The Blue & Gray Press

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

OCTOBER 2, 2014

VOLUME 88 | ISSUE 5

PRESS

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

UMW TO HOST FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEBATE

Courtesy of Rob Wittman

ROB WITTMAN KATEE SPENCER Staff Writer

On Monday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m., the University of Mary Washington will host the First Congressional District Debate between incumbent Republican Representative Rob Wittman, Democrat Norm Mosher and Independent Green Party candidate Gail Parker in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium.

The First District is made up of over 15 different counties and includes parts of Stafford County, Spotsylvania County and the city of Fredericksburg.

The debate will be moderated by Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies. Panelists include Chelyen Davis, assistant editorial page editor

Courtesy of Norm Mosher

Courtesy of Gail Parker

GAIL PARKER at The Free Lance-Star, and Ted Schubel, news director for local radio station B101.5.

The debate is co-sponsored by student organizations The Blue & Gray Press, UMW Young Democrats and the UMW College Republicans. Additional sponsors include the Center for Leadership and Media Studies, The Free Lance-Star and the Fredericksburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

“I think the debate is a really good idea. I would not go searching for this kind of information, but it’s easier when [the candidates are] going against each other,” senior biology major Rachel Feola said. “Things come out that you wouldn’t necessarily know otherwise.”

Mosher, a former member of the United States Navy and longtime Virginia resident, is particularly

NORM MOSHER passionate about education issues and the rising cost of higher education.

“Student loan debt stands at $1.2 trillion, second only to mortgage debt in the US. This crushing student loan debt is shackling our economy and dashing the dreams of young people,” Mosher said.

In terms of a plan to decrease these financial burdens, Mosher said he is already working on a solution.

“I have asked a well-known economist to analyze my plan to start a lifetime bond – one that will limit student loan repayments to one percent of income,” Mosher said. More importantly, I look to provide relief for current debtors, and I have a plan to fix the financial burdens on students and their parents.”

•DEBATE | 10

Communication and digitial studies major in the works HOPE RACINE News Editor

The English, linguistics and communication department voted to approve the first step in creating a new communications major within the department.

The proposal, which was drafted over the course of this summer by several University of Mary Washington professors, was presented to the ELC department by Anand Rao, professor of communication and director of the Speaking Center, and Zach Whalen, director of the digital studies minor.

During the drafting process this summer, professors from various disciplines joined in the conversation and discussion of what the major would be, including Jeff McClurken, professor of history and

•COMMUNICATION | 10

IN THIS

ISSUE

By Mariah Young Violent crime statistics from the University of Mary Washington campus have generally declined this year, though student referrals have increased since 2012.

BLESS YOU

WRITER’S BLOCK

GO NATS

Klein Theatre debuts the controversial play “Doubt.”

Online giant Amazon comes under fire.

The Nationals prepare for the playoff games.

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 5

SPORTS | 12

NEWS

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

Study abroad programs provide educational passports

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 Jiuguang Wang/ Flickr The Center for International Eduation helps connect University of Mary Washington students with study abroad programs in a multitude of foreign countries.

HOLDEN VANDERVEER Staff Writer

One of the newest ways the Center for International Education is helping University of Mary Washington students gain the most from a study abroad experience is by offering a new focused list of programs.

“This year, starting in the spring, we started a new portfolio of programs. Prior to that, our students could go anywhere in the world, like an open door policy, but we found that was pretty daunting for many students,” study abroad coordinator Leslie Leahy said. “So we came together and found the best of the programs that we have, and so now they are part of what is called a portfolio of approved programs.”

An estimated 30 percent of UMW students participate in study abroad programs. The university’s study abroad office offers many ways for students to pursue their education in a foreign country.

One of the approved programs includes the Budapest Semester in Mathematics for those interesting in studying math in Europe. Additionally, the University of Canterbury in New Zealand offers programs for those studying music, while students interested in studying in Asia can enroll in programs at Sungshin University in Seoul, Korea or at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, China.

The department also provides faculty-run programs, such as an environmental science program in South Africa with Melanie Szulczewski, assistant professor of earth and environmental studies. The program will take place in Cape Town, South Africa during this coming winter break. Later in the year, geography professor Dawn Bowen will lead students on the UMW in Guatemala program during spring break of 2015.

The CIE’s website organizes the list of approved programs using three different methods. Students can search for programs based on their major or based on their preferred destination. Additionally,

students with interest in specific programs can bypass the other two methods and find programs by name.

Students can contact the international offices of different schools and apply to the programs directly, apply for the programs through a third party organization or the student can join a professor on a faculty-led program. With so many pathways to choose from, the CIE is also always available to help guide students.

“As far as organizations go, I think the Center for International Education is probably one of the best that I have worked

their degree.

“It sort of made me appreciate both [systems] equally. It was nice being exposed to a different system,” Kopp said.

Lauren Bortfeld, senior Spanish major and student peer adviser at the CIE, said she believes the new portfolio will improve the study abroad process.

“It’s more efficient this way as well because students can come in and tell me, ‘I am this major, and I want to go here for this long,’ and I can narrow things down based on the list of programs we have, rather than say ‘oh well look at our stuff,’” Bortfeld said. “We actually have a real organized list.”

Bortfeld spent a semester in Ecuador at an academy designed to teach foreigners Spanish. She spent her time there with a host family while she learned about the local culture.

“I gained a new perspective, international perspective, as well as a new perspective on my own country, so I have definitely grown from this experience,” Bortfeld said.

Bortfeld encourages students to go out and study in another country that is important to their field.

In his sophomore year, junior physics major Zaire Sprowal had an opportunity to join his anthropology professor on a trip to Guyana in South America. The trip was part of a faculty-led program that happens every two years. While in Guyana, Sprowal lived for six weeks in an indigenous village.

“When you leave the country, and you see other people in the world living and doing life things different ways, but they’re living just a regularly as you, it’s a very eye opening experience,” Sprowal said. “You get more appreciative of some of the stuff that you might take for granted, but also realize there is a lot of stuff there.”

Study abroad programs have existed before the CIE, but in recent years the center has seen an increase in faculty-led programs and is starting to see more students consider pursuing their education internationally.

“WHEN YOU LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LIVING AND DOING THINGS DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THEY’RE LIVING JUST AS NORMALLY AS YOU, IT’S A VERY EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE.”

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Zaire Sprowal through on campus simply because everybody knows each other’s name, they will greet you by name as soon as you come in the door,” creative writing major Avery Kopp said. “They want you involved, they want you participating, so that’s really nice to be involved with something like that.”

Kopp studied literature at Kingston University in London and applied for the program through a third party organization called Global Links. While at Kingston, Kopp experienced a different academic system. According to Kopp, unlike at UMW, students at Kingston only attended class twice a week, once for an hour-long lecture and once for an hour seminar. She described the programs there as being more focused, requiring one to already have a plan for what he or she wants to pursue as

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 BUSINESS MANAGER Cara Sexton

FACULTY ADIVSOR Steve Klein

campus briefing Klein Theatre opens new play “Doubt,” and will run through Oct. 5. Performances will run Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

The Latino Student Association will host a Latin Jazz Night on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The UMW Jazz Ensemble will perform from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Pollard.

Dancing with the Fredericksburg Stars will take place on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

SPORTS

New proposal brings new life to baseball complex

CHRIS MARKHAM Sports Editor

For more than a century, baseball has been labeled as America’s pastime, proving to be one of the most popular and loved sports among kids and adults alike. In the past, however, the city of Fredericksburg has never had a baseball team to support and call their own.

That is poised to change soon, and residents of the Fredericksburg area will be able to enjoy the beloved sport at a much higher level.

The city of Fredericksburg is in the closing stages of sealing a deal to become the newest home of the Hagerstown Suns, a Class A minor league baseball team affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The team is currently located in Hagerstown, Maryland and competes in the South Atlantic

League.

Last week, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, a big step was taken toward the settlement of this plan, and a revised version of the original proposal was unanimously approved by the Fredericksburg City Council. Before then, the deal was in a virtual standstill, and it seemed as though the project was destined for further delays.

In the revised proposal, the partners offered to fully finance the price of designing and building the stadium and training facilities for the team.

The city is standing by its original agreement, where it would cover the cost of the parking lot, an estimated $10 million, and offer a variety of tax incentives.

Another factor in the new life of the project is the efforts brought forth by Diamond Nation, which operates a baseball and soft-

Courtesy of news.fredericksburg.com The new baseball complex is expected to be built in the Celebrate Virginia area of Fredericksburg.

Weekly Scoreboard Volleyball:

Sept. 30 @ Catholic University (L) UMW: 1 Catholic: 3 Sept. 27 vs. Washington & Lee (L) UMW: 0 S Shenandoah: 3 Sept. 27 vs. Emory & Henry (W) UMW: 3 Emory & Henry: 1

Men's Soccer:

Sept. 30 vs. Randolph-Macon (W) UMW: 2 RMC: 0 Sept. 27 @ Marymount University (W) UMW: 4 Marymount: 0

Women's Soccer:

ball training and tournament facility in the New Jersey area.

Diamond Nation offered to finance the cost of the 4,750 seat stadium and surrounding facilities under the condition that the city pays for the increased cost of the parking lot.

The estimated cost of the complex, which was originally $29 million, has ballooned to $46 million, causing most of the delays in the project as the partners have had to find other means of financing the complex, which is to be constructed in the Celebrate Virginia area.

“I think bringing a baseball team to Fredericksburg would boost the economy, give residents more exotic, intriguing events to go to, and finally give baseball fans around the area as well as UMW a team to root for,” said freshman Jesse Jones, who is a member of the UMW club baseball team.

The next step is for the baseball partners to gather the necessary finances for the project. The revised proposal gives the baseball partners one year to obtain the necessary finances.

Talks of the relocation have been in circulation since 2012, when the Washington Nationals made it aware to the Suns that their current stadium was no longer up to the Major League standards, but progress has been delayed due to questions of funding and conflicts between the two sides.

Due to the delays in the project, the Suns are hoping to have the team playing in Fredericksburg by the 2017 season, two years later than originally expected.

“Students would be able to go on the weekends and weeknights and still stay in touch with baseball,” said Jones. “Nats Park is just a little too far to be able to commute regularly.”

Heisman Trophy touches down in Fredericksburg The Heisman trophy, which is annually awarded by the NCAA to the most outstanding Division I college football player, struck its legendary pose in Fredericksburg over the weekend in an appearance at the Pohanka Nissan off Route 1.

Courtesy of Philip Pierce UMW athletic personnel pose with the trophy.

People who came to see the trophy had the opportunity from Saturday, Sept. 27 through Monday Sept. 29 to have their picture taken with it and register to win a mini-football helmet signed by 1953 Heisman trophy winner Johnny Lattner.

The event was an effort by Nissan to promote its Heisman House campaign.

Now in its fourth year, the campaign is designed to build support for the Heisman Trophy Trust’s charitable work.

Fredericksburg was the first spot of many to be a part of this campaign. The trophy will continue to travel to other dealerships, and other former Heisman trophy winners will assist with the promotion of the campaign.

Pohanka Nissan is a frequent supporter of UMW athletics, sponsoring a number of events and even offering the chance to win a free car at halftime of home games.

UMW women’s soccer enters conference play MIKEY BARNES Staff Writer

Put the women’s soccer team down as another University of Mary Washington team off to a great start. This season, the Lady Eagles found themselves in the top 25 of national rankings after a 6-1-1 start to their season. After a loss to second ranked Messiah College by a score of 5-0, the Eagles found themselves out of the top 25, but not off pace for a great season.

Following their loss to Messiah, the Lady Eagles took Meredith College into double overtime, where both teams finished in a 1-1 draw. On Wednesday, Sept. 17 the Eagles shut out Randolph-Macon with a score of 1-0, a return to their winning ways. The following Saturday, UMW took on Hood College and produced the same results as they came away victorious in a 1-0 shutout.

After those consecutive victories, UMW was taken down by Catholic University, 6-0, on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

As proven by other scenarios in the season, the ladies were able to bounce back from this defeat and take out Marymount University in their first conference match with a score of 3-1.

Junior Jessica Bednarcik started of the scoring for the Lady Eagles in their Marymount defeat, scoring the opening goal in just the ninth minute. Marymount tied it up in the 22nd minute to knot it up at one apiece.

Less than a minute later, off a Leah Roth pass, freshman Taylor Decker scored to take the 2-1 lead. Fellow freshman Anna Manser scored the Eagles’ third goal of the half in the 36th minute to cushion the lead and secure their victory. It was a great start to conference play for the Eagles and an-

Oct. 1 vs. Saint Mary’s (L) UMW: 1 RMC: 2

Upcoming: Volleyball: Oct.3 vs. Juniata (Home) Oct. 4 @ York Field Hockey: Oct. 4 vs. Wesley (Home) Equestrian: Oct. 4 @ VCU Show Cross Country: Sept. 4 @ Paul Short Invitational Men’s Soccer: Sept. 4 @ Salisbury University Courtesy of umweagles.com

Courtesy of umweagles.com Meghan Turney has high expectations for UMW.

other notable victory, including their 2-1 defeat of then nationally ranked Rowan University.

The Eagles currently have a record of 7-3-1 and are tied with Frostburg State for the most wins in the conference.

“My goal is for us to win our conference and make it to the NCAA tournament,” said sophomore Meghan Turney.

A NCAA tournament berth and a conference title would be the first of each since 2009 when the ladies finished 12-5-5.

“We have a talented group of girls who can do amazing things for Mary Washington, especially when it comes down to conference play in late October,” Turney said.

The ladies will continue their conference play Wednesday, Oct. 8 at Frostburg and will return home on Oct. 14 against Southern Virginia.

The University of Mary Washington women’s soccer team broke the top-25 barrier this season.

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VIEWPOINTS

A look at Eric Holder’s career

COLEMAN HOPKINS Staff Writer

This week, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced his resignation. Holder was in his sixth year at the position and was one of the final two original members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet.

Holder’s legacy contains many high points, such as his refusal to defend The Defense of Marriage Amendment and his strong stance for equal voting rights, but his tenure also had some low points, such as the Fast and Furious scandal and being held in contempt for failing to disclose documents to Congress.

However, the two most egregious faults of Holder were his refusal to prosecute those responsible for the economic meltdown and Great Recession, as well as his indecisiveness in two of America’s most public trials of the 21st century: the Trayvon Martin case and the ongoing issues surrounding the Michael Brown shooting.

The most concerning element about Holder’s term was his unwillingness to take decisive action on problems that his liberal ideologies would have naturally pushed him to act against.

As a liberal, and one of the most prominent liberal members of the president’s cabinet at that, these two instances of serious wrongs are at the heart of Holder’s beliefs: they represent the abuse of capitalism and racial injustice within America. It is the connection that these events had to Holder that make his inaction all the stranger.

In 2008, when the recession occurred, it became obvious that the actions of a select few had caused thousands of people their jobs. Yet, rather than reigning those individuals in and taking them to trial, Holder let those that deserved repercussions for their actions go. While those big banks and individuals should have been prosecuted, he decided not to punish those responsible for the nation’s economic turmoil.

This question was further explored in a New Yorker article by John Cassidy, who attempted to rationalize Holder’s inaction by pointing out that the banks technically did nothing illegal at the time, and that only through hindsight does it look like they committed mass fraud.

Cassidy goes on, pointing out that Holder himself used this same defense earlier this year. However, he also points out that in recent years, the U.S. government has found ample evidence to convict those guilty, which makes Holder’s defense neither realistic nor explainable.

Holder’s second biggest offense, by my

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Courtesy of Wikipedia

assessment and others such as the Chicago Times, was Holder’s passive handling of the Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown shootings.

Holder was known to publicly speak on personal accounts where police made him feel uncomfortable, showing that he had a unique understanding of the plights that young African American men like Brown and Martin likely dealt with.

Moreover, he took it upon himself to sympathize for the victims and often stood at the forefront of these killings. However, Holder chose to stand on the sidelines instead of acting when action was needed most.

Critics have gone as far as to say that he merely used these shootings as a PR stunt, showing significant frustration in the former Attorney General’s passive behavior despite his strong rhetoric.

During his speech at the 51st national convention to the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, the largest African-American sorority, Holder was critical of the then-ongoing Zimmerman case. Unfortunately, he refused to do more than speak on the issue, which subsequently drew the ire of many of those in the NAACP who felt Holder was not putting his full weight into the investigation.

To be fair, Holder also did some good during his term as Attorney General, but the bad far outweighs the good when considering all that he left on the table, as well as the errors he made, such as allowing the president to continue with his prosecution of the War on Terror.

It was up to Holder to ensure that justice was served, and in two of the most public instances during his tenure that required him to act, he did the opposite.

It is because of Holder’s failings that it is imperative a proper, more principled and engaging attorney general is selected to replace him, one who will ensure that those responsible for heinous crimes are, at the very least, brought to court.

While Holder was quick to call the US “a nation of cowards,” he was too slow on addressing real issues that required courage to deal with, making his legacy mixed at best. For the potential he had, many Americans, myself included, are left wondering what could have been for Holder.

Editorial: Transparency in elections is key, students should turn out at debate This coming week, the University of Mary Washington will hold a debate of the candidates for the First Congressional District. Republican incumbent Rob Wittman, Democrat Norm Mosher and Independent Green Party candidate Gail Parker will meet on Monday, Oct. 6 in Dodd Auditorium to debate a number of pressing issues.

This debate will be an exercise in necessary transparency among our elected officials. Debates, by their nature, encourage conversation and analysis of pressing concerns and are crucial in the democratic process.

We, the editorial board at the Blue & Gray Press, recognize that many students and younger voters only pay attention to the larger presidential elections, thinking that their vote counts more in those races, but we disagree. It is crucial to engage students in the smaller, local elections because this is where change and reform begins.

The individuals who hold local office affect us more directly, as we often underestimate the role we could play in determining the outcome of those elections.

That is why we have paired with two other student organizations, The UMW College Republicans and the UMW Young Democrats in order to host this

debate. The first step in exercising democratic rights is to be aware of the issues in order to make an informed and considered decision come Election Day. The candidates each hold strong stances on issues that our generation is passionate about. Wittman, who has held this seat since 2007, is proactive on environmental issues such as restoring and maintaining the integrity of the Chesapeake Bay. Mosher, who hopes to take a district that has been held by Republicans since 1977, has expressed strong commitment on equal rights and equal pay for women, as well as fighting for their reproductive rights. In addition, he has also taken a hard stance on and has made proposals to amend the crisis of student debt.

Parker, the third party hopeful, has run for elected office twice before on a campaign to build high-speed railways throughout the state and nationwide, an effort to increase access to public transportation and decrease highway traffic.

We urge the student body and the entire UMW community to take a look at the platforms of all three candidates, as well as attend debate.

See you there.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

The diamond will never be the same MONA OSMER Viewpoints Editor

Live footage of Jeter’s last game showed hundreds of fans with tears rolling down their faces, tipping their hats in his direction, acknowledging the career of a lifetime.

Jeter’s 20-year career spent with the New York Yankees, came to end with an infield single against Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchhold at Fenway Park this past Sunday, Sept. 28. Jeter left the field with a legacy, topping the charts of Major League Baseball’s top ten hits, at-bats and runs.

With 260 home runs and 3,465 hits, Jeter has been both the captain and the figurehead for the New York Yankees.

His farewell commercial, sponsored by Gatorade, which aired Sept. 8, gave myself and fellow New Yorkers the chills. It was absolutely heart wrenching to watch such an influential player leave the team for good.

The Yankees are a team that have always been an influential part of New York culture, and, from my experience, we hold them in far higher regard than the Mets, as their history goes deeper than their more recent unpopularity.

Pinstripes and navy blue ball caps are a strong symbol for New Yorkers everywhere, and although Yankees had to let go of a phenomenal player on Sunday, they will continue to root for the true baseball team of New York state with pride and loyalty. What started it all was Jeter’s home run in game one of the 1996 American League Champion

Series, which made him an instant New York hero. He also earned the title of the 2000 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

As one who never jumped on the Mets bandwagon, I salute Jeter and his career, as well as his loyalty to the team through its highs and lows.

The team’s name alone encompasses the history of New York and the state’s determination to uphold justice for all. The Yankees will forever hold a spot in my heart, just as Derek Jeter will.

The number two pinstriped jersey will never fit any man the same, nor will it instill the same type of pride as it did on Jeter.

Cheers, Mr. November, your legacy lives on in the hearts of your most loyal and dedicated fans.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Thursday, October 2, 2014

VIEWPOINTS

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

Amazon in heated debacle

ALICE BALDY Staff Writer

KATIE REMILES Staff Writer

After fighting with my mom for the entire day, I was begging to get on my plane just to stop the stress. Yet as I got on the escalator and looked back, I saw my Dad’s tear-stained face waving goodbye.

Then my brother ran up next to him, waving furiously. My chest started to get tight, and I realized it would be four months before I was in any of their presences again.

Their faces disappeared a moment later, and I was alone – the most alone I had ever been in my whole life, going on a path that would only lead to more uncertainty and unfamiliarity.

All study abroad advisors will tell you and warn you about culture shock. It is supposed to explain the out-of-place feeling that accompanies being in a foreign country and out of your own element.

Some people get depressed from it, and others just have a long adjustment period.

Now, after having been in Bath, England for a month, I am experiencing a culture shock they did not warn us about: the shock from other Americans.

After arriving in this foreign city, exhilarated from having just completed a cross-Atlantic journey all on my own, I was excited to begin making my new life for the next four months. I did not expect to feel isolated, however, from my own peers in the Advanced Studies in England program.

It became quickly apparent that I was not similar to any of the people around me, our ideas and experiences vastly different.

No better, no worse. Just different.

For instance, when we visited the palace of the Duke, we were standing in overly extravagant room after room, with ceilings made of 24-karot gold and tapestries that took 200 men to make, filled with scenes of battles won by England.

Though the splendor of the place was beautiful and overwhelming, I found the cruelty to be more so.

Who built these over-indulgent rooms, and how were they treated? I mentioned my thoughts to the girl next to me. She just squinted a little in confusion, and then walked on.

Later, I asked the tour guide about the people who built the palace, and she told me the queen did not even pay them afterwards because she was mad at a lover of hers residing in the place.

So as we stood in this palace, everyone around me oohing and awing, there was an

untold sadness of those who actually made it possible for us and the bloodline of the Duke to enjoy this grandeur.

Then, in class, we were discussing Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” one day, and everyone was to tell their opinion. The class generally loved it, thought it was a quaint children’s story that they cherished.

I hated it. I found it offensive and highly problematic, yet the issues of race were not validated or expanded upon other than my own grievance.

The tutor even brushed over it and focused on the reoccurring symbol of talking animals in children’s literature.

Dinnertime conversations usually surrounded the Greek life at my colleagues’ respective schools, all the plans they are making for when their parents come to visit them, and the ever-interesting topic of boys.

I found myself trying to add in some sort of contribution, but my views on Greek life are not favorable, my parents are not coming to visit me and I find the rehashing of who is the hottest guy around and what he said to who on the dance floor extremely tiresome.

At home, and even in the sacred place of a classroom, where I have always felt most comfortable, most galvanized, I was becoming an outsider.

I looked to my friends and loved ones back home to try and help ease the strangeness of feeling totally unrelatable to the people around me, but the distance between computer screens is just too strong.

Hearing about their stories back at my most beloved town and university, them being surrounded by each other, was fun to hear about, but the second the close button is pressed on the computer I find myself utterly unfulfilled and uncomfortable.

No amount of communication could ever make my family be here or replace their presence entirely.

I craved peace, so I went out on my own to find it. It turns out, that is exactly where it was: being out on my own. The greatest moments of this journey so far are when I step outside of my apartment, put my ear buds in and know that everything I see and do that day is entirely up to me, that I will be with myself the entire day.

Each day is different in that way. I could walk through the city center, my eyes focused on the tops of the Georgian buildings because they look like nothing one could see in America.

In recent months, author Douglas Preston has mounted a protest against Amazon eBook publications, a program that has grown to include over 1,000 authors. Philip Roth, author of “Goodbye,” a recipient of the National Book Award for Fiction, and Urusla LeGuin, author of “Earth Sea” and recipient of the 2014 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, are among the authors who have joined Preston’s efforts to confront Amazon over unfair practices toward authors and publishers.

Authors United, the resulting protest group, is moving forward with plans to request the U.S. Justice Department to consider a case against Amazon for violating antitrust laws. In addition, Authors United is in the process of writing letters to each CEO of Amazon requesting a resolution to a dispute over the harsh tactics that Amazon used in its negotiations with Hachette publishers.

Amazon has boycotted authors published by Hachette by refusing to accept pre-orders for books, unfairly pricing books and slowing the delivery of Hachette books, making it more difficult for consumers to obtain books by publishers that oppose Amazon’s cut rate tactics in eBook sales.

It is estimated that Amazon sells roughly 65 percent of all eBooks in the U.S. and takes in about $5.25 billion in book sales annually. Given Amazon’s dominant control of the eBook market in the U.S., its aggressive and openly abrasive treatment of Hachette is very troubling. If this public attack of the Hachette publishers and their authors continues, one wonders what will stop Amazon from going even further to control publishers.

As Vahuni Vara writes in The New Yorker, “A modern multi-billion-dollar corporation, with its phalanx of shareholders and P.R. gatekeepers can be harder for a lone correspondent to reach.”

That is why many high profile authors have banded together as part of Authors United to challenge the status quo as they see it and demand better, fairer practices that do not victimize authors or undercut publishers in an effort to sell cheap books.

What seems on the surface to be an isolated incident between one publisher and one mega bookseller has turned into a discussion of monop-

olies and freedom of speech. It speaks to a larger question of whether corporations should be allowed to wield such power in the publishing market. Amazon’s practices have in part led to the downfall of typical bookstores and could put publishers out of business. Not only that they have gone so far as to directly lower the sales of books by authors who are not compliant to their terms. Amazon’s negotiations with Hachette books have been underhanded to say the least.

Defenders of Amazon, like author Neal Pollack author of “Neal Pollock’s Anthropology of American Literature,” contend that Amazon has opened new doors for authors in electronic publications by allowing them to churn out cheap eBooks, favoring quantity over quality.

Recently, established authors are levying their power against the Amazon corporation in a way that is no less surprising than can be expected. While neither opponent seems powerless in this dispute, Hachette publishers and many authors are making a move for the best to protect writers from exploitation.

If you want to promote quality fiction by authors who are adequately paid for their work, like I do, then you should support Authors United too.We students, as major consumers, can aid in diversifying book revenues by buying from small presses, directly from publishers and patronizing local bookstores. While it may seem like a drop in the bucket, the opinion and buying habits of consumers help drive the policies of companies like Amazon.

Consumers that make their opinions heard and support efforts like Authors United can make meaningful change. And as authors like Philip Roth and Urusla LeGuin are proving, individuals do have a voice.

Or I go the riverside walkway, find my bench under the now browning tree, and let my music take me to reflection. I can go to the middle of the square and listen to one of the many street performers while eating my mature cheddar pastry. It could be the young saxophone player or the opera singer in the red coat or the old guitar player in the black suit, either way I can sit and listen to the soundtrack of the day these people provide for me.

The most peace and content I have experienced in the last month was on a study trip I greatly resented the night before. We went to Dartmoor to see the Tor, a large rock structure that Emily Bronte and Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about.

The land was totally vast, with nothing but rolling hills, wild ponies and the three ancient stones jutted upward. We climbed to the very top of the highest rock. The crisp wind whipped around my face, all

was quiet and the view never ended. Striking green land and hilly topography took over my sight. I felt no obligation to anyone or anything in that moment but for myself to stop and feel that moment in all its essence.

Many talk about the thrill of independence, and I felt that when I got on the plane to board an unfamiliar adventure.

Yet, what no one talks about is the serene peace that follows with living an independent lifestyle.

By being alone, but not lonely, in a beautiful and strange city, surrounded by people who do not understand the experiences I have had, has given me a great sense of clarity surrounding my own life and my own person.

If I am alone, I am alone with myself, and that is quite enough to feel peace, even in a foreign country.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

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LIFE

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

‘Doubt’ has controversy, sexuality and lies in theatre season opener

Courtesy of University Relations From left to right: Catherine O’Meara (Sister James) and Catalina Ruiz de Gamboa (Sister Aloysius).

AERIEL MERILLAT Staff Writer

Controversy, religion, lies, sexuality, nuns, accusations, dramatic lighting and intensity; these are all things that the University of Mary Washington theatre department brought to the Klein Theatre stage with their first production of the 2014-2015 season, John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winning “Doubt.”

The show’s opening weekend saw a house packed with people old and young, creating a welcoming mixture of UMW students and people from around the Fredericksburg community.

The play revolves around a four-character cast, including one priest, two nuns and

an angry mother.

The story is set in 1964 at St. Nicholas, a Catholic Church and school in the Bronx.

The time period is just after John F. Kennedy’s death and while segregation is still a social norm.

The plot of “Doubt” centers on an accusation that the strict principal of the school, Sister Aloysius (Catalina Ruiz de Gamboa), puts against the charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Stephen Nickens).

Sister Agnes charges Father Flynn with the crime of sexually exploiting one of his students, who is also the first African-American student integrated into their Catholic school.

The play has a complex plot that allows for an intertwining of multiple taboo is-

sues, resulting in an intriguing and entertaining storyline.

There was a lot of controversy swirling around the UMW theatre department’s choice to bring such a socially challenging play to the school, especially as their season opener.

While the subject matter was heavy, the show’s make-up designer Liz Krump said that director Helen M. Housley and the actors “handled the issues with respect and in a way that did not treat them lightly.”

The feedback among students who attended the opening weekend show was positive. Junior English major Katie Hall said, “The play was well executed, very minimalistic and suited the material well.”

Among other students who enjoyed the production was Sarah Van Giezen, a junior economics major who said, “When the lights came back on and the play was done, I forgot I was in a theatre and felt like I was in a church.”

John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt,” written in 2005, originally played on Broadway before being made into a movie starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Shanley wrote the play based on his own experiences of being a product of a Catholic education.

As a child, Shanley was kicked out of every Catholic school he attended and

encountered a multitude of controversies in his years, providing plenty of material for him to create the very successful “Doubt.”

Once the play was over, the audience was invited to stay for a Q&A with the actors. A large portion of the audience came prepared with a variety of questions for the four actors. Ruiz de Gamboa explained that the play was “not an attack on Catholicism and faith, but a commentary on problems that can occur and can happen in almost any organization.”

She also reminded the audience to “keep in mind that these things happen and unfortunately do still happen.”

When Nickens was asked if he thought Father Flynn did or did not truly exploit the boy, he replied, “I’ll leave that one up to you.”

It can be said, in the least, that as the audience filed out of their seats they were left with a certain unsatisfied sense of doubt.

Despite the tough issues in Klein Theatre’s first production of the season, “Doubt” proved to have a successful opening weekend. The show will continue to play through Sunday, Oct. 5, and tickets can be bought at the Klein Theatre Box Office.

Netflix brings new shows and movies for October binging AMANDA MOTLEY Life Editor

Netflix recently updated the streaming list for October with a brand new list of TV shows and movies. This month’s additions will include many new popular films, such as the “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “Django Unchained.”

October also brings the newest seasons of many shows, including “Supernatural,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Hart of Dixie” and “Son’s of Anarchy.”

As Halloween approaches expect to see a lot more scarier movies appear in your queue as well. On Oct. 14 “Witching and Bitching” will appear, which tells the story of thieves confronted by witches.

Even Christmas will make an appearance in October with “Ernest Saves Christmas.”

The most anticipated show Netflix is putting out has to be the complete series of “Gilmore Girls.” When Netflix announce that “Gilmore Girls” would be available on instant streaming, social media erupted with posts and tweets from fans excitedly anticipating how the popular series was going to be readily available for free.

In case you need more reasons to watch Netflix in October, just take a look at some of the other movies coming out this month.

“Annie”(1982) Starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett. Based off the famous comic strip ‘Little Orphan Annie,’ the musical centers around a young orphan and her adventures to find a family.

“Romeo + Juliet” (1996) The contemporary take on the classical Shakespeare story “Romeo and Juliet” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes.

6

“The Wedding Planner” (2001) Starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. The story of a famous wedding planner in New York City who breaks one of the most important rules in the business: do not fall for the groom.

“Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” (2003) In this reboot of the 1976 Television classic, three young women played by Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu are tested as they race to find a pair of missing rings encoded with the personal information of people in witness protection program.

“Gilmore Girls,” The Complete Series Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel star in this Emmy-winning comedy as Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. This coming of age series centers around the duo as they navigate through life and relationships. As they face the tribulations of life they find themselves facing sticky situations, love triangles and ivy league snobs.

“Carrie” (2013) In this remake of the original movie based on Stephen King’s novel, misfit teenager Carrie (Chloe Grace Moretz) gets back at the classmates who have bullied her by unleashing her newfound supernatural powers and creating mayhem at the prom.

‘The Boxcar Children” (2014) Based of the “The Boxcar Children” books, four orphaned siblings make a home in a boxcar. They stay in the boxcar in fear that their grandfather, whom they think is cruel, will make them come live in his home. Starring the voices of Mackenzie Foy and Joey King.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

LIFE

‘Frozen’ freezes Storybrooke in ‘Once Upon a Time’ premiere AMANDA MOTLEY Life Editor

Courtesy of Youtube The “Once Upon a Time” premiere brought the hit movie “Frozen” to Storybrooke with new season.

Storybrooke erupted with magic in the season premiere of “Once Upon a Time.”

Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, trolls and the snow monster all made apperanances, tying the hit movie “Frozen” and “Once Upon A Time” together in a new plot.

The smash hit “Frozen” was in theatres during late 2013 and created thousands of instant fans. It only makes sense that Disney, the parent company of ABC, combined the popular film with “Once” to bring a new mystery to Storybrooke.

In the season three finale of “Once Upon A Time,” viewers were shocked with a cliffhanger of what looked suspiciously like our favorite Ice Queen.

The best part about the addition is that the show barely veers from the movie’s plot. The season opened with Elsa and Anna’s parents on the ship that led to their doom. The princesses have a secret that they have been keeping from their family, a theme similar to so many other “Once” characters.

As Anna is trying on her wedding dress, Elsa finds a diary and a secret that drives the plot. She believes that she is responsible for her parents’ death when they died while sailing to Mist Haven to find answers about their daughter’s mysterious powers.

Elsa blames herself for her parents’ death, and Anna knows she has to go off

to find what their parents were hiding. She leaves her fiancé Kristoff and Elsa behind and takes voyage toward Mist Haven, better known as the Enchanted Forrest.

The casting could not be more spot on.

Georgina Haig as the infamous Ice Queen Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as the ardent Anna, and Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff all exemplify their characters impeccably.

The plots of the movie and the ongoing storyline of “Once” also intertwine with each other perfectly. The show slips back and forth from present day to subplots of Elsa and Anna’s lives. “‘Once Upon A Time’ always does a great job tying the show to all of the famous plots,” senior English major Zoe Houge said. “Frozen is no exception. The plot is tied together perfectly.”

In other continuing plot lines, Robin Hood’s wife is back and causing Regina to revert to some of her old ways, leaving the audience questioning once again whether or not she is really evil.

Mr. Gold and Belle share a sweet moment in the premiere when they play tribute to “Beauty and The Beast” with a ballroom dance as husband and wife. Do not let that fool you though, Mr. Gold is another character that cannot seem to shake off his old ways.

So far with all of the new characters and drama, “Once” is looking like it will give another dramatic, magical season to fans.

Framar House merges cultures with Living Learning Community

EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH Staff Writer

Framar House is a small, secluded building located behind Jefferson Hall. A student walking by could miss it at first glance. Ivy climbs up the patio, benches line the front of the house and it is not uncommon to see residents walking up and down the steep, grassy hill leading to the house or playing basketball at the court below. While it may be difficult to find the three-story home, it is also difficult to miss the wide-ranging impact that members of Framar House have made on students at the University of Mary Washington.

Framar, first and foremost, acts as a home to many who are far away from their own.

Framar accommodates foreign exchange students, degree or non-degree seeking, as well as UMW residents. The house was named after its former owners Frank and Marion Reichel.

Kevin Sol, senior Spanish major and vice president of Framar, has lived in the house since he was a freshman.

“It’s been great,” Sol said about living in Framar. “You learn a lot from living there. You stand there and realize you’re not as smart as you think you are, and you grow every day,” Sol said.

Francesca Quaglio is one of the exchange students who has made Framar House her home.

Quaglio, who traveled to UMW from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) in Milan, Italy, is studying to double major in German and English.

Quaglio is currently taking two British literature classes, a German class and an introduction to Linguistics course. Being on a campus is a new experience to Quaglio.

“In Italy we don’t have campuses. I travel to college by train and live with my parents. Being in a campus and having a place of my own is so cool,” Quaglio said.

The communal aspect of Framar House is especially meaningful to Quaglio.

According to Quaglio, Framar House is “a community. We all know each other. It is like being in a house. You get to know more people better that way as an exchange student.”

The residents of Framar House create a close-knit community by holding meetings once every two weeks on Sunday night.

They meet with South Hall, the residency next to them. Each student in Framar has to organize two projects: one inside of the house and one outside the house in order to teach the rest of the group about other cultures.

Last week, a Framar resident showed the rest of the house how to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, by baking challah bread, according to Framar co-president Filagote Taye and former Framar resident Kalynn Blakely.

Embracing diversity is an important component of Framar House.

“Framar teaches you to expand yourself and your understanding of who you are in order to understand and learn from the people around you. You learn to work with people with different backgrounds, and you come to appreciate those differences,” Taye, a senior psychology major, said.

In addition, Framar House organizes events outside of the

house, where residents will come together and explore the area and gain new experiences. Earlier this year, the group carpooled to Washington D.C. to attend the Cherry Blossom Festival as a way to expose international students to American traditions. Framar House is planning to travel to New York for fall break this year, according to Sol and Taye.

Residents of Framar create cultural awareness and experiences outside of the house as well as within it.

This fall, residents of the house will once again host Bhangra Beat, a statewide dance competition among Virginia universities that highlights the Punjab-based dance style.

The competition is scheduled for Nov. 22 in the Anderson Center, according to Sol. Framar House is responsible for inviting and accommodating competing schools and reserving the Anderson Cen-

ter. This will be the 10th year that Framar House hosts the event, according to Taye.

Residents of Framar enjoy its cozy, homelike interior, the patio poetically wrapped in ivy and the many different people who live in the home. “[Framar] wasn’t like other dorms. You wouldn’t just walk by someone in the hallway and say ‘hi.’ People would sit down and have real conversations. It feels like a home,” said Blakely.

Samuel Relkin, co-president of Framar House with Taye, said he has also appreciated the number of different people he has gotten to know and live with at Framar.

“There are so many people I wouldn’t have gotten to know if I hadn’t been here,” said Samuel Relkin, a senior English major.

Relkin also said that living with people of different backgrounds and languages has allowed him to practice his Spanish.

•Framar | 9

Ginny Clark/The Blue & Gray Press The Framar house is a Living Learning Community on Jefferson Square that merges exchanges students with UMW students.

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LIFE

‘Rage in the virtual Cage’ COURTLAND LYLE

Staff Writer

Res Hall Recipes: Spicy tomato pasta JULIANNE KUHN

Staff Writer

As a student on a budget, I am always looking for a new way to save money while still getting a good meal. My love of ordering take-out is not always affordable, but I still want to get my fix of restaurant quality food. This copycat recipe for Noodles and Company’s Penne Rosa pasta tossed in a spicy tomato cream sauce filled with tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach has become a favorite of mine.

It is so close to the real thing, you might not even know the difference. Adding a piece

of grilled or Parmesan crusted chicken can take this recipe the extra mile, adding even more flavor, as well as some protein. Everything can be tailored to your own taste.

If you prefer less spicy dishes, add less crushed red pepper, or you can set your mouth on fire with a little extra if that is what you like. Don’t like mushrooms?

Leave them out! What is even better is how simple it is to make. As far as dishes go, you just need a pot to make the pasta in, a saucepan to make your sauce and a spoon to toss it all together! It only takes about five minutes of prep time and 15 minutes to cook, and this recipe produces around five servings – a week’s worth of leftovers!

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 box penne pasta 1 jar of marinara sauce ¾ cup of heavy (whipping) cream – found near coffee creamers and milk products 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes Grated Parmesan cheese Optional Additions – These are all found in the original dish, but if they are not for you it is okay not to add them!

1 cup raw baby spinach 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and seasoned with a little salt and pepper 1 cup mushrooms

Directions:

Fists, swords, guns and superpowers were the weapons of choice for the Video Game Club’s Battle Royale game tournament this past Saturday, entitled “Rage in the Virtual Cage.” This event allowed participants to test their virtual fighting skills against one another. The games featured in this clash were limited to oneon-one fighting games, in which each player would select a character and duke it out.

In epic brawls, the players went head-tohead over the course of five different fighting games. The first game featured in the tournament was the D.C. Comics universe game “Injustice,” followed by “Skullgirls,” “Dive Kick,” “Persona 4 Arena” and, finally, “Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.”

The tournament, though friendly, was nevertheless fierce. In each game, players fought their way through a tiered bracket, each round determined by a player winning two out of three fights. For each win, a player would receive one point, so the round winner would receive two points,

and the loser would receive zero to one.

In the end, only one person could be victorious. Though each player fought well, the spoils of victory went to Chris Minor, a senior political science major with a minor in economics. In this case, such spoils consisted of a gift card to Game Stop, as well as bragging rights.

There was a large turnout at the event at the event from both club members and non-members who just wanted to play some games.

Initially the event consisted of just ten participants, but many more came in later.

Eventually, there were over twenty people in the room either playing or watching.

Matthew Gaughan, junior computer science major and president of the club, said he thought the event was largely a success, noting the strong turnout and good group of people.

Club members “love any chance they get to have fun,” Gaughan said. “We wanted to do something not ordinary [with this event]. We wanted to be a more inclusive club that incorporates the community.”

Gaughan’s words about having fun were reinforced by the fact that everyone at the tournament demonstrated good sportsmanship and had a healthy dose of laughs – victors and vanquished alike.

Framar works with LLCs to merge cultures •Framar | 9

Robert Kingsley, a senior English major and Framar resident, said he feels that Framar House has brought him out of his shell.

“I like [Framar House] in a way because I was forced to interact. I’m an introvert, and when I lived at Willard Hall, I never went out. There isn’t anyone here I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking with,” said Kingsley.

Residents at Framar House work to extend what they have learned about reaching out to others by giving private tours to interested students and friends. In addition, Framar House also gives open houses and public tours after fall break, when incoming freshmen or other students interested in living in Framar House can explore the house and meet its residents.

Like any residential area, Framar also

has its share of quirks and traditions.

In the living room, the residents have a mannequin called Gina, donned with sunglasses and sitting atop the mantle on the fireplace, that adds to the house’s character and the residents’ sense of humor.

One of Framar’s traditions is taking its residents to Waffle House to celebrate their birthdays.

“We’ll take 20 people with us sometimes,” Blakely said with a laugh.

The goal of Framar House is to create a community: first within the house, then extending outside to the campus and surrounding area. The residents of the house are passionate about learning and embracing their differences and using what makes each of their cultures unique to create something meaningful around them.

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat.

2. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Sautee until tomatoes are blistering and mushrooms are cooked through.

3. Add marinara sauce and crushed red pepper to mushrooms and tomatoes and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add entire box of pasta and cook as directed. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Add heavy cream and baby spinach to the tomato, mushroom and sauce combination. Allow to simmer an additional two minutes.

6. Remove sauce from heat, add in pasta and toss. Pasta should be coated in the sauce, not drowning in it!

7. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

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NEWS Congressional candidates to battle it out at UMW •DEBATE | 1

Mosher also holds a strong stance on the issue of sexual assault on campuses, a highly pervasive topic among Virginia universities.

Mosher advocates for improving response times and policies regarding sexual assault and working with universities to better the way they handle reports, as well as decreasing offenses.

“The issue of sexual harassment and assault is not limited to female students on college campuses. Bullying and sexual assault take place against many students and especially affect the LGBT community. I will work to address sexual assault on campus for all students,” Mosher said.

With a significant portion of Mosher’s platform revolving around student issues such as affordability, sexual assault, the environment and marijuana legalization, a college campus provides an ideal environment to address his plans for change.

“Speaking with students is always refreshing. They are the future of our country, and I am positive that the energy and intelligence that emanates from the UMW students and faculty that I have had the privilege of meeting during this campaign is what we need to move this nation forward,” Mosher said. “I am certain that a debate at UMW will be exhilarating, fair and insightful.”

Mosher’s opponent, incumbent Rob Wittman, has emphasized strong stances on issues such as healthcare and the economy during his campaigns.

“I support creating an environment for

growth to get folks back to work and to encourage our job creators,” Wittman states on his campaign website. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and create over 70 percent of the new jobs in this country every year. We need to cut the bureaucratic red-tape that stifles growth and innovation.”

In addition to small business growth and supporting efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Wittman lists immigration reform and preventing government overreach among his top issues.

Gail Parker, from the Independent Green Party, has run twice before against Wittman, basing her platform on the desire for increased railways throughout the state.

“This campaign is about positive solutions, fiscally conservative government, addressing our need for passenger rail service in Virginia, and high-speed Rail nationwide,” Parker states on her website.

“We need more candidates on the ballot to advocate for rail and for common sense fiscally conservative government.”

Ben Hermerding, president of the UMW Young Democrats, is thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase democracy in action.

“We’re very excited UMW is able to be hosting a debate for America’s First Congressional District. It is important that everyone, especially students, can listen to and be engaged in the political dialogue,” Hermerding said.

Hermerding is also looking forward to Mosher’s platform and how it will hopefully hit a note with students.

“I think that Norm Mosher’s message will resonate well with students, as well as the community at large, and this debate will show the stark difference between the two candidates,” Hermerding said.

The intent of the debate is to facilitate open discussion and transparency, as well as help students and the community evaluate where they want their vote to go.

“It’s a great way to see both sides of a situation and see where the candidates stand on issues,” senior psychology major Katherine Miller said.

Nicole Tardif, chairman of the UMW College Republicans, echoed Hermerding’s sentiments about the importance of public debate.

“I, along with the entire UMW College Republicans, am very excited for the opportunity to host a debate between the First District Congressional hopefuls this year,” Tardif said. “It will provide a great experience for UMW students and the greater Fredericksburg community.”

A common hope among debate sponsors is that hearing the candidates will encourage students to vote come Election Day. “Hopefully it will also provide more of an incentive to participate in the civic responsibility of voting in this year’s midterm elections,” Tardif said.

The event is free and open to the public.

The Blue & Gray Press reached out to Rep. Rob Wittman and Gail Parker for comment before publishing. Both were unavailable.

POLICE BEAT larceny On Sept. 1, medication was stolen from a car on Double Drive between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. It was reported stolen later in the month. The case is pending.

A bicycle was taken from the front of Arrington Hall bewtween Sept.

29 and Sept. 30. The case is pending.

A longboard was stolen from the second floor of Jefferson Hall between 6 p.m. on Sept. 24 and 11 a.m. on Sept. 26. The case is pending.

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.

New major to potentially join ELC department

Ginny Clark/ The Blue & Gray Press

•COMMUNICATION | 1

special assistant to the provost for teaching, technology and innovation, and Ana Chichester, professor and director of the bachelor of liberal studies program. In addition, professors who teach various digital studies courses weighed in, as the new major would build on existing interdisciplinary courses and pull from the existing digital studies minor.

“The major proposal builds on the strengths of two programs housed in the ELC department, communication and digital studies, and includes a number of courses, both in and outside of the department, that are currently offered,” Rao said.

The major would also create three new classes, two in communication and one in digital studies.

These classes could be used for the communication major, as well as strengthen majors where communication plays an

10

important role.

“Even if people wouldn’t want to major in communication, it would compliment other majors, like business,” sophomore international affairs major Sara Armor said.

While communication classes have always been available, many have expressed desire for a specific major. Many students have chosen to create a special major focusing on communication.

“I know people from other universities that have communication majors. I feel like it would be good for UMW to have this major and more of these classes,” sophomore business major Denise Anastasio said.

Rao is aware that many UMW students could benefit from and have expressed interest in a communication major, and said he wanted to create a platform that could make this opportunity possible.

“I think that we all recognized that this proposal provides students with a unique program opportunity that is in high demand,” Rao said. “There has long been strong student interest in communication, and UMW is known nationally for its work in teaching and learning technologies, including the Domain of One’s Own. This proposal is intended to build upon some of those strengths.”

This vote is only the first in several steps in the approval process. The College of Arts & Sciences’ Curriculum Committee will vote on the proposal next, followed by the CAS Faculty Senate, University Curriculum Committee and the University Faculty Council. If the proposal is approved by each body, the major will potentially be available as early as Fall 2015.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

NEWS

Bookstore utilizes new tool to improve textbook purchasing process

Katee Spencer/ The Blue & Gray Press

Alumni executive advises students KATHERINE ERWIN Staff Writer

The College of Business announced Daniel Wolfe, a University of Mary Washington alum from the class of 1984, as the newest Executive-in-Residence for the 2014-2015 school year the past week.

Wolfe will visit with students, staff, faculty and community leaders on Wednesday, Oct. 15 and Thursday, Oct. 16. Planned events include an alumni student discussion, an invitation-only Executive-in-Residence business breakfast and a number of open presentations and discussions during the two-day event.

Wolfe currently serves as the executive vice president for Worldwide Creative Operations at NBC Universal, overseeing 100 employees who work to provide post-production support and marketing for feature films. “[Wolfe] is one of our most high profile alums. Most people like movies, TV, etcetera, and he’s in charge of the creative operations for many of these ventures, which provides for some great advice and experience,” Lynne Richardson, dean of the College of Business, said.

Upon graduating from UMW with a B.S. in business administration and marketing, Wolfe began a successful career in creative advertising. His first position with Orion Pictures included working on marketing campaigns for the Academy Award winning films “Silence of the Lambs” and “Dances with Wolves.”

He later moved to New Line Cinema as a manager before joining Universal in 1990. His resume includes marketing campaigns for 15 Best Picture-nominated films, four of which won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Wolfe’s department works to optimize and implement a broad marketing strategy that includes radio publicity, theatrical trailers, television commercials, print ad-

vertising and home entertainment distribution.

Wolfe was honored with the 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award, 2007 Distinguished Graduate-in-Residence, a position on the College of Business Advisory Board and a distinguished speaker at graduation commencement 2010.

“I hope [Wolfe] shows students that you can graduate from UMW and go wherever you want. The sky is the limit, and you can do anything out of here,” Richardson said.

This year marks the 25th year of the College of Business’ flagship Executive-in-Residence program. The program seeks to provide UMW students with the opportunity to engage with successful business leaders and executives, along with enhancing students’ knowledge of the free enterprise system.

Established in 1989, along with working to create connections between students and successful alumni, the program aims to encourage the involvement of community leaders with the university. “[The program] shows that getting a degree from this school can help you accomplish big things in life,” Tiffany Osuanah, junior business administration major said. “As a business major, it gives me examples and ideas of what I can do when I graduate.”

The Executive-in-Residence program was officially inaugurated in 2010 with the creation of the College of Business. Coordination of the speakers and events is conducted through the College of Business, the Division of Advancement and University Relations.

“The Executive-in-Residence program showcases the department, puts us front and center,” Richardson said. “It shows students that you can achieve big dreams and goals with a degree from this specific school, and gives alumni goals to strive and be recognized by the school.”

“YOU CAN GRADUATE FROM UMW AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.”

Lynne Richardson

SARAH GRAMMER Staff Writer

The bookstore has added a new price comparison feature to their website this semester to help University of Mary Washington students with textbook purchases.

The new tool allows students to look up the textbooks they need for the upcoming semester, find the bookstore’s price for the textbooks and pull prices from five other book selling websites: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Amazon Marketplace, Redshelf and Bookseller.

The new price comparison tool allows students to purchase their books from any

of these websites with the click of a button.

“The price comparison feature is meant to help students weigh their purchasing options and make an informed decision,” bookstore manager DJ Garcia said. “This tool is aimed at helping our customers, the students, and highlights our commitment to our students’ success.”

Many new students at UMW said they have had positive experiences with the new price comparison feature so far. According to freshman biology major Natalie Allen, the tool was easy to use. “[It is] a feature I would like them to keep available in the future,” Allen said.

However, some upperclassmen are voicing a different opinion about the new feature, having their experiences in the past years to compare it to.

“The system picked the highest Amazon price, so UMW would list a $20 book and the price comparison feature would say it was $1,200 on Amazon because some insane person had a dream,” junior English and education major Katie Deskins said.

Deskins said that she would then go onto Amazon to search for the book and find a much cheaper price, thus invalidating the work of the price comparison tool.

“It’s a great idea, but with all of the bookstore disclaimers, [such as] only guaranteed buybacks, and the fact that I still find cheaper books online, I think the tool needs improvement,” Deskins said.

While the price comparison feature seems to be getting mixed reviews, there is time for any improvements according to Garcia.

“We are currently in the process of updating our system and look forward to being able to better serve our students,” Garcia said.

Garcia said that the bookstore is also planning on making in-store rentals possible for students in the near future.

Office of Annual Giving helps kickstart student organization funding NEPHTHALIE LAUTURE News Editor

Student organizations now have the chance to raise additional funds for their clubs through a campaign sponsored by the University of Mary Washington Office of Annual Giving.

The Mary Washington Focus Initiative is a campaign created in order to allow alumni, parents and other UMW community members to support a student’s academic and extracurricular endeavors.

“Many students already actively fundraise for the organizations they are involved with and often use crowdfunding platforms for these efforts. With various online fundraising platforms, like kickstarter.com, indiegogo.com and gofundme.com, transaction and usage fees are incurred directly by the organization or group fundraising on these sites,” Assistant Director of Annual Giving Gretchen Armentrout said. “With the Mary Wash Focus Initiative, student groups or organizations receive 100 percent of the donations they raise because the Office of Annual Giving covers the website maintenance and transaction costs.”

In order for students to be considered for eligibility, they must be in good standing with the university, and the organization must be approved through SAE. The deadline for application is on Nov. 17.

Students are required to fill out an application where they describe their project’s mission and provide a two-page summary

of the organization’s goals, as well as the impact the project will have on the UMW community.

Many students found the application process to coincide with the organization’s needs.

The women’s ultimate frisbee team are just one of the many student organizations that were a part of the Mary Washington focus initiative. Supervised by faculty advisor Stephen Davies, the team’s goal was to make $800 in order to get to national tournament.

“The application process was relatively painless and fairly simple. I was encouraged to apply by Gretchen and she was very helpful throughout the whole process,” former team captain Laura Pape said. “With the donations, we were able to go to more tournaments during the spring season, which was really crucial for us. It allowed our players more exposure to the sport and helped our teams ranking Once completed, applications must be submitted to Kate Wheeler, director of Annual and Parent Giving. Projects will then be up for selection by alumni volunteers who graduated 10 years prior.

“We submitted our proposal and heard back pretty quickly that we had been accepted,” Pape said.

Fundraising for the campaign runs from Jan. 6 to Nov. 14. During this time, clubs will be responsible for actively campaigning for their project. Projects will remain active on the website until Nov. 14 or until they have reached their funding goals.

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SPORTS

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

UMW Athletics reaches out to community, engages in service projects

The UMW women’s soccer team welcomed members of the Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association to the Battlegrounds.

The UMW men’s and women’s swim teams hosted a clinic for kids from the Stafford Junction, a non-profit group that serves high-need children.

Members of the UMW men’s lacrosse team ran in the Run for Food 5k, winning the largest group and largest donation award.

The UMW men’s soccer team welcomed the FSCI Pheonix Soccer Club to the Battlegrounds for pickup soccer during halftime.

Photos courtesy of Philip Pierce

Nationals prepare for postseason redemption 2012 Statistics:

2014 Statistics:

• 29th in Pitching • 9th in Hitting • 8th in Fielding SEAN KINSLOW Staff Writer

This baseball season, the Washington Nationals accomplished what was expected of them: they won the National League East by a whopping 17 games and finished the regular season with the best record in the National League (96-66).

The team overcame major injuries to key position players throughout the season, including Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Wilson Ramos and Nate McLouth, all who missed a significant amount of time. The Nationals’ star pitchers missed time too, with both Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez missing a month of the season.

“The consistency and stickto-it-iveness to this lineup. It’s easily forgotten that we were without some key players for a long period of time, and three of them at the same time for a long time,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said during an interview after the team’s division win. “Other teams have folded at that time. We grinded it through. It’s a testament t o Matt W i l liams. It’s a testament to those bench players who filled in as everyday guys when we were at our weakest.”

The regular season came to a close on Sunday, Sept. 28 with a 1-0 victory over the Mi-

Trio of Eagles earn high honors

• 1st in Pitching • 12th in Hitting • 15th in Fielding

ami Marlins. Starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann threw a no-hitter, the first ever in Nationals history. The 162 game marathon of a season then came to an end with the Nationals red-hot.

The real task f o r

the team, however, still lies ahead at the playoffs.

The Nationals know they have a team capable of winning the World Series.

Winning the National League Eastern Division was just the first step.

“For this isn’t good enough. We’ve got bigger goals in mind.

That’s probably the difference [from 2012]. We’re not satisfied,” relief pitcher Craig Stammen said after the game.

The Nationals have all the tools to win the World Series and should be viewed as one of the favorites going forward.

The team has the most dominant starting pitcher rotation in all of baseball.

Starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg led the National

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Athletic Honor Roll:

us,

League in strikeouts and holds a 1.13 earned run average in his last five starts.

Jordan Zimmermann is coming off throwing a no-hitter, Doug Fister just wrapped up one of his best sea-

sons as a pro and lefty Gio Gonzalez is another strong option for the Nats.

The Nationals’ offense is also carrying a lot of momentum into this post-season. They finished second in runs scored in the National League, and over the last two

months no team in the NL has hit more home runs. Combine the dominant starting pitching with a hot offense, add in a good bullpen and good speed on the base paths, and the Nationals look poised to be a tough competitor for a World Series title.

Drew Storen, the team’s closing pitcher, struggled in the 2012 playoffs. The Nationals will hope for improved production from him in order to win post-season games. Another concern for the Nationals will

be Ryan Zimmerman’s role moving forward as he returns from injury. Will he start back at his old position of third base, or come off the bench? This is just one of the things rookie manager Matt Williams will need to decide while moving toward into the playoffs.

“I think that the Nationals have a good chance at winning the World Series,” sophomore biology major and Nationals fan Paul Delaney said. “I think that the Nationals’ starting pitching is key and Fister, Zimmermann, Strasburg are going to have to come up big.

The Nationals are a balanced team with strong pitching and a powerful offense from both sides of the plate. If they are to win they will have to pitch well and hit to their ability throughout the postseason.”

The Nationals will start their hunt for a World Series title on Friday, Oct. 3 hosting the winner of the wild card game between the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This game took place Wednesday night too late for this publication. The first round of the Nationa l s ’ playoff games will b e broadcast on Fox Sports1, Mary Washington channel 63.

Courtesy of umweagles.com

Junior Field Hockey star Jenna Steele was named the UMW Wagner Wealth Management Athlete of the Month for September. Steele leads the team with 11 goals on the year including two games-winning goals.

Sophomore Teagan Young was named the CAC Female Runner of the Week for her firstplace finish at the Don Courtesy of Kevin McCarthy Cathcart Invitational at Salisbury University on Sept. 27 in the 6k race.

Senior Tyler Carey was named the CAC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week.

Carey won four singles matches in the ITA Courtesy of umweagles.com Southeast Regional Tournament, advancing to the semifinals.

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