The Blue & Gray Press by The Weekly Ringer

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

October 6, 2016

VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 5

PRESS

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

UMW’s limited budget and staff affect student experiences with the Talley Center

Talley Center Trouble

COLLEEN COSGRIFF Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington’s mental health center, the Talley Center, has struggled to meet the increasing demand from UMW students for services due to their limited staff and budgetary issues, and often try to connect students to off-campus providers due to short staffing or severity of needs. In August 2013, Kate, the name we will use to protect the identity of the student, began her freshman year at the University of Mary Washington. Just two months later, she would pack up her dorm room and check into a hospital near her home. She says she has suffered from depression and anxiety since her junior year of high school, so she made an appointment with the Talley Center during the first few weeks at Mary Washington. Her counselor suggested she take psychiatric medication and referred her to the Talley Center’s in-house psychiatrist. Two weeks after beginning medication, Kate told her counselor she was considering suicide and had a plan. Her counselor immediately contacted the other staff at the Talley Center and it was decided Kate should be hospitalized. None of the hospitals near UMW had space available at the time, so the staff found Kate a place near her home, an hour away from the University. Her mother made the drive to Fredericksburg while Kate and the counselors waited in the Talley Center until 5 p.m., past the center’s office hours. “Our ethical guidelines say that if it is clear that a student is not appropriate for the level of care or service we can provide, we need to try and connect them to that level of service... we’re not going to be able to continue to see every two weeks knowing they’re going to continue to get worse and worse,” said director of the Talley Center Dr. Tevya Zukor. Dr. Zukor said the Talley Center utilizes community providers as much as possible. The center’s Mental Health Coordinator, Catherine Smith, maintains a list of low-cost and free providers, most no more than a mile from campus so students can walk or bus to their appointments. Some students on campus do not have insurance, or do not use insurance because they do not want their families to know they are in counseling. Kate has struggled with paying for

•TALLEY | 10

IN THIS

ISSUE

1922

Colleen Cosgriff / The Blue & Gray Press

Creative Commons

Michelle Goff/ The Blue and Gray Press

Proposal for more smoking spots on campus falls through On Wednesday Sept. 14, student senator and head of the constitutional cabinet Charbel Marche proposed to student senate of the need to increase the number of smoking spots on campus. The senators within the Student Government Association (SGA) do their best to focus their work towards the needs of their constituents. Hearing complaints from residents who struggle with the current layout of smoking spots on campus is what motivated Marche to initiate the proposal. “I have many friends that signed my petition to be a senator that are smokers and they were complaining that there are no smoking spots on campus,” Marche, a junior, said. “I am not a smoker but I was representing those that do and their concerns.” UMW’s department of Buildings and Grounds are responsible for the addition of smoking areas on campus. According to Marche and other stu-

Assistance DEBUT

MEAGHAN MCINTYRE Staff Writer

In order to put out their cigarettes and properly be able to dispose of the butts, smokers rely on having smoking poles accessible to them. The placement of these poles throughout campus has led to issues for many smokers. “The smoking poles that the university uses are all in “non-smoking areas” and most smokers do not use these unless they are smoking by the building,” Marche said. “No matter where we go, people are upset that we are smoking there,” Dubiel said. “With designated smoking spots, people would know where to avoid if they didn’t want to smell it. I think that it would help if there were spots with signs that say designated smoking areas because then I would know where to go.” While the motion to increase the number of smoking spots on campus was passed by the student senate, its momentum reached a halt during the final part of the approval process in the

“I have many friends that signed my petition to be a senator that are smokers and they were complaining that there are no smoking spots on campus.” -Charbel Marche dents, it is both the unclear rules about where smoking is allowed and the setup of the smoking poles on campus that cause problems. “The rules are too vague,” said sophomore international affairs major Maria Dubiel. “Are we supposed to be able to estimate 50 feet [from a building] exactly?”

MICHELLE’S LEAVING

•SMOKING SPOTS | 2

WRITING HISTORY

UMW Theatre’s take on becoming an adult

Why we will miss the FLOTUS

Volleyball coach gives insight to success

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 4

SPORTS | 12

NEWS THE

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chris Markham

MANAGING EDITOR Tess Osmer

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alex Spence

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Ester Salguero Izzy Briones

VIEWPOINTS Tessa Cate

LIFE Kelly Emmrich

SPORTS Mikey Barnes

ONLINE Ethan Tobin

PHOTO Alex Sakes

Business Team Linda Fitzpatrick Janelle Behm

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

Editors: Ester Salguero & Izzy Briones | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

UMW students seek more adequate smoking spots •SMOKING SPOTS | 1 SGA. Student Senate president Ethan Carter, a junior accounting major, explained the series of steps that must take place for a motion to get passed. “A student senator proposes a motion, if the motion is passed by student senate it is then voted upon by the Executive Cabinet of the Student Government Association,” Carter said. Though the student senate approved of Marche’s proposal, the executive cabinet was split. Therefore, causing the motion to fall short of getting passed. Sophia Hamdan, a junior English major, serves as the Legislative Action Committee Chairperson within the SGA and was in favor of passing the motion to increase the number of smoking spots on campus. According to Hamdan, the vote in the executive cabinet was split down the middle, which is why the proposal did not pass. “I think it would better accommodate the population of students that do smoke,” Hamdan said. “I do believe the rule that one must be 50 feet from the building to smoke is reasonable, yet I think it would benefit students if there was a designated spot that they could go to where smoking is 100 percent allowed. Additionally, for those people that do not like the smell of cigarettes, they could avoid the area.”

Alexas Fotos/Pixabay

“There should be designated smoking area with chairs or benches... People get upset when we smoke on campus walk, but there is really nowhere else to smoke.” -Jalen Brown Contrary to Hamdan, SGA President Alex Clegg voted in opposition for the

motion to add more smoking spots. “According to University policy, smoking spots must be outside of 50 feet from any building,” said Clegg, who is a senior communications major. “Currently, we believe there are an adequate number of spots in areas that fit that criteria.” The clarity of designated smoking areas on campus is a commonly shared desire among smokers and nonsmokers. “There should be designated smoking area with chairs or benches” said Jalen Brown, a sophomore International Affairs major. “People get upset when we smoke on campus walk, but there is really nowhere else to smoke.” “I think the best solution would be to move the smoker poles 50 feet away from the buildings,” said freshman Zoe Minor. “That way smokers would know where to go.”

UMW artifact on display in African American Museum of History and Culture SADIE ROBERTS Staff Writer

African American history is American history, and the University of Mary Washington highlighted just how important this history is by its recent donation to The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened Saturday, Sept. 24. This brand new museum, located in Washington D.C. has been in the making since 2011. The museum features many different objects in its collection, specifically a total of about 30,000. Each of these objects hold valuable insights to American history that should never be forgotten. Mary-Margaret McMaken, senior English major, supported this sentiment in her own words. “There is a lot of history that gets skipped over when discussing American history in high school and this museum definitely helps shed light on those topics... Seeing all of these things being prominently displayed is almost too surreal,” Mary-Margaret said. Among the many objects at the museum is a 1957 Birmingham, Alabama

bus station waiting sign for whites that UMW graciously donated. The sign came from the era of the infamous “Freedom Rides.” At one point in time, thousands of people waited under the sign for their bus, and thousands of people stayed as far away from it as possible, so as not to break the law. Today, by seeing this sign on display thousands of people will walk by it and be reminded that segregation really was not all that long ago. The sign, which had its own debut in the Smithsonian Magazine, was purchased on eBay in 2011 by a museum studies class at UMW. The class was a semester long commemoration of the Freedom Rides and Dr. James Farmer. Farmer taught at UMW for more than a decade and left his mark on the school and in history. The James Farmer Multicultural Center, named in his honor, is a welcoming and safe place for any student of any race, gender, cultural background or ethnicity.

University Relations

After the class had finished their exhibits, demonstrations and celebrations of all of their hard work, both the students and professor decided it was only fitting and deserving to donate the sign to the African American Museum that would surely be up and running in no time. However, many students are unaware of the university’s donation. When told about the donation, many students were shocked and excited to hear about the news. “I’m not surprised that our school would do something like that, but I am surprised that I’m just hearing about it now. This is such a big thing from such a big time in our history, more people should know about this,” said sophomore biology and chemistry double major Alexandria Riker. Cherishing history and providing insight on what the past was really like is essential to higher learning, and UMW recently contributed to that cause.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

SPORTS

MLB Playoff Preview

KeithAllison/flickr

PETE TEAGLE Staff Writer

The Major League Baseball playoffs are already underway as Wild Card teams look to punch their ticket to October baseball. The Blue Jays beat the Orioles in dramatic fashion, with a walk-off home run in the 11th inning propelling them to a matchup with the Texas Rangers. The Mets also face the Giants on Thursday night in a matchup of some of the National League’s best pitching. Before the playoffs get into full swing, let’s take a look at each of the contenders’ biggest strengths and weaknesses, as well as a couple compelling story lines. Boston Red Sox Strength- Lineup Boston had the most dominant offense in baseball for most of the season. The Red Sox lineup finished first in seven major offensive categories, including Team Batting Average and Runs Batted In. Boston’s best chance to make a deep playoff run would involve relying on their lineup, which features a mix of young stars Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts along with proven veterans like Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Betts and Pedroia both hit .318 during the regular season and Ortiz led the American League in Runs Batted In with 127, making this offense one to be feared in the postseason. Weakness- Bullpen As impressive as the Boston offense was in 2016, their pitching was equally frustrating. Though the starting rotation seems to be more stable as of late and features two pitchers who ranked in the top five for wins, David Price and Rick Porcello, the bullpen is a huge question mark. Closer Craig Kimbrel’s velocity has dropped off compared to previous seasons and Boston’s pitching staff ranks below seven other wild card or playoff teams in Earned Run Average, not to mention the fact that Boston’s bullpen had more losses than wins in the regular season. Cleveland Indians Strength- Bullpen Though the Indians’ starting pitching is up in the air headed into their series with Boston, their bullpen may be able to pick up the slack. Cleveland posted the 2nd best bullpen Earned Run Average during the regular season trailing only Baltimore, who is no longer in the playoffs. Closer Andrew Miller possesses a true wipeout

KeithAllison/flickr

slider and a fastball that hangs in the upper 90s, meaning that if the Indians can take leads into late innings they have a chance to silence the Red Sox’ bats. Weakness- Starting Pitching The Indians limped into the playoffs when it came to their starting arms. Ace Corey Kluber is due back any day but Cleveland’s three-headed pitching monster looks a lot less intimidating with Carlos Carrasco out for the season with a broken hand and Danny Salazar listed as “out indefinitely” and questionable to return in time for the postseason. Time will tell if Kluber and talented youngster Trevor Bauer can keep games close, especially against Boston’s imposing bats in their first round matchup.

Texas Rangers Strength- Run Production Among playoff teams, only Boston and Chicago drove in more runs than the Texas Rangers. 37-year-old third baseman Adrian Beltre seemed to defy time as he put together an impressive 2016 season, batting .300 while hitting 32 home runs and driving in 104 runs. Simlarly, up-andcoming talent Rougned Odor hit 33 home runs on his way to leading the team in that category. The Rangers also struck out less than 23 other teams while having five players hit 20 or more home runs, a great combination when it comes to putting up runs. Weakness- Competition The Rangers have a talented offense and arguably two ace pitchers in Yu Darvish and Cole Hammels, but their path to the World Series is incredibly difficult. They will face the Blue Jays in the first round, a team that can match them offensively. After that, they would presumably face Boston, barring an Indians upset. This series could come down to the final game, as Boston and Texas both won three games out of their six meetings this regular season. Run production in those games was close as well, 38 for Boston, 41 for Texas. Toronto Blue Jays Strength- Longball Offense Toronto hit the most home runs of any remaining playoff team. They also finished in the top ten in Runs Batted In. Their offense has been impressive most of the year and if that trend continues, “the 6” may be able to ride the long ball to postseason success. Weakness- Experience Though the Blue Jays have been

KeithAllison/flickr

trending upward since 2015, they still lack the playoff experience that many of the other teams bring to the table. Their closer, Roberto Osuna, is only 21 years old and blew several consecutive saves to finish the regular season. Though they were able to win against the Orioles with an 11th inning walk-off in the Wild Card round, that is not a sustainable path to a title, especially if your closer has not been finishing games.

Batting Average and On Base Percentage.

Los Angeles Dodgers Strength- Pitching Staff The Dodgers had one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball this season, finishing 5th in Earned Run Average, 1st in Strikeouts, and 2nd in opponent On Base Percentage. They also have the benefit of starting arguable the best pitcher in the game, Clayton Kershaw. Though Kershaw was pedestrian last playoffs, it is still difficult to bet against one of the best arms in the game. Weakness- Getting on Base The Dodgers’ lineup was 22nd in Batting Average, 18th in On Base Percentage, and was 26th in Stolen Base Percentage. Los Angeles definitely has the talent to make a playoff run, but if they cannot get or keep runners on base they will not go very far. Washington Nationals Strength- Keeping Opponents Off Base The Nationals pitching staff excelled at keeping runners off base in 2016. Behind the arms of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and closer Mark Melancon, the Nats finished second in strikeouts, third in opponent On Base Percentage, and allowed the third fewest hits. Though Strasbourg is questionable to return and may not play until the National League Championship Series, the Nationals’ pitching staff looks solid. As John Madden once said, “You can’t win if you can’t score”, and the Nationals allowed fewer baserunners and fewer runs than almost any other team in baseball. If the Nationals can continue this trend in the postseason they can make a deep playoff run. Weakness- Getting on Base Interestingly enough, while they excelled at keeping opponents off base, the Nationals were mediocre when it came to generating baserunners. They ranked below almost most other playoff team in

Chicago Cubs Strength- Talent The Cubs are one of the finest collections of talent in recent memory. Their lineup has been jokingly called a “beer league softball lineup” by ESPN for their ability to generate home runs from seemingly any spot in the lineup. Jake Arrietta and Jon Lester are a fearsome one-two punch at the top of the rotation and recently acquired closer Aroldis Chapman holds the world record for fastest pitch ever thrown at 105 mph. The team is skippered by Joe Madden, a playoff veteran himself from his time with the Tampa Bay Rays. Throw in the fact that the Cubs had the best record in baseball and everything seems to point to a World Series appearance. Weakness- Expectations The Cubs are carrying the hopes of a city that has not seen a World Series title in over a century and their task has not been made any easier by sports pundits predicting a deep playoff run since before the season even started. Even though luck is not a quantifiable statistic, the Cubs historically have caught about as many lucky breaks as Steve Bartman has caught foul balls. If the Cubs are eliminated this postseason, look for it to be because they lost, not because their opponent won. In addition, there are several story lines that are worth keeping an eye on. Boston looks to win their 4th World Series since 2004 in David Ortiz’ last season with the Red Sox. In the Windy City, General Manager Theo Epstein of the Cubs has constructed a potential dynasty in Chicago. If Epstein could bring a title to Chicago he would have ended the two longest World Series droughts in MLB history (Boston in 2004 being the other) and could go down as one of the greatest GM’s in Major League Baseball history. Lastly, in a year that has seen the Cleveland Cavaliers return from a 3-0 deficit to win a championship over the odds-on favorite, can the Cleveland Indians continue the magic and overcome injuries to bring the city and its loyal fans another title. The first round of the MLB playoffs begins on Thursday, with the Blue Jays taking on the Rangers at 4:38 p.m. and the Red Sox facing the Indians at 8:08 p.m. Both games will appear on TBS, or channel 18 for all of you with university cable.

Weekly Scoreboard field hockey:

Oct. 1 @ Salisbury (L) UMW: 1 Salisbury.: 6

women'S sOCCER:

Oct. 5 vs. Frostburg St.

(L) UMW: 0 Frostburg St.: 1

field hockey:

VOLLEYBALL

Oct. 5 @ Washington and Lee (W) UMW: 3 W & L: 0

men's soccer

Oct. 5 @. Frostburg St. (L) UMW: 0 Frostburg St.: 1

VOLLEYBALL

Oct. 8 vs. St. Mary’s 12:00 P.M.

Oct. 7 vs. Wesley 7:00 P.M.

Oct. 8 vs. York (Pa.)

Oct. 8 vs. York (Pa.) 3:30 P.M.

woMEN'S sOCCER: 1:00 P.M.

men's soccer

VIEWPOINTS

Michelle Obama for President 2020

DEBORAH NGANGA Staff Writer

The first presidential debate, which took place on Monday, Sept. 26, was definitely a wake up call to remind us that very soon, a new President of the United States will be in office. Election Day is about one month away, and we have only October to really cherish our last moments with the Obama family, but most importantly, our First Lady, Michelle Obama. Seeing a different race represented in the White House after 43 presidencies that offered no diversity has had such an effect on the underrepresented citizens of the U.S. I do not think some people understand how big of a deal it is for women of color, to see another woman of color in such a high position of power and influence. As a black woman myself, having a woman of Michelle Obama’s caliber as a role model helps me to not allow the color of my skin and people’s assumptions stop me from succeeding in life and reaching my goals. Michelle Obama is known for her elegance and poise regarding the writing and delivering of her speeches. There are

numerous online articles that mention how well she delivers speeches, and some even try to emulate her. For instance, Melania Trump plagiarized portions of the speech Michelle Obama gave in 2008 at the Democratic National Convention, so our First Lady must to be doing something right. Michelle Obama also deserves major props for being able to handle both a demanding position such as First Lady and her job as a mother. She has raised two well-behaved and intelligent teenage daughters. What I love most about her parenting skills is that she recognizes that her daughters are constantly subjected to the public’s eye, but that does not hold her back from letting them be “normal” teenagers. For example, her oldest daughter, Malia, was harshly criticized during the summer for attending the music festival Lollapalooza instead of attending the DNC. I think any teenager that is interested in music and having fun would prefer to see their favorite artists perform instead of attending a convention that will not be impacted in any way by their absence.

flickr / Noam Galai

Since day one, Michelle Obama has talked about how important having a healthy diet and being physically active is, not only for her and her family, but also for the younger generation of kids. In 2010, she proved to us that she is not all talk by creating “Let’s Move!” a public health campaign to help combat the growing problem of obesity in children. When Michelle Obama is not creating and supporting major health initiatives or parenting, she likes to have a little fun. She has a serious get down-to-business side, but I love that she is not shy and will show

November what? American politics in worldview TESSA OSMER Managing Editor

While walking to class Tuesday morning, campus chatter focused mainly on the first Presidential debate the previous evening. “How did we get stuck with Trump and Hillary of all the candidates,” my classmates deplored. That got to me. How did we get stuck with them? I did not vote in the primaries. My friends, they did not vote in the primaries. The Pew Research Center, not surprisingly, was also concerned with this factor of the 2016 election. Approximately 57.6 million Americans, or 28.5 percent of eligible voters, took to the polls in the Republican and Democratic primaries. In April, Generation X, comprised of ages 36-51, and members of the Silent and Greatest Generation, ages 71 and older, comprised of 25 and 12 percent of the electorate. Interestingly, the research shows, millennials continue to have the lowest voter turnout. While the Baby Boomer voting-eligible population peaked in size at 72.9 million around 2004, 46 percent of eligible millennials said they voted in 2012. Not only do millennials continually disregard voting, they are the most outspoken against both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. We harp on candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Gary Johnson but we have not taken the time to write their names on a ticket. When I got to my apartment after my classes on Tuesday, I was infuriated with myself. I thought, “What must other countries think of us?” And so I found out the answer. The best was Britain’s response, written by Tim Stanley of The Daily Telegraph, logged in

us her fun and silly side. Her guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Carpool Karaoke with James Corden are just a few examples of how entertaining she is. While the current election is proving to be quite entertaining as well, Michelle Obama’s lightheartedness and kindness will be missed. We have been extremely lucky these past eight years to have had a FLOTUS that is so beautiful both on the inside and out.

Op Ed: Jefferson Davis Highway should not change name LYDIA EISENBERG Contributing Writer

Twitter / tjsmith2593 Viewers use Snapchat’s Faceswap feature during Presidential Debate

an all-inclusive article by CNN. “The debate was widely mocked,” he writes. News coverage is as dominated by Trump’s remarks as it is here in the U.S. “Britons find having money embarrassing and boasting about it nauseating,” Stanley noted. While it is good to know there are some people that are more self-grounded, it hit me that this election is as much a joke to the international community as it is to millennials. Stanley also mentioned that both candidates failed to articulate how they would deal with the Middle East, a point that I found was largely ignored in Monday night’s debate. “Across Europe,” he writes, “the lack of American leadership on foreign affairs is noted and regretted.” In Iran, as reported by Camelia Entekhabifard, most are concerned with, “the continuation of Obama’s policy.” Therefore, most support leans toward Clinton’s campaign. Entekhabifard also noted that the possible election of a Republican could also have an impact in Iranian elections. “The fact is,” she writes, “extreme talk fuels animosity in Iran and increases the chances of Tehran’s hardliners seizing power.”

Most concerning was Ferial Haffajee’s response to the election on behalf of South Africa. “Donald Trump? After Barack Obama?” she exclaims. She uses the word “incredulous” to describe the election. Her account bothered me the most. South Africa, a country riddled with domestic issues, is looking at a country that spends most of its time meddling in international affairs with eyes of fear and concern. As a millennial voter I am ashamed of myself. I am enraged at the circumstance that we have put ourselves in and I am appalled at how our country looks in the eyes of the international community. Although I participated in snap-chatting filtered videos of the debate Monday night and joked about the possibility of either candidate stepping up to the plate, I can no longer ignore the reality. One line of Stanley’s story really stood starkly, “Our own leaders have failed to fill the vacuum. The result: the bodies of refugee children washing up on European beaches.” In the United States we have the luxury of ignoring this reality. It is no longer cliché to say, “it is the future of our country at stake.” Whoever wins Nov. 8, I will be sure to be a part of it.

The city of Fredericksburg is an incredibly historic town. Established in 1728 by the General Assembly, the city has played key roles in multiple wars including the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. It would almost be a crime to deny this town of its history. Changing the name of the Jefferson Davis Highway would be the start of a downward spiral of sugar coating the facts of this city; that Fredericksburg was and is a true southern town. Although Jefferson Davis was the president of the Confederacy as well as a slave owner, this issue needs to be put into perspective. Many other people of the time owned slaves. Mary Washington, for whom this university is named after owned a few slaves in her lifetime as well as her son George Washington. Where is the line to be drawn? If the Jefferson Davis Highway is to be renamed, by these standards the university should be renamed as well. Many argue that the road should be renamed because it represents the Confederacy and “with that representation comes the oppression of other ethnicities and divisiveness in our country”. This view contradicts itself in the fact that it suppresses the views of a certain ethnicity; of those who believed slavery to be morally right. Others argue that “Jefferson Davis does not represent the core values of the Fredericksburg and Mary Washington community.” What are the said “core values” of Fredericksburg and Mary Washington? To deny a city’s history while forcing one close-minded opinion on the drivers on Jefferson Davis

Thursday, October 2016 Thursday, January 21,6, 2015

VIEWPOINTS Social media misuse on the campaign trail Editor: Tessa Cate | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

JONATHON MYERS Staff Writer

The 2016 election is slated to be a complete farce, not because of the candidates, but the voters. While many believe that neither candidate is a good presidential choice, there are far more people polarized to ravenous support of their candidate of choice. The hypothesis that our founding fathers put forth that a two party system would divide our country is coming true before our eyes, and we

“The sheer amount of hatred that man spreads to a following of 12 million is a borderline crime against humanity.” - Jonathon Myers owe much of it to Facebook and Twitter. Despite social media being a tool for connecting people, it has divided us more than we have ever been before. According to The Guardian, six out of every 10 millennials get their political news on Facebook, making the 1.7 billion-user social site the largest millennial marketplace for news and ideas in the world. The Guardian goes on to say that Baby Boomers are more likely than any other demographic to be consistently

Twitter / Hillary Clinton

exposed to content they agree with politically on Facebook, that conservatives were more likely to agree with posts they see on their timeline and that almost half of Facebook’s “consistent liberals” have blocked users they disagreed with. Facebook’s algorithms ensure that users will only see what they want to see, based on what they click on and “like.” Aside from the occasional political tirade from an estranged uncle, most users are only going to see what relates to their likes and the likes of their likeminded friends. The resulting stew is an endless stream of confirmation bias, reiteration of the values the user believes in for the purpose of reaffirming and validating those beliefs. But let us not leave the candidates out of the social media problem entirely. Both parties know how to speak to their audience, and that can have severe

repercussions. Donald Trump uses his social media popularity to smear entire races and religions. I recommend everyone at least glance through the New York Times’ 258 things Trump has insulted on Twitter. The sheer amount of hatred that man spreads to a following of 12 million is a borderline crime against humanity. Does it need to be said how bad it is to get your confirmation bias from that much negativity? According to Business Insider, Trump targeted a former Miss Universe, calling her “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping,” digs at her weight and ethnicity. He recently renewed his attacks on the former winner, taking to Twitter to call her, “My worst Miss. U.” How is it democracy can continue to hold meaning if political disagreement devolves into cyberbullying? A presidential candidate used a social media platform to

unite his followers in harassing someone and it is time someone held his supporters accountable for enabling him. While it can be nice to feel validated in your opinions every now and again, if all your news sources are just regurgitating your own opinions back at you, you are essentially tackling important societal issues with a blindfold on. Without being challenged like an adult or being asked to think about an issue before automatically deciding what side you are on, then even the act of choosing a candidate is pointless. Democracy has no meaning if everyone just picks the side corresponding to their preferred color.

Twitter / Donald J. Trump

Staff Ed: Student journalism is important to college experience, resources needed A free student press is a source that every university should have and recognize for its quality of free speech. As the campus newsource, The Blue & Gray Press staff work diligently every week to provide sources of information that the UMW community may otherwise ignore. It keeps us accountable as students of a community within the city of Fredericksburg, not Fairfax, as Trump once said. We are the up and coming writers, editors, photographers, biologists, economists or whatever you may be. We should be informed about our university, city, state and nation. But what happens when our resources amount to a fraction of the budget that the Office of Student Activities and Engagement

receives to make recyclable knick knacks with a stamp that says SAE, or an old unresponsive printer that might be completely inaccessible if our Editor-in-Chief cannot get into the clubhouse because we do not have key access; the quality of the paper diminishes. Today students find their news in virtual format, on Facebook, Twitter, Google or some strange blog that tells you exactly what you want to hear. Whatever happened to challenging our opinions by reading public presses with the latest information in the weekly newspaper? According to John Oliver, we don’t even know what a journalist is anymore since people insist on telling him that he is one,

disregarding his own objections. With journalism taking a new turn to becoming heavily abbreviated by social media, not only is there more work, but there are less resources. Here at Mary Washington the newspaper staff consists of a small class of about 30 to 40 students when weekly newspapers usually need a staff of 70 or more to run smoothly. Additionally, it is an unpaid job, totalling up to about 9 to 15 hours per week in the clubhouse, dorm or a random public space on campus editing, writing and producing a paper each week. Newspapers are written and read by few but they greatly affect the lives of many when they are supported by the commu-

nity. Our 12 page paper is reflective of a larger problem in the journalism field today, a dis-appreciation of the secondary source in print that has lasted in our communities since the sixteenth century. Remember what John Oliver said, “the newspaper industry today is in big trouble, papers have been closing and downsizing for years and that affects all of us.” “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” -Thomas Jefferson

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

LIFE

Editor: Kelly Emmrich blueandgray.life@gmail.com

UMW Theatre’s play, ‘Assistance,’ offers insight into post-college life VALERIE GIBSON Staff Writer

rotate in and out with one in particular always in the lead. The lead assistant’s name is Nick, played by senior Alex Newton. Other assistants are: Jenny, played by senior Madeleine Dilley, Justin, played by Jacob Dodges, Nora, played by junior Lauren Frautschi, Heather, played by senior Catherine O’Meara and Vince, played by junior AJ Ramos. The assistants showcase the hectic and stressful lives they live as replaceable employees. But it also shows how they cope with

The University of Mary Washington’s Theatre Department debuted “Assistance” on Thursday Sept. 29, at Klein Theatre. Written by Leslye Headland, the 90-minute play looks at the lives of six postgraduate students trying to find their place in the office world. The play infuses the real life struggles of “adulting” with relatable humor that will keep you laughing as it provides a glimpse into the future for university students. The theatre was packed to the brim with audience members both students and community members. Everyone was eager to see if “Assistance” lived up to the hype. The play is set in present day New York City in an office buildUMW Theatre/Facebook ing. The The cast and crew of UMW’s Theatre department 2016’s show, Assistance. assistants

University Relations

a job that takes so much out of them. “What’s great about playing a character like Heather is that she has so many layers to her character,” said O’Meara in a UMW Theatre spotlight interview. “She’s got personal issues and her motivations are a little

different than what you may think, so finding those was fun. It was awesome that I got to play a character that has a lot of their personal background in the show.” Audience member sophomore Katherine Bartles said that the show was entertaining with an underlying love story, and that she “really enjoyed the play.” “Assistance” plays at Klein Theatre until Oct. 9, and I highly recommend going to see it for some serious laughs and insights into the future.

UMW’s 4th annual Mindfulness Week will focus on wellness

KAITIE GOODWIN Staff Writer

We move so rapidly from one class to the next, from assignment to assignment, that we can miss a lot about what is actually happening outside of our personal bubbles. Next week, however, we are being given a chance to learn how to take time to see our environment and the people around us, thanks to the fourth annual Mindfulness Week at UMW. “Mindfulness, when cultivated, has the effect of reducing stress, enabling concentration, increasing productivity and creativity, and meeting ourselves and others with understanding and compassion,” said Professor Angela Pitts. Pitts is a co-coordinator of the week. Mindfulness Week was created to help those in the Mary Washington community to learn more about mindfulness, as well as to support and expand the practice more experienced practitioners. To

reach this goal, the coordinators have created numerous events throughout the week to foster interest and understanding about how mindfulness can help the UMW community. To start the week, Bill Brooks will be leading Introduction to Mindfulness with Guided Meditation Practice on Monday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. in room 411 of Lee Hall. On Tuesday, the Mindfulness with Mandalas workshop will be led by Joshua Whiting, a UMW student and war veteran. He will be presenting a short film made during a Contem-

plative Practice course over the summer, and lead participants through making their own mandalas. As a veteran of the Iraq war, he has found that contemplative practice has helped in his struggle with PTSD, and there is a particular invitation for members of the veteran community to attend, though it is free to everyone. Following this workshop, Daniel Hirshberg will give the lecture titled, “The End of Enlightenment? Mindfulness and the Making of Secular Buddhism.” Hirshberg is a co-coordinator of Mindfulness week and scholar of Tibetan Studies and Religion. A workshop for Mindful Eating will be led by Pitts, and the only requirement is to bring your own bagged lunch, and meet in room 314 of the University Center at noon. Mindfulness Week’s keynote speaker will be conducting an interactive lecture on Thursday University Relations at 7 p.m. in the HCC’s

University Relations

Digital Auditorium. Dr. Beth Berila, yoga instructor, women’s studies expert, and director of the women’s studies program at St. Cloud State University, will be discussing why mindfulness is important in bringing about social justice. She will also be conducting a workshop on contemplative practice for social activists who are getting burnt out from 1 to 3 p.m. in Lee Hall room 412. The week will come to a close at noon on Friday with Mindfulness Yoga on Ball Circle, led by Bill Brooks. The UMW website has a list of all the times and locations of the events for the week, and the entire community is encouraged to come and learn about how mindfulness can play a role in both their professional and everyday lives.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

LIFE

UMW campus taken over by different breeds of mushrooms FINNLEY GOFF Staff Photographer

Three White/Brown/Black Mushrooms These mushrooms (pictured above) are only a small part of the much larger collection between Combs and the gates to Mary Washington; there was also a complete ring of these next to the University Center. Unfortunately, those were destroyed by a lawn mower. RIP mushrooms.This could be a Fairy Ring. Single Brown Mushroom The smallest mushroom of all, (pictured middle right) was found on the other side of the hedges from the one pictured above, near Combs. It could be a Portebello.

Orange Cluster These mushrooms (pictured left) make up one of the largest cluster of mushrooms on campus. These are directly across from Dodd Auditorium. This could be Maitake. Redish/Orange Bumpy Mushroom This beautiful mushroom (pictured above) was spotted near the sidewalk between Combs and the UMW Apartments; it may or may not have looked like a pile of vomit from a distance. The acorn-like growths and the vivid color easily secures this as the best mushroom on campus. This could be Driad’s Saddle.

Flannel Friday, a campus-wide trend or coincidence? LIZZY WAINER Staff Writer

Students have been sporting flannels on campus walk so much that is has become a trend. No matter where students look, it seems that flannels are everywhere, anytime or day, regardless of inconsistent weather. This past Friday more students than usual were wearing flannels. My roommate, my close friends and I always wear flannel on Friday. It makes Friday more exciting because you know you and your friends are a part of something fun. Some wonder whether this has to do with the weather change. Others wonder if this is because wearing flannels on Fridays is becoming a trend. Freshman Allison McCrumb said that she does not think everyone sees

Flannel Friday as a full-blown trend yet. She said that she counts about 10 people on Fridays wearing flannel. “I see flannels mostly on Fridays,” McCrumb said. She never hears Flannel Friday being talked about on campus, but she knows people who purposefully wear flannels on Friday. “I would probably participate if it was a trend on campus,” McCrumb said. However, Dr. John Marsh, a business professor at UMW, thinks flannels have been a trend for a long time already. Marsh has never heard of Flannel Fridays, but he has noticed a lot of students bringing flannels out whenever the autumn season starts. Since he first started at UMW, Marsh has not noticed more flannels on Fridays. He is unsure if students sport flannels more on Fridays than other day because he said that he has not really paid much attention. Ayel Morrissey, a sophomore majoring in political science, thinks Flannel Fridays are flattering. “People are always making sure their other friends are wearing flancassieleelove/Flickr nels on Friday,”

Morrissey said. “Whether you are in cold or hot weather people wear it equally, but here at UMW it’s a cultural thing.” Morrissey believes Flannel Friday is a cultural phenomenon because college students can “easily throw on a flannel.” Wearing flannels is also great because flannels are comfortable and socially acceptable for students to wear. Students may be wearing flannels more often simply because it is colder out. Flannels are used regularly for cold weather because they are woven with fabrics that hold in heat, insulating the body with warmth more than some other materials. Flannels were originally made from wool but now they are made of cotton. You can find flannel blankets, jackets, sheets, sleepwear and shirts, of course. Jessie Cottrill, an anthropology major, said she admitted to partaking in this trend. “I have noticed more flannels over the past two years,” Cottrill said. “On Fridays I see more flannel, but I mostly have seen more since the weather has cooled down.” She particularly likes Flannel Fridays because she thinks that

it brings UMW students together in a fun way. Maddie Smith, another junior majoring in biology, thinks that Flannel Fridays could be seen as “a way of life” for some people, but she does not agree with calling it a trend. Michelle Munoz, an undeclared sophomore, stated that you are “either in or you're out” when it comes to knowing about Flannel Friday, confirming that this is actually a trend that students follow on campus. Some know the trend of Flannel Friday and some do not. As the weather gets cooler, students expect that more people will be wearing flannel. As more people wear flannels on Friday and spread the news of Flannel Friday, the more this trend will come to be.

Finnley Goff/The Blue & Gray Press

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LIFE

Oldheads against the New Wave, a hip-hop Twitter battle AHAD SHAHID and CHAD MUNDIE Contributing Writers

Lil Yachty, Kodak Black, Imran Ahmed, 21 Savage. All these names ring a bell when brought to the attention of Millennials. While these artists are in the limelight at the moment, there has been conflict between these new acts and the people who helped establish the genre. Negatively known as mumble rappers, these juvenile rappers have been catching shade from multiple, more established artists in the game. Pete Rock, of Pete Rock & CL Smooth recently took to Instagram to call out Young Dolph and Lil Yachty. Rock argued that Dolph’s lyrics about cocaine usage was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle, when pressed, called Dolph ‘hot garbage,’ citing a

lack of skill and corny raps. More recently, Rock went after the rapper, Lil Yachty, for his freestyling ability. Yachty stopped by the infamous Hot 97 radio show. The interview was going well and little to no conflict arose. The real issue came when the show’s host, Ebro, asked Yachty to rap. Yachty stumbled over a painful seven-minute freestyle, which led to him receiving flack from miscellaneous social media sites. Rock posted one of the memes on his Instagram, writing “I’m a lil tired of people taking this culture for a joke." He went on, "I'm obviously passionate about good music and good lyrics. Can't understand the mumble rap shit da hell is that?” Yachty responded with a few

Lil Yachty/Facebook

tweets, however one sticks out. “At the end of the day what we doin over here not gone stop growing because a old head don't like it.” Rock feels that the mumble rappers message deviates from the core hip-hop values, while Yachty feels the oldheads music is obsolete. These instances bring to light the divide between the new and older acts of the genre. Not many people have the privilege of founding a genre or helping to innovate through music. Oldheads have an advantage when it comes to critiquing new content because they have created music that was popular and gained them their current fame. In contrast, older artists may lose touch with what people are currently looking for from new music. Snoop Dogg is a notable artist who has made jabs at new trap artists by saying that they are all coming out with music that sounds the same. On the other side, new artists are constantly charting with music that sounds like nothing the hip-hop community has heard before. These new artists have millions of plays to show

that the world is taking any music they give them, and loving it. A focus on minimalism, diverse sounds and a heavy emphasis on diverging from what an archetypical hip-hop song sounds like, new age rappers are topping the charts; proving their prominence in the rap

Pete Rock/Facebook

community. “Broccoli” by Virginia born artist D.R.A.M, currently tops the Billboard Hot Rap chart, and is No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. Listeners love the new wave, yet are still listening to oldies. Currently, 2Pac’s Greatest Hits album, a 1998 release, ranks at 100 of the Billboard Top 200. Despite what artists have been saying to one another over social media, the true test comes down to the listener and their preferences.

Senior Playlist: for the burnt out and stressed out students

TESS OSMER Managing Editor

It is already October, the leaves are falling and it’s finally getting a little bit colder. Even though it is pretty early in the semester, I am about ready to drop out. If the ideas of upcoming midterms and eventual finals are making you panic, I have five noteworthy songs to help you keep your chin up. 1. “Model Behavior” by Mack Keane

posting pictures and having people tell you lies.” Although sometimes I feel like jumping out of my skin, this song saves me every time. 2. “Lights” by MaJLo ft. Ralph Kaminski

Tilka/Facebook

MaJLo/Facebook

Mack Keanel/Facebook

Just the lyrics alone make me want to abandon all my things and drive to the city. “I want a normal life,” Mack bellows while the bass bumps in the background, every line as catchy as the next. My favorite, however, is toward the end of the song. “Confidence is born from the voice inside,” Mack coos, “not from

3. “Like I Do” by Tilka

This track really speaks to my “go-getter” self. While it is upbeat and full of a twangy guitar, the lyrics empower the listener. “Someone said we’re not good enough,” Ralph sings, “some people never understand.” Indeed, when you are one to follow your dreams some people really do not get it. The song itself is only about three minutes but it brings me so much joy and it is easy to get lost in. I also think it is an interesting combination of both electronic and indie music.

This is one of my favorite songs on the playlist. The flute is impeccable and the lyrics are simplistic. It’s the aura of this song that speaks to me. It is such an anticlimactic song and that is what I love about it. It could easily be on the radio, blending a pop and electronic feel that is becoming very popular in current mainstream music. 4. “Once” by Khamsin ft. Layna

Khamsin/Facebook

Now I know I said “Like I Do,” is one of my favorites, but I am obsessed with this one. Every time it comes on, filling my ears with beautiful drums, bass and a sooth-

ing voice, I cannot help but turn up the volume as loud as I can. “Let me savor this heart,” Layna pleads. For me, with it is heavily electronic-based aesthetic, it’s like jumping into another world. 5. “Tonari” by WoodzSTHLM ft. Noomi

WoodzSTHLM/Facebook

Filling the air with ambient and electronic features this song has floored me. “Silence,” Noomi croons, “Take in, take it in, I can take it in.” When studying or working out this song pushes me. The flute, again prominent in this track, combined with almost wallowing moans brings complexity and layers. Electronic music is becoming increasingly popular these days and so I hope you are on this bandwagon with me. If any of these songs speak to you like they speak to me, it does not take much to find more like them. I advocate for Soundcloud more than any other music-sharing app.

NEWS POLICE BEAT IZZY BRIONES News Editor

Hit and Run Between Wednesday, Sept. 21 and Friday, Sept. 23 hit and run of a vehicle was reported from the Alvery Parking Deck. The case is pending. On Wednesday, Sept. 28 between 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. a hit and run occurred in the UMW apartments parking lot. The case is pending.

Larceny Between Friday, Sept. 23 and Monday, Sept. 26. petit larceny of a bicycle occurred at Jepson Hall. The case was cleared and the bicycle was recovered on Wednesday, September 28.

Assault On Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. assault and battery occurred at Willard Hall. Prosecution was declined by the victim and a protective order was made.

Intoxication On Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2 a.m. underage intoxication occurred in Madison Hall. EMS was notified and an administrative referral was given.

Vandalism On Sunday, Oct. 2 between 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. vandalism of a vehicle window occurred in the Russell Hall parking lot. The case is pending.

CRIME COVERAGE POLICY 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.

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

Increasing need for resources at UMW Talley Center •TALLEY | 1 counseling because most providers do not accept her insurance. When she returned to UMW in the spring of 2016, after completing an outpatient program and taking community college course, it had been more than two years since she withdrew from UMW. Kate knew she would need weekly appointments in the spring of 2016 to help with the transition back to school. She found a practice in Central Park, which she could ride an Uber to. Because of her anxiety, Kate would often call her Uber early, worried traffic would cause her to miss an appointment. Once her appointment finished, Kate then had to wait for another Uber to bring her back to school. She said Ubering to the appointment each way could take upwards of an hour. This semester, Kate decided to return to the Talley Center, but said she is concerned with the frequency of her appointments. She is looking to join one of the Talley Center’s counseling Groups, both to meet other people and because Group sessions meet weekly. “Group therapy has shown to be at least equally effective to individual therapy and often times long term, it’s

“It’s a really big concern for me that right now we are struggling to have our front office are manned. Because that’s where students come in when they’re distressed, when they’re concerned and they need to talk to someone. If all of us are behind closed doors, that student gets kind of stuck” - Dr. Tevya Zukor actually more effective than individual therapy, so people tend to maintain their treatment gains longer by doing Group. And it makes sense if you think about it, Group is a social environment, the same as our world is,” Dr Zukor said. The Talley Center is currently organizing their Group Programs for this semester. Dr. Zukor and his staff work with students to find meeting times that comply best with students’ schedules. In a survey created for this article, 37 percent of respondents answered that

“frequency of appointments” was a factor when deciding to attend therapy. Senior Chris Larimer has used the Talley Center in the past to help cope with depression, anxiety and PTSD. “The only complaints I’ve heard [about the Talley Center] is that there are not enough opportunities to go in and talk... I’d probably feel a little bit more inclined to go to the Talley Center if there was more availability,” Larimer said. Dr. Zukor says bi-weekly appointments are standard for collegiate mental health services, but a student in crisis can see a counselor every week if needed. Dr. Zukor says the Talley Center has seen a 20-25 percent increase in request for services, which is in line with national averages regarding collegiate mental health. The center has been struggling to meet the increasing demand of students. Recently, the center’s administrative assistant had to leave her position, which often leaves the front desk unmanned. “It’s a really big concern for me that right now we are struggling to have our front office are manned. Because that’s where students come in when they’re distressed, when they’re concerned and they need to talk to someone. If all of us are behind closed doors, that student gets kind of stuck,” Dr. Zukor said. Each year, the Talley Center surveys students who use the center. The survey from the 2015-2016 school year said over two-thirds of the 600 students who requested services at the Talley Center in had been in counseling for psychological issues before coming to the center. “We have a population that’s more experienced with mental health than many universities,” Dr. Zukor said. “These are already consumers of mental health, that’s actually a good thing. That keeps them more aware of what they need to do so they can be safe and grounded to maintain their wellbeing through a very difficult time in life.” The Talley Center’s survey found 12 percent of participants had been hospitalized for psychological reasons because they were a harm to themselves, others or incapable of self-care. 42 percent of the surveyed students said before coming to the Talley Center they had “seriously considered suicide,” and 13 percent had made a suicide attempt. UMW’s amount of previously distressed students is slightly higher than the national average, according to Zukor. “When you look at our staffing levels compared to other comparable universities in Virginia, we’re grossly short staffed...we have less resources than Christopher Newport University,

University of Richmond, William and Mary, yet our actual severity is significantly higher than many of those schools,” Dr. Zukor said. In addition to Dr. Zukor, UMW has two staff counselors, one resident staff counselor who is also the Mental Health Coordinator, a psychiatrist, and five “trainees.” In addition to their director, Christopher Newport University has five Psychology Residents and two staff counselors. University of Richmond’s Mental Health Center has a director, three licensed psychologists, and two counselors. The Talley Center is in the process of hiring a new counselor, but ideally, Dr. Zukor said, the center would hire three or four more counselors to meet the increasing need of students. Paul Messplay, UMW’s Executive Director of Budget and Financial Analysis, said the university is aware of the increasing caseload the Talley Center faces, which is why the university has authorized funds to hire a new counselor. “There are always more needs than resources. I think we’re heading in the right direction for them, they’re definitely been recognized as a funding need. They’ve got pretty compelling evidence about their caseload and staffing issues. It’s on everybody’s radar,” Messplay said. Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life, Cedric Rucker has been at Mary Washington for 28 years. In his time at the school, he has seen first-hand how the Talley Center has expanded services, including working with centers in the Fredericksburg community. “I remember when the Talley Center was called ‘Counseling and Psychological Services,” there were about three people in that office... back then I don’t recall the dedication to working with community partners the way that it exists today. I think they take a very global, very community-based approach to assisting and supporting students,” Dean Rucker said. Kate is off medication for the first time in years. She is still struggling with schoolwork because her depression often makes it hard to focus. During her hospitalization, she discovered art therapy, and plans to become an art therapist to help others find healing. Socially, she hopes her return to UMW will give her “a college experience,” and a chance to make new friends. “I don’t see a problem with the school. That’s why I came back here, I wanted to finish what I started,” Kate said. Dr. Zukor said the Talley center will continue to do everything they can to assist students.

BRENT HOUSE UPDATE FOR VIRGINA CODE On Oct. 1, 2016 Virginia Code 23.1-817 went into effect. This code mandates that campus police departments collect criminal incident information including: “...(i) the date, time, and general location of the alleged crime; (ii) a general description of injuries suffered or property damaged or stolen; and (iii) the name and address of any individual arrested as a result of felonies committed against persons or property or misdemeanors involving assault, battery, or moral turpitude reported to the campus police.” The Daily Crime Log will serve as the log for 23.1-817 disclosures. As such, “Property Damage/Injuries” has been added to the “Type” column and an “Arrest information” section has been added to the “Disposition” column to comply with the reporting requirment.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

NEWS

Lounge in UC unable to provide adequate space for commuter population

Katherine Whittaker

YOUSEF NASSER

Commuter students at the University of Mary Washington see drawbacks with the Commuter Student Lounge that prevent it from being a more widely used resource. Laura Gilchrist, a senior historic preservation major who serves as the president of the Commuter Student Association in the Student Government Association, says the lounge has existed in the University Center since the building was opened in the fall semester of 2015. Before the completion of the University Center, there was a commuter lounge located in The Link, between Mason and Randolph Halls. “Unfortunately, the commuter lounge is quite a small space,” Gilchrist said. “Its maximum occupancy is 26 people, and the commuter student population makes up at least a third of our campus so we can’t fit a lot of students in there.” The lounge, located in room 114 of the University Center, “is equipped with couches, chairs, tables, a microwave and other amenities.” The UMW Commuter Student Services webpage defines a commuter student as being “anyone living

Staff Writer off campus.” residential student According to data for her freshman and provided by the sophomore years. U.S. News College Rankings website, She started commuting her junior year 43 percent of UMW students live off and is commuting this year as well. campus. “One of the biggest differences that Vice President of the SGA Ethan I see [as a commuter student] is that Carter, a junior accounting major who your life no longer revolves around is the living on campus, likened the campus,” Voccio said. “When you are commuter lounge to a residential stuon campus and you live in the dorms dent’s dorm room. with all of your friends and you see “[The commuter lounge] almost everyone on your floor, you do things fills the space that residential students on campus all the time.” might spend in their dorms,” Carter “Now that I’m a commuter and I said. “Even though the commuter live off campus it takes me about 35 to lounge isn’t their primary living space, 45 minutes to get home depending on it’s just a nice little extra place to come traffic,” Voccio said. “I’m reluctant to together.” stay on campus after classes because I “The purpose of the commuter need to go home to either do things or lounge is to give commuter students an go to work.” area to relax, study and socialize while While aware of the commuter they are on campus,” Gilchrist said. lounge, Voccio says that she never “Commuters can live anywhere from a makes use of it. few minutes to a couple of hours away “I have never been to the UC comand so it’s nice to just have a place [for muter lounge because I don’t really commuter students] to hang out in behave any time to be in the UC. Usually tween classes and throughout the day.” when I come on campus, I go straight Paige Voccio, a senior communicato class,” Voccio said. tions and digital studies student, has Gilchrist acknowledged that the a different perspective. Voccio was a size of the commuter lounge could be a

Student Government Association Beat

reason why more students do not make use of it. Voccio suggested that if the university was able to create several commuter-designated areas across campus that would meet the needs of commuter students who have busy schedules. “If I had classes in the same building, I would love to have a place to go in that building or closer to that building,” Voccio said. Gilchrist conceded that the commuter lounge as presently constructed might not ever truly meet the needs of commuter students at UMW. If there were to be a lounge in every academic building specifically for commuter students then that would accommodate our large commuter population. “In general, there isn’t really a way that this particular lounge could better meet the needs of commuters, [they] just need a larger space,” Gilchrist said. “While commuter students technically have access to all academic buildings and communal spaces on campus, it’s nice to have a designated area that is [only for commuters] and it’s just hard to fit more than ten people in the [commuter lounge] comfortably.”

CORRECTIONS for THE Week

Wednesday, March 24 & Wednesday, April 6 All motions were originated and passed in the student senate, and then approved by the executive cabinet. •

A motion to fix the eroding flower beds behind Custis Hall was passed. The Buildings and grounds committee will be replacing the flower beds behind Custis Hall.

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

In last week’s issue the article titled, “Residents fear balcony reconstruction plans will cause inconvieniences,” had two words cut off on page 10 in the last sentence for attribution. The sentence should end with the words,“Tomiko said.”

DETAILS PROVIDED BY JAMIE MCGUIRE

Thursday, October 6, 2016

SPORTS

Editor: Mikey Barnes | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Q & A with Volleyball coach Matthew Troy ELISE ADAMS Staff Writer

Sue Spencer/ Perfect shots

Head coach of the University of Mary Washington volleyball program Matt Troy came to UMW four years ago from John Hopkins University, where he was the head volleyball coach. Only four years in, he has already helped the women of the UMW volleyball team achieve great things and show their potential. Coach Troy was gracious enough to answer a few questions during his team’s historically successful season, and during the interview I could clearly see the devotion and faith he has for his team, which is ranked 16th in the country. Q: How do you feel about the accomplishments of the team this far into the season? A: “I think it’s nice to see the players awarded for their hard work. It’s nice getting that recognition, but I think it’s also challenging because now we have to compete at that level day-in and day-out. Especially being such a young team.” Q: What do you believe has led to the team being so successful this year?

A: “Well I think that our culture has established the groundwork to being successful. Also, talented athletes, the players and returnees- the entire makeup- has allowed us to be successful.” Q: What do you believe has to happen this year to repeat that success? A: “They need to continue to compete with the tough schedule. They talk a lot about having to win games that are “must wins” and giving themselves good chances against teams that seem elite, and the team has come together nicely and works well together. But if we win our conference, it’ll be much easier.” Q: Besides a couple of girls graduating, what else changed since last year? A: “Honestly the only thing that changed is front row hitters with the freshman class. Everything else is similar except they’re older. Emma Olson returned as our setter. When you lose seniors, you lose stability and calm leadership. As a coach, you can just tell [the seniors] to do something and they’ll do it, but with

freshmen, they might not know what it is yet. But that doesn’t seem to have a big effect on the team, because the young players have learned a lot, quickly.”

excited.”

Q: How has this group of freshman stepped up?

A: “Getting better every day, like when we enter the gym, we got to be and do our best and get better. We need to have the mindset of ‘We Will,’ win games.”

A: “I think they’ve brought in a lot of energy. The work ethic from last yearlooking statistically- they’ve provided us a lot of support. They all stepped up in key roles at different times.” Q: What are the current goals for moving forward this season? A: “Taking each game one at a time and putting yourself in the home court for CAC tournament and then win CAC tournament.” Q: Is there anything you would like from Eagle Nation? A: “We have gotten great support from Eagle Nation, each year it’s getting bigger. Keep coming to home games with your support and continue being loud and

Q: What would you like from his team moving forward?

Q: Is there anything you would like to add? A: “We appreciate all the support we have gotten from the university and students and we hope to continue to put on a good show for them.” The University of Mary Washington women’s volleyball team and Coach Troy will be home and in action Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. and will have two straight home games following that, on Saturday, Oct. 8 and Wednesday, Oct. 12. Come out to cheer on the No. 16 ranked team in the nation as they begin conference play.

Men’s club basketball surprises at UMD AMIR KOREHI Staff Writer

At 5:30 a.m., they hopped in their vehicles in Fredericksburg and headed north, hoping to beat the I-95 traffic and the crazy stop and go that Washington D.C. has to offer. As they arrived to what they thought was their destination, in the pouring down rain, they were told they were on the completely opposite side of campus from where they needed to be. This is the initial story of the travels of the University of Mary Washington men’s club basketball team. A few weeks prior, Co-President Will Ritter received an invite from the University of Maryland’s club basketball program to compete in their tournament. This tournament was said to feature 13 Division I programs, along with three Division III teams, including UMW. The tournament was said to include the likes of University of Virginia, University of Maryland, Drexel, University of Richmond, William & Mary, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, University of Maryland along with four other Division I programs as West Virginia University dropped out last minute. A number of the team members sat across campus as it poured outside, confused as to where their next move was. Hungry and eager to play some basketball, they hopped in their cars and drove miles across campus to get to their destination. As the club team rode around campus, they were amazed by the size, as UMW’s campus walk makes up only a fraction of the entire campus that is University of Maryland. The students at

Thursday, October 6, 2016

UMD working the gym laughed when the UMW students talked of the size of their school, both students and dimensions. Upon arrival at the gym, the University of Mary Washington team was given about an hour to warm up and get prepared for their first game, William & Mary. Come 10:30 a.m., it was game time for the two teams. Out of the gates, William & Mary was hot, picking apart the 2-3 zone defense the UMW team offered up. After about six minutes of play, the team realized the zone was not in their favor and switch to man-to-man defense. This switch proved pivotal, as UMW was finally able to get some stops as they looked to narrow the gap that had been created. At halftime, Mary Washington was down by about 20 points, though refused to put their heads down. Out of the gate, junior Jey Lewis sparked the team, making some crucial three pointers and dishing out some impressive assists, notably to sophomore and former varsity basketball player T.J. Flood. The Eagles fought and began to become a collective force, knocking their lead down to single digits. Despite the collective efforts from Lewis and Flood, UMW wound up short, as William & Mary defeated them by 10 points. Due to the dropping out of West Virginia, UMW was prompted to play three straight games, with their next game against UVA. Mary Washington watched UVA play against William & Mary prior to their first game, where UVA handed William & Mary a defeat with relative

ease. So, UMW was quite nervous going up against the club team from Charlottesville. UVA pulled away, just like William & Mary had, grabbing a double digit lead with relative ease, taking a lead at one point upwards of 24. Shots were not falling for UMW, as their defense itself was having a number of blunders. With glimpses of success coming from Flood and sophomore Brandon Martin, UVA still pulled away at halftime, taking a lead of about 20 points, looking to be an in the bag game for Virginia. The second half proved different, as Flood took over for Mary Washington, getting to the basket continuously, knocking down threes and being a force on the defensive end. There was officially a game once again, as the lead was narrowed tremendously. It was getting down to single digits when sophomore Sammie Mirghani hit a three and he and Flood put up good defensive stops. With 10 seconds left, Mary Washington was down by just two points after their stretch of good offense and great defensive stops. After a defensive blunder and some successful free throws, UMW ultimately fell to UVA by 5 points. 10 minutes following their game against UVA, Mary Washington was back in action against Lynchburg. UMW was hot out of the gate, as they reached out to a double-digit lead early in the first half, a lead they would not let go of. For this game, it was Ritter who took control of the offensive side of the ball, scoring a game high 25 points, while grabbing

roughly around 10 rebounds. Alongside Ritter, the entire team came alive on both ends of the ball, scoring consistently and stopping the defense with ease. The Eagles went into halftime up by 15, which they were not happy enough with. They came out of the half firing on all cylinders. Ritter’s offensive production, combined with Flood’s all-around play and the rest of the team doing their share of the workload, gave the Eagles a 24-point victory over Lynchburg to put them at 1-2 on the day. The Eagles returned on Sunday for tournament play, eager and ready to bring a title back to Fredericksburg. They were pitted against William & Mary once again. This game against William & Mary proved very similar for Mary Washington. They had quite the slow start, falling very behind, very early. Once the second half began they came out firing until the very last second. Though that was the case, the Mary Washington Club basketball teams tournament ended in a three-point loss to William & Mary in the first round of tournament play. Though, their overall record may have been 1-3, UMW proved themselves at University of Maryland club basketball tournament, showing that they are a force to be reckoned with. Tournaments are planned for the future. The club basketball program can be found at Goolrick gym, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday practicing from 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.