The Blue & Gray Press

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BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

VOLUME 88 | ISSUE 3 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS Feminists United on Campus march for the Equal Rights Amendment ERA | 11

Roberta Francis/ Flickr

New voter identification laws may change election turnout KATEE SPENCER Staff Writer

Due to new voting ID laws enacted in Virginia on July 1, voters across the Commonwealth will now have to present photo identification if they want to see the inside of a voting booth.

The law was enacted in an effort to prevent voter fraud by making voters bring a valid photo ID with them as proof of identity. Some forms of accepted identification include Virginia drivers licenses, military IDs, federal, state or local government issued IDs, a U.S. passport or a student ID from an institution of higher education based in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

If a voter does not have one of these forms of identification, they can receive a

temporary photo ID free of charge for voting purposes only from their voting locality. However, a valid photo ID must then be shown to the locality’s Electoral Board by no later than the Friday after that election.

Before the change, Virginia’s ID law merely stated that any identification, with or without a photo, was valid. Under the former law, things such as utility bills and pieces of mail with an address or signature were considered valid.

The new law has caused some controversy due to its restrictive nature. According to some, including Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of Virginia New Majority, the law restricts access to voting by making it more difficult and confusing. It would most impact minority voters, such

Sean McMenemy/ Flickr

IN THIS

ISSUE

as people of color, senior citizens and students. These groups are less likely to have photo IDs that meet the new requirements.

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs and the director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, finds the new law to be a step back from previous identification guidelines.

“By tightening up these rules, the state officials are making it harder for Virginians who don't have drivers licenses or who have just moved to cast a ballot,” Farnsworth said. “Given how poor turnout is in most elections, I sometimes wish elected officials would be thinking about ways to make voting easier rather than harder.”

According to Farnsworth, a national voter system would work better since differing voter ID laws between states creates a disconnect with citizens.

“I think what we really need is a national voter system where we have national voter identification. The different rules in different states create very different electorates in different places,” Farnsworth said.

UMW Young Democrats president Benjamin Hermerding finds this new law to be especially hurtful to the Democratic vote.

“Frankly, I find the new voter ID restrictions onerous and unnecessary… these laws make it more difficult for students and low-income Virginians to vote, a problem that particularly affects people of color.

Consequentially, decreasing turnout in these populations disproportionately hurts Democrats,” Hermerding said.

There are some who believe the law is justified, however. College Republicans chairman Nicole Tardif thinks the law will be helpful in cutting down voter fraud.

“You need a photo ID to fly, pick up mail, etcetera. It makes sense that you're required to show ID to vote,” Tardif said.

“I don't believe that there will be negative •VOTER | 10

UMW rankings at a glance

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CYBORG FUTURE

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The newest iPhone is outwas it worth the hype?

Could Cyborg Unplugged be the future of defense?

Women’s volleyball grows stronger each week

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 5

SPORTS | 12

NEWS

Editors: Hope Racine & Nephthalie Lauture | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

DTLT: Bringing a digital liberal arts education

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

Ginny Clark/ The Blue and Gray Press

because my professors put up things like power points,” Kremposky said.

Since 2007, UMW Blogs has been open as a publishing platform used by over 800 classes, according to Groom.

The six staff members of the department meet regularly with professors to work on projects that are then introduced to the students, such as in BUAD 310: Principles of Marketing, where students learn how to create either a business website or an advertisement.

To ensure that the department offers students the best possible learning experience, DTLT developed the Online Learning Initiative, a program that lasted for three years and focused on bringing together cohorts from the university community in order to define the values held dear in the university’s traditional learning environment.

“The bigger problem with online courses is not whether it is good or bad, it depends a lot more on how you see it building When Jim Groom, executive director into the university’s identity,” Groom said. of the Division of Teaching and Learning “Like an ancillary appendix you create two Technologies at the University of Mary cultures: the online and the campus people.

Washington, joined the department nine I prefer a symbiotic relationship that interyears ago, he brought with him a vision for acts and reflects a far bigger culture of who a digital liberal arts. we are.”

Since then, DTLT has spearheaded the Like many universities now, UMW is open web movement at UMW, incorporatmaking a slow yet considered step toward ing technology with liberal arts values of online education. strong teacher-student communication and “It’s going to be a bigger and bigger focused attention on the individual educathing for us, but we’re going to always tional experience. need to find ways to use it that are consisWhile Groom holds the vision, the man tent with what our identity is as an instituresponsible for the oversight of academic tion,” Levin said. “I think it will be innovaprograms is provost Jonathan Levin. tive. We will enhance student learning by “The question [about online integration] using these means. Some courses might go is how it will impact us at a university like entirely online, but I think we will always Mary Washington, where we’re smaller. be trying to balance how we use We rely on face-to-face commuonline technologies with what stu“THE BIGGER PROBLEM WITH nication,” Levin said. “We pride dents get in their face-to-face conourselves on the contact that stuONLINE COURSES IS NOT tact with faculty in the classroom.” dents have with the faculty, and I The school has taken the time WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD, think the answer then is that we to ensure that students are exposed will grow our technological presIT DEPENDS A LOT MORE to online integration in the classence, our online footprint as it room in a way that will be useful ON HOW YOU SEE IT BUILDING were.” in the real world.

According to special projects INTO THE UNIVERSITY’S IDENTITY... According to Burtis, this alcoordinator Martha Burtis, DTLT lows opportunity “for further exI PREFER A SYMBIOTIC works with faculty in areas such ploration and experimentation as course development and inteRELATIONSHIP THAT INTERACTS in our non-online courses; in our grating technology into classroom our more traditional AND REFLECTS ARE FAR BIGGER face-to-face, settings. courses and our hybrid courses. I Many students are unaware of CULTURE OF WHO WE ARE.” think Mary Washington does more the existence of DTLT, as many interesting stuff online [and] in do not know what the department its face-to-face classes across the contributes.

Jim Groom board than most schools do in their “One of the great things about online courses and partly that’s the DTLT is that online resources and the According to Burtis, the staff then because we don’t see online as a delivery web is a part of everything we do,” instruc- worked to find ways to translate those mechanism.” tional technology specialist Ryan Brazell values to an online context. Although the Though the school has yet to offer a said. “Every faculty member that we meet program is on a hiatus, the lessons learned large collection of online classes, the push with are either using Canvas, the learning during its run helped inform the direction toward combining technology and learning management system here, [or] they are us- that DTLT is now taking. is evident all around campus, as seen in the ing UMW Blogs, UMW domains and are Many of the emerging online classes at large usage of UMW Blogs, Canvas and interested in getting their students to under- UMW are graduate and continuing educa- especially the new Information and Techstand what the web is, what that means for tion programs aimed to benefit the busy nology Convergence Center. them moving forward and how they use it.” schedule of a working post grad. As a re“Without question the future is bright Freshman Karly Kremposky uses Can- sult, many undergraduate students are un- for online learning,” Levin said. “It has vas for her classes, and said that the system aware of these programs’ existence. grown enormously and it’s going to contin“seems to be well integrated into what we Instead of focusing on the quantity of ue to grow enormously. This is a national do.” online courses offered, DTLT stresses trend, it’s an international trend – it’s not “Canvas was weird to figure out at first, the importance of using online tools in a going to be reversed.” but it’s really easy and convenient to use thoughtful and reflective manner.

DAHLIA SOMERS Staff Writer

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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

ADVERTISING TEAM AD MANGAGER Jasmine Rice

BUSINESS MANCara Sexton

FACULTY ADIVSOR Steve Klein

campus briefing

The University of Mary Washington will be hosting a Congressional debate on Oct. 6.

The debate is co-sponsored by the Fredericksburg Area Chamber of Commerce; The Free Lance-Star, UMW’s Young Democrats, UMW’s College Republicans, The Blue and Gray Press, and the university’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies.

Family Weekend 2014 is taking place this weekend at UMW on Sept. 19 through Sept.

21. Highlights of the weekend include the Education Abroad Fair, Cookout & Club Showcase on Ball Circle, and the Tour of Brompton.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

SPORTS

D.C. area pro sports recap: wild week for beltway fans Redskins win game, lose Robert Griffin again Nats, O’s clinch

SEAN KINSLOW Sports Writer

looked at it, it didn’t look in a great position,” Griffin said in the post-game press The home crowd fell silent at FedEx conference. “I knew something was wrong Field in Landover, Maryland as the Wash- then. In moments like this you just have to ington Redskins’ star quarterback laid keep the faith and stay with it and believe face-down on the ground only five min- that everything happens for a reason and utes into the team’s home opener. Robert God has a plan.”

Griffin’s backup, Kirk Cousins, reGriffin III was injured, a sight all too familiar to Redskins fans. While rolling out placed him and played well. On Cousins’s of the pocket on a passing play, Griffin’s first play he threw a perfect pass to wide foot landed awkwardly on the grass. The open fullback Darrell Young for a touchteam later announced that the third year down. Cousins went on to complete 22 of quarterback had dislocated his ankle, an 33 attempts for 250 yards, while throwing injury that will hold Griffin out for at least two touchdowns and no interceptions.

“I believe Kirk is going to go out there five weeks, possibly more. The fans in attendance showed their support by chanting and play extremely well,” Griffin said.

“RG3” as Griffin, unable to walk, was cart- “This team is going to win games because we have a very good team that’s on that ed off the field.

“When I landed, I wanted to look at my field. One guy doesn’t define this team – ankle because I felt something, and when I and that includes me.”

The injuries kept adding up for the Redskins as the game went on. Wide receiver Desean Jackson sprained the AC joint in his shoulder, backup running back Roy Helu Jr. strained his left quad and starting left guard Shawn Lauvao sprained his right knee late in the game.

Through all of this though, the Redskins were still able to win the game 41-10. They beat the Jacksonville Courtesy of Keith Allison Jaguars in all phases of Jason Hatcher recorded 1.5 of the Redskins’ franchise record 10 sacks. the game. The defense

Weekly Scoreboard Field Hockey:

Sept. 17 vs. Catholic University (W) UMW: 1 Catholic: 0 Sept. 14 vs. Shenandoah University (W/2OT) UMW: 3 S henandoah: 2

Men's Soccer:

Sept. 17 @ N.C. Wesleyan (L) UMW: 1 N.C. Wesleyan: 3 Sept. 13 @ Kean University (L) UMW: 0 Kean: 1

Women's Soccer:

Sept. 17 vs. Radolph-Macon (W) UMW: 1 RMC: 0 Sept. 13 vs. Meredith College (Tie) UMW: 1 Meredith: 1

Upcoming:

Volleyball: Sept. 19-20 CMU DoubleTree Invitational @ Carnegie Mellon University Field Hockey: Sept. 20 vs. Eastern Mennonite Univ.

1 p.m. @ Home.

Women’s Soccer: Sept. 20 @ Hood College 2.p.m.

Cross Country: Sept. 20 @ Dickinson Invitational Women’s Tennis: ITA Regional Tournament @ Home Men’s Tennis: Sept. 20 @ George Mason Invite

was able to sack Jacksonville’s quarterback, Chad Henne, 10 times, tying a franchise record for sacks in a single game, and held the Jaguars to only 10 points and eight first downs. It was one of the best performances by the Redskins’ defense in years.

The defense held the Jaguars to only 148 yards of total offense, the lowest total allowed by the team since 2007.

Off-season free agent pick-up Jason Hatcher, a defensive end, had a dominant game to go along with the defense “I don’t feel like we’ve done nothing.

This is the second game of the season. It was a hell of a game played, but at the end of the day, we haven’t done nothing,” Hatcher said. “Once we do it consistently, do it week in and week out, then we can say, ‘Hey, we had a good game.’”

The offense also performed well. Running back Alfred Morris rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Niles Paul also had a breakout performance, catching eight passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. Washington also did not turn the ball over at all in their win, something that plagued them just one week earlier against Houston.

What the Redskins did in Sunday’s game was impressive, winning by 31 points always is. In fact, the Redskins had not won a game by that big of a margin since 2007. Despite key injuries, the Redskins showed that they can score points in great multitude, while playing solid defense. The Redskins’ next game will be a divisional showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff will happen at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21.

For the first time in decades, the possibility of a “Beltway Battle” for the World Series is a very real possibility. The Washington Nationals won the NL East crown

Courtesy of Keith Allison

for the second time in three years, and the Baltimore Orioles won the AL East title for the first time since 1997.

Both teams clinched their titles on Tuesday night, sending the D.C.-Maryland area into a frenzy.

Courtesy of Keith Allison

The Nationals clinched with a 12.5 game lead on the Braves while the Orioles did so with a 13.5 game lead on the Blue Jays.

Both teams were the first teams in the MLB to clinch division titles, giving those in the area hope of the two meeting in the World Series.

Both teams were in the playoffs in 2012 but had very little success in the postseason. Both the Nationals and the Orioles lost in the divisional round. Just two years later, they are being picked as the favorites to come out of their respective leagues and contend for the pennant.

Rachel Wheeler joins athletic training staff University of Mary Washington adds depth to already deep and talented athletic training staff.

ALEX BLOOM Staff Writer

Recently joining the University of Mary Washington athletics family is athletic trainer Rachel Wheeler.

Rachel was born and raised in Rochester, New York and attended Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Following her time in Erie, Rachel attended graduate school at the University of Virginia.

While attending UVA Rachel worked primarily within the football program and upon graduation, Wheeler became an athletic trainer at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

Wheeler then spent four years in Lexington, where she worked with a variety of athletic teams.

However she predominantly spent her time with the men’s and women’s soccer teams in the fall season.

In the winter, Wheeler worked with wrestling and swimming and in the spring she worked primarily with the men’s lacrosse team.

Here at UMW Rachel will work alongside head athletic trainer Ian Rogol and Lauren Wise to work hands on with all athletic teams on campus.

How long have you been an athletic trainer?

Wheeler: I have been a certified athletic trainer for five years.

What are you passionate about?

Wheeler: I’m passionate about my job, I love helping and interacting with people.

I’m also passionate about making people laugh, keeping the atmosphere light and keeping a positive attitude. And I really What are your goals at UMW? Wheeler: My goal is to help as many like soccer. student athletes as I can to be successful in what they want to do and help them Why would someone want to work with achieve their goals. My job is to look out you? for everyone’s health care and well being, Wheeler: Because I’m positive, upbeat, a smidge sarcastic and good at my job. and keep them safe.

Meet and Greet: Rachel Wheeler

Favorite sports team?

Wheeler: Let’s go Buffalo! I Billieve!

Favorite food?

Wheeler: I don’t discriminate against food. it’s all delicious.

Favorite type of music or band?

Wheeler: Depends on the time of year, my mood, etcetera. A little bit of everything I suppose.

Favorite athlete?

Wheeler: Don’t really have one.

Favorite place?

Wheeler: New York City, hands down.

Courtesy of UMW athletics

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VIEWPOINTS

Editorial: education budget cuts

Last week, The Blue & Gray Press reported on the University of Mary Washington’s planned cuts in response to the Virginia state government’s $880 million budget shortfall. All other higher education institutions in Virginia have implemented similar cuts in response to lower than expected state funds.

On Sept. 15, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced a bipartisan budget deal that will tap into the commonwealth’s rainy day fund in order to make up for the budget shortfall, according to the Associated Press.

Along with these funds, Gov. McAuliffe and the House of Delegates also announced “cuts of $192 million to state agencies, $90 million for higher education and $60 million for aide to local governments over the next two years” to assist in making up the difference.

The plan also stated that K-12 funding will not be cut and there will be no increases to Virginia taxes, according to AP. Gov. McAuliffe and the state legislature faced a difficult situation, and unfortunately had to straddle a thin line between cutting certain funds while saving others.

It is hard to say whether every decision made will be the most effective, but it is clear that these cuts are not going to be easy, especially for Virginia’s universities.

According to the Lynchburg News & Advance, the legislation dissuades tuition increases, and urges universities to adjust their budgets through “productivity and

operating efficiencies.”

Thankfully, however, students may not have to shoulder the burden of these budget cuts. Gov. McAuliffe and the state are taking careful steps to cut spending so that tuition will not rise. According to AP, financial aid will not be cut and Gov. McAuliffe urged universities to avoid tuition hikes.

While these steps are important, the fact remains that universities and colleges throughout Virginia are going to have to react to these cuts in efficient ways.

These cuts have already forced UMW to take unfortunate measures in order to make up for our decreased budget. The University instituted a hiring freeze, but currently has no plans to lay off employees.

It is unfortunate that higher education has taken a hit in this circumstance, but we must remember that this decision was surely not made lightly, and these moves were, of course, weighed heavily by all involved.

We should acknowledge the positive fact that K-12 education will not be cut in a time when childhood education is one of the most important factors for an individual’s future success.

Additionally, our University issued that they are also making an effort to avoid placing the burden of these cuts upon students. The hiring freeze is not ideal, but it is a practical step for the University to take at this time.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

Obama decides on possible ISIS attacks

Coleman Hopkins Staff Writer

President Obama has announced his plan to combat ISIS, which will involve airstrikes and the training of Syrian rebels to crush the Islamic terror group from two distinct fronts.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal conducted a poll with NBC that found twothirds of Americans believe that attacking ISIS is in America’s best interest, with only a fraction saying that no military action was best (13-percent). The most shocking part was that a third of those surveyed would be fine with troops on the ground and airstrikes while another third wanted only airstrikes when, almost a year ago, the public shot down the president’s proposal of airstrikes in Syria.

The high demand for action against ISIS has stemmed from the filmed beheadings of two journalists and an English worker which caused serious outcry for decisive action. Multiple polls show a majority of Americans favoring retaliation of the airborne variety.

Now, President Obama has never been one to care about polls, unlike some of his contemporaries and rivals, Ex-Secretary of State Clinton and Ex-Governor Romney, to name a few, who often take their stances based on which way the political winds are blowing, so it is unlikely to think that this most recent WSJ/NBC poll will influence him too much in the coming days and weeks. Yet, in this instance, it does appear as though he may have weighed some of the polls, as his decision does reflect the consensus of the majority of American people.

Per usual, there has been varying talk on whether or not this plan is a good idea.

Detractors have jeered at his aloofness

and tardiness to act while supporters have praised his coolness and judiciousness that have gone into his ultimate decision.

A criticism that has been aired by both left and right alike is that arming of rebels in the Middle East is not a good idea, and based off of history, there is reason to support this claim. Consider when Reagan armed and trained Iranians in the 80s and how that is considered now (it is widely seen as one of the worst parts of his presidency). Will the arming of Syrian rebels come back to harm the US and the West?

Another angle to consider is the terrorist group themselves, ISIS, and what they wanted the president to do. Realistically, there were two options, and for the western world, they were both negative. ISIS either wanted no intervention into their bloody conquest, to ensure their victory, or they wanted military action to use as a rallying cry to increase support against their enemies. Those were both very, very bad options for the U.S. and their allies, who now have to completely crush ISIS to reach a lasting resolution else they risk strengthening their ranks.

President Obama was elected to take the U.S. out of wars and off the global stage, and his most ardent supporters would remind you of that, which is nothing to be ashamed of given the issues of the Iraq War. Foreign Policy is an extremely fickle and calculated game that is never black and white; typically, any one positive move will influence another negative move. The president is no foreign policy guru, and realistically we haven’t had a foreign policy master in the White House since Bush I, who was elected because of that ability.

Part of this may best be explained because there hasn’t been a perceived demand for

•ISIS | 5

4

Peterson sparks national dialogue

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Colman Hopkins Staff Writer

This past Sunday, Adrian Peterson, the superstar running back for the Minnesota Vikings, made headlines off the field for the wrong reasons. Submitting to police at his home in Montgomery County, Texas, the all-pro performer stands accused of child abuse after disciplining his son with a switch. Having been indicted for one count of reckless or negligent injury to a child late last week, Peterson is scheduled to head to court in early October. The incident itself revolves around his use of a switch to discipline his young son, but has renewed the debate on corporal punishment, specifically the line between where discipline ends and abuse begins.

Growing up in Texas himself, Peterson was no stranger to the switch as a child.

Supporters of the running back have pointed to his early familiarity with corporal punishment and spankings to explain that this method is all Peterson knows, and that, while he may have gotten carried away, he just meant well; the point was to teach a lesson.

Multiple fans, friends and sources have taken to Peterson’s defense. From the Detroit Free Press to a childhood friend, those near and far from Peterson have pointed out that he both loves his son and turned out alright himself after growing up in the same environment.

David Cummings, a life-long friend of Peterson’s, recounted a time after practice when Peterson’s father arrived, removed his belt and whipped the young high school student in front of twenty of his friends for some undisclosed wrong the high school athlete had committed.

Pointing out that “his dad was real tough,” Cummings seemed to pass the blame onto Peterson’s father as a sort of learned method of discipline. Social media has presented both sides of the controversy, with the hashtag “Adrian Peterson” featuring comments ranging from supportive fans to critics and outraged parents.

On the other side, photos have circulat-

ed Twitter showing the extent of the bruising and bleeding that Peterson’s son experienced following the beating, which does not reflect well on the Vikings star. Peterson’s recent reinstatement has sparked serious outrage from many, including the Governor of Minnesota Mark Dayton, a huge fan of the Vikings, who called for serious action to remove Peterson from the team until a real, meaningful resolution is reached.

Critics question what exactly the lesson to be learned is after a parent beats a child with a stick to the point of producing serious bruising and bleeding. Specifically, Mel Robbins, a CNN commentator, legal analyst and talk show host, pointed out that, “the only person you can legally hit in the United States is a child.”

Suggesting that the root of the discipline-abuse problem lies in the fact that parents can almost indiscriminately put their hands on a child. Whether or not you agree with Robbins, her position does bring up an interesting question: if Peterson endured similar abuse as a child, then wouldn’t he know firsthand how cruel and brutal whippings can be?

As a response, Peterson issued a statement, stating, “I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man.”

Some decided to use the beating as an opportunity to critique society, which focuses less on Peterson in particular and chooses to view the event as a microcosm for an archaic way of teaching children right from wrong.

Regardless of the ultimate verdict, the incident itself brings about interesting questions, such as whether or not Peterson is a victim or a villain, if certain child raising techniques are outdated and if a spanking is - even if it is deserved - morally right?

While the whipping of a four-year oldboy is certainly not a good thing, the dialogue that it has sparked could very well be positive.

Courtesy of Flickr/ Chuck Hager

Thursday, September 18, 2014

VIEWPOINTS

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

Scotland will vote today, for better or for worse

Courtesy of Fresh News U.K.

Hope Racine News Editor

In one of the closest votes of the modern age, Scottish citizens will vote today on whether to leave the United Kingdom and branch out as an independent country.

Scotland, which has been part of a political union with Britain since 1707, is hosting a nation-wide referendum asking a simple yes or no question: should Scotland be an independent country?

Thus far, more than 4.2 million people have registered to vote on the referendum, and if the majority votes yes, plans will be set in action for Scotland to become fully independent as early as 2016. Current polls conducted by the Scotsman newspaper place the outcome as close as 49 to 45 percent in favor of staying in the U.K., with six percent still undecided.

Scottish independence is not a new concept; it is one that citizens have been fighting for both subtly and overtly for almost 1,000 years. But the push for independence is stemming less out of old hostilities and more out of a desire for a more representative government.

This poor representation has historically landed Scotland with a lot of bad hands.

For example, Scotland has been tasked with safeguarding U.K. and U.S. nuclear weapons, effectively making the country a nuclear target. In the 1990s, Scotland was the testing ground for former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s poll tax, which had disastrous effects on the economy.

In 1999, as a response to the historical mishandling of Scottish interests, former Prime Minister Tony Blair helped establish a new Scottish parliament as part of the Scotland Act of 1998. However, the parliament deals primarily with “devolved” matters of education, health, agriculture and justice, and is still under control of the British parliament. This means that the majority of the important decisions, including immigration, taxation and war declaration remain out of Scotland’s hands.

According to those who are part of the “Yes” campaign, Scottish politics are routinely liberal, compared to Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative British government.

While the independence movement is not new, it has often been in the background of Scottish politics, serving more as a fringe group. However, since the 2011 victory of the Scottish National Party, independence has moved from a fringe concern to the center of Holyrood debates.

So what will happen if Scotland votes yes? According to the SNP leader, First Minister Alex Salmond, not a whole lot.

Salmond, while campaigning for a yes vote, has assured voters that citizens would be able to keep using the pound sterling, which is currently one of the strongest cur-

rencies in the world. However, the British government has insisted that they will not agree to this, meaning that Scotland would then have to join the infamously weak euro. Unfortunately, the European Union stated they are reticent to bring new countries on to the Euro, thus forcing Scotland to create a new currency. But where would the financial backing for this new currency come from?

The SNP’s main economic plan relies almost entirely on the North Sea oil and gas reserves that lie off its shores, which have historically been a cash cow for Great Britain. However, each year sees the rigs produce less and less oil, indicating that they are near the end of their lifespans. In addition, there are debates over how much control over these reserves Scotland would actually receive. In a recent session of Parliament, a Scottish MP asked Cameron the likelihood of Scotland being allowed to keep 60 percent of the reserves “Well, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer,” Cameron responded.

However, Better Together supporters, which include famous Scots such as “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, are still hoping for a resolution. Cameron and other British leaders have all publicly signed a pledge that would give Scots “extensive new powers,” on the condition that they stay with the union.

In addition to economic worries, many are concerned of the social and cultural ramifications of the potential break.

“Voting yes will end every single last remaining link that exists, the connections we have with our friends, neighbors and relatives in the rest of the U.K.,” said Brown during a Better Together campaign in Scotland last week. “This cannot be a trial separation. This is bound to be a messy and expensive and costly and difficult divorce.”

Britain, who in the post-imperial age are known for losing countries, faced a similar, though less devastating, situation in the 90s. In 1995, Canada held their second and final referendum to gauge support for leaving the Commonwealth. The ‘no’ vote won out in a union victory largely accredited to support from outside politicians, such as U.S. President Bill Clinton.

No such support has been indicated by outside leaders for the Scottish referendum. Many insinuated that it is not anyone’s business but Scotland’s. However, that is not necessarily true. As a global power, significant changes to the United Kingdom, such as the constitutional crisis that would follow a ‘yes’ vote, will send ripples out across the world.

One thing is for sure: something will have to change, regardless of the vote.

Take back the right to privacy

Mona Osmer Viewpoints Editor

Sick and tired of hearing about the possibility of national drones and Google Glass secretly watching your every move?

Cyborg Unplug has the solution to your paranoia.

Julian Oliver, an engineer and artist from New Zealand, created a portable device that detects drones and surveillance devices accessing personal wireless signals.

As part of the Stop the Cyborgs Campaign, an organization that is trying to persuade individuals of the risks of surveillance and the prospect of dying liberty and privacy, Cyborg Unplug intends to empower individuals and allow them to block big government and evasive security institutions from personal networks and information.

Cyborg Unplug will be available for pre-order September 30. As of late, the biggest critique of the device is that it will prevent other unthreatening networks in the same area from properly working and staying online.

However, the public response is mostly positive, as most people have been outraged by the possibility of drones in a domestic surveillance setting rather than their designated war zone setting, as they should be.

Though the main intention of having domestic drone surveillance in the U.S. is to stop terrorist attacks, such as the bomb-

ings during the 2013 Boston Marathon, before they happen, it denies all citizens their right to privacy.

It is our right to protect ourselves from an intrusive government and fully support devices and companies that stand to give us that power. Fundamentally, we are a country built upon this right, and it is therefore our time to uphold and cherish that right.

So how does this device work exactly?

According to Cyborg Unplug, “Every wireless (WiFi) device has a unique hardware signature assigned to it by the manufacturer. These signatures are broadcast by wireless devices as they probe for, connect to and use wireless networks. Cyborg Unplug sniffs the air for these signatures, looking for devices its owner has selected to ban. If a device selected to be banned is discovered, an alarm is triggered.” However, due to technical limitations, alarm features may be restricted to the highpriced model.

Users then have the power to deny access to specific signals, denoting the critique that this device could wipe out all signals in the area. Cyborg Unplug also tells users that they have the power as the device is just a utility, and anything illegal done by users is at personal discretion.

I support the right to protect my privacy and applaud the creation of a product that empowers me to do so.

Courtesy of Cyborg Unplug

Airstricks will be deployed as well as ground troops

•ISIS| 4

a foreign policy-minded president by the war-weary public. Now that there is a demand, the president is being savaged for not being on the ball with regard to a subject he was elected to not have to deal with, which only shows how difficult ISIS is going to be to deal with.

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post was a major critic and posed an op-ed attack on the president’s golf game while the world was burning. Hardly being a partisan attack the article showed that there are some who fear ISIS more than they support their political bosses or their hobby to play golf.

Clearly the lack of a strategy to this point was outrageous and regrettable given the deadliness of the enemy. On the other hand, it would have been equally bad if the president had blindly rushed into the conflict, guns ablazing, only to enter a guerrilla quagmire like his predecessor did twelve years ago.

To be sure, this is a serious jam, and one that cannot continue to be ignored by the president, which he undebatably has

been doing over the past weeks. At the same time, it is not simply a problem that unilateral military action can solve alone.

Specifically, President Obama needs to reconsider his strategy at hand, as arming the enemy of my enemy doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to come out of things unscathed, as very recent history has shown.

A strong multilateral effort - unlike the Iraq Invasion and War - is needed to get the job done right, which requires the president to take the wheel and recruit additional allies to solve the ISIS problem in a way that does not involve giving weapons to radical Muslims.

In a country split so evenly into red and blue, Republican and Democrat, hawk and dove, any action or inaction by the president will be contentious to the other half of the country - that’s just life in the big city, folks. What the president cannot afford to do is sit idle while policies that have been proven to be ineffective are implemented again, which means no boots on the ground and no supplying weapons to radicals.

5

LIFE

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

A look into the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and “Apple Watch” APPLE REMAINS ORTHODOX IN THEIR DESIGNS... THIS DISAPPOINTED MANY PEOPLE.

CHRISTIAN BRUMFIELD

The world gathered in excitement for the announcement of a new generation of iPhones, as well as a highly anticipated smart watch, on September 9. As usual, the new iPhone includes a faster processor and a better cam-

era. However, in a clear attempt to compete with other smartphone companies, like Samsung, Apple decided to increase the standard display size in the iPhone 6 from four inches to 4.7 inches.

Moreover, an iPhone 6+ model was announced, utilizing a massive 5.5 inch display. If this trend of bigger equals better continues, soon everyone will be holding up laptop-sized phones to their ears to make a call. At that point, it would probably be safe to say that the technological world is conjuring up the style of the 1980s again.

Other than major display changes, Apple remains orthodox in their designs. Not surprisingly, this disappointed many people – specifically those who expect something revolutionary each year. When it comes to technology, the human tendency to never be satisfied is unquestionably present, but is it truly realistic to expect something mind-blowing every year?

Perhaps the greatest challenge faced by Apple in recent years is the development of their new smart watch. “Apple Watch,”

while not the first of its kind, will certainly make a name for itself among other smart watches, such as the Moto 360 or the LG G. What many people are asking, though, is whether or not Apple did in fact create something groundbreaking.

While its effect on society will not be clear until it joins the market in early 2015, some of its features give evidence to a new generation of wearable and personal technology. The “Apple Watch” has features such as a heartbeat sensor, pedometer and digital touch, along with allowing the watch to function as an iPhone. Are these countless features boasted by the “Apple Watch” overkill, or are they necessary?

What will the future hold for wearable technology? In time, distracted students will be getting their watches taken away, and people will get ticketed for ‘watching and driving.’

On a more serious note, it is interesting to think about where our society is heading. Technology has always been in the habit of redefining itself and evolving to meet standards that simply did not exist a few years prior.

Perhaps a few years in the future we will be seeing contact lenses that display your twitter notifications. Maybe we will create killer robots that take over the world. Whatever the case, technology will always be evolving. Whether or not we evolve with it is up to us.

An update on the Canine Companions for Independence puppy trainers club KARLIN HOFFMAN Staff Writer The new Canine Companions for Independence puppy trainers club has brought two new faces to the University of Mary Washington this semester, along with increased campus education of the CCI. The new faces belong to the puppies being trained and raised, Dragon and Farrah.

The dogs have been with their human companions since June and learned many things during their stay here. Rebekah Selbrede, a junior psychology major and the president of the CCI puppy raisers, shared what the dogs will be taught by those taking care of them.

The club hopes to do more than just raise these dogs to help people in need. The goal is to educate the general public about service dogs and how they need to be treated. This type of education expects people to follow certain rules in order to keep the

dog from getting distracted or from becoming improperly trained.

There are also rules that need to be met by the trainers and their dogs in order to assure the dogs do not become a distraction in the classroom.

“The puppies have been pretty good as far. Dragon is not quite ready for multiple classes yet, so we have not had any classroom problems,” Selbrede said. “People try to distract him by petting him without asking me first, or giving him commands without me asking them to. But, for the most part, people have been pretty respectful.”

Students in the apartments had to get used to a new way of living now that puppies are stationed in their building.

“Living in the same building as the dog is fine,” senior art history major Kara Yurina said. “I was a little worried that we would hear barking, but I can’t say I have. I forget he even lives in the building sometimes.”

Commands the Puppy trainers use: 1.To quiet the puppy – Use the “do not” command.

2. If unsuccessful, the raiser will remove the puppy from the classroom.

3. Though generally clean, the raiser will remove the puppy if the puppy causes a mess. The raiser will also clean up the mess.

General Rules for Students around Puppies: 1. Please do not pet the puppy, talk to the puppy or otherwise distract the puppy without asking the raiser first.

2.Please do not ever attempt to feed the puppy without the expressed approval of the raiser.

3.In general, please ignore the puppy unless asking the raiser for permission to interact.

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Ginny Clark/The Blue & Gray Press The CCI club offers the opportunity for students to help raise service dogs at UMW.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

LIFE

Consequences of the online age

Courtesy of Flickr NOELLE CARLSON Staff Writer Think about what you post online, whether that it be a photo album on Facebook or a tweet. The intention of anything done publicly online is mostly for the views and likes of others. Now, think of what you do on your computer that is strictly private, such as finances or business emails.

Regardless of whether you think it is for your eyes only, there is still no legitimate privacy to anything put out into the world of the Internet.

Recently, there was a major scandal involving the theft and leaking numerous nude celebrity photos. This is a prime example of how even the most intimate of information can be hacked and brought out into the spotlight.

Junior computer science major Shane Chamberlain summed it up best, saying, “The internet is a double edged sword.”

There are pros and cons to the Internet. On one hand, its capabilities are vast and impactful, but all the good it does can be outweighed by how untrustworthy its security is. The Internet can link all people around the globe in just seconds. The downside of making the world a smaller place is that the Internet is not really governed by anyone. We have the freedom to post whatever we please, which can lead to the extermination of privacy. The lack of rules and regulations on the Internet leads to online scams and provides access to information distributed onto the Internet realm, especially since it’s so difficult to recognize authentic sites It does not matter whether what you are posting is private or public, it is never 100 percent safe. People are free to post about whatever they want, and there are people who are just as capable to hack that information. Our Internet generation is not one where we can just clear our browser history or delete a photo and it is gone forever. Rather, our history is ineradicable. The recent celebrity photo scandal involving Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton and Victoria Justice was a big story in the media. A lot of people made comments about how

the stars should have deleted these photos, but these celebrities were hacked and exploited with no way of preventing it from happening.

Now that some of Hollywood’s A-list actresses have had their photos put on blast, it is becoming more of a concern as to how, or if it is at all possible, to have any privacy when using our phones, tablets and computers.

With apps like Snapchat, people can send a quick photo to friends, and within seconds that photo is gone. But who is to say that the photos taken on Snapchat are really gone for good? Or consider the iCloud that most Apple users have. iCloud is essentially a cloud of wireless information, photos and music hooked up to your apple account. Once you snap a photo on your iPhone, it flies on up to the iCloud.

U2 recently released their new album for free through the iCloud, so if you have an iCloud set up with your Apple account, you already have U2’s new album and you might not have even known. Not that this is entirely bad news, but it just shows how accessible private information can be When you think of today’s technological advances, you think speed. Unlike previous generations, our generation is all about instant gratification. With our faces buried in computers or looking down at our iPhones, we lose sight of real face-toface interactions.

Speedy connection expedites work efficiency substantially, yes, but I see this dependency on the Internet leading to a society that does not value community within friend groups, work environments and classroom settings. When it comes to human interaction, it is all about quality, not speed.

“There is no escaping it,” senior historic preservation major Emily Elliott said.

Technology is proliferating in the developing world and does not look like it will be taking a breather anytime soon. It is notable that these technological advances are beneficial in many ways, but it is starting to get harder to feel comfortable with the fact that our technology can work against us just as much as it can push us forward.

Humans of UMW

By NANCY MILROY Contributing Writer “My face looks like this. It when I did not feel accepted.” doesn’t mean I’m any different However, Joe’s sentiment from you. I have Otopalatodigital changed when he began to attend syndrome, a craniofacial disor- Cher’s Annual Family Retreat. der.”

“I got this shirt in Arizona at the When Joe Brooks, a junior music retreat. Children who have differmajor at the University of Mary ent craniofacial syndromes come Washington, contacted me, I was together and are reminded that unfamiliar with this syndrome we are not alone, that we all have and disorder. Joe handed me a similar stories,” Joe said. pamphlet from the Children’s These stories are centered around Craniofacial Association (CCA) the many surgeries that individuand advised that I read it. Reach- als with craniofacial disorders reing out to the Humans of UMW ceive. In 2009, Joe had a surgery community is part of Joe’s effort that kept him in the hospital for to inform us that September is three months.

Craniofacial Acceptance Month. At the close of the interview, I Craniofacial conditions vary, the asked Joe a spotlight question tramost common being cleft lip and ditional to Humans of UMW. palate. You may be thinking, What is a metaphor for your life?

“Acceptance, sure. That’s easy.” “My life is climbing mountains But do you, reader, actually prac- with rough terrain. I’ve had to tice this? climb different obstacles to get Acceptance is more than the to where I am today. I’ve had to quick smile you formulate when overcome the mountain of suryou pass a person with craniofa- geries, the mountain of recovery, cial differences. Acceptance is the mountain of proving to people recognizing an individual’s qual- that I can do things that they can ities without the motive to change do, and the mountain of overcomthem. CCA’s message of accep- ing my own challenges.” tance is that “beyond the face is What mountain are you climbing a heart.” now, and have you reached the When asked if he had faced a lack top? If not, when will you? of acceptance at UMW, Joe re- “The mountain of graduating. I’m plied, “Not on campus, no. It was not on top yet, but I’m climbing.” in middle and elementary school

Joe Brooks, junior music major.

Restaurant Review: Basilico, the Little Italy of Fredericksburg JULIANNE KUHN Staff Writer

Since its opening, Basilico set out to provide a unique dining experience, intentionally distancing itself from other Italian restaurant competitors. Its convenient location on Cowan Boulevard is easily within walking or driving distance from the University of Mary Washington campus. Upon walking in you can grab a menu and order your choice of a variety of pizzas, pastas, soups, salads, paninis and other deserts at the register.

From there, your food is delivered hot and fresh to your table, and if you order

to-go it will be packaged and ready to eat for when you get home. Phone orders are gladly accepted, and delivery is available to the UMW area.

Basilico offers a combination of Italian classics and New York deli favorites, but what sets them apart from the rest is their dedication to bringing a variety of imported Italian products to your fingertips. As the only Italian market in Fredericksburg, Basilico does not disappoint.

Alongside fresh, dried and frozen pastas, you will find risotto imported from northern Italy, cheeses from the regions of Sicily, Veneto, Campania and Piemonte, canned goods, dry goods and, of course, a

variety of wine to enjoy with your meal.

The staff is knowledgeable about Italy and its foods and will help you along the way to choosing the perfect ingredients for your meal, as well as an Italian wine to go with it.

Each Wednesday, the restaurant hosts a wine happy hour from 4-6 p.m. and offers daily lunch specials that are perfect for getting a fresh, tasty meal without breaking the bank.

However, as delicious as they may be, the entrees are not the crown jewel of the Basilico dining experience. Nested along the far wall is a veritable heaven of dessert offerings, from cannolis, tiramisu and a di-

verse selection of gelato flavors.

Dessert enthusiasts can indulge in cannolis, tiramisu, fruit tarts, profiteroles (an Italian cream puff covered in chocolate) and many other beautifully made Italian and American favorites. A variety of gelatos in dazzling colors and flavors with Italian names are pleasing both to the eyes and the taste buds. Chocolate lovers can indulge in cioccolato and Nutella, while those desiring a fruity experience can get a scoop of aranciata or limone.

Stop by Basilico for your next lunch break, you will not be disappointed. Buon Appetito!

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LIFE Directions: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with foil, and spray with cooking spray. Place crackers side by side so that they fill the entire cookie sheet. In a pan over medium-high heat, mix the sugar and butter until the mixture bubbles and slightly thickens. Spoon the sugar and butter mixture over the crackers.

Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers and bake for another three minutes, or until chocolate chips are soft. Spread chocolate evenly with a spatula or spoon. Let the toffee cool completely before cutting into squares.

EASY TOFFEE Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 15 1 tube Saltine crackers ½ cup sugar 2 sticks butter 12-ounce bag chocolate chips

Tip: I like to use a pizza cutter to break up the toffee!

LAUREN MOSESSO Staff Writer The aroma of freshly baked pies, cookies and other treats wafting through the air triggers fond memories of special times spent with family and friends. The changing cooler weather prompts us to gather together and bake with friends in our residence halls and apartments.

The time we spend preparing and baking treats can be just as enjoyable as eating

the flavorful results.

Below is a toffee recipe that is special to me, as my family and I have made it together every Christmas for years. The origin of the recipe is unknown, but this delicious toffee is perfect for a dessert, a late night snack or a break between classes. It is easy to make, takes only 20 minutes and is ideal for students on a budget. This recipe makes an abundance of toffee, creating a great treat for hosting a get-together or party. This delicious snack will make your friends beg for the recipe.

The cheapest weeknight bites in Fredericksburg

KELSEY MOORING Staff Writer

As a rule, college students are frugal and are always trying to get the best bang for their buck. When looking for an inexpensive night out, it can be better to look for local deals instead of settling for unhealthy, cheap choices.

Close to campus, the Home Team Grill restaurant has spectacular specials every Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesdays, the crowds pour in for half priced burgers from 4-11 p.m.

“For being around four bucks, it was worth it,” freshman sociology major Stefanie Chae said.

Wednesday is half priced wings night at Home Team. Anyone can get a pound of wings with their desired sauce, again for only five dollars from 4-11 p.m.

Conveniently located right down College Avenue is The General Store Restaurant, which offers homemade spaghetti Mondays. Anyone can have a big bowl of spaghetti, just like mama makes it, with their choice of any sauce for only five

dollars.

If students are feeling a little southern, they can head over to Country Cookin’

on Tuesdays and Thursdays for some savory specials. On Tuesdays, two people can dine for only fifteen dollars – perfect

Courtesy of Flickr Two dollar burger and three dollar cheeseburger at Capital Ale House on Mondays

for a date night. On Thursdays, the restaurant offers a very specific steak special that comes with free fried pickles.

Last, but definitely not least, Capital Ale House in downtown Fredericksburg has copious specials going on almost all week. To kick off the week, Monday is burger night. Although sides are separate, you can get a two dollar hamburger or a three dollar cheeseburger and spice it up with extras that cost only a dollar.

If students are seafood lovers, they can head down to Capital Ale House on Thursdays for endless mussels, a deal priced out at only sixteen dollars.

“For being sixteen dollars, most college students would have turned it down, but I’m glad I didn’t,” freshman psychology major Kae Hume said.

To kiss the weekend goodbye, Capital Ale House offers half priced appetizers on Sundays. It is a great deal to enjoy while watching the football game with friends.

If any college students are trying to save up money, these are the best nights to go grab a bite.

THE NEXT ISSUE

Global Cafe Dorm Room D.I.Y Mazerunner Review Family Weekend Student wins Jay-Z Schlorship 9

NEWS

Students to join in march for climate change

Identification laws ease up •VOTER | 1

Jaime Henn/ 350.org

has personally asked world leaders to bring in plans of action on issues such as how to An estimated 100,000 people, includ- reduce emissions.

“Its not just about the polar bears and ing over 55 University of Mary Washingthe trees, it’s about the people now. This is ton students, will gather in New York City an injustice,” senior geography major and for the People’s Climate March this Sunenvironmental sustainability minor Alice day, Sept. 21 in preparation for next year’s Redhead said.

“Every facet of society is United Nations Climate Change Confergoing to need to change.” ence (COP21). World leaders are meeting The current global agreement on cliin New York next week for a preparatory mate change is set to expire in 2020, which summit. is why the events of the upcoming COP21 The preparatory meeting, which is are considered crucial to strategizing and hosted by U.N. Secretary General Ban Kiimplementing a new global agreement. moon, will be held on Sept. 23 with the “In the past, most of the agreements that hopes of allowing world leaders to share have been made have been pledges. Pledgtheir thoughts and freely discuss strategies es don’t entail that the world leaders have for reducing global warming. These plans to actually take action, it’s more of a promwill then be brought to France in 2015 for ise,” Kronemer said. the more formal and binding COP21 conKronemer provided the example of a ference. past agreement made about keeping the The trip is being endorsed by UMW’s planet’s temperature from rising by two Ecology Club, DivestUMW and the office degrees Celsius that of sustainability.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT world leaders have Though the sumfailed to honor. mit is restricted to THE POLAR BEARS However, this world political and could all change at AND THE TREES, IT’S economic leaders, the COP21 meeting, the citizens of the ABOUT THE PEOPLE NOW. where leaders will planet want to have THIS IS AN INJUSTICE. form a legally bindtheir say too. ing agreement on a “I think, metEVERY FACET OF course of action for aphorically, we SOCIETY IS GOING TO dealing with climate are attending that change. Until then, summit by taking NEED TO CHANGE. political representato the streets and tives such as Presidemanding that our dent Barack Obama politicians make Alice Redhead and President Xi our voices heard,” Jinping of China, as senior philosophy well as major business leaders, are going major and Eco-Reps member Zakaria Kroto New York to start shaping the direction nemer said. of COP21.

Though leaders will discuss strategy at “People are finally starting to see that this month’s summit, no decisions will be climate change is more than just an enviformally binding until the COP21. ronmental problem, it’s a social justice is“Nothing is coming out of this sinsue,” Redhead said. “The consequences of gle event that going to cause that much climate change are going to hurt communichange,” Kronemer said. “What it will do ties that are systematically oppressed. Peois put world leaders on the right track for ple who don’t have the money and power COP21 so that they can make the decisions to remove themselves from these situations that will fight climate change and begin inare the ones hit first and hardest.” vesting into our future very tactfully.”

The trip has the support of Vice PresiUnlike past conferences, which have dent of Student Affairs Doug Searcy. encouraged leaders to think about change “In my role as a student advocate and and raise awareness, this preparatory meetperson who supports the student experiing is hoping to go a step further and urge ence, I always encourage students to voice individual countries to take concrete actheir opinion and share their perspective,” tion. According to the U.N., Ban Ki-moon Searcy said. “Activism is a healthy and HOLDEN VANDERVEER Staff Writer

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important part of our democratic process.

In addition, political involvement supports student learning and growth.”

Despite the issues at hand, students and other various leaders remain hopeful for a change.

“The solutions are there. We have the knowledge and the ability and technology for clean energy and new solutions. It’s not out of reach. It’s right around the corner,” Redhead said.

repercussions for any particular group by requiring identification. You need an ID to do borderline anything, it will have minimal to no impact on getting people out to vote.”

Some UMW students also agreed with Tardif. Junior English major Evelyn Baumgardner said she thinks the new law does some good.

“I think that’s fair,” Baumgardner said.

“It helps create a system that confirms the identity of the person voting [and] it helps to prevent anyone voting under a false name. It may be more of a hassle, but it helps make the system more secure.”

Last year, in an effort to promote voting amongst the UMW student body, the TurboVote program came to campus free of charge with the hopes of facilitating easier voting. Sponsored by the UMW Legislative Action Committee and the UMW Student Government, TurboVote helped students by sending voter registration and absentee forms to students through the mail, and also sent out election reminders via text messages and email.

This year, according to Tardif, TurboVote is back on campus with the help of Virginia21, who sponsors the program.

Hermerding also assured that there will be the annual Voter Registration BBQ sponsored by The Young Democrats, College Republicans and No Labels club this year. The annual event is intended to get the word out to students about voting and register as many students as possible. The date has yet to be decided.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

NEWS

POLICE BEAT Campus club reaches across seas to do good deeds liquor law violations

Two UMW students, both 18, were given administrative referrals for underage intoxication in Russell Hall on Sept. 13 at approximately 12:25 a.m.

A UMW student received an administrative referral for public intoxication on Sept. 13 at approximately 3:10 a.m.

larceny

An employee’s wallet was taken from an office at the Eagle’s Nest on Sept.5 at approximately 2 p.m.

The case is pending.

A purse was stolen from the lockers of the UMW Fitness Center on Sept.

11 at approximately 9 p.m. The case is pending.

vandalism A University apartment was broken into on Sept. 13 at approximately 11:59 p.m. The case is pending

miscellaneous

Counterfeit currency was found in Simpson Library on Sept. 11, at approximately 10 a.m. The case was turn over to the Secret Service.

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

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.

Courtesy of Roger Carr/ Flickr

EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH Staff Writer

Students at the University of Mary Washington continually strive to make a difference. Investing in social issues and in their community is nothing new for them.

One group, however, has made its mark abroad as well as on campus.

Students Helping Honduras is quickly approaching its goal of building 1,000 schools in Honduran villages in need. In 2012, the group inaugurated a bilingual school in Villa Soleada, a village in El Progreso, Honduras.

This year, SHH is continuing to raise funds for schools like the Villa Soleada Bilingual School, as well as undertaking new projects that will benefit Honduran children.

President of SHH, senior Randi Crabbe, said she has been able to see the results of the group’s fundraising first hand. Crabbe, a psychology major, went to Honduras for the first time as a freshman in 2012.

“There was nothing at the village we went to,” Crabbe said, who had gone to Villa Soleada with other members of the UMW chapter.

Since Crabbe’s first trip, she and others in SHH built the Villa Soleada Bilingual School, as well as the Villa Soleada Children’s Home, which currently shelters 10 boys and 10 girls.

Crabbe has returned to Honduras every year since.

“As a senior and going back, so much has changed,” Crabbe said.

According to SHH, their mission is “to end extreme poverty and violence in Honduras through education and youth empowerment.”

While the organization has branches at universities across Virginia, UMW holds an important place in SHH’s history as its birthplace.

Founder Shin Fujiyama went on a group mission trip to Honduras with the Campus Christian Community in 2004. While there, he saw Honduras’ poverty, especially among its youth, and it drove him to want to help. Fujiyama founded SHH at UMW while his sister, Cosmo, began a similar group at the College of William and Mary.

“The group now has chapters in universities all over Virginia and in many high schools,” Crabbe said.

Another key aspect of the organization is providing education for Honduran children.

“A lot of these kids don’t have a good environment, and they feel like their only option is to join a gang,” Crabbe said.

Gang violence and fatalities in Honduras, especially among young people, is a serious problem. According to Time Magazine, San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ capital, is the most violent city in the world. Much of the violence is carried out by two major gangs: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 (Mara 18).

“Education will pull children away from gang violence and give them a safe place to go to,” international affairs major and secretary of SHH Nicole Scotti said.

In order to fulfill SHH’s mission statement to provide Honduran children with an education, the UMW group holds several fundraisers a year. One of their fundraisers last semester was the 5K Color Run, which took place in April. They partnered with UMW’s Running Club, who also raised money for the College Diabetes Network.

Participants were covered with brightly colored powder while on the run. The two student groups also organized an Easter egg hunt for the children at the events.

“It’s incredible to see everyone’s motivation. They’re doing hard work to improve somebody else’s life. Many of the members here are helping people they don’t even know,” Scotti said.

Other events include bake sales, handing out flyers to local businesses and “Dorm Storms,” which are when members go “door to door in student housing across campus, and ask for loose change,” according to Scotti.

“Every little bit helps,” Scotti added.

This year, SHH is pulling out an old fundraising favorite, the “Thrift SHHop.” Formerly housed in the Great Hall, the “Thrift SHHop” will be held on Ball circle, where the group will sell gently-used clothing, books and other supplies at a low price.

“Everything’s under $5,” Crabbe said.

As of yet, SHH has not planned a date for this event, but it is estimated to take place within the next few months.

Feminists unite in Washington to support the Equal Rights Amendment

NEPHTHALIE LAUTURE News Editor

Thirty members of the University of Mary Washington’s Feminists United on Campus attended the We Are Woman Constitution Day Rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. “It was a kick-off rally for the new movement, which seeks to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment so that women may have full equality in the constitution,” senior women and gender studies and international affairs double major Paige McKinsey said. “This movement is the continuation of an earlier movement which fought to ratify the ERA but failed.”

The two-day event, from Sept. 12 through Sept. 13, was organized by We Are Woman in partnership with ERA Action and Progressive Democrats of America. It featured over 25 speakers and entertainment from Emmy Rivera, a comedian and storyteller, and Capital Blend, an all

female a cappella group.

“This was the first time Feminist United has attended a rally as a club. I was ecstatic at the number of people who joined us from UMW,” Mckinsey said. “We have a passionate group of feminists this year. It is this passion that will allow us to affect change.”

The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced to Congress by the National

Courtesy of Roger Carr/ Flickr

Women’s Party in 1923. Since then, the amendment has been introduced into every session of Congress. In 1972, it was finally passed and sent to the states for ratification.

The amendment’s seven-year deadline was extended by Congress to June 1982.

Despite the extension, the amendment had only been ratified in 35 of the 38 states necessary for ratification. To this day, the

Equal Rights Amendment has yet to be added to the Constitution.

Recently, there were two different types of ERA legislation introduced in the 113th session of Congress. The first is traditional and works to ratify the ERA, while the second, known as the three-state strategy, hopes to indefinitely remove the time limit placed on the ERA ratification.

“As a club, we define feminism as ‘Feminism is a doctrine and belief system fundamentally rooted in equality, which changes and evolves over time, space and circumstance, all while promoting the ideal that all peoples are entitled to the same civil rights and liberties,’” McKinsey said.

As a fairly new club, Feminist United on Campus has made monumental gains in spreading their advocacy. Within the next several months they hope to make a greater impact on campus with several events, all the while joining the national fight to ratify the ERA.

11

SPORTS McLaughlin named CAC Defensive Player of the Week

Courtesy of umweagles.com

UMW sophomore field hockey goalie Megan McLaughlin was named the Capital Athletic Conference field hockey defensive player of the week last week after recording 19 saves and not allowing a single goal in her last three games of play.

After she recorded a shutout against Bridgewater College on Wednesday, McLaughlin stepped up and made three saves in penalty strokes to go along with her seven saves in regulation on Sept. 14, giving No. 18 UMW a 3-2 win over Shenandoah. She turned around and helped UMW record another shutout on Wednesday, Sept. 17 en route to a 1-0 against No. 14 Catholic University.

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

Volleyball battles inexperience, keeps ball rolling

DAVID MERCER Staff Writer

As the fall semester gets into full swing, the University of Mary Washington’s women’s volleyball team is successfully progressing through their season. The team started on a six-game winning streak before falling to Eastern University on Friday, Sept. 5. The team jumped out early and now has an 8-2 overall record.

When speaking about his team, head coach Matt Troy said, “I’m excited to see the improvement from last season to this season and the growth and progress of the team.”

Last season, women’s volleyball finished third in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 6-2 conference record. They won their opening round playoff game before losing to Salisbury in the second round and was two points away from making it to the CAC championship game.

“The team is very determined and they work extremely hard in the gym,” Troy said. “The team is goal oriented and they don’t want to let one another down. They work hard for their teammates.”

This year’s women’s volleyball team is young, which some might say could present a disadvantage, but that has not been the case for the team. Troy noted that the biggest obstacle for the team this year is their youth, with seven freshmen on the team, but that has not hindered them.

“The freshmen have upped the intensity, challenged the returners and contributed on the court,” Troy said.

The returners are also excited about the freshmen on the squad. Troy said it’s hard to choose one or two impact returners from the team because they all bring something different that the team needs. Two of those returners, sophomore Emma Olson and juWnior Emma Murphy, were all-conference

Courtesy of umweagles.com Dani Fiore, Victoria Howell and Kyla Fross prepare to protect the net against Averret University.

selections last season.

Returning sophomore Kelsey Stanbro is one of those players making their presence known on the court. Stanbro wants to help her teammates as much as possible because she said she sees how young they are but knows they can produce.

“I’ll bring experience to the team because we are so young, and the sophomores and juniors have to be leaders,” Stanbro said.

There are no seniors on the team, but Stanbro said, “I want to contribute a leadership quality to the team because the majority of our players are freshman. I want to set the example on and off of the court.”

Junior business major Emma Murphy plays the middle hitter position for the team.

“I’m playing for my teammates, family and myself,” Murphy said.

Murphy said she is excited to play with her teammates this season.

“I love how well we get along on and off the court,” Murphy said. “We’re a young team, but if we work together we can achieve greatness.”

Despite being such a young team the UMW Women’s Volleyball team has had much success so far this season and show no sign of stopping.

“The ultimate goal is to win a NCAA championship and really learn how to play together,” Troy said.

They plan to achieve this goal with hard work and dedication. The team won their last game against North Carolina Wesleyan, and their next game is at Carnegie Mellon University on Friday, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m.

Mother’s Rugby signs big sponsorship deal, joins elite company CHRIS MARKHAM Sports Editor

Two of the most prestigious programs at the University of Mary Washington are the men’s and women’s club rugby teams.

The teams’ long history of success at the highest level is what puts them over the top of other programs in Virginia and puts them in the conversation with other top-tier rugby teams in the country.

The men’s rugby team, also known as Mother’s Rugby, was recently recognized for this history of success by receiving a reputable sponsorship, one that is sure to add a lot of buzz and excitement to the already gifted program. UMW agreed to a five-year sponsorship deal with Canterbury of New Zealand, one of the premier rugby apparel providers in the world.

“They are supposed to be one of the big-

gest sponsors in rugby right now,” sophomore flanker Brandon Lough said. “Having them sponsor us here at Mary Washington will help us a lot.”

Canterbury is a sports clothing company that focuses on rugby but also supplies gear for cricket and other sports. The company distributes primarily to rugby-playing nations, creating one of the most unique brands in sports.

With the sponsorship comes an array of new gear for Mother’s Rugby. New jerseys, shorts, socks and scrum caps are just some of the equipment the team can expect in 2014.

The new sponsorship provides the team with a world-class image. Canterbury is very much considered the Nike of the Rugby world. Whereas Nike sponsors the NFL, many international and professional rugby

Courtesy of Tim Brown The addition of the Canterbury sponsorship is expected to boost team energy and performance in 2014.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Courtesy of Tim Brown UMW rugby players watch on with the packed crowd in the bleachers at the Battleground rugby field.

teams across the world are sponsored by Canterbury.

“It will help us get more recognized by other teams on the east coast or even in the United States,” Lough said.

Since Mother’s Rugby is a club, the team receives little funding from the school. Adding a well-known sponsor to the program is sure to bolster recruiting and performance on the field.

“It will help us with recruiting because this year we’ve recruited 12 guys for the men’s team, and with Canterbury we can get even more,” Lough said.

Canterbury joins Coldwell Banker Elite, Sheetz, Castiglias, the Parisi Speed School, Orthopaedic Specialty Clinic, LineX, Cowboy Jack’s and the UMW Foundation as the sponsor of the Mother’s Rugby program.

Mother’s Rugby competes during both the fall and spring seasons, but practices virtually year-round. The team has already played two games this year, winning one of them. They have four more games slated for the fall, including a scrimmage on Saturday, Sept. 20 at James Madison University.

Later in the semester UMW will face off against a slew of universities across Virginia, including Longwood University, Old Dominion University, the College of William and Mary and Emory & Henry College.

“After we lost a lot of our best players to graduation, we are rebuilding and we look pretty solid right now,” Lough said.

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