Thursday, January 26, 2023

Dear readers,

Today, I am honored to share with you the first print edition of the 134th term. On the cover of this edition, you’ll likely recognize Beta Bridge, which for the past two months has stood as a testament to the lasting legacy of the lives of the three young men who were killed in the Nov. 13 shooting — Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler.

We return to a place which has been profoundly marked by this loss. My heart remains with the families, friends and the community members who were affected by their deaths, and with Marlee Morgan and Mike Hollins, who were injured in the shooting.

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief

The last two months have been unimaginably difficult as the community grieves the lives of these three young men — we are not the same people that we were. There are sacred spaces on Grounds that will simply never be the same. I’ve been thinking about Lavel, D’Sean and Devin when I find myself walking familiar paths on Grounds, and I wanted to share a few of the words about them that stuck with me after the Nov. 19 memorial service.

Lavel was a third-year College student who friends called a “gentle giant.” My favorite anecdote was that Lavel, notoriously proud of his hometown of Ridgeville S.C., had a tattoo of his town’s highway exit number —

“187” — on his arm. “He made it sound like the biggest city in the world,” second-year College student Elijah Gaines said. Teammates said he was known for his infectious smile and sense of humor, and as a role model for his siblings.

D’Sean was a fourth-year College student and a “renaissance man” — outside of football, he rapped, painted, played the piano and loved poetry and music. He was a studio art major, and he could make anybody laugh. D’Sean was a selfless and genuine mentor on the team, especially for younger teammates. “I wanted to be just like you,” first-year College student Will Bettridge said about D’Sean. Devin was a second-year College

This week in-brief

CD News Staff

technology institute

The University announced plans for a $300 million biotechnology institute Friday, funded in large part by a $100 million gift from Charlottesville investors Paul and Diane Manning. The first phase of the institute will be additionally funded by an initial investment of $50 million from the state and $150 million from the University.

“Our goal is to have the best possible medicine — next-generation medicine — for the residents of Virginia and people around the globe,” Paul said. “We’re building a world-class facility that will compete with anybody … in terms of research, manufacturing and treatment.”

The centerpiece of the new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology will be a high-tech facility at Fontaine Research Park. The institute aims to benefit patients through “translational” research, including advancements in drug delivery and cellular and gene therapies.

In 2021, the University acquired full ownership of Novant Health U.Va. Health System, which included control of the facilities and assets of three hospitals that were previously controlled by a multi-state nonprofit based in North Carolina.

The University also hosts a number of other medical research efforts, including the U.Va. Health Cancer Center — the only one in the state designated by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

student known fondly to his family as “Devin the dancing machine.” He was rarely without a smile on his face, and could make anyone feel loved — even someone he’d just met, on or off the football field. “Your joy for life was contagious,” second-year College student Cody Brown said. He was deeply committed to his sport.

Whether or not you were in John Paul Jones Arena for the memorial, I hope you can feel the overwhelming amount of love in these words and memories.

In the wake of such a loss and tear in the fabric of our University, The Cavalier Daily will continue to provide critical coverage of the University and Charlottesville community. We will

print eight times this spring, and continue to work towards increasing our reach online. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for daily updates.

As the semester progresses, we welcome any feedback you have for us — you can reach me by email at editor@cavalierdaily.com. Thank you for your continued support of independent student journalism.

of The Cavalier Daily

Rojas elected chair of Student Council representative body

The Student Council representative body elected third-year Batten student Rep. Lillian Rojas Saturday to succeed fourth-year College student Rep. Gaby Hernandez as chair of the representative body. Rojas ran against third-year Batten student Rep. Violette Cadet.

In an interview with The Cavalier Daily, Rojas said she hopes to take advantage of her two years of experience as a representative. She aims to enable other members to successfully make the University a better place during their time on Student Council.

“I want all the representatives at the end of [their] term to feel like they made a meaningful impact here at U.Va.,” Rojas said. “No matter what community it is I want them to [hold me to] the promises that I made — that U.Va. will be a better place because of their work.”

As chair, Rojas will be responsible for running general body meetings, moderating representative debates and overseeing individual representative projects. Rojas will be responsible for the representative body as a whole — she said she hopes to serve as an adviser for younger members especially.

Elections for the chair of the representative body are held in closed session. The 26 representatives are the only ones who vote for the new chair.

Delta Delta Delta and Theta Tau sanctioned by University Judiciary Committee for hazing

The University Judiciary Committee released its fall 2022 report Wednesday with statistics for the six cases adjudicated against individual students and two against organizations between June 1, 2022 and Jan. 1 — down from 12 during the spring 2022 semester. The report does not include the 22 cases that are currently pending or undergoing appeals.

Half of the adjudications in the report involved hazing incidents, two of which concerned student organizations — Theta Tau, a CIO, and Delta Delta Delta sorority — who pled guilty to violating University hazing laws. Per the ruling, both organizations have been permitted to continue operations and recruitment while implementing hazing preventative measures.

According to Nabeel Raza, UJC Chair and fourth-year College student, the overall number of cases during the fall semester was consistent with past years, though certain areas of report purview have received more complaints.

“There has been a trend towards more organizational cases since COVID-19, and that’s an ongoing thing,” Raza said. “It has more to do with sort of trends within the University’s reporting system than with the sort of violations.”

U.Va. to build $300 million bio-

Students return to Grounds after November shooting

Students returned to the classroom for the start of spring semester last week as the University continues to honor the three lives lost in the November shooting — second-year College student Devin Chandler, fourth-year College student D’Sean Perry and thirdyear College student Lavel Davis Jr. Two other students, third-year College student Mike Hollins and second-year College student Marlee Morgan, also suffered non-fatal injuries. While University operations will continue as scheduled, there are many resources available to students, such as free counseling and opportunities to gather in shared places.

In a video released Jan. 17, University President Jim Ryan said that as students begin this semester, it is important that the University community continues to honor Chandler, Perry and Davis as well as Hollins and Morgan.

“Our approach for this semester is, as best we can, to meet you where you are,” Ryan said. “We are going to have a fully open and vibrant semester. We are not going to cancel or postpone events as we had to at the end of last semester. Instead of subtracting, we’ll add programs and events along the way.”

Ryan also explained a number of steps the University is taking to combat gun violence in the Charlottesville community and beyond.

“This is a chance to make something good come of this tragedy,” Ryan said. “For that reason, in addition to focusing on internal changes we can make within U.Va., we’re working to address the uptick in gun violence in our region. We are working at the state level for legislative changes that would make Virginia colleges and universities safer.”

Ryan also delivered an update on the spring semester, including information about how the University will continue to support students who are recovering from the November shooting. He said that returning to Grounds can bring mixed emotions for students who might still be grappling with a sense of loss and sadness, and the University will continue to offer counseling and support services to those who need it.

The University held a public memorial service for Chandler, Perry and Davis Nov. 19. More than 9,000 people attended the service with orange ribbons and bracelets that lit up in University colors. Teammates, friends and coaches were invited to share memories and funny stories about the three men.

One effort the University took

to meet students’ academic needs allowed undergraduate students to opt into CR/GC/NC for their Fall 2022 semester classes. Provost Ian Baucom announced the grading option Nov. 21.

Students were required to choose their grading preference by Jan. 20, 2023, after fall semester grades were finalized. This option is unique from past academic years, in which students had to decide to opt into CR/GC/NC for their classes before receiving their final grades.

Michelle Ball, career counselor at the University’s Career Center, said this option aims to give students who were affected by last semester’s tragedy on Grounds space to recover.

“The goal behind this option is for anyone who was affected by the tragedy on campus last semester to be able to have options academically,” Ball said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “I find this to be a valuable way for students to protect their GPAs and alleviate some stress from courses at a time when our campus was and still is grieving.”

In addition to the fall semester’s grading options, Ryan has opened his home — Carr’s Hill — to students periodically throughout the spring semester. Students are invited to come study, meet friends and

hang out with the president’s pets. Additionally, a report provided by the University’s independent review of the circumstances that led to the shooting should be available by late spring or early summer.

Among other concerns, the report will analyze a threat assessment investigation that alleged Christoper Darnell Jones Jr. — a University student and former member of the football team who was charged in the shooting — possessed a firearm.

The same threat assessment investi-

gation also revealed that Jones had been involved in a prior criminal incident outside of Charlottesville in February 2021 involving a concealed weapon.

The request for an independent study was made in the days immediately following the shooting, to provide a deeper background about what led to the shooting and review all relevant University policies and procedures to make recommendations for improvements and changes.

There are currently no announced grading accommodations for the spring semester in relation to the November shooting. Even so, students walk to and from classes over Beta Bridge — where the three victim’s names remain painted along with hundreds of hearts and personal messages. Crossing into this new semester, the community continues to remember the legacy of Chandler, Perry and Davis.

President Ryan announces his plans for the University to continue to support students and provide opportunities for community

Avery Donmoyer & Grace Thrush | CD News Staff

ADAIRE BURNSED THE CAVALIER DAILY

The November shooting resulted in the fatalities of three University students who were also members of the football team - second-year College student Devin Chandler, fourth-year College student D’Sean Perry, and third-year College student Lavel Davis Jr.

ISC concludes first fully in-person recruitment since 2020

| Senior Associate

The University’s Inter-Sorority Council chapters celebrated the end of a fully in-person recruitment process with bid day on Madison Bowl Field Sunday. Current members of each sorority met new members with balloons and colorful signs in hand after new members opened their bid cards together without the presence of COVID-19 gathering restrictions that had moved much of recruitment online in previous years.

While this was the first year that ISC chapters were officially permitted to hold recruitment and bid day fully in person, a UJC report revealed that three separate sororities plead guilty of violating University gathering limits during the 2021 bid day.

After the onset of the pandemic, some members of the University criticized the ISC and IFC’s overall responses to COVID-19, arguing that enforcement was overly relaxed. In the face of these claims, the University denied that Greek life recruitment practices directly contributed to COVID-19 surges on Grounds.

Last year, the first three rounds of rush were held on Zoom and

the preference rounds were held in person with masks required. While bid day activities were in-person last year, new and current members were told to wear masks when on the porch and in the sorority houses.

This year, without restrictions in place, over 900 women toured the University’s 15 ISC chapters in a four-round in-person process including introductory round, philanthropy showcases, house tours and preference events. At the end of the week, new members received bid cards from one of their two preferred sororities, welcoming them into their respective organizations.

Second-year College student Madison Obermeyer rushed this year and said she saw in-person bid day as a culmination of both sorority members’ and new members’ hard work over the past weeks.

“It was definitely very exciting, just everybody being all together and getting bids and having everything decorated,” Obermeyer said. “There was a lot of energy in the air.”

All potential new members who received a bid gathered in Madison Bowl Sunday, waiting to get their of-

ficial bid cards in the form of physical letters. During the virtual years of recruitment, members opened their sorority bids via email.

Anjali Amazigo, returning Pi Beta Phi member and fourth-year College student, said she understands how important in-person bid day is for new members, as it marks the beginning of joining their new sorority.

“I know they’ve all been really excited about it,” Amazigo said. “They’ve been able to see the houses, meet more of the girls and really get more of a general feeling from what they want out of each sorority.”

Throughout the rush process, potential new members only interact with a handful of chapter members. Bid day is a time for new members to meet the entirety of the chapter, often through activities and events hosted in the chapter’s house.

Amazigo said bid day is also notable because it’s the first chance for new members to interact freely with members of the chapter as new members of the sorority — not as potential new members.

“They get to meet everyone and

we make the whole day all about them,” Amazigo said.

In addition to a return to in-person bid-day, sorority members spoke to the excitement of in-person rush.

Stephanie Liu, Chi Omega recruitment chair and second-year College student, said that in-person rush is beneficial as it is easier for potential new members and current members to make meaningful connections. Additionally, potential new members are able to assess the atmosphere of each house and the entire chapter as a whole.

“When looking for [potential new members], some of our biggest targets [are] looking for genuine and intentional connections,” Liu said.

Obermeyer said she was also grateful for in-person recruitment because it allowed her to meet new people in addition to the women within her chosen sorority.

“I definitely feel like even though I’m not in some sororities, I really did make friends through the rush process since it felt much less formalized and more casual,” Obermeyer said. “That’s really exciting for me.”

Liu said that the ISC has used their experience during the pandemic to make recruitment more accessible to potential new members. Even while rush was fully in-person, hybrid options were available to potential new members who preferred not to rush in-person for any reason.

“The ISC’s experience during the pandemic has allowed us to understand how to conduct the rush process virtually if [potential new members] in the future have extenuating circumstances where they can’t participate in in-person rush,” Liu said.

Now that the participatingwomen have received their bids, they will begin an initiation process and become full members during the spring semester. After learning to make accommodations in light of the pandemic, Liu expects that the ISC and sororities will be better equipped to handle issues as they arise.

“In the future, I hope that ISC continues to help girls find a community where they can support each other throughout their college years,” Liu said.

Potential new sorority members flooded Madison Bowl field for ISC’s annual bid day

Eleanor Jenkins

PROUD CHANDRAGHOLICA THE CAVALIER DAILY

Over the course of the weeklong recruitment, over 900 women toured the University’s 15 sorority chapters in a four-round process including round-robins, philanthropy showcases, house tours, and preference events.

Local public schools to undergo name changes

Emily Horn | Staff Writer

The Charlottesville City School Board recently finalized their decisions to formally rename Clark Elementary School and Venable Elementary School to Trailblazers Elementary School and Summit Elementary, respectively. The announcement follows a long debate over the outgoing names, which honor historical figures with racist histories.

Venable’s name currently refers to a Confederate office who served as an aid to Robert E. Lee, and will become Trailblazers Elementary School, honoring the Charlottesville 12 who contributed to the desegregation of public schools. Clark, currently named after a general who supported colonial expansion into Indigenous lands, will be renamed Summit Elementary, which the Board says reflects their intention for the student body to identify as a “gathering of leaders.”

The Charlottesville City Schools Naming of Facilities Committee asked students in the third and fourth grade to help with brainstorming new names for the schools.

The students were then allowed to vote in the process, ultimately selecting Trailblazers for Venable and Friendship for Clark. Due to a close outcome, Friendship was later exchanged for Summit following more community input and a vote.

Beth Baptist, Charlottesville school board member and member of the Naming of Facilities Committee, said the committee struggled to make progress with the effort to rename public schools due to COVID-19. As a result, they prioritized renaming Venable and Clark because they are the oldest of the schools whose names no longer represent the system’s ideals.

“Parts of our society have been complacent about how names of buildings or streets affect certain segments of the population,” Baptist said. “We need to think about the values and that’s what we’ve tried to do with the naming of the schools and [thinking about] the values of our school division and make sure that we’re not perpetuating names that don’t match our values.”

Some members of the Char-

lottesville and Albemarle County community disagree with the efforts to change schools’ names, Baptist said, and see the debates as uneccessarily splitting hairs.

“Let’s keep changing the goalpost until we get what we want,” a community member commented on Facebook. “Never in a million years would I have thought this is what the CCS board would be debating.”

Some of those who are opposed believe that this project erases history. Baptist said that others may be unsatisfied with the new names because they think that the schools should place more focus on the educational aspect of the name’s background.

“These names have been in place for a long time, and many people don’t know the origin of the names, so I think some of it is just the comfort of having it the way it’s been, and not seeing the need to change it,” Baptist said.

The process to officially change the names of Venable and Clark will take place at some point in the next two academic years. Now that Ven-

able and Clark have official name changes scheduled, the committee on the Board will also consider renaming other schools, such as Johnson and Burnley-Moran Elementary. The plan is to first prioritize the older elementary schools, then middle and high schools.

The Albemarle County School Board is also pursuing its own initiative to evaluate problematic namesakes — in 2018, the Albemarle County School Board moved to encourage the superintendent to review school names. Now the board is moving forward with this goal for a number of schools.

Karen Waters, ACPS director of community education, is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the changes, in collaboration with the school’s staff. Following the name changes, Waters will work with staff at the various schools to manage the logistics. She hopes to create visible change within the upcoming years.

“It is gratifying that our society is in a place where we can reassess to whom we bestow these honors, as

well as who is negatively impacted by derogatory place names, and that we can celebrate the plurality of our nation,” Waters said in an email to The Cavalier Daily. “We teach our children that words are important, and representation matters, so we must walk the talk.”

Meriwether Lewis Elementary — named after famous explorer Meriwether Lewis — will be changed to Ivy Elementary School following an unanimous decision from the ACPS Board. Meriweather Lewis also owned land in Charlottesville where dozens of enslaved people lived and had a history of exploiting Black labor.

“It is a healthy thing to have the opportunity to come together and gain a greater understanding of the people the place names actually represent, and to weigh them in the context of our contemporary values,” Waters said.

Schools look to leave problematic namesakes behind in exchange for new paths forward

ALBTERT TANG THE CAVALIER DAILY

The Naming of Facilities Committee said they prioritized renaming Venable and Clark because they are the oldest of the schools and their names no longer represent the system’s ideals.

Top 10 New Year’s resolutions that you will actually keep

Free yourself from the burden of suffocating New Year’s resolutions — these will only add to your life, not deprive it

Elizabeth Parsons | Top Ten Writer

Now that 2023 is in full swing, it is easy to feel like your intentions for the new year have already fizzled out. Perhaps many of your resolutions require an intense amount of change, which is not only unreasonable but also uninspiring. Here is a fresher take on New Year’s resolutions — contrary to popular belief, you can resolve to have a brighter, happier, more comforting and more indulgent year.

1. Listen to more music

Why not fill your day with as much of your favorite music as possible? I know that I love listening to music while I’m commuting and studying. Nevertheless, I think there is always room to listen to more music and a wider variety of artists. On your journey to listen to more music in 2023, explore the premade playlists Spotify creates based on your listening history — you just might stumble across a new favorite song.

4. Embrace the JOMO

You are likely familiar with “FOMO”, which is the “fear of missing out.” This unsettling feeling leaves my mind spinning. Thankfully, there is “JOMO” — the “joy of missing out” — to counter the evil plague of FOMO. Let’s lean into JOMO this year by focusing on what brings us happiness and contentment. If you honor what makes you happy — even if it does not align with what others are doing — you really cannot be missing out on anything.

5.

Expand your definition of exercise

Stiff definitions of what it means to exercise are seriously so 2022. In fact, incorporating movement into your life in the name of pursuing fitness can be fun — and it does not just have to be the monotony of hitting the treadmill. Taking a walk around Grounds with your friends is most definitely exercise — have you seen the inclines around here? Even playing Just Dance is a workout. There is no need to beat yourself up for not becoming a fitness influencer overnight.

8. Finally wear that fun outfit

You know that one outfit I am referring to — the one that you have wanted to wear but feel like you have no appropriate occasion to wear it for. Or, it might be an outfit you love but fear other people will not share the same admiration for it. It is 2023 — wear the outfit. You deserve to express yourself in the freest and truest form, which starts with wearing an outfit that feels like a big slay — even if you just wear it to the grocery store.

9.

Enjoy those few extra minutes in bed

Stereotypically, New Year’s resolutions emphasize waking up early. While I do believe there is merit in tackling your day — which often means dragging yourself out of bed early — I think there is undeniable joy in letting yourself sleep in. I know I like to savor extra time in bed on weekends, or take a mid-afternoon nap. Regardless of your strategy, I say we all deserve some extra cozy time in 2023.

3.

6.

Don’t let New Year’s resolutions trick you into believing you have to become an expert at something to derive joy from it. I encourage you to find a new hobby this year. You could learn to crochet, decide to do a paint-by-numbers in your free time or you could simply decide that your ideal hobby is going to the movies more often. Regardless, making a commitment to incorporating fun into your life is a win.

7. Remember that enjoying your favorite foods is not evil

I am a proud foodie — Saturday morning coffee with a chocolate croissant? Divine. A turkey sandwich on French bread with tomato, avocado and pickles?

Count me in. Rocky road ice cream? My mouth is already watering. I think we can all agree that indulging in our favorite foods is a highlight of the human experience. Go take a bite of your favorite bagel order — I’ll always join you.

Reward yourself for your own accomplishments

I love receiving positive feedback in all areas of my life — from my professors, friends and family. The unfortunate reality is that other people will not always congratulate you for your hard work or give you a much-needed word of encouragement. The good news is that you can do this for yourself. Made it through the first week of classes? Buy yourself your favorite latte. Studied your hardest for an exam? Celebrate with a bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe’s.

10.

This is something that I aspired to do for a while, but truthfully have never gotten around to. While we all can say that we would like to spend less time scrolling social media this year, I know that it ultimately is not entirely practical for me. A better strategy to improve my relationship with social media is keeping stricter boundaries with the type of content I consume. If an Instagram account consistently makes me compare myself to others — making me feel that my life is boring or I don’t look good enough in my favorite outfit — it is most definitely time to unfollow.

Resolve to put your mental health first this year

Embarking on a brand new year and semester can feel intimidating and daunting. It is easy to let New Year’s resolutions dissolve as the chaos of life picks back up, but if there is one resolution you should work diligently on, it is this one. In 2023, focus on being your own biggest supporter — prioritize your mental health, reach out for help when you need it and cheer for your own wins. I will be here cheering for you, too.

2. Find enthusiasm for a new hobby — whatever “hobby” means to you

Unfollow social media accounts that do not add positivity to your life

LEXIE GAGNON THE CAVALIER DAILY

LEXIE GAGNON THE CAVALIER DAILY

LEXIE GAGNON | THE CAVALIER DAILY

Experiencing cultural empowerment with yuca mofongo

Alison Tashima | Food Writer

Over winter break, my family went on a week-long trip to Puerto Rico — it was a culinary awakening like no other. As a person of mixed ethnicity with family ties to Cuba, Japan, Germany and Puerto Rico, I have struggled to fit in with any one group. Visiting Puerto Rico for the first time, I was immersed in a culture that was both new and familiar. From the rich history of Old San Juan and beautiful landscape of El Yunque National Forest to the hearty aroma of locally-made food, Puerto Rico captivated both my heart and my stomach.

Growing up, both of my parents cooked food from their cultures, so I learned about my heritage through taste. While I savored every bite of the many different foods I tried while in Puerto Rico, my favorite dish by far was yuca mofongo. Mofongo is a traditional Puerto Rican dish which consists of a starchy mash topped with a filling — usually pork, but often beef, chicken or vegetables.

Mofongo is traditionally made

one of two ways — with green plantains or with yuca. Plantains are more thick and chewy in texture than yuca which is significantly more starchy and dry, so while both mofongo can be made with either ingredient, the final product is rather different.

Due to the recent impact of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico this past fall, there has been a shortage of green plantains on the island, meaning many local restaurants carry only yuca mofongo for the moment. The first restaurant my family visited in Old San Juan was El Jibarito, which served a flaky and smooth mofongo de yuca far superior to the plantain mofongo I tried later in the trip on a different part of the island.

Before flying back to Virginia, I made sure to pick up a cookbook so that I could attempt to recreate some of the dishes I loved while in Puerto Rico.

While this cookbook contains a recipe for mofongo de platanos, I was able to find a relatively straightforward recipe for mofongo de yuca online from Que

Rica Vida. I halved the recipe and omitted the shrimp sauce and instead opted to serve with a thick garlic butter. Yuca may be more familiarly known as cassava and is often available at Lidl or in some local hispanic grocery stores.

Recipe: Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yields: 3 small mofongos

Ingredients

1.5 pounds yuca or cassava 2 minced garlic cloves 2 cups canola oil 2 tbsp unsalted butter Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Wash and dry yuca. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Peel yuca and chop into large chunks, then boil for 20 minutes or until tender.

To make garlic butter sauce, mince one clove of garlic and add to 2 tbsp softened butter and

stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Drain yuca and slice into cubes about 1 inch thick. It is easiest to remove the yuca’s stringy inner core at this step.

Heat canola oil in a medium pot to reach about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fry yuca in small batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Place on a paper towel-coated plate to drain and cool slightly.

Place yuca in a mortar with one clove of minced garlic and mash into the shape of the bowl. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a small or medium bowl will work.

Tip the bowl of yuca out onto a plate gently to preserve the shape and sprinkle with salt to taste.

Serve with garlic butter, or top with a filling or sauce of your choice.

If yuca mofongo served plain with garlic butter does not make your mouth water already, alternate toppings include pork or beef cooked in a pressure cooker.

For a vegetarian option, roasted vegetables pair nicely with yuca mofongo. The addition of a sauce or spread is critical for reintroducing moisture to the yuca and balancing out the starch.

Additionally, you could truncate the recipe after frying the yuca. Comparable to the familiar french fry, fried yuca is far superior with its more starchy texture and nutty flavor. Fried yuca is available in some local restaurants, including at the Cuban-inspired Guajiros Miami Eatery right here in Charlottesville.

While my first try at this recipe did not yield an exact replica of the yuca mofongo I enjoyed while in Puerto Rico, it provided me more insight into the process through which this dish was made and further connected me to my culture. I am inspired to continue spending time in the kitchen with foods from my various cultural backgrounds and I hope that this article encourages you to delve deeper into your own culinary heritage.

Navigating college as a first-generation student

Zoya Zahid | Life Columnist

One of my favorite memories from last semester comes from the celebration of an important part of my identity as a first-generation college student. I feel somewhat perplexed saying that because I didn’t even know what this term meant at the start of my college career — let alone that I was considered a first-generation student.

To be a “first-generation” student means that both of your parents or guardians did not complete a four-year college or university degree — the definition doesn’t usually take into account the education status of other family members. However, the first-generation experience is unique to each student — including myself.

When I was a first-year, I would get emails about different events held for the first-generation community at the University. I thought that since my older sister had graduated from college, I was not considered a

“real” first-generation student so I would disregard the emails. It wasn’t until a conversation I had with one of the nursing faculty members that I realized my interpretation of first-generation was not entirely correct.

Now, being a first-generation college student is not only a major part of my identity, but is something that I have grown to appreciate as I grow as a student. It has taken me the majority of my college career to realize that there is something really special about being one of the first people in your family to pursue higher education. It is something that I — as well as all first-generation students — should be proud of and take pride in.

The road to embracing this part of my identity as a college student has not been easy. When considering even just the University student population as a whole, there are not many first-generation students — in the Class of 2026 alone, only 15

percent of students are first-generation. This means that it can somewhat feel like an alienating experience. It’s difficult when you are going through struggles that not many students around you understand or even difficult to express the level of effort you have to put in as a first-generation student in comparison to others.

The hardest part about being first-generation has been battling imposter syndrome — maybe my fellow first-generation readers can relate a little bit to this. Imposter syndrome is a type of pervasive and persistent feeling of self-doubt or insecurity about one’s abilities, knowledge or their deserved place in a room.

I have made great progress with this, and it’s not as prevalent in my life now as it used to be. However, it negatively impacted me in a way that made me question my place in a classroom and doubt my knowledge as well as my capabilities. For example, I would hesitate to engage in leadership

roles because I did not think I was competent enough when that was in fact not the case.

One of the biggest things that helped me through imposter syndrome was connecting with people of similar backgrounds and leaning on those people. The friendships I have made as a result of being in spaces with other first-generation students are some of the strongest relationships I have. By being able to talk through my emotions and experiences with people who are similar to me in this regard, it reminds me that I am not alone in my journey.

My older sister — the person who has always been and continues to be my biggest supporter — is also part of why I am so proud of this part of my identity. Without her knowledge, I would have been a lost cause in the college application process. She has not once turned down my many phone calls when something has come up that I need help with. She continues to push me to work my hardest and

has more faith in me that I could have ever imagined.

My mind also goes to my parents and the sacrifices that they have made so that all of this — my college experience — could be possible for me. They are truly two of my biggest motivators. Overall, the support of those around me has truly been the most important in helping me work through this. There is something so special and uplifting about being supported by those in your life — whether that is from your family or friends.

I feel proud of myself for the work that I have put in and all that I have been so fortunate enough to have accomplished. I am so glad I get to be a part of this first-generation community and celebrate it every day — and I am especially grateful to the community for aiding me to finally have the confidence to truly step into myself.

A traditional Puerto Rican dish that will leave you both satisfied and wanting to learn more about their unique culinary heritage

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Indieheads promotes student connection and collaboration

At the core of the University and Charlottesville’s famously rich musical culture lies the student organization Indieheads — a home for local artists and all lovers of indie music.

Founded in 2018, the club offers a space for music-loving students to meet each other and connect with the local music scene. Brie Handford, Indieheads executive and third-year College student, says that Indieheads is simply about “anything to do with music.”

“Our goal is basically just to bring people together who enjoy the same types of music,” Handford said. “We like to start conversations about music, we like to listen to music, we like to put on live shows and promote the local bands.”

The club hosts weekly meetings where members discuss music releases and opinions while catching up with friends and participating in activities like trivia, PowerPoint nights and more.

Since its creation, the club has grown exponentially, recently hitting over 1,000 members in its

GroupMe and over 1,300 Instagram followers. Although this magnitude is vastly different from the club’s humble origins, it has still managed to hold onto what makes it special — community.

“The members who join and who come to weekly meetings, they become really close with each other,” Handford said. “The people themselves are able to really find a home with Indieheads.”

Beyond its weekly meetings, the club provides opportunities for its members to appreciate music in any capacity they would like, including album listening parties and concert field trips. The growing size and influence of the club has even allowed executives to give away free tickets to local concerts.

According to Everett Vereen, Indieheads executive and third-year College student, this diversity of opportunities is a key part of Indieheads’ mission.

“We want Indieheads to kind of be whatever people want to make of it,” Vereen said. “We try to provide

as many outlets for people that are interested in music as possible.”

Possibly the most-well known element of the club is their house shows. Several times a semester, the club puts on concerts, offering local bands opportunities to perform and students a chance to appreciate live music. One priority of the club is to work with and promote student musicians.

“Community building is really important for us — local bands can come to us and we can try to book them gigs, either with us or with other venues,” Handford said. “We just provide them a space to get exposure.”

With an average of four bands and 200 to 300 audience members in attendance, each show is a major feat for the club. Handford, in collaboration with other members of the Indieheads executive board, plans and sets up these large events.

“[The work] is totally worth it when you’re able to see what you’ve done and see everyone just having fun, enjoying themselves,” Hanford

said.

As the club continues to grow in size, its executive board is looking to expand the scale and reach of house shows. The fall semester saw record-breaking attendance at house shows, and the club was even able to bring in They Are Gutting a Body of Water, an out-of-town band from Philadelphia, Pa.

Jack Davidson Garza, Indieheads executive and third-year College student, both organized and played in the concert, and described the experience as “transcendental”.

“I was really just trying to be present in the moment during the show because it was easily the craziest gig I’ve ever played,” Davidson said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without Indieheads and the community they’ve been building around U.Va.”

In addition to growing their house shows, the club is also hoping to share the broader Charlottesville music community with students by hosting events and connecting musicians with local venues like The

“We’re really trying to invest in new gear, new merchandise, so that we can promote our presence on Grounds more, get more people interested and excited about the music happening here and be able to bring in more and bigger bands from out of town to expand U.Va.’s scope across the East Coast,” Vereen said.

Despite the challenges that come with hosting events and keeping up with the club’s rapid growth, the Indieheads executives are truly passionate about their work. For Vereen, the music makes it all worth the effort.

“Live music is my favorite thing in the world,” said Vereen. “Whatever it takes to be able to share that with other people means everything.”

Indieheads will kick off the new semester at 8 p.m. Saturday with their first house show of the year, featuring two local and two out-oftown bands.

Southern and The Jefferson. Vereen has ambitions to continue building upon every aspect of the club.

The once-small club has big plans for growth as they continue to solidify their role as a powerful force in the Charlottesville music community

Amelia Preble | Staff Writer

COURTESY BEA TREMBLEY

With and average of four bamds and 200-300 audience members in attendance, each show is a major feat for the club.

On Repeat: sentimental songs for new beginnings

Background noise for self-reflection

Sophie Hay | Staff Writer

Students are back on Grounds with a renewed sense of purpose — 2023 is here. As we get thoughtful about the experiences of the past 12 months and get excited about the 12 months to come, these sentimental songs make the perfect background noise for self-reflection. Let their big emotions and “soundtrack to your life” sounds carry you into the new year.

“Downtown” by Petula Clark

When English songwriter Tony Hatch first visited New York City in 1964, he was struck by the electric atmosphere. “Downtown”— his ode to the city — was recorded by Petula Clark and released later that year.

Backed by a dense and dramatic orchestra, Clark sings that “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely / you can always go downtown.”

Hatch noted the creative challenge of appealing to both young listeners and Clark’s primarily older fanbase in producing “Downtown,” and these conflicting goals inform the song’s tone.

Its direct lyrics and theatrical sound don’t feel especially youthful, but the song’s earnestness resonated irrespective of age group. “Downtown” may be slightly uncool but it’s also super fun.

Clark carries the song with her pretty, powerful voice, reassuring listeners that “you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares.” Give it a listen, and go into the new year unburdened of your own troubles and cares.

“Angel of the Morning” by Juice Newton

Songwriter Chip Taylor wrote “Angel of the Morning” in 1967, and since then the song has seen innumerable re-recordings. First released with Evie Sands in 1967 and first charting with Merrilee Rush in 1968, the song would go on to be covered by everyone from Nina Simone to Oliva Newton-John. Juice Newton’s 1981 version eventually emerged as the standout in terms of popularity.

“Angel of the Morning” is dynamic — Newton starts out softly with

the plaintive “There’ll be no strings to bind your hands / Not if my love can’t bind your heart,” before building to an energetic chorus, “Just call me angel of the morning, angel / Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby.” Like “Downtown,” its tone is stirring and self-serious, making it both a bit embarrassing and determinedly moving. Listen to Newton’s message of moving on, and in the coming year, let’s try to become a bit less self-conscious in our vulnerability.

“You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” by Dusty Springfield Dust Springfield discovered “Io che non vivo (senza te)” at a 1965 Italian song contest and was completely floored. After obtaining the rights, Springfield opted not to translate the original Italian and let friends Vicki Wickham and Simon Napier-Bell come up with their own English lyrics. The song was released in 1966 as “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” and hit number one in the UK and number four in the US.

Wickham and Napier-Bell conceived of “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” as a sort of anti-love song, and this is reflected in its uncommonly discerning take on love. Springfield sings, “I can’t help but love you / but believe me / I’ll never tie you down.”

The subject of the song despairs of her situation, singing that “All that’s left is loneliness / There’s nothing left to feel,” but the tone of the song is not despairing. Springfield’s sure voice imparts the grace in the subject’s acceptance of loss, making it a fitting message for this liminal phase dividing past and future.

“Here You Come Again” by Dolly Par-

ton

Dolly Parton was able to transition from a strictly country sound to appeal to wider pop audiences with her 1977 single “Here You Come Again,” representing one of the few hits she didn’t write for herself.

Though originally conceived as a pop song by writers Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Parton brought in a

country influence through the use of a steel guitar, and “Here You Come Again” would ultimately top the country singles chart and achieve top ten in the pop singles in the US. There are also no less than four modulations in key throughout the piece, advertising Parton’s vocal skill as she expertly navigates the song in a clear, sweet voice.

“Here You Come Again” is a song about patterns, balancing reticence and openness as Parton sings, “Here you come again…shaking me up so that all I really know / is here you come again / and here I go.” It’s the perfect listen for January self-assessment, weighing the missteps of the past with possibilities of the future.

The new year comes with a great sense of anticipation, the excitement of leaving one phase behind and moving into the next. Tune in to these sentimental songs to let yourself feel through this major transition, and have a great 2023!

‘Her Deeds’ redefines culture and challenges tradition

Leon Arceo | Senior Writer

The latest exhibit at Second Street Gallery, titled “Her Deeds,” was on full display from Dec. 2, 2022 through Jan. 21, 2023 for the Charlottesville community, showcasing a versatile Latina artist, Mariana Parisca. Parisca redefines traditional perceptions about the Latinx experience and culture while keeping visitors on their toes by using unique mediums.

Parisca is a Venezuelan-American interdisciplinary visual artist, creating sculptures, videos and installations for her exhibit. The multi-award-winning artist and educator at George Mason University and the University of Richmond has been shown at more than a dozen museums and galleries.

Her work goes above and beyond with the help of collaborators — longtime friends and other artists — resulting in artworks that use mediums like large LED lights reading “PRAISE YOUR MOTHER / AMA A LA MAMÁ,” fabricated glass vases and unique scents. Parisca sees her collaborations as not just a fun process, but a new way of thinking that allows contributors to combine their skills and knowledge.

“I love collaborating with people,” Parisca said. “I like to think about not just the art objects themselves, but where they live in the world and the life I create around them…I think connecting with people on a project that you both feel connected to or passionate about is just such a beautiful way of relating to somebody.”

Since the exhibition opened in early December, the “Her Deeds” artist has been heavily interactive with Charlottesville community members. Having done workshops and artist talks before, Parisca decided to host — for the first time — a guided meditation at Second Street Gallery. Parisca said she was grateful for the opportunity to create with the community, taking honor in her ability to encourage individuals to come together and create conversations.

Her work often invokes conversation about the immigrant perspective. Paying homage to her motherland, Parisca created “Viscous Illusion Incorporation,” a topographical map of Lake Maracaibo — a lagoon in Venezuela — by knitting steel, Venezuelan Bolivares, U.S. dollars and gum wrappers. The

knitted map is a commentary on the current global economy of Venezuela and the hyperinflation of its Bolivar currency.

As a young immigrant from Venezuela, Parisca quickly realized that political and social issues have always played a significant role in shaping her life. This realization manifested in her early work, which often explored the cultural experiences of immigrants. In light of the ongoing turmoil in her home country, Parisca now hopes to use her art as a means of drawing attention to and effecting change in the situation that has so deeply affected her.

“Since I moved to the US, Venezuela has been going through very politically unstable periods,” Parisca said. “I want to try to use my art to try to find ways to address the issues that are causing these crises and create ways to create community and support each other.”

“Her Deeds” sparks conversation on the socio-political status of Venezuela while at the same time tapping into the sense of the viewer. Pieces like “Shadow I” incorporate nostalgic Latinx fragrances of papaya, guava and billowing smoke, featuring flowers made out of car-

bonized wood. She also taps into the sense of touch with her final piece — a collaboration with Christine Buckley — which incorporates homemade candies infused with kava kava root, carob pod, cinnamon, sarsaparilla root and ginger root.

Amidst the diverse array of artwork in the exhibit, a small monitor sits on the wall, where Parisca ventures into the field of filmography. The monitor displays a thought-provoking 12-minute film titled, “Sinvergüenza,” which means shameless.

Featuring the “Her Deeds” artist and Larí García, the film is a sequence of uncanny events to which Parisca refers to as a ritual to address mourning spirits by popular romantic nationalist stories. One motif in the film is the use of the papaya — a popular South American fruit.

In the ritual film, Parisca and Garcia are seen cutting a papaya in half with a double-sided knife — that same knife is featured in the exhibit. As the fruit is opened, coins can be seen hidden within the seeds, which serves as another reference to the hyperinflation in Vene-

zuela. Other elements in the videos such as smoke and fire symbolize rebirth resulting from spiritual decolonization.

“Her Deeds” is a beautiful representation of a Latina artist who pursues a new way of thinking while entwining personal elements from her respective culture. From broad topics of global economies, politics and culture, this exhibit strikes home to those of Latinx heritage. On top of that, the use of different mediums gives a fresh and surprising interaction to each art piece that welcomes all of one’s senses.

While the exhibit “Her Deeds” has recently concluded, Parisca remains busy and relevant in the art industry. For those interested in seeing her work in other locations, Parisca has a permanent installation of her LED lights, “PRAISE YOUR MOTHER/ AMA A LA MAMÁ,” at the University of Richmond. On top of that, Parisca is still expanding her portfolio with the intention to venture into clothing. As for upcoming exhibitions at Second Street Gallery, two new artists are arriving in early February.

A recent exhibit in downtown Charlottesville showcases a multi-talented Latina artist with mixed-media works

OPINION

LEAD EDITORIAL

We deserve better than Bert

The University community has made itself abundantly clear — it is time for leaders in Richmond to stand up on our behalf

The year is new, but this conversation is not. In the upcoming days, a committee of state senators will vote to confirm Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent slate of appointments to the Board of Visitors. Among these appointments is Bert Ellis, Class of 1975 alumnus and president of the Jefferson Council. If confirmed, Ellis seems positioned to try and “reverse the path to wokeness that has overtaken our entire university” — those are his words, not ours. Student and faculty leaders — such as the Student Council Executive Board, Student Council representative body, University Democrats and Faculty Senate — have remained consistent in their opposition to Ellis’ appointment. This community demands better. We, the 133rd and 134th Editorial Boards of The Cavalier Daily, call on our state senators to refuse the appointment of Bert Ellis Jr.

Ellis’ destructive actions speak even louder than his misguided words. We have covered this before, but it bears repeating. During his time as an undergraduate, Ellis ignored pleas from the student body and platformed a eugenics supporter under the guise of free speech. He then turned around and denied a platform to a gay rights activist, conveniently forgetting the importance of free speech. More recently, Ellis raised alarms when he traveled to Grounds with the intention of cutting down a sign hung on a Lawn resident’s door. Ellis has a documented history of racist, homophobic and harmful decisions. This goes beyond politics. Our identities are not up for debate. Any individual who isn’t capable of seeing the humanity in each of us should not be allowed to hold a leadership position within our community. This poor judgment is not the only cause for concern. Ellis also

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poses a threat to this University’s tradition of student self-governance. The Board is responsible for licensing our entire system of student self-governance, in part by creating contracts with special status organizations. Any individual appointed to oversee our system should not be opposed to its basic tenets. When these organizations have strayed from Ellis’ narrow conception of acceptable behavior, he has been quick to undermine and attack their efforts. From the condescending language used to criticize the University Guide Service to his plea to encourage the Board to subvert the will of the student body in last spring’s Honor referendum, it is clear that Ellis only cares about the promulgation of his personal views here on Grounds. Such a self-serving mindset is ill-suited to the work students are doing to push the University forward and prepare ourselves to be citizen

THE CAVALIER DAILY

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 Ava MacBlane Ford McCracken Leila Mohajer Nathan Onibudo Songhan Pang Shaleah Tolliver

JUNIOR BOARD

Assistant Managing Editors

Claire DiLorenzo

Alexandra Holmes (SA) Ella Dailey (SA) Isabella Gattuso (SA) Kate Jensen (SA) Sahil Patel (SA) Karen Shin

Assistant Operations Manager Honor Wood (SA) Mary Kurbanov (SA) Alexa Mosley

leaders in the process.

We should not have to say time and time again that we do not want a person on the University’s highest governing body who has tried to tear down a sign from a student’s door. Who thinks free speech excuses racism but permits homophobia. Who claims to be in favor of tradition, but undermines student-self governance whenever it is convenient. We could go on — and we have — but the point remains that students, faculty and the broader Charlottesville community deserve the bare minimum. Ellis is not it. No one has even explained why Ellis is best positioned to carry out the requisite duties, and yet, he is days away from potentially receiving a seat at the most influential table at this University. Leaders in Richmond have a chance to prevent this from happening. Ellis may represent our past, but he does not have to be our future.

Senators — we students have done our jobs. We dug through archives, compiled information, passed resolutions and wrote stories highlighting the threat that Ellis poses to our institution. The ball is now in your court.

This has been a joint editoral from the 133rd and 134th Editorial Boards. 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.

News Editors

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Olivia Garrone

Tanner Rowe (SA) Jamie Jeong Health & Science Editors

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Jake Adler

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Opinion Editors

Grace Durreger Shaleah Tolliver (SA) Ford McCracken (SA) Songhan Pang

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Translation Editors

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Shuqi Ye (SA) Alejandro Erazo Finance Manager

Wilson Simmons Advertising Manager Mason Lewis Archivist Grace Franklin

Historic preservation should not hold back green energy

Here in Charlottesville, the fight against climate change has recently faced a setback. At the last meeting of the Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review Jan. 18, the committee voted four to three to deny a request to install solar panels by First United Methodist Church. The solar panels, the church said, would save them a great deal of money, as “electrical costs would be reduced by approximately 50 percent at a savings of about $11,000 per year” — they’d also be invisible, ensuring the historic charm of the church would remain intact. The decision to deny First United Methodist Church their solar panels is a mistake that highlights shortcomings in the city’s regulatory guidelines. In order to encourage a greener Charlottesville, approving this measure is the best path forward.

Built in 1923, the First United Methodist Church is a colonial revival building with a long history in Charlottesville. The City of Charlottesville places a great emphasis on architectural preservation when it comes to historic buildings, and it has every reason to do so. The city’s diverse ar-

The

chitectural history should be respected and preserved.

The BAR is responsible for addressing both preservation and design issues within Charlottesville’s architectural design control districts. First United Methodist Church sits in the Downtown Architectural Design Control District, where preserving the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th century that marks the area is of

comprehensive plan — notably, the City emphasizes these measures are aimed towards residential and municipal buildings. The BAR’s design guidelines follow in the same vein, arguing that green energy is not a necessity for historic buildings. Given much of Charlottesville’s architecture is historic in nature, these regulatory guidelines aren’t conducive to the establishment of green energy infra-

would not be noticeable except from a great distance or an aerial view. This proposal is instead a valiant attempt to promote sustainability in a way that will be beneficial to the community. Moreover, the church’s multiple requests and expressed disappointment shows just how much this change means to them and their members. Letting the current architectural guidelines get in the way of a plan that

The new year brought new problems for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Va. when Gov. Youngkin asked Attorney General Jason Miyares to launch an investigation into possible human rights violations at the Virginia high school in early January. Parents have accused the school’s administration of intentionally failing to notify over 200 students who received recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation — allegedly due to “woke” ideology among leadership. These accusations are part of a larger push by conservatives to portray our public schools as anti-achievement and anti-merit. In an unsurprising turn of events, Youngkin has used the moment to weaponize the attorney general’s office for his own political gain — painting himself as a hypocrite and further undermining the efforts of our educators.

Early this past fall, over 200 students at Thomas Jefferson High School scored high enough on their preliminary SATs to receive recognition as “commended students” in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. These students were not notified of their achievement until late last fall — weeks later than when the awards are usually announced. Since many early application deadlines for colleges had already passed,

the utmost importance in the eyes of the City. That being said, preservation efforts can — and should — be coupled with clean energy efforts.

The debacle originally began in October of last year when the BAR initially rejected the church’s request for solar panels by a vote of four to two. Solar power is a recommended step in helping the city achieve a lower carbon footprint per Charlottesville’s

structure — making it difficult for the city to ever achieve a more sustainable carbon footprint.

While there is an importance to having historic building standards to preserve architecture and its significance to the community, this is not a case of radical change happening to the church building — the cost of progress is a few sections of slate roofing. In fact, the solar panels themselves

will help reduce our city’s carbon footprint, while still respecting the importance of ongoing preservation efforts, is a serious mistake.

We are facing a climate crisis unlike anything humanity has ever experienced. According to the New York Times, the past eight years have been the hottest on record, and without a significant change in CO2 emissions it does not show any sign of stopping.

While First United Methodist Church may be a small blip in the grand scale of human influence on climate change, every action counts and failure to act has severe consequences. Furthermore, as a pillar of a community, an organization such as a church plays an important role in guiding the lives of its parishioners and shaping their values. If a church like First United Methodist were to install solar panels, it would both send a climate-conscious message to those who attend and those in the community at large. It would also represent a step forward for green energy in Charlottesville, as First United Methodist would join other organizations like the Charlottesville Climate Collaborative in showing just what the city has to offer in regards to renewables. With so much at stake due to climate change, we must all stand united in our fight to bring about a greener future.

RYAN LANFORD is an Opinion Columnist for The Cavalier Daily. They can be reached at opinion@cavalierdaily. com.

parents argued that students were denied the opportunity to boost their applications by placing the commendation on their files. In an effort to ensure the awards can be considered, the school said they have been contacting each of the colleges to which affected students applied early. Additionally, in an act of good faith and transparency, the school district has enlisted the help of a third party to independently inves-

hard work and merit. Youngkin rose to prominence, in part, by capitalizing on these types of concerns. Despite the school trying to resolve the matter and Yashar’s allegations being unproven, the Youngkin administration leaped at the opportunity to paint the incident as indicative of a bonafide “war on merit.” Attorney General Miyares has even expanded his investigation to include the entire school system, following reports

divert resources away from public education. It is not even necessarily that these flaws caused the delays we are witnessing — it is just quite telling that the governor has chosen to fixate on this politically expedient problem, while simultaneously ignoring the broader issues plaguing our public schools.

I would be remiss not to mention the sheer absurdity of the Youngkin administration launching an inves-

tration pick and choose causes that are politically expedient, regardless of the human cost of their often inflammatory and irresponsible decisions.

tigate the matter.

The incident was initially brought to light when Shawna Yashar — a parent of one of the affected students — publicly claimed that the delay was intentional. She said an administrator told her they didn’t want to hurt the feelings of students who didn’t get the award.

Yashar’s claim fanned the flames of a burgeoning fire. For years, conservative activists have been trying to paint the picture that Thomas Jefferson High School’s focus on equity means its leadership is actively trying to destroy the concepts of

that award notification was also delayed at more Fairfax County high schools.

It is disingenuous for the Youngkin administration to allege an attack on merit. It is far more convenient for conservatives to blame their opponent’s “woke” ideologies than it is to recognize the systemic issues, such as flaws in funding, training and resources, that actually contribute to failures in the functioning of our schools — not only because the Governor is largely responsible for our state’s education apparatus, but also since he supports policies that

tigation into school-based “human rights violations.” This is the same governor who — just weeks ago — was proudly announcing his plan to strip Virginia’s transgender students of their basic human dignity by restricting their rights in our public schools. This is a governor from the party of small government who is willing to waste taxpayer funds on a matter that has been largely addressed, and is already being independently investigated. All of this manufactured outrage highlights what many of us already know to be true — Youngkin and his adminis-

When it is all said and done, students will survive having their merit certificates a few weeks later than normal. The same cannot easily be said, for example, of the transgender youth that will have to suffer Youngkin’s regressive policies. Instead of enabling parents who are using their kids’ misfortune to further their own political agenda, Youngkin would do well to stand up for the students whose lives he endangered with his poor policy choices in 2022. We all know there is no war on merit — educators can, of course, take an equity-based approach without sacrificing excellence. If there is any war at all, it is the one Gov. Youngkin is presently waging — on LGBTQ+ youth, on our public schools and on the progressive ideals a majority of Virginians proudly stand for.

NATHAN ONIBUDO is the Executive Editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at ee@cavalierdaily. com.

This proposal is instead a valiant attempt to promote sustainability in a way that will be beneficial to the community.”

denial of First United Methodist’s request for solar panels is a mistake that must be rectified

Youngkin would do well to stand up for the students whose lives he endangered with his poor policy choices in 2022.”

There may be a war, but it is not on merit

Youngkin only cares about student’s rights when they benefit his political agenda

Most people have the same reaction when they can’t understand what somebody says. It is simple, elegant and concise — “What?” However, after the second, third or twentieth time of asking someone to repeat what they said, the conversation comes to an awkward halt. To avoid this issue, assumptions must be made about what people say. If your brain is anything like mine, these assumptions are often entirely incorrect

The problem started when I learned to speak. In my mind, the elderly women in the locker room before my swimming lessons were “maked.” When I got tired of dangling from a monkey bar by myself for 20 minutes on the playground, I sat on the “vench.” Melman, the giraffe in Madagascar, was instead named “Mormon.” My parents attempted to model good manners at the dinner table. However, instead of saying, “May I please be excused?” after each meal, I would ask, “May I please have my shoes?”

Misheard

My parents were amused. Others were not. In first-grade gym class, we were learning how to play frisbee. “It’s all in the wrist,” shouted my gym teacher, Mr. Nick. We formed two lines, and he handed out frisbees. We began fidgeting with them immediately. Mr. Nick made one rule crystal clear — we were not to throw the frisbees until he expressly told us to.

I spaced out for a few minutes while Mr. Nick lectured us about boring details, such as how to throw a frisbee. Before I knew it, he shouted, “Throw your frisbees!”

I spun back to gather momentum like the Olympic discus throwers I had seen on TV. I catapulted the frisbee across the room and watched it slice through the air toward my classmate Lucy.

Thwack! My frisbee smacked Lucy in the forehead. Mr. Nick ran to her as she wept. While he comforted her, his eyes rose to glare at me.

“I told you, ‘Don’t throw your

frisbees yet!’”

“Mr. Nick, I heard you yell, ‘Throw your frisbees.’ I followed your directions.”

It was a rough day for Lucy.

The incidents did not stop there. One lucky afternoon in early high school, I boarded the bus, and my crush sat next to me. I waited in nervous silence on the 15-minute drive home as I clutched my clarinet case, which looked more like an odd plastic briefcase from the dollar store. The bus had already turned onto my street when my crush asked, “Do you have an instrument?” I gestured toward my plastic briefcase and said, “Yes, clarinet! Do you play an instrument?” My crush paused and furrowed his brow. “I asked if you had an Instagram.” The bus doors opened at my stop. As I scurried away, I exclaimed, “Oops, it’s my stop!” That was our first and last conversation.

I am not the only one who mishears people in crucial moments.

My mom and dad stood at the altar during their wedding ceremony. As my mom held her bouquet, she felt a piercing pain below her left thumb. She looked down and saw a bee stinging her hand. She glanced at my dad with tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m being stung by a bee,” she whispered. He flicked the bee off of her hand and stomped on it. It’s hard to be discreet about crushing a bee to death with your foot.

A bridesmaid named Lauren noticed my dad’s violent stomping — a practice not typically included in wedding vows. She leaned over and asked, “What’s going on?” My dad answered, “She was stung by a bee!” Lauren nodded and smiled with a twinkle in her eye, saying, “So sweet.”

After the ceremony, the stinger was still embedded in my mom’s hand, and her arm was swollen to the size of a baseball bat. Alarmed by its size, Lauren asked, “What happened to your arm?” Only then

CARTOON

The New Garbageman

Kaileigh Proctor | Cartoon Editor

did they realize that Lauren’s perspective of the wedding ceremony was quite different. After she’d expressed concern about my dad’s aggressive stomping, she thought that my dad said, “She’s standing by me,” in disbelief as my mom stood beside him. She was touched that he felt like the luckiest guy on the planet to be standing next to my mom.

My mom popped a drowsy Benadryl on the way to her reception. Many of the photos show her napping in the corner.

Even though misheard words can land you in sticky situations, listening carefully is boring. Hear what you want to hear. Before you know it, you’ll be flinging frisbees and taking names — the wrong names.

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

What you say and what I hear are entirely different beasts

SPORTS

Reviewing Tony Elliott’s first season leading U.Va. football

Looking back at the on-and-off field impacts of the rookie leader

Connor Lothrop | Staff Writer

After the 2021 season, two football programs with prestige bowl appearances in the last decade had regressed to mediocrity and were without head coaches. Both programs had veteran dual-threat quarterbacks in place and poached respected coaches from rival programs. One of the coaches, Sonny Dykes, led Texas Christian from 5-7 to 13-2 and a national championship game appearance in 2022. Meanwhile, Virginia (3-7, 1-6 ACC) sputtered under newly appointed head coach Tony Elliott.

To describe Elliott’s first year at the helm of the program as tumultuous would be an understatement. It would also be negligent to ignore that the season came to a tragic halt prematurely. On the night of November 13, three Virginia football players — junior receiver Lavel Davis Jr., junior receiver Devin Chandler and junior linebacker D’Sean Perry — were killed, and a fourth, senior running back Mike Hollins, was injured in an on-Grounds shooting.

Elliott’s performance as a coach cannot just be evaluated by the on field product alone. However, it’s worth analyzing his leadership through the lens of team performance, recruiting prowess and his management of a locker room through crisis.

On The Field

Winning games in a coach’s first season is hard — only one Virginia coach has achieved a winning season in year one since 1929. That being said, there are lots of areas where Elliott’s team needs to improve on to win more than three games in 2023.

In 2021, senior quarterback Brennan Armstrong and his elite skill players scored at least 28 points in nine games. Armstrong and essentially the same skill position group did so only twice in 2022, part of a total offensive meltdown that dropped the offense from 8th to 117th in ESPN’s SP+ metric.

However, Elliott only deserves some of the blame for this offensive underperformance. All starters from 2021’s offensive line were lost to graduation and the transfer portal. The 2022 line was significantly worse, contributing to a dramatically higher sack rate for Armstrong. Additionally, Elliott insisted that the team switch from Mendenhall’s preferred air raid attack to a more pro-style of-

fense. Armstrong struggled with the resulting condensed field and increased pre-snap responsibilities, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, Elliott and new defensive coordinator John Rudzinski actually engineered a minor miracle. Despite losing its leading tackler, the Cavalier defense jumped from 100th to 49th in defensive SP+ thanks to stellar seasons from junior linebacker Nick Jackson, fifth-year edge rusher Chico Bennett Jr., graduate student corner Anthony Johnson and junior corner Fentrell Cypress II.

The team only won three games, but three games were lost by seven combined points. Realistically, the Cavaliers were not so far from bowl eligibility. There’s still a lot that Elliott needs to fix on the field, but the building blocks of a moderately successful team were in place.

On the Trail and in the Portal

Those building blocks are now leaving, though — Virginia football is in the midst of potentially its largest ever talent drain. A laundry list of starters have entered the transfer portal, including Armstrong, Jackson, Cypress, senior receiver Billy Kemp IV and sopho-

more tackle Logan Taylor, leaving the Cavaliers with problems at a number of positions. Elsewhere on the roster, Johnson, talented senior wideout Keytaon Thompson and sophomore wideout Dontayvion Wicks will go pro.

This year’s traditional recruiting class is ranked 65th nationally, and contains no four or five-stars. It ranks second-to-last in the ACC, and also skews heavily towards wide receivers and defensive linemen, two roster areas that are already relative strengths. The weakest position on the team, offensive line, has only received one high school reinforcement.

The transfer portal still has months to develop, but early returns include Monmouth’s junior quarterback Tony Muskett and Clemson’s junior tailback Kobe Pace. Recruiting services predict that the Cavaliers will gain quality starters from the crop of transfers, but replacing proven commodities like Armstrong and Cypress will be an uphill battle.

The attrition found in the roster was extended to the coaching staff as well. Offensive line coach Garret Tujuage left in December to take the same position at NC State, and Marques Hagans, Virginia alumnus

and associate head coach departed for State College, Pa. to become Penn State’s wide receivers coach. Suddenly, Elliott not only has to restock his roster, but also his colleagues.

In terms of roster talent, 2023 looks bleak. On the recruiting trail, there’s nowhere to go but up.

In the Locker Room

Through the first several months of his tenure, Elliott’s impact on the team spirit was hard to spot — players committed more inadvisable penalties and made more senseless decisions than usual. Towards the end of the season, the atmosphere around the team seemed toxic with few stories of positive player development. However, that all changed very quickly. After the tragic events of Nov. 13, suddenly football didn’t matter. Elliott’s response to tragedy would be the lasting impact of his debut season.

The head coach’s response was sublime. Less than 48 hours after the shooting, Elliott and Athletic Director Carla Williams sat before the press and answered questions for nearly half an hour, sharing treasured memories of each player. In speaking about how the team was mourning together, he exuded

the presence of a strong leader. Five days later, he spoke at the mass celebration of life for the three players, outlining a plan to draw the team tighter together. In those moments, Tony Elliott was exactly the right man to lead Virginia football. Now, the question becomes whether he can lead the Cavaliers out of crisis and into prosperity.

Conclusion

Elliott has a tough offseason ahead of him, and he needs to get a lot right to justify the five years and $21.8 million left on his contract. The quarterback situation needs to be solved, a broken offense needs to be fixed and a group of young men needs to be healed. However, the program’s new $80 million facility will open in 2024 — a huge boon to the recruiting and development that are so crucial to Elliott’s potential effectiveness — and his returners have already been through some of the worst things a team can encounter. The only way to go is up.

To paraphrase Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett, “Joy comes in the morning.”

Head coach Tony Elliott has an upward battle ahead of him in order to achieve his goal of making Virginia college football’s “model program.”

AVA PROEHL THE CAVALIER DAILY

ROUNDTABLE: Previewing spring 2023 sports

With Virginia’s winter sports teams in full swing and spring sports just on the horizon, Cavalier fans have plenty to be excited about in the top half of 2023. From top to bottom, the athletics department is gearing up for tournament bids, title runs and potentially a bit of madness in March. With so much to anticipate, three sports staff members break down everything to look forward to in the coming months.

What is the one game all Virginia students should go see this semester?

Ben Istvan, Senior Associate: Virginia men’s lacrosse has a chance to defeat the team that has given it the most trouble when Maryland comes to Charlottesville March 18. These two teams have history, having squared off three times in the past two sea -

sons alone. The Cavaliers defeated the Terrapins 17-16 in the 2021 National Championship on their way to a second consecutive title, but Maryland responded last year with not one, but two victories over Virginia. The Terrapins were dominant in those contests, topping the Cavaliers 23-12 in the Capitol Classic Lacrosse Tournament before knocking out Virginia in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals by a score of 18-9.

With Maryland ranked No. 3 in the Inside Lacrosse preseason rankings and the Cavaliers slotted in at No. 6, you can bet the Cavaliers have this one circled on the calendar.

Harry Farley, Associate Writer: Any time Virginia hosts Duke in men’s basketball, it’s a big deal. It will be no different Feb. 11 — after the two thrilling matchups between the Cavaliers

and Blue Devils last season, the only matchup between Virginia and Duke this year will come at a critical point towards the end of the ACC slate. If students need reminders of how electric games between the Blue Devils and Cavaliers are, the first matchup of 2022 concluded with junior guard Reece Beekman’s buzzer-beater to win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke answered back in Charlottesville with a nail-biting 65-61 loss, though graduate student guard Kihei Clark put up a career-high 25 points, including six made three-pointers. The sole installment of the series this year is certainly set to be a high-energy game and students will not want to miss out on a packed John Paul Jones arena.

Connor Lothrop, Associate Writer: After facing a tough road

stretch at the beginning of the season, Virginia baseball will finally take on a top-25 team at home when Miami comes to Disharoon Park April 6-8. The Cavaliers were swept by a good Hurricanes team in Coral Gables last season, and with the two teams coming in with top-25 rankings according to D1 Baseball’s preseason poll, Virginia has the chance to take revenge in Charlottesville. Virginia has one of the country’s strongest offensive cores, led by three of last year’s young performers — junior third baseman Jake Gelof, sophomore right fielder Casey Saucke, and sophomore catcher Kyle Teel. However, the pitching looks shaky, with neither weekend starter returning from 2022 and a bullpen that lacks depth. Meanwhile, Miami returns their best player in junior right fielder CJ Kayfus and an experienced team

behind him. Whether or not Virginia survived their road gauntlet in March, the early spring weather in Charlottesville and the competitive Hurricanes will give students and community members every reason to spend a Sunday watching baseball.

Which student athlete are you looking forward to watching most this semester?

BI: Junior third baseman Jake Gelof is primed for a monster season. Gelof is coming off a sophomore campaign in which he broke numerous program records, tallying an all-time mark of 81 RBI in addition to 21 home runs, the second most in a season in program history. For his efforts, the junior earned First Team All-ACC honors and spots on numerous All-American teams

Members of the Sports desk weigh in on the semester ahead

The CD Sports Staff

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Junior infielder Jake Gelof is primed for a big season as he tries to lead the Cavaliers back to national prominence.

from the likes of Perfect Game, Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Gelof has already been awarded a place as a preseason First Team All-American from both Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, and he enters the 2023 campaign as the No. 38 ranked prospect for the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft. Gelof will only continue to improve on his outstanding 2022, and with professional scouts more clued in than ever, the third baseman is the No. 1 must-watch student athlete this semester.

HF: Two siblings — sophomore Gretchen and junior Alex Walsh, sisters on the women’s swim and dive team — should be on every Virginia fan’s watch list. Alex, who specializes in individual medley, backstroke and breaststroke, holds two ACC records, and was a part of three relays that also hold the best time in the league. Meanwhile, younger sister Gretchen has had no problem living up to the expectations set by her sister, breaking records in the 100-yard freestyle and 100yard backstroke as a freshman. The Cavaliers are poised to win their third straight national title due to a strong returning core, and the Walsh sisters will have more of a competition against the

clock than any specific opponent. After helping the Cavaliers capture a second consecutive NCAA title in the spring last year, there is seemingly no limit to what the team can achieve at the ACC and NCAA Championships, and students should keep track of even more record-breaking to come.

CL: USA Lacrosse Magazine honored two Virginia men’s lacrosse players as All-Americans and seven as Honorable Mentions, but none are more important than First-Team Honoree Connor Shellenberger. In his first two seasons at Klöckner Stadium, the junior attacker has scored 69 goals and 86 assists in 34 games. However, after a threegoal, two-assist performance against Maryland in the regular season, Shellenberger went silent in the rematch, an 18-9 loss that ended the Cavaliers’ season. Now the relatively youthful star has one last chance to carry his older teammates to a third title before they move on and he is left as the veteran on a young squad. If anyone in the country can carry an offensive on their own, though, it’s Shellenberger.

Which spring sport has the best chance to win a national title?

BI: Virginia men’s lacrosse has all the tools to capture its third championship in four tries. The Cavaliers made a run to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals last season and it was considered a down year, which just shows the standard to which the program holds itself. With the No. 1 recruiting class in the country entering Coach Lars Tiffany’s locker room, the squad has a reasonable path to claim yet another national title. That incoming class is spearheaded by four top15 recruits, including freshmen midfielders Joey Terenzi and Mac Eldridge, freshman attacker Truitt Sunderland and freshman defender John Schroter. Adding that kind of firepower to an already strong returning nucleus with the likes of junior attacker Connor Shellenberger and senior attacker Payton Cormier is a mouthwatering prospect, and will only serve to make the NCAA’s third highest-scoring team in 2022 even more dangerous this season. Expect fireworks inside Klöckner Stadium every time this team takes the field.

HF: Virginia men’s baseball may not be the highest-ranked spring sport, but the squad has all the pieces to make the run to Omaha. The squad only gets more and

more experienced, and with the additions brought in from the transfer portal — namely, graduate student Travis Reifsnider, who led the CAA in slugging percentage and home runs last year at James Madison — the Cavaliers seemed to have reloaded yet again. Despite the loss of Alex Tappen, who led the team last season with 83 hits and was second with 13 home runs, Gelof, sophomore right fielder Casey Saucke and sophomore shortstop Griff O’Ferrall all return and were first, third and fourth in batting average last season, respectively. Looking toward the start of the season, the Cavaliers were recently ranked No.19 in the D1 Baseball Preseason Poll. The key to a deep postseason run will be molding chemistry and catching fire late in the season. With a much more experienced team and the portal additions, the Cavaliers could be a dangerous team if they make it to Omaha, the home of the College World Series.

CL: Virginia women’s swimming and diving is on the verge of what would be an incredible third consecutive national championship. The Cavaliers dominated both the 2021 and 2022 NCAA championships, winning by 137 and 145.5 points, respectively. Now,

the team is once again the topranked squad in the country after briefly ceding the top spot to No. 2 Texas in November. The Longhorns finished on the podium behind Virginia in each of the last two championships, but are primed with veteran talent and represent the main threat to the third successive Cavalier victory. The Walsh sisters are the stars of the team, but senior Kate Douglass has been just as successful, with three individual golds at the 2022 finals. Fellow senior Lexi Cuomo and sophomore Reilly Tiltman also contributed to the three relay golds Virginia won. If this team swims to its potential, the three-peat is a no-doubter, and there’s very little Texas can do about it.

COURTESY VIRGINIA ATHLETICS

Junior Alex Walsh will look to lead the Cavaliers’ women’s swimming and diving squad to a third consecutive national championship.