The Weekly Ringer

protests

ANNE SMITh Senior Writer

Following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died in the custody of Iran’s “morality police,’’ the University of Mary Washington’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Club and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies Program hosted a bake sale and a panel on Oct. 26 in support of protesters in Iran.

There have been several protests in Iran over the past three weeks as concerns about human rights violations grow. Amini was allegedly arrested for wearing her head scarf too loosely, and the Iranian police claim the cause of her death was heart failure while in custody. However, there have been reports that she died due to blows to the head, and several activists believe that she was killed by law enforcement. Following her death, Iranians’ protests and riots have been met with arrests and oppositional police forces from the Iranian government.

“Women’s rights are human rights,” said WGST Club Secretary Emma Dabolt, a senior English and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major. “Just because it’s not affecting us

directly here doesn’t mean they shouldn’t care about it.”

To raise money for the Center for Human Rights in Iran, the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Club held a bake sale from 12-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 outside Lee Hall. The Center for Human Rights in Iran seeks to inform governments and other major international organizations about human rights violations within Iran in conjunction with activists, journalists and researchers by reporting in real-time about current conditions and events taking place in Iran.

“We’ll be selling all sorts of baked goods and hopefully people will volunteer to bake for us just to spread awareness about it and also raise money,” said WGST Club President Lucy Clark, a senior English and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major.

Dabolt emphasized that those who can’t purchase baked goods can still contribute to the cause.

“If you don’t have the funds to pay for a baked good, you could help out by baking something for us, or just spreading the word,” said Dabolt. ”To me, it stands out because we’re not raising this money for ourselves. ... We’re trying

to raise money for the greater good. I feel like that’s kind of something not all of the other big sales have done.”

On the same day, the club hosted a panel titled Protests in Iran: Context, Strategies and (Likely) Consequences. Panelists included Leila Asadi, an Iranian activist and scholar, Professor of religion Mehdi Aminrazavi and Associate Professor of geography Farhang Rouhani.

“Join us for a panel on the ongoing protests in Iran triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody,” the event’s flier reads. “For four weeks now, women have been protesting dress and behavior rules despite the government locking down access to the internet and social media.”

Sophomore biochemistry major Harriet King attended the event.

“I think that this was a very impressive panel given how little time it has been since the death of Mahsa Amini; the speakers were very knowledgeable and were able to make a very engaging and relevant presentation,” she said.

Aminrazavi spoke on planned protests in previous revolutions and how they relate to the decentralization of leadership in these more recent protests.

“The other main difference that he described was that in previous protests the emphasis was on text//statements, while this one is very body-central and full of visuality that I feel beautifully encompasses the femininity that the women of Iran are representing,” said King.

The WGST Club comes together to discuss issues and plan events that benefit women and people in the LGBTQ+ community. The club has previously hosted the Executive Director of Repro Rising Virginia and cosponsored the Oct. 6 walkout supporting the right to choose.

WGST Club Vice President Molly Potock, a senior women’s, gender and sexuality studies major, explained the goals of the club.

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Club hosts bake sale in support of the Center for Human Rights Iran. Photo courtesy of Anne Smith

Melville

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Jess Kirby

Congress to vote on new Title IX regulations

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On June 23, the U.S. Department of Education issued new proposed Title IX regulations that, if codified into law, will impact UMW’s Title IX policies. Among the proposed changes are clear requirements that all sex discrimination complaints, rather than only formal complaints of sexual harassment, be given an impartial investigation, as well as expanding Title IX’s prohibition of discrimination based on sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

proposed regulations are codified into law, Title IX will be required to conduct a “reliable and impartial” investigation of all sex discrimination complaints. Title IX is currently only required to investigate formal complaints of sexual harassment.

complainants and respondents must be treated equitably, a school may not impose disciplinary sanctions against a student unless it determines that sex discrimination has occurred and a school’s grievance procedures must give the parties equal opportunity to present evidence. The regulations will also specify that a live hearing is not necessary for evaluating evidence.

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“Under the previous Administration’s regulations, some forms of sex-based harassment were not considered to be a violation of Title IX, denying equal educational opportunity,” reads the U.S. Department of Education’s 2022 Proposed Amendments to its Title IX Regulations.

“The proposed regulations would cover all forms of sex-based harassment, including unwelcome sex-based conduct that creates a hostile environment by denying or limiting a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from a school’s education program or activity.”

All requirements are listed in the fact sheet for the U.S. Department of Education’s proposed amendments to its Title IX regulations.

These proposed changes are believed to be coming to UMW in the next year.

“The 2022-2023 academic year will be unique, as we expect changes to TITLE IX,” said Director of Compliance, Title IX Coordinator and ADA Coordinator Ruth Davison in a written statement to The Weekly Ringer. “We will assess our policy according to the new federal regulations and make changes accordingly.”

The proposal states that “the current regulations should be amended to provide greater clarity regarding the scope of sex discrimination, including recipients’ obligations not to discriminate based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”

If the Department of Education’s

“I think having the requirement that all complaints are to be investigated is a bit of a mixed issue,” said Talyn Derflinger, a senior psychology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major. “On one hand it will speed up the process (Title [IX] investigations can take a while I was in one that lasted over 9 months from the time of the original complaint). The time commitment to investigations is difficult, which I think is why most of UMW’s Title IX investigations lead to ‘informal resolutions.’”

In the proposed regulations, schools must have the option to offer informal resolutions for resolving complaints, but the complainant’s and respondent’s participation in an informal resolution must be voluntary. For cases in which an employee is accused of sex discrimination against a student, informal resolution is not permitted.

The proposal also stipulates that

“I believe all of these changes are essential to the fair treatment of all persons involved. This also leads to fewer abusers and harassers walking free among those that they harmed,” said junior studio art and religious studies double major Jenna Montijo. “These regulations will most definitely improve Title IX.”

These new rules have been subject to controversy, with some believing that rights are being revoked from those accused of sexual misconduct, according to an article from Inside Higher Ed.

However, senior communication and digital studies major Erin Lutz does not believe false reporting will be a major issue.

Expert panel discusses ongoing protests

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“[We] do fundraising for various charities and organizations related to women’s issues, just generally spreading awareness of women’s issues and issues within the queer community and everything on campus to and just talking about,” she said.

The club hopes to continue hosting events to support causes benefitting women and the LGBTQ+ community.

“Hopefully we might do a similar event, even next semester because it’s not like it’s going to end overnight—it’s going to be kind of a long-haul fight for women and queer people in Iran,” said Clark.

Josephine Johnson contributed to reporting for this article.

UMW students gather for panel regarding protests in Iran.

Sarah Sklar / The Weekly Ringer

National Title IX regulations to be voted on.

Erin Landfair / The Weekly Ringer

Op-Ed: Registering bicycles prevents theft as number of bike larcenies rises on campus

In response to The Weekly Ringer’s “Bicycle thefts spike in fall semester as UMW Police Department plans to improve bike registration process,” students who bring their bicycles to campus should register them online in addition to using physical protection measures that show proof of registration on the bike.

To preface, bicycles are an amazing form of transportation that are environmentally friendly, intuitive to learn, fun to ride and essential for some students to get to class

on time; this does come with the caveat of leaving your invaluable vehicle just outside of your class for anyone to take. Locking your bike up properly is just one of the steps to try to ensure safety for your bike; actively registering your bike, however, can not only assist law enforcement in finding your bike when it is stolen but can also be a physical deterrent to could-be bike thieves.

529 Garage is an online bike registration service made by cyclists dedicated to eliminating bike theft. Just by inserting a little bit about yourself and your bike and taking a few photos, anybody can register their bike onto a public database that law enforcement can check if needed. However, the real magic behind 529 Garage brings the digital into the physical with their 529 Shield sticker. This sticker shows could-be thieves that the bike is registered on a database and cared for, and numerous cities have reported decreases in bike theft after partnering with the organization.

This brings me to Mary Washington’s bike registration program. Through the University Police Department,

students can register their bikes and receive a sticker with their own unique code for their own bike. This sticker physically shows anyone on campus or the local Fredericksburg community that your bike is registered and the main aspect that prevents the effectiveness of the registration sticker is lack of knowledge about effective bike registration.

That brings me to the ultimate reason for why I wrote this article: to

(hopefully) lower bike theft on campus by increasing the awareness of effective bike registration. In order to keep our bikes safer on campus, in Fredericksburg and wherever one may ride, it is vital to understand how bike registration works and practice it to its fullest extent, both digitally and physically. In doing so, I hope to see bike theft decrease on our campus community.

Staff Ed: UMW should return to staggering class registration times by number of credits

lems when registering.

To those who have been through the class registration process at UMW before, it’s probably not surprising that some students encountered problems with Self-Service Banner when trying to choose their classes. Last semes ter, on March 29, the rising senior class faced a two-hour Banner outage when trying to register for classes. This was due to an “overall system problem,” Ben Kjar, associate director of Enterprise Application Services, which helps manage Banner, told The Weekly Ringer.

Throughout this week, students are once again registering for classes, and once again facing problems. According to an Instagram poll by The Weekly Ringer, 57% of those who responded ran into issues with Banner when registering for classes. The poll was posted on the morning of Oct. 24 when many seniors registered for the classes they need to take in order to graduate after next semester.

“I’m lucky my major classes don’t fill up fast but it still causes unnecessary anxiety when students have enough,” said senior religious studies major Emma Bradley. Senior accounting major Emily Whitt also faced prob

“When I selected all of my classes, I was on the load ing screen of doom,” she said. “I kept getting kicked out of Banner and Banner kept crashing on me. It took about 45 minutes to register on Monday.”

While we often call on colleges to address complex state- and country-wide issues, this problem is central to UMW students, and therefore it is the University’s responsibility to fix it. Thankfully, there’s a simple solu tion: going back to staggering registration times by credit hour, the way UMW used to hold class registration before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since UMW switched from staggering students’ registration times by their precise number of credits to having each class register at one time, it seems like Ban ner issues have gotten worse, possibly due to the large number of people trying to register at one time.

“I miss when we had time slots depending on credit hours, everyone at 8 a.m. just doesn’t work,” said Bradley.

Whitt, who faced problems with registering on Banner last semester as well, also said that staggering registration times would help the problem.

“I feel like registration needs to go back to the way

it was before COVID, when we were assigned a certain time slot based on our number of credits,” she said. “If registration slots get broken up, there wouldn’t be so much traffic on Banner when it’s time for students to register.”

In contrast, due to priority registration, students in the Honors Program register the week before non-Honors students, and they did not experience Banner issues this semester. This may be because only about 80-100 incoming freshmen are enrolled in the Honors Program each year, according to the UMW website, making the number of students registering at the same time signifi cantly smaller than during non-Honors registration.

To combat these recurring registration issues, UMW should return to staggering registration times by credit hour. This would decrease the number of people trying to register at the same time and prevent Banner from crashing—or, at least, we can hope.

This staff editorial was led by Jess Kirby.

Students need to know their bike’s serial number, model, color, brand and any other identifying information when registering their bicycle. Photo courtesy of Max Steinbaum

Max Steinbaum participates in a race.

Photo courtesy of Max Steinbaum

Life

The new experiences of studying abroad

NORAh WALSh Associate Editor

Since June of this year, I’ve been living and studying in Bilbao, Spain, at the University of Deusto, and I cannot express the sheer amount of wonderful experiences I’ve had here. Whether inside the classroom, on excursions or simply just exploring Bilbao, I am so grateful that I was able to take advantage of this opportunity to study abroad.

I took classes during a summer session with several other University of Mary Washington students, as well as other students from the United States who hailed from other states such as Nebraska and Michigan. While taking three classes—one of which was taught by the lovely Professor María-Isabel Martínez-Mira—and attending excursions to cities such as Madrid, Toledo and San Sebastián, I was able to meet a lot of friends, and I’m looking forward to seeing them when I get back to the States.

Being away from my friends who are back in the States can be lonely, so I decided to reach out to some UMW students who are studying abroad to check in on their study abroad experiences.

Some of the people I interviewed were friends, some were classmates, but they were all fellow Eagles.

The importance of studying abroad

When asked about why studying abroad is important, many students highlighted the positives of being surrounded by a different culture, and in some cases a different language, too.

“Meeting new people who think completely differently or have a fresh outlook on certain ideas can prove beneficial to the sharing and adapting of new ways of thinking,” said Natalie Buchanan, a junior Spanish major studying abroad in Bilbao at the University

I would describe my culture shock more as cultural confusion, for there was nothing that was too different to my life back home that surprised me, but certain aspects made me pause and think for a bit. Basic tasks like going out to eat at a restaurant still confuse me, for I never know if my friends and I are allowed to sit down at whatever table we want, or if we have to wait for a server to tell us where to sit.

Similarly, other students also met unexpected experiences and cultural factors when they arrived in their respective countries. Positive and negative alike, studying abroad requires a certain level of adaptability, or else it can be an uncomfortable transition.

Kylie Jackson, a junior conservation biology major studying at the University of Otago in New Zealand, commented on what different cultures place importance on, as it can be quite different.

“Since I have been in New Zealand, I have had the amazing opportunity to see and feel what it’s like to live in a unified and conservation-driven country,” she said. “New Zealand has such a heart for community and passion for preserving its local wildlife which is absolutely incredible. I didn’t realize that these attributes were such core beliefs of this country.”

Other unexpected factors relate to basic needs, such as food.

of Deusto. “Studying abroad is also a great way to enhance personal independence and find a place in the world.”

Being able to study abroad during this period of our lives is so impactful, especially when your intention when studying abroad is to learn both inside and outside of the classroom. It is also a special experience because you’re constantly surrounded by other students who chose to study abroad for similar reasons.

“Being able to experience a new culture and everything that entails with fellow students and peers around your age is something that we will never have the opportunity to do again, and it is one of the coolest experiences to have,” said Nathan Francis, a junior political science major who studied abroad during the summer in Bilbao at the University of Deusto.

Additionally, the perks of studying abroad don’t stop at taking classes in a different country.

“There is so much to learn from a study abroad experience, and not just academically,” said Eden Shenal, a senior political science and Spanish double major who also spent the summer in Bilbao. “It pushes you to be self-reliant, adventurous, and brave in big and small ways. I learned so much every single day, and I know now that experience is going to stay with me for a very long time. Getting outside of your own cultural bubble to see how different parts of the world function and move can be so beneficial to your personal growth.”

Welcoming the unexpected while studying abroad

Before studying abroad, the Center for International Education at Mary Washington leads an information session, and one of the points they emphasize is the culture shock you may experience, especially at the beginning of your study abroad experience.

“Something I did not expect to experience while abroad is the lack of available diverse vegan options,” said Callie Jordan, a senior political science and women, gender and sexuality studies double major studying at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. “There is always plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free choices, but vegan foods are harder to come by and require more thoughtful planning.

A street sign directs the way to various cultural sights in Bilbao, Spain..

Eden Shenal / The Weekly Ringer

A street in Casco Viejo, the old town part of Bilbao, Spain.

Eden Shenal / The Weekly Ringer

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Eden Shenal / The Weekly Ringer

Photo essay: Big Ash Bonfire ignites homecoming week

KENyA CARTER Staff Photographer

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, as part of the University of Mary Washington’s Homecoming week, Residence Life and Campus Recreation hosted the annual Big Ash Bonfire with the new addition of a campout. Approximately 150 students attended the bonfire and 35 camped overnight. The campout was especially successful due to lots of student interest, as registration leading up to the campout reached capacity and additional students were put on a waitlist.

The event started at 5:30 p.m. for students to begin setting up their tents before the night fell. As the members of Residence Life signed students in, the first 150 students who attended the event received mugs with a bonfire logo. Campus Recreation staff set up next to them, passing out blankets for all overnight campers with the same logo. During the event, a s’mores bar, popcorn, hot chocolate and apple cider were offered to all students that attended, and lawn games were available for students to play.

Upon joining the bonfire, students were welcomed by RAs and Campus Recreation staff that were eager to sign them in and help set up their tents. Later on, the Fredericksburg Fire Department got the night started by igniting the bonfire using wood palettes and a match. The Fire Department stayed to ensure the fire was safe, as the flame grew large and was the biggest I’ve \seen compared to the past few years.

Gathering around the bonfire, students helped keep the fire going by tossing in the wood palettes as they enjoyed their hot chocolate and roasted some marshmallows. The bonfire brought UMW students together to interact and socialize again due to the lack of interaction and events due to the pandemic.

Around 9:30 p.m., the fire department extinguished the fire as students prepared to settle into their tents. Each student that participated in the campout was given a sleeping bag to keep themself warm throughout the night. Many were excited to have such an experience and share the moment with their close friends. Despite the night being cold, this was UMW’s most successful bonfire in the past few years.

The Fredericksburg Fire Department extinguished the fire before students return to their dorms and tents.

Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Students gathered around the bonfire and socializing with one another.

Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Students line up to check in for the bonfire event. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Students stood around the bonfire drinking hot chocolate and hav ing snacks. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Students set up their tents before the start of the bonfire. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Ellie Killian, Kayleigh Dugger and Haley Miller set up the tents in preparation for the campout. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

Students got to spend the night in tents on Ball Circle. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

The event started at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

to come by and require more thoughtful planning.

Additionally, cultural habits relating to day-to-day activities are different while abroad.

“Another thing I have observed is shopping patterns,” said Jordan. “Practically everyone shops in person at independent stores, although there are a few big chains.”

I have also noticed this trend while in Spain, and one of the biggest adjustments for me was stores being completely closed on Sundays and in the middle of the afternoon. Here, there is definitely a larger importance placed upon rest, and the schedule that everyone follows echoes that sentiment.

Shenal reflected on how living abroad for an extended amount of time really makes you change your own personal habits.

“I was also surprised how much of the cultural rhythms of the city of Bilbao and its people became my own habits, as well,” they said. “I didn’t get hungry until 8 or 9, I was fine with walking 45 minutes somewhere, and I became a bit of a night owl! It was so unexpected to step into the Spanish circadian rhythm so easily.”

Their reasons to go abroad

Whether it be to foment their studies, expand their cultural perspectives or simply because the opportunity was too good to pass, everyone who studies abroad has some reason behind their decision to leave their home country.

In many cases, the countries people chose to study in tend to align with their interests.

“I chose to study abroad because I have a passion for traveling and learning about the cultures of new places,” said Jackson. “New Zealand has always captured my attention and it felt like a place that could culture all of my interests

including hiking and pretty much anything outdoorsy, art, photography, and wildlife conservation.”

Furthermore, studying abroad is a unique opportunity to enhance your college years because it integrates your academics with cultural lessons, too.

“I love learning Spanish and developing my skills of listening, writing and communicating in a new language different from my own,” said Buchanan. “I was also curious, it’s an escape from the life I’ve grown up with to experience something new.”

Shenal spoke about their academic and personal reasons for traveling abroad.

“I decided to study abroad for my major, but also for a more personal reason,” they said. “Spain is part of my heritage, and none of my living family members had ever gotten to return to the country to see our hometowns and history. I wanted to study abroad to go see the country my family was from and connect with it.”

The hardest part

No new experience goes without a little bit of strife. Living in a new country, constantly adjusting to new patterns and schedules and not having your usual support group nearby can lead to a tough transition period.

Even though the Instagram posts about our travels may paint the experience as flawless, don’t let the filters fool you; being abroad is hard.

“I think the hardest part for me about living/studying abroad in Spain was the language barrier,” said Francis. “I took Spanish during high school and being a junior now, I remembered some of the important language aspects but definitely could not have a full-fledged conversation with the locals and that was sometimes very intimidating and discouraging.”

Being in a different country separates you from your family and friends through distance, but it also can make it harder for you to stay in touch with them, especially with a time difference.

“I think the two hardest parts about studying abroad is the time difference and the food,” said Grace Lefcourt, a junior American studies major studying at the University of Reading in Reading, England. “The time difference between Virginia and the UK is 5 hours, which may not seem like a major difference, but it’s really strange when I am finishing my day, and my parents back home are just going to work or eating lunch.”

Jordan also commented on feeling separated from events and milestones while she has been abroad. Many students struggle with only being able to connect with family through a screen, so knowing that our fellow classmates also share this sentiment can be comforting.

“The hardest part about studying abroad is missing things back home, like big family and life events,” said Jordan. “For example, in my first month away, my sister had her first baby, and I became an aunt on facetime. It’s sad when you miss big stuff and get homesick, but time here goes by so fast.”

Furthermore, food is always something you have to adjust to.

“When people say British food has no flavor, it really depends,” Lefcourt said. “If you get fish and chips, or a steak and ale pie, those can be really good. If you eat or make tacos, it will literally be ground beef with no seasoning, and maybe some vegetables with salt or pepper.”

All in all, the rewards of studying abroad far outweigh the struggles you may experience, no matter what you want to study.

Grace Lefcourt standing next to a telephone booth in London.

Photo courtesy of Grace Lefcourt

Taken from Plaza Miguel Unamuno in Casco Viejo in Bilbao, Spain. Eden Shenal / The Weekly Ringer

Grace Lefcourt on move-in day at the University of Reading.

Photo courtesy of Grace Lefcourt

Crime Column

SCOTTI MULLEN & CALLIE hARKINS News Editors

UMW hosts first in-person Homecoming Tailgate since 2019

KELSEy STEINBAUER Staff Writer

Many in the UMW community were excited for the 2022 Athletics Homecoming Tailgate at the Battleground Athletic Complex on Saturday, Oct. 22, which was the first tailgate back in person since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some students were less than impressed with the tailgating prices.

Ticket prices for this year’s tailgate have risen compared to pre-COVID prices. This year, general tailgate spaces were sold for $250 per space and included 10 tickets and one reserved parking space.

Premium spaces were $500 per space and included 20 tickets and one VIP parking space.

General entry for individuals was $20 per ticket.

The funds raised by ticket sales go to UMW Athletics.

“This serves as a fundraiser for UMW Athletics and goes to support general needs for our student-athletes, specific to Strength and Conditioning, Athletic Training and studentathlete programming,” said Moore.

Because it was the event’s first return post-COVID, UMW hired a food truck and worked to get the event sponsored by the Virginia Lottery for the first time since 2013.

“We had a food truck present and intend to do that for future years,” said Moore.

All spots for the tailgate sold out at the beginning of the academic year, according to an article posted on the UMW Website.

Petit Larceny/ Credit Card Fraud

On Oct. 20, there was a case of petit larceny/credit card fraud in Eagle Landing. This case is pending.

In 2019, the last year that the homecoming tailgate was in person, general tailgate spaces were $200 and included 10 tickets, premium spaces cost $300 and included 20 tickets and general entry was $10 per ticket, according to Associate Director of Athletics Caitlin Erickson Moore.

Moore attributed the increased ticket prices to the rising costs of goods and services.

“Like everything, tailgating costs have increased: port-apotties, fencing, staffing, etc.,” said Moore.

Students from previous graduating classes returned to participate in the tailgate and watch the homecoming games.

“We wanted to come back and actually experience homecoming since we turned 21,” said Annie Madigan, a graduate student in the College of Education.

But the increased ticket price deterred some students from attending the tailgate.

“I didn’t want to pay the $20 to hang out with my friends when I can do that for free at our apartment,” said junior biology major Caitlin Harris.

Other homecoming events included Campus Programming Board’s Homecoming Bingo on Tuesday and Campus Recreation and Residence Hall Association’s Big Ash Bonfire.

Big Ash Bonfire took place on Jefferson Square last Wednesday, Oct. 19. After the bonfire, students camped in tents on the square.

“I got some free popcorn which was fun and hung around the fire with friends,” said senior English and studio art double major Emma Bower.

“They blasted Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well’ and that’s how I lost all my quarters.”

Junior studio art and religious studies major Jenna Montijo also attended the bonfire and camped out on Jefferson Square afterward.

“The night of the bonfire was extremely cold, though

extremely fun,” she said. “There was popcorn, apple cider and hot chocolate, and even a s’mores station to take part in while the bonfire was happening. Camping that night was also really enjoyable. I got to spend time with a friend and also relax for a night in the middle of a hectic semester.

That Friday was UMW’s Spirit Day, and the Campus Programming Board’s Mary Rock event, the homecoming concert on Ball Circle.

Both alumni and current students attended the homecoming festivities.

“It was really fun,” said junior pre-med biology major Rita Bishai. “I got to reconnect with some friends and I can’t wait to do it again next year!”

Addy Reeher contributed to reporting for this article.

Federal regulations to impact UMW Title IX

FROM BOV PAGE 2

“It helps to look into everything because you never know,” they said. “People don’t make [claims] lightly, because that’s a pretty heavy accusation.”

Freshman theatre major Ryder Ward shares a similar opinion.

“I think most claims that come forward are true, so the likelihood of a false accusation is minimal,” said Ward. “I understand where others are coming from with that but having to file a formal complaint can be a lengthy process and can sometimes be traumatizing for the victim. This can help people to get immediate action taken against the person who hurt them.”

Aside from possible federal updates,

Davison shared a few of UMW Title IX’s fall goals in a September Board of Visitors meeting. Title IX hopes to take on more personnel including investigators, decision makers, an appeal officer and an advisor for complainants and respondents. These new hires will be from within UMW, as well as external consultants.

“In addition to qualified internal staff to serve in the various Title IX roles, UMW is currently contracting for personnel on an as needed basis,” said Davison.

UMW Title IX Compliance is also planning its yearly review of the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. The policy was adopted in November of 2011 and last revised in March of 2022.

The public comment period on the proposed regulations ended in mid-

September, and the Department of Education is working to take comments into consideration and respond in a written format. According to an article from Inside Higher Ed, the regulations received 235,000 comments. After the comments are taken into consideration, the congressional voting process will begin, which can take up to a year. Once the regulations are codified into law, UMW’s Office of Title IX will make changes to the Prohibited Conduct Policy, which will then be presented to the UMW Board of Visitors for approval.

“I definitely think they are necessary,” Lutz said of the proposed regulations. “They should have come earlier, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

Students pose at homecoming.

@MaryWash / Instagram

Women’s rugby alumni still got it, beat current team 0-54

ELI KEITh Senior Writer

The women’s rugby team took to the pitch for their alumni game this past weekend on Saturday, Oct. 22, the alumni winning 0-54. It was one of many homecoming games over the course of the weekend that celebrated the Eagle community.

The alumni game is a valuable experience for everyone involved. Although the final score can seem surprising, winning the game is not the primary goal for the UMW women, and history has shown that the alumni should usually be favored in the match.

“The alumni matches started in 2005, with Oct. 22 actually being the 17th anniversary of the 2005 match,” said Head Coach Kris Kabza. “The alumni have won every match, with one exception, in 2008 the current team beat the alumni 66-0.”

According to senior business administration major Taylor Newsome, “[the alumni] are trying to help us get better, they’re here to have fun and they always win, so we know going into it it’s going to be a game we get beat.”

Newsome continued, “A lot of them continued playing [after graduation] and went to a higher level than we have here. So the focus is typically on learning from the alumni and the tradition of rugby at the school being shared and passed down from older players.”

Despite the score, those at the game saw a powerful physical contest between players and teams. While many people in this community do not know the complex and subtle rules of rugby, the strength and will required to move the ball across the pitch is evident, as players were yelling, tackling and creating paths for teammates.

Although the match was quite a physical one, Newsome mentioned that her main focus for Saturday, as with many players, was “not to try and overexert myself and get hurt.” Since the alumni game is a good learning experience, Newsome said, “we’ll usually put people in different positions, so it’s just kind of having fun playing around to see what works and what’s not working.”

For sophomore neuroscience major Merna Moussa, the alumni game was her first match.

“We got to practice a little bit on the field and practice on the alumni,” she said. “They were all really sweet and they helped me practice a little bit more before scrumming because I hadn’t done that in a little bit. So it was all really supportive.”

The team-sport status allows players of a wide range of experience levels to practice and form a team together, which creates a lot of diversity in style and strategy that is often not seen in varsity sports.

“I really just wanted to get in the game and try to make it throughout the whole thing because I know it can be a lot ... doing the drills and screaming and getting tackled, it can wear down on you,” said Mousa.

Indeed, rugby is an extremely physical and grueling sport, and spectators were reminded of this when an alumna suffered a leg injury during a play and had to leave the game in an ambulance.

“It’s a physical game—it’s going to happen eventually,” said junior economics and political science major Logan Rowland. “Nobody wanted to hurt her, it was just an accident.”

Despite the injury, many alumni enjoyed returning to the school they played for to compete alongside the current Eagles. 2018 alumna Sydney Casey, cited the energy and experience as her reasons for returning this past weekend.

“When you’re on a pitch and you’re playing with people you used to play with, it instantly comes back,” said Casey. “Your instincts about playing with these people.”

Casey now plays on the women’s Rappahannock Rugby team, but she’ll always have a soft spot for UMW.

“I’m a little bit more mama-ish to the new girls,” she said. “I was playing with the current team and one of the girls didn’t know how to play inside and outside, so I just teaching her how to be like ‘hey, if we have this call, this is how it goes; make sure you follow me and everything like that,’ because they’ve never been in a position like that.”

There is a strong sense of community among the women’s team, which has helped their squad grow and bring in new players who don’t have any previous experience playing rugby.

“Our primary goal is just to try to keep recruiting and to make it an enjoyable experience for all our players,” Kabza said of the program.

“I signed up at club fair,” said freshman pre-med biology major Noelle Stewart. “The team is just really loving and it’s a new experience.”

For this weekend’s game, Stewart said the message was just to “get out there and have a good time, to do your best.”

Many players have individual goals, though, such as Mousa, who is focusing on tackling. Rowland emphasized that the goal is “always just to improve. We have a lot of rookies this year and I’ve been incredibly impressed with how they play and how fast they’ve been picking up the game. ... We want to work better as a team and be more cohesive.”

The Eagles will have several more opportunities to build team chemistry and see individual players improve. They will next be in action this Saturday, Oct. 29 at William and Mary before finishing out their season with two November contests.

Members of the women’s rugby team carry the ball down the field. Photo courtesy of Gwendolyn Wilson

Alumni and current players huddle

Photo courtesy of Ellie Wirick