Thursday, November 2, 2017

The Cavalier Daily Vol. 128, Issue 11

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Northam leads among U.Va. students

By Alexis Gravely PAGE 2

DREAMERS ON GROUNDS ORGANIZES WALK OUT

LEAD EDITORIAL: LOCAL POLITICS MATTERS

PAGE 4

PAGE 13

MATTHEW GILLAM AND AMBER LIU | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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NEWS With Election Day less than a week away, 19 percent of students say they are undecided on whom they support in Virginia’s gubernatorial election. In a poll conducted by The Cavalier Daily, 53 percent of respondents indicated they would vote for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam if the election were held today, compared to 19 percent who would vote for Republican Ed Gillespie and four percent for Libertarian Cliff Hyra.

The Cavalier Daily poll was sent to a random sample of 5,000 students via email and was available for four days beginning Oct. 23. The survey garnered 991 responses and the margin of error for the survey was ± 3.2 percent.

The support for Northam among University students is a trend that some polls have shown differs greatly from the rest of Virginia. Monmouth University’s most recent poll shows Gillespie and Northam deadlocked in a tight race, with 48 percent of likely voters supporting Gillespie and 47 percent supporting Northam (other polls conducted in October have shown varying results).

Geoffrey Skelley, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, said younger voters — such as those at a college campus — tend to be more Democratic-leaning.

“As voters are older, they tend to be more Republican-leaning,” Skelley said. “It’s not always a perfect, one-toone relationship, but it does tend to be more true than not, just on average. A university population of mostly 18- to 22-year-olds would very likely be more Democratic-leaning.”

Skelley said one reason for this may be because non-white voters are more likely to vote for the Democratic candidate, and the most diverse population in the United States is those under the age of 30. He also noted that, particularly among white voters, a college education is generally associated with a stronger Democratic lean.

“The thing about U.Va., obviously the undergraduates don’t have a degree yet, but they are headed toward being college-educated voters, and I suspect that those trends apply to them to some degree,” Skelley said.

According to The Cavalier Daily’s poll, many students support their respective candidates based largely on party identification. Of the respondents who said they support Gillespie, 37 percent said the main reason behind their support was because he is the Republican nominee. An even larger proportion of Northam supporters — 42 percent — said they support him because he is the Democratic nominee.

First-year College student Rachel Walet said her survey response was mostly based on party identification because she wasn’t as familiar with the issues.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Majority of U.Va. students support Northam Nineteen percent of Cavalier Daily poll respondents remain undecided on gubernatorial candidates Alexis Gravely | Senior Associate Editor “I think I picked it on the survey just because I’ve identified with the Republican Party in the past so it would have felt weird to mark a Democratic or Libertarian candidate,” Walet said. “So it’s just that party loyalty.”

First-year College student Tim Marsh shared a similar sentiment.

“The biggest thing for me is just party,” Marsh said. “I feel bad about that, but I’m from out-of-state so I haven’t done as much research on it because I’ve only been here for a few months.”

Skelley said voting primarily along party lines is very typical, especially because of the country’s current polarization.

“Partisan politics is very sharp in Virginia, as it is elsewhere, and polarization has made people more likely to identify one way or another,” Skelley said. “It’s not really a shocker to me that students would say, ‘Well, there’s a “D” by Ralph Northam’s name so I’m voting for him, there’s an “R” by Ed Gillespie’s name, and I’m a Republican so I’m voting for him.’”

Although party identification is a factor, 43 percent and 35 percent of the candidates’ supporters said the main reason behind their vote was because they liked Gillespie and Northam, respectively. Third-year College student Caroline Biondo said Northam was the candidate who best represented her.

“Another huge issue for me is women’s rights,” Biondo said. “Northam has come out in support of Planned Parenthood and legal abortion, things of that nature, that Gillespie has really just not aligned with my views.”

Fourth-year College student Ali Hiestand — a former chair of the College Republicans — said she is voting for Gillespie because she agrees with the policy proposals he has put forward during his campaign.

“I'm voting for Ed Gillespie because he's the only candidate in this race who has put forth 20 detailed and realistic policy proposals that will actually bring change to all Virginians in areas from economic growth, to criminal justice reform, to corruption in government to rising sea levels,” Hei-

stand said.

Hyra, the race’s third-party candidate, has support from students despite low numbers in the polls. Firstyear College student Ethan Sullivan said although he knows Hyra won’t be elected, he feels Hyra’s the best person to cast his vote for.

“I identify as a Libertarian and just from the bottom line, he probably represents my views better than any of the other candidates,” Sullivan said.

“I really want to cast my vote in conscience and send a message — more of a protest vote — about the lackluster candidates we’ve seen in recent years.”

Andre Hirschler, a first-year College student, also said he believes that voting for third-party candidates would help them to gain some recognition in a two-party system.

“It wasn’t so much a policy choice,” Hirschler said. “I mean, I didn’t totally disagree on his policies, I agreed with some of them and disagreed with others. It’s more of a useful means of breaking the bipartisan problem that America seems to have.”

Despite the fact that 76 percent of respondents know how they plan to cast their vote, 19 percent — the same percentage of respondents who support Gillespie — are still unsure of which candidate they support.

Not only are older voters more likely to vote consistently from year to year, said Skelley — due to factors like wealth and stability — but overall political engagement tends to decrease following a presidential election, especially among younger voters.

“A stat I like to throw out to people is that 72 percent of registered voters in Virginia showed up for both the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections — nearly three quarters,” Skelley said.

“But, only 43 percent of registered voters came out to vote in the 2013 gubernatorial election. Among the groups that are most likely to drop off are young voters.”

First-year College student Allan Horn said the primary reason he doesn’t know who he’s voting for is because he hasn’t yet researched the candidates and issues.

“It might just be because I’m a first-

If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Ralph Northam the Democrat, Ed Gillespie the Republican, and Cliff Hyra the Libertarian, for whom would you vote?

Ralph Northam

52.73%

year and I’ve got a lot on my plate,” Horn said. “It feels kind of far off. I have more pressing things to worry about, I guess I could say. I tell myself that I plan to [do research] but wheth-

er I actually will is the question.”

Virginia’s gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 7.

(If Northam selected) What is the main reason behind your vote for Ralph Northam over Ed Gillespie in November?

50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Like Northam Northam is the Democratic nominee Oppose Gillespie

(If Gillespie selected) What is the main reason behind your vote for Ed Gillespie over Ralph Northam in November?

50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Don't know

18.83%

Like Gillespie

Ed Gillespie

18.72%

Gillespie is the Republican nominee

Wouldn't vote Cliff Hyra

6.07%

Oppose Northam

3.64% LUCAS HALSE | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn draws large crowds U.Va. tradition organized by Lawn residents and student organizations Matthew Gittelman and Yixuan Liu | Senior Writers Tuesday evening the Lawn was filled with crowds of children from Charlottesville dressed in Halloween costumes for Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn.

Lawn residents first started inviting the Charlottesville community to trick-or-treat on the Lawn in the 1980s. Since then, the event has become a widely-anticipated University tradition with dozens of contracted independent organizations and other organizations volunteering to donate and hand out candy.

“I think students get so excited about this event because it’s one of the times like Lighting of the Lawn or Final Exercises where you get a large number of U.Va. and Charlottesville community together, because we are one community here,” said Malcolm Stewart, a fourth-year Batten student.

As Senior Resident of the Lawn and Fourth-Year Trustees President, Stewart was responsible for organizing the event. He said he thinks of it as an opportunity for students to relieve stress in between midterms and finals season.

“Everyone is kind of looking for Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn as that midpoint right before Thanksgiving break so we can just have some fun, forget about all the schoolwork that’s going on,” Stewart said. “They enjoy having that chance to dress up, be childish, be a goof, hang out with the kids, put a smile on their faces.”

In early to mid-October, Stewart gave student organizations the opportunity to sign up to hand out candy on the South Lawn around the Homer statue, and Lawn residents the opportunity to invite an organization

to hand out candy from their Lawn rooms.

This year, about 130 different organizations handed out candy from either the South Lawn or Lawn rooms.

“This year we broke a record,” Stewart said. “The South Lawn last year had about 46, I believe, different groups stationed around the Homer statue. This year we have about 70, so we’ve really pushed it to its full capacity … And that was an effort to try and make sure as many groups as wanted to have a part in Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn could.”

Organizations are advised to provide at least $125 worth of candy. Stewart said this is to relieve the financial burden of providing candy from the Lawn residents and to ensure that no organization runs out of candy quickly and no Lawn room has to be closed to

trick-or-treaters before the two-hour event is over.

Some organizations also handed out allergy-free treats, balloons and informational brochures. Stewart said that these activities were encouraged, but the purpose of the event was not to solicit donations or recruit members to an organization.

The University Police Department and Emergency Preparedness Officers were present at the event, as in previous years.

Club Running was one of the many student organizations granted a plot on the South Lawn. Jeremy Levine, a second-year College student and Club Running’s recruitment chair, was involved with setting up the CIO’s operations for Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn.

“In terms of our club, we got the

candy, we opted to not bring a table because we figured that it would be a little easier for the kids to get the candy that way,” he said in an interview before the event. “I know me and at least one other person will be here the whole time, and the rest of the members of Club Running will filter in and out for the two hours of handing out candy.”

Levine said he believed that events such as Trick-or-Treating on the Lawn had a positive impact on the University’s relations with the broader Charlottesville community.

“I think it’s a great thing to get involved with the community regardless of the events over the course of the past two months,” he said. “It’s just a fantastic way to bring everyone together over such a fun holiday.”

Two cases of mumps suspected on Grounds Email to students suggests ways to prevent transmission and emphasizes safety precautions Irena Kesselring | Health & Science Staff Writer In an email to University students and personnel Monday, Student Health Executive Director Christopher Holstege said there have been two suspected cases of mumps at the University this fall. He also wrote about the implications of mumps and what steps students should take to prevent infection. This follows a similar message in February identifying two similar cases.

Mumps is a viral disease that can be spread by coughing, sneezing, talking or sharing drinks and food with others. Visible physical symptoms include puffy cheeks and a swollen jaw, both of which are caused by swollen salivary glands. Other common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite.

Mumps is contagious for three days before and five days after salivary glands become swollen.

Importantly, some patients do not display all of these aforementioned symptoms, which become noticeable 16 to 18 days after contraction. Patients with mumps usually recover in a few weeks.

Mumps tends to go away on its own, however in rare cases, complications include inflammation of reproductive organs, inflammation of breast tissue, deafness, encephalitis — inflammation of the brain, caused by infection — and meningitis, which is the

inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spine.

Holstege said that the best protection against mumps is the MMR vaccine which usually protects recipients from measles, mumps and rubella. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends multiple doses of the MMR vaccine, “with the first administered at 12 months of age and another between the ages of four and six.” Though most colleges, including the University, require students to have the MMR vaccine prior to enrollment, each student should confirm their vaccinations are up to date to prevent the spread of contagious diseases among the student population.

“If you have not completed the two-shot series, you should do so now,” Holstege said in an email statement. “You can make an appointment to get the vaccine via the Healthy Hoos patient portal.”

Mumps is common among close-contact areas such as schools and camps. However, there has been more than a 99 percent decrease in cases since the pre-vaccine era, which ended in 1963. According to the CDC, high vaccination rates restrict the magnitude and duration of mumps outbreaks.

Aside from vaccination, Holstege said that since flu season has already begun, it is especially important for students to main-

tain healthy practices. In particular, he recommends washing hands for 20 seconds or more with soapy water, avoiding sharing anything that has come into contact with saliva, getting sufficient sleep and maintaining a

healthy diet to boost immunity.

“If you have symptoms suggesting mumps, we strongly recommend that you stay home and contact Student Health General Medicine at 434-982-3915 to determine the best steps to take,”

Holstege said. “If you call Student Health on the weekend or after regular business hours, an on-call clinician is available for consultation.”

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Student Health Executive Director Christopher Holstege said there have been two suspected cases of mumps at the University this fall.

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NEWS • www.cavalierdaily.com

Confederate symbols debate still centers on Lee statue Statue of Confederate soldier outside Albemarle Courthouse not discussed by City Council, which is outside of its jurisdiction Ankita Satpathy and Hannah Gavin | Senior Writers fThe statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee has been a controversial subject following the Charlottesville City Council’s February vote to remove it. City Council’s decision served as a rallying point for participants in the Aug. 11 and 12 white supremacist rallies. Though other Confederate statues in Charlottesville have a similar history, they have not received the same amount of attention — some say this is because they are not seen as widely recognized symbols of Confederate slave owners.

Paul McIntire, after whom the McIntire Commerce School is named, played an instrumental role in the construction of both prominent statues of Confederate leaders in downtown Charlottesville — one being Lee, the other a statue of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. He purchased the land in the late 1910s, which would become Lee Park and Jackson Park and are now named Emancipation Park and Justice Park, respectively.

The Lee statue was placed in Emancipation Park in May 1924 due to a prolonged construction process. Mary Walker Lee, Lee’s great-granddaughter, unveiled the statue and then-University President Edwin A. Alderman accepted the statue on behalf of the city.

The Jackson statue was present-

ed in Justice Park, formerly named Jackson Park by Anna Jackson Preston, the great-great-granddaughter of General Stonewall Jackson. The unveiling was celebrated with a parade of around 5,000 attendees.

Patrick Saylor, marketing and communications director at the American Civil War Museum, a multi-site museum located in Richmond and Appomattox, said the Lee statue was a natural focal point of the debate since Robert E. Lee is a popular and widely-recognized Confederate figure and that many revered Lee for his personal qualities.

“Of Confederate generals memorialized via the Lost Cause, Lee was elevated as the most virtuous, even above Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson,” Saylor said.

“Therefore, Lee is the most widely memorialized Confederate, with more than 26 statues, markers and countless other designations.”

Nathan John, a third-year Batten student and a Black Student Alliance political action advisor, said that others focus on what Lee represented to the South at the time.

“Throughout the South, [Lee] has been lionized as a war hero, faithful Virginian, and a morally upright man who simply fought for freedom of the beloved State of

his birth,” John said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

Douglas Blackmon, the director of public programs and executive producer of “American Forum” for the Miller Center, also pointed out that City Council has likely only focused on statues within their jurisdiction, even if others are close to Charlottesville and accessible to its residents.

“I assume it’s also because the Charlottesville discussion began with the City Council, and the Lee and Jackson statues are on city property — unlike the monument a short distance up the street in front of the Albemarle County courthouse,” Blackmon said in an email to The Cavalier Daily.

The monument Blackmon refers to is located outside of the Albemarle County Circuit Court courthouse and depicts an unnamed Confederate soldier with a carved Confederate flag.

“The flag that for the past century has been the symbol of the Ku Klux Klan, white supremacy, neo-nazis and massive resistance to civil rights and integrated public schools is ‘flying’ day and night in front of the courthouse — a place that citizens are frequently compelled by their government to visit,” Blackmon said.

The statue also has an inscription which says the monument exists

to teach viewers the lessons of the Confederate experience.

“It is, arguably, much more offensive than either of the Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jackson monuments,” Blackmon said. “At least those statues don’t have inscriptions explicitly endorsing slavery or applauding a treasonous, white-southern revolt intent on destroying the United States and preserving the enslavement of millions of Americans.”

Blackmon said that both the timing and the location of the statue — across the street from where slaves were sold and erected in 1909 when legislation protecting civil rights had not yet been implemented — were intentional.

“That is the real message of that monument — that only people who agree with its messages are welcome in the center of governmental and commercial activity,” Blackmon said. “Every time a county worker goes out to blow away the leaves at its base, or clean up a piece of trash, our community is spending tax dollars to restate the offensive, cruel message of the monument.”

According to John, the special significance placed on Lee is a result of his strong embodiment of the Confederate cause.

“As opposed to Stonewall Jackson, whose notoriety arose from

the fact that he died valiantly in battle, Lee was never killed

by Northern troops,” John said.

“Rather, he survived the war and surrendered gracefully, even going on to serve in government after the war. Thus, to many, General Lee embodies the indomitable nature of the South and the Confederate way of living.”

City Council also voted to remove the statue of Jackson Sept. 5.

The Council decided to not remove the Jackson statue when it voted in February to take down the one of Lee. The decision to remove the Jackson statue was motivated by the Aug. 12 “Unite the Right” rally, which occurred less than a month prior to the vote. The city has been unable to remove either statue due to pending litigation and has since covered both of them with black shrouds.

“In the end, many of those today who advocate so vociferously against the removal of the [Lee] statue cannot bear to see the pinnacle of Southern pride removed from its mythic peak,” John said.

“Ultimately, we must all contend with the racist history behind why such statues were even erected in the first place, to better understand why their removal is so long overdue.”

Walkout event supports undocumented immigrants DREAMers on Grounds gathers students to hear stories from DACA recipients Hannah Gavin | Senior Writer lds walk ouDREAMers on Grounds hosted a walk-out Wednesday afternoon to raise awareness to issues facing undocumented immigrants. The event titled “Walk Out for Immigrant Rights” took place on the first day of the 11th month at 11:11 a.m. to represent the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. The Latinx Student Alliance and Political Latinxs United for Movement and Action in Society co-hosted the event.

Over 100 students showed up to listen to University and high school students tell their personal accounts of what it means to be an undocumented immigrant.

The speakers shared emotional stories of immigrating as children to the U.S. from countries including South Korea, Pakistan and El Salvador.

Eleven chairs with signs reading phrases like “My dreams are

not illegal” and “If they don’t let us dream, we won’t let them sleep” were kept in the Amphitheater for the remainder of the day — another symbol of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

Since 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has provided those who arrived in the U.S. as children with temporary protection and the ability to receive certain benefits such as getting a driver’s license, attending college and having access to secure jobs. The program does not, however, offer its recipients a path to citizenship.

Many DACA recipients were able to renew during the monthlong period following Trump’s September decision to end DACA. However, other recipients could start losing their protected status when their DACA expires as early as March if Con-

gress does not pass a bill to continue their protection. There are currently 31 DACA recipients at the University.

Rawda Fawaz, a third-year College student and the vice president of DREAMers on Grounds, opened the event telling the audience the intention of the walk-out was to stand in solidarity with undocumented immigrants and to give some of those in the community a platform to share their experiences.

“We are here to support the 11 million undocumented people in the United States and demand a clean DREAM Act and tell their stories,” Fawaz said. “[DACA is] a program that helped out 800,000 people attend school and have a work license. The end of DACA has sparked a lot of outrage …

We’re here not just for those 800,000 people, but for the 11 million people who live in this

country’s shadows.”

Fourth-year College student Jacky Cortez Nava was the main organizer of the event and is a DACA recipient herself. She stated the importance of spreading their message to people who are not familiar with the problems facing the immigrant community.

“I hope this event inspires and encourages other undocumented students and other allies, but also people who just aren’t aware or don’t know that it means to be undocumented or have never heard any of the stories,” Cortez Nava said.

Raquel Talbott, a fourth-year College student and LSA president, wants the event to demonstrate the community’s support for the immigrants whose futures remain uncertain.

“We have to show up for them, and we have to give them support

because oftentimes this is a really vulnerable population,” Talbot said. “It’s to provide them with a voice which they think they don’t have or are too scared to show.”

Second-year College student Brian Zuluaga is the son of immigrants from Colombia and attended the walk-out because it raises awareness to a problem greatly affecting his family and friends.

“I know the struggles that my parents went through, and seeing the stories of the people that spoke today is hard,” Zuluaga said. “As big as the problems that we think we have in our daily lives [are], it just doesn’t amount to what undocumented people are going through today. I think the main thing is they need support, they need allies, they need people to show that this is an issue that needs to be humanized.”

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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U.S. history course requires Election Day volunteering Class focuses on civic participation, getting students involved with local government Nafisa Mazumdar | Staff Writer University Assoc. History Prof.

Andrew Kahrl is requiring students taking his United States history course, offered for the first time this fall, to volunteer and help with the upcoming elections.

The course, titled “All Politics is Local”, aims to focus students’ attention on political issues pertaining to Charlottesville and then places the issues into the greater American political context. “[We use] Charlottesville as [a] sort of a lens to explore how local government works and how power operates within a local community,” Kahrl said. “We should begin to understand local change from the

grassroots up and seek to understand the particulars of Charlottesville and central Virginia.”

Kahrl said that he emphasizes active participation, because while students can learn from the classroom, real-life experience is more educational.

Third-year College student Brian Cameron said the course helps him and his peers engage as active citizens and make efforts towards voter outreach.

“This course is unique in that the 'requirements' for it don't necessarily feel like requirements,” Cameron said. “The work has value independent of just influencing our grades,

and that certainly goes for election volunteering.”

Kahrl said the class is better suited for local participation this fall than last, because there was a sharper focus on presidential elections last year. This year, however, the focus is on statewide and local elections.

“This fall [the focus is] entirely on Virginia, so with that in mind, that was what sort of led me to both design this course and also make direct involvement in the electoral process part of it,” Kahrl said.

Kahrl also said that the University policy of holding classes on Election Day may inhibit the voting

process for its students.

“Some of the largest classes in the College of Arts & Sciences, from what I understand, hold exams on election day,” Kahrl said. “I also know that just the fact that the University doesn’t take the day off on Election Day — that would be a good place to start, by the University setting an example on how important it is to vote by not holding classes on election day.”

Now that the voter registration deadline has passed, volunteering efforts will mainly be focused on the students helping voters get to the polls. For instance, a local initiative group named, CAR2Vote, provides

rides for those who may be unable to reach their voting precinct, such as elderly people or those who can’t drive, on Election Day. “This weekend, I will be knocking doors to make sure the Charlottesville voters have a plan to vote on Tuesday, because that is one of the most effective methods to ensure that people show up to the polls,” Cameron said. “Then on Tuesday, Professor Kahrl is giving us the day off, so I've signed up to drive people to their polling places across Charlottesville through [CAR2Vote].”

College Republicans voice concerns about Student Council Group members also express frustration with how peers label conservatives during Student Council listening session Thomas Roades | Associate Editor Two representatives from Student Council attended the College Republicans’ Monday night meeting to hear their concerns about conservative thought at the University. Victoria Kasonde, a fourth-year College student and Student Council’s Legislative Affairs Committee co-chair, was accompanied by third-year College student and representative Eddie Lin to attend the meeting and report back to Student Council.

“We wanted to make sure that we get a comprehensive view of all students’ beliefs,” Kasonde said. “I will try and relay your thoughts [to Student Council] as accurately as I can.”

The listening session was attended by about 10 College Republicans, who brought up a variety of concerns they wanted Student Council to address.

Several grievances dealt with the public comment section of a meeting Student Council held earlier this semester to address the Black Student Alliance’s list of demands for the administration. The session was attended by approximately 100 students, the majority of whom favored the demands, which were also endorsed by other student organizations.

Several students who spoke critically of the list received shouts in response from the crowd, and as the meeting became more heated, Student Council struggled to keep the audience from interrupting dissident speakers.

Bradley Katcher, a second-year College student and the College Republicans’ vice chairman of campaigns, voiced such concerns about that Student Council meeting.

“The fact that members of the crowd started shouting … that was up-

setting to me,” he said. “People should have the right to have their voice heard.”

Fourth-year Engineering student Cameron Springer also took issue with the crowd response to his comments at the meeting.

“I knew probably half the people in the room, and they were glaring at me and sneering at me, because I had a different opinion,” Springer said.

He also said he feels as though conservatives on Grounds have been unfairly grouped together under labels that apply more accurately to extremist right-wing groups, like neo-Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan.

“To group us all in that group really shuts us out, and I feel like I can’t express an opinion,” he said. “I’ve kind of backed out of politics this semester.”

Second-year College student Mi-

THOMAS ROADES | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Eddie Lin, a third-year College student and Student Council representative (left), and Victoria Kasonde, a fourth-year College student and Legislative Affairs Committee co-chair, (right).

lan Bharadwaj spoke at the meeting as well, and like Springer, took issue with the reception.

“If I’m going to have people shouting me down and calling me racist, why even speak up?” he asked.

One more attendee, who declined to share her name with The Cavalier Daily, took issue not just with the meeting on the BSA demands, but also with Student Council’s political affiliations more generally.

“No matter what the politics are on StudCo, I think it is the duty of the body to protect everyone’s views,” she said. “It is very obvious that as a group you are seeking out partnerships with groups that are liberal.”

Katcher also criticized Student Council’s outreach efforts, including the listening session itself — he claimed the absence of Executive Board members showed Student Council’s general lack of commitment to conservatives on Grounds.

“I ask, why isn’t [Student Council President] Sarah [Kenny] here, why isn’t [Vice President for Organizations] Ty [Zirkle] here?” he asked.

Kenny told The Cavalier Daily that she first tried to plan the event in September in response to conservative students’ concerns, but later delegated the task to Kasonde and Lin due to scheduling conflicts.

“My door is always open to talk,” Kenny said in a text Monday evening.

“I created the legislative advisory board in March so that I could regularly hear conservative concerns and communicate with their leadership.”

Kenny said she and Kimelman have a positive working relationship and offered to attend the next College Republicans meeting, schedule per-

mitting.

Teddy Verona, a Batten student, commented at the meeting on what he saw as a larger issue than students’ attitudes toward conservatives — teachers’ treatment of political issues in classes.

“My biggest concern is not really the student body, it’s more faculty,” he said. “There’s an obvious disparity between people who subscribe to center left thought and people who subscribe to conservative thought.”

He urged Lin and Kasonde to do what they could to influence administration to hire more conservative professors, saying a diversity of thought is crucial.

“Every day I go to class and have to hear the things I hold dear literally dragged through the mud,” Verona said.

After approximately 20 minutes for comments from members, Lin and Kasonde asked for their proposed solutions.

“Do you have any concrete suggestions for initiatives Student Council could put in place?” Lin asked.

Katcher proposed a sergeant at arms for Student Council, to maintain order in large meetings if the crowd gets out of hand. Others in the audience recommended partnering with conservative organizations to demonstrate support for all viewpoints and using more surveys to get a gauge of student opinion without the risk of more unruly meetings.

Kasonde closed the session by promising to report back to Student Council with the College Republicans’ thoughts.

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Group helps students face their fears of failure Stanford-inspired Resilience Project takes off on Grounds

FOCUS In the fall of 2016, in the halls of New Cabell, an idea was born.

It started with the notion of acknowledging failure and changing the dialogue to view personal failures not as setbacks, but as inevitable elements of a successful life.

This idea inspired students to bring the Resilience Project to the University in February 2016. The project, started at Stanford University, aims to reshape student attitudes toward academic, extracurricular and social failure and help students navigate the competitive culture that permeates colleges across the country.

The project’s origins Last year, Tim Davis, who serves as the executive director for Student Resilience and Leadership at the Career Center, taught a COLA course called “The Resilient Leader.”

The class focused on teaching students how to develop strategies for resilience in wake of failures and setbacks throughout their time at the University.

In one of the last lectures of the course, Davis presented work from Stanford Psychology Prof. Carol Dweck. Dweck’s research aimed to highlight the fact that even the most high-achieving students can have nonlinear paths to success.

Dweck’s pivotal research in psychology inspired the formation of the Stanford Resilience Project, the organization around which the University project is based.

Here, the project incorporates insights from psychology to inspire a growth mindset and willingness to take on challenges and risks.

“The more willing students are to challenge themselves in areas that they wouldn’t have been willing to push themselves in, the more new connections they form in their brain — long-term, structural changes at the neural level — and that will make them smarter or more adept in the future,” Davis said. “So there’s an incentive to take a class where I get a C or a B or where because I know my I’m gaining these emotional resilience skills and my brain’s getting smarter.”

The project’s initiatives The Resilience Project’s largest initiative so far has been the collection of “failure resumes” to acknowledge setbacks from which individuals can learn and grow. A failure resume is the opposite of a professional resume — it is all of the accomplishments one didn’t achieve, the skills one doesn’t possess and the awards one didn’t attain.

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Allie Lowy | Staff Writer Each of the student board members, as well as multiple faculty members, have composed failure resumes that are featured on the Resilience Project website.

Incoming University President James E. Ryan, Senior Lawn Resident Malcolm Stewart and Dean of Students Allen Groves have all recently submitted failure resumes.

The Resilience Project is in the

terboard on a wall.

The wall was rife with academic setbacks, as well as extracurricular failures — including a young woman who was rejected from the University Guide Service five times — and social setbacks, like rejection during Greek rush.

What is resilience at the University?

The primary aim of the Resil-

straight As and belongs to all the most prestigious organizations,” Katherine Mead, a second-year College student and member of the Resilience Project, said. “With this project, we really wanted to shatter that illusion and show that everyone experiences some failure and rejection if they’re challenging themselves and how failure is really an integral part of a rigorous

COURTESY RESILIENCE PROJECT

Earlier this year, the members of the Resilience Project at the University held a lemonade stand where they encouraged students to share their failures, or “lemons,” and turn them into lemonade.

process of working with Lawn residents to compose failure resumes to post on their doors.

Zach Estess, a second-year College student involved with the Resilience Project, said expanding the initiative to include student leaders is particularly meaningful because of the prestigious status they hold on Grounds as models at the University.

“You see these student leaders in The Cav Daily all the time, or you see them around Grounds, leading meetings or projects and sometimes students wonder, ‘These people are perfect, how do they get to that point?’” Estess said.

On Oct. 27, the Resilience Project held a free lemonade stand outside of Newcomb, with the theme “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” At the event, Resilience Project members handed out slips of paper with tips and quotes, and had students write down recent personal failures on sticky notes and post them on pos-

ience Project is to spark a cultural change on Grounds by starting difficult conversations about failure and growth. The project seeks to encourage openness in engaging with setbacks.

“Our philosophy is that failure is not often talked about, especially at U.Va. with the culture of competition,” Estess said. “It’s often about, ‘This is how I’m successful’ and we think that people are afraid to, one, share it and talk about it, and, two, accept failure as a normal thing.”

Estess and other members of the group said they hope that students will be inspired by hearing how professors and their peers have moved past failures in their pasts.

The Resilience Project is geared toward addressing the competitiveness that characterizes the academic, social and extracurricular realms of the University.

“There’s oftentimes a picture of a perfect U.Va. student who has

education.”

The project particularly appeals to first-year students, who might most feel the weight of the competitive pressure characteristic of the atmosphere here.

“Coming from high school, you’re in that mindset, ‘I need to get into college,’ and you’re doing everything you possibly can to get into college and you’re trying to get the best grades and be involved in everything,” Estess said. “When you get to U.Va., you’re in that high achieving mindset, and you’re with a bunch of high-achievers, and you feel this sense of insecurity, like you’re surrounded by people who were first in their class or president of every club.”

Social rejection is an especially important part of the project for founding member Sarah Woolf, a second-year College student, who says that sort of rejection often feels very personal when it shouldn’t. The Resilience Project wants to make an impact on the

competitive nature of Greek life.

“I think that there’s competitiveness in extracurriculars ... in sororities, in fraternities, in Greek Life, in leadership positions — it’s everywhere,” Woolf said. “In many ways, that’s a good thing but I think, maybe even more important than not talking about academic rejection is not discussing social rejection.”

The future of the project The project inspired Davis to create the course “Resilient Leadership for Teams.” The class, which debuted in the Batten School this semester, is based around skills for team leadership and cooperation, and will be taught in future semesters.

Mead said Davis’ class introduces a new approach to leadership.

“It’s really focusing on the new type of leader, which is not the caricature we have of a big talker, big figure who oversees a rigid hierarchy of people,” Mead said. “It’s about what our society is moving towards — team-based leaders — and about learning how to cooperate with a group and the different kinds of leaders that work most effectively in different situations.”

Moving forward, the Resilience Project will host a dorm workshop in first-year dorms to spread techniques of resiliency to first-year student. At this workshop, Davis — as well as student members of the project — will present research on the growth mindset and describe tangible tools for resilience that students can employ during their four years at the University. “[I am an] RA in first-year dorms, and I’ve especially seen on my hall that failure has been commonplace,” Estess said. “We hope to ... provide the tangible tools that people can use to be resilient.

Not just broad ideas, like ‘You need to be resilient,’ but physical actions that they can do to actually be resilient when they fail so that they have something when they fail to get them through that process.”

In the future, the Resilience Project hopes to put on a TED talk-style “U.Va., I Screwed Up” event in the Old Cabell auditorium, similar to that held at Stanford.

Ultimately, the Resilience Project hopes to become institutionalized at the University, not just as another CIO or student group, but as something that students learn about at orientation or Welcome Week. The Resilience Project hopes to spark dialogue about failure and resilience from the moment students step onto Grounds.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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Krispy Kreme vs. Duck Donuts How to navigate the donut dilemma

LIFE With their green dotted boxes and warm, freshly-made doughnuts, Krispy Kreme always reminds me of my childhood. My parents would buy boxes in the morning, and my brother and I would bargain to get two — or maybe three — doughnuts from the box in one sitting. We then warmed them up in the microwave to get that perfect melt-inyour-mouth sensation.

Krispy Kreme proved this semester that you never outgrow the excitement when they brought hundreds of doughnuts to the Corner to promote their new opening — and just about every college student ran in that direction. I was excited to hear a Krispy Kreme was opening in Charlottesville, but I worried about the gourmet doughnut shop, Duck Donuts. Would Krispy Kreme be their new competition? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized Krispy Kreme and Duck Donuts are entirely different — so you should treat yourself to both from time to time.

One con to Charlottesville’s Krispy Kreme is that it is difficult to find. Locating Krispy Kreme is a like finding a gingerbread house in the middle of the woods. Located near Wegmans, the new doughnut shop’s location makes a visit difficult without a car. The road is curvy, but when the bright neon lights reading “Krispy Kreme” emerge, you hit the gas just a little harder.

The smell of doughnuts frying hits you as soon as you walk in.

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Molly Wright | Food Columnist The store displays the conveyer belt where the doughnuts are glazed — so you can watch all that icing drip on the doughnuts and onto the floor. I’m sure more than one college student has considered licking the floor for that icing, because I sure did.

The classic Krispy Kreme doughnut is a plain, glazed doughnut that tastes like a cloud of sugar, but the shop also has a variety of others. My childhood favorite was the chocolate glazed doughnut. In my opinion, chocolate makes everything better, but I’m also a fan of the strawberry glazed. Krispy Kreme is known for the soft, light and fluffy texture of their doughnuts. But if you’re looking for a heavier doughnut, they also serve cake and crème-filled ones.

If Krispy Kreme is the picture-perfect, classic doughnut shop, then Duck Donuts is its eccentric counterpart — in the best way. Duck Donuts was founded in Duck, N.C., and then spread to neighboring states like Virginia. Its Stonefield shop seems closer to Grounds than Krispy Kreme, as it is a straight shot up Route 29 for any students needing a sweet fix.

As opposed to an intricate conveyer belt, Duck Donuts ices and crafts each doughnut individually when ordered. Their gourmet doughnuts are made of quirky combinations that always seem to go together deliciously.

A fan favorite, for example, is the maple bacon doughnut. This doughnut starts out sweet with the maple, and then the salt of

the bacon hits your tongue — you have the perfect sweet and salty mix. The doughnuts at Duck Donuts are a little denser than Krispy Kreme, but this denseness does keep you from shoveling down four or five at one time.

For the month of October, Duck Donuts has Halloween-themed doughnuts such as a chocolate doughnut with Oreos and gummy worms and pumpkin with Halloween sprinkles. My

personal favorites are the vanilla with coconut and hot fudge drizzle and the cinnamon sugar with vanilla drizzle. The coconut shavings on top of the hot fudge add a little extra sweetness to the doughnut, which is perfect if you have an enormous sweet tooth like me. Duck Donuts also offers make-your-own concoctions with your choice of coating, topping and drizzle.

If you’re in the mood for a

more classic doughnut, there’s nothing better than a warm Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. But if you’re in the mood for something a little more whimsical, the unique flavor combinations of Duck Donuts will satisfy your cravings. With so many good options for doughnuts in Charlottesville, I say the more doughnuts the merrier.

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The road is curvy, but when bright neon lights reading “Krispy Kreme” emerge, you hit the gas just a little harder.

A taste of the Big Apple comes to Charlottesville Pokee — the little blue food truck in the Amphitheater Emily Kalafian | Food Columnist This semester, I have a class from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and I have to physically drag myself there every time. That part of the day is prime nap-time, and I rarely have the energy to make it through without zoning out several times. On my way there, I have continually noticed a small but eye-catching food truck near the Amphitheater. It seems to stay there even after all the others have left for the day.

This royal blue food truck is Pokee, and I decided to try it for dinner after my class. The first

distinct fact about it is that unlike other food trucks, Pokee is open for dinner. Their weekday hours are around 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., but they will likely serve you earlier if they are already set up. This is perfect if you have class during lunch hours but are looking for something different to try in the evenings.

Pokee’s nourishing poke bowls come in three different sizes to satisfy your hunger. They have a snack size that comes served in a cup and two bowls — a small and a large. They offer a set menu of five bowls centered around your

choice of protein — tuna, salmon, tofu or curry chicken. You can customize the ingredients to your liking and you can also choose your base. They offer traditional sushi rice, a multigrain rice mix or mixed greens, if you are feeling extra healthy.

I decided to order the Rainbow Salmon bowl with multigrain rice. This bowl includes edamame, cucumber, pineapple, salmon and crab salad. At first I was skeptical of the crab salad because the dish tends to be heavily mayonnaise-based, which I don’t enjoy. However, Pokee’s

crab salad was not what I was expecting. It was neither heavy nor mayonnaise-y and complimented the rest of the bowl perfectly.

The salmon was fresh, and all of the ingredients worked together to make a tasty and filling dinner. The rice was my favorite part, and there was a lightly sweet and citrusy ponzu sauce mixed throughout the rice that added to the overall experience of the bowl.

Pokee is connected with a restaurant based in New York. The kind server at our local Pokee truck mentioned that they will

be opening up a storefront here in Charlottesville in the near future.

In the meantime, if you are craving a poke bowl after a long day of class, Pokee is both convenient and quick. They take Plus Dollars, credit and debit cards and provide you with a tasty bowl — or cup — of poke in no time at all right here on Grounds. Their logo is “Aloha in Every Bite,” and I would agree.

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LIFE • www.cavalierdaily.com

Colonnade Ball opens the dance floor to more students 29th annual charity ball promotes participation for low-income students, benefits refugees Natalie Seo | Feature Writer A ball at the Downtown Mall, a beautiful venue, food, music, elaborate decorations and a night with friends — this event on Nov. 3 marks the University Guide Service’s 29th annual charity Colonnade Ball. “[The ball] was originally put on by the Guide Service to restore the Lambeth colonnades, and as years went by, they didn’t really need to focus on that cause anymore,” said Edem Akwayena, a ball host and a fourth-year Engineering student.

U-Guides now donates to organizations and programs within the University, such as Green Dot and Active Minds. This year, however, they are raising money for a different cause.

“This year, I wanted to take it a little bit more and do something in the Charlottesville community, so I chose the International Rescue Committee,” Akwayena said. “U.Va. does employ people who have been impacted by the IRC, so it does kind of hit our students in a way.”

The International Relations Organization at the University, which often donates to the IRC, is also a co-sponsor for the ball.

“I’m very much in support of [U-Guides donating to the IRC,]” said Katya Sankow, an IRO member-at-large and a second-year College student. “Especially a

time like this, after the events that happened in Charlottesville, bridging the gap between students and the community is really important.”

In addition to connecting the University and Charlottesville communities, Sankow hopes that the ball will raise awareness about the IRC. “You say IRC, and the first thing people think is the International Residential College,” Sankow said. “[I hope the ball will raise] awareness among students and the money, of course, will hopefully go toward developing programs [for the IRC].”

U-Guides also interviewed Charlottesville residents who were helped by the IRC. “We were looking to get interviews from refugees in the area who go to the IRC so that we can have a more personal touch on the donations [and] actually know we we’re donating to,” said Lauren Faloni, a ball Committee member and a second-year College student.

Although the interviews provided insight into the lives of refugees in Charlottesville, some language barriers posed difficulties.

“It was really hard for me to explain what University Guide Service was and why we wanted to conduct an interview,” Faloni

COURTESY UNIVERSITY GUIDE SERVICE

Nov. 3 marks the University Guide Service’s 29th annual Colonnade Ball benefitting the International Rescue Committee of Charlottesville.

said. “It really helped when the person I was trying to interview got his friend who was like his translator … But [the interview was] definitely worth it — it worked out.”

To make the ball accessible to everyone, U-Guides also worked with United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity to provide tickets for low-income students. “[The ball] costs a lot to throw, but we want to make it … a little more affordable than some of the other bigs balls that happen dur-

ing the year,” Akwayena said. “It’s also one of the only non-Greek balls at U.Va., so literally anyone can go to it.”

However, decreasing the costs of tickets proved to be a challenge in conjunction with funding efforts for the ball.

“Trying to raise money while you’re giving away so many tickets has been a very big struggle,” Akwayena said. “I really hope this is a new pattern that the Guide Service continues to take on — always providing tickets to low-income students.”

Funding was further complicated when organizations that had typically donated generous amounts to the U-Guides were not able to donate to this year’s ball.

“Some organizations used to throw us $3,000 and that just didn’t happen,” Akwayena said.

“So it meant reaching out to other organizations that we’ve never reached out to for funding … But we’ve been slowly able to reach that total.”

Fourth-years face pressure to ensure a happy ending Attempting to finish strong through forcing positive memories Kristin Murtha | Life Columnist In the weeks leading up to course registration, especially after Lou’s List had been published, walks between buildings or class changeovers with peers are often spent answering the same question — what are you taking next semester? The 15 minutes before my 4000-level seminar on memory distortions last week were no exception. About 20 psychology majors were frantically discussing how we were planning on spending our last academic credits now that we had essentially completed our majors.

Our professor, upon entering the classroom and hearing our discussion, was delighted.

“This is perfect,” he said as he said up his laptop and projector.

“You’re all signing up for your last semester of college — I could not image a better real life appli-

cation of today’s topic.”

He was referring to the peakend effect, a psychological heuristic in which people form memories of an experience by averaging how they felt at the “peak” as well as the end. It was classically demonstrated through an experiment in which participants either dipped their hands in ice water for a minute, and then for a minute and half, during which the temperature of the water was raised one degree for the last thirty seconds. When asked which task they would prefer for a third trial, most responded that they would prefer the 90-second condition — even though it involved a longer period of discomfort, the average pain they felt at “peak” and end was lower.

While my professor was gen-

eralizing the results from painful memories to pleasant ones, and from a bucket of ice water to an entire college experience, he did make a compelling argument — as we prepare for the last semester of our undergraduate careers, we have the opportunity to set up a strong “end” for ourselves.

As a psychology major, I’m used to life imitating academia.

However, I typically find myself recognizing psychological phenomena in my life as those events occur, rather than attempting to live my life by psychological principles. The idea of constructing my final semester around the peak-end effect gave me pause. I found myself asking whether our actual experiences, or our memories of them, are more important.

If this scientific finding suggests that sometime down the road,

my overall impression of college is going to be based on how I felt at my low point and how I ended the run, what happens to all those other memories in between? And what if I don’t enjoy myself enough in this last lap to make up for the bad stuff?

It’s not uncommon for students to enter college with the expectation that these will be the best four years of our lives. As my time at the University draws to a close, I find myself reminded of the familiar pressure to really make these days count. But in the face of this realization, now supported by science, I find myself wanting to use a different strategy.

Actively trying to orchestrate some kind of show-stopping finale for my final semester at the University is most likely going

to end in disappointment. In my experience, trying to live up to such high expectations is as exhausting as it is fruitless. Instead, I’m learning to enjoy the little moments more — the unplanned, pleasant surprises, like movie marathons with my roommates that never begin before 11 p.m. or the spontaneous after-school snack I shared with a friend after we ran into each other on 15th Street.

Hopefully, by living more presently in these in-between moments, I’m not only going to graduate with more memories — these four years are also going to have a pretty strong ending.

www.cavalierdaily.com • LIFE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 1. Rotunda steps

If it’s late at night and you’re near the Rotunda steps, chances are you may already be naked from a lovely moonlit streak.

Undressing is half of the act, and since you’re already halfway to your end goal, what’s to stop you from bumping uglies right there? Maybe the Ambassadors or the lights or the Lawnies, but that’s quitters’ talk.

LAUREN HORNSBY | THE CAVALIER DAILY

5. Under the ginkgo tree When the ginkgo tree’s leaves start to change, it is simply breathtaking. Breathtaking enough to go there for some hanky panky? Absolutely. I don’t know much about the texture of ginkgo bark, but I’m sure it’ll be fine. Just watch out for the squirrels — college squirrels are a whole different breed from regular squirrels. They will not shy away, and they will go for the kill.

TOP TEN places to hook up

2. A Pavilion garden

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7. University Cemetery

Creepy? Yes. But practical? Extremely!

Who is going to be wandering through a cemetery late at night? Not me, that’s for sure. If anyone nearby hears moans and groans, they will be out of there in a split second whether they believe in ghosts or not. The cemetery even has walls if you want a little bit of privacy while fornicating in public. And try not to offend any spirits, okay?

8. Clem 1

Studying for exams can get boring and frustrating, and that cutie across the aisle has been eyeing you all evening. At this point, it might be time to take a break for a little horizontal refreshment. I admit that the Clem 1 atmosphere is not exactly ideal with the gross lights and outdated furniture, but it’s not like you’re going to be spending all night getting it on down there. Use the stacks purely for a quick encounter, and then get back to your studying. Work hard, play hard.

I understand that the Rotunda steps might not be everyone’s speed. It’s kind of the center of the University and home to a bunch of your fellow students, so privacy is somewhat limited.

But maybe there’s just something about the history of the Lawn that really gets you going, so I recommend moving to a Pavilion garden for more seclusion. Just be careful which one you choose.

You really have to consider which facet of the University community you would be most comfortable with catching you in their backyard in the middle of a midnight frickle frackle.

3. Observatory Hill

O-Hill could be very romantic depending on the night you go out there. Bring a blanket and some candles, and you’ve got the perfect setting for some coitus lit by the stars. Now that it’s getting colder out, maybe try to go on a warmer night or bring some extra blankets. If you forget, fear not — your lover will keep you warm.

4. Scott Stadium

It would be pretty cool to do the forbidden polka in the end zone of Scott Stadium — the stadium is so big that it would definitely be an experience to remember. I haven’t totally figured out the logistics of this one, but it would sure be a feat if you could manage to pull it off.

This should be obvious, but please only attempt this at night when the stadium is not in use. It would be embarrassing to try this in the middle of a game.

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

9. A pile of leaves

You never know when the mood might strike Ashley Botkin | Top Ten Writer

Listen, when the need strikes, the need strikes, you know? Maybe your roommate is home and your partner’s bed is too creaky. Don’t let these circumstances stop you from knocking boots — just find a comfy pile of leaves, maybe fluff it up a bit and you’re good to go. Absolutely no preparation required — not even a blanket. Although you might want to pay attention to the recent weather, because there is nothing sexy about laying in a pile of damp, rotten leaves.

6. Nau Hall

You’d be lying if you said there wasn’t something about Nau that gets you going. The aesthetic is too pristine, and the lighting is too perfect for you to not feel something. There are many hidden niches with chairs and benches that are perfect for doing the nasty, and when you’re finished, it’s just a quick walk down to Starbucks for some refreshments.

10. Your bed

Sounds kinky, right? Maybe a Netflix session turned into Netflix and chill, or maybe you have no desire to get out of bed — not even for a little bit of rumpus humpus. Sometimes you just have to bring the action to you. You may be feeling lazy, but at least try to get the crumbs out of the sheets from your midnight snack the night before. Now you get the comfort of your own bed, and you don’t have to get dressed afterwards. The only downside is that you might need to wash your sheets later.

MARSHALL BRONFIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

XHOSA SCOTT, DISHA JAIN, AISHA SINGH, VICTORIA GIRON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Army ROTC students balance student and cadet life A look at the life of ROTC students Kate Jewusiak | Feature Writer For many University students, the thought of waking up at 5 a.m. is highly unpleasant. But for Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students, early mornings are necessary for managing a double life as both a cadet and a student.

Harpreet Singh, an Army ROTC cadet and a fourth-year Engineering student, said time management is the most difficult part of balancing both aspects of his college career.

“You don’t want to give your half effort for either,” Singh said.

“You want to give your best effort for both.”

The Army cadets hit the gym at 6 a.m. every Tuesday. Following an hour-long workout, they spend 30 minutes playing sports like ultimate frisbee or football.

“That’s one of our favorite parts,” said Peter Fant, an Army ROTC cadet and a second-year College student. “You just get to have fun with all your friends, and it’s not super serious, but you do get to work on communication

and teamwork.”

At 7:30 a.m., all cadets eat breakfast together at the Observatory Hill Dining Hall. Students of all years will sit together, which provides an opportunity for the cadets to really get to know each other and offer advice for success.

After breakfast, the cadets go home and shower before they go to their classes. Most Army ROTC students take classes for their majors, along with a required U.S. history course and a three-credit ROTC class about Army life and its rules and regulations.

The cadets reconvene for field training exercises at 4 p.m., where they practice drills using rubber M16 rifles.

“We’ll have mock-opposition forces, which is usually the fourth-years dressed up as the opposition,” Singh said. “We’ll simulate real-life training exercises to get them well-trained as to what they might experience eventually in their career as an officer.”

In accordance to the Univer-

sity’s self-governance principles, the fourth-year Army ROTC cadets — or Military Science 4s — run the training.

“There’s a lot of behind-thescenes coordination that occurs outside the classroom,” Military Science Instructor Capt. Jane Petrick said. “By the time you’re a third- and fourth-year, ROTC is taking up more significant time. I would say it’s close to the equivalent of a part-time job.”

“It’s on us to actually conduct the training and actually plan the training,” Singh said. “We have the workload of a typically Army officer.”

The University’s ROTC program requires less mandatory physical training than other schools. The cadets only wear uniforms and work out together on Tuesdays. On other days, fitness is the responsibility of each individual cadet to structure into his or her schedule.

“We really want cadets to get the college experience,” Petrick

said. “That’s important to us because we think that equates a really well-rounded officer.”

“It changes the way I think,” Singh added. “I have a more worldly scope. They really push us to be better people and better cadets and better students.”

While the University’s Army ROTC program may have fewer daily requirements than other schools’, the students must conduct themselves in accordance to Army standards every day. This diligence and sense of honor helps shape successful cadets and students.

“We’re encouraged to behave as if we were wearing our uniform every single day,” Singh said. “If we wouldn’t do it in uniform, we shouldn’t do it in our daily practices.”

Singh’s experience with the ROTC is unique because he didn’t begin the program with a national scholarship. He joined as a University student with aspirations to go to medical school — which

Singh now plans to have the Army pay for. Other students, like Fant, hope to become an Army officer.

“We are all working toward this common goal,” Fant said.

“The Army … [wants] to operate effectively and work as a team to achieve the mission, so everyone has that kind of mindset.”

Fant joined ROTC because he wanted to give back to the country — both of his parents were in the Army, and he wanted to do his part. He said that the positive experiences he had growing up with this Army influences helped inspire him to do his part for his country.

Fant’s favorite part of the program is the people and how they all collaborate.

“At U.Va., everyone bleeds blue and orange,” Fant said. “In the Army … Everyone bleeds green.”

U.Va. provides opportunities to learn for older students School of Continuing and Professional Studies serves adult learners in and out of the classroom Jackie Siegel | Feature Writer We tend to think of college as the liminal period between adolescence and adulthood — the time after teenagers leave their homes and venture into oblivion and the new life ahead of them. However, some don’t follow this conventional path, choosing instead to enter the workforce before pursuing a degree. Experience compels these adults to seek further education, matching professional knowledge with classroom-based comprehension. With the University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, these adults have found opportunities to delve deeper into the college life we often overlook.

During the 2016-17 school year, the SCPS served over 2,000 adult learners, providing access to education that synthesizes scholarship with professional experience. Comprised of 123 faculty members, 18 certificate programs and a post-baccalaureate pre-med program, the SCPS provides a range of interdisciplinary curricula.

Subjects include Business and Health Care Management and Information Technology.

SCPS Dean Steven Laymon supplies instructors with resources necessary to operate the diverse programs, from a managerial basis and an individualized one. The result is stimulating interaction with students

while also regulating the administrative realm of the programs. As dean, he is responsible for ensuring that the instructors guiding students through their courses can effectively translate their lived experiences into pedagogical instruction.

“We make sure that they’re skilled in their sector and effective at teaching,” Laymon said. “We look for people who are accomplished in their particular applied programs, but also people who can advise students, developing the relationships that students can benefit from in the classroom and their occupational landscapes.”

The programs within the SCPS have a multidimensional format, and they provide learners with a range of specialties, cultivating graduates with well-rounded educational and professional skills.

“Our goal is to serve adult and nontraditional learners [and] provide them with higher education options for the 21st century,” Laymon said.

Jane Paluda, the assistant dean for marketing and communications for the SCPS, oversees all forward-facing matters, ranging from publications to communications with prospective students, current students and faculty.

“We serve adult learners by providing access to educational experiences that blend academic scholarship with

workplace relevance,” Paluda said. “A large percentage of our students are working professionals coming back to school to either earn their degree or complete a certificate in order to enhance their skills, advance in their career or maybe even change their career.”

The amalgamation of academic scholarship and workplace relevance, as Paluda said, provides a unique mix of intellect and experience one may not receive by simply attending a lecture.

“Many of our students bring to the classroom their work experience,” Paluda said. “In their classes when they’re having discussions on various topics, they bring a wealth of background and experience in those classes that someone who is a traditional undergraduate student of 18 or 19 years wouldn’t have.”

Fran Bossi is the senior operations manager for the University’s Office of Undergraduate Admission and received a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the SCPS in 2016. As overseer of the thousands of applications that flood into the admissions office, she had a different perspective when she decided to submit her own application for a place at the University.

Bossi found it difficult to balance

her role as operations manager with her pursuit of a diploma, embarking upon a nontraditional class schedule throughout the years with courses comprised of art, sociology, world politics, history, literature and the judicial system.

“It was hard at times to balance work, school and home life,” Bossi said.

“I only took one class each semester, so it took me six years to complete my degree. It also helps to be organized, determined and have a very supportive husband.”

Bossi felt the need to become a part of the University’s intellectual community, to challenge herself and strive for the education provided in the University’s programs designed for people of all ages, backgrounds and passions.

“I am a very nontraditional student,” Bossi said. “I started my degree 40 years ago with an [Associate in Applied Science] in Accounting. I always regretted not finishing my degree, so when I came to U.Va., I decided it was time to do it.”

The SCPS offered Bossi — and the 1,500 alumni it has served since its founding in 1915 — the chance to take challenging yet stimulating courses, to step outside of their comfort zones and alter their points of view. “[The SCPS] works so well because

all the students are all in the same boat trying to juggle all the things going on in their lives,” Bossi said. “Although we all come from different backgrounds, have different obligations, are different ages, the students tend to be very supportive of one another and work together.”

At the University, opportunity for educational growth and achievement lies in every lecture hall, in every classroom and in the intellectually stimulating atmosphere alone. Yet this opportunity is not exclusive, catering only to the traditional adolescents attending college out of high school. It is there for anyone with the desire to learn.

“Pursuing my degree at this point in my life was for me, not as a career goal,” Bossi said. “I was not sure my old brain could keep up with college courses, but then I remembered how much I love learning and that we should never stop looking for ways to expand our minds. [The SCPS] made my dream of earning my degree possible.”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

S

Virginia takes on Georgia Tech Saturday Cavaliers will look to stop two-game skid

SPORTS The Virginia football team is reeling, having now suffered twostraight losses to Boston College and Pittsburgh. The once-soaring Cavaliers (5-3, 2-2 ACC) will look to bounce back this weekend as they get ready to take on a Georgia Tech team that has lost two of itsof its last three games.

Virginia, whose defense has struggled the last two weeks — — giving up over 30 points in each match — will look to get back on track Saturday. They will get a huge boost with the return of junior outside linebacker Malcolm Cook in a starting role.

“It’s great having him back,” .”senior inside linebacker Micah Kiser said. “It gives us a true SAM linebacker, which we haven’t really been playing with one.”

However, even with Cook returning to the starting lineup, Virginia’s defense knows that it has to improve on the mental side of things. Though

11

Rahul Shah | Sports Editor the Cavaliers may have been playing fundamentally correct football last weekend, they lacked the energy and intensity that once headlined their outstanding 5-1 start.

Virginia Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall said this absence of energy affected the team against Pittsburgh, as players were seemingly prepared, but lacked the mindset to execute the way they needed to in order to slow down the Panthers.

“We were right by assignment a lot of the time on Saturday, but not right by mindset and edge and emotion and passion,” Mendenhall said.

Kiser, one of the leaders of Virginia’s defense, echoed those sentiments and said one of the keys to getting back to winning football for the Cavaliers will be to regain that mindset and intensity.

“We just need to get back to just, you know, playing with that edge that we had,” Kiser said. “We were pretty assignment sound, we were doing our job, but our mindset was

a little off and so, if we can get back … Believing in and playing that new standard that we were preaching, then, you know, we can right this ship.”

Kiser said to expect that intensity to return Saturday against Georgia Tech (4-3, 3-2 ACC).

“We just need to get back to having fun, playing for the love of the game … I think you’ll see a freshened, more energetic, more enthusiastic defense come this weekend,” Kiser said.

Virginia sVirginia enior quarterback Kurt Benkert has also struggled the last two weeks. He has completed less than 53 percent of his passes in each of the last two games, and thrown for a combined two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Virginia will look for a bounce back performance from him this weekend, as Benkert looks to regain the momentum he was generating at the quarterback position just a couple weeks ago.

Though Benkert must improve his play in order to help Virginia’s offense play at a high level, it’s also just as important that Virginia plays complimentary football, allowing for a balanced effort. This way if one of the three areas of play — offense, defense and special teams — is struggling, the others can help pick them up.

“If there’s games like that where a quarterback and our offense isn’t having the kind of connection, chemistry, confidence and performance we need, that has to be compensated for,” Mendenhall said.

“Man, if you had a special teams play in there — interception for yardage or something like that — that makes it more difficult.”

Mendenhall added that Virginia’s defense will be going up against a tough challenge in Georgia Tech’s quarterback, junior TaQuon Marshall, junior TaQuon Marshall, who will present a host of challenges. ““The best player on the field on

a Georgia Tech offense is their quarterback,” Mendenhall said. “He’s the best athlete. He’s the best leader. He’s the most dynamic player. He’s the most capable.”

Offensively, Virginia will have to look to exploit Georgia Tech’s defense, another challenge.

“But they’re fast and they’re talented and they’re really sound,” Mendenhall said. “They manage the points really well … Possessions are huge. Your offense doesn’t get many.

So you have to play really well defensively and get off the field as much as you can to give enough possessions to your offense to have a chance to score. The way they’re set up, they make it difficult to score.”

It will be a tough matchup for the Cavaliers, but with a bowl berth attainable with a win, and renewed focus for this weekend’s home game, Virginia will look to come away victorious. The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.

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12

THE CAVALIER DAILY

SPORTS • www.cavalierdaily.com

CRAFTING BLANDING’S LEGACY Like so many games the past few seasons, Virginia’s performance against Pittsburgh Saturday was a massive disappointment despite senior safety Quin Blanding’s superlative play. Blanding led the Cavaliers in tackles, had a tackle for loss and provided an interception late in the third quarter to give the Cavaliers one last chance at turning the game around, which they were unfortunately incapable of doing.

During the game, Blanding passed Class of 1996 alumnusDuring the game, Blanding passed Class of 1996 alumnus Jamie Sharper to become the Cavaliers’ career leader in tackles. This is just the latest in Blanding’s long list of accomplishments as a Cavalier. No other active FBS player has as many career tackles as Blanding. HeHe has started every game since arriving on Grounds, and he he has ranked second in the ACC in tackles each year until this one — he currently ranks first. He was also named a freshman All-American and first team

All-ACC both of the past two seasons.

In many ways, Blanding represents playerthe ideal player Virginia fans hope for. As a highly touted 5-star recruit from Southeast Virginia, Blanding chose the Cavaliers over top programs like Florida State. He excelled immediately upon arrival and later passed up potential professional opportunities to return for his senior season, becoming a team leader. At halftime duringAt halftime during the game against Boston College, Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall relied on Blanding to rallyrelied on Blanding to rally the team.

[I“[I went into] the locker room … Quin Blanding already had the entire team called up and he was addressing them,” Mendenhall said. “I walked up into the circle, and Quin’s message continued. I didn’t have to say a thing. Quin said it best and said it more appropriately than I could, and he claimed ownership of not only the outcome but set-

ting direction and going forward, which is pretty impressive.”

Blanding is a star local recruit, four-year standout and team leader, but is lacking the team success to match his individual accolades. His career has coincided with Virginia’s longest stretch without a bowl game since 1980.

While he and senior linebacker Micah Kiser are among the greatest Cavalier football players ever statistically, it’s difficult to view their careers outside of the context of their team’s failures.

Blanding’s years as a top recruit playing with shallow, under-coached and underperforming secondaries are a microcosm for the team’s failures under former Virginia CVirginia oach Mike London. While the Cavaliers had talent in some areas, they were unbalanced and never managed to effectively use it on the field. None of that is Blanding’s fault, but he will likely forever be linked to those teams in spite of his success.

Although Blanding’s name is

Players to Watch #9 #5 Senior wide receiver Doni Dowling

Senior defensive end Andrew Brown

Dowling was a huge part of Virginia’s success earlier in the season, as the Cavaliers raced out to a 5-1 start.

In five out of Virginia’s first six games, Dowling recorded at least five receptions, establishing himself as one of Virginia senior quarterback Kurt Benkert’s favorite and most reliable targets. In Virginia’s four-game winning streak before its loss to Boston College, Dowling recorded four touchdowns and had over 10 yards per reception in each game.

In Virginia’s last two games — both losses — Dowling has struggled, along with the offense, as he has a combined three receptions for 50 yards.

Forty-six of those yards came in the loss to Pittsburgh.

If Dowling and Benkert can re-establish the connection that made them so potent early in the season, it could be just what Virginia’s offense needed to reignite the explosiveness and balance they displayed in much of their five wins. Dowling needs to have a big game Saturday to help Virginia’s offense outscore Georgia Tech’s.

On a day where most of the Virginia defense struggled to make big plays, Brown put up a nice stat line against Pittsburgh.

The Chesapeake, Va. native had a sack, three tackles-for-loss and a quarterback hurry as one of the only Cavalier pass rushers able to generate pressure against the Panthers. The breakout game came at a crucial time for Brown as Virginia prepares to take on the heavy and deceptive rushing attack of Georgia Tech.

Brown’s ability to read Georgia Tech junior quarterback TaQuon Marshall’s reads will be pivotal to Virginia’s ability to stuff the run inside and contain outside rushers. Forcing the Yellow Jackets into long third downs can put the Cavaliers in position to limit big drives, something they did not do especially well against Pittsburgh.

Brown has the toughness and athleticism to make a big impact in the run game — if he comes into matchup mentally prepared to see through Georgia Tech’s deception, he can put together a string of big games.

etched into the Cavalier record books already, his career in Charlottesville is not yet over. Virginia has four games remaining to try to get Blanding in a bowl game for the first time — and an opportunity to end Virginia’s 13year long losing streak against rival Virginia Tech.

As such, his legacy is not yet set in stone. Instead of being a symbol of a dark era in program history, Blanding can represent a turnaround under Mendenhall’s leadership. Blanding would then not symbolize a program at rock bottom, but rather serve as an example of those who led Virginia back from it — a legacy much more befitting a player his caliber.

“I want him to leave with everything he wants, for the team and the program and for himself,” Mendenhall said. “The greatest thing for me is when I see [Blanding and Kiser] happy. I love seeing them feel good about their team and success.”

Much has been written about

the possibility of a bowl game and the improvements necessary from the Cavaliers to get there.

Less has been said about what it would mean for the players, fans and the program — for Blanding and Kiser, it would shape the way future Virginia fans remember them.

JAKE BLANK is a Senior Associate Sports Editor and Columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at j.blank@cavalierdaily. com or on Twitter at @Jake_33.

The Keys Intensity on the field

THE

K E YS

TO FOOTBALL Virginia versus Georgia Tech — a breakdown

By CD Sports Staff With a two-game losing streak coming into this weekend, the Virginia football team will be looking to bounce back and begin to gain some momentum heading into the later stages of the season. The Cavaliers will look to take down Georgia Tech in Saturday’s home matchup and clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2011.

It will be interesting to see how the team performs and if it will be able to regain some of the momentum they had a couple weeks ago. Here are some players and keys to the game to watch out for this weekend.

With an unexpected 5-1 start to the season, Virginia players embraced the underdog role, as the team celebrated win after win. It was evident the team was having fun and playing with a certain level of intensity, as if displayed this on the field during and after games — including some players joining the fans near the stands after a win. With only one win needed for a bowl berth, expectations were high heading into the game against Boston College.

However, the Cavaliers fell flat and were dominated by the Eagles. The effects of that loss seemed to carry over into the loss against Pittsburgh, as Virginia seemingly lacked some of the intensity that it displayed earlier in the year. This week, Virginia senior inside linebacker Micah Kiser spoke about how he believes that energy will be present this weekend against Georgia Tech. The Cavaliers need this intensity to stop their twogame losing streak and earn bowl eligibility.

Among the factors that have

Finding a rhythm in the passing game played into Virginia’s offensive struggles over the last few weeks has been its inability to find consistent success in the passing game. Reports of Benkert nursing a shoulder injury give a possible explanation for the problem, but as long as he is the starter, he must find a way to battle through the pain and produce. The senior has a concerning 52 percent completion percentage and 26.0 quarterback rating over Virginia’s two-game losing streak. Against another tough secondary in Georgia Tech, Benkert will once again have to find a way to push the ball down the field while limiting the propensity for turnovers. He will also need help from his offensive line, which allowed three sacks and eight hurries against Pittsburgh.

Benkert’s tendency to leave the pocket and throw on the run has hurt his efficiency, so giving him enough time to throw in the pocket will be critical to sustain drives.

The Cavalier offense clicked once Benkert got going late in the second quarter against Pittsburgh, but the team was not able to translate that level of play to the second half. The offense will have to have close to its most complete game on offense since the Boise State game to have a shot against the formidable Georgia Tech defense.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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LEAD EDITORIAL

Students should pay attention to local politics

OPINION

A recent Cavalier Daily poll reveals that students are apathetic towards the candidates and issues in Charlottesville

E

ven though it’s an off year, a general election is nevertheless upon us, with offices ranging from members of the Charlottesville City Council to the governor of Virginia on the ballot. By now, students who are registered to vote in Virginia should know their polling location and the options available to them regarding transportation.

A recent Cavalier Daily poll found that 78 percent of students claim to be registered to vote in Virginia, yet over half of students are unfamiliar with local politics. The University administration does not make significant efforts to encourage student

political engagement, leaving it to students to encourage each other’s awareness of and involvement in what transpires in both the city and the state. As members of the Charlottesville community, students need to be continuously informed about local issues and political figures.

The Cavalier Daily poll also revealed that 73 percent of students are not familiar with the Charlottesville City Council, the body which makes the major policy decisions for the City of Charlottesville. In another question regarding students’ approval of the job which the Council is doing, almost 60 percent said they

had no opinion. Another question asked students if they recognized the City Council candidates running for this upcoming election. It seems that students have a limited awareness of the candidates. The events of August are still fresh and the sociopolitical tensions are evident. If students choose not to become actively engaged, students need to develop an awareness of what’s going on around them — particularly what decisions are being made for the city they live in.

While it is discouraging that students remain so disengaged from local politics, the University provides

students with the opportunity to become more involved in local politics through certain courses. For example, Assoc. History Prof. Andrew Kahrl has taken the initiative to incorporate civic engagement into his U.S. History course titled “All Politics is Local.” The course discusses how political power works in both the local community as well as in the greater political context of the United States. The class requires that the students volunteer in political efforts that encourage engagement both on and off Grounds. Not to mention, the course pushes students to apply what they’ve learned

in classroom to real-life situations in the way that a college education should.

The City of Charlottesville has been the center of attention amidst increasingly visible racial tensions.

Students and locals alike have witnessed white supremacists rallies, student protests and subsequent arguments among Council members — all of which affect how we live and interact with each other. As residents of Charlottesville, we have a say in what goes on around us, and the general election is the perfect time to make sure that we are proud of our city.

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

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

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

The Cavalier Daily is published Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily. com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2016 The Cavalier Daily Inc.

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

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 Mike Reingold Managing Editor Tim Dodson Executive Editor Carlos Lopez Operations Manager Danielle Dacanay Chief Financial Officer Grant Parker EDITORIAL BOARD Jacob Asch Jordan Brooks Carlos Lopez Brendan Novak Mike Reingold JUNIOR BOARD Assistant Managing Editors Lillian Gaertner Ben Tobin (SA) Hannah Boehlert (SA) Evan Davis (SA) Trent Lefkowitz (SA) Colette Marcellin (SA) Alix Nguyen

News Editors Anna Higgins Hailey Ross (SA) Kate Bellows (SA) Alexis Gravely Sports Editors Mariel Messier Rahul Shah (SA) Jake Blank (SA) Alec Dougherty Life Editors Julie Bond Gracie Kreth Arts & Entertainment Editors Dan Goff Sam Henson (SA) Darby Delaney (SA) Thomas Roades Health & Science Editors Jessica Chandrasekhar Kate Lewis (SA) Tina Chai (SA) Ruhee Shah Focus Editor Hannah Hall Opinion Editors Brendan Novak Lucy Siegel (SA) Carly Mulvihill Humor Editor Brennan Lee

Production Editors Sean Cassar Victoria Giron (SA) Rupa Nallamothu (SA) Mark Felice Print Graphics Editors Lucas Halse Amber Liu Online Graphics Editors Sean Cassar Photography Editors Richard Dizon Hannah Mussi (SA) Anna Hoover (SA) Sarah Lindamood Video Editors Avi Pandey Sinta Taylor (SA) Rebecca Malaret Engineering Manager Leo Dominguez Social Media Managers Ashley Botkin Shaelea Carroll Marketing & Advertising Managers Nate Bolon Carlos Lopez Business Manager Kelly Mays

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THE CAVALIER DAILY

OPINION • www.cavalierdaily.com

THE SECOND AMENDMENT EXACERBATES CAMPUS VIOLENCE Bharadwaj’s column ignores key statistics and presents an ineffectual solution in dealing with sexual assault

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n Oct. 29, fellow Opinion columnist Milan Bharadwaj argued that the Second Amendment is essential in stopping campus violence — specifically, sexual assault.

There is no doubt that sexual assault is a serious issue plaguing American college campuses, due to a lack of general preparedness in investigating sexual violence, providing relief to survivors and training law enforcement to deal with such scenarios. Bharadwaj, however, makes numerous mistakes in arguing that the Second Amendment would prove vital to stopping campus violence — implementing a so-called “Second Amendment solution” would only endanger the safety of the student body.

Firstly, the conditions under which sexual assault occurs oftentimes deter the use of any firearm. The National Institute of Justice’s crime statistics indicate that “about 85 to 90 percent of sexual assaults reported by college women are perpetrated by someone known to the victim; about half occur on a date.” Unsurprisingly, this serves as a deterrent to using firearms in the first place. As noted by Oklahoma State University professor John D. Foubert, “If you have a rape situation, usually it starts with some sort of consensual behavior, and by the time it switches to non-consensual, it would be nearly impossible to run for a gun.” Furthermore, the NIJ’s research found that “a strong relationship exists

between substance use and sexual assault,” with an estimated 20 percent of victims and 63 percent of perpetrators having consumed alcohol or drugs prior to an assault. While it is undeniable that firearms can be powerful deterrents against crime, in an overwhelming majority of cases, the target of assault is either emotionally compromised — shooting an acquaintance,

grams to date that have been shown to be effective, using a rigorous evaluation methodology, for preventing sexual violence perpetration.” These three programs — Safe Dates, Shifting Boundaries and RealConsent — focus on awareness of sexual abuse and harassment, changing attitudes towards rape and addressing gender roles rather than simply lecturing young men

Implementing a so-called “Second Amendment solution” would only endanger the safety of the student body.

friend or family member is obviously more difficult than shooting an unknown person — or the target is mentally compromised due to intoxication or drug use.

Additionally, Bharadwaj misleadingly states that “The most common answer presented to this problem is that young men must simply be taught to not commit these crimes, which serves as the basis for most awareness initiatives.” Indeed, such an argument would be overly idealistic and naïve — however, awareness initiatives do not limit themselves to such a specific topic. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found “three pro-

“to not commit these crimes.”

Invoking Hobbesian theory, Bharadwaj argues that “Given the fact that stopping the criminals themselves is virtually impossible, the only logical thing we can do is equip individuals with the tools to protect themselves.”

This claim lies in direct conflict with the CDC’s research. RealConsent participants were found to have “intervened more often and engaged in less sexual violence perpetration compared to controls,” among numerous other benefits. Bharadwaj claims that awareness initiatives limit themselves to an excessively narrow focus, and that they are ineffective in stopping

criminals from committing sexual assault — the CDC’s research, however, would indicate the exact opposite.

Were Bharadwaj’s policy proposal to become reality, there is little concrete evidence to believe that allowing firearms on college campuses — a practice generally allowed in 10 states — would reduce sexual assault rates.

A report released at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School for Public Health found that allowing firearms on campus “is no more effective in reducing victims’ risk of injury than other victim responses to attempted violent crimes.” Allowing firearms instead correlated to an increase in rates of serious assaults and suicide attempts.

Out of 85 shootings or undesirable discharges of firearms, only two involved a rampaging shooter — the rest were “interpersonal disputes that escalated into gun violence (45 percent), premeditated acts of violence against an individual (12 percent), suicides or murder/suicides (12 percent) and unintentional shootings or discharges (9 percent).”

Most damningly of all, data from the National Crime Victimization Survey found that, out of 300 cases of sexual assault from 2007 to 2011, zero were stopped through use of a firearm. Additional research conducted

by David Hemenway and Sara Solnick of Harvard University and the University of Vermont, respectively, found that “Among the 1,119 sexual assaults

reported [from 1992-2001], in only one did the victim report using a gun.”

Even when provided the opportunity to use firearms to defend oneself from sexual assault, an absolute majority of victims are unable to deter their attackers — rendering the argument that firearms can deter sexual assault moot.

Bharadwaj’s “Second Amendment solution” to reduce rates of sexual violence on college campuses is noble, but incredibly misinformed. His argument is reliant on tenuous evidence at best, with numerous portions lying in direct contradiction to all available statistics concerning sexual assault and prevention. If such a “campus carry” policy were implemented, all evidence suggests that sexual assault rates would not decrease — instead, the presence of firearms would only encourage the rise of violent assaults and suicides.

The Second Amendment’s guaranteed right for the people to keep and bear arms, while useful in certain situations, does not necessitate its use to solve every conundrum the Unites States faces.

WILLIAM WONG is an Opinion columnist at The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

IN DEFENSE OF THE IMPLICIT BIAS MODULE The implicit bias module and larger conversations that promote diversity, inclusion and a countering of bias are not mutually exclusive as Ferguson implies.

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he University’s decision to implement an implicit bias module for all incoming first-year students presents an opportunity for increased conversation surrounding challenging and often taboo topics. The module provides students with informational videos and tutorials about implicit bias. It does not require students to partake in the Implicit Association Test, or IAT, but provides the opportunity to do so at the conclusion of the module for those students who wish to further understand their own implicit biases. Opinion columnist Thomas Ferguson argues that the IAT, which many studies have shown to be flawed, is not a good allocation of the University’s time and resources — and instead, we should focus on bias-reducing initiatives and programing.

While the IAT might not be perfect, it is an optional resource at the conclusion of the larger implicit bias module which serves as an important tool in beginning these critical and often challenging conversations surrounding our biases.

In his column, Ferguson argues for increased “organic interactions” in order to recognize and reduce implicit

biases. But how can these interactions truly be organic, if students have no mechanism to recognize their own biases? As Dean of Students Allen Groves said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily, “it’s hard to walk up to somebody else and say ‘Hey, let’s talk about race, let’s talk about bias’ — but this allows you to say ‘Hey, you took the module, what’d you think of that?’ and then you have a much easier conversation to confront those difficult issues.” The implicit bias module is just that — a facilitator of larger conversations. These conversations should include talks with Residential Advisors, classroom conversations and University-wide initiatives similar to the Engineering School’s “Excellence Through Diversity Distinguished Learning Series” as encouraged by Ferguson. But, these conversations are only productive if students possess a baseline understanding of implicit bias that can be attained through completion of the implicit bias module.

Students can gain a more individualized understanding of implicit bias by completing the IAT at the conclusion of the required module. Ferguson rails against this test, claiming that the

University should not be throwing its resources behind an imperfect predictor of actual bias. While many studies question the effectiveness of the IAT, it is nevertheless an important facili-

disability is not first identified.

The University is not alone in the fight to recognize and reduce implicit bias. In June 2016, the Department of Justice implemented a program

While many studies question the effectiveness of the IAT, it is nevertheless an important facilitator of conversation. tator of conversation. Last week, NPR host Shankar Vedantam spoke on the importance of recognizing implicit bias as part of the Engineering School’s “Excellence Through Diversity Distinguished Learning Series.” Vedantam encouraged the audience to think about implicit biases as disabilities. In order to find solutions to these disabilities, students must first recognize what their disabilities are. This recognition process is exactly what the University seeks to enable with the implementation of the implicit bias module and the optional competition of the IAT. Solutions cannot be formed if the

to “train all of its law enforcement agents and prosecutors to recognize and address implicit bias as part of its regular training curricula.” Similarly, the American Bar Association implemented the Implicit Bias Initiative in order to educate attorneys, judges and citizens alike on the impact of implicit biases in the legal system. On their website, the ABA provides a link to the IAT while also citing the limitations and diverse interpretations of the test. This allows individuals to make an informed decision on whether or not to take the test, and how to accurately interpret the results if they

choose to complete it. The University should adopt a similar disclaimer when providing students the link to take the optional IAT at the conclusion of the implicit bias module.

The implicit bias module and larger conversations which promote diversity, inclusion and a countering of bias are not mutually exclusive as Ferguson implies. The implicit bias module should work in conjunction with speaker series, classroom dialogue, Residential Advisor conversations and University-wide initiatives in order to more comprehensively reduce implicit bias among University students. Furthermore, it is imperative that the IAT remains as an optional part of the module for those students who wish to further understand their individual biases — this understanding should be paired with additional resources citing the controversies surrounding the test in order to provide context for more curious students.

MARY ALICE KUKOSKI is an Opinion columnist at The Cavalier Daily. She may be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily. com.

www.cavalierdaily.com • OPINION

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

15

EFFECTIVE SELF-GOVERNANCE REQUIRES MORE EDUCATION In order to be stewards of U.Va., students must engage with organizations on Grounds

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ne of the many notable aspects about the University is the tradition of student self-governance. At the University, there are several student groups tasked with carrying out various functions, such as the Honor Committee, University Judiciary Committee, the University Programs Council and Student Council. It is easy to imagine firstyear students being overwhelmed by the sheer number of different student organizations and their responsibilities when they arrive on Grounds. Because the University has such a proud tradition of student self-governance, it is important that students be informed about these organizations before they step foot on Grounds. At the start of their first year, students are already required to complete a series of modules which will help them transition to life at the University, so it is imperative that we add education about the student organizations tasked with running very prominent segments of the University.

Having a module to educate incoming first-years about prominent councils and groups on Grounds is important because there are so many

that have a lot of different responsibilities. For example, until this year I didn’t know there was a Library Council, and I still have no idea what they do. Also, I am just now learning about how the different committees in Student Council function. For these programs to be as effective as possible, students need to be informed about their functions before they come to Grounds. This will not only help facilitate student decision making processes about which organizations to join, but it will also ensure students have the knowledge base they need to engage with the organizations which help run the University.

Additionally, it is imperative we expand knowledge about these organizations due to the fact that they are given a lot of responsibility.

UPC is responsible for creating and organizing a lot of programming for the student body, including the recent “puppies and pumpkins” event.

Student Council has a relatively large budget and is tasked with passing legislation to improve students’ lives on Grounds. Perhaps the best example of student self-governance is Honor, which has the power to

remove students from the University. Despite a lack of awareness, these student organizations have shaped students’ time on Grounds and have their hand in nearly everything that students do. Through these power-

people do not know who they are voting for, what these organizations do or what these individuals can accomplish in their positions. By preparing students for self-governance before they arrive on Grounds, the

Students do not necessarily need to be constantly aware of every development that occurs within these organizations, but a baseline level of general awareness would be beneficial.

ful organizations, students are given immense power to shape the University and make their mark. It is essential that students know how to navigate these organizations before they arrive here.

Hopefully, improving student education about these organizations will increase student involvement and also increase student participation in student elections. Generally, voter participation for student elections has been low. Voter participation is likely lacking because

University would ensure that more students become cognizant of the role of these organizations and take the power that they have to make change seriously.

An educated constituency is essential to the success of student self-governance. Students are the constituents of the various sub-governments at the University. In order for governments to be effective, constituents need to be better informed, likely leading to more engaged students. Students do not

necessarily need to be constantly aware of every development that occurs within these organizations, but a baseline level of general awareness would be beneficial. This awareness is especially important because these organizations function using money from the student activities fee paid by all students. For students to be the most effective as members of the University, educating them about what these organizations do is necessary. It is ironic that Thomas Jefferson placed so much emphasis on civic education throughout his life, but his University does not try to educate students about the institutions which govern us. In order to be effective stewards of this University, we must push for a new module to educate new students about these organizations. By doing so, the University administration would ensure students have the knowledge to govern themselves.

JACOB ASCH is an Opinion columnist at The Cavalier Daily. He may be reached at j.asch@cavalierdaily.com.

CIVIL DISCOURSE IS NOT A SILVER BULLET Direct action ought to command respect for its potency

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his school is too enamored with civil discourse.

Open dialogue, the Millian “marketplace of ideas” for which we Enlightened folk froth at the mouth, is an ideal that has been forced into the real world. The “discussion and debate” that President Teresa Sullivan asked for following the shrouding of TJ is by itself lovely — it calls for a blind Lady Justice-like figure with only the notions of right and good tipping the scales. I truly believe in its import, but it is undoubtedly too pure for its own good. Outside this fanciful realm, people tip the scales and create the world around us. Good and right are decided fully by the norms that their actions demarcate.

In light of this, it’s clear how the civil discourse we ostensibly crave fails us. Apathy and passivity are the cruelest enemies we muster against political speech.

When’s the last time you saw even 1,000 people — 5 percent of the student body — at a non-entertainment event here? These agents are aided by proliferating clubs with narrower and narrower interests, so that mustering a significant audience for the marketplace of ideas (speeches, debates, etc.) is almost impossible.

The scant instances I’ve seen — Cornel West, Khizr Khan, Hillary-Trump debates — were filled with people who had already made up their minds about the speakers and their views.

These events shifted perspectives and broadened conceptions for too few. And the failings of

project honest. It functions as a release valve for direct democracy, a way to decode public opinion beyond the one-dimensional support of electoral candidates.

Because of this crucial role, the un-civil discourse — protests, rallies and other forms of victimless political mischief — ought

The real key of protesting, of rallies, of political disobedience, is not to replace civil discourse, but to bolster and humanize it.

discourse and idea sharing is no novelty — the Constitution’s free-speech provision reveals that writers understood civil discourse’s shortcomings, enumerating the freedom to assemble among the first rights of Americans. From Boston’s tea party to Pittsburgh’s steel strikes to Birmingham’s boycotts, the 230-odd year quest for rights and power in America has flowed through uncivil discourse.

In fact, it is this very system of collective cries for justice that keeps the American democratic

to be respected on Grounds, as it has greater power than most of the civil discourse here. Calls for civil discourse and “productive dialogue” ignore their impotency, and misunderstand the purpose of protesting.

A protest, a great one, arrests the attention — this often implies novel or shocking means.

Through the cries of incensed alumni, it’s still clear that the shrouding of the Jefferson statue a month ago fulfilled these two conditions very, very well. It offered the conclusions of a mas-

sive amount of civil discourse in a simple 12-item list of demands, a cry for help. It was never intended to offer the formally-analyzable arguments a philosophy essay would. Instead, it’s an invitation to adopt and further the conclusions if self-evident, or to come listen and consider the premises.

The real key of protesting, of rallies, of political disobedience, is not to replace civil discourse, but to bolster and humanize it.

That gem of ‘civil discourse’ is not to be found on the Rotunda steps, but in the reserved rooms of New Cabell and Monroe, where so many social justice and political advocacy groups meet.

It happens in past-midnight dorm conversations, and during raucous nights on the Corner. It happens in seminars, and throughout interminable labs. It happens through organizations like Sustained Dialogue, PULSE and even in stodgy debating societies. It happens in the city around us, advertised on the boards next to the Chapel and in Alderman. Civil discourse is alive and well at the University, if you open your ears. Protests are for those who do not, in the hopes that they will.

Direct action matches faces to statistics questionable in

a post-truth world. Moreover, in placing movements for all to see, in front of the Rotunda for example, people’s default apathy can be circumvented. Hopefully, it engages new people, outside of the politics-saturated College, whose studies focus on the doing, above the thinking. As we saw in August, clear delineations must be made between protesting for a cause, and acting against involuntary classes of people, with threat and force to harm (one might wonder how a gun-toting student body may change the nature of drunken arguments at the Virginian). But the student-led actions here have not dealt in such virulence. Even when radical, their notions have been considered, their causes just. Mere words, however true, will not be our panacea — assembly is thankfully a vital component of free speech in this country. The rejuvenated spirit of action at the University, paired with the decidedly alive civil discourse, can usher in material change.

COREY RUNKEL is a second-year in the College and a member of the Living Wage Campaign at U.Va.

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HUMOR There isn’t a more hot-button issue right now in America than the debate over the National Anthem and the protests surrounding it. Of course, I decided that the number one thing the country needs at this time is the opinion of a random 18-year-old college student, so here it is: We have to change the National Anthem to “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers.

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THE CAVALIER DAILY

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Thoughts on the National Anthem Now, before you scoff at this suggestion, let me explain.

When writing the poem which eventually led to the song “The Star Spangled Banner,” Francis Scott Key did not make one single reference to anyone “coming out of their cage” or to any single individual “doing just fine.” Key completely failed to comment upon the fact that “jealousy” as a concept is turning saints into the sea, or missed the mark entirely on pointing out that destiny is indeed calling each and every one of us. “Mr. Brightside” manages to complete all of these objectives and more.

Do you know how many Grammys Francis Scott Key was

nominated for? If you guessed zero, then you would be absolutely correct. The Killers, on the other hand, have been nominated for seven. Do we really want to live in a country in which the author of our great anthem was not even recognized by music’s premier award? Of course not.

Additionally, the Killers have won a total of 25 musical awards, including a VMA, an MTVu Woodie Award and a NARM Award. Do you think our old pal Francis Scott has won a NARM? Uh, LOL. I know my argument may seem a bit childish and moronic, but let me quickly paint you a word picture. Imagine you’re

at a major sporting event. The crowd is hyped and you’re relaxed while eating your favorite greasy game day food, but you aren’t quite excited enough for the game. Suddenly, the lights dim. A sea of volunteers unfurl a giant American flag on the field, and the opening guitar riff of Mr. Brightside echoes around the now-silent stadium. There are a few laughs, chuckles and boos: A lot of people have forgotten that the National Anthem was recently changed and most of them do not like it. However, as lead singer Brandon Flowers tears his way through the song’s iconic chorus, there is nothing anyone in the crowd can do except sing along.

As the whole stadium is united in screaming out for someone to open up their eager eyes, you gaze up at the flag and never feel more proud to be an American than at that very moment. This is what can be achieved by changing the anthem. This is what the future of America can be.

I would also settle for “Ignition (Remix)” by R. Kelly.

BENJAMIN MILLER is an Humor columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily.com.

MIRIAM DU PLESSIS | THE CAVALIER DAILY

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

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WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor

PUZZLES

EVENTS Thursday 11/2 UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park UVA Class of 2019 Presents: Third Year Thoughts, 12-4pm, South Lawn Relay for Life Presents: Cancer Survivor Hour, 11pm-12am, The Biltmore Friday 11/3 Swimming & Diving vs. Duke, 11am, AFC Women’s Volleyball vs. Clemson, 7pm, Memorial Gym UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park University Guide Service Presents: Colonnade Ball, 8pm-12am, Old Metropolitan Hall Men’s Ice Hockey vs. NC State, 9pm-12am, Main Street Arena The Fralin Presents: A Symposium on Samuel M. Kootz, 10am1pm, Special Collections Library Flux Presents: Second CUPSI Qualifier Poetry Slam Feat.

HooSits, 7:15-9:30pm, Maury 209 Radio Music Society Presents: PITCH BLACK, 7:30-8:30pm, The Chapel University Singers Presents: Family Weekend Choral Showcase, 8-10pm, Old Cabell Hall UPC Presents: Fall Fest, 9pm1am, Ern Commons Saturday 11/4 Football vs. Georgia Tech, 7pm, Scott Stadium Women’s Volleyball vs. Georgia Tech, 7pm, Memorial Gym The Virginia Gentlemen Present: Fall 2017 Family Weekend Concert, 8-11pm, Old Cabell Hall 26th Annual Fourth Year 5K, 8-11am, South Lawn UVA Class of 2018 Presents: Class Giving Tailgate, 1-3pm, Ruffner Hall Sunday 11/5 Relay for Life Presents: Kendra Scott Fundraiser, 12-3pm, Kendra Scott OFFScreen Presents: I, Daniel Blake Screening, 8-10pm, Newcomb Theatre

Monday 11/6 UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park Relay for Life’s Stick a Fork in Cancer Week: Mezeh, 11am10pm, Mezeh Free Veterans Benefit Clinic, 4-7pm, UVA School of Law Queer Health Talk Presents: Geeta Patel, 7:30-8:30pm, LGBTQ Center ASU Presents: APAthy - A Dialogue on Political Engagement, 6:30-8pm, Multicultural Student Center The Civil War - Black Soldiers and Emancipation, 11am-12:15pm, Miller Center Tuesday 11/7 Relay for Life’s Stick a Fork in Cancer Week: Uncle Maddio’s, 11am-9pm, Uncle Maddio’s UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park HOPE Presents: Southern Smash, 11am-1pm, University of Virginia Hillel Presents: TOC’s Hunger Banquet, 6-8pm, Brody Jewish Center ESC Presents: Jeopardy!, 7-9p, The Biltmore Wednesday 11/8 Relay for Life’s Stick a Fork in Cancer Week: Chipotle, 5-9pm, Chipotle UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park Corner Juice and Tread Happy Present: Gym & Juice (Free Workout!), 5pm, Corner Juice Career Center Presents: Fall 2017 Retail Roundup Sponsored by FIFA, 6-7:30pm, Newcomb Center for Christian Study Presents: Thinking Greek - Women’s Forum, 6-7:30pm, The Stud U.S. Presidents confront the Russians: 1917-2017, 3:30pm, Miller Center Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, 6:30-8pm, OpenGrounds Alumni Association Presents: November Bingo Night, 7-9pm, Alumni Hall

Across 1. "___ before hoes," according to some 5. Table-like land formation 9. The act of making dough rise 11. Abbreviation used to describe first level of something 13. Changed 15. Possibilities of harm, injury 17. Salt / ester of nitric acid 18. Beautiful, innocent, flawless 19. "Oh ___," or word used to start a letter 20. German for "eight" 22. The floor might "be" this in a childhood game 23. "___ as a bug in a rug" 25. This might be stored in a metal cabinet 26. Oracle, psychic 27. Short rest 29. 2016 animated movie about musical animals 31. Classic rock band named for guitarist 33. Burst of unrestrained activity, or round, discshaped candy 34. "A long time ___" 36. Human antagonist of "Stranger Things" Eleven's enemy 39. Home of Taj Mahal 41. VFF special guest ___ Lee 45. "Arms of a Woman" artist ___ Lee 46. Terrible meme "Whose ___ is this?"

47. Stiffly formal 48. Film again 50. Groups, sets of four 53. Remainder, substance left over 54. Types of heron

1

2

3

4

9

5 10

13

15

14

20 23

24 27

21

22

28

26 29

30

32

33 37

34

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40

48

50

49

55. Cause a memory to resurface 56. Opposite of lower 57. Top-level domain name 58. One more than uno Down 1. Disguises, contradicts 2. Weaving material used for chairs 3. Occupy a place in large numbers 4. "Que ___, ___" only the first "will be" 5. Post-Yuan dynasty, or Chinese restaurant on Emmet 6. Friedrich ___ contemporary of Marx 7. Old-fashioned stone slabs often used as gravestones

Y U L E L O G

P E L T I N G

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43

44

51

52

56 57

F R I G A T E

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54 55

B I T E

41 47

53

E N I G M A

35

46

45

G A N G E D

12

16

25

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8

18

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A M I N I C

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36

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C H L I D I O V E R O E S C H P L A L I E O S T S E S E R S

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8. Show up, reach a destination 9. 2016 VFF fan favorite "La La ___" 10. It might be used to catch fish or butterflies 12. Nine-down won five of these 14. Unable to hear 15. Famous victim of unsolved murder "Black ___" 16. They might be found on older cars or TVs 21. Tank for storing water 24. Noise of shock 28. One of the Downtown Mall theaters where VFF events are held 30. Chokes, or ties cloth around one's mouth 32. Invalidated

P R O N G

L A W N

F R W A H U I T S N A L E W S Y D A T C A L O A N E M R A V I P A Y C

33. Sushi relative 35. Keep someone in subservience 36. Last name of "Incredibles" family 37. African or Arabian ruler, chieftain 38. Gang of people, often men 40. Flower of the daisy family, usually purple or pink 42. Furious 43. Children 44. Urgent medical help crews 49. Thor's dad 51. Weird expression to describe anger, suprise 52. Group of three

I C E A G E

C A R B O N

A S S E T S

V E R O N A

I C I N G S

S H E E S H

*SOLUTION FROM LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

THE CAVALIER DAILY

A& E

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Virginia Film Festival mixes old, new Spike Lee headlines long list of highlights

ARTS &

ENTERTAINMENT

Riley Timmer | Staff Writer

Now approaching its 30-year anniversary, the Virginia Film Festival has become a staple within the University community. Taking place on the Downtown Mall as well as on Grounds, the four-day festival is a great way to unify students and community members.

With a history of special guests such as Morgan Freeman, Sandra Bullock and Anthony Hopkins, the VFF has another exciting lineup in store for 2017. Running from Nov. 9 to Nov. 12, there are plenty of opportunities to take in a film or two.

Here’s what — and who — to look out for at this year’s events.

Opening Night Gala: Nov. 9, 9:30 p.m. at the Jefferson Theater Over the course of the festival, there are two 21-and-over parties held at the Jefferson Theater, with one of them being the prestigious Opening Night Gala. While it’s easy to get sticker shock at the $75 ticket fee, the gala will boast a number of appearances by the festival’s visiting stars, as well as catered hors d’oeuvres and live music from Kool Kats Lite. There’s no better way to open the festivities of the week than with a good party, and that’s exactly what the Opening Night Gala pro-

vides.

Spike Lee: Nov. 11, 1:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theater Acclaimed industry stalwart Spike Lee — director and producer of films like “Malcolm X” and “Do the Right Thing” — brings to Charlottesville his unabashed commentary on racial inequalities, accompanied by both a 2014 short film and a 1997 feature film. Unarguably relevant in the wake of the events of Aug. 11 and 12, “4 Little Girls” — the story of the 1963 bomb-related deaths of four black Alabama teens — will be shown. The film will be preceded by a short film about the death of Eric Garner, who died after being held in a chokehold by police.

These two hard-hitting works are unmissable by themselves, and the addition of Lee to the speaking panel creates quite the draw.

“The Long Road Home” (2017): Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m. at the Culbreth Theatre A quality screening that’s closer to Grounds is attainable as well, with an episode of a recent miniseries screened in Culbreth Theatre. Mikko Alanne’s “The Long Road Home” is a depiction of one particular day during the Iraq War in 2004 that came to be known as “Black Sunday.” Featuring “Shameless” actor Noel Fisher in the lead

spot, this transformation of Martha Raddatz’s book hits home emotionally as it alternates between grueling action in Iraq and the families back in the U.S. who are awaiting news of their ambushed soldiers. The sixth episode of the miniseries, “A City Called Heaven,” will be the episode showcased at the festival, followed by a discussion panel with Fisher.

“Bonnie and Clyde” (1967): Nov. 9, 3 p.m. at the Paramount Theater For those attendees looking to get both their vintage and their true crime fix at the festival, “Bonnie and Clyde” fits the bill. The classic story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s crime spree during the Great Depression — critically acclaimed and remembered to this day — celebrates its 50th anniversary at the Paramount. With revered performances by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, the festival presents a great opportunity to watch an all-time great film that masterfully mixes romance, crime and violence.

Asst. Media Studies Prof. William Little will give an introduction before the film, which will be screened in rare 4K resolution.

“O.J.: Made in America” (2016) Parts 1 and 2: Nov. 9, 4 p.m. at the Violet Crown Parts 3 and 4: Nov. 10, 4 p.m. at the Violet Crown

COURTESY VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL

This year the Virginia Film Festival has many special guests and limited screenings.

Part 5: Nov. 11, 7 p.m. at the Vinegar Hill Theatre Following in the vein of the recent revisiting of the O.J. Simpson trial and aftermath, “O.J.: Made in America” takes a documentarian approach to the 1994 case of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder. Looking at Simpson’s rise to fame — one that was contradictory to the racial boundaries of the time — gives the backstory to

perhaps the most-watched trial of the last century. All five parts of the miniseries will be screened Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the festival. Director Ezra Edelman will participate in a moderated discussion Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at the conclusion of Part 5.

‘Stranger Things’ makes stellar return Second series of Netflix series lives up to high expectations Emily Hamilton | Staff Writer It seems that ever since the second season of “Stranger Things” was released Oct. 27, somebody brings it up in conversation every day. Is this unusual popularity of a Netflix series all because of an undue bandwagon effect, or is “Stranger Things” a show that is likable enough to stand on its own? As the excellent, entertaining second season has proven, the latter is true.

“Stranger Things” is a show unlike any other sci-fi series, with a unique, difficult-to-explain premise. The special effects, superior acting, goosebumps-evoking soundtrack and personable characters prove the show deserves all the critical acclaim it has received for both seasons.

The well-balanced combination of an ongoing conflict — the creatures of the Upside Down — and the various relationships between characters are what makes this season so entrancing. Season one set up the chance for viewers

to form their opinions about who belongs with whom. Season two takes the previously established relationships further — as the characters are already well-developed — — and introduces a few new relationships as well.

A more notable addition is the character of super-talented gamer-girl Max (Sadie Sink) to the core group of middle-school nerds. Initially, it seems as if she is going to replace Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), which viewers soon realize is impossible. Eleven’s absence is felt by both the characters in the show and those watching at home. Although she still plays a large role in the show, she is a minor character, living in a cabin with Hopper (David Harbour).

Max is neither as likable nas nor as special as Eleven, and her character is a bit underwhelming.

She lacks the spunk that she gives off in the first episode, although her partially subdued character

could be attributed to the violent tendencies of her stepbrother Billy (Dacre Montgomery). Mike (Finn Wolfhard) finds it especially hard to accept her into the party and continually disses her presence so she never truly seems like a member of the group.

The underlying themes of identity and home are relevant in every episode this season this season. Eleven struggles with discovering her identity and true home, as she spent most of her life as a test subject in isolation.

She successfully searches for her mother and “sister” but ultimately realizes her true home lies with Hopper and her friends back in Hawkins.

Eleven’s dark yet temporary change in character from innocent little girl to tough gang member in the seventh ethe seventh episodeis an important step in her journey of discovery and immersion into society. Although many people have done wrong to

her, she realizes she does not need to seek fulfillment with revenge.

This is especially evident when she has the opportunity to kill an ex-member of the Hawkins lab who harmed both her and her mother, but instead empathizes with him. Throughout season two, Eleven essentially comes of age. Despite a few tantrums, she shows more maturityity than in season one, and she eventually finds the fulfillment she’s been seeking in her relationships with other people.

The elusive and omnipotent monsters of the Upside Down are still present in season two, and the connection between them and the humans is easier to make than in the first season. Season one leaves a lot to the imagination regarding how the creatures have such a strong effect on Will (Noah Schnapp) and the people of Hawkins. However, since Will experiences his struggle with the monsters in Hawkins instead of

in the Upside Down, viewers can see what is really going on.

The role of the creatures is stronger because the most powerful one uses Will as a host and makes him a “spy,” creating a possessed version of Will. Similar to season one, the Hawkins Lab is still shrouded in mystery. Viewers are left wondering what their intentions are and how trustworthy they can be. As the show progresses, the scientists turn into more of allies than enemies, but much is still left unsaid.

Season two of “Stranger Things” does not disappoint.

Fans of the show will be pleased with the progression of the story, and viewers will finish the show eager for season three to be released. “Stranger Things” seems to get stranger and stranger, living up to its name more with every episode, yet the show never loses its heart or humanity.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

H&S

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Lecturer creates digital map of Nazi ghetto

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Geographic mapping technology displays specific locations of Holocaust victims Anna Christou | Staff Writer

Waitman Beorn, a lecturer in the Corcoran Department of History, has taken “a picture is worth a thousand words” to a new level. Specializing his studies on the Holocaust and Eastern Europe, Beorn undertook a digital humanities project to create an interactive map of the Lviv ghetto and Janowska concentration camp to analyze trends from this time.

The Janowska concentration camp was a Nazi camp established in Poland outside of what is now Lviv, Ukraine.

According to Beorn, the concentration camp was a hybrid, serving as a transit camp, an extermination center and a slave labor camp. Beorn initially started studying the concentration camp alone, but then realized the importance of also covering the Lviv ghetto, one of the many ghettos that the Nazis established in order to segregate Jews.

Beorn obtained a list of 18,000 names of people who lived in the ghetto from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The list contained a variety of information about the ghetto’s residents, including their names, birth dates, addresses, genders and jobs.

Beorn next reached out to Andrew Macqueen and Chris Gist in the Alderman Library Scholars Lab. Macqueen and Gist are specialists in geographic information system technology, which can be used to map data and visualize trends. Gist described GIS as working in a similar way to Google Maps.

“If you’ve ever used Google Maps, you can type in an address and it’ll zoom into a location,” Gist said.

According to Gist, Google Maps works with a top-down approach, in which the system tries to determine the exact location using address points entered into the system.

“If it doesn’t have an exact location, what it will then do is determine a range,” Gist said. “So, a street may have a range of addresses from one to nine on the left side and two to 10 on the right side. And so, if the address is five, it’s going to determine based on the length of that street, where on the road that address is.”

According to Macqueen, Beorn had a spreadsheet of addresses of workers and wanted to determine their location using GIS. Macqeen and Gist completed an initial pilot project

with a single street and concluded that it was possible to get an idea of the location of the addresses. They then worked with the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe in Lviv to get data on the historical streets found in Beorn’s list. This data was used to code on the ground where the people lived.

For example, Beorn found a German map, depicting a plan of how officials would move Jews out of the town and into the ghetto. He then overlaid this map with the data he obtained from the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. “Then we can do a cluster analysis which is using this heat map … [It] shows us where people are clustered, [in other words], the density,” Beorn said.

According to Beorn, users can click on a point on the cluster map and see how many people were living in that location and also view information about a person, including name, address and occupation.

Beorn said that the next step would be to manipulate this data by searching and adding filters. For example, he said he could search by employer or

overlay important buildings — such as the work office or administration building — on the GIS and determine how long it would take someone to get to one of these locations.

According to Beorn, the ability to visualize the data in different ways often generates new questions.

“You can say … Can this person actually make it to a marketplace to buy food in the two hours that they’re given to leave the house? If not, how are they getting food?” Beorn said.

Beorn emphasized the team-oriented nature of his project. He currently has two undergraduate research assistants on his team — second-year College student Matt Poliakoff and third-year College student Ryan Wolfe.

Poliakoff and Wolfe are working on entering information into GIS, such as when deportations happened or when the ghetto opened.

“Hopefully, by the end, the result will be a pretty big interactive map that you can click through and ... See a lot of historical events that occurred throughout this region,” Poliakoff said.

According to Poliakoff and Wolfe, they will be working on the GIS for

the next year, expanding on the initial data sets and adding in more specific information.

In January, Beorn, Poliakoff and Wolfe will travel to Washington, D.C. to visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The group will look through the museum’s archives and analyze documents. Over spring break they will also travel to Lviv, Ukraine. According to Beorn, in Lviv, the team will coordinate with Center for Urban History to go through local archives, reading and interpreting documents and visiting the ghetto again.

Beorn said that one of the things he hopes to get out of the trip — besides gaining a greater insight into primary documents for the projects — is mentoring students in a real-world context.

“This kind of work is a great way to integrate people who are learning the content, but [are] also able to do something,” Beorn said.

Student recognized with national STEM award Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Award presented for physics, computer science achievements Cecily Wolfe | Staff Writer Fouth-year College student Steven Stetzler recently received an award of $10,000 from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit started by the surviving Mercury 7 astronauts and dedicated to encouraging talented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Majoring in physics and computer science, Stetzler started working in Asst. Physics Prof.

Utpal Chatterjee’s lab focusing on condensed matter research beginning his second year. Stetzler’s research included building pieces of equipment to examine the role of temperature on the resistance of materials.

“I was always really into computers as a kid,” Stetzler said. “I just liked tinkering with my own computer and messing around with it, but I didn’t actually know that I wanted to do computer science until I took CS 1110 … I just loved programming so much, and that’s when I decided maybe I’ll do computer science.”

Stetzler underwentStetzl underwent a thorough application process

involving a personal statement with current research and future goals, letters of recommendation from multiplemultiple physics department professors and a review by a University selection committee.

Kathryn Thornton, director of the aerospace engineering program and the liaison between the University and the ASF, then forwarded Stetzler’s nomination to the ASF. “Steven has been involved in research almost since he got here,” Thornton said. “He is a terrific student and terrific candidate.”

A former astronaut and an inductee into the Astronaut’s Hall of Fame, Thornton encouraged a partnership between the University and the ASF. TheedF. The Foundation recognized curious students that probe the frontiers of science and technology.

As part of the award, Stetzler attended a gala in Washington, D.C., where he and students from 40 other participating institutions nationwide had the opportunity to network with firms in STEM fields.

“The research that these students are doing is going to change the di-

rection we are going in the future,” ASF Scholarship Program Director Nicole Russ saidNicole Russ said.

“There are scholars who have grown up and are actually working out there and are actually making a difference.”

Though Stetzler has a promising career ahead of him, expressing aspirations for a doctorate in physics and internships at national laboratories, he also identified an understanding for fully enjoying the work.

“Basically the entire summer [when I worked at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory], I got to do what I really like doing — which is programming and writing scripts and analyzing data,” Stetzler said. “The work environment is so relaxed and so nice, and you have the opportunity to just learn so much about radio astronomy, [and] everybody would just stand around and chat and drink coffee.”

According to Stetzler, taking the time to appreciate the beauty inherent in science is just as important as the research itself.

“Everybody should take a mo-

ment and gain some cosmic perspective,” Stetzler said. “Look at the stars and realize that we are really small and insignificant — and that noth-

ing matters — but we can still enjoy life and we can still learn about the universe.”

COURTESY STEVEN STETZLER

Majoring in both physics and computer science, fourth-year Steven Stetzler started working in Asst. Prof. Chatterjee’s lab during his second year.

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