The Blue & Gray Press

Page 1

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

October 3, 2019

VOLUME 93 | ISSUE 5 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

Clubs and community promote sustainability and climate awareness In response to the growing dangers of climate change, several campus clubs have echoed the recent wave of global activism by promoting sustainability and climate awareness. On Sept 20, Better Energy Awareness and Mobilization (BEAM) hosted an event on the steps of the University

Center where students could sign a Sustainability worked with Into banner with energy saving tips and write the Streets, an event sponsored by a pledge to take climate action. This Community Outreach and Resources, to With more than 5,000 events spread event united organizations inside and clean up the streets of Fredericksburg. out over 163 countries, the Global outside the university. Lis Heras, a senior biology major Climate Strike has sent a message Fossil-Free Fredericksburg, a group and co-president of BEAM, said that around the world that has reached the promoting the city’s transformation to younger generations are so involved UMW campus. a fossil fuel-free community, had an in climate protests and advocating for information table set up. The same climate change awareness because it is group sponsored a Community their generation that will be the most and Kids Climate affected if no Chalk Art event on solution is “We are going to be Sept 27, where the reached. the ones living through community turned “We are the famine and all those out and covered the going to be Rappahannock River the ones living things.” Heritage Trail in through the famine and all color chalk promoting -Lis Heras those things,” sustainability. said Heras. Frdericksburg’s Some students around campus feel Citizens Climate Lobby was also that the national government has failed present, and had a table where students could write letters to them by ignoring the realities of climate their congressman explaining why change. climate change concerns them. “It’s a bit frustrating to think that the At this event, students were physical wellbeing of future generations, encouraged to ride on a smoothiethe delicate balance of our ecosystem and the valuable natural resources of making bike to blend their own our Earth are critically endangered by smoothies using just their own the current trends of human activity and energy. The bike was loaned to it’s being undermined or even ignored BEAM by Downtown Greens by our representatives,” said Rina Inc, a group that promotes Murasaki, a sophomore environmental environmental care. BEAM partnered with community organizations to promote environmental sustainability. science On Sept 28, UMW Abigail Buchholz / The Blue & Gray Press •Environment | 7

Abigail Buchholz News Editor

Annual security report shows increase in dating violence Kate Seltzer News Editor

On Sept. 30, UMW released its annual security report of crime statistics for 2018. Only the security reports for data from 2018 and 2014 are available online, and the UMW Police Department was unable to provide “The Blue & Gray” with copies of previous reports in time for publication. These reports compare crime data to that from the previous two years. For this reason, this article will examine data and trends from 2012 through 2018, excluding 2015. Here are some of the highlights.

Sex offenses The 2019 security report, which reports data from 2018, shows that forcible sex offenses – including rape and fondling – slightly decreased last year. Eighteen instances were reported in 2018, down from 20 in 2017. Previous reporting speculated that the spike in sexual assaults may in part be a result of the #MeToo movement and increased educational programs from the Office of Title IX. Instances of reported rape dropped from 16 to 12, while instances of assault or fondling increased from four to six. All of these crimes occurred on campus. There was a sharp spike in reported rapes and assaults in 2017. Kate Seltzer / The Blue & Gray Press

Incidents of dating violence and stalking both increased from 2017-2018. Kate Seltzer / The Blue & Gray Press

IN THIS

ISSUE

Data from 2012 through 2014 did not distinguish between rape and assault in its analysis. Dating violence and stalking Dating violence and stalking, both of which the school began tracking in 2013, saw a slight rise last year. Both categories had five incidents in 2017 and six in 2018. All of these crimes occurred on campus. Hate crimes There were no hate crimes reported in 2018. In 2017, four hate crimes were reported: intimidation based on sexual orientation, vandalism based on race, vandalism based on religion and vandalism based on gender.

Other trends Drug-related arrests have steadily declined since 2012, when ten people, including one juvenile, were arrested. In 2018 there was only one drug-related arrest. Two liquor-related arrests were made, including one juvenile. Similarly, there were only 38 instances of students found responsible for liquor law violations resulting in disciplinary action, compared to 112 instances in 2017. Nineteen students received disciplinary action for drugrelated violations, down from 31 the previous year. There was one case of arson and two burglaries in 2018.

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Killing Reefs

Sunscreen chemicals are polluting and killing reefs.

The success story of a hockey dream.

LIFE | 5

VIEWPOINTS | 3

SPORTS | 8

Fredericksburg music scene quiet yet talented.

Ice Hockey


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