Thursday, September 28, 2017 by The Cavalier Daily

The Cavalier Daily Vol. 128, Issue 6

Thursday, September 28, 2017

‘A CONCERT FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE’ GALLERY PAGE 4 U.Va. CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH AUGUST EVENTS PAGES 6-7 EDITORIAL BOARD: U.Va. MUST SUPPORT PUERTO RICO PAGE 12

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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THE CAVALIER DAILY

In Brief A summary of what’s happened in and around Grounds in the past week

NEWS

By Hailey Ross, News Editor, Thomas Roades, Associate Editor, Geremia di Maro, Associate Editor, Maggie Snow, Senior Writer

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 A Concert for Charlottesville

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Otto Warmbier’s parents speak out

COURTESY CNN

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

“A Concert for Charlottesville” was held Sept. 24 at Scott Stadium. The free concert was organized by the Charlottesville-bred Dave Matthews Band as a benefit event to promote healing and unity within the City and University community after the violent events of Aug. 11 and 12. An estimated 50,000 plus people attended the concert and there were 177,000 requests to obtain tickets for the event, according to the University Board of Visitors. Performing artists featured such names as Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Cage the Elephant, The Roots and special guests Coldplay and Stevie Wonder. Donations were encouraged to the Concert for Charlottesville fund at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. “Beneficiaries of the fund will include victims of the events in Charlottesville on Aug. 11 and 12, their families, first responders, and organizations devoted to

the promotion of healing, unity and justice locally and nationwide,” according to the concert website. Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman who was killed when a car plowed into a crowd near the Downtown Mall Aug. 12, addressed the crowd at the concert. “You make [Heyer’s] death and her toobrief life matter even more,” Bros said. After the concert, Charlottesville activist group “Solidarity Cville” and U.Va. Students United held a protest against the event as demonstrators held signs which spelled out “No unity without justice” outside of Gibbons dormitory. The University Programs Council donated $150,000 to the Concert for production costs. This was the money that initially was supposed to be for the Welcome Week concert, which was previously canceled.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

StudCo welcomes first-year, transfer representatives During this week’s Tuesday meeting, Student Council unanimously voted to appoint Jessica Lukacs, a first-year Darden student as co-chair of its Appropriations Committee. Student Council also welcomed newly-elected members from the first-year and transfer representative elections. Sarah Kenny, a fourth-year College student and Student Council president, addressed the new members during her

executive report and said there would be upcoming orientation programming to make them feel at home on Student Council. “If you guys are as lost as I was my first Student Council General Body meeting, don’t worry, we’ll put all our new members through a very thorough bootcamp,” Kenny said. “This will all make much more sense in a month.”

Fred and Cindy Warmbier, the parents of the late University student Otto Warmbier, spoke on Fox News and CNN Tuesday, delivering their first public remarks since the death of their son. North Korea detained Otto Warmbier in January 2016. While the regime sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor to allegedly attempting to steal a political banner, he was released in June of this year in a comatose state. Upon his return, Warmbier was found to have suffered immense brain damage and passed away six days later. In their interview, the Warmbiers condemned the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “They’re terrorists,” Fred Warmbier said on Fox News. “They kidnapped Otto, they tortured him [and] they intentionally injured him.” He also described the moment when members of the family, including siblings Austin and Greta, arrived to meet Warmbier for the first time since his detainment. Fred said

when they were going up the plane steps they heard an “inhuman sound” and that his son was blind, deaf and looked like his teeth had been rearranged with a pair of pliers. However, a post mortem analysis, conducted in lieu of an autopsy, confirmed some of Cindy and Fred Warmbier’s observations, including “contusions” on his right arm and hand, and a “pigmented scar” on the top of his right foot, but stated that his teeth appeared “natural and in good repair.” "There was no evidence of trauma to the teeth,” said Lakshmi Sammarco, the coroner for Hamilton County, Ohio where the examination took place. "We were surprised at that statement." Sammarco also said the root cause of his death could not be determined. “Could that have been torture at the time? We are never going to know unless the people who were there at that time came forward and said 'this is what happened to Otto,’’’ Sammarco said.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

New Sheetz opening on the Corner

Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store chain, is slated to open a new location on the Corner Thursday. The 24-7 store located where Eddy’s Tavern used to be will offer made-to-order sandwiches, appetizers, coffee and fruit drinks and beer and snacks. This store will not sell gasoline

but customers can order food, then eat and study at booths and window seats facing the street. The cafe offers free wifi, multiple televisions, charging ports for electronics, touch screen kiosks and a wide array of made-to-order drinks and snacks. Customers can order customized items using touch screen kiosks.

www.cavalierdaily.com • NEWS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Course addresses race, religion, poverty Assoc. History Prof. Tico Braun teaches course titled ‘The Individual and Society’ for first-year College students Oliver Edelmann and Hannah Gavin | Staff Writers This semester marks the piloting of the New College Curriculum by a cohort of the Class of 2021. Approximately 600 first-year students are enrolled in the New College Curriculum, which includes courses on Engaging Differences. Assoc. History Prof. Tico Braun teaches one of these courses titled “The Individual and Society,” which examines historical and contemporary issues and how they relate to and are shaped by both individuals and society. Engagement courses enrich the first-year student experience through discussion and written work dealing with “broad fields of human life,” Braun said in an interview. “I think we want to do something that is more vital for first-year students than we used to provide,” Braun said. “We want to make undergraduate education at the University of Virginia a more dynamic sort of thing than it often has not always been.” Braun said he hopes the concepts of the individual and society remain with his students after the course and how it relates to current issues. “This question — individual and society — I would challenge you to read a single newspaper article that doesn’t touch on that subject,” Braun said in the interview. “I’m hoping that my students will be attuned to that and see it in many of the things that they read, and read more actively, and look for things and have more curiosity about what they can learn in an article than they had before.” Braun knows the names of all 39 students in the class and greeted them as they strolled into class at 8 a.m. Monday morning. The class analyzed a Washington Post article titled “Colin Kaepernick vs. Tim Tebow: A tale of two Christians on their knees” and how issues of race and religion relate to the individual and society. Students had the opportunity to talk about the

readings in small groups before engaging in a class-wide discussion. “In the world of honor, authenticity — you are within yourself — is irrelevant. It’s how you show yourself in society and who you are is what other people think you are,” Braun said as he spoke to the class. Braun also spoke about whether the issue of poverty relates to the individual or to the society. “It has to be in some ways both. And then depending on what we’re studying, what we’re looking at, and who we are, the balances are going to shift,” Braun said. “Perhaps in no other other society in the world historically and now has that question made more sense than in the United States of America.”

The course covers cross-cultural examinations of other topics such as student politics in the 1960s, egalitarianism and the quest. Students use the discussions about these issues to write a final paper about their take on the debate between the individual and society. First-year College student Caroline Strickland, who is a student in Braun’s class, said she values both the broad nature of the topics discussed and their application to current events. “This class is based [on] anything. Anything in the world that involves the individual and society,” Strickland said. “Is the individual kind of weighing more like in affecting society or is the society weighing more, defining

the individual?” Strickland credits the untraditional nature of the course for driving student engagement and discussion. “It’s not like your traditional history class,” Strickland said. “It’s easy to get engaged because it’s completely new to me.” The new curriculum’s competencies include the Engagements, the Literacies and the Disciplines as an alternative to the traditional College’s Area Requirements, which have been in place for over four decades. The Engagements portion of the curriculum allows students to connect to their communities and the broader world around them. There are four categories of Engagements — Aesthetic Engagement,

Empirical and Scientific Engagement, Ethical Engagement and Engaging Difference. Each Engagement can be fulfilled either by taking either two, two-credit classes in a semester covering a single Engagement or by taking a full-semester four-credit class covering two Engagements. The Engaging Difference requirement aims to expose students to the complexities and inequities caused by human difference as well as to “understand the need to engage with different lives and cultures in a spirit of a common good to make sense of human experience,” according to the College’s website.

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The New College Curriculum offers the chance for first-year students to take courses which fulfill an Engaging Difference requirement. The courses are meant to enrich the first-year student experience through discussion and written work dealing with “broad fields of human life,” Assoc. History Prof. Tico Braun said.

CLASSIFIED Curious about IQ testing? Seeking volunteer assessment subjects Julia Blodgett teaches a course in Cognitive Assessment in the Curry School. Graduate students in the course learn to administer various IQ tests, and they need volunteer test subjects (ages 6 through adulthood) in order to develop their skills. Test sessions are scheduled at the convenience of the volunteer, including daytimes, evenings, and weekends. Most administrations are under 2 hours. Tasks are novel, and most participants find them enjoyable, challenging, and interesting. Volunteers are provided with a brief written report. If interested, please e-mail (juliab@virginia.edu) or call (434-242-2331)

THE CAVALIER DAILY

NEWS • www.cavalierdaily.com

Activist group ‘Solidarity Cville’ denounces concert Group criticizes a ‘Concert for Charlottesville’ for promoting sense of ‘false unity’ Geremia Di Maro and Monica Marciano | Staff Writers Charlottesville activist group “Solidarity Cville” and U.Va. Students United held a small protest Sunday night immediately following the Concert for Charlottesville as demonstrators held signs which spelled out “No unity without justice” outside of Gibbons dormitory at the University. Members of boths groups are also believed to be responsible for distributing pamphlets to concert goers after the event which included the same content as displayed in the Solidarity Cville’s video statement, posted on the group’s website Sunday. Solidarity Cville has been heavily involved with activism relating to the white supremacist events in Charlottesville throughout the summer and presented a list of demands to Mayor Mike Signer promoting racial equality. The concert was organized by the Charlottesville-bred Dave Matthews Band as a benefit event to promote healing and unity within the city and University community after the violent events of Aug. 11 and 12. An estimated 50,000 plus people attended the concert and there were 177,000 requests to obtain tickets for the event, according to the University Board of Visitors. The proceeds, raised through donations to the Concert for Charlottesville fund, were managed by the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation and are to benefit “victims of the events of August 11 and 12 and their families, first responders, and organizations devoted to the promotion of healing, unity and justice in the Charlottesville community and nationally,” according to the organization’s website. In the video, an unnamed member of Solidarity Cville rejects the “false unity” of the concert and criticizes various city and University officials of inaction after the white supremacist events of this summer. “The ‘Concert for Charlottesville’ is a show of false unity,” the member said. “Community healing shouldn’t be led by those who failed the community — Mayor Mike Signer, the City Council, Chief Al Thomas, U.Va. President Teresa Sullivan and many others.” Solidarity Cville also accused both the city and University of obscuring the problem of white supremacy in the community with the use of unifying social media campaigns and the concert in general. “To cover up long-standing, historical issues of white supremacy with hashtags and concerts is not a true and inclusive unity,” the member said. “To support city offi-

cials and university presidents over those who actually show up to defend their community is not a true and inclusive unity.” Maria DeHart — a fourth-year College student and U.Va. Students United activist — criticized the concert for failing to acknowledge the racial inequality the City of Charlottesville and the University will continue to face after the event. “This concert should not be what we remember about August 12, it should be that Charlottesville has problems that need to be addressed including public housing, police brutality and other forms of racial violence in Charlottesville,” DeHart said. “The concert sort of provided a distraction for people to focus on the side of Charlottesville that is white liberalism … and not keep talking and keep being critical about what we need to do move forward.” DeHart also questioned whether many of the concert's attendees recognized the magnitude of the events of Aug. 12. DeHart also called upon the Council and University to take more concrete steps to address racial inequality in the local community. “A better alternative [to the concert] would be putting more money into housing equality and housing opportunities and getting more people above the poverty line and above all U.Va. paying its employees a living wage,” DeHart said. DeHart finished by emphasizing that attendees of the concert should continue to think about the lasting implications of racial inequality after the concert. “Are you [Concert attendees] thinking about this?” she said. “Are you doing what you can to actually be aware of these issues and address them and think about how you stand in this community? And not just enjoying this fun concert, wearing the shirt and pretending like everything is fine but actually being critical and aware.” In response to the message of the concert and the demonstrations afterward, a number of University students and organizations shared their views with The Cavalier Daily. Akash Raje, a third-year College student and Diversity and Outreach Chair of the Inter-Fraternity Council, said he admired the solidarity which he believed the concert promoted but also acknowledged the validity of the demonstration. “I felt very moved to see such a successful event come together in a month's time,” Raje said. “There certainly was an intentionality to the concert in communicating a

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Dave Matthews closed out the concert with his band and special guest Stevie Wonder.

message of solidarity and activism. We danced together in the stands and became friends with people who would have otherwise been complete strangers to us. This is the power of music — cultivating an inextricable bond between people through love.” Despite being a fan of the concert, Raje said he also found the protest to be valuable. “However, I do not completely disagree with those who argued for ‘false unity,’ Raje said. “In fact, I thank them for doing what they did because they hold everyone accountable. When people walked out of the stadium, we realized that we were still in Charlottesville, and in the United States, where these issues remain relevant, and without action, we really cannot uphold the message of the music.” Virginia Chambers, a second-year College student and University Democrats Communications Coordinator, said the Uni-

versity Democrats appreciated the strength and unity displayed by the University and Charlottesville communities at the concert but said the “hard work of racial and political reconciliation is far from over.” “We were pleased to see University students and members of the community physically come together for a peaceful, positive concert,” Chambers said. “It is important to note, however, that yesterday's concert was largely symbolic. As lovely as it was, it did not complete the work that must take place for Charlottesville to heal,” Chambers said. “The concert was simply a step in the community's journey to a more just, inclusive society.” Adam Kimelman, a third-year College student and chair of the College Republicans, said they viewed the concert as a starting point for the University and City communities to heal and rejected the notion of the event as a “false

unity.” "We are very happy that the Dave Matthews Band and so many other talented artists were willing to come and have a charity concert for Charlottesville,” Kimelman said. “While we [College Republicans] realize there is more to be done, we do not think this was a show of false unity as the counter protestors apparently claimed. We realize that this concert didn't solve racial problems in Charlottesville, but it did allow for the city and U.Va. to unify and start to heal." University spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn offered the following statement on the concert and protest after The Cavalier Daily reached out to President Teresa Sullivan. “It was a fantastic evening for the concert, and it provided our community an opportunity to come together in a wonderful sign of unity and mutual respect.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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THE CAVALIER DAILY

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After white supremacists marched, U.Va. grapples with change “The terrain is telling you you’re not welcome here. I don’t know how a black person at U.Va. is supposed to feel, honestly.” Andy Campbell, Alexis Gravely, Anna Higgins, Daniel Hoerauf and Mike Reingold | HuffPost and Cavalier Daily Writers More than 100 students crammed into the University’s Newcomb South Meeting Hall last month for a Student Council meeting that quickly devolved into volleys of shouts and anger. David Birkenthal, chair of the representative body and fourthyear College student, banged his gavel repeatedly to restore order. Student Council was there to vote on whether to endorse a list of demands made by the Black Student Alliance. Among the student group’s requests: recontextualize a statue on Grounds of Thomas Jefferson by adding a plaque stating the monument “serves as an emblem of white supremacy.” The BSA, founded in 1969 as an independent group representing African-American students and issues on Grounds, made its demands shortly after a white nationalist rally took place in Charlottesville, and amid growing concerns of racial inequality on Grounds. Students are pushing for change on campuses across the country. But it was here, across manicured lawns where nearly 17,000 undergraduate students study every year, that a group marched on Aug. 11, chanting, “Jews will not replace us.” The next day, and less than 2 miles away, white supremacists rallied under the statue of Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park, which the City Council had voted to remove. Just outside the park, a woman named Heather Heyer was killed after a car ― allegedly driven by a white supremacist ― plowed into counterprotesters. Dozens of students from across the political spectrum gathered on Aug. 29 for a public comment section that quickly became a free-for-all. Each comment was met with either raucous applause or fiery dissent from the crowd. BSA members see the events of Aug. 11 and 12 as a continuation of deep-seated racism that continues to mar the history of both their campus and their city. Broadly, the group is asking for the school to acknowledge its legacy of white supremacy, as well as contextualize its Confederate past. It also wants the school to increase diversity. “You have, like literally, the glorification of dead white supremacists all over this place,” said Devin Willis, BSA secretary and second-year College student. “The terrain is telling you you’re not welcome here. I don’t know how a black person at U.Va. is

supposed to feel, honestly.” Reeling After Deadly Rally University students didn’t ask for this rally on their doorstep, but now they’re dealing with the aftermath. The BSA is de-

Jefferson worked to emancipate slaves in Virginia, third-year Engineering School student Sean Rastatter told the assembled crowd. “Thomas Jefferson was not a

no indication that the school will add a plaque declaring the Jefferson statue an “emblem of white supremacy.” Demanding Change In the lead-up to the school

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Board of Visitors voted to remove the plaques commemorating former University students who died fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War.

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

John Gates, dean of diversity and inclusion at the Engineering School, speaks at an on-campus “Excellence Through Diversity” series event on Sept. 8.

manding change, while the College Republicans are working to distance themselves from both white supremacy and President Donald Trump. And professors are figuring out how to discuss the events in classrooms. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on what should happen next. The Jefferson statue has been a particularly hot-button issue. Students sparred over it at the student council meeting late last month.

white supremacist,” he said. “We are too quick to condemn him.” And audience member interjected: “He raped black girls.” “He did,” Rastatter responded. “And that’s absolutely awful. But, so did everyone at that time.” Shouts of outrage filled the room. The student council ultimately voted to endorse the BSA’s demands, the first of several victories that the group would see in the coming weeks. Still, there’s

year, University student leaders and staff worried about losing enrollment because of Charlottesville’s new reputation. But they also agreed that the violence and racism that permeate the town are issues that need to be tackled by everyone on Grounds. “Charlottesville is now an epicenter for both hate and social justice,” said John Gates, dean of diversity and inclusion at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He called the

white supremacist gathering in early August “the rallying cry.” The BSA’s list of 10 demands is the most concrete call to action since that weekend. The group has generally been successful in getting them approved. The Ku Klux Klan gave the University’s centennial fund $1,000 in 1921, which the BSA has asked the school to reinvest. On Sept. 14, President Teresa Sullivan announced the University would acknowledge the gift and donate $12,500 ― the amount adjusted for inflation ― to the Charlottesville Patient Support Fund, which was set up to pay for medical expenses for those injured during the violence in August. She said she wanted the donation to be “as disagreeable as possible to any remnants of the Ku Klux Klan who are watching.” “In other words, we’re allocating that centuries-old pledge from white supremacists to heal the wounds inflicted by the dying vestiges of white supremacy that struck Charlottesville last month,” Sullivan said. The next day, the Board of Visitors for U.Va. passed a resolution to designate the Lawn, a major outdoor space on Grounds, as well as the rooms and pavilions surrounding it, as a “facility.” This allows the University to extend regulations to the area, including the ban of firearms, open flames and explosives. The BSA wanted this change because the white supremacists marched across Grounds with tiki torches. The removal and recontextualizing of the Confederate plaques erected in 1903 on the Rotunda was a more difficult ask. Frank M. Conner III, the rector of the board, addressed the same sentiment Willis described by referencing the discomfort the plaques bring to students and faculty of color. “We need to have talent, not just in terms of students, but talent in terms of faculty,” Conner told the board. “[We have to ask] are those plaques a barrier to the talent that we want today in terms of students and faculty? And it is.” Although there was disagreement among some of the members, the board ultimately voted to remove the Confederate plaques. They were nowhere to be seen at the Rotunda by 7 a.m. on Sept. 17, solidifying a total of three of BSA’s demands met in as many weeks. Identity Crisis Adam Kimelman, chair of College Republicans and a third-

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 year College student, is among those who don’t want a plaque labeling Jefferson as a white supremacist. At the large town hall in late August, he suggested the BSA make their demands “more reasonable.” The crowd booed him. The College Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump before ― when they rescinded their endorsement after a video revealed the then-candidate had proudly declared he could sexually assault women without consequence. Now, they find they have to distance themselves from extremist groups attempting to coopt conservatism. The fallout has led to some College Republicans worrying about their safety or even their ability to speak up about normal conservative issues without retaliation, Kimelman said. Indeed, shortly after the rally weekend, the group had to defend itself against tweets calling for any College Republicans who attended the rallies to be identified as white supremacists. None of them took part in the rallies, and student leaders across Grounds spoke out against the tweets. Despite the pressure, recruitment for the College Republicans hasn’t taken a hit. Kimelman said that doesn’t surprise him, arguing that white supremacy and the Republican Party aren’t one in the same. “We’ve seen hateful ideologies try to latch onto parties in the past, and that’s what they’re trying to do right now,” he said. “The Republican Party is a legit-

imate movement that these white supremacists would love to elevate their status with.” Kimelman said the group is trying to shift its focus to local politicians and issues ― there’s plenty to talk about before Virginia’s elections on Nov. 7.

woman, for any LGBT person, or any person who is economically disadvantaged, any person who was of color. That was Mr. Jefferson’s university ― what is this?” “The alt-right brought to Grounds flamed torches ― that was a particular symbol ― but for

toward addressing the issues of diversity and inclusion in their classrooms. “As I speak repeatedly with faculty colleagues, no matter what their field people have always had, I think it’s a part of U.Va., we’ve always tried to fos-

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

A statue of the Greek philosopher Homer sits on the south side of the Lawn. About 60 professors, lecturers and administrators met at the statue recently to discuss the fallout from a white supremacist rally on Grounds.

Faculty Steps Up Multiple levels of University staff and faculty are also pushing to recontextualize the school’s Confederate history. Gates, the engineering school’s dean of diversity and inclusion, said the Jeffersonian aesthetic is keeping the University from reaching the full value of diversity. “When we say Mr. Jefferson’s university, whom are we talking about? Mr. Jefferson did not create this university for me,” Gates said. “He didn’t create it for any

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Lawn and the Rotunda were the sight of a white supremacist torchlight rally on Aug. 11.

many African-Americans we see and experience unflamed torches every day,” he added. “I think what a lot of people have been grappling with is, what about the things that don’t fit within the margin that are part of our everyday life ― all the microaggressions.” Carol Mershon, a politics professor and director of diversity and inclusion within the politics department, said the events of Aug. 11 and 12 have imbued in the faculty a new sense of urgency

ter an inclusive classroom so we will be continuing in that effort,” Mershon said. “However, we are now even more attentive to the need to create environments and maintain environments in which mutual respect and love among all students can be expressed and upheld.” Many faculty members see themselves with individual responsibility not only to adjust their own curriculum and classes to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, but also

to educate incoming freshmen about the events in Emancipation Park and the history of the area. Graduate students also created a “Charlottesville syllabus” that students, faculty and community members can use to educate themselves about the long history of slavery and white supremacism. Several working groups have also formed across schools and departments at the University, seeking to identify and address failures in the response to the white supremacist rally, as well as what steps should be made in the future. One such working group, led by Law School Dean Risa Goluboff, recently released a report attributing several failures to the history of nonviolent protests on school grounds shaping responses from the University and police. In addition to the working groups that were formed specifically to examine the events of that fateful August weekend, approximately 60 professors, lecturers and administrators met at the statue of Homer on the Lawn to discuss how they could address the white supremacist rally and its fallout. “We’re not dictating anything,” Mershon said. “We are getting together to discuss, ‘How do we do this? How can we welcome students in an environment that might well seem anything but welcoming to them right now?’” In partnership with

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

David Birkenthal, Student Council chair of the representative body, speaks inside the Dome Room of the Rotunda.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

Sigma Delta Tau looks to new beginning Sorority opens first house since the establishment of U.Va. chapter

LIFE

Natalie Seo | Feature Writer

Around the Corner, a little ways up Virginia Avenue, is a white, 1916 remodeled house that proudly hangs the sign “Sigma Delta Tau Opening House.” The sorority Sigma Delta Tau had an open house Sept. 24 to celebrate its transition from a floor in the GrandMarc apartment to its own house just off Grounds. “We have been wanting a house ever since we started [at the University],” said Madison Lewis, fourthyear Curry student and SDT housing chair. SDT had been looking for a house for various reasons. “I think one of the biggest things is just to kind of have a place … To call home, which is a huge part of being at a sorority,” Lewis said. Lewis said she hopes that a house will strengthen the relationships between SDT sisters. “It’s just really cool to see — when we have chapter at the house, it’s just filled with everyone,” Lewis said. “It’s just kind of a nice open space when people don’t have anywhere to go, just to hang out and know that there’s most likely always going to be someone there.” Owning a house has brought benefits like providing members with a meal plan, which serves as a further opportunity to bring members of SDT together. “[Meal plans] are all great because you don’t have to live in [the

house] to come eat,” said Elizabeth Holland, fourth-year College student and SDT president. “So that just brings in a wide variety of people who just swing by on their way home after class.” A house has also opened up new avenues for the type of events SDT can do, Holland said. “I think I’m really excited to do formal recruitment here and watch that process in our house,” Holland said. “And I’m really excited for any events … Like a philanthropy here. Just utilizing [the house] and bringing in the larger community [are benefis].” For the SDT members who are the first to live in their house, the experience has been novel. “It’s such a new process for us and we’re still trying to figure out the kinks of the stuff so it’s really cool to be in that position,” Lewis said. “Now, we’re selecting the girls to live in it next year, which is also exciting because I get to be one of the first people to live in it, and now I get to select the next girls to live in it.” As of now, eight SDT members live in the house. “We’re hoping to expand out back within the next two summers and bring it up to 16 to 20 girls,” Holland said. Although having a house has many benefits, the process involved many obstacles that were overcome with the aid of outside help.

Amy Krouse, current national coordinator and past national president of SDT, helped the sorority land the house. “Honestly, the biggest challenges was that there was not a lot of property available for communal living,” Krouse said. “We needed to look at many properties for rent, and we really wanted a permanent

home and a commitment to the University to be here for the longterm.” In addition to finding a physical house, much effort went into funding the purchase of the house as well. “A lot of [the house] was funded through other chapters of SDT,” Lewis said. “So we had the Michi-

gan chapter who funded all the bedroom furniture, which is really cool that our other chapters across the U.S. are helping us out.” Lewis said she hopes that her chapter can eventually return the favor. “Hopefully one day, we’ll do that for [other growing chapters] who want to buy a house,” Lewis said.

RAVI SURESH | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The new SDT house — located at 1505 Virginia Ave. — is the chapter’s first since establishment.

U.Va. alumnus creates new app for students MeeteR helps students access information about community and U.Va. events Faith Schweikert | Feature Writer “You missed it,” Steven Le, University alumnus and MeeteR app founder, said. “If you weren’t a part of the Listserv or a Facebook group. Come Friday or Saturday, I would look at my phone and wish I had an app that had the places to go.” Now, as the tech world would say, there’s an app for that. MeeteR — a social events platform for colleges focused on the idea of centrality — combines information about all activities going on at a university into one location. Fundraisers, concerts, parties, study groups, you name it — students can find whatever gathering they wish to attend in one all-encompassing location. Users can explore and buy tickets to events in the area, create their own events and manage the events they are attending and host-

ing. So far, the MeeteR team has only rolled the app out to University students. “This app is pretty much what U.Va. needs,” University alumna Minh Bui said. “This would have been incredibly useful when I was [an] undergrad. It was difficult to hear about different events other than through Facebook and word of mouth.” Le — who graduated in 2015 as a math major — left his job as a data scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton in March, after months of “scribbled notes on flashcards.” He was thinking about all the events he must have missed out on because of emails he never read and Facebook invites he was never sent or never clicked on. He gradually started concentrating more and more of

his focus on his new idea, and said leaving his job to pursue MeeteR was the greatest risk of his career. “The decision stems from a couple of things,” Le said. “I wanted to create something larger than myself and this [lack of centrality] has always been a problem that bothered me. I wanted to be put in a position that helped my alma mater and I wanted to be able to give that impact.” Since then he has been working with his team of engineers and interns, with the support of his friends and family, to create and market the app. He said the project wouldn’t be where it is today without them. Tam Hoang, a design intern for MeeteR and sophomore at Virginia Tech, sees no challenges in the way of MeeteR’s success.

“College is where you find yourself and through MeeteR, through events you can make connections for now and for later,” Hoang said. “It’s a source where everyone can find their place. And because it was created by people who went to U.Va., they know what the area is like.” IOS users can access the app for free via the App Store as of Sept. 20, and the app has already started to gain a following. Initially the events listed were those of groups that wanted to collaborate with MeeteR, but more events will continually be available as more users look to the app to host and manage their own events. The plans for the future, after ensuring all is successful at the University, include creating MeeteR

for Android and expanding to the neighboring universities of James Madison and Virginia Tech. “It all comes from humble beginnings though,” Le said. “The capital ‘R’ in MeeteR is to remind myself about humble beginnings. ‘R’ is a statistical programming language. My naive thought was that I was going to build it on R, but to correctly do what we needed to do we had to use more advanced technology.” Le believes the app will be most useful to first-years and transfer students who haven’t yet found their niche, but is helpful for all University students. “There’s not much like this from other startups coming out of Charlottesville,” Le said. “We’re glad to be putting this in the hands of the next generation.”

www.cavalierdaily.com • LIFE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

top 10 things

to do over fall break

Grace Breiner | Top Ten Writer

4. Become sleeping beauty

Honestly, you guys, I shouldn’t have to spell this out for you. If I hear one more person say that sleep is a waste of time, I will drop out of school. How can the most well-educated people I know deny the importance of sleep? Your memory will function much better if you’re well-rested, so all you study bugs put the books down and get your beauty rest.

1. Get off Grounds

I cannot emphasize this enough. A change in perspective is absolutely essential when your midterms are slowly but surely crushing your spirit and immune system. Escaping from the source of your anxiety is about as medicinal as prescription drugs. Though the University is much beloved, there are so many things around Charlottesville that are worthy of your time. The Downtown Mall, Barracks Road and other central locations are a wealth of much-needed distractions. Leave your papers and textbooks behind, haul yourself on any form of public transportation and get some away time.

2. Literally go home

Nothing is so relaxing as returning home — a conqueror of all things educational. When you’re at the University, it can sometimes feel as though everyone is doing as much or more work than you are. Going home after being in this high-pressure environment is similar to a spa retreat. Your pets would much appreciate the visit as well! Is there anything more therapeutic than a cute dog or a cuddly kitty? I think not.

3. Catch up on the news

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is pregnant again, you guys. I had to find out this tremendous news in class because apparently, my teachers are now more knowledgeable of pop culture than I am. Take a break from studying to reflect on what really matters, like the fact that Kylie Jenner might be pregnant?

5. Eat real food

Use your newfound free time to conquer the food pyramid! Get yourself some veggies, fruit and my alltime favorite — protein. Take a break from the dining hall and treat yourself to all of the food around us that has actual nutritional value. Try going to Roots, the Virginian, Corner Juice or Panera. An actual meal might change your whole life at this point and fuel the rest of your semester. If your family is visiting, it might even be a treat on them. If so, I recommend ordering food to store back in your dorm for when classes start again and your desperation peaks. And while we’re talking about food, let’s start reveling in the flavors of fall. Pumpkin muffins, caramel lattes and any number of savory pastries from the cornucopia that is autumn should definitely be enjoyed over fall break.

6. Get ahead or catch up on assignments

I know, ugh, right? But when you have so much time you might actually be able to enjoy what you’re studying instead of stressing over impending deadlines. An afternoon Starbucks or Alderman trip, accompanied by a caffeinated beverage of some sort of course, is much preferred to an anxiety-ridden study session at 2 a.m. when you have classes the next day. Blast whatever motivational music gets you in the right head space — no judgment here, I promise — and jam out some of those assignment that have been weighing on you. Your future self will be very appreciative. Think of all of the extra time you’ll have to eat and sleep!

Actually read

Okay, I don’t know about, you guys, but reading is actually such an enjoyable pastime for me and it’s such a bummer that I have zero time to read for fun! Think about how relaxing the Harry Potter room would be if you were there for your own enjoyment. Or you could enjoy the fall weather on the Lawn or on one of the many secluded benches with a book in hand. Maybe even take a nap. Live your best life. Speaking of living your best life, if you haven’t yet been to the Special Collections library — or as I like to mysteriously refer to it, “The Archives” — you should definitely go over break. All you have to do is type your favorite author or book into the database, and you’ll soon have an aged manuscript in your hands. It’s like getting fast-food but for books! Just browsing the database and finding cool novels would definitely be more fascinating than going to Barnes and Noble — don’t get me wrong, I love Barnes and Noble more than life itself. There’s one on Barracks Road you should definitely pay a visit to. If you find yourself craving old books you can actually take home with you after your fun “Archives” adventure, there’s a used bookstore on the corner right by Starbucks — talk about prime real estate! If reading isn’t your cup of tea, Netflix is an excellent go-to. I definitely recommend you use this time in your life to catch up on Riverdale since season two is coming out in October. Any guilty-pleasure show, however, will definitely suffice to distract your anxiety riddled mind from the reality of your situation.

8. Spend time with all those friends you normally ghost

You’re a busy bee. Your friends understand, but take this time to remind them that you actually do exist. Meet up for food, have a movie night or kill two birds with one stone and have a group study session. I know that sounded terribly nerdy but nothing seals the bonds of friendship like shared desperation. Your friend will probably remember some hilarious story mid-way through a reading which you’ll definitely need to hear. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of hearing all the crazy things that happen to your friends because how else would you know that there’s a man in a giraffe costume riding around Grounds on a unicycle? Or you could do something crazy yourselves and go on a road trip — if you all happen to have the luxury of a car that is. Really Kerouac it up! Roam around, become a troubadour, live your dreams. You’ll come back to grounds so refreshed and with a very cool, indie vibe.

9. Exercise?

I say that with a question mark because I am not an advocate for regular exercise. I literally cannot run a mile, but, far be it from me to limit your love of treadmills and weights and other gym paraphernalia. I actually did workout last weekend, and it felt pretty good to be worried about my imminent death caused by hyperventilation and heat stroke as opposed to my grades. Also, there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the AFC so if you’re feeling like you ate one too many cinnamon bagels, you can swim those devious carbs right off! Honestly though, if you’re feeling like, “Wow, no, I refuse to exercise,” I am in full support of you. Eat another bagel! Screw the system!

10. Revel in your successes

We’ve made it through half of the semester and we are killing the game! We are surviving and thriving you guys. Take a moment to realize that you are already smarter than you were mere weeks ago. Look at all that growing you’ve done — gold star! Just make sure you realize how much you’ve accomplished. I know it’s hard, but you’re here to crush those goals you have and you are doing a great job. Don’t disregard the work you’ve done because it is no small feat. Not everyone could do what you do, and you do it so well.

AISHA SINGH, MATT GILLAM, XHOSA SCOTT | THE CAVALIER DAILY

THE CAVALIER DAILY

Ryan’s salary will be more than Sullivan’s Professional qualifications, Harvard background factor into compensation package

FOCUS The University’s search for its ninth president finally came to a close Sept. 15, when James E. Ryan was elected through a unanimous vote of the Board of Visitors. Ryan’s employment contract has many of the same stipulations as those of his predecessor, Teresa Sullivan, but includes a larger annual base salary and other benefits.

Sullivan’s and Ryan’s Respective Contracts

Sullivan was elected president of the University in 2010, after serving as Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan. In the past seven years, her contract has been amended to allow for salary increases and other alterations. The contract is set to expire July 31, 2018. Her successor, Ryan, has served as dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education since 2013. Prior to his tenure at Harvard, Ryan graduated from the University Law School in 1992 and joined the faculty in 1998. He was employed by the Law School as a professor and academic associate dean. When Sullivan leaves her position as president, she is guaranteed continued employment as a tenured professor. Her contract ensures that “following expiration or termination of this Agreement, her faculty salary shall be equal to seventy-five percent (75%) of her last existing Base Salary as President.” Sullivan also receives an annual automobile allowance of $15,000. As per tradition for the president of the University, Sullivan resides at Carr’s Hill. Ryan’s contract guarantees a base salary of $750,000. Ryan’s contract includes a Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan of $150,000 and an annual automobile allowance of $20,000. The benefits of Ryan’s contract are similar to those of Sullivan’s employment agreement. Ryan will also receive 22 days of paid vacation leave, he and his family will be granted residence at Carr’s Hill and his business and travel expenses will be also paid for on a cost reimbursement basis by the University. One key difference in Ryan’s contract is an annual performance bonus of up to $100,000, which will be authorized by the University based on a performance evaluation. Sullivan’s contract does not stipulate such a bonus, although her contract did include an annual performance review by the Board. According to her contract, evaluation was based on “the achievement of mutually agreed upon performance objectives determined by the Board of Visitors and Ms. Sullivan.” Ryan will receive the highest base salary of any administrative University official.

Abby Clukey | Staff Writer Though Sullivan’s salary may not be the highest at the University, it’s comparable to the presidents of other prominent public universities. The base salaries for the presidents of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and the University of California Berkeley are set at $570,000 and $522,902, respectively. However, Ryan’s salary is closer to the presidential salary at Harvard than those of other public universities. The last available faculty salary data from Harvard University indicated president Drew Faust received a salary of $810,884 in 2014.

The Contract’s Contributing Factors

University deputy spokesperson

Matthew Charles said that Ryan’s salary is a reflection of in-depth research to determine an appropriate salary. “President-Elect Ryan’s total compensation (base salary and deferred compensation) is just below the 75th percentile for public institutions,” Charles said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. According to J.H. Verkerke, a University law professor and director of the Program for Employment and Labor Law Studies, Ryan’s salary will be notably larger than Sullivan’s due to a variety of influences. The benefits of Ryan’s contract were designed to be competitive and incentivizing, while still remaining practical. “Hiring a university president after

a nationwide search process involves a delicate balance,” Verkerke said. “A school naturally wants to persuade its preferred candidate to accept the job. But it also must conserve its available resources and ensure that the university community views any offer as fair and appropriate.” Verkerke theorized the differences between the salaries of Sullivan and Ryan could be a result of their employment history. “President Sullivan’s prior positions were at two public universities, the University of Texas and the University of Michigan,” Verkerke said. “In contrast, Jim Ryan returns to U.Va. from a deanship at Harvard University.” “Not only is Harvard a private

school, but it is renowned for the richness of its endowment and its willingness to pay unusually high compensation to faculty and administrators,” Verkerke said. “Thus, the influence of prior salary may well explain any discrepancy between these two contracts.” Harvard did not respond to a request for comment about Ryan’s previous salary. “President-Elect Ryan’s compensation package reflects the University’s careful consideration of an incredibly competitive market for the best higher education leadership,” Charles said. “The University is confident that he is the right person to lead U.Va. into its third century.”

Comparison of the annual contracts of Teresa Sullivan and James E. Ryan $200,000

$180,000 $150,000

$150,000

$800,000

$600,000

$750,000 $599,830.90

$100,000

$50,000

$400,000

$200,000

Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan $20,000

$20,000

$15,000

Base Salary

Ryan is also elgible for an annual bonus of up to $100,000

$10,000

$5,000

Sullivan

$15,000

Ryan

Automobile Allowance

KEVIN HUYNH | THE CAVALIER DAILY

SPORTS After heading into a season marked with tempered expectations, the Virginia football team has surprised many with its strong 3-1 start to the season. Four weeks into the season, the Cavaliers have already won more games than they did last year, suddenly raising expectations in a season where there weren’t many to begin with. The hope was that Coach Bronco Mendenhall could steer Virginia in the right direction. Last season was about implementing his system and culture into Virginia’s program, and this year was about steady improvement. Winning four or five games throughout the entire season would have been classified as an improvement after the way the team played last year. However, Virginia has proved a lot of people wrong in the last month, already picking up three wins so far. One of those victories came at Boise State, in a beatdown almost no one expected. The Broncos hadn’t lost a nonconference home game in the regular season since 2001, and Virginia

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

IS A BOWL GAME A POSSIBILITY? ran them right out their building with a 42-23 shellacking. However, as the Cavaliers’ bye week settles in, it’s becoming clearer that the expectations surrounding the program are beginning to change. The Cavaliers need to win just three out of their remaining eight games to become eligible for a bowl game. However, this proposition seems a little misguided, with Virginia’s final three opponents being Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech. All three teams are currently ranked in the AP Top 25 College Football rankings. Virginia did play an incredibly competitive home game against the Cardinals last year, before Louisville’s then-sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson threw a game-winning touchdown with seconds to go in the game to give his team the win. However, this year’s game will be on the road, making it even tougher as Virginia’s defense will again have to go up against Jackson — last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, who is having another strong season. The game against Miami will be on the road too, and the Hurricanes has gotten off to a strong 2-0 start. Like always, Virginia will finish off its season against the Hokies, who have given

them trouble year after year. Virginia Tech has won the last 13 meetings, with Virginia’s last win against them coming back in 2003. Despite the win over Boise State, Virginia is still a largely unproven team. The other two teams they have beaten, William & Mary and Connecticut, consist of an FCS team and a reeling football team, respectively. Barring collapses by those three teams or an unforgettable series of Virginia wins, all three of Virginia’s opponents will be favored in those games. Thus, it’s worth taking a look at the next five games and Virginia’s chances of winning three of those to try and see if they can reach a bowl game for the first time since 2011. Following the bye week, Virginia will take on Duke for the Cavaliers’ first ACC matchup of the season. Despite the game being in Charlottesville, the Cavaliers will probably have a tough time knocking them off. The Blue Devils have started the season off on a strong note, winning all four of their games, including wins over Northwestern, Baylor and North Carolina. However, it is not unrealistic to think that the Cavaliers can win their following two games against North

Carolina and Boston College. The Tar Heels are 1-3 and have suffered a litany of injuries, losing nine scholarship players to season-ending injuries through the first three games of the season — including key players in junior linebacker Andre Smith, senior wide receiver Thomas Jackson and sophomore offensive tackle William Sweet. To make matters worse, North Carolina lost two receivers to injury in last week’s game against Duke — senior Austin Proehl and freshman Rontavius Groves. Both players may miss extended time. Virginia has an opportunity to take advantage of a thin North Carolina roster and steal a game on the road. The following week, Virginia should be able to take care of Boston College at home. The Eagles barely beat Northern Illinois in week one, before falling to three straight ACC opponents — Wake Forest, Notre Dame and Clemson — by more than 20 points apiece. If the Cavaliers were to beat the Tar Heels and the Eagles, then they would have five wins heading into subsequent matchups against Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech looming. Their best bet would be against Pittsburgh, who lost to Georgia Tech this

past weekend. The Panthers are 1-3 and struggling. The team’s rushing attack has taken a hit with the departure of James Conner. The Panther defense and offense have struggled, and the team has lost its last three games by more than two touchdowns each. Overall, with the Cavaliers’ final three games against some of the top teams in the nation, the next five weeks will be imperative to Virginia trying to secure six wins and a chance to play a bowl game. Virginia needs three more wins, and although it is a tall order asking a program that’s spent recent years in the doldrums of college football to win three out of five games, it seems not only to be the most likely path to a bowl game, but also one that is certainly possible. The culture Mendenhall has implemented into Virginia’s football program is one that is being embraced by the players, and with evidence that this offense and defense can play at a high level, it’s certainly possible that Cavalier fans will get to watch a bowl game featuring their team this winter. RAHUL SHAH is a Sports Editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at r.shah@cavalierdaily.com.

Bye week report: five takeaways from nonconference play Virginia finished nonconference play with a 3-1 record CD Sports Staff Four weeks into the season, the Virginia football team owns a 3-1 record at the bye week. With no football game to look forward to this weekend, the CD Sports staff takes a look back at Virginia’s nonconference play and highlights five takeaways to take a closer look at as the team gets ready for ACC play. Quarterback play Virginia senior quarterback Kurt Benkert has been fantastic for the Cavaliers thus far, showing marked improvement over last season. Through four games, Benkert has amassed 1,249 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and only one interception. His ability to minimize costly turnovers has been huge for the Virginia offense, allowing them to keep scoring drives alive, and preventing opponents from repeatedly getting great field position. Benkert has also improved his accuracy by almost 10 percentage points — from 56.2 percent in 2016 to 66.1 percent this year. Lastly, his ability to connect with his receivers on deep passes this season has helped open up Virginia’s running and short and intermediate passing games, allowing for Virginia to operate with a more versatile offense. Momentum Virginia’s three wins this sea-

Doni Dowling and junior Olamide Zaccheaus — combined for 902 of the team’s 1,249 receiving yards in the first four games. Levrone leads the team in yards (348) and touchdowns (4) after an injury-riddled last two years — his breakout has been one of the best stories of the season. Dowling continues to produce after a solid junior season, while Zaccheaus has thrived in both the passing and running game as Coach Bronco Mendenhall continues to use him as the

MARIANA FRASER | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Senior quarterback Kurt Benkert will look to carry his strong play into ACC play next week.

son have all been by more than two touchdowns. In addition, the Cavaliers put together a school record-setting performance against Connecticut, and then dominated a historically good Boise State team in its own stadium. After finishing 2-10 last season, Virginia now sits with one more win through one month of the season, at 3-1. The Cavaliers are heading into ACC play with a lot of momentum, which can lead to increased confidence. After the win against Boise State, Virginia players

spoke about the win against Boise State as an important one for the team. The Cavaliers showed that they can beat a good football team on the road, and it will be interesting to see if they can take this momentum and beat a Duke team that has been very impressive thus far this season. Talented wide receivers Benkert owes some of his stellar play and great stats this year to a receiving corps that has outplayed expectations. Virginia’s top three receivers — seniors Andre Levrone and

Swiss Army knife of the offense. Benkert has found how to leverage the length of his receivers on deep balls, especially in the matchup against Boise State’s undersized secondary. If the receivers continue to thrive, Virginia’s offense may end up as one of the top units in the FCS. Offensive balance Virginia only ran for 55 yards in its lone loss against Indiana — its average rushing yards in wins has been 143.3 yards. The passing game stagnated against the Hoosiers after the running game failed to keep the offense in rhythm. When junior halfback Jordan Ellis gets going, however, the Cavalier offense moves fast and fluid, and holes open up in the secondary for receivers. Mendenhall began mixing Zacchaeus into the running game against Connecticut,

and the decision has paid off thus far. The junior averaged 11.8 yards per carry against Connecticut before breaking the game open against Boise State with a 56-yard touchdown run. The run game facilitates flow for Benkert’s offense and will be pivotal towards sustaining Virginia’s exceptional stretch of offensive play. Defensive consistency The offense has been electric at times, but Virginia’s defense deserves the title of the team’s most consistent unit. When the offense isn’t clicking, the defense has kept the Cavaliers in the game in many occasions with a lockdown mentality. Opponents have converted only 26 percent of third down attempts against Virginia — down from 43 percent last year. Individually, senior linebacker Micah Kiser looks like one of the best defenders in the nation this year, ranking fifth in the FBS in sacks with five and eighth in total tackles with 45. Quin Blanding, fellow captain and senior free safety, is once again putting up a strong season as the leader of a stiff Virginia secondary that has allowed only five passing touchdowns. As long as the offense puts points on the board, the defense can lock down wins for the Cavaliers down the stretch.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

LEAD EDITORIAL

U.Va. needs to support Puerto Rican students

OPINION

Leadership on Grounds has failed to demonstrate its support towards U.Va.’s Puerto Rican community following Hurricane Maria

urricane Maria, a powerful Category 4 hurricane with winds over 150 mph, made direct landfall on the island of Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, decimating most of its infrastructure and leaving around 3.5 million U.S. citizens on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. Today, millions of Puerto Ricans are still living in primitive conditions without power or enough food or water. A week after Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact, the University’s leadership has yet to express its support towards

the Puerto Rican community on Grounds. It is worrying that such a lack of support from the University’s leadership towards the Puerto Rican community on Grounds has pervaded with such a large magnitude throughout this disaster. Local coverage on the current Puerto Rican humanitarian crisis has been minimal, the expressed support from top student organizations has been largely absent and the help of University administrators and officials has yet to be offered. Not

a single email has been sent out by anyone from the administration — such as President Teresa Sullivan, Executive Vice President Patrick D. Hogan or Dean of Students Allen Groves — to the University’s Puerto Rican community regarding the dire conditions of their home island. When a natural disaster of this magnitude destroys the home of members of the University community, the leaders of this University’s administration have a responsibility to express their support. It must be incredibly disheartening

for our fellow Puerto Rican “Hoos” to keep receiving emails from University officials on voter registration and the launch of the bicentennial weekend while their family and friends are struggling every day for food, water and fuel. The University’s leadership has left Puerto Rican students to fend for themselves in dealing with this crisis at home. With their family, friends and another 3.5 million U.S. citizens in the middle of a humanitarian disaster, the Puerto Rican community at the University —

which is considerably smaller than other communities on Grounds — has been eager to organize relief efforts and mobilize resources to aid their home. While current efforts have been underway with the help of smaller organizations on Grounds, they need more help. An unequivocal display of support by the administration would go a long way towards reassuring Puerto Rican students that the University community is behind them during such a troubling time.

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.

HAVE AN OPINION? The Cavalier Daily welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns. Writers must provide full name, telephone number and University affiliation, if appropriate. Letters should not exceed 250 words in length and columns should not exceed 700. The Cavalier Daily does not guarantee publication of submissions and may edit all material for content and grammar. Submit to opinion@cavalierdaily.com or P.O. Box 400703, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4703

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

www.cavalierdaily.com • OPINION

REEXAMINING OUR PRIORITIES FOR HEALTHCARE ‘Medicare for All’ ruins Democrats’ momentum on Healthcare reform

n the past few weeks, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., following through on a key policy in his platform, introduced a “Medicare for All” bill in the U.S. Senate. Sander’s single-payer plan would expand Medicare in stages so it eventually pays for everyone’s coverage and eliminates private insurance companies. This idea was a long-shot the last time Sanders introduced it in the Senate, seeing as it had zero co-sponsors. Now, many in the Democratic caucus are supporting it. By doing this, Senate Democrats, many of whom are considered presidential hopefuls, are making a political calculation to help them appeal to Sanders’ supporters. While it is certainly comforting that many Democrats seem eager to jump into the ring for the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, this is an industry which is in desperate need of reform. By going all in on a single-payer plan, Democrats are ignoring ways to reform Obamacare, which is still incredibly vulnerable. One of the big issues with the push for “Medicare for All” is that the bill itself does not address the exorbitant costs of our current Medicare system. Already, the United States pays

more for healthcare per person than other similar nations. By providing Medicare for all, we would just be extending an unsustainable program to more people. Instead of trying to expand Medicare, we should try to fix it so it is cheaper. Some reforms could include emphasizing on preventative care, and moving away from the fee for service model toward one that pays for quality of care, making the program more affordable. Instead of talking about ways to reform Medicare, politicians seem perfectly content with jumping on the bandwagon so they can prove their “liberal” bona-fides. Medicare is an imperfect program which needs reform — much like Obamacare — so it is unwise to sell it as a solution to all our healthcare problems. After the defeat of the Republican healthcare bills, there seemed to be real momentum toward creating a bipartisan fix for the Affordable Care Act. There was hope that Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa., leaders of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, or HELP, could hold hearings and come up with a bipartisan fix. There was also hope that a

bipartisan plan to stabilize the healthcare markets created by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D) and Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) could be enacted into law. The mere existence of these bipartisan plans to fix Oba-

This bill, which turns healthcare over to the states by giving them block grants for their own programs, sounds interesting in theory. But in reality money given to the states to subsidize these programs would be cut substantially

One of the big issues with the push for “Medicare for All” is that the bill itself does not address the exorbitant costs of our current Medicare system.

macare shows that there was momentum to fix the law. Instead, Democrats have wasted much of this opportunity by spending so much time on single-payer. Evidence of the decreased momentum to shore up Obamacare is exemplified by the recent state of bipartisan Healthcare reform. The push to create healthcare reform in the Senate HELP committee fell apart and the plan proposed by the governors has not received sufficient consideration. While “Medicare for All” was gaining co-sponsors, the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill was also picked up steam.

and regulations that have extended care to so many can be eviscerated in these state programs. The emergence of this bill, in place of a bipartisan solution is proof that much of the time Democrats had to improve the Affordable Care Act has been squandered. Now that the Graham-Cassidy Bill has been defeated, it is time for bipartisan plans to be examined. Democrats should capitalize on the most recent healthcare defeat to make meaningful progress on this issue. If the push for “Medicare for All” continues, we will miss another opportunity to improve

healthcare for many under Obamacare. The whole single-payer proposal is an exercise in futility because there is no possible way for it to become law at this point. In the short-term, fixing Obamacare should be the priority, and Democratic leaders should spend their time pushing for it. When talk of socialized medicine makes horrible legislation like Graham-Cassidy come close reality, it is imperative we take a step back and reexamine our priorities. The point of healthcare reform is to try to help people, and the only way to do it is through bipartisan reform that will eventually lead us to universal and affordable coverage. If Democrats don’t drop single-payer and offer realistic and practical solutions, they will become just like the fringe of the right-wing, pandering to their base for votes while leaving the truly needy behind.

JACOB ASCH is an Opinion columnist for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at j.asch@cavalierdaily.com.

REFINING THE LANGUAGE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT We compromise the quality of conversation by collapsing all sexual encounters into a dichotomy of one who pursues consent and a counterpart who grants it

round Grounds, we seem to be well-intentioned when it comes to sexual assault. With initiatives such as One in Four, One Less, the Green Dot initiative, Grounds for Discussion, ‘responsible employees’ and speakers at Scott Stadium, the University is making efforts to appear on top of this issue. We even have mandatory online modules neatly detailing knowledge about sexual assault. It would appear that these measure would be enough for Grounds, but it is not enough. The issue at stake with sexual assault education is the way in which we frame the issue. On college campuses, all too often the debate rages about the necessity of consent. Consent is vitally important; simply put, it is the only passing standard to make any sexual encounter not rape. But by advocating only consent-based sexual activity, we create a painfully low bar. Essentially, we beg the student body to not rape their peers. Considering the wide range of sexual relationships one could

have, it is uniquely upsetting how we choose to focus on the thin line between legal and criminal sexual encounters instead of

fundamentally particular about the language which we use to describe sexual violations. As a University, we continue this tra-

It is uniquely upsetting how we choose to focus on the thin line between legal and criminal sexual encounters instead of advocating for something more. advocating for something more. This extends to public discourse beyond the University. Consider the way in which we frame sexual misconduct, sexual assault and rape, as nonconsensual sex. If I were to rob someone on the Corner, I wouldn’t describe my actions as nonconsensual gift giving. Similarly, if I were to murder an individual, it would be extremely inappropriate for me to frame that crime as nonconsensual suicide. Given these discrepancies, there is clearly something

dition by fixating on the necessity of consent, and consent only. We endorse the imbalanced nature of these issues when we deploy language which, at its root, is biased. This type of language hurts everyone, beyond the usual sexist and heteronormative assumptions that this is a women’s issue. Consent at its core suggests something to be given and received. But all too often, this creates an illusion of a dynamic in which, in a heterosexual relationship, the male must

retrieve the consent from the woman before being allowed to have sex with her. Why is it that the female’s role is a passive one, while the male participant ‘has sex’ as the agent of the encounter? Similarly, at a university which values the diversity of its student body, it is unusual that we continue to frame our standards for sexual conduct in terms which make parties coded as passive and active, rather than a nuanced sexual exchange. Otherwise, we seem to endorse an idea of sex which is two dimensional and flat — quashing the humanity of the act into blunt, ill-fitting characteristics. Time at the University is a rare opportunity in which we should learn to navigate the personal relationships in our lives. Because of this, we should be encouraged to seek out the nuance of sexual relationships, in which our community accepts a fuller spectrum of sexual activity, instead of delineating exclusively between encounters that should bring criminal charges. We need to

have an open conversation about the types of sex which we should want to be having. The conversation should be focused on achieving the true ideal instead of splitting hairs over degrees of violation To reiterate: consent is essential. No sexual encounter should proceed without it in its fullest form. But at the University, we deserve to set a precedent where we can frame sex in a more mature way. Let’s talk about what we hope to achieve when we engage in a sexual act, building the conversation from underscoring the basics which we should instinctively already know.

KATHERINE SMITH is a Viewpoint writer. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

OPINION • www.cavalierdaily.com

DON’T ABANDON IDENTITY POLITICS Democrats are throwing the baby out with the bathwater by knee-jerking and unequivocally denouncing identity politics outright

riticizing identity politics is in vogue. Conservatives might concede that identity politics is well-intentioned, but they argue that it’s also critically misguided –– ignoring class and isolating Americans who feel forgotten by a nation careening toward a cosmopolitan future. Identity politics brought us President Donald Trump, they’d argue. Identity politics brought us Brexit, too, and brought white supremacists fuming to the University’s doorstep. I don’t disagree that more and more of the country feels isolated by identity politics. Too often, however, I hear one of two uncomfortably similar solutions. The left suggests that the we remedy what Franklin Foer calls “the tensions between the cultural left and the economic left” by abandoning the cultural left altogether. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., says “It is not good enough for somebody to say, ‘I’m a woman, vote for me,’” so we must abandon womanhood and identity altogether. Focus on class, we’re told. Focus on reclaiming the voters who supported Barack Obama but rejected Hillary Clinton.

The right’s proposal is simpler. There is no “road less traveled” for Democrats to discover in order to return to prominence. The effort to advocate on behalf of America’s marginalized and disenfranchised was an exercise in self-immolation — lighting the party with a naive fervor for justice which has incinerated its opportunities for political victory. I dismiss the latter argument as the over-eager effort of the conservative “pot” looking for a “kettle” to call black. The Republican party has every incentive to ignore its own festering wounds. The former argument simply demands more nuance. The choice between the cultural and economic left is a false dilemma which threatens to undermine all that is noble about American liberalism. It also misunderstands the “cultural left” as a movement for social change. The Democratic solution is not to focus on class as a new and solitary object of political interest. Rather, the solution is to incorporate class and other influences on the self into the sphere of identity-based advocacy. We must expand identity politics rather than abandon

it.

In “Identity and Violence,” Amartya Sen addresses the dangers of the “single-affiliation approach” to identity to which

Identity politics typically acknowledges identities like race, gender and sexuality as meaningful categories of experience which help us locate social prob-

The choice between the cultural and economic left is a false dilemma which threatens to undermine all that is noble about American liberalism.

we so often default. We understand people as “gay” or “black” or “Muslim” and only as “gay” or “black” or “Muslim,” quarantining each group into an illusory isolation which encourages identity-based violence or discord. In reality, Sen argues, we live with a plurality of identities which make us more similar than different to our neighbors and fellow citizens. Sen understands the importance of social identity but rejects the vision of our nation as “a collection of sequestered segments.” In doing so, he reminds us of all the other ways in which we meaningfully identify.

lems. By addressing all those who identify similarly, we bring people of a common experience together and recognize that experience as meaningful for political action. But this strategy of collecting common experiences and addressing them through politics doesn’t need to be so limited. Why not address people’s geographic location through such a strategy? How about socioeconomic status or access to education or occupation? In some respects, the University is already leaning toward this broadening of group-based advocacy work. In the Minority Rights Coali-

tion, typical identity-based advocacy according to race or religion is paired with that of United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity –– a contracted independent organization which brings students together according to socioeconomic status. The identities with which we live remain important influences on our social and political lives. Current controversies about identity politics threaten to abandon a salvageable strategy for social justice. Rather than ignoring identity in an effort to heal America’s political divisions, we should extend the strategy of identity politics to unify the cultural and economic left and acknowledge the full spectrum of experiences that influence our lives.

JACK CHELLMAN is a Viewpoint writer. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

LABELING SOMEONE AN ‘ALLY’ IS PROBLEMATIC Applying the label of ‘ally’ to the fight for racial justice carries counterintuitive connotations

ven prior to the events of those fateful August days in Charlottesville, one could feel a movement of resistance percolating under the surface, waiting to be drawn out by some flashpoint. The movement broke out briefly into the spotlight when President Teresa Sullivan quoted Thomas Jefferson in an email. Earlier, it emerged for a bit longer when the Martese Johnson case gave a greater cause for outrage. Following the events of Aug. 11 and 12, however, the movement for racial justice has cohered and boiled over into the mainstream. It is now looking to make its mark more permanent, to affix itself to our institution as a constant reminder of our sins through things such as the Black Student Alliance’s list of demands. With the rise in prominence has come the adoption of a new vernacular — the language of racial and social justice. Among the many terms being thrown about, one has always stood out to me as problematic: “ally.” The use of the word “ally”

within the context of social justice is not new or exclusive to the movement for racial justice. Its drawbacks, however, are most clear in the case of racial justice. A quick visit to any online dictionary will make clear that the historical use of the word has primarily been in reference to

of ally in racial justice movements, given “justice” or “equality” is the definition of “victory.” What, then, is one’s true relationship with an ally? In most cases, an “ally” is not part of an ingroup, they are a distinct other. One does not truly care why an ally fights alongside you —

We are not disparate nations, temporarily joining forces — we are in this for the long haul.

military conflicts. Though we might think this to be far removed from the current use of the word in racial justice movements, we would do well to examine the connotations of being an “ally” more closely within this historical context. In war, an ally is a partner, joined in the pursuit of a common goal: victory. This does not sound too different from the use

all that matters is that he or she fights with you. In a movement for racial justice, we do not want “allies.” An ally is only useful insofar as they help you achieve your goals — an ally is a tool, something to be used. Whether or not any two allies remain friendly after victory is achieved is rarely considered in the heat of the moment, with the Cold War being the most obvious

example of an ally-turned-rival. Though allies have been necessary in past conflicts, the very nature of any racial justice movement ought to give us reason to pause and consider whether this is the path that we wish to pursue. This is because — unlike most conflicts — the goal of racial justice is not to destroy the other side, as they occur within a single community and country (historically, civil war is the only outcome of a destructive campaign). Rather, such movements aim to unify, to eliminate prejudice and create a world without discrimination due to color. Take a recent headline in the Cavalier Daily — “Town hall invites black students and allies to share their concerns.” The two groups, the “black students” and the “allies” are distinct, separate and unequal. Perhaps this is warranted, one might say. Perhaps black students have been made into “others,” perhaps their voice is not of equal value, but greater. While such objections have noble intent, I must question whether they are consistent with the ul-

timate aim at equality and unity. Do we want to be a community of “black students” and their “allies,” or rather, a community of “students,” united despite cleavages of race? The old phrase “be the change you want to see” comes to mind. It is true that we do not live in a post-race country or community. Our actions, however, ought to strive towards achieving such a goal when possible. Ditch the word “ally.” We are all students, Americans and humans. We are not disparate nations, temporarily joining forces — we are in this for the long haul. A movement aimed at racial progress should not itself further racial divisions. We are not ignoring racial issues when we choose to act and identify as one, we are overcoming them.

BEN BURKE is a Viewpoint writer. He can be reached at opinion@ cavalierdaily.com.

HUMOR I’m sure everyone has thought at least once in their life about how they are going to die. Maybe some of you think it would best to die peacefully while asleep, or maybe more adventurously like in a freak bungee-jumping accident or something of that nature. I, however, have successfully identified the way in which I want to go. I want to slowly succumb to that sweet, sweet bottomless abyss which we all know and love as T.G.I Friday’s Endless

TRAVIS BELL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

CARTOON

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

How I Want to Go Appetizers. For those who are unfamiliar, there is a legendary restaurant chain in which the occupants can only perceive one singular day of the week. In this culinary Mecca, one can pay a relatively small sum of $10 to unlock the wonderful mysteries of the “hor d’oeurves” section of TGI Friday’s. Therefore, I think it is time for my wfriends and family to know: if I have not been spotted for a good amount of days, there is a high chance that I am lying face down in my 17th plate of Friday’s famous mozzarella sticks. That’s right, loved ones. If you see me at the local TGIF, it’s time

to ready the casket. There is no better way to go that I can possibly conceive than by crushing enough plates of loaded bacon nachos to make the guy from Man vs. Food green with envy. I want Ken Burns to be clamoring to make a daring, yet tasteful, documentary immortalizing the sheer monstrous amount of appetizers I consumed. I want Guy Fieri to be guiding hoards of foodies across the country to that glorious neon TGI Friday’s sign. I want it all, and for $10, I can achieve just that. Now you may be thinking, “Much like the fourteenth place of loaded potato skins, this piece is tasteless!” I, however, respect-

fully disagree. If you really think about it, isn’t this possibly the greatest way to end your time on Earth? You’ve made an economically smart decision by really stretching your $10 to its full potential. You’ve indulged yourself in a hefty amount of mediocre guilty-pleasure food, and you’re sitting in a place that glorifies arguably the greatest day of the week. I’ve decided that when I go, I want to go out on top, and there is no better way than by slowly slipping away in the harsh but comforting glow of the TGI Friday’s house lights at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday. I ended my Little League baseball career by hitting a home run in my final at bat, and

I don’t think there is any way to come closer to hitting a homerun at the end of your life than being so deep in an endless pit of appetizers that you can look directly upwards and see Dante himself waving at you from his inferno. So, Mr. Friday (as I can only assume this is the name of the owner of TGI Friday’s), please ready your establishment. I hope I don’t have to see you for a while.

JESS MILLER is the Humor Editor of The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily. com.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

PUZZLES

Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor Across

EVENTS

1. Sound a "nothin' but net" basketball makes

Thursday 9/28 Peer Health Education Presents: Mental Wellness Screening, 10am-3pm, Newcomb 360 UPC Presents: The September Series, 8pm, The Garage Thursday Evening Sunset Series, 5:30-8:30pm, Carter Mountain Orchard Artist Talk: Shelley Niro - Visiting Fellow, 6-7pm, Campbell 153

S E S A M E S

A L A B A M A

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

18 20

17. Tempts

50 54

50. Cause for many students' lack of sleep in coming weeks

25. "A Suitable Boy" author Vikram ___

53. More sedate

39 44

8. Mock, ape 9. Criticizes in angry manner 10. Winding ski race marked with flags

54. Colorless volatile liquid used as solvent

27. Start something over

55. How warm something is

28. Attacks, as a building or civilization

11. Title of religious novel and adaptation starring Octavia Spencer (minus "the")

56. Plastic tool used to gauge balance of a surface

30. Old-fashioned motorcycles have this

12. Powerful Caucasian abb. Americans

57. If they're square, they can't be fit into round holes

33. Construction site supervisors

14. Raymond Chandler novel "The Big ___"

58. One who enjoys the phrase "double dog"?

16. Of or like vinegar, acidic

Down

24. Serving of medicine

21. Feels bitterness

41. Road, trail

1. One who husks peas?

43. Some people can't handle it

2. North American pikeperch

45. Drama, painting, music are examples

3. Made brighter 4. Speak indistinctly

46. "___where" (not here)

32. They might peddle drugs

5. Past tense of heave?

47. Popular cookie

33. Platform on sailing ship

6. Pile of garbage two words

34. To make obsolete or old fashioned

7. What a colonial does to a Tory before feathering them

26. Not permanent abb.

48. Toxic discoloration of seawater

23. Scratched someone's car in anger?

36. Flat unleavened bread plural

E S T E R S

20. Make ready

36 41

19. Popular 24-hour study space on Grounds

A S S I G N S

16. 2016 sci -fi movie starring Amy Adams 18. Vaguely defined region of Spain

28 31

13 16

15. "___ planet" University club motto

22. ___ vera

6 12

40. Pouting expression

A B A L O N E

13. Spitting animals

Sunday 10/1 24th Annual Martha’s Market, 11am-4pm, John Paul Jones Arena Dogtoberfest 2017, 2-4pm, ACAC Waterpark Yoga Practices to Improve Sleep, 4-5:30pm, Contemplative Sciences Center

11. Not deep

Saturday 9/30 24th Annual Martha’s Market, 9am-6pm, John Paul Jones Arena Vegan Roots Fest, 12-7pm, Booker T. Washington Park Disabilities Public Safety Forum, 9am-12pm, Martin Luther King Performing Arts Center

T R E A T E R

6. Moves a spoon through something

Friday 9/29 Final Friday, 5:30-7:30pm, The Fralin 24th Annual Martha’s Market, 9am-6pm, John Paul Jones Arena Peace Corps Application Marathon, 11am-2pm, Newcomb 170

S U R F S

29. John Wayne (or Matt Damon) movie "True ___"

35. Not moving 37. A horse might be an example, or a Harlem basketball player 38. Circle of light surrounding something or someone 39. More strict 40. Low-lying, waterlogged land 42. Of or relating to blood 44. Classical author, or yellow cartoon character 49. "The ___ of March" 51. Put cool pressure on a bruise 52. Divine being in Indian religion

31. Hinders

*SOLUTION FROM LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE IS TO THE LEFT

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

A& E ARTS &

ENTERTAINMENT

Virginia Film Festival releases 2017 lineup Festival’s 30th year features Spike Lee, William H. Macy and includes over 150 films Dan Goff | Arts & Entertainment Editor

In a press conference held Tuesday at The Jefferson Theater, the first part of the Virginia Film Festival’s 2017 schedule was announced along with several special guests. Jody Kielbasa, VFF Director and the University’s Vice Provost for the Arts, released to the public several of the films to be shown and released the names of several directors and actors slated to be in attendance. Spike Lee was chief among these names, as it was released to the public several weeks ago that he would be a special guest at the Festival. Also announced were actor and director William H. Macy, filmmaker Ezra Edelman and author and University alumna Margot Lee Shetterly. Macy will be debuting his new film “Krystal,” which he directed and stars in. “Krystal” is a romance set in an Alcoholics Anonymous group and also stars Rosario Dawson. Edelman’s “O.J.: Made in America,” a five-part documen-

tary detailing the O.J. Simpson trial and its larger racial contexts, will be shown in its entirety at the Festival. Following the conclusion of the documentary, Edelman will be part of an onstage conversation about his work. Edelman’s film, along with Lee’s “4 Little Girls,” are both part of special Festival series “Race in America.” The VFF partnered with James Madison’s Montpelier for this series, dedicated to exploring the history of slavery present throughout Virginia, some of its most historic buildings and the country at large. Shetterly will be a special guest associated with “Race in America,” presenting “Hidden Figures” — the 2016 adaptation of her nonfiction book of the same name. The story follows Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three black women who worked behind the scenes at NASA to launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit.

The film to be shown on the VFF’s opening night is “Downsizing,” a science-fiction dramedy directed by Alexander Payne and starring Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Hong Chau. This is Payne’s third film to be featured on the opening night of the Festival, and will be followed by a conversation with Mark Johnson, “Downsizing” producer and VFF Board chairman . The 2017 Centerpiece Film is “Hostiles,” a Western directed by Scott Cooper and starring Christian Bale. Cooper will also be part of a conversation after the film is shown. Of the hundreds of other films to be shown, categories include International, LGBTQIA+, Jewish and Israeli and others that seek to highlight emerging and/ or Virginian filmmakers. According to Kielbasa, more announcements concerning the VFF are to be released in the coming weeks. Check out the current schedule here.

COURTESY VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL

The Virginia Film Festival released its 2017 lineup in a prw ess conference Tuesday.

‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ fails to match original Latest spy thriller sequel underwhelms Gregory Lee | Staff Writer Loosely based on a comic book property, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was something of a surprise hit of Summer 2015. With its dark humor, bold visuals, ridiculous plot and stylish action sequences, the film was praised by critics and audiences alike for its revival of the lighter side of the spy thriller genre. However, a tedious second act and a poorly-structured climax did not leave it without its flaws. In culinary terms, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was like a delicious Sunday roast with too many potatoes and slightly undercooked beef. However, its sequel — “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” — is more like a 12-course meal consisting of nothing but appetizers. Anyone unfamiliar with the first “Kingsman” should be forewarned — the sequel’s plot follows on from the first’s with almost no exposition to brief any newcomers. Or rather, the sequel’s multiple plots do so, be-

cause its problem lies in plurality — “The Golden Circle” can’t decide what it’s actually about. Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) is a secret agent of an independent British intelligence agency called the Kingsmen, and he sets off on a quest to … Save the world? Save the girl? Save his friends? Avenge the fallen? Redeem himself? Redeem his friends? The film has no emotional core and can’t choose between themes of “Business as usual” or “This time it’s personal,” leaving most of its dramatic moments lacking in any kind of depth. Roughly speaking, Eggsy must join forces with the Statesmen — the American equivalent of the Kingsmen — to oppose the psychotic drug lord Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore). Even if identifying any other characters or plot points as relevant to the “main” conflict was possible, describing them here would inevitably feel like a spoiler. The movie takes entirely too long to establish its

many, many characters and subplots, all of which end up underdeveloped and none of which fit together. It’s a shame because most of these characters are fun and well-acted — Moore’s performance in particular points to a glaringly underutilized villain and a fascinatingly demented twist on mid-20th century American feminist iconography. \None of the first “Kingsman’s” strengths actually work in the sequel’s favor. Some of the jokes initially land but get weaker and more annoying as the film goes on, and they are not helped by the constantly wavering tone. The first film’s visuals found a balance between homage to the classic Bond films and sleek modernism brushing the edge of scifi. However, “The Golden Circle” takes that combo and doubles down on the sci-fi while adding in cowboys, American suburbia and a dash of zombie apocalypse along the way. The result can be glorious in isolated moments

but doesn’t mix well overall. The competing plots can’t agree on what should or should not be intentionally ridiculous, amounting to a frustrating mess of plot holes. And finally, the action scenes. All the action scenes in “The Secret Service” were heavily stylized but not necessarily superb, and the film may have been coasting somewhat off of favorable comparisons to the lamer action thrillers preceding it — who even remembers “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit”? On the other hand, 2017 has more bombastic fare like “Atomic Blonde” and “John Wick: Chapter 2” to stand for comparison. Many of the action scenes in both “Kingsman” movies tend to have either boring setups with exciting execution or exciting setups with rather boring execution, with stylism to bridge the gap between. That worked in the first movie, but not so in “The Golden Circle,” which ultimately

doesn’t seem interested in building up to its action scenes at all. What action scenes do exist are mostly contrived, basic and surprisingly meaningless. Overall, though, “Kingsman: the Golden Circle” isn’t all that difficult or painful to watch. As aforementioned, the performances are impressive and there are occasional funny jokes and entertaining action scenes. The film is weighed down by extraneous parts that really should have been left on the cutting room floor, but it doesn’t assault the audience with stupidity or condescension. Anyone looking to kill some time or just remind themselves of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” may find the sequel serviceable. Twelve appetizers can certainly be filling — they just aren’t substitutes for an actual meal.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

H&S HEALTH & SCIENCE

The Environmental Resilience Institute is the University’s collaborative step in creating solutions that cooperate with the environment to adjust for all of nature’s unpredictable occurrences. The institute seeks to pair humans and the environment around them in a sustainable solution that fits with a changing world. “For well over a decade we've had this community building across Grounds — of scholars and researchers interested in environmental change, sustainability and resilience, and we have built on those collaborations to come up with this vision for the Environmental Resilience Institute,” Environmental Science Prof. Karen McGlathery said. Nature is a dynamic entity that is constantly changing, so infrastructure needs to be able to adapt alongside the environment, Architecture Prof. William Sherman said. The Resilience Institute seeks to pull a plethora of fields — such as architecture, commerce and law — to pair with environmental science in order

Interdisciplinary institute seeks sustainability Environmental Resilience Institute will focus on environmental issues affecting coastal Virginia Catherine Bradberry | Staff Writer to create a team that can tackle problems from all perspectives. “It’s what's so critical about putting together an institute like this, because the kinds of questions it’s addressing really can’t be solved from within one discipline,” Sherman said. The inclusion of multiple departments is what makes the Institution a dynamic body, said McGlathery. Instead of having to check with different departments for their expertise, every discipline needed is included in the project’s team from the beginning. Each team is custom-made of people the problem requires, ranging from departments in the University, to outside practitioners, to government agencies. The institute consciously chose to tackle a broad spectrum of issues, McGlathery said. For now, they plan to start with the coastal regions of Virginia. These areas in particular are at constant risk of erosion due to the disappearance of oyster beds, leaving the soft marsh open to the waves. “We’re also focusing on resources where they are needed for well-be-

ing, so water in particular is going to be a strong part of the institute, and also energy,” McGlathery said. “Those are the issues we’ll focus on initially.” The institute seeks to address long-term issues — such as rising sea levels — with sustainable solutions that are future-oriented but still monetarily feasible. However, the institute is straying from the usual tradition of fighting an ecosystem with cement and mortar to force it to stagnate change, Sherman said. For areas like coastal Virginia, this can mean huge changes to infrastructure to work with the shifting environment instead of trying to cement the community in place. Areas like barrier islands are continually changing shape due to storms and constant wave action — however, to the people who live there, that poses a serious problem. A goal of the institute is to find a persisting solution to environmental change that allows the environment to thrive and also keeps the community intact. “When we build something, we

like it to stay still. So that’s fundamental conflict,” Sherman said. “So we have to build very differently or not build there at all if it’s going to adapt and be a resilient system.” Introducing new ways to work with the environment instead of fighting natural processes is a viable option in the long-term picture. Places like the coastal regions of Virginia already have complex environmental systems that protect the area from storms and catastrophes; the institute plans to use these already-existing systems to find a solution. For places susceptible to strong storms, hurricanes and everyday erosion, solutions like these — although they could come with an expensive price tag — can save a community from falling into a loop of building and rebuilding after storms which will ultimately save them in the longterm. “We can either spend a tremendous amount of money after the fact, cleaning up and rebuilding the same way we have before and then doing it all over again as things change,” Sher-

man said. “Or we can try and make new economic models that encourage people to build the right way.” The work the institute does will hopefully reduce the damage of catastrophes that have been appearing frequently — the most notable in the past month being Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria the only category four hurricanes to ever hit the United States in the same season. By helping communities prepare and assess their options beforehand, the amount of damage caused by natural disasters can be lessened. While the institute does not currently have a building to collaborate in, there are plans for a dedicated space in the future. “One of the hardest things when people think about environmental change is imagining the unimaginable,” McGlathery said. “Helping people take our science and helping visualize what those different possible future outcomes are, then help people make good decisions — that will lead to a better future.”

Apple’s Face ID — recognizing a promising future Facial recognition likely to impact technological innovations Stella Sotos | Staff Writer The reveal of the iPhone X’s Face ID at the Apple Special Event Sept. 12 has led technology analysts to speculate about what this release could mean for the future of the field. According to Apple’s website, the iPhone X’s TrueDepth infrared camera reads the 3D facial map created by 30,000 dots projected onto the face. Invisible infrared lights are used to illuminate the face in inadequate lighting. The facial mapping is not stored on the cloud — all information from the instantaneous authentication is encrypted and secured by the Secure Enclave, the same place that stores Touch ID information on older devices. Apple promotes that increased security is a major benefit of facial recognition technology in the iPhone X. However, all biometrics have tradeoffs, Computer Science Prof. John Stankovic said. Stankovic compares the potential difficulties of getting the device to register a face to mistyping a password before carefully trying again. Apple advertises that its A11 Bionic chip’s machine learning is able to recognize changes in appearance. Machine learning allows a computer system to continually improve on itself

without being explicitly programmed. Computer Science Asst. Prof. Vicente Ordóñez said he is concerned about the testing of this technology. “We need to develop better ways to test the systems before deployment because a lot of the systems are based on machine learning,” Ordóñez said. “It’s hard to track what the system is really doing in its internals, so we have to develop better testing tools for these types of systems and hopefully testing tools that allow us to check for all possible things that could go well or could go wrong with the systems.” Applications of facial recognition span marketing, security, and potentially the classroom. Jason Brewster, Incubator Program Director for the i.Lab at UVA, said that facial expressions could be used to optimize results while online shopping. Brewster said this use of personal information is akin to Google’s extensive scrubbing of Gmail data to tailor ads displayed. Brewster calls this a “barter system” — you give up some level of privacy for an optimized experience, and they can use this data for whatever they want. Additionally, Brewster sees potential for the use of facial recognition in the classroom. Facial recognition

could be used to improve classroom methods by providing the professor with useful information in real time — who’s understanding the material and who’s zoning out, Brewster said. Despite these possibilities, Brewster said it is unlikely that innovations like these will soon be seen at the University. “Universities don't tend to be on the cutting edge of this kind of stuff,” Brewster said. Instead, Brewster said he sees greater potential for the use of facial recognition technology by large companies, such as Amazon, with greater depth of financial resources. Rick Reifenstein, Director of Technology and Innovation for the Office of the Dean of Students, does not see this technology in the University’s immediate future. However, Reifenstein said he remains open to the change if there is a push by the students. “At the University, we see this with students all the time when they have certain expectations,” Reifenstein said. “It could be the University is put in this situation where we're like, ‘well hey, the students come here and they're expecting it, so let's incorporate that.’”

Despite financial and logistical limitations on implementing facial recognition, ODOS is hoping to bring more technologies to the University. Reifenstein said ODOS is working to expand the collection and analysis of the data on the attendance of student events. Additionally, ODOS is looking to improve “behind the scenes” technology — referring to the management of ODOS responsibilities using technology. “We are always looking at better technology, better ways of managing our spaces,” Reifenstein said. “Reserving student activities space and analyzing that data and looking where there are opportunities to provide better service.” ODOS is also continually looking to bring more audiovisual technology to the University and “even fun stuff,” like gaming equipment, Reifenstein said. When speaking of predictions for the future implications of this technology, Reifenstein refers to an “Apple reality distortion” — where the excitement of the release of new technology can cloud the perception of its significance. “You get caught up in the whole

announcement,” Reifenstein said. “Then, of course, afterwards you start thinking about the implications. Is it really all that amazing?” Brewster and Stankovic both said that widespread use of facial recognition could mean a loss of privacy. Furthermore, Brewster said that, because facial expressions reveal true feeling, your phone will now always know the truth behind your facial expressions and such will be the case wherever facial recognition technology is deployed. When it comes to the future, however, Stankovic and Brewster are hopeful for innovations using this technology. Stankovic said he sees many potential applications for mobile and wireless health, specifically in the use of virtual assistants in rural areas. Brewster said he hopes to see i.Lab applications from founders working on facial and related technologies in the coming years. “Charlottesville is rapidly growing its base of these types of businesses,” Brewster said. “We are ready, exciting [sic] and willing to support U.Va students and the broader Charlottesville community with nascent interest in cutting edge fields.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

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Cassini probe crashes into Saturn Two U.Va. professors worked on the recently completed, 20 year mission Catherine Wiedmann | Senior Writer The Cassini mission came to an end Sept. 15 as the spacecraft descended into Saturn’s atmosphere, bringing an end to an era of exploration and discovery that had lasted a month shy of 20 years. Two University professors assisted directly with Cassini’s mission. Oct. 15, 1997 saw the launch of the Cassini Spacecraft and the European Space Agency’s Huygens Probe. The two flew by Venus twice before returning to Earth over the course of two years, using the strategy of gravity assisting each time to gain speed before heading through the Asteroid Belt late in 1999, according to a NASA timeline of the Cassini Mission. At the end of 2000, Cassini flew past Jupiter. It began its orbit of Saturn June 30, 2004, making it the first spacecraft to do so. In 2010 the spacecraft was given a seven year extension to study seasonal changes on Saturn. Cassini’s grand finale saw it pass through Saturn’s rings 22 times, beginning April 26, 2017 through the outermost rings, and ended last Friday in the planet’s atmosphere. The website states, “the spacecraft will be crushed and vaporized by the pressure and temperature of Saturn’s final embrace to protect worlds like Enceladus and Titan.” Robert Johnson, an engineering physics and materials science professor, worked with a team that developed the Cassini Plasma System, or CAPS. “Like most NASA missions, there’s a competition for instruments,” Johnson said. They needed one “to measure the plasma … floating around in the magnetosphere of Saturn.” The group Johnson was a part of was able to secure the bid and their system was incorporated into the spacecraft. “My primary interest has been … to understand how rings are working, how the ring particles are working; how the satellites [moons] are working, what their composition is, what their surfaces are like; how this giant moon, Titan, evolved and became the only moon in our solar system with a large atmosphere,” Johnson said. To conduct this research, Johnson focused on the information CAPS was getting about the plasma’s ions. “In measuring the ions, we can learn something about the surfaces, and the composition

Liftoff of Cassini Spacecraft and European Space Agency’s Huygens Probe from Cape Canaveral

1997 October 15

First Venus flyby / Gravity assist

1998 April 25

Second Venus flyby Gravity assist number two

1999 June 24

Earth and moon flyby / Gravity assist number three

1999 August 17

Asteroid belt travel Seventh spacecraft to travel through it

1999-2000 December-April

University professors helped engineer the Cassini probe, which has provided valuable data about Saturn and its moons.

of the surfaces, of these bodies,” Johnson said. Anne Verbiscer, astronomy research associate professor, was brought on to Cassini’s imaging team in 2007 after the discovery of plumes of water, similar to Earth’s geysers, on one of Saturn’s moons, Enceladus. “There wasn’t anyone on the imaging team that was assigned to take pictures of the geyser activity and the regions where the eruptions are from … so that was my task,” Verbiscer said. “[I was] overseeing everything that had to do with imaging of Enceladus’ plume [and] finding times that the spacecraft would be in a position to view them.” “I have to sit down and use the pointing programs so the spacecraft would be looking in the right direction,” Verbiscer said. “Then you have to do the camera programming, so using a variety of different filters to look at the plumes in a variety of different spectrums.” Verbiscer moved on and spent eight years doing observation designs, measuring the heat output of the south pole of Enceladus. She said she considers the discoveries on Enceladus the most important takeaway from Cassini, though she did admit her bias.

“Enceladus is by far the most active and fascinating [of Saturn’s moons,]” Verbiscer said. “Measuring the heat is really important because that heat is so warm that just below [the surface] you’re getting very close to melting temperature of water ice.” Verbiscer said this is key because of the huge astrobiological implications. “When you can melt water ice you have one of the basic ingredients for life as we know it,” Verbiscer said. Johnson considers what Cassini learned about Enceladus to be extremely important, but thinks that the research done on Titan will ultimately be the most crucial part of the mission. “For understanding the evolution of the solar system, understanding how Titan’s atmosphere has survived for a billion years [is key,]” said Johnson. Despite the end of Cassini’s mission, both Johnson and Verbiscer look forward to what else scientists will learn from its data. Verbiscer said she expects many more papers to be published just from the areas she worked on. “It’s an incredible legacy the mission has left — an incredible data set,” Verbiscer said.

“Genie in a Bottle” by Christina Aguilera is number one Billboard song

December 29

2000

“Cast Away” number onebox office film

First spacecraft to orbit Saturn

2004 June 30

“Spider-Man 2” with Toby Maguire released

Flyby of Titan

2004 October 24

Evidence of water plumes, liquid water on Enceladus

2005-2006

Jupiter flyby

COURTESY NASA/ JPL CALTECH

Number one Billboard song “Candle in the Wind / Something about the Way you Look Tonight”

Mission extension to 2017

Solstice mission extension begins to study seasonal changes

2010 Febuary 2 2010

September 26

First interplanetary photobomb taken of Earth

2013

Last and 22nd pass by Enceladus

2015 December 19

First ring dive, beginning of the grand finale, 22 dives between rings and planets Plunge into Saturn's atmosphere, one month shy of 20 years in space

“TiK ToK” by Kesha is number one song

July 19

“Hello” by Adele is number one song

2017 April 26 2017

September 15 SUDHARSHANA KRISHNAN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Cassini’s 20 year journey through the solar system, in the context of two decades of popular culture.

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