Monday, November 27, 2017 by The Cavalier Daily

The Cavalier Daily Vol. 128, Issue 14

Monday, November 27, 2017

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | GRAPHIC BY LUCAS HALSE AND AMBER LIU | THE CAVALIER DAILY

president-elect ryan first impressions By Abby Clukey

PAGE 9

NEW RATES RELEASED FLOORPLANS GOING FAST fL AT S AT W E S T viL L Ag E .com • T E XT F L AT S L IF E TO 4 7 4 6 4 F Or In F O • 4 3 4 -8 8 5 -1 2 8 7 • 8 5 2 W E S T M A I n S T r E E T, S uI T E 100, C h A r L O T T E S vIL L E , vA 22903

THE CAVALIER DAILY

THIS WEEK IN-BRIEF A short rundown of what you need to know from this past week

NEWS

Hailey Ross | News Editor

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20 City Council considers creation of an independent police citizen’s review board The Charlottesville City Council debated the creation of an independent police citizen review board Nov. 20 as a means of holding the Charlottesville Police Department accountable to citizen concerns and building relationships within the community. Since 2008, a Police Citizen’s Advisory Panel has existed in Charlottesville in order to aid the chief of police and city manager in “building positive citizen relationships, encouraging widespread police and citizen engagement.” However, the effectiveness of the panel has come into question and has been criticized by speakers at recent council meetings since the violent white nationalist events of Aug. 11 and 12 in Charlottesville. Speakers at past meetings have claimed the management of police personnel was insufficient in preventing violence between

“Unite the Right” demonstrators on Aug. 12 and counter-protesters. Although the exact details of a citizen review board are currently subject to further Council deliberation, it would differ from the panel in that it would be an independent body separate from both the Charlottesville Police Department and Council and would be a citizen-led body, though its bylaws would still be subject to Council approval. At last Monday’s meeting, Assistant City Manager Mike Murphy presented the recommendations of city staff concerning the formation of a citizen review board to the Council. David Simmons, current chair of the advisory panel, along with members Tara Hodges and Heather Walker, also addressed the Council in order to answer questions about the panel’s proposal regarding the potential es-

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23

tablishment of a citizen review board. The advisory panel’s proposal stated that it has been unable to effectively operate because Council has not provided it with sufficient resources and the panel opposed the creation of a citizen review board. Simmons said the Council was responsible for any failures of the current advisory panel. In response to a question from Councilor Bob Fenwick concerning the merits of reforming the advisory panel, Simmons said that it could improve if Council provided the appropriate resources. Councilor Kristin Szakos said she was unwilling to accept the proposal of the advisory panel due to a lack of information about the specifics of either a reformed advisory panel or a citizen review board. Szakos also said that further com-

munity engagement was necessary before a final decision could be made on the matter. Councilor Kathy Galvin said that an alternative to the current advisory panel was essential but that the establishment of a task force to examine the implications of a citizen review board was necessary before moving forward. Vice Mayor Wes Bellamy opposed Galvin’s notion of a pre-citizen review board task-force as he said it would infringe upon the independent status of the board. He also emphasized that the board should be free from Council influence in terms of policy development. Without prior knowledge of the other Council members, Bellamy and Galvin introduced a resolution to “dissolve the existing police advisory panel and to create a citizen’s review board with representatives from the commu-

nity appointed by the Council based on an open application process for all community members.” Based on concerns of structuring a citizen review board earlier expressed by Galvin, Mayor Mike Signer proposed an amendment to the resolution which would establish an “initial citizen review board” to allow for its development after it is established. Szakos also proposed an amendment which would increase the implementation time of the board from three to six months to allow the appointed members greater flexibility in designing the board’s potential bylaws. After continued deliberation, the Council decided to postpone a vote on the amended resolution to the next Council meeting in order to allow for the administrative details to be further developed and discussed.

UVA’s Shipping Headquarters

HOOliday Dining, Thanksgiving Meal Match gives dinners to students staying on Grounds Although many students returned home for Thanksgiving break, others stayed on Grounds for the holiday. HOOliday Dining is a joint initiative run by the Student Council, Multicultural Student Services and the International Residential College that provided dining options for those staying on Grounds over the break. A catered meal was available for current students at the International Residential College on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the break, provided by Milan Indian Restaurant, Afghan Kabob Palace and Yuan Ho Chinese restaurant, respectively. Between 50-75 students were expected to attend. Sandra Seidel, director of studies for the International Residential College, has been partaking in HOOliday dining for the past four years. Seidel said it is important to ensure students left on Grounds are cared for and are not left on their own. “It is important for there to be fellowship and dining for those students who can’t go home and are not invited by their roommates to join in a family holiday celebration. It is the right thing to do!” Seidel said in an email. Another venture offered at the Lorna Sundberg International Center

was the Thanksgiving Meal Match. In contrast to the HOOliday dining, which provided a more international cuisine, the Thanksgiving Meal Match allowed students who stayed on Grounds over the break a chance to spend the Thursday with a host family. The adoption program was first established in 1983 and over the past 10 years has become a more formal process. The students had to fill in an online form and were matched with a volunteer family, which might have been a faculty member. Quynh Nguyen, the program coordinator of the Lorna Sundberg International Center, matched all the students to the host families and said the program offers a great cross-cultural experience. This year around 62 students signed up and in previous years there have been around 100 students. Many host families and students re-apply every year. “We’ve had some families who’ve hosted every single year, or multiple times, because they really enjoy that experience,” Nguyen said. “It becomes their family tradition to invite an international student for the meal.”

We Pack Everything. We Ship Everywhere.

(434) 529-6563 ship@mailboxexpresscville.com

Mon.- Fri. 9am-6pm Sat. 10am-2pm 435 Merchant Walk Square, Suite 300 Charlottesville, VA 22902

Faxing Notary Public Copying Laminating Shredding Professional Packing Specialty Boxes International & Domestic Shipping

MAILBOX EXPRESS www.mailboxexpresscville.com

www.cavalierdaily.com • NEWS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Lawn room selection determined by randomized list For some future residents, proximity to restroom and friends as well as historical significance are factors in room preference Hannah Gavin | Senior Writer Living in Jefferson’s Academical Village is one of the most honored traditions at the University with notable former residents including Edgar Allan Poe, Woodrow Wilson and Katie Couric. Once undergraduate students are selected to live on the Lawn and graduate students are selected to live on the Range, a process of room selection follows. Eight rooms on the Lawn are reserved or endowed by various organizations, leaving 47 rooms for Lawn residents to choose from. Names are randomly generated into a list, which determines the order residents select their rooms. Students are offered a brief period where they are able to switch rooms with other residents if they so choose. Certain rooms on the Range are filled quickly, such as Poe and Wilson’s former rooms on the West Range, and the Crackerbox two-person bedroom behind Hotel F. Lawn and Range students both have to decide if they would prefer a room on the West or East side of the Lawn. “There is this idea that each side has a different vibe,” said Raquel Talbott, a fourth-year College student and Lawn resident. “But in

reality, I knew I would be fine with other side because I was given the chance to live in a Lawn room.” As for Range rooms, future residents decide if they want to live on the West Range along McCormick Road or on the East Range facing the University Hospital. “The choices I made were I wanted to be on the East Range because it’s quieter and not on McCormick,” said Patrick Leugers, a Law student and Range resident. “We have our own little gardens instead of a bus stop.” Some Lawn residents try to live in the same room their friends lived in the previous year. “It worked out quite well for me because my friend lived in the room I’m currently in before,” said Chuck Siegel, a fourth-year College student and Lawn resident. Proximity to restrooms is also priority for many Lawn and Range residents alike. “I tried to get as close to the bathroom as possible, which I kind of did,” Talbott said. “So that’s something people might consider.” Leugers also said he wanted a room close to a bathroom. Ryan Neice, an Engineering

graduate student and Range resident, said he wanted to live on the Range in order to experience the University outside of his specific academic program. “I know that I would get a better experience at the University and get to meet a lot of people outside outside my major,” Neice said. “Sometimes as grad students, you don’t really get a university experience — you’re living off Grounds at some apartment and you’re only communicating with people in your major.” Leugers also said he has enjoyed living on the Range because it has allowed him to form friendships with students from other schools at the University. “In law school, you’re really segregated up in North Grounds,” Leugers said. “I’ve gotten a real diverse group of friends I wouldn’t have had if I had lived up in North Grounds.” Undergraduate students in their last year of studies are eligible to apply to live on the Lawn. The application is due Jan. 3 and includes essays about students’ involvements on Grounds and information about their academic record and interests. The application to live on the Range is available to full-time, de-

gree-seeking graduate students at the University and has not yet been released for the 2018-19 academic year. The Range selection process includes open-house events held in the

spring semester where applicants are able to meet and interact with current residents.

DANNY BASS | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Eight rooms on the Lawn are reserved or endowed by various organizations.

ISC formal recruitment surpasses 1,000 new members ISC president, vice president of recruitment cite recent improvements to accessibility Geremia Di Maro | Associate News Editor Formal recruitment numbers for sororities associated with the the University’s Inter-Sorority Council have exceeded 1,000 new members this semester for the first time since 2009, according to ISC leaders. Fourth year-College students Rory Finnegan and Brittany Bolick — ISC president and vice president of recruitment, respectively — said in an email to The Cavalier Daily that “the ISC has typically seen between 800 and 1000 women register for Recruitment.” Finnegan and Bolick said that the application deadline for formal recruitment has been extended as well but not as a result of any recent changes in recruitment numbers. “The registration deadline was indeed extended, and we are planning to extend it one more time during the Thanksgiving break,” Finnegan and Bolick said. “However, the reason behind this has nothing to do with numbers.” Finnegan and Bolick also said that the main reason for extending the application deadline is to increase the ISC’s outreach and accessibility to

women within the University community and that such efforts have resulted in increased recruitment. “One of the ISC’s goals in the past year has been to increase our acces-

sibility on Grounds,” they said. “The reason we’ve continued to extend registration deadlines, is to ensure that all women who want to participate in Formal Recruitment have at least

COURTESY SARAH CRAIN

Sorority members line Nameless Field to welcome their new members.

heard that it’s an option. The ISC has been working hard to make sure that as many women as possible know about Formal Recruitment, and we really think that’s reflected in our increased numbers this year.” According to Finnegan and Bolick, the price of formal recruitment has also decreased from $50 last year to $40 this year as a further effort increase the accessibility of the ISC. The fee to register is decreasing over the years, as it was between $75 to $100 in 2014 depending on when registrants signed up. “The reasoning behind the price drop relates to our goal of accessibility,” they said. “While the ISC can’t do anything to change the price of dues set by each chapter’s national headquarters, we can make participating in the Recruitment process more accessible, hence our decision to lower the price of registration.” “The ISC’s recruitment executive team set the price of registration very early in the year (before registration is even opened, and certainly before we have a read on how we’re doing numbers-wise),” they added.

They said that the recruitment fee is used to cover operational costs of the recruiting process. Finnegan and Bolick also speculated that the price decrease would cause more people to register for formal recruitment but said that there was no data to support such a conclusion yet. There is no way of knowing if there is a correlation between the increase in women registered and the decrease in registration price,” they added. Finnegan and Bolick said that some fluctuation in the number of new recruits per year is normal and cited potential causes of variation in recent years. “After the Rolling Stone article was released in 2014, the drop in women registering for Recruitment could certainly be expected,” they said. “Pledge class sizes from years prior would not affect the number of women registering this year, and last year’s pledge class sizes were not remarkably small — the only year they are smaller than is the 2015 pledge class size, which was an anomaly.”

THE CAVALIER DAILY

NEWS • www.cavalierdaily.com

English Prof. John Casey accused of sexual harassment U.Va. opens Title IX investigation into allegations Anna Higgins | News Editor The University has opened a Title IX investigation after two former students have come forward and filed complaints about English Prof. John Casey, who they claim committed various forms of sexual and gender-based harassment when they were students at the University. Emma Eisenberg, a 2014 University graduate, filed a complaint against Casey earlier this month, and the University’s Title IX office has since initiated an investigation into her complaint, according to a notice Eisenberg received from the University on Nov. 20. Eisenberg studied in the Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at the University from 2012 to 2014 and publicized the filing of her complaint on Twitter. According to the notice of investigation — a copy of which Eisenberg provided to The Cavalier Daily — her complaint alleged that Casey “repeatedly touched [her] and other female MFA fiction students on [their] shoulders,

buttocks, and lower backs and made sexual and gender-based comments.” These comments included referring to women and characters in a story about his life as “c—ts,” commenting on the appearances and sexual attractiveness of female authors and students and calling female students “hysterical.” Eisenberg’s complaint said the reported incidents happened between 2012 and 2014. Eisenberg’s complaint also alleged that Casey provided significantly more attention to male students in both teaching and advising. The University’s notice also referenced another woman who filed a complaint shortly after Eisenberg and claimed that Casey “repeatedly made comments about her looks, outfits and sex appeal.” This is alleged to have taken place from 2009 to 2010 while she was earning her MFA in Creative Writing. Her allegations are included in the investigation into Eisenberg’s claims.

Casey declined a request for comment, only saying via email that “the matter is currently sub judice” — a term used to describe something that is yet to be decided in a judicial proceeding. University Spokesperson Anthony de Bruyn said in an email that “The University takes seriously any report of sexual harassment and is investigating this matter in accordance with its applicable policy and procedures.” Eisenberg said the sexual assault and harassment allegations made against prominent men nationwide inspired her to speak out and file the complaint against Casey. “It had always bugged me, in my gut I knew there was something wrong about those experiences, but it was so openly talked about within the program that I figured I was over-reacting,” Eisenberg said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “Seeing this recent flood of women coming forward confirmed what I had always known — his behavior

was problematic and inappropriate.” Numerous female MFA graduates have reached out to Eisenberg via Twitter and Facebook after she announced her complaint. Some offered words of support while others shared similar experiences. Holly LeCraw, an author who knew Casey during her time at Sewanee: The University of the South, tweeted that she was “not shocked at all” by the allegations. Eisenberg also said that two female MFA students raised concerns about Casey to the English Department in 2000. One of the women did not respond to requests for comment by press time. Casey has taught at the University since the 1970s and has written eight books, one of which won a National Book Award in 1998. Colleagues have previously revered Casey for reading students’ manuscripts and helping to connect them with agents and editors. The University’s Title IX office appointed Title IX investigator

Paul Apicella and LaTosha Barnes, an Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights specialist, to look into Eisenberg’s case. The notice of investigation said the Title IX office aims to finish investigations and resolutions within 60 days, meaning by Jan. 19, 2018. Apicella and Barnes did not respond to requests for comment by press time. According to the notice of investigation, a review panel will assume Casey is innocent until proven guilty, but will look at whether it is more likely than not that Casey violated the the University’s Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment Policy (PADH), the policy in use in 2012 and 2014 when the reported incidents happened. “It is appropriate for Professor Casey to be held accountable for his actions, but exactly how is up to the University,” Eisenberg said. “I hope that the result of this complaint is only that he is no longer actively teaching students.”

Students denounce ‘UVA White Student Union’ page Facebook page mirrors white supremacist pages from 2015, is not affiliated with U.Va. Anna Higgins | News Editor A Facebook page entitled “UVA White Student Union” appeared last Friday and has drawn student backlash on social media. It is currently unclear who exactly is running the Facebook page, but it appears to be similar to hoax pages that were created in 2015 by white supremacists who attempted to “troll” over 30 colleges and universities. Although the page claims affiliation to the University of Virginia, those who have commented support on its posts do not appear to be University students and some of the accounts appear to hold white nationalist affiliations. The page claims to “unapologetically provide a safe space for white students” and says “the desecration of European-American monuments” inspired its creation. The majority of the text in one post on the page appears to be nearly identical to Facebook posts made two years ago by pages at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Cincinnati and Pennsylvania State University. University Deputy Spokesperson Matt Charles said the owner of the page is likely not a Uni-

versity community member. He said similar pages have popped up at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. “We are aware some U.Va. community members have seen this Facebook page and have found it highly distressing,” Charles said. “These social media posts do not reflect the views and values of the University of Virginia.” Charles also said the University is “currently assessing the matter to explore options to address it.” The Facebook page declined a request for comment, but claimed in a post Sunday evening that it is “absolutely a UVA student group.” The page appears to be paying for sponsored advertisements to target University students. According to Katie Brandon, a Batten student and Student Council’s Director of University Relations, there is no registered Contracted Independent Organization for a White Student Union. “The so-called U.Va. White Student Union is not an active CIO, nor have they submitted an application for CIO status,” Brandon said in an email to

The Cavalier Daily. “CIOs must be student-run and include anti-discrimination provisions in their constitutions.” The group also does not follow CIO social media requirements. CIOs are not allowed to use “U.Va.” at the beginning of a name or Rotunda imagery on social media, Brandon said. The page screenshotted and shared a post from 2016 University graduate Mariatu Hamid Mansaray, who had made a status denouncing the page. In response to Mansaray’s post, the White Student Union wrote, “This person came here from Sierra Leone in Africa. Why do our universities encourage these kinds of people to come here, take from the prosperity we’ve created and hate us for it?” Mansaray said the page itself made her angry considering the violent events of Aug. 11 and 12, but that she thought the post directed at her demonstrated how strong some white supremacist and racist sentiments are on the internet. “I honestly, in that moment, laughed because of how … the response that they gave me was just so sad,” Mansaray said. “I knew

what they were doing, they wanted people on the page to target me and that’s what happened, people went after me.” Mansaray said the post did not affect her personally or emotionally, but that she wanted to use the post as a teaching moment. “I feel like if this was a few years ago, yes I would have found it scary, but I think it’s kind of sad that I’ve come to desensitize myself to things like this,” she said. “It could be scary to other people and I feel for those people and I want people to see that this is the reality.” Mansaray said her goal is for her Facebook friends and others on the internet to take steps to take more action against white supremacy through expressing opinions online. “People always say, ‘Oh, it’s just the internet,’ but it’s not just the internet. People that you interact with are saying these things on the internet and they feel this way about you in real life,” Mansaray said. “That’s why I take these things seriously.” Graduate Education student Shaw Driggers said he saw the page when one of his friends

shared it. After looking through the posts, he began to make statuses advocating for his Facebook friends to report the page and try to shut it down. “It’s so congruent with the white nationalism movement, and white supremacy and there’s obviously nothing good that could come out of it,” Driggers said. “And there was nothing good that could come out of it up to that point.” Driggers said he chose not to block the page out of a desire to keep tabs on it and to be aware of what they are posting. He recounted a Twitter conversation he saw that advised readers not to share posts from white supremacist pages in an effort to not give those pages “more ground.” “I didn’t block them though because I think that’s the most important thing is that you still need to keep an eye on it to see if they do any sort of more outrageous stuff,” Driggers said. “You should talk about it but you don’t need to necessarily spread that word specifically.”

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Embrace the hygge at U.Va. How a Danish way of life will help get you through the end of the semester

LIFE

Lucinda Manning | Columnist

Winter has well and truly hit. Shorts have been replaced with leggings, and the days of getting sweaty on the way to class have been replaced with having hot flashes when you come into the heated classrooms from the freezing cold. At a time when the days are suddenly shorter and when 6 p.m. feels like midnight, the mountain of work and proximity to finals can all seem too much. A solution to this can be found in the Danish lifestyle trend of hygge — a therapeutic and gentle way of life that will make this winter immeasurably more bearable. Hygge is a Danish word used to describe a feeling of cosiness, contentment and well-being. Em-

bracing a hygge lifestyle means indulging in things that make you feel happy, content and calm. Sounding appealing? Well yes, it is. And what’s more, it’s not expensive, time-consuming or isolating. So are you feeling tired, stressed, run down or generally fed-up? If so, read on and take a few tips from the Scandinavians, who are supposedly the “happiest people in the world.” For a minute, ignore the people telling you to become more organized, get up earlier, stay in the library later, eat less and worker harder. Instead, take a breath — even if it is only long enough to read just a few tips on how to hygge at your own house. First, invest in candles. Lots of them. It doesn’t matter wheth-

er they are scented or unscented, make an effort to buy some candles and set them up when you are reading, working or just sitting around chatting. They make the perfect hygge setting, and will make you feel warmer, cozier and more relaxed in whatever it is that you’re doing. Second, put on some sweatpants. Yes, really! Soft and comfy clothes are essential to a hygge lifestyle. After a day of class and sitting uncomfortably in the library, going home and changing into your softest, cosiest clothes is crucial to fully relaxing and switching off. Everything from cashmere sweaters to fluffy socks will help your mind and body to fully switch off. The next thing is easy to do and equally as easy to take for grant-

ed — appreciate and spend time with your friends. Organize a dinner party for you and your friends to laugh, drink and soak in each other’s company — without your phones. Friends are very important for hygge, and taking advantage of social occasions without being on your phone is a core element of embracing and making the most of the company that you value. Relaxing “properly” is a big part of this Danish lifestyle. One evening, swap Netflix for an evening on your couch with a soft blanket, warm socks, some herbal tea and a novel. All of these will make your relaxation more mindful and effective. Finally, take the time to cook something simple and delicious.

Warming and comforting foods are a key part of hygge. Organize a time with your roommates to exclusively devote to cooking a meal and take comfort in the time and effort that goes into it, rather than thinking about everything that you need to do. To practice hygge properly, think about making something warm and indulgent — like a stew or a lasagne — for you and your friends to share and eat together. You don’t have to be on a year abroad in Copenhagen to embrace hygge — you can do it right here. So, if you, like me, are feeling a bit worse-for-wear, put on your cosiest sweatpants, sit with a friend with some candles lit and drink a cup of tea or a hot chocolate. You’re practicing hygge. I told you it was easy.

Friends can make Thanksgiving dinner, too A potluck-style take on the traditional holiday Emily Kalafian | Food Columnist Thanksgiving means being surrounded by my family and devouring delicious food until I am completely stuffed. But no matter how you chose to celebrate Thanksgiving, by the time Thanksgiving Day actually rolls around, you likely already celebrated a Friendsgiving or two — maybe, even, you’re still celebrating it. Friendsgiving is an increasingly popular trend these days and is a wonderful way to share your favorite parts of the Thanksgiving meal with your friends. As humans, we bond with others over food. Having a Friendsgiving dinner not only allows us to share our traditions with our friends, but also strengthens those friendships as we spend time enjoying a meal together. Friendsgiving is also fantastic because you get to eat some really good food. Most Friendsgiving dinners are structured around what we’ve come to know as the “traditional” Thanksgiving meal — turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, rolls, pumpkin pie and so on. However, since the Thanksgiving meal looks different for different people and families, your Friendsgiving might look — and taste — different as well. Part of the beauty of Friendsgiving is that everyone brings a different dish to the meal. It could be a secret family recipe passed down through generations or even just a good, old classic picked up from the local Wegmans and heated up in the microwave — we’ll still eat it. This year, my housemates and I had a Friendsgiving dinner together.

None of us wanted to attempt cooking a turkey, so we picked up some rotisserie chicken instead. We each made our favorite side dish and then piled our plates with stuffing, roasted veggies, ham biscuits, macaroni and cheese and pumpkin cheesecake. For me and my housemates, our Friendsgiving was a genuinely lovely evening. We lit some candles and enjoyed our delicious feast while catching up with one another. In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, we also shared some of the things we are grateful for. In the midst of the stress of school, work and life that we are continually surrounded by as students, it was nice to take a moment to relax and reflect on all of the things we have to be thankful for. I often take for granted simple things like the fact that I have the opportunity to study and learn at such a prestigious university, that I have a place to live, that I have food to eat and that I have friends who care about me. While the Thanksgiving season can be a fun time filled with good food and special traditions, it is, first and foremost, a time to reflect on our lives and remember gratitude. I am truly grateful that I was able to share a Friendsgiving with my housemates because it was an evening that we were all excited about and could bond over. I am also grateful that we were able to talk about some of the things we are grateful for because that brings you closer than good food ever can.

COURTESY EMILY KALAFIAN

Friendsgiving is a wonderful way to share y0ur favorite parts of the Thaksgiving meal with your friends.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

LIFE • www.cavalierdaily.com

Professor Profile: Paul Freedman Changing national attitudes provide content for exploration Natalie Seo | Feature Writer Among the numerous accomplished professors at the University, there is a certain professor with a particular passion for politics. Associate professor and associate chair for the Department of Politics, Paul Freedman is someone who has extensively explored the connections between politics and the media through his contributions to various journals and his research. Freedman first became intrigued by the relationship between media and politics when he considered how public opinion is formed. “If you’re interested in where people’s issue positions come from, where their ideological orientation comes from [and] how it’s shaped — then pretty quickly you find yourself paying attention to media messages and what sources of information and views people are exposed [to],” Freedman said. The professor drew an analogy between media consumption and diets. “You consume news and information everyday — think about where it comes from,” Freedman said. “How did it get to you? Is it

nutritious? Is it empty calories?” Freedman’s view on the media and politics has pushed his students to view the media from a different perspective in his class, “Mass Media and American Politics.” “I think [Freedman’s class is] a class most people should take,” fourth-year College student Brent Reutter said. “It’s a really good insight into the news media and how news is collected and sold to us that lots of people don’t know about.” Freedman continues to find the study of the media and politics enjoyable due to the constant changes occurring in the political world. “Every semester, someone from outside the University will say to me, ‘Oh, it must be an exciting time to teach media and politics,’” Freedman said. “But the truth is, that’s true every semester … Something is always happening that makes for a really fascinating case study or fascinating store of illustrative examples.” Freedman’s energy for media and politics is evident in his lectures. “He’s a good teacher; [he has]

great energy,” Daniel Davis, one of Freedman’s teaching assistants, said. “He’s very interested in media, and I think it comes across a lot in lecture.” Due to the current relationship between media and politics — specifically, President Donald Trump’s communication with the public through Twitter — Freedman has shifted the focus of his own work. Freedman previously focused on political media through television, but has now begun to delve deeper into the role of Twitter and American politics. “It is fascinating to teach about media and politics while we have a president who really is using media in new ways,” Freedman said. In addition to his job as a professor, Freedman has been an election analyst for ABC News since 2000. The professor works with a group of other analysts to make election projections.] As an election analyst, Freedman looks at data from sources like exit polls and the Associated Press. After analyzing this data, Freedman said he and his team must be suffi-

ciently confident to project that a particular candidate has won a particular race. During Freedman’s first year as an analyst — which was during the 2000 Presidential Election — analyzing the data was especially difficult, he said. “Basically, all networks had said that Al Gore was the president, and then they uncalled that,” Freedman said. “And then they said George Bush was the president — and then they uncalled that … It turned out that we needed to wait 34 days to figure out who the next president was.” Despite having to work under a tight schedule during election nights, Freedman said the job is exciting. “It’s not like anything else you do as a professor,” Freedman said. “I’m really fortunate to have been part of this group, and it’s a really great group of people to work with.” Outside of studying the intersection of politics and media, Freedman also ponders the relationship between politics and food. This interest in food and politics has led him to also a teach a course

Nitro coffee comes to Charlottesville

in that field, titled “Politics of Food.” In this course, Freedman has students explore how food is political in aspects that are not widely seen by the public. “Everything from climate change to water quality to … the accessibility of food, these are all political questions,” Freedman said. “Fundamentally political questions.” Besides Freedman’s work in his field, he is known to have an amiable relationship with his students. “[Freedman] is one of the, if not the most, approachable professors I’ve seen,” Reutter said. “He changes [his office hours] every week basically to make sure people have a time to meet with him.” This busy schedule means that Freedman doesn’t have much free time. However, he said his devotion for his work fuels him through his everyday life. “There is no down time. This is all I do,” Freedman said. “And if there were a down time, I wouldn’t tell you about it. [But] I’m not pleading the fifth … There’s so much fun stuff that goes on during the up time.”

COURTESY SNOWING IN SPACE

Snowing in Space is as cool as its coffee Gracie Kreth | Life Editor The hottest trend in coffee — nitro coffee — has come to Charlottesville in the funkiest coffee shop. Paul Dierkes, Joel Artz and Damian Warshall, the co-founders of nitro coffee shop Snowing in Space, began brewing and distributing nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee in 2015 to local coffee shops and business offices. Brewing a total of 600 gallons a day, the warehouse is located somewhere between the Downtown Mall and Grounds, right in the heart of Charlottesville. The company works with different roasters to experiment and decide what roasts and beans to use, offering 10 different flavors on tap. Inspired by the movie “Groundhog Day,” the team named both their company and their different flavors of coffee from what Dierkes calls “obscure movie quotes.” Dierkes said the process is pretty basic — they grind up the coffee beans, steep them in water for 16-18 hours and filter the liquid. “We filter ours really well,” Dierkes said. “That’s one advantage I think we have. Filtering

can be really difficult, especially on a local coffee shop level.” The brewers pump the liquid into kegs and infuse the substance with nitrogen for two to three days. The company distributes to a few local coffee shops and collaborates with Mudhouse, managing its equipment and infusing the nitrogen into the blend. Dierkes said lots of coffee shops jump on the new trend but realized how difficult the process can be. More and more shops are looking for companies like Snowing in Space to help out, Dierkes said. The company also works with local businesses in Charlottesville, Richmond and Northern Virginia to provide coffee for their employees. “There are a lot of businesses looking to enhance the employee experience,” Dierkes said. “They want to have the latest and greatest and make it a cool fun place to work — [so, for example, we will put a] kegerator in the office.” The process creates a less bitter and less acidic coffee than a

normal brew and with the addition of nitrogen, the coffee has a natural creaminess, Dierkes said. The final product looks like a glass of beer — full of foam on top. In fact, the whole concept was built upon the craft beer business model. “We took the concept of craft beer — experimentation — and we applied it to coffee,” Dierkes said. “We tried to build a coffee business that was similar to craft beer. We wanted to get crazy with styles and flavors.” The three co-founders all had backgrounds and high interest in craft beer, so by taking their understandings in the industry and applying them to Snowing in Space, the crew created a coffee shop with kegerators, cans and growlers. “The interesting thing about this instead of craft beer is coffee can go anywhere,” Dierkes said. “You can’t have alcohol anywhere.” Additionally, nitro coffee has a longer shelf life — the product will last in your refrigerator for up to two weeks. Dierkes emphasized the enhanced flavor of

nitro coffee. He said it’s coffee that doesn’t necessarily need any cream and sugar — it’s what really intrigued him about the product. Second-year College student Sarah Corning, who tried Snowing in Space’s nitro coffee at the Charlottesville farmer's market, seconded that notion but identified a drawback of the strong flavor. “Their options — in my experience — have some kind of flavor, so if I wanted plain, straight-up cold brew, I would go somewhere else,” Corning said. “But I had their cold brew that was supposed to be a little chocolatey, and I did like it.” Overall, Corning said she likes the flavor of nitro coffee and said it’s something Snowing in Space does well. However, as the weather gets colder, some may prefer a warm drink. With that, Snowing in Space offers lattes, cappuccino and such, but with an nitro espresso base. “Everything is cold brewbased, but we do hot coffee too,” Dierkes said. “We pour our espresso from the tap instead of

making it from an espresso machine, and then we steam up a hot latte.” In March of this year, the crew opened their own shop just as cool as the coffee they brew. Located at 705 West Main St, Snowing in Space is filled with rap music and the smell of espresso in a colorful atmosphere. Behind the counter, the staff fills cups from the coffee available on tap. Employee Eric Thurston said the style of the coffee shop in particular is what makes it stand out in addition to their different brew. “I came in because of the location and the colorful vibe,” Thurtson said. “I didn’t know exactly what it was by looking at the logo — and I was like, ‘Oh, a coffee shop,’ and applied. This place just popped out to me.” The company is focusing on its expanding into the Northern Virginia area and becoming more of a presence on Grounds. Snowing in Space canned coffee can be found in 1819 Supply — commonly referred to as “The Pod” — in Newcomb Hall.

www.cavalierdaily.com • LIFE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Quick and healthy snacks for long nights of studying A how-to guide to snacking fast Molly Wright | Food Columnist As the holiday season is quickly approaching, so too is that dreaded time of year between where students hole up in the library for countless hours to cram as much information into their heads as possible. Yes — exam time is coming. There is nothing enjoyable about being constantly stressed about the amount of projects, papers, tests and work you have to do before you can go home, relax around a fire and forget about school for a month. Along with the copious cups of coffee you’re drinking to stay awake, you’re probably ordering Papa John’s to the library every night because you have absolutely no time to cook for yourself or wait in line at Roots for some healthy food. So, to avoid losing your appetite for pizza and to help you get some brain food, here are some fast and healthy snacks you can make during exam time instead. The first item that you need to have stocked in your fridge at all times during exams is peanut butter. I don’t care if you think you’ve outgrown the peanut butter and jellies your mom used to pack you for lunch — peanut butter is not only creamy and delicious, it is also a great source of protein that will keep you full while you study. Peanut butter also goes well with lots of other foods such as graham crackers, bananas, apples and chocolate. You can easily slap some peanut butter on salted crackers or graham crackers to take with you to Aldy or Clem as an in-betweenmeals snack. If you also want to include some potassium into your diet, cut up a banana into thin slices, slice a wheat tortilla into strips, put peanut butter on the tortilla strips and then roll the peanut butter tortilla strips around the banana slices to make little peanut butter banana poppers you can eat on the go. One other great peanut butter recipe to try is first cutting an apple into round, thin slices. Then, coat one of the apple slices with peanut butter and sprinkle some granola on top. Close the sandwich with a second apple slice, and now you have some delicious mini apple-peanut butter sandwiches. As a note to go with all of the peanut butter recipes I have mentioned — if you want to be extra healthy with your exam snacking, substitute peanut butter with almond butter to cut out some extra sugar intake. If salty snacks are more your

RICHARD DIZON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Making your meals and snacks healthy through exam time will also keep your brain sharp.

thing, I suggest buying hummus for dipping pretzels, pita chips, celery or carrots. There are also many different flavors of hummus to choose from – some of my favorites are Sabra roasted red pepper hummus or Hope kale pesto hummus. Speaking of chickpeas, you can also buy roasted chickpeas from Corner Juice to substitute for a meal, as they are very high in protein. While you should steer away from sweets such as candy bars, ice cream and even the incredible Insomnia Cookies if you are trying to snack healthy, a bit of dark chocolate is good for you

and will add a bolt of energy for your studying. One of my favorite snack recipes to make for exam time is mixing granola with dark chocolate chips, almonds and walnuts — both nuts are filling and contain healthy fats. I remember distinctly shoving as many dark chocolate chips as possible into my mouth before going into my English exam last year and feeling very satisfied — if not a bit pukey. If you want to be a little more adventurous with your exam snacks, or just really want to procrastinate from studying, take 30 minutes or an hour to make some

Nutella energy bites. You’ll need one and half cups of oats, two thirds of a cup of Nutella, half a cup of shredded coconut, half a cup of honey and half a cup of roasted hazelnuts. Then, add two tablespoons of ground flax seeds, one tablespoon of chia seeds, two teaspoons of vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt. Put all of these ingredients into a blender and then blend until the mixture becomes smooth. After blending, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, and once the mixture has chilled, you can roll it into little balls to easily pop in your mouth when you’re

cramming for that calculus or economics exam. While the few weeks before winter break may be dreary, the food that you eat does not have to be. Snacks are a great way to keep yourself full and focused as you study for your exams. Making your meals and snacks healthy through exam time will also keep your brain sharp and alert so you can ace those exams before winter break. Once exams are over, go pig out on Christmas cookies, gingerbread houses and hot chocolate. Happy studying!

THE CAVALIER DAILY

LIFE • www.cavalierdaily.com

Top 10 problems I hope are universal Nothing is more problematic than being at an uncomfortable temperature

Lightly falling apart without things from home

I am not afraid to admit that I have a large dependency on material objects — they’re always comforting, always accessible and always reliable. However, when they are 175 miles away, they can be none of these things. I have already crammed about as many sweaters as is appropriate for the 15 feet by 11 feet box that is my home at the University, yet I am still left on a cold day with no clean sweaters and a box of them mocking me from my home in the more temperate 757 area. Speaking of temperature-related woes, I greatly miss my electric blanket. There were many late nights in the high school era of my life in which I was convinced that the thermal energy from my blanket actually converted to kinetic energy in the form of my productivity. Unfortunately, my dorm’s temperature is as erratic as the weather in Charlottesville. So, I have probable cause to believe that the use of an electric blanket might set me on fire, and I am not yet desperate enough to bring one to the library. The day is imminent, however, when the need for comfort will be too great for my willpower to withstand.

Grace Breiner | Top 10 Writer

My coffee dependency is not flourishing as expected

College is supposed to propel my coffee dependency into the stuff of legends, is it not? Why then on most days do I not have any coffee at all? I blame proximity and a general lack of motivation. My tastes are unfortunately specific when it comes to this particular beverage, and I can only bring myself to sip the easily accessible but equally terrible coffee they parade around the dining halls. The coffee that could truly hook me is far, far away on the Corner, along with most things.

UVA Collab

The Corner is such a journey

To be honest, there are multiple times in which I have made it halfway to the Corner and given up around Alderman. The Corner holds so many good things — food mostly — but the distance lessens its appeal. I have only recently discovered how amazing Bodo’s is because by the time I drag myself all the way to the Corner, I collapse in Starbucks with a pile of work and a cappuccino in hand. Having said this, now that I know that Bodo’s is that great, I may have to make that sacrificial journey for the promising reward of a bagel.

Health has gone from gradually declining to nonexistent

I am not certain how many hours I have slept this week, but it’s nice to be able to blame this on an illness as opposed to my general lethargy. Of course, it would also be nice if I did not have to sleep so much due to the demands of my temperamental health. I go through spurts of taking vitamins, but I have low faith that they are really doing much of anything besides making my hair grow at an annoying rate. Either way, it seems that the glow of health has forsaken me.

A car is more essential to my well being than I had realized

While I appreciate the vending machines that populate most buildings, food is difficult to come by when you’re studying past midnight and are sadly bereft of a vehicle. Pita chips are great, but sometimes, I need more than surprisingly crispy chips to keep me functioning. I miss being able to hop in my car and drive to Wendy’s whenever I was feeling the urge to fling a book across the room. There are just some things a car can afford me that Clemons cannot — a will to live, for example.

I have sent far too many apologetic emails to my professors, explaining that I missed the deadline and Collab — being the pernicious foe that it is — will no longer allow me to submit it. My professors are always very understanding, but this really does happen an alarming amount of times especially considering that I have only been at the University for a few months. I even missed the deadline for this article, but since my editors are kinder than Collab, I am hoping for amnesty.

Comparing myself to others often leads to me falling asleep

It seems inevitable that we all crave to know how other people are doing so we can see how we rank on the scale of success. However, it does not do to dwell on another’s A+, for it often sends me spiraling into the sweet comfort of a nap which I’m sure is not helpful for my grades. One malignant individual even lies about his grades to enjoy the baffled, doubtful and slightly defeated looks on his friends’ faces as well as to ascertain their grades for his no-doubt malicious plans. My advice is to not listen so you can enjoy your nap, happy and doubt-free.

10.

Time is wearing away

Walking is a severely draining activity

I wouldn’t say that I hate walking, but I do despise it. A distinction that is important because hate reads passively and my distaste for walking is very much active. There are multiple days in a week when I have to make a walk that is supposed to take 15 minutes in five minutes and end up out of breath and largely disoriented in class. These are two things that are not very conducive to learning — or really anything. Not to mention, I end up carrying all my books around with me in an effort to reduce the amount of walking I have to do, which seems to ironically exacerbate the negative effects of walking — something I am trying to avoid. It’s not the activity itself that is a problem, but rather the necessity of it. I can’t do anything essential like eat or go to class if I don’t commit to a substantial walk of some sort. Why should I have to walk 20 minutes just to buy grapes? And why is everything on a subtle incline?

Deadlines elude me

My mom parties harder than I do

It is 2 a.m. on a Friday night, and I am in bed writing this article while my mom has yet to return home from our neighborhood watering hole. Even when I do go out, I’m back in my dorm by a crisp 1 a.m. I just find that parties get creepier as they progress, and I tend to get wearier of the noises and general filth. The floors are always sticky, and I am afraid to know why. While it seems like a good idea to dance my problems away per Meredith’s advice on Grey’s Anatomy, walking all the way to a germ-infested rave seems like a lot of work.

I can’t help but feel time slipping away at 9:30 p.m. when I’m thinking that reindeer sweater leggings might make my life better. It doesn’t seem like that would be the case, but when I wake up for my 8 a.m. and, instead of jeans, don festively comfy pajamas masquerading as actual pants, there is joy in my life that there isn’t usually at 7 a.m. While I literally cannot wait for my 8 a.m. to fade into a bitter memory, there are some classes I will miss when the semester ends. Here’s to the rest of the semester — may your walking be minimal as well as your problems.

AISHA SINGH AND NATALIE SEO | THE CAVALIER DAILY

FOCUS A few weeks after James Ryan’s election as the next president of the University, The Cavalier Daily conducted a poll that asked a randomized group of students their opinions on a number of issues at both the state and local levels and within the University community. 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 last question of the poll asked the students to describe president-elect Ryan in a single word, which led to a myriad of responses ranging in sentiment from the 737 people who answered this question. The top five words used to describe Ryan were “qualified” (104 responses), “intelligent” (39), “smart” (30), “white” (23) and “experienced” (19). These words — in addition to the hundreds of other responses — offer some insight into the student body’s first impressions of Ryan before he enters the position next year after University President Teresa Sullivan steps down at the end of her contract in the summer of 2018. First impressions The Board of Visitors elected Ryan to be the University’s next president on Sept. 15. Immediately after the announcement of his presidency, Ryan addressed the University community through a speech on the steps of the Rotunda. Ryan spoke of his experiences as a law student and professor at the University and his time as the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and emphasized the importance of striving for progress as the University moves into its third century. With this speech being the only context by which many had to judge Ryan, some students said that the first word that came to mind when they thought of the future president was “poised.” Fourth-year College student Jean Wang said she chose this word because she was impressed by Ryan’s eloquence and overall demeanor in his first appearance as president-elect. “I chose ‘poised’ because I saw him at the Rotunda when they first announced him, and the way he just delivered his message was very straightforward and was very precise, like he knew what he was saying.” Wang said. Other students were initially impressed by Ryan’s list of professional credentials. First-year College student Tim Marsh chose the word “intelligent” to describe the choice of Ryan for this position, noting that his background in education in particular would be a positive change for the University. “I think that because he’s currently the dean of the Harvard [Graduate] School of Education, he’s definitely

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Will students’ first impressions hold true? Cavalier Daily poll asks U.Va. students to describe president-elect Ryan in one word Abby Clukey | Staff Writer

JOSHUA ZABIN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Presiden-elect James Ryan was eleceted by the Board of Visitors Sept. 15. He currently works as the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

on the cutting edge of some of the innovative educational practices in our time,” Marsh said. “So I think that he’ll be able to harness that here, and having that background of knowledge is really going to benefit our community. So that’s why I think he would be an intelligent fit for us.” While many students expressed enthusiasm for the presidential pick, others said that the announcement was far from extraordinary. First-year College student Chris Hopkins said the word “vanilla” came to mind when he thought of Ryan because he seems like a fairly standard choice for the University. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just seems like, you know, a U.Va. grad, kind of a regular, run of the mill white guy. It just seemed like a generic, vanilla pick to me,” Hopkins said. “I know Teresa Sullivan has had some rough months, has had to deal with a lot. I feel like this guy — the kind of vanilla normalcy that I see in him — may be something that we need, just because being able to have some sense of normalcy would be good.” However, some students were critical of Ryan’s initial announcement. Third-year College student Attiya Zafar used the phrase “white male” to describe Ryan, and explained that she would have wanted the Board of Visitors to have chosen a more diverse candidate. “So when I first saw the announcement I was so excited,” Zafar said. “But then I thought about it and I was like we just had the first female president, so the next step to a more progressive U.Va. is like having a minority president or another female, you know what I mean? Someone of color, some-

one not like all the other presidents that we’ve had that are all white males. So I was just like, you know what, he’s just another one of the same.” Other top words included in the students’ responses were “educated,” “impressive” and “accomplished.” “Typical,” “male,” “Harvard” and “unoriginal” were also among the submitted words. Another respondent ignored the request for one word responses and wrote, “another highly educated middle-aged white guy.” These comments showed the mixed reactions toward the next president. Another question on the poll asked students whether they agree or disagree that Ryan is a good choice to be the University’s next president. Of the 988 people who responded to the question, about 59 percent agreed he was a good choice. About 17 percent answered that they were neutral to the question and about 21 percent said they had no opinion. Just under 3 percent disagreed with Ryan being a good choice. The margin of error for this question was ± 3.03 percent. Students look forward Several students not only shared their thought processes behind their word choices but expanded upon their hopes for Ryan’s presidency, and many of their comments alluded to the issues facing the University in the wake of the events of Aug. 11 and 12. In late August, the Black Student Alliance composed a list of 10 demands that was endorsed by Student Council and numerous other organizations on Grounds. “I know that a lot of groups on Grounds have made some demands and had some requests of admin and

faculty in general since the events in August went down,” Hopkins said. “So just being sensitive to and listening to those groups, trying to understand where they’re coming from, then hopefully making some kind of positive change from that, that would be my one kind of demand, I guess, from the new administration.” Zafar expressed her desire for Ryan to listen to minority students at the University during his term, especially as the student body becomes more diverse and in light of the BSA demands. “I hope this new president is going to take a stand on the issues that matter to the students, because once again, U.Va. is more diverse than it was many, many years ago,” Zafar said. “To cater to the minority population, you’ve got to be able to take a stand on these tough issues.” Marsh said that he wanted this change in leadership to renew the University’s commitment as a place of education, first and foremost. “I hope there will be a focus on academics again, because I think we’ve been seeing a bit of a stray under President Sullivan, getting distracted by other issues,” Marsh said. “I think that hopefully he’ll be able to bring it back and focus on what the University is meant to be, which is an educational institution.” These students also voiced specific requests of the new president, ranging in scale. Wang suggested a more meaningful attempt to enhance the relationships between transfer students, who sometimes have a difficult time during their transition to the University, and the administration. “I think maybe he could help the transfer student population assimilate better. Not assimilate but accomodate, get them more accommodated to the University’s culture and their resources,” Wang said. Hopkins said that fostering a more direct channel of communication between the student body and the administration would be a feasible change that could make a difference during Ryan’s term. “I think that something that would be really good for him to kind of improve upon from the last administration would be his messaging to the student body versus his messaging to alumni and donors and such,” Hopkins said. “Just because … when there was that incident when they put the tarp over the Jefferson statue, the email that the student body got was very different from the email that alumni and donors got. So just not having those blatant, very easily detectable differences in treatment I think would be a place to improve upon for him.” Ryan reflects on student opinions, shares his hopes Out of the 737 that responded to

this survey question, 104 students described Ryan as “qualified.” Even those who did not choose this word in particular mentioned his prior experience when discussing the presidential pick. “I think he’s definitely capable. He seems to be very experienced, having dealt with a lot of issues, both on the collegiate level and then on the national level with his past as a lawyer,” Hopkins said. In an email to The Cavalier Daily, Ryan said that even though he could not feel fully qualified until he actually assumed his future position, his background has given him some skills that have helped him prepare for his role as president. “Going from a single school to a large university will still require learning a lot that I do not already know — the education school, for example, had neither a medical school or a Division I athletics program!” Ryan said. “But I do think a fair bit of what I learned as a UVA student and professor and then as a dean will be useful in helping to lead UVA” Many students who completed the poll chose variations of the words “white” and “male” to describe Ryan, and voiced their concerns about Ryan’s ability to combat the issues that minority students face and listen to their demands. In response, Ryan affirmed his dedication to create a more diverse University and said he would promote an inclusive environment during his term. “I can’t change fundamental aspects of my identity, but I am not kidding — nor giving lip-service to the idea — when I say that these are issues I care deeply about and have tried to do something about over the last 20plus years,” Ryan said. “I think, in particular, my colleagues at HGSE would very much confirm that point and that commitment. My commitment to these issues and to continuing forward progress on them will not change when I become president of UVA.” As members of the student body continue to muse on their hopes for Ryan’s presidency, Ryan said that he is optimistic that the University will strive for improvement to truly serve as an exemplary model of higher education. “The improvement will come, in my view, not by changing the core values of UVA but by ensuring that we are living those values,” Ryan said. “What gives me hope is that those values and commitments are strong — a commitment to diversity and inclusion; to an outstanding and diverse faculty; to a strong and vibrant community; to the discovery of knowledge; to student self-governance; to public service. The challenge and opportunity is to assess, honestly, where we have gaps between our values and our actions and to figure out how best to close those gaps.”

THE CAVALIER DAILY

Doing things the right way The secret to how Jackson Matteo is making the most of his time at Virginia

SPORTS Nov. 22, 2014 — the sun had set, the sky was dark and the ‘Hoos were playing Saturday night football under the lights at Scott Stadium. Their opponent? The University of Miami Hurricanes. It’d been more than six weeks since Virginia had walked away from a game with a win. After a tremendous start to the season, the Cavaliers were struggling. They had to beat Miami to keep their chance at becoming bowl eligible alive. With fewer than four minutes left before halftime, the Cavaliers were trailing 7-3 when then-quarterback Greyson Lambert threw a rocket to wide receiver Canaan Severin. From 23 yards out, Severin made the catch — a one-handed diving touchdown that sent shockwaves through Scott Stadium. The Good Ol’ Song rang out throughout the stadium at a deafening decibel — the sidelines roared and the stands shook. Single-handedly, Severin had shifted the momentum of the game in the Cavaliers favor. Hope was alive again. The crowd erupted. But, one viewer watched silently from his apartment on Wertland Street, stunned for an entirely different set of reasons. That was== Severin’s teammate, close friend and Virginia offensive lineman Jackson Matteo, who was out for the season with a badly broken foot. “I’m watching [Severin] on TV and I was almost in shock — like what just happened? I didn’t yell, I

Emily Caron | Feature Writer didn’t cheer,” Matteo said. “I was just thinking — we’re in the same class. He just did that, and what am I doing?” It was in that moment that Matteo’s mindset, and his path, completely changed. Severin’s catch sparked something in him — it lit a fire in his desire to pursue an even better version of himself. A desire that later landed Matteo a spot as Virginia’s starting center his junior year, as a captain of the Cavalier team as a senior and on the Rimington Trophy watch list that same season. Now, Matteo is part of Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant while he pursues a doctorate in education in athletic administration through the Curry School of Education. He also lives on the Range, which is an honor in and of itself. If you asked him back in 2014 if this is where he saw himself three years down the road, his answer probably would have been ‘no.’ In his first two years at Virginia, he’d gone from walk-on to scholarship recipient to active player to sitting on the injury list — but he wanted more. And his friends wanted more for Matteo, too. “That very next spring, we got a new [offensive line] coach, I got healthy, and Canaan took me aside and changed my life forever,” he said. “He told me I could be good and I could accomplish things and be successful on the field. Thank God for that.”

Everything changed for Matteo the next season. His playing progressed, his educational aspirations amplified and his outlook changed forever. He was the same person he’d always been off the field — funny, caring, dedicated and excited about life — but entirely unrecognizable on it. “He really just changed his entire approach to the game — he started eating a lot healthier, he was just doing everything the right way. All of a sudden he saw his game go to a whole new level,” former Virginia quarterback Matt Johns said. “Then the next year, he did the same thing, and he got even better and then he became a captain, which was really cool to see. He put every ounce of his effort into this program.” Working hard, doing things right and leading by example has been Matteo’s mantra since that November night in 2014. As an undergraduate, as a player, as a graduate student, as a captain and now as a graduate assistant and EdD candidate — in every role Matteo has made for himself, he’s found a way to make the most of his time here while helping as many people as he can. “I want to show people that they can achieve and they can do it the right way and they don’t have to take shortcuts — they don’t have to go out on Friday nights and they don’t have to put things in their body that aren’t good for them. That was my role as a player,” Matteo said. “Now, I think my role is just being there for this team ... I know I don’t have a

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

After finishing his playing career at Virginia, Jackson Matteo has carved out a new role as a graduate assistant coach under Coach Bronco Mendenhall.

huge role as a graduate assistant, but I know I have a big role with some kids on the team still. Reaping the rewards of his efforts is something Matteo has come to see often over the last five years — something that, ironically, started when he found reward in an injury. In one game, on one play and with one catch, Matteo began the endless pursuit of his best self. Right now, that takes the form of being the best graduate assistant and coach that he can be for the best Virginia football team the University has seen since 2011 — and the first to be bowl-eligible again, too. “The coaches are very personable, and they relate to the players really well — but no one can relate to a player like someone who has played with them,” Johns said. “When [Matteo]’s pushing kids in practice, they’re not complaining

that this guy has no idea what he’s doing because he does — he did it just last year. There’s that trust he’s created with the players that now he’s coaching. He’s a role model and a motivator.” What that role he embraces next is anyone’s guess — he’s considered coaching and athletics administration, among other things. But what is known is that he’ll do it as best as he can — he’ll do it the right way. He has Virginia football to thank for teaching him that. “My experience at U.Va. ... I can’t even describe it. It’s been one for the books,” Matteo said. “It’s done everything for me and more. It’s given me the best friends and mentors I could ever have, opportunities a plenty, and all I had to do was make the right decisions and it’s all fallen into place for me.”

FOOTBALL SEASON NOTHING BUT A SUCCESS Before the college football season began, many viewed Virginia as the worst team in the conference, picking them to finish either dead last or near the bottom. Even a 4-8 record would have been deemed a success after the type of season they had last year, finishing 2-10 in Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s inaugural season at the University. However, staying true to the process put in place, Virginia (6-6, 3-5 ACC) exceeded expectations, getting off to a sizzling 5-1 start and eventually clinching a bowl berth for the first time since 2011. Virginia even received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll and the Coaches Poll after their hot start — something unimaginable at the beginning of the season for fans and pundits alike. For a college football program that had been mired in the doldrums of the ACC the past few seasons, and one with few expectations, this season should be thought of as nothing but a

success for a program that is looking to be on the rise. Though the season ended on a sour note, with Virginia falling to its in-state rival Virginia Tech 10-0, the Cavaliers have plenty to be proud of. Though this game, and games against Miami and Louisville in preceding weeks, highlighted that Virginia still has ways to go before establishing itself as a program that has arrived, they are definitely better in year two of the Mendenhall era than they were in year one. The fact that Friday’s game against the Hokies most likely didn’t mark an end to their season is something to celebrate. Virginia was able to clinch bowl eligibility this season — something few predicted — and probably still has another football game to play. The Cavaliers also had several quality wins this season, including dominating a very good Boise State team at their stadium 42-23 en route to a stun-

ning upset. This is the same Boise State team that was ranked No. 25 as recently as Week 12 in the College Football Playoff Rankings and finished the season 9-3. However, with quality wins also came missed opportunities. Virginia was unable to take out then-No. 2 Miami last weekend, despite being up 28-14 at one point in the third quarter. The loss was reminiscent of ones to Notre Dame two years ago and Louisville last year — games against some of the top teams in the nation that were winnable, but Virginia could not finish down the stretch. As the program continues to grow and improve, it will be imperative for Mendenhall to make sure his team is able to close these types of games out. If Virginia wants to establish itself as one of the better football programs in the ACC, it will have to pull out victories like these. Despite the successful season, the Cavaliers will be losing some valuable

players. This season marked the ends of two stellar Virginia football careers on the defensive side of the ball in senior inside linebacker Micah Kiser and senior free safety Quin Blanding. Both had contemplated leaving Virginia for the NFL after last season’s 2-10 season, but came back to help Mendenhall’s vision of turning this program around come true. Their presence was felt immensely on and off the field, with both having stellar senior campaigns while serving as team leaders that helped guide Virginia to a bowl berth. In addition, senior quarterback Kurt Benkert will also be gone, placing a huge void at the most important position on the field. Benkert was phenomenal this season, setting numerous passing records for Virginia — including becoming the first quarterback in program history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season. He finished the regular season with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions

and completed just under 60 percent of his passes. Looking forward, it will be interesting to see who Mendenhall and his staff tab as next season’s starting quarterback. Overall, despite not finishing with a winning record, this season was a huge success. Lackluster expectations did not stop the Cavaliers from showing they were much better than last year, and in the process, improved their win total by four games and probably earned a bowl game they will play next month. A bowl game this season is a wildly successful accomplishment, but Virginia will look to continue to ascend so that they can set their eyes on even greater goals.

RAHUL SHAH is a Sports Editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at r.shah@cavalierdaily.com.

www.cavalierdaily.com • SPORTS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Men’s basketball looks sharp in NIT Tip-Off Tournament Cavaliers beat Vanderbilt, Rhode Island en route to title Alec Dougherty | Senior Associate Editor A hot start to the season gave the Virginia men’s basketball team confidence heading into the NIT Tip-Off Tournament this weekend, where they were set to battle some tough opponents at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Cavaliers (6-0, 0-0 ACC) used big runs and stifling defense from many contributors to capture the tournament title, taking down Vanderbilt and Rhode Island. Virginia senior forward Isaiah Wilkins earned the honor of tournament MVP after putting up two stellar performances for the team. The senior scored eight points and had four blocks in the dominant win over Vanderbilt before putting up a career-high 19 points to lead the Cavaliers over Rhode Island. In their Thanksgiving Day tilt against Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-0 SEC), the Cavaliers dominated the Commodores from the start, jumping out to a 22-5 lead before the eight-minute mark of the first half. Vanderbilt struggled mightily to break through Virginia’s pack-line defense early on, turning the ball over or taking bad shots on almost every possession. Offensively, the Cavaliers were incredibly efficient in the first half, getting contributions from eight different players. Sophomore guard Kyle Guy, Virginia’s leading scorer of the season, started off cold but hit two big three-pointers late in the half to find his rhythm. He would end the game with 18 points. The Cavaliers went into the half with a 43-17 lead and never looked back, cruising to a 68-42 win over the Commodores. Sophomore guard Ty Jerome added 14 points, and sophomore forward

Mamadi Diakite chipped in 12. Virginia dominated the game in most facets. They moved the ball well, picking up 21 assists, and outrebounded Vanderbilt 42-36. Virginia advanced to the final game against Rhode Island (3-2, 0-0 A10), who knocked No. 20 Seton Hall out of the tournament in a thriller the day before. The Rams gave Virginia more of a challenge with tight and aggressive defense, especially on Guy. “[Rhode Island] did a real good job guarding [Guy],” Virginia Coach Tony Bennett said. “They’re quick. He got a couple looks, but there wasn’t as much time perhaps as yesterday or some of the other games … He wasn’t quite on the way he usually is, but that’s going to happen.” With their prolific young scorer shut down, the Cavalier seniors stepped up and carried the team to victory. Wilkins saw a mismatch in the low post when Rhode Island sent out its fourguard lineup and took advantage of it all day, hitting seven of his nine field goals. “I think I got off to a good start [against Rhode Island,] and the guys did a really good job of finding me on the post, and I just tried to make my shots,” Wilkins said. When Rhode Island began to close in on Virginia’s lead, senior guard Devon Hall turned his clutch gene on. The Rams took a 33-32 lead early in the second half — Virginia’s first second-half deficit of the season — but Hall immediately answered with a huge three on the next possession. He would score the Cavaliers’ next six points on another triple and an and-one layup to put Virginia up for good. The senior put up 18 points, looking

poised as he got Virginia out of a hole. Virginia’s third senior, guard Nigel Johnson, came up big throughout the game in all phases on offense. Johnson put up 12 points, three rebounds and three assists, making two big threes in the first half to keep Virginia’s scoring pace up. The Cavaliers battled to a 70-55 win over Rhode Island to capture the NIT Tip-Off trophy. Virginia’s captains — Wilkins, Hall and junior center Jack Salt, who picked up 17 rebounds in the tournament — collectively put up a huge performance to steady the team, earning the praise of Bennett after the game. “[The captains’] leadership and how they play — they play like leaders, they play unselfish and so hard, and that is contagious,” Bennett said. “I couldn’t be more happy for them and proud to have them as part of this team and leading us.” Over the first six games of the season, Virginia has shattered the expectations of many who believed offseason losses would limit the team’s ceiling. With a chance to regain a spot in the AP Top 25 poll this week, the Cavaliers have re-established themselves on the national stage with a new core of players. A battle with Wisconsin as part of the ACC-Big Ten challenge is up next for Virginia in its non-conference slate. Tip-off between the Cavaliers and the Badgers is set for 9 p.m. Monday at John Paul Jones Arena. EMMA LEWIS | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Virginia senior forward Isaiah Wilkins won the NIT Tip-off Tournament MVP.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

LEAD EDITORIAL

Condemn white supremacist Facebook page

OPINION

The administration cannot lose momentum towards rectifying U.Va.’s racist past

ver the weekend, a Facebook page dedicated to an organization called the “UVA White Student Union” was created and describes itself as “UVA’s first and only White Student Union.” The page also claims that its creation was inspired by the “desecration of European-American monuments.” This founding claim refers to the controversy surrounding the planned removal of the Robert E. Lee statue, the protests of Thomas Jefferson statues and other related events. Although Charlottesville has been center-stage in rising racial tensions, the University com-

munity has repeatedly opposed white supremacist efforts. The administration must continue this opposition by condemning the UVA White Student Union for both its stated values and wrongful alignment with the University. This isn’t the first time that a white student union has made its presence on Facebook. In fact, 2015 witnessed a string of white student unions popping up at multiple universities. Groups like this only seek to divide us at a time when so much progress has been made in addressing the University’s participation in racism. In the aftermath of the rallies of Aug. 11 and 12, the University has addressed many of the

Black Student Alliance’s demands, acknowledged its history in the institution of slavery during the Bicentennial and removed the Confederate plaques from the Rotunda. Additionally, before the rallies the University laid the blueprints for the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. This has been important progress and it is essential that we not allow it to be overshadowed by groups that seek to divide us. In addition to its hateful ideology, there are several other problems with the organization’s creation. University policy explicitly states that in order for an organization to receive status as a Contracted Independent Organization, or CIO,

it must agree not to use University symbols, logos, mottos, etc. without prior written approval. The organization uses not only the University’s name but its logo and photos of Grounds, despite the fact that it’s clearly not been granted any sort of permission from the University. Although the Facebook page has used sponsored advertisements to reach out to University students, there is no evidence that the organization is located anywhere on Grounds. It is also likely that the founder of this organization is not a University student, making the organization immediately ineligible for CIO status or any sort of affiliation with the University.

The July Ku Klux Klan rally, the continued fight over monuments and the events of Aug. 11 and 12 serve as points of reference in Charlottesville’s continuing fight against bigotry. Accordingly, it seems white nationalists are trying to take advantage of the attention they have garnered in the city to establish their presence on Grounds. In its unjust affiliation with the University, the organization is attempting to attract sympathy for its cause. The administration needs to immediately condemn the organization for not only using the University name, but for making deliberate attempts to further disrupt the University community.

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.

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 (SA) Ankita Satpathy Opinion Editors Brendan Novak Lucy Siegel (SA) Carly Mulvihill

WWW.CAVALIERDAILY.COM

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 Advertising Managers Nate Bolon Carlos Lopez Business Manager Kelly Mays

Want to respond? Submit a letter to the editor to opinion@cavalierdaily.com

www.cavalierdaily.com • OPINION

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

VIRGINIA NEEDS TO RETHINK THE DILLON RULE Localities should be given more flexibility to tackle the serious problems they face

n many states across the country, localities have to adhere to an established doctrine called the Dillon rule. The Dillon rule, derived from the legal scholar John Forrest Dillon, restricts the powers of local governments and only allows them the powers that are specifically granted to them by the state government. According to this doctrine, localities have to go to the state government to ask for permission to tackle serious problems that occur at the local level. This process wastes valuable time and resources that the localities could otherwise dedicate to solving the problems at hand, while also reducing the freedom of local leaders to govern their localities as they see appropriate. Because of these problems, the Dillon rule must be repealed. That is what their citizens elected them to do, so they should be given the power to do so. An example of the adverse effects of the Dillon rule can be found today in Charlottesville, where local leaders are attempting to increase affordable housing. Currently, the Charlottesville area is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, during which current housing stocks have been deemed in-

sufficient and many low income residents spending large portions of their incomes on increasingly unaffordable housing. To address this problem, the Charlottesville City Council is seeking

of power over school policy, often have their hands are tied when it comes to school funding. This is incredibly unfair for some localities which do not raise enough revenue through existing

Because of the Dillon rule, many localities are unable to govern to the extent they feel is necessary.

permission from the state government to enact an inclusionary zoning ordinance. This ordinance would help the local government address this issue by ensuring a certain percentage of units are affordable for low income citizens in Charlottesville. The fact that this increasingly severe issue must go to the General Assembly before it can be enacted is ridiculous, because it creates bureaucratic loopholes that localities must jump through in order to solve local problems. Another area that this doctrine adversely affects is public education. Local school boards, who are given a lot

tax receipts to fully fund schools. This inability to raise tax revenue has been paired with the budget cuts that were made to public schools in during the recession, which remain in place. To address problems of school funding when state government is not, localities should be allowed to raise sales taxes, which they are currently not able to do. Schools are an essential part of local communities, so it is essential that local governments are given the tools to ensure that their schools are funded to an appropriate level. The Dillon rule also prevents liberal cities within more conservative

states to enact the policies they feel would be beneficial to their citizens. This process, called preemption, is when state governments nullify ordinances passed by localities that go beyond what state law mandates. This process unfolded in Wisconsin, where the city of Milwaukee passed a paid sick leave ordinance that was reduced back down to the state requirement of unpaid sick leave, as well as the many instances where cities increased their minimum wage, only to have the newly increased wages reduced back to the minimum state levels. This history of pre-emption is a problem because localities should be able to pursue acceptable public policies that their constituents want them to pass. It is ridiculous that state governments can nullify these laws against the will of the people. Because of the Dillon rule, many localities are unable to govern to the extent the feel is necessary. In Virginia, the adverse effects can be seen as local governments struggle to address school and housing concerns. By restricting the ability of local officials, Dillon rule states are only hurting their citizens by making local prob-

lems more difficult to solve. Instead of the Dillon rule, Virginia should adopt the concept of Home rule. Home rule allows municipalities to handle their own affairs by allowing them to choose what powers they want and what issues they should be responsible for. State laws should act as a floor, which localities can go beyond if they wish. Though it is a valid concern that this may leave states with a variety of different laws varying from locality to locality, it is essential to empower localities to solve local problems, while also ensuring that every locality follows the same minimum standard. Ultimately whether these municipalities go beyond the set minimum standards is up to the voters, and it should be up to them to keep their localities accountable, not the state government.

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

VENUE DETRACTED FROM CLINTON’S ADDRESS Limited seating prevented members of the community from benefitting from the event

n Nov. 13 and 14, the University held the Women’s Global Leadership Forum, or WGLF, as a part of its Bicentennial. The forum brought together women from the University and around the world to discuss “the role of women in 21st century democracy” through multiple lenses, including health, economic mobility and women and political power. The event closed with an address titled “Women and 21st Century Democracy: The Path Forward,” by Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State and the Democratic 2016 presidential candidate. In response to the high demand for the address, the University held an online lottery through which students could request tickets to the event, which was held in the auditorium of Old Cabell Hall. The WGLF Steering Committee claimed that the decision to hold the address in Old Cabell as opposed to a larger venue such as John Paul Jones Arena was based on their desire to have “a more intimate conversation,” but their use of a lottery system actually detracted from the event’s intimacy. The limited availability of seating in the auditorium resulted in few successful lottery requests, so Clinton’s address did not reach its potential for benefit to the University community. The structure of the WGLF

events prior to the closing address contributed to the University’s goal of effectively discussing the role of women in many different areas. Attendance offered viewers the opportunity to watch and listen to distinguished guests speak on a number of issues and women’s roles within them. The events were held in Newcomb Hall, the Rotunda and Old Cabell Hall, where panelists discussed their views and interacted with each other on stage, as well as with the audience in question and answer sessions. For events prior to the closing address, the smaller size of the venues contributed to the goal of effectively discussing women’s roles in society by engendering a sense of community — audience members contributed to the conversation by offering their own analysis and input of the topics at hand. As the goal of the initial WGLF events was to foster discussion between diverse parties, smaller venues were the right choice. The message of Clinton’s address differed from those of the previous events of the WGLF. First, as the closing address, Clinton brought in elements from each part of the two-day conference. She addressed the role of women in business and political scenarios, as well as the struggles faced by women in daily 21st century life. She also discussed her per-

sonal experiences, demonstrating that even women in powerful roles must overcome gender-based discrimination. Although the previous events of the WGLF acknowledged these concerns, they did so

her discussion of the path forward from the current state of affairs holds value for many different communities within the University. If more students, faculty and community members had been

Unfortunately, those most interested in the message had a low chance of participating because of the size of the venue.

within the scope of their individual discussions. On the other hand, the content of Clinton’s speech and discussion with Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe were broader and less-tailored to any individual subject or concern. While the auditorium of Old Cabell furthered the goals of the events that addressed an individual concern, Clinton’s discussion needed a venue that could accommodate a larger audience — one that reflected the broad nature of her address. A larger audience would have benefitted Clinton’s address because of the widely applicable nature of her content. That is, her message of the importance of overcoming adversity can be applied to many scenarios, and could have been utilized by members of the community who hold distinct values. Specifically,

able to attend the address, Clinton’s message would have been better received because it would have been spread more widely, and the WGLF would have accomplished its goal of exploring the challenges women face and the contributions they have made to society. Organizers of the forum justified their decision to hold Clinton’s address in a smaller venue by stating that “they didn’t want a campaign style arena.” They were concerned that the large crowd would detract from the intimate nature of the forum that played such a vital role in the initial sessions. That intimacy, however, was not an important component of Clinton’s message. Her message centered around how women can best accomplish their goals in the decades to come, which has wide applica-

bility within the University community. Unfortunately, those most interested in the message had a low chance of participating because of the size of the venue. The University offered alternative viewing locations where the address was live streamed, but projector screens in Newcomb Theater and the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center could not capture the excitement and interest of the audience present in the auditorium itself. By limiting the size of the event, the University hindered many community members’ ability to benefit from Clinton’s address. As the closing address, Clinton’s speech contained broad and widely-applicable messages, for which a large contingent of the University would have benefitted. For those who were able to attend the address, Clinton’s message provided valuable insights. Much more of the University community would have benefitted, though, if the University had held the event in a larger venue.

JAKE LICHTENSTEIN is an Opinion columnist for the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at j.lichtenstein@cavalierdaily.com.

THE CAVALIER DAILY

OPINION • www.cavalierdaily.com

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MUST FOCUS ON LIBERTY An outdated platform focused on social issues cannot win future elections

fter spending dozens of hours knocking on doors and making calls this summer with the John Adams campaign, I was a bit disheartened to see every single one of the Republican candidates lose in the election last week. However, it wasn’t the loss itself that saddened me the most — I had expected narrow losses for the entire ticket — but rather the fact that the Republican candidates lost in such spectacular fashion, with former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie faring worse than even President Donald Trump last year. By pretty much all measures, Gillespie was a superior candidate in my mind — whether examining his subjectively great debate performances, or his detailed set of fiscal plans for our state. He couldn’t have possibly run a better campaign and seemed to have the unequivocal support of the Republican base — unlike Trump — so why did he and the rest of the ticket get absolutely annihilated? Many Democrats would contend that increasing minority populations are the cause for Republican struggles in Virginia in recent years, and such claims are not baseless. It is easy to come to such a conclusion

when you consider the fact that minorities overwhelmingly voted for Ralph Northam in the election, and that the white population has dropped significantly in proportion over the past few decades. However, I think this is a case of cor-

and butter of the Republican Party for years are no longer getting the same levels of support, and probably never will. Whether it be gay rights in the past, or abortion and marijuana usage in the present, it is clear that newer generations are

The Republican Party must steer away from Christian values and return to its constitutionalist roots. relation, not causation, for I don’t believe skin color alone inherently affects one’s political values. The real reason that Republicans are doing increasingly worse in states like Virginia and North Carolina, which were once solidly red, is because of the decline of Christianity in America, which coincides with this demographic shift. According to a Pew Research study, the rate of Christians in America has dropped by nearly eight percent in the past seven years alone, and is still steadily declining. As a result, Christian-centric social issues that have been the bread

becoming less and less accepting of traditional Christian depictions of morality. This is evidenced by the nationwide rise of Libertarianism in this country, even amongst Republicans like myself. As a result, I think that if the Republican Party is to have a future in Virginia and other purple states, we must abandon outdated Christian values and embrace Constitutional conservatism, upon which the Republican Party was founded. The primary right-wing argument against a restructuring of the Republican platform is that to do so would be to compromise con-

servatism itself, which I believe to be false. In my opinion, the three pillars of conservatism are as follows — a strict interpretation of the constitution, an understanding of the efficacy and morality of free market capitalism and a belief that the power of the federal government must be limited in order to protect the liberty of the people. None of these ideas have anything to do with the social issues I listed, which instead find their roots in the Bible, not the Constitution. Moreover, with regards to abortion in particular, it is not just polarizing but also blatantly dishonest to run a platform based on repeal. Because of “stare decisis” — the judicial law that courts shall always side with precedent, unless given a very compelling reason not to — it is clear that repealing Roe v. Wade is nothing but a fantasy used to trick gullible voters, and the same can be said for numerous other social issues. That being said, though I may personally disagree, this doesn’t make pro-life advocates immoral, or even necessarily wrong on this issue — the fact of the matter is that Republicans simply cannot win on this premise. The courts have decided that it is constitution-

al, so the party that prides itself on its constitutionality should accept this judgment. The Republican message has not changed much over time, despite the fact that the world we’re living in has changed immensely. This will be the Republican Party’s undoing if something is not done. With an increasingly non-religious populace, it makes no strategic sense to push so hard for Christian issues which younger generations oppose or simply don’t care about. I personally take a libertarian stance on most social issues, and regardless of your beliefs, the Republican Party will only continue to lose power in our state if it doesn’t change holistically. We must focus on a message of economic and personal freedom, security, limited government and fiscal responsibility for that is what it means to be a conservative.

MILAN BHARADWAJ is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

END CHILD MARRIAGE The toxic and outdated practice of child marriage should be outlawed nationwide

eminist dystopias reign in the cultural zeitgeist. Audiences feverishly consume episodes of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” chilled by the way the show resonates with current reality. Unfortunately, the show feels less fiction and more fact as time progresses. In a world post-Access Hollywood, Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K. and Kevin Spacey scandals, the threshold for outrage seems to have no bounds. And as tiring as it is to continue to fight for justice and equality for women in both their public and private lives, whistleblowing is still necessary. Namely, we need to raise awareness about child marriage in the United States and eliminate support for it. Roughly 57,800 minors from the ages of 15 to 17 were married in the United States according to the Pew Research Center. Out of these marriages, divorce rate hovers around 70 percent. Looking at Virginia from 2004-2013, 2,500 children were married. Out of those 2,500, over 200 children were married at 15 or younger. However, while this issue affects both young girls and boys, women are disproportionately exploited. According to Virginia marriage statistics, 90 percent of child spouses are girls.

Why do these marriages even occur? For such an outdated concept, this is a fair question. As the statistics suggest above, the reasons for initiating such a marriage are insidious. The majority of these marriages happen as a result of teenage pregnancy. The conditions under which a child is conceived vary. In most of these pregnancies, the father is of age, or significantly older. The age difference can be large — according to the Tahirih Justice Center, 47 of the 16-year-olds married off in Virginia married men at least 14 years older than themselves. In many cases, families push their daughters to marry these men at ludicrously young ages, producing the marriage statistics reflected above. However, the coercive tactics by both family members and the potential fiancées eliminate the agency of these women. For some, this means marrying their rapist, using a loophole in old legislations. In many states, a child can marry as young as 13 with parental and judicial consent if pregnant. This actually happened in Virginia with a pregnant 13-year-old. Because of this child marriage, her rapist escaped any charges of statutory rape and she never received a Social Services inquiry. Her husband benefit-

ted entirely from her entrapment. In other cases, young women face different pressures from home to marry. Fatima H faced threats from her immediate family to marry her first cousin to ease his access to a

nors. New York followed in Virginia’s footsteps, when Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) signed into law another protective measure against child marriage. However, many of the remaining states in the

In many states, a child can marry as young as 13 with parental and judicial consent if pregnant.

green card. She initially refused, but broke under her family’s punishment of house arrest. She describes her experience in court with horrifying details — “I was sweating and nervous,” she recalled. “My mother was hitting me on my knee.” If she had said no, she said, her father would have beat her. “They would have kept me locked up in the house forever.” We can pass legislation to protect young women. Last year, Virginia passed a law safeguarding children, making it the first state to place restrictions on child marriage, barring minors from marrying with the exception of emancipated mi-

union have the same legal loopholes that New York or Virginia just outlawed, or worse yet, have none of the qualifications needed for child marriage. Awareness about this issue throughout the United States is crucial to advance broad reform, because it is a state issue. Moreover, as Virginians, we can identify who does not support protections for child marriage within our home state. For example, State Sen. J. Chapman “Chap” Peterson (D-Fairfax) is on the record stating, “Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but if someone gets pregnant and they want to be married when the child is born, not being able to do that of their own

volition without going to court, I thought that would be a little bit overly aggressive.” In addition, Del. David A. LaRock (R-Loudoun) opposed restrictions on child marriage because he believed that “pregnant teens could be more likely to have abortions if they must have court permission to marry.” Neither lawmakers’ claims are legitimate defenses of removing safeguards — yet both were re-elected in this past November’s election cycle. Child marriage is legal and relatively prevalent in most parts of the country. It’s time that we take a firm stance and reject this archaic aspect of patriarchy that strips young women of their agency. And as for those lawmakers who protect abusers — we’ll see them next election.

KATHERINE SMITH is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

Clapping on airplanes and safe landings

HUMOR Have you recently struggled through the life-draining process of flying on a long, cross-country flight, only to have your safe landing marred by the obnoxious lady in seat 17F clapping louder than an Astros fan after Game 7 of the World Series? Well, put your disdain aside, because recent, very scientific (and not at all fake) studies have shown that there is a direct correlation be-

TRAVIS BELL | THE CAVALIER DAILY

CARTOON

tween the clapping which occurs on an airplane and its safe landing. Even if you have struggled through hours of security lines, the hassles of navigating an airport and the challenges of fitting your legs in the tiny spaces between your seat and the seat in front of you, you should rejoice upon hearing applause on an airplane — even if it is the last thing your tired soul wants to hear. After poring over a multitude of flight data entries, scientists came to the conclusion that every single time someone claps on a plane, the plane lands safely. There were absolutely no recorded entries of anyone cheering or applauding for a plane that did not touch the ground safe and sound. These scientists also

concluded that roughly 87.5 percent of plane clappers happen to be an older Caucasian woman named something like “Sheryl,” “Myrtle” or “Janet” who has never flown before but is so excited to “travel the skies” with you. Scientists have discovered side effects of this plane clapping condition, which include putting your hands up like a rollercoaster during takeoff, causing the surrounding passengers to suddenly be enthralled in the usually boring in-flight magazine instead of talking to you and filling the pilot with enough rage that he considers immediately taking off again and throwing you out the window. However, scientists say you must overlook these negative side effects due to the positive correlation clapping on planes

provides. If you’re thinking you might rather have the plane never land safely than to hear someone smack their hands together repeatedly in the weirdest and worst possible setting, then you are not alone. However, despite all of your strongest urges intrinsically coercing you to strap that person down in their seat, set the autopilot for the plane to the moon, and launch that clapper into outer space, you must remain strong and calm. Wouldn’t you rather hear a sound signifying your safety instead of silence indicating ambiguity? If you answered no, then you may align with the 73 percent of people who scientists say would rather have their plane crash than to hear someone clap upon land-

ing. However, there has been a recent push by scientists and activists alike who are calling out the negative treatment of plane clappers, saying that plane clappers “signify goodness and safety, and thus their negative attributes need to be overlooked.” However, these movements have led to some harsh critiques, such as baseball legend Derek Jeter remarking that “clapping on planes is the worst thing to happen to this country since the Boston Red Sox.”

BEN MILLER is a Humor columnist. He can be reached at humor@ cavalierdaily.com

THE CAVALIER DAILY

WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor

PUZZLES

Across

1. "Get ___" (two words)

7. "California Dreamin'" band The ___ and the Papas

EVENTS Monday 11/27 Men’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin, 9pm, John Paul Jones Arena MRC Presents: Coffee Mixers, all day, The Corner UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park Multicultural Greek Council Presents: Know Better Do Better: A Lecture on Campus Racism, 7pm, Newcomb Theater DREAMers on Grounds Present: UndocuAlly Training, 5pm, Newcomb Hall Tuesday 11/28 Women’s Squash vs. George Washington, 4pm, McArthur Squash Center Men’s Squash vs. George Washington, 6pm, McArthur Squash Center Orientation Leader Info Session, 7pm, Commonwealth Room MSA, VIC, and TYC Present: Unity Inter-Faith Banquet, 7-9pm, Newcomb Ballroom Third and Fourth Year Dinner, 6pm, The Stud Women’s Club Ultimate Frisbee Fundraiser, 5pm, Chipotle Wednesday 11/29 Women’s Basketball vs. Maryland, 7pm, John Paul Jones Arena Orientation Leader Info Session, 7pm, Commonwealth Room UVA Research Park Presents: Fall Food Trucks, 11am-2pm, Research Park Creative Writing Mark Doty Lectures: Compassion for the World, 5pm, Newcomb Ballroom UVA Alumni Association Presents: Fall Graduation Celebration, 6-8pm, Alumni Hall

www.cavalierdaily.com

12. You need one to get into libraries after a certain time ... or maybe bars (two words)

13. "The ___ and the Ecstasy"

14. Grew close to

18 22

26 30

15. Furniture store chain

28 31

16. Most sour 18. Rodent that resembles large guinea pig 20. Artistic toy "___ -aSketch" 21. Gray -white

40 46

25. Old-fashioned spools of film

29. Lose moisture (two words) 31. Type of North Pacific salmon plural 33. A fish's position after death (two words) 35. You might have one of these one on your phone

44. Smell, often unpleasant 45. ___ Chrisley of "Chrisley Knows Best" 47. Dead language used often in medicine 49. German female term 50. Sword used for dueling 51. Starch from palm trees often used in puddings 52. ___ -bender accident

minor

54. Dogs famous for rescuing people from wells 57. Bitter, leafy vegetable sometimes used in salads 58. Imminent sources of stress for many of us

43 48

59. Holiday not belonging to the current season

17. Most commonly used word in English language

43. Popular lit magazine Reader's ___

60. Object placed between serving dish and table

19. Mischievous secret society, singular

61. Silt-sized sediment

22. Obstruct, close up

46. City in the Netherlands known for its canals and pottery

62. Gentler form of boxing, as in practice

23. Sailor exclamation, sometimes followed by "matey"

39. Low-value French coin 40. Dashed, as in a race

28. Regrettable rap rock band ___ Bizkit

27. German word meaning authentic

24. Popular 24-hour study location on Grounds

48. Negative words 53. Days, times before an event

26. Pav restaurant ___way

Down

30. Those who annoy someone

1. Upcoming break as a reward for getting through 58-across

55. Impressions given by somebody's actions ___ of superiority, for instance 56. Scissors sound

32. One of Oct.'s birthstones

2. Imagined, thought up

34. "In the ___" satire starring Tom Hollander

3. More rare 4. Of this planet

35. Tool used by many to survive season of 58-across

5. Sturdy type of plant

36. Endocrine glands found above the kidneys

6. ___ and ends 7. General controversially relieved by Truman

37. Unnamed or unspecified person, thing three words

8. Very eager for something to occur

38. Having great knowledge

9. Single eyeglass 10. Ring -shaped

41. Tropical tree root from which flour can be made

11. Heavy metal band ___ of a Down

42. One who sells goods via the Internet

*THE SOLUTION TO THIS PUZZLE CAN BE FOUND IN NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE

C L O S E

Check out our website...

understand

T A S S E S

T H A N K S

O R I O L E

H A R P I S T F A L L I N

E S C A P E E

S E E P

N E A U R B O A C T I S A

E R S N Y E R U P N U C K E E L E E S S T T E

R E S T Y L E

Y O N I S

S W I N E

S N O R U E T S

A N A T S R K A I N D I M I N T P L A S

S A L A A M

C O N G A

R I S H I

A B J E C T I O N

B R U T

Y E S E S

*SOLUTION FROM LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017

A& E

Unmistakable voice of female lo-fi rock

ENTERTAINMENT

Dan Goff | Arts and Entertainment Editor

Angel Olsen’s slated Jefferson performance is sure to wow

ARTS &

“Not everything I do is about my struggle as a woman. It just so happens to be something I understand a little bit, because I didn’t have any other option.” Angel Olsen is the sort of musician impossible to sum up in a few sentences, or even in a few paragraphs — and the quote above, attributed to Olsen herself, speaks to that complexity. In a time when artists and their work are being increasingly commodified and pigeon-holed, reduced to a handful of essential tagwords, it is people like Olsen who defiantly refuse to submit to labels. Just look at her discography for proof. Over the course of three fulllength albums and several other side projects, most recently the odds-andends compilation “Phases,” Olsen has experimented with sound, style and theme — resulting in an eclectic but mesmerizing collection of music. This is not to say that Olsen’s music is devoid of any common threads. Love shows up most often, but in

countless forms. 2012’s “Half Way Home” is composed of mysterious, ultimately sweet warblings about love lost and found, along with the wider concept of being lost. Follow-up “Burn Your Fire for No Witness” takes a darker route, utilizing angrier guitars and generally more bitter lyrics about relationships turned sour. 2016’s “MY WOMAN,” Olsen’s most impressive work to date, combines the two styles for the better, alternating between slow-building ballads and explosive rock, sweetly crooned sentiments and fierce challenges to her lovers and accusations as to their intentions. The only thing easy to place about Olsen is her voice. Listen to just one song, and the vibrating, soaring sound of Olsen singing is immediately secured in one’s mind as incredibly, beautifully unique. With their impressive range and strange, tremulous qualities, her vocals almost sound more suited for an opera. But, placed in an indie-rock setting, they haunt the instrumental music and give a more profound meaning to the already complex lyrics.

If Olsen’s singing voice is so arresting on a recording, what is a live experience of some of her music like? The reviews are myriad, and almost purely positive — she’s been described as “ferocious,” “irresistible,” “marvellously watchable.” All these adjectives boil down to what should already be assumed by an Olsen fan — written words will never do such an artist justice. The only way to truly experience Olsen is to see and hear Olsen in the flesh. That being said, local fans are in luck if they’ve yet to see Olsen perform live. The Jefferson Theater will host the musician Tuesday, Nov. 28, along with folk-rock singer and University graduate Ned Oldham. If this article were an interview with Olsen, the recently obligatory “Considering the events of Aug. 11 and 12 …” question would inevitably be asked. Artists who live or perform in Charlottesville have, in the past few months, been forced to recontextualize or rethink their art in terms of political turmoil that the city represents to the rest of the country. Though this

is maybe a little unfair, both to the artists and the city itself, which cannot be reduced to unfortunate acts of terrorism, Olsen has plenty to say on the subject of political activism. “People pick and choose who they want to be accepting of,” Olsen said in a recent interview. This statement, though quoted before the events of the summer, are impressively applicable. She went on to say that “human nature is to conquer and separate,” an unfortunate truth which is also a condensation of the goals of the alt-right. But Olsen sees hope for the future. “This is a different time,” Olsen said in the same interview. “People are speaking out. They’re angry. Millennials … are speaking out about the things that they see.” So where does Olsen’s music fit into all this political discussion? When considering the question of whether her work addresses political problems or serves as an escape from them, many listeners would likely choose the latter, but her work on “MY WOMAN” is not so easily dismissed. Not only does it explore different facets of love and

relationships, it also tackles a related issue — that of womanhood. Consider these lyrics, taken from “MY WOMAN” track “Heart Shaped Face” — “Was it me you were thinking of? / All the time when you thought of me / Or was it your mother? / Or was it your shelter? / Or was it another / With a heart shaped face?” Or this simple, powerful line from penultimate track “Woman” — “I dare you to understand / What makes me a woman.” Whether Olsen is commenting on throwaway society and the presumed female roles within it or just acknowledging the complexity of womanhood itself, her more recent songs contain many elements worth interpreting. As her performance falls on the last full week of classes for the semester, it would be both tempting and understandable to skip it for the sake of grades or mental health. But if time can be found for Angel Olsen, the few hours spent with her in the Jefferson promise to be time well spent.

Who should be the Sexiest Man Alive in 2017? Certainly not Blake Shelton Robin Schwartzkopf | Staff Writer On Nov. 14, People Magazine blithely announced the chief warrior in the fight for cheek-blushing and lip-biting, the man they deem sexiest alive, in the entire world, in a certain year. And they picked Blake Shelton. No offense to the country singer and constant-presence-on-background-TV judge of “The Voice,” but the choice left a lot to be desired for readers who eagerly anticipated People’s 2017 pick. While his success on the country music charts and twoyear relationship with Gwen Stefani are impressive, the fact that Shelton is dating Stefani means he’s not even the sexiest in his own home. After all, 2017 has been — and continues to be — a tumultuous year. What better way to ease the world’s collective conscious than by choosing one man from a vast world of movies, television, music or sports, slapping him in some sturdy denim and a tight-fitting tee and proclaiming him the bastion of sexiness in 2017? According to People managing editor Larry Hackett in a 2010 interview, the qualifiers for being deemed Sexiest Man Alive go beyond merely being “someone who’s hot but well-known.” The sexiest must fall within a comfortable age range of “not too young, not too old” and have experienced pro-

fessional success in the previous year. People also purports to search for less predictable honorees — although they do not get very high marks for diversity — to bequeath the title. A carefully compiled list of alternatives to Shelton are below, in no particular order, selected following the same criteria that People uses to make their selection each year. Chris Pine Chris Pine charmed audiences alongside Gal Gadot in “Wonder Woman” over the summer, which made over $400 million at the domestic box office. While he lacked her fierceness on the battlefield — his character Steve Trevor fit squarely in the “love interest who needs saving” role — Pine looked mighty fine on the press tour, during which he wore a lot of tailored suits and admitted he uses a flip phone. Nothing is more rustic and sexy than a flip phone. “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins also called him “a beast” on Twitter, noting his “skill, talent, and generosity” — all distinctly sexy attributes. Donald Glover Also known to the world as rapper Childish Gambino, Donald Glover had a successful 2017 as an actor, director and musical artist. He won two Emmys in September for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series — becoming the first black director to take home that award — and his single “Redbone” from his 2016 album “Awaken, My Love!” was certified double platinum in July. With a range of talent and a natural charm, Glover deserves the distinction for several years of success and sexiness. Jason Momoa Although the success of “Justice League” is yet to be seen given its late November premiere, Jason Momoa has still had a year of sexiness. His enthusiastic embrace of the Aquaman role proves Momoa has a personality that can elevate a character to an iconic level — the man is Khal Drogo, even years after his last appearance on “Game of Thrones.” Beyond the professional, Momoa wed his partner of 12 years, actress Lisa Bonet, in a secret ceremony in October. A father of two with an immaculate head of hair, Momoa is the ideal mix of goofy and passionate, and could contend for Sexiest Man Alive after a successful 2017. Taika Waititi The man behind the blockbuster Marvel comedy “Thor: Ragnarok” would be a dark horse candidate for the award, given his relatively new status as a high-budget director. But his natural humor and relentlessly endearing New Zealander accent make

him a contender, as well as his role in “Ragnarok” as a mild-mannered gladiator rock monster named Korg, who was the best part of a movie that included Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and Mark Ruffalo — all men that could be included in the Sexiest Man Alive conversation.

Waititi is a talented director, a plucky comedian, and has a self-aware charm that gives him an edge. Plus, he wears a lot of printed shirt and shorts combos, which is a puzzling kind of sexy suited only to a year as complicated as 2017.

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

People Magazine recently named Blake Shelton 2017’s “Sexiest Man Alive.”

H&S HEALTH & SCIENCE

A ProPublica and NPR investigation found earlier this year that more American women are dying of pregnancy-related complications than women in any other developed country. The University Health System is working to mitigate this rising maternal risk with an approach that includes comprehensive screenings and emergency protocols. Maternal mortality is most dangerous to mothers who carry high-risk pregnancies. “High risk pregnancies are those in women whose pre-existing medical conditions can be negatively impacted by pregnancy,” said Chris Chisholm, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and the vicechair for medical education at the University Health System. Pre-existing conditions are present in the mother before or surface during pregnancy and threaten the health of both the mother and the child, with the most common being cardiovas-

THE CAVALIER DAILY

U.Va. works to address rise in maternal deaths U.Va. Health System looks to counter this trend within its labor and delievery unit, ranked in the top one percent Navya Annapareddy | Staff Writer cular and hemorrhage-related. Maternal mortality and risk can even occur following a successful pregnancy and delivery. “Pregnancy-associated mortality records count deaths occurring in the first year after pregnancy and include accidental and traumatic deaths, as well as suicide,” Chisholm said. “Unfortunately, a number of women die as a result of intimate partner violence each year.” Postpartum depression is also a risk to mothers following pregnancy. “Postpartum depression is the same as depression outside of pregnancy, and occurs in 1020 percent of pregnant women after they have their babies,” said Donald Dudley, an obstetrics and gynecology professor and director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The risk is in no way limited to those typically seen as at-risk. “I had a physician colleague who committed suicide due to postpartum depression over 20 years ago, and it had a lasting impact on me,” Chisholm said.

The same NPR and ProPublica study found that the U.S. is the only developed country where maternal mortality is rising. Dudley attributed multiple causes for this, including, “an older population becoming pregnant, more women with congenital heart disease coming into adulthood and getting pregnant, higher rates of obesity, de-regionalization of healthcare and improved detection.” Both doctors praised the University Health System’s commitment to maternal health. The system’s Children’s Hospital programs include both neonatal and pediatric intensive care units and are nationally ranked. “We are ranked in the top one percent of labor and delivery units in the country as a safe place to deliver,” Dudley said. Chisholm spoke of multiple safety protocols, such as emergency drills and treatment protocols for hypertension, in place at the University Health System. “All women are screened in