4.24.2017 - Fourth Estate

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FOURTH ESTATE April 24, 2017 | Volume 4 Issue 21 George Mason University’s official student news outlet gmufourthestate.com | @IVEstate

3 SG election results

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Mason cadets train at Quantico

12

The struggle of displaced people

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Fourth Estate Crime Log

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MacKenzie Reagan Sosan Malik Co-Editors-In-Chief

Todd Gonda

Apr. 8

2017-004626 / Conspiring to Trespass Subject (GMU) was issued a releasable summons for assisting a criminally trespassed Subject (Non-GMU) commit criminal trespassing on multiple occasions.

Case related to case #'s 2017-004622, 2017-004623, 2017-004624, and 2017004596.

Copy Chief

Megan Zendek Art Director

Fareeha Rehman Online Editor

Natalia Kolenko Campus Editor

Eastern Shore | Cleared by Summns | 3/2/2017 (7:42 PM), 3/11/2017 (9:59 PM), 3/12/2017 (9:53 PM), 4/7/2017 (5:17 PM)

WE ARE HIRING! We are currently looking to fill the following paid editor positions for the Fall 2017 semester:

- PHOTO - CAMPUS NEWS - COPY CHIEF - ONLINE We are always recruiting new members for our staff teams: - NEWS WRITERS - CULTURE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - DESIGNERS - PHOTOGRAPHERS For inquiries, please email a resume and two clips (or samples of work for visuals) to:

eic@gmufourthestate.com AND apply online at:

Mia Wise Assistant Campus Editor

Dinanda Pramesti

Apr. 11

2017-004751 / Theft from Building Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of multiple electronic devices from a locker. Referred to Criminal Investigations Division.

Johnson Center (rental locker) | Pending | 9:18 AM - 12:00 AM

Culture Editor

Mitchell Westall Sports Editor

Billy Ferguson Graphics Editor

Emmett Smith Distribution Manager

Kathryn Mangus

Apr. 17

2017-005050 / Hit and Run Complainant (GMU) reported a hit and run of a fence.

Student Townhouses | Information Only | Unknown Time

Director

David Carroll Associate Director

Jason Hartsel Assistant Director

Leslie Steiger Fiscal and Operations Assistant Director

Apr. 21

2017-005273 / Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle / Drug / Narcotic Violations / Drug Equipment Violations / Reckless Driving Subject (Non-GMU) was arrested and transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center for driving a vehicle without permission. A second subject (NonGMU) was given a verbal warning for possessing a small amount of illegal drugs and drug equipment.

Braddock and Ox Rd | Cleared by Arrest / Verbal Warning | 4:25 AM

ON THE COVER Photo courtesy of Doug Whang.

Cadet Joy Arakelian and Cadet Michael Muzzey assume the role of villagers during a key leader engagement exercise during Mason's ROTC Joint Field Training Exercise.

http://c2ms.info/osmapply COPY EDITORS Christina Comerford, Caitlin Herron, Edna McClung, Alina Moody

Alyssa Swaney Sales Team

Wesley Ward Sales Team

Jason Brightman Sales Team Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community. The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

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

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

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Campus News

Meet your new Student Government Student body president and vice president announced LAUREN SULLIVAN | STAFF WRITER

A week filled with social media campaigning and sidewalks filled with chalk for Student Government elections came to an end April 11 when the Office of Student Involvement announced the winners of the executive student body.

Junior government and international politics major David Kanos and junior integrative studies major Kelley Dugan have been elected as Mason’s student body president and vice president, respectively, receiving 913 votes.

They beat out their opponents, junior government and international politics major Hannah Carse, who ran for president, and junior government and international politics major Greg Warren, who only received 789 votes.

Kanos/Dugan beat out Carse/Warren, who had a combined six years of Student Government experience, according to Carse. Dugan said of their success, “David and I’s friendship and ability to work together as a strong, united front was truly emphasized during our campaign.”

Candidates Carse, Warren and Dugan were

in attendance for the results, while Kanos was not present. The then-current president and vice president, junior government and international politics major Nathan Pittman and senior communication major Gaby Peda, were also in attendance. About 20 students came to show support for their respective candidates.

I would like to start in this general area.”

When their names were announced, Dugan was immediately shocked and started crying. She was then surrounded with hugs by all their supporters.

“It is important to advocate for these students,” Kanos said.

“When I heard our names announced, I felt the most relief, accomplishment and pure happiness I have ever felt,” Dugan said.

Kanos and Dugan’s campaign platform was “Transform Mason,” with the goal of holding Student Government accountable and making Mason more diverse and inclusive.

Major issues that they discussed at the Spring Election Debate March 30 were easier access to scholarships, a suggestion box for students and extending Fenwick library hours.

When asked where they plan to begin, Dugan said, “My passion has always revolved around academics and the academic environment here at Mason, so

Academic goals candidates discussed at the debate were academic advising and making sure that advisors know the impact they have on students. They also want to focus on transfer students, students with double majors and international students.

In addition to advocating for students, they also want students to become more involved with Student Government.

“One of the first issues we want to look to fix is the transparency and image that the student body has with Student Government,” Kanos said, “This is in order to enable and encourage students to come to Student Government with their problems and concerns.”

In addition, Kanos and Dugan both expressed interest in uniting the executive and legislative branch of Student Government.

“Right now I really want to focus on making sure that Student Government’s executive and legislative branches are all on the same page. I want everyone

involved to be fully committed and involved in the work that we have ahead of us,” Kanos said.

Kanos/Dugan’s win is a historic one because Kanos is the first international student body president at Mason.

“Being the first international student to become student body president means so much not because of me, but it shows that the student body does believe in diversity and inclusivity,” Kanos said.

Kanos attributes his ticket’s success to reaching out to students that don’t typically vote in Student Government elections.

“We reached out to international students, graduate students and students in multicultural organizations,” Kanos said. “I want you to reach out to Kelley and I and we promise to work tirelessly to listen and to act on your concerns.”

The election results were originally scheduled for April 10 in the Johnson Center atrium, but due to grievance hearings, the election results were postponed. Along with president and vice president, Mason elects 30 senate members. These results were announced on sg.gmu.edu April 14.

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Student Government election results Name - votes received Brendan Sullivan - 510 Kiera Johnson - 507 Caitlin Lively - 476 Eric Nielsen - 439 Zhiwei Lei - 430 Emily Sexauer - 417 Katlyn Weiser - 381 Davide Genoese-Zerbi - 373 Andrew Post - 345 Nicholas Fisch - 324 Liwei Xu - 314 Omar Shaat - 279 Michael Gracia - 257 Connor Claytor - 230 Melanie Esteban - 178 Rebekah Pettine - 138 Syed Mustafa Hassan - 129 Rahat Kamal - 124 Twinkle Gera - 120 Claire Olivier - 117 William Ball - 101 Rujohn Shali - 98 Ezra Zike - 96 Alexander Abel - 92 John Ervin - 87 Cristen Reeves - 84 Manjurul Alam - 84 Joseph Mitchell - 81 Keelin Wolfe - 77 Jeremy A Aylward - 72 For a list of full results, including disqualified candidates, go to sg.gmu.edu.

Information gathered from the Student Government website.

(COURTESY OF LAUREN SULLIVAN)

Dugan (left) and Kanos (right) at the March 30 Student Government debate.

Campus News

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Sophomore creates mentorship program InvestinYOUth offers Mason students chance to mentor high schoolers CAROLA PATTY GORENA MORALES | STAFF WRITER

Beginning in the last week of April, Mason students will visit Mountain View Alternative High School in Centreville, Virginia, for a weekly after-school mentorship program that will provide high school students with academic support and exposure to postsecondary opportunities.

Sophomore Donna Imadi, education policy chair of Roosevelt @ Mason, spearheaded the creation of this project, InvestinYOUth Mentorship Program, in partnership with Roosevelt @ Mason, UNICEF Campus Initiative, Apple Federal Credit Union and Fairfax County Public Schools.

According to Imadi, the program will have InvestinYOUth mentors work with school staff to encourage higher

graduation rates for high school students.

The program aims to do this by encouraging better opportunities for students through tutoring and developing meaningful relationships through mentoring.

“A lot of students might feel like they don’t have good role models,” Imadi said. “Having students who are already within the university system and having those kinds of relationships be built — it’s something that could be inspirational for people who might think the road ends at high school or might drop out because they don’t see themselves as being able to navigate a system they are not familiar with.”

Imadi first envisioned a program like this as a high school senior at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Virginia, where she started to research the demographic changes occurring in Fairfax County. She saw many lower-income and limited English-proficient

students moving in but believed that there were not enough social support programs to ensure her peers’ success.

“Graduation rates are falling, and the amount of childhood poverty has increased by 27 percent in the last five years in Fairfax County,” Imadi said.

“There’s this huge problem where we’re one of the best counties in the nation, but if we don’t maintain that standard, it’s not going to be there forever.”

When Imadi entered Mason, she presented a proposal for a community-based mentoring program to the Fairfax County Public School Board and superintendent. But it wasn’t until she joined Roosevelt @ Mason that she found a proper outlet to help this idea grow. Through Roosevelt @ Mason — a student-led think tank that engages students at Mason in policy writing, advocacy and issue awareness campaigns — Imadi attended the

Virginia General Assembly in 2016 to advocate for the creation of social-support programs administered through public university institutions.

She said she wanted to see pre-existing resources in academia used to support the achievement and social well-being of students in public schools.

“There’s a lot of people-power in university institutions. There’s a lot of resources we can use,” Imadi said. “As a student at Mason, whatever you want to change in your community, you have the power and capability to do so if you just go after the resources that are already available.”

Working with Roosevelt @ Mason also allowed Imadi to establish the mentoring program with the local public schools. Roosevelt @ Mason is housed under the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) standing, through which the formal partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools was established to enable InvestinYOUth. “We’re a national organization, but our work is driven by our chapters and their interest, so Donna and the team at Mason have a lot of autonomy and they are able to work on the issues that they care most about,” Joelle Gamble, the national director of the Roosevelt Institute’s national network, said.

“This project is an important way for students at George Mason to be deeply involved with the local schools, and that in turn will make them more effective advocates for policy change,” Gamble said.

Imadi said she also wanted a program that supported public schools but was funded independently through the investment of local companies. She proposed this idea to Apple Federal Credit Union and received a grant for $4,283. This grant will be used for the program’s

(COURTESY OF DONNA IMADI)

supplies and food, as well as transportation to an end-of-program excursion to UNICEF Headquarters in D.C. While the InvestinYOUth Mentorship Program is not administered through any university office, Imadi hopes that the InvestinYOUth Mentorship Program will collaborate with existing Mason organizations and offices such Mason U and The Early Identification Program, both of which work to increase students’ access to higher education.

Finding organizations and resources that could support this initiative while making sure that it remains a unique program is what freshman Blair Schaefer is working on as the program’s curriculum solidifies.

As outreach coordinator of InvestinYOUth, Schaefer said that “there is a bit of a difficulty in making sure that there isn’t an overlap and we’re not stepping on anyone’s toes, but also we’re making this program for a reason.”

She added that she wants to see this program be distinct in the way it creates sustainable relationships between mentors and students.

In its initial stage, the program will have weekly meetings that connect 10 mentors with 10 students in their sophomore and junior years of high school to provide individualized support and a curriculum that is developed around their interests.

“We focus a lot on the teacher and the classroom, but what’s happening outside of the classroom is just as important, if not more important, in terms of the development of your character or the student’s life,” Imadi said.

While InvestinYOUth will mentor only at Mountain View Alternative High School this semester, Imadi hopes to see the program expand to schools across Fairfax County.

“It’s going to be something that Mason is going to start in terms of emphasizing outreach within your own community, taking some kind of responsibility for the location and the environment that you’re in and using your resources to help your local communities in what they might be lacking,” Imadi said.

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Campus News

4.24.2017

Be a hero blood drive

Weekend in the woods

GeorgeSquared program teams up with American Red Cross for blood drive

Mason cadets create and train in real-world Army scenarios at Quantico

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FAREEHA REHMAN | ONLINE EDITOR

the training, though the entire class of Military Science IV (MSIV)’s contributed.

while carrying 35-40 pounds of army gear, according to Gemelli.

Mason ROTC cadets spent four days outdoors at Marine Corps Base Quantico in an annual spring Joint Field Training Exercise (JTFX) along with ROTC cadets from five other universities, utilizing new exercises curated by the senior classes.

“All [the MSIV’s] have is the location that is provided to us by our cadre, who are real officers in the Army and our Professors,” Gemelli said.

“We wound up with some individuals who were injured and we had to take care of them accordingly, send some people home.

The challenge at that point was, is what we’re going to do next going to work if everyone is so exhausted?” Gemelli said.

“Thinking of the other cadet’s best interest is the hardest part.”

About 130 Mason Cadets left the comfort of campus on March 30 onto buses driving them 29 miles away to training sites used by Marines and the FBI. The weekend of tactical training included new situations such as night land navigation through the woods, urban training and learning how to interact with people from other countries, called key leader engagements.

JTFX is the ROTC’s “big capstone event” to practice platoon level training in a real-world environment, said senior Stephen Gemelli, operations officer for the event. The event is a joint effort between the ROTC programs of three host schools: Mason, Howard University and Georgetown University.

As an operations officer, Gemelli was in contact with the operations officers of the other universities, and together, they created the concept for

At JTFX, each class level, from freshman to senior, or MSI to MSIV, is meant to learn important aspects of Army life specific to their year.

MSI’s learn essential soldier skills, creeds and oaths. MSII’s learn to lead small teams of four to five people. MSIII’s then take on tasks of real platoon sergeants, encompassing leading larger groups of soldiers and being accountable.

Once the cadets work their way up to MSIV level, they begin to work behind the scenes planning and coordinating with other leaders, directing and being quick to adapt to unexpected encounters.

For this year’s JTFX, the MSIV’s adaptation test came in the form of weather. With a forecast of heavy downpour for the weekend, the cadets had to prepare accordingly.

The rainfall came during the most physically challenging event of the weekend – the 9-mile ruck, a hike the cadets went on

After hiking in the rain all day, the cadets needed to prepare to sleep outdoors during rainfall as well. Part of their training included setting up hooches, or makeshift tents made of their ponchos, to sleep in.

“A majority of the time we slept in patrol bases, which is a temporary location site that has established security,” said Ronika Ray, an MSIII and a key leader during the weekend.

But according to Ray, even the sleep portion of the weekend was a part of training for real world Army life.

“Since it’s still a tactical environment, you have to have a certain percent of security at all times. So we were assigned certain times of the night that we had to wake up and pull security,” Ray said.

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RACHEL MARKFELDER | STAFF WRITER

GeorgeSquared partnered with the American Red Cross to host the first annual Be a Hero Blood Drive in the Hub Student Center April 18.

“The theme was superheroes. We had volunteers wearing capes and walking around campus promoting the drive,” Anaisa Quintanilla-Arteaga, vice president of the GeorgeSquared program, said.

Quintanilla-Arteaga said the drive was a success, with more than 100 people showing up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to donate blood.

“We actually had to turn people away because we didn’t have enough staff,” Quintanilla-Arteaga said.

GeorgeSquared is an academic partnership between Mason and Georgetown University and is based out of Mason’s Science and Technology campus in Manassas, Virginia.

The program allows baccalaureate graduates to advance their studies in the sciences and health professions, such as medicine and dentistry. They also provide students with preparation for medical entrance exams like the MCAT. Next year, Quintanilla-Arteaga said GeorgeSquared hopes to work with the American Red Cross again to increase the number of volunteers to accommodate a large turnout.

(COURTESY OF DOUG WHANG)

Cadet Tyler Delgado leads a squad in order to establish a secure position during the 2017 Joint Field Training Exercise.

Campus News

6 4.24.2017 As a Key Leader, Ray also had to stay up to go over Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) and prepare with other MSIII leaders for the next day, a lesson in itself on comradery and teamwork she added.

“Your battles are what get you through the tough times because they’re embracing the suck along with you.

The support and morale boost you get from your team is something you can’t replicate elsewhere,” Ray said.

The unique formation of comradery between cadets from different schools

is not the only thing that cannot be replicated outside of JFTX, according to Chris Satalia, an MSI. Satalia said the onsite training at Quantico provided resources and more opportunity to thoroughly practice what students learned in ROTC Lab. One of the practices was a Military Operation in Urban Terrain (MOUT), which is a breach and clearing of a building.

On campus, “we can’t walk around the building with our rubber guns, so we don’t get much of that experience,”

said Satalia, who was a first-timer at JTFX this Spring. “But at JFTX we’re constantly moving and there’s something else to do, something else to learn about.”

Satalia worked with teams of 10-30 people through the weekend, enduring blistered hikes with his Battle Buddy, a cadet that trains with you, and a cold night staying up for hour-long Firewatch duty, which entails keeping watch to maintain security and be prepared for emergencies overnight.

“On the way there I was kind of excited

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but a little nervous that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everybody else. But when I came back it was an accomplishment for me because I did the ruck, I did all that training and learned a lot from other schools,” Satalia said.

Ultimately, ROTC’s goal is for the cadets to come back with experiences applicable to Army operations after graduation and to make sure that cadets are properly prepared for their Summer training, according to Gemelli.

Gemelli mentioned that he sees the MSIs come to JFTX realizing that

the ROTC program is “the real deal” and that it’s “time to get down to work and really execute everything they’ve learned in ROTC labs.”

Gemelli said the five months of formulating JFTX and facilitating the weekend has been a large commitment but executing the teachings of on campus lessons with real-world scenario training helps to “constantly growing our pool of knowledge within the battalion so we can make our training better for future years and generations.”

Cadet Jenny Milanes (left) and Cadet Amanda Ambrogi (right) keep track of training operations.

(COURTESY OF DOUG WHANG)

This week on campus Monday 4/24

No events scheduled

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Tuesday 4/25

Palestinian-Israeli Roundtable Johnson Center Meeting Room F 6:30 p.m.--8:30 p.m.

Wednesday 4/26

It’s On Us event with Joe Biden HUB Ballroom 10:30 a.m., doors open at 9:45 a.m.

Human Trafficking Symbolic Advocacy SUB I Quad 9:30 a.m.--6:30 p.m.

Thursday 4/27

Panel for Peace Johnson Center Dewberry Hall 5 p.m.--9 p.m.

Refugee Monologues Johnson Center Cinema 7:45 p.m.--11 p.m.

Friday 4/28

Mason Day 2017 Lot L 2 p.m.--10 p.m.

Saturday 4/29

Relay for Life The Field House 12 p.m.--8 p.m.

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Campus News

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Students sue school Student organization files lawsuit against Mason for Koch donation records NINA MOTAZEDI | STAFF WRITER

Transparent GMU filed a lawsuit against Mason and the George Mason University Foundation Feb. 9, according to a press release from the organization, a lawsuit that is still ongoing.

Transparent GMU is a student organization that aims to shed light on the potential undue influence of Mason donors, according to their Facebook page. In accordance with their mission, they filed the lawsuit so that Mason would comply with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to disclose a series of public records about donor agreements related to the Koch brothers.

The lawsuit transpired after Transparent GMU filed separate FOIA requests with the university and the foundation asking for donation records, which both institutions denied. However, these were not the first FOIA requests Transparent GMU has filed. Although Transparent GMU was not formed till 2016 according to the lawsuit, its members “requested documents of private donations to the university’s foundation back in 2014 after learning of donations made to Florida State University by the Charles Koch Charitable Foundation,” according to a Feb. 10 Student Press Law Center article.

According to an Associated Press article from April 2016, Mason is one of the universities that receives the highest donation amount from the Charles Koch Foundation, having received $48 million between 2011 and 2014. The article added that no other university received more than $1 million in that time period from the foundation.

“Philanthropy is a critical aspect of George Mason’s success, especially in a time when public universities are receiving fewer funds from the Commonwealth,” Director of Strategic Communications Michael Sandler said via email. “We are grateful to the thousands of donors who give to Mason for a variety of reasons. Some of these donors wish to make their gifts public.

Some wish to remain anonymous, which is their right and something the university and the Foundation have a responsibility to respect.”

Sophomore Gus Thomson, a member of Transparent GMU, also acknowledged that funding for public universities has dwindled, which he believes

leads universities like Mason to take money where they can get it, regardless of who's giving it.

“Since we have seen public support for institutions drop, institutions begin to look for private money and sometimes that comes at too great of a cost where we could start to lose our academic integrity and independence… that is just not a trade-off I think we want to make,” sophomore Gus Thomson, a member of Transparent GMU, said.

In the events that led to the lawsuit, Transparent GMU filed a FOIA request Jan. 9, 2017, that sought the disclosure of any records (including grants, cooperative agreements, gift agreements, contracts or memoranda of understanding) from 2008 to 2012 pertaining to contributions made to the university from a number of entities related to the Koch brothers, according to the lawsuit.

On Jan. 12, the university responded via Elizabeth Woodley, the FOIA compliance officer for Mason, that they were not in possession of such records that apply to the request, according to the lawsuit. Transparent GMU then asked Woodley if the George Mason University Foundation, which assists the university in generating private support and to manage, invest and administer private gifts according to their website, would provide records in response to the FOIA request. Transparent GMU then received confirmation from Woodley the following day that the university’s response would not include records in possession of the George Mason University Foundation, as it is a separate entity from the university. On Jan. 17, Transparent GMU then filed a FOIA request with the foundation.

and, subsequently, must comply with FOIA requests.

The lawsuit cites a number of connections between the foundation and Mason to support Transparent GMU’s claim, utilizing the following sources as exhibits: the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation which state that the foundation exists to help the university, the Foundation’s Bylaws which state the foundation’s president will be selected by the university president, the Affiliation Agreement between the two parties, Mason’s Gift Acceptance Policy and the Space Usage Agreement between the two parties.

Additionally, the foundation is partly funded by a fee it enacts on gifts it accepts on Mason’s behalf and is considered a “component unit” of the university due to their “close relationship,” according to the annual unaudited financial statements for Fiscal Year 2016 released by Mason.

“FOIA's definition of a ‘public body’ includes certain private entities – specifically entities that perform delegated functions on behalf of state agencies (like public universities) and entities that are supported by public funds…

The foundation meets both of these definitions of a ‘public body,” Johns said via email.

According to the lawsuit, Mason denied having records for the foundation that fall under the FOIA request because

the foundation is a separate entity, but Johns says the university is still legally the custodian of the foundations record.

“FOIA ensures access to all ‘public records,’ including records about fundraising for a public university (minus any extremely sensitive personal information, which can be redacted). Even if a public university does not have physical custody of records related to fundraising performed on its behalf, FOIA still considers the university to be the ‘legal custodian’ of those records. As such, it needs to retrieve those records from its foundation in response to a FOIA request,” Johns said.

Part of Transparent GMU’s desire for these records is to see if the Koch Foundation has any influence over Mason, having given donations.

“Since at Florida State the Koch’s gave $4 million dollars, and Charles Koch got pretty substantial direct control over what he was doing there, it kind of begs the question, ‘Well, what’s going on here?” Thomson said.

On the other side, Sandler insists that Mason is not controlled by those who provide donations.

“We maintain full control over our curriculum, faculty and all other aspects of academic freedom,” Sandler said.

Transparent GMU President Janine Gaspari remains unconvinced, however.

The Koch brothers want to “… construct scholars that are going to work for their benefit and promote their agenda,” Gaspari said.

At Mason, contributions from the Koch brothers primarily funds endeavors within the field of Economics, according to an October 2015 article on Al Jazeera America. One such entity the article said gets funds from the Koch Foundation is the Mercatus Center. The center is housed on Mason’s Arlington campus and conducts economic research, although it is a separate entity from the university.

Another institute the Al Jazeera America article said gets funds from the Koch Foundation is the Institute for Humane Studies, also housed on Mason’s Arlington campus. The IHS is a separate “education and talent-development organization,” according to their website. The IHS provides educational seminars for college students, helps connect them with career opportunities and awards scholarships among other services.

On Change.org, Transparent GMU has created a petition urging the university to comply with the FOIA requests made and make donor agreements public.

Thus far it has received 386 signatures.

“Education shouldn’t be bought and sold,” Gaspari said.

On Jan. 31, Janet Bingham, president of the George Mason University Foundation and vice president of Mason’s Office of University Advancement & Alumni Relations, responded to the FOIA request stating that the foundation is a separate, “private corporation, a 501(c) 3 charitable organization,” and is thus not subject to FOIA according to the lawsuit.

In response, Transparent GMU filed their lawsuit. They and their legal council, Evan Johns, a lawyer with the non-profit law and policy center Appalachian Mountain Advocates, claim that due to the foundation’s close relationship with Mason, the Foundation is considered a public body

Timeline of Koch related donations to higher education.

(BILLY FERGUSON/ FOURTH ESTATE)

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CULTURE

4.24.2017

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Film screening: "A Sea Change" A harsh look at what’s happening to our seas JAMES STEMPLE | STAFF WRITER

A sea change is defined, according to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” as a change brought about by the sea. It’s an idiom often used to signify a notable transformation, and it’s evident in the 2009 film “A Sea Change,” directed by Barbara Ettinger, that notable change is occurring in our seas.

An organization called Roosevelt @ Mason was in charge of screening the film at Mason at the JC Gold room April 11 at 7 p.m. Roosevelt @ Mason is one branch of a larger organization called the Roosevelt Institute, and according to their website Roosevelt @ Mason is Mason’s largest and most active non-partisan student policy organization, covering issues from sexual assault policies to rethinking the War on Drugs. Now, by showing “A Sea Change,” the organization hopes to inform the students of Mason about ocean acidification.

The film revolves around a former educator, Sven Huseby, who — after reading about increasing CO2 levels in our oceans — decides to investigate further. Huseby serves as the vessel between the audience and the experts that are interviewed throughout the film.

The cameras follow Huseby around the globe as he talks to the leading experts — at the time, the film is a bit dated — on ocean acidification, which is called the “flip side of global warming” in the film.

Ocean acidification is a phenomenon that occurs when too much CO2 is released into our atmosphere and then absorbed by our oceans, increasing their acidity and changing life not only for the organisms that live there but for everyone else on the planet.

The film features lots of beautiful scenery, ranging from sheer cliffs in Norway to Huseby’s home in California.

The film heavily features his grandson Elias; the film is structured as a letter to him. The film serves not only as a link

between grandfather and grandson but as a message to future generations.

The film causes viewers to think about how they are contributing to sea change.

Guilt aside, it’s still a scary thought that we, the human race, are making our oceans more and more acidic. The information presented in the film is almost a decade old, so when Huseby interviews experts who spout information and data with intentions to shock, one thought will stick in your head: it’s probably gotten a lot worse.

“A Sea Change” has received numerous awards since its debut in 2009. It explores not only the acidification of the ocean but also alternative ways to power our world — including a plan for hundreds of windmills to be built off the coast of Norway — as well as the consequences of acidification for the animals that live in the ocean.

And though the film was released almost a decade ago, the support for not only our oceans but our environment

(BILLY FERGUSON/ FOURTH ESTATE)

in general has increased exponentially.

Activism has played a role in educating the public; there are even marches in D.C., like March for Science and the People’s Climate March happening at the end of this month.

“A Sea Change” accomplishes what it sets out to do: cause you to think about the implications of burning fossil fuels and how we can go about changing our ways.

Mason alumni build successful winery The Winery at Bull Run pays tribute to the past while providing opportunities to the new generation BASMA HUMADI | STAFF WRITER

really thought this would turn out to be what it is right now.”

Built entirely from the ground up, The Winery at Bull Run is a place that tells a fascinating story about history, wine and Mason alumni.

Hamad graduated from Mason in 2010 with a B.A. in Tourism and Events Management and did not expect to end up at The Winery today.

Mason alumni Jon and Kim Hickox both graduated in 1998 and founded The Winery together in 2012. Special Events Director and Mason alumna Natasha Hamad has also been with The Winery since the very beginning, and she was able to grow with and watch The Winery turn into what it is today.

“I sent out like a mass text to my friends, and I was like, ‘Anybody hiring?

I’ll work at Starbucks at this point,’” Hamad said.

“It’s been an amazing experience, starting when we first opened, and where we are now is unbelievable,” Hamad said. “I don’t think anybody

“So I went in and interviewed for the position, and it was the owner of this winery. He was like, ‘I see you have an events background. I’m looking for somebody in events too.’ And that was how I kind of happened upon here.

I was originally hired as the events assistant and have worked my way up here. Now I’m the director of special

events and products.”

Eddie Fam, event sales director at The Winery, is a Mason alumnus and Jon Hickox’s former college roommate.

The Winery helps to create its own sense of Mason community by offering marketing and event planning internships, which are accredited by Mason.

“A lot of the management are Mason alumni, so there’s a lot of Mason pride here,” Hamad said. “Even the person you see, like our farmer, he was on the first George Mason basketball team, ever.”

Once the site of a Civil War field hospital, the origins behind The Winery’s location sparked the interest of the Hickoxes, who both studied History.

On July 21, 1861, during the Civil War,

the First Battle of Bull Run took place.

The Battle of Bull Run was one of the first major battles of the Civil War and resulted in a Confederate victory.

The battle was so close to Washington, D.C., that residents went out and brought picnic lunches to watch the battle between the North and the South. Bite-marked bullets can still be found on location at the winery, where some of the bullets likely landed.

The winery, a testament to history in its own way, pays homage to the old by being modified into a space that celebrates old and new alike.

Just 20 minutes away from the Mason campus and the only winery in close proximity to Washington, D.C., The Winery at Bull Run is a great place to

host weddings, wine tastings and picnics with friends and family.

Hamad’s advice to confused college students is look out for opportunities you can grow with.

“Look to get involved in the community and look for small businesses you can help and get involved in,” Hamad said.

“Ones that are just starting out, and it can turn into great opportunities.”

As for her favorite wine, Hamad said, “My favorite wine right now is the Petit Verdot. It changes all the time, honestly.

Most recently, I was into our [Cabernet Sauvignon]. But for the past couple weeks, I’ve been on a Petit Verdot kick.”

Culture

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Herman Wainggai and the struggle of displaced people Visiting scholar gives speech on SEED Displacement Day DINANDA PRAMESTI | CULTURE EDITOR

One of the most contentious issues of today’s politics is refugees — particularly Syrian refugees, whose country’s civil war has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. They are forced to flee their war-torn country in hopes of finding a better life for themselves and especially their children.

The United States, along with the rest of the Western world, has its eyes on Syrian refugees. However, many Americans do not know about the struggles of West Papuans living in the shadows of Indonesian colonization.

On a Thursday afternoon, Students Engaged in Ending Displacement hosted SEED Displacement Day at Mason.

Herman Wainggai, a visiting scholar from the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, spoke about his plight as a West Papuan refugee. He is a diplomat and a leader in West Papua’s struggle for self determination. Wainggai has devoted more than 20 years of his life to nonviolence activism to free West Papuans from Indonesian occupation.

Wainggai is an internationally-recognized human rights leader who represents indigenous West Papuans at the United Nations under his organization, West Papuan National Authority. He has expertise in the theory and practice of nonviolent conflict transformation, has an extensive and international media presence and is a frequent keynote speaker.

The history of West Papua’s independence is complex and turbulent.

It was originally populated by an indigenous group of people called the Melanesians. By 1898, West Papua and Indonesia were formally colonized by the Netherlands. When the country of Indonesia became an independent nation in 1949, West Papua did not join.

The Dutch government recognized that West Papua is culturally very different from Indonesia and ultimately prepared West Papua for its own independence.

In 1961, West Papuans declared their independence and raised their new flag.

However, the dream came to an end in just a few short months. The Indonesian government wanted all of the former Dutch colonies in the Asia-Pacific region, and their military soon invaded West Papua. Over the next few decades and up until present day, conflict broke out between the Netherlands, Indonesia and the indigenous population of West Papua over control of the territory.

The Indonesian military has conducted a genocide in an attempt to control West Papuans and their land. This has started the West Papuan resistance movement and an armed guerrilla group called the Free Papua Movement to resist the colonization of West Papua. They have carried out a number of attacks on the Indonesian military -- only using their bows and arrows -- for taking their land and resources.

Wainggai is a targeted political activist because he took on the Indonesian

government for West Papuan rights and freedom. He has been targeted and incarcerated numerous times because of his outspokenness on West Papuan sovereignty. Ultimately, he was one of 43 asylum seekers who fled to Australia to escape persecution.

In Australia, Wainggai and his group can talk freely with the media about what the Indonesian military has been doing to them — oppressing and killing them.

On SEED Displacement Day, Wainggai gave a speech to a group of students discussing his experience as a human rights leader: “The most important thing for us West Papuans is that we would like to see a change in West Papua.

The Indonesian government needs to recognize West Papua to live in their own country freely without any discrimination or violation of human rights.”

The system that the Indonesian government has created gives very limited rights for West Papuans.

“There are 10,000 West Papuans who have been displaced and relocated to other countries ever since the Indonesian occupation,” Wainggai said.

In the last 50 years, people have been living in exile like Wainggai. In total, there are almost 100,000 West Papuan people living as refugees.

Al Fuertes, faculty advisor for Students Engaged in Ending Displacement and professor in the school of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, set up a makeshift home that resembles what

refugees and people who have been displaced from their land live in.

Fuertes said, “Displacement is basically being forcibly uprooted against their will... [T]hese people fled their home countries against their will. You can just imagine the psycho-social implications of being displaced. Especially for indigenous communities where their sense of identity is tied up to their land.”

Fuertes spoke with passion and knowledge because his work revolves around being a field practitioner, and he specializes in psycho-social trauma healing.

“There is a difference between being forcibly displaced and being a migrant.

Migration is people leaving their home in search for a better life, but not necessarily for the reason that their safety and security are threatened. Displaced populations are from war zones or affected communities from areas that have been terribly devastated by natural disasters,” Fuertes said.

However, there is a conflict over the actual definition of migrant and displaced population. Fuertes did say that migrants flee home for economic reasons, but exemplifies how there is an argument that being in poverty is a threat to someone’s safety and security.

Displaced populations — who are often referred to as refugees — are people whose communities have become war zones, who have had their safety threatened or who are from homes that have been destroyed by natural disasters.

Ultimately, he said that the bottom line is that they are all affected by these traumatic events, they all fled forcibly from their home community. “Internally displaced population is a whole other thing. They are people who, technically, have not decided to cross the borders to be relocated to a nearby country.

Many of them were displaced from their home villages but still remain on the same country,” Fuertes said.

There are many extreme trials that refugees go through to relocate to another country. They are not automatically given refugee status; there is a rigorous application process.

“There is a lot that refugees or displaced people go through when they relocate to a country they do not know about.

There is social, cultural, economic and political implications. There are a lot of prejudices and biases towards them by mainstream media. They are being perceived in this [unjust] manner and it also follows how they are being treated.

Many of them are deprived of their basic necessities,” Fuertes said.

Wainggai’s presence has enriched people’s understanding and provided a human face to the whole issue of displacement, particularly refugees or political asylum seekers. “His presence enabled my students to appreciate and to take seriously the problem of displacement even more. He has provided a voice for the millions of displaced populations,” Fuertes said.

The Sudanese identity Questions about ethnicity lead to discussion NATHALIE NGUYEN | STAFF WRITER

On April 13, a group of students at Mason gathered inside the Johnson Center Room E for a discussion night.

This event, hosted by the Sudanese Student Association, discussed the pertinent issues of the Sudanese identity and racism, and it included a poetry reading by poet and author Safia Elhillo.

When asked whether students from Sudan identified as African or Arab, people at the discussion answered with an unequivocal, “I don’t know.”

Many, as it turns out, have a hard time explaining or distinguishing the difference.

multiethnic tribes and languages, where tensions are very pronounced, scholars say.

and I don’t think you can find anyone who says ‘I don’t care where I’m from.’”

“When people say Arab, a lot of the time people don’t think you can be black and be Arab,” Safia Elhillo, author of “The January Child,” said.

“I think there’s been so much drama around the term because I don’t think there’s a universal definition that was ever questionably put forth.”

Civil wars have been defined by a clash of cultures, religions, and ethnicities. In Sudan, civil wars are conflicts between “Arab” Northern Muslims and “African” Southern Christians, but many sentiments on national identity are at the crossroad of the Arab world and Africa and at the center of this discussion.

That is why, for instance, students are coming together to talk about identity and racism in a college that prides itself on its diversity and cultural backgrounds.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of Arab refers specifically to members of “the Arabian Peninsula” or “an Arabic-speaking people,” but Sudan prides itself in its

“It’s hard to say identity doesn’t matter,” Magdeldin Hamid, a non-Mason student at the event who identifies as Sudanese, said. “Half of our lives are spent trying to figure out who we are,

According to the Sudanese Student Association’s GetConnected page, the organization aims to give students a platform to celebrate Sudanese culture and history while informing students on current events.

When it comes to current events, there seem to be many issues surrounding the debate on identity.

“Honestly, I’m still trying to find out who I am,” freshman Sucpa El Nour, who self-identifies as Sudanese, said.

“There’s a lot of controversy whether or not we’re Arab or African, and it’s a topic that not everyone agrees on.”

Because of its geographic location, Sudan has long been considered part of Africa, but it has a long a history of cultural ties to the Arabian Peninsula -including a history of Arabization and Arab influence that, experts say, shifted the national identity.

(Continued on Page 13)

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“Some Arabs don’t consider Sudanese as Arabs and maybe Africans don’t consider Sudanese as Africans,” junior Zeineb Negasn said. “It’s kinda like, ‘what do you choose to be a part of ?’”

According to freshman Alaa Ali, a lot of it has to do with skin color among other factors.

“We’re stuck in the middle; we don’t know what side and what spectrum we’re on,”Ali, vice president of the organization, said. “We’re too Arab for African, and we’re too African for Arab.”

According to the CIA World Factbook, 70 percent of the population identifies as Sudanese Arabs.

But that’s not to say that everyone identifies this way, as evidenced by Sudan's complicated history.

“Sudan has been ravaged by conflicts over identity and socioeconomic marginalization,” Wayne State University Professor Abderrahman Zouhir said in a publication on identity conflict in Sudan. “Identity formation has been often associated with violence and external engagement.”

In 2003, ethnically African rebel groups, including the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Justice and Equality Movement, launched an uprising against the Sudanese government, alleging mistreatment of the non-Arab population.

Arab militia groups known as Janjaweed — allegedly supported by the government — responded by retaliating, resulting in an ethnic cleansing against Darfur's non-Arabs.

Essentially, there has always been a perplexing yet conflicting struggle between ethnic groups and identity in Sudan’s history.

Experts say that domination in power struggles — characterized by non-Arab populations and the Arab-dominated government as well as economic and political inequality — led to the secession of the south into South Sudan in 2011.

“There’s always been a big issue of identity within Sudan,” Ali said. “The

4.24.2017 whole point of South Sudan making a new country is feeling that their identity wasn’t represented.”

But now, many youths feel as if their identity is still not represented. South Sudan might have been formed, but students say identity still remains a heavy topic.

And while there was talk on what cultural identity meant during the discussion, there was also talk on race relations, and not just about the race/ ethnicity boxes on form applications.

As it turns out, identity is not well-recognized by everybody.

“The whole black vs. Sudanese vs.

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Arab vs. African experience is so real,” Magdeldin Hamid said on his experience of being Sudanese. “I feel like us — as men, we are not only black but we’re targets in America. It straight off bugs me that when people see you, you’re black. Nobody is going to ask if you’re Sudanese.”

However, the topic is something that the Sudanese Student Association hopes to educate people on -- starting with discussion night.

“Diversity is a good thing about this club,” Ali said. “We promote that, but we’re not going against [what people identify] because we’re just trying to educate people.”

COLUMN: Greek life gives back on campus Greek life raises awareness about organizations MOLLY FESER | STAFF WRITER

While common depictions of sororities and fraternities on campus include partying and controversial actions, one aspect of Greek life that many overlook is the philanthropic side. Through philanthropic events and service events, the Greek community on campus gives back to their community by raising money for important causes through fun events that bring people together.

Every Greek chapter has their own philanthropic organization that they are partnered with. Each year, the chapters raise thousands of dollars for their cause. If sororities or fraternities are ever on the news, it is usually about something negative and is rarely about the impact Greek organizations have on charities and their community. Every year, chapters hold many fundraisers and events for philanthropic causes, from Chipotle fundraisers to galas.

On April 8, Alpha Phi sorority held their ninth annual Red Dress Gala on campus for the Alpha Phi Foundation in support of women’s heart health, raising $18,000. They also held a teddy bear drive for Heart Health Month, which takes place in February. Many members of other Greek organizations donated teddy bears in support of the chapter’s cause.

Every chapter has a week devoted to their respective causes where they throw events every day to raise money and awareness. The purpose of these charity weeks is to emphasize the importance of a sense of community and leadership.

From April 9 to 15, the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi hosted their annual philanthropy week, War of the Roses, to raise money for their charity, the Ability Experience, which benefits people with disabilities.

Throughout the week, the fraternity held a friendly competition where sororities gained points by donating to the cause and participating in the events, which only pushed everyone to raise more money. The competition included “Pie a Pi Kapp,” where people could pay money to pie a brother to raise money.

The rest of the week included a Chipotle fundraiser, a 12 hour Bikea-Thon and a date auction where brothers were bid on by people who wanted to spend the day with them.

A new addition to Pi Kappa Phi’s philanthropy week this year is that some of the proceeds will go towards Mason alumnus and fraternity brother Matt Lopez and, who is diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma.

Lopez’s GoFundMe goal was to raise $40,000 for his treatments, but within 18 hours he raised almost $50,000. He received donations from friends, family and not only the Greek community from Mason but the national Greek community, once they were informed of Lopez’s goal.

Gamma Phi Beta sorority is partnered with Girls on the Run for their cause, Building Strong Girls, which is about building confidence for young girls through activities and mentoring. They raise money through a 5k, where the sisters become coaches and empower

a group of young girls. The sisters can mentor girls by helping them with homework or guiding them through challenging situations.

Sophomore Sofia Herring-Dolin appreciates the opportunity she gets to build girls up and inspire them to be healthy and happy.

“Our philanthropy is important to me because, through the coaching and the mentoring, we give younger girls perspectives from someone other than their parents, which is something that would have helped me when I was younger,” Herring-Dolin said. “Being surrounded by my sisters who are on the same mission and want to empower women is really amazing and I love that our philanthropy promotes that.”

The sorority also raises money through their biggest event, Moonball, which can either be a kickball, volleyball or basketball tournament. This year, the chapter hosted a kickball tournament on campus and all of the funds raised were donated to Girls on the Run. The sisters of Alpha Xi Delta raise money for Autism Speaks. Starting April 2, the sorority held their annual Autism Awareness Week, which takes place during Autism Awareness Month in April.

The chapter held Light It Up Blue, an event where they decorated the dining halls blue with facts about Autism Speaks. Senior and former Philanthropy Chair for the chapter Tara Kelbaugh likes being able to raise awareness on campus.

“I love having Light it up Blue on campus because we are able to reach

such a large audience,” Kelbaugh said. “It makes me happy to hear from students who come up to me and my sisters to express their appreciation for raising awareness for something that affects many families, including our own students at Mason.”

The chapter also lobbied on Capitol Hill last week to raise awareness for autism. Every year in the fall, the chapter hosts Walk Now for Autism Speaks in D.C. to generate funds for research and to generate support for the autism community. To finish off their philanthropy week, the chapter hosted their annual 5k April 8.

“The Step It Up 5k is a fun run/walk event for the Greek community and other organizations, as well as family and friends,” Philanthropy Chair Monica Seabo said. “It was our first time doing the 5k on campus in a long time, and it was pretty successful.”

Perhaps the biggest and most successful way the Greek community raises money for a good cause is by coming together for the annual Greek Week.

Greek Week unites the Greek community through a variety of events that raise money for charity. Every year, fraternities and sororities team up to compete in events such as Aquatics Night, Field Day, food drives and Greek Sing, where each team puts on a 13-minute skit, written and performed by the students.

This year, Greek Week ran from March 26 to April 2 and featured the annual “Shackathon” event, one of the biggest and most popular events of the week.

Teams work to build a makeshift shack out of cardboard to raise money for Habitat for Humanity on campus.

The shacks are meant to be a fun and creative way for the Greek community to come together and raise money and awareness of the homeless. The winning shack was picked based on the best design and how much money that organization raised for Habitat.

Greek Week has a theme every year, and this year’s theme was movie genres.

From fantasy movies to superhero movies to children’s movies, shack and Greek Sing performances were based on this theme.

Junior Sophie Rizzo, a sister of Alpha Omicron Pi, enjoys the positive values Greek Week instills upon Greek life.

“I think a lot of the good things that Greek life does are kind of swept under the rug because of stereotypes of fraternities and sororities,” Rizzo said.

“That’s why Greek Week is such a great chance to show the service aspect of our community.”

This year, Mason Greek Life raised $4,500 and donated 32,000 pounds of cans for the food drive.

Philanthropy is one of the many reasons why people choose to go Greek. Each philanthropic cause is special and unique to their respective chapter. The Greek community gives back every year to show the importance of charity and putting others before themselves.

Feser is a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

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Sports

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Wizards set for deep run in uncertain Eastern Conference JT SPEED | STAFF WRITER

After a second consecutive physical battle headlined by a 30-point performance from star point guard John Wall, Washington was able to jump out to a 2-0 first round playoff series lead against the Atlanta Hawks. The game was a back-and-forth 109-101 win in the nation’s capital in front of a Verizon Center crowd that was much more packed than Game 1 on Easter Sunday.

Two early fouls each for Morris and teammate Otto Porter hindered the Wizards in the first quarter. Despite an early 14-0 run, the Hawks were able to bounce out to a 24-23 lead after one.

After even more whistles and double-digit free throws from each team in the second quarter alone, the Washington home crowd grew restless and would boo every decision that went against the Wizards for the remainder of the game. Nonetheless, Wall exploded for 17 first-half points and helped his team outscore the Hawks by nine in the second to carry a 51-43 lead into the locker room.

In his halftime interview with sideline reporter Chris Miller from Comcast Sports Network, Wall was critical of what he thought was unfair officiating but maintained the Wizards didn’t need to change their physical approach to the game, which led to a successful first half performance.

Wall’s teammates listened and came out of halftime aggressive on both ends of the floor. But Morris, Porter and sixth man Kelly Oubre all picked up their fourth fouls early on in the third quarter, forcing Washington to play with a weak lineup for most of the second half. They were eventually punished for it. The Hawks outscored Washington by 12 in the third, powered by a 22-7 run led

by German national point guard Dennis Schroder to close out the quarter, and entered the fourth with a 78-74 lead.

Despite a weakened lineup down the stretch and continuous controversial calls from the officials (which received “Refs, you suck,” chants from the rowdy home crowd), the Wizards were able to outlast a seemingly more shallow than normal Hawks team.

Washington dominated the fourth quarter, highlighted by three straight two-point jumpers and a flashy assist from backup point guard and midseason acquisition Brandon Jennings.

Bradley Beal’s dagger from behind the threepoint line capped off a fantastic fourth quarter performance and put the home team up by eight with 38 seconds remaining, a lead they were able to hold until the final buzzer.

After a sluggish run to cap off the regular season, the Wizards have recovered and are playing well at the right time – John Wall and center Marcin Gorton put up their second

consecutive 30-point game and double-doubles respectively. Bradley Beal dropped 31 of his own for his fifth straight 20-point playoff performance. The Wizards have a chance to finish off their first-round series with a trip to Phillips Arena, in Atlanta.

The Hawks, on the other hand, failed to gain home court advantage in the series by not picking up a game in Washington, look to be headed for another early playoff exit.

Millsap, who put up a better performance than he did in Game 1 with a team-high 27 points, disappeared when it mattered most on Wednesday night with just a single field goal and three points in the fourth quarter.

With the eighth seed Chicago Bulls up two games to none on the Eastern Conference and regular-season champion Boston Celtics and defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on the opposite side of the playoff bracket, the Wizards’ path to the conference finals looks the easiest since they had star tandem Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison in the mid-2000s.

Washington fans have much to look forward to, and plenty of playoff sports to consume at the Verizon Center with both their hockey and basketball teams poised to make deep playoff runs over the next couple of months.

(BILLY FERGUSON/ FOURTH ESTATE)

Tweet your answers @IVEstateSports Which position do you think the Redskins will address with their first pick in the upcoming NFL draft?

A. Running Back B. Defensive Line C. Linebacker D. Defensive Back E. Other How far will the Washington Wizards go in the NBA Playoffs?* A. First-round Exit B. Second Round C. Conference Finals D. NBA Finals E. NBA Champions

Mason Baseball on five-game winning streak MICHAEL ABLER | STAFF WRITER

The Mason Baseball team seems to be showing signs of turning this season around.

Mason has gone on a five-game winning streak over the past week. The streak includes a three-game series sweep of A10 rival Dayton on the road April 15.

Mason took Game 1 by a score of 7-1, 8-6 in game two and finished off the series with a convincing 10-5 win at the University

of Dayton’s home field. Junior shortstop Michael Smith performed strong in the series opener, with three hits in five at-bats and a pair of runs scored. This included a doubleheader against Dayton last Saturday, April 5, where the Patriots masterfully won both of those games by a combined score of 18-11.

The Patriots now have a record of 17-20, but they’re 6-3 in Atlantic-10 Conference play as of April 19. Their next four games include a three-game series against fellow A-10 team University of Richmond, which could help

the Patriots, who currently sit third in the standings, chase down first place Virginia Commonwealth University. Mason’s next game is April 16 against William and Mary at 3 p.m. in Spuhler Field. Mason hopes that this streak could very well be the turning point for the team to make a run for the post-season.

Editor’s Note: Between the time of press and date of release, Mason will play four games. One against the Naval Academy and a three game series against A-10 opponent St. Bonaventure.

How far will the Washington Capitals go in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs?* A. First-round Exit B. Second Round C. Conference Finals D. Stanley Cup Finals E. Stanley Cup Champions * Denotes that the question might be answered before press time

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4.24.2017

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Mason Baseball team prior to first pitch

(COURTESY OF MASON ATHLETICS)

George Mason University sports broadcast schedule Monday 4/24

No Broadcasts

Tuesday 4/25

No Broadcasts

Wednesday 4/26

Men’s Baseball vs.

William and Mary 3:00 p.m. (on WGMU and live audio via gomason.com)

Thursday 4/27

No Broadcasts

Friday 4/28

Men’s Baseball at University of Richmond 3:00 p.m. (on WGMU)

Saturday 4/29

Sunday 4/30

Men’s Baseball at Men’s Baseball at University of Richmond University of Richmond 12:00 p.m. (on WGMU) 1:00 p.m. (on WGMU)

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Protesters turn out for Tax March Tax March activists call for President Trump to release tax returns ALEXANDER SHEDD | STAFF WRITER

On April 15, known as “tax day” because the deadline to file federal taxes typically falls on that day, tens of thousands of protesters turned out in Washington, D.C., and across the country for a massive march, the likes of which have not been seen since the Women’s March in January.

The protest aimed to prompt President Trump to release his personal tax history — a call that has continued since his presidential campaign and that he and his administration have continually rejected.

And so, on April 15, protesters in Washington and other communities across the country, including a community near the Florida estate where the president was staying for the weekend, participated in a demonstration.

The main event in Washington began with speakers on the steps of the Capitol, including political and religious leaders such as Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bishop Dwayne Royster and Rabbi Nehama Benmosche, and ended with a rally on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial.

As the protesters in Washington marched from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial amid rallying chants of “get up, get down, we show our taxes in this town,” and “hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” among others, the president himself took to Twitter to claim that the nationwide protests were “small, organized rallies” that had been paid for by a benefactor.

Additionally, Trump publicly expressed his disagreement with the need for protest, claiming that his electoral win in November canceled out the need to release his tax returns. One protester, D.C. native C.J. Ingram, expressed her anger at the president, saying, “I’m really mad because he made Barack Obama produce his birth certificate, and he’s not even producing his tax returns. What is he hiding?”

Trump’s tweets did not stop more than 100,000 people from making their voices heard. Although the march was peaceful in nearly every city where the march took place, including the main march in Washington, one protest did end in violence.

The proceedings quickly became tense in the University of California, Berkeley campus, near San Francisco, as the protests conflicted with “Patriots

Day,” a free speech rally on the campus, in which Trump supporters openly showed their distaste for the protests.

An organized anti-fascist group dressed in black and carrying large flags and wooden poles came to combat the Trump supporters, and the event quickly got out of hand.

The Mercury News, a daily paper in San Jose, California, reported that hundreds of protesters and Trump supporters alike rioted on the campus, throwing projectiles ranging from stones to explosives to tear gas at each other as police pepper-sprayed and arrested many. Student protesters, anti-fascists and rioters all clashed at the peaceful-turned-violent event. Some pro-Trump supporters were witnessed saluting the president with a gesture reminiscent of the Nazi “heil.”

Although the Berkeley protests became violent, there were no fatalities. The marches around the rest of the country

(ALEXANDER SHEDD/ FOURTH ESTATE)

reported no violent opposition. The mood at the D.C. rally was light, fun and confident. Signs sported tonguein-cheek jokes about President Trump’s golfing habits, billionaire background and potential ties to Russia.

Beach balls were tossed around as chants

went on continually, including repeated calls of “shame” as the protesters passed Trump Hotel. Inflated chickens bearing the president’s likeness were paraded on the street. Some protesters carried signs that sported images of Trump as the famed “monopoly man.”

This week in the Metro area Monday

Tuesday

Filmfest DC (through April 30) Various locations

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting Fairfax County Government Center (Open to the public)

4/24

4/25

Wednesday 4/26

NVCC student art exhibition Sterling Campus 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Free

Thursday 4/27

“Midwestern Gothic” Signature Theatre 8 p.m.

Friday 4/28

ValeArts spring art show Historic Vale Schoolhouse 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Free

The Weekend 4/29 & 4/30

Saturday 4/29 People’s Climate March

Washington, D.C. 10 a.m.

Sunday 4/30 Burke Historical Society meeting

Pohick Regional Library 3:30 p.m.

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Etc.

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Crossword Puzzle

4.24.2017

Top 10 Artists we're excited to see at Firefly Music Festival 1) Chance the Rapper 2) Weezer 3) Sunflower Bean 4) The Shins 5) Wale 6) OK GO 7) Sub-Radio 8) The Strumbellas 9) Crywolf 10) MUNA

Grossing films of 2017 (so far) 1) "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) $461,124,384 2) "Logan" $222,428,262 3) "The LEGO Batman Movie" $173,972,739 4) "Get Out" $168,638,145 5) "Kong: Skull Island" $162,423,946 6) "Split" $137,853,380 7) "The Fate of the Furious" $124,896,220 8) "The Boss Baby" $124,241,870 9) "Fifty Shades Darker" $114,434,010 This week’s crossword answers can be found in the following week’s issue.

Turn to page 19 for the 04/10/17 crossword answers.

10) "John Wick: Chapter Two" $91,846,388 Information courtesy of Box Office Mojo. Used with permission.

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WGMU Radio This Week Content Spotlight The Gamebreakers Wed. 4/26 @ 11:00 AM Da'Quan Henderson and Isaiah Siksay share their view on what's going on in the sports world. No matter the topic, you can bet they'll have something to say about it. Join in and always remember to use your games!

By The Cooler Teu. 4/25 @ 7:00 PM Join Nick Ortiz and Spencer Grabski on all the latest sports and pop culture headlines from around the world! They do not agree on much, but they do agree on their love for good food and adult beverages. Every week, the boys will give you new recipes and drinks to try out with your friends!

Ticket Giveaways Firefly Music Festival June 14-18, 2017 Dover, Deleware Interested in winning two 4-day GA passes to Firefly Musci Festival? Follow @wgmu on Twitter to find out how to win.

How to win: Follow @wgmuradio on twitter and re-tweet the ticket give-a-way. A winner will randomly be chosen.

WGMU Radio is George Mason University’s student-run radio station that streams 24/7, where you can listen on iTunes Radio, Radioflag. com or at wgmuradio.com. With over 80 hours of live and original programming, they cover everthing from sports and news, to talk shows and the hottest music.

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by Linda Thistle | © 2017 King Feature Synd., Inc.

Alexis Nicole @aceprincesslexi · Apr 20 Had a blast presenting my research to @ CHSSdean & other guests at the @MasonCHSS Research Symposium today! #gmu #senior #gmu17 @MasonHonors Student Centers @masonsc · Apr 20

Did you know the JC didn't open until 1995 and was originally called the Learning Center? #ThrowbackThursday #GMU

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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Adoption Column Make room in your heart and home for one of these animals from the Humane Society of Fairfax County, Inc., located on 4057 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. If interested in an animal, visit their website at http://hsfc.org/adoptions/ available-pets/, email the shelter at pets@hsfc.org or call at 703-385-7387.

Bruce

Angel Cabrera @CabreraAngel · Apr 20

Celebrating the career of the great Prof.

Paul D'Andrea and his legacy in theater and literature at Mason and beyond Saja Alani @SajaAlane · Apr 17

I am seriously dying in Physics class, one more hour to go #UniversityPhysics #GMU

How to play Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Difficulty This Week: ◆

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◆ Moderate | ◆◆ Challenging | ◆◆◆ Hard This week’s sudoku answers can be found in the following week’s issue. Turn to page 19 for the 04/10/17 answers.

Cook Out @CookOut · Apr 17

We are now open in Spring Lake, NC! Where should we open next? Tweet at us!

chris @TheRealChriis · Apr 18

SOMEWHERE VERY CLOSE TO GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY PLEASE TAKE ALL MY MONEY

Richard Brewster @richardbxh · Apr 10

Have a laugh

#GMU visit today... definition of my dream school!

Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix Age: 6 months Gender: Male Spayed/Neutered: Yes Animal ID: 34816507

Bruce is a mix of Cairn Terrier and Bichon. He is white and weighs approx. 10 pounds as of April 1st and might gain a few more after getting the spoiling he so deserves.

He's a great choice for those who might have dog allergies. He comes from a breeder who had no time to give him the attention he needed as a puppy to learn to trust humans. He is timid but each day is getting braver and braver. He would really benefit if he had home a with another dog who can show him what being a dog is all about. Given some time and patience we think Bruce will be a wonderful companion.

Whimsey

CLASSIFIEDS Help Wanted

BILLY FERGUSON | FOURTH ESTATE

Steiner Vision Pt/Ft - Office Work .

Will Train, Excellent pay, low stress work environment-many George Mason and NOVA students over the years have gained valuable work experience in our 7 Corners, Falls Church, VA office.

For more info call Dr. Steiner at Cell 571-276-1534 or ask for Maria at Office- 703-237-1770

Breed: Basset Hound/Terrier, Fox, Wire Age: 11 years 8 months Gender: Female Spayed/Neutered: Yes Animal ID: 29437279

We have many special cats--once-in-a-lifetime, really.

Whimsey is in the prime of her life and one of the smartest, sweetest cats you will ever meet. She gets along with other cats and loves to chat with people. She is beautiful inside and out. She was brought to us when her owners adopted two kittens and Whimsey did not want to play their games. Won't you provide a kind home for her?

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GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

4.24.2017

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Horoscopes ARIES (Mar. 21 to Apr. 19) The often-skeptical Aries might find that an answer to a question is hard to believe. But check it out before you chuck it out. You might well be surprised at what you could learn.

TAURUS (Apr. 20 to May 20) Your resolute determination to stick by a position might make some people uncomfortable. But if you’re proved right (as I expect you to be), a lot of changes will tilt in your favor.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel conflicted between what you want to do and what you should do. Best advice: Honor your obligations first. Then go ahead and enjoy your well-earned rewards.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) That financial matter still needs to be sorted out before you can consider any major monetary moves. Pressures ease midweek, with news about a potential career change.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) A workplace problem threatens to derail your well-planned project. But your quick mind should lead you to a solution and get you back on track without too much delay.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) An opportunity opens up but could quickly close down if you allow pessimismto override enthusiasm. A trusted friend can offer the encouragement you need.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) You’ve come through a difficult period of helping others deal with their problems.

Now you can concentrate on putting your energy to work on your own projects.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21) Forget about who’s to blame and, instead, make the first move toward patching up a misunderstanding before it creates a rift that you’ll never be able to cross.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Good news for the travel-loving Sagittarian who enjoys galloping off to new places: That trip you put off will soon be back on your schedule.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) A mood change could make the gregarious Goat seek the company of just a few friends. But you charge back into the crowd for weekend fun and games.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18) A decision you made in good faith could come under fire. Best advice: Open your mind to other possibilities by listening to your challenger’s point of view.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to Mar. 20) You can avoid being swamped by all those tasks dangling from your line this week by tackling them one by one, according to priority. The weekend brings good news. © 2017 King Features Synd., Inc. (Salome's Stars)

Last week's puzzle answers Crossword puzzle

Sudoku

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PCertified Resume Writer PCertified Career Coach PCertified Image Consultant

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GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

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Recipe of the week No-bake peanut butter potato chip bars

Ingredients 2 cups ripple potato chips, crushed 6 T. butter, room temperature 1 cup smooth peanut butter 2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 11.5 oz. bag milk chocolate chips

Preparation 1.) In a medium mixing bowl, add in the crushed ripple potato chips, peanut butter, and butter.

Stir until thoroughly incorporated.

2.) Add and stir in the powdered sugar and salt.

3.) Firmly press the peanut butter filling evenly into an 8x8 square pan lined with tin foil.

4.) In a microwave-safe bowl, add in the milk chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat microwaving for 30 seconds and stirring after each interval until the chocolate is completely melted.

6.) Pour the chocolate on top of the peanut butter filling. Spread it out evenly.

7.) Let it set until the chocolate hardens. Cut the bars and serve.

Recipe from Miranda Couse on Foodista.com - The Cooking Encyclopedia Everyone Can Edit.

It pays to have COVA HealthAware!

You can save up to 90% on your monthly premiums from the traditional PPO plan by selecting the COVA HealthAware Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plan.

Commonwealth of Virginia Employee Health Benefits Program Open Enrollment begins May 1st Visit www.covahealthaware.com/broadside to see how COVA HealthAware can work for you! Š 2017 Aetna Inc. Plans are offered by Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates (Aetna).