The Blue & Gray Press

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

MARCH 26, 2015

VOLUME 88 | ISSUE 20 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

Men’s rugby club suspended for offensive chant A CHANT FROM AN OFF CAMPUS PARTY RESULTED IN INDEFINITE SUSPENSION HOPE RACINE News Editor

The men’s rugby team at the University of Mary Washington is facing indefinite suspension and mandatory sexual assault training following a decision from the administration regarding the team’s involvement in an offensive chant. On Thursday, March 19, President Rick Hurley sent an email to the community discussing the school’s decision after the team was found to have engaged in a “chant that contained sexually explicit, derogatory and violent language.”

The chant in question was reportedly sung at an off-campus party during the fall 2014 semester, where a student recorded the song covertly. The audio was later turned over to the administration.

According to Hurley, the university was made of aware of the chant on Nov. 30, 2014 after the audio was given to Leah Cox, special assistant to the president for diversity and inclusion and director of judicial affairs and community responsibility.

The lyrics contain reference to sexually explicit and somewhat violent rhetoric: “Finally found a wh*re!

Mother’s Rugby/ Facebook The decision was handed down on March 18, following an appeal on a previous decision. The initial punishment included probation and mandatory classes.

She was right and dead She was right and dead!

Well god damn son of a b*tch we’re gonna get it in!

God damn son of a b*tch we’re gonna get it in!”

The decision was made by a task force consisting of Doug Searcy, vice president for student affairs, Melissa Jones, assistant

dean for student involvement, Mark Mermelstein, director of campus recreation, and leadership from the men’s rugby club.

The initial decision placed the rugby team on a 12-month probation, which the team appealed. Following a semester-long study, the final decision to suspend the team was made on March 18. All practices and meetings are currently suspended, and each member of the men’s rugby club will be required to participate in education and training sessions regarding sexual assault and violence.

According to Hurley, the suspension was based on the argument that the chant contained lyrics that violate the University’s Statement of Community Values.

“The University will not •RUGBY | 2

“THE UNIVERSITY WILL NOT STAND FOR SUCH BEHAVIOR. IT NOT ONLY VIOLATES OUR COMMUNITY VALUES, IT IS NOT HOW MEMBERS OF THIS COLLEGIAL CAMPUS LIVE.” - President Rick Hurley

University community mourns sudden loss of junior Scott Houk

UMW Theatre Houk was active within the theatre department, most recently appearing in “Spring Awakening.”

HOPE RACINE News Editor

On Tuesday, March 24 the University of Mary Washington community was notified of the passing of junior theatre major Scott Houk.

Houk passed away Monday evening in his room in Mason Hall. Police are current-

IN THIS

ISSUE

ly investigating his death, though no foul play is currently suspected.

The loss of the 21-year-old actor reverberated through campus and was felt keenly in the theatre department. Houk took to the Klein Theatre stage twice, portraying “Sebastian” in “The Tempest” and more recently, he played Adult Man in “Spring

Awakening.”

“Our hearts are broken as we grapple with the unimaginable loss of Scott Houk, theatre major, actor, gentle spirit, and beloved friend,” read a statement on the UMW Theatre Department’s Facebook page. “Our thoughts are with his family and many friends.”

Associate Vice President and Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker said Houk’s death was a significant loss to the UMW community.

“Our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers go out to his family, and as a member of the university community he will forever be with us,” said Rucker.

“We are reminded of how precious our time is with one another,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Doug Searcy. “We encourage all of our community to be intentional about connecting with friends and loved ones.”

A memorial service for Houk will be held on Friday, March 27 at 4 p.m. at Mullins and Thompson Funeral Services. In lieu of flowers, Houk’s family will be accepting donations in Scott’s name to the Mountain View High School Drama Department, located in Stafford.

Community response restores suspended education programs

HOPE RACINE News Editor

The University of Mary Washington community was temporarily shocked last week following rumors of the immediate termination of UMW art and music education degrees.

On March 19, the Department of Music Facebook page posted, “Yesterday we were informed that our administration has immediately suspended the Art and Music Education degrees here at the University of Mary Washington and will not even teach out the remaining students.”

Student response was immediate and angry. However, the initial announcement was incorrect. The decision made was to suspend the tracks and to stop accepting new applicants, though current students would not be impacted.

The initial Facebook post was later edited to correct the mistake.

The suspension would only impact the art and music education programs with the five-year, K-12 track, and not the entire music and art programs, as many concerned students originally thought.

The community had little reason to mourn, however, as an email from Provost Jonathan Levin to the UMW community on March 20 alleviated fears.

“I am pleased to announce that pending further review, the College of Education will continue to admit new students to the music and art tracks of the five-year PreK12 pathway,” wrote Levin. “The prior decision to suspend new admissions to these tracks was based on their low enrollments.”

According to Levin, the decision to lift the suspension resulted from the “College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences, the chairs of the relevant departments in these colleges and the many students, faculty, staff and alums who expressed their support for these programs.

PRINCE CHARMING

RETURNING HOME

BITTERSWEET

Mikey Barnes takes home the crown at Mr. UMW.

Photographs of veterans seek to show dual natures.

2015 Battleground Relays serve as Stan Soper’s farewell.

LIFE | 7

VIEWPOINTS | 5

SPORTS | 3

NEWS THE

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION

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 Alison Thoet

MANAGING EDITOR Mariah Young

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jonathan Polson

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Hope Racine Nephthalie Lauture

VIEWPOINTS Tess Osmer

LIFE Amanda Motley

SPORTS Chris Markham

ONLINE

Lauren Brumfield

PHOTO

Ginny Clark

ASSISTANT EDITORS Emily Hollingsworth Alex Obolensky Mikey Barnes

ADVERTISING TEAM BUSINESS MANAGER Cara Sexton

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jess Wu

FACULTY ADVISOR Steve Klein

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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EdTech conference introduces new education technologies HANNAH RIDDLE Staff Writer

Room 122 in the Stafford Campus’ North Building was filled with sounds of humming and beeping. Inside, a 3D printer scooted back and forth, slowly feeding on strings of blue plastic. On the table nearby, a WaterColor Bot mechanically moved its paintbrush, creating an exact replica of a picture on the laptop beside it.

Moving around the room, checking on other gadgets and fiddling with Little Bits Electronics was George Meadows, an education professor at the University of Mary Washington. Helping him were three of his students, Michelle Michniak, Emily Nykorchuk and Harrison Miles.

These four were running the Learner Space Demonstration, a hands-on exhibit offered at the fifth annual EdTech Conference. The event was hosted by UMW last Friday at the Stafford Campus.

Over 160 teachers and principals from northern Virginia schools attended the allday conference. Through lectures, workshops and presentations, attendees learned about ways to bring innovative teaching and technology into their classrooms.

Among the attendees was Kathy Notyce, a principal from Prince William County. Curious to see what new technology was available for her students, Notyce visited the Learner Space Demonstration in the late afternoon.

Meadows greeted her and swept a hand at his college students.

“There’s your future employees,” said Meadows.

The UMW students then showed Notyce around the Leaner Space, after which the principal wrote down their names and told them to visit her any time.

This was a welcome invitation for Michniak, Nykorchuk and Miles, all of whom are senior members of the College of Education and will soon be looking for job opportunities in public schools.

Currently, they are looking forward to beginning their master’s work in the fall, as they study to become licensed teachers.

Under the supervision of Meadows, they will complete specialized research in the areas of science and technology.

“I really enjoy technology, and I would like to see more of it in schools,” said Miles as he hooked a robot up to a laptop.

“Students should be tech-literate for the modern world.”

Nykorchuk agreed, saying that she thinks technology can also be used as a classroom tool to excite learners.

“My focus is going to be using technology to teach math in more interesting ways,” said Nykorchuck.

Teresea Coffman, UMW professor of education, planned and organized this year’s EdTech Conference along with her

University Relations This year was the fifth EdTech conference held at the University of Mary Washington Stafford campus.

colleague, assistant professor of education Tami Pratt-Fartro. Coffman said she hoped that the event would encourage educators who think along the same lines as UMW students.

“You just want this experience to validate us as teachers,” said Coffman, who explained how important it is to provide space and time for discussions about the integration of education and technology.

Coffman was particularly excited about one of the conference’s morning sessions that featured 80 third, fourth and fifth graders from Alvey Elementary School and Haymarket Elementary Schools.

The session, entitled “Solving the Mystery of STEM! IT’s Elementary, My Dear!,” gave the students an opportunity to share and answer questions about animations they had created using a Tech4Learning program.

“The elementary school students and the teachers, they were just beaming,” said Coffman. “And their parents were here, and they were beaming. And you’re like, okay, this is why we do it.”

UMW alumna Alex Jaffee, led another one of the conference’s sessions.

Jaffee graduated in 2013 from the master’s in education program, in which she specialized in technology under Meadows.

She is now in her third year of teaching at Porter Traditional School.

During her session, titled “You’re Off to Great Places at the Integration Station!,” Jaffee presented on how she integrates technology into the day-to-day schedule of her second grade students.

Jaffee shared how her class used the Fli-

pagram app to create movie trailers about erosion and the Google Maps program to practice addition skills.

Her students also use a Facebook-like website called Emodo during literacy stations.

“It offers flexible grouping, it gives students immediate feedback, and you can differentiate,” she told her audience, explaining how the new technology makes her teaching more effective.

Among Jaffee’s audience was Sandy Armstrong, a retired special education teacher who still volunteers in Prince William County Schools.

“She was fabulous,” said Armstrong of Jafee after the presentation. “Some of these websites she gave us, some of these apps, I intend to take back and share with the county because I know we’re not using all of them.”

Other highlights of the conference included keynote speaker Judi Harris, a professor from the College of William & Mary, and a presentation on game-based curriculum design by UMW faculty members Mary Kayler and Lisa Ames.

During the latter session, conference-goers were introduced to beginning aspects of game design by breaking into groups and creating board games based on popular children’s books.

Kayler argued that game technology motivates students to become involved in their own learning process.

“It’s a way to shift dynamics in the class,” said Kayler. “Students now become active.”

Men’s rugby faces disciplinary action for vulgar team chant •RUGBY | 1 stand for such behavior. It not only violates our community values, it is not how members of this collegial campus live, and it is not reflective of the Mary Washington we all know and love,” wrote Hurley in the community-wide e-mail.

The day before the email, Hurley sent an initial email to the student body without specific details of the event, but alluding to actions and situations in which “our own students (groups and individuals) have engaged in behaviors that I find repugnant and highly offensive to members of our community.”

Community members have reacted to

the decision with differing opinions. Some, like UMW psychology professor Chris Kilmartin, said he believes the situation can be a teachable moment. Kilmartin offered to run the sexual assault awareness classes and work with the team to meet the administration’s requirements.

“Most of the guys on the rugby team are good guys. But they stood by passively while the other guys did this stuff, and the purpose of the classes are to help them understand the social psychology of social pressure and help them learn how to step up as bystanders,” said Kilmartin.

However, other community members question the legality of the school’s de-

cision. According to Mark Smith, who reached out as a representative of men’s rugby alumni, the majority of the men’s rugby team were not present at the party in question. Only eight out of the total 46 members were present, as the rest of the team away at a game in Maryland, according to Smith. In addition, the lack of video evidence makes it difficult to verify individual singers.

At this juncture, it is unknown what will be required of the team in order to lift the suspension.

The men’s rugby team failed to respond for comment by the time of publication.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

SPORTS

Capitals, Wizards head into Women’s Lacrosse off to exciting, playoffs on different notes successful start to 2015 season SEAN KINSLOW Staff Writer

Capitals peaking at right time as Ovechkin continues MVP season After a season of highs and lows, the Washington Capitals now have their eyes set on the NHL playoffs. The recently revamped formula to determine what teams make the playoffs has kept things interesting as teams head toward the post-season.

The NHL consists of two conferences, the Western and Eastern conferences.

Those two conferences are further broken down into two divisions. The West consists of the Central and the Pacific divisions, while the East is broken down into the Atlantic and Metropolitan division, of which the Capitals are members.

Eight teams from each conference make the playoffs. The top three teams in each

Keith Alison/Flickr Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals with 47.

division make the playoffs, with the remaining two teams coming from the wild card spots, determined by the next two teams with the best records within that conference regardless of division.

With 73 games played so far, the Capitals have nine left on their schedule. The Caps currently sit as a wild card team in the Eastern Conference and would be the seventh seed in the East if the playoffs started today.

The team cannot slack off in these last nine games, though, with many good teams behind them vying for a playoff spot. They will need their stars to shine and continue on their stellar season.

Team Captain Alexander Ovechkin is leading the league with 47 goals. Star center Nicklas Backstrom leads the NHL in assists with 54.

Starting Goalie Braden Holtby is also having a breakout year, saving 92.4 percent of the shots fired at him while boasting eight shutouts and a goals-against average of 2.18.

If these stars continue to play well down the final stretch, the Capitals should find themselves in position to not only make the playoffs but to have a chance to make a deep playoff run.

Wizards stumbling into playoffs, sliding down East standings On the basketball courts, the Washington Wizards are in good shape to make the NBA playoffs, with 10 games remaining in the regular season. However, they are not as highly seeded as they may have originally hoped for.

Of the 30 teams in the NBA, 16 reach the playoffs, with the top eight teams from each conference, Eastern and Western, getting the nod. The Wizards currently hold the fifth seed in the East. If the playoffs were to start today they would take on the Chicago Bulls in the first round. This would be a rematch of last year’s playoff series, in which the Wizards beat the Bulls in five games and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

The Washington Wizards had a hot start to the season and early on looked like one of the best teams in the NBA. The team, however in recent months, has cooled down considerably. They do not seem to be playing with the same intensity on defense and the passion in which they started the season.

In these 10 remaining games the Wizards will need to get back to playing the brand of basketball they did earlier this year in order to generate some momentum going into the playoffs. Between now and the end

SOFTBALL:

of the season, Head Coach Randy Whittman will be stressing to his team the importance of playing with more energy on defense and getting shooting guard Bradly Beal more consistent and better shots, as well as all-star John Wall beginning to play at a superstar level again. If the Wizards can do these things then they will have a good shot to advance at least to the second round of the playoffs, if not further.

SARA ARMOR Staff Writer

Within the first five seconds of play on Saturday, March 21, senior Corinne Wiederkehr scored her first goal of the game, putting the University of Mary Washington women’s lacrosse team on the scoreboard.

Three goals and three assists later from sophomore Kate Smucker further set the Eagles ahead in this game against Capital Athletic Conference competitor Frostburg State. Seven Eagles scored during the game, including Wiederkehr and Sunderland adding four each, leaving the Eagles with a 16-8 win over Frostburg.

The women’s lacrosse team is off to a great start for the season with a 6-3 record.

With great leadership and a positive mindset, the team feels they have a chance to go far this season if they treat every game like it’s a championship.

Sophomore biology major Sabrina Elliott attributes the team’s success thus far to their team’s chemistry.

“The team’s ability to mesh well on and off the field, and the fact that we are all buying into the plan to work hard and believe in each other,” said Elliott in reference to what she thinks makes the team strong.

It is easy to see that this group of girls works well as a unit and comes to give a complete team effort each game.

One of the team’s earlier games of the year against Washington & Lee University did not end with a win but did leave a lasting impact on the team. The quadruple overtime battle, against a team who

beat them last season, showed the Eagles they possessed a fighting spirit. The sense of teamwork and determination from that game was then carried into each future competition.

“It reminded us why we work so hard every day at practice,” said Elliot. “The feeling of getting so close is going to drive us to play even harder and hopefully lead us to the CAC championship game.”

A notable difference in defensive play has helped this team claim their fair share of victories this spring.

“Our defense is much more comfortable in high-pressure situations,” said sophomore math major Emily Mott. “Knowledge about this defense from last season, experience and hard-work have allowed us to take it to the next level.”

Taking coaching tactics brought by second-year Head Coach Caitlin Moore and applying them during their games is another way the Eagles will look to continue their successful season.

Their quick game-time reactions to different scenarios throughout the 60 minutes of each game provide for an exciting display of athletics. This season has been made up of thrilling wins, over-time battles, nail-biting close calls and a dramatic come-from-behind effort after facing a large deficit all in the opening weeks of the season.

The Eagles will look to add more of such games to their resumes while hoping to notch each one in the win column as they head toward winning just their second CAC title in school history.

Brackets bust in NCAA first weekend

Keith Alison/Flickr Wall and Beal are leading the Wiz into playoffs.

•MARCH MADNESS | 12 the hands of No. 8 seed NC State in a close 71-68 game. They are the first No.1 seed to depart the 2015 tournament and this marks the fifth straight time that Villanova has failed to make it out of the first weekend alive in the tournament.

Two other shocking upsets of the round came at the heels of two highly-touted No. 2 seeds. The first was the surprisingly decisive loss of No. 2 seed Kansas to No. 7 seed Wichita State 78-65. Then, of course, came the bracket-busting loss of No. 2 UVA to No. 7 Michigan State.

The remaining two upsets from the round were from less-surprising No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed matchups. No. 5 Utah managed to topple the powerful No. 4 seeded George-

Weekly Scoreboard MEn's lacrosee:

March 25 @ Lynchburg (W) UMW: 4 LC: 3 (L) UMW: 2 LC: 4

March 21 @ Salisbury University (L) UMW: 4 Salisbury: 4

March 25 vs. Washington College (L) UMW: 9 Washington: 12

March 25 @ St. Mary’s College (Md.) (L) UMW: 2 SMCM: 6

WOMEN'S LACROSSE:

UMW Athletics With a record of 6-3, the UMW women’s lacrosse team has high hopes for the rest of the season.

BASEBALL:

Upcoming:

Baseball: March 28 @ York College (Pa) 12 p.m. & 3 pm.

Women’s Lacrosse: March 28 @ Salisbury 1 p.m.

town team 75-64. In similar fashion, No. 5 West Virginia defeated No. 4 Maryland 69-59.

The first weekend of the 2015 NCAA Tournament provided the traditionally exhausting list of early March Madness upsets. We have already lost a No. 1 seed, two No. 2 seeds and two No. 3 seeds with the Sweet Sixteen yet to commence. Every matchup is an important one now, but all eyes will particularly be on No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 5 West Virginia on Thursday, as the Wildcats attempt to continue on their remarkable perfect record season. What upsets await in the Sweet Sixteen? One thing is for sure: there are not many brackets left intact to ruin.

Softball: March 27 @ Southern Virginia 4 & 6 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosee: March 28 vs. York College (Pa) 1 p.m.

Men’s Tennis: March 27 @ Christopher Newport

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VIEWPOINTS

Letter: alumna backs university decision to suspend rugby club To the Editor:

The evening of March 18, I was made aware via social media of a disgusting, misogynist, necrophilia-ridden chant that the rugby team of my recent alma mater, our own University of Mary Washington, apparently sings on a regular basis.

You can imagine my shock and surprise.

Well, perhaps you can’t. Let me put it into context: UMW is the institution that helped me shape my strong feminist beliefs. Five years ago, I laughed at feminists.

I thought of them as angry, bra-burning, man-hating harpies who were not intelligent enough to realize that the women’s liberation movement had come and gone, and we did not need to keep fighting. We had the vote and the ability to keep working after marriage – how were we not equal to men anymore?

Slowly, as I took class after class, my eyes were thankfully opened. I was given the vocabulary and tools necessary to see and express the fact that there are little (and big) inequalities happening every moment with regards to gender, race, sexuality, physical abilities, etc., and that’s not OK. Mary Washington gave me my feminist education. So now you must be able to imagine my shock and surprise when I learned that students who attended the same university I did think lyrics like: “God damn son of a b***h we’re gonna find a w***e! Finally found a w***e. She was right and dead! Well god damn son of a b***h we’re gonna get it in!” and “S**t.

F**k it. I’m pissin’ on her too. Around the head oops they’re ‎dead. I wanna f**k that s**t so hard,” are perfectly acceptable.

You can argue that it’s just a song all you want, but the fact of the matter is, songs have a very strong influence in this world. Music has the ability to affect feelings profoundly – that’s why there are pump-up songs, meditative songs and sad songs, among others. If music has the ability to move a person to tears, why, why, why, would anyone ever argue something is “just a song?”

This disgusting chant (chants, by the way, are frequently pump-songs for violent physical activity) is so important because it is a song. Perhaps no one who sings it will ever kill a prostitute and then rape her dead body. But the violent spirit of the song is not going to encourage any good things to come of it. I was similarly surprised by the administration’s response. Rather than

come out clearly on the incident at the time it happened – in the fall – the administration kept it quiet. Last week, when the rugby team appealed, their sexual assault and harassment training was suddenly cancelled, even though some of the players threatened members of the Feminist United on Campus club for trying to ensure that the team was sanctioned.

On March 18, post-appeal, UMW President Rick Hurley sent out a vague email on the topic to the student body. Rather than tell students what was going on and that the school would not tolerate it, he harped on about codes of ethics and things while never actually addressing the incident.

His second email on March 19, while less vague, was similarly disappointing.

Rather than firmly taking the stand that UMW would both not stand behind such lyrics and that the student body has the right to be informed of such incidents and stands, Hurley implied that the release of such sickening lyrics on social media was somehow offensive to the administration, but the rugby team would be sanctioned for the incident.

It needs to be said: the release of those lyrics onto social media – I should say second release as they had already been released on YouTube by the team members involved – should not have been offensive to the administration. No one was forced to read those lyrics.

They were posted to inform the student body in lieu of the administration informing them. And thank god for social media – these days, we can keep ourselves informed. So to the administration: I will not apologize for educating the student body on poor decisions made by their peers. I will not apologize for showing people what your vague email was referring to. I will not apologize for using the words you gave me to expose your attempt to keep a disgusting incident quiet.

At the end of the day, I’m glad that the University stood by its principles and suspended the rugby team, as well as requiring them to attend sensitivity training. The punishment is symbolic: “We as an institute do not stand for oppression.” Today, it doesn’t matter how we got there. Just that it never happens again.

Cara Wood is an alumna from the University of Mary Washington, Class of 2014.

Guidebooks: nothing to live by, but important to have ALEX CLEGG Staff Writer

This past week’s #TravelTipTuesday for my personal travel blog was about guidebooks and their limitations. I mentioned how they were great stepping-stones but were not material one should live by or base an entire trip off of. What I did fail to mention were all the different types of guidebooks out there, especially the ones that are focused on specific topics, such as culinary or adventure.

Luckily, one of the readers of my blog made me aware of this mistake, so I have decided to write this piece as a supplement.

My guide will hopefully help you narrow down which book to get a hold of and what each brand is known for.

For an entirely new destination, guidebooks are great if you have no idea what to expect. They will give you a little background on the new country, city or region you’re traveling to, so you do not walk in completely oblivious of cultural norms and regulations. In addition, they will include things like safety tips, public transportation information, exchange rates and the likes.

These tips are invaluable, and if known prior to departure, will typically make your trip that much smoother.

All guide books that I am aware of come fully stocked with maps of the area. These can be as broad as country maps but can be as specific as city maps and even smaller if you are looking for a specific part of town.

Having the maps in your book will keep them pristine, and if you are anything like me and you like to write on your maps, it will become a great keepsake of your travels. However, there has always been the temptation to live by guidebooks; to do everything and anything the book suggested because those who wrote it are professionals, right? Well, yes, that may be accurate, but each traveler has his or her own taste.

What these professionals may find intriguing or exciting might not be the most interesting thing to you, and vice versa. It

is important that you venture off yourself, outside of the book, and find something that you really enjoy.

For those of you who like to visit all the tourist destinations in Europe, Rick Steves Guide Books are the ones you should look for.

Steves does a fantastic job of outlining the attractions, provides a little bit of history and shows you how, when and what to see at each locale. His books go as in-depth as the certain city, but are as wide ranged as the entire continent as well. Each book serves a different purpose; you just need to know what you’re looking for.

If cost is not an issue and you like great food, Michelin Guides are right up your alley. Although too expensive for most budget travelers, Michelin specializFlickr/ Chinnian es in culinary travel, identifying and locating the best restaurants of each destination. Be weary, however, some of the restaurants they propose will need reservations far in advance.

Probably the ones that appeals to my own heart, Lonely Planet Guide Books, are written for the wanderer, the one who likes to roam around, see obscure things, eat some unique food or visit less-known land marks. In my humble opinion, I prefer Lonely Planet not because I am some brand-loving snob, but because I think they give you the most bang for your buck and the most information without spoiling the whole activity for you.

Finally, with a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Fodor’s has got it all. I would say it is the best mixture of activities for the wanderer, for the foodie, for the budgeter and for the affluent.

This book is the epitome of travel stepping stones, providing all the information you need to get you on your way. Choosing a guidebook is all up to personal choice.

What you put in is what you get out. I hope this will keep you from making a foolish mistake and spending $30 on something you may never read.

Editorial: Change on campus only possible with unified effort For the past year the University of Mary Washington has undergone somewhat of an identity crisis. From last semester’s Greek life debate, to this semester’s sexual assault debate, we remain a campus that appears divided on a multitude of major issues, as well as the process in which we take on these issues.

While debate is important and useful for full-fledged discussion, it is important to respect the sides expressed clearly and eloquently, and it is wrong for students to view each other as enemies or adversaries.

We are the UMW community together, but only students apart. As a community, we can make change by calling upon our administration and demanding better, not by attacking one another.

Many at the university have divided themselves by organization and groups, but no group should aim to isolate another. We are all members of the UMW community, and we can work together to make the campus a better place. As a community, we need to recognize the situations as events that have caused conversations to begin. We need to embrace these conversations and continue to use our voices to be involved. The vast amount of student activism on campus is a sign of how much our campus cares about the place many of us call home.

The most important thing is to support one another. As a campus, we should not divide ourselves so heavily that we see death threats and harmful statements akin

to cyber-bullying circulating on social media.

We need to recognize that Yik Yak and other anonymous platforms are not legitimate forums for debate and change. The use of these practices make it more detrimental to the situations because speakers are cloaked by ambiguity and write inappropriate things not proper or useful for discussion. We should stay away from using these platforms as ways to debate issues that need to be addressed in a respectful and face-to-face.

Meaningful discussions work. We have seen it in campus town halls, op-eds and non-anonymous social media platforms.

This is how we spark discussions and help make changes on campus. We encourage

the university administration to consider holding these forums and discussions on the matters the student body finds important. We need to be open about working together to make change on campus. If we divide ourselves further, we only bury the opportunity to make change.

While all of these controversies and events demand to be acknowledged and discussed, these experiences should not define our time here at UMW. We have joined clubs, sports and found our best friends here. We strive for the best in our liberal arts education. We demand equal and fair justice. We are a body of smart and intellectual individuals who have the capacity to make real change when we work together.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Mona Osmer | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Veteran Vision Project opens up conversation on the after effects of war

Kickstarter ALEX SPENCE Staff Writer

As the daughter of a man who served in the U.S. Army, I know there are many stories, memories and moments to be shared once soldiers return home.

However, I also know there are many serious stories and memories that are not so easily shared.

For example, Devin Mitchell, a junior at Arizona State University, began a project called the Veteran Vision Project, in which genuine images depict veterans and their daily struggles once returning home.

Beginning on Aug. 8, 2014, Mitchell traveled the West Coast in search of men and women who wanted to share their stories in a different, more conservative format.

“I specialize in trick photography, and it wasn’t until I had started building my photo essay for my grad school application that I figured I would look at a sociological issue…which is the double life that a lot of [veterans] live,” said Mitchell.

When Mitchell first began the Veteran Vision Project, the amount of people willing to welcome him into their home and pose for pictures were few.

However, after his first five photos went online, his email began to fill up with story requests.

Mitchell’s campaign asked that the participants tell their stories through two still photographs while posing in a mirror.

Mitchell would then proceed to take the two different stills and photoshop them into one powerful image.

The final photo would then display the two sides of a veteran, one in uniform and one after they have returned home.

The Veteran Vision Project seeks to unmask issues “behind the uniform.”

Mitchell thought of this project as a way to help and heal while spreading awareness of disorders such as PTSD and the high rate of suicide among veterans.

A particular photo Mitchell shot revealed a husband and wife who both served in the Marines.

In one photo they were holding each other in uniform, and in the next, the wife, Marine Cpl. Daphne Bye, held a sign that read “divorcing but united.”

Bye decided to speak up about her photograph, saying, “Even though we looked happy on the outside and that we truly did try for us and our daughter, there’s only so much you can do when the issues are with-

Hollilla

in yourself.”

While some people chose to speak about their lives and their photographs, Mitchell did not require it. He did not interview them; he only asked to take their photo.

However, Mitchell would reveal that the people who participated in the photo shoot would then invite him to dinner or sit and talk with him for hours.

It was almost as if he was able to experience a day of their lives. “Artistic journalism” is what he called it.

Brad Ivanchan, an injured Marine who participated in the project, overcame many obstacles after losing both of his legs in combat.

One of these obstacles included climbing Mount Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America, only eight months after he lost his limbs in battle.

The success rate of those who climb Aconcagua is only 30 percent, but Ivanchan became the first double amputee in history to complete it, according to Tim Wayne Medvets, a writer for the Eddie Bauer official blog.

“Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan started, 2.5 million veterans have served in the armed forces and deployed. This project really helps tell their story after they’ve

returned home,” said Ivanchan, who received a Purple Heart after serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mitchell now has a website that includes photos and documentaries of the men and woman who have participated in his project.

One specific documentary touches on the issue of suicide.

Jared Comini, who served in the Marine Corps, chose to pose for his photograph with a shotgun positioned under his chin.

He admitted that suicide was definitely something he struggled with after returning home.

“I don’t do it because of my family, and because of my friends who don’t get to live. I keep going because they don’t get to,” said Comini.

Member of the U.S. Navy Kelli Serio was also photographed holding a gun to her head.

“These photos will raise awareness,” said Serio. “The power in seeing that, it can change everything. It might not be easy on the eyes, and people might not want to see them, but it’s very important.”

Israel’s presidental election could destabilize the international community

Flickr/ Masa Israel Journey COLEMAN HOPKINS Staff Writer

With the re-election of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Wednesday, Israel made a decision with dire implications that extend well beyond its contested borders and the present day.

By voting to continue down the uncompromising path paved by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israelis chose to polarize an already unstable region. They have set the stage for future conflicts that jeopardize not only the east, but also the west, particularly the United States. Earlier in March, Netanyahu spoke to the U.S. Congress on House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation in order to stress that Israel was fighting for its life against Iran.

Although it was not explicitly stated, Netanyahu implied heavily that he was fighting for his life, and much of his campaign centered around tying two struggles, the nuclear apocalypse Bibi foresees and his country’s elections, together.

Netanyahu framed his election as a choice between life and death for Israel, with him being the only savior, and the people bought it.

I believe that this Israeli election was crucial and in many ways will prove to be more important than the coming U.S. presidential election in the fall of 2016. This Israeli election could very well dictate whether or not America engages in another war in the Middle East.

Because the people of Israel decided

to stand with Netanyahu, America’s foreign policy making decisions will become much less flexible and rational.

Netanyahu is positive that Iran wants a nuclear bomb for the single purpose of using it against Israel. He could be right. Israel is a democratic country and its security is obviously a global concern. However, what Netanyahu does not see is that there are other ways to solve this problem.

Over the past century, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons has been shockingly successful and could well continue to be if we give it a chance.

The Obama administration has split with Senate Republicans over the now infamous Iran negotiations, mostly on whether or not the deal would constitute a treaty or not and if the Senate would be required to ratify it. The dispute speaks to a larger issue: whether or not a deal can be brokered between two bitter enemies and what an alternative entails.

Joshua Muravchik of Johns Hopkins University’s foreign policy institute wrote in his piece titled “War with Iran is Probably our Best Option” that the only way to fix this Iranian nuclear problem is through a military offensive against the Iranian regime.

In the article, he explains that Obama does not understand that Netanyahu’s alternative is war and that we ought to get behind our ally because our interests align.

No matter what cost, fiscal or human, Iran cannot have that bomb. Since nonpro-

liferation is supposedly no longer viable, it looks like the U.S. better man up and get ready for another war in the desert.

Where have we heard this all or nothing outlook before? There is a shrewd observation from the great conservative thinker and English statesman Edmund Burke that those who refuse to learn from history are destined to repeat it. If this argument on why war would work with Iran is not verbatim of the argument for going into Iraq, then I do not know what it is.

In addition, with the candidates of the 2016 presidential race looking to be Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, I fear that the U.S. is very close to repeating history.

For example, both candidates are known to have an uncomfortable closeness to a Zionist foreign policy lobby with a penchant for spending American money and blood on wars.

Moreover, both candidates’ outlooks on foreign policy only ever lead the U.S. into trouble and set peace in the region further back.

If either of the two aforementioned candidates are elected, I would feel very uncomfortable about their dealings with a conflict-seeking Netanyahu, who has launched two wars and has had a very quick trigger finger throughout his term.

Moreover, many Americans share the sentiment that we have fought too many wars or engaged in too many fruitless conflicts to risk another foolish conquest.

5

LIFE

Editor: Amanda Motley | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Mr. UMW brings humor and talent to Dodd Auditorium

Ginny Clark/The Blue & Gray Press

Men from different residence halls battled it out to win the title of Mr. UMW. As the show continued, the contestants AMANDA MOTLEY Life Editor were introduced with hilarious biographies announced by graduate student Brandon Dodd Auditorium filled with glitz and Smith and sophomore theatre and chemisglamour as the men of the University of try double major Chris Sandoval.

By far, the most popular round was the Mary Washington residence halls compettalent portion, where the men chose a taled in the annual Mr. UMW pageant.

The show, which had a Disney theme, ent to showcase in order for them to earn showcased the men as they competed in points with the judges.

Senior biology major Kamsi Paul Young talent, battle round and dancing ability.

The show opened with the men per- Edemobi kicked off the talent portion with forming to classic Disney songs, including his rendition of the “Footloose” dance that “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” “Under the involved flips and turns, much to the audience’s delight.

Sea” and “Be Our Guest.”

Other notable talents included senior Evan Smallwood performing the iconic dance number from “Napoleon Dynamite,” freshman Dalton Baughn lip syncing to Beyonce’s “Love on Top,” freshman Josh Smallwood tying six bow ties in under a minute and sophomore Mikey Barnes lip syncing the theme song to the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” “Mr. Commuter’s talent by far stood out,” said junior Helen Bower. “His ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ dance was classic, and it was so cute.”

After the talent portion of the night, two of the men were voted off the stage. Unfortunately, Josh Smallwood and Alex Siven were voted off, leaving six contestants vying for the coveted title.

As the show moved into the next round, the men chose a weapon to show off their strength and fight for additional points from the judges. Each man brought a unique spin to show off their strength, but after this round another two were voted off.

Sophomore journalism major Chris Markham and freshman Dalton Baughn got the boot following this round.

Before the third round, three additional titles were awarded to the contestants as bonuses. Smallwood won the Philanthropy Award for raising $135 for the scholarship in Bob Ericson’s name, and Barnes won

both the Social Media Award and the Peoples’ Choice Award.

However, in the end, only one man could become Mr. UMW, and Barnes prevailed. Kevin Sol followed in second place, with Evan Smallwood taking third place.

After the show, Barnes commented how thankful he was for the people who supported him..

“I owe it all to everyone who helped me out, from my roommate, to all my friends posting on social media,” said Barnes. “I really want to thank my Grandpa, who walked me across the stage.”

The competitors spent last week practicing and perfecting the event to make for a hilarious show.

The money from the event went to the Bob Ericson Science scholarship fund.

Tickets from this event were one dollar, and all the proceeds from the sales and raffles went toward the scholarship.

Ian Spangler, a junior English and geology double major announced details about the scholarship. He informed the crowd that every penny counts toward reaching their goal of $25,000.

At Mr. UMW, the Association of Residence Halls raised $350 dollars. One Note Stand, who is organizing the fundraising, is close to reaching their goal, having raised $21,000 currently.

Class Council celebrates campus tradition with beach-themed Junior Ring Week

Ginny Clark/ The Blue & Gray Press

Class Council presented the Junior Ring Ceremony on March 20, 2015. Every junior who purchased a ring was able to participate in the traditions of the ceremony.

MATTHEW MACALOON Staff Writer

Class Council, known as the organization on campus that carries out events that honor the University of Mary Washington’s most treasured traditions, did their part this weekend in celebrating the 58-year tradition of Junior Ring Week.

Junior Ring Week started in 1957 and was originally more about the actual ceremony when junior class members were presented with their college ring.

However, as time went on, the event expanded to a celebration of juniors for a whole week.

In the past couple of years, Class Council expanded the event to give it more of a cohesive theme and rebooted the tradition of having a dance as part of the weeklong celebration.

According to senior Connor Murphy, the promotions director for the Class of 2015 and the executive board, last year was the first time the week included a dance since 2009.

“When Ring Week began back in 1957, the dance was the most popular

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event in part because not everyday of the week had an event,” said Murphy.

The idea behind putting a theme to Ring Week was so that Class Council could reintegrate the dance into the week of events, as well as give direction to the week as a whole.

“I personally had wanted the dance to be brought back since I was a freshman,” said Murphy.

Kayla VanWerkhoven, a junior geology major, said that during her freshman year, the week had six events with no overarching theme, and the ceremony was held on that Saturday instead of Friday.

Now that the dance is back, it has seen its way back to being one of the most popular events for Class Coun-

cil, and caused an increased turnout for events across the whole week as compared to years past.

This year’s theme was beach/luau, which brought upon events such as Monday’s luau on campus walk and Tuesday’s treasure hunt. The luau was mostly a giveaway of items on campus, where Class Council handed out sunglasses and beach balls to all students while the shirts and tiki cups were given exclusively for juniors.

The rest of the week’s events included Wednesday’s glow in the dark dodge ball, Thursday’s dance and Friday’s ring ceremony. All of these events that recur annually, but the dance is decorated to fit the specific year’s theme.

Class of 2016 President Ethan Lane said the event was incredibly successful and a fun event for all.

“I CAN’T SAY IF THAT WAS DUE TO THE THEME OR THE WEATHER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK IT WAS A COMBINATION OF BOTH.”

-Ethan Lane

“I can’t say if that was due to the theme or the weather, but I would like to think it was a combination of both,” said Lane.

The dance is sponsored by the university’s alumni association and is held in the Jepson Alumni Center.

“The turnout was great,” said Lane.

“The DJ, who we hired from Party Cartel, had me and everyone else jamming all night.”

Following Thursday’s dance was Friday’s ring ceremony, where the juniors got to hear three speakers. Lane introduced the evening’s speakers, which consisted of class of 1983 graduate and director of James Monroe Museum Scott Harris, Provost, Jonathan Levin and the keynote speaker for the evening, assistant professor of political science Chad Murphy.

The juniors were given their class rings, which led to the snapping of the boxes, a tradition during the ceremony where all the juniors snap their ring boxes shut in unison. According to the VanWerkhoven, the snapping of the boxes is to “snap us into senior year.”

Thursday, March 26, 2015

LIFE

Spring fashion highlights vintage styles

the Blog Souq

Some of the major colors to incorporate into your spring wardrobe will be Luctite Green, Classic Blue, Tangerine, Custard, Marsala and Glacier Grey. the most accessible being retro polos. This not a redo of 70s fashion, but rather a rem- summer) or halter-tops.

If you’re feeling especially nostalgic, will take form in color blocking, two-tone, iniscing.

This will mean flared and modestly you may even grab yourself a pair of block argyle or banded polos.

If you are more of a t-shirt kind of perSpring is here, and if you (like most of wide-legged denim, which complements heels or platform sandals to rock through son, then grab a few funky patterned shirts the remainder of the spring season. us) are still walking around campus wear- most body types.

For those of us to don throughout the rest of the spring. ing knee-high boots and wool coats, the If you are looking But be warned, psychedelic patterns idea of a spring wardrobe has probably yet for a spring coat to TRY PLAYING AROUND who are more hesitant to jump right into can be a tricky line to walk. Too bold and to cross your mind. get you through those WITH VINTAGE season’s flashback you may ruin your whole outfit, so go Nonetheless, fashion calls and spring mild temperatures, ACCESSORIES SUCH AS this trends, you may want modest in pattern and bold in coloring. trend lists have arrived. grab the trench coat ROUND-EYED The other top trend bidding for men’s to start with more As we have all been told countless tucked away in your attention this spring is bomber coats. modest pieces. times, fashion is cyclical, and this proves closet.

SUNGLASSES, Luckily, couture has given the OK on As far as colors go Try playing around true once again with the return of the 70s. for said coat, it can be MEDIUM-WASHED DENIM with vintage acces- essentially any type, be it shearling-lined That’s right. sories such as round- or leather, have fun and you can’t go Runways and designers alike are going as individual as the OR BUCKET BAGS. eyed sunglasses, me- wrong. retro, with a modern twist of course. For person; do not restrict This season is mandating a 70s state of dium-washed denim or bucket bags. both men and women, this season’s trends yourself to the classic tan.

Make sure to also grab at least one tie Women’s wardrobes are not the only mind, so keep your prints funky and your also mean keeping your eyes open for psypants flared. While perusing department neck blouse in pastel colors for spring. ones that are jumping back in time. chedelic prints and minimalist outlines.

However, before you go asking your When the weather starts getting warmWhile men’s fashion is typically never store racks and waiting for a far out summom for bell-bottomed jeans and peace er, begin transitioning to crop tops (which as drastic as women’s, there are a few new mer, make sure to see everything through sign necklaces, know that spring 2015 is you may have left over from the end of last trends directed at men this season as well, rose-colored glasses.

CHELSEA FULLER Staff Writer

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TIFFANY OSUANAH Staff Writer

Sugar Scrubs

With the change of the seasons and the unpredictable weather, our skin is often tired and dry from the winter season. It is time to try something new to exfoliate and refresh your skin. So, let’s remedy that with this homemade vanilla coconut sugar scrub. It’s easy to make and will spice up your shower life and convince you to leave those boring body washes behind.

I have wanted to try this D.I.Y. project for a while now because I heard it leaves skin feeling smooth and moisturized. This sugar scrub is great for your body, as it can help to soften and freshen your skin. The scrub also helps to exfoliate dead skin cells and maintain healthy skin, all without the use of harsh chemicals. This sugar scrub is easy to personalize to your liking and is affordable enough to make in large batches, so you can make it whenever you need it, all while leaving the hefty price tag at the store.

Materials:

Edit

1 jar 1/2 cup of coconut oil 1 cup of white sugar 10 drops of vanilla extract

Directions: 1. Place a 1/2 cup of coconut oil into a microwavable bowl and microwave for 45 seconds, or until melted.

2. Add the melted coconut oil to a mixing bowl, along with one cup of white sugar and 10 drops of vanilla extract.

3. Mix ingredients together and transfer sugar scrub into jar

Conclusion:

The process overall is quick and simple, as there are few steps in creating this coconut vanilla sugar scrub. The hardest part of the whole process was transferring the finished mixture into the final jar, and even that was easy. I cannot wait to experiment with new ingredients and scents in the future. I think this will be part of my gifts to friends this year. You could try making new scented sugar scrubs like cotton candy, peppermint, lavender, gingerbread, strawberry, pumpkin spice, mango, vanilla and sugar cookie – the ideas are limitless.

You can find most of these ingredients in your cabinet, and if not, they are quite affordable to buy from the store. After testing the scrub, it left my skin smooth, soft and moisturized. Best of all, it smells great. Overall, this D.I.Y. project was a success and so easy.

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LIFE

ARH provides alcohol education at ‘Not So Thirsty Thursday’ JULIANE KIM Staff Writer

This past Thursday, March 19, the Association of Residence Halls took a shot at ending alcohol abuse with their Not So Thirsty Thursday event.

Students gathered on the fourth floor of Lee Hall for alcohol-free fun. Police officers were brought in to monitor students as they participated in activities with drunk goggles to show how alcohol affects the body.

Not So Thirsty Thursday, once called Thursday Night Dry, has been a bi-annual event for seven years put on by ARH in conjunction with the University of Mary Washington police department.

ARH planned this event for February but moved the date to March due to inclement weather.

The event, according to UMW senior and ARH President Mia Boleis, promotes fun without alcohol and is an educational experience about the effects of alcohol on the body.

The police department supplied the drunk goggles, a device that simulates the visual effects of being drunk in order to demonstrate how balance and perception is affected by alcohol.

“All of our complex councils have their own little events throughout.

We come up with the ideas kind of from the Internet. Today we’re doing minute-to-

win-it games, and a lot of them are childhood games,” said Boleis, “It’s a lot of just fun little trinket games.”

The childhood games ranged from truly nostalgic console games, such as the Nintendo 64 equipped with Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., to fun, simple games, like a giant version of Connect Four.

Many residence halls had their own stands at the event.

The Tri-Mo Complex manned a table with freshly popped popcorn and Mandolph had a human pretzel game with chocolate covered pretzels as prizes.

Other stations offered fruity mocktails, temporary tattoos, face painting and finger painting. There was a photo area set up in the hallway for guests to pose with props and paper hats and a station for a ring tossing game.

Inside the main room were the minute-to-win-it games, where players had the option of wearing the drunk goggles to see how difficult the games would be if they had been drinking.

The goggles were available for the Nintendo 64 players as well. One minuteto-win-it game tested the player’s aim in throwing extra large marshmallows at paper targets while wearing the goggles.

“I thought it was fun. It was a cute concept. We got there pretty early, so there weren’t a lot of people there, but they had an interesting variety of games,” said sophomore Amanda Barnes.

Barnes also noted that the activities from the event were fun and unique compared to other campus events.

“The games with the drunk goggles were really interesting and kind of a cute way of getting their point across,” said Barnes. “It felt casual, which was nice, it didn’t feel like one of those health lessons you get in high school and middle school going, ‘don’t drink, kids.’”

‘Insurgent’ fails to match up to other dystopian series

Flickr

ALEXA ALLEN Staff Writer

“Insurgent” starts off where its prequel, “Divergent,” left off, with a handful of Dauntless refugees, including main characters Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James), taking refuge from the ruthless Erudite fraction.

Erudite members value knowledge above all else and believe that they are the only ones capable of running a functional society.

There are two problems though: the Erudite does not have the manpower to start a war, and the divergent members of society are getting in their way.

Audiences fell in love with the well-rounded characters of the “Insurgent” book from which this movie was based on.

The “Divergent” trilogy was expected to be the next big thing in the dystopian literature craze after “The Hunger Games.”

While the books of the “Divergent” trilogy were well liked, the “Insurgent” box office sales fell short compared to other dystopian movies.

“Insurgent” grossed only $52.26 million during its opening weekend, less than half the opening sales for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”

This installment follows Tris as she battles with guilt stemming from the death

of her parents and her friends in the first movie. Four is an influential member from Dauntless and is emotionally torn between which group to side with in the war against the Erudite.

The relationship between Tris and Four is a theme throughout the movie.

Their romance provides extra elements of suspense throughout the many action scenes in the movie.

This tension also provides the basis for many of the important elements brought in from the book. Kate Winslet, who plays Jeanine, does an excellent job of playing the part of the main villain.

Unfortunately, the movie changes several of the major elements from the book and takes away many of the complexities and character interactions that many readers loved.

Changing some elements from a novel to fit the movie screen is very understandable.

There are several secondary relationships that are just impossible to develop within a two-hour film.

However, the changes to the plot altered the entire ending of the movie.

This left moviegoers who read the book confused and even irritated with the discrepancies.

Overall, it is not a movie that I would see twice, but I did enjoy it once I separated my expectations for the movie from what I thought of the book.

Austin Moody comes to UMW AERIEL MERRILLAT Staff Writer

Country music fans at the University of Mary Washington gathered at the Underground Wednesday night for UPC Live’s latest acoustic act, Austin Moody.

Moody is a self-taught songwriter from Tennessee who plays at colleges and universities across the country.

He arrived Wednesday night with two members of his band, one on drums and the other on guitar. The band played several country tunes for a full and enthusiastic audience.

His hit song, “Number One,” had the crowd singing and swaying along to its upbeat melody and love-struck lyrics.

Moody’s energy on stage was contagious, as students danced and clapped along to the music.

Moody grew up around music and started playing in a bluegrass band by the time he was 14.

He soon discovered that he had a passion for music and began writing songs at the age of 15.

Originally from Kingsport, Tennessee, Moody moved to Nashville when he was 21 to pursue his dreams.

His songs are all written with an authenticity often found in country music.

According to his website, Moody likes to write about things that go on in his life.

“When I make music I just write about what I know – real life experiences,” said Moody.

He also brings his personal beliefs and strong Christian background into the songs he writes, as well as his performances, claiming that his faith led him to want to “touch lives and inspire others through his music.”

Moody is known for his soulful, low voice that sets him apart from most popular country singers today.

His music can be described as a love child between George Strait and John Mayer, with the combination of a classic country sound and a stripped down, vulnerable acoustic act.

Moody has released three singles and is currently recording his new LP, which is to be released later this year. He already put out his debut EP, with hit songs such as “Be Ready,” “I Wanna” and “Plant the Seed,” all of which incorporate his signature sultry country twain, acoustic guitar and relatable lyrics.

Admirers of Moody have called his deep vocals timeless and soothing, and according to the crowd’s reaction on Wednesday night, UMW country music fans seemed to agree.

Rachael Sturgis, a junior sociology major, came to the event with a couple of her friends.

She claims to be a country music fan and was thrilled to hear that UPC Live was bringing a country musician to campus.

“I think it’s really cool that UPC is providing country music for the students,” said Sturgis. “They don’t normally have this genre on campus, and he has a really good voice.”

UPC Live replaced the usual Acoustic Night this year as the weekly event on Wednesdays in the Underground.

UPC Live hosts a myriad of performances ranging from karaoke to a variety of musicians that are all available to students free of charge every Wednesday evening.

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NEWS

Students unlikely to transfer out of UMW, likely to graduate faster than average

ALISON THOET Editor-In-Chief

The University of Mary Washington was ranked 18th in the top 25 public colleges from which students graduate within a four-year period by a recent Money Magazine study conducted through the U.S. Department of Education.

According to the article, UMW is one of “the schools that will help you avoid the wasted time and added expense of spending a fifth year (or more) in the classroom.”

The national average has climbed steadily upward to an average matriculation time of 4.6 years, with only one-third of public college and university students earning their bachelor’s in four years, according to the article. UMW’s current graduation rate is at 66 percent and costs about $101,952 on average for a bachelor’s degree.

Like many other schools, UMW uses the Common Application method for admissions and receives about 4,000 freshmen applications every year. Last year, application numbers jumped to a record 5,000, according to Kimberley Buster-Williams, associate provost for enrollment management.

“Our trends mirror national trends,” said Buster-Williams.

The higher applicant pool is a side effect of students applying to more schools on average during their college application process.

Last year, about 900 of those 5,000 applicants enrolled at UMW even though 4,000 were accepted in total. According to Buster-Williams, the acceptance rate at UMW is in the 70 percent range and has

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been for the past five years.

According to Buster-Williams, students chosen for acceptance are screened to determine if they will be a good fit for the university, as well as academic merit.

“We do tend to attract a high achieving applicant,” said Buster-Williams.

Some students do not make it to graduation in four years though, whether they transfer because they do not feel UMW is right for them, drop out or spend extra time at UMW. According to Buster-Williams, UMW retains about 80 percent of freshmen. The number of transfers increased last year, resulting in about a 78 percent retention rate, which is still well above the national average, according to Buster-Williams.

There are a variety of reasons why students leave UMW, including personal reasons, medical or simply that UMW did not fit.

“There’s always that goal to retain more, graduate more and that’s really any school that wants to improve on those statistics,” said Buster-Williams. “I think we’re very good at presenting who we are as a university and delivering on the things that we promise. I think when you don’t deliver then I think that’s when you start to run into problems.”

Senior environmental science major Max Hammerton knew a few students who transferred from UMW in the past.

“I know some of the people who transferred out of here transferred for the size,” he said.

UMW is also trying out new methods and techniques for admissions, including

University Relations The University of Mary Washington retains 80 percent of freshmen who return for their sophomore year.

on-site acceptance, which began last year, and the possibility of not requiring an SAT score for applicants.

The on-site acceptance began for this year’s freshmen class, with the first event occurring last fall in Richmond. There were specific requirements for the event, including a pre-registration for students who wanted to have their information reviewed for acceptance. About 20 people applied on-site of the 75 people in attendance, according to Buster-Williams.

“It really, I think, attracted the student that was already excited about Mary Washington,” said Buster-Williams.

Buster-Williams believes a removal of SAT score requirements, an idea she proposed before the Board of Visitors last month, will allow students who do not test well but excel in other areas to still be reviewed by UMW, adding a new group to

the applicant pool.

“I think we’ll still attract a high-achieving students,” she said.

English major Kelsey Roach will be graduating this May and weighed in on the possible removal of the SAT requirement for applicants.

“I think it’s interesting the SAT won’t be considered anymore because I never really saw the SAT correlating with my education at UMW,” said Roach. “It never really helped or affected my education at Mary Washington, so I think it will be beneficial.”

According to Buster-Williams, UMW is currently at its desired size in terms of classes and uniqueness. Ultimately, admissions will continue “looking for a student that is going to be successful here,” she said.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

NEWS POLICE BEAT

Human trafficking awareness event sheds light on survivors

BY EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH Assistant News Editor

VANDALISM Vandalism was reported at Eagle Landing on Saturday, March 21 at 2:30 a.m. The case is pending.

MAIL FRAUD Mail fraud was reported at the UMW Post Office between Tuesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 12 at 12 p.m.

The case was turned over to the U.S. Postal Inspector for investigation.

LARCENY A case of larceny was reported at Eagle Landing on Saturday, March 21 at 3:45 p.m. The case is pending.

The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Natatia Bledsoe.

Courtney’s House

EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH Assistant News Editor

When most people think of kidnapping or human trafficking, the film “Taken,” starring Liam Neeson, typically comes to mind. Most people do not think of pimping.

Yet pimping, or sex trafficking, is prevalent in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and thousands of kids and teenagers across the state are affected.

This was the theme behind the Evening of Human Trafficking Awareness, which took place on Friday, March 20 at The University of Mary Washington’s Center for Faith and Leadership.

The event was organized by the Central Virginia Justice Initiative, a faithbased organization that educates residents in Fredericksburg and surrounding areas about human trafficking and how to respond.

The event included music from Joy Lippard, who graduated from Liberty University in 2013. A singer and songwriter, Lippard produced an album, called “Set Free,” which brings awareness to human trafficking.

The event’s keynote speaker was the Director of Investigative Services at Courtney’s House, an organization that searches for victims of human trafficking and provides them with counseling and mentors.

The organization also raises awareness about human trafficking in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Courtney’s House is led by individu-

als who survived human trafficking and is the only survivor-run organization in the D.C. metro area. The Director of Investigative Services told the story of Courtney House’s founder, Tina Frundt.

Frundt was trafficked when she was eight years old and in foster care. When Frundt was adopted, she was approached by a man 15 years older than her who gained her trust and drove her to school.

Then, asking her not to call her parents, he

Frundt was a victim of human trafficking for a long time before she founded Courtney’s House, but she works to pull young people from the same way of life she was a victim of.

“Never in my life did I think it was possible for my horrific past to impact a positive change in another person’s life,” stated Frundt on the Courtney’s House website.

As of now, Virginia is the only state in the U.S. that does not have laws against human trafficking. However, a law enforcing penalties specifically for commercial sex traffickers was passed by the Virginia General Assembly and sent to Gov. Terry McAuliffe to be signed.

A familiar face at the Center for Faith and Leadership has also taken up the cause to end human trafficking in Virginia. One of co-leaders at the Center, Gannon Sims, formerly worked as a public affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State’s anti-human trafficking office.

Michele Trampe, executive director of Central Virginia Justice Initiative, encouraged people to be aware of the signs of human trafficking “Even if it’s just something doesn’t look right,” said Trampe. “It’s important that we all familiarize ourselves with these signs.”

The event was eye-opening for Kadeem Gittens, a sophomore business administration major and vice president of the Center for Faith and Leadership.

“I thought it was very informative,” said Gittens. “What they said will make a huge impact on our community and it should be heard.”

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AFFECTS YOUNG MEN AS WELL AS WOMEN, AND 42 PERCENT OF CHILDREN SOLD IN THE DC METRO AREA ARE MALE. drove Frundt from her home in Chicago to his home in Ohio where he trafficked her and other young women.

According to the Director of Investigative Services, sex trafficking can be a profitable industry. An average pimp in the D.C. metro area can make $100,000 a week under the table by selling five children.

Human trafficking affects young men as well as young women, and 42 percent of children sold in the D.C. metro area are male.

Guest gender and women’s study professor speaks on race, gender, violence MIGUEL MARX Staff Writer

Anita Taylor, professor emerita of communication and member of the gender and women’s studies faculty at George Mason University, spoke on feminist issues in a lecture to University of Mary Washington students at Lee Hall on March 18. Taylor discussed how much of modern society’s problems are feminist issues.

At the beginning of the speech, Taylor identified anger as the cause of a violent U.S. culture. One case that Taylor focused on was the recent shooting of Michael

Brown and the subsequent rioting in Ferguson, Missouri. According to Taylor, these events point to the delicate relationship between community members and the police.

In the lecture, Taylor postulated that race and gender cannot be separated, and that the Michael Brown case is not only a race issue, but a feminist one as well. Taylor went on to say that the events in Ferguson were the result of anger within the community.

According to Taylor, the effort to end violent exchanges between police and community members would require an effort by all feminists, both male and female. To

Scott Lum/ Flickr During her presentation, Taylor stressed the need for intersectionality to end violent protests.

end outbursts of violence, “we need to start talking about these issues,” said Taylor Taylor also spoke on the connection between how people define manhood and violence. Of all the criminal acts that involve firearms, the aggressors are mostly men and most of the victims are also men.

Sophomore anthropology major Jasmine Turner said she disagrees with what Taylor said in her lecture.

“I don’t know, I don’t agree with that statement [manhood is connected to violence].

It could change with cultures. It’s the way the media has shaped it,” said Turner.

Other feminist issues that Taylor addressed included the role of many women on televised events as eye candy for viewers.

“I guess the media brings up the point of women being eye candy, but it’s the people who blow it up really. It’s how you look at it,” said Turner.

However, other students agreed with Taylor’s points.

“I pretty much agree with Taylor on this topic because all the magazine articles are about how women look and not their intelligence, which I think makes success all about looks,” said sophomore political science and sociology double major Emma Valinski. “All the media talks about is looks. I think it gives young girls the idea that it is all about appearance and not intellectual success.”

Taylor addressed many other issues as well, including voting rights. Taylor stated that even if voting restriction laws were all gone, we would still be the lowest participating voting country among developed democracies. Voting is a right because only the government can grant anyone this privilege.

“In order to get people involved you need to use social media to appeal to them,” said Taylor. “You need an approach that means more to them [young adults].

We have to learn how to speak to them. We have to learn how to speak to them. There’s no effort in involving young people.”

ACCORDING TO TAYLOR, THE EFFORT TO END VIOLENT EXCHANGES BETWEEN POLICE AND MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY WOULD REQUIRE EN EFFORT BY ALL FEMINISTS, MAKE AND FEMALE.

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SPORTS

Editor: Chris Markham | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Battleground Relays 2015:

Team and alumni gather to celebrate Coach Soper’s last home meet CODY REYNOLDS Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in their only home meet of the season at the Battleground Relays on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21, marking Head Coach Stan Soper’s last home meet ever in light of his retirement following the 2015 outdoor track season.

On the men’s side, sophomore Glenn Taylor won the 100 meter dash at 10.82 seconds. Senior James King won the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 10:44.10.

The men’s team further impressed with sophomore Kevin McCarthy, juniors Jamie Van Emmerik and Tate Houff and senior Julian Menk finishing first in the 4x800 relay with a time of 8:29.43. Many of those same pieces competed in the distance medley relay with Van Emmerik, Menk, McCarthy and sophomore Ben Sorensen, taking a first place finish at 10:54.04.

Freshman Daniel Forjan won the hammer throw with a toss of 125 feet, five inches, and senior Frank Corona won the javelin with 171 feet, three inches.

Women’s track and field gathered a plethora of wins as well, starting with freshman Janel Moore in the 100 meter dash at 12.84 seconds.

In the distance events, senior Lauren Braney won the 5,000 meter run with a time of 19:42.45, and Tara Landy won the 10,000 meter run at 41:57. Junior Samantha Park took home a commemorative first-place mug as well in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 12:43.

The women’s relay events had success-

Ian Granger Stan Soper at the last home meet of his career.

ful day, as the 4x200 composed of junior Emily Derse, sophomore Bailey Ratliff, freshman Rachel Lewis and Moore won with a time of 1:53.41. The 4x400 with Derse, Lewis, senior Claire Harrington and Moore won at 4:19.95. The 4x800 team of freshman Marin Bader, Lewis, sophomore Victoria Parent and Park also took first at 10:22.70.

The distance medley relay won at 13:10.73 seconds, comprised of Lewis, Ratliff, Bader and Braney.

The women also did work in the field events, with Harrington winning the pole vault with a leap of 10 feet, six inches. Junior Jordan Watkins won the triple jump at 32 feet, 11.75 inches.

Sophomore Sheree Turner won the hammer throw at 132 feet, 10 inches, and junior Taylor Cockerille won a pair of events in the shot put with a throw of 38 feet, 11 inches and the discus at 132 feet, five inches.

This Battlegrounds relay was also the host of Area 11 Special Olympic competitors, with athletes running the 100 meter dash on Saturday.

Junior Carline Cerand played a pivotal role in the Special Olympics inclusion, bridging the connection between UMW Coach Stan Soper and Jim Garrett of the Special Olympic Area 11, as well as securing the contact and participation with the special Olympians.

“The Battleground relay has always been about three things…getting into outdoor race shape, having fun and enjoying the nice weather,” said Soper.

Coach Soper has been one of the top cross country and track and field coaches in the region for three decades, earning a lengthy list of accolades. Soper earned the Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in track and field 21 times, leading the team to 23 CAC titles, including 17 for women.

In his first season as UMW track and field coach, the program was in its infancy, existing for only three years.

“The team has since grown in size, in terms of quality of student athletes in the program,” said Soper.

Under his tenure as coach for 31 years, Soper has overseen 47 All-American performers, coached six NCAA Championship-qualifying teams and has led UMW to a combined 48 conference titles.

k... r a m r u On yo ..

Get set.

Go!

Ian Granger Following the 2015 Battleground Relays, alumni gathered at the Jepson Alumni Center for a reception.

“Certainly the men and women’s team have enjoyed quite a bit of success in the conference and in the national level,” said Soper. “There are peaks and valleys, but what I’m pretty proud of is that we have been able to minimize the lows. We have always been one of the top tier teams in the conference, which to me, has been the most satisfying.”

During his last Battleground experience, Soper said he “was more focusing on try-

“SEEING HOW MANY [ALUMNI] CAME FROM HOW FAR AND COMING TOGETHER ONE MORE TIME MADE IT A NIGHT I’LL NEVER FORGET.” - Stan Soper ing to run the meet smoothly and enjoying watching our athletes compete on our home track.”

“Battlegrounds has always been about having fun here at UMW,” said Soper, looking back on Battlegrounds past.

With his mind made up about his last season, Soper did not have the sudden rush of realization that it was his last meet. This was in part played by the overwhelming support he received from alumni and former athletes of his, who came to visit him during his last home meet.

Coming from all over the country, Soper received many good wishes at a reception following the meet from Eagles who have since graduated.

“Seeing how many came from how far and coming together one more time really made it a night I’ll never forget,” said Soper.

Senior captain Tom Hudson has kept his friendship with his coach “close to his heart.”

Hudson said he always knew in the back of his mind that “Soper’s retirement would come” and that he was “proud to work and run for such a great guy and coach.”

“Every team that Soper has coached was his family. Hearing from alumni, it’s clear that every team has their own family bonds with coach, that’s how close we are to him,” said Hudson.

After spending the last 31 years of one’s life doing what you love most, it is understandably difficult to walk away and make peace with it. With so much extra free time, Soper said he has many things planned to keep his mind off of his former job.

“I’ll be doing things that will make [my wife] happy,” said Soper. “I know how much she has had to put up with me and how much she has had to sacrifice for me, so now I get to do things with and for her, which basically means being on the water and hanging out on the beach.”

Coach Soper’s career is certainly one of admiration and praise, and with one month left in his career, surely more will come about before he crosses the finish line.

First weekend of March Madness continues precedent of upsets STEPHEN RECHTER Staff Writer

March Madness 2015’s Round of 64 immediately kicked things off with a typical dose of bracket-shattering, upset-filled hysteria.

Right off the bat, the tournament saw the defeat of two highly-regarded No. 3 seeds in painful, single-point losses. Little-known No. 14 seed University of Alabama Birmingham knocked out the first, Iowa State, by a score of 60-59. Baylor followed soon after, losing to No. 14 seed Georgia State in a 57-56 killer. Both of these losses quickly shocked fans and ruined brackets across the country.

However these would not be the end of the first round’s upsets, though no others were quite so shocking. Continuing in the trend of tight-scoring losses, No. 6 seed SMU was upset by No. 11 seed UCLA 60-

Thursday, March 26, 2015

59, while No. 10 seed Ohio State took down No. 7 seed VCU in a 75-72 overtime game. The final upset of the first round was the surprisingly decisive loss of No. 6 seed Providence to No. 11 seed Dayton in a marginal 66-53 affair.

Every other victory went to the higher-seeded team, though there were a number of close calls, particularly in the No. 8 and No. 9 seed matchups. Both Cincinnati vs. Purdue and N.C. State vs. Louisiana State University ended in nail-biting 6665 finishes, with Cincinnati and N.C. State prevailing respectively.

Those hoping for the next round to calm the upset waters were also sadly disappointed, as the next round of the tournament also saw a number of major, bracket-crippling upsets. Of course, the biggest upset of the round is the early departure of highly-regarded No. 1 seed Villanova at •NCAA | 3

Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports T.J. McConnell and Brandon Ashley kept the Arizona Wildcats alive through their first two games.

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