The Blue & Gray Press

THE

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

BLUE & GRAY PRESS VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 6

OCTOBER 7, 2021

Serving the community since 1922

Eagle Safety Resolution passed by SGA Senate would allow students to carry pepper spray on campus comments and concerns to SGA through an anonymous online form.

At the three of SGA’s tabling events that have happened so far, students have brought up a range of issues, from music students not being able to perform to resident assistants not getting paid on time. However, what many students have been concerned about these past couple of weeks has been their own safety on campus.

PRIYA PATEL Senior Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) just passed a new resolution in the Senate to address students’ safety concerns. The resolution will allow students to carry pepper spray on campus and improve campus cameras and blue lights, among other changes.

The Eagle Safety Resolution, which passed unanimously in the Student Government Association Senate, will now go to the executive board within the next two to three weeks and then straight to administration to see if the bill can become a reality.

“The big takeaway for me from what I’ve heard from students, specifically at the tabling in Combs Hall, was people are concerned about their safety and the safety of others.”

-Shadwick Yoder The resolution not only asks for the pepper spray to be allowed, it also addresses a lot of safety concerns around campus. To name a few, the resolution proposes increasing the number of security cameras, fixing old

“We are just really excited for this bill to get to [administration] and we really hope that they are able to make it a reality!”

-Joey Zeldin SGA Senate approved the Safety Eagle Resolution, which aims to keep students safe.

Eli Osborne / The Blue & Gray Press

blue lights, implementing more active shooter drills and a “get to know your officers” event for students to “create relations between UMW police and students on campus.”

Junior political science major Joey Zeldin is the SGA community relations committee chair and 2023 SGA senator.

Zeldin authored the resolution and was thrilled to see the bill passed.

“We are just really excited for this bill to get to [administration], and we really hope that they are able to

make it a reality!” Zeldin said. “We’ve especially wanted pepper spray to be something students are able to carry because the harsh reality is that there are creepy and horrible people in the world, and our students, especially our female students, should have a means to protect themselves against these awful people.”

At SGA’s recent tabling events, students were given the opportunity to voice any concerns they have about any aspect of campus life. Students were also shown how to send questions,

“The big takeaway for me from what I’ve heard from students, specifically at the tabling in Combs Hall, was people are concerned about their safety and the safety of others,” said Class of 2025 Vice President and SGA Senator Shadwick Yoder. “Many worry about being alone, or being around strangers, especially at parties or at night.”

Yoder believes that the resolution can meet some of those demands from students.

“I believe that it will make actual change that the •SAFETY | 7

Platforms for the Virginia Nov. 2 election candidates

On Nov. 2, UMW students on a commercial break. will head to the polls to cast their She told the Associated Press earlier in the day that ballots for governor, lieutenant the Chamber of Commerce had invited her to sit in the governor, attorney general, the House of Delegates and audience and meet with the press afterward. some local offices.

“The way that felt to me was, yes, you can come and Leading the top of the ticket are former Governor Terry get on the bus like everybody else ... but you’re going McAuliffe of the Democratic Party, businessman Glenn to sit in the back of the bus. I met the requirements just Youngkin of the Republican Party and teacher Princess like they did to get on the ballot, however, I’m being Blanding of the Liberation Party. Incumbent Governor blocked,” she said.

Ralph Northam is unable to seek re-election due to term Hala Ayala of the Democratic Party and Winsome limits.

Sears (Republican) are running in the election for One of McAuliffe’s goals is to create health care for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. all Virginians. He plans to boost the economy by creating Ayala believes in universal healthcare for all and jobs and plans to stop any anti-abortion law that comes abortion. She also promises to take action on climate through. change.

Youngkin believes that COVID vaccines should not be Sears will aim to raise the wage of state police, cut McAuliffe and Youngkin have had two debates arguing over many mandated and people should be able to make their own issues. taxes for families and raise teachers’ pay.

Josephine Johnson / The Blue & Gray Press decisions. He is anti-abortion except for cases of rape, Incumbent Mark Herring and Jason Miyares are incest or to save a mother’s life. He also is pro-law enforcement and says he will running in the election for Attorney General of Virginia. defend—not defund—the police.

Virginia students can register, update information or check their registration status On Sept. 28, McAuliffe and Youngkin had a second and final debate over on the Virginia Department of Elections website. vaccinations, tax policy, abortion rights, education and their respective records in “I have already voted,” said junior Dylan Wright, a geography major in the Virginia’s high-stakes governor’s race.

College of Education. “This election, both the gubernatorial and House of Delegates McAuliffe declared that he will work just as hard as he did the first time as election are very important for Virginia because they are both very close as it is right governor. now.”

“If you remember when I took office I inherited an economy of chaos. I got to Polls are open for voting from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Students can vote work. I got out of bed every single day fighting for you,” said McAuliffe. at one of three UMW polling locations on campus, depending on where they live Youngkin wanted the audience to know that he brings a different perspective. and the address they registered to vote with.

“Do you want tired, old recycled policies from a tired politician? Or do you want Those registered at the UMW Apartments on William Street may vote at Walkerto embrace someone new, a business leader who knows how to create jobs and get Grant Middle School, 1 Learning Lane. things done?” he said.

Students registered at Eagle Landing may vote at Hugh Mercer Elementary Just 10 minutes into the debate, third-party candidate Blanding, who was not School, 2100 Cowan Blvd. invited to participate, interrupted the debate, shouting from the audience about the Students registered at the dorms on campus may vote at Dorothy Hart Community fact that she was excluded. The television station airing the debate was forced to go Center (GYM), 408 Canal St. Rajai walton Staff Writer

IN THIS

ISSUE

terry Mcauliffe

LIGHTSABER DUELS april tailgate

McAuliffe runs on the democratic ticket on Nov. 2.

UMW club performs theatrical battles.

VIEWPOINTS | 3

LIFE | 5

Homecoming tailgate rescheduled for April 2022.

SPORTS | 8

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 Jess Kirby

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Editors: Josephine Johnson & Scotti Mullen | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

University hopes to implement 24-hour call service for crisis response

aria janello Staff Writer

Over the summer, the Mental Health Crisis Response Working Group, composed of Student Affairs employees, Talley Center employees, students and UMW police, recommended that the University of Mary Washington implement a 24-hour call center for mental health emergencies.

According to the Mental Health Crisis Response Working Group’s recommendations, with the addition of a 24/7 call center, “students experiencing mental health situations after-hours or over the weekend would have an opportunity to speak with a trained clinician to ensure the best outcome.”

Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

BUSINESS EDITOR Erin Matuczinski

COPY EDITOR Abigail Slaughter

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Scotti Mullen Josephine Johnson

VIEWPOINTS Norah Walsh

LIFE Josephine Good

SPORTS Victoria Percherke

ONLINE Cameron Delean Maggie Mae Young

PHOTO

“The recommendation is now among several strategic priorities for President Paino and the Cabinet to consider.”

-Juliette Landphair The Working Group examined data from crisis calls that were made from 2016-2021 during mental health emergencies. These calls were received from residence halls and involved the campus police.

Out of 27 total crisis calls that involved the campus police, 21 of them were received after 5 p.m., one hour after the Talley Center call center closes.

Dr. Juliette Landphair, vice president of student affairs, explained how the call service will be implemented if approved.

“The recommendation is now among several strategic priorities for President Paino and the Cabinet to consider,” she said. “If the recommendation is approved, the Talley Center Director, Dr. Tev Zukor, Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker and Assistant Dean for Residence Life Dave Fleming will work with the contracted provider to shape a program that best

meets our needs.”

ProtoCall is the contracted provider recommended in all of the reports. The service works by partnering with universities and offering support, crisis intervention and referral to students and to campus officials if needed.

ProtoCall would issue a 24-hour call service that is used successfully at other public universities in Virginia, like James Madison University and William & Mary. This service would be used primarily for residential students, but off-campus students can use it as well.

Senior psychology and sociology double major Vivian Hyatt was a member of the Mental Health Crisis Response Working Group.

She explained why ProtoCall interests her and how it may help other students.

“This service will provide help while a student can be in a comfortable environment, in their own room without having to talk face-to-face, making the whole situation less anxiety provoking,” said Hyatt.

The Mental Health Crisis Response Working Group formed after an April 2021 recommendation from University President Troy Paino after the UMW Police Community Advisory Panel’s (CAP) final report in Mar. 2021.

A 24-hour call center for supporting mental health crises was one of five recommendations the Working Group made to restructure how student mental health situations are responded to on campus.

The Working Group identified main areas in which to improve the mental health crisis for the community. The most prominent of these is to provide students with 24/7 access to clinical evaluation and support, as well as to hire a case manager who would follow up with students who are referred to a mental health care provider off-campus.

Another recommendation was to list all of the training and procedures which campus police participate in, especially those which prepare them for mental

The Talley Center can only respond to calls during their hours of operation.

Kenya Carter / The Blue & Gray Press

health emergencies.

Additional support and training for Resident Assistants, along with general mental health training for the entire community, are also under consideration.

“The CAP identified afterhours crisis response as an area that could be enhanced due to the recognition that some people struggle with serious mental health situations in the middle of the night, when traditional support services like the Talley Center are not open,” said Dr. Tevya Zukor, director of the Talley Center.

“The CAP recognized that students having the ability to talk with a trained mental health professional while in the midst of a crisis is often preferable to having their situation evaluated by Residence Life professionals and campus police to determine whether a hospital psych evaluation is necessary.”

Currently, the only access that students experiencing a mental health crisis have to trained mental health professionals is the call center at the Talley Center. Through this service, students can make an appointment for phone, Zoom or in-person crisis intervention. This call center operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“The times that the Talley Center is not open (at night) are often the times when

students are more likely to need assistance,” said Hyatt.

Currently, when students have mental health emergencies after hours or on weekends, the UMW campus police are the ones to respond.

According to the final CAP report, students believe “Campus Police, as law enforcement professionals, are not adequately trained to respond to a mental health crisis (though all the officers have completed Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training).”

Senior communication and digital studies major Summer Allen echoed the findings of the final report.

“I feel as if [campus police] are unreliable in those situations,” said Allen.

“If I was having trouble, it wouldn’t cross my mind to call the police.”

Campus police also respond in full uniform, with service weapons.

The CAP report states that these two student concerns “may elevate the anxiety and fear of a student already in crisis.”

With the implementation of the 24-hour call center, the campus police would become a backup response.

Students experiencing mental health emergencies during the Talley Center’s business hours may still call them for assistance.

Jean Mondoro contributed to reporting for this article.

CORRECTIONS for THE Week

Emily Warren

Due to editor error, last week’s article “Education students navigate return to in-person practicums” misspelled Lauryn Bailey’s name.

FACULTY ADVISOR

Due to editor error, last week’s article “’Nickel and Dimed’ gives honest portrayal of the working class” incorrectly referred to “Nickel and Dimed” as a novel. It is a work of nonfiction.

Sushma Subramanian

Due to editor error, last week’s article “Muramaki’s book details importance of communication” misspelled the book author’s last name in the headline. It is correctly spelled Murakami.

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

2

Thursday, October 7, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Vote for your beliefs, not your party on Nov. 2 KAITLIN SMYTH Staff Writer

With the Virginia gubernatorial election just around the corner, voters are looking for an experienced leader to move Virginia in the right direction. As voters examine which candidate is right for them, it is important to realize that no candidate is devoid of flaws. Therefore, we must make an educated choice for who we support with our vote.

The overall question among voters this fall is whether they may favor someone who has never run for office, Glenn Youngkin, or favor the former governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, who has years of political experience.

McAuliffe and Youngkin are running a tight race, which has the Democratic Party on the brink of a loss in Virginia. With issues like abortion and COVID-19 being the main foci of their platforms, it is even more important to side not with your political party but with the policies each candidate wants to implement.

Additionally, we students have many resources at our fingertips, so there is no excuse for us not to be educated about our gubernatorial candidates. We must not obscure our judgment with blind faith to our political party when even one or two platforms of the candidate of the opposing party would be more beneficial to our own interests.

As a supporter of McAuliffe’s campaign, President Joe Biden’s decreasing approval ratings due to the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and his current leadership regarding the pandemic have influenced McAuliffe’s poll numbers.

When voters see dysfunction in the government, they tend to blame the party in charge and give the candidate of the opposing party a chance as they look for a brand new leader. This is not a useful solution to our problems, and we must instead focus on choosing a candidate who wants to concern themselves with interests of the majority population rather than approval from a certain political party.

With the decline of Biden’s recent approval rates, it would follow that people orient themselves

to supporting a Republican candidate. However, many UMW students are leaning more towards McAuliffe.

“I think Terry McAuliffe would be a better fit as governor, which is mainly due to his past term.

Youngkin doesn’t sound like he’ll do a good job because a lot of his campaign ads tend to run on the theme of Trump endorsements,” said Bryce Buchanan, a sophomore political science major.

One of the major contending factors trending in voters’ minds is each candidate’s take on abortion.

McAuliffe is against banning abortion, and he has strategized his campaign to defend women’s rights concerning abortion. Additionally, McAuliffe has informed Virginian voters that he will serve as a brick wall against extreme Republican attacks on women’s healthcare rights.

Voters should also take into account the experience each candidate has in order to form their opinion.

Youngkin is a first-time political candidate who worked as the co-CEO of the Carlyle Group for 25 years. He has shown his strength in his ability to raise money, as he was a multi-millionaire who donated frequently to Republican campaigns. He makes it a point to be a businessman, not a politician, as he states in his official Instagram account.

On the other hand, McAuliffe was the Democratic governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018.

McAuliffe was also chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign and co-chair of former President Bill Clinton’s 1996 re-election campaign. His expansive political involvement proves his expertise, so those who value political experience, no matter their political affiliation, should value McAuliffe’s history in politics.

During his time as governor, McAuliffe brought 200,000 good paying jobs to the Commonwealth, which drove unemployment rates down. He also raised personal income over 13 percent and invested in workforce development and infrastructure.

Additionally, McAuliffe successfully secured a record $1 billion investment in education and ex-

panded preschool to thousands of Virginia children.

Although McAuliffe’s term benefitted the Commonwealth’s economy, his mistakes have to be critiqued as much as his detriments.

“I found Terry McAuliffe’s prior stint in office quite underwhelming. He’s decently progressive, but we just didn’t really see that out of him,” said Isaac Huling, a sophomore philosophy major.

In reference to McAuliffe’s previous position as the chairman for the Democratic National Convention, Huling added, “[McAuliffe] seems to be a good candidate, but he fails to bring the energy to the office that a high ranking executor should have.”

While McAuliffe was governor, he accidentally restored voting rights to several people convicted of violent felonies who were in prison or on supervised probation at the time. Some of these people “were high-profile killers,” according to the Virginia House GOP, which caused major controversies within small communities.

Due to McAuliffe’s mistake, people with criminal records were able to regain access to firearms.

Before this order, those with criminal records who wanted to own a firearm had to submit forms that were heavily scrutinized by the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s staff, using the governor’s authority.

However, this time around, McAuliffe has learned from his mistake and has advocated a plan that will treat gun violence as a public health crisis.

In doing so, McAuliffe will ban the sale of assault weapons and get high-capacity magazines and ghost guns off of the streets.

As Nov. 2 rolls around, voters must be aware of the impact that COVID-19 still has on their lives, taking into account how each candidate feels about vaccination and mitigation guidelines.

While Youngkin supports getting vaccinated, he argues, “individuals should be allowed to make that decision on their own,” according to CNN. In contrast, McAuliffe strongly stated his support of vaccine mandates for people working in healthcare, in most education settings and for those pursuing higher education.

Op-Ed: UMW needs consistent COVID-19 policies BRIAN P. WOLF Contributing Writer

Take a look at the campus walk bridge by Eagle’s Nest between classes. Go to the top floor of the UC. If you walk around campus long enough, you’ll begin to notice that people do not socially distance because they physically cannot; there’s just not enough room on Campus Walk.

Two years ago, this wouldn’t have been an issue.

In fact, the crowded walkways between classes were endearing my freshman year. It made the campus feel alive, sociable and busy. Now, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University must see to the safety of the students. Although there seem to be established policies to protect students from COVID-19, they aren’t actually effective.

Breaking down the policy is pretty simple: if you’re inside, you have to wear a mask. The only exceptions to this being if you’re in your dorm or if you’re eating. If you’re outside, you don’t have to wear a mask, but you should be socially distanced.

The argument for these policies is that there isn’t enough room indoors to be socially distanced.

Yet people are allowed to walk through the tunnel by Woodard without their masks, while still having to wear their masks indoors. Although these policies make sense on paper, they don’t make sense in reality. The current COVID policy is ineffective at truly preventing the spread of COVID-19 because

Thursday, October 7, 2021

it doesn’t account for close quarters in an outdoor setting.

While having some masking policies is better than having none, there is no “halfway solution” when it comes to a pandemic. There are quite a few examples, including the one I’ve described, that demonstrate the ineffectiveness of implementing policy that makes COVID-19 seem only partially serious.

It is frustrating to see a one-foot-in, one-foot-out policy on campus. The University should change their policies to be stricter to reflect how seriously they’re responding to the pandemic. Alternatively, they should relax their policies to what we saw over the summer when vaccinated people could go indoors unmasked. Either way, the University’s policies should be sensible and reflect UMW’s COVID-19 response.

I acknowledge that there are many strong opinions on campus about COVID-19, and many people will feel differently as to whether or not COVID-19 policies should be stricter or more relaxed.

Regardless of personal feelings, I urge students to at least hold the University accountable for the inconsistent policies implemented this year, as well as providing the policy update they promised.

The “COVID Update” that describes the current status of cases on campus, such as the email sent out on Sept. 17 from Anna Billingsley with

a message from Jeff McCluken, Chief of Staff and UMW COVID Director, did not suffice as a descriptive policy update. We deserve an actual update of the policies as promised in the syllabus every class handed out. As it stands, the policy is in an awkward limbo state between an ineffective COVID-19 policy and a greatly needed policy update.

As I write this article, the seventh week of the semester has begun, and the UMW administration has given no indication as to when they plan on releasing an update to the COVID-19 policy.

Students can walk on campus walk without their masks on this semester. @marywash / Instagram

3

LIFE

Editor: Josephine Good | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Photo essay: As masks are cast aside, they live on as litter SYDNEY HALL Staff Writer

Over the past year and a half, face masks have become a regular part of people’s lives. Although UMW requires students to wear masks in all indoor facilities located on campus, while walking around I have found an insane amount of discarded masks, either accidentally dropped or not making it into the trash can.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the U.S. produced more trash than any other country in the world before COVID-19, and now, discarded masks have emerged as an additional waste. Even with masks still required in many places, I have seen an increase in masks being discarded everywhere, including our own college campus.

While masks serve their purpose in preventing the spread of COVID, they create plenty of waste. They can negatively impact the environment if not disposed of properly. For instance, disposable masks are made of woven plastic. Therefore, they are considered hazardous to our environment because they are not recyclable and will not decompose.

These photos were taken throughout the course of one day. As I walked from my car in the Alvey parking garage, I noticed three or four different masks just laying on the cement. I picked up the masks, discarded them and made my way to the bell tower, walking the entirety of campus. I noticed that most of the masks found on the ground were places that students travel the most like campus walk, parking decks and athletic areas.

Another mask found on the Alvey parking deck.

Sydney Hall / The Blue & Gray Press

A shredded mask on the ground in the tunnel by the library.

A mask found left on a table in Katora.

Mask on the Alvey Parking deck covered in dust and dirt.

Sydney Hall / The Blue & Gray Press Sydney Hall / The Blue & Gray Press Sydney Hall / The Blue & Gray Press

Tips on how to take care of your oral hygiene in college HEATHER FULLER Staff Writer

Taking care of one’s teeth sometimes takes a backseat as students enter into one of life’s biggest transitions—starting college. As a pre-dental student, I understand that, while the beginning of college offers opportunities to explore new avenues, starting college is busy and stressful. It can be easy to neglect good habits and adopt bad oral hygiene habits. While the risks may not be evident from the beginning, inattention to proper oral health can lead to consequences in the long run.

However, all hope is not lost. Here are six tips from a pre-dental student to help you stay diligent and get back into your oral hygiene routine!

Tip 1: Brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush two times for two minutes daily. Electric toothbrushes have been shown to be more effective than using a manual toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes also have an oscillating motion that efficiently cleans the gum line. Most of the electric toothbrushes available for purchase today even include a timer to help guide you when brushing your teeth. If you find yourself struggling to meet the two-minute time minimum, try to ensure you brush before going to bed. A good electric toothbrush brand is Philips, which can be found in Target, Best Buy, Kohls and Giant. These toothbrushes start at $25. To make this time seem faster, set a timer for two minutes and scroll through social media or answer your Snapchats!

Tip 2: Visit your dentist at least twice a year if possible. A recent study done by Concorde Institute revealed that 33 percent of adults in the United States have not visited the dentist in the last year. In order to maintain good oral health, these regular visits can be a big help in preventing cavities or future problems.

Tip 3: Floss your teeth daily! Flossing helps to remove food particles caught between the teeth and below the gum line that standard brushing can’t reach. If not removed, these food particles can become a breeding ground for bacteria and are a potential cause of gum disease. Likewise, when you brush your teeth, you need to use floss to ensure you get a thorough cleansing. It’s understandable that some busy students may have trouble incorporating flossing into their daily routine. One thing

4

you could do is time yourself to see how long flossing actually takes. It takes most people roughly one or two minutes, and there are 1,440 minutes in a day. When you think of it that way, it might not seem so time-consuming.

Tip 4: Pay attention to your dietary habits. While easy-to-grab, sugary and salty snacks may seem appealing, it is important to consume these items in moderation.

Sugar is a primary carbohydrate that helps increase disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. One way to help minimize the risk for tooth decay is to rinse your mouth with water after you consume sugary items, such as juice or pop, until you are able to brush your teeth.

Tip 5: Avoid oral piercings. While having embellishments on the lips, tongue, gums or even through the teeth may be appealing, they can cause future oral problems. Not only are these devices a harbor for bacteria, but they also can cause increased enamel wear and a condition called gum recession where the gum tissue starts to shrink, exposing soft tooth enamel that is prime for caries. Oral piercings can also cause teeth to chip. I had a patient who had a tongue piercing for over ten years, which caused damage to their teeth. Their tooth structure had worn down and formed a ball impression from the wear of the tongue ring coming into contact with the teeth.

Tip 6: Practice safe sex! You may not have been expecting sex to come up in a discussion about maintaining oral health in college, but here it is. Unprotected oral sex could expose you to viral infections that can cause oral problems—including cancer.

Certain sexual behaviors can increase the risk of contracting the human papillomavirus (HPV) that could lead to an increased risk of developing oral cancer. Genital herpes can also develop in the mouth and, while it can be treated, it is with you for life.

You only have one set of teeth, and it is important to develop healthy oral practices to ensure you take care of them. Keeping up to date with your oral hygiene while in college is extremely important, especially since this is a time when most students are living on their own for the first time. Take care of your teeth, brush them, floss them and you, in turn, will be rewarded with better overall health.

Thursday, October 7, 2021

LIFE

Lightsaber Dueling Club choreographs extravagant battle scenes

ALBAN BARKER Staff Writer

UMW now has a club devoted to dueling with lightsabers.

The Lightsaber Dueling Club was founded during the spring semester of 2021 with the intent to choreograph and perform extravagant lightsaber battles for the student body.

“There are no other clubs like us on campus, so we’ve been able to bring a lot of people together who enjoy ‘Star Wars’ and want to actually do what they see and love in the movies,” said Gianna Brooks, a junior English creative writing major and co-president of the club.

The club focuses on the theatrical aspects of lightsaber duels. Their main goal is to make realistic-looking battle sequences between two people with lightsabers while incorporating a small overarching story within the “Star Wars” universe.

Performances involve full character backtories and plots. @umw_lightsaberduels / Instagram.com

In addition to talking about the Star Wars universe, the club spends much of its time choreographing lightsaber battles to music. The club’s ultimate goal is for every movement to flow well with the music in a way that

makes the performances far more interesting, intense and forceful.

“Our duels are completely choreographed,” said Brooks. “So this is more of a theater club than a fighting club. Our club members are super engaged in the choreography process.”

The Lightsaber Dueling Club meets twice a week: once on Tuesdays to orchestrate and plan events and once on Fridays to choreograph duels.

The Tuesday meetings focus on graphic design, designing costumes and creating characters and stories to make the performances more interesting.

“We give [performers] a character sheet,” said Gracie Waltona, a junior historic preservation major with an English minor, who is a founding member and current vice president of the club. “We usually ask them to try to find a space between Sith and Jedi.”

Last year, Mackenzie Hoffman, a junior studio art major and co-president of the club, was dueling Brooks with lightsabers in front of Farmer Hall on Halloween 2020.

They found there was lots of interest from other students in a potential club. By the end of the semester, they were officially the Lightsaber Dueling Club.

The group performed again in May 2021 near finals week, in celebration of May the Fourth (“Star Wars” Day) with a far bigger group.

The Lightsaber Dueling Club is planning a live duel in celebration of Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m., in which students can come to see the club’s first major performance of the year. The performance will include a narrator, music, lots of characters and, of course, choreographed battle sequences.

“This year, we have a lot of people that are very excited and a lot of returners from last year that are actually dueling this year,” said Walton. “So everyone’s really excited and we seem to be building up a lot of steam on campus.”

The club is also planning a student art contest, and the winner’s work will be the cover of the playbill for the Halloween event.

“Instead of editing a picture, I wanted it to be art on the cover of the playbill for the Halloween event,” said Hoffman. “I wanted the whole campus to be involved in making art for the show.”

The Lightsaber Dueling Club puts on performances for students. @umw_lightsaberduels / Instagram.com

Directions for how to enter will be on the club’s official Instagram page @umw_lightsaberduels. The deadline for submissions will be Oct. 18 at 11:59 p.m.

The club is planning a final “Battle of the Year” near the end of the spring semester, which will be a far more extended performance than this Halloween event.

“In May, we do have our larger performance that is going to be much bigger, these are performances that are going to be longer cuts of the music,” said Walton.

“Hopefully, we’re going to have the same group of people, maybe a couple more people that they want to join after the Halloween duel, which is really exciting.”

The club meets from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday in room 323 of the HCC and Friday night in Goolrick Hall.

Those with questions on the club may reach out to the club’s official Instagram page or reach out through Presence. People may also watch their past duels and behindthe-scenes work on YouTube at UMW Lightsaber Duels.

The different types of beer, from the view of a bartender JULIA TAYLOR Staff Writer

When we think of beer, we often think of common domestic beer brands such as Coors Light, Bud Light and Natural Light, just to name a few. However, what some people don’t know is there are many different styles of beer. From sweet to sour to bitter, there is a style out there that will suit almost any beer drinker’s taste.

As a bartender at Capital Ale House in downtown Fredericksburg, I am very familiar with all sorts of styles of beer, and I’m here to take you through the menu.

All types of beer begin with the same few ingredients: grain, barley, water and hops. According to an article from the National Wheat Foundation, each ingredient has a specific purpose.

“Hops give the beer its bitter flavor and scent while increasing its shelf life. Yeast ferments the beer, turning it into alcohol. Water provides 95 percent of beer’s content. Grain gives beer its color, flavor, protein and sugar. Most beers include malted barley as their source of grain, but wheat beers, by definition, contain grain content that is at least half wheat.”

Although all beers begin with the same ingredients, they can be extremely different from one another once they’re finished.

To begin our tour of the beer menu, Capital Ale House has a few broad categories that classify beers. These categories include sharp and hoppy, funky and wild, malty and sweet, crisp and smooth and bold and roasty.

Another large difference between all the different styles of beer listed above is the ABV (alcohol by volume) of each beer. The more familiar you become with the different types of beer, the easier it will be to distinguish which types have higher alcohol contents compared to others based on the taste.

I began bartending at age 21 and had no idea how many different styles of beer there were. Two years later, through being exposed to different styles, brands and taste testing, I can recommend a style of beer suited for almost anyone’s taste. Prior to being exposed to different beers, I never liked beer. But now, I really enjoy having a cold beer every once in a while. If it weren’t for exploring, I wouldn’t have known I was missing out on so many delicious drinks! I encourage anyone who has a taste for beer to experiment with different styles of beer. You never know what you may find.

Sharp and Hoppy The “sharp and hoppy” category includes IPAs and pale ales. IPAs, which stands for India Pale Ale, can be described as bitter and hoppy. However, this can change depending on how each brewery manufactures their batch. Like IPAs, pale ales are hoppy as well, but they are often less so.

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Funky and Wild “Funky and wild” incorporates all of Capital Ale House’s sour beers. Sour beers can best be described as tart and acidic. Sour beers can come in a variety of different flavors. At Capital Ale House, we have a cucumber sour, pineapple sour, and a Pina Colada sour, just to name a few. While these beers are definitely sour, they can also be full of flavor and, depending on the batch, they can be a tad sweet as well.

Senior political science major Jordan Seurattan said sour beers are her favorite style of beer because “they are complex enough that I can find one for whatever mood I’m in. I usually go for refreshing beers, and sours always hit that mark.”

Malty and Sweet The category “malty and sweet” contains a few different styles of beer, such as Belgian tripels, Irish red ales and dark ales. All of these beers contain a malty palate. They vary in sweetness, strength and color. Additionally, they may contain notes of toffee, caramel and nuts. Unlike IPAs and pale ales, malty and sweet beers have no hops in them. Like the category suggests, these beers tend to be sweeter.

Crisp and Smooth As college students, the majority of us are probably most familiar with “crisp and smooth” styles of beer, such as pilsners, hefeweizens and kolsch. Beer styles such as these are lighter in color, have a wheat taste and are easy to drink. Because of the light palette wheat beers offer, they are often brewed with distinguishing ingredients such as orange peel, watermelon, coriander and lime peel.

Bold and Roasty My favorite beer style comes from the “bold and roasty” category. This category includes stouts and porters, which are both extremely dark in color and have a rich, full and creamy taste. Both stouts and porters can be described as having hints of caramel, chocolate and coffee. I find that I enjoy stouts and porters mostly during the cold months. Because they are heavier, especially compared to pilsners and kolschs, they are filling. During the winter months, many breweries will brew more stouts and porters over lighter beers because of their heavy style.

5

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com t

Staff Ed: Consumers can only do so much to protect the environment The recent plastic bag tax passed in the city of Fredericksburg is a true testament to the fact that everyone, no matter how big or small of an influence they have, is trying to make an effort to help our environment.

One of the larger influences is the University of Mary Washington, who sent out various emails over the summer about the fact that Governor Ralph Northam issued Executive Order #77. The legislation is aimed to reduce the use of plastic pollution and limit Virginian facilities’ use of plastic.

While it is important for everyone to play a role in this issue, these laws negate the

THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

fact that only 100 companies have made over 70 percent of the world’s greenhouse gasses since 1998. Why, then, are consumers forced to make lifestyle changes when companies are the ones to blame?

Laws like Executive Order #77 gloss over the incredible need for real climate change action.

According to Orsted, a renewable energy company, we need to halve the use of global emissions by 2030 in order to avoid climate catastrophe.

This would include not only limiting our use of fossil fuels but also completely changing the way we work and operate to

incorporate a lifestyle that does not rely on them.

The prospects of changing our lifestyles may seem daunting and scary, but it doesn’t have to seem entirely negative. Working towards a world without a reliance on fossil fuels could create entirely new industries of job promotion that would help lower inequalities and promote economic growth.

A lifestyle change does not, however, rely on the consumer.

By switching from plastic straws to paper straws, we are doing nothing but putting a bandaid over an amputation.

Instead, we need to encourage our lawmakers to hold these

Op-Ed: Sustainability Month at the UC

businesses accountable and create laws that limit what they can do. This includes setting and maintaining emissions regulations, enacting taxes for businesses that do not comply with environmental standards and creating incentives for people to not have to rely on a world powered by fossil fuels.

Furthermore, the idea that consumers can end climate change is harmful. This notion increases the likelihood of greenwashing on products, which is when a company presents a product as environmentally sustainable when it is not. This can

create a false state of positive impact when the product itself could be negatively impacting the environment.

The average consumer cannot be informed enough to know what specifically is helping or hurting the environment. Giant fossil fuel companies have, however, invested in research for centuries, and they have the capability to change how they operate.

Executive Order #77 aims to reduce plastic polllution.

Griffin Wooldridge / Unsplash

BRIANNA CORNETT Contributing Writer

October is Campus Sustainability Month!

University Dining is promoting Campus Sustainability Month by hosting a week-long sustainability week with a different theme for each day! Come by the Top of the UC to learn more about University Dining’s sustainability initiatives and how we’re promoting a greener campus.

Meatless Monday For Meatless Monday, we’re encouraging students to go meatless.

We’ll be discussing the effects of the meat industry, the stress it causes on the environment and ways that we can alleviate it. One way of reducing this stress is through Future 50 Foods. Future 50 Foods are under-utilized, plant-based foods that optimize nutrient density and reduce environmental impacts. We’ll be featuring a Future 50 recipe at the Earth Bar at the Top of the UC, look for the signs highlighting them!

Talk About It Tuesday Continuing the discussion from Meatless Monday, Talk About It Tuesday discusses the effects of the food industry as a whole on the environment. We will be promoting Earth-friendly recipes and discussing the initiatives we can all take to become more sustainable. Stop by to chat with us from 4 to 6 p.m.!

Weigh It Wednesday On Weigh It Wednesday, we will be weighing the food waste that students bring to dispose of at the end of their meal. By weighing students’ food waste, we hope to bring awareness to the amount of food that is wasted during meals.

Taste It Thursday Taste It Thursday ties in with the previous day’s theme: food waste. We will be encouraging students to ask for samples of different foods before committing to a full plate. This way less food is wasted and students can alleviate concerns about throwing away unwanted food.

Fair Trade Friday On Friday we will be recognizing our local farmers and the locally sourced produce we serve at the Top of the UC. Using locally sourced and in-season produce cuts down on the emissions caused by food transportation.

Come visit us at the Top of the UC from Oct. 18 to Oct. 22!

Thursday, October 7, 2021

6

NEWS

New SGA tabling events allow students to bring up concerns

CRIME COLUMN JOSEPHINE JOHNSON & SCOTTI MULLEN News Editors

•SAFETY | 1 will make actual change that the student body has been demanding, and I am proud to have been a part of the process to make this change happen,” he said.

Zeldin was also happy to hear from students at the event, and he hopes that the resolution can show that SGA is working on students’ concerns.

“I personally hope that the passing of this bill shows that SGA is listening to student concerns and that we are

Vandalism

On Sept. 27 at 11:48 p.m., there was a case of vandalism at Simpson Library.

This case is pending.

fighting for them!” he said. “We also hope this bill provides a sigh of relief to our community when it is brought to administration, since its job is to make campus more safe and comfortable for students to be on.”

Some of the resolution’s features are aimed at helping students with ongoing safety concerns, such as the University Police’s response to white supremacist stickers and the recent painting of the spirit rock. The resolution proposes “improving

student report response time, accessibility, and stressing the importance of reports made by students,” implementing new security measures in campus buildings such as the HCC and “expanding non-bias training with the UMW police department.”

“Students do not feel like the police are doing enough and feel that administration is not responding effectively,” said SGA Secretary Sophia Hobbs, a senior history major. “We have plans to discuss these issues with administration and bring

attention to them.”

The SGA officers are happy with the results of the tabling events so far.

“I do believe that this was an effective and successful event,” Yoder said. “We polled a few students and asked them their honest opinions.

It is not nearly as many people as would be a good representation, but it is a start.”

For their final Wednesday tabling event in academic buildings, SGA will be in Jepson on Oct. 13.

After this, there will still be opportunities to

communicate with SGA in person.

“We are going to have multiple tables set up during Homecoming week, but the details for that have not been finalized yet,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs continued, “I want students to know that we are listening to them. We hear their concerns and we are doing our best to bring these issues to administration so we can get some action regarding all the events that have occurred on campus this week.”

Fast facts about Brent Hall drug box Abigail slaughter Copy Editor

For National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 23, UMW Police Lieutenant Brad Sullivan will be under the bell tower from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The UMW Police Department will be collecting expired and unwanted prescription drugs as a part of the nationwide Drug Take Back program. Here are some fast facts about the nationwide program and the drug box on campus.

Larceny from Auto

• The Drug Enforcement Administration disposes of the prescription drugs in an environmentally safe way.

On Oct. 1 at 6 p.m., there was a case of larceny from an automobile at the physical plant. This case is pending.

• While the DEA program allows for prescription drugs to be collected twice a year at designated locations, UMW collects prescription drugs at any time of year in the drug box located in Brent Hall.

• The drug box purchase was approved by UMW Police Chief Michael Hall in June of 2018.

• UMW collects over 100 pounds of unused prescription drugs per year.

• Nationally, approximately 900,000 pounds of unused prescription drugs were collected in 2019.

The UMW police have a drug box where students can drop off expired prescription drugs.

Scotti Mullen / The Blue & Gray Press

COVID DASHBOARD

64

Total cases since Oct. 5, 2021

3

Active cases

0.71

7-day average cases per day

337

Student health center tests

13

37 of 38

Isolation spaces available

82 of 82

Quarantine spaces available

Positive student health center tests

Thursday, October 7, 2021

7

SPORTS

Editor: Victoria R. Percherke | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Men’s soccer beat Stevenson University 2-1

MASON GODEK The University of Mary Washington differently.

Staff Writer men’s soccer team faced Stevenson “As far as doing things differently I really University at home on Wednesday, Sept. 29. don’t think that there’s much that we would The Eagles were down 1-0 for a majority of the match until the look to do,” said Yates. “It’s all about creating habits and doing second half where, in the last ten minutes, they managed to pull things that we are used to.” out two goals to win the game.

In the stands, Mark Finn, an Eagles supporter, shared his “I think we have a really strong young group, we battled every thoughts about the team this season. minute,” said junior business administration major and team “They look good,” said Finn. “They’re young, but they’re captain Josh Kirkland. coming together, and a game like this shows that they’re building.

The varsity men’s Coming back from down and getting two nice goals late to win. It soccer team played was nice.”

“We can beat any team throughout the majority Mark Finn’s son, Jordan Finn, is a senior business major and with our intensity and of the match down a midfielder on the team. composure.” header from an error on “It’s high-quality soccer, it’s a good opportunity to get to know defense. They managed the other kids on the team. It’s a lot of fun,” said Mark Finn. to persevere in the final As the Eagles continued their win streak with two wins in a -Josh Kirkland minutes of the game. row, they faced an upsetting CNU 1-2 loss on Saturday, Oct. 2. In With nine minutes and 29 seconds remaining in the game, the ball 2019, the Eagles won the CAC Championships at the CNU home fell to junior business administration major and midfielder Gabe field, and Yates was excited to return to the field.

Francesconi. He proceeded to flick the ball over a Stevenson The team bounced back in their face-off with Catholic defender and volley the ball into the corner of the net to put the University on Oct. 5, when they won 2-0.

Eagles back in the game 1-1.

The next home game for the Eagles is Oct. 9 at home.

Shortly after the first goal, the Eagles kept pushing, receiving chance after chance to score. After the ball went out to the right wing, junior business administration major Abel Luwis sent a cross into the bottom corner of the net to put the Eagles in the lead.

The Eagles led 16-5 in shots, and senior Eagles goalkeeper and marketing major Ken Kurtz had a notable performance.

Kurtz made key saves throughout the entire “The team this season is game that limited vastly different from what Stevenson to one goal.

“I think we can we had two years ago. Its a beat any team with our really young group; about 80 intensity and composure,” percent are new guys.” said Kirkland.

When asked his -Coach David Yates opinion about this year’s team, Assistant Coach David Yates said, “The team this season is vastly different from what we had two years ago. It’s a really young group; about 80 Men’s varsity soccer wins against Catholic University. percent are new guys.”

UMW Athletics Yates didn’t notice anything the Eagles could have done

Homecoming tailgate rescheduled to April DEVON MACHANDE

UMW’s traditional Homecoming tailgate “There has been a lot of support during the Staff Writer has been postponed to the spring due to the sporting events which has immensely helped high local rates of COVID-19, according to the UMW Athletics everyone and has helped get life back to normal,” said sophomore website. However, there will still be many athletic events Dimitri Jordan, an undeclared major on the men’s soccer team. throughout the weekend of Oct. 22-23 with free parking for those The Homecoming tailgate is a traditional event that occurs at who wish to attend and support the competing varsity sports. the Battleground Athletic Complex parking lot. In previous years, On Sept. 23, it was announced that a special spring attendees, alumni, clubs and other vendors have been given the Homecoming will take place in April 2022. This event will have option to purchase a space to set up their personal spots for the all the festivities of a typical Homecoming celebration, just for tailgates. Those who chose not to purchase a space could instead spring sports. buy a regular ticket to join in on the festivities.

Some fall athletes are worried about low attendance now that Alcohol could also be purchased by attendees who are of age. the tailgate has been postponed.

Students, alumni and faculty all gathered together to mingle and celebrate UMW athletes as they prepared for their games.

Freshman and sophomores may have never experienced the fall tailgate due to COVID. “I am upset for all the people who are missing the experience,” said Jordan.

Claudia Keller, a UMW alumna with a degree in business administration and marketing, is disappointed by the fall tailgate’s cancellation.

“I am very sad about it,” said Keller. “It is the one time we get to celebrate all the alumni coming back and support the rest of our sports teams by cheering them on.”

Some have said that postponing the fall tailgate has decreased their school spirit.

“I don’t feel the same excitement I did in the past years. It feels as if it’s not as important,” said Keller.

For some of the athletes playing during Homecoming Students, alumni and faculty gather for Homecoming in 2019.

UMW Alumni weekend, anticipation is running high.

“Without the tailgate, it is going to be more difficult to “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to represent the school attract people to our game,” said biomedical sciences major and as well as compete alongside my teammates for victory,” said soccer player Mary Mockenahupt. “Coming off of the COVID Jordan. year we just had, we have been waiting for Homecoming and, Nonetheless, many are still excited for the UMW community unfortunately, this year it just will not be the same. This is to attend their games. especially disappointing for our senior class since they now have “Considering that last year fall sports were not allowed to to miss out on another Homecoming tailgate.” participate in any competition, we are finally back and we would While the student body is unable to show its support through love to see everyone supporting us!” said Mockenhaupt. “This is the tailgate festivities, the UMW community may still attend always a fun weekend and having the support from the university games and cheer on UMW teams as they compete. and the students would mean a lot to my team and me.”

Thursday, October 7, 2021

University of Mary Washington Fall Sports Schedule and Scores

Men’s Soccer (6-1-3)

Oct. 2 L @ Christopher Newport (1-2) Oct. 5 W vs. Catholic (2-0) Oct. 9 vs. Salisbury Oct. 13 @ St. Mary’s (Md.) Oct. 23 vs. Christopher Newport

Women’s Soccer (3-1-5)

Oct. 3 W @ Greensboro (1-0) Oct. 6 W vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) (2-0) Oct. 9 vs. Salisbury Oct. 16 vs. Christopher Newport Oct. 20 @ Swarthmore

Men’s Rugby (2-1)

Sept. 18 W vs North Carolina (64-0) Sept. 25 W @ Southern V.A. (52-15) Oct. 2 W @ Maryland (90-0) Oct. 16 vs. Virginia Tech Oct. 23 vs. Mount St. Mary’s

Cross Country

Oct. 16 @ Hood Oct. 30 @ Coast to Coast Conference Nov. 13 @ NCAA Regionals Nov. 20 @ NCAA Regionals

Field Hockey (7-4)

Oct. 3 L @ Centre (1-2) Oct. 6 W @ Catholic (3-2) Oct. 10 @ Rhodes in Newport News, Va Oct. 12 vs. Christopher Newport Oct. 16 vs. Salisbury

Women’s Volleyball (12-8)

Oct. 2 W @ Salisbury (3-0) Oct. 6 L @ Lynchburg (1-3) Oct. 9 vs. Christopher Newport 12pm Oct. 9 vs. Randolph 4pm Oct. 12 @ St. Mary’s (Md.)

Swimming

Oct. 16 @ Washington and Lee Oct. 22 vs. Southern Virginia Oct. 22 vs. Marymount (Va.) Oct. 23 vs. Alumni Oct. 30 @ Randolph-Macon

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletic’s webpage Schedule not listed above.

Bold indicates home game.

8