THE
BLUE &GRAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Student employees concerned during 10-day gap in payroll
February 11, 2016
VOLUME 89 | ISSUE 15
PRESS
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
1922
Seacobeck Hall may receive planning funds, future role under discussion
DIVEST RETURNS WITH REINFORCEMENTS
NOELLE PAOLICELLI Staff Writer
EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH News Editor
Student employees at the University of Mary Washington may be wondering why they did not get paid until 10 days after the pay period ended. There have been reports that since classes began on Monday, Jan.11, student employees have not been paid until Thursday, Feb. 5. As this is almost one month after the students started their work, a 10-day gap between the end of the pay period and the day student employees are paid has concerned student employees who work to pay for tuition or other expenses. According to Lynda Worthy, the university’s payroll manager, this may not be an uncommon occurrence, as the payday-processing period typically takes about two weeks, which is the time required to complete all steps in the payroll process. “The pay date is two weeks (10 business days barring any closures) following the pay period’s end to ensure enough time to thoroughly complete all steps in the payroll process,” Worthy said. “We must consider the standard amount of time it takes for each part of the payroll process, and then include additional time to minimize the risk of not meeting a scheduled pay date due to state holidays, inclement weather, system problems, personnel absences or other unforeseen hindrances.” The University has approximately 600 student employees that need to be paid during the academic year. The payroll staff reviews all student MyTime time cards and identifies missed punches, missing approvals or other potential errors. MyTime reports are printed for the pay period and electronically exported to the state payroll system. This part of the process cannot be done until all time cards are signed off and approved by the payroll staff. The next day, the payroll staff receives a report from the state payroll system that includes details for each student employee’s pay and must merge the payroll report and the MyTime reports. The payroll staff must confirm the accuracy of the changes that were made, finalize all appeasements and prepare the payroll for review by the Associate Payroll Manager. The Virginia Department of Payroll Operations processes the certified payroll overnight. Two business days are required to process direct deposits to
Daniel Arango
University of Mary Washington groups DivestUMW and UMW Students United met at the steps of Lee Hall on Monday, Feb. 8 to take action regarding decisions made by the Board of Visitors regarding divestment and student tuition. DivestUMW addressed the BOV not committing to making an informed vote about divestment following a report created by the UMW’s President’s Council on Sustainability. UMW Students United, a student group fighting for affordable education, is speaking out in opposition to proposed tuition hikes. During the meeting, DivestUMW and UMW Students United asked students to attend the upcoming Board meeting on February 18 and 19 to raise a collective voice against these issues.
ISSUE
•SEACOBECK | 2
Daniel Arango
•EMPLOYEES | 11
IN THIS
Seacobeck Hall served its last meals over the summer of 2015. The Office of Student Activities and Engagement have since been moved out of the basement and the Copy Center is expected to follow. It is not known how the building will be used now. There are rumors that Seacobeck Hall is going to be renovated, but for what, no one seems to know. According to Richard Pearce, the vice president for Administration and Finance for the University of Mary Washington and treasurer of the UMW Foundation, President Hurley met with the Virginia General Assembly on Feb. 5 to ask for UMW to be provided with planning funds. The first order of business if UMW gets the funds, according to Pearce, would be to stabilize Seacobeck Hall and prevent it from deteriorating. Once that is accomplished, there will be meetings to discuss future plans for the building. According to an article published by UMW’s website prior to Seacobeck’s closing, several suggestions, such as classrooms, studios, a small auditorium, display space for the arts and museums and storage space have been explored about possible uses for Seacobeck Hall. According to the article, a decision is likely to be made in the 2015-2016 year. Seacobeck Hall was built in 1930 to serve as UMW’s dining facility. As of now, the hall’s historic Faculty Dining Room is used as a possible location for wedding receptions or other events, according to UMW Catering’s website, and to serve patrons at the UMW Theatre before a show, according to the University’s calendar of events. Students also offered suggestions and shared their experiences regarding Seacobeck Hall. Claire Good, sophomore history and English double major has good memories of Seacobeck when it was the former dining hall. “It was a beautiful place to be,” Good said. “You could always find a seat.” Good believes the University Center’s dining hall has become more crowded than Seacobeck. Other students echoed this idea, including senior business major Marissa Tarzier believed the University Center became crowded especially during popular times of the day, such as lunch hours. “This one is a lot newer, but there’s
SEEK ADVENTURE
HANKY PANKY
HEAD SHOT
Students in program describe their time abroad.
Are residence hall walls too thin?
Q & A with head baseball coach Wayne Riser.
VIEWPOINTS | 4
SPORTS | 3
LIFE | 6
NEWS
Editors: Sarah Grammer & Emily Hollingsworth | blueandgray.news@gmail.com
THE
BLUE & GRAY PRESS
MISSION
Seacobeck’s future uncertain
The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.
EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham
SECTION EDITORS NEWS Sarah Grammer Emily Hollingsworth
VIEWPOINTS Hannah Parker
LIFE Della Hethcox
SPORTS Mikey Barnes
ONLINE Ethan Tobin
PHOTO Alex Sakes
ASSISTANT EDITORS Kelly Emmrich Jacob Atkinson Andy Unger Izzy Briones
ADVERTISING TEAM BUSINESS MANAGER David Concepcion
ADVERTISING MANAGER Natalie Furman
FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian
CRIME COVERAGE POLICY The Blue & Gray Press will publish the names of students who are formally charged by the University of Mary Washington Campus Police or the Fredericksburg Police Department to have committed acts of extreme violence against members of the UMW community or pose a large threat to that community, when names are released to the public. The Blue & Gray Press will publish names and write articles about criminal acts on a case-by-case basis according to the aforementioned parameters.
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Alex Sakes/ The Blue & Gray Press
•SEACOBECK| 10 not as much space,” Tarzier said. “If you come here during lunch, it’s harder to find a place to sit.” Freshman Derick Lyon believes the space in Seacobeck could be used to benefit students. “I think more of a common area where people can come by,” Lyon said. Denise Anastasio, junior economics
major, had heard that Seacobeck could potentially become classrooms or an art gallery. “That would be nice,” Anastasio said. “I don’t want to see that building go to waste.” Kate Chisholm, junior English major, had worked in marketing at Seacobeck Hall and said an art gallery could be a good fit.
If renovated, Seacobeck Hall would be one of several buildings that have undergone repairs in recent years, including the second floor of Woodard Hall and Mercer Hall, both which completed construction and became open to students this semester. Contributed to by Patricia Yates
Hurley receives commendation before retirement DAVID CONCEPCION Staff Writer
The Virginia General Assembly honored University of Mary Washington president Richard Hurley by presenting him with the joint resolution on the floor of the House of Delegates on Monday, Jan. 25 where Speaker Bill Howell brought up the commendation. Overseeing the creation of new buildings, raising $50 million and opening a new campus center were some of the responsibilities taken on by Hurley over his six years at UMW’s president, who will retire on June 30. “He earned the respect of his peers for his transparency, collaborative leadership style and responsiveness to the needs of students, faculty and staff,” according to the commendation. “I was very honored that the General Assembly took the action that they did,” Hurley said. “It’s not something they do very often and to be singled out that way was certainly high praise and very humbling.” After a series of controversial presidents at UMW, Hurley took the mantle of president when his predecessor, Judy Hample, resigned in June 2010. Hurley was the vice president of UMW at the time of Hample’s resignation. Previous presidents of UMW faced a variety of controversies. Hample was found to have spent $28,000 on bookcases for Brompton and was also found to have used the parking deck’s alarm system where she lied about saying she needed help for the purpose of a demonstration of UMW’s security system The incident caused controversy because UMW police officers responded in force, which raised concerns that she would be charged with filing a false police report. Her predecessor, William J. Frawley, was fired after being arrested for driving
under the influence of alcohol. The two incidents took place in Fredericksburg and Fairfax County in 2007. The incident in Fairfax had resulted in an accident that caused his University-owned car flipping over. Frawley was given a $500 fine by the Fredericksburg General District Court in addition to court costs, suspended his driver’s license for a year and ordered him to attend substance-abuse counseling. In Fairfax, the judge suspended a 30-day jail sentence; suspended his driving privilege in Virginia for a year; fined $1,000 but suspended all but $300 and directed him to attend the state’s substance-abuse counseling program; and put him on one year’s probation. Gary Richards, chairman of the English, linguistics and communication department, acknowledged the past issues with UMW presidents and said he has felt grateful for Hurley’s time as president. “There had been series of presidents who had been less than effective. I think the faculty remain grateful to President Hurley for what he has done,” Richards said. Hurley’s tenure as president was
University Relations
marked by various accomplishments, but particularly overseeing the construction of multiple projects on campus. Hurley first oversaw the creation of the Anderson Center, which hosts multiple large events throughout the year; The Convergence Center, which has brought a variety of technological resources onto campus, was recently renamed the Hurley Convergence Center after him. The latest building that Hurley saw built was the University Center, where the new dining hall, the Chandler Ballroom and retail restaurants such as Qdoba and Jamba Juice are located. Hurley also led the UMW First Campaign, which raised $50 million to fund multiple projects such as scholarships, the different colleges and fields of study, and $3 million for a future renovation of the amphitheater. Despite the amount that has been done by Hurley, the honeymoon period of Hurley’s tenure seems to be over with as disagreements formed between faculty and Hurley. “Yes, the shine has come off the ap-
•HURLEY| 11 Thursday, February 11, 2016
SPORTS
Q & A with head baseball coach Wayne Riser MIKEY BARNES Sports Editor
was inducted into the Shepherd athletic hall-of-fame. While at Shepherd, Riser advanced to five NCAA Tournament berths and received the conference coach of the year award four times. Riser also played at Shepherd University after transferring over from Henderson University after two years. Riser has compiled a 64-44 record at UMW and looks to improve on that starting Sunday.
Q. What are your feelings going into this season? UMW Athletics
The University of Mary Washington baseball team kicks their season off this Sunday with a double header against University of Maine at Presque Isle at the V. Earl Dickinson Stadium. UMW is led by fourth-year head coach Wayne Riser. Riser and the Eagles baseball program is coming off their winningest season is his tenure here and best season the program has had since 2010 when they were third place in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles finished 27-7 and fell just short of a NCAA Tournament berth in 2015. Riser came to Mary Washington in 2013 following a 22-year stint at Shepherd University, where he won 512 games and ranks as the all-time winningest coach in the program’s history. In 2008, Riser
A. We are very encouraged with the work we have put forth and excited to get the season under way. Q. What are your feelings after last season? (You all had the best record our program has had in years). A. Hopefully the competitive culture is evolving and the success of 2015 can become our standard, that is what we are working toward. Q. What do you think led to last year’s success? What do you think needs to happen to duplicate that success? A. Last years success was realized by culture transformation and our players performing on a daily basis up to their capabilities. Our players made a tremendous in-
Q. You are ranked just outside of the top 25, currently at 29th. How does that impact your approach to the season? How do you feel as the coach of a team preseason ranked just out of the top 25, even after losing your star player?
vestment in the program mentally and physically and I was proud to see our guys experience the fruits of the labor. Q. Ryan Van Assche was recently named a preseason All-American, as his coach, how do you feel about that? A. RV came here and bought into what we do here and performed at a high level. We are excited to see him compete for us again this season. Glad he is on our side!
A. The preseason polls are great for our parents and fans. Internally we don’t focus on it that much. The important thing is to be in the polls at the end of the year when the work is complete. That is our focus.
Q. Your team graduated some big time seniors, notably Jono Haught, what does your team need to do to fill the void that those players are leaving?
Q. What role do you think this year’s freshman will have? Do you plan to rely on them heavy, or is that to be determined as the season goes along?
A. Through maturation, continued hard work and focus, the betterment of the whole group will fill the void. One individual could not replace Jono, his leadership, work ethic, skill acquisition and performance were exceptional.
A. Every player’s role will develop along with and how the season develops. Q. Did you, yourself play collegiate baseball? If so, where? Do you feel as though it has led to your success as a coach?
Q. How has your transition to UMW from Shepherd, a DII program? Have you noticed any differences in how you have approached things or how was the transition in its entirety?
A. Henderson State University- AR and Shepherd University- WV; The biggest influence in my coaching career has been from DR. Clyde Berry who was my coach at HSU. He is why I wanted to become a Collegiate baseball coach.
A. Baseball is baseball, geography doesn’t influence success. The biggest adjustment has been learning and assessing the internal culture here at UMW. That process is ongoing and progressing.
UMW athlete and faculty member honored for hard work Ian Rogol UMW head athletic trainer Ian Rogol was named a recipient of the 2016 Athletic Training Service Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). To be considered for the award, the recipients must have had 20 years of prior service to the NATA. Rogol graduated from James Madison University in 1994 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology. The following year he became certified in athletic training before receiving his Master of Education from the University of Virginia. Rogol has worked at UMW since 2010. Before his arrival at UMW, Rogol worked at high schools in the counties of Charlotesville and Louisa. In 2012, Rogol was given the award for the state of Virginia, he was voted the Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Virginia Athletic Trainer’s Association (VATA). In 1998 Rogol began his volunteer work with the Virginia High School League Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. He served with the Virginia High Shcool League until 2009, where during that time period up until 2005 he served as a member of the VATA Secondary School Committee. Since 2011, Rogol has completed two terms as the treasurer of the VATA.
Taylor Cockerille
UMW Athletics
For the week of Feb. 9, UMW senior track and field member Taylor Cockerille was named CAC Field Athlete of the Week. Cockerille was given the award due to her performance at the Vince Brown Invitational at Christopher Newport University. At the invitational, Cockerille broke the UMW shot put record. Cockerille’s record breaking throw was 41’-8”, which was good enough for second at the meet. Her throw ranks her at the top of the CAC for the indoor season and 25th in all of Division III. A transfer from CNU, Cockerille is from Strasburg, Virginia. where she is a school record holder there for discus and was voted all-state for shot put. Sometimes unable to attend practice sometimes due to work for the Washington Redskins puts in her best effort at every practice she is able to appear at. Cockerille had originally no idea of her selection as Field Athlete of the Week until athletic director Ken Tyler and sports information director Clint Often informed and congratulated her in the weight room the day of her selection. Cockerille expressed that originally she was worried as new coach Kunle Lawson joined the staff this year as a replacement for long time head coach Stan Soper, but Lawson has “worked off my strengths from the past few years and just pushed me to go after it,” Cockerille said. This is the second time this indoor season Cockerille has been chosen as CAC Field Athlete of the Week. UMW Athletics
Weekly Scoreboard WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Feb. 10 @ CNU
(L) UMW: 68 CNU: 79
Feb. 10 @ CNU
(L) UMW: 53 CNU: 59
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Upcoming:
Men’s Basketball Feb. 13 vs. Marymount (Va.) 3:00 p.m. Women’s Basketball Feb. 13 vs. Marymount (Va.) 1:00 p.m.
Men’s/Women’s Swim Feb. 19 CAC Championships @ St. Mary’s City, Md. 10:00 a.m.
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VIEWPOINTS
UMW: University of Mostly Whites
JASMINE PINEDA Staff Writer
In light of Black History Month this February, it seems like the right time to shed a light on exactly how racially and ethnically diverse we are here at the University of Mary Washington. It is no surprise that UMW is not as racially or ethnically diverse as other schools in the area, especially in comparison to the Virginia Commonwealth University’s 46 percent or George Mason University’s 53 percent diversity. UMW has better standing in comparison to other schools such as James Madison University at 18 percent or Washington & Lee with 10 percent diversity. In 2007, 15 percent of the population of students at UMW identified as racially or ethnically diverse, and within a year that percentage increased. Fast-forward to eight years later in 2015 and now 24 percent of the entering students have identified themselves as racially or ethnically diverse. According to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, there are many committees on campus that are, “committed to creating a community that is diverse, inclusive and affirming to all individuals,” such as the Office of Diversity & Inclusion as well as the James Farmer Multicultural Center.
But to what extent have these organizations been successful? Temitope Ogunbade is a freshman at UMW and identifies as Nigerian-American, and when asked about the special dinners at the University Center, she said, “I love the cultural celebrations because as a minority it makes me feel appreciated. One thing the school could do was place the demographic of the students and faculty on the school website,” where now all it shows is the 24 percent. Gerber Ortiz, a Hispanic junior at UMW, said that “the school helps me to get involved with trying to promote my culture,” and while he is not surprised at the lack of minorities, he has suggestions to help improve the efforts. When it comes to the cultural celebrations done by UMW Dining, he recommends, “not only representing typical classic salsa but showing modern music that people my age would enjoy,” he also wishes there was more advertising of these events. Jordan Barker, a white freshman at UMW, said that more could be done on the University’s part. “Even though there are plenty of organizations on campus sponsoring occasional events, the only thing the University has done was the diversity talk at the beginning of the year.” Continuing on with the cultural celebration nights, they are seen as, “fun but it raises a con-
Puerto Rico fiscal crisis needs new solution
WEIQI LIU Staff Writer
With $72 billion in debt and 45 percent of the poverty rate of Puerto Rico’s economy, Puerto Rico is struggling to solve the fiscal crisis before it runs into the substantial debt payment in May and July. By delaying payments to suppliers and refunds to taxpayers, the government of Puerto Rico has been able to fulfill its obligations. But facing virtually no cash and its rapidly deteriorating revenues, the government will probably not have the money when a major bond payment comes due on June 30. After a meeting with creditors on Jan. 26, Puerto Rican officials proposed a broad debt exchange program in order to relieve the island’s fiscal crisis by discounting the $72 billion debt it owes to the creditors and slowing down the payments it owes on its debt. The proposal that the Puerto Rico government came up with is clearly unfair. The plan that the Puerto Rico government presented to creditors is to ask creditors to take a 45 percent discount on the debt as the Puerto Rico government tries to pull itself out of fiscal crisis. Puerto Rico also placed some bondholders at a disadvantage by proposing to distribute the two classes of bonds according to the existing ranking of its creditors. The current holders of Puerto Rico’s highest priority bonds would get larger shares of the first class of new bonds. The current holders of Puerto Rico’s lesser-priority bonds would get relatively smaller amounts of the first class of bonds in the exchange. The bondholders also face the risk of receiving no payment if Puerto Rico’s economy, which has been declining for the past 10 years, does not exceed the forecasts,
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and the payments will not start anytime sooner than a decade from now and could keep going for no more than 35 years. The Puerto Rican government really needs to develop a solution that is fair and adequate. Simply looking for compromise from its creditors and deferring some debt payments or extending the repayment schedule will not solve this crisis in the long run. Puerto Rico has repeatedly expressed that it will have to modify its debts either by delaying payments or else trying to get creditors to accept less than they are owed. Conveying the optimism that the agreement could be reached, the statement released on Jan. 26 said, “We believe the proposal we presented is fair, balanced and reflective of the commonwealth’s actual capacity to pay our creditors over the long term.” If the Puerto Rico government could not get the majority of creditors to agree to the exchange, it has the right to withdraw the offer, but that could also lead to a difficult scenario for creditors who might be left with illiquid bonds. “Continuation of these measures is neither sustainable nor in the interest of any stakeholder, as they will only deepen the financial gaps that the Commonwealth and its creditors will need to resolve, while at the same time placing the full burden of the crisis on the residents of Puerto Rico,” Victor Suarez, the commonwealth’s secretary of state, said in a news release.
cern that it doesn’t really shed a light on the importance of diversity and culture, it’s just seen as dinner and not a celebration. Diversity of the school is a problem and it is troubling because it encourages the failure of recognition of privilege as well as providing avenues for cultural awareness.” Annie Polkinghorn an Asian freshman, said she is, “impressed by the minority recognition and celebration because the public school system I attended rarely sponsored events similar to the ones we have here although my high school had 50 percent minority students. It’s not that people don’t want to come here because we aren’t so diverse but we are just a small school in general.” Polkinghorn said she enjoys the cultural nights in the UC because they are seen as celebrations and the music makes the atmosphere in the dining hall more fun. At the low percentage of minority students here it’s not particularly bothersome, but sometimes, “I feel as if I’m the only Asian in a room and it can be uncomfortable looking so different from others.” The real statistics on race at our school do not matter as much as how we treat others despite their race. Overall UMW is a friendly environment so the low percentage of minorities, especially compared to other schools it is not worrisome There are many events on campus that
UMW has to promote diversity; one of the most frequent events is the cultural celebration dinners in the UC or the World Affairs section, which the University advertises as “featuring international cuisine.” Among the cultural celebrations there are some for Black History month such as Cajun celebration, Southern Soul Food Lunch, Caribbean Celebration and an African Dinner. Later on this semester there will also be the Multicultural Fair open to all students, so while there might be a low percentage of minority students here on campus, we are not shy to celebrate different heritages. If that is not enough, you can join many of the different clubs offered on campus that celebrate different cultures, even if you do not identify with that culture’s ethnicity, some of which are the African Student Union, Asian Student Association, Black Student Association, Eagle Bhangra, Islamic Student Association, Jewish Student Association, Diversability and Women of Color. For the students, faculty and community members, it’s not just about awareness on different cultures, but respect and celebration that we all come from different backgrounds and can be “committed to creating a community that is diverse, inclusive and affirming to all individuals,” just like UMW tries promote.
Editorial: Coldplay not overshadowed, shares stage with stars Although many viewers of the Super Bowl joked that Beyonce invited Bruno Mars and Coldplay to her halftime show, the truth of the matter is that behind the spectacular intermission was Coldplay’s careful planning and preparation for the highly anticipated event. In the weeks leading up to the event, Chris Martin, the lead singer of the British band, appeared on several late night programs to promote the halftime show. Martin even went as far as to drop hints about his surprise guests on “The Late Late Show with James Cordon” during the fan favorite Carpool Karaoke segment, he and Cordon both agreed that they love Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” As soon as the show began, social media exploded with tweets and statuses proclaiming that Coldplay had been upstaged at their own show. However, if Coldplay had wanted the focus to remain solely on them, it is unlikely that the Grammy award -winning rock band would have invited superstars such as Beyonce or Bruno Mars. Attention seeking has never been Coldplay’s style. From their understated stagewear to their music videos featuring, for the majority of the time, anyone but themselves, Coldplay does not distract
from their music with gimmicky stage devices. This rang true even at the Super Bowl, where in year’s past there have been celebrities riding giant mechanical lion or decidedly not family-friendly wardrobe malfunctions. With the help of Coldplay and accompanying acts, this halftime show put the spotlight on politics, particularly with the addition of Beyonce’s latest release, “Formation,” as well as Coldplay’s message at the end: believe in love, that was splashed across the stadium. In fact, Coldplay, despite their recent album “A Head Full of Dreams,” they performed classics suchs as “Viva la Vida,” “Paradise,” “Clocks” and only one new song: “Adventure of a Lifetime.” Besides that one song, the only other self-promotional trick they used was the kaleidoscope motif that echoes their album art for “Dreams.” As a band, Coldplay is more comfortable with creating scenes that highlight causes and situations besides themselves- something they accomplished this Super Bowl, even if people think that they were upstaged. Behind every show stopping number in the 15-minute span was the work of a talented and humble band who did not set out to outshine or overpower their image.
By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD
Thursday,January February 11, 2016 Thursday, 21, 2015
VIEWPOINTS Loud as you want, not whenever you want Editor: Hannah Parker | blueandgray.views@gmail.com
Sex:
SARAH GRAMMER News Editor
Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to exchanging tokens of affection with the ones you love. For most of us this means eating heart-shaped foods our friends give us, but for those in steady romantic relationships, it is a time to prove your love for one another by trading cliché gifts and “Netflix and chilling” until the break of dawn. According to CNN, 85 percent of men and women consider sex to be an important part of Valentine’s Day. The students of the University of Mary Washington, all being consenting adults, are no exception to this. Some students will be spending their holiday weekend indoors having copious amounts of sex with their partners or possibly just themselves. Either way, sex happens on college campuses all the time. When it comes to getting laid while living on campus, students face a major problem: privacy. The residence halls of UMW are not known for having particularly soundproof walls. They might as well be made of paper, honestly. On a regular basis I am awoken by the sounds of squeaky bed springs or light moaning from the room next door. On one rare occasion the thin wall dividing my
the floor to avoid the inevitable squeaking, but this doesn’t prevent their sounds of pleasure from escaping the privacy of their rooms. Is there a quiet way to have sex in a residence hall? Sure, if you really want to be quiet it is possible, but much more likely that your roommate will walk in on you because there are no sounds warning them to not enter the room. Most couples though, could not care less if you hear them copulating. For some, this is their way of flaunting the fact that they are having sex and you are not, but others really cannot help but vocally express their orgasm. Should these couples be courteous of their neighbors and, at least, try to quiet down their nocturnal activities? Press Gray & Blue The Sakes/ Alex It is a consenting adult’s right to have sex Student tries to suffocate the sound of her hallmate’s celebration of Valentine’s Day with loud sex. in the way that is most pleasing to them neighbor and I began to visibly shake. you can never forget, no matter how badly and other students being uncomfortable with it should not get in the way. In my half-asleep state I was convinced you want to. Though this does not give them the right it was an earthquake, until I realized that I have heard multiple stories about loft to purposefully try and keep their hallearthquakes don’t breathe heavily nor do beds squeaking and banging against walls mates up all night. Quiet hours still apply they shout “yes” in a long, drawn-out fash- all night, and just when you think your here. As long as you are obeying quiet hour ion. neighbors have finally exhausted themrules, why not have sex as loud as you Unable to return to sleep or find any selves, they start round two continuing to want? headphones, I was stuck listening to the keep up the entire hallway until the odd Your neighbors can always buy earplugs. entirety of their morning sex routine. The hours of the morning. buildup was easy enough to ignore, but the Some couples try to be less obvious about climax, on the other hand, is something their sexcapades by moving the mattress to
Fiorina
vs.
Gage Skidmore/ Flikr KATHLEEN LARKIN Staff Writer
Many people believe that all women involved in politics have the same political goals and ambitions. However, there are two women who prove this to be untrue with their polar opposite policy agendas. Hillary Clinton and Carly Fiorina take on the modern political agenda with plans for change. Clinton and Fiorina have contrasting views and offer strong ideas to satisfy both major political parties. Both women are strong headed in their beliefs, and come from experience. Fiorina is a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, an information technology company, and Clinton was a U. S. senator from 2001 to 2009 and Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. While Clinton is passionately liberal, Fiorina falls on the conservative side of the spectrum. In a time where women in society are more focused on feminism than ever, Clinton uses this to her advantage while Fiorina does so more discreetly without discussing obstacles that women face
Clinton
The female political agenda as opposed to men. One of the most pressing women’s issues in the United States is abortion. Clinton plays towards women by stating that abortion is a woman’s right and that there shouldn’t be government intervention involved. On the contrary, Fiorina opposes Planned Parenthood and is pro-life, with the exceptions of rape, incest and maternal endangerment. According to insidegov.com, many Americans are shocked that Fiorina is against paid maternity leave as well, because it is something that women would be expected to advocate. As far as Obamacare goes, Clinton wants to expand upon it as much as possible and it is one of her main priorities. Fiorina believes that the government should have no involvement in healthcare and that people should work hard to pay for medical bills. The equal provisions of health care offered to American people as a whole by Obamacare allows for a prevention of cre-
ating any discrimination in providing that health care, whether on the basis of gender or race. In regards to immigration laws, Fiorina believes that illegal aliens should be deported. Furthermore, she shared Congress’ worries about immigration laws stating that we should first work to improve our border security. On the other hand, Clinton is in favor of Obama’s immigration plan, which allows undocumented immigrants in good standing to gain citizenship after paying a fine and working hard to pass the citizenship exam. In many countries known for people wanting to come to America, the women are typically oppressed and lack equal opportunity to men. By coming to America with this immigration plan, they are offered opportunity to get ahead. Clinton’s plan benefits these immigrants. Clinton is in favor of federally regulated education and believes in a nationwide
Gage Skidmore/ Flikr
curriculum where all schools throughout the United States should be teaching similar concepts at the same time. According to CBS, some mothers may agree with Clinton and want their children to attend a school that is regulated by the federal government and excludes outside religious influence. Contrasting this plan, Fiorina wants to limit federal control of schools. These controls include dietary regulations in cafeterias, mandatory physical activity and specifically, regulations on teaching practices. Clinton targets women and minorities in her political approach, while Fiorina’s tactics appeal to the upper middle class. In a recent interview with CNN, Donald Trump said Clinton is “constantly playing the woman card” in her approach and that “it’s the only way she may get elected.” What CNN didn’t show was the evidence to support Trump’s claim. As a progressive Democrat, Clinton uses feminism as a way of using government power to appeal to women and help women become more successful through affordable childcare, abortion rights and more programs in schools.
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LIFE
Editor: Della Hethcox blueandgray.life@gmail.com
Studying abroad offers students alternative path to traditional learning
ESTER SALGUERO Staff Writer
years are the best time to travel. “It’s a lot easier to travel while you are still in school, oddly enough,” Bucello said. Most students do not have a job that restricts them from traveling for only a short period and in general the major responsibilities in life like paying a mortgage. Whether you fly solo studying abroad or go with a group, the experience will definitely leave you standing on your toes at the end of the first day. Griffin was unac-
There are students who choose the most direct path to graduation and others that feel as though the college experience is incomplete if they don’t step out of the boundaries of the campus. Xavier Griffin, a senior geography major, found himself wanting more of an adventure than the walk across campus was giving him. Griffin’s chance to travel came in the spring semester of 2014.Through the Sol Education Abroad, a small private study abroad program, Griffin completed his language requirements in Granada, Spain. Sol offers programs in Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica and Spain. He was able to complete two courses and return to the University of Mary Wa s h i n g t o n Clockwise from left, Xavier Griffin hiking to continue in the Las Alpujarras in Granada, Griffin his studies on visits Amsterdam along with members campus. from his program, final photograph “It was good to go immerse captures Griffin celebrating his 21st myself in another culture birthday at a Beyonce concert in London. while also staying on the same track for school,” Griffin companied on his trip to Granada. When he arrived at Malaga, said. Exploring alternatives to anoth- he took a bus to Granada without er semester on campus can ex- a clue about what to expect next. pand the horizons of a student’s “I was like, ‘I hope this is it,’” life with a broader cultural per- Griffin said on his way to Granaspective. The Center for Inter- da. Both Griffin and Bucello national Education has an array agree that the first day of any of programs including approved, study abroad trip is crazy. direct, exchange and provider “First day is the hardest, every programs. These programs can single time, First day was the be taken in one semester or stu- hardest,” Bucello said. He has dents can choose to study abroad been to numerous countries like Switzerland, France, Germany for a full year. There are also faculty-led pro- and the Czech Republic. grams held during winter, spring Even just getting used to the and summer breaks. Though the nuanced changes in a country process requires a lot of planning can take some time like finding Girard Bucello, peer advisor for that phones have a different dial the Center of International Ed- sound, as Griffin said in an interucation, says students’ college view about how he tried using a 6
pay phone in Spain. Griffin’s host family welcomed him home with open arms on his first day. They provided him with three meals a day and were flexible with changes in his schedule, all he had to do was text them if there were any changes. The program also placed him in a central location where it only took him 20 minutes to walk to school. Griffin said he got along really well with his host family and he would practice his Spanish
plying for scholarships through the Common Application, used by the Center of International Education to apply to multiple scholarships at once. Transferring financial aid is also a possibility from FAFSA funds or scholarships apart from the study abroad program that you apply to. Expenses are determined by location, cost of living and the currency exchange which sums up the biggest factor for costs to essentially be dependent upon the country you choose. Griffin said choosing the right programs requires students to examine where the costs are going if you want to save money. The funds could just be going to accommodations for a more comfortable experience. If you are looking for a heightened adventure you may not have to pay as much. T h o u g h studying abroad seems like an overwhelming task to accomplish the experience outweighs the pursuit. Bucello found more opportunities through his study abroad experience. “Study abroad opens so many opportunities, tangible and intangible,” Bucello said. Bucello said the No. 1 lesson he took from his study abroad experience is to grab a hold of opportunities when they are given to you before they escape.
speaking skills with them. The host family took him on a tour in the first week and he kept in communication with his cell phone while he was not at home. When he couldn’t find places to go his host family would encourage him to go out and give him tips on what to wear. The planning process is just figuring out which program is most affordable and accommodating to your preferences. Usually study abroad programs will Interested in more information work with students to help them about studying abroad? Visit the find compatible host families or Center for International Educahousing options. Griffin said that tion in Lee Hall. Sol Education Abroad knew their collection of host families well. When it comes to funding, there are many options like apThursday, February 11, 2015
LIFE Plugged In Playlist: Let’s Get Physical
Tim/Flickr
In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Blue & Gray Press editorial staff has composed an alternative playlist for your listening pleasure. Here are 16 songs celebrating a particular physical asset favored by the likes of Kim Kardashian, Meghan Trainor and Nicki Minaj. Take a listen and shake your stuff as you celebrate Valentine’s Day with your friends, loved ones and, of course, all the heart-shaped candy that you can eat.
1. “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor 2. “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix A Lot 3. “Wiggle” by Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg 4. “Get Low” by Dillon Francis and DJ Snake 5. “Shake Your Groove Thing” by Peaches & Herb 6. “Milkshake” by Kelis 7. “Booty” by Jennifer Lopez ft. Iggy Azalea 8. “My Humps” by The Black Eyed Peas 9. “Low” by Flo Rida ft. T-Pain 10. “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean 11. “Bubble Butt” by Major Lazer ft. Bruno Mars 12. “Fat Bottomed Girls” by Queen 13. “Timber” by Pitbull ft. Kesha 14. “Bootylicious” by Destiny’s Child 15. “Donk” by Soulja Boy
7
LIFE
Wikipedia
ASHTON FERNEYHOUGH Staff Writer
Now that students are back in school, the urge to Netflix binge instead of studying is on the rise. Is there anything better than a few hours spent catching up on Netflix? More than 35 new movies and TV series will be available for streaming starting Feb. 1. These additions feature a variety of different decades’ shows and movies. If you feel like revisiting the 1980s, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” and “Teen Witch” have been added to the stream. For those of us who love the 90s, give “Armageddon,” a try. Featuring Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler and Ben Affleck, this is the story of the hotshot crew whose space mission is to stop an asteroid from hitting Earth. It is guaranteed to raise your blood pressure. Another 90s throwback, “Cruel Inten-
tions,” has been added. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar this story follows the intricate lives of wealthy, Manhattan elite prep school students. To enter the new millennium, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu sign on as “Charlie’s Angels.” This elite, beautiful and smart trio, along with the help of private investigators, come together to fight crime and help find a billionaire-to-be and keep his new technology out of evil hands. Need something to remind you of your childhood? “Scooby Doo” and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” became available on Feb. 1. In case you need a movie that is full of laughs and bawdy humor, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” is your movie. Laugh fueled
and following the life of race car driver Ricky Bobby, this 2006 comedy stars Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen. Other items added to Netflix this month include “Dope” (2010), “Atonement” (2007), “Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight,” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” (2016). For those of us who don’t have a couple hours to spare on an entire film, Netflix has added several recent seasons of hit television shows. Season one of “Better Call Saul” from AMC is now available. Starring Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” is an American crime drama which is the prequel to “Breaking Bad” that follows small-time lawyer James McGill. Walter White fans should definitely add this to
Your February Netflix Bingelist
their queue. Also joining Netflix are the first seasons of “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles,” “Masha’s Tales,” “Pokemon: XY,” “Cooked” and “Love.” Additionally, season seven of “Mad Men,” season three of “Turbo FAST” and season two of “The Returned” were also added. But, most importantly, for all of the young girls who fell in love with Uncle Jesse, “Fuller House” will be up on Netflix by the end of February. Unfortunately, Netflix is also nixing a small collection of shows and films. “Bad Santa,” featuring Billy Bob Thornton, BBC America show “Doctor Who,” “Rain Man” the dramatic, touching movie starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger 1984 Science Fiction film “Terminator” are just a few of the titles that will no longer be available. Happy viewing!
Disney promises a magical year with plethora of new releases ALEXANDRIA RIKER Staff Writer
Attention all Disney lovers, both young and old. Whether you grew up as a Disney kid or just recently acquired the taste for spectacular family-friendly movies, Disney has some exciting news for you. This year, Disney has eight new films coming out; including juicy re-makes of several Disney classics, sequels that we have been dying to finally see, as well as some Disney Original movies. “The Finest Hours” a Disney movie based off the true story of the most daring rescue mission in U.S. Coast Guard history, came out on Friday, Jan. 29 of this year. Rated PG-13, this movie captures the remarkable efforts of the Coast Guard to rescue a tanker that has split completely in half with only hours left before it sinks in one of the worst recorded storms ever. “The Finest Hours” was rated a 7.1/10 on the Internet Movie Database and given a 59 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Rolling Stone said “On the waves, The Finest Hours finally finds its sea legs and delivers an old school adventure based on a heroic deliverance that deserves its day in the sun.” “Zootopia,” coming out Friday, March 4 of this year, is centered on a fox, voiced by Jason Bateman, who is framed for a crime he really didn’t commit. He and various other animals are in the race against time to uncover
Knowsphotos/Flickr
A fan favorite, the Disney Castle, at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
the truth and find justice in this exciting, animated film. Coming out Friday, April 15 of this year is a re-make of one of Disney’s most classic films, “The Jungle Book.” This once animated movie is now coming to life, featuring noteworthy actors including Christopher Walken, Bill Murray, Scarlet Johansson, and Lupita Nyong’o to help tell the story of young Mowgli, a boy raised in the jungle by animals. “Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass” is scheduled to come out Friday, May 27. This film is based off Tim Burton’s remake. It features, once again, Johnny Depp as the beloved Mad Hatter. This sequel will
reveal just how dark Wonderland has become in the time of Alice’s absence. Expect the return of many prominent characters in this film, including the Queen of Hearts, as Alice travels back in time in attempts to save her friend, the Mad Hatter. Disney’s “Finding Dory,” which is in line to come out on Friday, June 17 of this year, is a sequel to one of Disney’s most beloved animated films, “Finding Nemo.” In this follow up adventure, Marlin and Nemo are back in the water. This film features a change in plot as this time Marlin and Nemo search for Dory. “The BFG” or as some may know it,
“The Big Friendly Giant” is based off of the popular children’s book written by Ronald Dahl. In young, main character Sophie’s world, a world where bedtime stories are taken seriously, giants eat children. However, one night, Sophie discovers an unlikely creature; a nice giant, and this movie tells the story of their adventure together. “The BFG” is set to come out on Friday, July 1 of this year. “Pete’s Dragon,” which will be a remake of the 1977 animated Disney movie, tells the story of a poor orphan who finds a dragon which he befriends in an attempt to escape his abusive home life. This movie will swoop into theaters Friday, Aug. 12 of this year. Lastly, Disney’s animated film “Moana” is set to come out on Wednesday, Nov. 23 of this year. “Moana” introduces the newest addition to the line of Disney princesses. Featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, this Disney Original film is sure to be filled with the crazy adventures of young Moana and a demigod name Maui in a quest to find a fabled island. This year is sure to be filled with joy and wonder with these eight Disney releases, which are part of the 24 movies Disney plans to put out over the next two years. So whether you plan on catching one of these films with a companion, solo, or with the whole family, you’re sure to enjoy it. Make sure to mark your calendars.
9
NEWS
UMW announces plan to attempt Guiness World Record for highfives, send Hurley out in style
Honor Code to undergo amendment
BY EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH News Edtor
Larceny Credit card theft and fraud occurred in Eagle Landing on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. The case is pending.
EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH News Editor
The University of Mary Washington may find itself in the record books. On Wednesday, the University announced that it will be attempting to break an established Guinness World Record to achieve the highest number of people performing high-fives while simultaneously jumping. The record will be in honor of President Hurley, who has become synonymous with the high-five as graduating students during commencement can request a high-five from President Hurley instead of a handshake by giving a code word: Eagle. Hurley has also become associated with the high-five from the hashtag #HighFiveHurley, created by the University’s public relations teamThe event will take place in the Anderson Center at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13. The doors will open at 2 p.m. Registration will begin on Monday, March 7. According to Hurley in a news release sent schoolwide, he is anticipating the world record, and is honored to be involved. “I’m humbled by this honor…a chance to make history,” Hurley said is the University’s press release. “What a high on which to leave UMW.” Hurley began his tenure as president in July 2010, and has been UMW’s ninth president for nearly six years. The University may be expecting up to 3,000 people within the UMW community and the Fredericksburg community to participate. According to the news release, UMW will accept 3,000 registrants due to the capacity of the Anderson Center building. The first 2,500 participants to arrive at the event will be included in the official attempt. The record-breaking challenge, jumping while high-fiving at the same time, has been done before. Last June in London, a group had performed the record during a celebration of British Women in Engineering. According to a news release by UMW, simultaneous jumping with high-fives works like this: it pairs two participants, who take a small leap while slapping palms together. Participants only have five seconds of a signal being given to do the jump/high five combo. Spectators can watch in Goolrick Gym via video stream. To have enough room to break the record, the Anderson Center is only going to be used for participants in the world record. Those who are not able to attend, according to UMW’s website, can still give a virtual high-five. People are encouraged to use hashtags #HighFiveHurley and #RecordHigh5 on Twitter and Instagram. Students gave their input on the new-
•RECORD| 11 10
POLICE BEAT
An instance of larceny occurred at Lee Hall between Friday, Feb. 5 and Monday, Feb. 8 between 5 p.m. and midnight. The case is pending.
Harassment
Diana Inthavong
HOGAN LEPORE Staff Writer
University of Mary Washington’s Honor Council looks to amend the entire honor code after an honor council congregation earlier this week. The Eagle assembly plans to restructure the entire honor system in order to benefit both the honor council and the student body by making decisions and disciplinary actions more straightforward. Honor Council President and senior Diana Inthavong said that the changes to the honor code will be similar to the honor code at another college in Virginia, the College of William and Mary. “We would like to change the honor system completely and move forward with a system that is similar to William and Mary’s.” Inthavong said. “It is a system/ methodology that we feel the student body and faculty would enjoy much more, as opposed to the current honor code.” According to William and Mary’s official website, their system works as a tiered system where for smaller violations, such as cheating on a quiz but admitting to it, an accused student could work something out with their professor under the discretion of an honor council member, such as community service or completing the school’s honor education course. For a larger violation like cheating on a final exam or in cases where a student pleads “not responsible,” then those cases would come to the honor council and still have a regular hearing like the UMW Honor Council currently does.The previous Honor Council President Catherine Purtell began some of the revisions, according to Inthavong, but it is “an extensive and thorough process.” On the current process of the new honor system, Inthavong said “The process is developing at a consistent pace, I am doing my best in order to have this new system arrive for the university as soon as possible.” The senior treasurer of the Honor Council Carter Nordike spoke on some of the difficulties the Honor Council faces with Mary Washington’s Constitution, and said that it has caused complications in addressing hearings. “Basically, as the year goes on, we find ourselves limited in different ways by the Constitution in regards to how
we wish to handle hearings, so we want to try to restructure it in a way that it makes it the most efficient and fair model possible,” Nordike said. Nordike later elaborated on why the Honor Council is taking such actions, saying “Ideally, we want to cut down the stress on everyone involved while also being fair on procedure and sanctions.” Lastly, Nordike described the honor council’s relationship with the Constitution and the way it is structured. “We are not frustrated with the Constitution at all. However, there is always a couple hearings that are a bit tougher than the others due to the way the Constitution wants us to handle that particular situation.” Nordike also relayed that more information will be available to the student body and faculty after the honor council’s upcoming retreat on Feb. 21. This retreat will give the council members a chance to pinpoint certain areas the congregation has yet to attack in a distraction-free zone. “I really think it is a positive,” said freshman cross country member Calhoun Stirling. “It is good to know the honor council is not blowing things off in order to get through the academic year you know, especially the seniors. Although it sounds like a lot of work, as a student, it is good to know the honor council truly cares about its student body.” Most of the student body seems to be quite fond of the notion of drafting a new honor constitution, due to the fact that it shows that the honor council cares about who it represents. “I feel it is a good thing,” said freshman Elizabeth O’Meara. “I mean, it is good to know they care about us, right? Plus, making Mary Washington a better place is hard enough.” Inthavong and Nordike both displayed great confidence throughout the interviews, thus expressing that the honor council has a definite plan in mind and as Inthavong stated, a plan they have already acted on. More information will become available Feb. 21, after the council’s retreat, to find out the status of the current University of Mary Washington honor code system.
Harassment by electronic means occurred on UMW campus on Wednesday, Feb. 3 near 2:15 a.m. The case is pending.
Drug Possession Unlawful possession of prescription medication occurred in Arrington Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 2 near 12:15 a.m. A student received an administrative referral. Possession of marijuana occurred in Arrington Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 1:30 a.m. A student received an administrative referral. Possession of marijuana occurred in Jefferson Hall on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1:15 a.m. A student received an administrative referral.
Underage Intoxication Underage intoxication occurred on College Avenue/Thorton Street on Friday, Feb. 5 at 11 p.m. Two students received administrative referrals.
Vandalism Vandalism occurred at the James Monroe Museum between Friday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. The case is pending.
The Blue & Gray Press will publish the names of students who are formally charged by the University of Mary Washington Campus Police or the Fredeicksburg Police Department to have committed acts of extreme violence against members of the UMW community or pose a large threat to that community, when names are released to the public. The Blue & Gray Press will publish names and write articles about criminal acts on a case-by-case basis according to the aforementioned parameters.
The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police Manager James DeLoatch and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Sarah Kirkpatrick.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
NEWS
Students question payroll delay
Girard Bucello/ The Blue & Gray Press
Alex Sakes/ The Blue & Gray Press
Students busy working on campus to earn money for tuition, housing , living and extra spending
•PAYROLL | 1 each student employee’s bank account and for physical checks to be delivered to University of Mary Washington. Worthy would like all student employees to keep in mind that this process applies to all student employees, wages, faculty and staff. Julia Barrett, a senior sociology major, is a student employee at the Information Technologies Help Desk located in the Hurley Convergence Center. She expressed confusion knowing when she would be paid. Barrett also said the gap could be frustrating to other student employees. “Luckily, I work at the help desk to earn some extra spending money,” Barrett said. “I imagine for some other students, who rely on their income for tuition or other expenses, this pay gap
could be very frustrating.” Barrett voiced her concern, particularly as student employees have not received an explanation as to why this pay gap does exist. A justification for the pay gap could help some students ease their sense of concern or confusion. Sophomore Norhan Darwish is a resident assistant in Ball Hall. According to Darwish, all RAs were required to be on campus starting Jan. 5. Darwish expressed the sense of community she feels while doing her job, which makes the pay gap worth it. “It’s a great team of people and I enjoy doing my job,” Darwish said. “As long as I get paid eventually, it is fine.” Prior to January 2015, the payday-processing period took three weeks due to the use of paper timesheets.
Hurley’s presidency reviewed •HURLEY | 2 when most people step back, they appreciate him being willing to come into the situation and for doing what he’s done for these year,” Richards said. To students, Hurley is very engaged on campus and is seen giving high fives and going to big campus events. “He’s cool, I like the High-Five Hurley campaign,” Maggie Magliato, a junior biology and environmental science major, said. “He comes on campus often and socializes with students and he has a very cool mustache.”
The commendation given by the General Assembly and this upcoming record displays the improvements that Hurley has done for UMW since becoming president in 2010 and the University’s response to these improvements. His active engagement with students and faculty have brought some friction, but the transparency that was lacking in previous administrations has been corrected. Whoever Hurley will pass on the torch to, will have to live up to the expectations that Hurley has set.
UMW unveils world record plan
•RECORD | 10
cord. Freshman Madeline Morris is positive toward the event, but feels that the day will conflict with students’ schedules. “I think it sounds cool and if I wasn’t busy I would participate,” Morris said. “I’d love to be part of a world record, however I believe they should consider students’ schedules.”
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Senior geography major Maria Rivas Berger was not initially familiar with the world record, but is looking forward to the event and to honor Hurley. “I don’t know what the world record is… But I would love to participate in it because Hurley is the man.” For any questions, contact UMW under the page High Five-Handbook.
SGA travels to D.C., Richmond EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH News Editor
Within the imposing buildings where decisions are made and among state leaders where ideas become bills passed into law, leadership in the University of Mary Washington’s Student Government Association traveled to Capitol Hill and to Richmond over the past few weeks to discuss issues concerning college students. SGA president Hannah Tibbett traveled to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 27 to speak at a roundtable discussion with student leaders from 20 Virginia colleges. The discussion was organized by senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. The student leaders, according to UMW’s website, discussed concerns regarding the rise in tuition and the prospect of student debt. “Even though UMW is a ‘best buy’ school, the high cost of tuition is still limiting to students,” Tibbett said. “There are so many scenarios where students aren’t able to finish their degrees because of the cost, leaving them in debt and without a degree, and it needs to be addressed.” According to data from UMW gathered by the Institute for College Access and Success, the average debt for UMW graduates in 2014 was $17,460. Nearly half of graduating students had student debt. For the average Virginia student, their student debt comes to $26,432 and affects 60 percent of students. Members of SGA traveled to another prominent city, Richmond, on Feb. 3 to discuss increased funding for needbased financial aid, budget amendments and increased funding for counseling with Speaker William Howell and Senator Bryce Reeves. The SGA formed the Legislative Action Committee, a 13-member group that specifically met for Lobby Day. The most important meetings with Howell and Reeves, according to Alex Obolensky, SGA vice president, included the entire committee. SGA members met in smaller groups with their hometown senators and delegates. In addition, the SGA met with Chiefs of Staffs and education policy legislative assistants. During the meetings, SGA members discussed support for a proposed budget for higher education that contained over $30 million for increased funding for need-based financial aid. A number of budget amendments were also dis-
cussed by SGA members that were introduced by members of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia. One amendment would increase counseling funding for mental health counseling in higher education, according to Obolensky, and another would be a capital funds request, which would be used mainly to refurbish UMW’s Seacobeck Hall. According to Obolensky, the experience was challenging, but one that the SGA was more than ready to take on. “The experience of carrying important issues to state legislators, and representing my constituents to other elected officials is both challenging and extremely rewarding,” Obolensky said. “Events like this allow the SGA to really do its job, and advocate for the students of Mary Washington in an effective, vocal manner.” Issues of student debt, need-based financial aid and counseling services on campus have also been important to UMW students. Leah Machesney, junior psychology major, believes that student debt puts too many students at a disadvantage when trying to achieve higher education. “College shouldn’t cost that much,” Machesney said. “You shouldn’t be drained to get an education.” Freshman Christian Watt believes rises in tuition, which could contribute to student debt, come from Universities competing with one another for students. This could result in renovations or new facilities in universities, which could cause rises in tuition. “You can see competition between CNU and UMW. CNU renovated a bunch of buildings, and so did we. And then we built the University Center,” Watt said. “Ours is on a smaller scale because we’re a smaller school, but you can still see it in some circumstances.” Watt said a solution could be for Universities to come together and decide in what ways the schools are competing with one another. This could give schools definitive guidelines to meet student needs and could possibly decrease spending. Student debt, need-based financial aid and increased funding for counseling services will continue to be discussed by students and members of SGA on and off campus.
CORRECTIONS for THE Week PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE AND GRAY PRESS TO Chris Markham, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramarian, ssubrama@umw.edu
In last week’s story, “Tuition, room and board and meal plans expected to rise in July.” Alex Obolensky was incorrectly titled as president of SGA. Hannah Tibbett is SGA president and Obolensky vice president. We are very sorry for the error and have corrected the online version.
11
SPORTS
Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com
Puppy monkey baby, Why do we watch the other commericals take Super Bowl, besides over Super Bowl for the football OCEANA PEEMOELLER Staff Writer
On Feb. 7, students across the University of Mary Washington campus gathered together to watch the 50th annual Super Bowl featuring the Denver Broncos facing off against the Carolina Panthers. The Digital Auditorium was filled with students eager to watch the game, score free food and win some prizes. “I wanted to hang out with my friends and eat free chicken wings,” Rebecca Na, a junior majoring in chemistry. “I also go for the hype.” However, free food and a sense of community wasn’t the only reason why students gathered together on Sunday. For some, it was a matter of respecting the players. “I watched it because it’s Manning’s last Super Bowl,” said Nick Atwell, a sophomore chemistry major “Even though I’m not a big fan, [as an athlete] I respect him.” Students that are not as athletically inclined as others still watch the game for the experience. “I don’t so much watch the Super Bowl as I watch the halftime show and the commercials,” said senior English major James Rives. “I’m not a fan of watching football, but I know a lot of people really like the commercials the same as I do.” On top of their main reasons for watching the Super Bowl, each of these students mentioned these commercials as a major draw. “My favorite of [the commercials] was the weird Mountain Dew one with the puppy monkey baby. It was slightly
disturbing but still incredibly hilarious to watch,” Rives said. Na, however, was of a different opinion. “I really liked the wiener dog commercial with the ketchup. The puppy monkey baby was just plain weird,” Na said. Considering that the aforementioned wiener dog commercial was a cavity-inducing ad featuring an entire herd of dachshunds in hot dog costumes running in slow motion towards people in condiment costumes, it’s no wonder that there is such a draw. The Digital Auditorium erupted in laughter towards the end of this commercial with the inclusion of the little girl dressed as a ketchup packet. There never was, and never will be again, a cuter sausage fest in a Super Bowl ad. Additional well-received ads were the Budweiser commercial with Helen Mirren insulting drunk drivers and the Skittles commercial. The Skittles commercial dealt with a colorful candy concoction depicting Steve Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith. Tyler was not pleased with his candied caricature in the commercial, but it dreamed it could hit the high note of Aerosmith’s hit “Dream On” and ended up exploding into a collection of colorful confections. The puppy monkey baby commercial used a chimera with the body of a monkey, the legs of a baby and the head of a puppy to advertise an energy drink. With such an eclectic collection of ads, it’s no wonder that the commercials remain such a draw to Super Bowl watchers.
ANDREW ARENAS Staff Writer
Around this time every year, the nation’s largest and most watched television event is viewed by millions around the world. The Super Bowl has become a day where friends and family come together and consume tons of snacks at parties all across the country. Having the shared experience of watching the Super Bowl is an everlasting bond for all of us and the brands that take part in it. We live in a culture that craves shared experiences that can consolidate us. The Super Bowl that was broadcasted on Sunday night gave us the opportunity to have that celebratory experience, from the halftime entertainment, the competition, to even the commercials. Cable programming, satellite delivery and broadcast stations continue to be fragmented and having a unified event for such a large audience is so rare, which is what makes it attractive to people and advertisers. The event has become so much more than just to see the game that determines who wins the NFL championship; it’s a media spectacle that will be talked about for the weeks to come. It is the Super Bowl commercials that attract non-sports fans who might not watch the game at all. One of the best commercials that got everyone talking was in 1984, when Apple aired the famous one-minute ad that introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer. Since then, the commercials have contained cute talking animals, supermodels and celebrity product endorsements.
The halftime show is a must-watch spectacle that brings in some of the most discussion after it is over. This year’s half time show in particular highlighted the grand history of other halftime shows showcasing artists such as The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and U2. Having a Super Bowl party with friends and family is a great way of enjoying the event with others and experiencing the highlight moments as they happen. Baseball is always known as America’s pastime, but football is intertwined in the country’s culture. The NFL season has fewer games by a large margin than other major American sports, with 16 games in a season compared to the 162 in baseball. This makes football games more consequential and ultimately more eventful. Super Bowl Sunday is that unofficial holiday in the United States that can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways. People want to view the event to be in the conversation of what happened in the days, months, or possibly even years after the big game is over.
Club sport spotlight: Men’s Club Basketball ISABELLA BRIONES Staff Writer
The University of Mary Washington’s men’s club basketball team seeks to promote confidence, inclusion and teamwork. Once on the team, the players know that they have found an “alternative to the rigors and commitment of the varsity level,” according to the team’s description on their UMW club sports page. Members who get the chance to become a part of the men’s club basketball team find a wide range of benefits by participating in this sport. Club basketball allows students a chance to be active as well as competitive, all while getting the chance to meet other students who are looking for the same opportunities and who have the same desire to play the game. There are scheduled games and regular practices that allow players a chance to have the structure of a varsity level sport without facing the stress of being on a varsity level team. As it states on the club basketball page, the team’s schedule is “rigorous enough to feel rewarding yet flexible enough for the modern student.” It is junior Will Ritter’s first year as the men’s club basketball president. Not only
Thursday, January 11, 2016
was a new president in place, but the club’s initial season this fall marked an unusual one apart from the past club basketball teams. Due to staff changes within the school, “I was unable to successfully apply to make the fall tournament last semester,” Ritter said. “Usually the team does one fall and one spring semester tournament at other schools to ensure the member of the club team get the exposure and experience that is anticipated by those who participate.” However, Ritter displaying true commitment to the team and the season as the new president, was able to schedule two tournaments for this upcoming semester, “which will not only be fun, but this will be a great way to see improvement in players and the team itself,” Ritter said. When asked about the upcoming games in the season ahead Ritter said, “we do not have a rival team per se, but last year we had an extremely close game with the West Virginia University Mountaineers in which Joshua Jones had several “posterizing” dunks and blocks to give us the lead against a very good D1 club team, and it got very heated between their players and ours at certain points in that game.”
“’WHICH WILL NOT ONLY BE FUN, BUT THIS WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO SEE IMPROVEMENT IN PLAYERS AND THE TEAM ITSELF”
In order to join the team in the future one must only apply through Mary Washington’s club sport webpage. However, if a member hopes to play in any tournaments, “they must not only prove that they are in the top 10 to 20 best basketball players, but they must also attend the practices as much as possible since it would not be fair for talented people to rarely show up and take the spots of people who are more deserving to go,” Ritter says.
-Will Ritter, men’s club basketball president Ahead of the team lies the annual game with James Madison University along with a tournament at William and Mary. Ritter discussed UMW’s team’s ability to perform well against the many Division I universities which JMU hosts every year, and he expects this year to be no different. “Mary Washington is usually one of very few Division III teams, and we compete against almost entirely division one teams and perform very well, especially considering the gap number of players able to try out for our team,” Ritter said.
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