Issue 12, Jan. 28

Broadside

Sports

Editorial

Entertainment

News

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper | Jan. 28, 2013 | Volume 89 Issue 12

BroadsideOnline.com | @MasonBroadside

A look into the planned construction projects that students will encounter over the next two years

PAGE 5 Alumna spends 16 months in Togo, Africa volunteering with the Peace Corps to empower young women

PAGE 12 A surprising request to President Cabrera for more construction on campus

PAGE 18 Men’s soccer player Taylor Morgan is the eigth Patriot recruited to Major League Soccer

PAGE 19

WHAT YOU MISSED WHILE YOU WERE AWAY

With in-division play underway, Mason’s season has become even more important PAGE 22

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Jan. 28, Sept.

10,2013 2012

News

OPINION

Relationship Status: It’s Complicated

-- Peter Stearns, Provost at Mason said to Fairfax Times .com about Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s annual “Best Values in Public Colleges” 2013 list in which Mason placed 56 out of 100 schools. This ranking is a drop last year. Stearns attributes the drop to an increase in national student debt.

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

Student clubs and organizations are equally challenged in communicating with the student body, not excluding student media itself.

There is no easy way to solve it all, but in my new role with the newspaper I would like to do what I can to help. The best way I can do that is to be in touch with you, the student body.

Everyone has a story and we want to hear yours.

So send me an email and tell me about a class that has changed your perceptions and interests, how your job as a nude model in the art

department is helping you pay for school or an event you’re hosting that deserves some recognition.

I can’t promise that we have the space to print everything, but I am willing to listen and learn more about what makes our campus tick.

I look forward to my last year and a half at school for positive change in my relationship status with Mason, and I hope I have you all to help me do it.

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Broadside Wants You. Are you a writer, graphic designer, photographer or cartoonist? Do you want to see your work in print?

Email us. eic@broadside online.com

“If there is room on Mt. Rushmore for a 5th face, [Franklin D. Roosevelt] would be it. And of course the first four presidents that the Nationals chose are all on Mt. Rushmore. He is the most logical to be added to the quartet. And, I suppose, as some one who has served longer than anyone else, he should be useful for extra innings.”

-- Richard Norton Smith, a presidential historian at Mason said to CNN Political Ticker about which president would be best for the next Nationals mid-inning presidential caricature race.

“I have faced a sometimes lonely and mostly losing battle of ideas for some 30 years now in efforts to bring academic economist’s opinions into line with those of the man on the street. My task has been to ‘uneducate’ the economists.”

-- James M. Buchanan, Economic Scholar and Nobel Laureate who passed away earlier this month summed up his career goal.

Mason in the News

If I were in a relationship with George Mason University, I’d consider breaking up.

Yes, I love Mason and we’ve been together for two and a half years now, but something is lacking. The most important factor in any relationship, whether it is romantic, platonic or professional, is communication and Mason and I just can’t seem to get on the same level.

Both as an editor at the newspaper and a student, I often feel as though I’m out of touch with what goes on at the Fairfax campus, not to mention the comings and goings of Prince William and Arlington.

I cannot even count the number of times I have heard music blasting from the Johnson Center, only to stumble upon a huge event that I had not heard even a whisper of.

If it’s difficult for me, I can’t even begin to think how commuter and off-campus students feel. The worst is when I get an email time-stamped after the start time of an event or past the deadline for an internship. Thanks for the descriptive paragraph that piques my interest for something that no longer exists, Mason.

As the new editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the problems in this relationship have seeped out of my personal interests and into my professional ones, as we at Broadside struggle to keep up with a community that can barely keep up with itself.

I completely understand where the problem lies and how hard it is to fix.

Mason is suffering from the gangly, acne-prone, bad haircut awkward phase we all went through in our early teen years.

As a young university with large growing pains, it must be difficult for the administration to handle a constantly growing student body stretched out over three campuses.

But the main responsibility does not lie with paid faculty and staff.

“We take this report pretty seriously, because we think it’s a responsible effort to let potential students know what values are out there,”

News

Broadside

Jan.10, 28,2012 2013 Sept.

3

Mason Police Conducts Training Exercise

news&notes Winter Convocation meets with success

Earlier in the first semester, Broadside reported that Mason would be holding its first ever convocation at the end of the fall semester.

Different from the two graduation activities held in the spring, this event was abbreviated to just a convocation. This is different than the spring where they will also hold a commencement, which is more ceremonial and has students recognized by their degrees.

According to Dr. Janette Muir, Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education, approximately 1,300 graduates walked on the day of the convocation, including over 50

doctoral students.

Along with approximately 5,500 family and university guests, total attendance for the event came in around 6,800.

The keynote speaker was Anousheh Ansari, a Mason alumnus with a long list of accomplishments that range from co-founding and serving as CEO to her company Telecom Technologies, Inc. and being the first Iranian-American woman to travel to space. She was given an honorary doctor of science degree at convocation.

President Cabrera also spoke at the convocation, as this marks his first official graduation ceremony at Mason.

According to Muir, the

MASON POLICE DEPARTMENT

university considers the event a success and plans to hold another next year. Mason finds it important to provide students who finish in December with a chance for recognition in case they cannot come back in May to attend the official ceremonies.

Students who graduated in December will be invited to participate in spring activities if they should desire to do so.

CVPA Career Fair

The Center for Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) will be hosting their seventh annual internship and career fair for Mason Students. The event will take place on Feb. 5 at rom 4:00pm to 7:00 pm in the Ma-

The Mason Police Department conducted active shooter training exercises on Jan. 6 and 12, in cooperation with the Fairfax City and County Police and the Fairfax City and County Fire and Rescue Departments.

Officers practiced three scenarios, all of which involved a lone gunman who entered a building and shot multiple people.

Police arrived at the scene first, followed by fire and rescue personnel and extractions teams. In one scenario, the gunman barricaded himself in, in which case SWAT and a negotiation team would take over.

Rather than waiting for multiple officers to arrive, the first officer on the scene is obliged to take immediate action. In addition, officers are more aware of assault rifles when entering a building and confronting violence.

“Since Columbine, we have refined entry procedures to be faster, learned to dispatch critical incident calls faster and we’ve worked closer with fire and rescue so we can get victims to the hospital faster to save lives,” Interim Chief Drew Tracy of the Mason Police Department said.

son Hall Atrium Gallery.

Presented by the CVPA Alumni Chapter in partnership with University Career Services, the fair is targeted specifically for students looking for a profession in the fields of music, dance, theater, media and more.

According to Ryan Braaten, the Assistant Director of Development for the CVPA, the fair currently has 22 participating employers attending the event including PBS, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. Braaten expects to book around five more employers to participate in the event.

In years past, the fair has booked employers to speak

on a panel and answer questions that students have. This year will feature all employers at their own individual booths that will allow students to browse freely.

The CVPA organizers plan to send out a post-fair survey to both students and employers to help measure how successful the career fair is in connecting students with such internships.

For those interested in attending the event, free registration is available at awr.eventbright.com

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Jan. 28, Sept.

10,2013 2012

#Tweetsoftheweek

# # # # # # # #

Broadside

News

@GMU_Problems: Snow

“I feel like I have a clingy ex with the amount of emails #GMU has been sending.” - Ellie Shahin, Communications Major

“A colleague just inducted me into the Washington Area Wusses Association for delaying classes for <1’ of snow. I hope it helped!”

- President Cabrera, tweeting about snow

“My professor compared the need for complete information in the market system to Manti Teo’o and his non-existent girlfriend. What a G. #GMU” - Camden Ducker, Government and International Politics Major.

“There’s suddenly an ice-skating rink in the middle of campus #gmu” - Krista Gray, Undeclared major, tweeted about the make-shift ice skating rink at North Plaza last weekend

“I love going to the mailroom during the first week of class. It’s so fast and efficient! #gmu #saidnooneever” - Randall Parrish, Art and Visual Technology Major

“Professor Carroll just did some crazy magic trick at me, sitting back stage during Honor Band. “Where Innovation Is Tradition.”#GMU” - Courtney Leonard, Music Major

“Shoutout to the grown people walkin round #GMU with rolling backpacks in the snow like its an All Terrain Vehicle...” - Michael Pearson, Undeclared Major

“Pleased to learn of return of NHL hockey -- will the acrimony of the lockout subside such that athletic not rhetoric competition can begin” - Mark R. Ginsberg, Dean of College of Education and Human Development

Mason Has Problems Social media provides students a way to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions with the Mason community.

The twitter handle and hashtag GMU problems has a pulse on the students and the problem they face on campus each day.

Broadside is looking into whether each problem is one specific to Mason and whether any solutions are available.

This week, some students were upset over the decision by the university to not cancel classes on Thursday after overnight snowfall.

According to David Ferris, director of Emergency Preparedness and Re-

ing will be like because of a lack of moving vehicles on the road. “[If it snows] in the middle of the night, it’s really tough because nobody’s out there,” Ferris said Only on campus does the university have the ability to make a personal judgement about conditions.

Other closings and cancellations are taken into account for several reasons.

Other school systems in the area are looked at because of the similar area and safety concerns. Also, many faculty’s schedules will change due to family obligations crashed because of other closings.

Was it the right call?

The Mason Police blotter, in which all cases reported to the police are made public online, had no incidents of accidents or damage that was reported on Thursday. Additionally, Director of Parking and Transportation Josh Cantor noted that after spending Thursday morning inspecting the parking lots and garages, he did not find any damage done to any vehicles due to the driving conditions. One of the biggest concerns on Twitter was about commuters traveling through snow-covered neighborhood streets to get to campus.

“In any snow, primary streets get treated before secondary streets,” Can-

sion they could have made given the

Working around the academic calendar

circumstances. He credits a system of

Cancellation of classes also creates

ing about an inch of snow. It’s a differ-

preparedness, an accurate assessment

repercussions to the academic calen-

ent story if we had several inches or a

of conditions and the experience of the

dar.

foot as we had in past storms over the

sponse, the delay was the best deci-

people making the decision, to getting it right.

Assessing the conditions The University uses sources such as the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association to understand the circumstances that drivers will face. Forecasts that predict icy rain in combination with snowfall, a mix that causes dangerously slippery roads and sidewalks, are taken into consideration. With access to road cameras, they are able to assess road conditions before making a decision. When the snow accumulates at night, as it did on Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, it is harder to know what driv-

“There’s not a lot of margin in the

tor said. “While many neighborhoods hadn’t been plowed, we were only talk-

last few years.”

academic calendar to allow for missed

Cantor also noted that the Federal

classes,” Ferris said. “We will never

government, the largest employer in the

make a decision that will jeopardize

area, remained open on liberal leave.

the students’ safety because of the academic calendar but its something that we have to consider.”

What to do next snow In the event of another snow or any

In the fall, classes were cancelled Oct.

other extreme weather condition, Fer-

29 and 30 due to predictions of a large

ris recommends to allow for more travel

storm. This decision resulted in the can-

time, look for email updates from the

cellation of reading days to make up for

university about forecasts and exercise

classes missed.

caution.

“Say if we continuously close on

“It’s upon all of us and individuals

Tuesdays for snow, that puts that par-

and responsible adults make those ar-

ticular prime block of classes in a jam,”

rangements with our professor or our

Ferris said. “And then we run out of

supervisor or our family to say, ‘I can’t

reading days and then we start having

drive in this. I feel uncomfortable driv-

to offset graduation. It’s a really tough

ing in it,’ and make a stand.”

decision to make.”

NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKIS ARLINGTON EDITOR

News

Broadside

Jan.10, 28,2012 2013 Sept.

Science & Tech II

5

Fenwick Library Dec. ‘14

Aug. ‘13

Fenwick Library is

With two renovations down,

Robert Enderbrock, Director of Facilities, Project Management and Construction, has good news in regards to two more buildings on campus. The Fine Arts building currently under renovation along with the Science and Technology Building 2 are both moving along as scheduled. When asked about the progress and readiness, Enderbrock said, “both are currently on schedule and will be open for fall classes.

JENNY KRASHIN/BROADSIDE

currently undergoing an addition.

“It’s a big job,” Enderbrock said.

“It adds onto the existing Fenwick Library on three sides built on the south towards [the Hub].” There will be increased study spaces for students specifically geared towards the research portion of the library along with talk of incorporating a coffee shop into a part of the building that would provide for 24-hour study space on campus. “There would be a coffee shop on one side and a building to add a small study space that connects with it.”

JENNY KRASHIN/BROADSIDE

The West Campus Connector is an upcom-

ing construction project aimed at beginning in the spring. The idea for Project Campus Drive, (West Campus Connector), as it is referred to, is to provide a road to connect east campus to west campus allowing for a safer way for students to travel across 123. The idea is that students will be able to go from the RAC under Route 123 and come up on the other side of the field house. Commuters coming from Shirley Gate Rd. or Route 66 will be able to enter the campus from the west campus parking lot, avoiding traffic on Braddock Rd. “It will dramatically improve the traffic from the intersection of Braddock Rd. and 123,” says Enderbrock, “We’ve already begun clearing trees for the project and it is intended to be open January next year.”

What’s Next for

Construction at Mason Shenandoah Aug. ‘14

Fine Arts May ‘13

Shenandoah Dining HVIIB

For students at Mason, the

previous semester brought a few guaranteed things: new freshman, new professors and new buildings.

Going into the second semester, Mason can guarantee more renovations and additions. After all, the motto here is “Innovation is Tradition.”

According to Building Patriot Pride, the online site for construction at Mason, there are at least 13 projects involving renovations and additions planned for the Fairfax campus in the coming years. For more information, students can go to building.gmu.edu to see completion dates, construction schedules and up to date construction alerts with regards to traffic patterns.

JENNY KRASHIN/BROADSIDE

HVIIB

by Mary Oakey and Alexandra Sudak

West Campus Connector May ‘14

Other Construction Projects

Aug. ‘14

Rappahannock Aug. ‘15

Field House May ‘14

President’s Park Dining Health Sciences

July ‘14

Aca VII/Res III Fall ‘15

Spuhler Field (Phase 1) March ‘14

Point of View June ‘14

6

Broadside

Jan. 28, Sept.

10,2013 2012

News

Guest speaker gives lecture on terrorist motivation

ADAM LANKFORD

Dr. Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama, has set out to debunk that it is religion or bravery that causes terrorists to go on suicide missions.

Dr. Lankford spoke last week at the Arlington campus for an event hosted by Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center.

The lecture provided a forum of discussion between professors, scholars and some of the most influential minds in national security to share their thoughts and gain insight on Dr. Lankford’s new book, “The Myth of Martyrdom: What Really Drives Suicide Bombers, Rampage Shooters, and Other Self Destructive Killers.”

Dr. Lankford’s book notes that there are variables to review and apply to the Islamic world and the U.S. that are directly related to the role of organizations and social approval that affect suicide bombers, rampage shooters and self-destructive killers.

These variables can change the landscape and through his research he provides analysis of what it would take to change the occurrence of suicide attacks.

“To merely dismiss these individuals as ‘crazy’ or ‘monsters’ wrongly behests the root of what makes them suicidal,” Lankford

said.

Dr. Lankford has written for The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Wired, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, along with numerous peer-reviewed journals. His research has been featured by several media outlets including: CNN, MSNBC and Fox News.

According to Dr. Lankford, the psychology behind suicide bombers is that many terrorists are envious. This results from a myriad of reasons, but a common theme is lack of sexual satisfaction, which leads them to act out with anger and violence due to jealousy.

In addition, foreign occupation, such as the U.S.’s most recent occupation in the Middle East, has a strong correlation with suicide attacks. However, he states that this correlation is more indirect than conceived. As “foreign occupation does indeed lead to anger; and angry people do carry out suicide attacks in that sense.”

Cohesion and defeating the will of young children and adults comprises the ranks of a majority of militant groups. The role of women in extremist attacks is rapidly growing.

Dr. Lankford detailed instances where women in the Islamic culture are raped

with the malicious intent of shaming them to become suicide bombers. The ravaged women feel so embarrassed that terrorist leaders convince them that the only way to gain entrance to heaven is to carry out a suicide attack.

According to Dr. Lankford, this tends to be an easier sell in the Islamic world, where females are prayed on due to gender stereotypes and inequalities.The average age of suicide terrorists are between the ages of 18 and 25 and their motivations differ from the role of religion to the impact of psychological factors.

Pockets of this violence and extreme behavior are prevalent in Afghanistan and Pakistan where cohesion is used more than in any other geographic region.

In some cases the people who carry out these suicide missions are victims of these attacks who never intended to carry out these missions, such as in the recent case of a driver being handcuffed to a steering wheel in a vehicle strapped with explosives or even those individuals stricken with mental illness.

EVAN STANCIL ARLINGTON EDITOR

News

Broadside

Jan.10, 28,2012 2013 Sept.

PRO CON

GUN CONTROL

GUN CONTROL

OPINION As a kid raised in rural Vermont, guns are nothing new to me. I have never found it to be surprising or unsettling to know that my neighbors, classmates and teachers all own guns.

During certain times of the year, hunting is a perfectly viable excuse to miss school.

So it may strike you as odd that I’m the one writing about why we need more gun control in this country. But it is impossible to ignore the events in the past decade, let alone the past year.

Towns like Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut now carry with them the heavy burden of what happens when evil is given access to tools to perpetrate such evil.

As a nation, we cannot idly allow events of such a nature pass by through our news cycle without doing anything to prevent the next one from happening.

Gun control is by no means a singular issue; it is a multi-dimensional problem with no single solution. I do not want to ban guns, but there is absolutely no good reason that guns with the capability to slaughter twenty children and six adults in less than an hour should be legal. For anyone.

We need comprehensive reform of gun laws, yes. But other factors that affect such horrible crimes must also be dealt with, primarily mental health reform.

Many who oppose gun control use the second amendment, citing that it says citizens should have the right to bear arms.

However, there is a portion of the second amendment that seems to be forgotten quite frequently: “A well regulated Militia” In its entirety, the second amendment calls for regulation of gun laws that will allow for both the militia and the individual to act responsibly in defending themselves against harm.

The fact is, the current system is not

well regulated, and despite both state and national guards, citizens continue to view themselves as the necessary militia.

As a side point, I believe it is safe to say that the authors of the second amendment were, at the time, writing of guns that required around two to three minutes to be reloaded. Hardly in the same category as the guns being used to commit such heinous crimes across the United States.

In response to the events in Newtown, the National Rifle Association announced a plan supporting the armament of both security guards and employees at schools.

If the solution is anything, this is not it.

Adding more guns to the system adds increased instability and hurts regulation, instead of helping it, not to mention the cost of such measures.

Since the events in Newtown, Slate, a Division of the Washington Post Company, has been cataloguing as many gun deaths as they can.

Currently, the number is at 1,172 deaths.

Gun control is not a selective issue. We cannot continue to view it as something that needs attention once a year based on singular events that strike our media’s attention.

Guns are a continuous and unremitting problem that is far too easy to get and far too easy to use. We must take both responsible, direct and multidimensional action to solve a problem that continues to cause unyielding harm.

EDITORIAL BY

AARON LOCKE

7

OPINION The issue of gun control is one of the most contested ones in our country. Every election cycle it’s discussed, but it’s normally pushed under the rug because at the end of the day most politicians don’t want to go near the issue.

Every time our nation sees a tragedy such as the movie theatre shooting in Aurora or the evil attacks on elementary schoolchildren at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, the first thing people, especially the media, resort to is increasing gun control.

Increasing gun control will not stop these sorts of tragedies from happening.

Even with more gun control, people will still find a way to acquire weapons on the black market. The bigger issue here is the mental health of these evil attackers.

I am not against increasing background checks on all weapons purchased, so we can stop those with problems from acquiring weapons and ammo, but it is not the government’s place to tell me which weapons and magazines I can or cannot buy.

Areas that ban guns completely, known as “Gun Free Zones”, such as here on Mason’s campus create a dangerous environment for people to be in.

I pray that we never see the horrors of a gun incident here at Mason, but the truth is it’s a real possibility that we need to be prepared for.

The main problem is taking the weapons out of the hands of criminals, but for some reason gun control policies mainly concentrate on taking arms away from law-abiding citizens.

Increasing gun control laws does not make it safer for the general population.

Chicago has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country and they had over 500 murders last year, a grim murder milestone.

Their gun control policies don’t work because they disarm citizens while keeping criminals in possession of guns.

Connecticut also has very strict gun control laws, yet the tragedy happened at Sandy Hook.

The new gun control law introduced to Congress just last week is mainly targeted at banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines, identical to the ban passed during the Clinton administration.

This bill will do nothing to stop these incidents from occurring.

Crime statistics compiled by the Census Bureau show that in the 10 years before the Clinton gun ban, there were 173 mass shootings with 766 victims. But during the 10 years of the ban, from 1995-2004, there were 182 mass shootings with 820 victims.

The bottom line is that we need to keep guns in the hands of the good guys and take them away from criminals, a daunting task.

According to statistics compiled from 100 fairly recent gun incidents, when the shooter continues until law enforcement arrives, an average of 14.29 people are killed. When an armed civilian is present, an average of 2.33 civilians are killed, a huge difference.

Proponents of gun control have their heart in the right place. They would like to see fewer people murdered. I’m sure everyone can agree that fewer murdered innocent civilians is a laudable policy objective.

Unfortunately, more gun control does not achieve this goal.

EDITORIAL BY

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Broadside

News

News

Broadside

Jan.10, 28,2012 2013 Sept.

9

Mason Cable Network begins work on new live morning show For years, Mason Cable Network (MCN) has been missing a key component of television: a live news program. On Feb. 5 at 10 a.m., the network is broadcasting its new and revamped news program, Mason Cable News (MCNews). The show will also be broadcasted on channel 231 and online on masoncablenetwork.com/live Tuesdays and Thursdays. Jake McLernon, a grad student and the general manager of MCN, is heading the new project.

“There has never been a full-out live morning news program at Mason,” McLernon said. “There have been news programs in the past, but there’s never really been anything like this attempted. When students come out of high school, they’ve experienced the morning announcements that you’ll see on television screens in the mornings. We didn’t have that here. We do now.”

MCNews is a significant addition to Mason Cable Network, not only because it will inform students about their school in an easy-to-access way, but also because it will give students interested in television broadcasting a chance to learn.

“It’s a great experience for students who want to come, want to learn, and want to gain experience. We will show you the ropes, we will train you to read the teleprompter, we will teach you how to go out and find a story and produce for television news,” McLernon said.

Although the show begins at 10 a.m., the MCNews team comes in at 9 a.m. to get everything ready—scripts, teleprompters. At Jake McLernon 9:55 a.m., the video feed is started to make sure the equipment and broadcast is working. Once the show starts, there are about seven minutes of news from anchors and reporters. After that, there is a three-minute commercial break. Then, there is about five minutes of time left open for sports reports or other important information and a weather forecast.

After one more commercial break, the broadcast ends with an eight-minute interview with anyone interesting or influential.

Advertising on MCNews is available for both student groups and outside advertisers. All of the proceeds made from advertising goes directly back to equipment and upkeep of the show and Mason Cable Network as well. The show is useful for both on- and off-campus students because it allows them to stay connected to the Mason community because the information covered directly affects them. Unlike most morning news programs that begin in the early hours of the morning, MCNews is geared towards college students who normally wake up around 10

a.m.

For students that would like to be a part of MCNews, McLernon encourages them to stop by the Office of Student Media (OSM) and ask how they can get involved.

“The whole point of student media, and the whole point of MCNews is to give these students an opportunity to get experience,” McLernon said. “They can learn, improve, and take those skills out with them into the real world, whether or not it’s a career path for them. I want to give students that opportunity.”

The MCNews team has budget meetings every Friday in the OSM in the HUB. “Budget meetings are only going to be about an hour, so it’s really easy for people who are involved with the show to pop in, and not only know what stories we’re going to cover and who we’re going to interview for the Tuesday and Thursday shows, but also to pitch stories as well.”

MCNews requires students to keep to deadlines and produce timely stories. For Tuesday shows, deadlines are on Monday nights. For Thursday shows, deadlines are on Wednesday nights. Anchors are responsible for two news stories per broadcast, while reporters are responsible for one.

“Reporters are case by case, so they’re able to choose what day they want to do their story. They can go out, shoot a package, and we can air it on a particular day, depending on the news story.

But there are also stories that they can pursue that are long term, like let’s say an investigation on parking or an investigative report on dining.”

MCNews is having practice runs on Jan. 29 and Jan. 31 in the OSM, and interested students are welcome to stop by.

“There is still time to come and be a part of the show. You can come and join us any time during the semester. As long as you are eager to come and report the news, and be a part of television news, there is a place for you,” McLernon said.

Anyone interested in working for the program can stop by the Office of Student Media in the HUB, or go to masoncablenetwork.com/volunteer to see any job opportunities for MCNews or for MCN in general.

Students of all ages are welcome to participate. The show will be rebroadcasted throughout the day on channel 231, as well as on masoncablenetwork.com.

“The whole point of Mason Cable News is to give students an opportunity to get experience. They can learn, improve and take those skills out with them into the real world, whether or not it’s a career path.”

ALEXANDRA SUDAK ASST. NEWS EDITOR

MASON CABLE NETWORK

ALEXANDRA SUDAK/BROADSIDE

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Jan. 28, 2013

Broadside

Entertainment

Patriots Activity Council hosts inauguration party

CRAIG BISACRE

On Nov. 6, Mason became a campus that helped vote Obama into his second term. The night of Jan. 25, Mason celebrated that effort.

The event, titled as the Inaugural Ball 2013, was a high energy dance party decorated in American, Democratic pride. Red, white and blue hats were scattered on the tables, along with free food and a cake featuring the American flag.

An array of balloons hung from the ceiling,

waiting to be dropped on the frenzied dancefloor at midnight. The crowd was a pleasant mix of people wearing both casual and formal clothing – among them was an ecstatic pair dressed as a snowman and penguin. All cheered in excitement as the balloons showered them, officially commemorating their political accomplishment. From pounding mainstream dance songs played by DJ Rush Hour to a more alternative live band by the

~900,000 $1,200,000

name of “Monster Band,” it was an occasion that catered to several tastes.

The event was a celebration of the re-election of President Obama, but it had another theme tied in. “It’s honestly a partisan-friendly event,” said Robert “Bobby” Hagans, the student Lead Director of the Patriot Activities Counsel that organized the event. “The idea is for everyone to come together regardless of their affiliations and celebrate the fact that we

came together as a student body to vote.”

Moving forward into 2013, Mason can now proudly say that they had a successful on-campus voting experience in which they contributed to American politics MELANIE MILES ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

W H

people were believed to be in attendance at the inauguration

3,000

calories in the inaugural luncheon meal

was budgeted for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies

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Jan. 28, 2013

Overheard at Mason OPINION

My friends have said, on several occasions, that I should not eavesdrop.

But here’s the thing: the MerriamWebster dictionary defines eavesdrop as “to listen secretly to what is said in private.”

By that definition, I would not consider what I do to be eavesdropping.

In no way does the fifth row from the back of the lecture hall qualify as a private space. What is said there is said in public.

I just got back from class and I am setting the scene for a story I am telling my friends about a pair of individuals I overheard talking before the lecture started.

“Barely anyone else in the room was talking.” “You would think they would realize how loud they were talking.”

I begin to describe the individuals picking out definable qualities; “The one on the left had this unusually high ponytail that mirrored the movements of her mouth while she talked,” and “The other one had this ugly pink sweater that literally made everything around her the same ugly color.”

Using bits and pieces of what I have overheard, I put together as much as I can about what it is they are talking about.

The ponytail girl is talking all about how her favorite pair of jeans — the ones she wore the night she lost her virginity — and how one of her friends threw up on them at a party. She just couldn’t bear to wear them anymore, so she needed to find a new pair of lucky jeans.

I remind my friends just how ridiculous it is that this conversation is even happening.

“Mind you, this entire discussion is going on inside a quiet lecture hall. I have,

somehow, landed myself just one row behind this obviously life-altering story.”

The best part is I am not obligated to come up with the punch line of the story.

Ugly-pink-sweater girl has already done that for me.

“Seriously though, how are you supposed to ever have sex again if you don’t have a pair of jeans that make your butt look good?!”

And so, the conversation disintegrates into dull conversation about where they should go shopping for ponytail’s newest pair of sex jeans and I finish my story with some line about how idiotic it is that Uglypink-sweater actually bought into the crazy logic perpetuated by ponytail girl.

Every week, I will be writing about one absolutely ridiculous thing that I overhear in public while at Mason.

If you hear something that you want included, please tweet it with the hash tag: #OverheardatMason.

We all have said equally embarrassing things, but this column serves as a reminder that location and timing are key to all stories.

As a last thought, I sincerely hope that you do not measure your sexual worth on the quality of your jeans.

EDITORIAL BY

AARON LOCKE

11

Mason Makes Careers Every week, Broadside features a student or alumnus with a great internship or job to highlight the opportunities and potential earning a degree at Mason offers Name: Becca Norris Year: Junior Major: Integrative studies major with an individualized concentration in media: production, consumption and critique with a minor in electronic journalism Internship: Seventeen Magazine in NYC, N.Y. What were some of your day-to-day responsibilities?

On a daily basis I was responsible for creating the daily clips for the entire office which was basically the news and gossip breakdown of the day. I was the executive editors intern and I basically did whatever she asked as well as doing a lot of research for our health editor.

What was your favorite part of the internship?

The best part, apart from getting my foot in the door of a major magazine, was the PHOTO COURTESY OF BECCA NORRIS freebie table. Everyday items from designer makeup, books, designer accessories, shoes and more were put on the table and were up for grabs on a first come, first served basis. Needless to say, I got a lot of great stuff!

How have your classes at Mason prepared you for the internship?

Mason helped prepare me by teaching me the basics of conducting research for stories and just the basic principles underlying journalism in all of my communication classes.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a similar experience?

Be extremely persistent. When I applied for the internship I was going through the interview process during Hurricane Sandy so it took longer to be granted the position, but in the end I think part of it was because I kept calling and showing my sincere interest regularly.

12

Jan. 28, 2013

Broadside

Entertainment

Alumna fundraises for her African Peace Corps village

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNIFER BENT

In her senior year at Mason, Jennifer Bent needed to fill her last few credits and found herself enrolled in an introduction to anthropology class.

Little did she know that a few years down the road that class would play an important role in her life and career.

“I remembered the professor teaching us that you cannot make assumptions on another culture based off the rules of your own,” said Bent, who is now in Togo, Africa working as a girl empowerment and education volunteer with the Peace Corps.

Currently, Bent is working on a Peace Corps Partnership Project to raise $5,000 to buy desperately needed textbooks and chalkboards for the poor village she lives in. She has already raised nearly $1,000.

The villagers have pledged to donate to help build new desks, plant trees and contribute to the classroom supplies.

The overwhelming poverty and lack of development in the small village she lives in are made even more difficult by the rigid gender roles in the Togolese culture that Bent must battle.

“It’s unlikely that I will be able to alter a whole cultural belief system overnight, or even over my entire time in service,” Bent said.

“Despite this, I intend to persevere and stay true to my aspirations. I might not change the way women are viewed and treated in Togo immediately, but I can hope to sow the seeds of the future into the next generation.”

As part of that initiative, Bent also created a program called Men as Partners, which teaches how to be a better partner to wives, mothers, daughters and students through promoting gender equality in the community

and the classroom.

Bent teaches life skills classes that teach gender equality, HIV/AIDS awareness and income generating activities. Part of her work is convince the village families to send their young daughters to school and let them continue with their education.

Bent graduated from Mason with a degree in government and international politics, which she credits as being useful in her preparation to join Peace Corps. She first realized her passion for volunteer work and service as an undergrad.

“I knew that I wanted to become a Peace Corps volunteer following my mission trip to Banica in the Dominican Republic with the Catholic Campus Ministry,” Bent said. “I have always been involved in service and helping others, but my work in this poor community changed how I saw the world and my place in it. My eyes were opened to a whole new world where helping others gave me a sense of well being I had never experienced before.”

In spite of the challenges presented land with no modern amenities and a foreign culture, Bent has found a real connection to the youth in the village.

“I’ve worked a lot with students and apprentices and it’s just heartwarming how excited they are to be in my class,” Bent said. “I look at them and can’t help but hope that something I relay to them will touch them and create real cultural change.”

Donations can be made to Bent’s project on donate.peacecorps.com.

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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February

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BROADSIDE’S GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CALENDAR

SUN 27

MON 28

TUE 29

WED 30

THU 31

IMPORTANT Last Day to Add Classes; Last Day to Drop with No Tuition Penalty

3

4

5

11 Homecoming 2013 Kick-Off Patriot Center JC Atrium 12 - 1 p.m.

17

18

6

7

IMPORTANT Last Day to Drop with 33% Tuition Penalty One Billion Rising: Anti-Violence Against Women Rally Johnson Center

20

13

14

Spring Job & Internship Fair Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

24

25

26 Men’s Basketball vs.

Towson Patriot Center 7 p.m.

27

Chinese New Year Celebration JC, Dewberry Hall 2 - 11 p.m.

9

Best Buddies Valentine’s Day Dance The HUB Ballroom 4 - 7 p.m.

15

Mumford & Sons Concerts Patriot Center 8 p.m.

21

28

SAT 2

8

Mason Lobbies Richmond, VA 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

12

19

1

Men’s Basketball vs. Drexel Patriot Center 7 p.m.

CVPA Internship and Career Fair Mason Hall Atrium 4 - 7 p.m.

10

FRI

Men’s Basketball vs. Delaware Patriot Center 7 p.m.

16 Men’s Basketball vs.

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22

23 Men’s Basketball vs.

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2

1 Immunization Record Deadline

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15

Returning to Mason

Alumna Rita Donahue has a successful dancing career with Mark Morris Dance Group Rita Donahue first saw the Mark Morris Dance Group, and a glimpse of her future, when she was in high school.

The group was performing at the Center for the Arts, and returns often on tours.

As an undergrad studying English and dance at Mason, Donahue had the chance to perform a piece with the student dance company and be coached

by Morris himself.

Almost ten years later, Donahue is returning to Mason as a member of the company herself to perform at the Center for the Arts on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 9 at 8 p.m.

“I’m not sure if I would have pursued a career in dance if I hadn’t gone through the dance program at Mason,” Donahue said. “It was great experience that taught me discipline. And it was a lot of fun. You can certainly find work as a dancer with some hard work.”

Another member of the dance group, Billy Smith, is also a Mason alumnus.

Donahue remembers coming to Mason to perform with the Mark Morris Dance Group and seeing Smith perform as a student.

For half of the year the group is on the road, touring across the country and internationally, most recently in Richmond and Madrid. For the remainder of the year they are rehearsing and cross training at home in Brooklyn, NY at their dance studio.

“This is too much work to just be a hobby,” Donahue said. “People don’t realize just how much time and effort we put into this job.”

The Mark Morris Dance Group was founded by its namesake Mark Morris in 1980 and has since toured internationally. Critically acclaimed by the New York Times and the Washington Post, Morris’

modern dance pieces use live music as the impetus for the performance.

“He’s created a great company,” said Donahue. “It takes a lot more work than just finding dancers.”

Modern dance is distinguished from ballet by their bare feet during performances. The performance will feature three D.C. area premieres by the group: The Office, performed by seven dancers accompanied by live violins, cello and harmonium; Socrates, a Greek themed piece featuring 15 dancers; and Festival Dance, set to Hummel’s Piano Trio No. 5 in E major with 12 dancers.

Tickets for the show range from $23 to $48. 1 free ticket is available with a student ID. COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WILLIAM MURRAY

Miss Black GMU Raises Awareness

BUCHI AKPATI PHOTOGRAPHY

Maci Elba, the first winner of Miss Black GMU. The pageant focuses on leadership, academics and philanthropy.

February is not only a month dedicated to love, but it is a month dedicated to history.

And to kick off Black History Month at Mason, there will be events upon events, including the anticipated 2013 Miss Black GMU Pageant.

The Miss Black GMU Pageant hasn’t always been just a women’s pageant – students may remember previous years at Mason when there was the Mr. and Miss Black GMU Pageant.

However, this year Mason’s trying out something new by having the pageant for women and focusing on the importance of scholarship, community service, philanthropy and academic excellence.

“The contestants can benefit from competing in several ways,” explained Canesha Swift, Director of

the Miss Black GMU Pageant. “[The contestants] will be raising awareness about issues at Mason during their pageant platform; they can be acknowledged by the community for leadership and academic excellence; this could be a stepping stone for some students to expand their network and become a student leader; and winning this title is a great opportunity to be at the forefront of uniting the black community and Mason at large.”

The 2013 Miss Black GMU Pageant will continue to recognize leadership and excellence to further each contestant’s goal for academic and personal success, as well as bring together Mason and the university’s Black community.

Each contestant is involved in many aspects of Mason’s student life, but philanthropy and community service

seem to be the activities the pageant contestants hold with a high priority.

“My philanthropy for the pageant is Breast Cancer Awareness,” stated Jasmine Young, a junior at Mason studying Integrated Studies with a concentration in Legal Studies who is competing in this year’s pageant. “I am raising money for one of Virginia Oncology’s partners which is the Cancer Care Treatment Center of Tidewater, who provides lunches for patients coming in for treatment. I am passionate about my philanthropy because my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and has benefited from Cancer Cares services. That is why I am donating all the money that I raise to them.”

Alongside the major changes to the pageant, there will also be a change in the scholarship winnings for

2013’s Miss Black GMU. “The planning committee has worked very diligently to increase the scholarship amount from $250 to $500,” Swift said.

All contestants of the pageant are extremely qualified to win the pageant, so many would think it would be a tough competition filled with stereotypical cattiness – but that’s not the case for the 2013 Miss Black GMU Pageant.

“It is a competition,” Young said, “and at the end of the day, through the judges’ eyes, hopefully the best possible contestant will be chosen.”

The 2013 Miss Black GMU Pageant will be held on Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in The HUB Ballroom. No tickets are needed, and seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

RYAN WEISSER ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

16

Jan. 28, 2013

Broadside

Entertainment

JC Cinema Shows Golden Globe Winning Argo OPINION

The Johnson Center is screening a highly praised film, Argo, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2. Tickets are free with a Mason ID, $1 for faculty and $3 general admission.

Ben Affleck directs and stars in the thriller about the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran (IMDb). The movie times are either 6 p.m. or 9 p.m.

Many moviegoers have admired the film, including revered film critic Roger Ebert, who awarded it the Best Picture of the Year. Along with Ebert’s award, it also won the Best Motion Picture-Drama at the Golden Globes and was nominated for Best Picture in the Academy Awards.

I saw the film on its first weekend and fell in love with it, along with the rest of America. It is a great story that delves deep into how the mission is executed and the conflicts that occur for the CIA in orchestrating the mission, as well as the diplomats in Iran who struggle to stay alive.

The film has its historical flaws. For example, demonizing the British for turning away the America Personnel. In reality the British actually housed the six Americans but believed that the location was not safe for them. So the British then decided to move them to the Canadian Embassy, a better location. Along with the six diplomatic personnel, the British also helped other Americans in Iran.

The film also depicts the characters consistently being in danger forcing the plan to be aborted. The personal and

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Antonio Mendez (Played by Affleck) were never in any of the danger that the movie portrays.

These scenes of being close to caught (i.e. Airport) were created to add suspense to the thriller.

Those additions of suspense make the movie inaccurate to what actually happened, but makes the movie more suspenseful and enjoyable. For the whole movie your stomach is twirling because you want your countrymen, who you have built a relationship with over two hours, to come home safe.

Once the powerful film concluded, all I wanted to do was wave an American Flag. When the plan is finally concluded and each character is safe, you are proud of your country for pulling off a remarkable mission to save a fellow citizen.

Affleck’s phenomenal execution of the film both in front and behind the camera makes every award the film won justified. Every Patriot should take the time to go to the JC Cinema to see this remarkable film. It will not be a waste of your time.

EDITORIAL BY

NATE FALK

Editorials Broadside

Jan. 28, 2013

Tips for spring semester success

Aaron Locke Managing Editor Niki Papadogiannakis News Editor Alexandra Sudak Asst. News Editor Ryan Weisser Entertainment Editor Melanie Miles Asst. Entertainment Editor Elise Baker Editorials Editor Bryan Dombrowski Sports Editor Jennifer Miller Asst. Sports Editor Jenny Krashin Photography Editor Stephen Kline Design Editor Manuel De Jesus Alfaro Cartoonist Kathryn Mangus Faculty Advisor Jacques Mouyal Business Manager David Carroll Associate Director Broadside is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax Community. The editors of 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 Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email listed above.

Broadside is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Want to share your opinion?

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 clarity, brevity, and grammar. Material containing libel, racist slurs, personal attacks or obscenities may be edited or rejected. The author’s name, class year (and/or title when appropriate), major and daytime phone number must be included for verification of authenticity. The deadline submission is Thursday by 10 p.m.

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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Phone: 703.993.2950 EIC@BroadsideOnline.com

We all know the struggle of getting back into the swing of classes.

There is a change of mindset, a change in your schedule because you actually have to know what day it is, and then the obvious change of material from your new classes.

It seems as though going back to school after winter break is so much harder compared to going back in the fall after summer break.

It could be the icy weather that urges you to stay inside wrapped up in a blanket watching movies all day, or the anticipation of just wanting to skip straight to summer.

Whatever the reasoning for the delayed desire to return to classes, I think the key to a successful semester lays solely in your mindset.

Your mindset on something helps control how you carry out the task.

OPINION

EIC@BroadsideOnline.com

It affects your productivity, your perseverance and your overall experience.

By waking up in the morning and choosing to have a satisfying day, you are already ahead of multiple fellow students that choose the alternate route.

Start off the semester on a good note. Go to bed earlier than you have been, get your school supplies and class requirements organized.

Make getting up a little earlier each day part of your routine, then you do not have to worry about being rushed and maybe you will have time for that cup of coffee or an actual breakfast.

Another trick that has personally helped my mindset is to sit in the front of each class.

It helps you pay attention or stay awake, both very important.

It also shows the professor that you

want to learn.

We all get bored once we run out of shows to watch on our laptops, so once that happens get ahead in your school work.

Working ahead can only benefit you in the end, and especially since it is only the second week, it is the perfect time to get started.

Having a good mindset helps the time go by faster which means you are that much closer to summertime and warmer weather.

It is all in your head, and it is up to you whether or not you want to use that to your advantage.

EDITORIAL BY

ELISE BAKER

A need for accountability after 2012 After the year 2000 turned out to be just another year, a growing number of people pondered whether or not 2012 would be the end.

Countless books, websites, and films were released on this issue, building themselves off of a misreading of the Mayan calendar system and Mayan sense of history.

As this edition of Broadside proves, our world still exists after the much hyped 2012 doomsday.

No new age hippie reboot took place, to burning away of all civilization via solar flares, and no return of Quetzalcoatl.

Things remain pretty unchanged, as evidence by the results of the presidential election.

Yet as the march of progress moves past the former hysteria, there needs to be something different.

What always seems to happen around this time in the public consciousness is a sense of memory erasure.

It’s natural; the human mind generalizes information for better storage.

Still, this process should not serve as an excuse for not holding various public figures to account.

Always remember there were a lot of people who profited from the 2012 hysteria, people who preached of it being a brand new thing only to have it be another 24 hour cycle of mortal loss

OPINION

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Colleen Wilson Editor-in-Chief

17

and gain.

For example, there is Barbara Hand Clow, astrologer and author of the 2007 book “The Mayan Code” who predicted that a new age would begin in 2012.

Far from being removed from serious conversations, many of these individuals continue to influence parts of our public sphere.

For her part, Hand Clow continues to have her work featured on blogs and YouTube even after her claims about last year failed to come to fruition.

This needs to stop. While an official black list would garner much deserved criticism, there still needs to be some collective recognition that these folks do not know what they are talking about but are smart enough to take advantage of people in the process.

While more of a challenge, those susceptible to their ideas should recognize their faults and not fall into their traps once more solely due to a propensity for similar views.

These new agers and so-called spiritualists are not the only ones who fall into the same snares over and over again.

It is a universal problem for humanity.

In the early 1990s, Harold Camping of the conservative Christian broadcast group Family Radio claimed that 1994 would be the year of the Rapture.

Despite being very blatantly in

error on that matter, there were still plenty who believed Camping when he proceeded to argue that May 21, 2011 was when the elect would be taken up into the heavens.

And think of the far too many who find Nostradamus’ view into the future blameless, even though he once claimed that “In the year 1999, in the seventh month, from the sky will come the great King of Terror, bringing back to life the great King of the Mongols.”

In America today, we live in a postmodern society that frowns upon criticism of most ideological views or community leaders from outside sources.

This is a social faux pas that we must ignore for the benefit of many.

For as the 2012 prophets of doom continue to reap influence, they do so under the shield post-modern provides against constructive criticism of beliefs.

We must engage, we must interact, and we must confront to expose the modern false prophets for what they really are.

EDITORIAL BY

MICHAEL GRYBOSKI

18

Broadside

Jan. 28, 2013

Editorials

Gun control is not the Cabrera, give us a sign only solution to the problem

By Manny Alfaro

These shooters need help and without this reform they will not receive access to proper facilities where experienced doctors and nurses can take care of these people so they don’t hurt others.

It is no longer time to think, it is now time to act as fatalities continue in Taft, Albuquerque, and Houston since the Newtown shooting.

These atrocities can no longer be ignored and President Obama knows that, which is why he signed into law background checks and an assault weapons ban.

But hopefully he heeds the words of that valiant mother to finally write a bill to bring much needed mental health resources for those who need its service the most.

Victoria Soto inspired every American on that tragic day but I don’t want her name honored on a street sign.

Her name does not belong there; Soto went to college to be a teacher and her name belongs in a yearbook, and in the students developing minds.

Soto did not become a teacher to inspire the American People; she did to inspire her students.

It’s time for gun control and mental health reform to be enforced so another Victoria Soto can live on and inspire.

EDITORIAL BY

NATE FALK

OPINION

OPINION

Gun control has become an unceasing topic since the Sandy Hook tragedy.

The atrocities brought out politicians to create reform and others to remain steadfast on the Second Amendment.

Adding background checks and reestablishing an assault weapons ban is a onedimensional answer to a three-dimensional issue.

The US Government needs to examine the issues concerning the mentally ill.

Just two days after the Newtown shooting, the Huffington Post posted an article titled, I am Adam Lanza’s Mother, written by a courageous mother with a mentally ill son.

His undiagnosed behavior made him go from sweet and compassionate to belligerent.

His episodes of violence became too much and she took him to a hospital.

She asked the nurse about her options. The words of the nurse did not bring any light to the conflict.

The child can only be taken care of if he is arrested and placed into the system.

The American people have accepted this deplorable notion as a proper way to take care of the mentally ill.

Government regulations as they stand now do not allow the mentally ill to be properly evaluated until they become another Adam Lanza.

This brave mother believes that the Government must start taking a more serious role in the mentally ill and I stand behind her.

It is time for the American People to not only support background checks and an assault weapons ban, but also a reformed program for the country’s mentally ill. American families, communities, and citizens are struggling to bear another mass shooting that kills innocents.

President Cabrera, I would like to extend to you an invitation.

I would like for you to accompany me on a tour of the colleges of the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

We could accomplish the tour in a day, granted a long day, but one day nonetheless.

I’d start us off by driving out to JMU, then meander down 81 to UVA and Tech, and finally work back in to Richmond to check out U of R and VCU before headed home.

Typically visiting so many colleges would require far more than a day, but I don’t even plan on driving onto their campuses. We can see all I want you to see from the car.

Each of these campuses has something I believe Mason sorely misses, a basic part of what I believe makes a college campus more then just a collection of buildings.

A sign.

“But Stephen, we have a sign at every entrance!” you might say. “We even have one with a big display board! Show me a campus that has that!”

We have a collection of signs that are slightly larger than your average Wendy’s sign, and demand just about as much respect.

I will grant you that we have the display board, but that is for the Patriot Center. And we’re not the only university that has one for our athletics program.

It also doesn’t imprint the same sense of respect that many other schools do.

Case in point: Virginia Tech’s main entrance greets you with large brick wall, on which is a humongous bronze plaque states the name of the school. It demands authority.

We have rinky-dink metal signs that could be blown over in a good stiff wind.

Mason’s architecture is sort of all over the place at the moment, but I think there is an

overall modern look to it.

So make a modern-looking sign to go with it. Set in brick, with a foundation that could withstand a nuclear bomb blast.

We have a bevy of graphic design students sitting on campus who would revel at the idea of being able to develop such a landmark part of campus.

There are a variety of locations where such a sign could be placed here at Mason.

Rivanna River Road now presents a beautiful location, especially since there is so much construction already happening there.

Where University Drive intersects with Ox Road, right next to Rogers and White Top, would also be an excellent location.

If you were to ask me, though, I would say that the ideal location is at the intersection of Ox Road and Braddock.

Right now there is one of those laughably small signs perched on the hill, and every day I drive past it I actually feel a small tinge of embarrassment.

Mason has made some big steps in the years past to become a well-known, respectable university.

I appreciate each and every building that goes up, knowing that it will contribute even more to this great campus that we have.

A sign would symbolically tie it all together and tell the surrounding community, who may not interact with campus everyday, that Mason has arrived.

EDITORIAL BY

STEPHEN KLINE

Sports

Jan. 28, 2013

Broadside

Senior discovers his passion for volleyball

MASON ATHLETICS

Senior Taylor Morgan delays graduation after being drafted to the Toronto FC. Morgan is the eighth Patriot to be drafted into Major League Soccer after an impressive 13 goals last season.

Patriot takes hiatus from school to go pro Taylor Morgan’s night turned into one that he was not expecting when his friend spotted that the Toronto FC had drafted Morgan before he was even aware it had happened.

“It was completely unexpected. I was really surprised and shocked, then it was just a really good feeling,” Morgan said.

Morgan, who was an influential member of the success of Mason’s soccer team’s last season, was not even expecting to be drafted for Major League Soccer.

Although he had spoken to teams before, being drafted in the fourth round of the supplemental draft was completely out of the blue.

“It was really shocking, but it is good to have this opportunity,” Morgan said.

Morgan is only the eighth player from Mason to be drafted to the major leagues.

“I am glad to represent Mason. It’s all pretty exciting,” said Morgan.

Morgan credits the good environment that his coaches and teammates created for helping to make the opportunity possible.

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After being drafted on Tuesday afternoon, Morgan had to quickly turn around and be in Canada to begin playing with the team by the weekend.

“I definitely have to get my head around all the change.”

He will have to delay graduation, but with only one semester left, he is chasing the opportunity and will finish college when it is best for him.

He sees many more advantages of taking this incredible opportunity than just the one small disadvantage of delaying his graduation.

Morgan feels that he can accomplish his degree at any time in the future, whereas his sports opportunity is a rare chance.

There is a lot to adapt to other than the cold climate of Toronto.

Morgan knows that the major leagues will be more physically demanding and the speed of play with be much different that what he has been used to for the past four years at Mason.

“I need to get in that environment and adapt. Take everyday that comes

and work hard just like I always did at Mason,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s impressive college career of starting all 19 games, with 13 goals in the season, gives him the tools he needs to improve his speed and become an effective striker in Toronto.

After coming to Mason from Southhampton, England, Morgan has dreams of working his way through the major leagues to Arsenal F.C. of Holloway, London.

Morgan has been a supportive fan for his whole life and it would be his ultimate dream team to play for them.

For now, Morgan is happy for the opportunity that has presented itself with the Toronto FC. “It is a really good opportunity and good recognition for MLS,” Morgan said.

The Mason community now has another accomplished player to watch move onto bigger and better things.

JENNIFER MILLER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

When he was a freshman in high school, Andrew Dentler’s plan was to play basketball and potentially earn a scholarship for college.

Volleyball was not in the picture.

“I originally started playing [volleyball] so I could get my vertical jump up for basketball,” Dentler said, who stands at six feet five inches.

“After that, I just came to love volleyball more than any other sport that I have ever played.”

Nine years later, Dentler is now leading the Patriots.

They hope to bounce back from a disappointing end to their season last year. They lost in the EIVA finals to Pennsylvania State University.

The Patriots have been mediocre this season, posting a 2-4 record through six games. One of their losses was to number three-ranked Stanford when they traveled to California at the beginning of the season.

“We hung with them. We had some weak points and some strong points. We took a game from Stanford. The game we took was the best game we played this season,” Dentler said, who led the team leader in kills. “We proved that we can hang with them but they did it for a whole match when we did it for one game.”

They avenged last week’s loss to Loyola-Chicago with a 3-to-1 win on Friday. However, they lost their Saturday match up against No. 15 ranked Lewis University.

“The first time we came out flat when we played them [Loyola-Chicago]. We did not get a lot of momentum or as much as we needed.

The second time getting a quick start and playing more consistent was key,” Dentler said.

Dentler believes that this

year’s team can be special and surpass last year’s frustration.

“I expect us to peak at the right time. We have a couple losses right now but we have not played in conference yet. It matters but not as much as in conferences matches that are coming up,” said the redshirt senior from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. “As long as we are in the playoffs, any team can beat anyone. I expect us to peak and since we have a lot of seniors, we have all been through it.”

As a senior, Dentler sees it as his job, along with the other seniors, to hold everyone accountable for this season and their actions.

“We do it because we all have a common goal and everybody wants to be on it. Otherwise, it is not going to work,” said Dentler. “That is one thing I can say that has not been in full effect on any team I have been part of before.”

Dentler’s love for volleyball goes beyond being a Patriot.

In the offseason, he spends his time playing at the beach.

He has been to places such as Long Beach, Cedar Point, the Jersey Shore and Virginia Beach to play in professional tournaments.

“From August till May I’m playing indoor. May till August I’m playing sand. I like the change,” Dentler said, “In indoor, you jump a lot higher and move quicker on the ground. Where in the sand, you move slower and cannot jump as high. It is more about using your head and being able to control the ball and being able to put it where you want to.”

The Patriots will continue their season by traveling to Columbus, Ohio to take on the No. 11 Buckeyes Feb. 2.

JAMES ZEMBRISKI STAFF WRITER

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Sports

Concerns about safety hinder club rugby recruitment efforts

JJ SHAW

The Men’s Rugby team is the oldest club sport at Mason, dating back to 1965.

Over most of those years the Rugby team has had a very strong program. Currently, the team is displaying that success once again after a few rough years of redevelopment.

“We’re on our way back up,” said Club President Zander Shaw.

Two years ago, the team did not win a single game, with some improvement last year. This fall season however, they shut out every home game and went undefeated for eight games before losing a tough away match against Salisbury University. Shaw accredits the team’s successes to a strong brotherhood the group has formed over the past three years.

“We’ve grown from spending all these years together and working hard at practice, but

that’s one reason why we need freshmen; new blood to keep us alive,” Shaw said.

The team is steadily growing but suffers from commitment issues at practice and tournaments. When a few players can only make one practice a week and every-other game, it is difficult to improve and connect to the rest of the group. Understanding the commitment issue is key to long term improvement of club sports, and the battle for each team is different.

For the rugby club, the spring season is the less competitive season. While they still play games home and away, it is prime time for recruits to come out, especially with the weather getting warmer as the semester goes on.

The stereotypical image of a rugby player is usually tall, broad and built like an ox. Shaw

DOUG LEONARD

wants to dispel this myth as the team focuses heavily on recruiting this semester.

“There is a position for everybody. We need big boys, skinny guys and little fast guys too,” Shaw said.

Unlike its counterpart, American football, rugby does not use pads or helmets. However, this actually makes rugby a safer sport. ”The pads and gear give you a sense of safety; you can hit as hard and recklessly as you want” Shaw said. “The lack of gear makes rugby much more about form. Poor technique will get you hurt, [so the lack of pads] actually makes it a safer sport.”

Looking forward to this season, the team really wants to get another shot at Salisbury, and a fresh pool of recruits may be a deciding factor.

“We have some bad blood. They’re one of the dirtier teams out there,” Shaw said.

The team celebrated big wins over the University of Maryland and Georgetown University after the loss, but couldn’t remove the bad taste of defeat from their mouth. The relationship Mason Rugby has with Towson is a little nastier than most. Usually competing teams can shake hands and have a celebratory mixer afterwards, though in the case of Mason’s relationship with Towson, the teams prefer to leave and lick their wounds.

BRYAN DOMBROWSKI SPORTS EDITOR

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New talent helps Women’s Tennis team overcome injury

JENNY KRASHIN/BROADSIDE

Ethan “Mr. C” Carter with the medals he has earned from former Iron Mason competitions.

Fitness challenge encourages students to complete triathlon Triathlons are a triumvirate of physical fitness, an ultimate test of endurance. While not everyone can get in the shape necessary to bike, swim and run long distances in one day, Mason Recreation has created an incentive program called the Iron Mason to challenge students to complete a triathlon over a three month period.

The face and founder of the competition is Ethan “Mr. C” Carter, the Director of Fitness for Mason Recreation. Carter has created a series of YouTube videos as Mr. C, a celebrity within the fitness community who claims to be the fittest of them all.

“We wanted to think of something to encourage physical fitness and get people active. This competition also has longevity and encourages competition,” Carter said.

Starting Feb. 9, competitors will record their gym activity on log sheets as they race to finish before the final deadline of May 4.

The program comes with several levels of difficulty and may be finished early for additional prizes and recognition.

The standard Olympic Mason requires 2.5 miles of swimming, 75 miles of biking and 25 miles of running. For more intense competitors, the Ultimate Mason challenge requires 5 miles of swimming, 150 miles of biking and 50 miles of running before deadline.

The Olympic Mason competitors can finish the challenge in a month by swimming two laps a day five days a week, running 1.25 miles a day 5 days a week and biking 3.75 miles a day 5 days a week. Since the competition spans three months, competitors also have the

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option to workout longer less days a week or expand the calendar to stretch out over three months.

Last year the Iron Mason signed up approximately 100 competitors. Nearly a quarter of them finished the challenge by the end of the semester. Carter says his goal for the spring semester is to increase both initial sign up numbers and see a higher finish rate.

To become a part of the Iron Mason Elite, you must catch Mr. C if you can, at whatever pace and routine you are most comfortable with.

“We’ve had some great results, people get in better shape and some have even reported losing up to 25 pounds,” Carter said.

Though the final deadline is May 4, competitors may finish at the Diamond Level on March 9 or the Platinum Level on April 6 for a prize. As an alternative to earning the miles through biking, running or swimming, competitors can walk, use rowing machines or participate in group classes like spinning or Zumba.

Mason Recreation encourages competitors to take the stairs instead of at the elevator and wear a pedometer to make sure that all of their daily physical activity is counted towards the competition. Contestants keep track of their own progress on bi-weekly sheets that are emailed out to participants.

Registration forms are available on the Mason Recreation website.

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The women’s tennis team kicks off their season with matches against Appalachian State University and James Madison University.

With a packed schedule from February to April and multiple matches every weekend, staying healthy and coming out strong will be key in making it far in their season and show that they are contenders in the competitive CAA conference.

“We have an excellent team with an impressive freshman class,” Senior Captain Kiersten Pappas said, “In the fall season they overcame their nervousness and stepped up. And I know that we will come out strong against tough teams and show that we are a force to be reckoned with”.

Despite the girls’ talent and hard work, the road

has not been easy. Pappas only played sporadically during her sophomore and junior years due to a shoulder injury that required two surgeries. With injuries accumulating, it was difficult to have enough girls to compete without further injuring themselves. Pappas attributes their successes to their coach’s careful attention to the girls and promoting healthy practices to prevent injuries.

“We make sure to always stretch extensively before and after practice,” Pappas said. “If we do get injured we have to go through intense rehab and be very cautious about returning too soon to the courts”.

While Pappas was injured she was still heavily involved with the team, helping out by coaching and being actively

engaged in practices and supporting the girls. But Pappas says that the team would not be as successful without their outstanding coach.

“Coach Curtis knows what he is talking about,” Pappas said, “He stays calm on the sidelines and guides us through the matches”.

The team has done remarkably well despite the injuries in the past few years, but with the team as healthy as it can be, it seems that everything will finally come together for the squad. Through the support of their coaches and leaders, this talented and hardworking team looks to go further in their season than ever before.

JORDAN CONAHAN STAFF WRITER

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY Prince William, VA Campus | Beacon Hall

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1,200 – 8,000 SF remaining Retail/ Restaurant Space FOR LEASE For more information, contact:

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Everything the sixth man missed over break

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

Over the break the Patriots have been falling and rising with redshirt junior Sherrod Wright’s performance. The depth of the team is going to be crucial as March gets closer

Since the end of the fall semester the Patriots have been trying to break what is now a seven game losing streak. Finding the missing element to their offense will make or break the remainder of their season.

Depth gives men’s team strength Women looking for winning strategy Without the sixth man behind them, Mason seemed to struggle slightly over the winter break. They went 4-3 during the break with two of the losses being in conference games. Since students have returned, the team has two wins against Hofstra and Towson. The Patriots are now 5-2 in conference and 12-7 overall.

The team seems to still be settling into a rhythm. Many losses can be attributed to the Patriots’ foul trouble. In the game against the University of South Florida (USF), Mason closed the gap to just a two-point deficit, but gave up four free throws late in the second half. They fell to USF 57‒61. The same scenario was seen when the Patriots made it to 80‒74, then gave up another four free throws in the final seconds of the game.

The Patriots were a hit or miss team for a while but began winning games by ten or more points. They had their first blow out of the season against Old Dominion ending the

game at 71‒46.

Many believe that Mason has found its offensive footing with their win against Towson. Bryon Allen replaced Anali Okoloji in the starting lineup and the Patriots started the game with a strong 6‒2 run. Allen, Marko Gujanicic and Sherrod Wright ended the game scoring in the double digits.

If the team keeps their offense up, keeps their turnovers and fouls down and the players keep gaining their footing, like freshman Patrick Holloway, then the Patriots will potentially bring in two more in conference wins when they travel to Northeastern on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. then return to the Patriot Center on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. to host Drexel.

JENNIFER MILLER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

The women’s team has been struggling to come up, winning only two of the seven games they played over break. With more losses last Tuesday against Northeastern and last Thursday against James Madison University, it brings the women to 1-5 in conference and 6‒11 overall.

Their one in conference win against Towson on Jan. 17 was a glimmer of hope for the team.

Cierra Strickland scored 20 points and Amber Easter and Rahneeka Saunders both scored in double digits to top Towson that night.

Mason’s other win over break was a slim victory over Georgia Southern 54‒53. They came back from trailing 32‒26 in the first half to scoring 28 points in the second half to squeeze by with a win.

The Patriots’ average score-per-game is 55, whereas their opponents average 62, puts them behind their opponents. Also, the team

has a turnover average of 18.

With women like Saunders, Easter and Pickard scoring and the team’s defense boasting the highest defensive rebound percentage in the conference, the women’s team does have the ability to begin winning more games and boost their conference standing.

The next game is in the Patriots’ favor. They will be back at the Patriot Center on Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. against Georgia State. Then they are back on the road for their game against Hofstra on Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

JENNIFER MILLER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

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Mason Recreation Spring Schedule Group Exercise All classes take place at the Aquatic and Fitness Center Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

12:15-1:15 p.m.

Totally Sculpt Allison

Zumba Kazumi

Cardio Kickboxing Noki

Cardio Sculpt Patty

TBC Jen/Paige

5:00-5:25 p.m.

ABC Veronika

CC Mary

Butts and Guts Jacqui

Butt â&#x20AC;&#x153;Absâ&#x20AC;?olutely Lorena

5:30-6:25 p.m.

Power Dance Veronika

Cardio Kickboxing Mary

Belly Dancing Jacqui

Zumba Lorena

6:30-7:25 p.m.

Barre Works Marcie/Veronika

Zumba Marcie

Cardio Kickboxing Jen

Kukuwa Sarah

Martial Arts All classes take place in the RAC Building, $60/semester for students and $90/semester for non-students Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Krav Maga

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Krav Maga

Tang Soo Doo

7:30-8:30 p.m.

Tang Soo Doo

Pilates and Yoga All classes take place in the Yoga/Pilates Room located in the RAC Building, prices vary Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Pilates with Props Cindy Yoga for Balance Tikiri

Vinyasa Flow Kelly (Martial Arts Room) Yoga for the Core Gwen Vinyasa Flow Kelly

Yoga for Relaxation Jenn

Yoga for All Alexandra

Yoga for Restoration Tikiri (Martial Arts Room) Yoga for Alignment Gwen Power Yoga Emily

12:00-1:00 p.m.

Pilates for All Noki

5:30-6:30 p.m.

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Yoga for Relaxation Alexandra

Yoga for All Shannon and Tikiri

Hatha Yoga Tikiri

Yoga for Flexibility Tikiri

7:00-8:00 a.m.

Indoor Cycling All classes take place in the Indoor Cycling Room located in the Aquatic and Fitness Center Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Rotating

11:00-12:00 p.m.

12:00-1:00 p.m.

Glynn

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Sara M.

6:30-7:30 p.m.

Saturday

Stephanie

Alison

Glynn

Mary & Stephanie K. Jeff

Sarah S. & Grace Rotating

Kathy & Grace

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