Feb. 28 issu

A Mason student who was in Cairo during Egyptian protests of Hosni Mubarak’s government shares his experience with Broadside.

Read about his stay in the country’s capital during the revolt.

Pg. 3 Photo from fallforthebook.org

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

February 28, 2011

Volume 87 Issue 16

Mason jihadist gets 25 years Al-Amrikee threatened creators of ‘South Park’ Gregory Connolly News Editor Former George Mason University student Zachary Adam Chesser, now known as Abu Tal-

hah al-Amrikee, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after attempting to provide material to a Somali-based terrorist organization and threatening the lives of the writers of “South Park,” ac-

cording to an article in the Christian Science Monitor.

Al-Amrikee also posted a message on revolutionmuslim.com on April 15, 2010, following a “South Park” episode that featured the prophet Muhammad in a bear costume, according to an April 23 Connect2Mason article.

Al-Amrikee’s message said: “We have to warn [Matt Stone and

Trey Parker, the creators of “South Park”] that what they are doing is stupid, and they will probably wind up like Theo van Gogh for airing this show. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them.”

Van Gogh was a Dutch filmmaker killed after producing a film criticizing the treatment of women in Islamic societies.

Al-Amrikee posted the names and addresses of people who participated in the satiric “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” on a militant Islamic website, according to the Christian Science Monitor article.

“I did not think [my comments] would garner quite this large of a reaction, but they were intended to turn this into a story so that the Muslims would not just

let this event go unnoticed,” AlAmrikee said in an e-mail to Connect2Mason in 2010.

Al-Amrikee dropped out of Mason in the spring of 2008, according to the Connect2Mason article.

Al-Amrikee’s lawyer, Michael Nachmanoff, was not available for comment at the time of this article’s printing.

WIN STREAK CONTINUES

Photo By Jake McLernon

Students sit in on a Feb. 23 Student Government mee ng discussing George Mason University’s smoking policy.

Student Government holds forum on smoking Students voice their concern on smoking policy Nathan Dorfman Staff Writer Sophomore nursing and psychology major Sabena Richter, who attended a Student Government sponsored open forum Feb. 23 about smoking on campus, does not appreciate inhaling second-hand smoke as she walks by buildings on campus.

“I’m an asthmatic and secondhand smoke affects my health,” Richter said.

She is not the only one who has an opinion on the topic.

Around 70 students attended the forum, which provided a venue for students to voice concerns about Mason’s smoking policy. Student Government senators Matthew Short, Alex Williams and Michael Shaffer led the forum.

According to Virginia state law, one cannot smoke within 25 feet of a public building.

“It’s definitely not enforced,” said Molly O’Rourke, a nonprofit administration major. “Perhaps it can be enforced through the [res-

ident advisors].”

Wesley Boynton, a music education major, also believes that RAs could help resolve the problem.

“Enforcing the 25-foot rule would be much easier if RAs cared,” Boynton said. “They generally tend to let it go.”

Krista Germanis, a sophomore communication major, offered another suggestion.

“Perhaps there could be a painted line 25 feet from each building, saying ‘no smoking past this point,’” said Germanis.

On the other hand, not all students believe that enforcing the 25-foot rule is necessary.

“I don’t think it is a big enough issue to enforce,” said Chris Passarello, a junior information technology major.

Disagreement exists between smokers and nonsmokers on campus, the right to smoke is often at odds with others right to protect their health by breathing clean air.

See FORUM, Page 3

New restaurants coming soon Auntie Anne’s, Einstein Bros., Red Mango opening in fall Jeff Giorgi Asst. News Editor George Mason University’s ever-expanding list of restaurants is about to get bigger this fall.

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Red Mango and Einstein Bros.

Bagels will all be taking their place alongside Southside, Pilot House and the Johnson Center restaurants.

“These restaurants all offer something new and unique,” said Denise Ammaccapane, Sodexo’s resident district manager.

“People love Auntie Anne’s,” said Ebonie Gibbs, a freshman government and inter-

national politics major. “They have really good strawberry lemonade.”

Several factors are considered when determining if a new restaurant is needed — space availability, what students are looking for and health options all play a role.

“Red Mango is wonderful because it’s glutenfree, kosher, fat free and all the toppings are free.

There’s nothing like it on campus,” Ammaccapane said.

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Red Mango will both occupy the lower level of the

See RESTAURANTS, Page 3

Photo By Peter Flint

The George Mason Patriots beat Northeastern on Thursday to clinch the regular season CAA title. The Patriots will play the winner of the UNCW/GSU game at noon in Saturday's CAA tournament quarterfinals in Richmond, Va.

Mason Inn receives LEED-Gold certification

The Mason Inn becomes the first LEEDcer fied Hotel in Virginia and the first building at George Mason University to receive this classifica on.

Becomes first hotel in Virginia to receive distinction Photo By Peter Flint

Laura Bolt Administration Beat Reporter The Mason Inn Conference Center and Hotel has received a LEED-Gold certification, which identifies the hotel as a highly energy-efficient and sustainable building. The Inn is the first hotel in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive this classification and the first LEED-certified building at George Mason University.

LEED certification, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, was established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified through the Green Building Certification Institute. It is a third-party certification program. It recognizes both design and construction aspects of a development to ensure

environmental sustainability.

According to Concord Eastridge’s Andrew Klamon, the developer on this project, George Mason University built the Inn with LEED certification in mind. While Mason’s original goal was to achieve Silver status, they were able to go further and get the Gold rating.

The LEED review process evaluates sustainable site selection, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environment. Extra points are given for design innovation and regional priority. A building must score more than 60 points on a scale of 110 to be awarded Gold status. Silver status is 50 points and above.

The Mason Inn is a testament to emerging building practices. Using lighter-

colored materials and a reflective roof saves energy. This is part of a “thermal envelope,” which results in energy savings greater than 15 percent.

The Inn also achieved sustainability through its use of local materials. Steel and concrete used in the building were sourced within 500 miles of the site. More than 20 percent of the materials used were carried regionally, many of which were crafted by local manufacturers. In addition, the building is decorated with local, sustainable, drought-resistant plants.

Recycling was also important in building the Inn.

See INN, Page 2

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75

The percentage of construction waste that was recycled during the construction of The Mason Inn.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Event Calendar Monday, Feb. 28 Music Department Recital Harris Theater 12:30 p.m.

Vision Speaker Series Concert Hall 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 1 Commencement Grad Fair Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

PEP Film Bollywood: I Hate Luv Story Student Union Building I, Room 1400 5 - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 2

Photo By Regine Jean-Francois

Port-au-Prince residents look at a building that collapsed during the Jan. 12, 2010, 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Hai . Regine Jean-Francois, a Mason student, was visi ng family in Hai at the me of the natural disaster.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Mason Hall, Room D5 11 a.m. - noon

Getting back on solid ground

What Do You Want Wednesday?

Johnson Center, North Plaza, Clock Tower 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Mason student reflects on Haiti earthquake experience Monika Joshi

Thursday, March 3 Mason Cares Training Student Union Building I, Room 3129 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

GBay Auction Johnson Center, Atrium 5 - 9 p.m.

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

POLICE FILES Theft From Building Aquia Hall Complaintent stated that person(s) unkown [sic] stole various GMU property. Estimated loss $510.00 (53/Colson)

Feb. 21

Medical Assist Metered Lot Subject was transported by EMS to the hospital for treatment. (40/Ross) Two Vehicle Accident Rappahannock Parking Deck Estimated $2,000.00. (53/Colson)

Medical Assist Freedom Center Subject evaluated by EMS and declined transportation to the hospital. (34/Ganley)

Warrant Service Police Headquarters Ashley Jennings, 21 yrs from Stafford, VA, (GMU) was arrested for assault and battery. She was released on personal recognizance. (37/Radfar)

Copy Chief It was almost 4 p.m. and Regine Jean-Francois was still in her mother’s office, nagging her to leave. Jean-Francois was eager to meet her friends for her last night in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, but she still had to stop to get groceries and gas.

Suddenly, Jean-Francois heard a loud growling. She looked over at her mother, butbefore she had a chance to ask about the noise, it grew louder and the building began to violently shake.

“I could see the library that my mom had in her office,” JeanFrancois said. “All the books were falling down, and pictures were flying off the wall.”

It was Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010.

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake had just struck Haiti. Jean-Francois, a public health graduate student at George Mason University, was visiting her family in Haiti and ended up in the middle of the chaos.

Following a short struggle, Jean-Francois and her mother managed to escape the building.

A blur of events followed: the mother and daughter tried to contact family members and comforted and calmed the panicked people around them.

About two hours later, they headed home.

On their way up the trafficjammed Delmas, a major Portau-Prince road, they passed the grocery store, which had collapsed with hundreds of people inside. They tried to help those in nearby cars, including a woman who had lost four fingers on one of her hands.

“We could still feel everything shaking,” Jean-Francois said. “Mind you, we were still on empty. So not only do we have the stress of what building’s going to fall on the car … [but

Feb. 22

Theft From Building Science and Tech II Complainant stated that person(s) unknown stole his laptop while it was left unattended. Estimated loss $210.00. (48/Surber)

Suspicious Event Freedom Center Complainant reported a suspicious event at the Freedom Center. (22/Barton)

Possession of Marijuana Lot T Cecile Wolfe, 20 years of age (GMU) from Manassas, VA was arrested for the above offense. Subject was released on a summons. (40/Ross)

Police Files are taken verbatim from www.gmu.edu/police.

Broadside does not make any changes to public records.

also] whether we are going to make it home.”

Darkness had fallen by the time the two women made it home. Their house had survived the quake and Jean-Francois’ father was safe.

In a matter of a few hours, the city Jean-Francois loved had changed completely. That night was the longest of her life, as she thought about the devastation and what would come next.

“The whole night you could feel the ground shaking … and you were just waiting for something to fall,” she said.

Jean-Francois recalls roaming around Port-au-Prince the next morning in search of a coffin or morgue for her uncle, who had passed away during the quake.

“There were just piles and piles of people on the ground,” said Jean-Francois. “Like a pile of trash that you’re throwing away.

There was no space in the cemetery to put them. That was the most awful thing that I saw and remember.”

For the next few days, JeanFrancois helped her mother, director of the Catholic Medical Mission Board in Haiti, supply medicine to nearby hospitals.

Jean-Francois wanted to remain in Haiti to help her country, but her parents urged her to return to the United States.

“A lot of our parents believe that we are the future of Haiti,” Jean-Francois said. "So they wanted us to finish our education. The faster we went, the faster we would come back and help rebuild the country.”

When Jean-Francois left for the United States six days later, Haiti was still in turmoil. Communication was difficult, there was still no electricity and people had “literally moved their bedrooms to the street.” JeanFrancois was pained to see everyone living out on the

streets.

“I was lucky to have a solid house and be able to travel to come back here,” she said. “But when I think about others, who already don’t have anything and lost the little things that they did have, it makes me even more sad.

“Yeah, I probably couldn’t rebuild their houses, but just showing them that we’re all going through this together … that’s a little helpful and I would have been happy to do that.”

Lending a hand On Monday, Jan. 19, 2010, Jean-Francois was back at Mason for the start of the spring semester. She was still traumatized from the quake; the mere mention of Haiti brought tears to her eyes, and even slight shaking or noise bothered her.

However, Jean-Francois did her best to hold herself together.

“There was no time for wasting or for failing a class or anything,” she said. “I had to focus … and that’s what I did.”

Alongside her studies, Jean-Francois worked to collect donations for Haiti. By the end of the semester, she had received approval to run a summer camp for children in Haiti. The purpose of the camp was to teach kids, some of whom were victims of the earthquake, about emergency preparedness and safety.

“We had some practice drills to teach them what to do in [case of a natural disaster],” Jean-Francois said. “We don’t have that in Haiti. In my case, I learned it at school, on TV or here at Mason.”

In the fall, Jean-Francois was approached by Mason’s Global Health Students Beyond Borders, a group that provides global health services to underserved people. President Valerie Bampoe and Vice President

Shaneka Thurman were looking to do a project abroad this spring break.

“Haiti naturally came to mind because it was nearing the point of the one year anniversary of the quake … and because of its proximity and large need,” Bampoe said.

Jean-Francois talked to her mother about project needs in Haiti and decided that GHSBB could evaluate the Community Health and AIDS Mitigation Program.

“The purpose of [CHAMP] is to improve the health and quality of life of vulnerable families and [people living with HIV/AIDS] in the community,” Jean-Francois said.

During the trip, 10 students from GHSBB, including JeanFrancois, will be surveying clinics in the Thiotte and Jacmel communities of Haiti. They will talk with patients and conduct an in-depth analysis so they can provide recommendations on improving the program.

Moving forward A year after the quake, Haiti continues to recover from the destruction. Some rubble remains and many people are still living in tents, said Jean-Francois, who last visited the country during winter break.

“I am still happy to be Haitian, grateful to be able to visit again and impatient to move back,” she said.

Jean-Francois will be graduating in May, but plans on remaining in the U.S. for a few years to gain work experience.

Though her experience with the earthquake was traumatizing, she said it also helped her grow as a person.

“It motivated me a lot more to finish school and be more interested in public health to see how I can go back and help my people,” Jean-Francois said.

All new facilities at Mason designed and built to at least LEED-Silver standards INN, from front During construction, 75 percent of construction waste was recycled and 32.5 percent of total building materials were made from recycled materials.

Water efficient toilets and other fixtures save water usage by 30 percent. Heating and cooling is optimized with temperature and light controls in each room and outside ventilation to help control temperatures.

Green procedures inside the Inn include low DOC paint, low-energy light-bulbs and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Additionally, staff members are educated on best environmental procedures.

Klamon said the Inn’s location on campus is part of its green appeal. By providing less parking, the Inn encourages more public transportation.

The Inn, which opened in 2010, cost $50 million and was made possible by the Virginia Public Private Education Act. According to Concord Eastridge’s press release, the Inn project won Mid-Atlantic Construction magazine’s Project of the Year award in the Multi-Family Residential/Hospitality category.

Tom Calhoun, vice president of facilities, says that sustainable building and LEED certi-

fication is, and will continue to be, an important part of Mason. According to Calhoun, the Long and Kimmy Nguyen Engineering Building has been certified Silver and the Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore dorms are under review with the expected rating to be Gold.

“All our new facilities are being designed and built to at least LEED-Silver standards,” Calhoun said.

Klamon said that the process of building the Inn was a group effort, from Mason’s support and facilities management, to companies like Balfour Beatty Construction, Gensler Architecture and Aramark, who worked together to further the goal of sustainability

Broadside

News

Monday, February 28, 2011 | 3

Student government will host another forum FORUM, from front Protecting the rights of both smokers and non-smokers is difficult, Schaffer said.

“It is important to raise awareness and respect one another,” said William. “Smokers can smoke without impeding on one’s rights to breathe clean air.”

“Being able to hold this forum is a privilege,” said Short.

“This is our chance to influence what the policy will be.”

Some students believe that designated smoking areas can help alleviate the problem, while remaining respectful to both perspectives.

“At Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, there are designated gazebos for smoking,” said Annmarie DeLury, a sophomore majoring in criminology. “The gazebos are covered so smokers don’t have to worry about rain or inclement weather.”

“These gazebos could be out of the way for non-smokers, but accessible to smokers at the same time,” DeLury said.

Approximately 20 students posed questions during the forum. Because of the forum’s successful turnout, Student Government will host another smoking policy forum after spring break in a larger location on campus.

Einstein Bros. will have two locations RESTAURANTS, from front

STUCK IN EGYPT

Photo By Matthew Wilchek

George Mason University student Ma hew Wilchek, set to study in Cairo before the protests, took this picture from a bus on the way to Cairo Interna onal Airport on Jan. 29.

Mason student witnesses Egyptian revolution Gregory Connolly News Editor For George Mason University junior Matthew Wilchek, Egypt seemed like an excellent place to go for a semester abroad.

Wilchek, a global affairs major and Middle East studies minor, was in Egypt when protests against Hosni Mubarak's government began in January.

The Egyptian protests followed demonstrations in Tunisia seeking the removal of autocratic ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Egyptian protesters fought against Mubarak's dictatorship, citing a lack of freedom of speech and elections, police brutality and governmental corruption, which eventually lead to Mubarak handing control to Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces on Feb. 11.

Wilchek arrived in Egypt a few days before the start of the revolution as a foreign exchange student. He was set to begin classes at American University in Cairo when the protests began.

Arrival in Egypt On Jan. 21, Wilchek arrived at Cairo International Airport at 6 p.m. Immediately, he began to experience a sense of culture shock.

“Right away, I thought it was surreal that I was in Egypt,” Wilchek said. “Traffic would make a three lane highway into four lanes. Cars were inches away from hitting other cars. It's normal for everyone to honk at everything. If you do that here, I feel like everyone would get annoyed.”

When Wilchek arrived at his dorm in Zamalek, located about five miles from downtown Cairo, he discovered a point system corresponding to student rules.

“If you get seven points worth of violations, you're kicked out of the dorms,” Wilchek said. “You get two points for any kind of public display of affection — a hug from the opposite sex, holding hands, a kiss on the cheek, anything.

You get three points for having any kind of alcohol even if you're of age.”

Wilchek said some students discussed going to a club, but decided against it when they found out they would receive four points for public intoxication. He said if someone stole something they would receive seven points, and if someone was found in the dorm hall for the opposite gender, they would be expelled.

“I said, I'm here to learn the culture and take classes, not to party,” Wilchek said. “I can live with that.”

Wilchek said the first few days in Egypt were calm. He began adjusting to Cairo where he would begin his new academic life.

“In the beginning they had The protests begin “Around Wednesday [Jan. all kinds of food and drink, but 24], rumors were spreading that after a couple of days, you could there were going to be protests only pick water, tea and coffee,” in downtown Cairo by the 25th,” Wilchek said.

Classes were supposed to Wilchek said. “People were saying it wouldn't be bad. There was begin Jan. 28, but were pushed a trip to the Pyramids planned back to Feb. 2.

“I'm locked in my dorm for the 26th that we were excited room, I have no class, we're runfor.”

Wilchek went downtown ning out of food and the banks with a friend on the morning of aren't open, so if I run out of Jan. 25 and encountered “hun- money, I'll be screwed,” Wilchek dreds of cops in riot gear with said. “Finally around Sunday, the shields and helmets [who] were international phones came on so blockading a whole bunch of I could call my parents and tell them that everything was going streets.

“We went to orientation OK.” and as we were Evacuation coming back, “I’m locked in my from Egypt you could see dorm room, I W i l c h e k ’s hundreds of peohave no class, parents recomple massing in the streets,” we’re running out mended that he leave Egypt.

Wilcheck said. of food and the “I told my W h e n banks aren’t parents I wanted Wilchek reto stay and wait it turned to the open.” out because I dorm, there were mostly went to new rumors Egypt for my abound — -Matthew Wilchek, major, global afphone and InterMason exchange student fairs concentratnet services were ing in Middle going to be shut off soon and the trip to the Pyr- Eastern studies, and I thought it would look really good on a reamids was canceled.

“I was getting worried,” sume if I stayed,” Wilchek said.

Wilchek said his parents Wilchek said. “Others wanted to go downtown, but I didn't want urged him to contact the U.S. to go and get shoved or hit or Embassy to try to secure a way stoned. I called my parents and out of the country before conditold them that I might not have tions deteriorated further.

“Later in the evening [Sunphone or Internet for the next day], the U.S. Embassy said they few days.”

Wilchek contacted AUC may not be able to guarantee a and requested a dorm room on way out of the country after campus, located much further Thursday [Feb. 3],” Wilchek said. from downtown Cairo than Za- “When I told my parents that, malek. A new space was found they said they wanted me home now.” for Wilchek within an hour.

On Monday, Jan. 29, the

By Jan. 26, the revolution U.S. Embassy announced an was in full swing.

“Friday, the 26th, they shut evacuation plan. Charter flights off the internet and phones,” would depart from Cairo AirWilchek said. “The university port.

“They were organizing trips implemented a curfew. Nobody could leave the dorm building to the airport that day, and they area all day. I was grateful I said I should pack immediately,” moved because in Zamalek I Wilchek said. “The airport was would only be able to go out of getting really backed up with my room and down to the lobby people trying to leave.”

Wilchek left AUC on Monwhereas at the university, I could walk around campus, play bas- day and took a bus to the airport.

“I saw 20 army tanks paketball and use the sports facilitrolling the highways. If you ties.”

“The Egyptians I encoun- weren't in Tahrir Square and tered, the locals in the dorms at were just walking around the AUC, were quite apologetic to streets on your own, you were international students for what going to get arrested,” Wilchek was happening,” Wilchek said. said. “They had checkpoints and “Some of them came to me as I army tanks, and they had solleft and tried to convince me to diers with machine guns and jeeps with turrets on them.” stay, but I said it was too crazy.”

During his time at AUC, Wilchek said his Egyptian peers asked if he was going to re- Wilchek watched the protests turn after the revolution. He said on local television. Protesters there was a common sentiment were filmed throwing Molotovs among them, that it was “a great at the authorities. The media antime for Egyptians to stand up nounced that Mubarak had sent and do what was right for them.” out police officers dressed like He said he didn't encounter civilians into the crowds, Mubarak supporters anywhere equipped with police batons.

Wilchek arrived at the airbut on local television.

Wilchek said food supplies port to find the U.S. Embassy on campus began to run low using a private terminal to organize flights out of Cairo. over the weekend.

“There were a thousand people waiting outside the terminal,” Wilchek said. “The line was humongous. Homeland Security was in red shirts and they said [to] get in the back of the line.”

American citizens leaving on the flights were only allowed one carry-on bag and one suitcase. The maximum weight for the suitcase was 44 pounds, so people were forced to take out their clothing and layer up or else face the prospect of sending their belongings back to the United States through the mail, Wilchek said.

“I left half my wardrobe in Egypt,” Wilchek said. “They said AUC was supposed to mail it, but I have yet to receive anything.”

Wilchek waited in line for nine hours without food. Homeland Security passed out water bottles, but no food.

“The majority of people in line weren't students,” Wilchek said. “They were mostly retired couples there touring or families of Homeland Security employees.”

Wilchek said at one point, six sport utility vehicles drove up to the front of the line. Eight to 12 people wearing bulletproof vests and carrying assault rifles got out and escorted two people in suits to the front of the line.

“The body guards were glaring at everyone in line and were ready to shoot us,” Wilchek said.

“I was getting really scared. I thought of Call of Duty when the airport gets shot up — they looked like those people.”

Wilchek flew to Istanbul that night and was separated from most of his group. Many students decided to use the time to travel in Europe, but Wilchek decided to come back to the United States because he could still complete his semester at Mason and study abroad next year.

Back at Mason “I really want to say that I give a lot of credit and thanks to the Global Education Program we have here,” Wilchek said.

“Without the Global Education Office, I may not have been easily able to come back to Mason.

They were on top of their game.”

Wilchek spoke to representatives from the office every day as he worked out his return to Mason. He is now back and attending classes on the Fairfax campus.

“When I came back and went to my first day of classes, someone was trying to advertise the study abroad program at Oxford,” Wilchek said. “She said every student who went loved it, but I raised my hand and said it wasn't really for me. She said I was probably the only one.”

“Right now 11 [a.m.] to 11 [p.m.] seems to have some potential.”

In all these locations, options Tidewater building located just are limited due to space restricbeside Southside. Einstein Bros. tions.

Bagels will have two locations — “None of the spaces available one in the Nguyen Engineering have ventilation so we can’t use building and the other opening in stoves or grills, which is why Einthe new University Hall. stein’s is so wonderful, fresh salads “Those buildings are so far and sandwiches,” Ammaccapaneremoved from everything and said. have very little options in that area “It’ll be nice not to see a new so it was a natural fit,” said Am- fast food style restaurant [and] inmaccapane. stead having something healthy,” “The spacing said Tavia Adams, is really good,” said an undeclared “I was thinking S a m a n t h a freshman.

Samuels, a freshAs is the case about taking a man biology major. in most circumclass in the engi- stances, the dining “I was thinking neering building facilities will acabout taking a class in the Engineering cept cash, credit just for the EinBuilding just for card, Mason stein location.” the Einstein locamoney and most tion.” likely student No exact date meal plans, Am-Samantha Samuels, has been cemented maccapane said. freshman biology major for the opening of Despite the each restaurant, many additions but students coming to Mason’s should expect to menu, there will see them at the start of the fall se- likely be more new restaurants in mester. The hours of operation the future. have yet to be specified.

“We did a master plan a few “We’re tinkering around with years ago, and it’s always just a the hours currently, asking stu- matter of space availability and dents and just figuring out what what the students are looking for,” works best,” Ammaccapane said.

Ammaccapane said.

Photo by Antonieta Rico

Runners race during the 2011 No Fear In Love 6-Mile Race held on Saturday at George Mason University’s Prince William Campus. The race was organized to celebrate healthy da ng rela onships for 16 to 24-year olds.

No fear in love Mason student organizes race to promote healthy relationships Antonieta Rico Crime Beat Reporter About a dozen runners sprinted into the sunrise at 6:45 a.m. for the inaugural 2011 No Fear In Love 6-Mile Race on Saturday at George Mason University’s Prince William campus.

The race, dedicated to celebrating healthy relationships for young adults 16 to 24-years old, is a vision three years in the making for Karen Bontrager, a Mason student and the race organizer.

“This is a vision of what people deserve in life,” Bontrager said.

“Love is being with someone that empowers you and champions you.”

Bontrager said the idea for the race came in an epiphany when she found herself in an abusive relationship.

“I’ve experienced the yelling, the screaming, the punching, all of that,” Bontrager said. “I want people to realize that if you have fear in a relationship, you need to reevaluate it.”

The “No Fear in Love” theme struck a chord in Richard Thomas, a sergeant with the Pentagon Po-

lice Department, who ran the race with his family.

“The whole family came out today because we support this,” said Thomas, who is also a fulltime student at Mason, majoring in criminology, law and society.

“I thought it was just a great idea to do this,” he said. “There are a lot of people who live in fear of their boyfriends or loved ones, and there is just no room in this world, nowadays, for living in fear.”

Plans for next year’s race are already brewing in Bontrager’s mind. She is hopeful for the future of the race and how it can help celebrate and highlight healthy relationships for young adults.

“I really believe this is going to change history,” Bontrager said.

Thomas says he hopes that his family’s participation in the event can help spread the word about the race.

“We are one person, but one person turns into four, which turns into more," Thomas said.

Proceeds from the race will be donated to the Time To Fly Foundation, a faith-based organization that helps domestic violence survivors, Bontrager said.

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The amount of calories in one cooked medium onion.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Bandwidth Bandits Students breaking federal law receive copyright notices for illegal peer-to-peer downloading Marine Jaouen Copy Editor Simultaneously upholding Mason’s honor code and creating Hollywood’s next big venture, George Mason University’s Copyright Resources Office is fighting an ongoing war — robots vs. pirates.

According to the Copyright Office’s website, “The music industry association has commissioned the building of ‘locator bots,’” to catch the piracy of copyrighted content. So it begins.

Claudia Holland, head of the Copyright Office since 2006, handles all copyright issues at Mason.

Her assistant, Jacquelyn Rioux, handles copyright infringements.

Illegal downloading has become a popular alternative to buying copyrighted content. According to Holland, most downloaded content on campus is music, followed by movies and television shows.

“This is not only a violation of federal law, which people tend to forget,” said Holland. “It’s also an honor code violation at this university and it’s a violation of the responsible use of computing policy, which is what we have in place to protect our university network.”

According to the Copyright Office’s website, “The University Responsible Use of Computing policy forbids users from using Mason computing resources and networks for copyright violations.”

Although the Copyright Office sends out the notices to Mason students for copyright infringement, the content owners are the ones who are catching

perpetrators by using locator bots.

Individual companies, like Warner Bros., HBO or Columbia Records, may look for content under their label. However, associations like the Recording Industry Association of America or the Motion Picture Association of America are more virulent as a collective.

According to the Copyright Office’s website, the locator bots “systematically scan IP addresses looking to see if any of the common music sharing programs is active on a port (e.g., LimeWire, eDonkey, KaZaA). The bot asks the music program whether it has music and movie titles by particular artists. If the program answers positively, the bot reports the IP address and title to an authority, who then sends out violation notices.”

Through computer logs, computer lab managers can track the perpetrator by seeing who was logged onto the Mason network and using the information provided.

“We get a notice that has a timestamp on it, the name of the song, an IP address, a port number and what program they’re using,” Holland said. “So the information the RIAA sends us, we send to network operations. They identify who was logged on at that time, on that port, on that IP address.”

In addition, they work with internet providers to receive important information.

“The content industry is getting much more savvy and pressuring commercial providers like Cox and Verizon to shut down people who are download-

ing,” Holland said.

Rather than punish students after their first infringement, the Copyright Office offers a lenient three-step notification process.

The first “stop-it” notice gives students the benefit of the doubt. The notice reads, “Someone using a login registered to you is apparently sharing downloaded copyrighted music files, whose copyright owners have objected. … This notice specifies an IP address and time corresponding to a login registered to you … I have been requested to ask you to remove the material immediately.”

Although it may seem like a foolproof way to catch thieves, Holland said the information is not enough to prove someone’s guilt.

“They may have left their computer unattended,” Holland said. “They may have logged on to a friend’s or to a public computer and may not have logged off all the way.”

The second notice requires the perpetrator to make an appointment with Holland within a week of the notification. If they ignore the second notice, their access to the Mason network will be revoked, but they will still have access to their e-mail.

“This takes a lot of students by surprise,” Holland said.

On the third notice, the case is turned over to the Office of Judicial Affairs. According to Holland, this rarely happens.

“At some universities, students are cut off from the network on the first notice,” Holland said. “They

have to pay a fee to be reinstated. This gets expensive for a college student. We don’t want to go that route right now.”

In 2008, junior Bobby Edmonds received a notice for illegally downloading three seasons of the HBO show “Entourage.” He said they knew his IP address and exactly where he downloaded the files. Although he got caught once during his freshman year, he has not gotten any more notices.

“I still download stuff through Mason because they have really fast internet,” Edmonds said. “I have probably 500 movies on my computer and 100 gigs of music.”

In addition, he discussed his methods of downloading.

“A lot of people don’t use torrents anymore,” Edmonds said. “They’re starting to use direct downloads.”

Holland’s focus is on educating students about copyright laws. She works with University 100 classes and resident advisors to educate students on illegal downloading and internet safety “A student is a creator because they are creating content for their classes,” Holland said. “So they’re writing papers, they’re creating media projects, they’re doing art — they’re doing all kinds of things.

Those are their creations so they get a protection from the law as well.”

Holland’s final words of advice: “Be savvy.”

Copyright first notices sent to students by month Number of first notices sent out

Month (2010-2011)

FROM THE VAULT:

GBAY auction returns to campus An autographed copy of Snooki’s book, the chance to create and name a sandwich after yourself and hotel stays will all be up for bid when George Mason University’s GBAY auction returns on March 3.

Last year, the student-run auction raised $10,500 for student scholarships by auctioning off items such as parking spaces, personal chauffeur service to and

from class in the Mason Dining golf cart and the opportunity to fire the t-shirt gun at a Mason basketball game.

Departments across campus donate services or items to the list of items to be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to help students in financial need.

The auction will begin March 3 at 6 p.m. in the Johnson Center Atrium.

Want to see your byline on our next front page feature?

Get started writing for style today by e-mailing rzabarah@masonlive.gmu.edu

‘Back to the Future’ Erin Powell Asst. Style Editor Who knew combining a DeLorean, angry Libyan terrorists, 50s-style diners, skateboarding scenes and plutonium could make for such a popular movie?

In “Back to the Future,” music-loving teenager Marty McFly is accidentally transported 30 years back in time from 1985 to 1955 after his quirky scientist aquaintance, Doc Brown, gets into a sticky situation. His famed mode of transportation is a modified DeLorean DMC-12, which makes time travel possible with the notable flux capacitor.

Marty must navigate the streets of Hill Valley, survive runins with his overtly sexual teenage mom and escape confrontations with bully Biff Tannen, all before a historic lightning storm which can send him back to the future.

If unable to succeed, he risks disappearing entirely, threatening to change the course of history forever.

Directed by film genius Robert Zemeckis and produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg, “Back to the Future” was critically acclaimed and provided arguably the most memorable roles for Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly) and Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown).

BTTF was also one of the most popular trilogies in American film, leading the way for countless movie sequels we can’t get enough of today. Although Part II is set in the bizarre futuristic year of 2015 and Part III resembles a western, Part I remains the favorite out of the trilogy.

In memory of the 25th anniversary of the eccentric film, the complete “Back to the Future” set

was re-released on Blu-Ray and DVD last year which made countless fans of the pop culture classic go wild.

BTTF fans can find solace in the franchise’s video games, amusement park ride, animated series and a selection of gear available at 80stees.com. Nike is even working on a patent to release the self-lacing Air Mag shoe Marty wears in Part II. “Back to the Future” taught us how to have an imagination and how to have fun doing it. Hollywood has long forgotten the times of nerdy, comedic films that didn’t rely on far-fetched schemes carried out over the course of one hazy night (e.g. “Superbad”). All it took was a creative idea, some inspiration and a little Spielberg magic. For now, let’s get back to the past.

Broadside

Style

Cheap Eats with Ramy Zabarah

Monday, February 28, 2011 | 5

For everyone who likes to experiment with new and elaborate recipes, I commend you. I, too, am one for challenges, and although they can be disastrous, every now and then a masterpiece is born.

Some days, however, I wake up with little energy to whip out the fresh herbs and spices, so I like to settle for what’s in the

Caramelized Onions 1 medium yellow onion 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon salt

One Onion, Caramelized

fridge. That doesn’t always mean leftovers, however.

It’s always a good idea to keep certain things in your kitchen as backup ingredients for those days when you don’t feel like cooking up a storm. Ingredients like eggs, cheese, pasta, frozen veggies or some tofu can yield a wide variety of quick and tasty meals that won’t leave you wondering why you ever cooked in the first place.

Whether you’d like to put together a quick salad, bake a fresh pizza or just like to snack on some bread and cheese, here’s a nice little addition to your rainy-day food stash.

I’ll admit, I hate raw onions, and I will not eat a salad if it’s got them in it. But whether you like it or not, they seem to show up everywhere. Let’s face it: They’re good for you! This is a great way to include onions in your favorite foods without cringing at every crunch.

Caramelizing an onion means slow-cooking it over low heat until the natural sugars are literally turned to caramel.

This results in lightly browned onion strips that are sweet and soft, perfect for your morning omelet, afternoon salad or evening pizza.

First, you’re going to need to peel the onion, then cut it into small strips, which shouldn’t be too difficult considering onions are already layered. Warning: Cutting onions will cause your eyes to water, and it is not comfortable. A good way to avoid the tears is to try not to breathe through your nose.

Once you’ve cut your onion, heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until the butter has melted. Let it sit for about 30 seconds before adding the onions.

Next, add the onion strips onto the skillet.

They should start to sizzle. Move them around to coat them in the oil and butter, then turn down the heat to the lowest setting. After about five minutes, sprinkle the salt over the onions and mix them around so that it spreads evenly among them.

The key to caramelizing onions is to cook them slowly over low heat to give the heated oil time to extract the natural sugars from the onion. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes to fully caramelize them. Make sure to move them around every five minutes or so to make sure they cook evenly.

You will know they’re ready when you taste an onion strip and there is absolutely no crunch in the texture. The onions should be sweet and yummy! At this point, you can turn off the heat and add them to whatever your dish. You can also refrigerate them and save them for later additions in the week.

Caramelized onions can make great toppings for salad, pizza, omelets or whatever your hungry mind desires. I also like to put them on a baguette with some Brie and snack on them when I’m not quite hungry enough for a meal. Use your imagination — you’d be surprised at how creative your stomach can be.

Bon appétit!

Annual Great Dates contest winning ideas

Geeks Are Freaks

For Healthy Relationships Week, Sexual Assault Services hosted its annual Great Dates Contest, which invited students to submit creative date ideas for Mason students that cost less than $30. The contest winners’ ideas, which are listed below, include taking a stroll amid D.C.’s famed cherry blossom trees, checking out an art museum and even grabbing hot dogs at 7-11. Read on and take notes on all the innovative ways you can impress your date, while saving a little cash too.

- Emily Sharrer, editor-in-chief

Top 5 Great Dates Ideas 2011 1.) Take your honeybun to the National Zoo, it’s only a Metro ride away ($6 each way). Admission is free and you can take pictures with the animals or sit back and snuggle on a bench.

2.) Take Mason to Metro, then Metro to the Jefferson Memorial Stop ($7 each way). Take a nice long stroll during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Have fun taking pictures and walking along the water. Then for lunch, grab a hot dog and a water ($7 per person).

To finish out the day, go to one of the many free art museums in D.C. and look at art from all around the world. A picture from this day will look great framed when your relationship has blossomed just as the flowers in the picture.

Stan Heaney, government and international politics 3.) Start the date in the morning by making kites with your partner. You’ll need paper, string, glue and wood sticks. Get on the Mason to Metro and take the Metro to the National Mall. Go to

Chris Tirado, communication and Brittany Beben, communication

Sabrina Speights, psychology Honorable Mention: 4.) There’s no better way to connect with someone than through helping others. Multiple organizations on campus have philanthropy sections and are great outlets for finding a way to volunteer. At the end of the day be sure to spend time with each other and rest. The help you provided others will give you a sense of accomplishment and a tenderness.

By relaxing afterward you are more inclined to feel closer to the other person. Relaxing can be watching a movie, art and/or making dinner to share with each other.

My great date would be a day at the National Aquarium in D.C. First my date and I would take the Mason to Metro shuttle (free) then purchase tickets to D.C. ($10 for both people). After that we would get off at Metro Center and buy tickets to the aquarium ($20 total).

Pack some snacks to bring along in case you get hungry and come back to Mason for dinner. Two swipes later, you and your date can have a three course meal at Southside.

- Anonymous

Nicholas Brightwell, government and international politics

Free Tickets for Mason Students!

Mason Players - Studio Series: Equus

The Vision Series: Spencer Crew, speaker Traveling on the Underground Railroad: Fact and Fiction Mon., Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

Free/Ticketed CH

Mar. 3, 4, & 5 at 8 p.m.; Mar. 5, 6 at 2 p.m. $ 12 adult, $8 student/senior BB Limited Free Student Tickets Available Now

Mason Wind Symphony & Symphonic Band Tues., Mar. 1 at 8 p.m. $ 15 adult, $10 student/senior CH Limited Free Student Tickets Available Now

The Acting Company: The Comedy of Errors Fri., Mar. 4 at 8 p.m. $ 36, $28, $18 CH ppd Free Student Tickets Available Now

Anita Hill Lecture: Re-imagining Equality: Gender, Race and Home in America Thurs., Mar. 3 at 1:30 p.m.

Free/Non-ticketed CH Visual Voices Series: Suzanne Hudson, speaker Contemporary Art, 1989 to the Present Thurs., Mar. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Free/Non-ticketed HT Tango Buenos Aires Thurs., Mar. 3 at 8 p.m. $ 42, $34, $26 HC ppd Sat., Mar. 5 at 8 p.m. & Sun., Mar. 6 at 4 p.m. $ 46, $38, $23 CH ppd Free Student Tickets Available Now ppd

=Pre-performance Discussion

ff

(contains explicit scenes and nudity)

NOVA Manassas Symphony: Mardi Gras Sat., Mar. 5 at 7:30 p.m. $ 15 adult, $12 Educators, $10 Senior HC Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 1 Chamber Orchestra & University Singers Tues., Mar. 8 at 8 p.m. $ 15 adult, $10 student/senior CH Limited Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 1 Theater of the First Amendment: 24, 7, 365 Mar. 10, 11, 12 at 8 p.m. $30 HT Mar. 12, 2 p.m.; Sun. Mar. 13, 4 p.m. $25 HT Limited Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 1

Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra: Met Jazz Goes Latin Sat. Mar. 12 at 8 p.m. $ 40, $32, $20 CH ff ppd Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 1 Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel Northern Stars Sun., Mar. 13 at 7 p.m. $38, $30, $19 CH Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 1

ff

Danú Fri., Mar. 18 at 8 p.m. $ 44, $36, $22 CH ff ppd Limited Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 8 Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Sat., Mar. 19 at 8 p.m. $ 55, $45, $35, $25 CH Limited Free Student Tickets Available Mar. 8 The Vision Series: Tyler Cowen, speaker The Financial Crisis: Where It Came From and Where We Are Headed Tues., Mar. 22 at 7 p.m.

Free/Ticketed HC

=Family Friendly BB=Black Box CH=Concert Hall DL=de Laski/3001 GT=Grand Tier III HC=Hylton Center HT=Harris Theater TS=TheaterSpace OR TH E RF

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

AR TS

Center for the Arts

E

There was a time when the first thing that came to mind when I heard the word “geek” was Steve Urkel. Now, it’s sex on a stick.

Think about it. Guys that have that geek persona about them usually go above and beyond to catch a hot girl’s attention. Once they get it, they have to keep it. Usually this comes with showing you his actual skills. Allow this.

Geeks will treat your body like the latest in technology; exploring every part of you, making sure that part is taken care of and known perfectly. They ask you what you like, using you as their own personal manual to your body.

To start, they analyze every position, discovering the different ways to make your body tremble with pleasure. Geeks make sure to last a long time, and they make sure they are good, tuning in to your every moan, every shake and every facial expression.

Geeks are sweet, unlike hot guys and gym buffs, who are normally self-centered. Any guy who knows how to satisfy a woman will care about getting you off rather than focusing on himself. In return, your moan, your

Kyra Wiseman, theater

5.) Meet at the Johnson Center and get sushi for two. You can share the chopsticks. Before eating, head out to Mason Pond with a blanket for two and some nonalcoholic drinks. Sit and eat sushi under the stars while you share a great conversation. End the evening by walking back to the dorm hand and hand, and give your date a kiss on the cheek.

CENT

Sex Columnist

sexy wetness and your heavy breathing will send him wild. Knowing he is making you feel this good will make him feel amazing, getting himself off just as he did for you.

The technology that geeks are into doesn’t stop at their desktops. Clever devices seem to make their way into the boudoir.

Gadgets are not the only kinds of buttons that geeks know how to push. They know the hot buttons on any girl they are trying to impress.

Geeks love to play with toys. They can already make you moan, tremble and grip the sheets. For a geek who wants nothing more than for you to not get enough of him, he will push for more. Dying to hear the screams, feel the scratches and endure the begging for more kisses, geeks use toys to bring sex to a whole new level.

Your body is a science project that a geek must master. An A+ is a necessity; a B just simply won’t do.

Don’t be biased, let a geek give you a few lessons in pleasure. You’ll be surprised how your taste changes from bad boy to glasses with just one good lay.

TONIGHT!

Brandi Morehead

the middle of the lawn and fly kites. For lunch, stop by a local 711 and eat hotdogs with crazy toppings. Spend the day traveling to museums and learning, you can even quiz each other on what you learn.

At night go to the World War II Memorial or back to the lawn where you flew the kites and gaze at the stars and tell each other the shapes that you see in the night sky. Return to Mason and put your ticket in a special box on the top of your closet.

20 YEARS 19

9 0 – 2 0 10

6

Opinion Broadside

|

Monday, February 28, 2011

Ending the tenure

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper Emily Sharrer, Editor-in-Chief Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor Monika Joshi, Copy Chief Gregory Connolly, News Editor Jeff Giorgi, Asst. News Editor Justin Lalputan, Opinion Editor Ramy Zabarah, Style Editor Erin Powell, Asst. Style Editor Cody Norman, Sports Editor Pat Carroll, Asst. Sports Editor Peter Flint, Photography Editor

Benjamin Shaffer, Copy Editor Marine Jaouen, Copy Editor Jared Barrale, Copy Editor Liz Milligan, Designer Michelle Buser, Designer Dylan Hares, Staff Reporter Scott Miller, Advertising Director Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Adviser David Carroll, Tech Adviser

Tenured professors should have to keep up work ethic Alan Moore S E N I O R

Editorial Policy 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.

Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person. Each additional copy is 25 cents.

© 2011 by Broadside. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor-in-chief.

Middle eastern democracy Is it truly the best option for America?

Brandon minster G R A D S T u d e n t

Opinion

Columnist

In April of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany so the world could “be made safe for democracy.”

As this year’s events in northern Africa and the Middle East should remind us, it’s unclear if democracy is safe for the world.

The debate over democracy has been going on for as long as democracy has been in existence.

The ancient Greek concept of the term would appear foreign today. The franchise was even more restricted than in 18th-century America.

Greek democracy was periodically suspended.

The Roman Republic had provisions for dictators.

A central theme of The Federalist Papers is just how much democracy would be healthy for the nation.

Even democracy’s most loyal supporters would agree there are times when the best answer to a problem is not “Let’s vote on it.”

To most Americans, these are technicalities. The popular wisdom is that democracy works better than the alternatives.

The entire reality TV genre is mob rule via texted votes. Three times America has imposed a government on a vanquished foe (Germany, Japan and Iraq) and all three times, it involved a more direct democracy than we have at home.

This doesn’t mean that the problems of democracy have been solved. They’ve just been ignored.

James Madison’s point that “had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob” is still true today, and nowhere is that more evident than in the tumultuous Arab world.

For all the lip service America pays to democracy, it is scared to death of an Arab democracy.

The average man on the street in Arabic-speaking countries is hostile to America and Israel, as summarized in the most recent Arab Public Opinion Poll

conducted by the Brookings Institute.

Elections have a bad tendency to follow public opinion and the electoral history of the region reflects that. One example is Hamas, classified by the American government as a terrorist organization, winning Palestinian elections.

Algeria’s military canceled elections that were going to be won by a religious party and Turkey’s government continues to impose secularism on a populace longing for more theocracy.

Theocracy in itself is not a problem.

After all, most Americans are not threatened by the Vatican.

But combining religious fervor with decidedly anti-American opinion is not safe for America or its allies.

Our economic well-being, for better or worse, depends on the low-cost energy available from oil.

Israeli lives depend on Israel’s coexistence with friendly neighboring governments.

President Barack Obama was criticized for his slow response to the Egyptian revolt, but Hosni Mubarak had shown himself to be unthreatening to America and Israel, while America is unfamiliar with the intentions of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The biggest question America faces in Arab democracy is terrorism.

Of course it would be foolish to claim a majority of the Arab world are terrorists. However, it would be just as disingenuous to claim terrorism does not obtain its strongest support there.

All of the participants in the Sept. 11 events came from that region. It still houses countless clerics who call for the spread of murder and destruction.

Closer to home, American students are becoming involved in terror plots at disconcerting rates.

George Mason University student Umar Farooq was arrested in Pakistan in December of 2009 on terrorism charges.

A Saudi college student in Texas was recently arrested for attempting to buy materials for a weapon of mass destruction.

Until Arabs protest the expropriation of their religion and culture by murderous thugs as loudly and regularly as they protest the negative opinion some Americans have of them, the western world will continue to be wary of Arab democracy.

Opinion

Columnist

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie is working to eliminate the seniority aspect of tenure in his financially strapped state.

He wants to make performance more of a deciding factor when considering whether to keep teachers employed.

This is perhaps the most common-sense educational reform proposal in the country and Virginia should seek to adopt these measures as well.

The inherent problem with the tenure system is that oftentimes when professors gain tenure they feel as if they don’t have to work hard anymore.

tenured faculty member, he should keep his job instead.

The only thing that matters is having the best, most-qualified employee in a given position.

A tenured faculty member may also be fired for inappropriate personal conduct.

The accused must stand before a hearing committee of his peers as assigned by the faculty senate.

Can you imagine being in a job where you couldn’t be fired unless your fellow employees agreed to it?

In either case there are layers upon layers of red tape that the Mason administration must go through to remove a tenured professor.

With such an apparently tight ship you would think there is some concrete procedure to judge the work of a tenured faculty, but there is not.

What do you do if they fail to perform at a high level?

What if they do just enough to get by and adjuncts put them to shame with their work habits?

You could go through the hearing process but at the end of the day it would rely on a judgment call by your fellow employees on what is good work.

Put in practice, this probably never happens.

After all, how cold-hearted would your peers have to be to banish you to a life in the real world?

To cast you down from the ivory towers of higher education like Lucifer falling from heaven?

The Mason campus is filled with haughty, tenured professors who spend more time promoting themselves than helping students reach their academic goals.

It’s time this state followed the lead of New Jersey and worked to banish this tenure system once and for all.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Response to LifeChoices Resource Center article For over 16 years, Sanctity of Life Ministries’ Fairfax Pregnancy and LifeChoices Resource Centers have had a supportive relationship with GMU students, faculty, and various campus organizations.

While we appreciate Ms. Rico’s efforts in researching resources for pregnant students, we are compelled to correct the multiple points of misinformation in her Jan. 31 article, “Pregnancy Scare? Know Your Options.”

Contrary to Ms. Rico’s claim, LifeChoices and Fairfax Pregnancy Help Centers are part of a medical facility (with a licensed physician) that oversees all medical services delivered through medical staff. As a 501c3 Non-Profit medical facility, we comply with HIPPA and OSHA regulations. Our staff includes a registered nurse certified in obstetrical ultrasound sonography. Our RN administers pregnancy testing, ultrasound services and information and resources concerning pregnancy free of charge.

SLM has nothing to hide. As our website and client forms openly inform, we provide alternative options to abortion and many different resources for pregnant women. We make it clear we provide information but not referrals for abortion or contraception. When it comes to making major health decisions, intelligent women want to be well informed.

SLM, which has served this community for over 25 years, understands this and stands behind the information we provide about pregnancy options and help. As a matter of

fact, many local organizations refer clients to SLM. Why would other organizations refer clients to us? Because of our reputation as a trusted source of free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, material help, client advocacy and referral services, and after-abortion (nonmedical) care. SLM adheres to industry standards called the “Commitment of Care and Competence” which ensures that every client is treated with honesty, respect and compassion. All of our materials are sourced and regularly reviewed by medical experts and professionals.

In the article, Ms. Rico and Mr. Richards could have provided more comprehensive information when referencing NARAL’s “investigation” into 52 Virginia pregnancy centers. NARAL claimed that its “survey” found Virginia crisis pregnancy centers provide “deceptive and medically inaccurate information” instead of practical help and emotional support to those facing an unplanned pregnancy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Last year, after Virginia legislators heard testimony from NARAL and Planned Parenthood vs. VA Pregnancy Center Directors and Clients, even some of the sponsors of the bill who recommended the regulation of pregnancy centers rebutted NARAL’s subjective “study.” That is, no evidence could be produced regarding deceptive and/or medically inaccurate information. As a result, the

bill was not only rejected, but the entire Virginia General Assembly voted to pass a resolution commending the good work Virginia pregnancy centers do for women and families in their local communities.

Annually, our centers work with more than 50 social service organizations and 60 churches to give hope and practical support.

In 2010, over 700 SLM clients from 40 countries were helped, representing all walks of life, religions and cultures. Our caring staff speak English, Spanish and Farsi. More than 98 percent of our clients have indicated on exit surveys that they were treated well and would recommend our center to a friend.

Case in point, our highest number of referrals for new clients is from former clients.

Our goal is always to provide excellent support and care for women.

We have learned that the George Mason Student Health Services recently took us off their website as a referral source, which is a disservice to their students. Considering the number of college-aged women we give help to, we invite you to get to know LifeChoices Resource Center, Fairfax and Alexandria Pregnancy Help Centers and encourage Student Health Services to reinstate us as an important community referral for women.

Kelley Wesley Chief Executive Officer Sanctity of Life Ministries

Pro-life student organization’s defense of LifeChoices pregnancy center Life Choices for Students, a pro-life GMU student organization, would like to respond to the recent Broadside article entitled, “Pregnancy Scare? Know Your Options,” which criticized local pregnancy help center LifeChoices Resource Center.

One of the primary arguments listed in the article discouraging students from visiting LifeChoices is the claim that LifeChoices Resource Center is not a medical facility.

However, since Dec. 1, 2010, LifeChoices has in fact been a medical clinic that provides pregnancy testing and ultrasound services as well as information and resources concerning pregnancy. A medical director oversees client assessments and reviews informational material made available to clients to ensure that they are properly sourced. In addition, a registered nurse is on staff to administer pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.

References were also made in the article to a report conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. This report accused crisis pregnancy centers of using medically erroneous materials and false advertising. What the Broadside article did not include about this matter is that the Virginia General Assembly found no grounds to the methodology or

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.

It’s just a normal human condition. For example, when a professional athlete who gets the contract of his life might then underperform because he feels like he has nothing left to achieve. Albert Haynesworth, anyone?

If colleges and universities are to be successful and cost-efficient they need to be run like a business.

Professors should be consistently competing with their peers so the best rise to the top.

Under the tenure system at George Mason University, a tenured professor may be fired if the Board of Visitors declare a state of financial exigency and only after the dismissal of parttime faculty and faculty on fixedterm appointments.

In other words, they’re the last on the chopping block whether they’re any good or not.

If someone with less seniority is more qualified or does a significantly better job than a

claims in the NARAL report. On the contrary, the Virginia General Assembly instead officially commended Virginia Pregnancy Centers for the service they provide to the community.

Indeed, there is much to commend.

LifeChoices and its affiliated centers have been a trusted part of the local community safety net for over 25 years. The centers are committed to offering practical help and emotional support to men and women facing an unplanned pregnancy. Programs and services range from peer counseling to providing baby clothing, diapers, and formula to advocating for client needs within the community. These services are provided free of charge.

The motivation for providing these services is tied to religion. LifeChoices Resource Center is a Christian organization as are other well-respected and valuable charities such as The Salvation Army. Religious affiliation does not negate professionalism or ability to provide medical resources. It is rather a reflection of the commitment to care and integrity given to each client.

The Broadside article further implied that LifeChoices advertising and services are

Editorial Board: Emily Sharrer, Editor-in-Chief Monika Joshi, Copy Chief Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor Justin Lalputan, Opinion Editor

misleading. LifeChoices advertises the services it offers: free pregnancy tests, relationship counseling and STI-testing referrals.

The website and intake forms explain the limitation of services, including abortion and contraceptive referrals. It should be noted that the primary way new clients come to LifeChoices is through the recommendation of a friend.

Life Choices for Students will continue to maintain our partnership and support of LifeChoices Resource Center. Their services are vital to fulfilling our mission to provide pregnant students with the resources to continue both their education and their pregnancy.

We have developed a brochure called “Resources for Pregnant and Parenting Students” which we can provide to anyone who is interested. Come visit the Life Choices for Students GMU student organization at our monthly kiosks in the JC atrium or contact us at lifechoices.gmu@gmail.com.

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.

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51

7

The number of days it has been since the men’s basketball team has lost a game.

Last loss came to Old Dominion on Jan. 8

Monday, February 28, 2011

Long road to success Cam Long has overcome adversity to lead the Patriots Cody Norman Sports Editor As he walked through the pathway created by cheerleaders and teammates to receive his framed jersey on Senior Night, guard Cam Long had one arm wrapped around his mother, Myrtle, and the other around his brother, Rendell.

Just seven years earlier, Long was involved in an incident in Palm Bay, Fla., that forced his mother to send him more than 850 miles north to live with his brother in Woodbridge. Rendell, Long’s eldest brother by about 15 years, was a former football player at Florida State University and took his troubled sibling into his home as a sophomore in high school.

“Just [Rendell’s] being able to help me move up here and not allowing me to be the knucklehead I was in Florida was really a great thing for me,” Long said. “It just showed how much my brother really loved me.”

During his sophomore season at Freedom High School, Long’s coach and former Mason basketball player Ahmad Dorsett called coach Jim Larranaga with some recruiting advice.

“He told me that he had a sophomore down there that he thought was going to be big time,” Larranaga recalled. “[Long] was 6-foot-4. He was athletic. He could shoot the basketball. And it came during a year that we were going to be graduating all of our guards.

Signing a point guard that year was huge for us.”

Following several visits to

George Mason University, Long signed with the Patriots during the early signing period and became a member of the basketball team in 2007.

Just three games into his sophomore season at Mason, Long contemplated applying for transfer. He was unhappy with the way he was being used on the court and thought he would have been better suited as a score-first guard.

“Sometimes people think they deserve a lot of things,” Long said. “I thought I was a great player, and I didn’t feel like I was getting the respect that I deserved.”

He approached the coaching staff with his objections on one of the team’s early road trips.

“That is not an uncommon event, for a player to question his decision,” said Larranaga. “But, when [Long] came in to talk me, he told me that he didn’t think that I trusted him. And I told him, ‘Listen, you’re in the starting lineup and you’re playing more than 30 minutes a game.

There is no bigger sign of how much confidence I have in you than how much I play you.’”

Long responded: “There is a big difference between playing 30 minutes of my game and playing 30 minutes of [Larranaga’s] game.”

He described the conversation as confusing, but came out with a better understanding of Larranaga.

“I found out that they wanted the same things I wanted,” Long said. “And, after sitting down to talk with them, I felt more free.”

The next evening, on Nov. 22, 2007, in a game against the East Carolina Pirates, Long played a much different basketball game and enjoyed the best game of his early collegiate career, going for 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

After making the decision to remain a Patriot for the remainder of his college career, Long began to endure cramping issues during his sophomore and junior seasons. Mason athletic trainer Debi Corbatto tried everything.

The coaching staff called people within the NBA to see how they

“He told me that he had a sophomore down there that he thought was going to be big time.”

-Coach Jim Larranaga about originally recruiting Long dealt with cramping issues at the professional level and submitted Long to blood tests on a weekly basis, leaving his body feeling weak a majority of the time.

“There was just so much frustration going on with that,” he said. “It was something that you thought would never go away. It took away my aggressiveness during games. I thought the harder I played, the faster the cramps would come.”

Larranaga and Corbatto discovered that one of the underlying issues was a result of poor dieting. There were not enough carbohydrates and protein in his diet so the cramps were a result

of his body not having enough energy.

About midway through his junior season, Corbatto began treating Long with a very simple medicine: He was asked to begin eating cups of Jell-O before and at halftime of every game.

“We never could figure out exactly what was causing it,” Long said. “But we just noticed that I was gradually able to play more. It went from 20 minutes to 25 minutes. And now, all of a sudden, I’m playng 35 minutes with no issues. It’s been a huge sigh of relief.”

Over the last four years, Long has put up awe-inspiring numbers. He is on pace to finish his career in the top 15 of nearly every offensive statistical category, most recently surpassing the millenium mark in scoring earlier this season.

After he finishes his career with the Patriots, Long hopes to get an opportunity to continue his basketball career in the NBA. “The NBA would definitely be a great thing,” Long said. “Like any other basketball player, that has always been my dream.”

His backup plan, however, is very unlike most other basketball players. If basketball does not work out for him in the long run, Long plans to move somewhere warm and take up a career in the real estate business.

For now, though, Long remains the humble leader of the Patriots, as they prepare to challenge for the CAA Conference Tournament championship while both Myrtle and Rendell Long cheer him on from the stands.

Photo By Stephen Kline

Senior Cam Long rises up to dunk in a game against James Madison.

Long eclipsed the 1,000-point mark earlier this season and currently stands at 1,339-heading into the conference tournament.

Cody Norman will be following the team throughout the conference and NCAA tournament. Follow him on Twitter @Cody_Gaines or check out CourtsideSeats.onmason.com for the latest menʼs basketball coverage.

Role Change Has Helped Tate Sixth Man Spot Suits Senior Isaiah Tate on Streaking Patriots Pat Carroll Asst. Sports Editor It’s hard to believe that in 2006 the George Mason University Patriots had the best basketball season in school history.

Who would’ve thought that five years later, the Patriots would have a 14-game winning streak and be the hottest team in the nation, knocking on the doors of the top-25 and being placed in favorable seeds for the NCAA tournament by college basketball analysts nationwide?

The Patriots’ senior class — the first recruiting class after the Final Four run — had the expectations to be successful. Senior Isaiah Tate came to Mason with the buzz of the Final Four still in the air. This year, an atmosphere reminiscent of that era has returned, with the media drawing comparisons between the two teams.

“It’s great to be compared to a great team like they were, but we are not them. We want to make our own identity,” said Tate, who committed to Mason before his senior year at DeMatha Catholic High School, an all-boys school in Hyattsville, Md. While there, he played for

one of the nation’s top high school basketball programs under head coach Mike Jones.

Being from the D.C. metropolitan area, Mason was the perfect fit.

“Initially, I didn’t want to move too far from home and when I visited Mason, it felt like a family environment,” Tate said.

“My high school was all-boys and very tightly knit and family-oriented. When I came here I felt the same vibe and felt like they had my best interest in mind and that really won me over.”

While in high school, Tate, known around campus as Ike, played with and against some of the nation’s top college and pro players, either in AAU, high school or at camps, including Duke guard Nolan Smith, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley, Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon and more.

“It’s a great experience to be able to say that you played against some of the premier players in the NBA,” said Tate.

His strong basketball IQ, tenacious defense and strong work ethic have made him a great asset for the Patriots.

During Tate’s freshman year,

the Patriots won the CAA championship and went on the NCAA tournament, falling to Notre Dame.

“That was a great experience, getting to go to Denver and all the press and media,” said Tate.

However, his favorite moment during his Mason basketball career was the 10-day team trip to Italy. This past summer, the Patriots played against European talent and were able to see some of Italy’s beautiful sights.

“Italy was one of my greatest moments here at Mason and the best ten days of my life,” said Tate. While overseas, the team bonded and became the cohesive unit they are today.

Coach Larranaga’s rooming policy allowed for everyone to get to know each other. Seniors would room with freshmen and juniors with sophomores, but at each stop, roommates would change. The trip effectively united the Patriots as teammates.

During his junior season, Tate started 23 games for the Patriots, who, at the time, had lost to Fairfield in the collegeinsider.net tournament. This year, in sixth man role off the bench, Tate feels like he is still a contrib-

Photo By Peter Flint

Senior Isaiah Tate (13) shoots for three on last Thursdays senior night win. utor but is not bitter.

“I’m playing better than I did last year, so I’m not mad that I’m not starting. I’m still part of this team just like everyone else.

Coming off the bench, I feel like I can provide a spark and defensively, I’m kind of like a catalyst and lead by example on and off the court.”

Mason Scoreboard Feb. 23: Baseball @ Longwood- W 12-5 Feb. 24: Men’s Basketball vs. Northeastern- W 67-61 Feb. 25: Men’s Volleyball vs. Rutgers-Newark- W 3-0 Feb. 25: Baseball vs. Long Island- W 22-6 Feb. 26: Men’s Basketball @ Georgia State- W 65-58 Feb. 26: Men’s Volleyball vs. Penn State- L 0-3

In his spare time, Tate enjoys playing chess, golf and Call of Duty with the team. Tate is also a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council on campus.

“It’s been a great ride and this year we’re playing great and we’re ending on a high note and that’s important to me for my senior year,” Tate said.

After graduation, Tate plans to play basketball professionally either in the states or overseas, after which he wants to either coach or be a sports agent.

After winning the CAA regular season title on Thursday night, one thing is for sure – Ike still has more time in his career to add to his legacy.

Are you ready to dance?

Broadside will be hosting a Bracket Challenge on ESPN.com after selection Sunday for all Mason students to participate. Prizes will be awarded to Mason’s top Bracketologists.

Check back next week for more details.

Broadside

8 | Monday, February 28, 2011

George Mason University Midseason Breakdown

CAA Spotlight

Sports

Patriots swim to second place finish in the conference tournament Austin Witherow dominates butterfly and backstroke to boost Mason men’s swimming and diving team to strong finish Stephen Kline Broadside Correspondent Saturday marked the final day of the CAA Swimming Championships here at the Jim McKay Natatorium. Despite a strong showing from both the men’s and women’s teams, they received second and sixth place respectively.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington claimed first place for the men and Towson University took it for the women.

“We prepared all year for the [CAA] Championship,” said head coach Peter Ward. “It is really the most important meet in the year for us.”

Although swimming is very much a team sport, a few strong individual performances shone through during the meet. Sopho-

more Austin Witherow dominated both the men’s 100-yard butterfly event, winning by almost a 10th of a second, and the 100 yard backstroke, winning it by a full second.

For the women, junior Ashley Danner won the 100-yard breaststroke by half a second with at time of 59.06, setting a new record for the CAA Championship. Danner was also a leg of the George Mason 800-yard freestyle relay team that came in third.

Other stellar performances came from a first-second place finish by junior Preston Wolter and freshman Fernando Rubio in the 400-yard IM. Junior Bryan Bahr put together an impressive string of dives to win the 3-meter diving competition.

Photo by: Jacob McLernon

Junior Ryan Pearson (24) drives in and over several Northeastern players to score two at the final home game of the season.

Pat Carroll Asst. Sports Editor As the streak continues, the countdown to the CAA tournament is getting closer.

The George Mason University Patriots have been the nation’s hottest team for the past month and a half and will enter the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. The Patriots claimed the top seed in the CAA tournament with a win on Thursday night against the Northeastern University Huskies.

One of the biggest reasons that Mason is winning and playing so well together is because they are unselfish. Four of the five starters are averaging double digit points.

Senior guard Cam Long has been the senior leader that the Patriots have relied on all season. With a career high 30point game at James Madison University and a basketball IQ like no other in the CAA, or

even the nation, Long will be the key to the Patriots’ postseason success. Averaging 15 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, the numbers are not extremely flashy, but Long is a finisher.

Whether it’s shooting the three, driving the lane, finishing around the rim or sharing the ball with his teammates, Long just gets it. He knows how to lead a team by example and has done everything that’s been asked of him.

Junior Ryan Pearson has been a major contributor this year, averaging 14.9 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. He’s won CAA player of the week honors three times this season and a national player of the week award by ESPN analyst Andy Katz. His uncanny style of play looks reckless from the outside, but that’s just his game. He creates his own shot, draws contact and finishes

around the rim. Listed at 6’6”, Pearson is an undersized big man but still manages to score in the paint with his aggressive play and passion for the game.

Alongside Pearson, junior Mike Morrison is a strong complement. He is an athletic 6’9” forward who can absolutely soar for rebounds and, most notably, dunks. Morrison, averaging 6.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game, has been a threat defensively with 31 blocks on the season. The Patriots have an undersized frontcourt but they make up for it with their physical natures.

The guard play has been sensational this year. Junior Andre Cornelius has been effective from behind the arc and has the speed to drive and provide an offensive spark. He’s averaging 10.1 points per game and is a key to how the offense is run. He can push the pace whenever he needs to and gets the ball to his main playmakers.

Sophomore Luke Hancock has been a “sneaky athletic, cagey and deceptive”. But don’t let the adjectives fool you, Hancock is a true athlete. Scoring 11.4 points per game, Hancock is so multi-dimensional, whether it’s scoring, passing, defending, and blocking shots. Both Cornelius and Hancock provide Cam Long with wingmen who can cut to the rim and make plays anywhere on the floor.

With the CAA tournament less than a week away, the Patriots are ready to turn up their intensity another level and prove how talented they really are.

The CAA tournament kicks off Friday with opening round matchups. The Patriots have a first round bye and will play on Saturday at the Richmond Coliseum.

They will play the winner of UNC Wilmington and Georgia State at noon on Sunday.

Photo by: Stephen Kline

Sophomore Aus n Witherow cruises to victory in the 100-yard bu erfly

Behind the Scenes:

File Photo

The things you don’t see at the Patriot Center

Cody Norman Sports Editor From basketball games to country music concerts, the Patriot Center plays host to a variety of events on the George Mason University campus.

It isn’t uncommon for the Patriot Center staff to hold a show on Friday, have a basketball game on Saturday and then host another event on Sunday.

With the diversity in such events, staff is forced to completely transform the arena on numerous occasions throughout the year, changing it from a basketball court to a concert hall in a matter of hours.

“That is just part of what an arena does,” said Barry Geisler, general manager of the Patriot Center. “We take it as a challenge for us.”

In the transformations, the arena takes on an entirely different look based upon the type of event

being held inside. A team of 20 to 25 men is assembled to remodel the area, taking anywhere from five to six hours to complete.

When other events are being held on campus, the basketball floor is stored under the bleachers on the north side of the arena. The floor breaks up into 8-foot by 4foot sections and sit on carts in about a 100-square foot area in a tunnel-like room. It is taken apart and put together piece by piece, similar to a jigsaw puzzle, beginning from the middle of the floor and working outwards.

Assembling and disassembling the floor itself can take a 20 man crew more than three hours to accomplish and, on typical days, is done overnight.

The stage that is used during concerts and comic shows is kept in a storage space located right underneath the north entrance of the building. It is an area that was not part of the original design when the Patriot Center was con-

structed in the early 1980s.

As a 10,000 seat arena, the Patriot Center opened on Oct. 4, 1985, and played host to a New York Knicks vs. Washington Bullets (now the Wizards) preseason game.

Since then, the arena has un-

dergone a $10 million renovation, which added new concession stands, new hospitality area, new locker rooms and bathrooms and an improved main concourse. The Patriot Center holds over 120 events and attracts more than 450,000 people every year.

Patriot Center Facts First Year of Operation: 1985 Capacity: 10,000 people Number of Events Hosted: 2,400+ Acts: Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas, Muse, Weezer, Dane Cook, Larry the Cable Guy, Bruce Springsteen, Barnum and Bailey’s Circus and many more.

Redskins, Mason discontinue plans to bring training camp to campus Joe Prusinski Broadside Correspondent Redskins coach Mike Shanahan had recently made the decision to move the team’s training camp away from its current location in Ashburn, Va. George Mason University was selected as a prime candidate because of its proximity to Wash-

ington D.C. and its facilities, including the new Mason Inn, which would have been taken over by the Redskins organization for the month of August.

It was decided, however, that the Redskins would not be moving to Mason for their training.

George Mason Athletics Director Tom O’Connor stated that there were two unofficial visits to Mason by members of the Red-

skins organization to determine if the facilities were adequate for the training camp. The Redskins were pleased with the fields and accommodations; however problems arose when talks of when the Redskins would be here began.

There are currently ongoing negotiations between the NFL and the players’ union, in which a lockout by the players (in which

they refuse to play) is a possibility. These discussions are still occurring and many of the issues are yet to be resolved. This means that players are not sure if they will even be playing when the season begins.

Issues of player pay, number of games played, and retiree benefits are being discussed, but the players are yet to come to any type of consensus with manage-

ment.

For these reasons, the Redskins organization is unable to provide the dates at which they would be using Mason’s facilities.

Without adequate information as to when the Redskins would be coming, or if they would be coming, Mason is unable to host the team at this time.

O’Connor stated that the entire situation could be described

as being “blown out of proportion”, as the meetings held with the Redskins were strictly preliminary, yet sparked a media frenzy over the situation.

Even though the Redskins move did not take place, O’Connor made it clear in the interview that Mason would always welcome any organizations that wished to come here, from athletics to the arts.

Broadside

Sports

Monday, February 28, 2011 |

9

Photo by: Stephen Kline

Mason should have no problem running through CAA tournament Cody Norman Sports Editor This is it, sports fans. It is arguably the most exciting time of year.

Thousands upon thousands of collegiate athletes across the nation are gearing up for their respective conference tournaments in attempts to earn a ticket to the big dance. It’s refreshing, really. Thousands of young kids who don’t collect a sevenfigure paycheck, but play the game they love because, well, they love it.

For all intents and purposes, season one is in the books. George Mason University blew through their first 30 games with an incredible 255 record, locking up the first seed in this weekend’s conference tournament and putting themselves in prime position to punch their ticket to March Madness. They’ve been great all season and haven’t lost a game in more than seven weeks now.

But none of that matters come March 5. Records are reset at 0-0 and each team has to work their way to the top yet again.

With the No. 1 seed in the tournament comes a first round bye in tournament play. They’ll stand by on Friday evening as UNC-Wilmington takes on Georgia State to determine who is (un)lucky enough to stand toe-to-toe with the Patriots in round two.

My guess is that UNC-Wilmington will run away with their first round match-up. Neither team is playing .500 basketball in the CAA this season and, regardless, will likely end their tournament with a 11 record in a best-case scenario. They don’t have nearly enough firepower to take down Mason in the second round.

As the No. 4 seed, Virginia Commonwealth will likely win their second round match-up with either Drexel or Towson. (I am pretty confident that Drexel will beat Towson on Friday because the Tigers have yet to win a conference game this season.) But Drexel will not be able to compete with VCU in what is virtually a home game for the Rams.

If everything goes as planned, that puts Mason in Sunday afternoon’s semifinal game with the Rams. Yes, the Patriots just went to Richmond a few weeks ago and stoot-slapped the horns off our southern rivals. But, like I said before, regular season results don’t matter when tournament time rolls around.

VCU has a lot more to play for than Mason does at this point. Without a tournament victory, the Rams will likely miss the big dance and leave Mason and Old Dominion as the only teams from the conference participating in the biggest spectacle in all of sports.

Unfortunately for the Rams, nobody in Fairfax really cares a whole lot about their NCAA tournament chances. We want to see the beloved members of our Green & Gold Nation standing tall on Monday night, cutting down the nets in the Coliseum.

And that, my friends, is why the Patriots come out hard on Sunday and deliver a left-right combination to the cheek of the host team, leaving them dazed and confused. And, most importantly, crushing their dreams of returning to the NCAA tournament.

After Old Dominion finishes off James Madison in their side of Sunday’s semifinals, the Patriots and Monarchs will meet for the third

time this season. With both teams collecting one victory on the season — each at their home arena — the third and final matchup of their season will fall in the conference finals at a neutral site: the Richmond Coliseum.

Both Old Dominion and George Mason typically have very strong turnouts as far as fanbase in the conference tournament so the arena will be rocking for 40 minutes of CAA basketball.

Though the Patriots dethroned the Monarchs at the Patriot Center a few weeks ago, both teams are evenly matched. Mason holds a distinct advantage in the backcourt as Long, Cornelius, Hancock and Tate provide for a potent punch. Those four are the catalysts for Mason’s season and have played an outstanding brand of basketball over the last two months.

Underneath the basket, however, the Monarchs hold a slight advantage as they fill the paint with big bodies. Ryan Pearson, though, has come on strong this season and will not be denied by anybody in the nation. He’s too big and too strong for anyone to stop him. Your best bet is to try to slow him down. But, again, good luck with that.

Monday night’s match-up will be competitive. It won’t be a 20-point victory for the Patriots like it was a few weeks ago.

But, ultimately, Cam Long is the difference maker and will lead the way as George Mason as they take the tournament championship and move on to the tournament on the heels of an 18-game winning streak.

Bet your farms, or your estates, or whatever it is ya’ll folk have on this one. Mason wins the tournament by a final score of 63-57 in Richmond.

Show Me Your

Game Face

Photo by: Jacob McLernon

Section 124 A Fan’s Perspective

Photo by: Stephen Kline

Daniel Zimmet Patriot Platoon Member All right Mason Nation, we’ve concluded the regular season. Overall we’re 25-5, 16-2 in the CAA and an undefeated home record complete with big heads of Cam and Ike. Next comes the CAA Championship Tournament down in Richmond, Va. Since we play in less than a week against the winner of UNC-Wilmington and George State, I don’t have much time to finalize the trip plans.

The plans start with an early wake up on Saturday morning to start heading down 95 with my roommate Mark. Once we get down to Richmond, we are heading right to Penny Lane Pub, the official Mason Nation Headquarters. After the pregame excitement, we’ll head over to the Coliseum to watch Mason win their first game of the tourney. Once the first W is in the books, its back to PLP for the postgame celebrations with our fel-

What are your postseason plans, Mason fans?

low fans.

It looks as of right now that we are the only team that seems to have locked into a bid to the NCAA Tournament. ODU has an extremely compelling case, which looks pretty good for them. However, all other teams must win the tournament to get in. With the CAA being a midmajor school, it’ll be surprising to see two schools in, but three is a stretch. The only way I see three CAA teams potentially getting in would be ODU playing VCU in the championship, and VCU winning.

Well, since we are obviously going to be wearing the rings and cutting the nets down come March 7, it sure looks like there will be only two teams in.

As far as the NCAA tourney goes, well, I’ve got plans to travel to most of the venues. As of Feb. 25 ESPN’s Bracketology with Joe Lunardi, we are projected as a 7 seed playing the 10 seed of Illinois. (On a side note, I’m currently looking to

change my major to bracketology…college of humanities and social sciences perhaps?) Good news is we are projected at a 7 seed, but the bad news is that the game would be in Denver. Luckily, a major factor playing into our seeding will be our performance in the CAA tournament. Hopefully the higher the seed we get, the closer we will be to Fairfax.

My roommates and I have figured out we can drive to five out of the eight venues hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. These places include: Cleveland, Washington DC, Chicago, Tampa and Charlotte. Even though three cities seem too far to drive to, all airfare options will be fully checked to see what we can make happen. Any place that Mason plays, “GMU what” will be ringing in the arenas.

The bottom line is that once selection Sunday comes around Patriots, we’ve got to be ready to dance!

Interested in becoming the next writer for Section 124?

Send your thoughts on Mason’s men’s basketball team to cnorman2@masonlive.gmu.edu for consideration.

We want to know what you think.

Events Calendar Men’s Basketball vs. UNCW or Georgia State March 5 at 12 p.m.

The CAA championship is finally here and the Patriots enter the tournament riding the nation’s longest consecutive winning streak with 15 straight victories. However, two close games against Northeastern and Georgia State to finish out conference play showed some chinks in the Patriots’ armor.

Georgia State gave the Patriots fits on Saturday and UNCW is no shoo-in win. Let’s hope they can keep focused and bring a CAA championship back to Fairfax.

Baseball vs. Niagara University March 5 at 2 p.m. & March 6 at 1 p.m.

The Patriots had a strong week with a three-game sweep of Long Island University at home. This weekend, they host Niagara University in a two game series. Senior Shane Davis and junior Brig Tison were named preseason all-CAA selections to start the season and will be major assets in the Patriots’ success this year.

Softball vs. Mount Saint Mary’s March 2 at 3 p.m. & 5 p.m.

The softball team looks to get above .500 with a doubleheader in Fairfax, hosting Mount St. Mary’s University. Coming off an impressive win against Hampton University, the lady Patriots hope to continue the streak with a sweep against the Mount on Wednesday.

10

| Monday, February 28, 2011

Broadside

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