Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Cavalier Daily

Vol. 131, Issue 5

Thursday, October 15, 2020 EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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NEWS This week in-brief CD News Staff

U.Va. issues partial refunds to students living at home, on-Grounds students following two-week delay of fall semester The University issued partial refunds throughout the end of September to on-Grounds students for housing and all-access dining plans that were not used during the first two missed weeks of the semester, as well as to those who chose to stay home for the fall semester.

Refunds were issued as the deadline for students to receive further refunds of tuition, fees and housing costs approached as a result of withdrawing from the University, taking a leave of absence or leaving an on-Grounds housing contract. Oct. 6 marked the end of the refund period.

Housing refunds were issued to undergraduate students who did not move into their on-Grounds housing until after Aug. 31. Students received refunds ranging from $255 for first years to $310 for upperclassmen living in the most expensive singles on-Grounds. These refunds were calculated as 7.65 percent of the total amount students had spent on their housing contract for the fall semester.

Dining refunds only applied to All Access meal plans, and ranged from $190 to $200.

The largest refund was for students who chose to study outside of the Charlottesville and Albemarle area this semester — for these students, the fall 2020 mandatory fee and student activity fee has been reduced by $660. According to the University’s prorated refund schedule, students will not receive any further tuition and fees refunds if they choose to withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University at any point on or after Oct. 27.

The Cavalier Daily

U.Va. increases size of permitted gatherings to 10 people indefinitely The University announced Oct. 13 that students and individuals are now permitted to gather in groups of 10 — an increase from the previous rule of five. This restriction will be in place indefinitely.

The University’s other restrictions — wearing masks, maintaining a physical distance of six feet, limiting visitors and avoiding unnecessary travel — which were extended for an additional two weeks Oct. 6, will remain in place for at least another week.

Dean of Students Allen Groves wrote in an email to students that because the University’s metrics today are “much better” than in September when the restrictions were originally imposed, University leadership is confident that individuals can gather in slightly larger groups without risking the health of one another. According to the University’s COVID-19 dashboard, the daily average number of cases dropped to 14 Oct. 9 after four weeks at or above 20.

Groves also discussed the ongoing expansion of the University’s testing program — onGrounds students will now report for saliva screening or nasal swab testing at least once every nine days.

According to Groves, this expansion will be helpful in detecting and eliminating cases in the Charlottesville community, and while an increased number of tests may lead to an increase in positive cases, the University is monitoring these metrics closely and will make further decisions based on the situation and their capability to respond to it.

10.8 10.9 10.13 10.14 U.Va. announces opt-in credit/ general credit/no credit grading option for undergraduates Students will be able to opt into a credit/general credit/no credit grading system between Nov. 2 and Nov. 6 for their classes this semester, per a University-wide email sent Oct. 9 by Provost Liz Magill. Unlike last semester, when credit/general credit/no credit was the default option for grades, students must opt in no later than Nov. 6 — about one month before final exams.

The decision was made with “unanimous agreement” from undergraduate school deans, as well as engagement with students, student leaders and faculty and staff, who have cited higher levels of anxiety, stress and other challenges related to the pandemic.

The decision comes after an open letter authored by student leaders urging the University to adopt a default credit/general credit/no credit grading option this semester garnered over 1,700 signatures. Student Council also passed a resolution earlier this semester in support of extending the spring semester’s grading policy, and the Faculty Senate discussed a resolution Monday on whether it should advance discussion of a system that would require students to apply to take their classes credit/general credit/no credit.

The updated grading policy only applies to undergraduates, and Magill added that deans of the Darden School of Business, School of Medicine and School of Law will be announcing decisions on this matter to their respective schools soon.

KHUYEN DINH | THE CAVALIER DAILY

On-Grounds students will now report for saliva screening or nasal swab testing at least once every nine days.

U.Va. reports 1,000 total positive cases, 893 of which are students Since Aug. 17, the University’s COVID-19 tracker has reported 1,000 positive cases of coronavirus in the University community — including faculty, staff, students and contracted employees. University students make up 893 of the total positive cases. Of the 1,000 total cases, 105 are currently active, and 10 were reported yesterday.

These numbers are only reflective of students who have tested positive through the Student Health & Wellness or the U.Va. Health Clinic. The University’s COVID dashboard does not include the number of positive student cases that may have been detected with pre-arrival testing.

The dashboard also reports 12 percent of the student quarantine rooms to be currently occupied and four percent of student isolation rooms to be occupied. These numbers include students who are in post-travel quarantine.

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 3

NEWS

Mid-semester check-in: Students adjust to unusual year A month after move-in, first-years share their thoughts and experiences halfway through the semester Maryann Xue, Stratton Marsh & Max Paley | Staff Writers This semester, first years have been hit with an unprecedented number of obstacles — undergoing dorm-wide testing, being placed in quarantine and isolation rooms and spending their first few months of college with limited social contact while taking classes in front of a computer screen. There have been 232 cases in first year dorms.

Currently, University COVID-19 guidelines restrict gatherings to no greater than 10 individuals, mandate mask-wearing and prohibit travel to and from Charlottesville.

Previously, Balz-Dobie, Echols, Kellogg, Lefevre and Hancock residential halls all underwent mandatory testing after positive indicators of COVID-19 were found in the dorms’ wastewater. The University announced Oct. 13 that all onGrounds residents will be tested for COVID-19 every nine days. As of Wednesday, a total of 232 cases of COVID-19 have been identified among first-year residence halls and Lawn residents, 33 of which have been reported since the start of October.

Normally all first-years are required to live in on-Grounds residences, but this semester 74 percent of the first-year class chose to live on Grounds, with others choosing to stay at home or take a gap year given the unusual circumstances. 150 students elected to take a gap year — twice the normal average — according to the Office of Admission.

First-year College student Nishita Ghanate is living on Grounds this semester. When she first moved in, she thought that it would be difficult to meet people but what she didn’t expect was that everyone in her dorm was still friendly despite the limited availability of social activities. A month later, she has found that while she’s making friends under difficult circumstances, it wasn’t as hard as she thought. She found that watching movies and playing cards in the lounge or simply walking outside of her room were great ways to meet new people.

When Balz-Dobie underwent mandatory wastewater testing, Ghanate was sent to quarantine housing after testing negative. Students who have been in close contact with another individual known to have COVID-19 are sent to quarantine for 14 days at local hotels while those who test positive are housed for 10 days in isolation rooms, leaving only after obtaining a negative test result. Those subjected to quarantine or isolation are also given the opportunity to return home, if the University deems it safe to do so.

Ghanate’s hotel room included a bed, lounge space and private bath-

AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Normally all first-years are re- quired to live in on-Grounds resi- dences, but this semester 74 percent of the first-year class chose to live on Grounds, with others choosing to stay at home or take a gap year given the unusual circumstances.

room. While Ghanate thought the initial few days in quarantine housing were fine, she eventually started feeling lonely.

“By the middle and end it was pretty lonely just being there all alone … and it was kind of an anxious experience,” Ghanate said. “Because you’re just alone and you don’t know what’s going on at your dorm and it’s … just hard to focus when you’re stuck in a room.”

In quarantine housing, Ghanate said that students received three meals on week days and two meals on weekends. The food was similar to dining hall food, but if students wanted something different, they could order takeout with their own money. According to Ghanate, however, there were two or three times when someone she knew in quarantine didn’t get meals delivered.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the semester, Ghanate was happy with her decision to live in the dorms instead of at home.

“I don’t think we would have been as happy if we were at home,” Ghanate said. “I know that a lot of people are just happy that they’re here, even though they have to quar-

antine for two weeks. It’s been a lot of fun meeting new people here and getting to experience what college life is like.”

After being on-Grounds for around six weeks thus far, first-year Engineering student Brandol Galicia doesn’t believe he has gotten a “true” first year experience.

In residential halls, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, community kitchens are closed, every resident is assigned a specific shower, sink and bathroom stall, and only residents and select staff are allowed to enter. All students are required to wear masks at all times except when in their rooms, eating or exercising outdoors, and travel in and out of Charlottesville is highly discouraged. In an update released Tuesday, all gatherings have been limited to 10 students, an increase from the previous five.

An email from Dean of Students Allen Groves mentioned hearing from students about the strain the previous gathering size limit had on them, and he hoped that the new regulations would make the rest of the semester less challenging.

“I mean it’s definitely not your

standard first-year experience, you know, because of all the COVID regulations, but I’m still trying my best to have it within the regulations and the protocols,” Galicia said. “But it’s definitely not a first-year experience that would be considered ‘normal.’”

Galicia, however, also does not regret his decision to stay on Grounds because he feels that if he does go home, he might unknowingly spread the virus to his family.

Unlike Galicia and Ghanate, first-year College student Yumi Kim chose to stay home in order to not risk her or her family’s health. She and her parents wanted to see how COVID would play out at the University.

“With so many unknowns, it was not worth it to go, especially because almost all of my classes are online,” Kim said. “I still think it was the right decision, but I do occasionally feel like I’m missing out on a real college experience that many of my peers on Grounds are able to have.”

For Kim, learning online has been challenging ever since the transition to online learning during the last few months of the spring. While the Zoom lectures are draining and

she prefers traditional lectures and paper, she does believe that she’s getting more used to the format day by day.

Kim’s original roommate also opted to stay at home, so they have been studying together over video calls. She has also joined organizations such as University Singers, Asian Student Union and Grace Christian Fellowship to become more involved in the University community, even if remotely.

“Although being at home has made it very hard to make new friends, I’m trying to make the best of it,” Kim said.

The University announced a new grading policy Oct. 9 to address the high levels of stress reported by students. Undergraduate students will have the option to change from a standard grade in a class to CR/ NC/GC by the deadline of Nov. 6, a change from the previous policy of mandatory standard grading. While a similar policy was implemented in the spring, the move is new for first years and intends to reduce the stress they are already facing.

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NEWS

Students, Albemarle County vouch for early voting Students find early voting to be a convenient and reliable way to cast their vote before the Election Day rush Jee-Ho Kim | Staff Writer

EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Early voting began Sept. 18 and runs Monday through Friday until Oct. 31.

In-person early voting runs through Oct. 31 at the County Office Building for Albemarle County residents and at the City Hall Annex for Charlottesville City residents. The Albemarle County Electoral Board urges residents and students to consider voting early to avoid long poll lines Nov. 3.

Following a website crash during the original Oct. 13 registration deadline, Virginians now have until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 15 to register to vote, either online or in-person.

Early voting began Sept. 18 in both the County and City, running Monday through Friday. Both voting locations are open the two Saturdays prior to Election Day — Oct. 24 and 31. Open hours and addresses are available on County and City websites.

Third-year Batten student Lyndsay Baker voted early in-person at the City Hall Annex Oct. 1.

“I wanted to vote early, just because I wanted to make sure my ballot was counted,” Baker said.

Arriving at the building around 3:30 p.m., Baker waited half an hour in a socially distanced queue outside and left by 4:10 p.m. Jim Heilman — the Albemarle County

Electoral Board Secretary — notes that the line tends to be longer for City voting compared to County voting due to the differences in space size.

According to Heilman, the County has totalled around 7,000 ballots as of Oct. 2 and has sent out more than 18,000 mail-in ballots by request. University housing is in both Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. Noting a lack of student voter registration compared to previous years, Heilman hopes to raise voter awareness among students and reach 30,000 early votes in total.

Baker estimated around a third to half of other voters she saw were around her age. She recommends other students to vote early as well.

“It’s super convenient,” Baker said. “You can make it work with your schedule and that way it kind of spreads out the crowd too.”

The University Democrats registered students 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays on the Lawn and Thursdays at O’Hill dining hall. The organization extended their campaign as the registration deadline approached, according to Jackson Postal, UDems Communications Chair and sec-

ond-year College student. Instead of providing pre-filled forms, UDems used QR codes to help instate students register online.

Similarly, College Republicans planned to register student voters.

The group has engaged in voter contact this year, calling local residents to ensure that they are prepared to vote and providing information to help if otherwise.

“We just want everyone to make it out to vote,” said Chris Tomlin, College Republicans president and fourth-year College student.

Second-year College student Joy Rinonos has arranged to vote early in-person soon. After hearing many recommendations to vote early, she was persuaded to get her vote counted ahead of time.

“It’s not too big of a time commitment,” Rinonos said. “It can get done pretty fast, and it’s pretty important. Especially for this election, so there isn’t really a reason why someone shouldn’t do it.”

CAR2Vote, a nonpartisan organization providing voting assistance and transportation, will not be giving rides during the pandemic. Instead, they offer socially-distanced help for voters online and

by phone at 434-260-1547.

The voter registration deadline was originally Oct. 13, but after Virginia’s voter registration portal went down for more than five and a half hours due to a cut cable, the deadline was extended by 48 hours.

Once registered, the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23.

In-state students can register to vote in-person or online, where they can also apply for a mail-in ballot and view their polling location. Out-of-state students can undergo a similar process through their state’s election site if registered in their home state. Those registered in Virginia can follow the same process as Virginia residents online.

HoosVoting provides a step by step guide through the voting process for all University students.

Heilman mentioned a variety of methods that allow voters to safely cast their ballot. Both the County Office Building and City Hall Annex enforce safety guidelines, requiring their workers to wear masks and limiting the number of people allowed inside. Voters undergo the same process as on Election Day, requiring a valid ID or

statement of identity to receive a ballot. Curbside voting is also available for those wishing to minimize contact with others, and a drop box is available 24/7 for completed mail-in ballots. The drop box is under video surveillance.

For students in particular, Heilman stressed the importance of checking registration. As a common mistake, he pointed to students forgetting to update their place of residence. Additionally, when applying for an Over 21 driver’s license, students may accidentally sign up to change their registration as well.

If voting in the Charlottesville area, students should check whether they are registered in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County, which are separate entities.

Student housing is split between the City and the County, though most On-Grounds residences vote in the County. Students voting locally can find their voting locations for early and Election Day voting, their mail-in ballot drop-off locations, and open hours by entering their address online at the Virginia Department of Elections site under the header “Casting a Ballot.”

Early voting helps to catch registration mistakes early, Heilman says, and allowed time to fix discrepancies before Oct. 13. Students were able to change their registration online if needed, or learn from poll workers on site where they should go to vote.

Considering the expected large number of votes being cast this year, Tomlin and Baker both feel more assured voting early in-person compared to voting by mail, pointing out how going in-person can take care of the matter immediately.

Tomlin planned on returning to Amherst County, Va. to vote early once the University’s travel restrictions were lifted. Now that the restrictions have been extended to Oct. 21, he hopes to contact the University’s Dean of Students, Allen Groves, and ask that there be an exception for travelling to vote.

Usually a volunteer on Election Day, he is accustomed to voting early — however, he feels it may not be the choice for everyone.

“Vote however you’re comfortable,” Tomlin said. “It’s about ... expressing your voice.”

The Virginia Department of Elections website provides more information on how to vote, including a page specifically for college students on residency requirements for voter registration and absentee ballot privileges.

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 5

NEWS

How Amendment One could change Va. redistricting The Amendment, which claims to reform gerrymandering, has both bipartisan support and opposition Zach Rosenthal & Justin Carminucci | Staff Writers

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Besides voting for president, a senator and a new member of the House of Representatives this November, Virginians will need to decide whether they want to support Amendment One — an amendment which purports to limit partisan gerrymandering.

Amendment One establishes a sixteen-person panel, made up of eight legislators and eight non-legislators, that would draw electoral maps. The Democratic leader of the House, the Democratic leader of the Senate, the Republican leader of the House and the Republican leader of the Senate all get to choose four of these members.

If two legislators disapprove of the maps, then a final decision on how the maps are drawn goes to the Virginia Supreme Court, which has a six-to-one Republican-Democrat split.

Mark Levine, a Democratic delegate from Virginia’s 45th District, is campaigning against Amendment One. Levine believes that the Amendment is a last ditch effort

by Republicans to maintain control over redistricting in Virginia.

Levine is particularly critical of the role that the Virginia Supreme Court plays in redistricting. Levine noted that if just two Republican legislators disapproved of the maps, the maps would then be made by a Republican Virginia Supreme Court.

In Virginia, judges on the Supreme Court are chosen by the legislature.

“The judges who draw the lines could actually draw a legislature gerrymandered in favor of Republicans,

and then they can be assured of their reappointment because you have the judges design the legislature that chooses the judges that design the legislature,” Levine said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily.

During the 2020 legislative session, the Amendment passed the Virginia State Senate with bipartisan support, with just two Democratic state senators voting no. In the Virginia House of Delegates, the Amendment passed with bipartisan support, though with significant Democratic opposition. Nine Democratic delegates and 45 Republican delegates voted yes on the amendment, while 46 Democratic delegates voted no.

“It didn’t go through committee, it didn’t go to either floor — it’s all done in a conference committee at the last minute, on the last day, where the Republicans saw their grasp of power starting to erode,” Levine said.

One of Levine’s main criticisms is the design of the panel. The panel is not independent, rather, eight members are appointed by party leaders, with eight legislators sitting on the panel.

“It would be well written if it had an independent citizens commission,” Levine said. “It’d be well written if it actually banned gerrymandering. It’s designed to let legislators choose their voters rather than when voters choose their legislators.”

Daela Taeoalii-Tipton, the Deputy Director of FairMapsVA, an advocacy group dedicated to supporting Amendment One, believes that the Amendment will end partisan gerrymandering in Virginia.

“While I appreciate how some opponents of the amendment want even more reform, it’s taken all of Virginia’s history to get to where we are today,” Taeolalii-Tipton said.

“I believe we must vote yes for the reform we have in hand for this decade’s redistricting process, as we continue to work for more reform in the future.”

If Amendment One is passed, it will become a part of the Virginia Constitution. Levine expressed concerns about the difficulty of legislation once it becomes enshrined in the Virginia Constitution.

“We still have a ban on same sex marriage in our Virginia Constitution, because it takes several years to remove it,” Levine said. “So don’t put something flawed in the Constitution.”

In Bostic v. Rainey, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Virginia’s ban on same sex marriages. However, the language banning the practice still remains in the Virginia Constitution, it is simply not enforced.

The Virginia chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has come out in opposition to Amendment One. In a press release the Virginia NAACP wrote that “any redistricting amendment must include explicit and strong protections for Black voters and voters of color” — a quality that the organization said Amendment One lacks.

University Democrats isn’t planning on taking a firm stance on Amendment One given that Democrats have contrasting views on the merits of the bill.

“While Amendment One is important, we’re focusing our efforts on electing [Democratic Fifth District candidate] Dr. Cameron Webb to Congress and flipping the Fifth Congressional District,” UDems communications chair and second-year College student Jackson Postal said.

College Republicans, however, have voiced their strong support for the amendment, noting the generations-long impact its adoption could have on Virginia politics.

College Republicans President and fourth-year College student Chris Tomlin said the Commonwealth’s historically gerrymandered districts have created an unfair system to which Amendment One offers a solution.

“I mean you have districts — there’s one particularly around Richmond — where it just looks like an upside down U shape and it’s just politicians choosing their own voters just to win districts,” Tomlin said. “I’m very confident that with this bipartisan committee made up of U.S. citizens and legislators we can probably fix this problem.”

Delegate Roxann Robinson, a Republican representing Virginia’s 27th District, is in favor of the amendment and hopes to see it pass on Election Day. Robinson emphasized the clarity that the amendment will bring to what has been a complicated history of redistricting in Virginia.

Throughout the past decade there have been several lawsuits filed in opposition to the lines previously drawn by Republicans following the 2010 census, including one that

made it to the Supreme Court in 2019. The Court’s ruling resulted in the adoption of new legislative districts drawn by a panel of judges.

“As a constitutional amendment there was bipartisan support” Robinson said. “It isn’t the perfect plan, but of all the things that had been discussed, I think it’s probably the most fair look at how we can approach drawing new lines, drawing new districts and having it, you know, be acceptable” While those in favor of Amendment One see it as having a positive impact on voters who want fair representation in Virginia, there is some concern that the additional redistricting could result in confusion among the electorate.

“Until they get the lines drawn, no one will really know what district they belong to,” Robinson said.

“They won’t know if their legislator that has been representing them will still be representing them or if it’ll be somebody new, but that’s gonna happen under redistricting.”

If voters decide against Amendment One, it opens up the possibility that the state could see more partisan gerrymandering. With Democrats currently in control of the state legislature, it would be up to them to draw new lines — something Robsinson sees as a “huge problem” for the future.

Taeoalii-Tipton noted that redistricting reform is typically opposed by the party in power.

“Just this year, reformers in red, blue and purple states — Oregon, Arkansas, North Dakota, Missouri, Nevada and Oklahoma — all came up against the majority and sadly, we’re the only reform left standing,” Taealii-Tipon said.

That said, Levine says he wants redistricting reform — just not in the form of Amendment One. “We have to put in a new bill in [20]21 to have a purely independent citizens commission,” Levine said.

“I think we will get it done if the Amendment fails because I think Republicans will join us, because they would also prefer an independent citizens commission over a Democratically chosen commission.”

Levine would then seek to propose an Amendment in 2022 to enshrine rules against gerrymandering and the establishment of an independent in the Virginia Constitution.

If Amendment One passes, Levine says that all he’ll be able to do is hope for the best.

“If [Amendment One] passes, we’re up the creek without a paddle, and we just have to rely on the good faith of others,” Levine said.

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The Cavalier Daily

LIFE

Students embrace living on the Lawn during the pandemic Lawnies share their experiences with finding normalcy and creating a sense of community under social-distancing guidelines Nicole Freeman | Life Writer Adjusting to new classes and a new routine has been more challenging and unpredictable than ever for University students this semester, especially for those who have left their families and returned to live in Charlottesville.

The students who were selected by their peers to live on the Lawn for the 2020-21 school year have had a particularly unique experience thus far, learning how to safely live and study among 46 other Lawn residents as well as the many students, faculty and Charlottesville residents who frequent the Lawn.

Lawn residents face somewhat similar restrictions and social distancing protocol as first years living in residence halls on Grounds. They are not allowed to have overnight guests, and they are limited to three people in their room with the door closed, though it is recommended that all occupants remain masked and distanced from each other. With the door open, they are able to have more guests both inside and outside of the room. Within the shared bathrooms, residents have assigned stalls, sinks and showers, which they are required to wipe down after use.

“Our restrictions are similar but seem slightly less strict than that of first years” fourth-year College student Hannah Hiscott said. “I think we have more free reign in general, but also more responsibility is put on us to carry the community. The image we set is what the rest of the school will follow, not because of any sort of profile or honor, but simply for the fact that people walking past or hanging out at the Lawn can see what we do.”

Lawn residents have faced pressure not only to uphold these social distancing and safety protocols as leaders at the University, but also to enforce these guidelines among the many students gathering with friends on the Lawn. Because many other gathering spaces are closed or have limited capacity, many Lawn residents have noticed students flocking to the Lawn as a hotspot for socialization. Although these students often wear masks and remain six feet from one another, Lawn residents have still witnessed instances of noncompliance. For some, this has made them feel responsible for

advocating against irresponsible behavior not only to protect the health of the University community but also to protect their living space and personal wellbeing.

“It has been a lot of us yelling, ‘Wear your mask,’” Hiscott said.

“Some of the policing is put on the Lawnies, especially if there are big groups of people on the Lawn, which is kind of unfair to us. Right now, the actions of others determine whether or not I am even able to stay in my own home.”

While the Lawn rooms have typically been a popular place for socialization and organizational gatherings, this semester’s social distancing protocol has taken a toll on the residents’ ability to create a sense of community.

Some of the most memorable University traditions that take place on the Lawn will likely be unable to occur due to safety concerns.

“Part of what is so great about living on the Lawn is the sense of community,” Hiscott said. “That is what a lot of people want and what they expect, especially with events like Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn and Lighting of the Lawn — at least I hope those aren’t happening in any capacity.

That has been a really hard thing to swallow — realizing that a lot of the special events that we were excited for aren’t going to occur, at least not this semester.”

The Lawn residents are leaders in many different CIOs on Grounds — ranging from the Hispanic-Latinx Peer Mentoring Program to the Student Athlete Advisory Council — yet they have been unable to use their rooms as spaces to unite students with shared passions and make everyone feel more welcome and accepted, especially for underrepresented groups.

“The Lawn is usually a very predominantly white space,” fourth-year College student Frank Valdez said. “With the Lawn room, I was hoping to create a space for my community — specifically the Latinx community — by playing music and having organizational gatherings to make people feel welcome. That was something that as a first year I remember. We always had one or two people on the Lawn, which was cool to make you feel welcomed into the space — it can

AVA PROEHL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Lawn residents have been able to use their doors as a platform for advocacy.

be a very intimidating space especially for minority groups.”

Despite these limitations, Lawn residents have made great efforts to productively use their space for community building in safe ways. Some residents have hosted Zoom meetings and activities for their respective organizations and others have tabled outside their doors to advocate for issues they are passionate about.

“I am part of an organization called PLUMAS, which is a Latinx advocacy organization,” Valdez said. “One of my friends who also lives on the Lawn and I use our outdoor space in front of our rooms to table for a campaign we are doing to support farm workers’ rights in Virginia.”

Similarly, Lawn residents have faced obstacles in their ability to create a sense of community amongst themselves. Many of them came into the semester already knowing some of their fellow Lawn residents through shared interests and organizational involvements as well as mutual friends. However, building these friendships and gathering as a group has been more of a challenge than in previous years,

though many Lawn residents have made concerted efforts to get to know each other and gather safely.

“For the most part it has been easier than I thought to get together because we all live literally right next door to each other,” fourth-year Batten student Sela Carrington said. “The first mixer that we had was us sitting six feet apart in a giant circle talking across the circle and introducing ourselves. Also another thing that I have started to do is that whenever I have classes I will take them outside of my room so that whenever people walk by I can talk to them” Although living on the Lawn this semester looks very different than past years, Lawnies have still been able to embrace many of the benefits of living on the Lawn including the physical space and its incredible views.

In a time when many students are confined to their rooms and apartments while taking online classes, Lawn residents are able to step outside their rooms and immediately enjoy green grass and fresh air.

“I honestly think waking up and walking out to see the Ro-

tunda is unmatched,” Carrington said. “It is easily one of the top 10 things. You think you’d get used to it but you don’t. It’s just so beautiful.”

Lawn residents have also been able to continue using their doors as a platform for advocacy. Many have put up signs urging people to wear masks and practice social distancing. They have also used posters to spread awareness for current social and political issues such as the Black Lives Matter Movement. Valdez has used his door to advocate for farm workers rights, and other Lawnies have joined him in solidarity by putting up the same posters.

“I have a sign that says, ‘I support farm workers,’” Valdez said.

“Immigrant and migrant workers in Virginia need to be advocated for … I think it is one way we can still be engaged. It is really important to be supportive of other students advocating for issues that they are passionate about. It is such a beautiful and empowering thing to see.”

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 7

LIFE

‘But you don’t look Mexican’ What it’s like to be an undercover Latina in America and what I decided to do about it Cecy Juárez | Life Columnist I can imagine your expression right now. You look at my profile picture, then my name, then back to the picture and squint a little. Maybe if you tilt your head, you’ll be able to see it. Blink.

Blink again. You think, “I mean, I guess?”

My name is Cecilia Juárez and I am a Mexican with white privilege. I grew up in Northern Virginia, but my parents are originally from Monterrey, Mexico.

They were both born and raised in Mexico until they immigrated here just a year before I was born. From the start, my parents ensured that I would still be in touch with our culture despite living in America, miles and miles away from our roots. We speak only Spanish at home, eat tacos and quesadillas, celebrate Día de los Muertos every October and pronounce Windex like “ween-dex.” I never doubted my identity as a Mexican American until I started school.

It all started in elementary school. My classmates and I would do icebreakers and talk about our families to learn more about each other. That’s where the topic came up — where is your family from? When I proudly announced that my family was from Mexico, I was met with bewilderment and confusion. “But you don’t look Mexican,” my classmates would say. This would be soon followed by, “I don’t believe you, say something in Spanish.” I would then have to say a simple sentence in Spanish to somehow convince the other kids that I was, indeed, Mexican.

It wasn’t so bad at first. But after years of the same accusations that I wasn’t “really Mexican,” I grew tired and bitter about the way I looked. I was brainwashed into thinking that I was less Mexican just because of the color of my skin, and I found myself wishing that my skin complexion was darker.

However, as I grew up, I realized that I should be careful of what I wish for. I finally understood the harsh reality of racism and that it had been afflicting my Mexican brothers and sisters this entire time. Other people who have the same story as me — a first generation Latinx kid in America — face dozens more obstacles than I do simply because their skin is darker than mine. Their teachers treat them differently, often as if they are less intelligent than white kids.

People on the street hold their belongings tighter because they

EMMA HITCHCOCK | THE CAVALIER DAILY

think that Latinx kids are “thugs” or “gangsters.”

I realized that I was given a unique advantage not granted to the majority of Latinx kids — I had white privilege, which meant I could openly enjoy the benefit of celebrating my culture and interests without being viewed as some kind of intruder.

Once this realization dawned on me, I didn’t know what to make of it. There was still a part of me that desired to look different so I could fit in with Latinx people more easily and be more accepted among them. I was sick of being treated like a fake Mexican and being constantly challenged on my own ethnicity.

But I knew that having a dark complexion in this country is, unfortunately, a burden to bear because of ongoing systematic racism and oppression.

After long days and nights of debating this issue, I realized what my role was in this situation — I am the bridge.

White people will never understand what it feels like to be

a person of color in this country, and they will never understand or even know about the scope of obstacles that people of color face every day. As a result, I need to step up and become an active member of society and bridge the gap between us. I see the differences so clearly, and I can help educate others on what people of color and immigrants endure. I can demonstrate that even though my name sounds as foreign as another Latina girl, I receive better treatment just because my skin is lighter, which is not OK at all.

It’s time for me to embark on a journey to use my unique identity to make a positive difference in the world and to help close the divides between us.

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST EPISODE, “EMPTY ROOMS”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT How Gold Connections personalizes rock music The Charlottesville-Richmond based indie-rock group emerges as a lyrical giant, who turns souls upside down in single phrases in their latest single Elliot Van Noy | Senior Writer I’ve eaten Easter dinner with Will Marsh, the frontman of Gold Connections. I’ve been saying that more and more, mostly as a brag, and sometimes even as a gesture of animosity, like “no you don’t understand. I know Will Marsh.” In this month, prior to the Nov. 16 self-release of their second EP “Ammunition,” distributed through AWAL, I’m saying it earnestly, followed with a collection of howls on why Gold Connections’ guitar-indie is perhaps the smartest of the time, whether I’d shared mashed potatoes with him or not.

Gold Connections makes relatable music, but that’s not to suggest that any one of us would’ve said it first. Except we don’t need to, because here’s Will Marsh, who has been down to dark spaces in dark places and survived, to be the messenger of the refrain “You don’t get hung for a memory / You just get hung up!” from their latest single “Stick Figures.”

The immediacy of this dark lyric emphasizes the danger of today’s increasingly punitive public sphere, where psychological afflictions are so

expounded and common that Marsh translates all the grimenss of suicidal ideation into a dark punchline. Carrying all the lyrical tact of a Dylan song, Marsh writes “I tried to depict emotionally complex memories using a string of understatements and one-liners. Like gallows humor, but for when you’re stuck in your parents’ basement.”

The line also reaches back 50 plus years, interpellating a famous Beatles’ line in “Strawberry Fields Forever,” a song essential to decades of hallucinogen experimentation. “Nothing is real / And nothing to get hung about.”

Marsh recounted hearing this and fixating on how melancholy this message is within a song about the glittering ecstasy of fields covered in strawberries.

And when it’s sung, it’s a great release from the ruts of Marsh’s mind, where we relive the anticipatory sensibilities of the “late-Obama-era.” Marsh now feels so removed from this “young romantic” of his past that he describes these memories as existing on a TV, no appeasement in sight.

Except, perhaps there is. Marsh calls the anticipated EP “Ammunition” the most honest Gold Connections EP to date, and June’s release of “Iowa City” only boosts this claim.

The video for “Stick Figures” is shot on University Circle, the very road Marsh grew up on, and encapsulates Marsh’s lyrics’ interrogation of sentimentality. Guys in frat, punk and indie garb strut and jam with red solo cups in hand, rowdy for Gold Connections, who play from the back of a moving truck. Growing up just steps away from the University’s assorted flavors of toxic masculinity and partying, it’s easy to see Marsh’s wariness of nostalgia. Except he’s inviting us to see firsthand that the glory days weren’t the spectacle our mind makes them out to be. This dazy summer scene is spliced with a game of hangman, shot from a much darker place, charging the dancing boys with a great deal of prideful ignorance. While Marsh recently moved to Richmond, his decision to return to the place he spent his childhood to perform a song about the bogs of the past is an unaltered stare at

the consciousness of his art.

The collaborative nature of Marsh’s projects nurtures mostly U.Va. and Charlottesville young artists. In Gold Connections, lead guitarist Ryan Lipps is a U.Va. graduate, as well as bassist Brett Jones. Stephan Larue, who plays the drums, is from Earlysville. The video is directed by fourth-year College student Phineas Alexander and stars all University graduates and current students — Brad Sheen, Tyson Scherer, Liam McCormick, Max Bacall, Pete Decker and Gus Constance.

Fourth-year College student Graham Barbour does the photography, and fourth-year College student Emma Karnes produces alongside graduate Kia Wassenaar. The cover is a print done by recent University graduate Alejandra Vansant of a game of hangman, mid-play. In the upcoming video for “Ammunition,” a crew of dancers from the University’s hip hop dance group, Xtasee, are featured.

Marsh’s Dylan lineage is in lyricism and similar notions of artistry. Speaking about the upcoming five-track EP, he expressed a similarity to what Dy-

lan said about his 1966 album “Blonde on Blonde.” — “The closest I ever got to the sound I hear in my mind.”

Marsh says recently he’s been listening to Slow Pulp, the Sex Pistols and The Clash’s first, self-titled album, but Marsh’s music affection and knowledge encompasses the entirety of rock music. “Green” by R.E.M. is referenced in “Stick Figures” in perhaps the most funny and intimate moment in the song, detailing the album’s role in his first sexual encounter.

“Stick Figures” is a warning against diving into that warm pool of sentimentality; sure there’s validity, even comfort, in memorizing the “good parties” had, but to follow with lyrics that immediately recognize the mind’s decoration of a memory, “put on a record and take out the trash,” Marsh does what Marsh does best — takes the front-seat, departs the happy-golucky, and carries us into the real stuff.

And we go happily into the delight of being so seen, transfixed by the miracle that someone else feels this way too.

What to expect from the 2020 Virginia Film Festival 33rd annual festival will feature a diverse offering of feature-length, documentary and short films through virtual and drive-in format Max Russ | Senior Writer On the morning of Oct. 8, the 33rd annual Virginia Film Festival released its program list for 2020, consisting of an abundance of events in both virtual and drive-in formats. The festival will be presented on its originally scheduled dates, Oct. 21 to 25, and features a diverse offering of feature-length, documentary and short films along with panel discussions, Q&As, and a series of conversations with today’s top film artists. Notably, more than half of the filmmakers, experts and guests in this year’s festival are women or represent Black, Indigenous or people of color communities.

The virtual program for the festival is hosted on the Eventive platform, offering over 50 narrative and documentary features, shorts and more. The festival’s opening night film is Academy Award-winning actress Regina King’s directorial debut, “One Night in Miami,” which is a fictionalized story of Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke as they celebrate Clay’s 1964 win over Sonny Liston in Miami Beach. Another standout film is “Boys

State,” a fascinating political comingof-age documentary that examines the health of American democracy through an unusual experiment with teenage boys in Texas. Other highlights are “Alice,” by local filmmaker Eduardo Montes-Bradley, and “Ammonite,” a romantic drama with actresses Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan. As always, this year’s festival offers a large variety of content for all kinds of viewers to enjoy.

Despite the unusual circumstances brought by the pandemic, the festival will host a number of impressive guests on their online circuit. Appearances to support the screenings include Vince Gilligan — creator of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” — Leslie Odom Jr., who will speak on his acting role in the festival’s Opening Night Film “One Night in Miami,” actor Ethan Hawke, NPR host Diane Rehm, actress Annette Bening and many more.

The Special Presentation events will include “Light House Studio Shorts,” a series of 15 short films created by students at Charlottesville’s House Studio, as well as a tribute to 15-time Acade-

my Award-nominated film composer Thomas Newman. Newman will discuss his career with Benjamin Rous, director of the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia.

The tribute will also include clips from various movies linked to Newman including “The Shawshank Redemption,” “American Beauty,” “Finding Nemo” and “1917.”

Each night of the festival, a number of films will be hosted at two socially-distant drive-in locations — the Dairy Market in Charlottesville and Morven Farm in Albemarle. According to the event’s website, the opening night film, “One Night in Miami,” the centerpiece film, “Ammonite,” and the closing night film, “Nomadland,” will be shown at both locations, as well as four other anticipated new releases.

Information about drive-in tickets and what to expect at each location can be found at the festival’s website.

Full-time U.Va. students will still have the opportunity to receive free access to the festival, and can request a Virtual Student Pass through the Art$

program. The deadline to request a pass is Oct. 19 at noon. To find out more information about ticketing, access to

events, safety and the full schedule, visit the website at virginiafilmfestival.org.

COURTESY JACK LOONEY

Actor and director Ethan Hawke will return to the 2020 Film Festival, which recently announced its full list of programming.

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 9

HUMOR Scientific study on procrastination delayed Yesterday afternoon first-year student Camila Cohen Suárez, whose major remains undecided, announced that her study on procrastination in relation to student writing has been delayed with no notable date in which the project would recommence.

During a meeting over Zoom, which Suárez joined 10 minutes late, she indicated that originally a memo was to be sent out to her peers and study participants on the discontinuation of the study. Nevertheless, she had conveniently “forgotten” her laptop in Brown Library in the morning and had only just remembered to retrieve it around noon.

During the meeting, Suárez detailed that after running into several obstacles both “on part of the study’s subjects” and other matters that were “no fault of her own,” she had decided to

delay her project and restart the collection of data “later.” After initially announcing the project in March 2020 while still in high school, the now first-year student assured individuals involved that the study would be a thorough investigation of how procrastination impacts the students’ writing samples and their ability to meet deadlines.

“I will be following the academic progress of several students as they complete English writing assignments,” said Suárez in April. “Probably by asking them to note details about when they work on their projects and when they are due. Something like that, I’m not sure.”

However, just six months later, Suárez now blames the delay of the study on the data collection process. According to her observations, taken on the Notes

app of her cellphone, most participants simply ignored instructions and failed to fill out the data entry documentation on time. In some instances, participants included the group that was instructed to manage their time — Group A — and the group instructed to make no changes to their habits — Group Insert Text Here — never received documents to fill out or was even informed it was in the study.

Third-year Viola Lasa claimed that she had only heard that she was a member of the Group Insert Text Here after yesterday’s virtual meeting.

“Honestly I completely forgot I was in this study after filling out the application,” said Lasa while actively writing her final project for SPAN 2010, which was due later that day. “I only realized I was in it after seeing that

Suárez lady talking on Zoom.”

When I reached out to Suárez for a comment on the procedures for communication between study participants and those conducting the study, the email address she had given out during the virtual meeting bounced back as non-existent.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time one of Suárez’s studies, and all her academic assignments in general, has gone sideways publicly. On social media, Suárez documented the completion of her science fair project in 2017 just 48 hours before it was due in class. Throughout a set of Instagram stories, Suárez expressed via photo and video documentation a descent into self-proclaimed “madness” and “panic” while rushing to cover several grass-filled containers with sand, gravel and pieces of cork in some

CARTOON Up In Knots Ell Leffler | Cartoonist

attempt to display the impact of stormwater runoff.

Now in September 2020, Suárez declared that she plans to “do better the next time.” After following her study process for the last several months, one can conclude that Suárez herself has become an example of her own study, and we can only hope that she learns from her mistakes at some point in her academic career at the University.

CAMILA COHEN SUÁREZ is a Humor columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily.com.

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OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

LEAD EDITORIAL

Voting early is crucial Every eligible voter who is able ought to vote early

W

ith the United States hosting its general election Nov. 3, full and engaged voter participation will be critical. In the midst of a pandemic, national leaders have raised concerns over voter fraud and delays in the delivery of mail-in ballots. At the same time, a series of budget cuts to the United States Postal Service could result in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters by undermining the ability of the federal agency to sort and deliver mail on time.

The stakes have never been higher. On the ballot are questions of racial justice and human rights, economic recovery and healthcare, climate change and the balance of the Supreme Court.

The outcome of this election will determine how and if the United States handles its reckoning on race and its historical vestiges of racism. The outcome of this election will determine how and if the United States steps back up to the plate to again lead the

world on climate protection. The outcome of this election will determine the outcomes of dozens of future Supreme Court cases — on topics ranging from abortion and gay marriage to tax law and healthcare. The Cavalier Daily Editorial Board urges all of our eligible readers to participate in the electoral process and vote early if able.

All students attending Virginia colleges — whether they are in-state or out-of-state — have the option to register and vote at their school address. Virginia even extended its voter registration deadline to Oct. 15 at 11:59 due to an outage on its registration webpage. Additionally, for the upcoming election, Virginia is allowing all residents to vote absentee without an excuse and has waived the witness requirement for absentee ballots. So long as you are an eligible U.S. voter and have a Virginia address, you may vote early or absentee. In Virginia, the deadline

to request a mail-in absentee ballot is Oct. 23, and all mail-in absentee ballots must be received or postmarked by Nov. 3.

Although claims of mail-in voter fraud have been widely debunked, their very existence — in conjunction with delays in ballot delivery — threaten the long-standing American tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. Early voting mitigates this possibility by giving the USPS enough time to process ballots or circumventing the mail-in process altogether through in-person voting.

Moreover, an ambiguous election result stemming from voter apathy or low turnout would be nothing short of disastrous for the health and continuity of the American experiment. Just four years after yet another instance of the winner of the popular vote losing the Electoral College, anything short of a decisive and clear victory would cast historic and unparalleled doubt on the ability

of our electoral system to produce just outcomes and on the ability of our democratic institutions to persevere through times of adversity.

Thus far, citizens have answered the call to vote early — Virginia is among the states leading the nation in early voter turnout. It is absolutely imperative that this trend extends through the remainder of the election, and across the rest of the nation, for the sake of our democracy. If voters sit this election out — if they do not actively and consciously engage in the electoral process — our nation will feel the reverberating consequences for decades to come, and we will deserve it.

We also remind our readers that although this is a presidential election year, there are other decisions on the ballot, including races for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, as well as referenda on redistricting and tax exemptions for disabled ser-

vice members. These outcomes matter, too. Although the presidential race is unsurprisingly getting the most national media attention, our right to vote extends beyond simply electing a president. We cannot uphold a representative democracy if we simply ignore the many places in which this right exists.

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

THE CAVALIER DAILY THE CAVALIER DAILY The Cavalier Daily is a financially and editorially independent news organization staffed and managed entirely by students of the University of Virginia.

The opinions expressed in The Cavalier Daily are not necessarily those of the students, faculty, staff or administration of the University of Virginia. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board. Cartoons and columns represent the views of the authors. The managing board of The Cavalier Daily has sole authority over and responsibility for all content.

No part of The Cavalier Daily or The Cavalier Daily online edition may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the editor-in-chief.

The Cavalier Daily is published Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily. com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2020 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

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS To better serve readers, The Cavalier Daily has a public editor to respond to questions and concerns regarding its practices. The public editor writes a column published every week on the opinion pages based on reader feedback and his independent observations. He also welcomes queries pertaining to journalism and the newspaper industry in general. The public editor is available at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com.

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

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

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Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 13

OPINION

Moving beyond free speech — why I say f—k U.Va. Conversations about Lawn room posters must move beyond free speech, and towards actual equity and justice for marginalized communities

I

am an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, and I was recently involved in several debates and controversy over a sign on my Lawn room door, which states “Fuck UVA. UVA Operating Costs - KKKops, Genocide, Slavery, Disability, Black and Brown Life.”

I want to start off by explaining why I have been hesitant to speak thus far. To be very clear, it is not my job to justify my anger, and I have no obligation to rationalize my expression of that anger simply because it makes those complicit in mine and others’ oppression uncomfortable.

As a Muslim woman of color at this University, I am constantly and painstakingly aware that this institution was not made for people like me, and everyday, the University continues to function and uphold white supremacist ideals that makes this very clear for marginalized students all across Grounds. I am aware that the University and the Lawn have always been, and will continue to function as, a space for whiteness in which I will never be fully welcomed. By writing this, I am also aware of how it will continue to endanger me as a student studying and living at the University. I do not write this to create a space for conversation with those that are offended by my expression of anger, including President Jim Ryan, because frankly that is a futile pursuit. I also do not write this as the spokesperson or the representative of these complicated issues. Rather, I write this to recontextualize my sign in a greater history and to push us to think beyond free speech.

It is undeniable that white supremacy and settler-colonialism are foundational to the University of Virginia. The University was founded by a white supremacist rapist and enslaver on stolen Monacan and Manahoac land and built by enslaved laborers. The University continues to enforce these ideals through its current policing and surveillance, exploitation of students and their labor, harm to the Charlottesville community and constant violence towards Black and Brown lives.

In my own experience, this violence was enacted upon me most recently through the University’s blatant disregard for my life, health and safety as I lived in a Lawn room that was not at all physically accessible to me. This resulted in weeks during which I was left without a stable home, and constant movement between different housing, that further

complicated my injury and compromised my health. Even now, as I recover from surgery, I am forced to live outside of my room because the University still refuses to make this campus safe and accessible.

I want to be clear that although the University’s disregard for my health was the most pressing concern I had at the time of this sign’s creation, the sign is not limited to this experience or to myself. Rather, this institution’s violence is prevalent from the very first day any Black person, Indigenous person or

lack of justice in the murder of Freddie Gray by Baltimore police officers. The violence within this institution reveals itself when a white, male alumnus felt entitled to harass me at my door using a razor blade. The violence within this institution reveals itself when administrators attempt to tone-police and quiet the voice of angry and grieving marginalized students. The violence within this institution reveals itself when the University publicly condemns its students and offers them no protection time and time again. The violence

simplify and minimize this to a conversation about free speech.

Secondly, he could not publicly condemn my sign. Thirdly, he must acknowledge the truth and lived realities of the people who built and were exploited by this University currently and historically. With this knowledge, he chose not to follow any of these boundaries and disregarded my requests, protecting and prioritizing white supremacy over the lives of marginalized students again. It is also apparent that the University’s focus on free speech is intentional and calculated. The

“We must focus our energy not on the sign or on free speech, but on the organizations and communities that have always created space for resistance to this oppression.”

SOPHIE ROEHSE | THE CAVALIER DAILY

I was recently involved in several debates and controversy over a sign on my Lawn room door.

person of color enters Grounds.

The violence within this institution reveals itself when a University Police Department officer waited outside of my door in the middle of the night, endangering me and my neighbors, simply because it had been reported that someone was “offended” by my sign. The violence within this institution reveals itself when Dean Allen Groves forwarded my contact information without my consent to University Police Department Chief, Timothy Longo, a man integral in the continued

within this institution reveals itself when its president states, “As long as I am president, the University of Virginia will not walk away from Thomas Jefferson.” It is clear that the violence of this institution is constant and all around us — it is this oppression on which we must focus our energy and effort.

We need to move the conversation beyond the sign and beyond free speech. When I spoke with Jim Ryan prior to his statements, I set three strict boundaries — firstly, he could not

University, in the same fashion as white supremacists like Brit Hume, are using this shift of conversation as a tactic to delegitimize the sign and its critiques.

Although we are rightfully upset by the threat of our messages being forcefully quieted, we must move the conversation beyond free speech.

We cannot expect or rely on the University, a force of exploitation and violent oppression, to protect our voices. As the phrase goes, “we will always be too loud for a world not ready

to hear us.” We all know that the uproar around this sign is not simply about profanity or free speech. It is about the shame and humiliation that those with privilege in this elitist space are forced to face. It is about the immense discomfort and fragile white guilt which arises when these people are addressed with their complacency and support in preserving a monument to white supremacy. We cannot appease them and we cannot rely on them to value us or our voices.

We do not rely on the University and its various violent bodies to protect us — we protect us.

We, therefore, have to be as intentional about using our voices as the University is in silencing them. This is why we must focus our energy not on the sign or on free speech, but on the organizations and communities that have always created space for resistance to this oppression.

I will be very vulnerable and say that one of my greatest mistakes at U.Va. was my decision to live on the Lawn. Although I was given visibility through a platform, it was at the cost of my own and my community’s health, stability and safety. I will not tell you what to do, but I urge you all to consider this. Can you imagine a world in which we use our voices and our collective action to strip the lawn, and this larger institution, of its power to oppress us? The truth is that these spaces of resistance already exist and it is through these communities of radical love, communities of struggle, communities of faith and communities of resistance through which we gain our power. We refuse to be silenced because our communities and our movements refuse to be silenced. Thus I urge you all to move beyond free speech and support these movements. When we organize, come out, show up and make noise. When we make demands, sign and share them.

When we say “Fuck U.Va.,” do not simply fight for our right to say it, but fight unapologetically against the injustices that have fueled it.

HIRA AZHER is a fourth-year in the College. The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Cavalier Daily. Columns represent the views of the authors alone.

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The Cavalier Daily

SPORTS

How COVID-19 has changed the Virginia fan experience In the midst of COVID-19, college sports look different than ever before, and Virginia fans have mixed opinions about it Tobias Abramenko | Feature Writer Almost seven months ago, the University made the decision to shut down because of COVID-19 and transition from in-person to remote instruction. Since then, questions about whether a fall sports season was possible have been hotly debated, but after months of preparation, planning and precautionary measures, college sports have returned.

In order to make this possible, many sacrifices had to be made — seasons have been shortened, socializing restrictions have been placed on athletes and games have been frequently postponed or canceled due to COVID-19 issues among the players and staff.

Moreover, as dictated by Virginia Athletics, beyond friends and family of the student-athletes and coaching staff, fans are not permitted at sporting events, forcing even the most dedicated supporters to watch their teams play on a screen.

Fans are undoubtedly experiencing a sports season like never before, and it seems like everyone is reacting to it differently. For some fans, like first-year College student Quentin Benz, the unique gameday environment was what made college sports enjoyable and worth the commitment, making it difficult to find the same motivation without those experiences.

“In the past, students would crowd into Scott Stadium or into bars on The Corner to be with their friends and watch U.Va. play,” Benz said. “This year, my roommate and I found a bootlegged site on our computer and watched it in office chairs in our dorm room.”

According to Benz, the atmosphere around sports is something that sets Virginia apart from other schools, and the lack thereof this year has been hard to accept.

For others, though, the pleasant surprise of having a season at all has made them go more out of their way to show their support.

“These last four or five months, we’ve had our individual routines — same thing, different day — but having sports back, having something to cheer about, having people just come together, it’s a nice thing to have,” Class of 2015 alumnus Tobe Okocha said.

Okocha moved to Los Angeles after graduating from the University in 2015, but he still makes sure to support his alma mater at

every opportunity. Okocha actually spent most of his undergraduate time prioritizing studying and didn’t become a superfan until after he graduated. He now realizes the importance of supporting your college team and wants to make up for the lost opportunities in his college years.

“To get the camaraderie and bond so far from the East Coast and especially from people that went to U.Va., one of my favorite things to do … is going out to

nomics Prof. Lee Coppock said.

Regardless of how the pandemic has affected people or changed their attitude towards college sports, we are all living in a challenging time filled with uncertainty. Due to the impacts of COVID-19, students at the University have lost many of the opportunities to come together as a community — opportunities that many took for granted before the pandemic began. But the comeback of college sports allows us

cations of playing a sport in a pandemic.

“Overall, I think we’ve asked too much of our college athletes and students in general,” Coppock said. “I feel like the most people are not appreciative enough of the sacrifices children and young adults are making during this time for a virus that isn’t dangerous to them by any standard definition of danger.”

Nevertheless, the fact that sports are able to be a part of this

EMMA KLEIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

In a season where Virginia sports venues are mostly empty, fans across the University community share their thoughts on what it’s like to support the Cavaliers in a pandemic.

watch games,” Okocha said.

Missing out on watching college sports does not just affect students and alumni, but also University faculty and staff, many who are also Virginia sports fans.

This semester, neither professors nor their students have the ability to destress by coming together and watching their favorite Virginia sports teams compete.

“I was sad not to be able to go to the home cross-country meet or football game this fall,” Eco-

take back a sliver of those opportunities and make the most of them. Nonetheless, the road to obtaining these opportunities certainly came at a price.

Okocha appreciates the sacrifices that the players, coaches and other sports staff members are making in bringing back college sports. However, he and Coppock also believe that having young athletes perform for our entertainment is a lot to ask for, especially given the compli-

semester at all, in the midst of a global pandemic, is a major accomplishment for the University and NCAA. First-year College student Ben Lenox is excited and relieved, after months of doubt, that his biggest passion will be there to help him get through a tough first year of college.

“I’d say everyone is still just as passionate about U.Va. athletics as always, and we’ll be cheering as hard as always, [even] if only through the TV,” Lenox said.

“There was no optimal way to make this happen, so the fact that they made it happen at all is a huge accomplishment.”

Others — such as Overton Ragland, longtime Virginia fan and fifth-year Commerce student — have ideas in mind to potentially improve on the current situation. He acknowledges that it is worth celebrating the existence of a fall season, but believes that there is value in allowing a limited number of fans at sporting events.

“It is tough to sit back when [Georgia], Clemson [and other schools] are allowing students into games,” Ragland said. “I would accept a lottery for football.”

Lenox agrees, stating that with Scott Stadium’s capacity of over 61,000, there should be a way to have a lottery system while maintaining social-distancing guidelines. On the more creative side, Coppock wants to first make the television viewing experience seem more normal by implementing artificial fan sounds.

“It’s not quite the same without the crowd noises,” Coppock said. “I think the athletic department should hire somebody from EA Sports [who develops the Madden NFL video games] to pump in crowd noises — they seem to have nailed it on the Madden games.”

At a period in time where nothing seems certain and everyone is apprehensive about the future, it is important to celebrate the small victories, such as the existence of any sort of fall sports season. While some fans are elated just knowing that games are taking place, others can’t help but notice that a crucial part of the college sports experience — fan attendance — is missing.

As the unique 2020 season progresses, it will be interesting to see how sports continue to have an impact on fans. Regardless of what happens, one thing is certain — this year’s season will be one that we look back on for many years to come.

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 15

SPORTS

Hengerer twins are Virginia’s new freshmen duo The freshmen on the Virginia field hockey team all share a love for the sport, but two of them share a bit more than that Sarah Pettycord | Associate Writer Freshman striker Lilly Hengerer and freshmen midfielder Meghen Hengerer — twins from Bedminster, N.J. — were two of Virginia’s most impressive recruits in its latest freshmen class. They’ve already made their presence known on the team — both have played in all six games so far and Meghen even assisted another teammate in scoring a goal against a defending national champion North Carolina team.

Lilly and Meghen were born in New Jersey, but their family moved to Galway, Ireland when they were just 10 years old. They spent five years living there and it was during this time they picked up the stick and began playing field hockey — Meghen in sixth grade and Lilly in seventh.

“Our older sister played and … that was the sport that all the girls played [in Ireland],” Meghen said.

“And I liked the idea of wearing a skirt while we played.”

Although the cute skirts were definitely an incentive to play field hockey, both Lilly and Meghen also happened to be excellent athletes. In Ireland, they played for the Irish U16 national field hockey team and the Irish U15 girl’s soccer team, contributing a lot to both teams and earning the opportunity to participate in multiple international tournaments.

When the twins moved back to New Jersey in their sophomore year of high school, they truly dedicated themselves to field hockey and began having conversations with college coaches about their future. Contrary to popular belief, though, Lilly and Meghen were not advertising them-

selves as a package deal.

“We really did it separately,” Lilly said. “We didn’t talk about the process much, and even when we both started talking to U.Va., it was separate.”

Lilly and Meghen received their offers and committed to Virginia at the end of their sophomore year.

However, before coming to Charlottesville, they continued to shine on their high school team. Lilly scored 53 goals with 40 assists throughout her high school career, and Meghen scored 37 goals with 30 assists. Both of them also earned Scholar-Athlete distinctions three times.

For them, Virginia was the right choice as the University boasts strong athletics and academics as well as a very supportive community — something the twins were accustomed to in their personal lives.

Lilly and Meghen’s family — both immediate and extended — is very close. They have done a lot together — including two major international moves and most recently, weekly Friday pizza nights. Every Friday during the COVID-19 pandemic, members of their immediate and extended family would convene outside and sit on opposite sides of somebody’s driveway and eat pizza together.

“It was nice that we still got to spend time with them and be safe,” Lilly said.

Though they can’t join the rest of the Hengerers for Friday night pizza anymore, Lilly and Meghen are making new memories with their friends and teammates in Charlottesville.

When they first arrived at the University over two months ago, Lil-

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Lilly Hengerer has recorded three starts and six shots with four on goal so far this season.

ly and Meghen got to live with their teammates and they spent a lot of time getting to know one another.

Since then, they have become even more immersed in the University community while also exploring life at college — at least as much as they

can during the pandemic.

Given the current situation with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Lilly and Meghen have been taking the necessary precautions at home, which actually made their adjustment a bit smoother.

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Meghen Hengerer has notched an assist and six shots in six game appearances in 2020.

“I didn’t know what to expect from the season anyways,” Lilly said.

“But [coronavirus] definitely played a little bit into my nerves.”

Despite being a bit nervous about COVID-19 — and needing to adjust to the sheer intensity of Division I field hockey — Lilly and Meghen have both handled the transition with poise and composure.

“They came ready to play,” Coach Michele Madison said after a game earlier this season.

This has been true from the start.

The Hengerers have both appeared in the starting lineup from early on — Lilly started in the team’s season-opener and Meghen joined her in the lineup in the second game.

Both girls have also made some impressive shots at the goal and proved their athleticism on the turf.

As the unique fall season progresses, Lilly and Meghen are looking forward to getting closer to their teammates and excited at the prospect of the team winning an ACC championship for the first time since 2016.

With their infectious smiles and incredible talent, Lilly and Meghen will continue to add value to the field hockey team over the course of the next four years — all while wearing the skirts that they first fell in love with years ago.

16 | www.cavalierdaily.com

SPORTS

Local businesses feel the impact of limited fan attendance Businesses of all types are struggling to cope as consequences of the pandemic continue to pile up Vignesh Mulay | Sports Editor While college football is beloved by millions of fans, the sport isn’t just a source of entertainment. For many stakeholders, college football is essential for their livelihoods. Beyond college football’s financial importance to most athletics departments, the lucrative sport is also a major economic driver for college towns across the country. Charlottesville is no exception.

In August, Sports Illustrated estimated the economic impact of Big Ten college football games in cities like Madison, Wis., Lincoln, Neb. and Iowa City, Iowa to range from $12 million to $16 million per home game. While Scott Stadium is smaller and Virginia has a less prominent football program than the venues and schools in these cities, college football still leaves a substantial impression on Charlottesville.

Tens of thousands of fans usually flock to Charlottesville each football gameday. In 2019, an average of almost 48,000 people attended Virginia’s seven home football games. But these fans don’t just watch the game while they’re in town — they also go shopping, dine at restaurants and stay at hotels, providing a substantial boost to the local economy.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia Athletics has restricted attendance at home games to families of student-athletes and coaches, citing health and safety considerations as well as guidelines provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Currently, these guidelines restrict attendance for sporting events to less than 50 percent occupancy of the venue or 1,000 patrons.

According to Roger Johnson, economic development director for Albemarle County, the loss of football fans — meaning numerous potential customers — compounds the pandemic-induced economic recession that has been hurting the local economy for months.

While Johnson mentioned that unemployment in the region has been gradually improving from its lowest point around 12 percent to around 8 percent now, he admitted that the local economy is still a ways away from pre-pandemic levels when unemployment in the Charlottesville-metropolitan area was at 2.4 percent.

“You get the idea that the economy is definitely trending in a favorable trend since the pandemic has hit, but it’s nowhere

near recovered,” Johnson said.

“Just based on [unemployment] numbers alone, you can tell the economy is still struggling.”

Johnson elaborated that the absence of fans from home football games affects various industries in the area including travel, restaurants and lodging. He added that businesses closer in proximity to the football stadium are likely to see the greatest impact.

For example, the success of Mincer’s — a fourth-generation family-owned store that sells University-themed apparel — is understandably linked to the presence of Virginia football.

On days of home football games, Mincer’s location on the Corner is usually filled with shoppers, but the combination of the pandemic and an empty Scott Stadium has made this impossible.

“That Saturday [of a football weekend], for like three or four hours before and then a few hours after [the game], it’s just packed in here, the whole time,” said Cal Mincer, vice president of Mincer’s University of Virginia Imprinted Sportswear. “You can barely move around there’s so many people in here. But this year, when you can’t go to the stadium and we can only let 10 people in here at a time, it’s not like that.”

Mincer estimated that the store saw “less than a quarter of the usual foot traffic” on the day of Virginia’s season-opener against Duke.

“We’re hoping for the best, but we were not surprised to see it [being] fewer people than a typical gameday,” Mincer said.

“As the season goes on, it seems like it’ll probably be the same … On our end, we’re just trying to keep the doors open and the shelves stocked.”

Beyond Mincer’s, the hospitality industry, including restaurants and hotels, is also set to be hit hard by both the lack of fan attendance at football games and the pandemic more broadly. Roy Van Doorn — president of the Charlottesville chapter of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association — estimates that the local hospitality business is potentially down 20 or 25 percent in a season without fans as compared to a normal season.

The pandemic’s impact on Charlottesville restaurants has been clear, and many historic establishments are fighting to stay afloat. Stuart Rifkin, a business partner at the College Inn, said that the restriction on fan attend-

ance is especially challenging for restaurants on the Corner, which is generally a high-traffic area on gamedays.

“The lack of football [fans hurt] because those are big weekends for Boylan, big weekends for Trinity, big weekends for everybody on the Corner,” Rifkin said.

Rifkin, a 32-year veteran of the restaurant business, described home football games as “six or seven Foxfields a year” and likened them to the Fridays After Five live concert series — all events that bring big business to the Charlottesville area.

On the operational side, restaurants have been forced to adapt due to the pandemic. Many — including the College Inn, Bodo’s Bagels and Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria — have gone outside their comfort zone, closing or modifying their dining rooms and focusing more on the competitive delivery and carry-out businesses. Additionally, Van Doorn elaborated that restaurants are selling less of their most profitable items — like alcohol, appetizers and desserts — while incurring more costs related to delivery and carry-out.

With some restaurants changing their entire business model and paying as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars annually just in fixed costs like rent and loan payments, it’s evident that local restaurants will continue to face financial challenges.

“A lot of it boils down to your debt service and your landlord,” Rifkin said. “It’s like that in every business. If you have enough funds to weather the storm, and you have enough gas in your engine to make it over the 20-foot swells, you’ll come out okay on the other side.”

Rifkin added that given how some local restaurants have fared during the pandemic, if the College Inn is generating half of its usual sales, they’re doing well.

“I hope that, with caution, we can reopen our economy and hopefully save some of our restaurants because restaurants are one of our big attractions in town,” Van Doorn said. “Without restaurants, Charlottesville loses one of its important draws as kind of the culinary capital of Virginia.”

Similar to restaurants, hotels have also been negatively affected by the pandemic. With less people traveling for business and leisure, hotels across the country have struggled to maintain profitability.

“Consumer travel is at an alltime low due to the pandemic, and the U.S. hotel industry has been hard hit,” Asst. Commerce Prof. Christi Lockwood said.

“According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, almost two-thirds of hotels are operating at or below 50 percent occupancy — that is, below the threshold at which most hotels can break even and pay debt.”

A key metric in hotel performance is revenue per available room, which is calculated by multiplying a hotel’s average rate for a room by its occupancy rate. Locally, RevPAR — which the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau measures — has declined due to the lack of fans at athletic events, Johnson explained.

At the moment, Van Doorn estimates that the Charlottesville lodging industry is doing about half the business it usually does, even when taking into account the six local hotels that have been designated as housing for individuals who either tested positive for COVID-19 or were required to quarantine because of exposure to it. The trend is mainly driven by the loss of large traditional segments like travel, weddings and — of course — fans at major sporting events.

“Those [segments] won’t return for the most part until COVID is perceived to be either under control or we’re in serious recovery,” Van Doorn said.

“I don’t think that we’re going to see any real change until, at the earliest, next March.”

While Van Doorn admits that the impact of sports on the local hospitality sector has diminished due to growth in the winery, brewery and wedding industries, he recognizes the benefits of allowing fans to attend home games and what it would mean to Charlottesville.

“This year, a lot of [events aren’t happening] so if we had a stadium that we could fill up, it would have a big impact,” Van Doorn said. “If we could have a full stadium now, boy I’ll tell you what, it would be a huge shot in the arm for the community.”

Given the current state of the economy, Van Doorn and representatives of the hospitality industry have lobbied Gov. Ralph Northam to increase the acceptable occupancy rate at sports venues like Scott Stadium and Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., both of which can hold upwards of 60,000 people.

“We are lobbying for a percentage that is doable within safety [standards],” Van Doorn said. “If you’ve watched any football games from Florida or Georgia, you’ll see how they have filled the stadiums, but they’re still spread out. That makes a lot of sense and they’ve done that for the season, and there’s not been any huge spike in numbers.”

As the pandemic continues, the Charlottesville hospitality industry braces for winter.

According to Brantley Ussery, director of marketing & public relations at the CACVB, as the weather gets colder in November, the city loses attractions, like autumn foliage, that help it remain an appealing destination in the fall. Ussery explained that, in pre-pandemic times, football weekends could drive traffic to the city even in colder months, but that clearly won’t be the case this year unless regulations change. Van Doorn echoed Ussery, stating that the combination of the approaching winter season, ongoing pandemic and loss of football fans has the entire industry concerned.

That being said, regardless of what obstacles they face, the people of Charlottesville seem determined to not go down without a fight. Businesses in town have survived for decades for a reason. But, for many — as resilient as they may be — the pandemic might just be too difficult to overcome.

“I think we’re all pretty hardy people,” Van Doorn said. “The [hospitality] business is not for the meek, it’s a hard business.

We’re used to challenges. [People are] doing whatever they can to survive until next spring, hoping that, by then, most of this is going to be done. This winter will be hard. There’s just a lot of people that are not going to make it, and [that’s] through no fault of their own.”

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 17

PUZZLES WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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

Across

7. Completely broken, ineffective.

8. Abundantly fertile; rich and verdant.

10. Covered outdoor corridor of a house; derived from Italian.

11. A sudden attempt to overthrow a government (plural).

12. Largest city in China’s central coast region; location of the iconic Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

13. Popular fall flowering plants; colors include yellow, orange, burgundy, purple, white, etc.

15. An activity in which a person cuts a face or other design into 3 Down.

17. Carter’s Mountain and Chiles are local types of this.

20. Once again.

22. An interlude of time; in math, a range of real numbers.

25. E. coli and streptococcal pharyngitis, for example.

26. Eastern European nation with a capital at Sarajevo. Also, where Moira Rose filmed her career-rejuvenating film “The Crows Have Eyes 3” in the TV comedy “Schitts Creek.”

27. Steady devotion to something; also, sticking to a surface.

28. Type of tree famous for its beautiful fall leaf colors and its sap used to make syrup.

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Down

1. A type of school funded by a church (usually Catholic) or other religious organization.

2. Notable 19th-century Russian author known for his books “A Sportsman’s Sketches” and “Fathers and Sons.”

3. Quintessential fall gourd.

4. A consumer who buys a good or service from a business.

5. “Schitts Creek,” “The Good Place,” and “Modern Family,” for example.

6. Located in the back of a book, a list of names and topics with page numbers indicating where those names and topics are discussed.

9. A walkway or trail.

14. Armored animal associated with the American West.

16. A brief news report, or a discussion of current affairs that formerly preceded a movie.

18. Shepherds and cowboys; a tender of a flock of domesticated animals.

19. An undergraduate concentration in the McIntire School of Commerce; refers to the study of investments.

21. Type of spice.

23. Lowest-pitched brass instrument.

24. Snickers, Laffy Taffy, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Sour Patch Kids.

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RETRACTION In Vol. 131, Issue 4, The Cavalier Daily printed a Humor article titled “Making new friends as a first year in the time of COVID-19.” Due to a copying error, the byline incorrectly labeled Humor Columnist Ellie Wilkie as the author, when in fact the author is Humor columnist Malachy Dwyer. The CD regrets the error and hereby retracts the printed byline.

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* SOLUTION FROM OCT. 1 ISSUE

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18 | www.cavalierdaily.com

HEALTH & SCIENCE

The Cavalier Daily

Students and staff share insights on coping with outbreaks Students in Balz-Dobie and healthcare personnel explain how to be prepared for impacts of virus control measures Anika Iyer | Staff Writer

COURTESY LISA COLOSI-PETERSON

Reaching successful infection control is heavily dependent on the compliance of students with COVID-19 mitigation procedures.

As the University strives to closely monitor COVID-19 cases and accordingly modify plans for controlling the spread, first years living in dorms are being tasked with adapting to protocols which include — but are not limited to — widespread testing, quarantine and isolation. After five Balz-Dobie residents tested positive for COVID-19 and SARS-Cov-2 was detected in the dorm’s wastewater, the dorm underwent testing for COVID-19. According to some residents of the dorm, the process for mandatory testing went smoothly, and as testing and relocation of students will likely continue in the coming weeks, both students and University staff provide advice to help students better acclimate to this new normal.

Eirian Crocker, first-year student and Balz-Dobie resident, said that she and her fellow hallmates were initially concerned about what the testing would encompass,

but were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality of the testing staff and simplicity of the procedure.

“It started feeling like ‘The Hunger Games’ because we had no idea what was going on … or what floor [the healthcare workers] were on,” Crocker said. “[But] they were really, really nice. When they got to your door they’d knock on it, and they were all in PPE, and they explained what they were going to do.

And it was just the nasal swab, and it was over in 10 seconds.”

Lisa Colosi-Peterson, associate professor of engineering systems and environment, says that wastewater from dorms is tested by auto-sampler robots positioned near manholes, which take 30 milliliter samples every 15 minutes and tests those samples every 24 hours. The samplers have the exclusive intention of detecting the presence of SARS-Cov-2 in order to identify a potential outbreak which would demand further investigation.

“The wastewater tells us where we should shine the light and do more testing,” Colosi-Peterson said.

Colosi-Peterson also emphasizes that wastewater testing is only an initial step in the University’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus. According to an Oct. 8 Return to Grounds update, the University will be conducting dormwide testing for all students living on Grounds in the next few weeks.

However, reaching successful infection control is heavily dependent on the compliance of students with procedures. These procedures include informing staff about contact, promptly testing for the virus and agreeing to quarantine or isolate if requested.

“The system only works if everyone cooperates,” Colosi-Peterson said. “We want to create a positive culture, with everyone aware and ready, but not freaked out. We want to … work the system so that everyone stays as safe as possible with as

minimal disruption to everyone’s daily routines.”

Jessica Simmons, director of medical services at Student Health and Wellness, said that her first recommendation for compliance is for students to actively read emails and answer phone calls in order to receive important communications from University departments. She also recommends being familiar with HealthyHoos, which is the confidential online patient portal giving students around the clock access to their health information.

Student Health and Wellness has also recently published a Residence Hall Testing Advice Document which lists more information about testing and quarantine and advises students on how to be best prepared.

“Please know that if you are asked to isolate or quarantine, you will be provided a Care Team consisting of staff from [the Department of Student Health and Wellness, the Office of the Dean of Students and the health department], who can help you with medical questions and also the logistics of isolation and quarantine,” Simmons said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

Upon being tested for the virus, Crocker said the students were asked to quarantine in their dorm rooms as they waited for test results, which were back by the end of next day and revealed 10 additional positive cases. If test results and contact tracing deemed that quarantining was necessary, the timing could fluctuate based on the point of contact with the student that tested positive.

“I had contact with the person who tested positive multiple days before we found out they were positive, so my quarantine time was shortened to a little over a week,” Crocker said.

On the other hand, Jack Goodman, first-year College student and Balz-Dobie resident, explains that he was required to quarantine for the full 14 days due to difficulty pinpointing the last day of contact with a student who tested positive.

This is because COVID-19 can take up to 14 days to show bodily symptoms. Thus, by quarantining during this time period, students can monitor themselves and be ready to take further steps to limit spread if they do indeed experience symptoms.

Colosi-Peterson advises students to be prepared for quarantine or isolation by prioritizing packing

belongings such as medications, snacks and chargers. By collecting important belongings and running errands ahead of time, students can limit having to leave their living space during shelter-in-place or quarantine and can thus limit the potential of inadvertently infecting others. She also strongly encourages first years to prioritize their physical and mental health by proactively informing faculty if they would like any assistance, such as assignment deadline extensions, as a result of the changing circumstances.

Crocker, who spent her recent quarantine experience at the Hampton Inn, acknowledged that the nature of quarantining alone made it more challenging to form a routine around exercising, eating and staying on top of school assignments, but was able to find creative practices to cope with the monotony.

“Separate the space that you’re working on homework, the space where you eat and the space where you sleep,” Crocker said.

Goodman felt similarly and emphasized the need for organization during the change of normal routine.

“Just make sure to stay vigilant and keep a schedule going because you don’t want to miss certain deadlines or tests that you were thinking of,” Goodman said.

The Student Health and Wellness staff further offer tips for students to cope with the physical and mental health toll which new virus restrictions are taking. Nicole Ruzek, director of counseling and psychological services, stated that self care is of utmost importance.

“This means maintaining a consistent routine that includes a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, time away from screens and staying connected to others,” Ruzek said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

Ruzek further emphasizes the importance of striving to sustain personal interaction despite the physical spacing instituted by social distancing.

“We do best in relationships and often struggle when we feel alone,” Ruzek said. “During this time we need to make sure we are not avoiding people entirely. Although physical distancing has created some barriers to connection, it has also inspired new and creative approaches to maintaining and forming relationships.”

Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 19

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Flu, COVID-19 deemed an unpredictable combination While cold weather may perpetuate illness and an influenza wave may cause symptom confusion, social distancing and sanitization measures may help Lucie Rutherford | Health & Science Editor With the flu season and winter weather less than two months away, health officials around the world have raised concerns about the unpredictable ways these factors could worsen the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only could colder weather perpetuate the virus by increasing indoor congregation and naturally weakening the immune system, but identical viral symptoms seen in COVID-19 and influenza may cause confusion in diagnoses. Despite the negative effects of this novel combination, the increased awareness brought to respiratory illness and maintaining sanitation practices may reduce the impact of the coming flu season, as was seen in Australia this year.

When it comes to colder weather, Taison Bell — critical care for infectious disease physician and director of U.Va. Health’s medical intensive care unit — explains that a lot of the body’s natural defenses against viruses and bacteria wane in the wintertime.

This makes people more susceptible to respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19, during colder months. In addition to decreased temperatures, influenza prevalence is a large concern for physicians. For patients experiencing a fever, cough or shortness of breath,

both flu and coronavirus diagnoses will immediately be on the table in addition to other respiratory illnesses such as respiratory syncytial virus and pneumovirus.

“Every sniffle, every cold … COVID-19 will have to be considered before anything,” Bell said.

When it comes to deducing the proper diagnoses, Bell says that many physicians will have to rely on pretest probability, meaning the likelihood that a patient has contracted a specific virus based on their recent experiences and encounters.

“If someone came from a congregate living facility where there are a lot of COVID-19 infections … I might say that this is a high probability for COVID-19,” Bell said. “If the test is negative, I might bump that into the category of a false negative and treat that patient like they have COVID-19.”

In contrast, if a patient’s household has had recent cases of influenza, physicians would be less likely to diagnose COVID-19.

Due to symptom confusion, Bell noted the possibility of a big disruption in work schedules, especially for essential workers. Prior to the pandemic, “not feeling well” did not prevent people from showing up to work

each day unless a fever was involved.

Now, any slight health disruption holds the possibility of the coronavirus.

Patrick Jackson — assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health — predicts a higher demand for testing, isolation rooms, personal protective equipment and hospital staff as a result of overlapping symptoms between influenza and COVID-19. Jackson, who is also one of the site principal investigators for the adaptive COVID-19 treatment trial, mentioned that there are tests that can test for multiple respiratory viruses at one time, though the number of them could be limited.

“If the supplies of those things are limited, we may need to think very carefully about the sorts of patients who get tested versus don’t,” Jackson said.

In contrast to colder weather, predictions regarding the overlap of COVID-19 and influenza are not all negative. According to Bell, influenza and COVID-19 spread in the same way, so protection from one virus also protects from the other. Australia has already seen lower influenza activity this year, and health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, have attributed these lower numbers to increased social distancing, hand washing and mask wearing that has occurred since the start of the pandemic.

“Now that [America’s] focus has turned to these respiratory illnesses, we have an opportunity to educate the public again about influenza and to make sure people understand that this is also a serious illness,” Bell said.

In 2008 and 2009 during the H1N1 — or swine flu — outbreak, there was an increase in the number of people receiving flu vaccinations, and both Bell and Jackson hope to see similar increases in the coming season.

“It may be that people’s awareness of COVID leads to greater uptake of the flu vaccine, which I think would be really helpful,” Parker said.

Each winter, U.Va. Health prepares for an influx in inpatient admission due to influenza and other respiratory viruses. Everything is charted from when the influx of cases begins to when it peaks to when it finally diminishes. This year, Bell predicts that they will simply incorporate COVID-19 cases into this surveillance.

“The difference is patients with respiratory illnesses from COVID-19 are going to be isolated in a specific

part of the hospital, whereas influenza patients are going to be in usual areas of the hospital,” Bell said.

Due to the fact that COVID-19 and influenza are so similar, concerns have also arisen regarding COVID-19 becoming a seasonal virus as well.

According to Jackson, physicians are not entirely sure that SARS-CoV-2 is going to be seasonally variable, though they must still be prepared for that situation. Jackson also predicts that current testing platforms currently dedicated to seasonal flu tests may also incorporate coronavirus testing in the future.

Despite not knowing whether COVID-19 will be a seasonal virus, research has found that the genetic makeup of coronaviruses mutate much slower than the genetic makeup of flu viruses. This would prevent the coronavirus from mutating as quickly as influenza, opening up the possibility of creating a coronavirus vaccine with long-lasting immunity.

“Then, [a coronavirus vaccine] may not be the sort of thing you would have to get every year,” Jackson said.

“You would expect less chance of the [coronavirus] escaping that vaccine, unlike influenza.”

Mental health is especially important during pandemic Mental health professionals remind students that it is important to take care of themselves and others while balancing classwork Alexa Clark | Staff Writer In the midst of a semester altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, many students have found their mental health worsening due to a combination of school and pandemic-related stressors. As the semester goes on, University mental health professionals recommend finding new and positive ways to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances.

Social distancing and isolation in particular can both have detrimental effects on mental health, especially among young adults aged 18 to 24 and Black and Latinx communities.

“Signs and symptoms of deteriorating mental health may include sudden, unusual changes in mood, such as tearfulness, despair or irritability; increased social isolation or withdrawal; heightened anxiety, dread or panic; and poor functioning such as insomnia or excessive sleep, under or over-eating, and not attending classes or keeping up with other responsibilities,” said Nicole Ruzek, counseling and psychological services director, in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

Jamie Leonard, director of the Office of Health Promotion, recommends that students try to spend time

outside, whether that means completing school work or visiting the University’s gardens, as well as make time for exercise, such as a walk or socially distant fitness class.

“One thing that students may have noticed is that what they have done in the past to address their mental well-being may now not be working as they are trying to manage the added layer of the pandemic,” Leonard said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

“Therefore, I would suggest that students try something that they’ve never done before, or maybe circle back around to something they’ve tried in the past which didn’t stick for them but they may find helpful now.”

It is also important for students to safely socialize with others, eat balanced meals, practice positive thinking by focusing on good things that happen each day and limit news and social media consumption.

“Human beings are wired to engage socially, and one of the major developmental milestones of early adulthood is to learn to successfully navigate and sustain peer relationships,” Ruzek said. “In order to deal with isolation, it is vital to stay con-

nected with people in whatever ways possible … and to maintain a healthy and consistent routine that includes exercise and spending time away from screens.”

During a time filled with uncertainty, Zach Westerbeck — a mental health advocate, public speaker and author focused on encouraging college students to seek mental health support — suggests students create a routine that prioritizes sleep. Westerbeck became an advocate after being diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder in his early twenties. He now collaborates with Greek communities to create workshops across the country that help college students understand and normalize mental health.

“You want to pick the same time you go to bed and the same time you wake up because your brain gets used to that and creates a habit, so it’s easier to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning feeling energized,” Westerbeck said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least seven hours of sleep for adults over the age of 18. Westerbeck also advocates for meditating every day as a healthy

way to address one’s mental well-being.

“Meditation is nothing more than the practice of sitting there and trying your best to focus on your breath for 10 minutes,” Westerbeck said. “The exercise that you give your brain is the art of getting your attention back and focusing on your breath. The benefits are really endless with meditation.”

In addition to advocating for healthy practices that positively affect mental health, Westerbeck emphasizes the importance of normalizing the discussion of mental health.

“The biggest barrier to seeking help is just changing people’s perspective, overcoming the stigma for what it means to have mental health and getting them to see it as something that is normal,” Westerbeck said.

One way that Westerbeck does this is by referring to mental health as “brain health.” In the same way that people talk about heart health and take action to prevent heart disease, Westerbeck hopes that the term brain health will help others realize that the brain is also a tangible organ that they can take care of through the correct steps.

“Everybody should share their story with mental health, and they should talk about it openly and confidently,” Westerbeck said. “We can begin to normalize talking about depression and anxiety and being overwhelmed the same way we would talk about having a cough or a fever or a cold.”

Through routine actions, like going for a walk or socially distanced picnics with friends, and openly talking about their mental state, students can take care of their mental health while balancing stress from classwork and the pandemic.

“This pandemic has highlighted for students that addressing their well-being is not only important, but that it has had tangible benefits,” Leonard said. “It is important for students to provide themselves some room to experience their emotions and explore ways to address them in a healthy way.

Taking care of themselves means that they can then take care of others.”

While the aforementioned practices can be beneficial to one’s mental health, mental health professionals also recommend seeking professional help.

20 | www.cavalierdaily.com

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