Thursday, November 30, 2023

The Cavalier Daily

Vol. 134, Issue 8

ADAIRE BURNSED, AVA PROEHL, MASATO TAKEDAI, ALBERT TANG & HONOR WOOD | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Thursday, November 30, 2023

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The Cavalier Daily

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief Dear readers, Today, I write to you for the final time as the editor of The Cavalier Daily. My first letter was published in January, when students were returning to Grounds for the first time since the November shooting that claimed the lives of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry. In the year since, we’ve covered the aftermath of the shooting and the anniversary here on Grounds. We’ve

also covered the largest series of changes made to the Honor Committee’s constitution since its inception, the reversal of affirmative action in college admissions and the final resting place of the Robert E. Lee statue. Other top stories our stafffers have curated for you in this issue include a feature of a beloved dining hall employee, a deep dive into a cappella culture on Grounds and a heartwarming story about a baseball player-turned-podcast host. We

hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane.

On the digital side of the paper, we’ve also been hard at work this year expanding our reach on digital platforms — including Twitter and Instagram — and increase subscribers to our daily and sports newsletters.

Through all of this growth and these changes, I am continually impressed by the work of our editors and staffers, and I am so immensely grateful for the care and dedication they

commit to this organization every single day. I can’t imagine late nights printing the paper in the Newcomb Basement without them. In just two days, many of them will step up as we elect leadership for the 135th term — I am proud and excited for the term to come, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Finally, we owe an enormous gratitude to you, our readers — whether you responded to one of Mary’s newsletter questions, donated or simply read a piece

on the website, we are grateful for you. On behalf of us all, thank you for supporting independent student journalists. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you.

Warmly, Ava MacBlane 134th Editor-in-Chief of The Cavalier Daily

NEWS This week in-brief CD News Staff

Student Council and U.Va. Community Food Pantry partner to provide Thanksgiving meal kits to students

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Student Council has partnered with the U.Va. Community Food Pantry to expand their annual distribution of free Thanksgiving meal kits to students who have opted not to travel home.

This year, Student Council made around 200 meal kits that students had to register through a Microsoft form to obtain on a first come first serve basis. Students who filled out the form were able to pick up their meal kit in the Student Activity Center in Newcomb Hall on whichever day they indicated would be best for them.

Up to 33 percent of University students experience food insecurity at some point over their time at the University, according to a statement published online by Will Guilford, associate dean for Undergraduate Affairs. The CFP provides essential food and hygiene items at its physical location in the Student Activity Center on the first floor of Newcomb.

The pantry is open access for any student or staff to come and take what they need.

Christopher Joseph, Student Life Director of Student Council and third-year College student, said that this year’s partnership with the U.Va. Community Food Pantry greatly increased the impact that this initiative was able to have in comparison to past efforts.

“We do hope to expand upon that partnership in the spring when we do meal kits again,” Joseph said. “One of the things Student Council is looking for is how many students need winter break meal kits, because it’s something that we haven’t done, but it might be something that students still need.”

University carbon emissions down by 44.6 percent per annual sustainability report Carbon emissions are down by 44.6 percent at the University, per the Committee on Sustainability’s 2022-23 annual report.

According to the report, the group remains on track to achieve the goals of its long term sustainability plan, including becoming carbon neutral and fossil fuel free by 2030.

These goals are housed under the University’s 2030 Plan, which outlines long-term plans to make the University the “best public university by 2030.” As seen in the report, the University achieved several of these goals in 2022, including reducing nitrogen emissions by 30 percent and increasing the amount of sustainable food purchased to 30 percent. Nitrogen emissions have now decreased 43.6 percent since 2010, and 35 percent of food purchases in 2022 were sustainable.

Colette Sheehy, co-chair of the University Committee on Sustainability and senior vice president for operations and state government relations, said the 44.6 percent decrease in carbon emissions was achieved despite overall growth in building square footage and population size. Recent University expansions include two new upper-class residence halls on Brandon Avenue, renovations on Alderman Library, the construction of the School of Data Science and the Contemplative Commons.

“U.Va.’s approach to sustainability emphasizes the importance of individual action to make small changes that add up, as well as collaboration to develop large-scale solutions,” Sheehy said in a written statement to The Cavalier Daily. “Many of the decisions that we all make each day, both small and large, have the potential to reduce U.Va.’s environmental footprint and to work towards addressing our most pressing challenges.”

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U.Va. Futures Initiative tackles questions of generative A.I., the future of higher education The U.Va. Futures Initiative, a program that will analyze emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence that could alter the field of higher education in the coming years, is gearing up for a number of projects that are meant to advise University policy. Led by administrators from across the University’s different schools, the group will work over the next year to compile a list of recommendations to help the University prepare for changes in academia over the next 10 years.

The Futures Initiative Group aims to send a report with recommendations on how the University can prepare for changes in higher education to the University administration in the next year, as well as host a series of events involving the University community. Some of these events include a podcast series, guest lectures, panels and town hall discussions. Guest speakers will be from a range of fields, including business, science and college administration.

The first episode of the Futures Initiative podcast series will bring in a range of professionals from different industries as guests. It’s slated to be recorded Nov. 30 and released as part of the Hoos in STEM podcast.

In an interview with The Cavalier Daily, Bourne said the accelerating rate of technological developments within higher education, as shown by the increase of A.I. popularity over the past year, was a primary reason for the creation of the initiative. “[The Initiative’s goal is] to be actionary rather than reactionary,” Bourne said. “It’s already taken on a much broader set of people across Grounds and beyond to have a conversation about how higher ed will likely change, and how we should respond to it now rather than after these changes in technology.”

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 3

NEWS

Ongoing debate over Charlottesville school renamings A new school naming policy will be voted on at future CCSB meetings Lexie Stadler | Staff Writer Charlottesville City School Board’s ongoing efforts to update its public school naming policy by disallowing schools to be named after individual people has sparked debate among some community members. As the Board considers its policy, Charlottesville grapples with balancing the legacies of revered educators and addressing historical controversies while also considering public opinion.

Currently, the School Board is undergoing significant revisions to its renaming policy under a project entitled “Naming of Facilities and Grounds.” During a Nov. 2 meeting, the Board formally considered the complete prohibition of naming schools after any individual person, regardless of their history. The school naming process is designed to standardize renaming processes for CCS while establishing representative school names that reflect CCS communities. The plan is currently open to public input.

Under the proposed policy, new school names must fulfill at least one of two criteria, while avoiding names that honor individual people. The first, “purpose,” reflects an

alignment with the schools’ mission.

The second, “place,” denotes the geographic location of the school.

James Bryant, a departing CCS Board member serving nearly six years, said that the latest naming policy revisions aim to standardize a transparent renaming process.

“As a Board, I’m hoping we come to a happy medium,” said Bryant. “At the end of the day, it’s one board of seven members, with everyone having an opportunity to contribute and share their ideas.”

Given recent significant challenges of violence and teacher shortages at Charlottesville High School, CCS Board members are unsure whether there will be space for the renaming policy on the upcoming Dec. 7 agenda. If the renaming policy is not voted on at the December meeting, the decision could be postponed to January, which would coincide with the induction of four new school board members.

The original plan for a comprehensive renaming of City schools was meant to start with elementary schools, with the effort extending to changing the names of secondary schools as well.

The first two elementary schools slated to be renamed are Venable Elementary and Clark Elementary, which will become Trailblazer Elementary and Summit Elementary, respectively, in fall 2024. Venable’s name currently refers to a Confederate office who served as an aid to Robert E. Lee and Clark’s name references a general who supported colonial expansion into Indigenous lands.

In April, the Board confirmed the renaming of Burnley-Moran Elementary and Johnson Elementary — because both namesakes have connections to Confederate groups — but it ultimately opted to delay the process to give staff and school communities the opportunity to consider alternative names.

Sherry Kraft, CCS Board member since 2015 and a clinical psychologist, said Charlottesville community members have very strong feelings about the histories of Charlottesville schools and the renaming process.

“I think the board is pretty firm on not wanting to name whole buildings after individuals because [of] these issues, and the changes in

history and the political climate… we just want to do it right,’” Kraft said.

While the Board is still debating its name change policy, community members are working to address the historical significance of current namesakes. Community member Phil Varner wrote a 56-page research compilation titled “A Primer on the Names and Namesakes of Charlottesville City Schools” which provides an overview on the beliefs, actions and accomplishments of current City school namesakes.

Although, not everyone agrees with the document’s conclusions.

Chuck Moran, nephew of educator and Burnley-Moran Elementary namesake Sarepta Moran, challenged the accuracy of Verner’s document, which reports Sarepta Moran was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy memorial society — a group that built multiple Confederate monuments across the country.

Chuck pointed to a lack of evidence over Sarepta’s level of involvement in the group, as well as the organization’s popularity with many Southern women during the

time — UDC now actively denies any allegiance to militant or racists causes.

“I think there may be a misperception that we’re angry because our great aunt’s name is coming off of the school, but that’s not the case,” Chuck said. “What we’re very interested in is a fair and honest policy and process that’s based on actual facts, inclusion and transparency.”

Some community members are concerned that the incoming policy could erase legacies associated with revered historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr., whose impact is embodied in Charlottesville High School’s Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center. To address this, the policy allows outstanding individuals to be acknowledged by naming specific sections of school facilities in their honor.

Regardless of the final naming policy, Johnson and Burnley-Moran will still be renamed, although new names have not yet been decided.

Buford Middle School, poised for new construction, will be renamed “Charlottesville Middle School” to align with the no-name policy.

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Currently, the School Board is undergoing significant revisions to its renaming policy under a project entitled “Naming of Facilities and Grounds.”

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NEWS

Graduate student workers discuss delayed payments Complaints about late payments led to the creation of a task force last year, but according to graduate students payment issues persist Arshiya Pant | Staff Writer Graduate student workers are still facing delayed payments after months of advocacy, according to workers in local union United Campus Workers of Virginia’s U.Va. chapter. Student workers are responding with a Dec. 6 town hall meeting to discuss their response to these late payments and related budget issues.

Several graduate workers first said they had not received timely payments in December 2022 and raised concerns about late payments continuing in the future. Now, although the issue has been rectified for most students, some workers still report stipend delays.

One of these students is Graduate Arts & Sciences student Cleo Boyd, who has faced issues with late payments twice. Initially, she was part of a larger group that received late payment last year.

Boyd said that while she is currently one of the only students she knows facing a delayed payment, the overall process to resolve the issue was not communicated with sufficient clarity or urgency to graduate workers, and issues still remain in resolving the processes.

“It’s Wednesday, right? And rent is due on Friday, and I still haven’t heard

anything,” Boyd said. “The time pressure is acute for me because rent is due in a couple of days, but it doesn’t seem there’s an understanding of that acute time pressure from people who are working within these appropriate channels.”

In response to the large number of delayed payments last December, Provost Ian Baucom officially convened a taskforce Feb. 9 to investigate and provide recommendations. After the taskforce’s formation, graduate students held a rally in April because graduate students saw continued late payments. The UCW-VA U.Va. chapter then sent two student delegations to meet with Baucom.

The taskforce’s final report, published May 4, included immediate, short, medium and long-term recommendations to make the payments in a more efficient manner. Recommendations included setting up an automatic payment system, modifying Student Financial Services’ emergency loan payment policies and centralizing graduate student financial information into one system.

The University distributes stipends to graduate student workers to cover their living expenses during

students’ time with the University, typically paid before the first of each month. Some workers, such as Graduate Arts & Sciences student Olivia Paschal, say this timeline still has not been met despite University assurance that payment delays would not occur again.

“Those [on the delegations] were promised face-to-face that this is the last time this would happen, that they would implement fixes and that people would not get paid late again,” Paschal said. “People have been getting paid late since then.”

According to University spokesperson Bethanie Glover, the University has taken steps in the past year to ensure that payment deadlines are met, issues are quickly resolved and communication is clearer.

“The University is unaware of any systemic delays associated with graduate student stipends and funding,” Glover said in an email statement to The Cavalier Daily. “When isolated issues have occurred, schools and departments have acted quickly to resolve them. Any student who believes that an error has occurred with regard to the payment of stipends or wages is encouraged to reach out to their

Director of Graduate Studies and departmental administrators.”

Glover said students received a link to a form made in collaboration with the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences’ student council to track and streamline the resolution of payment issues after concerns were raised. She also said a website outlining the stipend payment process has been added, along with an auditing system to track aid in advance of deadlines.

Despite the University’s efforts, Paschal said communication regarding solutions has been unclear. Both Paschal and Boyd also said low wages for budget administrators themselves likely contribute to delays in the distribution process.

According to the taskforce’s final report, the main reasons for late payments included delays in data approval and miscommunication among administrative staff about payment deadlines. The report acknowledged that issues were exacerbated by temporary vacancies in staff positions that have now allegedly been filled.

According to the UCW-VA website, union members feel that the taskforce failed to respect graduate workers as employees.

“The University will say that [graduate students] are apprentices learning how to teach, but we’re not learning how to teach, we are teaching,” Paschal said. “And we are doing that in the University. They need us to do that.”

Paschal said these workers are paid at rates below the living wage set by the MIT living wage calendar. Delayed payments may especially adversely affect graduate students in a financially vulnerable position.

“A public institution should serve people regardless of income level, and I think they tend to assume that [graduate students] have access to funds when many don’t,” Paschal said.

Boyd said graduate student workers provide much of the labor needed for the University to function by grading and leading undergraduate courses. At the townhall, she will discuss the experiences of late-paid graduate student workers and the University’s perception of their status as students instead of workers.

The meeting to discuss these issues is open to the public and will be held in the Swanson Room of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.

Lighting of the Lawn 2023 to feature “Disglow” theme The event will feature performance groups, a reflective poem reading and a longer light show than the year prior Finn Trainer | Senior Associate The University will feel the disco fever at the 22nd annual Lighting of The Lawn event, which will feature a colorful light show, concessions and performances from a cappella and dance groups Friday from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The theme of this year’s event is “Disglow,” and attendees are encouraged to wear disco costumes and bring glow sticks.

Frances Carraway, co-chair of the LOTL committee and fourth-year Architecture student, said LOTL executives decided on the theme of “Disglow” early in the semester. This year’s theme will have a new focus on audience participation, a change from past years, Carraway said.

“We wanted to make the theme a little more [interactive],” Carraway said. “We thought that ‘Disglow’ would be a good way for people to be able to dress up.”

The a cappella and dance performances, which have included acts from X-Tasee Dance Crew and the University Singers in previous years, will be followed by a poem reading and a group singing of the “Good Ol’ Song.” Poetry reading is an annual

tradition at LOTL — typically, student-selected University leaders narrate a holiday-themed poem.

The night will end with the presentation that gives the event its name — a light show programmed in tune to a series of songs selected by the LOTL committee. This year’s light show portion of the event will be longer than that of LOTL 2022, although the exact duration has not been announced.

Riley Lorgus, co-chair of the LOTL committee and fourth-year College student, said that this change was made in response to community feedback. Some students reported last year’s light show felt too short, especially following LOTL’s 20th anniversary show in fall 2021, which featured an extended light show of roughly 22 minutes.

Lighting of the Lawn first began after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks with the goal of bringing together the University and Charlottesville communities.

The event has grown in the years since, with many a cappella groups, like the Virginia Gentlemen, performing regularly. Sam Wells, Virginia Gentlemen president and fourth-year Batten stu-

dent, said that a cappella groups help provide an atmosphere of camaraderie and celebration at the event.

“We spend weeks preparing our songs, and we’re just excited to show them off and come together as a University,” Wells said.

Last year’s LOTL took place weeks after a shooting at Culbreth Garage resulted in the deaths of students Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry and Lavel Davis Jr. and left two others injured.

Lorgus said last year’s LOTL event highlighted the tradition’s mission of uniting and uplifting the surrounding community.

“Lighting of the Lawn was the first event where the University community and the entire Charlottesville community could really come together and hold each other close,” Lorgus said.

This year’s light show will include the numbers 1, 15 and 41 — the football uniform numbers of the deceased students — which were also displayed at last year’s LOTL. “We wanted [the numbers] to serve as a reminder and let everyone know we’re not going to forget the tragic events that happened,” Lorgus said.

“It’s a way to uplift [Devin, Lavel and D’Sean] and continue to uplift the community.”

Fourth-year College student Evie Weinstock said last year’s LOTL tradition felt like a particularly important moment in the wake of November’s shooting.

“Before I even came to U.Va., people had mentioned it as one of the greatest community events,” Weinstock said. “Last year was my favorite Lighting of the Lawn, just because it was so meaningful for us as a community to be together in that time.”

This year’s celebration marks the second in-person LOTL since the pandemic, during which the event took place via Zoom. Weinstock attended the virtual LOTL as a first-year student and said she has attended the event every year since.

This year, the LOTL committee had to replace the strings of lights used for the lightshow, an expensive process that takes place roughly every seven years. Lorgus said the committee fundraises an average of $80,000 for the event each year with the help of the Office of Advancement and the

Alumni Association, and that the light replacement cost roughly $10,000.

Additionally, he said that committee members signed up to help hang lights in early October, working alongside University Facilities Management.

“We provide [Facilities Management] a lot of hands and a lot of labor to one, help them out and show our thanks, but too, to drive down our costs so we can make LOTL as cost-efficient as possible,” Lorgus said.

The LOTL committee also produces merchandise for the event each year, and LOTL 2023 is no exception.

Anran Zhao, LOTL marketing committee member and third-year College student, said that the committee is tasked with designing and ordering merch, as well as publicizing the event.

“The marketing committee’s job is advertising the event to the Charlottesville community and to the student body, as well as helping design some of the merchandise,” Zhao said.

LOTL is free to the public, and can also be viewed online via livestream.

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 5

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT U.Va.’s viral student drummer talks internet stardom First-year student Elena Heraldo has gained a massive social media following posting videos of her drum covers Madigan Lounsbery | Staff Writer Hailing from Richmond, Elena Heraldo, drummer and first-year College student, has earned the status of internet microcelebrity after amassing over 867,000 followers posting drum covers of popular songs on social media. As one of the few female drummers visibly thriving in an artform often dominated by men, she serves as inspiration for young female drummers looking for role models online.

The nineteen-year-old music prodigy started playing the drums in fifth grade, crediting her “musical family” as the main inspiration to pursue musical interests. With a saxophone player as a father and a DJ as a grandfather, music was certainly in her blood. But it was not until the beginning of 2021 — amidst the COVID-19 pandemic — that Heraldo decided she wanted to put out some clips of her drumming online.

“I wanted to do something a little bit productive with my drumming skills,” Heraldo said.

“I wanted to put myself out there because I was inspired by looking on social media and seeing other people’s accounts of their progress for drumming.”

She set up in her basement with her drumset and began to record and post videos of herself playing along to popular rock, alternative and indie songs. Her covers span from My Chemical Romance and Pierce the Veil to The Strokes and TV Girl.

Since creating her viral TikTok account, Heraldo has amassed 22.4 million likes across all of her videos, with some racking up over 7 million views each. Her following on social media has also crossed over to other platforms, with over 464,000 followers on Instagram.

On each and every video, Heraldo receives hundreds of comments — most of which are incredibly complimentary.

“This makes me want to get my old set and brush off the dust…” one user commented on Heraldo’s viral cover of “A Match into Water” by Pierce the Veil.

Heraldo said that these positive comments fuel her passion.

“I see comments of other people or other girls like me saying ‘this inspired me to play the drums,’” Heraldo said. “Those make me feel the most proud.”

Though her internet fame seemingly knows no bounds and her following is growing each

and every day, Heraldo’s musical influence is not limited just to social media. Heraldo has also found her place among the University music scene as the drummer of No Composure — a band started by students who met living near each other who have a shared passion for music. Made up of four first-years and one second-year, the newly formed band has already played multiple gigs this semester, including one as a featured performer at the most recent Indieheads show.

Heraldo has also recently joined Current Attitude, a band composed of musicians who met through a University Records group chat. Though they have yet to play a gig, they rehearse by playing mainly indie and alternative rock music.

Somehow, though, Heraldo seamlessly balances the social media fame with the newfound pressure of being a full-time student. As a prospective Chemistry or Biology major, Heraldo faces the task of managing a full course load, a viral social media account and two thriving bands simultaneously. Heraldo said that planning ahead is essential to making sure she doesn’t run out of content to post during the semester.

“When I’m [on Grounds], I definitely prioritize my schoolwork,” Heraldo said. “When I go home, I’ll record a bunch of covers so I’ll be able to post them when I’m [at the University.]”

Though she intends to pursue a career in medicine after college, Heraldo said she has no intention of giving up drumming as a hobby.

“I definitely want to keep playing drums,” Heraldo said. “I think it’s really fun to do as a side hustle.”

If students from the University are scrolling on TikTok and see an amazing drummer playing in front of a green wall, they should know that she might just be sitting in the next seat over in BIOL 2100.

Elena Heraldo — drummer extraordinaire — is continuing her rise to stardom online, and it does not seem like she will be slowing down any time soon. As she continues to break into the University music scene, keep up with her instagram @elena.drums to stay in the know on No Composure’s next show and see her live.

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

As a prospective Chemistry or Biology major, Heraldo faces the task of managing a full course load, a viral social media account and two thriving bands simultaneously.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Jumping on the bandwagon — the U.Va. frat band epidemic Student bands birthed by fraternities are taking over the University music scene, one classic rock cover at a time Caroline Lee | Staff Writer The hills of Charlottesville are alive with the sound of live music. On any given Saturday, the soundtrack of Rugby Road almost certainly includes a myriad of voices singing along to covers of classic rock anthems performed by one of the many fraternity bands on Grounds, from The Big Slice to The Jellies.

The past few years have seen a marked increase in the presence of such “frat bands,” groups birthed from or associated with a certain fraternity and characterized by their penchant for jamming out to crowd-pleasing repertoires. Joseph Ascoli, singer and fourth-year College student, feels the trend has a lot to do with the community already present within fraternities — all five members of his band, Weekends and Wednesdays, are members of Phi Delta Theta.

“It definitely goes a long way, being in the same fraternity and already kind of having that rapport...

I think it helps us work pretty well together,” Ascoli said. “It’s always nice to have that friendship to fall

back on.”

Not only does there exist this supportive community within the fraternity bands, but also between them. Christian Tessier, guitarist for Loose Leaf and third-year Batten student, said he and his bandmates — two of which are fraternity members — will always try to come out to a live show if there is another student band involved.

Ascoli echoed Tessier’s comment, stating that his band feels “fortunate” and grateful for the abundance of musical talent in both Greek life and Charlottesville at large.

“It’s really cool to see all the talent,” Ascoli said. “You want to show out, help them out as best you can, and just see what other people are up to.”

Lily Altman, singer for Split Decision and third-year College student, feels that the community has been incredibly supportive of the formation of new relationships.

Apart from Altman, a member of Tri Delta, all members of Split Decision are brothers of Chi Phi.

“A lot of the friends I’ve made at U.Va. have been through our love of music and through attending each other’s gigs,” Altman said. “It’s opened up a whole new network for me. I love getting to meet other people who love music as much as I do.”

This network of musicians and performers has been aided by the creation of University Records — or URecords — a student-run organization that offers aspiring musicians opportunities to book practice spaces and rent equipment through their website and GroupMe group chat, in addition to finding bands for house shows.

According to Altman, Split Decision has rented equipment for shows from URecords, while Tessier said that URecords helped him find several of his Loose Leaf bandmates. Ascoli said that URecords’s practice spaces have been “clutch,” adding that several of his bandmates are members of the organization. “[URecords is] often our go-to for asking questions about equip-

ment or how to get gigs,” Ascoli said.

Ascoli also cited the unique music culture in Charlottesville as having a huge impact on the ascent and abundance of frat bands.

“The live music scene in Charlottesville is awesome,” Ascoli said.

“Once you get a gig like Crozet or Coupe’s and you get to play one of the bars, it’s a pretty big milestone for the frat bands. It makes it feel real.”

This increase in the number of bands present on Grounds has also led to a more diversified and thus competitive circuit.

“Now that there are so many of us, every individual band is working really hard to get as good as they can and get as many gigs as they can,” Altman said. “There is such a pool of options, and not a million chances for gigs all the time.”

But even as bands have expanded the scope and scale of their performances, playing shows on the Corner and the Downtown Mall, they remain true in their allegiance to and nature as frat bands. Tessi-

er said fraternities are a “good environment for music,” adding that though only two members of Loose Leaf are members of fraternities, they love the “energy” present when playing at them.

Ascoli added that he thinks the fraternity band culture is part of what makes the University social scene so special.

“You always have fraternities that are looking to have live bands at their functions, so not only do you get to play at Coupe’s and Crozet ... you also get to play for your friends,” Ascoli said.

Friendship, after all, is the agent behind the genesis of these fraternity bands, and perhaps also responsible for creating a culture that has become a major component not only of Greek life but of all corners of the University. Find them at the Downtown Mall, on the Corner, in a fraternity house or even Dec. 1 at Lighting on the Lawn — no matter the location, these bands will always guarantee a good time.

Holden Brown is an artist on and off the soccer field The Virginia goalkeeper spends his free time honing his painting, photography and sculpture skills Amelia Preble | Senior Writer When he is not making game-winning saves or serving as team captain, Holden Brown, University soccer goalkeeper and fourth-year College student, is pursuing a pastime different from many of his teammates — art.

Between poetry, sculpture, painting, drawing and photography, Brown’s skills span a variety of mediums and are never confined to a certain style or concept.

Whether it be through his studies as a Studio Art minor or sharing his pieces on Instagram to inspire others to pursue artistic endeavors, Brown has found a variety of ways to engage his peers and classmates with his art, taking advantage of opportunities to refine his skills and share his creative pursuits with the community around him.

His first year — living in an athlete-only dorm — Brown was able to sell many of his paintings to his peers, an experience that motivated him to keep sharing and selling his work. The same year, Brown spent eight hours walking along a snowy field near

Observatory Hill Dining Hall, carving a larger-than-life single line illustration in the snow, in what he affirmed as both his biggest project and one of his most rewarding artistic experiences after looking down from the top floor of his building.

As a dedicated student athlete, Brown said that his artistic pursuits both connect and conflict with his day-to-day life. While he admits that he usually lacks the time and energy to keep up with his art during the soccer season, Brown said he appreciates the contrast art provides him from both his athletic and academic life.

“It is nice every once in a while to occasionally have that escape away from soccer,” Brown said.

“I can just kind of do something completely a different world away.”

After a season-ending PCL tear in late September forced him to take time away from the field, Brown has taken the opportunity to photograph and post “pre match portraits” of his teammates.

Brown said he has also found connections between the realms of sports and the arts, from recognizing the benefits of rigid routine and forced practice of regular studio classes to acknowledging the artistry inherent in athletic movement.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize how artistic a sport is,” Brown said. “For example, when a basketball player is trying to score a basket, they have to do a dance with the ball in order to get past the defender to shoot.”

Brown has been involved with visual art for several years — he first began to explore art when he took a sculpture class his first year of high school. While he fell in love with the art form, Brown said that he hated the curriculum — he found a loophole and became a teaching assistant for his sculpture class to gain access to the supplies without being restricted by class structure. When the pandemic hit just a few years later, Brown began devoting his newfound free time to painting and photography and has not

looked back since.

In his time at the University, Brown has found some of his most educational experiences to be simply observing other student artists.

“The [classmates] that are very talented helped me drastically,” Brown said. “Just being able to watch these people and take notes from them.”

Placing low stakes on most of the art he makes, Brown values the different perspectives he has received on his artwork — even on pieces he himself was not proud of.

“Every single person that I’ve ever met has a different favorite piece that I’ve made,” Brown said.

“You can make five pieces that you hate, and five different people will like each one specifically for their own reasons.”

In sharing his art with the world, Brown said he hopes that others will be inspired to pursue their own artistic endeavors. With no “end goal” in mind when he starts a piece, Brown lets his artistic instinct drive him to a final

product. According to Brown, art has taught him the beauty in embracing mistakes and unexpected changes along the way, and he encourages others to experience this themselves. “[If] something’s not how I want it to look, I’m not mad or dissatisfied with it… I’m kind of just seeing what’s gonna happen at the very end of it,” Brown said.

“To make art, to make mistakes and to keep going is my main message.”

Many of Brown’s paintings, poems, photography, sculptures and off-the-field pursuits can be found on his art Instagram, @hb_things.

Although Brown does not know exactly what he wants his career to be, he said that he would “go crazy” if it did not involve something creative. With a multitude of goals on his radar — organizing an independent art exhibit, publishing a book of his photography, making a movie or working in sports production — it is clear that Brown will thrive anywhere that allows him to create.

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 7

LIFE

Good vibes and quality spirits at the Backyard The outdoorsy atmosphere and delicious drinks and pretzels makes the Backyard a great place to gather with friends Alison Tashima | Food Writer On my first visit to the Backyard

by Devils Backbone Brewing Company, not far from the Corner, their laid-back atmosphere hits the backyard theme spot-on — with dogs welcome at their outside patio seating and huge yellow Adirondack chairs inside. While I found their paninis to be on the slightly pricey end, I think this is the perfect spot to grab a drink and appetizers while watching a game with friends.

A popular spot since its opening last May, the Backyard is hard to miss when walking or driving past its eye-catching yellow and black window decals. Located a quick 11-minute walk from Central Grounds on West Main Street, the Backyard is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. I really enjoyed the calm, country vibes. With covers of John Denver playing throughout the build-

ing and furniture resembling the great outdoors, this restaurant was immediately warm and welcoming.

To start, I ordered a Cherry Go Round — which I did not expect to be a kid’s juice box — while my boyfriend ordered the Lily Pad hard apple cider.

Priced at $2 and $6.50 respectively, I felt like the 16oz cider was well worth the cost while the juice box was rather underwhelming. The hard cider was perfectly bright — with a relatively low alcohol percentage of 5.0 — that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will certainly be ordering a hard cider for myself the next time I visit the Backyard.

When at a brewery, I have to get a pretzel — it’s just the right thing to do. We ordered the grilled pretzel appetizer for $12 and opted to get the onion and chive cream cheese offered at an extra cost of $1. These pretzels were coated in salt and definitely left a lot of butter on the fingers but were

rather tasty. Served with a spicy honey mustard that was the perfect balance between sweet and heat, these pretzels hit the spot. I would definitely recommend ordering the grilled pretzels alongside your drinks when you visit the Backyard.

For the main, I ordered the turkey avocado sandwich, priced at $16 and filled with turkey, bacon, white cheddar, mayo and avocado. I chose a side of salt and vinegar chips which I ended up bringing home since my sandwich was so filling. My first few bites of the sandwich were quite enjoyable, but I quickly began to dislike the greasy exterior.

The paninis are brushed with butter and grilled to a lovely crunchy golden crust, but I felt that there was just a bit too much butter on mine and it became slightly uncomfortable to eat. Next time I would order this sandwich without the bacon since I

am personally not a huge fan of that component, and I felt that there could have been a bit more avocado. Overall, though, I was pleased with the balance of ingredients — while the turkey was overtaken by the bacon, the sandwich was not packed to the brim and I was able to finish it feeling satisfied.

My boyfriend ordered the Italian panini, priced at $17 and filled with ham, salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, spinach, tomato, banana pepper, red onion, oregano and balsamic vinaigrette. The banana pepper had a very strong flavor while the vinaigrette ended up being rather muted. The meat was balanced and not overpacked but was overwhelmed by the banana pepper taste.

Overall, the panini was on the heavier side and when combined with bites of pretzel here and there, it ended up not quite feeling worth the steep price.

Additionally, my boyfriend opted for

the veggie slaw as his side to go with the sandwich. While initially refreshing, the slaw was not special and ended up being slightly too acidic when paired with the sandwich. Alongside both sandwiches came bread and butter pickles, cut to look like chips with a balance of sweet and salty flavors.

The refreshing taste of pickle between bites of the heavy sandwiches helped to balance out our meal.

With a big screen placed towards one side of the main dining area, I am sure the Backyard comes to life when there’s an exciting game to be watched. In my experience, the Backyard is worthwhile for their drinks and shareable plates, but not if you’re looking for a nice, quality meal. I can absolutely see myself coming to the Backyard with a group of friends to try their beer and some appetizers, but I will probably not be coming back for a sandwich any time soon.

Pulling back the curtain on invisible illnesses How University students navigate challenges of their conditions that others cannot see Abby Snowdon & Charley Thomas | Features Writers Grappling with disabilities and chronic illnesses can pose a huge challenge to navigating college. While items like wheelchairs or walking canes may visually signify disabilities, many University students face challenges invisible to the naked eye as they look for necessary support from their peers and professors that they might need to succeed on Grounds.

The National Education Association defines invisible disabilities as “non-apparent physical, mental or neurological conditions that can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses or activities and can impact that person’s ability to learn or work.” These conditions can make college more difficult because they are not immediately physically visible to others.

For example, first-year College student Ellery Vishno grapples with ADHD and has noticed a significant difference between the way she and her peers operate that is not explicitly apparent on first glance.

“In terms of sitting in class, I’m always zoning out and having trouble paying attention to the lectures, whereas a lot of my peers are able to sit down for the full 75 minutes and type away without any issues,” Vishno said.

Natalie Dahlquist, Student Disabil-

ity Alliance vice president and thirdyear Engineering student, works to advocate for students with disabilities.

Since disability manifests itself through a wide variety of needs, SDA pursues a diverse array of initiatives to uplift affected students from advocating for published floor plans of accessible dorm rooms to aid disabled students’ move-in days to organizing social events for members.

“We want to bring disability more to the forefront,” Dahlquist said. “Universities [are] pushing more for DEI and all, but disabilities are left out of that conversation. It’s not a type of diversity people think of that comes straight to mind, so we want to bring it more into the conversation and have people think of it more than just adding a curb cut.”

With Ehlers-Danlos syndrome herself, Dahlquist must find meal options that align with her dietary restrictions.

Issues regarding labeling, limited staff knowledge and the University’s generalized approach to food allergies make the simple act of eating much more complicated, Dahlquist said.

“I’m in my third year, and it took about halfway through my second year before I was able to get consistently safe food to eat at the dining halls,” Dahlquist said.

Dahlquist’s experience highlights how students seeking accommodations may undergo additional pressure on a student who is already experiencing stress of attending University. From arranging SDAC accommodations to meeting with professors to explain how their disability may impact their performance, students with invisible illnesses may end up working more just to receive fair treatment.

While some students do receive accommodations, the actual reason for the accommodation may remain unknown — HIPAA laws protect students’ privacy but also prohibit the University from disclosing any details about the student’s personal health challenges.

As such, students may struggle to build a common understanding with faculty, according to Vishno, who wishes her professors would understand the reason for her accommodation and its impact on her coursework because it could help her develop a stronger rapport with her professors.

“For me, specifically with my ADHD … When I’m doing my actual schoolwork, I think that they only know that I have extra time and not necessarily why I need the extra time, and I think that that could benefit my-

self and them in the long run,” Vishno said.

Isabelle Jordan, outreach chair for SDA and fourth-year Batten student, acknowledged the value of the laws but wishes that professors had a better understanding as to why their students need accommodations.

[Protecting] the privacy of the students should remain in place,” Jordan said. “But I think a lot of [professors] don’t realize the lengths that students with disabilities have to go to in order to keep up with their peers… We shouldn’t have to be working twice as hard to get half as far.”

Whether the barrier is mental illness or chronic physical illness, the commonality lies in its uncommonality — these students often stray from the so-called standard.

“It’s just different, it’s not the norm,” Jordan said. “The way the school is set up is for the norm. So I think it’s really important for professors to recognize that and understand that people just learn differently and will perceive things differently and will come to things differently.”

According to third-year College student Emma Frank, who deals with persistant anxiety, people who struggle with these invisible conditions may also

feel ashamed at how much more effort they expend in contrast to others.

“Everyone struggles, and just because some people are better at hiding it than others doesn’t mean that it’s not there,” Frank said. “Realizing that and being comfortable with sharing is the first step to breaking the barrier surrounding mental illness.”

However, Frank also notes how the journey of navigating her anxiety has helped her understand that not everything people go through is always on display.

“I know how hard it can be to struggle with mental illnesses,” Frank said.

“So I can resonate more with people, and I just try to see people for more than what I can see, I don’t take that as a whole story. I try to imagine that there’s more going on in their lives than what I can see.”

Students with these invisible conditions navigate a world molded for “normal,” even when it may feel as though they are anything but. Right now, these students seek visibility and understanding from their peers at the University.

“There are more disabled students than people realize,” Dahlquist said.

“We are a group worth including in all those conversations.”

8 | www.cavalierdaily.com

2023 WRAPPED

Attendees of the A Taste of the East enjoyed show-stopping performances from members of EESA’s dance group, spoken word performances, three acts of a fashion show and musical performances, while also enjoying a dinner catered by Dama and Afghan Kabob. — LIFE

The Cavalier Daily

[Stephen Schoch’s] fervent presence on Twitter has now become a staple of the college baseball community. He hosts a college baseball podcast called “The Schoch Factor”, where he discusses everything college baseball. From previewing the conference landscapes to debating just how many ACC players have never seen the Atlantic Ocean, the podcast has it all. — SPORTS

The Honor Committee’s new constitution is the first successful multi-sanction legislation since the Honor system’s induction in 1842. The new constitution outlines a number of changes, the largest of which is an expansion of possible sanctions — including but not limited to a two-semester leave of absence, expulsion, education and amends.

These new sanctions will be applied on a case-by-case basis. — NEWS In the wake of the Supreme Court of the United States’ ruling that Harvard’s and University of North Carolina’s affirmative action policies are unconstitutional, the University started to evaluate how the court’s decision will affect its admission policies, said University President Jim Ryan and Ian Baucom, executive vice president and provost in a joint email statement to the University community.

— NEWS

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 9

Employees at a foundry sliced apart the statue at the center of Charlottesville’s deadly “Unite the Right” rally and dropped the metal scraps into a flaming furnace. Lee’s head and sword have transformed into an ingot reading “SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES” — the title of JSAAHC’s project repurposing the statue into a piece of community artwork. This new chapter marks an important step towards reflection for the community of Charlottesville. — NEWS

In her almost 22-year tenure working at Newcomb Dining Hall, University employee Kathy McGruder has never failed to make a student smile with her contagious laugh and her exceptionally witty remarks. Every single day, rain or shine, Ms. Kathy — as she’s affectionately called — provides a warm and welcoming presence at the entrance of the dining hall. — LIFE

A cappella is a serious matter at the University. With close to 15 unique groups ranging from the No Tones to the Flying V’s, there’s something for everyone — though the intense audition process can make joining a group competitive. A cappella is so renowned at the University that it has been rumored to be a source of inspiration for the book behind the Pitch Perfect movie. — A&E

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OPINION

The Cavalier Daily

LEAD EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL: We must promote economic diversity As the University continues to address the lack of economic diversity, students must also examine the role they play in perpetuating a culture of affluence The University is anything but an economically diverse institution. According to the New York Times College Access Index, the University ranks 248th for economic diversity out of the 286 most selective colleges in the country. Even more appalling, the University is dead last among state flagships, despite having the largest endowment per student. These are statistics with which the University, as an institution, and we, as students, should be very uncomfortable.

The University has acknowledged that this is a huge problem. In 2019 when University President Jim Ryan released his 2030 Plan, his first goal was to “strengthen the University’s foundation” by recruiting exceptionally talented and diverse students “regardless of their economic circumstances.”

Similarly, the University has instituted recruitment initiatives to target first generation and low income students and improve the accessibility of the application process. Most notably, for the past few years, the University has been ranked the No.1 public college or uni-

versity for financial aid.

These efforts are laudable, but the data shows they are ultimately insufficient. The Editorial Board can’t help but notice that the University’s actions focus on the process prior to matriculation. We must begin to consider that the current culture of affluence on Grounds may be equally as prohibitive to FGLI students.

Because of the lack of economic diversity on Grounds, FGLI students often feel socially isolated from their affluent peers. Academically, the hyper-competitive environment and lack of accessible institutional support has produced systemic imposter syndrome and chronic stress for many FGLI students. There are few institutional supports for students who experience these issues — the academic advising system is entirely inadequate and other mentorship opportunities, such as Hoos First, are insufficiently advertised.

The social scene at the University can also be hugely prohibitive to FGLI students who cannot afford to participate in the dominant party culture

which prescribes exorbitantly expensive behaviors. The University is known for a culture which for many includes drinking several days a week — which can cost hundreds of dollars — and joining fraternities and sororities — which easily costs thousands of dollars.

The expenses and time commitment associated with these activities are unmanageable for many FGLI students — especially since many must work at least one job to afford college and support families back home. The need to work can also prevent FGLI students from becoming leaders in the realm of student self-governance because of the sheer amount of time student leaders are expected to pour into their positions.

In short, the lived ethos of affluence, in addition to the price tag and prestige of this University, is prohibitive to FGLI students. The Student Council has begun to compile resources for FGLI students, including “Being NotRich at UVA” and Mutual Aid. To concretely address and remedy economic stratification in a college setting, the

University must make economic diversity an institutional priority beyond the recruitment process.

There are several initiatives that the University can and should undertake to achieve a more inclusive and diverse ethos. Firstly, there must be a more robust academic advising system for FGLI students, one which includes faculty and peer mentorship. Secondly, the University might consider a more radical approach — providing students with financial aid for the more informal expenses which drive many FGLI students to find a job. These solutions should be supplemented by additional resources and collective reflection on how we can make this institution more welcoming of FGLI students.

It would be easy to lay all the blame for our current appalling lack of economic diversity at the feet of the University administration. Students, however, also contribute to the ethos of affluence that marginalizes FGLI students. Extracurricular clubs, especially Greek life, must become more conscientious in their understanding of

how their organizations are enmeshed in a culture of free spending that is often inaccessible to FGLI students.

Student leadership organizations must find ways to make their leadership positions more sustainable so that students can be change makers on Grounds while still holding down a job — we know that we at The Cavalier Daily must do this, too.

The University must expand its academic policies to better support FGLI students once they arrive on Grounds.

And we, as students, must think critically about the economic space we inhabit and how we interact with students of diverse backgrounds in CIOs and beyond. To retain an economically diverse student body, we must create a culture where students can thrive regardless of socioeconomic status.

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

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

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

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

The Cavalier Daily is published Thursdays in print and daily online at cavalierdaily. com. It is printed on at least 40 percent recycled paper. 2022 The Cavalier Daily Inc.

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

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

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MANAGING BOARD Editor-in-Chief Ava MacBlane Managing Editor Lexi Baker Executive Editor Nathan Onibudo Operations Manager Ava Proehl Chief Financial Officer Charlie Healy

EDITORIAL BOARD Grace Duregger Dan Freed Ava MacBlane Nathan Onibudo Songhan Pang Naima Sawaya Shaleah Tolliver

JUNIOR BOARD

Assistant Managing Editors Claire DiLorenzo Alexandra Holmes (SA) Emma Carpet (SA) Hailey Chung (SA) Isabella Gattuso (SA) William Hutchens (SA) Karen Shin (SA) Lydia Sweeney Assistant Operations Manager Honor Wood (SA) Mary Kurbanov (SA) Alexa Mosley

News Editors Avery Donmoyer Merrill Hart (SA) Finn Trainer Life Editors Miriella Jiffar Cecy Juárez (SA) Elizabeth Parsons Sports Editors Ben Anderson Jacob Tisdale (SA) Ben Istvan (SA) Alexa Mosley Arts & Entertainment Editors Olivia Garrone Tanner Rowe (SA) Jamie Jeong Opinion Editors Grace Duregger Shaleah Tolliver (SA) Dan Freed (SA) Naima Sawaya Humor Editor Camila Cohen Suárez (SA) Wardah Kamran Cartoon Editor Kaileigh Proctor

Photo Editors Adaire Burnsed Albert Tang (SA) Tess Ginsburg (SA) Kate MacArthur (SA) Alison Pike Design Editors Lexie Gagnon Mix Rudolph Video Editor Olivia Winesett Social Media Managers Covonna Bynum Ceili Canning (SA) Halle McCormack (SA) Walker Williams Translation Editors Marina Peebles Shuqi Ye Analytics Managers Bella Binder Irene Si Finance Manager Wilson Simmons Advertising Manager Mason Lewis Website Manager Rhiannon Staley Archivist Grace Franklin

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 11

OPINION

BRUNMAN: Voters come first, not corporations In order to make sure our voices are considered, we must push for representatives who support campaign finance reform Follow the money — or so goes the saying popularized by the Watergate-inspired film “All the President’s Men.” The reelection of State Senator Creigh Deeds is certainly not the tale of political corruption like Nixon — this politician realized the previous error in his ways and mended it to mirror the interests of his voters. For much of his 22-year career in the Virginia State Senate, Deeds aligned himself with several corporate donors, taking advantage of a broken system — Virginia is one of only five states without corporate contributions limits to candidates’ campaigns.

In 2016, however, Deeds did an about-face — stopping donations from utilities firm Dominion Power, from whom he had previously received over $100,000. Deeds remedied previous inaction on campaign finance reform by transforming into a committed voice, voting to limit contributions from regulated utilities and from corporations overall. In cutting off these contributions, Deeds has exemplified how politicians should go from listening to the money to listening to the views of the voters, who overwhelmingly support reducing donations from corporations.

We must be focused on pressuring other Virginia politicians — whether it be through questions during their campaigns or columns like this — to have a

similar moral turnaround and support campaign finance reform. By doing so, a more substantive political dialogue can be advanced in Virginia, and we voters can ultimately be reprioritized in our own democracy.

Citizens are supposed to be the centerpiece of democracy, but all too often our interests seem secondary to those of corporations and special interests. A reciprocal relationship has

funds. This legislation has allowed Dominion to overcharge Virginians with free reign, to a point where Virginia’s electric bills are the sixth highest in the nation.

This corruptive process where donations buy influence goes well beyond Dominion — Securiport LLC, Zinc Collective LLC and several more firms either directly or through political action committees made donations of

would enable us to engage in a more legitimate dialogue, where politicians speak their minds rather than follow their wallets and interact with our beliefs rather than those of corporations.

Well-known satirist PJ O’Rourke once said that “when buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold are the legislators” — well, when legislators can no longer be bought and sold, the only

Removing unlimited corporate donations would help ensure that politicians’ platforms are shaped, as they ought to be, by the people.” developed in which large campaign donations translate to preferential treatment. One need look no further than Dominion, which provides power to two-thirds of Virginia residents and gives more than $1 million a year in campaign gifts to Virginia politicians of both parties. What has Dominion received in response? A legislature that allows Dominion to overcharge Virginians by up to $3 billion on their electric bills. In fact, the state legislature passed Dominion-backed legislation that reduced Virginia’s State Corporation Commission’s oversight on matters such as rate hikes and consumer re-

over $500,000 this year alone. Corporate contributions are not free money — they come at a price to Virginia voters, literally. Though any election is of course ultimately decided by votes, the increasing necessity to keep up with record state campaign spending necessitates engagement in this transaction with corporations. When corporations can donate high amounts, it inevitably incentivizes politicians to advance corporate interests over those of Virginia’s voters.

Beyond simply ensuring true representation of our interests in Richmond, campaign finance reform

marketplace left is that of ideas. Removing unlimited corporate donations would ensure that politicians’ platforms are shaped, as they ought to be, by the people. Through this dialogue, politicians will be forced to campaign toward the voters and meaningfully work toward solving issues affecting Virginia’s citizens, even if this goes against corporate interests.

Campaign finance reform is the key to making progress on other hot-button issues that Virginia voters care about. Dominion’s political purchasing power, for example, has not only allowed them to overcharge Virginians,

but also to keep open environmentally harmful coal and biomass plants previously slated for closure. Dominion and our legislators are clearly colluding in a manner that harms the health of Virginians and ignores our interest in environmental security. Through campaign finance reform, then, politicians can respond to their constituents rather than cater to corporations.

Article I of Virginia’s Constitution states that “all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people” — not corporations. Limiting corporate contributions, as Deeds now supports, is broadly popular — 75 percent of Virginians support such a measure.

With such backing, and with campaign finance reform being so broadly important to the interests of all Virginians, we must pressure politicians to follow in Sen. Deeds’ footsteps and carry our voices and views to Richmond along with our votes. If they do not comply, it will be time in the 2027 Virginia Senate elections to vote out these supposed representatives, just as it was time for Nixon to resign in 1974.

WYLIE BRUNMAN is a Viewpoint Writer who writes about Politics for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

SAWAYA: Fix the study abroad transfer credit system The current study abroad transfer credit process for majors over-empowers individual departments in a way that inhibits study abroad Study abroad is essential in “preparing students for the challenges of the global world” and should be easily accessible to all students. In reality, however, study abroad is less than accessible when students wish to transfer study abroad credits toward their major at the University — which must happen for non-University programs.

The International Studies Office has delegated providing study abroad information and approving study abroad transfer credits for majors to individual departments. In and of itself, this is not a bad idea — it accommodates different curriculums and pedagogies. In practice, however, this decentralized decision-making process results in an ad hoc system that can be unnecessarily prohibitive to students who wish to study abroad and complete their major.

One instance of the decentralized system is that departments allow students to count different, often low, numbers of study abroad credits towards their major. Generally, foreign language departments allow more credits to be transferred than other majors — the French department allows 12 credits while the environmental science department allows only six

credits, the equivalent of two classes.

Often departments that permit minimal amounts of study abroad credit lump domestic and study abroad credit together. For example, the anthropology department allows for six credits from outside the department — domestic transfer credit,

have ridiculous application processes through which students must be approved by the department to receive credit. The economics department not only requires a syllabus of the class, but also requires the professor of the class abroad to provide their CV and have received a doctorate in econom-

professor. Clearly, the application process for approval in some departments problematically reduces the educational study abroad experience to the classroom and requires unreasonable documentation.

Not only is transferring study abroad credit unduly difficult, study

Not only is transferring study abroad credit unduly difficult, study abroad information can also be exceptionally hard to locate”

study abroad credit or credits from other University departments. Similarly, the politics department, even for the foreign affairs concentration, only permits six credits of domestic or study abroad transfer politics credit. This amount of credit is laughable — especially for disciplines such as anthropology and politics whose historical ignorance of global cultures enabled evils such as colonialism. Failure to carve out unique space within major requirements for study abroad diminishes the importance of studying abroad.

Additionally, some departments

ics. A syllabus is a reasonable request.

Requiring a professor’s CV, however, is absurd because it implies that the economics department at the University should be the global arbitrator of who is qualified to teach economics. While the University’s economics department has a legitimate interest in arbitrating which professors’ classes count towards a degree from this University, that concern may be entirely overshadowed by the simple fact that some classes necessitate a global perspective.

It might be more beneficial to take ECON 3650, “Economics of India,” in India irrespective of the caliber of the

abroad information can also be exceptionally hard to locate — some departments do not have specific pages dedicated to providing study abroad information. For example, the biology department and even outwardly global departments such as religious studies do not have pages dedicated to study abroad. Study abroad pages delineate important information regarding study abroad as it relates to specific majors and communicate the value of study abroad. Instead of being given its own space, this information is woven in as an afterthought to other major requirement information. This

makes study abroad appear to be an afterthought and as somehow superfluous to inculcating the academic skills reflective of the major.

Luckily, the current barriers for transferring study abroad credit are easily remedied. ISO can continue the decentralized system in which individual departments make final decisions regarding transfer credit — however, basic standards must be set for departments. Firstly, there must be a dedicated page to provide subject-specific study abroad information. Secondly, departments must allow at least nine major credits to come specifically from study abroad credit. And thirdly, ISO must standardize the study abroad transfer credit application process so that all departments request the same documentation — for goodness’ sake, let this just be a syllabus.

NAIMA SAWAYA is a Senior Associate Opinion Editor who writes about Academics for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily.com.

12 | www.cavalierdaily.com

HUMOR

The Cavalier Daily

Love Connection Revisited While many have heard of the esteemed Life Desk at The Cavalier Daily — though obviously not as popular as the Humor Desk — few know that it used to run a series called Love Connection. Love Connection matched individuals with similar interests up and sent them on a date. After the date, the lovebirds were asked if they wanted to give an interview on how the date went. Unfortunately, a global disaster occurred and students could no longer be in close proximity to strangers. The page has been left untouched since 2020.

But fear not! There is still a cow and I am here to milk it. I — a seasoned investigator and journalist ever since my attempt at solving the CavMan mystery — have snuck into The Cavalier Daily archives to discover the unpublished stories of the Love Connection page.

Accessing the archives was a doozy.

Perhaps the hardest thing I had to accomplish yet. It took courage. Wit. Creativity.

I had to ask the newspaper’s archives manager if I could access the Love Connection files.

No, no. While what I did may sound “easy,” I assure you it was a grueling task. I had to pretend to be part of the Life Desk. I studied for weeks thinking of Top 10s for anything ranging from places to eat on Grounds to ways to sneak into the archives of a newspaper. It was this confident, Life staff member aura that gave me access to the archives.

The very first thought that popped into my head when reading the unpublished Love Connection interviews was, boring! No wonder the couples asked for their interviews not to be published. Who would read this garbage? Pages of winter café dates where the sun set as students kissed — these moments, in particular, were kept from publishing for sentimental reasons. Psshhh. I wish these couples had just kept these moments between themselves as opposed to sharing them with the Life Desk interviewer because

their stories were drier than their probably winter breeze-chapped lips as they kissed. I moved on.

After scanning countless useless pages detailing how two people fell in love, I stumbled upon a mystical document with letters and numbers randomly written on it. No, not random.

It was a code. Was it a Substitution Cipher? A Mirror Cipher? Hours of deliberation led me to the answer. They were computing IDs! And not just any computing IDs, but those of the individuals who refused to be interviewed.

Now, most reasonable people would respect the decision of these individuals to not share their dates, but I’m a journalist and I seek the truth!

I emailed all 428 of them and received two replies, excluding the 273 that sent me profanity-filled responses. However, the emotional damage was worth it as I finally found the bootleg Love Island U.Va. content I know you have been craving.

The first reply was from someone we will call Joseph. Joseph said his

date was insane. She came late and left early, but made him wish the date was shorter nonetheless.

“Like, I was too embarrassed to tell this story while I was still at U.Va. but I guess, with this layer of anonymity, it is easier to say what a horrible experience it was,” “Joseph” said. “I invited her to dinner at some fancy restaurant, I forget the name, and she showed up in sweatpants and crocs! And on top of that, she had 48 oysters as an appetizer. She basically made out with the oysters the way she was smacking her lips after each one. And, of course, she expected me to pay.”

Ouch, now that’s one bad date. But the conversation I had on the phone with him definitely made me think those oysters were more interesting than him.

The next email I got was from someone we will call, uh, Josephine.

Josephine detailed her terrible experience of having a study session with her date.

“So I was taking this class and I told

CARTOON A Typical U.Va. Lecture Sahar Asghari | Cartoonist

him about my exam coming up, and he offered to help me study,” “Josephine” said. “Little did I know he was a mansplainer, teaching me, incorrectly I may add, all the content I already knew. He would not let me get a word in. Every time I would open my mouth to ask a question, comment, or correct something, he would tell me to stop talking. He wasn’t even the same major as me!”

Dang. Men, am I right? Can’t say she knew any better though, she ended up switching majors.

And that is what I discovered during my investigative journey in revisiting The Cavalier Daily’s Love Connection series. Hopefully, these stories haven’t stopped you from seeking out your own true love, or from going on a Tinder date. At the very least, these stories should make you feel better about your own non-existent love life.

WARDAH KAMRAN is a Humor Columnist for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at humor@cavalierdaily.com

The Cavalier Daily

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 13

SPORTS With latest wave of redshirts, Bennett remains steadfast In confirming his latest redshirt cohort, Coach Tony Bennett reaffirmed his commitment to player development via redshirting Michael Liebermann | Staff Writer Three freshmen emerged from the tunnel before Virginia men’s basketball’s season-opener against Tarleton State, wearing sweatpants and warmup jackets, trailing their teammates. They milled about, high-fiving players cycling through layup lines.

Not long before, on his pregame radio show, Coach Tony Bennett had offered some intel. The three freshmen — guard Elijah Gertrude, forward Anthony Robinson and guard Christian Bliss — would redshirt, becoming Bennett’s latest redshirt cohort and maintaining a tradition that has yielded such stalwarts as De’Andre Hunter, Mamadi Diakite, Jay Huff and Devon Hall.

But Gertrude, in an unexpected twist, played in Wednesday night’s game against Texas A&M, reversing the decision to redshirt because of depth concerns and his injury progression. Bennett confirmed after Virginia’s earlier game against North Carolina A&T that Desmond Roberts, a recruited walk-on, would also redshirt.

Recently, redshirting in college basketball has declined, becoming somewhat outdated. Only 10 of last season’s 66 ACC freshmen redshirted. But Bennett has persisted, establishing a blueprint — reaffirmed recently by redshirt freshman Leon Bond III — to shepherd players through a process that has become risky in the transfer portal era. After the Tarleton State victory, he explained some of his reasoning for his latest class of redshirts.

“We recommended that would be something that would probably bode well for their long-term future,” Bennett said. “And I think they all feel it’s the best right now.”

Redshirting, Bennett said, allows players to focus on practicing and acclimating to a new program, freeing them from the constraints of game preparation. Players can participate in scout team drills — where they act as opponents for the starters to practice against — furthering their knowledge of the opposing side. “[Development] is something that happens when they get extra work during the season,” Bennett said. “Day of the game, they’re in the practice gym, getting extra lifts.

But when they play on the scout team, or we call it our green team, they just get aggressive, and they kind of free up, and they can play without worrying about making so many mistakes.”

The Tarleton State game presented a gleaming example of redshirting’s merits when Bond, who seemed destined for a debut double-double, finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes.

Early in the second half, Bond threw down a monstrous putback dunk, sending the fans at John Paul Jones Arena into a frenzy. Bennett noticed Bond’s impact, praising him for galvanizing the team and igniting the crowd.

“For it being [Bond’s] first game, he redshirted last year, it was nice to see him out there giving us a lift that way,” Bennett said.

The situation showcased the duality of redshirting. It is, as Bond demonstrated and Bennett explained, a way to incubate a player.

It is also, as Virginia fans experienced this offseason, something of an invitation for players to transfer, even though the intention of the coach is ultimately to ensure strong development.

Sophomore forward Isaac Traudt transferred to Creighton after redshirting alongside Bond last season. The 6-foot-10 forward, a four-star recruit, grew up in Nebraska, a couple hours’ drive from Creighton. The prospect of returning home, he said, tipped his decision to transfer.

Traudt said the redshirt did not ultimately cause his decision to transfer, but there is an undeniable correlation between redshirting and transferring. Of the 10 ACC freshmen who redshirted last season, five entered the transfer portal.

“It was a lot of other factors, some of them not even basketball-related,” Traudt said. “I’d definitely be making the same move even if I had played significant minutes.”

Two of the 10 freshmen who redshirted last year belonged to Bennett. One, Bond, has stirred excitement. The other, Traudt, disappeared. So Bennett’s recent redshirt announcement understandably generated mixed feelings — but none of the three decisions arrived entirely as a surprise.

Bliss had planned for this, reclassifying and leaving high school early specifically to redshirt. Robinson had committed late, making him seem like a possible candidate.

Gertrude had missed his entire senior year of high school with a torn ACL, meaning redshirting could provide an extra year to reboot his game.

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Bond is the blueprint for how a redshirt can successfully impact a player’s development.

The idea seemed dangerous, especially with Traudt’s decision to decamp. A four-star recruit who ranks as the No. 6 shooting guard in his class typically expects to play right away. But the decision, Bennett always emphasizes, rests with the players. Bennett and his coaches merely make a recommendation.

“Missing his whole senior year with his knee surgery set him back a little bit,” Bennett said. “But, I’ll tell you, he shows flashes.”

Gertrude showed such flashes in the Blue-White Scrimmage, rhythmically navigating the court and facilitating offense, before draining a deep three-pointer at the buzzer.

The performance, along with his development in practice, gave Bennett the confidence that Gertrude would be able to immediately play at the highest level.

“We’re just talking about the depth and all that stuff and where we’re at, and Elijah’s leg is getting stronger and better,” Bennett said after the game. “You saw him jump up, grab a rebound, block a shot

and so it was just one of those situations where, even before it got to where we’re talking about it, and then it made sense.”

The support for the remaining redshirts comes not only from the coaches, but from the players as well. Bond, for his part, has offered the new redshirts his wisdom.

“I just have been telling them — attack every day,” Bond said.

“Understand that it’s a slow grind, and don’t get discouraged, because discouragement is a loss of perspective. I told them that you got to understand these workouts are not for nothing, and they’re all just going to add up. So when you touch down the first game, it’ll pay off.”

The decision to redshirt paid off for Bond. He is, according to kenpom.com, a “significant contributor” thus far, one of three Virginia players used on greater than 20 percent of possessions. The sample size, of course, remains minute. Bond’s minutes nosedived in Virginia’s battle with Florida, with Bennett chopping the rotation down to

eight players and giving Bond only four minutes.

But the minutes and the iridescence returned against North Carolina A&T, when in 19 minutes Bond scored a team-high 16 points.

He played a crucial role a week later in a narrow win over West Virginia, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

Bond reached this point through careful application of Bennett’s blueprint for redshirting, one refined through years of practice.

Bennett plans to redeploy that blueprint for his latest redshirt cohort. All three prospects have potential to become solid contributors for the Cavaliers — they were initially recruited for a reason. But in a time of mass movement across schools, Bennett’s stable approach still seems to be attractive to a set of players.

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SPORTS

Assessing the men’s soccer team’s roller coaster season While the Cavaliers saw highs and lows, the program fell short when it mattered most — again Ben Istvan | Staff Writer Following a disappointing Sunday at Klöckner Stadium that saw Virginia men’s soccer upset in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the hands of unseeded Indiana, the Cavaliers’ (114-4, 5-2-1 ACC) season came to a close. Through a campaign filled with signature victories and puzzling defeats, Virginia will look back on 2023 with both pride and regret. While the program navigated untimely injuries and showed flashes of greatness — especially defensively — against top competition in the nation, fans may feel as if the Cavaliers underachieved based on the program’s sky-high standards and talented roster. Though it is not quite time to sound any alarms — most programs would be thrilled to be in Virginia’s position — back-to-back underwhelming postseason performances place pressure on Coach George Gelnovatch to deliver in 2024.

The Cavaliers began the season ranked No. 15 nationally and were picked to finish third in the ACC Coastal Division, behind only Duke and Pitt. Despite the lofty expectations placed upon Gelnovatch and company, Virginia struggled to get going as the season began.

The Cavaliers failed to convince viewers in any of their opening three games, all of which were played at Klöckner Stadium. Gelnovatch’s team scraped past a pair of mid-major schools with nervy 1-0 victories over Iona and George Mason, while a shocking 3-1 defeat to unranked Loyola Marymount Aug. 27 came in between.

Virginia produced 49 shots and 21 shots on target in that three-game stint, leaving fans wondering how they had only seen three hit the back of the net.

Having retained several key players in the attacking and midfield positions from the 2022 team, the Cavaliers could not use a lack of chemistry as an excuse for their goal-scoring woes.

Out of the top-25 entirely, the ensuing three weeks were to tell everyone a lot about Virginia’s makeup, as the Cavaliers prepared to take on four ranked opponents in an 18-day span.

The period began brilliantly for Virginia, who produced its first multi-goal game of the campaign in a 2-1 win over No. 20 Maryland in the Battle for the DMV — highlighted by senior goalkeeper Holden Brown’s electric penalty kick save that preserved the Cavaliers’ thin lead.

With hopes for the Cavaliers that much higher, Virginia’s momentum wasn’t enough to topple No. 10 Duke four days later, as the Blue Devils handled the Cavaliers 2-0 in a match that never felt competitive. Virginia was held without a shot in the second half, bringing back concerns about the team’s attacking exploits and its overall ability to compete with the country’s top teams.

But just as goal-scoring worries reached their pinnacle, the arrival of freshman forward Stephen Annor Gyamfi washed them all away. The freshman leapt into the spotlight for the Cavaliers, scoring nine goals across Virginia’s next nine games. The Cavaliers lost just one match during that span, coming in a 3-1 defeat to the eventual ACC Coastal Division champions No. 15 Notre Dame.

Of Virginia’s five wins across those nine games, Gyamfi scored the winning goal in every match.

The forward’s exploits included a pair of two-goal performances in September against NC State and Virginia Tech to lift the Cavaliers to key conference victories, as well as a goal each in yet more vital conference triumphs over No. 8 Louisville and No. 11 Pitt.

Even when Gyamfi’s red-hot streak came to a close in the final two fixtures of the regular season, Virginia rallied for a convincing 3-1 win against High Point — sparked by a brace from senior midfielder Axel Ahlander — and a memorable 1-0 victory over No. 10 North Carolina to close out its regular season slate Oct. 27. In both games, senior defender Aidan O’Connor dazzled on the back line, masterfully neutralizing offensive threats and negotiating one-on-one matchups with poise. O’Connor earned ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts.

Despite losing two of their first three ACC matches to begin the campaign, the Cavaliers’ storming conclusion to the season saw them surge into a top-10 national ranking, second place in the ACC Coastal Division and the No. 3 overall seed in the ACC Tournament. Approaching a quarterfinal date with No. 22 Syracuse at Klöckner Stadium on Nov. 5, Virginia had not lost a game in 44 days.

Though that streak technically continued for the Cavaliers, it did not continue with pride.

Virginia was upset by the Orange on penalty kicks despite leading the match for much of the sec-

ALBERT TANG | THE CAVALIER DAILY

While the season saw a number of signature victories that Virginia fans have come to expect, the final result was lacking.

ond half. The defeat marked the second consecutive season the Cavaliers had been eliminated

by Syracuse on penalties in the ACC Tournament, a troubling hump Virginia really should have gotten over in 2023.

Nonetheless, the NCAA Tournament came around and there was fresh life for the Cavaliers, who earned the No. 7 overall seed and a bye into the second round of the tournament.

Virginia squeaked past Florida International 2-1 behind a heroic brace off the bench from senior forward Leo Afonso, and the Cavaliers had booked a spot in the third round for the first time since 2019.

However, Virginia and its fans collectively expected more. The seven-seeded Cavaliers — now without a loss in 10 consecutive games — hosted Indiana Sunday at Klöckner Stadium in a match the home side was expected to control. Surprisingly, the Hoosiers scored early and never relinquished the lead to a stuttering Virginia side that looked wholly outmatched.

The loss felt representative of Virginia’s shortcomings throughout the season. In a favorable

matchup, the offense fell silent and a single goal deficit was insurmountable. While there are several highlights for the Cavaliers to smile at from 2023 — including Gyamfi’s double-digit goal haul, the emergence of junior goalkeeper Joey Batrouni after a season-ending injury for Brown and bitter rivalry wins over the Terrapins and the Hokies — Virginia’s overall season was a disappointment.

The Cavaliers scored just 28 goals in their 19 games, a mark that placed ninth out of 12 teams in the ACC. Only seven Virginia players found the back of the net in 2023, a far cry from the 2022 season in which 13 players did so.

The Cavaliers’ defensive backbone did enough to keep them in almost every game, but in the end, the team’s failure to produce chances and goals rode them out of the postseason early.

Following this season’s conclusion, Virginia has picked up just two combined wins in the ACC and NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons. The Cavaliers have failed to advance beyond the semifinal of the ACC Tournament or the third round of the NCAA Tournament in

that period. It has now been nine years since the program’s last national title, the second-longest stretch without a College Cup for Virginia since its first came in 1989. With such high standards in place, this season’s results left much to be desired and questions to be asked regarding the trajectory of the program.

That may seem like an overreaction considering Virginia has holistically outperformed the majority of its conference and national competition over the last three seasons. But for a program like the Cavaliers have built — one that boasts 16 ACC Championships and seven national titles — the bar simply has to be higher.

Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 15

SPORTS

ROUNDTABLE: Recapping the Virginia football season After an up-and-down season, the Cavaliers certainly have room for improvement looking forward to 2024 Xander Tilock & Max Jensen | Staff Writers

SHANE WAN | THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Cavaliers certainly hoped for another outcome than the blowout loss to Virginia Tech.

After a promising back half of the season, Virginia football ended 2023 on a sour note Saturday in a 55-17 loss to Virginia Tech. As the year comes to a close, The Cavalier Daily’s two football beat writers take a holistic look at where the Cavaliers stand and what to expect going into 2024.

What happened in the loss to Virginia Tech?

Xander Tilock: Virginia Tech sophomore quarterback Kyron Drones had his way, passing for 244 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 50 yards and averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He averaged a whopping 24.4 yards per pass and simply decimated a reeling Cavalier defense in every conceivable aspect of play.

The defense registered zero sacks on Drones and allowed five touchdowns of 30-plus yards. As assessed in the game preview, containing Drones was a crucial prerequisite to the first Virginia victory in the matchup since 2019. Instead, Drones obliterated the Cavaliers — mainly due to a trio of transfer cornerbacks that struggled throughout the season and did not perform at the level that defensive coordinator John Rudzinski anticipated.

Max Jensen: From start to finish,

Virginia Tech was the better football team. You could tell from the jump that this would be a tough game for Virginia to win. Their first four drives resulted in a net total of 17 yards along with a turnover. The Hokies had been good all season, allowing the fourth fewest yards per game in the ACC, and the Cavaliers could not overcome this hurdle. In the same amount of time, the Hokies had already scored 17 points, and the game was practically over before the second half began. If Virginia was going to win this game, they needed to match the intensity that Virginia Tech consistently brings to the Commonwealth Clash. Once the Hokies got out to a first quarter lead — a trend that suggests they will win the game — the tenor of the game was set in favor of the visiting squad.

Should the promising back half of the season hold more weight than the blowout finale?

XT: Absolutely. This is a rebuilding program, and patience is key. Defeating then-No. 10 North Carolina on the road is the best win Virginia has had in years, and is justification for giving Coach Tony Elliott another season to demonstrate further progress. The Cavaliers lost five one-pos-

session games in 2023 and were legitimately a handful of plays away from earning a spot at a bowl game.

Freshmen standouts offensively such as quarterback Anthony Colandrea and wide receiver Suderian Harrison paired with defensive starters in linebacker Kam Robinson, safety Caleb Hardy and cornerback Dre Walker are developing into program cornerstones. A shellacking from Virginia Tech is certainly a painful setback, but competitive play in most games is more important than poor play in a lackluster finale.

MJ: Yes, the signs of improvement Virginia showed in the back half of the season should absolutely hold more weight than their performance against Virginia Tech. There are tons of positives to take away which should create a sense of excitement next season. Colandrea showed flashes of being a rising star and the defense was much improved from earlier in the season. With that being said, however, for this improvement to culminate in a 38-point Cavalier loss undoubtedly stings. Although the back half of the season should not be forgotten, this performance will make it hard for Virginia fans to remember the fight put up by this team against extremely talented opponents. The Virginia football program

has always struggled to compete with its main rival, whether that be from a fan support perspective or on the field, having surrendered at least 29 points in the last five meetings. Elliott has to find a way to make that happen next year.

What are reasonable expectations heading into 2024?

XT: Five or six wins. Enticing options in the Power Five conference coordinator positions will be vying for head coaching spots soon, and Elliott must generate progress to retain his position. Improvement from 2022 to 2023 was shown through close finishes in most games, but the task in 2024 will be turning those close losses into wins. Victories against Richmond and Wake Forest are likely, and contests against Maryland, Coastal Carolina and Boston College should also go Virginia’s way due to a high percentage of opponents’ crucial upperclassmen graduating. A few games on the schedule are toss-ups, but a win versus Pittsburgh is reasonable.

Unfortunately, there are road trips against Notre Dame, Clemson and Virginia Tech to overcome in addition to a trio of difficult ACC home games. The only question marks are transfer portal acquisitions and

whether or not All-ACC honorees junior safety Jonas Sanker and junior wide receiver Malachi Fields decide to enter the NFL Draft or stay for their senior season, but another couple of wins are certainly within reach for Elliott’s Cavaliers.

MJ: I want to be optimistic and say that getting to a bowl game would be a realistic expectation, but I think that may be a stretch. There is certainly a scenario in which the team gets to six wins next year, but I do think between four and five wins is the most probable outcome. From a recruiting standpoint, Virginia has the 15th ranked 2024 class in the ACC, with only Southern Methodist and Boston College trailing. The hope is that Elliott can hit the transfer portal hard and fill holes. The starting offensive line is clearly a need, and the entirety of the defensive line is graduating, with players like defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter leaving giant holes up front. The good news is that young players like Colandrea, Robinson and Walker will inevitably improve. I am projecting modest improvement from this year with wins against Richmond, Coastal Carolina, Wake Forest and Boston College.

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