Broadside April 23, 2012 Issue by Student Media George Mason University

TEDx Talks to Mason

A Walk to Remember This Saturday, Mason will host the 16th Annual Victim’s Rights Walk/Run. NEWS• Page 3

Tickets for online lecture series were gone an hour after they became available. STYLE • Page 4

From the NFL to Mason After a 24-year career in pro football, Charley Casserly inspires a new generation. SPORTS • Page 11

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper www.broadsideonline.com

April 23, 2012

Volume 88 Issue 22

Students Develop Model Wetland

Federman Beats Cancer Student Survives Two Bouts of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Gregory Connolly Editor-in-Chief

Photo by: Stephen Kline

Professor Changwoo Ahn works with students to create new wetlands mesocosms as a way to research wetland soil erosion. The compound, located near the West Campus parking lot, will be full of these miniature-environments when the class is ﬁnished with their project.

Research to Show Effects of Erosion, Wetland Expansion Michael Lagana Staff Writer Students are helping to develop a model wetland to research the effects of wetland erosion and the benefits of expanding wetland to the Earth’s soil. Changwoo Ahn, a wetlands ecologist and associate professor with the department of Environmental Science and Policy, developed the Wetland Mesocosm Compound in 2007 with the intent of bringing outdoor environmental study to George Mason University. “Four years ago, I built [the Wetland Mesocosm Compound] purely with my experience and my idea that the school would need an outdoor teaching and research facility,” Ahn said. “Many big research-oriented schools have this kind of facility, [like] schools that I used to work at before I came to George Mason University, so I had a vision to build this kind of facility before.” Ahn’s vision for an outdoor research center came to fruition in 2007 with the support of a Sustainability Office grant, the

Office of the Provost, ESP, and better understand how rising Long Fence, an area fencing water levels affect erosion in company that donated $20,000 coastal wetland environments. worth of chain link fencing to Another important aspect enclose the compound. The site of Ahn’s course is teaching his is located bestudents hind Intramural how to efField I near the “I’ve learned a lot about f e c t i v e l y West Campus conduct exhow research goes parking lot. periments Inside the and gather, down, wetland science compound, Ahn and ecology. It’s good to graph and and his students interpret get involved and get to are working on the data. developing “At the work.” mesocosms, or end of this medium-sized, s e m e s te r, -Alex Sessums, junior biology contained wetand it’s almajor land models. r e a d y H o w e v e r, drawing to unlike microan end, cosms or Petri dish colonies, [the students] are actually parmesocosms are in large rubber ticipating in setting up these tubs and are exposed to all the new experiments as part of their natural elements of the environ- learning in the semester curricument, such as sunlight and lum in the Ecological Sustainweather. ability course,” Ahn said. “In the One benefit of using meso- summertime, we are going to cosms for research comes from continue to monitor the growing manipulation of water levels in of the plants and the hydration the tubs so that observers can see of the mesocosms and all those the effects of rising water levels environmental barriers throughon a small, contained wetland out.” environment. Ahn sees incorporating unAccording to Ahn, this is dergraduate research as a fundaimportant so researchers can mental aspect of his course.

Junior biology major Alex Sessums has been learning about wetland restoration in Ahn’s class all semester and is enthusiastic to be able to help build a model that will aid work in wetland restoration. “I’ve learned a lot about how research goes down, wetland science and ecology,” Sessums said. “It’s good to get involved and get to work.” In addition to his work with Mason, Ahn is working with members of surrounding communities to get them more involved with the work that he and his students are doing at the compound. “I’m trying to reach out to the other communities, not only on campus but oﬀ campus, to let them know that we have these facilities,” Ahn said. “This year we’re going to have three high school students doing a small project here over the summer.” In about three years, after Ahn and his students have completed their experimentation and data collection, their ﬁndings will be gathered, analyzed and put in a paper, which will be submitted for publication in a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal.

When Jacob Federman, a junior sports management major, went out to celebrate his 21st birthday last weekend, it wasn’t at some dimly lit dive bar or at a glitzed-out, neon tourist trap. He went to the George Mason University Relay For Life. The now-21-year-old doesn’t have the proclivity for strong drink or smoke that characterizes many people during their college years. He doesn’t want to subject his body to that after twice beating Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Relay For Life was held in Federman’s honor two years ago, when he was mired in his second fight against cancer. Federman first beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a cancer of the lymph tissue — when he was in high school. After chemotherapy treatments and radiation knocked out the cancer, his doctors told him that if it were to return, it would come back within a year. Three and a half years later, Federman, then a freshman at Mason, was back home in New York for spring break. He went in for his routine visit, and that’s when the doctors found something during their checkup. They said they would be in touch when they knew what it was. “I went back to Fairfax the next morning and saw my friends who already knew what happened the first time around,” Federman said. “I said, ‘Hey, there’s a good chance that this is my last week at Mason.’” Shortly thereafter, his mother left a voicemail he heard when he got out of class. The cancer had returned. The First Bout When Federman was 15, he accompanied other teens on a sixand-a-half-week tour of the United States. As soon as the trip began, Federman felt like he had a cold — there was coughing that doctors in Seattle and Los Angeles attributed to his asthma — but when his mother picked him up at the end of the trip, she knew something was wrong, and it was time to see another doctor. “They thought it was asthma that could have been out of control,” said Marci Greenberg, Federman’s mother. “I figured it must have been pneumonia, but I wanted a chest X-ray.” Before Greenberg and Federman even arrived home, Greenberg received a phone call. “We did see something,” the pulmonologist said of the X-ray. Next came a CT scan on the Friday of that week, before they went to

visit Greenberg’s parents. It was Friday afternoon that Greenberg received the call from the pulmonologist confirming the prognosis: stage 2 Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Greenberg and Federman went ahead with the visit to her parents, and Greenberg didn’t tell Federman about the cancer until Sunday night, hours before returning to Columbia University Medical Center to begin planning treatment. “I kept the secret because I didn’t want to ruin anything,” Greenberg said. “How do you explain to your teenager that he’s probably going to have chemo, radiation, lose his hair, feel horrible? How do you do that?” Greenberg said she told Federman that there would be sick kids at the hospital and not to be unduly worried. It was there that Federman asked Greenberg if he was going to die. “I said, ‘No, you’re not, Jake. Don’t even ask me that. It’s not going to happen for a long, long time,’” Greenberg said. “He never looked back after that. He never questioned it. He never got depressed. He never cried.” Federman said it was daunting to receive the news. “I was 15, so the only thing I knew about cancer was ‘OK, you have it. Now you’re going to die,’” Federman said. “I was in disbelief.” While Federman’s friends from the cross-country trip were enjoying their summer, Federman spent long hours in doctors’ offices prepping for biopsies and a run of outpatient chemotherapy treatment cycles that stretched from Aug to Nov of his soph. year of high school. After over 40 clinic visits, Federman’s results impressed his doctors. “They were so impressed with the way my body responded that they presented my case to the board of oncologists,” Federman said. Though he was tired from long days at the clinic, he hadn’t experienced some of the more adverse effects of the drugs and chemotherapy. Next came a radiation treatment that lasted from the beginning of December to Christmas. Though the doctors believed the cancer was gone, they said a precautionary radiation treatment was a good final step in ensuring the cancer had been eradicated. Then, right around Christmas, came the news Federman and his family had been waiting for: The cancer was gone. The residual scarring from the biopsies would go away over time. The hair he lost from the treatment would return.

See FEDERMAN Page 2

Bad Luck Lingers Mason Baseball Player Beats the Odds Colleen Wilson Sports Editor He threw the pitch and watched it sail toward home. His team was down, and he had been brought in as a relief pitcher. The ﬁrst batter had struck out. The second got a hit. Now what? Where was the ball? What was going on? He stumbled back, then caught himself. “My ﬁrst baseman was at my side and asking if I was okay. I said, ‘I don’t know what happened.’ I was still looking for the ball,” said Kevin Lingerman, senior pitcher for the George Mason University baseball team. The next time he looked up there was blood everywhere.

Lingerman sank to his knees, then to all fours as he tried to piece together what was going on. Lingerman was still looking for the ball. Trouble was, the ball had found him first. The batter had hit Lingerman’s pitch and returned it at 100 mph into his face. His face was broken in five places, completely smashing his nose, orbital bone and the top of his jaw. “The day it happened we were getting beat pretty good,” said Mick Foley, the sophomore first baseman who was first to Lingerman’s side. “It was already silent in the park because we were getting killed. Then Lingerman got hit it and it was a whole different kind of silence.”

Foley had watched the ball fly straight towards Lingerman and heard a loud snap he thought was the ball making contact with the pitcher’s glove. But then he saw the ball rolling off the field and towards the third base dugout and noticed that the batter had slowed to a crawl in his dash to first base, and he realized that the loud snap had actually been the crack of Lingerman’s skull. Foley ran to Lingerman’s side as he lay sprawled on his back. “There was blood all over,” Foley said. “I couldn’t really see if his nose was broken. All I saw was blood.”

See LINGERMAN Page 8

Photo Courtesy of Mason Athletics

Kevin Lingerman pitched last season in a game versus Rider College before his accident. Lingerman missed time earlier this season after an injury sustained in a game versus Bryant University.

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News

The number of times that Jacob Federman has beaten Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Event Calendar Monday, April 23 Film Screening: Peggie Oki - Artist, Activist, and Athlete Johnson Center, Cinema 12 p.m. Farewell Reception for President Merten University Hall, Room 3300 2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 24

Bike to Mason Day in Fairfax Southside Plaza 8:30 - 3 p.m. Earth Week - Act Local: A Wild Seed Explosion Student Union Building I, Quad 1 - 4 p.m.

Wednesday, April 25 Distinguished Quill Awards The Hub, Ballroom 4 - 7 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Implications of the Death of Trayvon Martin Mason Hall, Room D3 A&B 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 26 Mason Day - Prince William Campus Johnson Center, Room A 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Friday, April 27

Mason Day Parking Lot L 3 -10 p.m. APA Heritage Month: Cultural Showcase: Spark Hope The Hub, Ballroom 7 p.m.

Student Beats Cancer, Facilitates Fraternity Participation in Relay For Life FEDERMAN, From Front The Second Time Federman is now the president of fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi, which he joined during his freshman year after some of the brothers helped him move into the dorms and then invited him to a barbeque. When Federman received the voicemail from Greenberg confirming the cancer was back, he turned to the fraternity brothers for support. “I remember sending out a mass email to all the brothers saying, ‘As most of you know, I had cancer. Turns out I just got it again,’” Federman said. Though he returned to New York for treatment almost immediately after receiving the prognosis, he was able to return to Mason once during the semester to attend the fraternity formal in May, an end-of-the-year event where the brothers get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner. The treatment for the second bout of cancer was much more aggressive than the first, as Federman’s doctors didn’t want to take any chances. He went in for surgery so the doctors could insert a catheter to pump the chemotherapy treatment into his bloodstream. Instead of four outpatient chemotherapy cycles of treatment like the first time, Federman was assigned to inpatient status where he was constantly connected to a 24-hour drip containing multiple chemotherapy drugs. His doctors prescribed two aggressive inpatient sessions followed by a rescan to check not only the status of the cancer but for long-term side effects that result from such aggressive treatment. “They said, ‘If there is still a trace of the cancer, [we’re] going to go back and nuke [your] system,’” Federman said. “If that’s what had to happen, there was a

April 16

Driving Under the Influence 2nd Offense/Driving while DUI Revoked. Ox Road / GMU Fieldhouse Megan Hungrate (Non-GMU) 21, of Oakton VA was arrested on the above charges and taken to the Fairfax County ADC where she was held on $4000 bond. (56/Lighthiser)(25/Dean)

April 18

Computer Trespass. Discovery Hall Computer reported that GMU email account was compromised by an unknown individual(s). (34/K.Ganley).

April 17

POLICE FILES

Burglary/Breaking & Entering/ Theft from Building. Student Apartments Victims reported several items stolen from their room. Estimated loss $2759.00 (59/Soccio) Theft from building. Aquatic Center Complainant stated that items were stolen from a locker. Investigation continues (25/Dean)

April 20

April 19

Theft from Building. Research Hall Victim reported theft of their GMU Apple I-Pad from their office. Estimated loss $200. (40/Ross) Theft from Building.0 Occoquan Rd / University Dr Victim reported a vacuum cleaner was missing from his apartment. Estimated loss $350. (55/Higgins) Hit and Run. Shenandoah parking garage Road Vehicle was parked and unattended when it was struck by another vehicle. It then fled the scene. (50/Issa) Drunk in Public. GMU Blvd / University Dr. Mathew Bailey, 26, of Fairfax Station, VA (Non-GMU) was arrested for the above offense and taken to Fairfax ADC where he was held. (60/Stahl)

Police Files are taken verbatim from www.gmu.edu/police. Broadside does not make any changes to public records.

Photo by Gregory Connolly

Junior sports management major Jacob Federman has twice beaten cancer.

to be a funny guy, and my humor never really changed.” The last bump in the road came when rashes broke out across his body. He had shingles, and that meant more treatment. But after that, he was done and has enjoyed good health during his sophomore and junior year. Relay For Life Federman has organized his fraternity’s participation in Relay For Life during the past two years. The event had been an important reminder of Mason during his second ﬁght with cancer; the event was organized in his honor, and he received an outpouring of sup-

port from his fellow students. “I remember getting a giant box of handmade cards from fraternities, sororities, faculty members, a lot of people I didn’t even know,” Federman said. “I remember sitting there for hours reading every card.” Federman was able to partiipate in the Relay For Life events that fell during his sophomore and junior years. “Last year was special since I was able to be at Relay For Life,” Federman said. “They have a survivor’s lap, so everyone who has had or is currently ﬁghting cancer walks hand-in-hand on the ﬁrst lap while everyone applauds.”

April Brings March for Dimes Sigma Gamma Rho Raises Money as Part of H3 Initiative Justin Lalputan

For more events and activities, check out: today.gmu.edu

good likelihood I wouldn’t be able to return to Mason in August. I needed to get back to Mason. That’s really what kept me going, wanting to come back here. I needed to be back so badly.” The “system nuke” would have consisted of a stem cell transplant called a “rescue” in the medical field. The stem cell transplant works by replacing damaged stem cells with healthy stem cells harvested from the person’s body. Though the actual transplant is quick, it leaves the patient in a weakened state and confined to a hospital room for a month while the body recovers from losing its white blood cells. After the monthlong stay in a hospital comes a yearlong recovery at home. “After the first two treatment cycles, we were looking for the cancer to be 75 percent clear,” Greenberg said. “If he’s not 75 percent, we would have had to do the stem cell transplant.” Fortunately for Federman, the oncologist had good news: The cancer was 100 percent gone. After two more rounds of less-intense chemotherapy and a month off, Federman received a month of outpatient radiation to ensure that the cancer was gone. The summer months were consumed with the radiation, with more blood exams, more CT scans and more cardiology work. After that, Federman worked to get his life back on track. So when he woke up with a fever after spending the night at a friend’s house near the end of the treatment, he knew something was wrong. Federman learned the surgically inserted catheter had caused an infection, which meant another week in the hospital. “I had a joke with friends and family that ‘If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do everything,’” Federman said. “People consider me

News Editor The Mu Omega chapter of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority is raising money for March of Dimes. The sorority will collect change at its kiosk in the Johnson Center every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until May 4. According to Alexandra Walker, president of the Mu Omega chapter, March of Dimes aims to raise money for research regarding premature babies and prenatal care. Sigma Gamma Rho’s longstanding partnership with March of Dimes at the national level falls

under the sorority’s H3 initiative. “[The H3 initiative comprises] healthy living, health choices and healthy generations. March of Dimes falls under healthy generations,” Walker said. The George Mason University community has responded enthusiastically to the sorority’s eﬀorts to beneﬁt March of Dimes. “We’ve gotten a lot of people to come up without knowing anything about us and give us change,” Walker said. “Also a professor came up and gave us dollar bills for donation.” According to Elizabeth McDougal, vice-president of the Mu Omega chapter, other Greek organizations con-

tribute to the change drive as well. The Mu Omega chapter’s fundraising eﬀorts are not limited to change collection on campus. The chapter recently won ﬁrst place in a stroll competition at the University of Maryland, earning $300 for their cause. A team from Sigma Gamma Rho named “MQ Poodles & Friends” will also take part in the Fairfax walk for March of Dimes on May 6. Members of the community should register for the upcoming walk and donate money, Walker said. “It’s great to walk and show support, but they also need the

money for research and things of that sort,” Walker said. According to Ebony Chambers, historian of the Mu Omega chapter, members of the Mason community should do their own research into what March of Dimes actually does. “They do a lot of things for mothers who have premature babies and they do a lot of work for prenatal care. And that is so important for having a healthy baby,” Chambers said. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Mu Omega chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho on the Mason campus.

Health Care Reform Architect Gives Lecture at Mason Ezekiel Emanuel, Brother to Rahm Emanuel, Explains Affordable Care Act Hannah Smith Asst. News Editor Health care in America will be much better in 2020 than it is today. This was the message delivered by Ezekiel Emanuel in a lecture given in a crowded Johnson Center Cinema. Emanuel, an oncologist and former White House advisor, was also a key player in drafting the health care reform law. “Why can I make that [claim] pretty conﬁdently? Assuming the Supreme Court behaves rationally, all of our people will have health insurance,” Emanuel said. “They’ll have access to an exchange, and they’ll have subsidies to buy health insurance.” The Aﬀordable Care Act, known as Obamacare to critics of

the bill, is up for review by the Supreme Court for the same reason that Emanuel cites as a major strongpoint: the mandate requiring all Americans to buy health insurance. While the media focuses on the individual mandate, said Emanuel, a more important provision of the bill is its incentives for doctors to bundle payments. Bundling payments will allow patients to pay for an entire episode of care, such as a hip replacement, instead of paying per procedure. The Congressional Budget Oﬃce estimates that bundled payments will reduce health care costs by 10 percent. The Recovery Act, also known as the stimulus, gave subsidies to health care providers to utilize electronic health records.

The ACA takes this further by simplifying administrative processes and funding patient-outreach research, Emanuel said. Because of these programs, Emanuel said that health care reform will save more money than estimated by the CBO, which predicted that the ACA will add $1.083 trillion to the deﬁcit by 2016. “If you took fresh, crisp dollar bills right out of the federal reserve, stacked them one on top of the other, $2.6 trillion would get you two thirds of the way to the moon. And we spend that every year on health care,” he said. For some further perspective, Emanuel said, the entire gross domestic product of France is $2.56 trillion. Emanuel was invited to give

the lecture at the open session of Professor Steven Pearlstein’s Government 319 class. Pearlstein came to the university last semester as a Robinson professor. “When I worked in the White House, everyone knew that I only leaked to two people: Steve Pearlstein and Jonathan Cohn of The New Republic,” Emanuel said. “And I never got any ﬂack for it because everyone thought that their articles and comments were very responsive and responsible.” Pearlstein has worked for The Washington Post for over 20 years, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for his columns on the ﬁnancial crisis. Pearlstein teaches economic policy, public policy and the media at George Mason University.

lows students to demonstrate their ability and creativity in ﬁlm and visual media, as well as share in the promotion of ﬁlm as creative expression,” said Ashlee Duncan, an executive producer for Mason Cable Network, in a press release. The event is a collabora-

tion between the George Mason University Program Board Film Committee and MCN. The event opens with a reception at 7 p.m., followed by a screening of all of the submissions starting at 7:30 p.m. Over $1,000 in awards will be given to student

ﬁlmmakers. The event will feature a red carpet, mocktails and interviews with ﬁlmmakers. -Gregory Connolly

News Briefs Überfest Student Film Festival Tonight at Johnson Center Look out fans of ﬁlm and visual media — the 12th Annual Überfest Student Film Festival is at 7 p.m. today at the Johnson Center Cinema. “Überfest is an event that al-

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Merten’s “Last Lecture” On Thursday in St. Robert Bellarmine Chapel, President Alan Merten held his “last lecture”, in which he discussed many things, including how he came to Mason and what part his faith plays in his presidency. “Last lectures” are commonplace in universities as a way for long-standing professors to impart their wisdom before they retire. Photos by Stephen Kline

Walk/Run Planned to Raise Awareness for Victim’s Rights Event to be Held in Collaboration with Aimee Willard Endowed Scholarship Fund Justin Lalputan News Editor The 16th Annual Victims’ Rights Run & Walk in Collaboration with the Aimee Willard Endowed Scholarship Fund will be held Friday at noon to raise awareness of victims’ rights and to honor the memory of Aimee Willard, a George Mason University student-athlete who was raped and murdered in 1996. “Not many people are aware of the fact that victims have rights,” said Rachel Lindsey, outreach coordinator of Sexual Assault Services. Beginning in 1999, the Mason Department of Intercollegiate Athletics held the annual ﬁve-kilometer fun run to honor Willard and to raise money for a scholarship fund in her memory. Meanwhile, Sexual Assault Services had been organizing a separate walk/run to promote awareness of victims’ rights. In 2005, however, Mason Athletics and Sexual Assault Services merged the two events. “We decided that since [the events] tended to happen around the

same time and had such similar motivations and purposes, it made a lot of sense for us to join our efforts,” Lindsey said. “The goal is to highlight that victims have rights and to focus very specifically on a member of our community who was made a victim.” In an effort to increase Mason students’ participation in the event, the fun run’s organizers have waived registration fees for participants able to present a valid student identification card. Brianna Kennedy, a junior communication major involved in public relations for the fun run, encourages individual students to form their own teams as well. Mason President Alan Merten will give a welcome speech to kick off the event. Merten’s remarks will be followed by an address from Billie Sims, a former teammate of Willard’s, who regularly attends the walk/runs in her honor. The ROTC color guard will then give a presentation, and the race will commence. According to Lindsey, the walking course is slightly different than the running course.

“It’s basically Braddock to 123 to University Drive to Patriot Circle,” Lindsey said. After the race is over, prizes will be awarded in categories such as largest student team, fastest student runner, fastest runner and most spirited team. “It’s a really nice, meaningful event that gives people a real chance to be exposed to some important issues [and it] helps raise important funds for some important activities,” Lindsey said. Online registration for the event, which closes at midnight tonight, can be completed at vrrw.gmu.edu. The online registration fees for community members is $20. Faculty and staﬀ must pay $15 if participating as individuals or $10 if signing up as a member of a team. Race-day registration, which costs $25 for non-students, and checkin for the walk/run begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Center for the Performing Arts on the Fairfax campus.

Image Courtesy of Sexual Assault Services

The above image maps out the route that walkers will take during the 16th Annual Victim’s Rights Walk/Run. Runners will follow a slightly diﬀerent route that will take them from Braddock road to Ox Road. It will then move onto University Drive and ﬁnish at Patriot Circle.

Design Students Battle to Impress Potenial Employers Joseph Le Takes First Place in Competition Vernon Miles Broadside Correspondent The premise of Design Battle is simple: Five graphic designers are challenged to take an ambiguous theme and create a graphic in under 20 minutes. When the time is up, they are judged by a panel and eliminated over several rounds. Similar contests have been hosted around the nation, particularly in Los Angeles, but this one is special. Not only is it George Mason University’s first, but designers and branding executives from around the Washington, D.C., area were in Fairfax’s Icons Grille to watch Mason’s best graphic artists at work. The event is managed by Erik Hansen, an instructor in the School of Art who teaches corporate branding, and whose expertise helped bring Tomás, the founder of the reknowned corporate branding firm Ripe to the contest. Along with Hansen is Mason’s American Institute of Graphic Arts program, a professional design association assisted Hansen in organizing the event. The group’s leader, senior art and visual technology major Adey Chaplin, described the event as

the perfect showcase of the amazing talent at Mason. She believes that Mason’s art and visual technology program can and will be elevated to Corcoran status, the group of city schools that specialize in design. Chaplin believes Mason has that kind of potential, and from the designs at the night’s battle — a word she insists is more befitting than “competition” — I can’t say I disagree. The match starts quickly; the first theme is an acronym describing randomness and total confusion. The catch? They can only use images, no text. The five designers approach the task in different ways, from opening a computer program and working on color schemes to sketching ideas in a notebook. As they work, the rest of the designers and judges watch rapturously as the progress is displayed on television screens mounted on the walls of the crowded room. Senior Zania Barnum and junior Randall Parrish, graphic design majors, immediately discuss the candidates. “I hope Joseph Le wins,” Parrish says of the designer closest to their end of the bar, presently at work on a curious wave of whites

and orange that slowly begins taking shape as a rabbit. “I have five dollars that says he wins.” Parrish discusses his prospects for the summer and his hopes for the program’s future; he’ll be shadowing a job at AARP, a job he hopes will steer him more toward graphic work and away from the smaller jobs he has landed in past summers. “Nothing like working a job you hate to make you realize what you want,” he says. Barnum shares her enthusiasm, despite having been working since 4:30 a.m. to set the event up. “We should bring this to Mason more often,” she says. She points out each of the designers, commenting on which designs, now taking shape, she prefers. Meanwhile, Parrish says many students at Mason don’t really understand what art and visual technology really entails. For him, it’s access to art without having to master a particular skill. It’s about being a jack of all trades, an idea many other designers repeat throughout the night. At the far end of the counter, Barnum points out one of the contestants dressed entirely in gold,

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who’d thrown golden confetti into the air as he walked in. It is, of course, the one and only Golden Ninja, a habitué on the Fairfax campus. “Most of us aren’t cartoon characters, though,” Parrish says. The first round passes, and two are eliminated. The competition heats up as graduating seniors Joseph Le, Angela Light, and Golden Ninja - aka Chris Mayernik - remain as the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Chaplin introduces me to Teodora Blindu, a recent Mason graduate and the previous president of the Mason AIGA chapter. The two discuss upcoming events and speculate excitedly about the annual October “Extreme Pumpkin Makeover.” For the next theme, “TMI (Too Much Information),” the designers are restricted to using only text, rather than images. Each immediately sets to work with a better idea of how limiting 20 minutes is. Le starts with a black background and a simple confession in white print: “When no one’s looking, I use Comic Sans.” Light, meanwhile, fills the screen with binary code. On the far end, Golden Ninja begins over-

laying phrases in various languages into a black vortex. The images evolve drastically as the time begins to pass. Le’s simple message becomes a propaganda poster proudly declaring that he sometimes wets the bed - with tears from rejection - and that his past week consisted of Netflix viewing and irregular bowel movements. Light’s binary code image evolves into a steady stream of messages from Twitter about an embarrassing incident involving glue and a toilet. As Golden Ninja’s works throught his piece, there’s a moment of clarity when obsevers can finally understand what Golden Ninja is trying to create as the golden phrases began devouring the smaller ones in Japanese and other languages. it began to make sense. In the back of the room, other artists flock to white paper and cover it in drawings. As the night continues, what emerges is a bizarre war between simple cartoon cowboys and ornately detailed demon sharks. Curiously enough, it all seems to make sense. When Golden Ninja is eliminated, Light and Le become the fi-

nalists. Golden Ninja, an oil painting major keenly interested in Japanese and Asian aesthetics, bows out gracefully and immediately goes to the white wall in the back to keep working. He describes himself as the Lady Gaga of painting; he says that his hope is not only to make art but to inspire others to make their own rather than just succumb to a life of mediocrity. “It’s easy to pick a job for money. It’s harder to find one for love,” Ninja says. It’s an admirable goal. The final theme is “You Only Live Once,” and when it is all over, Le is the proverbial last man standing. Although he alone takes home the $250 prize as well as other spoils, everyone in attendance has benefitted from the opportunity to network with the judges and other potential employers. “This is the most fun I’ve had this year,” comes a shout from across the room, a sentiment with which most in the crowd agree.

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The number of people who should go see “The Lucky One”

Monday, April 16, 2012

Coming Soon: TEDx at Mason Popular Series Runs Out of Tickets in 24 Hours Dylan Hares Broadside Correspondent The world-famous Technology, Entertainment and Design conferences feature the most brilliant minds in the world discussing a wide range of topics from green technology to the changing face of humanity. The conferences have featured such speakers as Bill Clinton, Bono, Bill Gates and Richard Dawkins. The TED website features 1,050 free, groundbreaking talks that taken together have been viewed over 500 million times by people from all over the world. Their slogan, “Ideas Worth Spreading,” fits nicely with George Mason University’s tradition of innovation, which is exactly why TEDx is coming to the Fairfax campus for the very first time. TEDx is a series of licensed events under the TED brand,

which takes place just about anywhere in the world that the desire exists, including many at neighboring universities in Northern Virginia. Producers of TEDxGeorgeMasonU—its official title— Andrew Hawkins and Joe Renaud, have been working hard for the last year on bringing the spirit of TED to Mason. They have brought together eight members of Mason’s distinguished faculty to give talks on Sunday, May 6. “We wanted to strive to [showcase] the brilliant minds here at Mason while bridging the gap between humanities and the sciences,” said Renaud, a co-producer and junior physics major. Four of the speakers come from the humanities and arts departments, while the other four come from the sciences and research areas. Speakers include theater professor Rick Davis, modern and classical languages

professor Paula Gilbert, public and international affairs professor Bassam Haddad and Krasnow Institute director James Olds. “What are you passionate about?” asked Hawkins, co-producer and a Mason alumnus, when recruiting speakers for the event. “What do you have to say to the world?” For the producers, the most interesting and exciting part of organizing the speakers was seeing how similar their speeches were. With no guidelines, the eight speakers, with their varied backgrounds, found very different ways to approach similar topics. “We noticed that there is this common thread among many of the speeches,” Hawkins said. “[The speakers have] spent their lives and careers grappling with similar themes and take different approaches to them.” So far, speeches listed include James Olds’ “When TMI Kills:

Image Courtesy of: Ted.com

Ted talks bring together some of the most forward thinking individuals from around the world to share their thoughts and ideas. The goal is to shape a better tomorrow. Cognitive Overload in the Age of I-Devices” and Professor Kristen Johnsen-Neshati’s “What in the World.” With many more provocative speeches to be listed in the coming days, this event is sure to be as thought provoking as past TED events. “The exciting thing is that [the response has been] about 50 percent students, and the rest is faculty and outside members of the community,” Renaud said. “We’re excited that it’s branching out.” The RSVP form for free tickets to the event went live on Feb. 17 and within 24 hours sold out completely with a waitlist of

Button Mashing — ‘The Witcher 2’ The PC Masterpiece Finds its Way to the 360, Does it Deserve Your Money?

around 600 people. For those who were unable to get tickets, all is not lost. The event will be broadcast online for free via Livestream from the TEDxGeorgeMasonU website. Volunteers will also post updates about the events to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr. They will facilitate online discussions through these methods and even ask questions from online viewers during the live discussions. “We want people online to basically be there as well — as much as they can be,” Renaud said. The talks will be recorded and distributed online for those

who are not able to watch the conference live from their homes. “These speeches will be on the Internet for as long as the Internet exists,” Hawkins said. “People will be watching them forever.” The TEDxGeorgeMasonU event takes place May 6 in Innovation Hall. Viewers can tune into TEDxGeorgeMasonU on Facebook and Twitter for updates until the conference and for information on the live feed and recordings of the talks.

Chemical Reactions

Leave Fashion at the Door When It Comes Time for Lab Work clipboards, inspecting our materials and making sure that we Broadside Correspondent treat the lab as the sanctuary they believe it to be. Summer’s almost here, and There were tumultuous moeveryone on campus is enjoying ments in this paradise last week the beautiful weather. For many as droves of students were Patriots, this warrants a time to turned away at the door because rejoice. Sandals, flip-flops, gladof various clothing infractions. iators and the like are all here to Maybe one student wore flipliberate our feet. Many people flops or another wore Capri have added carefree fashion pants. Even worse, some stupieces such as Capri pants, dents were midway through sleeveless shirts and some sheer their experiments when the clothing to their wardrobes. monitors noticed some dress However, there’s a place on camcode infraction and expelled the pus that this freedom is forbidviolators, who den: the had to abanchemistry lab. don the data Though lab It’s already from over an regulations might a bothersome hour’s worth of part of most seem unnecessary work. Sadly, people’s week, labs that are and unfair at times, and now the regularly filled they are definitely a strict clothing to the brim appolicies add needed precaution. If peared less another reason than half occuwe’ve learned to dread going pied. anything from the to lab. Slogging Though through a twohour-long safety lab regulations to three-hour might seem videos, it’s that l a b o r a t o r y, u n n e c e s sary spilling something on with all of its and unfair at procedures, yourself is a lot less times, they are calculations definitely a farfetched than it and other nuneeded precaumight seem. ances, is tetion. If we’ve dious enough. learned anyAdded to thing from the this stressful situation is the fact hour-long safety videos, it’s that that missing a lab is an unforgivspilling something on yourself is able offense. If one attempts to a lot less farfetched than it might make it up, at least an hour’s seem. worth of scheduling is involved, Though it seemed as if last which ends up being so frustratweek’s war on spring apparel was ing that the endeavor is often waged unexpectedly, it was a dropped altogether. A large stern reminder of chemistry lab number of chemistry students protocol. This may seem like a recently experienced the attenharsh way to end the semester, dant frustrations following a but there’s only one more lab left missed lab because they failed to in the semester. For many Colcomply with the dress code. lege of Science students, this It is the purview of lab monmeans washing their hands of itors to walk about the laborageneral chemistry forever, which tory with their goggles and is a much-anticipated milestone.

Mariam Waqar

Image courtesy of: IGN

This isn’t a game for kids. With its adult themes, mature dialogue and imagery, “The Witcher 2” is an RPG for anyone who’s ever felt games just never go far enough.

Antonio Washington Broadside Correspondent Obviously, “Skyrim,” with its over 300 hours of gameplay, is still at the top of the games-tobeat list for many readers of Button Mashing. However, you may want to pull yourself away from it and invest your time in a game that gives you a visceral, adult-oriented good time. That game is “The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.” The original “The Witcher” was developed by CD Projekt RED and published internationally by Atari. It was released in Europe and North America in October 2007 for PCs. “The Witcher 2” contains numerous storylines and multiple endings. As in the first game, players assume the role of the stoic Geralt of Rivia, one of the few remaining witchers. Witchers are humans who have been genetically enhanced and rigorously trained to fight the vile monsters that inhabit the kingdom of Temeria. They are also given a special power, such as alchemy, magic or sword handling. “The Witcher 2” has all the elements of a great RPG, but the

game is heavy on adult themes. The dialogue is vulgar, which can be shocking for some, but other gamers will appreciate this level of maturity. “The Witcher 2” also flexes its muscles with its visceral presentation, showing blood splattering across the screen as enemies are impaled, slashed or otherwise victimized by whatever gory method you can think of to kill your adversaries. “The Witcher 2” contains elements of other third- and firstperson role-playing games. Due to the ability to affect the story by choosing the protagonist’s dialogue during scenes, this feature also allows players to play through the story more than once to see other routes they could have taken. The combat in “The Witcher 2” is fast, fun and exciting. Geralt relies on his two trusty swords — steel for human enemies and silver for monsters — to dole out considerable damage. He can set up traps, throw bombs and knives and conjure up a number of spells to whittle down his enemies during combat. All this may seem intimidating at first, but once you get familiar with the command wheel, which is a device that slows down the flow of combat,

allowing easier access to Geralt’s weapons, items and magic, players will find themselves experimenting with different ways to execute enemies. Taking advantage of these elements is crucial if you want to survive the game’s progressively increasing difficulty. The game does punish mistakes, so be careful. As Geralt advances through the game’s levels, players can divide talent points across a skill tree to enhance his existing abilities or to unlock new ones. Doing so allows players to customize Geralt, but it can also tempt gamers to favor a select few skills rather than availing themselves of all the unique skills Geralt has in his arsenal. For example, you could unload all of your skill points on the magic spell Quen, which deploys an electrical shield that temporarily blocks attacks from Geralt’s aggressors and simultaneously discharges damaging bolts to foes. Combine this with an overpowered fire spell and there you have it. There is no need to learn to use any of Geralt’s other maneuvers. This doesn’t detract from the game, but it feels a little backward, considering that at the outset you must

make use of almost all of Geralt’s abilities to survive. The game also features a potion system, which is set up to punish players who quaff potions and other restorative items midfight. Each potion contains a toxicity level, which is a numerical amount that differs with each potion. Recklessly chugging down potions and restorative items will increase Geralt’s poison level, and if you are not paying close attention to this, Geralt will gradually begin to lose health, making you even more vulnerable to harpies, dragons, wyverns and other hideous creatures that roam the world of “The Witcher 2.” This kind of system forces players to operate more thoughtfully and strategically when going into battle. Hacking, slashing and drinking potions when your health bar is close to depletion won’t work. In every significant way, “The Witcher 2” is just as rich and compelling as it was on the PC, despite a few technical and graphical hiccups. These minor flaws don’t detract from “The Witcher 2” as a genuine RPG. This is an absorbing game, but it’s genuinely mature as well.

@MasonBroadside

Things Not to Wear During Lab 1. Flip-Flops

6. Jewelery

2. Capri Pants

7. Loose Clothing

3. Sunglasses

8. A Frown

4. Contacts

9. Acid

5. Your Hair Down

10. Swag

Broadside

Style

The Not-SoLucky One

Bike Your Way to a Better Life

Wooden Acting Is Just One of the Many Things that Make this Film Not Worth Your Time Jeffrey Giorgi Style Editor After weeks of wonderful outings to the box office, it was only a matter of time before a weekend arrived without any appealing films to be seen. Of course, that’s just one opinion, albeit one shared by many. Of the two films opening this weekend, “Chimpanzee,” the documentary about a chimp separated from his family, will easily elicit the more heartfelt, emotional response from moviegoers. But when your competition is a lifeless, soulless “The Notebook” wannabe (irony?), accomplishing such a feat is not hard. “The Lucky One” stars an allgrown-up Zac Efron as a Marine who manages to survive three tours in Iraq, thanks in no small part to a photo of a mysterious woman who Efron thinks is — you guessed it — his good luck charm. It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly what aspect of this film doesn’t work. Maybe it’s the early -90s/late-‘80s tropes of creating unwarranted tension by simply not doing the right things. Everyone watching knows where the tension lies, knows what’s coming

eventually. Yet, like the season six reveal in “Dexter,” it’s just too drawn out. You’ll realize you’ve checked out before the opening credits have finished rolling out. First of all, as a veteran myself, convincing me that Efron is a veteran of three tours in Iraq requires more than briefly showing him in a uniform or sparse, overdramatic flashbacks. I was actually a fan of Efron after a few of his smaller efforts, but much in the way “Twilight” has shown just how wooden an actress Kristen Stewart is, “The Lucky One,” has shown why Efron will never be anything more than that kid from “High School Musical.” But I’m not just being rough on Efron. There’s no life from anyone in this movie. The entire film follows Efron finding a photo of a girl and then eventually meeting her in real life. But when he finally meets that girl, played by Taylor Schilling, all you want to know is why in the hell does he want to actually be with her. When you’re relying on drawn-out pans of solemn faces staring at solemn sunsets, maybe it’s time to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to tell an actual love story. The last film I enjoyed so little was “Abduction,” which I

Mason Student Hopes to Get More People Peddling Around Campus around campus or taking a longer ride around Fairfax, Paisley explained that it’s just about getting on a bike and enjoying If you’re not a bicyclist, the downtime. you’ve probably noticed quite a “The event is tailored to few of your peers mounting up anyone who just wants to ride a and heading out for a spin bike,” Paisley said. around campus. With the spring Everyone is welcome to weather in full effect, now is the come whether you’re a “bike best time to see if biking is the nut” or just looking for someactivity for you! You can do just thing fun to do this weekend, that in a stress-free environment provided you’re not bogged at the Pedal Collective Fun Ride down from the end of the sefrom 2:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, mester. The Fun Ride is a great April 28 on the Fairfax campus. way to get outside and ride with The 10-mile a group of peoroute will ple you might begin at Bicycling is a great not meet otherNorth Plaza wise, or you can alternative to a and end at try your hand at typical gym workout. Brion’s Grille riding around with a happyNot only will you be campus instead hour. of walking or outdoors soaking up Joe Paisdriving. the sunlight, but you ley, a senior Biking is a communicawill reduce your great alternation major tive to a typical carbon emssions. and organizer gym workout. of the Fun Not only will Ride, has deyou be outvoted most of doors soaking up the sunlight, his free time to his passion for but you will also reduce your bicycling. After becoming a carbon emissions. It doesn’t member of the campus bicymatter if you’ve been riding for cling club, he paved the way for years or if you’re just looking for the Fun Ride in order to encoursomething more interesting to age others to bike. Even if you’ve do than hanging out on Facenever been on a bike before, book in your dorm. Paisley is the Paisley encourages everyone to perfect example of someone consider the advantages of the who was interested and learned activity. more about the activity. If you’re “It’s more than exercising to interested in biking, be sure to me,” Paisley said. “It’s a social come out Saturday afternoon. thing. There’s a whole culture to Participants can register for it.” the Fun Ride at Bicycling is a good way to freewebstore.org/The-Pedalmeet up with a group of people C o l l e c t i v e / and get some exercise while enPedal_Collective_Fun_Ride_and joying the spring weather, _Happy_Hour/ or at the event pollen notwithstanding. on Saturday. Whether you’re biking leisurely

Rycki Robertson

Broadside Correspondent

Photo Courtesy of: IMDB

The only lucky ones this weekend were the people who managed to not see this ﬁlm. walked out of midway through. But I stayed for this whole cinematic abomination, and I still think that if I had only been given the opportunity to walk out of one, it would still be “Abduction.” “The Lucky One” is a bad movie, but it’s not the worst movie I’ve ever seen. It’s not even the worst romance I’ve ever seen,

but that’s not exactly something to brag about. Paper-thin plot and characters do nothing to elevate this above the status of meh.

Relay 4 Change Annual Event Draws Big Numbers and Keeps the Party Going All Night Broadside Correspondent It was a night to remember. It was a night to recognize. It was a night to pay tribute to those we have lost and those who are fighting. Cancer never sleeps and neither did many students during George Mason University’s Relay For Life. The relay began on Saturday and ran until 6 a.m. Sunday morning in the Field House. Countless students came out to support the cause and walk to put an end to cancer. Teams from different school organizations participated, including the women’s rugby team, university scholars and fraternities and sororities. Some teams were dedicated to specific people who were fighting the battle themselves. The event started off with the National Anthem performed by Off the Books, followed by speeches from student cancer survivors. First to the podium was freshman Emily Albis who began her battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the end of 2010. During her speech, Albis held back tears as she thanked everyone for coming out. “Cancer sucks … No one should have to go through what I have to,” Albis said. Mason graduate Evan Milberg spoke next. Milberg, currently a graduate student at Georgetown University, fought both testicular cancer and stage

zero melanoma. Though he had to battle through both cancers, Milberg had a positive, inspiring attitude. During his speech he mentioned that everyone has six degrees of separation to cancer. Everyone knows someone, whether it’s a family member, friend or acquaintance, who is dealing with cancer. Cancer affects everybody. After the speeches, the survivor lap took place, followed by the caregiver lap. All of the teams stood around the track as those who have fought and won their battle with cancer came around. It was an emotional and uplifting moment. When both laps concluded, the teams were all called and began their walks around the track. Along with the food and fundraisers offered throughout the complex, attendees could participate in various events and performances. This included a wing-eating contest, donut race around the track, dodge ball and other games and activities. Around 8 p.m., groups got together and danced to V.I.C.’s “Wobble Baby” and Cupid’s “Cupid Shuffle.” Students all around were laughing and appeared in good spirits. The Luminaria ceremony took place at 9 p.m. and luminaria bags were lit in honor of those who’ve struggled against cancer. Cancer survivor and Mason professor Leslie Morton spoke during the ceremony about how cancer

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Photo By: Kat Main

affects everyone. “You are going to survive,” Morton said. “You are stronger than you think. You are braver than you seem.” Morton went on to praise all of the participants for fighting cancer. “The finish line, our goal, is the cure,” she said. The Luminaria gave participants time to think and, for some, time to mourn. The night was filled with en-

Do you enjoy working with children? The Compass 6FKRRO RI 0DQDVVDV ORFDWHG RQH PLOH IURP *08·V Prince William Co. campus) is looking for energetic, enthusiastic teachers to add to our team. The Compass School offers Reggio-Inspired early childhood programs for Infant, Toddler & Preschoolage children, in addition to Summer Camp & After School for school-age children. Full-time, part-time and summer-only positions are available.

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The Luminaria Ceremony is an event to remember those who have fought cancer. Their memory lives in those who ﬁght for a cure. tertainment, including performances from Urbanknowlogy and Danny Schlenker, and concluded with a glow stick rave. Cancer affects everyone in some way, and everyone who took part in Mason’s Relay For Life helped fight the battle. The total amount raised was $85,962, which surpassed the goal of $85,000. Everyone who took part deserves praise. It was truly a night to remember.

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Free Tickets for Mason Students! TONIGHT!

Kaitlyn Reitz

M3E (MASON MODERN MUSIC ENSEMBLE) CONCERT Apr. 23 at 8 p.m. Free DL

MASON GUITAR ENSEMBLE

Apr. 29 at 7 p.m. Free HT

May 5 at 8 p.m. Free DL

Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel

MASON CHAMBER ENSEMBLES CONCERT

THE POWER AND PASSION OF BRAHMS

Apr. 25 at 6 p.m. Free HT

Apr. 29 at 7 p.m. $19 $30 $38 CH ff FreeStudent Tickets AvailableApr. 17

Visual Voices Series

The Vision Series

GEGO WEAVING THE SPACE IN BETWEEN Monica Amor, MICA, speaker Apr. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Free HT Mason Players

TEN MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL

Mason Dance Company

May 13 at 2 p.m. Free HT

MAY CONCERT

A MEMORIAL CONCERT: CELEBRATION OF LIFE

MASON VOCAL JAZZ May 4 at 8 p.m. Free DL

Family Friendly BB Black Box CH Concert Hall DL de Laski Rm.3001 FG Fine Art Gallery GTIII Grand Tier III HC Hylton Center HT Harris Theater TS TheaterSpace

703-993-8888 or cfa.gmu.edu/students

Center for the Arts FAIRFAX

Adam Golka, piano May 12 at 8 p.m. $25 $35 $45 $55 CH LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableMay 1

HONORS RECITAL

School of Music

Pre-Performance Discussion

May 6 at 7 p.m. $20 adu. $15 sen./stu. CH LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableApr. 24

School of Music

May 4-5 at 8 p.m. $15 adu. $10 sen. /stu. HT LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableApr. 24

Apr. 29 at 2 p.m. Free HT

MASON SCHOLARSHIP CONCERTO CONCERT

FAIRFAX SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

OBAMA AND THE CONSTITUTION: WAR POWERS, CZARS AND SIGNING STATEMENTS Mark Rozell, speaker Apr. 30 at 7 p.m. Free CH

Apr. 27-28 at 8 p.m. & Apr. 28 at 2 p.m. $15 adu. $10 sen./stu. TS LimitedFreeStudent Tickets AvailableApr. 17

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MASON SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLE

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Broadside

Opinion

The percent of Americans who approve of Congress’ performance

Monday, April 23, 2012

Broadside

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief eic@broadsideonline.com Cody Norman, Managing Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Chief Justin Lalputan, News Editor Hannah Smith, Asst. News Editor Rebecca Norris, Opinion Editor Jeff Giorgi, Style Editor Colleen Wilson, Sports Editor Stephen Kline, Photography Editor

Thumbs up to the rain for washing out some of the pollen!

Benjamin Shaffer, Copy Editor Shannon Park, Copy Editor Michelle Buser, Designer Nathan Dorfman, Staff Writer Michael Lagana, Staff Writer Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Adviser David Carroll, Associate Director

Thumbs up to another fantastic Relay for Life at GMU! Here’s to a world with more birthdays! Thumbs up to all of the activity in North Plaza. Mason is beginning to actually feel like a real college campus!

The letters, columns and views expressed on this page are solely those of the writers. They do not reﬂect the views of Broadside or its staff, unless otherwise noted. Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for the George Mason University and surrounding Fairfax community. The editors at Broadside 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 editorin-chief should be notiﬁed at the information given above.

Thumbs down to meal plans and Freedom Funds running out.

Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person. Each additional copy is 25 cents. Please be so kind as to bring a quarter to our office on the first floor of Sub II.

Corrections In the article from the April 16 Broadside titled “Pause, Play and Learn: International Week” there was no byline. The article was written by Arisa Ishita.

Thumbs down to only one more issue of Broadside for the year. Why can’t it go on forever?! Thumbs down to seniors not being able to find a job.

The article “A Look at Mason’s Senior of the Year,” which appeared in the April 16 Broadside, should have said Kevin Loker is from Mitchell, S.D.

The Buffett Rule: Good Politics, Bad Policy Taxing the Wealthy Will Not Solve All Our Problems Madeline Eldridge

Columnist President Barack Obama’s proposed “Buffett Rule,” which would impose a minimum 30 percent tax rate on individuals earning $1 million or more a year certainly makes for good politics. It capitalizes on the envy, resentment and visceral anger that is so often aimed at the richest members of our society. But if there’s anything I’ve learned as a student of political economy, it’s that good politics almost invariably equals bad economics. The Buffett Rule is no exception. First, let’s talk about the idea that rich people aren’t paying their “fair share” of taxes. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the richest 1 percent of Americans face an average tax rate of 29.5 percent and pay 28 percent of all federal taxes. Meanwhile, the bottom 40 percent of American households have averaged a federal income tax rate below zero since 2000, according to The Atlantic. The fact is that rich people pay a lot of taxes. Nonetheless, there persists a widespread belief that they still aren’t paying enough. Much of the confusion in this respect stems from Warren Buffett’s proclamation that he pays a lower tax rate

than his secretary, who, for the record, earns somewhere between $200,000 and $500,000 annually, according to Forbes. It is true that the relatively few individuals in this country who earn income solely from long-term investments face a lower top rate than those who pay taxes on ordinary income streams. While individuals who pay taxes on ordinary income face a top marginal rate of 35 percent, those who pay taxes on long-term capital gains are taxed at a maximum rate of 15 percent. At first glance, this may strike you as being tremendously unfair. After all, why should super-rich investors like Buffett pay a lower tax rate than many middle-income Americans? The only thing is … they don’t. For one thing, the capital gains tax is a tax on the present discounted value of a company’s future profits. This makes it a double tax because it is being applied to profits that, when earned, will also be subjected to the corporate income tax. Additionally, long-term capital gains are unique in that they are not indexed to inflation. This means that investors can and often do end up paying taxes on income increases that are purely nominal, which means that they do not represent an increase in actual purchasing power. As former Federal Reserve Board member Alan Blinder once noted, “most capital gains … simply represented the maintenance of principal in an inflationary world.” It is also important to bear in mind that investors like Buffett aren’t paying a 15 percent rate on income they picked from the money trees in their backyards. You

generally have to earn income before you can invest it, which means Buffett and investors like him are paying a 15 percent tax rate on investment yields to income on which they already paid the top marginal rate. Now that I’ve addressed Obama’s fairness claim, I’d like to address his argument that the Buffett Rule will help to reduce the federal government’s fiscal

But if there’s anything I’ve learned as a student of political economy, it’s that good politics almost invariably equals bad economics. The Buffett Rule is no exception. deficit. This cockamamie argument is utterly laughable on its face and ultimately highlights the fact that this policy proposal is nothing more than a cheap political ploy. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, if implemented, the Buffett Rule would increase federal revenues by roughly $47 billion over the next decade. This may

sound like a pretty big number, but in actuality it’s not even a drop in the bucket. As the Wall Street Journal points out, this amount would barely cover 0.5 percent of the president’s proposed budget over the same time period. President Obama has proposed a $3.8 trillion budget for 2013 alone. This means Warren Buffett’s entire net worth of $44 billion wouldn’t even get us through the first five days of the fiscal year! The fact is, if the federal government is serious about getting its fiscal house in order, it will need to drastically cut spending and reform our entitlement programs, not simply raise taxes on the 0.02 percent of filers to whom the Buffett Rule would apply. If anything, history suggests that lowering the capital gains rate would help the federal government reduce its fiscal deficit. As Wall Street Journal Editor Stephen Moore points out, after the capital gains tax rate was cut by 8 percent in 1981, real federal revenues from the tax increased by more than $7 billion over the following two years. When the rate was cut again in 1997, revenues from the tax rose by nearly $50 billion over three years. One final point I would like to make is that a low tax rate on long-term capital gains is beneficial not only for rich Americans but for middle-class and poor Americans as well. A high capital gains tax rate penalizes investment and risk-taking, thereby inhibiting long-run growth and job creation. By contrast, a low capital gains tax rate encourages higher levels of investment and risk-taking, thereby spurring innovation, real

wealth creation and job growth. It is a matter of fact that increasing taxes on a scant number of millionaires will do nothing to resolve Washington’s fiscal woes or stimulate our economy. If anything, the Buffett Rule would likely reduce real federal revenues while inhibiting long-run investment and job creation. Clearly this policy proposal was never really about reducing the deficit or stimulating economic growth, nor was it about achieving a greater degree of economic “fairness.” The purpose of the Buffett Rule has always been to feed into the illusory notion that taxing the wealthy will solve all of our economic problems. It has been to divert our attention away from out-of-control government spending by redirecting that attention towards the investment yields of the risk-takers and job-creators on whom the future growth of our economy depends. President Obama might think he can win your vote by convincing you that wealthy investors aren’t paying their fair share or that the Buffett Rule will somehow spectacularly manage to get our economy back on track. I implore you not to fall for this ruse and to instead put the pressure back on both political parties to reduce spending, reduce taxes and reform our entitlement programs. Mulcting the rich is easy; implementing smart and substantive reforms is tough. But ultimately, the latter is what’s needed to get our economy going strong.

The Will to Compromise Today’s U.S. Congress Resembles Capulets and Montagues Nathan McBrady Columnist Any student of English literature has at least casual knowledge of the works of the great William Shakespeare. Among these is “Macbeth,” which relates one of the greatest cautionary tales of the corrupting influence of power, in which the protagonist recites one of the most powerful and riveting soliloquies ever penned. The tragedy culminates with Macbeth’s renowned rumination human nature, “[Life] is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” While many people may disagree with Macbeth’s rather pessimistic outlook on existence, that particular slice of literary genius has a fascinating corollary in our times — political discourse. Regardless of where one’s views fall in the political spectrum, there is

one thing everyone can agree upon, namely, the fact that the “other side” just isn’t listening to them. Politicians’ treatment of this impasse in American politics has not typically been to propose a compromise on policy positions but instead to simply scream louder than their opponents. Disagreements among politicians are natural and to be expected; divergence of opinions ought to lead to dialogue, dialogue to compromise and then compromise to legislation. To make this happen, both sides must eventually cede some of their prerogatives in the interest of reaching a mutually satisfactory outcome. In a rational world, it would be simple to see that this process would benefit both sides in that each would realize some, albeit not all, of their priorities. Of course, rationale is sadly absent from American politics.

Attempting to reconcile the present state of political discourse with the air of compromise that prevailed when our political system was founded in 1787 is a remarkable endeavor. Contemplating the quantity of differening political interests among the Revolutionary generation, let alone among the Founders themselves, boggles the mind. From Federalists to Anti-Federalists and slave owners to abolitionists, the American leaders of the late 18th century managed to construct an equitable series of compromises. Although there were no political parties to speak of at the founding of this nation, these examples of pragmatic negotiations encapsulated the spirit of compromise referred to these days as “bipartisanship.” Today, it is considered a major political concession to even

Want to share your opinion? Submit your letter to the editor or artwork to: opinion@broadsideonline.com Note: Letters to the editor are welcome and are printed on the basis of space, quality and timeliness. All submissions are the property of Broadside and may be edited for brevity, clarity and grammar. Material containing libel, racial slurs, personal attacks or obscenities may be edited or rejected. The author’s name, class year (and/or title where appropriate), major and daytime phone number must be included for veriﬁcation of authenticity. The deadline for submission is Thursday by 10 p.m.

meet with the opposite political party. Some politicians today seem to feel that to give even an inch of political ground would be betray the Founders’ core principles. A recent Gallup poll found that a whopping 12 percent of Americans approve of the performance of Congress. This statistic lies in the ballpark of dismal or downright murderous. News headlines frequently feature terms such as “gridlock,” “stalemate” and “standoff.” More and more voters are becoming disenchanted with politics, which is to say nothing of the alarming lack of basic knowledge about our political system. Can you name all of your state’s U.S. senators? The good news is that there are only two; the bad news is that you probably can’t. What the average American does know, however, is that Congress is in a state of arrested development. But knowing the

Editorial Board: Gregory Connolly, Editor-in-Chief Cody Normani, Managing Editor Jacquelyn Rioux, Copy Chief Rebecca Norris, Opinion Editor

problem does not amount to knowing how to solve it. It is unfair to lay the blame solely at the feet of democratically elected public servants. After all, someone had to vote them into office in the first place. Equally unfair is the narrative asserting that today’s Congress operates in an environment that is akin to the political atmosphere of bygone eras. It is at best a dubious assumption that the Founding Fathers envisioned the day when Super PACs would give multinational conglomerates their “rightful” voice in our political system. The practices and habits that have kept our political system healthy and vibrant for so long have slowly faded away. Once upon a time, the works of Cicero, Plato and Socrates were considered academic essentials. Nowadays, learning the names of all 50 states is considered marginally

All unsigned staff editorials are written to represent the view of the Broadside staff, a diverse set of opinions determined by the members of the editorial board. Letters to the editor, columns, artwork and other commentaries strictly represent the opinions of the authors and do not represent the ofﬁcial opinion of the newspaper.

important, and the difference between past and present participles downright superfluous. The only question that remains is what, if anything, can be done to restore — the will to compromise. All over the world, the Founding Fathers’ contemporaries predicted the swift demise of the fledgling state in the New World. Never before had any democracy survived for long. Time and the ingenious nature of the Constitution proved the skeptics wrong and created the strongest nation the world has ever seen. However, the very thing that made America unique is in danger of disappearing entirely under the weight of the “sound and fury” of idiots. In the words of legendary comic strip philosopher Pogo the Possum, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

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Opinion

Mason Police Department Should Re-Evaluate Priorities The police department at Mason is a controversial topic, and it has been for many years. Even though crime rates, especially violent crime rates, are remarkably low, the police department still gains a lot of criticism and has a negative reputation among many students, especially in wake of the Fenwick library scandal a year ago where Abdirashid Dahir was falsely charged with abducting someone from a library study room. The charges in that case were subsequently dropped after great public pressure. You would think in a place where 6,000 people live and where more than 33,000 students attend classes that there would be more crime. But that doesn’t seem to affect the sentiment of many students who see the police department as a military-like operation that suppresses underage drinking and doles out harsh consequences for infractions. But wait — isn’t the police department supposed to be enforcing laws such as underage drinking? Yes, but I’m sure many of us who have friends at other colleges know that their police departments are more lenient. Maybe it’s because Mason has rapidly transformed to a residential campus in such a short amount of time? I think a big part of the Mason Police Department’s culture revolves around the university’s out-

dated, strict policies of enforcement for minor crimes such as underage drinking and having a good time. Let’s get real: It’s college, and many engage in alcohol consumption during their undergraduate years. With the risk of being arrested, sent to jail and facing consequences like having to perform 100 hours of community service, it can really put a damper on the fun. Even though all of the residential areas on campus are “wet” areas, for Mason cops to bust a dorm party and arrest a few people is equivalent to a county officer doing a drug bust. Now, this is not to say that’s how every officer in the department behaves; plenty of reasonable cops see that underage drinking happens at college, and they’re not going to send people to jail for it. But many still see it as a serious violation. Instead of instilling fear into the student body, why not support the safety of the students and offer assistance if they see someone a little drunk instead of locking them away? Many schools have Safe Ride programs, which is something the incoming student body president and vice president are trying to bring here to Mason. Why is Mason so uptight about underage drinking? Why not look out for the safety of the students instead of forcing them to take unnecessary risks to avoid the police?

I emailed Maj. George Ginovsky, the assistant chief of the Mason Police Department, for comment on why he thinks students see the department in a negative light, even though crime is low and the campus seems safe; he did not respond in time for publication. The number of officers that Mason has for such a small patrol area is absolutely astounding, with over 50 full-time officers employed. By comparison, the City of Fairfax department has around 65. I understand that on any given day there could be up to 20,000 people on campus and that’s hard to control, but is it really necessary to have this many officers on a campus police force? Another overabundance of personnel occurs in a sub-organization of the Mason police, the cadets. What exactly do the cadets do for us besides direct traffic and make pedestrians wait at crosswalks for long periods while it’s raining? The cadets get paid between $10 and $11 an hour to direct traffic and have a brand new Ford Escape with ridiculous decals on the side of it. Though I know several cadets whom I would describe as reasonable, in general, the cadets take themselves way too seriously for what they actually do. This significant budget expenditure does nothing to help protect

the general student population, and I would rather see that money go towards the officers that do protect us. For example, when I was in high school and the beginning of my college years, I was affiliated with a national program called the Nassau County Police Department Explorers in New York. It was a volunteer program where we performed duties similar to those of cadets, and we did not get paid. Speaking with junior conflict analysis and resolution major Shane Smith, he said that the department has to “understand that they are a part of this university, and as a student I should feel like I can have a positive interaction with them rather than feeling belittled.” Smith also said that they basically have an “utter lack of public relations.” Even though the students perceive the department negatively, crime is still low and campus is still safe; that’s most important. Maybe their public perception issues can be fixed with a bit of good PR? What do you think, University Relations? WGMU’s Storm A. Paglia contributed to this article.

China, Human Rights and the Need for a Revolutionary Spring Country Likely to Become Next Superpower Sayed Z Shah

Columnist During the last few decades, China has rapidly transformed itself from an impoverished and destitute society into a growing and prosperous global economic powerhouse with a GDP (PPP) of $11.29 trillion. As a result of its roaring economy, China will inevitably become the next superpower of the world, whether it is in 2016 as predicted by the IMF last year, or in 2020. China meets all the prerequisites for a superpower: a large manufacturing economy, a strong military, a huge population and a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Therefore it is not a question of if but when China — which currently is the second biggest economy in the world — will be the world’s biggest economy. Whenever it happens, that era will catalyze new challenges and problems for the propagation of human rights and freedoms. By looking at the China of today, it is imagine a future China that will, like the United States, become a place where oppressed and unprivileged people from around the world seek refuge, asylum and freedom. I cannot imagine “pilgrims” on a modernday Mayflower ship settling somewhere in China in search of liberty. And I doubt people will ever endanger their lives by scaling the Great Wall of China unless the current socio-political paradigms are changed. It is true that China abandoned its command economy in favor of free-market principles. But this transition only created deregulation of prices, property rights and trading, not deregulation of individual freedoms, ideas and liberty. One

economic step forward has been a leap backwards for human rights. As a result, Freedom House, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization which monitors freedoms around the world, rates China as a “Not-Free” state with a 6.5 freedom rating. Such a low rating is manifested in the religious and political suppression of Uyghurs and Tibetans, who are marginalized and treated as sub-class citizens. Additionally, the persecution of Chinese dissidents such as Liu Xiaobo and Ai Weiwei epitomizes not only on the arduous human rights abuses, suppression of dissent, and Internet censorship of today’s China, but also paints an unfortunate picture of what could happen in the future when China becomes a superpower. If China can so openly and effectively suppress the views of its own, imagine its reactions to the opposing views of a dissident from a different ethnicity or color living there. The reason for the lack of freedom is because China had prioritized modern-

ization before democratization and thereby instilled cultural and institutional resistance to change. In order to create political legitimacy and international popular appeal, China and its Communist government need to allow more democratization instead of only pursuing modernization. Corruption, abuse of power, injustices and censorship needs to be reduced. Deregulation of the political system will spearhead the much-needed reforms and changes in the Chinese societal and political atmosphere. But it will be hard to achieve those reforms because the Chinese elite do not want to completely succumb to democratic elements for fears of losing the Communist Party. The Chinese elite will resist any political changes to the status quo because it will inflict losses upon the elite. The Communist Party and elites of China believe that democracies are prone to conflicts due to social, ethnic and class struggles. They favor authoritarian practices to suppress any potential triggering

mechanisms for change. Nevertheless, China does have the ability to become a prosperous and freer nation. There are two methods, one external and one internal, to achieving that goal. The external method is for the outside world, particularly the West and China’s other trading partners around the world, to exponentially enhance their support for democratization in China through active cooperative dynamics. That includes using all kinds of legal, political and economic aid and sanctions to help the oppressed Uyghurs and other minorities as well as increase civil freedoms. However, if the external method fails, then there arises a need for a “Chinese Spring,” much like the popular uprisings against authoritarian regimes in the Arab world, to develop a bottom-up movement. There is hope that as the Chinese educated middle class grows, the probability of a “Chinese Spring” also becomes greater.

Student Media is Looking for Help As the 2011-12 school year comes to a close, Broadside is looking for interested students who are passionate about journalism. We will be interviewing and hiring to fill the following paid staff positions: -News Editor -Assistant News Editor -Style Editor -Assistant Style Editor -Sports Editor -Assistant Sports Editor -Photography Editor -Business/Opinion Editor -Assistant Business/Opinion Editor -Copy Chief Interested students should contact the incoming Editor-in-Chief, Cody Norman, at cnorman2@masonlive.gmu.edu or stop by the Office of Student Media in the lower level of Student Union Building II (The Hub) for more information. Applicatations will be accepted until all editorial positions are filled. Working at Mason Cable Network can provide you with a remarkable television production experience and increase your resume impact for future employers. We foster a creative environment that thrives on groupthink activities and alternative brainstorming sessions. We work together to provide relevant entertainment to students on and off campus on Channel 231 in high definition. Here are some of the positions available on our staff: -Video Editors (2+) -Graphic Designer -Motion Graphics Designer -Guerilla Marketing Coordinator -Advertising Director Create-your-own Staff Position

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Interested candidates should email their resume and cover letter to Ashlee Duncan (eduncan@gmu.edu). *note - all unpaid staff positions with the potential for paid promotion. Internship/Independent Study credit available. Operations Manager: This position entails overseeing the day to day operations of WGMU and working closely with the General Manager and Program Director. Even if not interested in radio, the position is great for those interested in administration and management. Sports Director: The Sports Director is responsible for overseeing all on-air sports programming and also serve as WGMU's main liaison to the Athletics Dept and it’s administrators. The Sports Director is also responsible for creating new sports programming and sports content for the station and WGMU website. Director of Engineering: The Engineering Director is responsible for creating new ideas on how to move our technology forward in a cost effective manner, and when issues arise, they oversee the diagnosis, along with presenting the staff his/her findings. They will also assist with any technical duties necessary to see that the station is running smoothly and fully operational. All three WGMU positions are paid. The closing date for these positions is May 2, 2012 at 5 p.m. Email wgmuapps@gmail.com or see wgmuradio.com for more information.

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Opinion

Will Someone Turn the Lights On? Mason’s Security Is Lacking in Comparison to Other State Schools Kristin Janiero

Columnist Undoubtedly, George Mason University has recently been making great strides toward becoming a more respected and nationally recognized university. With the seemingly unending construction of new buildings and the numerous openings of popular chain restaurants, Mason is a far different institution than it was even four years ago when I began studying here. However, there is one difference between Mason and other big-name regional schools that can no longer be ignored. Having done the rounds of the nearby universities when deciding where to apply, and after visiting friends at their respective schools over the past four years, it is clear to me that the emergency call box system here at Mason is lacking. There are currently no mandates that require universities to install security systems such as blue lights and call boxes on their campuses. Despite this, most area schools and all of the out-of-state universities I have visited in the past seem to have made such systems a priority. For instance, the University of Virginia has installed and maintains a security system that comprises over 400 blue lights and call boxes. They also provide an easily accessible map of the lights’ locations on their website. The University of Maryland utilizes a public emergency response telephone system with 319 lights and phones and also offers a printable map. Even NOVA, with a campus less than a third the size of Mason, seems to devote more energy to their call box system. The call boxes at NOVA are numerous, and the school commits a section of its website to discussing their existence. Searching for any information about call boxes on Mason’s site is frustrating as there is no

section specifically dedicated to the lights and call boxes on campus. Additionally, when I went to inquire as to the existence of a map showing the locations of call boxes and blue lights on campus, I was told that no such map exist. The bulk of my information on Mason’s emergency call box system was derived from the transcript of a 2001 Board of Visitors meeting during which chief of police, Mike Lynch, brought up the topic. After the installation of around 50 units on the Fairfax campus, the company that installed the lights and call boxes went out of business in 2000. Mason’s solution at that point was to send the units to a company in Norfolk to be repaired at the cost of about $150 per call box. My tuition and housing fees for a single semester alone could cover the roughly $7,500 cost of servicing the boxes yearly, so I wondered why, when I looked around campus today, I did not see 50 functioning call boxes. During the 2001 Board of Visitors meeting, opponents of a new security system on campus argued that cell phones eradicate the need for call boxes and blue lights, and that the cost of installing an entirely new system — between $300,000 and $500,000 — was too high. Chief Lynch suggested that the university’s best option was to allow the boxes to break down and slowly reduce their numbers to only a few located in “critical areas.” A few years later in a 2003 Mason Gazette Q&A, Chief Lynch said that “it is not an automatic that if we find a call box that does not work in the middle of some parking lot somewhere, we would spend the money and buy a new one and replace it with a new working call box.” This sort of statement worries me because “in the middle of some parking lot” is exactly the sort of “critical area” where we need a blue light and a call box. The money the university saved by phasing out the boxes, as Chief Lynch proposed in the 2001 meeting, could be used to fund more bike patrols and campus escorts. Seeing that all of the information I was able to find independently on Mason’s call box system was more than five years

old, I met with Chief Lynch in walked around more often, there order to assess Mason Police’s cur- could be fewer crimes on campus.” rent outlook on the blue lights While it is possible that the and call boxes. Boiled down, his Mason police do perform these response was that the call boxes walking and cycling beats, the imare being phased out because they portant thing to note is they are do not provide a return on invest- not a visible presence to the stument. dents the way a standing light and The call boxes and blue lights call box would be. are very expensive, around $4,000 Having done my research, I per unit, and Chief Lynch was only was left with a choice to make beable to recall one incident over the fore writing this article: Was I for past 10 years during which a call or against installing a new call box box was used for a real emergency system here at Mason? The anon the Fairfax campus. He main- swer, I’ve come to find, is both. tained his 2001 stance that cell I understand this university’s phones negate a need for call desire to spend money wisely. Blue boxes. lights and call box systems cost Chief Lynch stated that there hundreds of thousands of dollars. are currently 16 boxes on campus, There have been stupendously few down 34 from the original 50. reports of people utilizing call “If you see boxes for a blue light true emerphone, it does gencies Chief Lynch stated that work,” Lynch both here there are currently 16 said. and on functioning units on this During campuses the interview, across the campus. That means the Chief Lynch c o u n t r y. call boxes in Presidents claimed that C h i e f Park represent 50 percent police cadets Lynch had test each box a point of the total boxes on weekly, and if a when he campus. unit is found to said there not work, it is is no return replaced, reon investmoved or rement when paired. you’re talking about call boxes. I’m sure that in 2001 when However, that’s when you’re talkChief Lynch suggested that the ing about money. If a call box sysmoney for call boxes be redirected tem ends up saving even one life, to more bike and foot patrols, he then, to me, you have a return on may have been looking to repli- your investment tenfold. cate the feeling of safety that call I think my stance on this boxes can provide on a college. But issue comes down to this: As this despite a claim on the Mason po- campus grows, Mason needs to lice’s webpage today that officers more strategically place the curhere routinely patrol our campus rent 16 boxes and add more units on foot and on bike, I’ve never in critical locations. To me, an enseen any police officers out walk- tirely new system is not the way to ing a beat or riding a bike around go. I don’t think we need to install campus, and I’m often out late at a bunch of new lights and call night. Many Mason students seem boxes up by the Johnson Center, to feel the same way. but I do think we need to install Junior neuroscience major them in each of the parking lots. I Claire Collins said, “ No, I never think they also have a place on the see the Mason cops patrolling on more wooded trails. their bikes or on foot. I only see Throughout my research, them out of their cars if there is an there was one discovery that bothaccident.” ered me more than any other, and Freshman pre-nursing major it is the current placement of the Catherine Pulley said that she call boxes. One of the first things I “just sees them driving around did when I chose to write this artiwasting gas.” cle was take a walk around campus Junior non-profit studies and scope out the locations of the major Nick Terzian said, “If they lights and call boxes. While the

lack of call boxes in shady areas was concerning to me, what was more deplorable was the plethora of boxes within Presidents Park. I counted eight call boxes in Presidents Park, two of which had broken lights despite claims that units would be maintained. If you recall, Chief Lynch stated that there are currently 16 functioning units on this campus. That means that the call boxes in Presidents Park account for 50 percent of the total boxes on campus. Does Presidents Park represent 50 percent of this campus? Absolutely not! Is Presidents Park what most would consider a more dangerous part of this campus? That’s laughable. It is the one housing area that is always included on tours for prospective students and the only dorms most parents ever get a good look at. It seems that placing such a large number of the units in Presidents Park is not a safety precaution, but a way of saving face with parents and incoming students. There are three major reasons why I support the addition of new call boxes in strategic locations on campus. First, this campus is growing rapidly. More people on campus means more opportunity for crime, and more physical space means more area for police to cover. Call boxes are a staple of large, thriving universities, and if that’s what Mason wants to be, then new call boxes may be in order. Second, I see a hole in the argument that cell phones eradicate the need for call boxes. The advantage that call boxes have over cell phones is that they pinpoint your exact location for the police. If you are in a dangerous situation, it could be difficult to report your location accurately on a cell phone. Assuming a person doesn’t run too far away from any call box they utilize during an emergency, the police will have a good idea of where to find her, or at least of where to begin an investigation. Finally and most importantly, it may be true that call boxes are not utilized enough to justify their monetary cost to this university, but they do provide something that is invaluable: a feeling of security for students and faculty. Honestly, I don’t feel unsafe on this campus most of the time. I

don’t think most students worry much about the issue often either. However, walking through a dark, vast parking lot after your night class lets out can be a nervewracking experience, especially for young women. I’ve heard young women refer to both the foot trail by the pond and the wooded path that links the President Park area to Sub II as “rape trails” or “creeper trails.” For me at least, the sight of a blue light would be comforting. We will never know exactly how many crimes call boxes and blue lights prevent because we are not inside the mind of a criminal. How many criminals would commit a crime when a call box is in view? I bet the number is smaller than the number of criminals who would commit that same crime with no call boxes in sight. In 2001, Chief Lynch described the call boxes as a security convenience and not a security necessity. A campus that feels safe is necessary, not convenient. The larger this campus gets, the more opportunity there will be for crime, and the necessity of a safe feeling on campus will, I believe, become more prevalent in students’ minds. This is an issue that Mason should address before it becomes a larger concern. Mason considers itself to be an innovative and forward-thinking institution. The administration and the Mason police force seem to take student’s general safety seriously and, according to yearly reports, do a good job of securing this campus from crime. However, the lack of call boxes presents a weak point in security on campus. While an entirely new call box system would be unnecessary and costly, the installation of some new units and a more strategic placing of the boxes will provide a safer environment for students. At the very least, this course of action will provide students with a more secure feeling. It could also prevent dangerous crimes. Both of these outcomes are positive. Mason is currently growing in both physical size and number and this issue can no longer be swept under the rug.

Broadside: Then and Now Former EIC Reveals Ways to Improve Broadside Rebecca Norris

Opinion Editor It was the heady days of 2002 and years had gone by with Broadside, George Mason University’s student-run newspaper, gaining no considerable recognition. Adam Modzelesky was determined to change that. “We went so far as to do some (admittedly rudimentary) market analysis,” said Modzelesky, editor-in-chief of Broadside for 2002-03 in an email, “to learn what our audience was interested in and give it to them, which took a lot of time and effort, but in the end I think it was worth it because we obviously got buy-in from the student body. “And, in doing so, I think it earned us some more respect from some faculty who — up

until that point — probably didn’t think that highly of Broadside.” In May 2003, Broadside was ranked ninth in the country by the Princeton Review. Nine years later with no record of any other awards, Broadside aspires to establish a routine that will allow for renewed recognition. “I truly feel a return to the Princeton Review rankings will require patience and a substantial contingent of very dedicated/visionary Broadside staff members doing whatever it takes to be successful,” Modzelesky continued in his email. “It won’t happen overnight. You have to understand that my group was largely committed to doing whatever it took — whenever it took — to make Broadside a reputable publication.” Broadside needs to start somewhere in its quest to renewed success and recognition. “First, I think the staff needs to start with the basics” said Kathryn Mangus, director of the Office of Student Media. “Good reporting, writing and editing. More thought needs to be given

to photos used — what do they add to the story? Second, more attention needs to be given to story selection, treatment and layout, including photos and graphics used.” Intriguing feature stories embellished with pictures have the ability to attract attention. However, the real way for college newspapers to gain readership is by appealing to the interests of the university community. “We need to be more inclusive of the entire student body,” said Cody Norman, current managing editor of Broadside. It isn’t enough to rely on the interests of students living on campus, however. College newspapers need to reach out to grasp the interests of commuters, grad students and retired staff, editors at Broadside would agree. “You need to know your audience,” Modzelesky said. “Which means you can’t sit in your ivory tower and just make guesses about what they’re looking for in the way of content or delivery. Guessing or thinking the ‘cool factor’ alone to generate interest is a waste of your time

and resources; it’s much more effective to take the time to understand what your audience would like to get from you, and how.” Once you have the content that audiences desire you just need to find the right place to market the paper. If it’s available in all the right places—the JC, residence halls, dining facilities and other locations across campus, then Broadside will be able to reach a larger audience. “I think that the Broadside is a well-rounded enjoyable read,” senior communication major Brendan McAloon said, “however, sometimes the paper bins are located in inconvenient locations preventing me, and probably others, from reading while the news is fresh.” If Broadside takes the necessary measures to become readily accessible all over campus, then its popularity among the student body could have the potential to flourish. Popularity plays a huge role in the Princeton Review rankings. Once Princeton Review selects the schools that have some sort of reputation for journalistic

ability, they publish a poll online where students can vote 24/7. After that, it’s entirely up to the school to get the word out to students to vote--and for the paper to give those students a reason to vote. “If you’re not popular with your own student body, then you don’t stand a chance,” Modzelesky said. “In order to get votes for something like the Princeton Review, people have to be willing to take the time to show up and vote for their own school’s publication.” The Princeton Review award brought light to the idea of what a college newspaper staff should aim for. “The Princeton Review recognition was likely the culmination of lots of good work, consistency and reputation building with students and George Mason faculty over the course of a few years,” Modzelesky continued. “In other words, I think it took that long for us to earn everyone’s respect and attention through a number of quality outputs, and was the result of a core group of talented staff — year

Ben, Jerry and Sam Turn Away From Empty Solutions to Help Regain Self-Respect Hala Numan

Columnist Sometimes Ben & Jerry’s pint of Chunky Monkey is glued to our hands. For others, Sam Adams is the culprit. But most of the time, the addiction is not a drug, it’s the person we love — or think we love. It’s the phone calls we can’t ever decline to answer or the incessant thoughts of those people that fill the void in our minds. Everyone has a weakness, and sometimes we succumb to those

downfalls. But when we are always falling prey to the calls of Ben, Jerry, Sam or our ex, then we have to begin to ask why. There’s a substantial difference between making mistakes and making it a lifestyle. What’s more important is recognizing it’s human nature to be faulty, but it is not a justification for continuing an exhausting lifestyle that depletes you of self-respect. I’ll be honest; regaining one’s sense of self-respect is not easy by any means. Contrarily, it takes loads of patience and love. Losing respect for oneself is one of the most abhorrent things I can imagine. From there, lack of self-love is born, and shortly after maintaining your self-interest plummets to the bottom of the to-do list. You begin to feel a sense of selfloathing because you sense no control

over your actions. “It feels like I can’t let go of that damn spoon,” or “I can’t stop dialing his number.” Whatever the “mistake” you’re struggling with, I can say that if you do not conquer this little monster before it becomes a beast, you’ll regret it. Those in Anonymous Alcoholics know what the first step is: admitting you have a problem. This step takes a lot of courage, so you can keep it to yourself. Just fully accept the fact that you have no self-control when it comes to Ben, Jerry or Sam. Nike said it best: Just do it. After that, don’t dwell on your recent “mistakes.” The longer you dwell on them, the more you will succumb to feelings to negativity further propelling you to continue the same lifestyle. Finally, do it slowly. Let go of your empty gestures at happiness. At the end of the day, these weak-

nesses do not reflect your greatness as an individual. Contrarily, they illustrate your desire to be fulfilled. This desire should be discharged by undertaking tasks that you truly enjoy. However, many of us turn to empty solutions that relieve our desire quickly but leave that void emptier than before. The reason we feel depleted of our self-respect is because of our blind attempts at achieving happiness in a world that cannot satiate that desire. The overall idea to truly understand: Your actions can make that void grow or disappear altogether. The only way to truly fill the gaping hole is to fill it with love of self. Just do that.

after year — consistently doing more than trying to pump out newspapers with decent articles, hoping people would see and read them.” So the question remains: How can college newspapers gain ratings to put them on the map? Is it merely a matter of popularity or of great expertise cultivated over time and added experience? “All in all … I personally don’t believe it’s all about dreaming up and doing 1, 2, or 3 cool things that might resonate with people,” Modzelesky said in his email. “Success is contingent on being innovative, of course, but mostly doing your homework and delivering high quality products to people on a consistent, long-term basis. “Sprinkle in some businessminded decisions that expand your reach and revenue and you’ll open up more doors for special, high-visibility projects that capture attention and respect.”

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Sports

The number of years Charley Casserly spent working in the NFL

Monday, April 23, 2012

Kevin Lingerman Overcomes Adversity, Aspires to Become Professional Baseball Player

Photo by: Stephen Kline

(Above) Lingerman, standing center, has attended every home game since his injury in March even though he has been unable to play. He hopes to return in the next few weeks. (Right) Lingerman pitching for his travel team when he was nine years old.

Photo Courtesy of:Patty Lingerman

LINGERMAN, From Front A lifelong sports fan, Foley had seen baseball players on television take line drives to the face before, but this was the first time that he or anyone else on the team had seen it in real life. He knew that such an injury could result in blindness or brain swelling, even death. He also knew that the metal bats used in college games made the situation all the more dangerous. An article published in 2008 by Northeast Booster eerily foreshadowed Lingerman’s run-in with the baseball. According to the article, “Lingerman, who plays third base, shortstop and pitcher, also will have to face hitters with lively metal bats. That shouldn't be too much of a problem. He was 20-0 in four years on the mound at Calvert Hall.” For twenty minutes, the players, coaches and fans were consumed by anxiety as the trainers mopped up the blood from Lingerman’s wounds while they waited for an ambulance. He had lost nearly a pint of blood by the time he got to the hospital. “The pain was excruciating. It was terrible,” Lingerman said. “My trainer was like, ‘It’s okay. You can cry.’” But he didn’t. Throughout the whole ordeal, he didn’t cry or pass out, despite the crippling pain. “The only thing I can really say is that he is a remarkable young man. Trust me when I tell you I don’t say this lightly. Not only is he my hero, he is the biggest reason that keeps me moving everyday,” said Patty Lingerman, Kevin’s mother. “If it wasn’t for him and his positive attitude, I would’ve been like, ‘To hell with this.’ People talk about miracles, but all I can say is that you don’t know my son’s story.” As the wailing sirens pulled up, Lingerman rose to his feet and walked off the field toward the ambulance, a hopeful sign for everyone on the field. In Baltimore, Lingerman’s fa-

ther had been watching a live stream of the game and had lost volume on the screen just after Lingerman got hit. He turned to his wife and told her something bad had happened. Suddenly the volume returned on the computer to announce that a relief pitcher was coming in for Lingerman. Then the phone rang. “I just remember [the caller] saying ‘I have Kevin at the hospital.’ I could hear Kevin in the background saying, ‘Watch out, she’s going to get upset. Don’t tell her too much,’” Mrs. Lingerman said. “When they came in, I had a pad over my face,” Lingerman said. “When they took it off, my mom cried and my dad just stared at me in shock.” For the next two weeks, progress was slow. If the ball had hit him just one or two inches to the left or right, Lingerman would’ve been killed. The doctors decided not to operate on his face and let the bones reset themselves like twigs. Plastic surgeons had to reconstruct his nose, which had been completely destroyed by the ball. “My sinuses were completely filled with blood. I couldn’t breathe for a few weeks,” Lingerman said. However, the worst damage was to his right eye, which was nearly sealed shut with swelling. When he finally was able to open it, Lingerman had no vision. After two days in the hospital, Lingerman returned to his dorm room with his mother there to take care of him. On the third day, he woke up and opened his eyes in relief. He had regained sight in his right eye. Even though he was able to see again, the pressure behind his eye was still high, and he was put on bed rest. The possibility of blindness was still a threat. “The week after it happened was the worst,” Lingerman said. Lingerman has retained his sight but suffers from permanent damage to his iris and cornea.

A few weeks after he was in“He took his little hands and jured, the batter who hit the ball put them on my face and said, ‘It’s that crushed Lingerman’s face okay, Mommy. I’m not going to sent him a message on Facebook die.’ That’s the part that you can’t and apologized. explain to people. It’s devastating,” “I told him it was no problem. Mrs. Lingerman said. He didn’t do it on purpose,” Lingerman underwent Lingerman said. “He told me that chemotherapy treatments for a when he hit the ball, he started year, pumping poisons through walking toward the mound. He his young body to rid him of the thought he killed me. They had to cancerous tumors. take him out of the game.” Ewing’s sarcoma usually With his face crushed, strikes pubescent children in the Lingerman was down, but he was- long bones in their legs and arms, n’t out for the count. Baseball is, but Lingerman’s tumors were inand always had been, his sustain- tertwined in his ribs. ing life force. To combat the cancer, docHis father, Nemo Lingerman, tors removed part of Lingerman’s played in the lung and parts Minnesota of his fourth, Twins’ minor fifth and sixth “This is one in millions. rib bones. league system and instilled a For a few The odds of this love of baseball years, he rehappening are less than turned in his son at an to winning the lottery. health early age. and Getting When the ball comes lived his life as hit in the face a normal little back, it’s like blink of the boy, with a line falling eye. Reflexes take over.” even deeper in drive wasn’t the first hurdle in love with L i n g e r m a n’s America’s fa-Kevin Lingerman career. His vorite pastime. trainer, Debbie But his Coronado struggles were ,often tells him far from over. that he’s the When he luckiest for being the unluckiest was 11, the cancer returned. After in the world. six months of chemo he lost his He has certainly beaten the hair, but he didn’t lose his drive odds. and continued to play baseball “This is one in millions,” throughout the sixth grade. Lingerman said. “The odds of this “I stayed in shape and stayed happening are less than winning off the couch,”Lingerman said. “I’d the lottery. When the ball comes get sick on the field from the back, it’s like blink of the eye. Re- chemo, but the other boys were flexes take over.” too young to understand.” Lingerman has been strugBut this time, Lingerman ungling against the odds since he was derstood. In his second battle with 6 years old, when he was first di- cancer, he became more selfagnosed with a rare case of bone aware and angry, not understandcancer called Ewing’s sarcoma that ing why he was being singled out. affects only 250 children in the “That’s the part that’s hard to United States per year. explain to people,” Mrs. Linger“As a parent, I can’t begin to man said. “He’s been through hell tell you how devastating that is.,” and back, and psychologically, it’s Mrs. Lingerman said. “The doc- made an impact. When he gets tors did not give us good news. down, only the family sees that. They didn’t expect him to make it.” He won’t let anybody on the outBut Lingerman wasn’t about side know he’s down.” to give up. Eventually, the doctors

Games of the Week Thursday

Friday

Volleyball (M) vs. EIVA Semifinals

Lacrosse (W) vs. First Round CAA Tournament, TBA

elected to remove the rest of the three ribs on his right side and a quarter of his lung. It took two years for Lingerman to return to playing full time. He had always played third, but he liked to pitch more. Once again, the odds were stacked against him. At 5 feet 11 inches, he is below average height for a pitcher, and with three of his ribs and a piece of his lung missing, the odds of him being able to throw with speed and precision were not promising. “I threw 90 mph my first time during my senior year of high school. No one had any idea how it was possible,” Lingerman said. Had the doctors’ predictions been true, Lingerman would’ve been crippled by scoliosis, if not dead after his bouts with cancer. Without his ribs for support, the doctors couldn’t understand how his decelerator muscles, which are imperative for pitchers, were strong enough to throw the ball at such high speeds. Decelerator muscles allow the fast-moving body parts, like a pitcher’s arm, to slow, similar to brakes on a car. Lingerman’s medical woes had not yet ended. Once again, despite the odds, Lingerman excelled. He was slowed once again after a spinal herniation in high school required surgery. After being recruited by Mason, Lingerman pitched successfully his freshman year, but by sophomore year, trouble was back again. Like many other pitchers, his arm was wearing, and he had to have Tommy John surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament. Nerve damage, possibly from the years of chemo, combined with faulty surgery resulted in two unsuccessful surgiers. After coming off not one but three Tommy John surgeries, Lingerman was finally returning to full health and playing ball. He pitched his first return game successfully at NC State and was getting back into the swing of things as he stepped onto the

mound on March 3 to try and recover some runs from Bryant. “He had finally gotten velocity and speed back up and said to me, ‘Mom, this has gotta be my year.’ Then he gets hit in the face,” Mrs. Lingerman said. A month and a half after this harrowng incident, Lingerman has only a faint scar that stretches from the inner corner of his eye to right above his eyebrow. Shocking the doctors once again, he’s returned to full health and is now training to play in a game in the next few weeks. “I still want to play,” Lingerman said. “When I get back out on the mound, I might be a little shaky, but baseball is what’s gotten me here. It’s gotten me through a lot of stuff. I’m one of the first people in my family to go to college. Baseball has allowed me to do things that I never would’ve been able to.” His mother is terrified for Lingerman to step up on the mound again but knows that, while baseball has been the cause of many of his injuries, it’s also been the driving force that has motivated him through his difficult life. “He’s very upbeat. I’m very angry. Not just that he’s gonethrough cancer twice. He’s had back surgery, Tommy John, and then to get hit in the face like that. He just can’t catch a break. I don’t want him to get back on a mound, even though at the same time I do. But that’s Kevin,” Mrs. Lingerman said. Lingerman speaks easily about his injuries, without a trace of bitterness about beating cancer twice, spending countless hours in the hospital or battling through eight surgeries. He even grins as he recounts the ridiculous series of events he’s suffered through. A red-shirt senior, Lingerman still has another year left of school before he’s out in the real world, but he’s already dreaming of getting drafted to the big leagues. If that falls through, he has plans to coach in Division I. But if history repeats itself, luck just may be on his side.

Support Your Favorite Mason Teams at Home

Saturday Golf vs. CAA Championship, TBA Volleyball (M) vs. EIVA Finals, TBA

Sunday Golf vs. CAA Championship, TBA

Broadside

10 |

Sports

Recruiting Profile

Man Overboard

Local High School Athlete to Play Soccer at Mason

Battleship to Become an Official Intramural League

Colin Gibson Broadside Correspondent After a three-year absence from postseason play, the Patriots look to gain a boost next year from incoming freshman soccer recruit Julius Rosa-DiStefano. Rosa-DiStefano committed to George Mason University in August 2011 and has since been utilizing his experience as a two-sport athlete to prepare for the upcoming challenge of being a Division I college athlete. “I’m really looking forward to playing in college,” Rosa-DiStefano said. “I look forward to playing with players who are better than me and getting better as a player. Hopefully, I will get to start and earn some playing time.” Throughout high school and his earlier years, Rosa-DiStefano participated in both club soccer and basketball. During his high school career, Rosa-DiStefano played soccer for Southwestern Youth Association. He also made the freshman, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams for Westfield High School in Chantilly. Rosa-DiStefano enjoys the diverse attributes that the two sports add to his overall athleticism. “Playing basketball and soccer helps me since they both bring something different,”Rosa-DiStefano said. “Soccer helps with my endurance and speed, as basketball works with my jumping and athleticism.” Courting Rosa-DiStefano was not an easy task for Mason. Rosa-DiStefano was aggressively recruited by many Division I schools for his soccer skills. Over the course of the recruiting period, Rosa-DiStefano was contacted by schools such as University of Richmond, University of Massachusetts, Mary Washington and University of North Carolina. Mercer University also contacted RosaDiStefano due to his talents on the basketball court. Despite the interest other schools showed, Rosa-DiStefano was enamored with the Patriots program from the start. “Mason was really appealing to me first of all because of the soccer program,” Rosa-DiStefano said. “I liked the coaches and the style of play. I like the campus and the size of the school, and one thing that really drew me in was the diversity.” While some Division I college soccer players are discovered competing with their high school team, Rosa-DiStefano’s high-profile club team allowed him to be recognized and scouted in a different setting. While the team is based in Clifton and Centreville, the squad reaches out to a wide demographic in order to develop the best team possible. The program is currently ranked 130th in the nation and 11th in the state of Virginia. The program’s busy schedule of league games and tournaments brought Rosa-DiStefano to the

Photos Courtesy of: Gregoria Rosa-DiStefano

Julius Rosa-DiStefano will play soccer for Mason in the spring. attention of scouts. But the time-consuming nature of the soccer program, combined with a desire to continue playing basketball, left Rosa-DiStefano with a diﬃcult choice to make. “Originally, I was leaning toward playing more basketball. I was going to play AAU basketball my sophomore and junior year, but that ended up running into soccer season,” Rosa-DiStefano said. “So it really got complicated, but I ended up deciding on soccer this year.” After committing to play soccer at Mason last summer, Rosa-DiStefano continued to play basketball at the high school level. He made the varsity team for the second year in a row and was part of a successful senior year campaign that earned the Bulldogs the Northern Region Championship and a trip to the Virginia State Championship tournament. “Each sport helped out with each other in a way. I had to learn to balance my time more,” RosaDiStefano said. Despite Rosa-DiStefano’s colorful and storied high school career in soccer and basketball, the incoming freshman is not in the habit of living in the past. Rather, Rosa-DiStefano is already looking forward to the next chapter in his life and readying himself to make an impact on the new program anxiously awaiting his arrival. He is also anticipating the new experiences college life will bring. “I’m looking forward to playing,” Rosa-DiStefano said. “I think I can bring some speed and goal-scoring to the team. I am also looking forward to living on my own and experiencing the college life while taking diﬀerent courses. Hopefully, I can become a leader later in my time at George Mason,”

Photos by: Dakota Cunningham

Inspired by the popular board game Battleship, Mason Recreation held a Battleship tournament this Saturday. The objective of the games was to sink the opposing teams’ boats by tossing buckets of water into their hull. Teams were required to have a minimum of four members with at least one girl in the boat. “We played last semester for the intramural staﬀ. They loved it and have been talking trash and waiting for the next round ever since,” Bazzano said. Battleship will become an oﬃcial intramural league sport in the fall. Above, teams battle to sink each others boats during the tournament. Right, a player salutes as his ship goes down after taking on too much water.

Highlights Highl Hig hlig ights ights May 2

Grad Students Get Happy at The Well Join Graduating Graduate Students at The Well for Happy Hour

How Ho w man manyy ways way

ou will yyou

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2012

May 7

Hang out with us at Hard Times Cafe Remember the Good Times at Hard Times May 16

Graduates, join us for a toast! One Last Look: A Graduation Celebration RSVP by May 4 to get your commemorative Mason Alumni champagne Glass

even ven ents ts at a see all of the planned e events

g adf gradf adfest est.g est .gmu.edu .gmu .edu gradfest.gmu.edu Wher W here her e Innovation Innovation Is Inno I Tradition Tradition Where

| 11

Sports

From NFL General Manager to Mason Professor After His 24-Year Career as an Executive for the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans, Charley Casserly Has Found a New Home in Fairfax Cody Norman Managing Editor Nothing came easy for Charley Casserly. As a 26-year-old coach at Minnechaug High School, Casserly lost everything he owned in a house fire. He had just $500 in the bank, a car with 120,000 miles on it and various pieces of old furniture that he acquired from Goodwill and the Salvation Army. "I didn't have a lot," Casserly said. "But I had enough." After paying his own way through both high school and college, Casserly developed a strong work ethic at an early age. He picked up a variety of different jobs, selling newspapers and working at a local grocery store to pay tuition at Bergen Catholic High School. He held down three jobs during the summer to help pay for his education at Springfield College. And at age 28, he finally caught a break. Casserly was offered an unpaid internship with the Washington Redskins, where he worked directly with legendary coach George Allen. "I had been in the working world for a long time," Casserly said. "But when I had the opportunity to go to the Redskins, I knew it was an opportunity of a lifetime." Casserly originally planned on spending seven months as an intern before making a decision on his future. He spent much of that time in training camp with the team and on the road, unearthing unpolished talent as a scout. "When you're in that position, you appreciate the opportunity more," Casserly said. “When it’s like sudden death, you under-

stand how serious this is and decide that nobody is going to outwork you.” After several months of sleeping on a couch and renting out a nightly space in the local YMCA for $8 a night, Casserly was hired as a scout in February 1978 and earned a salary of $17,000 per year. Despite having barely enough money to live comfortably, Casserly handed over his first paycheck to the people who helped him the most. He listened to the advice of his little league football coach, the person who Casserly says had the biggest influence on his life as a young man. “He made a comment,” Casserly said. “He said, ‘That’s not how things work. What you want to do is go help somebody else like I helped you.’ So I never forgot that.” During his early years as a scout, he discovered free agents Joe Jacoby and Jeff Bostic, who were original members of the famed "Hogs" offensive line and key components of Washington's first two Super Bowl teams. While working his way up the ladder with the Redskins, Casserly put his mentor’s words into action and helped restart the franchise's internship program that was discontinued shortly after he was hired. "Obviously, I started as an intern with the Redskins," Casserly said. "We needed people to work but we just wanted to give young people a chance." As a key piece to the program, Casserly has been able to help more than 30 people, including current New Orleans Saints’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, move on to successful positions within college or

professional sports. During the NFL strike in 1987, Casserly was put in charge of assembling a team of replacement players, a task that is seemingly enshrined with the release of the 2000 Warner Bros. film The Replacements. "You come to work everyday and your players are out there picketing, so you were torn," Casserly said. "But you have a job to do. You don't know how long this thing is going to last, so once you walked through the parking lot and into the building, you went to work." Casserly and his team pulled players from Canada and called on four men from a halfway house to fill the Redskins' roster and lead the team to victories over the St. Louis Rams and the New York Giants before they faced off against their longtime arch rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins were the undisputed underdogs. Superstar players such as Tony Dorsett and Ed Lee “Too Tall” Jones had crossed the picket line and were supposed to defeat Washington handily. But the Redskins shocked the world and defeated the Cowboys by a final score of 13-7. "It was an exciting experience for all of us," Casserly said. Shortly thereafter, Casserly was promoted to general manager. In what is perhaps one of the most impressive Draft Day moves in NFL history, Casserly acquired all of the New Orleans Saints 1999 selections, plus their firstand third-round picks in 2000 by swapping the Redskins' fifth selection in the first round for the Saints' 12th choice, all the while managing to obtain the player Washington wanted, future Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey.

Picks from a Pro QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts One of the most pro-ready quarterbacks I have ever scouted. QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins Extraordinary athlete. Great arm. Really smart guy. OT Matt Kalil, Minnesota Vikings

Best offensive lineman in the draft. RB Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns

Photo Courtesy of: ched.gmu.edu

With the loss of Peyton Hillis, there really is no [runningback] there.

He continued the Redskins' history of uncovering high-quality players in the later rounds of the draft and selected Brian Mitchell (1990), Stephen Davis (1996) and Keenan McCardell (1991). And, most impressively, Casserly played an integral role in assembling three of the Redskins' four Super Bowl-winning teams. "Those were the greatest experiences," Casserly said. "That is the ultimate goal." Casserly always knew that, at the end of his career as an NFL executive, he wanted to teach at the college level and do something on televison. “Coaching is teaching,” Casserly said. “In fact, it’s the ultimate form of teaching. So I was around great teachers for my entire career in the NFL. The principles I see in coaching are the same principles I see in teaching.” He has been able to fulﬁll both of those dreams, teaching Professional development in the School of Recreation, Health & Tourism while serving as an NFL Insider on The NFL Today on CBS. “At this point in my life,” Casserly said, “I’m doing everything that I wanted to do.”

CB Morris Claiborne, Tampa Bay Buccaneers He has Pro Bowl potential as a cover corner. WR Justin Blackmon, St. Louis Rams

There need a receiver desperately and he is the best receiver in the draft.

DE Melvin Ingram, Jacksonville Jaguars There is a big pass rusher need in Jacksonville. He can rush from multiple positions. QB Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins He’s got athletic ability. He’s got an arm. He’s got the ability to read things. But he’s relatively inexperienced. DT Fletcher Cox, Carolina Panthers

Most complete and safest defensive tackle in this draft.

OT Riley Reiff, Buffalo Bills

There is a big need at left tackle, so this is a natural for them. For more from Charley Casserly, follow him on Twitter at @CharleyCasserly

NFL Draft April 26-26 NFL Network

Weekly Rundown Colleen Wilson Sports Editor Track and Field The team posted 16 IC4A/ECAC qualifying marks at the Michael Johnson Dr. Pepper Classic hosted by Baylor University in Waco, Texas. The women’s team accounted for three of the individual wins and two ECAC relay records. The men had nine individual scores and two relay IC4A marks.

Volleyball The men’s volleyball team ended their regular season with a 3-2 loss to Princeton, dropping to 12-16 overall. The team will play second seed Harvard in the tournament semiﬁnals on Thursday at Penn State.

Softball The Patriots lost all three games in their weekend series against Towson University. Saturday’s score was 4–2, Towson. Senior Miranda Cranford

pitched seven innings and gave up ﬁve hits.

Baseball The baseball team improved to 27–15 overall and 13–8 in the CAA in their weekend doubleheader against Old Dominion University. The team prevailed 16-6 in their Friday game.

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Lacrosse Towson pulled through a tie at halftime to come out victorious 15–9 over the Patriots on Friday.

Reckless Driving Drunk in Public

Men’s Tennis The Patriots fell 4–0 in the CAA quarter ﬁnals to second seed Georgia State at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

Women’s Tennis The women’s tennis team lost 4–0 to James Madison University in the ﬁrst round of the CAA championship.

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12 | Monday, April 23, 2012

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