Senior Quincey Smith, co-captain of the Forensics Team, to speak at commencement on May 21. Pg. 3
George Mason University’s Student Newspaper www.broadsideonline.com
April 25, 2011
Volume 87 Issue 22
Larranaga accepts coaching job at Miami Patriots crushed by departure of campus legend Cody Norman Sports Editor
File Photo
Men’s basketball coach Jim Larranaga has resigned to accept a job as head coach at the University of Miami.
Mason could expand to Tysons Corner NOVA also looking at space; part of plan to expand Tysons Corner
Rain tapped against the windows of Mason Hall Friday afternoon, cutting through a silent crowd of people sitting in anticipation with looks of curiosity and disbelief spread across their faces. They exchanged somber nods as they shuffled to their seats, like family members at a funeral service. Commemorative portraits of past George Mason University presidents stared down from each side of the room; shadows from spotlights cast upon their faces, making them appear gloomy. This was a day few people within the Mason community thought they would ever experience. Mason Athletic Director Tom O’Connor entered the far side of the room with press secretary Dan Walsch, who was dressed in solemn black from head to toe. After accepting handshakes and hugs of sorrow from some of
Gregory Connolly News Editor Several schools in the Washington metropolitan area are discussing expanding within Tysons Corner. Currently, preliminary talks are underway at George Mason University regarding the feasibility of opening an expansion at Tysons Corner. Several businesses have approached Mason about opening a location at the heavily-trafficked business hub, said Daniel Walsch, Mason’s press secretary. Walsch said Mason would rent space at Tysons Corner if the talks were to yield any kind of plan. “There would be cost involved [with renting],” Walsch said. “All of those things have to be budgeted for. There would have to be some kind of cost-benefit analysis because this would cost money, and we’d have to see what kind of interest [from] potential students.” Mason is not the only school that has been approached. According to an April 19 TBD story, Northern Virginia Community College is looking at expanding to Tysons Corner. A NOVA facility in Tysons Corner would be its 11th location in the area. If tapped to open a facility in Tysons Corner, NOVA would start with a small space that could grow to as much as 125,000 square feet, according to the TBD story. Walsch said there is no timetable for the Tysons Corner expansion, with only “very preliminary talks occurring within the university.” The talks come at a time when contractors are working on the Dulles Metrorail Project, which will connect Washington to Dulles Airport and Tysons Corner. The first phase of the project will be finished with revenue service up and running by late 2013, according to the Metro website. Tysons Corner is now working under a 20-year plan passed in June 2010 by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to turn the sprawling
See TYSONS, Page 3
“He could coach the Los Angeles Lakers if he wanted to. He’s that good of a basketball coach.” -Tom O’Connor, Mason Athletic Director in reference to Jim Larranaga
in 2008, many believed that Larranaga would finish his career in Fairfax with the Patriots. Even when The Washington Post reported on Thursday night that Larranaga was in serious talks with the University of Miami and would be speaking with university officials on Friday morning, Larranaga’s final decision still sent shockwaves through the university. Just a few weeks earlier, following an impressive Final Four appearance from VCU, Rams coach Shaka Smart was able to strategically use offers from other schools as leverage, forcing VCU to offer a contract totaling more than $1.2 million per year. Mason fans saw Larranaga’s talks as a similar ploy to force O’Connor’s hand in hopes of a much sweeter contract offer. “We were able to put together a total compensation package that was, in a good year, a top-5 salary among mid-major coaches in the country,” O’Connor said.
ence in the country. In fact, most recently I told him he could coach the Los Angeles Lakers if he wanted to. He’s that good of a basketball coach.” After turning down his alma mater, Providence College, back See LARRANAGA Page 10
Could return if conditions are right Asst. News Editor
Stock Photo
He frequently called Mason the best university in the nation and served as an ambassador for the green and gold. “All along, Jim and I have had conversations about his ability to coach,” said O’Connor, who brought in Larranaga to coach back in 1996. “I have always said that he can coach at any confer-
Farmers market future in question Jeffrey Giorgi
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted last year to modify Tysons Corner so that it be er resembles a city. Part of that plan includes the desire to a ract higher educa on.
the attendees, O’Connor made his way to the podium to deliver the “eulogy.” “At 9 o’clock this morning,” he said, “Jim Larranaga called. He said he would be accepting the head basketball coaching position at the University of Miami.” Larranaga, who coached the men’s basketball team through 14 seasons, began talks with the Atlantic Coast Conference team about two weeks ago according to O’Connor. Larranaga's contract at Mason ran through 2016, but according to O'Connor, Larranaga was granted permission to leave before his contract was up. "We are thankful and respectful for Jim's decision," said O'Connor in an interview with Connect2Mason. "We’re thankful for all he’s done for the university and for the basketball program. We respect his decision from a personal and a professional standpoint." Dating back to 2006, Larranaga repeatedly told members of the media that he hoped to retire with the Patriots.
On Earth Day 2009, amidst blue skies, rain and even hail, the farmers market made its debut at George Mason University. Students and faculty were able to buy organic fruits, vegetables and various all-natural foods. Since then, the market has moved around campus, but now, they may be without a home for the future. “We were only active for about a month before the students left,” said Jean Janssen, president of Smart Markets Inc. of the farmers market’s first appearance at Mason. “They put us in Lot K for the summer where we did very, very poorly. We didn’t have any way of letting the community
know we were there because they wouldn’t let us put any signs up.” File Photo For Mark Kraner, executive While the farmer’s market is not currently going to appear at Mason, there is a posdirector of retail operations at Mason, the handling of the farm- sibilty that it will return in the future. ers market was a matter of logis- ket reappeared on the North reappear in spring 2010 but more Plaza, a spot that, while better, still issues arose and the re-opening tics. was delayed. “One of the things we asked had problems. “We decided not to open until “Almost every week when we was for it to be focused toward the people on our campus. Trying to arrived, there was something set last fall and then it would be a bring more bodies onto our cam- up,” Janssen said. “We weren’t year-round market,” Janssen said. So the market made its repus that are not a part of [the plugged into the life of the univerMason community] is not always sity enough to know what was turn, this time just outside of Southside. With a plan to remain the best thing to do,” Kraner said. happening in the plaza.” The market left Mason in Oc- on campus year round, things “We weren’t trying to get the neighborhood to come in, espe- tober 2009 after a successful and looked bright for the future of the market. cially since there are two farmers stressful two months. “We came to an agreement “Everyone could see the pomarkets in Fairfax.” Many of the vendors were tential to do well,” Janssen said. “It and came up with a space-use hesitant to come back after the ini- was just a matter of managing it. agreement for this year,” Kraner tial outing because of poor profits. Those two months all the vendors said. “[Janssen’s] request was that But in fall 2009, the farmers mar- could see a potential profit.” See MARKET, Page 3 The market was supposed to
Police task force convenes again Turnout low; report coming in June Reuben Jones Connect2Mason News Editor The official university task force formed in early April by President Alan Merten to seek input on “interactions and experiences” with university police held its second open meeting on Wednesday, drawing a lower turnout than the first, and with fewer speakers than the number of people on the task force. Six speakers spoke to the task force about their experiences with the George Mason University Police Department. Eleven people spoke at the first open meeting. Each speaker was allotted five minutes to make a brief statement. Between the two sessions, a total of 31 speaking positions were left unfilled. The task force is composed of 11 members with Peter Pober, chair of the Faculty Senate, and Rose Pascarell, associate vice president for University Life, as the cochairs. “The focus is to get your experiences of university police,” Pober told the small crowd at the open meeting.
Chief of Staff Tom Hennessey said in his email to Mason that the university also hired Tomlinson Strategies, LLC, an external consulting firm specializing in institutional safety, security assessments and law enforcement issues, to “review the police policies and procedures that led to the arrest on a felony chare of student Abdirashid Dahir earlier this month.” Five students and one faculty member spoke to the committee about their interactions with the police and described specific experiences. While most of the experiences described were negative experiences with the police department, the conversation was civil. The committee received 30 written statements from students, faculty and staff and the statements will be made public after Merten sees the final report in mid-June. The task force will now gather feedback from the two open meetings and written statements and compile a preliminary report for May and a final report to give to Merten by mid-June. Depending on the reports, the university will decide if any action should be taken as a result of the task force findings.
BOV secretary passes away William Soza had been member since 2005
Kevin Loker C2M Editor William Soza, secretary of the George Mason University Board of Visitors, passed away on Friday morning. The cause of Soza’s death was unclear, though a colleague said he had been “struggling with an illness.” Soza had been a member of the BOV since 2005. “He’s somebody who was a real asset to the university,” said press secretary Dan Walsch. “He was a real advocate and a leader. We appreciated the support he’d given us all these years.”
See BOV, Page 3