’s inquisitively poetic hit “Cough Syrup,” 2014’s pop-inspired “Mind Over Matter” and last year’s new favorite “Something to Believe In.” The winning song by far, “My Body,” came at the very end, unfortunately after many of the audience
HANNAH MUSSI | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Cold War Kids was the second act onstage, presenting a predictable but passionate show between indie rock acts Joywave and Young the Giant.
found reason to quietly leave. Still, it was so loud, the evacuated members could probably hear it on their late-night walk home. As what as left of the audience trickled out of the venue last night, there was an aura of calm and contentedness. Whether the con-
cert-goers thought the night was the best of their life or a vaguely bland display of the current indie-rock music genre would be hard to tell. Everyone seemed to be in a state of sleepy, happy peace — which is all Charlottesville could really ask for.
Darren Aronofsky’s ‘mother!’ is artful torture Unique psychological thriller is for cinema-masochists, extended-metaphor lovers Jackie Leary | Senior Writer
’,“mother!” lures audiences in with cozy names like Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer only to remind them they are dealing with another familiar name — director Darren Aronofsky, the creator of “Requiem for a Dream” and “Black Swan.” Aronofsky’s technical skill is of unquestionably high caliber, but it is used to paint stories that perturb rather than please. Compared to the more successful summer box office horror hit, “It,” Aronofsky’s “mother!” is the one audiences will continue to think about — and be disturbed by — long after the credits roll. Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) lives in an isolated mansion with her husband, Him (Javier Bardem), a successful poet struggling to produce his next work. Mother obsessively rebuilds and cares for the house, which Him reveals to
have previously been destroyed in a fire. She wants to make the house a “paradise,” but Him’s writer’s block takes precedence over her efforts. Suddenly, a man (Ed Harris) arrives at the door. Mother is reluctant to let the stranger enter, but Him is excited to have a visitor to “bring life into this house.” Soon, the man’s wife, Woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives. Mother eventually enters a world of paranoia, helplessness and utter chaos as more visitors arrive. As far as symbolism goes, the film is saturated with scenes and characters that represent figurative ideas both obvious and ambiguous. A basic knowledge of Genesis from the Bible is enough to point out the transparent extended metaphor of Aronofsky’s script, but plenty of interpretations ranging from the state of humanity in general to the horrors of fame exist as well.
Such a complex premise sounds inviting at first, but Aronofsky’s script and character development suffer as a result of this flashy intricacy. The dialogue often feels contrived and of minuscule importance compared to the visuals of the film — audiences can try to put pieces of the puzzle together from dialogue, but it will be an unrewarding attempt for the most part. Similarly, the characters lack “real” names and are clearly puppets of a larger metaphor where it is difficult to be emotionally invested in them as if they were actual individuals. The characters are difficult to relate to due to one other key aspect of the film. The entire film is shot from Mother’s perspective, which is disconnected from all other characters except Him. Mother merely watches the action and has no relationship to any of the nameless intruders that enter her house.
Fans of Jennifer Lawrence — and of convincing acting in general — will be pleased by close-up shots of Mother’s psychological unraveling. Although Bardem, Harris and Pfeiffer offer convincing performances, Lawrence’s performance upstages them all, as her character is the only one given the opportunity to be slightly more than a metaphorical Lego piece. Despite flat character development, the unnerving visuals emphasize relatable fears — the kind that are horrifying because they are deeply emotional and anxiety-inducing rather than laughable jump-scares. This is not to say there are no jump scares, but they are by no means the most powerful tactic used to put audiences on edge. Indeed, Aronofsky focuses on all the creepy things people love about old, secluded houses — creaky and sharp noises, fire furnaces which
unexpectedly rev up in the basement laundry room and the pulse of a beating heart in the walls. However, Aronofsky’s true strength in disturbing audiences stems from his technical skill and the surrealism that results from his distinct close-ups, irritating emphasis of sharp sounds and irrational character interactions. Mother’s diffidence and disconnection to the other characters actually accentuates Aronofsky’s nightmarish style, and a sometimes shaky camera that follows Mother’s psychological breakdown highlights primal fears of invasion and chaos. Decidedly, “mother!” is a tough watch for the sensitive viewer. Nonetheless, Aronofsky’s distinct visuals and thought-provoking premise make the torture worth it — at least once.
H&S HEALTH & SCIENCE
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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Exploring housing risks in Charlottesville Common indoor environmental health concerns include mold, carbon monoxide and lead paint Sarah Yang | Senior Writer
SEAN CASSAR | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Students should be aware of potential housing dangers, prior to signing a lease.
Housing risks can have a significant impact on the health of inhabitants, and awareness of common environmental health concerns is the first step in preventing and minimizing health risks. Common indoor environmental health concerns include mold, carbon monoxide and lead paint, as well as asbestos and other air quality concerns. Mold Molds are simple microorganisms that grow in damp places. They can stain or discolor surfaces and usually carry a distinct odor. Most forms of mold are not harmful. Mold grows in wet places, making bathrooms or areas with high humidity and condensation at an especially high risk. “Mold growth in homes, dormitories, or apartments is typically a sign of water intrusion or an environment with excessive humidity,” R. Thomas Leonard, director of the University Office of Environmental Health and Safety, said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “Water, and a nutrient source (such as drywall) are essential for mold growth — without both elements, mold will not grow.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to mold can cause nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing or skin irritation. Severe reactions to mold include fever and shortness of breath, and individuals with chronic lung illnesses may develop mold in their lungs. “Some molds excrete toxins
called mycotoxins which can induce inflammatory or toxic effects, and some molds can cause infection, but these are fairly uncommon outcomes among healthy populations,” Leonard said. The Institute of Medicine has definitively linked indoor mold exposure to upper respiratory tract symptoms, coughing and wheezing in healthy individuals, as well as asthma symptoms in individuals with asthma. The World Health Organization has released additional studies that support a link between early mold exposure and the development of asthma in some children, according to the CDC. “Selected interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies,” the CDC said. Such interventions include avoiding water leaks onto carpet and drywall. “Once you know that water has found it’s way into your home or apartment through unintentional channels, dry it out as quickly as possible,” Leonard said. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is lethal even in relatively low concentrations. It can be generated by any incomplete combustion process, including burning of gas, propane and tobacco. CO can be produced by any fuel-burning appliance, including furnaces, water heaters, gas ovens and running vehicles in
enclosed spaces. “Carbon monoxide probably represents the greatest acute risk because of its insidious properties — it cannot be detected by sight and smell, and has the potential to be fatal at high concentrations,” Leonard said. According to the CDC, carbon monoxide symptoms are “flu-like”. “The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion,” a representative from the CDC said in an email. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause individuals to faint, and people who are drunk or sleeping can die from poisoning before displaying symptoms. “When inhaled, carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in blood, replacing oxygen which would normally bind to hemoglobin. This mechanism results in a reduction of oxygen distribution to critical organs and tissues,” Leonard said. Lead Lead was a common paint ingredient before being banned in 1978, and houses built before that time commonly contain lead-based paint. “About 24 million older homes in the U.S. contain deteriorated lead-based paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated house dust,” the CDC representative said. “Even if lead paint is covered by layers of new paint, stripping or sanding the surface could release hazardous lead dust.”
Children are at increased risk for lead poisoning that can damage their central nervous systems and cause cognitive impairment. “Young kids of course crawl on the ground and tend to put their fingers and various objects in their mouth, and this increases their potential for exposure to any lead dust or debris in their home environment,” Leonard said. Other than paint, water pipes, toys, toy jewelry, imported candy and traditional home remedies may also contain lead particles. Lead is also commonly used in some hobbies, like making stained glass. According to Leonard, landlords are required to disclose the existence of lead paint when purchasing or leasing homes built before 1978, and students concerned about lead paint are encouraged to contact their landlords or University Housing and Residence Life. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety can also provide assistance when assessing concerns. “They have a waiver that says you waive your right to complain if there is lead paint,” fourth-year Batten student Luke Nicholson said. Nicholson’s building on JPA was built in 1972, six years before leadpaint use was banned by the U.S. government. Nicholson said that he did not take lead-based risks into account when searching for offGrounds housing, because of limited options. “You kind of pick whatever you
can find, because there’s not enough housing,” Nicholson said. “We weren’t aware of [the lead paint waiver] until we had already poured the deposit and agreed to live here.” Nicholson emphasized that the lead waiver is located on the last page of the leasing contract. Other concerns Other residential environment health concerns include asbestos and radon, and indoor air quality can be degraded by chemicals in cleaning products, pesticides and volatile emissions from carpets and other materials, Leonard said. “I would say that students should be particularly mindful of fire-related risks in the residential environment,” Leonard said. “Environmental contaminants are often a focus of concern because of the involuntary nature of exposure … yet fire remains among the greatest risks for students nationwide, particularly when living off campus.” Students living in University-managed properties are unlikely to encounter residential environmental hazards, Leonard said. “There’s a premium placed on student safety here,” Leonard said. “Our facilities are well maintained and staff are continually mindful of managing risk.” For any concerns regarding residential environmental health concerns, students can contact HRL or EHS.
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