HOMECOMINGS ISSUE
VOL. 127, ISSUE 16
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
HOME IS WHERE
THE WAHOOS ARE
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, UVA LIBRARY, MARSHALL BRONFIN, AND RICHARD DIZON
WHAT’S INSIDE U.VA. ALL OVER THE WORLD PAGE 2
HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YAR? PAGE 5
PHOTOS FROM U.VA.’S HISTORY PAGES 6-7
LEAD EDITORIAL: ALUMS NEED CAREER ADVICE PAGE 11
TOP 10 PEOPLE TO SEE AT HOMECOMINGS PAGE 15
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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U.Va.’s wide global presence International programs connect alumni across world XARA DAVIES AND CAITY SEED | STAFF WRITERS
The University has a strong global presence, boasting a diverse network of current students and alumni originating from, studying and working abroad. Duringstudents the 2015-16 academic ver 2,000 international year, more than 2,000 international 19 international U.Va. Clubs undergraduate and graduate students from more than 130 nations were enrolled at the University, according to the International Studies Office. International Student and Scholar Advisor Adrienne Kim Bird said ISO works closely with students to ease thestudents transition ofand moving to the Unit5 undergraduate ed States. 744 graduate students “We work with incoming interstudied abroad national students from the moment they get admitted and even before,” Bird said. “Primarily our role is to help students maintain their legal status, although in the course of that we deal with all kinds of issues — academic issues and personal issues.” The majority of international students come to the University from China, India and South Korea. After graduating, many University alumni also choose to work or pursue graduate education outside the United States. The University currently has 19 international U.Va. Clubs designed to
connect alumni abroad with current students, fellow alumni, parents and friends in their geographic area. The University has active clubs in Canada, Europe, South America, East Asia and the Middle East.
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College graduate Sophie Syed, president of the U. Va. Club of Singapore, said Singapore is a transient country, but in spite of this the club has over 100 active members who regularly attend and connect with
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ABROAD U.Va. CLUBS
MORGAN HALE | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Some clubs, like the U.Va. Club of Singapore, promote the University at local high schools and assist interested applicants. Some alumni also work as host families to support current undergraduates who wish to study or work in Singapore.
each other at events. “We actually have a few pretty large annual events,” Syed said. “We’ve got an annual send-off that is actually hosted by two Wahoos who both went to Darden. This family is actually really well-known within the
Singapore community and they've been hosting it for over 20-something years now.” College graduate Douglas Smith, president of the U.Va. Club of Japan, said his club offers a wide variety of events for its members. “This Friday, we are doing a bowling event at the American Club followed by dinner,” Smith said. “We do a cherry blossom viewing in the spring and we have done ski events before.” College graduate Stephen Hartka is the president of the U.Va. Club for France, which has about 150 members located mainly in the Paris area and around 20 members who are regularly active. The club mainly serves as a social organization which allows alumni to get together a few times a month, although it also organizes events with University professors in Paris and students studying abroad, Hartka said. “It’s just good to keep in touch every now and then and be able to share some time with people who went to U.Va.,” Hartka said. Hartka said studying abroad as an undergraduate was one of the major factors which encouraged him to move to France after he received his degree.
“I don’t know if I would have had the courage to go through with it if I hadn't done a year abroad,” Hartka said. “It definitely made it more of a realistic option to move to France.” During the 2015-16 academic year, 1,775 undergraduate students and 744 graduate students studied abroad in one of the University’s 50 available programs. Darci Spuck, director of Global Alumni and Friends Engagement at the McIntire School of Commerce, said studying abroad as an undergraduate can change someone’s lens and help them to develop cultural competency. For employers looking for potential talents in their team, studying abroad would be desirable, Spuck said. The McIntire School of Commerce offers roughly 21 study abroad programs for graduate and undergraduate students. “If someone studies abroad that means they have probably developed independence and are most likely comfortable with ambiguity,” Spuck said. “They are more likely to accept diversity and difference and tend to be quite curious people.”
Despite most students returning, some choose to leave U.Va. enjoys high retention rate ALEXIS GRAVELY AND MEGHAN TONNER | STAFF WRITERS This homecoming weekend represents a reunion for alumni with old friends, former professors and the University community. While many students returning for Homecomings consider the University to be home, others who initially enrolled subsequently decide to leave the University and may find their home elsewhere. James Marshall Pattie, assistant vice president and associate dean of students, said students choose to leave the University for a variety of reasons, including medical withdrawal for both physical and mental health reasons, personal family needs or the wish to transfer to another institution. “There isn’t really a prominent reason [that students leave the University] that we observe in the Office of the Dean of Students,” Pattie said in an email statement. The University works with students to address their individual needs and encourage retention. For example, students who have to take a medical leave receive assistance in ensuring they have access to care
while away and advice on the process for returning, Pattie said. Pattie said there are a variety of resources available to prevent students from leaving, including Counseling and Psychological Services, the Student Disability Access Center, the University Career Center and Student Financial Services. “Oftentimes we work with students to make connections in those areas to address a specific need,” Pattie said. “For us, a key objective is to ensure all students are successful and graduate, hence our focus on that outcome,” Morrell said in an email statement. The University reports a 97 percent retention rate for first-year students, according to the most recent data available from the Office of Institutional Assessment and Studies for the 2015-16 academic year. Although the University works to maintain the retention of students, there are some who ultimately leave. Former student Kelsey Hackett, who was a member of the Universi-
ty’s class of 2019, made the decision to transfer for financial reasons. “I’m from Long Island, so I had to pay out-of-state tuition,” Hackett said. “By the end of my first year I was figuring out my plans for the next couple years — like if I wanted to go to medical school and the money just became too much of an issue”Hackett is now a sophomore at Stony Brook University, where as an in-state student, the tuition cost is less for her than it was at the University. “I’m just in a weird situation with my finances because where I live people tend to have a higher income and just general cost of living, so on paper it looks like my family is a lot more wealthy than we are,” Hackett said. “So for someone like me who is decidedly middle class, the financial aid system is not very helpful.” Despite leaving the University at the conclusion of her first year, Hackett still thinks of Grounds as home, and said she would “absolutely, 100 percent” return if possible. The latter reason is part of what encouraged Hannah Cho to transfer
to Cornell University following the end of her first year at the University. Cho is currently a sophomore at Cornell University. “I already had a transfer option at Cornell in which I was guaranteed to have admission with a couple of prerequisites,” Cho said. “I kind of already knew I was going to transfer as a sophomore, but also because of my major — I was undecided at U.Va. in the [College] and having a major at Cornell was a big factor in my decision.” Cho is currently studying Industrial and Labor Relations and said if the University offered a more specific business major, then “it would have been harder to decide to leave.” Alex Rein, who is now a junior at the University of Michigan, had a similar reason as Cho for leaving. “I think the biggest thing for me was what I really wanted to study was a combination between [the Commerce] School and political economy with a focus on China because I lived in China for four years and that’s what
I was really interested in studying,” Rein said. “I felt there wasn’t a good route to study business but complement it with political economy.” Rein said he felt his schedule would consist mostly of classes in the Commerce School and he would be unable to pursue his other interests, such as Chinese. He found the University of Michigan better suited his needs and is now double majoring in Business Administration and International Studies with a concentration in political economy of East Asia, along with a minor in Chinese. Rein said another factor in his decision to leave the University was the need for more variety in interests. “What I found myself aspiring to do at U.Va., I felt like it was a very common aspiration,” Rein said. “I felt like I got into a rhythm where I was just kind of locked in with doing the same things.” Although Rein said he misses being on Grounds, “Michigan feels more like home” to him.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
www.cavalierdaily.com • NEWS
Class of 2017 launches giving campaign Students can donate to programs, initiatives of their choice CATHERINE WIEDMANN | ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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“Any gift, no matter how big or small, makes a significant impact on the University and the lives of students who will come after us,” the campaign’s webpage reads.
The class of 2017 giving campaign is encouraging students to leave their legacy by giving back to the University. “This year especially we’re trying to get people to think back on not only what they’ve loved about U.Va. but also how they want to improve this school as an institution and how their gift to class giving can really impact the university in a positive way,” Wyatt Moorer, co-chair of the class of 2017 giving campaign and fourth-year College student, said in an email statement. Two weeks ago the class of 2017 Trustees held Class Giving Launch Week, which was meant to inform students about the campaign, why giving matters and how donations benefit the school. Tuition covers 17 percent of the University's operating budget, while limited state funds cover six percent, according to the campaign’s webpage. Private donations make up the remaining 76 percent. The campaign allows students to pick where their money goes, which enables them to give to any aspect of the University. “They can donate to their CIO, their major, they can donate to a research fund,” Moorer said. “They can donate to groups
that are affiliated with U.Va., like Madison House. They can also donate to things as specific as t-shirt cannons at basketball games.” The one exception is donating to a specific professor. “The only thing that you’re not allowed to donate directly to is a professor,” Moorer said. “But you can donate to their research.” The Class Giving campaign has been receiving donations for about three weeks. Fourth-year Engineering student Hannah Woodruff said she thinks the campaign was well organized. Because Trustees shared on social media to what they were donating and why, she said she was convinced to give back too. “I decided to donate to the dance minor program because I believe it's extremely underfunded and not fully believed in by many at the University,” Woodruff said. “The program has been responsible for creating magnificent works and the faculty have achieved incredible feats and grants, yet so many students and faculty don't know that the program even exists.” Woodruff said the program has been an important part of her college experience.
“If any part of the University has both challenged and encouraged me to accomplish beyond what I thought was possible, it is for sure the dance minor program,” she said. Moorer said he is thrilled by the level of engagement so far. Fourth-year College student Elvera Santos said she hasn’t given back yet but plans to, and said she really likes the idea of the program. “[I] would probably give back to my sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha,” Santos said. “It's been a big part of my life since first year and has taught me how to be a leader within the U.Va. community.” The campaign stresses the wide range of options students have for giving back. “You choose where your money goes, instead of the University using that money as it sees fit,” the campaign’s webpage reads. “Any gift, no matter how big or small, makes a significant impact on the University and the lives of students who will come after us.” Moorer declined to share how many students have donated thus far and the amount that’s been raised, but said they will be released at the end of the second semester.
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NEWS • www.cavalierdaily.com
ROTC student recognized in top 10 cadets in country Sarah Koch wins order of merit award DAVID SCHUTTE | ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sarah Koch, a fourth-year College student, was recently recognized as a top 10 ROTC cadet in the nation. The ranking, which is done based on order of merit, included 5,508 ROTC candidates. Koch said she was surprised to find out she had earned the distinction. “The way I found out was actually a cadet who graduated two years called me, and I had no clue what he was talking about,” Koch said. The order of merit is based on a point system, in which points correspond to particular accomplishments. GPA, cadets’ physical fitness scores on the army physical fitness test, publications, presentations and awards and involvement outside of ROTC all contribute to the points accumulated. The University also had eight other cadets finish in the top 20 percent of the cadet command list, which Koch said constitutes approximately 25 percent of the program she is in. Koch partially attributed her success to her focus and drive to accomplish particular goals and work in fields she particularly enjoys. Koch is a in the Middle Eastern Language and Literature Distinguished Major Program. She said a lot of the advice she gives to younger cadets, particularly first-years, is to stick to what they enjoy doing, so motivation can come to them naturally.
“A big thing I had to learn, as all first-years do, is to pick what you like to do, and that’s probably what got me motivated,” Koch said. This strategy has enabled Koch to participate in numerous ROTC and non-ROTC extracurriculars throughout her University tenure. She is president of the cadet association, an English-as-asecond-language tutor, a member of the Middle Eastern Leadership Council and a member of the Raven society. Koch was also the sergeant and lieutenant of Mosby’s rangers, which gives distinguished first- and second-year cadets opportunities to learn extra tactics and partake in additional training. In addition to participation in extracurricular clubs, involvement in ROTC and a focus on academics, Koch has completed research comparing the academic performance of Chinese boys and girls in a classroom environment, research she said motivated her to drop her original major of biology.Koch’s abilities have been recognized by both her peers and seniors. Calvin Wakeman, a fourthyear College student, described Koch as “driven and simply brilliant.” “She is proactive about all her responsibilities and engages in them with all her energy,” Wakeman said. “She has one of the strongest work ethics I've
COURTESY UVA TODAY
Sarah Koch is a fourth-year College student majoring in Middle Eastern studies.
ever seen as well.” Lieutenant Colonel Mark Houston, a professor of military science, echoed Wakeman’s comments about Koch’s work ethic. “She displays fantastic character and the way she carries herself is really a model for others I think that’s what stands out to me,” Houston said. Koch attributed her successes to the success of the University ROTC program as well. “A huge thing is the people more than anything, not only
are the cadre phenomenal, but we have some of the best cadets here,” Koch said. “You don’t learn as well if you’re not around other motivated people.” Houston said the ROTC program’s success has come with the cadets’ and faculty’s ability to work well together. “We just have a great thing going here, just like the cadets have a great team, we have a great consistent team that’s been at U.Va.,” Houston said. He also said the University’s location by the woods, as well
as its academic rigor, allow the ROTC program to excel. “Just yesterday we were out training in the woods by O’Hill,” Houston said. “Just having that training environment in our backyard is an advantage.” The University setting helps mold cadets into “scholars, athletes and leaders,” Houston said. After graduation, Koch said she hopes to become a Military Service Officer for four years, before joining the civil service.
Muir breaks silence on Black Lives Matter comment Lecturer apologizes for comparing movement to KKK TIM DODSON | NEWS EDITOR After agreeing to take a leave of absence, Douglas Muir, an executive lecturer in the Engineering School and the Darden School, issued an apology Wednesday for a controversial comment comparing the Black Lives Matter movement to the Ku Klux Klan. Muir said he was wrong to make this comparison and “saddened by the pain it has caused this wonderful community.” “It was never my intent for my words to cause so much turmoil,” Muir said in a statement. “Black lives matter is the biggest rasist organisation [sic]
COURTESY UVA
Muir is teaching three classes at the Engineering School this semester.
since the clan [sic]. Are you kidding me. Disgusting!!!” Muir wrote in an Oct. 4 comment on a Charlottesville resident’s photo on Facebook, which depicted Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza speaking at an event about racial injustice. The comment quickly drew criticism from student groups and administrators alike, resulting in Muir agreeing to take leave from the Engineering School Oct. 7. “This statement is inconsistent with the University of Virginia’s values and with its commitment to the principles
of academic freedom,” University Provost Tom Katsouleas said in an Oct. 7 release. “The University of Virginia stands firmly against racism and social injustice of any kind.” Muir said he has since learned more about both the Black Lives Matter movement and the KKK, and hopes this episode can be a “teachable moment.” “As I have come to learn the long, violent history of the Klan, it makes my comparison misguided and shows a misunderstanding of the past,” Muir said. “I am ashamed to admit that I knew little about Black Lives
Matter when I wrote that post. This lack of awareness is unacceptable for our civil discourse and most especially for an educator like myself. My post was an unfortunate example of what I tell my students never to do because it was criticism without investigation.” Muir is teaching three classes at the Engineering School this semester and is expected to return Oct. 17. He is not teaching any classes at Darden this semester. Muir also owns Bella’s restaurant on West Main Street.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
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How popular is YAR? Alumni Association focuses resources on recent graduates during Homecomings READE PICKERT | FOCUS WRITER Young Alumni Reunions, commonly known as YAR, attracts thousands of alumni from the four most recent graduated classes each fall. This Saturday night, the Alumni Association expects more than 3,000 young alumni to pack the Amphitheatre for the Homecomings event. What is YAR? Jess Hamilton, senior associate director of Young Alumni Programs, said YAR brings recently graduated students together prior to their fifth-year reunion. Similar to a class reunion, the event includes music, drinks and food. “The purpose of YAR is really to give young alumni from the four most recently graduated classes a time to get together and reconnect with each other and reconnect with U.Va.,” Hamilton said. By holding the event on a popular weekend such as Homecomings, the Alumni Association maximizes the number of alumni present at the event. Alumnus Donald Fryar, the class of 2016 Trustees vice president, said the importance of YAR is remembering the University as a home away from home. “The biggest importance of YAR is really kind of reminding people that U.Va. is always home regardless if you graduate or you’re still a graduate student at the University,” Fryar said. “You graduate and you come back and you’re like wow, this is where I really defined myself, this is where I started to become the person I am today.” Current Trustees President Patrick Rice, an Engineering student, said YAR draws on the special attachment students have to the University. “There’s definitely such a sense of belonging here that people really want to tap into, even when they’re no longer a student,” Rice said. Hamilton said YAR has undergone many changes over the years. When it began in 2006, the post-game Lawn barbeque attracted only a few hundred people. As the event expanded, it moved to the Lawn in front of Brooks Hall. On Saturday, the event will be held in the Amphitheatre for the fourth year in a row. “In 2013, when we switched [YAR] over to its current location in the Amphitheatre, it really started to feel like the YAR event that people think of to-
day,” Hamilton said. Logistics of YAR Like most other reunion events, YAR does not make a profit for the Alumni Association. Tickets cost only $20 on pre-sale and $25 at the door. As a result of these low prices, Hamilton said the Alumni Association ends up paying for about 25 percent of the event.
shad said. “You just were able to see the University is very much the same as it was when you were a student and you can connect to those students.” For the most recent graduates, connections to the University are the strongest. Hamilton said 40 percent of the class of 2015 returned for the event last year. “That is reunion attendance
dent. “As you’re graduating, everyone already has kind of circled that [YAR] date as when they’re coming back to Grounds because everyone else they know is coming back,” Arshad said. Although excitement for YAR has increased since the creation of its catchy name and hashtag, Hamilton said the number of attendees has stabilized in recent
YAR By the Numbers Price of Tickets: $20 Pre-Sale $25 At the Door
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LAUREN HABERMEYER | THE CAVALIER DAILY
“Even though we’re wspending money on the event as opposed to making it, we don’t really see it as a loss,” Hamilton said. “We see it as an investment in young alumni to kind of get them in the habit of coming back to Grounds and seeing each other and seeing U.Va.” Alumnus Haider Arshad, the class of 2014 Trustees vice president, said by investing in young alumni, the University is more likely to see engagement from these same alumni later in life — whether in terms of financial donations or opportunities for future students. “When a U.Va. student reaches out to you ... you’re more likely to take that phone call because you were just on Grounds,” Ar-
like we see no other year and I think that’s because people who have most recently graduated are just really excited to get back to Grounds and feel like they’re still students at U.Va.,” Hamilton said. The Alumni Association is hoping for similar numbers for the class of 2016. Fryar said the excitement for YAR among recent graduates stems from “hype.” “The Young Alumni Reunion was not always referred to as YAR, it was referred to as Young Alumni Reunion,” Fryar said. “Now people ask: are you going to YAR? Are you going to YAR?” Arshad said the level of excitement has evolved significantly, even since he was a stu-
years. “The past couple of years, the attendance has been pretty stable,” Hamilton said. “I think every year it increases slightly, but nothing too significant over the past few years, which is actually a good thing because anyone who has ever seen the event knows that it is jam-packed into the amphitheater.” Leading up to YAR, the Amphitheatre is on track to meet its 2,500-person benchmark. Hamilton said around 2,400 tickets had been sold as of last weekend, and she expects the number to keep growing up to the event. Trustees’ role While YAR is entirely put on by the Alumni Association, the
Trustees of the four most recently graduated classes play an important role. A student’s role as a Trustee does not end when he graduates, since Trustees serve a six-year term. Alumnus Andrew Kwon, class of 2016 Trustees president, explained how Trustees promote engagement in the community even as alumni. “Trustees, which stems from Class Councils, has worked each of our four years to create a sense of camaraderie and unity in our class that helps allow people to continue to stay active in our U.Va. community for a lifetime after graduating which helps to keep our University strong,” Kwon said in an email statement. Through class Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, e-newsletters and alumni events across the country, over 200 Trustees try to convince their classmates to stay connected with the University. However, for many Trustees, the most effective form of marketing is just keeping up with friends. Rice hopes he and his fellow Trustees can maintain friendships and connections to promote YAR for the next four years. “My success in a post-graduate role will definitely be dependent on how involved everyone else stays,” Rice said. “So you could call me a chief motivator of sorts.” Alumnus Sheridan Fuller, the class of 2013 Trustees president, said managing the other Trustees is about giving the necessary tools to passionate individuals. “[Trustees] is a group of people who are excited about the opportunity to give back as alumni of the University and to create spaces for our classmates to get together and have fun ... At the same time, unlike when you’re on Class Council, once you’re an alumnus or alumnae, you are busy with work,” Fuller said. “So I think it’s also about finding ways to make it easy for people to promote the event.” “[I’m] looking forward to being down there, seeing all my friends and loving, and just reliving, those days — the good ole days,” Arshad said.
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THE CAVALIER DAILY
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
www.cavalierdaily.com • PHOTO
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PHOTOS BY THE CAVALIER DAILY
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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Football seeks third-straight win Saturday Benkert coming off impressive performances, Kiser leads ACC in tackles NOAH KIM | STAFF WRITER Two weekends ago, the Virginia football team beat an opponent on the road for the first time in four years, defeating Duke 34-20. In the game, the Cavaliers (2-3, 1-0 ACC) generated 416 yards of total offense while forcing the Blue Devils to commit six turnovers. “I’m really proud of our team in taking another step forward,” Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. “I think that each game has been a positive step. We’re not done, but it’s fun to see the players happy. It’s fun to see them see that it’s coming. It’s fun to see them see the plan that’s in place and it’s fun to see them believe in each other. I like seeing people develop, and it’s happening in front of us all.” Saying that play has improved is an understatement. Over the first three weeks of the season, the Cavaliers were outscored by their opponents 94-56, did not win a single game and gave up a staggering 1,211 yards of total offense. The past two games have been a different story. Led by junior quarterback Kurt Benkert, the Cavaliers have revitalized their offense, solidified their defense and finally generated a sense of excitement about the football program. Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi,
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whose team Virginia will face Saturday, expressed respect for Benkert. “The quarterback is playing really well,” Narduzzi said. “Benkert is doing a great job throwing it. He's a quick-release guy that is tall, good in the pocket, doesn't take many sacks, throws it away and is very intelligent.” Against the Blue Devils, Benkert threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, while Duke’s quarterback, redshirt freshman Daniel Jones, threw for 324 yards but posted a dismal 1-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Mendenhall credits the pressure applied to the Blue Devils’ offense to changes made by the Cavaliers’ defense over the course of the season. “The biggest mistake that I’ve made was making improvements based on a team that has a defense that’s been playing it for years and years,” Mendenhall said. “It was too much, too soon, and it was completely my fault. I’m still getting to know the players and they’re still getting to know me. This is just the beginning, but it will consistently improve, as a U.Va. defense.” If its play against Duke is any indication, the Cavaliers’ defense is headed in the right direction. Junior linebacker Micah Kiser continues to lead the ACC in tackles and ranks
COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS
Kurt Benkert threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns against Duke two weeks ago.
third in tackles in the nation. Junior free safety Quin Blanding has also contributed significantly and will continue to add to his notable career tackling total. Even though the Cavaliers are coming off of a bye week, Blanding is confident in his team’s ability to stay focused. “Our bye week wasn’t more laid back,” he said. “This year there are no days off. We still go at practice hard, no matter what. Nothing has slowed down — our tempo or speed
didn’t slow down at all. Our energy still kept going. I think this bye week was needed to see what we could do, and I think our energy picked up even more and as a result we’re still rolling.” To maintain their winning streak this Saturday and improve to 3-3 on the season, the Cavaliers will have to continue their increased production on the offensive side of the ball as well. Pitt (4-2, 1-1 ACC) comes to Charlottesville on a twogame winning streak of its own, and defeated a strong Big Ten offense in Penn State during their second game of the season. Under center, the Panthers are led by senior quarterback Nathan Peterman. Over six games, Peterman has thrown for 1,115 yards, nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. Due in part to the fact that Pitt’s offensive line has allowed just four sacks all season, Peterman has completed an impressive 65 percent of his passes, good enough for 23rd in the nation among qualifying FBS quarterbacks. Over the first half of the season, the Panthers have found success in both their passing and rushing games. Junior running back James Conner leads Pitt with five touchdowns and 441 yards, while junior wide receiver Jester Weah boasts
348 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Pitt has also shown the ability to win close games, which may be a factor this Saturday, seeing as in three conference meetings between the Panthers and Cavaliers, the average margin of victory has been a mere 7.7 points. So far this season, Pitt has found much more success than the Cavaliers when it comes to close situations. Most recently, the Panthers defeated Georgia Tech 37-34 last weekend on a last-second game-winning field goal. On the other hand, the Cavalier’s only one-possession game was a 10-13 loss against Connecticut in which sophomore kicker Alex Furbank missed a 19-yard field goal as time expired. Still, Pitt is seeking its first win in Charlottesville since a 26-0 victory in 1953. The Panthers have dropped each of their last two games at Virginia — a 24-19 loss in 2014 and a 44-14 loss in 2007. Virginia will look to continue this pattern Saturday and stay on their winning trajectory. Pitt is the first of three consecutive home games for the Cavaliers. Kickoff Saturday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at Scott Stadium.
CONTE BOOTING HIMSELF INTO CAVALIER LORE
early two weeks ago, the man sitting to the left of me all afternoon was an “Iron Duke,” – one of the many Blue Devil alumni and well-off bandwagoners who join the club to help fund Duke Athletics and to receive priority seating for football and basketball games each season. While one elderly woman in blue stared me down with the depraved look of a Cameron Crazy after I applauded Duke’s opening three-andout, the man beside me and I began to chat. We talked on and off for the rest of the game about fan attendance at Scott Stadium – given the empty seats at Wallace Wade that Homecoming day – as well as Coach K’s new batch of phenom freshmen, the injury to the Blue Devil’s first-string signal caller Thomas Sirk, Virginia’s quarterback Kurt Benkert breaking the school record for single-game passing yards in only his fourth career start, among other topics. In the second quarter, trailing 0-7, the Cavalier’s second drive sputtered. Benkert and the offense faced a 3rdand-26 from their own six-yard line, so his ensuing 14-yard completion to receiver Doni Dowling brought out Virginia’s punting unit, with field po-
sition on the line. Off the laces, it was a booming 55yard punt that sent the Duke player peddling backwards, and it floated up in the air long enough for Cavalier gunners to race down the sidelines and bring him down after a minimal return to the 34. The man and his wife were marveling at that first punt, and they asked me what our punter’s name was. “Nicholas Conte,” I said. “What a kick!” they said. Conte continued to impress. With exception to the 33-yard punt he didn’t get all of at the start of the second quarter, Conte added punts of 48, 65, 48, 43 and 44 yards. On two occasions, his punts pinned the Blue Devils on the one-yard line. One bounded perfectly before halting like an ideal 65-yard approach shot on the links, the other traveled 44 yards, setting the scene for that monster hit that lit up social media. “I was so excited. Jordan Mack came off that edge, and it was almost in slow motion…” Conte said. “It’s almost indescribable, knowing that we had pinned them deep, and without that punt, and without my punt unit running down there, literally diving, and saving the ball from going in the end zone, that we probably wouldn’t
have gotten that touchdown. That was really kind of the dagger that ended the game for us and got us that road win we needed.” The Iron Duke kept scratching his head. He said something to me along the lines of, “Every time I’ve seen Virginia play o ver the years, it’s like you always have a great punter.” I nodded, agreeing we’d had some solid ones in my lifetime, though I had trouble remembering specific names. Through some research, I found out Alec Vozenilek, ‘14, and Jimmy Howell, ’11, were the recent guys who’d each averaged over 40 yards per punt throughout their collegiate careers. Then there were Ryan Weigand ’07, whose ridiculous 45.2 average led the ACC that season, Mike Abrams ’01, who was named an honorable All-American in 2000 for his 42.6 average, and the legend Will Brice ’96. Brice has gone down in Virginia lore for his four straight All-ACC appearances, his First Team All-America honors in 1995 and his 78-yard boot against Georgia Tech in 1994. Add the senior Conte to the list. He did not appear in any games his first two seasons as the back up to Vozenilek, but his last two have been
incredible. As a junior, Conte was named an All-ACC honorable mention for his 44.7 average, which tied Brice for third in school history, and his 15 punts which landed inside the 20. This year Conte is even better, making a run at the 45.9 season record set by Russ Henderson ’78. “I feel like I am hitting a higher ball, but a more consistent ball as well.” Conte said. “It’s a lot more spiral turn-overs — not as many low liners — that are too far up for a returner to catch, that get a nice bounce… I just feel like I’ve really honed in on what I’m able to do over the last year.” His 45.2 average this season ranks 12th in the entire country. Conte has already tallied 13 punts inside the 20 and seven 50-yards or longer. He and coach Bronco Mendenhall have set high bars on what each expect every time Conte is called upon. They expect 100 percent of his punts to start the opposing offense’s drive inside the 20 and have set a net-38 punt as his goal. So far, Conte has exceeded Mendenhall’s benchmarks. The Cavalier punter has made an impact on the defensive side of the ball. “By him making them start so far away from the opponent’s goal line,
or our goal line, it just really has been helpful because it’s allowing [our defense] more time and more plays to mature,” Mendenhall said. “[Conte] is, I think, weapon is the right word and a punt is not necessarily a bad thing for us when you talk about the field position change, and where the opponent will get it.” I wanted to tell the Iron Duke that when it came to great Virginia kickers, Conte was in a league of his own this season. But that would be overlooking Henderson, Brice and Weigand, and denying decades of Cavalier football history I conceded the man knew more about. He had witnessed it in Durham throughout the years. Maybe Conte is only another great among greats, but that does not make his senior season any less special.
GRANT GOSSAGE is a senior associate sports editor for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at g.gossage@cavalierdaily.com
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
KEYS TO A VIRGINIA WIN
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www.cavalierdaily.com • SPORTS
2016 STATISTICAL LEADERS Passing
Air it out
Pittsburgh
Virginia
The Panthers have struggled to stop the passing game this season, almost as much as Virginia has. Pittsburgh ranks No. 124 in the nation, with a 302.3 yards allowed average, while the Cavaliers have surrendered 309.6, enough for No. 126. Whichever quarterback is sharper in his reads and execution Saturday will put up more points.
Nathan Peterman (QB):
Kurt Benkert (QB):
65% Completion 1155 Yards 9 Touchdowns 2 Interceptions
60% Completion 1455 Yards 13 Touchdowns 6 Interceptions
Rushing
Contain Conner
Virginia
Pittsburgh
It’s nearly impossible to bring down the 6-foot-2, 235-pound back with an arm tackle. Wrapping him up by the legs and giving nearby teammates a chance to swarm him is what it takes to contain James Conner. Virginia must limit his second and third level runs, as Conner will secure close to 17 carries Saturday.
Albert Reid (RB):
Taquan Mizzell (RB):
James Conner (RB): Quadree Henderson (WR):
59 Carries 318 Yards 5.4 YPC 4 Touchdowns
52 Carries 271 Yards 5 YPC 2 Touchdowns
104 Carries 441 Yards 4.2 YPC 5 Touchdowns
Tack on to six
Pittsburgh Virginia Olamide Zaccheaus (WR): Keeon Johnson (WR): Jester Weah (WR): Quadree Henderson (WR):
If Benkert and his Virginia offense return to Scott Stadium with the poise they’ve exhibited in recent weeks, Saturday’s game could come down to the wire. Every extra point will count. Getting too cute — as Virginia did in the first quarter at Duke, failing on a trick two-point conversation — could prove costly.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
9
31 Carries 343 Yards 11.1 YPC 5 Touchdowns *YPC = Yards per Catch
Receiving
17 Receptions 384 Yards 20.5 YPC* 3 Touchdowns
26 Receptions 264 Yards 10.2 YPC* 3 Touchdowns
26 Receptions 340 Yards 13.1 YPC* 4 Touchdowns
17 Receptions 174 Yards 10.2 YPC* 1 Touchdown *YPC = Yards per Catch
Defense Virginia Micah Kiser (LB):
Quin Blanding (FS):
458 Tackles 5 TFL** 2 Forced Fumbles 3.5 Sacks
46 Tackles 0 TFL** 0 Forced Fumbles 0 Sacks
Pittsburgh Ryan Lewis (CB): 39 Tackles 0.5 TFL** 0 Forced Fumbles 0 Sacks
Jordan Whitehead (SS): 37 Tackles 1.5 TFL** 0 Forced Fumbles 1 Sack **TFL = Tackle for Loss CINDY GUO | THE CAVALIER DAILY
EDITORS’ PICKS
The Cavalier Daily Sports staff predicts the winner for Saturday’s matchup. For their full slate of picks, head to cavalierdaily.com.
ROBERT ELDER
GRANT GOSSAGE
PHOTOS COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Kurt Benkert
Responding the way Benkert did at Duke, a week after his high of setting the school record for passing yards in a single game, was remarkable given his lack of game experience. Benkert tallied 336 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with 11 different Cavalier receivers. Right now, he’s as confident as any collegiate passer.
David Eldridge
After hearing rumors in August about his deep-threat potential and chemistry with Benkert, fans eagerly awaited Eldridge’s breakout performance. Prior to the Duke game, the Bealeton, Va. native had just two receptions for 22 yards. Against the Blue Devils, Eldridge made the most of his two catches, finishing with 112 yards and a touchdown.
Juan Thornhill
Recognized by coach Bronco Mendenhall early on in the season as one of Virginia’s top athletes in coverage, Thornhill put together arguably the best performance of his Cavalier career in the win over Duke. For his four tackles, two huge interceptions, and pass break up, Thornhill garnered ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors.
James Conner
Having overcome both an MCL injury and Hodgkin lymphoma since the fall of 2015, Conner is back on the gridiron, where he belongs. Widely considered one of the top college running backs before his diagnoses, Conner remains a force between the tackles in 2016, with 474 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Ejuan Price
From the same Panther line as NFL All-Pro and Los Angeles Ram Aaron Donald, senior defensive end Ejuan Price has developed into of college football’s top defensive players. Through six games, Price leads the nation with 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for a loss, while his three forced fumbles rank inside the top-10.
Quadree Henderson
Sophomore wide receiver Quadree Henderson boasts dynamic athleticism. Not only is he Pittsburgh’s second leading receiver, with 17 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown, and rusher, with 353 rushes for three scores, but Henderson also averages the fifth highest kickoff return average in the country at 33.1. He took a kick 96 yards to the house earlier this season.
JACOB HOCHBERGER
MARIEL MESSIER
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SPORTS • www.cavalierdaily.com
REMEMBER THE THREE MAGICAL WORDS
F
rom the start of his tenure as Virginia football’s head coach, Bronco Mendenhall instituted a phrase that became the mantra for Virginia football — “earned, not given.” This phrase was not just used to inspire his team. Rather, Mendenhall wanted this motto to completely shift the team’s mentality. Taking over a losing football program, Mendenhall knew that he did not have an easy task in front of him. Virginia football needed a total makeover beyond how the players performed on the field — a change in culture became a necessity. Mendenhall wasted no time in enforcing this change. In training camp, he stripped every player of their uniform and number, forcing them to wear black. His players had to earn the right to wear the orange and blue and represent Virginia. These were not givens. Likewise, Mendenhall forced players to earn their positions at the start of the season. Start-
ers from last season would not simply be given their spots back. Thus, players who proved themselves on and off the field, like junior quarterback Kurt Benkert, gained the right to start. As much promise as the team showed in the preseason, seemingly everyone lost sight of Mendenhall’s motto for the first game of the season. In giving up 524 yards to Richmond, the Cavaliers were embarrassed by their FCS foe. In a game that should have been an easy win, Virginia certainly did not earn a victory. For the next two games, Virginia’s amnesia continued. The poor defensive play never gave the Cavaliers a chance to compete against Oregon. And, after taking an early lead against Connecticut, Virginia forgot that it had to play defense without committing penalties in order to keep the Huskies off the scoreboard. For the first quarter of the season, Virginia had not earned anything but the reputation of
being one of the worst football teams in the country. Yet, over the past two games, Mendenhall’s motto finally began to resonate with the team. Against Central Michigan and Duke, the Cavalier offense put up 83 points — 27 more points than in the first three games. Additionally, compared to only two turnovers the Cavalier defense forced in the first three games, it has caused seven over the past two. The Cavaliers have looked like a fundamentally different team over these past two games. They have exemplified poise, resilience and focus. Instead of being passive, the players have taken destiny into their own hands, understanding that every victory must be earned. Finally, it seems like the team is beginning to remember Mendenhall’s mantra. Unlike what I said a few weeks ago, I now believe Virginia football has a lot of potential for success this season. The tenacity with which they played
against the Chippewas and the Blue Devils makes me hopeful that they can contend against some decent conference opponents. Yet, in order to do this, the Cavaliers cannot forget the three magical words — earned, not given. With an unusually strong ACC this year, Virginia will have to fight for victory in each of its remaining seven games. This road to success starts with a pivotal game in Scott Stadium against Pittsburgh (4-2, 1-1 ACC) Saturday. Simply put, Pittsburgh will not be an easy opponent for the Cavaliers. Averaging 37.3 points per game, Pittsburgh knows how to score. The least amount of points the team has scored in a game this season is 28. On the defensive side of the ball, the team touts senior defensive end Ejuan Price, who leads the ACC in sacks with 8.5. On both sides of the ball, Virginia will have to earn this victory. Its defense must continue
to generate the same pressure on the quarterback as it had against Duke if it wants to slow down the Panther offense. Meanwhile, the Cavalier offensive line is facing its toughest test all season. If it cannot protect Benkert and give him enough time to make good decisions the ball, it will be game over. The Cavaliers have a tough stretch of games going forward. No victory will be easy. Yet, the team has shown that it has the talent to compete and win games. To turn around the Virginia football program and give the Cavalier faithful something to believe in, the team must continue to remember the three magical words.
BEN TOBIN is a weekly sports columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at bjt5ed@ virginia.edu or on Twitter at @ TobinBen.
Women’s soccer looks to hand Duke first ACC loss No. 12 Virginia confident after defeating No. 20 Notre Dame Sunday in South Bend, Ind. ANDREW BENVENUTO | STAFF WRITER The No. 12 Virginia women’s soccer team is reaching the final stretch of conference play as it travels to scorching hot No. 6 Duke. The Blue Devils (11-2-2, 5-0-1 ACC) have won four-straight ACC games and are looking like a national title contender. The Cavaliers (10-2-2, 3-1-2 ACC) were the first team to beat then-No. 20 Notre Dame on its home turf. This was a crucial win for Virginia as it was the team’s first ACC road win and first road win since defeating Liberty Aug. 19. Senior midfielder Alexis Shaffer scored the only goal of the contest, as her second half penalty kick was all that was needed to beat the Fighting Irish.
Saturday’s game between Duke and Virginia features two of the top four ACC teams. The Cavaliers trail Duke 16-11 in ACC points. “Getting two big wins against Pitt and Notre Dame boosted our confidence after a couple of ties,” senior defender Meghan Cox said. “It’s huge to get those wins leading into the Duke game because we are both top teams. We need to really focus on winning this one.” Duke has a high-powered offense that averages 2.57 goals per game. The Blue Devils only allow .79 goals per game, so it will be crucial for Virginia’s defense to limit Duke’s shot attempts. Junior forward Veronica Latsko believes the Cavaliers are
starting to play like a complete team. “We wouldn’t have performed as well as we did against Notre Dame at the beginning of our season compared to now,” she said. “We are working together and are all on the same page.” Following the road game at Duke, Virginia will have two home games and a road game before the ACC Tournament begins Oct. 30. Look for Virginia to establish its pace early on against Duke. “We need to build off that game against Notre Dame and continue to be patient in the attacking third to make and finish our quality chances,” Cox said. Kickoff is Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in Durham, N.C.
RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY
Senior defender Meghan Cox and Virginia will face a big challenge Saturday at Duke.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016 COMMENT OF THE DAY “This seems highly hypocritical in suggesting that ‘academic freedom’ comes from silencing those perceived as transgressors and ‘drown[ing] out’ their opinions to something that better fits your palate.” “Confused” in response to the editorial board’s Oct. 10 article, “Lecturer’s Black Lives Matter comments were revolting— but also political speech”.
LEAD EDITORIAL
Young alumni deserve two years of career advising The Career Center should provide its resources for more than six months after graduation With the full-time job search underway for those of us who are graduating, many students are turning to the University’s Career Center for help navigating the professional opportunities available to them. The Career Center offers students a wide range of services including counseling appointments, pre-professional events, on-Grounds job interviews and access to Handshake, the University’s online career search portal. However, just six months after students graduate, these opportunities are no longer available to them. Based on the duration of many fellowships and entry-level jobs, the Career Center should extend its services to alumni who have been graduates for up to two years. For young alumni who decide to pursue a gap period for longer than six months or who have difficulty finding work within that window, the lack of career services can make the
job search much more difficult. Students who are pursuing another degree after taking a gap year or entering the workforce may need help with understanding application processes and what schools are within reach. The Career Center is disadvantaging those who decide to pursue travel or other alternative routes immediately following graduation. While the University has yet to release its Student Activity Outcome Report, or SOAR, for last year’s graduating class, the data on the Class of 2015 suggest Career Center resources could still be beneficial for those graduates. While 73.7 percent of students had accepted employment or were pursuing additional coursework, the rest were seeking employment or graduate school, volunteering, traveling or did not specify what they were doing post-grad. Of course, the University does not have un-
limited resources, and extending these services would require more manpower and more funding. However, the University would reap the benefits of this investment: it would reflect better on the school to have more alumni succeed in their endeavors, and it would help sustain the University’s relationship with young alumni. There should obviously be a restriction on alumni who can use these resources; for example, it wouldn’t make sense for alumni who are several years removed from undergraduate life to interview for jobs in Bryant Hall. However, in terms of where we draw the line, it’s clear the line is too close to graduation for many young alumni who pursue gap years or who cannot find jobs. By expanding career services to more young alumni, the Career Center can better equip students with varying post-graduate plans for professional success.
THE CAVALIER DAILY THE CAVALIER DAILY The Cavalier Daily is a financially and editorially independent news organization staffed and managed entirely by students of the University of Virginia. The opinions expressed in The Cavalier Daily are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration of the University of Virginia. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. Cartoons and columns represent the views of the authors. The managing board of The Cavalier Daily has sole authority over and responsibility for all content. No part of The Cavalier Daily or The Cavalier Daily online edition may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the editor-in-chief. The Cavalier Daily is published Mondays and Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily.com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 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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MANAGING BOARD Editor-in-Chief Dani Bernstein Managing Editor Kayla Eanes Executive Editor Nazar Aljassar Operations Manager Jasmine Oo Chief Financial Officer Lianne Provenzano EDITORIAL BOARD Dani Bernstein Nazar Aljassar Ella Shoup Gray Whisnant Carlos Lopez JUNIOR BOARD Assistant Managing Editors Jane Diamond Michael Reingold (SA) Evan Davis (SA) Lillian Gaertner (SA) Trent Lefkowitz (SA) Ben Tobin (SA) Carrie West
News Editors Tim Dodson Hannah Hall (SA) Hailey Ross Sports Editors Robert Elder Jacob Hochberger (SA) Grant Gossage (SA) Mariel Messier Opinion Editors Gray Whisnant Hasan Khan (SA) Matt Winesett Humor Editor Nancy-Wren Bradshaw Focus Editor Allie Jensen Life Editors Kristin Murtha Margaret Mason Arts & Entertainment Editors Candace Carter Noah Zeidman (SA) Sam Henson (SA) Ben Hitchcock (SA) Flo Overfelt Health and Science Editor Meg Thornberry
Production Editors Sean Cassar Charlotte Bemiss Danielle Dacanay (SA) Victoria Giron Graphics Editors Cindy Guo Kriti Sehgal Kate Motsko Photography Editors Celina Hu Richard Dizon Video Editor Courtney Stith Online Manager Leo Dominguez Social Media Manager Malory Smith Ads Manager Kelly Mays Marketing & Business Managers Grant Parker Andrew Lee
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OPINION• www.cavalierdaily.com
LIFE ON MARS WOULD MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN The next president should seriously commit to space exploration
On Sept. 27, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, announced his goal of bringing 1 million humans to Mars in the next 40 to 100 years, in hopes of creating a self-sustaining colony. Many experts and non-experts alike have criticized this idea as outlandish and absurd because of the enormous expense and technological capital required for such a daring project. Nonetheless, putting a human on Mars is a task worth striving for as it will spur technological innovation, employ thousands of individuals and, yes, make America great again. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 made the Soviet Union the first nation to successfully put a satellite into earth’s orbit. This was particularly troubling because it refuted the notion that the Russians were decades behind the United States technologically and posed the possibility that the new satellite could be used as a launching pad for nuclear weapons. Unsurprising-
ly, American policymakers were not willing to stand idly by while an emerging Soviet Union taunted them with their new toy. Four years later, the Soviets put the first human into earth’s orbit; it was at this time that President John F. Kennedy unwaveringly enunciated his goal to landing a man on the moon. As we know, Kennedy’s goal was fulfilled in 1969 thanks to the dramatic expedition of Apollo 11. NASA was pressured to produce technology that could keep pace with the Soviets, culminating in the production of new rockets that strong enough to leave the earth’s orbit and launch pads that could accommodate such thrust from the ground. This ambitious project put more than 400,000 Americans to work in the industrial sector and required the support of over 20,000 engineering firms and universities. Perhaps most importantly, it transformed American fear into pride, as NASA’s technological success-
es also made clear the America was to be the new leader of the Space Age. The America of today is far different than that of the 1960s, yet this is partially because we do not feel a need to invest in space technology as we used to. For instance, Donald Trump’s political rise has been fueled by his claims that Americans feel unsafe, industrial jobs are fleeing the country and there is an overwhelming sense that America is no longer great like it was in the 20th century. Kennedy’s space program did much more than put a human on the moon. It fomented enormous technological advancements that made citizens feels safe, allowed the industrial sector to flourish and revitalized American exceptionalism at a time when the Vietnam War and turbulent racial relations nearly tore this country apart. Obviously, putting a man on the moon did not solve all of America’s problems. Yet, it allowed Americans to dream and
to work in ways that would have been impossible had Kennedy not laid out this succinct and determined goal. Of course, such a mission to Mars cannot be undertaken unless enormous investments are made in the space industry. NASA and SpaceX have made it clear that they want to undertake a manned mission to Mars as soon as possible. Yet NASA has suffered from steadily decreasing national funding for space research since the late 1960s. And SpaceX, despite enormous investments from Google and other companies, is still struggling to establish itself as a legitimate competitor to NASA in the industry. This competition is beneficial and will breed innovation, yet we need more than simple market forces if we are to reap the rewards of a successful expedition to Mars. What we need is for the next president of the United States to act as committed to a mission to Mars as Kennedy was to a mis-
sion to the moon 50 years ago. Hillary Clinton has stated she would support increased funding for NASA and Trump has been all over the place, saying he “loves what [NASA] represents” but that “we have bigger problems.” Regardless, they should not lose sight of the enormous positive consequences putting at least a small team of astronauts on Mars could bring. And while the Soviet threat is not the primary motivation driving technological innovation, there are countless other benefits that might ensue if we make a coordinated effort to reach the Red Planet.
JESSE BERMAN is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at j.berman@cavalierdaily.com.
DON’T UNFOLLOW THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION Exposing oneself to opposing political views on social media can help bipartisan understanding Just looking at the recent opeds in The Cavalier Daily, it is clear how dominant the election is. Inevitably, this discussion finds its way onto social media. People do not go onto social media for political a — they get uncomfortable. It is very tempting to just unfollow that one person who always sparks political debates on social media. Don’t do it. He might be annoying, but there is a value in exposing yourself to different political opinions on social media. There is a real danger of social media creating an echo chamber. By echo chamber, I mean an environment in which only ideas you already agree with are posted, reinforcing your preconceived notions. Creating an echo chamber is the natural inclination of people in any social situation — we don’t like conflict, we like affirmation.
There are two significant benefits to exposing yourself to opposing views. First, it can make you refine your own views, even if you totally disagree with the other person. An unchallenged view is often an undeveloped view, and so opposition can help strengthen a person’s own political views. Second, it can show you are wrong. It is hubris in the extreme for anyone to assume they are totally informed or right in all of their own political opinions. Living in an echo chamber does not make your views any more right than anyone else’s. These might be common observations, but the fact that people still continue to unfollow others solely based on their political opinions shows the points are worth repeating. It is also important not to expunge political posts from social media because we are desperate-
ly in need of understanding. The country is disastrously partisan. No more is this clearer than in the presidential election where we have candidates saying wildly different things and calling for the opposition to be deported. Democrats and Republicans alike have painted the other party’s candidate as the antithesis of everything they believe in. At the very least, allowing for political discussions on social media lets people see the arguments of the other side. They may disagree with them, but hopefully reading people’s arguments will help create more understanding. Some people may wonder why social media must be made political, when there are so many other ways to be exposed to political discussions. The problem is other sources of political discussions are often more effective echo chambers than so-
cial media can ever be. On social media a person can choose their friends or the people they follow, but they cannot control what they post. This adds a level of uncertainty that can expose people to new ideas. News sites and radio shows are much easier to filter. It has been proven people generally only read news sources that align with their own political views. Republicans will generally go to Fox News for their news and Democrats will go to CNN — neither group is being challenged. There is no magic bullet to fix the partisanship and political apathy of many Americans. I don’t think tolerating political posts on social media will create a sweeping change on its own. And I also want to be clear that I am not encouraging people never to block someone on social media because of political posts
they make. If a post is bullying or abusive, there’s no reason to expose yourself to that. Still, cutting off opposing sources of information is a significant symptom of our current political problems, and can be easily fixed. Not blocking people could do nothing, and then people would just have to scroll a tiny bit more past political posts. But it could also create positive change, and that’s worth a little annoyance.
BOBBY DOYLE is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at b.doyle@ cavalierdaily.com.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
H HUMOR W
e recently learned a lot of scary stuff about Donald Trump. As a writer, that sentence has grown comfortable and familiar, like a nice sweater you can cozy up in. I shouldn’t feel that way. That’s the artistic equivalent of saying you know what alcohol poisoning feels like because you’ve had it so many times. But oh man, at least I had a better weekend than the College Republicans. The College Republicans initially said they still “endorse him,” but “will not make excuses for such disturbing disrespect of any group or individual.” Yeah, c’mon guys! They don’t endorse Trump when he disrespects people! Unless those people aren’t white, Christian, conservative or masculine enough. Then they have a whole plethora of pre-
O
ne of the most surprising discoveries of this election is that we as a country are far more polarized than we ever cared to admit. This unfortunate ideological and political split is reaching a degree of separation that does not bode well for democracy in this country; already, many academic institutions are observing growing resentment towards our system of government. In order to correctly analyze this issue, we must first look at how we became so polarized. Here is a chronological arrangement of the most divisive moments in American history: The Honor Referenda (February 2016) If you ever thought the Honor referenda on amendments to the sanction system were limited to Grounds, then you’re stuck in the U.Va. bubble big-time. This issue pitted families against each other, tore allies apart and briefly soured Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon’s bromance. Be-
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THE IMMACULATE FORESIGHT OF THE CRS pared excuses for why their candidate is allowed to be a bully. I’m a white man, and I feel unsafe! That’s generally a bad sign for a Republican candidate. Then, after being screamed at, their Executive Board decided to hold a vote on whether to rescind their endorsement. A vote! In a year where democracy has lead to Brexit, continued Colombian violence and Trump becoming the nominee in the first place, they thought that holding a second vote would fix their problem. Holy s—. Just. Holy. S—. Aside from my blinding rage (see above) or my crippling anxiety (see my therapist) about this whole debacle, I am cackling about the surprise displayed by the CRs. Who? Who could have predicted that Donald J. Trump would say something offensive about an entire demographic? Who would have thought that a reality TV star would say something unplanned and horrible near a microphone? Sure. They rescinded their endorsement. And sure! They’re
showing something that resembles the human emotion of regret. But the vote only passed by 10 people, and it only happened because the College Republicans received more flack on social media than R. Kelly after he peed on a girl. I’m going to need a little more remorse, CRs. There are few people in the history of the world, much less U.Va., who have displayed less predictive power than the CRs. I compiled a handy-dandy, ranked list for you below, because the best thing we can do in this Burger King dumpster fire of a year is remember that other people have been idiots too. 10. “Apple Computers is going down the tubes! It’s just going to get bought by Microsoft, so why would I ever invest in that company?” –Every stock broker in the United States, 1994 9. “They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—” -Major General John Sedgewick, Battle of Spotsylvania, May 9, 1864 8. “F—k it, let’s invade Russia! What’s the worst that could
happen?” -Napoleon, probably, 1812 7. “Sure!” -Bill Clinton, allegedly, November 1995 6. “Man, the Senate is going to be so fun today! Can’t wait to see all my buddies and tell them about the good stuff I’m planning for the Republic.” -Julius Caesar, March 15, 44 B.C. 5. “What do you mean ‘more lifeboats’? This is the Titanic! It’s unsinkable! What am I, captain of the poor people boat? Throw those unsightly things out and fill their slots with more caviar and champagne!” -Edward John Smith, Captain of the Titanic, 1912 4. “What is this, the power plant for babies! Turn it up to full blast Yeltsin! Let’s see what this thing can do.” -The Chernobyl Power plant foreman, April 26, 1986 3. “Man this Trump guy seems like a real go getter. Has he thought about ruining everything for everyone ever? Cause that’s a real career option for him.”
-College Republicans, the RNC, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and possibly all of America (TBD but looking less likely by the day) 2. “Man this Hitler guy seems like a real go getter. Has he thought about ruining everything for everyone ever? Cause that’s a real career option for him.” -Germany, 1919-1933 1. “Let’s just leave this amendment vague. Future generations will definitely have the foresight to put our words within the appropriate context for their times. Absolutely nothing could go wrong here.” -The Founding Fathers, 1790 There you have it. They clocked in at number three. In history. At least they had friends!
CONNOR MCLEAN is a Humor writer.
WHY ARE WE SO POLARIZED? fore he was a presidential nominee for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump got his start-up on the American political scene for his commentary on Option 1 and 2, saying, “These options? They’re garbage. They’re total garbage. If you want honor, I’ve got it. I’ve got the most honor. My option, which is top-secret, will be so great, it’s the best option you’ve ever seen.” The Dress (February 2015) An indisputably divisive moment in American history, the gold/blue dress fractures American society to its very core. A viral photo that was perceived by some to be blue and black, and others white and gold, sparked so much contentious debate amongst anyone with a social media platform that President Barack Obama was forced to declare a nationwide state of emergency to prevent a second civil war. As bad as the current Trump-Clinton grudge match can appear, let us always remember the senseless violence that
we almost committed against each other over a dress none of us would ever wear. The Debt (May 2010) When Greece’s bail-out plan was settled in an effort to put their economy back on track, Americans simply could not agree whether to care about this major global issue. While everyone was in agreement that American citizens were woefully uninformed on foreign affairs, the question was whether anyone was going to put forth any effort whatsoever into appearing to understand what the crisis in the European market was about. The halls of dorms, study halls and coffeehouses with WiFi resonated with the sound of the ignorant saying, “This Greece debt thing is crazy”, only to be masked by the responding chorus of, “I don’t think it’s really going to affect us.” The Gosling (November 2008) Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ break up nearly eight
years ago still haunts the American psyche. While many took their split to mean that true love itself was over or never existed at all, many women (and men, if we’re being honest) saw this as an opportunity to sleep with Mr. Ryan. The war between romantic idealism and Gosling-incited sexual fever may very well have imploded society as we know it today if not for Gosling’s compromising shirtless scene in “Crazy Stupid Love” with Emma Stone. Thanks for loving your country, Ry-Guy. Call me. The OJ (October, 1995) America’s fascination with this conflict manifested itself in the country’s dialogue long before this particular crisis arose, and continues to arise in conversation even today, but back in the late 90s, the pulp versus no pulp orange juice debate left a taste in the mouth of Americans worse than a swig of Tropicana after brushing with Crest. The Civil War (1861-1865) People got really frustrated
with each other. The Founding (May, 1607) For the avid historian still reading this article, many scholars have cited the dispute over naming the first Virginian colony as the birthplace of American political animosity. While not as much is on record with regard to this historical event, we know enough to safely say that the contention over the name was between Jamestown (after the king of England King James I) and Whitesonlytown, which was believed by many to have a “better ring to it.” While the colonists ultimately chose Jamestown, they did do their darndest to honor the runner-up name.
BRENNAN LEE is a Humor writer.
THE CAVALIER DAILY
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WEEKLY CROSSWORD SOLUTION SAM EZERSKY | PUZZLE MASTER
EVENTS Thursday 10/13 TYC Presents: Internship Crash Course, 4-6pm, Newcomb Hall UVA Sustainability Presents: Sustainability Plan 101, 6-7:30pm, OpenGrounds UVA Bookstore’s Touchdown Thursday Pitt Game, 8:30am-7pm, UVA Bookstore HackCville Presents: How to Apply Data Analytics to Your Company, 6-7pm, HackCville Friday 10/14 McIntire Department of Music’s Free Bridge Quintet “Obrigado Brazil”, 8-10pm, Old Cabell UPC Presents: Welcome to Bollywood, 9pm-1am, AFC Men’s Soccer vs. Notre Dame, 7pm, Klockner Stadium Rotunda Reopening Celebration - Homecomings Weekend, 4-6pm, The Rotunda Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Duke & UNC, 7pm1am, Main Street Arena Saturday 10/15 Office for Sustainability Presents: Game Day Challenge,12:30-4pm, Scott Stadium UPC Presents: Free Advanced Screening of Ouija 7-10pm, Newcomb Theater UPC Presents: Bear Necessities, 10pm2am, Ern Commons Field Hockey vs. Syracuse, 1pm, Turf Field Football vs. Pittsburgh, 12:30pm, Scott Stadium Pancakes for Parkinson’s, 9am-2pm, The Lawn The Virginia Belles Present: Central Intelligence of A Capella, 8-10pm, McLeod Hall Virginia Reunions Presents: YAR 2016, 8-11pm, The Amphitheater Sunday 10/16 Softball vs. Longwood, 1pm, The Park
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Top 10 alumni to take a selfie with Must see former Hoos of Homecomings MARGARET MASON | LIFE EDITOR
6. [Insert family member here]
1. Katie Couric
A staple on any University list of accomplished alumni, Katie Couric occasions U.Va. to stroll along the Lawn, remember her years at the University and sometimes make a cameo in Alderman Library. While Couric’s success gives me further proof that Alderman Library people are the best people, it also goes to show that even those with liberal arts degrees find high-paying jobs. As U.Va. as they come, a photo at Homecomings with Couric would produce at least 200 likes on Instagram.
?
Deep-seated with tradition and loyalty, many University students are bound to see an aunt, uncle, mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, cousin, etc. returning for the weekend festivities. For some, this may mean an uneventful game sitting in the stands with your parents and younger siblings instead of traipsing the Hill with your #squad in search of the perfect gameday photo op. If you’re lucky, this means you have dance partners for Young Alumni Reunions and stadium tailgates featuring free Take It Away and Bodo’s. Here’s to hoping you don’t run into the ‘fun aunt’ at Trinity later.
2. The frat dad
He is most likely sporting a Vineyard Vines bow tie and checking out his old “stomping ground” at [insert fraternity here]. He will undoubtedly join the students on the Hill, despite the expensive seats he purchased front and center. While the frat dad might be a tad too old for Young Alumni Reunions, don’t be surprised if you see him out on Rugby Road on Saturday night. For the frat dad, his glory days are behind him and Homecomings is the one opportunity to relive them.
7. The cool elderly couple
Whether you admit it or not, the idea of returning to Homecomings 40 years later with your college significant other turned long-time spouse is almost cute enough to settle for that awkward guy you met on Love Connection. You’ll see them bright and early at Pancakes for Parkinson’s, because they’ve reached the stage in life where the morning isn’t meant for hitting snooze on the alarm 15 times. Since they went to U.Va., they’re probably both still beautiful, lacking wrinkles, incredibly successful and have a collection of equally beautiful, smart grandchildren that are now students on Grounds. They’re also probably University Guides.
3. Tina Fey
The antithesis of Couric, Tina Fey embodies the counterculture — and gives us funny but normal looking people the hope we one day might be equally as appreciated. Let’s be real, Fey likely would never be spotted at Homecomings and definitely didn’t make her class donation to the Honor Committee. While her time at U.Va. may have been nontraditional and she might not constantly yearn for ‘dear old U.Va.,’ we proudly claim her as our own and pretend her four years in Charlottesville heavily contributed to her greatest hits on Saturday Night Live.
8. The founders of Roots
Plot twist: they’re still here. While they might be a regular feature in the Charlottesville community, there’s no reason not to appreciate them on Homecomings too. Without the valiant efforts of these U.Va. alums, students everywhere would live lackluster lives, not knowing the wonders of the “El Jefe.” Don’t question it. That tiny bit of kale makes it a salad — they should know, they have a U.Va. degree.
4. That hot guy from your seminar
You never learned his name and never moved beyond awkward eye contact across second floor Clemons, but Homecomings is your one opportunity to rekindle this deep romance. Imagine, five years from now, you can email your professor from your cozy house in the suburbs and share photos of your first child, affectionately named “American Political Tradition” after the course in which you first met. Even if you don’t fall in love, at least you can cry over the loss of second floor Clemons together.
9. The Philosophy TA who destroyed your GPA
To commemorate the destruction of your spirit, why not reconnect with that impossible TA from the class you took “for fun”? While it stung to get your first paper back with the comment, “lacking original thought,” there are no hard feelings, right? Hopefully, you’ve evolved enough to appreciate the abrupt end to your potential philosophy career — and the lifetime of dense reading and contemplation you narrowly dodged. If you were a philosophy graduate student, wouldn’t you need a way to get out your frustrations too? DISHA JAIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY
5. Edgar Allan Poe
Rumor has it, despite his short residence at the University that we cannot ever seem to forget, every year on Homecomings Poe’s ghost returns to celebrate his Cavalier heritage. If you listen closely outside his Lawn room, you can even hear the beating of the “Tell-Tale Heart.” When the hour gets late, you’ll find his ghost twerking it out at his treasured namesake, Eddy’s on the Corner.
10. A Virginia Tech fan
This unfortunate soul won’t be hard to spot sporting maroon and quite possibly camouflage in the sea of blue and orange. Following graduation, this hoo likely fell off the wagon and in with the wrong crowds. Like a car crash, it’s hard to look away from all the lost potential. Keep your fingers crossed that this hoo’s future children attend the University to rebel against dad’s hokie ways. While he may try to sway with the best of them during “The Good Old Song,” every other day of the week he’ll pull the classic, “I would like to be excluded from this narrative.”
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LIFE • www.cavalierdaily.com
Homecomings is here The making of a U.Va. tradition
KATIE NICHOLSON AND KATHLEEN SMITH | FEATURE WRITER AND SENIOR NEWS WRITER Each year, students both past and present join together to celebrate the University during Homecomings. This year’s events kicked off on Monday, Oct. 10 with the First-year Kickoff and will wrap up on Saturday, Oct. 15 with the Homecomings football game against Pittsburgh. Homecomings, like the Grounds or Academical Village, is a term unique to the U.Va. lexicon. Tfhe exact origin is a mystery but there is deep meaning behind the term. “Virginia Homecomings is plural because it’s multiple homecomings,” Homecomings Committee Chair Madison McWithey, a fourth-year College student, said. “You’re coming back to school. You’re coming back to your friends. You’re coming back to the University. You’re coming back to your sorority or fraternity. It’s kind of a multifaceted homecomings. That’s why it’s plural.” Homecomings, in its current capacity, is a relatively new tradition. In 2003, it was reinstated after a long hiatus following a large donation from the Seven Society. Although Homecomings originated in the early 20th century, the tradition has evolved significantly over the course of the University’s history. Wayne Cozart, vice president of development and director of Jefferson Trust, said Homecomings has existed since the 1930s, but was traditionally not a major weekend. In the past, the four big weekends at the University were Openings, which was the opening of the fraternity season; Midwinters, which occurred in late January or early February; Easters, which occurred sometime in April; and Finals, or what is now known as Graduation Weekend. “Today only Finals exits, but back then it meant that Homecoming was not a major weekend for the University,” Cozart said. “Only after Openings, Midwinters, and Easters are canceled that we begin to see any interest in Homecomings at all.”
Cozart said a reason for low rates of return among alumni for Homecomings weekend was due to a weak football program. The Alumni Association, however, is anticipating a strong turnout for Young Alumni Reunions this year, especially due to new football coach Bronco Mendenhal. “Traditionally, we have not had strong football team, so there has not been great interest among alumni in coming back for Homecomings Weekend,” Cozart said. “Between 1958 and 1961, we did not win a single game, so there was not much motivation to come watch a football game. There has been renewed interest, especially with
in 2012. “We’re still in that revamping stage of trying to get the name out there since it wasn’t a thing for so long,” Nicole Fogel, fourth-year Commerce student and co-head of the fundraising committee, said. The board starts planning the week six months prior to Homecomings to ensure the events run smoothly. “Ever since six months, we hit the ground running,” Homecomings Marketing Committee member Alyson Johnson, a third-year Curry student, said. “We stayed in contact over the summer and then picked [up] a lot when we got back to school
out and let people know what Homecomings is.” Wahoo Wednesday on Oct. 12 gave students a chance to get free goodies and show off their school spirit by wearing orange and blue. The Homecomings Committee also hosted a spirit dinner Wednesday night at O’Hill. “We [had] a spirit dinner at O’Hill on Wednesday,” Johnson said. “[It was] our Wahoo Wednesday so we [gave] out cups and stuff to people wearing blue and orange.” On Thursday, Oct. 13, the largest event of the week — Hoos Under the Lights — will take place in the Amphitheatre
THE CAVALIER DAILY
Homecomings features events planned for both current and returning students.
Bronco this year and I think we should have a good crowd.” Undergraduate students have also become increasingly involved in planning events for Homecomings Weekend. The CIO to which Cozart referred is the Homecomings Committee, which became independent of Student Council
with logistics and getting first years involved.” The First-year Kick-off opened the week with free food and an obstacle course on the McCormick Quad. “This year we’ve had more first years involved which is exciting,” Johnson said. “We just continued to get the word
from 6 to 8 p.m.. The event features music, food and community. Later, Homecomings and Pancakes for Parkinson’s are teaming up to host a bar night at Crozet from 9 to 12 p.m. with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. “There [will be] booths from different CIOs, free Wayside
Chicken, Duck Donuts and Sweet Haus,” McWithey said. “It’s time for students to come together and get free food and talk and mingle around.” Saturday kicks off with Pancakes for Parkinson’s featuring free pancakes, music and a silent auction from 9 to 12 p.m. on the South Lawn. At 12:30 p.m., U.Va. football faces Pittsburgh at Scott Stadium. The Young Alumni Reunion wraps up the week with its yearly party for the last four graduating classes with food, drinks and dancing from 8 to 11 p.m. “I get most excited for the Homecomings football game because it’s [Young Alumni Reunions] and all the alumni come back that have only graduated a few years ago so it’s fun to see all of our friends come back,” Johnson said. “It’s just exciting to see the current U.Va. students and alumni come together and celebrate this place that they all love so much.” In addition to the events, the Homecomings Committee will raffle gift cards to restaurants such as Lemongrass, Boylan Heights and Crozet Pizza at the Buddhist Biker Bar. They also tabled all week selling t-shirts for $15. “There’s a ton of opportunities to show your spirit and show how much you love U.Va., especially since our football team is getting better,” Fogel said. “I think this is a good way for people to get more involved and kind of do something different. And it is on the ‘117 Things to Do Before You Graduate’ list to attend the Homecomings events.” Cozart said as the University has grown larger, the interest in Homecomings has increased. “When I first came [to the University in 1984] we considered ourselves an Ivy League institution. The concept of Homecomings, with a Homecoming King and Queen was too ‘State U.,’” Cozart said. “Now there is a greater interest, as students have had Homecomings at their high schools and want to build a greater phenomenon.”
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
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Drama Dept.’s ‘Comedy of Errors’ succeeds Absurdity, humor entertain local audience ANNA MORGAN | SENIOR WRITER Shakespeare can be difficult to understand, but the actors of the Drama Department’s fall show, “The Comedy of Errors”, made following the play’s plot easy. Every line, movement and design element of the play, whose last show was Oct. 9, was bold and engaging. The modern setting also made for a more intriguing performance. The set alone was beautiful and fun. It elicited awed looks from audience members as they entered the theatre. Lights and banners extended above both the stage and audience, a unifying element which strengthened the actor-audience relationship inherent in Shakespeare productions. Despite this, the set was fairly minimalistic, which the cast utilized to its fullest potential. The scene changes involved the actors and were integrated into the performance. Design choices such as these succeeded due to the cast’s dedication to the show and their ability to stay completely in character at all times. “[The show]’s really become ingrained in us,” ensemble member Sofia Lamrissi-Garcia, a fourth-year
College student, said. “I feel like my character, even though I’m extra, that now I’m a crooked cop and I really enjoy that.” Even if viewers started off a bit confused, the conflict and humor become more evident as the show goes on. Everything was so cohesive. Actors did an excellent job annunciating, making clear gestures and genuinely having fun with the performance. The misunderstandings between characters accelerate and the action builds until an explosion of uproarious chaos at the end. The decision to cast one actor as the central Antipholus twins (Drew McCarter) and one actor as the Dromio twins (Julian Sanchez) was a very successful choice. It greatly enhanced the farcicality of the production. “The end is absurd and ridiculously fun switching back and forth,” McCarter, a second-year College student, said. The final scene included fighting, arrests, beatings, escapes and total upheaval over who said or did what. The pair of twins must ultimately address one another, so McCarter and Sanchez literally jumped from
one spot to the next in order to execute the dialogue with nothing more than a hat change or jacket donned or shed. The audience was laughing at the edge of their seats the entire time. It was difficult to keep up at times, but a bit of confusion in this scene was completely warranted and only added to the humor. No aspect of the show was neglected. The stage space was full of side action embedded within the main scenes. Ensemble members conducted drug deals, sold goods, partook in theft, helped with scene changes and generally filtered on and off the stage, bolstering the volume of the space. “It was really fun and we were laughing throughout the whole production of it and the directors were really emphasizing that if we have fun then the audience will have fun,” Lamrissi-Garcia said. If this was a goal of the show, then it definitely succeeded. The show highlighted the necessity of play and not taking life too seriously. This especially came through in the final minutes of the performance when every actor put on a big, red clown nose.
COURTESY MICHAEL BAILEY
Cast member Julian Sanchez prepares for the production.
Guided by Voices and Destroyer stun at The Jefferson Alternative bands bring legendary songs to Charlottesville RAHUL MAJUMDAR | SENIOR WRITER Ever since their humble beginnings in a crusty garage in Ohio, the members of Guided by Voices have strived for the grandiose. Though it
took a while to gain traction among a wider audience, the music the band made was destined to soar in stark contrast to the midwestern flatlands
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Guided by Voices performed alongside Destroyer at the Jefferson.
where it was born. This is why it made total sense when lead singer Robert Pollard promised to play 50 songs before the set was over last Friday at the Jefferson Theater. It took until 2 a.m., but he did it, and the raw energy of the performance held steady throughout. The looks of bemusement on the audience's faces reflected the lingering question of how a 58-year-old man could deliver a performance which artists half his age would struggle to match in terms of power. Performances like this are a eyepiece into the ingenuity and tenacity which shot Guided by Voices into the indie spotlight in the ‘90s. Few artists have a discography as prodigious, both in size and quality, as Guided by Voices. For this reason, many fans wondered prior to the show what the band would dish out. In an almost narrative manner, Pollard ran through many highlights of his over-quarter-century long career, crafting a performance which edged past its own boundaries and became a seemingly organic entity. From magnum opus “Alien Lanes,” which catapulted the band
into the spotlight, to their newest album “Please Be Honest,” the setlist would have satisfied even the most scrutinizing fan. Though it was subtle, the audience definitely got a feel for the evolution of Guided by Voices’ style and ethos as they progressed musically. Despite the sheer volume of material the band churned through throughout their set, the caliber of their performance was seldom diluted. Without compromising the fuzzy lo-fi sound they played such a large role in pioneering, the band remained well-concerted in their delivery. Ultimately, the performance was as fun as it was awe-inspiring. It is hard to put into words the feeling of watching such prolific and talented musicians in their element. After all was said and done, Guided by Voices’ performance by no means eclipsed that of opener Destroyer. In fact, Guided by Voices is likely one of the few acts which would warrant listing Destroyer as a mere opening act. For almost two decades now, Destroyer’s mastermind Dan Bejar has been crafting ballads which meld and question genre boundaries
and constantly surprise and satisfy. Though he performed solo, this did not keep him from giving the audience a colossal performance. Bejar’s performance was unique with respect to his career with Destroyer. Considering Destroyer’s typically intricate and layered sound with everything from horn sections to shrieking guitar, Bejar’s show at The Jefferson was something new. He previewed unreleased, more minimalist material which showcased both his guitar chops and iconic voice. Even equipped with nothing but a guitar, Dan Bejar reminded the audience why he was in a category all his own. As the crowd dreamily spilled out of The Jefferson as the show came to an end, no one could be heard saying, “Yeah, that Destroyer guy kind of sounded like...” Charlottesville got a real treat this past Friday with Destroyer and Guided by Voices. Both bands have wholeheartedly earned the merit they command in their scene for being as innovative as they are just plain fun to listen to. Their distinctive spirits mingled spectacularly in an unforgettable show.
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‘Cody’ depicts realities of growing up Joyce Manor’s latest finds band lurching into the uncertainty of adulthood ALINE DOLINH | STAFF WRITER Pop-punk is no longer relegated to the realm of teen angst. Coming off the heels of acclaimed 2014 third album, “Never Hungover Again,” Joyce Manor’s latest release finds the band moving past adolescence and into arrested development. “Cody” draws on the band’s usual concoction of emo despondency and punk frenzy to satisfying effect — but in tackling the material anxieties of growing up, it also moves into more uncharted territory. The album’s trim 24-minute length is characteristic of Joyce Manor’s DIY roots, yet its production by Rob Schnapf — known for his work with Beck, Elliott Smith and Guided by Voices — shows polished evolution. Lead vocalist Barry Johnson’s voice is stripped of most of its throaty grit, and earworm hooks and sticky guitar riffs push the album decidedly closer to the poppier end of the spectrum. It’s far from experimental, but still thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. Most of the album’s innovation lies in its unconventional song structure, which is peppered with caustic, forthright lines but rarely feels the need to dwell on them. The songs are bursts
of sonic instant gratification which are smarter than they let on. Opener “Fake I.D.” chronicles drunken pillow talk with wry lyricism. Its most singable verse takes the perspective of a one-night stand who asks the narrator, “What do you think about Kanye West? / [...] Yeah, I think he’s better than John Steinbeck.” It moves from this to a seemingly nonsequitur moment of mourning for a dead friend, but it’s a transition which perfectly captures the stream-of-consciousness quality of inebriated latenight conversation. “Cody” is characterized by this ability to wring quick moments of poetry from mundane experiences, as well as its typically plainspoken, candid lyrics. Second track “Eighteen” remains in the realm of fumbling sexual experiences, but its blurry daze has a somewhat desolate quality. Its narrator proclaims, “At eighteen / Life’s a bad dream.” The subsequent “Angel in the Snow” finds the protagonist still chasing an unseen love interest with almost pitiful devotion, seeking the intimacy of going “together like a barking dog with you.” The song’s melancholy chorus finds the protag-
onist perpetually unsatisfied, repeatedly wondering, “How come nothing amazes me? / I don’t know.” In a similar vein, the fleeting acoustic ballad “Do You Really Want To Not Get Better?” is little more than a monologue which asks its titular question, though whether the speaker is addressing another person or themselves is left ambiguous. The questioning is more sorrowful than accusatory, hinting at a sense of overall resignation. The third act explicitly addresses this listlessness, yet doesn’t offer much narrative resolution. Johnson moans, “Yeah, I'm 26 and I still live with my parents / Oh, I can't do laundry / Christ, I can't do dishes” in the baldly confessional “Stairs,” the penultimate track. The closer has the self-explanatory title “This Song Is A Mess But So Am I.” It’s an upbeat, darkly comic portrait of a quarter-life crisis. “Cody” presents Joyce Manor as a band poised to enter maturity, despite the inability of the album’s embittered characters to do the same.
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Pop-punk band Joyce Manor released “Cody” last week.
‘The Birth of a Nation’ proves triumphant Nate Parker’s latest film lends meaning to slave experience PAUL ROHRBACH | SENIOR WRITER Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” opens around a fire. Around the fire sits a group of slaves cloaked
who carried a birthmark deemed auspiciouby ancient African tradition.
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
New film sheds light on life of slaves in antebellum America.
in a thick blue light and spectral dust. The elder of the circle exhorts the slaves to follow young Nat Turner,
The scene, with an otherworldly quality permeating the whole film, could be fully set in Turner’s atavistic
imagination, partially, or in reality. “The Birth of a Nation” occurs in this juncture between imagination and reality. This film is about the triumph of a moral vision over brutal realities. The Turner of this film exists in a society where slaves are — in the film, literally — force-fed customs. His community’s African roots are decaying, as his closest ancestors to have lived in Africa are two generations removed. In place of this comes Turner, a literate slave who was ordered to teach his fellow slaves of the supposed Gospel message of slavery. Turner is carefully educated for the job, with no exposure to books “for white folks” and exclusive study of the Bible. A particularly gripping scene presents two slave-masters looming over Turner, who meekly preaches to a crowd of frightened slaves huddling at the back of a dingy barn: “There’s treasure in heaven from submitting.” This all points to a disturbing reality of slavery often ignored by Hollywood. It was not only a system of physical brutality, but often of psychological control. This is not to say violence is ignored in the film. The film’s violence is casual and ubiquitous. Slave bodies are literally left to rot in the street, heeded by no one but the film’s camera.
This violence, however, fails to fully move Turner until his wife is gang-raped by a group of white men. In a precipitous narrative jump, Turner finally realizes that he must “sing to the Lord a new song.” For Turner, this begins the birth of a new nation — a community of slaves united in their claim of personal agency. From this point, Turner’s preaching is as poetic as it is inflammatory. The film draws on the biblical idea that Turner’s sufferings would only increase the size of his cohort. When Turner is flogged, the film imagines candles emerging behind him symbolizing the community who share in Turner’s suffering. Most powerful, perhaps, is the end of Turner’s rebellion when he is coated in a cloud of gunpowder, resembling the dust of the film’s first scene. A corollary to the old myth, Turner has created a new myth, shaking masters and slaves equally. “The Birth of a Nation” is at the same time subversive and constructive. Like in the song “Strange Fruit,” to which one of the film’s most gripping sequences is set, the “pastoral scene of a gallant south” with its expanses of cotton and looming spanish moss is the site of lynchings, rape and systematic dehumanization. Even the film’s title, also the title of
the highly influential 1915 film glorifying the KKK, points to the civilized tradition of barbarity endemic in American culture. The film doesn’t exploit, fetishize or wallow in this cruelty but, rather, overcomes it. Its protagonist finds self-respect in a Bible intended to subjugate him and builds his community on blood-soaked leaves. Despite some narrative flaws, this film is important in a way which not many films aspire to be, even films about slavery. It presents the experiences of slaves neither with pernicious euphemisms nor with the demeaning nihilism which robs them of moral conscience, but rather, with radical moral agency. It empowers Nat Turner’s myth and, alongside this, a new generation to carry on his narrative. Author’s note: The film was embroiled in controversy before it was released, even seeing worse than expected performance in the box office, due to rape allegations against Parker for which he was acquitted in 2001. It bears noting that the film itself neither glorifies nor justifies any form of sexual assault. The choice to not see the film on account of this controversy, then, should be read primarily as a boycott of the director himself.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
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