THE
The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper
BLUE & GRAY PRESS
VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 9
Serving the community since 1922
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
Cross country raises over $8,000 after Students feel mask mandates belongings are stolen in California are ignored
Mason godek Staff Writer
Tabitha robinson Staff Writer
Tragedy struck the UMW cross country team this past week while visiting San Francisco, Calif. for their Coast-to-Coast (C2C) Championships on Oct. 28. The team had six bags taken from one van that left five of the team’s runners without gear for the upcoming race. A GoFundMe page for the team has raised over $8,000 dollars to replace the stolen items, including the runners’ personal IDs, running gear, laptops, house keys and other personal necessities. “I burst into tears—all of us were pretty upset,” said senior Amber Zipfel, an English major with a
Masks are required in UMW dining locations when not actively eating. However, some students have noticed that their peers are unmasked while walking around or socializing indoors. “Most of the people I see unmasked or wearing masks below their chins seem to be athletes,” said Jessie Mills, a sophomore biomedical sciences major. “They will be wearing clothes with their sport on it and it’s really disheartening to see that they would represent their UMW sport in such a negative way. It’s disrespectful to those who actually follow the rule.” Mills’ sentiment is a cause for concern among some athletes, as they worry about the reputation that UMW sports teams are maintaining with non-athletic students. “Why would you [not wear a mask]? You’re just Cross country runners in front of the car that was broken into. @umw_xctf / Instagram giving all of us a bad name,” said Kevin Munson, a “Literally minutes later we was in high spirits to tackle the long stuff was in there like our laptops, junior environmental science major and UMW athlete. looked over to see all of our weekend of competition. On their way wallets, running clothes and shoes, “I feel that the current mask policies are pretty fair. rental van smashed and when to the hotel, the team decided to take etc.,” she said. “It really sucked and Like when you’re in a building, wear your mask—it’s a pit stop at one of San Francisco’s we were all upset, but we had to make not that hard.” we ran down to check on it, landmarks: the Golden Gate Bridge. a lot of phone calls to our banks to our things were gone.” Maggie Mrowka, a senior business administration “The view was awesome and we cancel debit/credit cards, our parents, and marketing double major and UMW athlete, took a lot of great pictures and we our coaches, the school and people believes the masking issue is among athletes and non-Cameron Delean explored around a bit,” said senior close to us for comfort.” athletes. sociology major and runner Cameron While they were waiting for a “There is often a divide placed between athletes Delean. “Literally minutes later we replacement van, the team stayed on and non-athletes, although at the end of the day we creative writing concentration, whose looked over to see all of the windows the bridge for two hours, and Zipfel are all here to get an education,” said Mrowka. “Based belongings were stolen. “In that of our rental van smashed and when screamed in frustration. on my personal experience alone, I had four people in situation I had thought about the big we ran down to check on it, our things “I could scream on the bridge so no one of my classes have to be excused for not wearing things I lost, but as the days went were gone.” one would hear me because I just can’t masks, and they were all ‘non-athletes,’ but I still on, it just hit me that … this custom Julia Kapp, a sophomore business believe it happened,” she said. don’t think athletic status is relevant to this.” keychain that I made for my boyfriend administration major, also had her Following the incident, the team Mrowka acknowledges that all students must fulfill and I [was] gone. These little things belongings stolen. contacted the park service. Park their responsibility by wearing masks. are gone.” “When we saw what happened, we rangers instructed them to file a report “Although wearing a mask isn’t convenient or After a five-hour flight to San were all in shock because important with the San •ROBBERY | 7 comfortable, it’s what we have to do as a community,” Francisco, the cross country team said Mrowka. “As an athlete myself, there’s a lot of added responsibility … but I also understand that everyone on campus has their own responsibilities.” On Oct. 20, UMW Athletics sent a schoolwide email about changes to their policy. The policy now niyah yisreal ensure there was no requires spectators to provide proof of vaccination or a Staff Writer further deterioration,” negative COVID test before attending a game. said Messplay. Alvey Hall will “Due to the current pandemic and the varying sizes Gynger Adams, be knocked down of indoor athletic venues, UMW Athletics will require a senior double over winter break due majoring in art proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 to mold problems. test (within 24 hours) before admittance to any of the history and religion, The residence hall, a home contests.” The email ends, “This policy applies remembers visiting co-ed dorm that was to current UMW students as well. All guests must Alvey years before completed in 1990, wear face coverings, regardless of vaccination status, it was closed was closed in 2018. at all times while indoors.” indefinitely. Her “Alvey Hall was Anna Billingsley, associate vice president for brother, Lexus closed during the University Relations and director of communications, Adams, was a former fall of 2018 due to suggests students utilize the COVID concern form student and resident ongoing moisture when they see people breaking COVID protocols. of the hall during control issues, which “We can assure you that we follow up with each 2011-2012 school led to some mold incident report in which a student is named,” said year. growth on the walls,” Billingsley. “I remember going said Paul Messplay, Director of Athletics Patrick Catullo receives to visit my brother ... vice president of COVID concern reports involving student-athletes. Alvey Hall has been closed since 2018. Megan Mecuro / The Blue & Gray Press and there was like a administration and “Any individual that has a concern with a studentsmell in it,” she said. that attempting to Billingsley, associate resulted in students finance and chief athlete is instructed to complete a UMW Concerns “I just assumed ‘ah, renovate Alvey would vice president for being re-housed financial officer. Report,” he said. “I am then copied on all of the filed it’s the smell of an old elsewhere. The only cost more than it university relations. Alvey Hall has reports involving student-athletes and follow up as building.’ Now that I “Due to a flooding would benefit. difference was that not been occupied appropriate with the coach and SAs. think about it, it was problem there in “Alvey has the building was able by students since its Mrowka stressed that the mask-wearing habits of probably mold.” 2018, it underwent been closed since to be salvaged and closing. students, both athletic and non-athletic, reflect back Arrington Hall, a renovation in the [2018] because the reopened after the “We have done no on the university. the residential latter part of 2018. University has had damage was repaired. work on Alvey since “UMW student-athletes work hard every day building identical Updates included new sufficient housing “Arrington Hall is it was closed other to represent the school in a positive light, just like to Alvey, had an showers, flooring and stock to support of the same vintage than to monitor it all other students do in the classroom and in their unrelated flooding mattresses.” as Alvey,” said Anna •ALVEY | 7 [respective] activities,” she said. on a regular basis to incident in 2018 that Messplay said
Alvey Hall to be demolished due to mold
IN THIS
ISSUE
YOUNGKIN ELECTED
dressing up
basketball returns
Youngkin beats McAuliffe in Virginia gubernatorial election.
Class council hosts Halloweens event.
Men’s basketball team has first game Nov. 6.
VIEWPOINTS | 3
LIFE | 4
SPORTS | 8