Broadside: Issue 8

Oct. 29, 2012 Volume 89 Issue 8

Broadside

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Blackboard On Its Way Out?

A new online platform for classrooms helps to make connections and takes the place of Blackboard

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

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Recreational Sex and Relationships

A look at how engaging in casual sex may affect relationships in the long term

Getting Out to Vote “Gangnam Style”

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ALEXANDRA SUDAK/BROADSIDE

Mason Plans to Expand Dining Services Last month, Mason Dining held a meeting with a variety of different food service companies, all of which were potential bidders to be the next food provider for Mason.

University officials outlined several stipulations and obligations that the company would have to meet if it were to work for Mason, one of them being moving towards anytime dining.

“We want to provide 24/7 dining by changing the hours of our dining halls to create a valued dining experience,” said Mark Kraner, Executive Director of Campus Retail Operations.

It is this valued dining experience that Kraner believes anytime dining will provide. The plan starts with building more university regulated dining

halls.

Starting in 2013, Ike’s in Presidents Park will be closed and replaced by a dining hall similar to Southside that will seat 385 people that will service the Shenandoah neighborhood.

Furthermore, plans are beginning to take shape to build a dining hall for the Aquia neighborhood between 2015 and 2016.

These two construction projects, combined with the library expansion, a new residence hall and the removal of a lecture hall would not only dramatically change the layout of Mason’s campus, but also change the system of dining on campus.

“These dining halls would be open 24 hours a day, and there would be no swiping to get in,”

Kraner said.

This new system would essentially throw out the current meal plan structure that breaks it down between swipes per semester and week. Instead, students would choose from a variety of plans, all of which would give them unlimited access to the dining halls on campus at all times, but would have different amounts of points to be used across campus at locations such as Chick-fil-a and Taco Bell.

According to Kraner, the current dining structure on campus creates a variety of barriers that make establishing a community more difficult.

CONTINUED PAGE 4

Conference Shakeup

After an offseason full of conference departures, the Patriots have put a major focus on a quality nonconference schedule PAGE 16

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News

City Council Meeting to Held On Campus

On Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., the City of Fairfax City Council will hold a special meeting in the Meese Conference Room in Mason Hall.

Due to the many overlapping issues that effect both the university and the surrounding community, meetings are typically held between representatives from both groups. However, Tuesday’s meeting will mark the first time it has happened on campus.

Student Government members will be allowed to meet with city council members before the meeting begins and are encouraged to stay and get involved.

The conference room can hold up to 75 attendees, so those interested should be punctual. The agenda for the meeting includes a discussion with the Student Government regarding the economic development needs of the Old Town Fairfax District, a conversation that will be especially relevant to students who frequent the area.

Deal with Everlasting Life Café Falls Through

Despite efforts on behalf of the university, Everlasting Life Café no longer plans to open a location on Mason’s campus.

After working with Mark Kraner, the executive director of Campus Retail Operations, the Café, which prides itself on serving 100 percent vegan food with both organic and raw options, decided that it was not economically viable for them to open a location on campus.

The café would need to make several renovations, including a kitchen, ventilation system, seating area and more. The costs of these changes outweighed the potential profit that would be made.

The space is now open for lease. The university is in discussion with a potential pizza restaurant that could take the café’s place.

Next Vision Series Lecture Announced

Mason Goes Country

STEPHEN KLINE /BROADSIDE

Eric Church, Justin Moore and Kip Moore stopped by the Patriot Center on Friday on their Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour. Church played a variety of hits, including “Hell on the Heart” and “Smoke a Little Smoke.”

582,503,295

The number of views that the original “Gangnam Style” has garnered on YouTube.

Mason has announced its next speaker for this year’s popular Vision Series for Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

James Pfiffner, University Professor of Public Policy and director of the School of Public Policy’s doctoral program will be speaking at the Center for the Arts Concert Hall on the Fairfax Campus next week.

His lecture is scheduled for the day directly preceding the election, making his topic timely. The title of the lecture is Innocent Until Nominated: Fixing the Presidential Appointment Process.

Pfiffner focuses on areas related to the presidency, Ameican government and public management, making him the perfect candidate for such a lecture.

Using his own experience, Pfiffner plans to explain how the current electoral process that political presidents is muddled with unnecessary intricacies that could be fixed, but would not be easy.

Students and faculty alike are encouraged to attend the lecture.

Dr. Cue Comes to Corner Pocket

Tom Rossman, better known as Dr. Cue will make a visit to Mason’s Corner Pocket in The Hub on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

In 2009, Rossman was named America’s Top Poolplaying Entertainer and is known for playing an excellent game of pool.

Rossman will be performing an interactive show twice throughout the day at 11a.m. and 2 p.m.

News

Broadside

Oct.10, 29,2012 2012 Sept.

OPINION

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Mason Athletes Obtain Academic Excellence The time commitment involved in being a college athlete is similar to holding a full-time job that requires frequent business trips and out-of-office demands that stretch far beyond the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work day.

While no athlete could realistically claim that playing a college sport does not come with a lifetime of valued memories, the fact of the matter is that the taxing schedules of these athletes are much unlike the schedules of other students on campus.

Still, student-athletes, just as normal students, have enrolled at Mason with one common goal: graduate with a degree at one of the most prestigious universities in Virginia.

In a recent study released by the NCAA, the association found that student-athletes who enrolled at Mason from 2002-05 – and, therefore, graduated between 2006-10 – scored a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 80 percent. According to the study, men’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s rowing,

women’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball all finished with a perfect score of 100 percent and eleven teams scored greater than 80 percent.

Such astounding statistics are certainly not unheard of in the association, but the accomplishments of these athletes should be applauded and recognized as Mason’s commitment to excellence in all facets of the student experience.

This vow to strive for perfection in academics and research stretches far beyond the average student; it is a promise that Mason has put forth, encouraging its student-athletes to strive for higher achievement.

More than a quarter of all student-athletes carried a 3.5 GPA or better in the Fall 2011 semester and 199 studentathletes received the CAA Commissioner’s Award, an honor earned by only those athletes who obtain a GPA of 3.2 of better.

Along with this academic commitment for athletes, the Mason Athletic

Department has entrusted ample resources to challenge athletes to strive to be the best – in their respective sports, in the classrooms and in the cafeteria.

The department introduced Peak Performance, a sports specific dining experience, to the Southside dining hall this semester. The meals are planned by the sports dietician and are specifically tailored to the demands of an elite college athlete. It is a sports nutrition component in Mason’s Center for Sports Performance, a program designed to provide studentathletes with the resources to achieve the highest levels of performance ability.

While expansion to South Korea and Front Royal are important to the community recognition of this university, excellence on the home front – especially excellence that begins with those who are most visible – is pertinent to the reputation to the university.

And, once again, Mason has exceeded expectations.

STORY BY CODY NORMAN

Notable 2011-12 Academic Highlights -More than a quarter of all student-athletes were on the Dean’s List for Fall 2011 -Sixteen student-athletes were Provost Scholar Athletes (38 hours at Mason; 3.75+ cumulative GPA) -The Federal Graduation Rate for Mason Black/African male student-athletes was 89 percent compared to 64 percent of similar general students -199 student-athletes received the CAA Commissioner’s Award in 2012 (3.2+ GPA)

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THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

State of the Race: Who Will Win the Presidential Election?

Johnson Center 7:30 - 9 p.m.

Celebration of Achievements Center for the Arts, Lobby 2:30 - 4 p.m.

Science Government Career Panel Mason Hall, Room D023 5 p.m.

Concert: American Symphony Orchestra Center for the Arts, Concert Hall 8 p.m.

Concert: Smashing Pumpkins Patriot Center 8 p.m.

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Mason Aspires to Offer Anytime Dining to Students CONT. FROM FRONT

“You should be able to walk out of Southside, see some more friends walking in and then join them without having to be penalized for using another meal plan,” said Kraner. “The goal is to create the value, take away the barriers, and create the community.”

This community demand has been felt by other universities across the country who have already implemented anytime dining as a solution.

“We began anytime dining roughly five years ago. Since then, we have seen an increase in the amount of students who sign up for meal plans,” said Jon Plodzik, Director of Dining Services at the University of New Hampshire (UNH).

The university, with only five thousand students on campus, has a total of nine thousand students and

faculty on full meal plans due to the success of their program.

UNH has created dining facilities that do not require students to check or swipe in. Instead, students may come and go as they please in order to maximize the efficiency of the program.

“We are able to supply a demand that students want while providing a community that they enjoy,” Plodzik said.

At Mason, the community that on-campus dining is servicing is composed of those students with meal plans, of which there are many.

According to meal plan summaries provided by Kraner, 60 percent of students who are not required to have meal plans have one, and while 50 percent of students who live in apartments have full meal plans.

These numbers are evidence that students are reliant upon Mason

dining to meet their nutrition and dietary needs, something the current meal plan structure works against. Due to the Friday morning expiration on weekly meal plans, students spend Thursday nights in line at Pilot House and Ikes as a way to use up left over meal plans, encouraging binge eating. On the flip side, Kraner says that students also run out of meal plans, forcing them to go without eating.

“We do not want to create bad eating habits, and anytime dining is a way to curb that,” Kraner said.

Despite the promise anytime dining holds for Mason, Kraner says it will not happen quickly.

“This is still a conversation.

Nothing has been approved.

However, I am a proponent of it because I think it will be good for Mason,” Kraner said.

STORY BY AARON LOCKE

ASHTON BURZIO/GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

Professor Uses Replacement Program for Blackboard Every class, freshman Minneli Seneviratne walks into Enterprise Hall 80 and sees approximately 150 unfamiliar faces. In any other class this size, lecture after lecture, these faces usually remain unknown and the class loses its human touch.

“I immediately felt relaxed,” Seneviratne said of the Government 132: Introduction to International Politics class. “But the same time I felt, am I not going to learn effectively?”

Her professor, Peter Mandaville, has found a way to overcome the barrier of numbers.

Enter Lore: a new, multifaceted, online tool whose main feature is a Facebook-like discussion board.

Mandaville is using Lore for the first time this semester in Seneviratne’s class to create a small class atmosphere.

“I am trying to use it as a substitute or a proxy for a smaller, seminar kind of setting,” said Mandaville, who has taught at Mason since 2000.

“My sense is not that Lore can act as a full substitute for [an intimate setting], but it can help to bridge the gaps in a class of such size.”

Lore has provided the course with a platform for discussion.

After lectures, students post questions to clarify content. Before lectures, students discuss readings

and assignments. Even during the lecture, students make comments and respond to each other in real time.

During class, Government and International Politics major Laura Patten asked on Lore, “Do you think the U.S. always sides with the protesters in Middle East countries that are not democratic?” Patten received an almost immediate response from her peers.

Similar questions arise every class and students respond to them by relating concepts learned in class, outside resources and personal opinion.

Examples such as Patten’s participation on Lore aid in the instructional process and compensate for lack of face-to-face discussion.

“Initially, I thought Lore was people taking what they learned and just regurgitating it,” Seneviratne said. “But people don’t just restate stuff. They take their own opinions, they comment. So it’s basically anything you want to express about that subject matter.”

Originally called Coursekit, Lore is an online learning tool that takes advantage of social media to enhance the learning experience.

Three students from the University of Pennsylvania, who realized that many instructors hate Blackboard,

created Lore. Lore does not have all of Blackboard’s features such as the integration of Pearson and McGrawHill ready-made content. But it does allow students to submit assignments, which can be commented on

People don’t just restate stuff. They take their own opinions, they comment. So it’s basically anything you want to express about that subject.

Minneli Seneviratne by the instructor. It also serves as an online grade book.

Created by a college dropout, Lore’s goal is to take the integration of technology in learning to a new level.

“People on my network on Twitter

were tweeting about it, saying that this is the future of virtual learning environments,” Mandaville said. “I took a look at it and it just struck me as so much more user friendly and intuitive.”

Blackboard Learn 9.1 is the officially supported online tool for Mason instructors. Blackboard, however, does not allow for instructors to utilize social media and, according to Mandaville, is persistently behind the times in terms of basic interface audibility issues.

Instructional designer Katrina Joseph works with faculty on using Blackboard. Joseph agrees that Lore, and many other Blackboard alternatives, has a greater range of motion and is more appealing than Blackboard.

“Professors want to use a lot of social media that you can’t use on Blackboard because Blackboard does limit you,” Joseph said. “Lore is intuitive just like Wordpress: everything at a glance. You’re not hindered by the Blackboard frame.”

Mandaville’s disdain to use Blackboard has lead him to take the plunge and test Lore in two classes this semester.

“Literally 72 hours before classes started, I was like, alright, let’s try this,” Mandaville said.

Mandaville describes Lore as

having a Facebook-type feel, being clean and economical in terms of how it renders information.

Blackboard, he argues, is non-intuitive and behind the times in terms of its interface.

“I’m a huge fan of the use of technology as an instructional resource, but I just never clicked with Blackboard,” Mandaville said.

Ben Fedderson, one of the two graduate teaching assistants in Mandaville’s class, believes that Lore’s interface is more approachable and, therefore, more attractive to students. Lore’s modern features allow for it to be an extension of the course, without the uptight setting of a lecture-style class.

“The platform is clean, accessible and intuitive for the modern web user,” Fedderson said in an email interview. “It allows the continuation of the social aspects of the course into spaces that students are spending more and more time in.”

Lore’s cutting-edge characteristics were one of the attributes that Mandaville thought would appeal to students and attract them to using it.

“People are actually kind of hanging out on it,” Mandaville said.

“Which is what I really wanted to happen.”

STORY BY NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKIS

News

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Oct.10, 29,2012 2012 Sept.

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Campus Students Host “Love Week” to Raise Money for Kids in Need

ASHTON BURZIO/GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

Last year, Love Week hosted a fundraiser for South Sudan. The organization encourages volunteers to come out and help put together donations to send to those in need in the selected countries, (top and bottom photos). The donations are purchased by raising money through selling t-shirts (middle photo).

Paper. Pencils. Pens.

These items are most likely taken for granted by students at Mason.

But to the children living in Old Naledi, Botswana, they make a world of difference.

Under the direction of staff member Brett Miller, Mason’s Campus Crusade for Christ organization, otherwise known as Cru, chose Botswana as the country it will be aiding during this year’s Love Week beginning on Oct. 29. In its previous two years, the organization has chosen to help Haiti and South Sudan.

Mackenzie Snider, a conflict analysis and resolution major who has taken on a leadership role in this year’s Love Week, says the goal is to raise $18,000, to package two thousand backpacks with school supplies and to start a mentorship program for the children in Old Naledi.

Additionally, Cru staff will send student-made videos, supplying the children with added encouragement.

“We’re trying to change all of these kids’ lives and the country of Botswana,” said Joanna Kirby, a junior psychology major, who is co-directing the event with Erwin Camacho, a sophomore systems engineering major.

Cru’s objective is not simply to provide the children of Old Naledi with supplies that will improve their lives, but to allow the children and teachers to use the supplies to create a sustainable program.

Priya Keathly relates the mentorship program to the parable about teaching a man to fish rather than merely giving him a fish. Cru wants the mentorship program to grow.

“We are trying to start a program, and hopefully it will flourish,” said Keathly, a sophomore conflict analysis and resolution major.

Keathly is leading the fundraising team for this year’s Love Week and is coordinating restaurant nights to raise money for the event. Panda Express and Red Hot & Blue are among the possibilities.

Snider says 70 percent of students in Old Naledi do not get to go to high school.

They drop out and do not receive

higher education.

Those students who are able to go to high school end up leaving the country to attend university.

“There is so little education there that they just get their education and leave,” said Snider, who is working alongside senior global affairs major Jessica Deebo.

With the mentor program, University of Botswana students will select younger children to guide and help through higher education. That way, the country is building up the number of students who can help future children in school.

We’re college students. We’re kind of poor. You may not have money, but you have your time.

Mackenzie Snider

Starting on Oct. 29, Cru will be selling T-shirts for $20 and handing out flyers for the Love Week event outside of the Johnson Center and Southside.

From 1-6 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the Sub II ballroom, members of Cru and the public can help put the packages of school supplies together and make short videos to send to the children in Old Naledi.

“You don’t necessarily have to give money. You just give your time,” said Snider. “We’re college students.

We’re kind of poor. You may not have money, but you have your time to give.”

Anyone willing to donate time to help with Love Week goes through a short training session and then works a 30-minute shift packing backpacks.

Everyone also has the option to

write a brief letter and make a short video to send to the students encouraging the mentorship program and showing Mason’s support.

“I think it really makes a difference in the community here, but also in the community there [in Old Naledi],” Kirby says.

The Cru staff has pictures of the students who will receive the backpacks.

Kirby plans to have a table set up in the SUB II ballroom for people to look at when they come and help out.

With the help of Steve Baker of the Global Aid Network (GAiN) in Dallas, Texas, and Mason Cru’s in-country partners, all of the backpacks, letters and videos will be sent to Old Naledi after the event.

Each backpack will contain two pencils, two pens, a spiral notebook, a ruler, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, colorful stickers and a toothbrush for the students to keep.

Kirby hopes to recruit as many people as possible.

“It’s really cool when we get everybody else involved and excited about it,” Kirby adds.

Those involved with Love Week put in time throughout the week attending meetings and emailing.

Kirby and Snider admit a lot of time goes into the event, but the time is well spent.

“We’re lucky to be where we are and to be at Mason,” Snider says.

“And especially considering the fact that this is an education program and we’re here receiving college degrees, to give these students who don’t even get to go to high school the opportunity to go, I think it’s a nice parallel.”

This year, Cru should be able to keep up with the progress of the mentor program.

Having GAiN staff in Botswana along with in-country staff, reports on the growth and success of the program will be more accessible.

The mentorship program is a sustainable program that Cru hopes will thrive.

On Nov. 8, the public, and Cru members, can help reach the two thousand backpack goal.

STORY BY KAITLYN RIETZ

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Golden Key Society Attracts Mason’s Mason in the News Best and Brightest Students “We [at George Mason University] are committed. We want to go on that journey with you to remind people that what makes this country great is to continue to keep our doors open to hard working people from around the world.”

-- Mason’s President, Dr. Angel Cabrera speaking at an event hosted by The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc., about Mason’s goals of inspiring and providing for students from around the world.

GOLDEN KEY SOCIETY/GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

The Gold Key Society, an international honor group has brought recognition for excellence to Mason.

Golden Key Chapter, founded in 1977 and introduced to Mason in 1988, not only received Gold Level for the Chapter Standard Award but the Key Chapter Award for Outstanding Achievement for the 2011-2012 academic year.

During the past summer from July 26-29, Golden Key International hosted the International Summit for the 29th time. This year, it took place in Atlanta, Georgia.

Throughout the weekend, members from all over the world, including Australia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and the United Arab Emirates- visited George Mason Institute of Technology to attend various workshops, build connections, and receive awards.

An event that happens once every two years, this weekend was fully packed with activities. The first night involved introductions of the leaders of the International Society. After a good night’s rest, the next day gave members opportunities to attend workshops.

There were 30 different workshops that focused mostly on topics such as becoming a successful leader, landing a job, and building networking skills.

The final night was the presentation of chapter awards at Georgia Aquarium.

Among the world-wide attending members, junior and Mason’s Golden Key Chapter President Ricky Tran was present as one of the representatives for the Fairfax chapter.

“It was a surprise getting the [Key Chapter] award. Going into the gala, we didn’t expect to receive such a high honor,” Tran said.

The Key Chapter Award is the highest award a chapter can earn. To qualify, an individual chapter must first obtain the gold chapter standard. Of all chapters in over 360 colleges and universities over seven countries, only 27 were selected for the Key Chapter Award.

The recognized chapters who achieve this award are chosen because they excelled over the standard. They are seen as ideal Golden Key chapters.

Golden Key’s mission is to enable members to realize their potential.

Putting high regard on values such as collaboration, diversity, excellence, engagement, innovation, integrity and respect, this chapter strives for its members to always work hard and aim high to always improve themselves.

Que Le, the director of finance of the Golden Key Chapter at Mason, says the organization aims to challenge members to their potential and help create them as future leaders in the Mason community.

Mason was able to receive two such high awards because the chapter within

the campus is active and always looking to improve. As an improvement from last year, member criteria is to stay active for 20 percent rather than the former 10 percent.

Two Signature events include Better World Book Drive and Academic Integrity Week. To emphasize academic integrity, Golden Key offers a week worth of workshops and activities to prevent cheating. Co-Vice President Annie Tran says the events help educate the students more about what the honor code is.

Last year, students were asked what cheating is, what plagiarizing is, and signed a banner to pledge not to cheat.

Make a Difference Day, Global Youth Service Day, and AIDS Walk are just a few other events members attend.

Golden Key is the only honor society committed to give one million dollars of scholarship money. It is awarded for service and leadership achievements.

Last year, a Mason member received $10,000. “[Golden Key offers] so many rich opportunities to get involved in,” Tran said. Holding to a commitment to excellence, this Chapter at Mason is dedicated to personal, professional, and honorable achievement.

STORY BY DARLENE ALEGRADO

“The center of energy in Virginia shifted increasingly to northern Virginia because of its population growth and its wealth. Politically, this state is very different from what it was just a generation ago.”

-- Mark Rozell, a political science professor at George Mason University in Fairfax County told the Associated Press when asked about the changes to Virginia politics.

“I think there is near unanimity on the impact of the fiscal cliff driving the economy into recession.”

-- Stephen Fuller, Mason economist said to NBC when asked about how state budgets are affected by the national recession.

“Tyler and I realized that we had an opportunity to teach probably the largest economics class that has ever been taught in the history of the world, and that was pretty enticing,” -- Alex Tabarrok, Mason economist professor and co-founder of Marginal Revolution University, speaking to the New Republic about the newly launched online economics university.

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D.C. Bike Share Program Brings Resource to Students DOMINO’S GMU STUDENT DEALS Spec #1 One Large 1 Topping Pizza for $7.99 plus tax & delivery Spec #2 One Medium 2 Topping Pizza for $6.99 plus tax & delivery

ALEXANDRA SUDAK/BROADSIDE

Mason students, staff and faculty members can now travel efficiently around campus, while promoting a sustainable environment at the same time, thanks to Patriot Bikeshare.

Founded this September, Patriot Bikeshare enhances transportation options around campus and makes bicycles more accessible for people who do not own them.

“It is an easy way to travel short distances,” said bicycle and recycling coordinator Tyler Orton, who works with the Office of Parking and Transportation as well as the Office of Sustainability.

Patriot Bikeshare is unique because it is the only fully automated bikeshare model. Unlike other models, such as Washington D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare, no permanent infrastructure is needed.

The bicycles, provided by ViaCycle, are unlocked through a mobile application or through sending a text message to a designated number.

At this point, 20 bicycles are available for rental from four on-campus locations: the Northern Neck Starbucks, the Johnson Center North Plaza, the Shenandoah (Sandy Creek) parking deck and the SUB I Quad by Krug Hall.

Riders can pay $3 for a one-time 12-hour rental, or pay $6 to become a monthly member and receive unlimited two-hour rentals. Riders

are charged $1 for each additional half hour.

The bicycle fleet was purchased through a grant from the Patriot Green Fund (PGF).

Since the grant application was submitted, Patriot Bikeshare has surpassed Orton’s initial expectations.

“When we submitted the PGF application, we hoped 100 people would use our services by the end of fall semester,” Orton said. “But actually, 100 people used Patriot Bikeshare during the first month.”

Although students, staff and faculty use Patriot Bikeshare often, faculty tend to rent bicycles more frequently.

“The faculty are our front-runners,” Orton said.

Within the next four years, Orton wants to expand Patriot Bikeshare into the surrounding community, and bring rental locations to Old Town Fairfax and University Mall.

Already, Orton has established connections between Patriot Bikeshare and transportation planners in Fairfax city government.

“We also hope to establish locations at the Field House and the RAC,” Orton said. “We just have to make sure we have the ridership to support it.”

STORY BY NATHAN DORFMAN

Spec #3 Two Medium w/ 2 toppings each for $11.98 plus tax & delivery (Additional toppings $1 each / Deep Dish $1 more)

(VALID FROM 9PM UNTIL CLOSE)

ONE LARGE 1 TOPPING PIZZA WITH STUFFED CHEESYBREAD

$10.99 plus tax & delivery

(Additional toppings $1 each / Deep Dish $1 more)

(703) 352-0990

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Mason Dining Makes Effort to Bring Local Food to Students Sophomore Kelly Pizzingrilli purchases two apples, two sweet potatoes and apple cider. She is not in a frigid grocery store and her food is not coming from halfway around the world.

“I like buying a lot of fresh stuff,” Pizzingrilli said. “I don’t like having preservatives or anything in my food.”

Globally, produce has acquired an international identity. Mason Dining, however, has decided to bring food back to local roots.

Mason Dining is creating locovores: consumers who choose local products, which creates health eating habits.

“If it’s fresher, it’s better. And helping out the local communities is always better than getting it shipped cross country,” said freshman Kevin Mason, who purchased apple cider produced in Frederick, Md. Pizzingrilli got her fresh produce from Mason Dining’s Southside Farmer’s Market hosted on Oct. 24, National Food Day. This event was held for the second time this semester to give students access to local produce.

“The purpose of this event is to focus on local growers. We buy from a lot of different growers within a 150 mile radius,” said Mary Barron, Customer Relations Manager for Keany Produce.

The use of local food is also integrated into Mason Dining’s facilities on campus. Since the construction of Southside in 2008, Mason Dining has been drawn to using local products.

About 98 percent of mushrooms used on campus are from Pennsylvania. Tofu is purchased from Springfield, Va. A majority of the dairy products come from Harrisburg, Pa. “There are a few items that no matter where you are on campus, they’re local,” said Benjamin McElhaney, Sustainability Coordinator for Mason Dining.

To allow for even more localizing of food consumption, McElhaney is planning a program to introduce seasonal menus.

“This time of year, squashes are local, but we don’t use that many on campus,” McElhaney said. “It’s just a matter of changing what we offer.”

Mason Dining has partnered with distributor Keany Produce to purchase fresh produce from reliable farms in Chestertown, Md., Batesville, Va., Vineland, Nj. and Waynesboro, Pa. The Farmer’s Market was run by Keany Produce and featured the same produce used at Mason Dining’s facilities on campus.

“We have local products available all year round,” Barron said. “A lot of people aren’t aware that in the fall, you can still buy local produce. We have collard greens that are available in North Carolina and New Jersey through December.”

The Farmer’s Market is the second of the semester but is not yet a regularly scheduled event. Mason Dining is willing to make a commitment to a weekly market if the demand for it is high enough. “[At the first event], there were a lot of STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

students asking, ‘Hey, going to be here next week?’ Unfortunately, [the answer is] no. But I told them if you want us to be here more often, bring your friends down,” McElhaney said.

Barron notes that a large number of commuter students were drawn to the Farmer’s Market on Oct. 24.

“It seems to be a lot of commuter students that like to cook and so they’ll buy things that a lot of students wouldn’t attempt to cook,” Barron said.

For some students, such as freshman Fiona Davies, local produce just provides a better quality of taste.

“I don’t really like red delicious apples, and that’s all they have in shopping centers,” Davies said. “I like the quality of these better.”

Not only does purchasing local keep the food local, it also helps support local businesses and farms.

“In the long run, it’s better because it keeps money in the same economic environment we thrive, or try to thrive in,” McElhaney said. “It also gives people a certain sense of pride. They say, oh I know that farm. I drive past it every day.”

To increase this feeling of community, Mason Dining has been working on creating a map so that students can pinpoint the farms that provide this food.

“It [being locally made] makes you want to buy it more because you’re helping out the community and you know it’s fresh,” Kevin Mason said.

Mason Dining is run by Sodexo, a food facilities and management company, which controls what food is being used and produced in dining places such as SubConnection, the HotSpot and Southside. The facilities not under Sodexo, such as Starbucks, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-a, do not fall under Mason Dining’s local produce initiative.

“Sodexo owns SubConnection,” McElhaney said. “So we can sub out that lettuce we use, we can sub out what tomatoes we use, cucumbers, whatever. We can change them around to what we see as necessary. If there’s an opportunity to sub out a local item, we will.”

McElhaney notes that some opinions have been brought to him not against the presence of local produce but rather pressure to decrease the 250 mile radius.

“Because of where we live, there’s only certain products that are available that are a guaranteed source,” McElhaney said. “We feed 33,000 people on this campus. That’s a lot of food. We need to have vendors that can give that to us and not just every joe farmer ten miles away can give us a quality product.”

For the 2012 fiscal year, $82,000 more was allocated from Mason Dining to purchasing locally.

“We’re hoping that from now until [the end of the fiscal year in June] we’ll be able to spend $100,000 more on local produce, local dairy products and local meats if they’re available,” McElhaney said.

STORY BY NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKIS

News

Broadside

Oct.10, 29,2012 2012 Sept.

9

Mason Students Use Pop Culture Phenomenon to Inspire Voting

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

The Wait is Over…

This election season, Mason is voting Gangnam Style.

Twenty people gathered by the George statue on Saturday, Oct. 27, to film a video of Mason students rocking out to the internet hit Gangnam Style, but with a twist--the song’s lyrics were changed to let young people know that voting is something that’s cool to do.

The video is part of an effort by the Mason Vote Mob, as well as All Hands on Deck, a self-identified non-partisan group whose goal is to get young people to the polls.

The filmmaker, Colin Christopher, is a member of All Hands on Deck.

As he filmed the video, Christopher organized and led the group of volunteer dancers in the various signature Gangnam Style dance moves.

“This election, there’s a degree of apathy that was not around in 2008,” Christopher said. “It’s important for the politicians and the nation to know that young folks like us are interested, we are engaged, and our voices need to be heard.”

Another organizer of the video, junior Janelle Lynn, thought a video based off of Gangnam Style would catch the attention of young people.

“We’re hoping to encourage students to vote in a funny way that they can recognize. Obviously Gangnam Style is ridiculous, so sometimes it takes ridiculous ways to get people’s attention and to get them to vote,” Lynn said. “And we’re hoping when people see this, they’ll be like, ‘Why are they dancing to Gangnam Style?’ And then they’ll see the Vote Mob logo on the hoodies and they’ll realize that they need to get out and vote.”

The video’s lead dancer and PSY impersonator, Senior Edgar Tran, practiced dancing for hours in preparation for the video.

“It started out with Colin just asking around for dancers, and I dance myself, so I was like, okay, I can dance,” Tran said. “Then he said he needed a lead, so I

figured it wouldn’t hurt to volunteer.”

MasonVotes copy editor, junior Jasmine Young, decided to help out with the video in solidarity with Vote Mob’s goals.

“I’m coming out to show support for different voting organizations, because I am a part of an organization that emphasizes voting and the elections,” Young said.

“I think it’s important to have other organizations join together and really show that Mason is ready to vote.”

The goal of the video is essentially to get voters to the polls, and to make young people realize that voting is something they should do.

“Vote Mob is trying to get people to think that voting is cool. It’s part of something you do. It’s not something that you might do—it’s something that you have to do,” Christopher said. “We need to make it more a part of our young culture. And that’s what we’re doing.”

On Nov. 6, election day, Vote Mob will be running various activities around campus and helping people make it to the polls.

On Oct. 31, the organization will host ‘Trick or Vote’, an event in which students will dress up in costume and knock on Mason students’ dorm room doors, encouraging them to vote.

The group welcomes any volunteers and will meet on the third floor of Liberty Square at 6 p.m.

“We want people to get excited about voting. We want people to think that, ‘If I’m not voting, I am not in the in crowd, I’m in the outside.’ We want to make voting the norm. There’s been a sort of disturbing amount of apathy among our generation, but I think that with some organization and some creative energy, we can turn apathy into activism.”

STORY BY ALEXANDRA SUDAK

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10

Oct. 29, 2012

Broadside

Entertainment

Blood, Sweat and Beers at the Patriot Center

Country singers Eric Church (left) and Justin Moore (right) performed for a large audience at the Patriot Center on Friday.

Country music artist Eric Church proudly holds in his right hand a shot glass of Jack Daniels—his drink of choice.

“How many shots I have will determine what kind of night it’s going to be,” said Church, during his Oct. 26 Blood, Sweat and Beers concert at the Patriot Center.

Regardless of how many shots he actually downed, Eric Church’s show could easily be one of the biggest parties that Mason has seen all semester.

Throughout the 90-minute performance, the excitement level was so high that the few thousand audience members rarely sat down.

Energy continuously flowed between Church and his audience.

“I promise you I’m going to give you everything I got,” said Church, towards the beginning of his performance. “But you also better give me everything you got.”

Clapping their hands, singing along, dancing in front of their seats, waving their drinks in the air, and howling at times, the audience heeded Church’s call.

The show began as the 35-year-old, 6-foot-2 singer-songwriter emerged in a cloud of theatrical smoke from under the stage, wearing a

black t-shirt, blue jeans and baseball cap.

The stage was set with pyrotechnics and strobe lights.

Playing an acoustic guitar, Church opened with a song entitled “Country Music Jesus”, about a prophet who preaches from the book of Johnny Cash.

He followed with some of his radio hits including “How ‘Bout You” and “Hell on the Heart”.

Church has a unique ability to write and perform songs that relate to real life situations, both joyful and bittersweet.

The audience appreciated Church’s talent, and connected with his melodies, especially those that were drug-related, including “Drink in My Hand” , “Smoke a Little Smoke” and “I’m Gettin’ Stoned.”

Yet despite his song lyrics, one can appreciate Church’s sheer musical talent, even when completely sober.

While Church is an innovative musician who prides himself on defying country music’s norms, he also has the graceful humility to recognize the country music legends that came decades before him.

For example, Church paid tribute to country

great Merle Haggard, when performing “Pledge Allegiance to the Hag”, which featured guitar riffs from some of Haggard’s songs.

Similarly, Church honored Hank Williams, Jr. with a spirited cover rendition of “A Country Boy Can Survive”.

Eric Church said that his favorite part of the performance was when he played some comparatively mellow songs on his acoustic guitar while sitting on a stool at the front of the stage.

“This takes me back to how my career all started, just me and my guitar,” Church said.

“It wasn’t long ago when I was playing to just 20 or 30 people.”

The concert, which lasted from 7:30 to 11 p.m., began with hour-long performances by unrelated country stars Kip Moore and Justin Moore.

Kip performed his biggest hit to date “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”, and Justin performed hits such as “Small Town USA”, familiar to modern country radio listeners.

The country music performed by all three artists is by no means the country music of fifty years ago.

The music, which seemed more like

STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE

southern rock at times, was exciting, filled with electric guitars and pulsating drumbeats.

The most poignant moment of the evening occurred as Church performed his finale and recent smash hit “Springsteen”.

Church explained how “Springsteen” is about how a melody sounds like a memory, and reminisced about his first time attending an outdoor concert with friends, as a 16-yearold in rural North Carolina.

“I remember the way the sun looked, the smell of the grass and the smell of the beer,” Church said. “Memories are what this song is about.”

Stereotypically, one may associate country music with heartbreak and melancholy, but the music of Church and both Moores was nearly the opposite.

If the Blood, Sweat and Beers concert elicited any emotions among the audience, by far it was the thrill of letting loose and the joy of hanging out with friends.

And these are feelings that country music, and college for that matter, should always encourage.

STORY BY NATHAN DORFMAN

Entertainment

Broadside

Oct. 29, 2012

11

Recreational Sex Culture Infiltrates College Relationship Scene The room was fuzzy and unfamiliar at first as she blinked her eyes open and tried to recall the events of the night before. Putting together the pieces she remembered a loud and overcrowded basement, red juice that was a little too sweet and a stranger that had asked her to dance. She stretched and rolled over to find the stranger sleeping soundly next to her, and it all came back to her. While her mother may not approve and somewhere deep down the morals that she was raised with threw up red flags and sounded alarms, for some reason she just could not feel guilty. Why? Because society has led her to believe that it was okay.

Today’s society not only condones the concept of recreational sex, it often encourages such promiscuous behavior among young people as a rite of passage. Decisions that would once have been considered completely immoral or unacceptable are now the norm for college students. These extreme societal changes did not happen overnight.

While it is easy to blame it on this generation, it is also unfair to pin the entire moral decline on one generation when it began decades ago “Prior to the mid-60s casual sex was frowned on from a moral

perspective,” said Dr. Michael Anderson, professor of Psychology of Intimate Relationships. “But the development of the birth control pill had a profound effect. Young people no longer refrained from intercourse out of fear of pregnancy.”

When the fear of unwanted pregnancy was removed from the equation it became purely a moral issue.

For the most part, families in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s held firm values whether they be based on religion or simply an attempt to keep up appearances. Although some young people at that time went away to college it was far more common for them to go right into the work force and begin their lives. Today on the other hand, young people are expected to go to college first which provides them with exposure to outside influences which makes it far easier to stray from the morals they were raised with.

“Slowly our national values changed. Alcohol and cannabis along with the pill liberated college students,” Anderson said.

As those college students of the late ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s grew up their views on recreational sex became a part of the culture. Between hippies proclaiming free love for all and the feminist movement encouraging

women to express their sexuality for the first time, casual sex simply became a part of American culture.

Slowly our national values changed.

Alcohol and cannabis along with the pill liberated college students.

According to Dr. Anderson the subsequent growth of the porn industry was also a deciding factor.

Recreational sex facilitated a shift in the way in which individuals view intimacy. Sex became a form of entertainment rather than an expression of love. Technological advancements of the last 50 years made the distribution of explicit materials easier.

The resulting proliferation of easily accessible pornography would have a dramatic effect on the society’s attitude towards sex.

“The influence of cybersex and pornography cannot be

overestimated as causative factors for young people embracing recreational sex,” Anderson said. “More often than not teens who aggressively view porn tend to endorse casual, recreational attitudes toward sex.”

Even popular culture is a clear indication of just how comfortable modern society is with its sexuality. This past summer copies of “50 Shades of Grey” flew off of store shelves. The first in a trilogy of erotic novels, written by E.L. James, discusses in detail an affair between mysterious and dangerous Christian Grey and college graduate Anastasia Steele. The book caused some controversy due to its explicit descriptions of the couple’s sexual acts involving dominance, bondage, sadism and masochism.

Living in a world in which recreational sex is socially acceptable, it is not hard to understand why so many college students choose to engage in it. It allows them to receive instant gratification without thought to consequences.

“Sex has little to do with love or commitment,” Anderson said.

“Intimacy and commitment are hard work. Recreational sex is like getting a reward for no investment.”

Unfortunately, what most young people who choose to engage in

OPINION

Mason’s First Musical a Great Success As a long-time fan of musical theatre, I was thrilled to learn that Mason’s School of Music and the Department of Theater had finally collaborated to create a musical theater program.

Their first production, which was held this past weekend, was one of my favorite shows, “Into the Woods.” The cast was very talented and the show ran very smoothly, showing no signs of Mason’s inexperience with musical theatre.

“Into the Woods” is a classic American musical that combines the storylines of classic characters from several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, weaving together their tales to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and the lengths they will go to to fulfill them.

The song “Agony,” performed by senior Matthew LincolnBugg (Cinderella’s Prince) and junior Jacob Lash (Rapunzel’s Prince) has always been my favorite, and the added charm and chemistry between the two men got great reactions from the crowd.

Senior Brittany Martz (the Witch) was another memorable part of the show, especially when she transformed from the haggard old Witch to a young and beautiful, yet powerless, woman and was able to fully showcase her voice.

To colorfully help illustrate and narrate the story, Tristan Griffin (Narrator), Kat Brewster (Magic Maker), Ruthie Rado (Music Maker) and Maggie Rodgers (Magic Maker) interacted

STAN ENGEBRETSON/CHORAL STUDIES

Senior Matthew Lincoln-Bugg, who played Cinderella’s Prince, at dress rehearsals for “Into the Woods.” with the characters and the set. The quartet was fun to watch as almost a sideshow to the main performance.

I wish I could highlight all of the amazing performers from the show, each and every actor had impressive vocal talent.

I hope to see some of the same faces at the next musical the program puts together and cannot wait for the next show.

STORY BY COLLEEN WILSON

recreational sex fail to realize is that their decisions will have a long term negative effect on both their current and future relationships. While in college, relationships that are based purely on sex are likely to be fleeting and shallow. They will last only until one partner finds someone who they find more physically attractive.

Dr. Anderson also explained that while a lifestyle that encourages hunting for the next best thing may be exciting in college, it is likely to encourage a similar mentality later in life that will hinder successful committed relationships.

“Intimacy in adulthood has roots in earlier relationships,” Anderson said. “Promiscuity in the college years while building experience influences the development and maintenance of intimacy in oneon-one dating, cohabitation and marriage.”

Realistically, recreational sex is a part of modern culture especially on college campuses and Mason is no exception. Will it ever change?

Most likely not, but maybe it is worth considering the far reaching implications of engaging in casual sex before your decisions leave you waking up next to a stranger.

STORY BY EMILY BARTONE

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12

Oct. 29, 2012

Broadside

OPINION

The Carouser Report:

Home is Where the Booze is at I am sitting at the bar, alone.

Constantly shoving the cold bottle to my lips and keeping my cigarette properly ashed are the two things distracting me from the evening news. I dare not look. Looking into the depths of a used toilet might be more productive than watching the onslaught of reporting on the presidential race.

Tweedldee and Tweedledum, the two girls to my left, are having a most interesting conversation. I cannot help myself from tuning in. It is a triumphant dialogue – a personal boozography – of their time in college. House hopping at Virginia Tech, bar crawling the streets of University of Maryland, and fratting it up down at Radford are among the highlights.

And then, as I’ve heard it a million times before – a statement that has come to define Mason – they end with: “OMG, Mason just doesn’t know how to party.” They are not the first and will certainly not be the last to utter these words.

What the Mason community most commonly misunderstands is the farfetched idea that, one, Mason is not a party school, and two, the student population should strive to make Mason’s party community similar to those of other collegiate institutions.

It’s as if the Mason party crowd believes in a religious, booze driven doctrine which Mason is unable to follow. On Friday and Saturday nights,

the complainants load up on a smorgasbord of booze, all the while having a blast with their friends. They then turn around Sunday morning and make their arduous claims that Mason is a crappy place to party. It’s like they’re a kobe steak, and the whole time they’re eating it, their complaining about how much they hate beef. It doesn’t make sense.

With that said, I will certainly acknowledge that Mason is not your typical party school. No, we do not have a football team, frat row, or a bounty of off-campus housing, but these are superficial constructs anyways. If you wanted a school whose weekends are driven by the typically played-out party scene, then you should have gone to Virginia Tech.

But those who have embraced Mason for what it is have come to realize the following: Mason is whatever you make it. If you’re into the big parties, we have them. If small social gatherings are your thing, they’re there too. If the bar scene is your element, that’s an option.

And if you’re into the whole going into the big city thing, we also have that.

The fact that Mason has such diverse opportunities for the college partier makes it unique.

Our ethnic diversity is also a game changer. Yeah, I get it, most college students are content with the stereotypical American party - beer bong and all. However, Mason gives you the

chance to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds. And believe me: they know how to throw down. Seeing how other cultures cut loose is an opportunity rarely afforded to those who attend colleges out in the middle of nowhere.

If anything, Mason is the party school. It is a place where all types of partiers are welcome, no matter your cup of tea. Perhaps we are not the loud, in-your-face, college institution. But we don’t need to be because that already exists. Drive 66 West, and 81 South and you’ll find it.

Mason’s party scene is about doing something different. I hope that future students realize this, and in the end, embrace it. We must be proud of what we have, and recognize that if we try to be something we are not, we will always be left feeling empty.

For those who still feel Mason is a desolate shell with regards to our party habits, I have only one question for you: what were you doing Friday night?

Because I sure had a great time. Cheers!

EDITORIAL BY

DUSTIN POST

Entertainment

Hispanic Heritage Month Visits Campus In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, Mason’s Hispanic Student Association (HSA) held events to promote their mission statement: “Unite, Educate and Empower the Latino community.”

The first event was Bienvenida Latina 2012 at North Plaza. Students were provided an opportunity to become immersed in the Hispanic culture through taste-testing authentic Hispanic dishes and watching dance performances.

This commencement event also acted as a gateway for individuals to meet Hispanic and Latino student organizations at.

Second in the lineup of events was ¡Unidos Logramos Mas!, which translates as United We Accomplish More!

The event presented the issues and concerns among Hispanics with regards to health and politics.

It aimed to answer questions and present opportunities to become actively involved.

Organizations like Latinos for Obama and Juntos con Romney attend provided inclusion among different political views. The Fairfax Health Department was

present to provide plenty of information regarding health concerns. Zumba dancing was also offered at the event to inspire individuals to become physically active.

The last event to be hosted during Hispanic Heritage month was ¡Que Bonita Bandera!. Translated as, What Beautiful Flag!, the event was held in the ballroom of the Hub and promoted unity between all the different Hispanic and Latino countries by encouraging individuals to show pride in their culture and country by wearing their flag color or to bring a flag of their country to the event.

The event was open to the public and allowed individuals to bring family members to help promote a sense of unity, not just of the Hispanic community at Mason, but also of the surrounding Hispanic community.

Although Hispanic Heritage Month may be over, the sense of community has increased and will remain strong because of these campus events and their willingness to be inclusive, diverse and promote cultural unity.

STORY BY DANIEL RAMOS

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Entertainment

Broadside

Oct. 29, 2012

End of the World: Nuclear Holocaust

MARK STRANDQUIST

Alumnus Creates “Write Home Soon” Project In high school, Mark Strandquist spent hours working with social justice groups in D.C., listening to first hand accounts of segregation, unequal schools and housing and the crack epidemic from senior citizens.

Strandquist was amazed to realize that after a lifetime of hardship, many of these men and women were still suffering, struggling against gentrification to retain their homes and communities.

The experience stuck with him and has inspired his latest art project, called “Write Home Soon.”

Strandquist, a Mason alumnus and former student media photographer, is asking for the community to create postcards that share a memory or story from a lost space that was once, or still is, important to them.

“The main goal is to democratize the creation, exhibition, and consumption of art,” Strandquist said. “To help and foster a space where any individual, regardless of class, identity, or what side of the Anacostia River they live on, can include their voice, vision and memories near the National Mall.”

After spending so much time learning the stories of the senior citizens in D.C., Strandquist wondered what happens when individual histories are not recorded.

“What I’m interested in is questioning how our libraries, museums and textbooks would differ if they reflected the visions and memories of our local populations,” Strandquist said. “What

13

interactions, challenging discourse and participation would these transformed spaces foster and allow?”

The project will be showcased at the Art Museum of the Americas in D.C. from Oct. 25 through the middle of January as part of the 2012-2013 exhibit “Ripple Effect.” The exhibit aims to make visitors direct participants in addressing pressing social issues by blurring the boundary between artistic practice and social engagement.

“Individuals can touch and transform the installation,” Strandquist said. “They can pick up a postcard and tangibly connect to these memories from all over the D.C. metro area. I think so many problems in our society exist because we’re alienated from each other. This is a very small step towards combating that.”

He touts the importance of the anonymity the postcards offer, which gives participants a chance to safely open up about their feelings and thoughts.

“You look at a card and you can think, ‘This could be my mom, my partner, a friend from second grade,’ it’s really important for the project to allow space for these associations,” Strandquist said.

“The creation of the work is participatory, but so is the exhibition. By picking up a postcard you participate in the creation of the meaning, you tangibly connect to these memories and personal truths.”

The project is open for mailed-in submissions, but Strandquist has also been touring the area holding workshops where participants can create postcards.

After spending years behind the camera as a photographer and filmmaker, Strandquist has found the “Write Home Soon” project a humbling experience.

“So many amazing individuals, groups and organizations have opened up to share their memories or confront their pasts,” Strandquist said. “A woman gave me a hug the other day because the postcard gave her a chance for the first time to discuss her father’s loss of memory, his inability to recognize her and his death. She was crying - it was such a rare, raw and human moment.”

He has visited nearly 60 locations, including prisons, shelters, libraries, recovery clinics, universities and art centers, in hopes of reaching a crosssection of the D.C. metro area.

Strandquist still has not decided what his postcard will feature, but not for lack of personal experience with lost location.

“I moved 9 times in my first 11 years, spent two and a half years house-less traveling around the country hitchhiking and hopping freight trains,” Strandquist said. “There have been a lot of environments physical, natural and metaphysical, senses of home, family, love, safety and country, that I have lost, transformed, or moved beyond. But we all do.

The hope is that this project is something that we can all simultaneously relate to and be challenged by.”

STORY BY COLLEEN WILSON

We have seen shows in which terrorists are about to detonate a dirty bomb in a major US city, but in actuality, the possibility of nuclear war bringing about the apocalypse is more like the scenario in the 80’s classic, “War Games”, where the only way to win is not to play.

“So far deterrence has worked incredibly well on a global scale of preventing conventional war and nuclear war,” said Dr. Trevor Thrall, Biodefense Director and professor of Public & International Affairs. He explained the apocalyptic thoughts are just leftover nightmares from the Cold War. “Back then, most of the tension and fear was around accidents and the thought that perhaps the enemy had already launched a missile,” Dr. Thrall said, “but in actuality they were never that likely and are even less so now.”

The main focus of nuclear war now is the tension between Iran seeking weapons and their nuclear armed neighbor, Israel. Dr Thrall can understand where the Iranians are coming from and their desire for such a weapon.

“No nation has with nuclear capabilities has ever been invaded since acquiring them and even the crazies understand what we are dealing with here: they know better than to irrationally use them,” Dr. Thrall said.

With the threat of

MANNY ALFARO/BROADSIDE

international nuclear weapon use off the table, what about terrorist groups? Dr. Thrall dismissed this myth as well.

“First off, dirty bombs are not nukes. Second, terrorist organizations are really just too poor and small to build these weapons. They cannot afford the materials,” Dr. Thrall said.

“What we should be worried about are bio weapons: they are much more dangerous,” Dr. Thrall said.

“You have people all over the world working in labs and either someone gets angry or accidently contaminates themselves and boom, you have a pandemic.” Dr Thrall says that these events are still highly unlikely, just much more likely than nuclear war.

Even if tomorrow someone were to push the button, it would not bring about the nuclear winter of science fiction. If such an event were to happen, it would most likely be only a single missile, and unless it were targeted at the D.C. area, Mason students would have nothing to fear.

If it did, Dr. Thrall suggests for you to stay in your basement with some water and wait a day or two for things to clear.

“I’ve thought about it before and there are just too many bottlenecks in the D.C. area, no one’s going to be getting anywhere,” Dr Thrall said.

STORY BY BRYAN DOMBROWSKI

14

Broadside

Oct. 29, 2012

Broadside

George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Cody Norman, Editor-in-Chief

OPINION

Learning Beyond Literature In the course of conversation, a friend of mine made this statement: “I love learning from not books.” Frankly, I was appalled. I could understand grasping a subject from a Wikipedia article or a documentary, but to totally discredit the medium that had been an institution for centuries was almost unfathomable.

Yet my friend who, mind you, is quite intelligent, has forsaken books, and does not show signs of going back. But then, it all started to make sense. The facts he had shared with me, and their sources, became increasingly apparent. Let me share a few things that I learned from my friend, who learned exclusively from not books.

Did you know that the McCain campaign was seriously considering independent senator Joe Lieberman for the 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nomination instead of Sarah Palin (HBO’s “Game Change”)? Or that John F. Kennedy’s father used singer Frank

cnorman2@masonlive.gmu.edu

Editorials

Sinatra to secure votes in Chicago in the 1960 election (“The Kennedy’s,” originally aired on Reelz and now available on Netflix)?

I was fascinated to learn the identity of the last Emperor of China, Puyi (“The Last Emperor,” 1987). My friend was even able to share with me that the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world (“Finding Nemo,” 2003).

Where then did my friend’s fount of knowledge about the workings of Swedish politics come from or The political career of George McGovern??

Wikipedia. What about the causes of the rapid spread of the Black Death in Europe in the middle of the 14th century? Oh right, Wikipedia.

Even video games played a role in my friend’s vast accumulation of wealth. Have you heard of the testudo formation, the ancient Roman military maneuver of interlocking shields and forming a tortuous like shell to protect

Colleen Wilson, Managing Editor Stephen Kline, Photography and Design Editor Elise Baker, Editorials Editor Aaron Locke, News Editor Alexandra Sudak, Assistant News Editor Emily Bartone, Entertainment Editor Bryan Dombrowski, Sports Editor Jennifer Miller, Assistant Sports Editor Sae Rynn Kwon, Copy Editor Michelle Minnich, Copy Editor Manny Alfaro, Cartoonist Kathryn Mangus, Faculty Advisor Jacques Mouyal, Business Manager THE THIRD OPTION by Manny Alfaro David Carroll, Associate Director

themselves from arrows? My friend had, and where did he learn that?

Sega’s Rome: Total War. The list goes on and on and on. When was the last time my friend finished a book? 2007. As a passionate reader and a history major, this still doesn’t sit well with me, and probably never will.

However, as long as I’m factually oneupped, what can I say? Nothing else besides stating the fact that this is the reality in which we live.

EDITORIAL BY DAVID DORSEY

Broadside is a weekly publication printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community. The editors at Broadside have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editorin-Chief should be notified at the information given above. Broadside is a free publication. Limit one copy per person.

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Broadside

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Editorials Broadside

Oct. 29, 2012

Future STEM Educators of America

15

OPINION

Accreditation Program Gives Undergraduates Access to Education License Most Patriots are unfamiliar with the College of Science, or COS. Unlike the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Volgenau School of Engineering, or the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, the College of Science has always had a more low-key presence on campus.

Because of this, COS Students have had the advantages of attending a big name research university, with all the charms of a small, community-based school within the College of Science.

COS remains a very community-oriented program, and, in recent months, has shown interest in not only helping the science students on campus, but also the Northern Virginia community at large.

With the recent government push, led by President Obama, to increase the amount of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) teachers, many universities are offering accreditation programs.

However, our university is unique in that we offer these programs at the undergraduate

level. In a matter of four years, one could gain the licensure to teach chemistry, biology, physics or math in any K-12 school, as all of these majors have teaching concentrations available in them.

Programs such as the NOYCE Fellowship, which offers a full tuition scholarship to those students looking to teach in a K-12 setting, have made their way to campus.

Also, extra-curricular opportunities are available like the Learning Assistants Program, where undergraduates get to teach side-byside with an instructor and offer peer-to-peer tutoring in classes where they’ve excelled.

Maybe you’re not ready to take the plunge yet.

Perhaps you’re not sure if teaching is right for you, or whether or not you’d be good at it.

Within the past year, two new clubs have been formed within the College of Science that help students decide whether or not they’d be interested in a teaching career.

The STEM Education Club is comprised of students who are passionate about science

and math education, all of whom are interested in shedding light on careers that most don’t know about.

While the STEM Education Club focuses on K-12 Education, they also present other types of teaching, past the K-12 level, such as collegiate education and careers focused on academic healthcare education.

Another club that biology majors might be interested in is the newly formed Biology Club, which is associated with the Undergraduate Biology Program Student Advisory Board.

UBPSAB is an organization composed of students, whose aim is to serve the students.

In true representative fashion, two students from each class are chosen, and their goal is to increase student experience and involvement within the biology program.

This sort of direct link between the students and faculty is a new idea that is being adopted by many programs within the College of Science, such as biology and chemistry.

By forming a Biology Club, UBPSAB hopes to bring together motivated students and

OPINION

Mall-O-Ween for Halloween Everyone knows Halloween is a night that entails mischievous behavior.

To promote safety within the Fairfax area, Fair Oaks Mall hosted its 22nd annual MallO-Ween. From 5:30-7:30 pm, families and friends dressed up in costumes and prepared to trick-or-treat around the mall.

Costume characters greeted children as they made their way through the staged, eerie atmosphere of the mall.

Though this event promotes and ensures the safety that parents strive for their children, it makes one question the state of our society.

Halloween has always been about trickor-treating around your own neighborhood: running around your street with your friends and neighbors, seeing which house has the best decorations and candy and even getting the courage to knock on the door of that one mysterious neighbor who supposedly hates children.

Personally, my favorite part of Halloween was when we all gathered at one house to sort through our loot after trick-or-treating.

All these things make up the traditions of Halloween.

Nowadays, communities feel that it is necessary to implement events such as

Mall-O-Ween to ensure safety because the safety of children running around their own neighborhoods would otherwise be questionable.

The fact that the safety of children is questionable within our community illustrates the suburban paranoia of today.

Mall-O-Ween and similar events are used to cover up the safety issue.

It is unfortunate because some children will never experience real trick-or-treating and will only know it as collecting candy from stores in a mall or in a confined place rather than the outdoor atmosphere, which is how it should be.

Understanding that there are less fortunate neighborhoods than others, overall it is still sad to see that a holiday supposed to be filled with fun and youthful mischief is being cut short due to crime and unsafe surroundings.

EDITORIAL BY

ELISE BAKER

help them navigate their way through the Undergraduate Process.

This includes introducing various concentrations, particularly education, taking their concerns and presenting them to faculty and helping refer them to meaningful research opportunities.

It’s evident that the College of Science is a growing entity on campus. From new infrastructure, like Science & Tech II, to added faculty members, our small college is growing into a large organization, filled with a motivated and diverse student body.

The goals of COS remain with the community in mind, and the students as a first priority.

EDITORIAL BY

MARIAM WAQAR

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Freedom of Speech Contrary to Mrs. Ahmed’s assertion there is nothing essential about restricting the freedom of speech, or as she calls it, “forbidding hate speech”. The freedom of speech is a fundamental part of our democracy and his been since the revolution. Millions of Americans have fought and died so that you and I have the right to say what we want.

For over 200 years the freedom of speech has served us well; there is nothing unique about our generation that makes us unable to handle this right. Restricting speech in the name of preventing distress and unrest in society is a hallmark of dictatorships, not of the world’s oldest democracy. Besides it isn’t even true that hate speech is causing large civil unrest in the U.S. The video mocking Islam was seen by millions of Americans and millions of people in the middle-east.

In America we responded by condemning the video, not rioting. The same thing with the Danish cartoons: we condemned while

others rioted. The Westboro Baptist Church has been spewing their hate for decades.

When they protest the funeral of a fallen service member we as a society respond by mounting counter-protests that far outnumber the Church’s protest, we don’t their right to protest.

Unfortunately there will always be people who have hate in their hearts. If we want to live in a society with freedom of speech, then we will also have to accept that there will be people who use this freedom to preach hate.

Restricting speech, though, is not the way to combat hate. One of Mrs. Ahmed’s lines is unintentionally telling “When is it decided, and by whom is it decided that the freedom of speech could also become the freedom of hate?”. If we ban hate speech then free speech will be deemed hate speech by politicians when it goes against their interest.

Ian Bulmer, senior, economics

Broadside is on Twitter Follow along at @MasonBroadside for the latest news and notes around Mason

16

Oct. 29, 2012

Broadside

Sports

Who’s Got It?

The first and only public exhibition game is in the books.

Basketball season is looming, and there is a lot to look forward to – especially when you consider the major shakeup the conference endured during the offseason.

Perennial power VCU has packed their bags and headed to the Atlantic-10 conference. Old Dominion, Georgia State, Towson and North Carolina-Wilmington are all ineligible for postseason play. And the Patriots have put together one of the most impressive non-conference schedules in recent history.

Despite the shaken landscape, the CAA appears to be a competitive conference with Drexel, Delaware, Mason and Old Dominion filling out the top four in the preseason rankings.

Drexel Dragons

If not for Ryan Pearson, junior guard Frantz Massenat would have been crowned CAA Player of the Year last season.

Combined with Chris Fouch and Damion Lee in the backcourt, Massenat and the Dragons have set the stage for another spectacular season in South Philadelphia.

Along with a sensationally talented backcourt, the Dragons protect the paint with senior big man Daryl McCoy, whose wide frame makes him a tough box out on the offensive glass.

Bruiser Flint, whose sideline antics are worth the price of admission, became just the second coach in the CAA to claim Coach of the Year honors on four separate occasions with his team’s record-breaking season in 2011-12.

Delaware Blue Hens

Aside from Massenat and Lee at Drexel, the Blue Hens may have the best one-two scoring punch in the conference. Senior forward Jamelle Hagins and junior guard Devon Saddler combined for more than 30 points per night in what was a successful 2011-12 campaign.

Jarvis Threatt, who earned a spot on the All-Rookie team last season, provides Delaware with a strong third scoring option at the guard position. At 6-feet-2-inches, Threatt thrust himself into the spotlight Monté Ross enjoyed his finest season at the helm of the Blue Hens last season as Delaware posted a 12-6 record within the conference and qualified for postseason play for the first time since 2001. The overall wins (18), conference wins (12) and overall finish (5th) were all careers bests for Ross at Delaware.

KEY PLAYERS: Damion Lee, Preseason All-Conference (1st Team) Frantz Massenat, Preseason All-Conference / Preseason Player of the Year (1st Team) Chris Fouch, Preseason All-Conference (Honorable Mention) Frontcourt: B+ Backcourt: A Bench/Depth: B+ The “It” Factor: A

KEY PLAYERS: Jamelle Hagins, Preseason All-Conference (1st Team) Devon Saddler, Preseason All-Conference (1st Team) Jarvis Threatt, Preaseason All-Conference (Honorable Mention) Frontcourt: A Backcourt: B+ Bench/Depth: B The “It” Factor: B+

Mason Patriots

If depth is an issue, Paul Hewitt has a major problem on his hand.

While the departure of Player of the Year Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison will be felt early on this season, the Patriots will rely on the committee of redshirt junior Johnny Williams, junior Jon Arledge and sophomore Erik Copes to man the paint this season.

In what was perhaps their biggest detriment, the Patriots will need to improve upon their 15.2 turnovers per game last season. Point guards Corey Edwards and Bryon Allen have one year of full-time experience under their belt and will be joined on the perimeter by an experienced core highlighted by Vertrail Vaughns, Sherrod Wright and Vaughn Gray.

Six-feet-9-inch Marco Gujanicic swingman and the sweetshooting Patrick Holloway will likely see significant time as freshmen this season.

KEY PLAYERS: Sherrod Wright, Preseason All-Conference (2nd Team) Frontcourt: BBackcourt: B+ Bench/Depth: A The “It” Factor: B+

Old Dominion Monarchs

Though the Monarchs will not be eligible to compete in the conference tournament this season, Blaine Taylor has his team fired up and ready to compete for postseason honors based solely on their regular season resume.

This team is heavily reliant on the performance of veteran big men Nick Wright and DeShawn Painter. Wright, who averaged 8.4 points per game, is very defensive-minded and blocked 48 shots for Old Dominion last season.

Painter, a transfer from N.C. State, became a household name in last year’s NCAA Tournament after he hit the gamewinner in N.C. State’s 60-58 win over Princeton. The association approved his waiver request, so Painter will be eligible to compete alongside Wright in the paint for the Monarchs this season.

KEY PLAYERS: DeShawn Painter, Preseason All-Conference (Honorable Mention) Nick Wright, Preseason All-Conference (Honorable Mention) Frontcourt: B+ Backcourt: B Bench/Depth: B+ The “It” Factor: B

Sports

Broadside

Oct. 29, 2012

Mason’s Newest Wrestler Within the past year, Jake Kettler has represented the University of Minnesota and the United States in a high level wrestling camp and competition in Finland, qualified for the Olympic trials and transferred to Mason.

While abroad, he wrestled against this year’s silver medalist in Greco Roman wrestling. Greco Roman wrestling is different from regular wrestling in that you do not use your legs for holds or pins. Kettler was in Finland along with wrestlers from Egypt, Russia, Italy and Estonia.

“The Russians really are some of the best wrestlers in the world and to have their coach come and teach us for a practice was incredible,” Kettler said.

Kettler’s time in Finland was first spent catching up on jet lag, but also in numerous clinics, camps, practicing and competing in tournaments. Kettler explained how the schedule was busy, how fantastic the food was, and how everyone made you feel dumb because they could all speak English.

“If an Itallian wanted to talk to a Russian, instead of trying the other’s language, they both just spoke English.

It was such a common second language there,” Kettler said.

Unbeknownst to him, while Kettler was competing at this tournament, he qualified for the Olympic trials. Those were later held at the University of Iowa at Iowa Hawkeye Arena. Over 13,000 Americans qualified and for several days, they all competed and showed their mettle to try to earn a spot to compete.

“I was like sixth or eighth in my group, but in my mind, I could be anybody,” Kettler said.

Kettler ended up being knocked out of main pool contention by a wrestler he had beaten before. Though disheartening, he still made a good showing at the event and says it was an experience that really helped to improve his game.

What Kettler wants is to bring the National title to Mason. He originally left Minnesota because the team already had a defending national champion in his weight class, and Kettler was looking for a chance to compete and prove himself.

Kettler is originally from Minnesota, but his parents moved to Ashburn, Va. a few years ago.

When some of his coaching staff left the University of Minnesota to come here, Kettler knew he would be making the move as well. He is extremely excited to be at Mason and is loving the group of

Second Chance to Get It Right For basketball players Taylor Brown and Sandra Ngoie, Mason is proving to be a better fit.

Both student athletes are transfers. Brown, a guard who originally went to Georgetown, was influenced greatly by head coach Jeri Porter and former Mason basketball player Byron Tucker to come to Mason.

CAROL KETTLER

guys on the team. With the Olympic trials behind him and the next set of games not until 2016, Kettler is focusing solely on the NCAA for these next three years.

“I want to be Coach Russell’s first NCAA AllAmerican Champion,” Kettler said.

While he does bring a lot of talent to the Mason team with some incredible once-in-a-lifetime experiences and opportunities under his belt, Kettler is very humble about his success and wants to keep it that way.

When I compete, I give all glory to God. I want to be a Christian athlete, not an athlete who is Christian,” Kettler said.

Kettler explained that as an athlete, he does not want to be known strictly for his abilities, but also for his character and work ethic.

Kettler has also been selected to compete in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association All Star Classic this November at American University.

The event does not count towards any NCAA ranking but is a showcase for the sport and some of the top competitors in the country. Kettler will be going up against Matt Meuleners, a three time All American and two time defending national champion. They have wrestled a few times in the past and even trained together for some time over the summer.

Kettler says that their relationship is competitive but friendly.

Kettler is very excited for the time he

still has here at Mason. After redshirting for a second time due to the Olympic trials, he still has three years of eligibility.

“Well you see, my career, it really has not happened yet. I was a backup mostly and to sum it up in one word, unfulfilled.

I have a lot to prove,” Kettler said.

With a lot of time ahead of him, Kettler is looking at serious contention for the Olympic trials in 2016 and beyond.

Wrestling is a sport that can be taxing on the body but is different for everyone: some retire after one trip to the Olympics while others still compete for several years.

Kettler spoke of a wrestler at the camp in Finland who was 32 years old.

The whole trip provided eye-opening experience insight into other cultures and showed how even though they all competed in the same sport, their individual lifestyles could be very different.

“It was humbling to see some of the best athletes in the world and how they do not have anywhere near the same training possibilities and facilities as we do,” Kettler said.

With his humble attitude, incredible talent, a strong and familiar coaching staff and the desire to do great things, Kettler is someone that Mason students will definitely be hearing more about with the coming season.

STORY BY BRYAN DOMBROWSKI

17

Ngoie, a Swedish citizen who previously attended Georgia Tech, saw Mason as the best fit for her.

“It was not the right fit for me it is the best fit with the coaches and players,” Ngoie said.

The transfer process for student-athletes can be quite difficult. The decision to transfer is made based on an athlete’s personal reasons, academics and campus life.

“It was different for me because since I am not American, I went back home and made my way to Mason,” said Ngoie, who went back to Sweden while making her decision.

Brown is glad the whole process is over.

“It is basically like you go through the whole recruiting process again and pick the school that is best for you,” Brown said “It was tough again because it is like starting all over. But I came up with the right decision.”

Unfortunately, both players are ineligible to play this year due to NCAA transfer rules.

As first year transfer students, they can practice with the team but are not able to travel or play in any games. They do not lose a year of eligibility because they are counted as redshirts.

They must take a year off because players who transfer, according to studies, do not perform as well academically. The NCAA believes

that this rule helps prevent transfer students from experiencing sub-par academic performances.

Many believe that sitting out for a year is too much for transfer students. Both Brown and Ngoie disagree with the rule but understand why it was made and have been using it as a tool to get to know the system better.

“I do not think it is fair but you have to deal with it. It is going to be tough,” said Ngoie.

Brown said the hardest part will be watching her teammates play without her but is looking at the upside of the situation.

“It is a great opportunity for us to sit back and learn the system. I do wish they would change the rules because it is hard sitting out,” said Brown.

One thing both of them do not regret is choosing Mason.

Although they may have to sit out for a year, they have confidence the women’s program will do well this year after finishing with a record of 8-10 in conference play last year.

“I like the coaches, I like the team and I like the school.

It fits my personality,” Brown said. “I like the diversity. It’s pretty cool.”

The women’s basketball team, led by coach Jeri Porter, is predicted to finish seventh in the CAA this season after finishing seventh last year.

They hope to improve on their 15-16 overall record with ten players returning, including three starters. They start off their regular season on Nov. 9 at Oakland.

STORY BY JAMES ZEMBRISKI

18

Oct. 29, 2012

Broadside

Diversity at the Crease

Sports

Lacrosse Looking to Make a Play The men’s lacrosse club, while not known to most Mason students, is a part of the long standing excellence of Mason athletics. Not only are the athletes exceptional in their abilities, but they also epitomize the diversity for which Mason is so well known.

While the program has been around for years, in the past four years, the team has become far more organized, putting together a team of top athletes from many different backgrounds.

“We are different from most teams in that we have many transfer students who played at Division I schools,” junior James Ho said. “These are guys who had the opportunity to play Division I lacrosse and I feel this gives us a competitive edge.”

In addition to the transfer students who add depth to the team, many of the players

are former military members.

These players are different from most athletes as they add the discipline and physical conditioning needed for a member of the military.

And since the team is looking forward to Nationals, this type of discipline is needed.

“We practice in the fall and play a few tournaments and games, but our season starts in the spring, so we up our practices to three times a week,” James said. “We have around 40 guys who come out, but we only have around 25 travel. It’s competitive and only the best players get to start.”

Not only are these players diverse, but they are quite close as a team. All having come from the general Fairfax area, they knew each other before they even arrived at Mason.

“Around 75 to 80 percent of us played each other in

high school, so we either knew each other or knew of each other,” Ho said. “Since we knew each other’s skills before [coming to] Mason, it made forming a team easier.”

Now they can consider each other best friends, having become so close that they do almost everything together.

“Mason lacrosse is really tight-knit and a lot more friendly than high school lacrosse,” said sophomore Sean Gambarani. “I was able to jump right in and be included. Now I am living in an apartment with three guys on the team. It is great.”

In addition to the hard work they put in, the players make time for some fun while on the field. The camaraderie among the team is evident as the members easily joke and tease each other, especially about interesting pre-game rituals.

JAMES HO/ MASON LACROSSE

“One of our players cannot be disturbed before a game,” said Gambarani. “He walks around with his headphones on and you can’t even touch him. He listens to crazy loud music and just lays down at the face-off, alone.”

Now the team has to prepare for its season, and

considering past successes, this upcoming season is looking to be as promising as past ones.This past year, the team reached the conference final four and in the previous year, made it to the NCLL playoffs.

With the Chesapeake Region as strong as it is, the

players have to work twice as hard to compete at such a high level. But with the team camaraderie and experience, the players are confident that they will go far in their season.

STORY BY JORDAN CONAHAN

First Step to a Healthy Workout

Stretching is the most overlooked and undervalued part of any workout. As a prephysical therapy major I can attest to this.

We can all admit that it is hard to get motivated to go to the gym or exercise regularly. I stress the word regularly because that is where a lot of people struggle. It is all well and good if you go the gym a couple times in a week, but what really determines your figure is if you keep going.

Before you go to the gym for the first time in awhile, you probably feel fresh and ready to conquer the world. Sure, you have not run in a couple months, but you used to do five miles so it cannot be that hard.

You are quick to hop on that treadmill and crank it up to seven miles an hour. You may struggle a little, but you get your five miles done and go home feeling good. However, the next morning you wake up in agony. Simply getting out of bed proves painful beyond belief, and all thoughts of going back to the gym go out the window.

You go another couple weeks without running again, and the cycle is doomed to repeat itself. It is actually not that surprising.

You made the same mistake that many others make: you thought your workout merely consisted of going to the gym, running, and going home.

Unfortunately you forgot the key element to begin your routine.

When you first walk in the gym there is one and only one place you should be trying to find. No, it is not the benches where you can get the huge muscles you have been dying for; it is somewhere wide open where you can stretch.

Unfortunately, most people do not care enough to stretch, or they go about it in the wrong way. We all think back to our days of P.E. when we lined up and touched our toes to stretch our hamstrings, but science is starting to prove that this idea of stretching may not be the best way to prepare your body for exercise.

Static stretches are stretches where your body is firmly planted into the ground, and you rotate and hold whatever muscle you want stretched. An example of this would be simply crossing your arm in front of you to stretch the muscles in your back and shoulders.

However, there is a new approach to

stretching that research studies are suggesting, and that is dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching is intended to increase your range of movement (ROM) similar to static stretching, but it also influences your entire cardiovascular system. Instead of stationary stretches, dynamic stretching moves the whole body to get your blood pumping.

Rather than stand there to stretch your hamstrings, do Frankensteins instead.

Frankensteins involve kicking your leg up and trying to touch your arm in front of you, and alternating legs. This should lead you to walk like the monster in Frankenstein.

Your hamstrings are extending and contracting during this stretch as opposed to just being held for static stretching. When you run, you do not keep your hamstrings extended, you extend them to step forward, but you curl them behind you when you step with the other foot.

There are two goals to any stretch: increase your ROM and warm up the muscle for better performance. You want to increase your ROM to make yourself more flexible, which is what static stretching addresses. However,

dynamic stretching increases your cardiovascular output because you are actually exerting yourself. Stretching should increase your heart rate because that will pump more blood to those muscles that need it.

The blood will warm up the muscles and allow them to perform better and with much less risk of injury. You would run a lot faster in 90° weather than you would in 30° weather.

Proper stretching should allow you to perform better at the gym, but it will also make your recovery that much quicker. Stretching after exercise has also been proven to help with muscle recovery time. After you exercise, your muscles are already warm and you can get a better stretch to improve your ROM and provide oxygen to your muscles.

That oxygen in your muscles will make waking up the next day a lot less painful, and you will have an easier time going back to the gym.

STORY BY DANNY LEHNERT

Sports

Broadside

Injuries Derail Soccer Streak

Photo by Stephen Kline/BROADSIDE

Injuries can make or break a season.

Unfortunately for Mason’s men’s soccer team, injuries have plagued them all season, derailed a 6-0 start to the season, and the 20th ranking in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.

Starting off the season so well and earning a spot in the rankings is a testament to the hard work put in by the young Mason team.

After graduation and the loss of key players from last season’s roster, Mason had 12 freshmen on this year’s team.

Coach Greg Andrulis was not terribly concerned about the youth and inexperience of this year’s team.

“With 12 freshmen, there was bound to be some growing pains, but with terrific leadership from our captains and seniors, we we able to come together as a group fairly quickly.”

Mason’s team could not have written up a better start to this season. After reeling off road wins against two local schools, George Washington University and American University, Mason continued its great start by winning three games in a row of a five-game home stand and besting St. Peter’s, St. Francis, and University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Mason’s 6-0 start to the season was the best record in the school’s history since the 1985 team started its season 12-0. It was following this start that Mason earned the 20th ranking in the NSCAA weekly poll. At that point in the season, Mason ranked fourth in scoring offense in the nation, averaging three goals per game.

“Our good start had a lot to do with a healthy and cohesive lineup that clicked and found a way to win,” said Coach Andrulis.

It was in a match against Navy on Sept.

19 when Mason incurred its first loss of the season. Mason was upended in a nail-biter to the Midshipmen in double overtime and fell 2-1.

The week following the loss, Mason lost its ranking in the NSCAA poll but earned 30 votes to place just outside of the rankings. This would be the last time Mason would be seen on national rankings for the rest of the season.

In a game televised nationally on Fox Soccer Channel, Mason was narrowly defeated 3-2 by CAA conference opponent and then No. 14, Old Dominion University. This was Mason’s first of three straight conference losses.

“When we hit some bumps, those coincided with a few key injuries,” said Coach Andrulis. “Our depth is young and although we have received some key contributions from our freshmen, the fact is, we were undefeated with a veteran group and have been a bit inconsistent when we have used a lot of younger players.”

Mason has had to endure the consequences of injuries to such key players such as junior forward/midfielder Wes Sever, who lost seven games this season as a result of injury. Mason was also without second leading scorer Timmy Mulgrew for four games this season.

“Add to that that the heart and soul of our midfield group, Julio Arjona and Alex Herrera, have played at less than 100 percent for most of the second half of the

season,” remarked Coach Andrulis.

“It’s a tribute to other players standing up and getting the job done. Taylor Morgan has been outstanding all season and has carried the bulk of the work offensively for us,” said Coach Andrulis.

Morgan, a senior forward, leads the team in goals with 13 and in points with 26 on the season.

Just as the conference tournament and postseason play drew near, Mason was hoping to return its squad to full health and have all hands on deck for the fight to get into the NCAA tournament.

Unfortunately, in Mason’s game against Delaware on Wednesday, the team suffered another critical injury, this time to starting goalkeeper Dustin Butcher, who suffered a broken hand against the Blue Hens.

“All in all, this group has done a pretty good job getting nationally ranked and overcoming some adversity to get into the conference tournament with a good overall record,” said Coach Andrulis.

With the CAA conference tournament’s quarterfinals beginning No. 8, Mason currently carries a record of 11-5 while 4-4 in conference play. Mason’s final two games against Northeastern and Georgia State will determine its seeding in the tournament.

With every remaining game determining the outlook of the season, Coach Andrulis and his squad are now focusing more than ever on each game, all while fighting the injury bug.

STORY BY HAU CHU

Oct. 29, 2012

19

Keeping Traditions in Sync Four nights a week in the bottom floor of the Aquatic Center behind closed doors, a team of nine exceptional individuals work hard, learning how to think and act as one cohesive unit.

“You really have to get to know your team,” said Rebecca Howell, junior and captain of the GMU synchronized swimming club. “You have to think, breathe, count and move like a unit. You have to be very in-tune with the person next to you.”

The Mason synchronized swimming club was founded in 2006 by head coach Megan Sturm. Having grown up playing the sport and finding a passion in it, she petitioned Bob Spousta to make it a club sport at Mason.

“I have played it all my life,” said Megan Sturm. “My mom has been playing since she was in elementary school and she got me into the sport early on. I fell in love with it.”

In keeping the families tradition alive, her mother Cathy Sturm is also a volunteer coach for the team.

This year, the team hopes to make it to the 2013 Collegiate Nationals, which is to be held at Stanford University.

“The girls have been giving it their all and then some,” said Cathy Sturm. “They are practicing every week; Nationals is right after spring break and all the girls know that they are still going to be practicing during spring break. They are not slackers, these ones.”

Mason made it to Nationals for two consecutive years in 2007 and 2008, with Megan Sturm placing 10th in duets with her partner Annie Stickney in 2008.

Prior to being accepted into Nationals, the team must place a rank in the Southern Collegiate Regionals, which will take place right here at Mason in the Aquatic Center, a very familiar environment for these women.

“I am so excited that the regionals are being held here,” said Julia Rockey, a senior history and religious studies double major. “I really hope to get a large home crowd rooting for us.”

Teams from as far as Texas and Georgia will be competing, as well as William and Mary, Mary Washington, and the University of Richmond.

The club is working on perfecting its team routine for this year’s regionals and nationals, which will have four to eight players performing a choreographed routine synchronized with upbeat music, all the while staying afloat in the water.

“If you want it, that is, if you want to succeed, you have to stick with it,” said Howell.

“You will be sore and out of breath, but the thrill of being under the water and knowing you executed something perfectly with your team is indescribable.”

Team mate Emma Rojas works especially hard to be part of the team, Emma Rojas.

Rojas was born with scoliosis and had to get surgery two years ago, but did not let this hold her back from being a part of this organization, which requires great athleticism.

“Anyone can do it if they put their whole heart into it,” said Rojas, a sophomore and Spanish major. “My team and coaches have given me so much support and I’ve proven to myself that [my condition] does not hold me back at all.”

Anyone is allowed join the synchronized swimming club, with no previous experience required.

“All we ask is that you give it your all and you’ll definitely have an amazing ride,” said Cathy Sturm.

STORY BY KERRY BURNS

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Oct. 29, 2012

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