The Blue & Gray Press

Page 1

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

PRESS

December 6, 2018

VOLUME 92 | ISSUE 12 SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

White supremacist propaganda found on campus ELIZABETH FINTO Staff Writer

Another white supremacist group made its presence known on UMW’s campus. On Nov. 25, UMW Police found numerous fliers and stickers from the white supremacist group Identity Evropa. According to the UMW Police, these fliers were acting as part of a “recruiting campaign that targets college campuses.” The propaganda dispersed around campus was found near Blackstone Coffee and on the Eagle Village bridge. UMW was not the only college that was targeted. Other colleges including North Carolina State University, University of Montana, Bridgewater College, and numerous others nationwide have had fliers posted on their campuses. Identity Evropa shares images of the fliers posted on college campuses to their Twitter account numerous times each day. These fliers include images of European statues and phrases such as “Our Future Belongs to Us” and “Keep Your Diversity We Want Identity.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Identity Evropa is a white supremacist group that was launched in March of 2016. Their goal is to “preserve ‘white American culture’” and uphold the “white European identity” (Anti-Defamation League) by using hate speech and a racist ideology. Identity Evropa also played a role in the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. The UMW Police received a call early in the morning on Nov. 25 about the fliers and immediately responded. “We canvassed the community, we looked for other areas on campus [with fliers] and found some other fliers and we took those down,” said Michael Hall, the chief of UMW Police. “While the information and the ideas behind [Identity Evropa] are despicable, it’s not illegal.” Chief Hall ensures that there are numerous measures in place, such as cameras and patrol, in order to help prevent these events. “We can’t guarantee it won’t happen again,” he said. But we have policies and procedures that prohibit [these acts] on our campus. We don’t condone

this here at the University of Mary Washington. It goes contrary to everything we believe in.” The UMW Police and the UMW community “continue to reach out to other counterparts whether its at the local, state, or federal level,” according to Chief Hall. Although Hall recognized the importance of notifying the community of what has happened, Hall explained that, at the same time, he “does not want to create a platform to get a message out that reinforces or publicizes Identity Evropa’s message.” Chief Hall said that he never wants to put UMW’s community in fear. “We’re on top of this and we are following this. We are an open campus, and we want our community to feel safe and secure,” he said. UMW’s Student Government Association is also making efforts to prevent similar incidents. In a statement, they explained: “SGA constantly strives to be an inclusive governing body, and ensure that all students feel like they belong here at UMW. SGA is committed to working with the university to maintain a safe campus environment. To further that commitment, the Senate voted on November 7 to create an ad-hoc Campus Safety Committee. This committee is charged with all matters of student safety and security. Every student, no matter their race, class, gender identity, etc… deserves to feel at home at UMW.” Students also voiced their concerns about these incidents and how they are handled. “My experience with UMW has always been a positive one that has been super welcoming and inclusive, but I see a major lack of diverse representation around our campus and I think flyers like these hurt UMWs image to be more diverse and inclusive,” said senior and communication and digital studies major, Christiana Meyers. “Students have the right to express themselves but it’s UMW’s job to make sure that it is happening in a way that is respectful to all.” UMW College Republicans condemned the actions of Identity Evropa. “There is no place for white supremacy

“While the information and the ideas behind [Identity Evropa] are despicable, it’s not illegal.” -Chief Michael Hall

IN THIS

ISSUE

• WHITE SUPREMACY| 2

HISTORIC CAMPUS

Dr. Tevya Zukor, the director of the Talley Center, spoke about the resources they provide. Josh Rios / The Blue & Gray Press

Rising number of students at Mary Washington seeking Talley Center services Alex Friedrich Senior Writer

According to a Talley Center Data and Trends document, for the 20172018 school year, the number of student clients who have gone to the Talley Center for counseling services has increased by 51.6 percent since the 2015-2016 school year. Furthermore, the amount of triage appointments — counseling appointments deemed as being the most serious and thus given priority — increased by 38.2 percent since the 2015-2016 school year as well. “With college being as stressful as it is, I feel the Talley Center is an extremely important aid for students here at Mary Washington,” said senior history major, Noah Zoroya. “It is vital for people to spread the word that the center’s doors are open to any students who feel that they may need to talk to someone.” The Talley Center at UMW is not the only on-campus university or college counseling service to experience a rapid increase in student clients.According to an annual 2015 report created by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, between 2009 and 2015 the national number of college students reaching-out and seeking counseling services increased by about 30 percent on average, while enrollment at these universities or colleges only grew by less than 6 percent. Additionally, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health’s 2017 report, anxiety and depression are the most common reasons for students who sought counseling services, and are the only apparent reasons that have

ROCK REVOLUTION

shown a clear growth in trend over the last 4 years. To deal with this national spike in college students seeking counseling services, universities and colleges around the country have made large efforts to help support these students when it is needed. According to a 2018 article from Time titled, “Record Numbers of College Students Are Seeking Treatment for Depression and Anxiety -- But Schools Can’t Keep Up,” by Katie Reilly, many universities and colleges around the nation have created ways to address the problem. In March 2017, the University of California, Los Angeles offered its incoming students a free online screening for depression, which resulted in more than 2,700 students opting in for the screening. Pennsylvania State University allocated $700,000 in additional funding for counseling services in 2017. Other universities such as Ohio State University and Virginia Tech, managed to open satellite counseling clinics, as well as hire new mental health clinicians. Furthermore, at several schools, student government leaders have enacted new student fees to direct more funding to counseling centers. Where these universities have made the effort to address the increasing demand of counseling services, UMW has followed the trend to make counseling services more accessible as well. According to Dr. Tevya Zukor, the director of the Talley Center for the past three consecutive years, roughly two years ago the Talley Center expanded its •TALLEY CENTER | 10

SUPER BOWL

Explore campus over time through photos.

Mainstream radio stations need to rebrand.

Students predict playoff contenders.

LIFE | 6

VIEWPOINTS | 4

SPORTS | 12


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