THE
BLUE &GRAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER
SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
VOLUME 88 | ISSUE 1
PRESS
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE
1922
Student paper changes name
The Bullet becomes The Blue & Gray Press HOPE RACINE & NEPHTHALIE LAUTURE News Editors
The University of Mary Washington student newspaper, formerly known as the Bullet, changed their name to The Blue & Gray Press as part of an effort to revamp to the university’s student newspaper. The name change, announced on Aug. 18, is the largest aspect of a full rebranding of the 92-year-old paper, which includes new logos, layouts and a larger online presence. In a press release sent out to the UMW community, the editorial staff said, “Observing the evolving era of journalism, which has seen a complete change of numerous university, local and national newspapers, the editorial board came to the conclusion that UMW’s student newspaper is in need of a major redesign in order to accompany the constantly developing world of modern journalism. The board views a new name as an opportunity to propel the publication into the modern era.” The name the Bullet is often viewed as a reference to the term ‘bulletin’ and the phrase “news as fast as a bullet.” However, these allusions refer to journalism only and do not hold direct ties to UMW or its students, a fact that played a large role in the renaming decision. During the decision process, however, the board wanted to select a name that preserved the strong ties to Fredericksburg’s history that The Bullet represented. “We specifically chose a new name that represents the spirit of the school and acknowledges the history of UMW and Fredericksburg’s region,” wrote the editorial board in an open letter to the community on Aug. 22. “The name The Blue & Gray Press, which incorporates our school colors, respectfully presents a powerful image of school spirit, with a nod toward local history.” Blue and gray are commonly recognized as the colors of the Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War, and inspired both the UMW school colors and the name of the Blue & Gray Parkway that the school lies adjacent to. The name change was met by mixed reactions from the UMW community, some concerned with the deviation from tradition, and some concerned with the lack of student input. “While a name change is not entirely a bad thing, I feel that this change was not for the best [and] it was done with no input from any of the student body,” said junior David Hart. “It does not reflect the history of the university or the culture we have fostered over the years. It does not reflect all the positives the newspaper has done, [and] the name change feels like change
have you seen the red chairs? CONVERGENCE | 5
Ginny Clark/ Blue & Gray Press
New Convergence Center opens to student body
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IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OR THE CULTURE WE HAVE FOSTERED OVER THE YEARS. David Hart
ISSUE
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THE BULLET DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL. BLUE AND GRAY ARE OUR COLORS AND WE AS STUDENTS IDENTIFY WITH THAT. Emily Little
RENTER’S RIGHTS Living smart off campus and knowing your rights LIFE | 6
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WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NAME CHANGE?
•BULLET | 2
IN THIS
After five years, it’s here — almost.
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University changes sexual assault guidelines LAUREN GRANT Staff Writer
The University of Mary Washington Division of Student Affairs announced an adjustment in the university’s sexual misconduct policy for the 2014-2015 school year. The updated sexual misconduct section in the student handbook for 2014-2015 features a new attitude toward bystander intervention and community responsibility in recognizing and reporting incidents of sexual violence. Compared to previous student handbooks, this year’s contains expectations of the UMW community to be more responsible in actively reporting incidents and bypassing confidentiality in order to keep students safer. Previous editions did not include the responsibility of students and staff to report suspicious incidents or acknowledge the impact of bystander intervention at all. Throughout its history, UMW maintained a no-tolerance policy on sexual violence and encouraged sexual assault victims to look into prosecution and education for prevention. The university’s stance on handling sexual violence cases has and continues to prioritize the well being of the victim in finding appropriate medical and psychological treatment. UMW abides by the nationwide Title IX. Enacted in 1972, the statute promotes gender equality on college campuses.
Leah Cox, special assistant to the president for Diversity and Inclusion, is responsible for many of the changes made to the school policy on sexual misconduct and is the university’s main authority on Title IX issues. “These are positive changes. We want to emphasize bystander responsibility and make sure students feel safe,” said Cox. According to Cox, the changes made to the sexual misconduct segment are effective and positive, although she said there has not yet been any student feedback, despite her attempt to bolster awareness. The new policies follow a new task force implemented by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe that focuses on more thorough training for emergency responders. Some of the changes that will be implemented will involve better regulated victim questioning and harsher punishments for those found guilty of an assault. Some students who attend UMW expressed mixed feelings about the actual effectiveness of UMW’s policy change. “A key aspect that should be considered by the school includes educating people to not become perpetrators, rather than focusing solely on victim prevention techniques,” said junior psychology major Kate Schaefer. However, the new changes do include a section that features a checklist on how not to be an assailant and reminds students of
•ASSAULT | 10
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SPORTS | 12