The Blue & Gray Press

THE

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

BLUE & GRAY PRESS VOLUME 94 | ISSUE 12

Serving the community since 1922

APRIL 29, 2021

UMW community responds to shooting of unarmed Black man by police officer

SCOTTI MULLEN News Editor

Members of the UMW community are troubled by the recent shooting of an unarmed man 20 miles from campus. On April 21, Spotsylvania County resident Isaiah Brown, a 32-year old Black man, was shot 10 times by a Spotsylvania county deputy, according to NBC News and multiple other news outlets.

Brown is alive but in critical condition as of April 26.

The UMW NAACP released

“This shooting, having occurred just 20 miles from campus, is one that cannot be easily overlooked.”

-UMW NAACP official statement an official statement on April 23.

“This shooting, having occurred just 20 miles from our campus, is one that cannot be easily overlooked,” as written in the statement. “We have endured constant emotional whiplash as a result of willful negligence and lack of accountability on all fronts. This act of brutality is just one of many that we have

witnessed time and again over the course of not only the last few months but also all throughout this country’s 400-year history. So many Black people are in a constant state of mourning, we are numb to the pain.”

A representative from the NAACP was not available to comment in time for publication.

Brown was on a 911 call when the deputy arrived. The body camera footage shows the officer yelling for Brown to put his hands in the air. The officer then mistook the phone Brown was holding as a gun and shoots him.

Reports say that the officer had just driven Brown home about an hour beforehand.

Community members gathered The UMW NAACP released a statement regarding the shooting.

in downtown

@NAACPUMW on Instagram Fredericksburg to

protest Brown’s shooting around 5 p.m. on April 26. They were joined by counterprotesters, police and a news reporter.

Freshman Tabitha Robinson witnessed a part of the protest.

“The air was very charged,” she said. “I felt a little nervous because I wasn’t sure whose side the police were on, and I didn’t want to get caught between anything. Nothing happened while I was there, but I didn’t stay long.

I hadn’t heard anything about it beforehand and I haven’t heard anything about it since.”

UMW Chief of Police Micheal Hall stated that his biggest

concern is being available to

students and being in touch with students’ emotions during this time.

“I think the biggest thing UMW has and will continue to do is patrol our campuses, be visible on campus and look to our community as a shared responsibility for safety,” he said. “When it comes to making someone feel safe, that becomes pragmatic because what your level of comfort is might differ from the next person’s, so we have to find the balance of understanding.”

Vice President of Student Affairs Juliette Landphair spoke on campus safety.

“Safety, of course, is a critical consideration at UMW. The ways in which we reach out to help our community feel more secure take many forms, from broad-based emails to individual well checks. A few of the recent actions included alerting the campus to racial harassment by a community member towards one of our students on campus, taking a stand against AAPI violence (as has been done many times as part of our BLM support), and encouraging self-care and community care and empathy for those most affected by the impact of the Chauvin trial,” she said.

FOIA fees are cost-prohibitive to student journalists

“It came down to ‘is this important enough for us to move forward with?’, and it just wasn’t.”

Since Hackney’s original request, The Blue & Gray In the fall of 2018, then-sophomore Alicen Press filed the same request, with the same wording, Hackney had a bug problem. Hundreds of water in September of 2019. That request came back as beetles had taken up residence in the walls of her costing $717.00. The same request, but with the dates apartment in Eagle Landing, a problem which changed to the fall of 2020, filed in March of 2021, would take the school about seven weeks to solve. came back as costing $1,755 – still out of reach for According to Hackney, it wasn’t until about six accessing that information, but significantly lower weeks into the process that she and her roommates than the initial estimate. In the case of the spring 2021 were informed that the bugs were part of a buildingFOIA request, the cost of Vice President of University wide issue.

Relations Anna Billingsley’s time processing the Hackney, a former writer and editor at The Blue request was waived, as was the cost of the time taken & Gray Press who graduated in 2020, decided to generate the estimate. she wanted more information about why students “We appear to have gotten cheaper,” said weren’t told about the extent of the bug problem Billingsley, who also serves as the FOIA officer at FOIA requests cost students large amounts for information.

and who knew what when. So, in April of 2019, UMW. “[Between 2019 and 2021], a new system [for Maksym Kaharlytskyi / Unsplash work orders], Schooldude, was implemented, meaning she filed the following Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request: far less reliance on emails. It’s the email recovery that FOIA officer Marty Morrison, would have required 7.5 “All pest and plumbing related work orders is so expensive and time-consuming.” hours of work by managerial staff who made $28 an hour, (work orders and proceeding maintenance forms) from The new system accounts for the disparity between and making copies of 92 pages, for a total of $219.20.

Eagle Landing in the Fall 2018 semester, all emails the 2019 and most recent FOIA requests, but it does not The second part of the request, “all emails regarding regarding pest and plumbing issues in Eagle Landing explain the difference between $7,000 and $700 between pest and plumbing issues between maintenance staff and between maintenance staff and the Eagle Landing Area April and September of 2019. the Eagle Landing Area Coordinator, RAs and SRAs in Coordinator, RAs and SRAs in the Fall 2018 semester.”

“I will say that there are different people involved the Fall 2018 semester,” would require 74 hours of work The response was that the maintenance requests were every year – on the FOIA side and the gathering-ofbetween 25 staff members who made between $16 and available, but they would cost her upwards of $7,000. information side,” Billingsley said. “Sometimes, higher “I couldn’t move forward with my story,” she said. “No $42 an hour. Those fees, plus copies of 1,200 pages, paid personnel need to be tapped.” FOIA requests are worked out to $7,356. The total for Hackney’s request one can afford that. My story got lost.” handled on a case-by-case basis. “When a cost is involved, The first part of her request, “pest and plumbing related came out to $7,575. we always say it’s our best estimate – could be higher, Though Hackney asked for advice from the Student work orders (work orders and proceeding maintenance could be lower. Personnel on hand at the time makes a Press Law Center, there didn’t seem to be much of forms) from Eagle Landing in the Fall 2018 semester,” big difference, as does the volume of work involved. I anything anyone could do, even with rewording the generated 42 pest work orders and 50 plumbing work believe we generally come down on the conservative side request to be narrower. orders. Producing these records, according to the thenin regard to costs.”

FOIA | 7 KATE SELTZER Staff Writer

IN THIS

ISSUE

HIGH SEAS

Rising sea levels pose a significant threat.

VIEWPOINTS | 3

GOODBYE UMW

Editor-in-chief bids farewell to UMW and B&G. LIFE | 4

STAFF CELEBRATION

Campus Recreation bonds over field day and soccer.

SPORTS | 8

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 Jess Kirby

Associate Editors Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Scotti Mullen Josephine Johnson

VIEWPOINTS Norah Walsh

LIFE Josephine Good

SPORTS Victoria Percherke

BUSINESS Erin Matuczinski

ONLINE Cameron Delean Maggie Mae Young

PHOTO Emily Warren

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

Editors: Josephine Johnson & Scotti Mullen | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Social media post prompts safety alert from UMW PD after trespassing incident

ERIN MATUCZINSKI Business Editor

On Feb. 25, around 8 p.m., messages began circulating on students’ Instagram accounts warning others that there was a man stalking girls on campus. The man was not pictured, just a wall of text describing his appearance and actions, including his attempt to enter Willard Hall.

“If anyone sees a man wearing a grey shirt with a red flannel overtop in his late 20s - early 30s about 6 feet tall with dirty blonde/brown hair… Campus Police asked us to let people know and to have you guys call if you see him.”

As the message was shared on multiple students’ accounts, the campus community started to wonder why the police were not putting out an official message. After all, under the Jeanne Clery Act, they are required to give timely notifications about potential threats of violence.

It was not until the following day, Feb. 26, that University Police sent an email in accordance with the Broadcast Email Policy reiterating the information about an intruder on campus, along with security camera photos. In a followup email later that night, it was stated that the man returned to campus that evening, where he was confronted by

“We sent out a message as soon as we realized the person showed up on consecutive days.”

-Anna Billingsley UMW PD and issued a trespass notice.

The episode continued to harbor confusion amongst students as to why social media had been so far ahead of the police in informing the public. A Blue & Gray Press investigation found that police waited to send a safety alert because of their obligation to follow ethical considerations around such alerts, and they did not yet have enough information to send out a proper, federal-compliant message.

“At the time, the information that came in was spotty,” said Chief of Police Michael Hall. “Had I had more details or more information, then a timely warning would have went out then.”

While the received messages may look similar, there is a difference between campus safety alerts and timely warnings. Safety alerts are used more often, as their purpose is to make the community aware of a situation that may be of concern, but do not impose immediate danger. Timely warnings are used during imminent threats to the community and give instructions to recipients, such as the shelter-in-place that was implemented during the Nov. 2019 gun threat incident.

The person of interest, whose name has not been released, was reported to have first appeared on campus on the evening of Feb. 24. He approached

female freshman students, asking them how to get into Willard Hall.

The students described him as “disoriented” and called the nonemergency police line after their uncomfortable interaction.

The man returned on the evening of Feb. 25, the night that warnings began circulating on social media. The UMW Crime Log noted a trespassing incident at Seacobeck Hall at 8:01 p.m., less than an hour before the man attempted to enter Willard Hall again, but it is unclear “We sent out a message as soon Students shared this alert on Instagram before an official alert was sent by UMW PD. as we realized the

This image was circulated widely on Instagram the night of Feb. 25 person showed shooter on campus, a communications up on consecutive days,” said Anna officer can immediately send a campusBillingsley, associate vice president of wide warning through sounding sirens University Relations. “The message and flashing alerts on campus screens. to the community – a safety alert, not In the past, that action would have a timely warning – was to serve two had to be approved by multiple people purposes: to make the community aware beforehand, possibly wasting time when of a suspicious person and to clarify it can be most precious. misinformation that was on social media.”

“A lot of times when it comes The Threat Assessment Team (TAT), a group of faculty and staff members to timely warnings, there’s that meets regularly and as needed some black and white, but then to assess possible threats to campus, there’s a lot of gray that you did meet in response to this situation. have to work through.”

However, due to Virginia law, all TAT meetings are closed and any documents are not reviewable by the public.

-Chief Micheal Hall In the past, some students have questioned why they are not allowed to have seats on the TAT. Vice President There are also fill-in-the-blank of Student Affairs Juliette Landphair “canned messages” on hand to continue resonates with this inquiry, as she feels to expedite the alert process, which can that bringing student voices in wherever be used in less emergent situations as possible is best. But because TAT well, according to Hall. But there are no already has members designated by the set guidelines as to what kinds of events state and often reviews protected student may count for a timely warning versus a information, no student representatives safety alert, just the level of danger they are permitted on the team. The current impose. thirteen sitting members must act in “A lot of times when it comes to what they think is the best interest of timely warnings, there’s some black and students. white, but then there’s a lot of gray that “There is absolutely a commitment you have to work through,” said Hall. to transparency,” said Landphair. “Now, “You have to balance the information I do want to add that there are all sorts that you’re putting out – will it create of other obligations around: need to greater harm to the community?” notify, or sometimes the police will While the unnamed man has not been have to make decisions about how much reported to be seen on campus since information to release that would prove the safety alert update sent on Feb. 27, less helpful than not in their case in students continue to take their campus trying to find a perpetrator.” safety concerns to social media. For Since the Virginia Tech mass UMW Police, that means having to shooting in 2007, there are now fewer work fast enough to send alerts before steps in the process of warning the the information is already spread. community of danger in order to save time. For example, if the police were to receive credible word of an active

CORRECTIONS for THE Week

PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Jess Kirby, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Students need to be educated on marginalized groups KHALIA DELANCY Staff Writer

I truly and very strongly believe that all University of Mary Washington students should be required to take at least one class focused on marginalized groups before they can graduate. The university’s new general education requirements include one course in Diverse and Global Perspectives, while the old requirements included two courses in Human Experience and Society from two separate disciplines, as well as one course in Global Perspectives.

Not only did the university minimize the amount of diversity classes students had to take, but they also decided to replace them with After Mary Washington and Digital Intensive classes. Students could easily avoid having to learn about other cultures and groups while also checking the Diverse and Global Perspectives box, which defeats the point. UMW replacing education of minority groups with other classes demonstrates how unimportant they feel diversity really is.

Ged Ed requirements should educate students about racial history and diversity.

Library of Congress for Unsplash

The K-12 education system does a terrible job of educating children about race and gender studies. A very rushed, euro-centric retelling of history is what most college students drag with them into college and then, unfortunately, into the ‘real world.’ Their belief systems become painfully ignorant, unempathetic and unyielding to new ideas as they move through adulthood.

Between high school and entering the workforce, college is one of the last opportunities where budding adults can learn about the true histories of various minority groups. Many of the students that have the privilege to attend university in the first place are from upper middle class, white American families.

The enrolled student population at University of Mary Washington is “69.1% white, 10.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.26% Black or African American, 5.5% two or more races, 3.77% Asian, 0.223% American Indian or Alaska Native and 0.111% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders,” according to Data USA. Despite receiving a “liberal,” yet very white-washed, education, the majority of these students are still living in a bubble that prevents them from having to deeply consider race, sexuality or gender.

I understand the discomfort of having to realize that people are needlessly suffering because of systemic racism, long-standing homophobia and misogynistic beliefs. I also understand that students avoid taking these controversial classes because they fear having to reconcile with the negative history of their privileges.

Based on my experiences, the professors that lead classes on marginalized groups do so in a professional, highly informative and mindful way. They are deeply attuned to the current climate and student concerns, and they do their best to respect the sensitivities of all present. While some of the information can be saddening or surprising, I’ve walked away from each class a more conscious and compassionate person.

In order to earn a bachelor’s degree, one must take

Government needs to address rising sea levels WILL HACKETT Staff Writer

About a third of the United States population lives in coastal counties, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. That is roughly 100 million people. These people are at risk to lose their homes, workplaces and their livelihood if sea levels continue to rise at an alarming rate, and governments need to act quickly before it is too late.

According to the EPA, “After a period of approximately 2,000 years of little change, global average sea level rose throughout the 20th century, and the rate of change has accelerated in recent years.”

Coastal areas are at a high risk for amplified storm surges, shoreline erosion and even permanent loss of land to the sea. As sea levels continue to rise, it could lead to the destruction of billions of dollars in property and force people living on the coast inland. This would lead to overpopulation and overcrowding.

According to an article released on April 8, 2021 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, a third of the Antarctic ice shelf could collapse as global temperatures continue to rise. In this new study, scientists found that “if Earth’s global temperature rises to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels, about 193,000 square miles (500,000 square kilometers) of the Antarctic ice shelves could collapse into the sea.”

If this ice shelf were to fall into the sea, glaciers being held back by this ice sheet would be more susceptible to falling into the sea as well. This ice would then melt and contribute to the rising sea levels around the globe.

Global warming is the greatest cause of sea level increase. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and coal, along with cutting down a major part of tropical rainforests, have caused the planet to warm at a much faster rate than it normally would.

Land ice, glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets are melting at a much faster rate due to global warming, and the melting water directly leads to rising sea levels.

Trying to stop the rise of Virginia’s sea level has already cost the government billions of dollars. The sea level around Hampton Roads, Va. has risen 14 inches since 1950 and continues to increase every year

Thursday, April 29, 2021

according to Sealevelrise.org. Hampton Roads is second to New Orleans as the largest population center at risk from sea level rise in the United States. Hampton Roads is home to Naval Station Norfolk and many homes and businesses. These homes and businesses already have over 45,000 properties at risk due to tidal flooding. The state of Virginia is planning to spend over $4 billion on sea level prevention measures, including stormwater and sewage system protection projects.

Virginia is not the only state that is having to figure out temporary fixes to the rising sea level. More than 90 U.S. coastal cities are experiencing chronic flooding, and that number is expected to double by 2030 according to the World Economic Forum.

Cities across the U.S. and the world are being forced to take extreme measures to keep sea water out. Many realize the need to minimize their carbon footprint, but for some of them it is too late. Some cities have implemented engineering projects such as sea walls and barriers and water pumps that have overflow chambers to keep water out. Some cities are creating wetlands to be a place for excess water to flow. The last resort option is retreating and leaving part of their city to the elements.

This is a last option and only a few nations around the world including Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and the Maldives have had to do this.

Everyday people are needed to fight climate change and slow the rise of sea levels to a manageable amount and it starts with small changes. It is important to educate people on climate change issues so they can understand the risks that they could be facing in the future.

“While I think individual action is a good step in combating climate change, the most important thing is to educate others and inspire change in our communities,” said Trevor Gunn, a senior geology major.

Senior geology major Madelyn Wigley also weighed in on possible solutions.

“Working on lobbying for cleaner practices could help reduce CO2 in a major way which will help slow the rise in sea levels,” said Wigley.

For some cities, it’s already too late, but reducing our carbon footprint can still save coastal cities around the world.

a plethora of elective courses. These electives take up nearly a third of the classes students will take during a four-year period. There is little to no excuse to have never taken even one class focusing on minority groups when there are so many opportunities to do so. Taking even one marginalized group-focused class is enough to revolutionize a student’s thought process. With so much money, time and energy invested into their education, students would be cheating themselves of an incredible opportunity for growth by avoiding these classes.

I am an African American student at UMW, and I received my K-12 education in a school district that has very high ratings for education quality. Although it was highly rated, not once did we have a real discussion about race, gender or sexuality. Most of us left high school believing Martin Luther King Jr. was ‘colorblind’ towards race, Malcolm X encouraged violence and that the end of the Civil Rights Movement marked the end of racism.

Lueden Sheikhnureldin, a junior English major in the secondary education program, said, “Students at UMW, or anywhere really, should take classes on marginalized groups because if you want to support a community of people, you should learn their history and culture first.

We can’t view each other as people and understand one another if we don’t know anything about each other.”

UMW claims that general education courses are “designed to cultivate the skills, knowledge and habits of mind that are essential in every field of study and that enable graduates to make effective decisions as citizens of a rapidly changing, richly diverse and increasingly interconnected world.” In order to ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge to successfully thrive in said diverse and interconnected world, UMW should ensure that students understand the history and cultures of different peoples that they will encounter in postgraduate life.

t

Staff Ed: The End of an Era THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD After over a year of COVID-19, with vaccines available to all students and staff and hopes for a more normal fall semester, we can finally say that things are looking up.

This is not to suggest that anyone throw away their masks or stop social distancing, as we still have to be careful. We just want to reflect on the fact that our hard work as a UMW community has paid off. Each semester that passes we come closer and closer to normalcy—to eating indoors with close friends, to lighting candles together on Ball Circle for Eagle Gathering, to attending classes in person and seeing our professors face-to-face. These things may not happen all at once, and they may not happen next semester, but we will get there as long as we stay safe and stick together as a community.

With this third COVID-graced semester almost behind us, we are sad to see graduating editors leave but excited to welcome a new staff for next year. In line with the traditions of The Blue & Gray Press, this final issue of volume 94 was produced by our new staff.

Here are the outgoing editors of The Blue & Gray Press.

Thank you for your kindness, humor and leadership during such a strange year. Congratulations and good luck—we will miss you so much!

Kate Seltzer, Editor-in-Chief Abigail Buchholz, Associate Editor Bryanna Lansing, Photography Editor Samantha Price, Online Editor Abigail Weber, Viewpoints Editor We also would like to welcome the 2021-2022 editorial staff: Jess Kirby, Editor-in-Chief Erin Matuczinski, Business Editor Cosmy Pellis, Associate Editor Bernadette D’Auria, Associate Editor Josephine Johnson, News Editor Scotti Mullen, News Editor Josephine Good, Life Editor Norah Walsh, Viewpoints Editor Victoria R. Percherke, Sports Editor Maggie Mae Young, Online Editor Cameron Delean, Online Editor Emily Warren, Photography Editor

3

LIFE

Editor: Josephine Good | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

A farewell to UMW and The Blue & Gray Press

KATE SELTZER Staff Writer

The first article I ever wrote for The Blue & Gray Press my freshman year was about a then-new, one-time fee to pay for group fitness classes at the gym. I camped outside of the fitness center for an hour, asking unsuspecting gym-goers for their thoughts on the fee. I was so proud and so eager to impress my new community with my writing. I cried when my more talented editors tore it to shreds. (In fact, they just did their jobs correctly, and the edits weren’t even that bad. I was just arrogant and assumed that I didn’t have much of anything to learn in the way of journalism.)

I’ve come a long way since then. Eventually, my articles were less covered in red ink. I was a senior writer, then a news editor for two years, and then editor-in-chief. It’s been a blast, but there’s no way to be a part of The Blue & Gray Press staff for four years and not come away feeling a little cynical.

Seltzer takes grad photos in front of Univeristy of Mary Washington sign.

Photo courtesy of Kate Seltzer

This year, we’ve reported extensively on how students feel unsafe on campus; how students feel unheard by administration in an extraordinary time of global anxiety and how students, particularly students of color, feel the UMW Police Department contributes to a culture of distrust and fear surrounding law enforcement. In past years, we’ve reported about the school’s stunningly inadequate mental health resources, considerable concerns regarding accessibility and how white supremacists routinely spread their message on campus with no consequence. On a less severe, but no less disheartening, note, we’ve devoted significant ink to talking about dining problems, lack of parking and issues surrounding (often time-sensitive) communication from the school.

Seltzer celebrates her time at UMW with friends and family.

Photo courtesy of Kate Seltzer

In my personal life outside of the paper, I’ve had my fair share of frustrations with UMW. In the past year, I watched the school dismantle the Intercultural Living Learning Community in Framar House, something that was deeply important to me and generations of students living in the house for the past 14 years. (To be clear, the decision to start caring about accessibility and to ensure living learning communities are accessible is the right one, but it’s frustrating that, because the school has failed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act for 30 years, a once-thriving community has come to an end.) And, when I had a panic attack bad enough to warrant knocking on the RA’s door for help, I was one of many students who 4

had an armed police officer respond instead of appropriate mental health services.

To all of these concerns, UMW has said to its students over and over again, “we hear you. We see you. Here’s a town hall. Here’s a standing committee.” While it’s well and good to be heard and seen, it has not and does not always feel like the school is really committed to change.

Sometimes, loving UMW feels like loving one of its many brick walls.

I say this not because I’m particularly interested in holding up a giant middle finger to the school as I’m on my way out, but because I do love UMW, a lot. I care about the school, and I want to see it be better for the next generations of students. There’s no way to be a part of The Blue & Gray Press staff for four years and not believe in a brighter future.

I’m encouraged every day by the student activists on campus. The NAACP’s Campus Police Assessment was one of the most impressive examples of student organizing I’ve seen in my time at UMW. Advocating for meaningful change on top of being a full time student, and often on top of being an employee and holding leadership roles on campus, is exhausting. My hope for student activists is that they’ll allow themselves time to rest – my hope for their (particularly white) peers is that they’ll shoulder some of the burden. My hope for administration is that they’ll ensure that none of that hard work goes to waste.

I don’t want to spend my last few days at UMW reflecting only on the bad, because, if given the choice, I would absolutely pick Mary Wash again. There’s no way to be a part of The Blue & Gray Press staff for four years and not see the good.

So, all that said, some thanks are in order.

To the wonderful professors in the Political Science and Communication and Digital Studies Departments: thank you for your kindness, your patience, your life advice and your commitment to seeing students succeed. Special thanks to Professors Gupta, Farnsworth, Lester and Whalen, who have all served as official and unofficial academic advisors, and have been instrumental in my development as a writer, researcher and student. Thanks as well to Professors Crosby, Goldman and Johnson-Young: I kind of want to be all of you when I grow up.

To Sushma, the faculty advisor for the paper: thank you for all your guidance and for believing in the paper as much as you do. We couldn’t do it without you.

To Gwen, Heather and the folks at the Writing Center: thank you all for being such sweet and supportive co-workers and for making work fun.

To the 2020-2021 editorial staff of The B&G: so much love to all of you. There’s no one else I’d rather spend six to eight hours of my Wednesday nights with. I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of you for “doing the news,” in a pandemic no less. There were times this year at Zoom University I felt so disconnected from campus and from college in general – thank you for reminding me what it feels like to be a part of such an amazing community and of how much I love student journalism.

To all current and future writers and editors for The B&G: thank you.

Keep writing. Your fitness class fee article could turn into one of the most meaningful parts of your college career. It worked for me.

To my friends and family: thanks for everything. I hope I made you proud.

Being part of the Blue and Gray Press has been a growing experience for Seltzer.

Photo Courtesy of Kate Seltzer

Thursday, April 29, 2021

LIFE

The Netflix comedy New Girl is a must-see for college students

REESE PLACE Staff Writer

There are a lot of shows to binge watch or have on in the background while studying and doing work, but, in my opinion, the best show that has not gone out of style is New Girl. A classic, timeless show, New Girl, which premiered in 2011, is great to watch repeatedly with never-ending enjoyment and is perfect for college-age viewers.

This television sitcom is about a newly broken-up woman who moves into a loft with three men. The main characters all have their quirks and can usually be seen getting into arguments and dilemmas but, at the end of the day, they all support each other. This show has a lot of romance, and it is easy to watch, as the drama does not totally envelop the viewer or stress them out. Love triangles, roommate fights and hilarious plots are what make this show entertaining.

Although this show is a bit predictable, that is what makes it great to put on in the background or binge watch. The plot varies between episodes, but it circles around each character, and specifically the main character Jess, finding a romantic partner. The plot is entertaining and lets the show have a steady flow of characters coming in and out. I find the general plot points somewhat repetitive, but they throw in some twists and curveballs to keep my attention. The show is usually positive and consistently funny, often leaving me in laughing fits alone in my room before bed. There are so many humorous quotes, and I still find memes from the show, proving that it is still relevant to what college-age kids are going through today.

The casting of this show was incredibly well

done. The acting done by each character is hilarious, entertaining and spot-on, shown by the balance of unrealistic plot structure and realistic personalities (many of us know a bubbly and often naive “Jessica Day” in our lives, an egotistical and guarded “Schmidt” and a sensitive, caring, yet sometimes dull “Nick Miller”). The characters are all very different from each other, so anyone watching it is likely to have a favorite character. The show also has some occasional guest appearances of well-known celebrities, such as Megan Fox, Dylan O’Brien and even former Disney star Brenda Song, making it even more amusing to watch since you never

Main character, Jess, is played by Zooey Deschanel.

Ray Mickshaw / FOX

know when a major celebrity will show up in the middle of a heated plot.

The cinematography of New Girl was executed extremely well. The lighting was always at a perfect measure and left the set well-lit, and the camera shots provided make it feel as if you are in the room with them while they’re having their zany and awkward conversations. The camera placement and movements were simple yet engaging, like that of The Office. In this television show, they tend to use quick shots, which can come off as overwhelming to some, but I don’t feel that way. There is not really a certain aesthetic to the show, making it appear more light-hearted. There is also no fake laughter or audience reactions in the background, which makes it more enjoyable and less corny.

New Girl is a timeless situational comedy because of its elaborate plots that show how finding love is a frequent problem for all people. The variety of characters and simple concepts are also a plus. New Girl can be summed up as a fun and easygoing show for people who would rather not get too invested in a stressful, dramatic series. The show makes me forget about all my personal messes and responsibilities, leaving the experience purely relaxing and entertaining.

Overall, I recommend this show for anyone in college or their early 20’s because the characters’ chaotic lives make me feel as if I almost have my life in order; they show that it is okay to not be perfect or have everything figured out.

It has also helped me relieve stress during the COVID pandemic. The show transports its audience into a world where crazy adventures and love triangles are the only things to fret about.

Check it out on Netflix if you haven’t already, and get ready to laugh hysterically!

Personal Essay: Picking up chess brings unexpected benefits

NICKLAUS WOHLER Staff Writer

I’m sure I’m not alone in admitting that I often fall victim to the trap that is mindlessly scrolling through social media. It always starts the same: I tell myself that I’ll only browse for a few minutes, usually during a break from schoolwork, but one thing leads to another, and “a few minutes” can easily turn into an hour if I’m not careful. What’s even worse is that I have nothing to show for my wasted time. After extended periods of passive media consumption, I somehow feel more exhausted than I did before I started.

About six months ago, I made the conscious decision to replace this vice of mine with a healthier and more constructive habit. In particular, I was looking for an activity that would be engaging and mentally stimulating and wouldn’t drain my mental energy in the same way that social media seemed to. This way, my downtime wouldn’t be wasted time.

Influenced in some part by the popularity of Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, a seven-part miniseries that follows the life of an orphaned chess prodigy, I settled on the game of chess as my new habit. While starting chess at the ripe age of 23 essentially disqualifies me from ever attaining the rank of master or grandmaster, I felt that the game still had much to teach me.

As a game of strategy, chess requires strong decision-making skills.

The ability to think critically about complex spatial problems, make judgments about decisions and their consequences and weigh future outcomes against one another are all central to becoming a strong chess player.

Chess may be just a game, but I’ve found that the principles underlying these skills can be applied more broadly.

In just six months of play, I’ve begun to notice patterns I otherwise might have overlooked in my day-to-day life. I’ve been more deliberate when making even minor decisions, often double or triple checking for better alternatives. Thinking like a chess player both on and off the board has helped me to be more patient and conscientious—no doubt an improvement from the impulsivity and constant novelty-seeking that social media use tends to promote.

I was surprised to find that chess has more to offer than the sharpening of cognitive skills. Upon starting six months ago, it took no more than a few games before I was thoroughly humbled. To be blunt, I suck at chess.

Accepting that fact and pressing onwards has been a greater test of my ego than I would have anticipated, and I’ve probably spent more time furrowing my brow in frustration than I’ve spent dominating any opponent. I’ve had to remind myself more than a few times that the only way to improve is to allow myself to lose, difficult as that may be.

After only six embarrassing months of losing chess in more ways than Thursday, April 29, 2021

I can count, I’ve developed a new relationship with my pride, and I have a better understanding of when pride can be a counterproductive emotion.

The game of chess demands that a player constantly learns from failure, but it also rewards improvement by opening up new strategic possibilities. No doubt, this is a skill that could serve any of us far beyond the chessboard.

Learning to play chess has been an eye opening experience for Wohler.

Randy Fath / Unsplash

If you’re like me and find yourself reaching for social media at any spare moment, and you’re looking for more productive ways to spend downtime, I urge you to give chess a try, even if only for a week. If you’ve never played before, I can almost guarantee that you’ll feel confused and frustrated initially, but that means you’re using your brain in ways that you never would have if you spent your time browsing the endless stream of vapid social media content.

Feeling stupid temporarily is better than feeling like a zombie, and if you keep at it, I promise you’ll find yourself becoming not only a better chess player, but a better decision-maker, and perhaps even a better person.

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The Blue & Gray Press @theBlueandGray

theblueandgraypress

bgpress1922

NEWS

CRIME COLUMN JOSEPHINE JOHNSON & SCOTTI MULLEN News Editors

Larceny of plant On April 23 at 8:46 p.m. there was a case of larceny of a plant on Ball Circle. This case is pending.

Possession On April 15 at 10:50 p.m. there was a case of possession of Marijuana in Randolph Hall. This case is pending.

On April 19 at 11:44 p.m. there was a case of possession of Marijuana in Westmorland Hall. This case is pending.

Parody Instagram account causes problems for UMW Vocelli Pizza

DIEGO PHILLIPS staff Writer

UMW Vocelli Pizza has been attempting to remove a parody account on Instagram.

On April 14, the Instagram account @notvocelliumw posted for the very first time.

It appeared to be a harmless post promoting an on-campus dining option, captioned “We have medium topping pizzas!

Order on grubHub or walk into the store or call us.”

Since their initial post, the account has gained 211 followers and posted 488 times as of April 26.

The official UMW Vocelli account messaged the parody account asking them to take down their account and stop posting. They then proceeded to report @notvocelliumw on Instagram and to Vocelli Pizza’s corporate website.

The official Vocelli account does not want to be associated with the parody account, but it may be hard to do so with the parody account taking trademark logos and photos directly from the official Vocelli account.

“They are using trademark logos and pictures that are owned by our corporation. I don’t care about the site, just want them to not use the logos

On April 21 at 1:39 p.m. there was a case of possession of Marijuana in the University Apartments. This case is pending.

Vandalism On April 23 at 8 p.m. there was a case of possession of alcohol in Mason Hall. One administrative refereral was issued. This case is pending.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

The official UMW Vocelli Instagram account has reported @notvocelliumw on Instagram.

Cara Lowengrub / University of Mary Washington

One picture posted by the parody account was of an Oreo brand frozen mousse cake in a box with 14 pre-cut slices. The image also had a sticker over part of it saying “Like a boss,” and the caption read “Order some of our delicious Oreo cake stuff and you will be ‘Like A Boss’!!! Order now.”

This cake is an item sold by Vocelli Pizza.

In one of the more recent posts with the image of a pizza, the parody account captioned “It is the Vocelli guarantee that we will NEVER wear gloves while preparing your food. We will wash our hands about once or twice per shift. Cleanliness is a priority, but not ours!”

Some students find the parody account to be humorous and entertaining.

“I think that the fake account is pretty funny, it definitely doesn’t make me want to go to Vocelli’s any more or less, they are still one of the best options for food on campus,” said junior business major Ryan Skone.

The parody Instagram account took a poll survey asking its followers “Are you more likely to go to Vocelli pizza after seeing this account?” 83 people voted and 64 percent of them said yes.

Costs of FOIA requests are inconsistent

•FOIA | 1

On April 20 at 10:57 p.m. there was a case of possession of Marijuana in Eagle Landing. This case is pending.

without permission,” said the official UMW Vocelli account.

The UMW Vocelli parody account does not believe Vocelli has the need to be concerned.

“They also point out that we are not the Vocelli pizza at UMW. I don’t think that needed to be cleared up for anyone because if you take more than a second to look at this page it is very clearly a satirical page not run by UMW or Vocelli pizza. The username and bio are about as blatant as possible about that,” they said.

Only two days after forming the account, @ notvocelliumw posted a picture used by Vocelli Pizza with a child licking ice cream on it. The child was crossed out in red, and the caption stated, “I am SICK of seeing this dumb kids’ face. We don’t even deliver either,” referring to the advertisement, ‘Ice cream delivered!’ in bold text. The use of photos from the original Vocelli page has caused problems.

The official UMW Vocelli Instagram account, going by @umwvocellipizza, is seeing things in a different light as the parody account continues to post memes and pictures about UMW’s resident pizza joint with their logo.

nor anyone at Facilities, the department in charge of processing the request, could conclusively identify the reason for the discrepancy, in part because of the high degree of personnel turnover in recent years.

“In the past, Facilities has used management, [who made] $42 an hour and a professional [who made] $28 an hour to handle all FOIAs,” Billingsley said. “In recent years, as a means of reducing costs for FOIA requests, Facilities started using clerical staff [who make] $16 an hour to do more of the work.”

Accounting for that change, with all else being equal, the second FOIA request with the exact same language as the first should have cost $5,401.20 – a vastly different number from the $717 fee.

Hackney is one of many student journalists who face high fees to access records, even though their programs lack the funds to support such requests.

Ginny Bixby, a former writer and editor for The Blue & Gray Press, filed a FOIA request in the spring of 2019 for records pertaining to Resident Assistant retention from 2016 to 2019. The breakdown of her cost to fill that request was 23 hours of work completed by someone who made $28 an hour, for a total of $644.

“Frankly, I was extremely demoralized when I found out how much they wanted to charge me for this FOIA,” Bixby said. “There was absolutely no way that the Blue & Gray could’ve afforded that FOIA, let alone me affording it myself. I remember feeling like ResLife was trying to keep information from me, which I thought was odd, because I was confused why they wouldn’t want the chance to provide their statistics and their perspective.”

Bixby also made the point that all students, not just student journalists, are affected by high FOIA costs.

“What if a student who was planning to apply to an RA position wanted to view public records about RA retention prior to making their decision?” she said. “This is public information and should be public. The cost barrier hinders students, who ResLife and other university offices are well aware can not afford to spend hundreds of dollars on FOIAs. I understand that there is a level of cost for the work to do these, but the rates they give are astronomical and do not make sense.”

Though public institutions like UMW are required to make certain records available to the public, they often come at a cost. The Virginia FOIA Act mandates that the people of the Commonwealth have “ready access to public records in the custody of a public body or its officers and employees, and free

entry to meetings of public bodies wherein the business of the people is being conducted.”

However, under the law, public bodies can charge fees for producing records. Fees must be “reasonable” and cannot exceed the actual cost of producing public records. For student journalists in particular, even reasonable costs – which are often at least several hundred dollars – can be out of reach. This is also true at other schools.

The University of Virginia’s campus newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, has also had to drop stories as a result of exorbitant FOIA fees. In recent months, they were nearly unable to report on how Greek life organizations were permitted to hold bid days in the pandemic, leading to a spike in COVID cases in the community, because the FOIA fees would have been unattainable. Luckily for them, a community member filed a similar request and passed along the information for free.

Meanwhile, the College of William and Mary waives the cost of FOIA fees for student journalists.

“William and Mary allows free FOIA requests for all student publications up to a certain amount of hours required to access the requested information,” said Emma Ford, an editor at the college’s newspaper The Flat Hat. “I believe it is 11 hours or a certain dollar amount, but we have never been close and therefore, have never had to pay for a FOIA.” Though that waiver of fees has proven useful for reporters at The Flat Hat, it’s not a practice the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, an organization with expert knowledge of Virginia FOIA law, generally endorses.

“In general we have not at [the VCOG] supported fee waivers because it gives the power to governments to make the decision on whose FOIA request is more worthy than others,” said Megan Rhyne, executive director. “While we certainly hope fees will be reasonable and low, we hope that for everyone, not just for one type of requester or another.”

Though there’s not presently a remedy for high – and inconsistent – FOIA costs, Rhyne says that may change in the future.

“There was a resolution passed this General Assembly session that directs the FOIA council, in conjunction with us and other stakeholders, to spend a year looking at FOIA fees and how and if the statute can be amended to deal with some of these runaway costs and problems with fees.”

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SPORTS

Editor: Victoria R. Percherke | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Jake Phillips takes his talents to the U.S. Marines

As track and field senior and political club in Fredericksburg, but he didn’t start VICTORIA R. PERCHERKE Sports Editor science major Jake Phillips crossed the competing until middle school. Growing up on finish line for the last time on April 24, he the track, he won a few medals in high school felt mixed emotions about his running career ending. track and cross country and even went to state championships “I was sad to finish my career in track but happy to be able to one year. Phillips was also able to compete in the CAC have the opportunity to run track with so many accomplishments championships and regional events for UMW. During his track for [the past] 10 years,” said Phillips. He ran the 8k for the and field career at UMW, the men’s team won the 2019 CAC UMW cross country team, as well as the 5k and 1,500 for the Track & Field Championship.

UMW track team.

As Phillips lined up at the starting line with his teammates for the last time, his last race day brought many positive emotions.

The runner recalled that the UMW track and cross country teams and coaches were always welcoming to him with open arms.

Cross country and track head coach Kunle Lawson said that Phillips was the “quiet leader” on the team. Lawson defined a quiet leader as “one who leads by example versus someone who is a bit more outspoken and vocal. He has been one to go about his work in improving himself and getting better by being dedicated to his training and the peripheral aspects to his success.”

Lawson provided Phillips some advice as his college career comes to a close.

“I want Jake to be happy knowing that he has made quite the impression on me and his teammates during his time at UMW....

It’s also important for him to realize that it’s not always the squeaky wheel that gets noticed; sometimes the one that can be counted on to do what is expected gets noticed as well,” said Lawson.

Ashley Applegate, a senior business major and member of the cross country and track teams, stated that Phillips has influenced her both as a friend and runner.

Jake Phillips smiles as he finishes his last race.

“He has influenced me to not take life so seriously and Photo courtesy of Jake Phillips enjoy it. We tend to joke around a lot and have a good time at However, Phillips plans on bringing his running talents to the practice,” she said.

Marine Corps after graduation.

Phillips is thankful for his time on the UMW cross country “What draws me to the United States Marine Corps is my and track teams, but he is also looking forward to what the love for the United States,” said Phillips. “I always wanted military life will bring him. Phillips enjoys traveling around the to serve my country in some capacity and joining the Marine world and meeting new friends.

Corps as an officer sounds like a perfect way to give back to the “New challenges and experiences excite me,” Phillips said. country and make it a better place.” “[The UMW cross country and track teams] have been a major Phillips first started running in his elementary school’s run blessing in my life.”

Campus Recreation celebrates the end of the semester As the University of Mary Washington safe and fun outside. Many people from all KAITLIN SMYTH Staff Writer approaches the end of the school year, areas of CREC ended upcoming and it was Campus Recreation (CREC) specifically is amazing. We went to Kenmore Park on a wrapping up the end of the semester with activities such as field Sunday afternoon and played an intense soccer game. It was a day and outdoor bonding events with students and staff. blast, and I cannot wait for more bonding events for the CREC Faculty operations graduate coordinator Caleigh Pope was Fam.” one of the staff members that organized field day, which will Senior political science major and CREC facility attendant have socially-distanced games. The event will also be celebrating Jake Phillips also enjoyed the bonding event. the achievements of seniors and sport clubs.

“It was nice to have a team bonding experience with my “I’m glad we’re able to do something for our seniors and co-workers,” he said. “Because of COVID-19, it is hard to get amazing Campus Recreation staff who have worked so hard all to know your co-workers outside of work. This past semester year to keep all of our program areas running smoothly despite we were not able to do any team bonding experiences, [at least the hurdles the pandemic has thrown at us. While the awards are nothing] like what we had last Sunday, Phillips said about the a small part of this event, I’m excited we’re able to host this field soccer tournament the staff recently participated in at Kenmore day to get staff and club sport participants outside and together. park. Even though Covid-19 makes enjoying college a bit It’s just one way we want to thank them for all their hard work,” difficult, it was fun to forget about covid for a couple hours and said Pope. just enjoy a fun game of soccer.”

Despite staff meetings being held virtually, Pope reflected on Alex Sharpe, senior psychology major, shared her hopes for how CREC has grown in terms of involvement and fun, as staff CREC for the upcoming year, as she will be the new graduate were eager to keep the fitness community united. coordinator of sport clubs and intramurals.

“This semester in particular, Campus Rec has hosted pop“I want to focus on participation. With COVID being an issue up outdoor fitness classes and a campus-wide field day on the for the past couple of semesters, I feel that people have forgotten Campus Recreation Field with popsicles and yard games,” said all that Campus Recreation can offer,” she said. “Due to that, I Pope. “In terms of staff-fun, the fitness center staff have come up really want to promote involvement and inform new individuals with creative ways to participate in team bonding events while (both transfers and freshman) of all that can be offered within remaining safe.” this active community. My main hope is that we have a lot of Carolyn Rouse, CREC’s current graduate coordinator of sport new joining members for all our diverse sports clubs, and some clubs and intramurals, was also thrilled about how CREC grew more participation when it comes to our [intramural] (IM) in terms of sports clubs this year. events.”

“CREC grew in terms of numbers of sport clubs, we have As Rouse prepares for her final goodbyes to Campus recently added the Running Club. We also have had a lot of clubs Recreation, she shared how CREC shaped her into the person focus on team bonding and fun drills at practice since there are she is today. not any games to prepare for,” said Rouse.

“CREC has had a huge impact on my college experience,” To finish off the year, staff were able to enjoy their last she said. “From the moment I stepped on this campus, I knew bonding event outdoors with their co-workers. Sophomore I wanted to be involved in the Sport Clubs which was in marketing major and facility attendant Amethyst Ralls was one Campus Rec. Then I expanded into Facilities, Intramurals and of the staff members to participate in the latest bonding event.

Group Fitness. It has given me leadership skills through being “Pre-COVID, the supervisors would create events to bond an officer on club soccer and group fitness instructor, ways to with their teams, but this past year we haven’t been able to do have fun through intramurals, and then employment experience so,” said Ralls. “We did a field day and a picnic for CREC, but through facilities. I owe a lot of my personal growth to Campus this was the first bonding event I went to, with all the new hires Recreation and if given the opportunity to start my college and new interns, we thought it would be fun to do something experience over, I would get involved with Campus Rec again.”

Thursday, April 29 , 2021

University of Mary Washington Spring Sports Schedule & Records

Men’s Baseball (8-13)

April 20 W vs. Southern Virginia (9-1) April 22 L @ Randolph-Macon (2-8) & W (11-4) April 26 W @ Southern Virginia (15-12) & (14-7) April 28 W @ St. Mary’s (Md.) (13-5) April 30 vs. Salisbury

Women’s Softball (8-16)

April 17 W @ Southern Virginia (8-0) & L (0-2) April 24 L @ Christopher Newport (0-8) & (0-8) April 27 W vs. Shenandoah (4-3) & L (1-5) May 6 vs. TBA in Milwaukee,Wisc.

May 7 vs. TBA in Milwaukee,Wisc.

Men’s Tennis (8-2)

April 17 W @ Christopher Newport (7-2) April 24 W vs. Washington and Lee (9-0) April 26 W vs. Wesleyan (8-1) May 1 vs. Salisbury May 6 vs. TBA in Fredericksburg,Va.

Women’s Tennis (8-2)

April 12 L @ Towson (0-7) April 15 W @ St. Mary’s (Md.) (9-0) April 18 W @ Christopher Newport (6-3) April 22 vs. Washington & Lee May 1 vs. Salisbury

Men’s Lacrosse (2-8)

April 11 L vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) (12-13) April 14 L @ Shenandoah (11-14) April 17 L @ Southern Virginia (15-18) April 24 vs. Salisbury (Cancelled) April 28 vs Christopher Newport

Women’s Lacrosse (5-6)

April 14 W vs. Meredith (16-6) April 17 vs. Meredith April 20 L @ Salisbury (2-17) April 28 L vs. Christopher Newport (912)

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletic’s webpage Full Schedule not listed above.

Most recent games included.

Bold indicates home game.

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