3-2-20 - Fourth Estate by Student Media George Mason University

March 2, 2020

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Volume 7 Issue 16

FOURTH ESTATE

Gregory Washington is named the 8th president of Mason ~ p. 4~ @ivestate | gmufouråthestate.com

ALLEGATIONS AT STUDENT GOVERNMENT MEETING (P. 5) || BSA FASHION SHOW (P. 10) || BIG SHOT BOYD (P. 12) || OPINION: STUDY ABROAD OPENS PERSPECTIVES (P. 16) Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Ofﬁce of Student Media.

03.02.2020

FOURTH ESTATE

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

HAILEY BULLIS DANA NICKEL Co Editors-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE Art Director

Hey Patriots,

DELANEY HARRISON Copy Editor

After a six week stretch, we’ll be taking a couple weeks off for midterms and spring break. Spending six weeks with the same group of people in close proximity really taught me a lot about the team my Co Editor and I work with.

LAURA SCUDDER News Editor

For example, our News team, Laura and Alexa, tend to do accents or animal noises when they start to feel stressed out about the production schedule. If these telltale noises didn’t exist, I don’t think I would’ve noticed that the stress phased them at all. They work as a seamless, finely tuned machine to put together a section I’m more proud of with each passing week. Also, a pretty awesome comedic duo, but I think the noises help with that.

ALEXA TIRONI Assistant News Editor

Our Culture editor Peter has the best taste in wine, and the most interesting stories about his life. The man’s an enigma, but in the best way. Nayomi, though she’s newer, is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen. She’s the first to volunteer her time for a story, even missing social events to work late on a Friday night. Domenic, our assistant Sports editor, will absolutely take over in the kitchen for me after I try — and fail — to make pasta for a relaxing night with the staff. (To be perfectly honest, I didn’t try at all. I got the pot out for him and bought the ingredients). The editor of this dynamic duo, Natalie, can crank out like, one thousand stories in four days and is still home in time for dinner. This feat never ceases to amaze me. Our Opinion editor, Dominic, is able to keep us laughing throughout these countless hours of writing, editing and layout, which is a highly underrated skill. Our Art Department, Ally, Billy and Niki, are able to keep us all at ease and laughing with their perfect photos, videos and graphics every week. Delaney, our copy chief, is a whiz with edits and a wonderful house guest. Lexi, our social media director, is able to balance internships, class and this job like it’s absolutely nothing, which is a skill I both envy and admire. And my Co Editor, Hailey, is arguably more chaotic than I am — and that’s saying something, for those of you who don’t know us. She walks the line of a responsible partner and fun-loving friend of mine well, and I am most thankful for her in my life. Anyways, we’ve got a great issue for you guys this week. Fourth Estate was invited to attend a press conference that introduced our next president, Gregory Washington. Read more about him on page four. In Culture, one writer paid tribute to the Mason dining celebrity, Robert Daniels of Southside. Read about that on page eight. Sports did an in-depth look into Mason’s swim team, and it left a splashing impact for me as a reader. Check that out on page 14. Our Opinion section has a new assistant editor, Savannah. Savannah’s been a dedicated writer to that section for a while now, and I’m super excited to see the section grow under her judgment and creativity. Check out the Opinion section this week, starting on page 15. As always, if there are any questions, comments or concerns, feel free to reach back out to us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com. See you in two weeks.

NAYOMI SANTOS Assistant Culture Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor DOMINIC PINO Opinion Editor SAVANNAH MARTINCIC Assistant Opinion Editor BILLY FERGUSON Online Director LEXI REYES Social Media Editor DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor EMMETT SMITH Distribution Manager KATHRYN MANGUS Director

Sincerely,

DAVID CARROLL Associate Director

Dana Nickel Co Editor-in-Chief

JASON HARTSEL Assistant Director

We are always recruiting volunteers for: - WRITERS - VIDEOGRAPHERS - ILLUSTRATORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS

George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

PETER NJOROGE Culture Editor

For all inquiries, please email: masonfourthestate@gmail.com

Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community. The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Co Editor-in-Chiefs should be notified at the email provided. Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

COVER PHOTO CREDITS Vijay Iyer / Fourth Estate

NEWS

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

03.02.2020

STUDENT GOVERNMENT UPDATE Student government members explain current initiatives and future plans ALEXA TIRONI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

had in a Mason Core class?” and “What additions or changes would you like to see made to the Mason Core?” Students are then asked to rate the presence of outcomes such as civic engagements and critical thinking skills and their effectiveness within the curriculum. FOURTH ESTATE VIJAY IYER

Student Body President Camden Layton described the purpose of the survey, saying it was made “to get a general — kind of a broader view of how students feel about it.”

It’s all hustle and bustle in Suite 2300 of the Hub as student government preps for future initiatives and the upcoming elections. Campaigns for student government positions begin on March 17. Elections open on March 23 and close March 27. Scholarship of the Week is one of the larger initiatives in student government’s second session. Each week, the chair of academics and secretary of academics post a

scholarship to the Scholarships GMU Twitter to advertise different scholarships Mason students are eligible for. The Mason Core Survey is a current student government effort that has been advertised across their social media. Partnered with the Associate Provost Office, specifically Bethany Usher, the ten-day survey is meant to collect opinions from the student body regarding the Mason Core curriculum. Examples of proposed questions are “What is the best experience you have

A campus cleanup program introduced last spring by student government and in collaboration with other RSOs is “Maintain Mason.” Cassidy Whitehurst, speaker pro tempore in student senate, explained the now codified environmental initiative. “It’s kind of like, you know, [an] Adopt-a-Highway type thing,” Whitehurst said. “It’s kind of like they [RSOs] adopt a spot on campus.” Although the program was created by student government and other RSOs, any Mason student can join in on the initiative.

Layton spoke about student government’s effort in bringing back university traditions. “We’re working with the Dean of Students to revitalize campus spirit, because that’s been low, especially with the construction,” Layton said. “Stay tuned,” he added. Every quarter, senate members make amends to their code. A recent addition to the code is the housing board, which is made up of different constituencies who meet with administration. “We felt like there was a lack of on-campus advocacy,” Layton explained. “So we created a student housing board where we speak with Dr. [Chris] Holland.” Chris Holland is the assistant dean of University Life and the chief housing officer of Housing and Residence Life. Layton continued, “We’re going to start meeting soon. We’ve got many applications, and kind of going through that is the beginning process, get people on board.” Layton spoke on his role as the student

representative in the now-ended presidential search process. “When interviewing with them [presidential candidates], I kind of had to be the voice of all of the students,” he said. Layton met all presidential candidates “many times” and was given time to look over resumes and the opportunity to participate in interviews. “I think it went very well, and I think all constituencies are very happy with who we ended up picking — he was one of my top three from the start,” Layton said. When asked about what Mason students should know about student government, Student Body Vice President Adia McLaughlin said, “Our office hours! We’re here for the students and we sit here for hours a day. These doors are always open.” She continued, “So all we want is for people to tell us what they want to see … It’s important that if students have a complaint, or they want to see something changed or adjusted, that they come talk to us … we’re here to represent you. That’s our job.”

LAST WEEK IN THE NEWS

Monday, Feb. 24

Harvey Weinstein found guilty of rape in New York trial. “Hidden Figures” inspiration and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson dies. Bernie Sanders becomes the ﬁrst presidential candidate, Democrat or Republican, to win the popular vote in all three early voting states.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

Americans should begin to prepare for a novel coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., CDC warns.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Scotland became the ﬁrst country to make feminine hygiene products free for everyone.

A heat wave in Antarctica wiped out 20 percent of an island’s snow in nine days.

Congress makes lynching a federal crime 65 years after Emmett Till died.

U.S. stock market drops signiﬁcantly due to the coronavirus crisis.

Supreme Court rules that border patrol agents who shoot foreign nationals can’t be sued.

Thursday, Feb. 27

Kentucky Republican flips state house seat held by Democrats for 50 years Court hands Trump win in sanctuary city ﬁght, says administration can deny grant money. The Trump administration says a coronavirus vaccine may not be affordable.

Friday, Feb. 28

Dow falls 1,191 points — the most in history. Disney Jungle Cruise boat sinks with passengers still on board in the Magic Kingdom. Vice President Mike Pence will control all coronavirus messaging from health ofﬁcials.

NEWS

03.02.2020

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

MASON WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT

Mason community meets university’s eighth president, Gregory Washington LAURA SCUDDER NEWS EDITOR

“If you have talent, Mason will find you,” Washington remarked toward the end of his speech. He spoke of Mason’s status as a T1 research institution and diversity in student backgrounds as things that drew him to Mason — all after receiving spiritwear from a Starship robot. Washington’s hire comes after contention between the Board of Visitors (BOV) and Mason’s American Association of University Professors chapter, who pushed for a public search process. He attended a press conference prior to the welcome reception in which he addressed some concerns surrounding transparency at Mason. “So the idea here is you want to be as open and as transparent as you possibly can in an academic institution,” Washington said. “There are some times where you can’t be totally open and transparent because you have plans. There are strategies, things

you want to do. And the concern always is, if there’s an individual who wants to thwart those plans … and if you’re too open, too transparent, those kinds of things — oftentimes you lose the advantage, you lose first movers advantage, or you [are] where you put yourself in a position where others are able to counteract what you’re trying to do. So, but outside of this, you want to be open … And so it’s one of the reasons why I really wanted to engage the faculty.” Aside from this, Washington answered questions concerning housing, engagement with Amazon, diversity in hiring practices and more. “It was a grueling search process,” Washington said. “Lots of meetings, and then meetings on top of meetings. I’ve been in a couple of these searches — this is one of the more thorough. And the search firm, Greenwood/ Asher, did a really good job of following up on the follow-up.” Washington was previously the dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California-Irvine. In October 2019, he was a candidate for provost at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, according to the university’s student newspaper.

BOV Vice Rector Jimmy Hazel commented on the search process and why they chose Washington as the next president for the university. “Well, one, he had the enthusiasm for where we were headed,” Hazel said. “Two, he has a vision for the area that he wants to be a part of … But he sees the opportunity that Mason’s already achieved, and he has a vision on where to take it. I mean, he engaged at all levels, with board members, with faculty — in large meetings and small meetings — talking about the opportunities that the school has in front of us. And he wants to be a part of that. He enthusiastically wants to be a part of that.” Shannon Davis, chair of the faculty senate, explained that members of the faculty senate met Washington, along with three other finalist candidates, on Saturday, Feb. 23. One staff representative and Student Body President Camden Layton also attended. “There were not nondisclosure agreements,” Davis explained of the meeting. “The people who attended signed the same code of ethics that the search committee members signed, there was nothing different.” Washington said that he appreciated

the way the search process unfolded. “I liked the way we did faculty input,” Washington said. “I think it’s important to have faculty input … you just have to figure out how to do it in a manner that ensures you keep the best people in the process.” As the only undergraduate student involved in the search process, Layton thought that the process was well done — and that the BOV listened to what he had to say throughout the process. “I don’t think that an open search is necessarily the smartest thing to do,” he said. “I believe there are candidates who are phenomenal candidates and I’m glad they were in the pool, and I don’t think they would have been there were it an open search. But I would be interested to see what that dynamic is in the next decade or so.”

as you know, the process — it was challenging to get it right, and I think we did. I thought the engagement between the board and the faculty senate was amazing. Never anything perfect, but the whole community engagement I thought was really strong. I think they hit it out of the park, they got a great guy.” She continued, “I’m excited about working with him towards the transition. I’ve had such a blast doing this job, but it’s been a whirlwind. I’m looking forward to a smooth transition and handing off the baton and heading back to the classroom.” Washington said that he will return to campus multiple times before his start in July.

Interim President Anne Holton, who learned Washington was hired 24 hours before the BOV announcement, believes that he’ll be great for technology and research at Mason. Holton is also excited to return to the classroom.

FOURTH ESTATE VIJAY IYER

After being announced as the university’s eighth president on Monday, Gregory Washington came to the Center for the Arts for a welcome event on Thursday, Feb. 27, addressing his excitement to be part of the Mason community and grow university initiatives.

“I would say [I’m] relieved about the search process,” she said. “I was not on the search committee, so I was not privy to the candidates and all of that, but I was engaged in the process. And

MASON PROFESSOR SIGNS OFFICIAL STATEMENT CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF WILLIAM BARR

Laurie Robinson, along with 2,500 former DOJ employees, encourages Barr to resign from his position

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

SUDIKSHA KOCHI STAFF WRITER

Former Department of Justice (DOJ) employee and current Mason professor Laurie Robinson, along with 2,500 other former DOJ employees, signed a statement supporting the resignation of Attorney General William Barr after he interfered in the case of Roger Stone. The statement Robinson signed includes the reason why Barr should resign: His actions threatened the reputation of the DOJ and the rule of law was violated in this situation. Stone, who was convicted of lying to congressional representatives and obstructing justice, was given a recommendation by four prosecutors working his case that he should be sentenced to seven to nine years in

prison. According to Robinson, Barr dismissed the recommendation in favor of a lighter sentence. “President Trump tweeted about the prosecutors’ recommendation, also favoring a lighter sentence, and he also tweeted about the judges and jurors working the case,” Robinson said. Barr stated on television that he was very unhappy with the president interfering in the matters of the DOJ and the president’s comments made it impossible for him to do his job in handling matters of the judiciary. Robinson explained that she felt that Barr’s words did not follow through with his actions since he went along with the idea that Stone should be

given a lighter sentence.

committee of Congress.

“The prosecutors were so unhappy with the handling of the case that they all resigned from the case,” Robinson said. “One of the four even resigned permanently from the Department of Justice.”

“In a democracy and constitutional republic, decisions happening in the Department of Justice, whether in the criminal division or in the U.S. Attorney Office where people are going to lose their liberty, have to be carried out without any consideration of a person’s politics,” Robinson said.

Robinson, who was a former assistant attorney general under the Clinton and Obama administrations, stated that one of the most important things the DOJ — unlike many other departments in the government — is known for is the strong tradition of keeping cases divided from politics. This division is meant to uphold the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and keep grant-making processes an arm’s length from the appropriations

“These kinds of things really test our system but it is distressing to see the president continuing to tweet about Judge Amy Jackson,” Robinson continued. “I think Jackson is an honorable judge and she is handling the situation in a good way and will make the best out of it. We will see.”

NEWS

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

03.02.2020

SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS ARISE IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT MEETING Student government member levels allegation at Thursday meeting LAURA SCUDDER NEWS EDITOR; ALEXA TIRONI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR; TRAVIS MCMILLAN STAFF WRITER

Sexual assault allegations were leveled at a public student senate meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27, against Cedric Price, speaker of the student senate. The allegations were brought forth by Sarah Kurian, the undersecretary of university life for Title IX and Clery Act compliance in student government’s executive cabinet. In a written statement to Fourth Estate on Saturday, Price denied the claims. “I consider sexual assault allegations to be very serious. Victims should speak out and share their stories. However, I did not sexually assault Sarah Kurian,” Price wrote. At 4:34 p.m., Price officially called the student government meeting to order. Members of Mason 4 Survivors (M4S) were present at the meeting in order to read a statement from Kurian during the public comment portion of the meeting, according to student organizer Ashley Stewart. A M4S representative, Sara Deriso,

was originally supposed to read the statement for Kurian, who at the time had chosen to remain anonymous. However, Kurian decided to deliver the statement herself during the meeting.

going on to explain her perspective of the alleged situation.

Kurian’s statement detailed her perspective of what allegedly happened with Price as well as her past experience with sexual assault. Kurian also felt as though she could not turn to Title IX because of the history between the department and sexual assault survivors.

“I ended up just feeling like it needed to come out of me because before it would have been fine coming out anonymously, but I felt like this was my story and my experience and Cedric was trying to take that away from me, and I really wanted to take that back for myself,” she said.

Kurian confirmed that she spoke to a student government advisor that is a mandatory reporter and they filed a report on her behalf. Price continued in his written statement that he would be moving forward with the Title IX investigation.

Kurian also explained why she felt like she had to bring her story forward.

“I want to make it clear that I recognize there is a horrible history of black men being falsely accused of sexual assault — and it is wrong,” Kurian acknowledged in one part of her statement,

In an interview with Fourth Estate, Kurian explained why she changed her mind about remaining anonymous during the meeting.

“As a leader of student government, and as a leader of the student body, I felt the senators that he worked with and the student body deserved to know who was sitting in that position and who could potentially be running for president,” Kurian said. Price did not comment on the allegations for the duration of the meeting.

However, Price began speaking prior to the meeting, according to student government member Taylor Moore, along with multiple other sources. According to Moore, a listserv email was sent to student government members on Feb. 26 with a note that said: “Speaker Price is sending a strong request that all senators show up by 4:15 p.m. in room 1204 as he has something to provide of appreciation.” Moore explained that when students arrived the next day, Price began detailing an alleged incident which occurred between him and another student government member — later identified as Kurian — earlier in February. After detailing the alleged incident from his perspective, Price explained the steps he’s been taking in the aftermath and his plans for his future in student government. “I will not be stepping down from student government,” Price said to the

room, according to Moore. Moore said that Price explained that he plans to move forward in student government as he believes he has done a good job during his time with the organization. Ben Endres, a student government advisor, stated a day after the public meeting that his main goal is to support students. “For me, it’s — I want to make sure to continue to support them and support students that need it, and also continue to offer resources and trainings and things if we need it and come to that decision, but student government governs themselves. I’m here more to support them and meeting their needs,” Endres said. When asked about his prior knowledge of the situation and the events of the meeting, Endres responded, “I’m not gonna go into what I did or didn’t [know] because it’s all, I mean, even if I didn’t know, it’s private information.”

NEWS

03.02.2020

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

MASONS PATRIOT PANTRY TO START DELIVERING TO ARLINGTON CAMPUS

Program looking to expand to other campuses in the future HAILEY BULLIS CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

According to the College and University Food Bank Alliance, 30 percent of college students are food insecure. Mason’s patriot pantry has seen an increase in use by students in recent semesters, according to Matthew Carlos, the assistant director of student support and community outreach at SSAC. “I think it’s always been there, to be honest with you, but I think more focus is being placed on food insecurity and college students experiencing food insecurity,” Carlos said. For the entirety of the 2018-19 school year, the pantry had about 90 unique users according to Carlos. This past fall 2019, the pantry had

a total of 92 unique users. However, since the start of the spring semester, the pantry has had about 70 unique users. “That shows you kind of like, again, how it’s growing, how many students are starting to use it,” Carlos said. “Again, that was two semesters worth of students. Now, we’ve had that in one semester, which is great. You know, it’s good and it’s bad all the same time. You know, that means that many more students are experiencing food insecurity. But I’m glad folks are getting connected to the pantry all at the same time.” According to Anna Cho, a professional graduate assistant at SSAC, there were 335 appointments made throughout the fall 2019 semester, and a total of 4,573.56 pounds of food were taken by students using the pantry. A total of 5772 pounds were donated to the pantry by various organizations and local churches. “So it’s like, it sucks that anyone is food insecure or home insecure,” Cho said.

“There are a couple of our students, obviously not to give away any names, but a couple students are homeless and they’re living out of their cars or they’re sleeping on friends’ floors on campus and like — so they did tell us that the pantry is like their sole source of food and hygiene stuff. So we do our best to keep it stocked, obviously.” As of last year, students were allowed to take 25 pounds of items from the pantry each visit. However, recently, the pantry has increased the amount students are allowed to take to 30 pounds of various food and hygiene products. “So like, if they’re not getting the basic necessities like food, shelter clothes, like, they can’t focus on their studies. So if we can help out, even in like a small way, it’s really great that we can make a difference,” said Cho.

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

Since Mason’s Patriot Pantry first opened in December 2014 — then known as the “Pop Up Pantry” — the Student Support and Advocacy (SSAC) program has grown. Now, the pantry is looking to start delivering food and hygiene items to Mason’s Arlington campus this semester.

Students who want to use the pantry or want to set up a delivery to Mason’s Arlington campus can submit a request on the SSAC website.

MASON ESTABLISHES CYBER SECURITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Professor, students react to the new department BRAD BYRNE STAFF WRITER

Officially established March 1, the department will host 500 undergraduate students currently working toward Bachelor of Science degrees in cyber security engineering. The interim director will be Duminda Wijesekera, who is a current professor of computer science within the Volgenau School of Engineering. “We ran a very successful [bachelor’s] degree in cyber security engineering for five years and have seen a remarkable growth in environment,” Wijesekera said. “Based on this growth, a [master’s] degree has been proposed and is pending SCHEV

approval. Having two degrees provides a sound basis to form a department. We are the first in the nation, and we know of other universities that are creating cyber security departments.” According to the Volgenau School of Engineering, students who earn this degree will be uniquely positioned for high-demand careers protecting physical systems from cyber attacks. “In [the] future, [the program] is expected to grow both in teaching, research and outreach capabilities,” Wijesekera explained. “We have already published the syllabus for the undergraduate degree and plan to publish the pending MS-CYSE anytime now.” MS-CYSE is the acronym for the masters program in cyber security engineering. Shareen Shaik, a bioengineering major, thinks this new expansion will

be good for students. “I think it’s beneficial because it creates dialogue in the community for expansions of other engineering-related concentrations,” Shaik said. “I know that personally, with my major being bioengineering, that they are looking to add more areas of focus for students because it’s still a relatively new field.” The goal is for students to combine different areas of expertise such as engineering, computer science and statistics together with cybersecurity. Students will also learn in a variety of labs using their computational foundation to solve problems. Mechanical engineering major Ashley Kong believes that this new department will bring new students to Mason. “I like how the [Volgenau] School of

Engineering is expanding their engineering department to cyber security,” Kong said. “I think this is good because it will attract different types of people to come to Mason. It would also help people who are thinking about going into the cyber security workforce, which is a big draw for students who want to come to Mason.” Kong also stated that she hopes cyber security engineering is incorporated into basic, introductory-level computer science courses to give students a taste of what it’s like in the

engineering field. The curriculum for this new degree will advance hardware and software security in areas such as health, finance, 5G cellular networks, supply chain, logistics, infrastructure, autonomous vehicles and smart cities.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOCKHEAD MARTIN

Mason’s Volgenau School of Engineering has been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to create a department of cyber security engineering, the first of its kind in the country.

CULTURE

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

03.02.2020

A LEGACY TO KEEP

Well-known Southside employee leaves Mason LEIGH NORMAN STAFF WRITER

He spent years sitting at the register or preparing sandwiches. Sometimes he just pushed a cart full of dirty dishes. Regardless of his task, he gave a warm "Hey, baby!" or "How's it going?" to every diner. Robert Daniels is one life that has changed many. Now he's off to change more, this time in Washington, D.C. Daniels was the Southside dining hall customer service specialist for the past seven years and will soon be a supervisor for the George Washington University Hospital dining hall. Caitlin Weaver, a junior majoring in integrative studies, was the first to notify the Mason Generalposting Facebook page about Daniels’ departure. “He always told me ‘hey

darling,’ and asked how my day was,” Weaver said. When students heard Daniels was leaving, reactions were varied. Some were thrilled to see him advance and others were saddened. So many had a story about Daniels that a group of students created a mass document for everyone to type out their memories. A wide variety of students contributed, including students who have already graduated. The document, now 21 pages long, was printed and given to Daniels on his last day. After only two days, there were over 12 pages of heartfelt compliments, well wishes and tragic moments — all remembering Daniels’ special radiance. Jay Wilson, computer science alumnus, told a story many students understand: a late night, a long assignment and a breaking point. Wilson retreated into Southside to work on

statistics homework and Daniels, as he did for many students, noticed his frustrations. “It was visible how much I was struggling … [Daniels] came up to me and asked if I'd want to move over to the quieter, fenced-off section of Southside so I could focus on my project,” Wilson wrote. While Wilson’s assignment ultimately did not get completed, he learned something more valuable.

tell you all how powerful, beautiful and wonderful y’all are … I have totally enjoyed every second in the presence of all your bright spirits and equally bright minds.”

final piece of advice: “Keep remembering to SMILE: meaning see magic in living everyday … that should be easy to do because the magic is in each of your mirrors each day.”

Finally, Daniels leaves Mason one

“There was more to life than just school. I'd gotten so buried in work over the past semester… I’d forgotten there was anything else that mattered,” wrote Wilson, “People deserve kindness above all else and [Daniels’] everyday act of generosity toward me reminded me of that.”

FOURTH ESTATE LEIGH NORMAN

Robert Daniels is always smiling. His kind eyes and salt-and-pepper beard have been a welcome sight for Southside diners.

As the Mason community reflected on his service, Daniels himself remembered much more, with tears brimming in his eyes. “I just want to

ANNUAL FESTIVAL HELPS UNITE LOCAL JAZZ COMMUNITY

Mason school of jazz invites community to learn and celebrate the music PETER NJOROGE CULTURE EDITOR

In and around Harris Theater, the Mason school of jazz along with a collection of visiting high school and professional jazz bands, held their annual festival to celebrate the music on Saturday, Feb. 29.

FOURTH ESTATE PETER NJOROGE

The day-long festival was organized into several different events held around campus, with most performances taking the stage in Harris Theater. Highlights from the event included clinics with Mason faculty,

talks from the local jazz community and a concluding performance from the Airmen of Note, the talented Air Force Army band stationed in Anacostia. In one of the festival’s earliest major events, representing Washington, D.C.’s premier jazz club, Harry Schnipper spent the morning discussing the importance of branding, marketing and how he selects people to perform at his venue. Schnipper is the owner and operator of Blues Alley and also serves as the executive director of a non-profit organization named for the legendary club where jazz giants like Dizzy Gilespie and McCoy Tyner have been featured.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” he asked the audience. “I ask that question of everybody, regardless of whether or not they’re in the music industry, regardless if they’re 17 or 70. I think it’s important to understand precisely what we want to be when we grow up.”

“We’re excited to welcome you all to my clinic,” Provost said. “The title: How to learn and improvise on any instrument in 10 minutes or less. Available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Vinyl — Y’all can start laughing any time now,” he joked with the audience.

“The business of music is the littleknown secret behind what we do: hiring and retaining quality artists,” he continued.

After a short performance, with the members of the Mason Steel Pan ensemble, he launched into a technical workshop designed to give students a clear way to think about improvising in jazz. During the clinic, Provost often called on a few of the audience members to demonstrate some of the exercises he used as teaching material.

He spent the rest of his talk offering advice to musicians in the audience, telling personal stories about the club and really letting audience members know what it takes to play at Blues Alley. At 2 p.m. in the de Laski Performing Arts Building, noted Steel Pannist and faculty member Victor Provost held an informative clinic on improvisation. During his hour-long class, he interacted with the audience, often prompting them to participate if they happened to bring their instruments with them.

Lastly, the concluding event featured the Airmen of Note and the Mason Jazz Ensemble playing an evening concert on the festival’s main stage in Harris Theater. The Airmen of Note are currently celebrating 70 years of performing in honor of Major Glenn Miller and his 1950s army dance band, and are no

strangers to the stage at Mason. Each performer, in addition to being an active duty service member, displayed a technical mastery of their instrument as they weaved their way in and out of different original tunes on the bandstand. Their music was exciting, adventurous and incredibly demanding, as soloists rapidly flew up and down their instruments at high tempos. In the highlight of their performance, the Airmen invited Director of Jazz Studies at Mason Darden Purcell, also the festival’s organizer, to perform a number with the group as a vocalist. Purcell formerly toured with the band and, after the tune, they honored her with a commemorative plaque from the Airmen. Each event gave audience members something different to contemplate and interact with in the world of jazz. Performances and lectures alike prompted conversation, innovation and the preservation of the music.

03.02.2020

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Faces of Mason

Faces of Mason delves into the lives of faculty, students, alumni and student organizations. This week we look at David Zeglen and Drew Smith INTERVIEWS BY NIKAYLA KIRCHNER

Fa c u l t y : D a v i d Z e g l e n

PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW SMITH

to offer a course to students that would help them understand the current context of their own lives and think about the relationship between nationalism and capitalism. What made Marxism?

Why do you teach what you teach? This semester I’m teaching a class on nationalism in the Honors College. I did a guest lecture for a colleague of mine the day after Trump was elected in 2016. Many of the students, understandably, had several questions and concerns about the election results. So I ditched my prepared lecture and instead did an ad-hoc discussion with the students about the issues they raised, and we had a productive conversation about American nationalism and globalization. After that experience, I felt a responsibility

you

interested

I was an undergraduate student when 9/11 happened, and I was a graduate student when the financial crisis happened. So these were two formative events in my lifetime that prompted me to seek out answers to questions about imperialism and capitalism. I was particularly radicalized by my experiences as an undergraduate in Montreal which had a vibrant left[ist] scene. So I learned a lot in my classes as well as from friends and colleagues about Marxist thinking. Why do you think what you teach here is important? All instructors teach from a specific intellectual tradition that has a specific political commitment to it, whether instructors know it or not. If American universities really care about viewpoint diversity, then I think

it’s important for students to learn from a Marxist perspective since, contrary to rightwing media claims, there aren’t actually that many of us in the public university system. Therefore, I think that what I teach is important not only because I think Marxist thinking is invaluable, but because it provides an opportunity for students to think about specific problems and issues in a way that they are not accustomed to and likely have never learned about. Do you see yourself in the same position in a few years? And if not, what do you think would change? I would like to continue teaching at GMU since I really enjoy working with a wonderful community of students. However, as many students are not aware, instructors like me are paid very little relative to our intellectual abilities and workloads. This is why GMU needs a labor union, and instructors need to join the GMU chapter of the AAUP [American Association of University Professors] so we can build up our capacity in solidarity with one another to win better labor conditions from the university.

Student: Drew Smith

PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW SMITH

because I have the opportunity to study new people, places and things under a lens that is all-inclusive but also highly specific and applied. Why do you swim, and what does Mason Club Swim mean to you personally?

What is your major, minor and/or concentration, and why do you study what you study? I am an integrative studies B.S. with a second degree as a B.A. in anthropology, and my concentration is human health, disease, and death (pre-health). I am most passionate about what it means to be human, why we act the way we do and how health and death are viewed across culturally. Essentially, I find what I do to be both academically and personally interesting

Mason Swim Club has been a place where I’ve found a home at GMU. Given the area and the commuter-like nature of our university, it can be hard to get to know people. I was lucky enough to get involved in the second week of my freshman year, and I’ve stuck with it as it has changed from a stress-relief to a source of professional development through leadership. What would you say is your favorite thing about swimming? I would say swimming and working out in general have been my form[s] of self-expression for as long as I can remember. For me, the water is a mode of finding peace, traversing challenging life-experience[s] and, of course, training the body. My favorite

thing about swimming is that it is intensely personal, but also the most involved team sport I have ever experienced. What do you hope to achieve and/or become after you leave Mason? In a perfect world, after leaving Mason, I would ultimately find my way to medical school for pathology or autopsy and get my master’s or Ph.D. in forensic anthropology in order to work in the field. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment during your time here at Mason? Within swimming, I would say my biggest accomplishments are three consecutive national championship qualifications and placing top 10 in the 500 freestyle both of my first two years at Mason. Outside of swim, I would say that my biggest accomplishments are graduating a year early with two degrees and, of course, all of the amazing friends I have made along the way.

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03.02.2020

THE BOOKSHELF

“How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir” by Saeed Jones KIM BARTENFELDER STAFF WRITER

experience the shift in the American perspective on the LGBTQ+ community through Jones’ lens. Part One of the memoir begins with a quote from David Mura, an interdisciplinary artist, writer and poet, that illustrates the complexities of life: “Since no one has talked to him about such feelings, he does not know what they are. And yet he is drawn to them, to the dream-like quality of doing something he has never done before, yet knowing, somehow, how to do it.”

This memoir follows his acclaimed poetry collection “Prelude to Bruise,” the winner of both the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry and the Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award in 2015. His memoir outlines more than a standard coming of age story. It discovers and uncovers the realization of self. Jones writes of the suppression of self that many before him were not allowed to share.

Setting the tone for the rest of the memoir, Jones recounts the story his mother told him of a gay friend who was sick with AIDS. Jones wrote that the term “gay” was something he never imagined his mother saying. Nonetheless, “gay” blossomed something inside him that required attention.

Identifying as a Black gay man from Tennessee, Jones delves deep into his sexual and racial identity and the relationships that become complicated as a result. Both personal and political, the memoir serves to comment, critique and allow the opportunity for readers to

He took to the local library to read and learn about this term that was not to be spoken or taught. Shortly after, Jones described a series of important encounters that enabled him to release

the silence within. He writes that he and some neighborhood boys found some magazines.

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

“How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir” is a gripping reflection of the life of Saeed Jones, an LGBTQ+ author as well as a self-proclaimed “Bad b----, journeyman, bon vivant, [and] poet” per his Twitter.

“High wSociety,” “Playboy” and “Hustler” permitted him to accept his attraction for men. The other boys noticed that Jones paid more attention to the magazines with men in them and proceeded to ridicule him. Sexual scenes throughout the memoir

explore how sexuality is often romanticized and how it can sometimes become violent. Jones describes an encounter that he has with a white man who racially demeans him during sex, along with an assault that he experiences in Arizona. Sexuality is, at times, reduced to casual sex, and yet Jones unpacks its intricacies and attempts to find meaning in it. An awareness of race is also a fundamental element to the memoir and Jones’ journey. It’s a common assumption that the civil rights movements of the 20th century totally cleared up racial tension in the U.S. However, Jones highlights the falsehood in this assumption and the very real consequences that Black Americans still face.

Jones also focuses on the intersectionality of his identity. the fear he experiences being both black and gay is an underlying theme. Jones discussed James Byrd Jr., a black man dragged down a road by vicious white men, and the brutal homophobia-fueled murder of Matthew Shepherd. Jones continued with other captivating moments that pressed on his mind. He struggles with the way in which religion seems to push back against him, while also questioning at what point tolerance and acceptance are found. Readers, through the lens of Jones’ life, are left with an understanding that the relationships built — even with oneself — are crucial to who we are. Exceptionally written, Jones explores the duality of intimacy and further enables widespread reflection of culture, religion, history the self and more.

CELEBRATING LOVE THROUGH STORYTELLING Mason Folklore Roundtable hosts annual open mic event at Old Town Hall MAGGIE ROTH STAFF WRITER

Students and community members alike took to the stage at Old Town Hall to tell their best love stories in front of a crowd at Mason’s Folklore Roundtable and Fall for the Book’s annual Love Stories open mic. On Thursday, Feb. 27, storytellers recited their feelings through poetry and stream of consciousness.

For those without an original piece of poetry, prose or personal tale to tell but who still wanted to have a place on the stage, classic love stories by authors like E.E. Cummings and Sylvia Plath were available to be read aloud.

program with a platform to share their stories. “At least in folklore, almost everybody has at least one ghost story, but everybody has a love story, no matter

who they are,” said Debra Lattanzi Shutika, the chair of Mason’s English department and associate professor of folklore. “Whether it’s lost love or someone talking about how they met their wife, we all have that experience in common.” According to Shutika, the folklore program has been hosting their love stories event for over 10 years. In 2019, the group joined with the non-profit literary arts organization Fall for the Book to bring the event out into the Northern Virginia community.

FOURTH ESTATE MAGGIE ROTH

Though the theme seemed to call for romance, not all of the stories tackled that type of love. Instead, some chose to express familial love or recite an ode to a beloved hometown, making the event an inclusive tribute to love in all of its iterations.

This event was one of two storytelling open mics run by the Folklore Roundtable program, preceded by the Halloween-themed Spooky Story event held this past fall. The events are designed to provide students in the

Fall for the Book, while primarily known for its annual autumn book festival, holds year-round literary events to promote student engagement with literature, highlighting authors and providing student writers with a platform to share their work. “It’s an outreach to the community

to share in reading and literature, and to invite authors to come and share their works,” said Kate Lewis, the marketing director for Fall for the Book. Love Stories is one of the three pop-up lit nights that the organization holds every year. Coming up next is the Magazine Editor Speed Dating and Pitch Workshop on March 26. And in April, the organization will be hosting author Rainbow Rowell. “Any opportunity students have to get in front of a crowd to either share their work or their stories is really valuable,” Shutika said. For students in attendance, this event meant a chance to branch out into the world of literature and storytelling beyond Mason’s classes and meet some of the people who are out there telling the stories they love.

CULTURE

03.02.2020

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

A NIGHT OF VOGUING AND STYLE As a closer for Black History Month, BSA showcases amazing style in annual fashion show

TRAVIS MCMILLAN STAFF WRITER

the creative dance form known as voguing became popular. According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the late 20th century saw the evolution of ballroom culture from simple drag competitions to more nuanced and complex vogue battles.

The show was held in Dewberry Hall, starting at 8 p.m. on Thursday. The audience was met with a grand catwalk lit by a line of color-changing lights and a spotlight at the end for the models’ brilliant poses.

Mya Billingsley, a sophomore government and international politics major, is the social programming chair of the BSA. To her, portraying the theme of the ballroom was a priority.

The show opened with a clip from the Viceland show “My House,” a reality series about a group of ballroom dancers in New York City. After the clip, the lights came up and “Changes” by artist Dej Loaf played as the models strutted onto the walk.

In a multitude of different styles of clothing, the models walked down the runway wearing vintage looks inspired by different decades of ballroom style. At one point in the show, models walked down both sides of the catwalk and met in the middle as if they were having a competition for the runway.

Ballroom and vogue trace their roots through Black and Latino history. Drag culture evolved, largely, in New York City, where ballroom events and

Later on, they danced down the catwalk, voguing and performing choreographed dance numbers to the beat of the music. Audience members

cheered the dancers on, especially when one of the performers flipped down nearly half of the catwalk. According to Raelyn Wesley, a junior forensics science major, there was a lot of effort that went into the performances. “We worked day and night to get the dances down for the show,” Wesley said. Wesley stunned the audience when she walked down the catwalk in her yellow top and black and white skirt, representing the “refreshed” theme. “Most of the things for the fashion show [were] thrifted because I wanted to use sustainable fashion and make it more realistic for how they do it in the balls,” Billingsley typed in an exchange with Fourth Estate. “Every scene represented something different: ‘70s, ‘90s school girl and 2000s fashion. I’m really happy with how the show turned out.”

FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE

In the form of a fashion show, the Black Student Alliance (BSA) used its platform to not only showcase its impeccable style but also pay respect to ballroom culture. The organization highlighted the outstanding fashion within the rich history of Mason’s Black community.

Spend now and save later PETER NJOROGE CULTURE EDITOR

So in this week’s More Money, Less Problems, I’m arguing for a minimalist approach to life that focuses on a few items that are high quality. When everyone else is re-upping for the next new thing, you can be sitting pretty stacking your cash. While they may be quite different from person to person, there are a few staple products that we all use on a nearly day-to-day basis. Examples are a favorite pair of shoes, a trusted water bottle or an impenetrable winter coat. By investing a few more dollars into these products, you can save money by

using them over and over again. I think that quality denim is a perfect example. I have a few pieces that I’ve found second-hand from incredible denim producers that are impenetrable. They are never going to rip and are going to look awesome for a long time. Another great example is a fantastic pair of shoes. I have multiple pairs that are in great condition and I still wear today that I bought over five years ago. There is one pair of sneakers in particular that I truly believe will last forever. They are very comfortable and stylish and are aging so well that I hope to have them for another five. On the other hand, I have shoes that I bought last year that have totally fallen apart (sometimes in public). The key difference is that I spent at least $70 on all of the shoes that I still have and much less on those that I don’t.

As someone who loves a great bargain, this rule can be tough to swallow. While price and quality aren’t always the same, there is usually a correlation. Quality is often costly, but exceptions do exist. This phenomenon also occurs on a much more granular level. I “splurge” on things like pencils and water bottles that I know will last a little bit longer than if I decide to take the cheap route. It seems crazy to spend $10 on one pencil, but I know that it will last longer and I will get many enjoyable uses out of it. It’s important to remember that with this approach, you have to take care of the things that you spend money on. That could mean not washing your jeans too much, making sure that you have a safe place for your pricey tech and knowing which shoes to wear to which occasion. You can still buy high-quality products and totally

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

Unfortunately, life costs a lot of money. Every single day, we need to eat, put on clothing, get around and maintain some sense of personal hygiene. We have to spend money constantly, but in my opinion, it’s very possible to spend more money on high-quality products that you will love and save your cash down the line.

misuse them. The key is to manage a few things really well. Most of the time, paying that extra 15 to 20 percent can get you a product that will last twice as long. I’m a true believer that some manufacturers

make products that are built to last — and most don’t. Finding things that are high quality and that you really love can help alleviate that burning itch to go buy another product.

03.02.2020

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Share a ride, bike, or take the shuttle for a greener commute to campus. Parking and Transportation * transportation.gmu.edu * transpo@gmu.edu * 703.993.2828 Fall 2019-Spring 2020

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Â&#x192;Â&#x201E;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2019;Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D;Â?Â&#x2039;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2022;Â&#x192;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2022;ÇĄ Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x17D;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2021; Â&#x2026;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2013;Â&#x192;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x192;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2021;Â&#x192;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2022;ÇĄ Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2020; Â&#x2019;Â&#x192;Â&#x203A;Â?Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x2013; Â&#x2018;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x2022; Â&#x2039;Â&#x2022; Â&#x192;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x192;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x192;Â&#x201E;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2021; Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x17D;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2021;Ç¤ â&#x20AC;˘ Always contact Parking Services if you have questions or concerns! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Â&#x17D;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2026;Â&#x192;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2020; Â&#x2039;Â? Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2021; Â&#x192;Â&#x201D;Â?Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2022; Â&#x201E;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; Â?Â&#x2021;Â&#x161;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2013;Â&#x2018; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2021; Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2020;Â&#x203A; Â&#x201D;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Â? Â&#x201D;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2022;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x2013;Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D;Ç¤ You can also call us at 703-993-2710 or email us at parking@gmu.edu.

Join a carpool and save up to 40% on the parking permit. Find out more at https://transportation.gmu.edu/carpoolvanpool/student/

Zimride

Have a car? Need a ride? Zimride is Masonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s private rideshare network. Sign up for free with your Mason email address and password at zimride.com/mason. The service will match you with others who are traveling the same way that you are.

Zipcar

Need a car? Mason has Zipcar vehicles on campus which can be rented by the hour or day. Sign up at zipcar.com/zipgmu, new members will receive $35 in free driving credit. Gas and insurance are included in the rental rate.

PATRIOT LIFT

Patriot Lift provides limited campus transportation services to Mason students, faculty, and staff who need assistance getting around campus. To learn more, please visit https://transportation.gmu.edu/patriot-lift/

BIKE PROGRAMS

Mason has over 1300 bike parking spots on campus, bike pumps, fixit stations, and is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bicycle Friendly Universityâ&#x20AC;?. To find out more about bicycling to campus and to see a map of all facilities, please visit bike.gmu.edu. Bicycle Registration Register your bicycle at bike.gmu.edu and receive a free U-lock, registration sticker, and more.

SHUTTLES & RAIL

Visit shuttle.gmu.edu for updated shuttle schedules and to learn more about transportation options which save you money and help lower CO2 emissions. Download the Reston Limousine Service (RLS) app or visit mason.ridesystems.net to track your shuttle. Schedules are available at shuttle.gmu.edu. Shuttle schedules below are subject to change.

Sandy Creek to Metro Shuttle

The shuttle runs between Sandy Creek Transit Center and Rappahannock River Ln (outgoing)/Finley Lot (incoming) on the Fairfax Campus and Vienna Metro station, including stops at Masonvale, Commerce, and Fairfax Circle (at Lee Highway & Circle Woods Drive). Weekend schedule only includes a stop at Mason Townhouses. Schedule (from Sandy Creek) 6:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:30pm Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday 8:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:30pm Saturday-Sunday* *Last pickup from Vienna is at 12:15am Mon-Fri and 12:00am Sat and Sun Global Center to Metro Shuttle The shuttle runs between Mason Global Center, the RAC, Rappahannock River Ln (outgoing)/Finley Lot (incoming), Commerce, Fairfax Circle (at Lee Highway & Circle Woods Drive) and Vienna Metro. Schedule (from Global Center) 7:10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10:10pm* Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thursday 7:40am-9:40am* & 2:40pm-7:40pm* Friday No weekend service. *Last departure from Global Center

Burke Centre VRE Express â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FREE GARAGE PARKING

The shuttle runs between Burke Centre VRE train station and Finley shuttle stop on the Fairfax Campus with stops at Masonvale (outgoing) and at Target, three stops on Zion Dr, Sandy Creek and Masonvale (incoming). The shuttle only runs when the VRE train is in service (weekdays only). Free garage parking is available at the train station.

Questions? Call Parking and Transportation at 703-993-2828

Parking 101 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Some Tips to Help Get You Started

Carpool to campus and park in a carpool zone. The carpool zones are available from 7am-11am Mon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fri to anyone with a General Parking Permit, West Campus, or Lot M/P Permit. Conditions apply; more info at: https://transportation.gmu.edu/carpoolvanpool/zone/

Schedule (from Burke VRE) 7:10am-8:00pm (plus a 10:35pm) Monday-Friday Schedule (from Finley at Mason) 7:35am-7:40pm (plus a 10:15pm) Monday-Friday

West Campus Shuttle

The shuttle route runs between West Campus, Rapidan River Rd, Field House, the RAC, Mason Pond Dr/Patriot Circle, Presidents Park, Masonvale (Patriot Circle & Staffordshire), Rappahannock River Lane, and returns by the RAC, Field House, Rapidan River Lane, to West Campus. Departures every 15 minutes (with extra service from 7-11am and 3-7pm) during the academic year. Does not run in summer. Schedule (from West Campus) 7:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:45pm Mon-Fri No Service on Saturday 2:00pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:30pm Sunday

transportation.gmu.edu

Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2020; Â&#x192; Â&#x2022;Â&#x2019;Â&#x192;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2021;Ç¤

â&#x20AC;˘ Â&#x2014;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2020;Â&#x192;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2022; Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2020; Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2020;Â&#x192;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2022; Č&#x2039;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2026;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2020;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030;Â&#x2022;Č&#x152; Â&#x192;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2021; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2021; Â&#x201E;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2020;Â&#x192;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2022; Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x2026;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2022;Ç¤ â&#x20AC;˘ Â? Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2021; Â&#x201E;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2018;Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2020;Â&#x192;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2022;ÇĄ Â&#x2039;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2039;Â&#x2022; Â&#x201D;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2018;Â?Â?Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x2020;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2020; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x192;Â&#x2013; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2022;Â&#x2021; Â&#x192;Â&#x201D;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2039;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2039;Â?Â&#x2030; Â&#x2013;Â&#x2018; Â&#x2026;Â&#x192;Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2022; Â&#x17D;Â&#x192;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2021;Â&#x201D; Â&#x2039;Â?

Fairfax-SciTech Campus Shuttle

The SciTech Campus shuttle runs seven days a week between the Fairfax and SciTech campuses. On Mon-Thu, the shuttle runs every thirty minutes during most of the day. Fri hours reduced. Shuttle also stops at Manassas Mall between campuses. FREE PARKING AT MANASSAS MALL Schedule (from SciTech - Colgan) 6:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:45pm Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Friday 9:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7:00pm Saturday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday Schedule (from Fairfax-Sandy Creek) 6:30am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:45pm Monday-Friday 8:00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:00pm Saturday-Sunday

Gunstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go-Bus: Mason Route

The Gunston Go-Bus Mason route picks up at Sandy Creek shuttle stop and provides service from Fairfax Campus to Fair Lakes Center, Whole Foods (Market Commons Dr), Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax Corner, Ridge Top Road and the RAC. Schedule: 6:15amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:20pm Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday First departure from Sandy Creek at 7:05am Last departure from Sandy Creek at 10:05pm 4:15pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:20pm Saturday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday First departure from Sandy Creek at 5:05pm Last departure from Sandy Creek at 10:05pm

Gunstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Go-Bus: George Route

The Gunston Go-Bus George route picks up at Sandy Creek shuttle stop and provides service from Fairfax Campus to University Mall, Ridge Top Rd, Fairfax Corner, Fair Oaks Mall, and Fair Lakes Center. Schedule: 3:10 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:40pm Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday First departure from Sandy Creek at 3:15pm Last departure from Sandy Creek at 10:45pm 3:10pm - 10:10pm Saturday - Sunday First departure from Sandy Creek at 3:15pm Last departure from Sandy Creek at 9:15pm

Metro Rail

The closest Metro stop in Fairfax is the Vienna Metro station on the Orange Line. The Orange Line also goes to various locations in Washington, DC and connects to the Silver Line that serves Reston, Tysons Corner, and East Falls Church. To visit the Arlington campus, take the Orange Line to Virginia Square-GMU. Important Note: Metro schedules are subject to change. Sign up for Metro alerts at www.wmata.com/rider-guide/stations/vienna.cfm. Metro Rail Map: wmata.com/schedules/maps.

CUE Bus

All City of Fairfax CUE Buses are FREE with Mason ID. The CUE Bus picks up on the Fairfax campus at Rappahannock River Lane and can take you to various places in Fairfax City with all routes winding up at the Vienna Metro Station: cuebus.org. @MasonShuttles @Mason Parking

@MasonParking @MasonShuttles

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/MasonParkingTransportation

SPORTS

03.02.2020

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE @IVESTATE_SPORTS

BIG SHOT BOYD

Men’s basketball’s Ian Boyd reflects on his time at Mason as “Mr. SportsCenter” ROSS SHINBERG STAFF WRITER

After the game against VCU, in which he scored his third-straight game-winning shot, Boyd was interviewed on SportsCenter by anchor John Buccigross.

would guess, but he’s smiling out here. Sometimes in life, you get dealt an unfair hand. You’ve got to fake a smile and persevere, and I think he’s done that.”

“It was late at night, we just got back off the bus, and then they said I had an interview with SportsCenter,” Boyd said.

While coach Paulsen was talking, Boyd was helping his teammates warm up before a practice. Paulsen pointed to that as a prime example of Boyd’s passion, energy and love for the team.

Boyd has always been a soft-spoken person. But when around his teammates, he does not mind being social and somebody that other players can talk to when they need help. “If they need somebody to set them straight, I can be the one to do that. If they need somebody to calm them down, I can still be the one to do that too,” Boyd said. Men’s basketball senior guard Ian Boyd has been a standout player for the program over the last four years. However, it might surprise fans to know that he almost played a different college sport altogether. Boyd played wide receiver for Apex High School in North Carolina. He received offers from Virginia Tech, Old Dominion and East Carolina to play football for their schools. The dual-sport threat was also an incredible basketball player, scoring over 2,000 points during his time at Apex. However, when it came to decision time, Boyd ultimately chose to pursue basketball. “I just felt like I could work every day with [basketball] and actually still love it. I love doing the work that I put in,” Boyd said. Now focused on basketball at Mason, that drive to work hard has not dissipated. “He’s just in the gym all the time, working and working and working,” head coach Dave Paulsen said. “He’s a competitive, winning-oriented guy.” The 6-foot-4-inch guard led the team in bench minutes during his freshman

season, playing 19 minutes per game. The following year, he played in all 33 games and averaged 24.8 minutes per game.

stretch, Boyd said, “To be honest… I just wanted to win [the games]. When it did happen, I was just as surprised as anybody else.”

Over his career at Mason, Boyd has played in 95 games, averaging 6.3 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per game. Boyd set his career-high for points in a game of 18 on Nov. 22, 2017, against Fresno State. Two weeks later, he recorded career-highs in assists (six) and steals (four) on the road against Auburn.

There is one aspect to this story that fans might forget: Boyd didn’t start in any of the games in which he hit the game-winning shot.

Boyd has had a plethora of impressive moments during his time at Mason, but perhaps none of them can top the end of conference play during the 2017-18 season. It’s hard enough to hit one game-winning shot in basketball. You have to be in the right place, at the right time, and keep a cool head to execute under pressure. But Boyd didn’t just hit one buzzer-beater that year. He made three. In back-to-back-to-back games. Dubbed “Mr. SportsCenter” by his teammates, Boyd made a three-point shot at Saint Joseph’s, a layup vs. UMass and a tip-in at VCU, winning the game for the Patriots each time. When reflecting on that three-game

“One of the things that we try to instill in our program is that it doesn’t matter who starts, it matters who finishes,” Paulsen said. “Well, you can’t hit three straight buzzer beaters if you’re not on the floor. He didn’t start any of those games, but he was a guy we wanted on the floor at the end.” Despite a tweet from SportsCenter of his three-point shot against St. Joseph’s going viral, accumulating over 3,700 retweets and 13,900 likes, Boyd said that his favorite buzzer-beater was the tip-in against VCU. “We beat them, at VCU, and on their senior night,” Boyd reasoned. Coach Paulsen, however, was a little noncommittal. “When you win on the road, it’s even more impressive. So it’ll be one of those two [against Saint Joseph’s or VCU]. But we needed that win against UMass as well. So I think they’re all great.”

Even during this season, in which a wrist injury has sidelined him for the entire season, he still provides a high level of support to his teammates. “His absence ... this whole season has been a big, big blow for our team,” Paulsen said. “But he’s really tried to provide just a lot of energy and leadership and support.” He later added, “Dealing with adversity, dealing with frustration, [there are] days when he’s not necessarily smiling in his dorm room, I

“You see him out there right now shooting, he’s smiling, and he’s laughing with his guys. He’s just a loyal teammate,” Paulsen said. “He’s a favorite of every guy on this staff, every guy on the team. He’s matured as a student in incredible ways. He’s grown up as a person as much as anyone I’ve ever coached.” Boyd retains one more year of basketball eligibility due to his injury, but he will still be celebrated on Senior Night on March 4 against Saint Louis. When Boyd’s time as a Patriot ends, whenever that may be, he said that he hopes people remember him as a person who could always smile and light up a room. That smile remains a constant, even during this season when he has fought through injury and adversity. If you look at the 2019-20 men’s basketball roster page, nobody, including the players and coaches, has a bigger grin on their face than Ian Boyd.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD/GIANTKILLER.CO

What was Boyd’s initial reaction to hearing those words? He chuckled before saying, “I’ve gotta talk.”

03.02.2020

SPORTS

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A PROUD PATRIOT

Men’s basketball’s Justin Kier shares his story from Grottoes, Va. to the green and gold

PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD/GIANTKILLER.CO

DOMENIC ALLEGRA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Regardless, Kier has stepped up as leader for the Patriots during his time on the bench.

sure that she is always with him. Kier always writes the phrase “K. Kier” on his shoes or athletic tape for his mother.

“I saw a change from the standpoint of I think he knew that he should step up, but over time he really has embraced his role on this team, he wants to do it, and he loves doing it,” assistant coach Duane Simpkins. “This season it was just more consistent, it wasn’t just during the last part of practice.”

“This season I put it in a more unnoticeable spot because I didn’t want that to be something that people like — that’s something that is very private for me. So I’ve put it on my shoes, but I’d have it in places where it wouldn’t necessarily be seen all the time. What’s important is that I know it’s there and I know she’s there and that’s all that matters to me,” Kier said.

He continued, “It’s also when Coach [Paulsen] is explaining something to him, he wants to understand it better and comes over to me saying like ‘Does he really mean to do this and this?’ or ‘Hey should we look at possibly this or this.’ So he’s stepped up and been utilizing this role a lot more and in practice and he’s doing it a lot more in games now.”

When Kier was 7, his mother, Keley Kier, suffered a heart attack causing her to crash while driving him to a family cookout. As a result, she suffered severe brain damage causing paralysis, blindness and the inability to speak. Justin was raised by his grandmother then after. Kier went to Spotswood High School and before he had graduated, he had signed a D-I scholarship, the first male athlete from the Harrisonburg area in more than 25 years to do so. “It’s crazy because I know people are really close friends who’ve gone D-I just not in basketball,” Kier said. “So, it’s just — it’s really a blessing. I didn’t go to college just to stop playing right after, like I want to continue to play as long as I can. I want to make an impact on my community. I just want to do the best that I can at this sport and give it everything I have until the gas runs out.” Kier made his official visit and then made his decision to come to Mason in 2016.

“I loved the guys and love to see them do better every day and go through ups and downs so like that’s part of why I came here,” Kier said. Over his four years at Mason, Kier currently sits 27th in points (1,120), 20th in rebounds (548) and 18th in steals (120). Kier is also one of only 15 players to be in the 1,100 point and 500 rebounds club.

know a lot of people that do want that number, but the important question is whether or not they are fit for that number, but if I can get a chance to get that number that will always be my first choice.” He has been injured for most of the 2019-20 season, only playing nine out of 28 games and scoring 86 points.

While Kier’s mother is not able to come to any of his games, he makes

“I think she’d just be so proud of how I grew up,” he said. “Obviously, before she had her accident, I was just this kid. She and I were always together — I was literally like her sidekick. Kind of like how Kobe was with his daughter and we were literally always together. Wherever she was, I was and I would always be having fun or just kidding around, or getting on her nerves, whatever it was, I was never really serious. So I think if she saw me, she’d see how mature I have been since that accident, I think she would just be really proud of me.”

Kier has performed on an elite level and has been one of head coach Dave Paulsen’s best players over the last two years. The Virginia native has always wanted to be number one on the team — the reason he wears his number. “Ever since I was little, I just felt like everything that I did was to try to be the best,” Kier said. “And as you see in anything competitive you watch, in sports or even in anything in school, your goal is to be in that number one spot.” He continued, “So, I just went with number one and then also growing up, you always want to be the best, and I just feel like if you are a number 1 you have to prove that you’re that number. And on top of that, that number is kind of intimidating, I think a lot of people don’t want that number. I also

PHOTO COURTESY OF IBRAHIM AHMAD/GIANTKILLER.CO

Ever since Justin Kier started playing basketball around the age of 9, he wanted to be the best. However, his road to Division I basketball was a long and arduous one.

Simpkins also mentioned Kier’s character and how he impacts the team, saying, “One of our pillars is humility. We define it [as] not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. And he’s grown a tremendous amount in that area in terms of when some adversity comes his way doesn’t turn inward, he uses humility and thinks about other guys more.”

While Kier’s mother cannot speak to him about all of his accomplishments over his four years at Mason, he believes that she would talk about how proud she is of him.

SPORTS

03.02.2020

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ATLANTIC 10 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW NATALIE HEAVREN SPORTS EDITOR

The team should look to both the younger and older players on their roster. Jacy Bolton has struggled to score at times this season, but has been a critical player for Mason throughout her four years.

Mason lost to Saint Louis at home 64-51 and was plagued by inconsistency throughout the game. After trailing by double digits in the first half, the Patriots pulled within two at halftime. The team’s defense then allowed 14 straight points to open the third quarter.

Marika Korpinen has scored in the double figures eight times this season, a career-high for her. If she can get going from behind the arc, this team has a chance of upsetting Fordham and moving on to Dayton.

This has been the story of the season and the storyline will need to be rewritten if the team wants to go from Saint Louis to Dayton for the last three rounds of the tournament. At Saint Louis Nicole Cardaño-Hillary will try to become the team’s all-time leading scorer, needing just 10 points to achieve the milestone. However, she cannot be the only scorer as the Patriots have struggled when she has been the only primary scorer.

The freshmen Jordan Wakefield and Tamia Lawhorne have both contributed at key points this season and will need to play some of their best basketball to help the team avenge its earlier loss to Fordham. Shifting gears to the rest of the field, Dayton has the top seed in the conference for the third time in four years. The team is searching for their second conference title in that time. The Flyers are looking for their 11th consecutive postseason tournament berth.

In five of the last six tournaments, one of the top three seeds has won. The lone exception was George Washington winning the tournament as a five seed in 2018.

are the most for the team since the 2016-2017 season, leaving them with something to prove. After a five-game winning streak in February, the Rams finished the regular season 2-2.

The other top three seeds are VCU and Fordham. While each team has had their struggles and triumphs this season, these three teams are certainly the favorites.

The first two rounds of the tournament

will be televised on ESPN+, the semifinals will be on CBS Sports Network and the championship will be on ESPNU on March 8 at noon.

Both VCU and Fordham played in the title game last year, but that will not be the case this year based on the bracket. VCU was the pre-season favorite, however, the team struggled in the nonconference season and had two unexpected upsets in conference play. But the team’s stifling defense cannot be underestimated in the tournament.

FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA

As the month of March begins, so too does one of the most exciting times of the year: college basketball tournament play. Mason will be traveling to Saint Louis to take on the Billikens at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3.

Fordham is looking to replicate last season’s success, with another conference tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. The Rams have had success this season, but not as much as in previous seasons. The team’s five conference losses

MEN’S SWIM AND DIVE MAKES A SPLASH WITH A-10 TITLE

FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG STAFF WRITER

medals in the 800 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay, a bronze in the 100-yard backstroke and set the school record for the 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle relay.

coaches who worked really hard to get us here, and the teammates and the team culture we had were the biggest parts of why we got to the championship and won it.”

other,” he said.

Senior Logan Eubanks won two gold medals in the 100-yard backstroke and 200 medley relay, and one silver in the 200-yard backstroke.

Ward has instilled a Bill Belichickesque type mantra for his team: “Do Your Job.” Ward praised Donnelly as a leader that emulated that approach.

“It really shows the depth of the program,” said Ward. “We have top-end kids that are highly competitive in the A-10.”

Sophomore Will Rastatter won three gold medals in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay, and 200-yard medley relay and won a silver medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

“Ryan Donnelly is a great example of what our program is,” Ward said. “He became a team leader, coaches can count on his consistency, he’s a Provost Scholar and he’s at the pool 20 hours a week on top of school.”

Ward is proud of his accomplishments, including being elected Coach of the Year in the A-10 last year, and the stillfresh 2020 Atlantic-10 Championship, but he is already moving on to next year and is focusing on recruiting for the 2020-21 Swim and Dive season.

Senior Attila Kiss won a silver medal in the 800-yard freestyle relay and a bronze in the 500 freestyle. When establishing a winning culture, a full team-centered buy-in is key to that approach. Under the guidance of head coach Peter Ward, the men’s swim and dive team secured its first Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in school history at the Spire Aquatics Center in Geneva, Ohio. “At the beginning of the year it was

known we were competitive, but we still navigated through the year and came through at the end,” said Ward, who was elected as the 2019-20 A-10 Coach of the Year. “We have great depth and that showed in all 18 swimmers scoring points in the championship.” Senior Ryan Donnelly won gold in the 200-yard backstroke, two silver

Freshman Luke Devore was named Rookie of the Year, won two gold in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, one bronze in the 200-yard individual medley. He set the A-10 record for the 200-yard butterfly and the school record for the 100-yard butterfly in the conference championship. “There were really two reasons to why we won,” said Donnelly. “Fantastic

“Personally, I saw a need to win as a team player,” Donnelly added. “I’ve learned a lot about who I am, I’ve wanted to put others before myself, and in doing that our team’s relationships will last forever.” Donnelly continually pointed out how well the team performs. “The team is stronger now than four years ago, we have wanted to drive team success, built on our team culture, and we just have a fun group that pulls for each

All 18 swimmers that competed in the A-10 Championship earned points, which contributed to Mason coming away with the victory.

“This year meant everything to me. I started this program and to have it persevere long enough to get to this point is special,” said Ward. “George Mason University means the world to me. It’s a rare thing to start a D-I program from scratch. I have a sense of ownership because of all of the alumni that have swam for me and what they’ve earned.”

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BLAND, UNINSPIRING, COLD AND CONFORMING DAWSON WEINHOLD STAFF WRITER

This little trip made me realize that I really don’t like Mason’s architecture. Before coming to Mason, I imagined that all universities had grand architecture, reminiscent of the medieval universities in Europe. Visiting universities like Virginia Tech and VMI, I marveled at the old stone buildings that made up these institutions. They had a certain charm that made me feel like I was somewhere important and that the work being done there was important. Maybe my expectations were too high, but coming to Mason, the architecture leaves me disappointed and feels like a missed opportunity. After walking through Potomac Heights, I felt more disappointed then when I had begun my walk. The architecture there was sterile. Each building was the same,

with no discerning features or unique personality. They reminded me of old Soviet Bloc apartments, as though they were designed to promote conformity and suppress individualism. Much of Mason’s architecture is merely bland, but the Hub actively offends my eyes. I don’t know if it’s considered brutalist architecture, but it sure feels like it. From its bare concrete exterior to its awkwardly placed 90-degree arcs, the Hub does not inspire any positive emotions in me. How we build things says something about us. Circling back to medieval universities, many of them centered around a cathedral. The purpose of their architecture was to proclaim the glory of God. Their size and splendor represented His greatness. Being around the grand cathedrals in Europe has a way of making you feel small. It makes you realize how vast the world is and that you’re just one individual in it — that despite being one person, we can be a part of something greater. Mason’s architecture tells us that we are cold and conforming. Its blandness

FOURTH ESTATE RAQUEL MURRY

Until recently, I haven’t seen a lot of Mason’s campus. My normal routine keeps me centered around the Johnson Center and the Hub, only occasionally wandering out from the center of campus. Growing tired of my normal routine, I decided to walk around the parts of campus I had never been to.

makes us feel like we are merely existing. There is no greater goal that’s being worked towards, only pointless repetition. Buildings like the Hub don’t inspire wonder, only confusion. Its odd shape and weirdly-placed arches give off the feeling of chaos. College students’ lives are chaotic enough. We

don’t need the architecture to pile on. Our environment can have an impact on us. This is why Mason’s architecture is important. How are we expected to strive for greatness when the environment around us tells us to just be average?

I’m under no illusions that Mason’s architecture is going to change, but isn’t how it can affect us worth a thought? Normally I wouldn’t take the time out of my day to take in my surroundings. Now, having done so, I think we all can gain from being a little more observant.

WITH GREAT CUTENESS COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY CHRISTINA O’FARRELL STAFF WRITER

The responsibility of taking care of my own animal didn’t seem like a foreign concept to me because I had done it at home many times before, but what I didn’t realize was that this kitten was only relying on me — not my parents or anyone else. I was the breadwinner for this kitten, and having to manage that responsibility wasn’t as easy as it seemed. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t realize all the time management skills I was going to need to be able to take care of him. My daily routine consists of going to class, going to the gym and then

going to work right after, so I don’t have much time at home during the day. This was an issue I realized after having Donkey for only a day. I was, however, able to find a solution

to my time issue — my roommate. My roommate was able to give attention to him when I wasn’t there and playing with him eventually turned into her daily routine.

Another thing I didn’t think of was the money aspect. Most of the money I get from my paychecks goes to groceries, rent and gas. But not only was I paying for myself now, I was also paying for my small furry friend. Having to manage

my finances with him wasn’t easy — but I found a way. Many vets provide assistance with finances, whether it’s low-cost neutering/spaying or shots, so I was able to take advantage of that. Although there are issues that must be considered before getting a pet in college, I ultimately think I made the right decision by getting Donkey. Many of my friends talk about getting a pet while being in college, but I always ask them three things before they really decide. Can you afford it? Do you have enough time? And, will your roommates be able to help out? College is very time-consuming and expensive, so if you or anyone you know gets the itch to get a pet, ask yourself those three questions.

FOURTH ESTATE ALLY MCALPINE

My best friend in the whole world is my kitten, Donkey. To me, he’s the cutest kitten on the planet, but I’m likely biased. I got Donkey back in October of 2019 and he has been my best decision in the past six months, hands down. I’ve owned pets before, but getting Donkey was a bit different. This time, I wasn’t living at home — I was living in my townhouse with my roommates, without the help of my parents or siblings.

College can be rough, and sometimes having a source of comfort is what a person needs — and having a pet truly does bring that feeling. Donkey hasn’t been the easiest kitten to take care of, but he has definitely made coming home so much better.

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03.02.2020

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ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: WHAT I SAW

ALEX MADAJIAN STAFF WRITER

situation faced by the Gazans inside Gaza and by the Israelis surrounding them. Then suddenly — out of nowhere and with no warning — we heard an earth-shattering BOOM!

I was one of the privileged few to be selected for the Mason Fact Finders trip to Israel and Palestine. Although it happened over winter break, it was by no means a vacation. We still did many fun things, like exploring the markets, visiting famous historical and religious sites, such as the Western Wall and the Church of the Nativity, floating on the Dead Sea and discovering how much easier it is to ride a camel than it is to ride a segway. But the overwhelming majority of our time was spent learning.

I felt my whole chest vibrate. I could see my fellow classmates with wide eyes looking around to see what caused that noise. There was not a stir in the landscape. No mushroom cloud, smoke or dust. Without skipping a beat, the tour guide continued talking as though nothing had happened.

We weren’t learning in a classroom. We were learning through experience. It’s one thing to spend countless hours reading articles, books and watching YouTube videos about the Arab-Israeli conflict, but it’s another thing to see it with your own eyes and talk to people whose lives are affected by the conflict. During one part of the trip, when we visited the border of Gaza, we were listening to a tour guide explain the

We immediately asked him, “What was that?” He said he had no idea, but he knew we weren’t in danger because the warning sirens didn’t go off. Although I personally suspect it may have been a jet breaking the sound barrier, none of us ever found out what it was, and it didn’t seem to concern our guide one bit. This was the general demeanor we noticed while in the area. No matter the diversity of opinions we heard, all essentially reflected a longing for peace and at the same time a stoic weariness of conflict. We listened to far more than just Palistinian and Israeli voices, but also Bedouin, Druze, Arabs living

in Israel and Christian business owners in Palestine, just to name a few. I must admit, I came on the trip with plenty of biases, and I arrived home with many of those biases, but also with many facts I hadn’t considered and perspectives I didn’t know existed.

there are many legitimate criticisms), it should never be used as an excuse for antisemitism. Although the ArabIsraeli conflict may seem many miles away, the strife is undeniably felt by both the pro-Palestine and pro-Israel students on campus.

The ultimate bottom line that remained unchanged is this: I support human rights. Things such as security, justice for historical ills, civil liberties and religion are all important, but I don’t understand how any of those things can be more important than the lives of innocent people. I do not care if the death comes from the hand of a Palistinian or an Israeli — human life is a precious gift of God, and I want to do everything in my power to conserve it.

The best path to peace on campus and the conflict as a whole is through honest conversations and dialogue with honest people. By honest people, I mean people who are not so entrenched in their camp they believe they can never

be wrong. I mean people who share the vision of preserving peace, rather than “their tribe.” Of the many uncertainties I became acquainted with during the trip, one certainty I find is if there is to be a peaceful solution it will come with a compromise which will result in some degree of dissatisfaction for both sides. The question is, how much dissatisfaction are both sides willing to tolerate, so that their children may live as peaceful neighbors?

As for here on campus, I cannot help but notice the tension on the subject of Israel. Just over a week ago, an act of antisemitism occurred which has received little attention from campus. Someone kicked a Mason Hillel sign while Jewish students were preparing for Shabbat and directed profanity towards those students.

PHOTO COURTESY ALEX MADAJIAN

Traveling will open your eyes to both beauty and brokenness. On one small patch of the world, there is a prime example of such a contrast that I had the opportunity to witness firsthand.

Although there is always room to criticize the government of Israel (as

IS BERNIE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS TWITTER MOB?

JACE WHITE STAFF WRITER

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

Sanders said that he condemns harassment of any kind by his supporters, but he seemed reluctant to dampen their spirits. Arguably, he could be doing more, issuing stronger statements against specific incidents and rewarding supporters who call for unity. He hasn’t done that, and unlike many of his primary opponents, I don’t think that he should.

Ber nie Sanders’ Democratic opponents continue to attack him over the conduct of some of his supporters. They accuse him of not doing enough to condemn those who have waged targeted harassment campaigns in

his name. In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s team avoided using Clinton’s account to retweet the personal accounts of staffers, knowing they would become instant targets of Sanders’ Twitter mob.

Many of Sanders’ supporters are angry about the status quo. Whether it is wealth inequality, poverty, student debt or the cost of healthcare, they are responding to actual problems they see in the world, problems which Bernie Sanders did not create. He is not taking an

otherwise passive group of people and stirring up their resentment with his rhetoric. He is capitalizing on deeply rooted frustrations that already exist. When a group of people is angry, it seeks a target for that anger. No matter what your political persuasion, I think you’d probably agree that it’s best to direct your anger toward the actual source of the problem. Of course, we can never agree as to what the source of the problem is. Sanders has his ideas, which may be good or bad, but either way, his movement takes undirected resentment and channels it into something actionable. Bernie Sanders didn’t make his supporters angry. They were mad to begin with, and they found that support for Sanders was a way for them to express that anger. It isn’t the responsibility of Bernie Sanders to tell his supporters that they should calm down, that they should lessen their resentment of the corporate and Democratic establishments. His job is

to condemn harassment in general and to make it clear what those who lash out online should be doing instead. There is arguably no more satisfying alternative to online harassment, especially for someone who is interested in Sanders’ politics, than participation in his campaign in other ways. Sanders’ campaign is the one constructive outlet for the anger and frustration his supporters feel. Beyond providing a better outlet for people’s anger, there isn’t much the Sanders campaign can do to keep hundreds of thousands of supporters in line. We should recognize his limited capacity to take action, and recognize that campaigns do more to channel people’s passions than they do to inflame them. It isn’t Sander’s fault that his supporters are upset, and as far as they’re concerned, he’s the only one that is actually doing anything about that anger. Far from being the source of the problem, he may well be the only real solution.

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DON’T GO RUSSIAN THROUGH SCHOOL: LEARN A LANGUAGE

CHRISTOPHER KERNAN-SCHMIDT STAFF WRITER

have met, a job that is typically considered “low-skill,” are proficient in two languages, often Spanish and English. Being able to speak proficiently in two languages isn’t low-skill.

How are you reading this right now? Is it because you’re moving your eyes across the page, or perhaps you’re using text-to-speech technology? Both valid and literal answers, yes, but it comes down to ultimately understanding the language in which this piece is written — English.

For many of us, even those forced to take language courses in high school and college, much of our reading has been in English. Sometimes difficult to comprehend English — I’m looking at you, verbose academic writers — but English, nonetheless. As a student majoring in Russian and government, I have had the pleasure (although in the moment it feels

FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON

If you are like most Americans, you probably do not know a foreign language well enough to consider it a second language. In fact, fewer than 1 percent of American adults are proficient in a language they studied in a U.S. classroom. I certainly don’t remember more than “licetne mihi ire ad latrinam?” after two years of high school Latin.

tedious) of translating and reading original Russian texts. Many of you may have read Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin or perhaps even Gogol at some point in English, but to read “Eugene Onegin” in its original Russian form is quite the joy.

Learning a language, truly learning it, not simply passing a class, opens so many doors in the world. First, learning a language is pragmatic. As globalism continues to mix cultures, people and languages, knowing a second language will allow you to

connect with more people. Businesses and government agencies are increasingly seeking those who are proficient in a second language — especially less common languages among Americans like Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Farsi, etc. Even many McDonald’s cashiers I

Secondly, learning a language opens new cultures and experiences. Throughout my three years as a Russian major I have learned so much about Russian culture. Their food, literature, movies, colloquial sayings, history, religion and more. Russian culture is rich and full of surprises. Language has made it easier, more enjoyable, and more enriching for me to learn about a new culture. Russia isn’t unique to this phenomenon. Countries and people all over the world have deep and rich cultures that can be opened up through language learning. There is no shortage of reasons to learn another language. Whether you want to visit a new country and get around easier, land a job in global business or learn about a new culture, language is the Swiss Army knife in your pocket — helpful in all situations.

CURSIVE WRITING IS NOT THE BAD GUY SYDNEY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER

positive, but cursive writing is the key to having a unique style to your handwriting. To have your own penmanship is what signifies who you are as a person, and it’s a way to express yourself.

FOURTH ESTATE ASHLEY KWON

To have this style of writing be stripped away from our daily lives is an issue that should no longer be ignored.

In my second grade class, we had to learn cursive. My teacher made us write every single letter of the alphabet in cursive on a sheet of graph paper every day and corrected us on how to write each curve of a letter. We connected each letter to make a full word and then progressed to sentences. You get the picture. Looking back now it almost feels

as though that was a figment of my imagination. Where did the cursive writing curriculum go in schools? Why was that the last time I would ever be taught how to write in cursive? Since then, I haven’t been taught cursive writing in school and it’s affected the way I write personally. I type faster than I write and, yes, in today’s digital age that’s seen as a

The Common Core standard was established in 2009 as an initiative to enforce the importance of the value of consistent, real-world learning goals in our society. Along with this change of our nationwide school curriculum, Common Core standards halted the requirement and continuation of different writing styles in 2010, like cursive writing. The real question here is, why? Cursive writing helps the overall development of the human brain and allows us to write more legibly and faster for communication. According to a study done at the University of Washington,

print writing, cursive writing and typing each use different pathways in the brain. Writing cursive pushes children to produce more words at a quicker rate, and express more ideas than typing. “Handwriting (cursive writing) dynamically engages widespread areas of both cerebral hemispheres,” said William Klemm, senior professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M University. Another study conducted at Indiana University showed that cursive writing can even help dyslexic children who struggle with spelling, writing and reading in school. Cursive writing traces back to documents as early as the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was written in Copperplate script, which was called Roundhand back then, and was a unique style of cursive script used for writing and printing. We have come a long way since 1776,

and there are many things from that time we should be happy to move on from, but the beautiful writing style is not one of them. Fortunately, cursive writing is coming back in states including Alabama where it is required by law to teach cursive. Other states such as Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia and Florida have similar laws regarding the requirement of cursive writing education. In 2016, the Southern Regional Education Board reported that 14 of the 16 states it oversees require cursive education in K-12 schools. Four states even require it beyond elementary school. I hope that in the years to come the standard core curriculum will reestablish the art of cursive writing within schools, as a way to not only improve the minds of students but to help better their handwriting and overall communication skills.

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03.02.2020

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WHILE SUPPORTING WORKERS, BEWARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES STEVEN ZHOU STAFF WRITER

In my field of organizational psychology, one of the hot topic areas of study is flex-work. More and more companies are embracing flexible work hours as the best way to attract and retain high-quality employees looking for work-life balance. Writer and consultant Alexandra Levit predicts that as workers increasingly value flexible work hours, the nine-to-five workday would cease to exist by 2030. Along with the growing demand for flexibility and freedom at work, workers demand laws protecting their rights. Yet these very laws are often the ones chipping away at freedom and flexibility. Take California’s AB5 for example. The new law, which went into effect

Jan. 1 of this year, makes it much harder for companies to classify their workers as independent contractors. Many well-known companies like Uber and DoorDash are part of this “gig economy,” where business is carried out primarily by individuals who pick up the job as a side gig. The intention was good. Reclassifying independent contractors as full employees grants them additional rights to minimum pay guarantees, health benefits and more. We should fight for these things. But the unfortunate result of AB5 is that few individuals are seeing such benefits. For most, AB5 has taken away their freedom and flexibility. I wrote in the American Spectator last September

that the law actually punishes the 76 percent of Lyft employees who work a minimal number of hours per week, taking away their hours and giving them instead to full-time drivers who can accept a regular, predetermined work schedule. It destroys the livelihood of those who depend on convenient side gigs to make ends meet. As a gig worker myself who was living in California at the time, I knew just how valuable it was to have the freedom and flexibility to pick up hours when I wanted to. Other industries are being punished by the law as well, from freelance writers to medical transcriptionists. A petition started by independent musicians outlining the pain caused by AB5 has reached over 165,000 signatures.

AB5 isn’t the only law that’s taken away freedom in the supposed name of workers’ rights. A 2016 attempt to change the overtime exemption proposed an 100 percent increase in the minimum salaried (as opposed to hourly) pay rate, which would have resulted in millions of workers losing their freedom to work flexible hours for a flat salary and instead becoming forced to clock in and out to be paid by the hour. More recently, Bernie Sanders has called for ending at-will employment, which would eliminate both companies’ ability to fire workers whenever they want and workers’ ability to quit their jobs whenever they want, supposedly to increase job security.

Workers’ rights are of utmost importance. Regardless of political affiliation, the vast majority of us are, or will be, employees working for employers, and we all must work together to protect our interests and improve our daily lives. But we should proceed cautiously. It’s easy to get carried away in demanding more laws but forgetting that they come with a cost. In many situations, this cost comes in the form of giving up some of the freedom that we have fought so hard to receive. As the working world moves more and more towards work-life balance and flexible scheduling, short-sighted laws such as AB5 will leave the less fortunate in the dust.

ETC.

Old Habits Die Hard

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03.02.2020

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