The Breeze 11.4.21

The Breeze JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922

Miyares wins highest elected office for a JMU alumnus

By JAKE CONLEY The Breeze

In a narrow win over Democratic incumbent candidate Mark Herring, JMU alumnus and Virginia Delegate Jason Miyares has — by unofficial vote counts — taken a victory and will be the next attorney general for Virginia.

Miyares, the Republican candidate, had 50.7% of the vote, and Herring had 49.3%, according to election data from the Associated Press.

Miyares, a 1998 alumnus, has reached the highest position any JMU alumnus or alumna has reached in publicly elected office. His victory statement, posted to Twitter, begins, “For 12 months, we’ve been asking Virginians if they were ready to win again. Today, they answered yes to that question.”

The new attorney general-elect has been serving as the Delegate for Virginia’s 82nd District since 2015; he’s the first Cuban American elected to the House of Delegates in Virginia’s history. In his run for attorney general, he paired a strong-arm legalistic, conservative platform with the appeal of the possibility for Virginia to elect its first Latino attorney general.

He champions moves such as increased funding for Virginia’s police forces, hard crackdowns on crime, advancement of business interests, reduced illegal immigration and election reform. According to Miyares’ campaign website, he looks to “punish criminals and protect victims” and “restore law and order.” Other stances listed include plans to fight human trafficking, protect Virginia’s elderly population and “fight for the next generation.” His platform lies directly opposite Democratic candidate Herring’s, who described his intent to make the office of Virginia attorney general a “progressive powerhouse.”

Miyares’ victory statement mirrors his hard-on-crime public stance. He wrote: “On Day one, we’ll work toward a safe and secure Virginia … Virginia has spoken - we want safe streets, we want our police to be well trained and supported in the community - and we want the rule of law respected.”

Miyares grew up the child of an immigrant mother from Havana, Cuba, who left the South American country to come to the U.S. in 1965. He attended JMU from 1994-98, followed by William & Mary’s law school, where he earned his Juris Doctor. From there, he began a career in law as a prosecutor. On his campaign website, Miyares calls himself someone who’s tired of the “criminal first, victim last” mindset.

Fifty years later in 2015, Miyares was elected to the seat for the 82nd District in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing parts of Virginia Beach, and adding a conservative voice to the Richmond political sphere; he was re-elected in 2017 and 2019. During his time as delegate, Miyares served as a founding member of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Miyares is also the first child of an immigrant to be elected Virginia attorney general. see ALUMNUS IN OFFICE, page 5

NOVEMBER 4, 2021 VOL. 100 NO.12 BREEZEJMU.ORG

YOUNGKIN WINS

Republican ticket comes out on top in Virginia

By ASHLYN CAMPBELL & KAMRYN KOCH The Breeze

After Tuesday’s election, Glenn Youngkin (R) was voted to be the 74th governor of Virginia, winning against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and third-party candidate Princess Blanding (LP).

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3, the Associated Press called the race for Youngkin. The latest update to the unofficial results has Youngkin leading with 50.80% of the votes, McAuliffe with 48.43% and Blanding with 0.69% of the votes, according to the Virginia Department of Elections website.

This closely watched gubernatorial election, largely between career politician McAuliffe and political outsider Youngkin, represents a change in recent Virginia politics. Out of the past 10 gubernatorial elections, seven Democrats have won, and the Republican party hasn’t won the governor’s seat since 2009.

Martin Cohen, professor of political science, said the Virginia election was being examined across the nation because it shows the U.S. how voters are feeling about the performance of the newly elected president and the political parties.

Cohen said that leading up to the election, the poll results between Youngkin and Mcauliffe were very close. While polls aren’t entirely accurate because of difficulties getting in contact with voters, Cohen said that many felt like Youngkin was gaining traction. see GOVERNOR, page 7

CAA to ban JMU from all conference tournament playoffs if university accepts Sun Belt invitation

By SAVANNAH REGER & MADISON HRICIK The Breeze

The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) has voted to ban JMU from participating and hosting conference tournaments should the Dukes accept an invitation to the Sun Belt conference, according to the Richmond TimesDispatch.

JMU was set to host four CAA championships this season, including men’s soccer (Nov. 11-14), women’s basketball (March 9-12), women’s lacrosse and softball.

Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Kevin Warner provided the following statement to The Breeze via text:

“As we head into a potentially monumental week for the future of James Madison University and our intercollegiate athletics program, we were extremely disappointed to be informed by the Colonial Athletic Association that, should the university accept an invitation to another conference, JMU student-athletes would not be allowed to compete for postseason conference team championships and, therefore, for the opportunity to earn NCAA automatic team qualification.

“In an era when the industry of college athletics stresses student-athlete welfare, this decision is completely contrary to those ideals. We were thorough and heartfelt in appealing to the league’s council of presidents,

but that appeal was denied. Eight other Division I conferences have full members that have publicly announced an exit and yet all eight have allowed the student-athletes at those institutions to continue competing for championships. To our knowledge, CAA is alone in this outdated bylaw.

“JMU has striven to be a good partner of the CAA and to treat other institutions as they would want to be treated, but that ideal is not being reciprocated. With our sights set on an important next step on Friday, it’s unfortunate that the CAA made this decision right in the middle of the fall championship season.” see #LETUSPLAYCAA, page 20

BASKETBALL SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE

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Matt Young / The Breeze

Emma Connelly / The Breeze

Civic engagement belongs in JMU's curriculum

Students fight for ASL visibility on campus

Opinion | Students would be more active after elections if civic engagement was prioritized.

JMU's American Sign Language Club immerses itself in the deaf and hard-ofhearing community.

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Diamond in the rough The silent legacy of JMU’s internationally recognized Mineral Museum

By MCKINLEY MIHAILOFF The Breeze

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Within Festival’s Conference and Student Center, there’s a room that holds pieces of minerals from 39 countries and 24 U.S. states — all displayed under glass cases. Some are no bigger than a palm; others stand over onefoot tall with great diversity in appearance.

From shiny to earthy lusters, the display is brimming with variety.

This room is the culmination of decades of work, which has been unveiled in its reopening as the JMU Mineral Museum.

Lance Kearns, the Mineral Museum curator and a retired JMU professor, began the journey of putting together what would become the present-day Mineral Museum almost entirely from scratch.

In 1976, when Lance arrived at JMU, “There was almost nothing to teach with,” his wife, Cindy Kearns, an assistant professor of geology at JMU who also serves as the museum’s interim collection manager, said.

It was then that Lance began the road that would end in JMU’s largest gift ever received — a collection of minerals from Peter Via of Roanoke, Virginia.

Humble beginnings

Steve Leslie, professor and department head of geology and environmental science, said the work involved Lance driving to different states to obtain new specimens, partnering with local mineral clubs to raise money for building cabinets to store the minerals and collecting and trading minerals to grow the collection.

The initial product was a teaching display in Miller Hall, which moved to a new location in Memorial Hall that opened in 2007. The movement of the minerals ended with the current location of the Mineral Museum in Festival, which includes minerals from over five different collections — one of these being Via’s, a $16.8 million collection.

Via’s mineral collection was gifted to JMU through Unleashed: The Campaign for James Madison University. This campaign, the second of its kind, is an eight-year “encapsulated and focused fundraising time,” Kathy Sarver, the director of planned giving at JMU, said.

There are different categories to donate under, but Sarver said the Via mineral collection “almost hits all the buttons,” as it benefits students, staff and the university. Of the mineral collection already curated at JMU, Sarver said adding the Via collection gave it “the icing on the top.”

Prior to its addition to the Mineral Museum, the Via collection was known to minerologists, but it was somewhat of a secret. Lance said the minerals were all held privately in Via’s living room, which was filled with open cabinets of his minerals — some with spotlights on them.

Sarver said about Via and the collection, “When he owned it, it was for his own knowledge and growth and satisfaction.”

Over a period of four to five years, Lance and Cindy struck up a natural friendship with Via, Lance said. Lance called Via “quite a colorful character” and said he and Cindy would stop to chat with Via about minerals.

When recalling the first time they’d seen Via’s collection, Lance and Cindy smiled.

Cindy called the experience “amazing,” saying, “You just didn’t know where to look first.”

Via donated different specimens to the JMU mineral collection over a period of time before making the decision to gift his entire collection to the university. Leslie said the allencompassing end gift was the product of a relationship between Via and the Kearns that “snowballed.”

Via died in 2018 and left his mineral collection for JMU. “It was out of respect for Dr. Lance Kearns that Peter considered the university,” Sarver said. “He does have a stepdaughter and a

step-grandson that attended and graduated from JMU, but it was both Dr. Lance and Cindy Kearns’ reputation and their knowledge and their respect and their love of minerals that really guided Peter toward them.”

The collection’s expedition

Picking up the collection following Via’s passing was yet another step in the journey.

“We had about a 48-hour warning to get down there and get that collection packed up and out of there,” Lance said. “That was quite an excitement.”

The collection needed to be handled properly, which took quick organization and action from everyone involved across different departments. University attorneys for the university along with the administration and finance department were all needed, and the facilities department built the cases where the minerals are now displayed.

Sarver, Cindy and Lance drove to Via’s house and packed the minerals to ensure their safe travel.

“The state police helped escort us back, and then we were in a secret location where it was stored and we had help with the community and storing them,” Sarver said. “Lance and Cindy brought them over one by one, took care of them and inventoried them with the help of a student intern … There are so many people that are involved in it.”

After picking the minerals up, it would still be over a year before anyone saw them, plunging their existence into another period of secrecy. Lance said the collection had to be appraised, so it stayed in hiding.

With the grand reopening of the Mineral Museum, these specimens are now open to be viewed by anyone who visits.

“The nice part about the museum is there’s something really for every level of geological education,” Leslie said.

almost any other setting,” Leslie said.

Cindy envisions the ways that the Mineral Museum can also be utilized by areas of the university outside of STEM, like photography or art classes. Cindy said she sees a partnership with the history department and wants to find ways to incorporate the provenance of the minerals into some history courses. As she said, “There is so much for the future of this.”

Looking beyond JMU, the community component is something Leslie said she takes into account as well.

“It’s also a tremendous outreach piece for the university,” Leslie said. “It is a wonderful place for children to get excited about what’s in the natural world.”

Leslie said the four pillars that made the museum, along with the Via gift, are the partnerships between the faculty members led by Lance; JMU administration; planned giving; and the community. Leslie called it “a wonderful 40-year saga.”

The Via gift, and the mineral collection as a whole, will bring recognition to the university in all areas, Sarver said.

“It shows other donors — the outside world — the trust that people have in the university in following its mission,” Sarver said. “We can be a good place to come and leave your legacy.”

For Lance and Cindy, the mission of the museum is simple: “Come see it and just enjoy,” Cindy said.

CONTACT McKinley Mihailoff at mihailmx@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

Bringing prestige to JMU

Along with adding visibility to JMU’s geology program, Leslie said the museum is a great destination for both casual viewers and those with extensive backgrounds in mineralogy. He also said it can be used for instruction at the university, both in introductory- and upper-level courses.

“Students can see specimens that are of the quality that they’ll see in textbooks or on web pages that they normally don’t get to see in

Via’s collection is worth $16.8 million.

Photos courtesy of Jeff Scovil, Scovil Photography

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NEWS

Alumnus in office Miyares wins attorney general, highest elected office reached by JMU alumni from page 1

Miyares reflects on time at JMU

During his four years at JMU, Miyares earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and came just a couple credits — “maybe three or four” — short of completing a political science minor. JMU is where Miyares got his start in politics, joining the College Republicans and eventually rising to chairman of the organization; he also met two of his senior campaign advisors, Gary Marx and Dave Rexrode, at JMU — Mirayes told The Breeze they’ve been by his side since his political journey started.

“I would not have won,” Miyares said to The Breeze in his first interview after he got the call from Mark Herring conceding the election, “if it wasn’t for those two and the friendships that we built while we were at JMU.” Miyares refers to JMU as “one of the most special places” where he spent “one of the most special four years of [his] life.”

Miyares liked the campus so much, he said, that he lived on campus all four years of his undergraduate career — one, his freshman year, in the Village, and his latter three in Wampler Hall directly on the Quad.

Memories that stick out from his time at

JMU include attending a concert by hip-hop artist Coolio and going to movies in GraftonStovall Theatre with his friends where “they didn’t bother to have ‘Do not talk’ during the movie” because “everyone was just laughing and shouting at the screen.”

How did he end up at JMU? He calls it a “dollars and cents” decision — JMU “gave [him] a little money,” and he said he worked every summer to make sure he graduated with only a small amount of student loans.

He said this experience influenced much of his work in the General Assembly in the interest of collegiate affordability.

He cites several professors, as well as his time working at the now-gone PC Dukes “cleaning out grease pots,” as having taught him many lessons he still carries with him.

JMU gave him the first step into politics through “stuffing envelopes and signs and just basic grassroots politics.” “[I have] a deep, deep love for [the Shenandoah Valley] — it’s a really special place as well, [it] taught me a lot,” Miyares said. “I enjoy every time campaigning around the state and stepping back on campus.”

Juliana McGrath, the current chairwoman of the JMU College Republicans, said seeing a JMU graduate elected to such a high office as attorney general is encouraging for her and her fellow College Republicans. McGrath said the members are all hoping Miyares will visit JMU’s campus.

“It’s huge, seeing the impact that College Republicans can have on someone’s life, just seeing how far his involvement was able to take him,” McGrath said. “It’s just so awesome seeing how stuff works out for people, especially people who are involved [with the College Republicans].”

Mary-Hope Vass, spokesperson and director of communications, provided the following statement in an email to The Breeze about Miyares: “We congratulate JMU graduate, Jason Miyares, on his election as Virginia’s next attorney general. At JMU, we pride ourselves on preparing students to be active, responsible participants in our democracy. It’s always heartening to see our alumni continue their community and civic engagement in the service of the common good.”

Looking forward to the attorney general job

As Miyares moves into his role as attorney general-elect, he told The Breeze his mission is simple: “Your family’s safety will be my mission.” He cites the “criminal first, victim last” mindset he believes to exist in Richmond as a main priority he looks to address; one example, he said, was the passage of a bill to lift mandatory reporting requirements for sexual crimes.

He cites his time as a prosecutor for

inspiring this view. In that role, Miyares said, prosecutors “work alongside victims.”

“You realize, you know, that violent criminals and violent crime really just robbed people of their dignity,” Miyares said. “It’s such a traumatic thing for somebody to go through, and they’re oftentimes suffering the same type of [post-traumatic stress disorder] as a [veteran], except they never signed up even remotely to go to war.”

It’s from this position and these experiences, he says, that he’ll pursue the hard-on-crime mentality Miyares has planted himself on since the beginning of his career — one that began all the way back at JMU in 1994. “[JMU is] a place that has a very, very unique, special place in my heart — it really does, in every way you can imagine,” Miyares said. “I owe a lot of my success in my career to JMU and both the education I received and the friendships I formed.”

If he’s on campus, Miyares said there’s a good chance current students will run into the attorney general-elect as he’s walking around the JMU Bookstore, buying another piece of merchandise for his daughters — something he said they always insist on.

CONTACT Jake Conley at breezeeditor@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

Visualization from The Breeze website

Juliana McGrath

Chairwoman of the JMU College Republicans

Before being elected as attorney general, Miyares has been serving as the delegate for Virginia’s 82nd District since 2015. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

Thursday, November 4, 2021

“It’s huge, seeing the impact that College Republicans can have on someone’s life, just seeing how far his involvement was able to take him.”

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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NEWS

Glenn Youngkin (R) comes out on top as Virginia’s governor from page 1

Matt Young / The Breeze

“It seems that there was an enthusiasm gap, that people noticed that Republicans were more excited than Democrats about this race,” Cohen said.

“That often can be the difference in a state that is not as blue as people thought.”

Cohen said voters in Virginia — and more so the nation — are fairly evenly divided along party lines. In the U.S., 34% of registered voters identify as independents, 33% identify as Democrats and 29% identify as Republicans, according to the Pew Research Center analysis. Cohen said the narrow divide can cause small changes to shift control within the state government.

Carah Ong Whaley, associate director for the Center for Civic Engagement, said the race was looked at so closely because Virginia can be a “trendsetter” for states across the country. She said it can also act as a “thermometer” to gauge what will happen in future elections in the state.

Whaley said she believes there are several factors that contributed to the Republican win. She said Democrats have historically had a lower turnout during off-year elections. She also said that out of the last 12 gubernatorial races, the president’s party has lost the election in 11 of them. Cohen said historically, the party that holds the presidency doesn’t do well in Virginia.

“People, I think, get impatient with the new president,” Cohen said. “The last few presidents have had difficulty starting out in their terms.”

There was increased voter turnout in the Shenandoah Valley among Republican

voters, Whaley said, and Youngkin ran an “admirable” campaign.

“There was a wide variety of factors that led to it being a good environment for Republicans to really mobilize their base, and Mr. Youngkin ran an excellent campaign,” Whaley said. “He outperformed Trump and outperformed expectations.”

After winning, Youngkin gave his remarks, thanking his supporters and family and reaffirming his goals of investing in schools, cutting taxes and increasing funding for law enforcement, among other things, once entering office.

“Together, we will change the trajectory of this,” Youngkin said. “We are going to start that transformation on day one.”

Whaley said other possible reasons for the win are components related to the pandemic, like mandates regarding vaccines and the economy. Cohen said elections during a pandemic would be difficult for incumbents.

“If [the President] is presiding over a time where things are very bleak, then obviously voters are unhappy and they’re sour and will take it out on the incumbent party,” Cohen said. “Until the pandemic is … sparingly under control, it’s going to be hard for parties to stay in power.”

Moving forward, Cohen said, the outcome of this election gives Democrats something to consider when creating policy and messaging for the midterm. Cohen said it’s now up to the Democrats to please the American public with policies if they want to “stem the tide” that’s against the party in power during the first midterm.

“The Democrats’ control of the House and the Senate, especially, are very much

in jeopardy,” Cohen said. “I think if the Democrats don’t figure out how to … do something that positively affects Americans’ lives, then they’re going to get stomped again.”

McAuliffe and current governor Ralph Northam (D) both released statements congratulating Youngkin on his victory on Wednesday.

“While last night we came up short, I am proud that we spent this campaign fighting for the values we so deeply believe in,” McAuliffe said in his statement. “While there will be setbacks along the way, I am confident that the long term path of Virginia is toward inclusion, openness and tolerance for all.”

Cohen encouraged students to get involved in politics, both if they were excited by the results of the election or if they were disappointed by it.

“Elections have consequences, policies will change because of this,” Cohen said.

“If you didn’t participate and you’re upset, then, you know, obviously, that’s easy to fix.”

When it comes to JMU student participation in elections, Whaley said engagement goes beyond voting. She encouraged students to pay attention to issues after election day.

“The election is one day, but policymaking happens all the time,” Whaley said. “It’s really important to participate in those processes — perhaps even more so than just casting a ballot.”

CONTACT Ashlyn Campbell and Kamryn Koch at campbeab@dukes.jmu.edu and kochkr@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

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Nobody behind the wheel Due to bus driver shortages, the Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation (HDPT) is conducting a hiring campaign to encourage people to apply. Sarah Handel / The Breeze

Harrisonburg labor shortage leaves many bus driver positions empty

Thursday, November 4, 2021

By KINGSTON THOMAS The Breeze

A community labor shortage has led to a lack of bus drivers for the Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation (HDPT).

Chris Quinn, president of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham County Chamber of Commerce, said the labor shortage is industry wide and impacts almost every available job.

“No matter what industry you talk to, everyone’s going to tell you they’ve got staffing issues and labor shortage,” Quinn said. “From the restaurants, to insurance, to transportation — everyone’s facing issues, and why they’re facing them is very different as well.”

Quinn said the three main issues the city has faced, specifically the business community, are affordable housing, childcare issues and transportation.

“We’re all trying to figure out whether the solutions and multiple different efforts and solutions will get us through this staffing issue and labor shortage that’s going on,” Quinn said. “There is no silver bullet.”

Mike Parks, director of communications for the city of Harrisonburg, said the labor shortage is a national issue people are experiencing for many reasons. One reason is COVID-19, which he said has made many people concerned about working in a public space. Parks said HDPT has many measures in place to protect drivers, like masks being required on buses, changes to how people get on buses to help encourage social distancing and regular bus cleanings.

To address the issues that JMU students are seeing, Harrisonburg is conducting a hiring campaign, which they’ve started to roll out with videos on their social media pages.

Parks said that in two of the videos, drivers are interviewed about why they enjoy the job and the flexibility it offers

them. One of the drivers in the videos has been with the HDPT for 35 years and another was someone who’s never driven a bus before and just started last year.

Some drivers only drive transit and others only drive school buses, but many do both. In the morning, Parks said a driver may operate a school bus and in the afternoon drive a transit bus at JMU or around the city to get their eight hours per day for full-time work. Parks said many do less than that and that the position is “very flexible” for drivers.

“We pay for your training, we get you through everything you need to get through in order to drive a bus,” Parks said. “We wanna show people who are considering this that it’s an option for a lifelong career or if you have no experience, but [if ] you’re interested and need some part-time funds, it’s something you can do as well.”

Parks also said the city has purchased radio ads, ads on buses and advertising in different markets to attract people who may be interested in this job. Additionally, the city is planning to offer a $1,000 signing

bonus on top of employees’ general starting pay. Currently, Harrisonburg pays $14.92 an hour.

The HDPT is changing its driving routes to lessen the burden on current drivers starting Nov. 8, Parks said. He said the shortage will impact JMU students until open driver positions are filled.

“The changes are focused on being able to bolster the Inner Campus Shuttle (ICS) routes on campus and make sure those always have a driver and make sure those are always running on time,” Parks said. “It will cause some delays for the color routes — which go out to student housing — so you may see a longer wait at your apartment complex for a bus to come, but once you’re on campus, you’re not gonna see any delays impacting those ICS routes.”

Parks said the HDPT has found that ICS buses are ridden by more people and sometimes fill up and prevent others who need a ride from getting on board. He said the current changes will alleviate the problem until the city can hire more drivers. Parks said HDPT is interested in

“When I go to campus and take the ICS bus, it is a struggle. Sometimes, you are just not able to get on the bus, and when you do, you’re packed together like sardines.”

Lauren Fitzpatrick

Sophomore education major

hiring JMU students because the work can fit well into their schedule, and they know the campus well.

“We’re hoping this hiring push will get more people so we can go back to full staff and not have to deal with these issues we’ve been seeing — hopefully very soon,” Parks said.

Freshman communication sciences and disorders major Anna Kelly rides the bus on campus at least once a day and said she’s experienced a fair share of issues with the crowds. Additionally, Kelly said she doesn’t have too many issues with the bus being on time but rather the schedule itself having long waits in between stops.

“It’s super crowded, and you can’t get on,” Kelly said. “Sometimes you have to wait 10 or more minutes for the next one.”

Sophomore education major Lauren Fitzpatrick said she feels like the shortage has more of an impact on the ICS buses.

She said she mostly takes the Red Line and Green Line buses to go off campus,and there aren’t as many people who use those routes.

“When I go to campus and take the ICS bus, it is a struggle,” Fitzpatrick said.

“Sometimes, you are just not able to get on the bus, and when you do, you’re packed together like sardines.”

Fitzgerald said she thinks the driver shortage could be solved by better benefits and by trying to get more people hired, though she also said she doesn’t know too much about it.

“Maybe it doesn’t seem like the most attractive position due to the pay not being so great, so maybe that’s a reason for the shortage,” Fitzgerald said. “I believe that increasing the pay for bus drivers — as I believe they deserve more — will make the position more attractive and help solve the current problem on campus.”

CONTACT Kingston Thomas at thoma2ks@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

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NEWS

What's next for The College Democrats

By MICHAEL STALEY The Breeze

The Republican party saw a sweep statewide in the Virginia election, leaving the College Democrats with no results from their campaigning.

College Democrats worked closely with the William “Bill” Helsley campaign and advocated for the Terry McAuliffe, Hala Ayala and Mark Herring campaigns. All four candidates faced narrow defeats in the election.

Billy McKeon, junior international affairs and President of College Democrats, said that even with the losses in this election, he and his organization will work harder for the next election.

“We’re going to keep a focus on campaigning,” McKeon said. “I think we’re also going to refocus on advocating on issues and educating people on different issues like climate change.”

McKeon said his main focus is to create

the narrative around the issues and make sure students understand what ideas their candidates represent. He said the McAuliffe campaign showed “structural flaws” by slandering Glenn Youngkin, the 74th Virginia governor-elect, instead of showing policies to capture the moderate voters in Virginia.

Adrick Bagdasarian, a senior international affairs major, said the College Democrats won't lose momentum, even with the losses they took Tuesday night. He said he was upset about the election but isn’t going to lose focus on the party and the campaigning he's done this semester.

“One thing that we want to make sure for our members is to not lose focus,” Bagdasarian said.

“We’ve seen voter turnout increase over the past couple of years and we want to keep it that way.”

Only 1/2 mile South of JMU on Main St.

1476 South Main Street.

Lorem Ipsum Harrisonburg, VA 22801

CONTACT Michael Staley at stale2ma@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

All four candidates that the College Democrats worked with lost. Logan Hale / The Breeze

What's next for The College Republicans

By ASHLYN CAMPBELL The Breeze

With the Republican Party comprehensively winning statewide elections, the JMU College Republicans are celebrating.

Juliana McGrath, junior justice studies minor and chairwoman for the College Republicans, said the group was excited to see their hard work pay off, as many members worked on Republican campaigns, including Glenn Youngkin’s (R), the governor-elect.

“We have worked hard this whole semester,” McGrath said. “The first next step is we're gonna have some fun. We're gonna relax.

We're gonna enjoy this moment, and then we can get back to work.”

Abigail Cannella, the first vice chair for the College Republicans and sophomore public policy and administration major, said she hopes that people would recognize that

College Republicans made a difference.

“Hopefully, more people will be more open with their views because I know people are sometimes a little scared to speak their voice,” Cannella said. “I know that the energy is just really good right now, so hopefully, it'll just keep getting better.”

McGrath said it was inspiring to see the Republicans win and use the momentum they have for future elections.

“One of the main goals of the College Republicans is to get candidates elected,” McGrath said. “We can work harder for the next set of canvassing that comes around next fall or for primaries in the spring.”

CONTACT Ashlyn Campbell at campbeab@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Many College Republicans worked on statewide campaigns. Christine Brady / The Breeze

OPINION EDITOR Jacob Carter

10

EMAIL breezeopinion@gmail.com

@TheBreezeOp

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

Engagement paves the road

A "party’s-canceled" dart to possible COVID-19 exposure.

From a soon-to-be 22-year-old.

A “you-had-one-job” dart to Panera for being out of bread.

From someone who had a hankerin’.

A “knows-me-too-well” pat to my mom for sending me a care package.

From a thankful daughter.

A “sitting-by-the-fire” pat to my warm socks.

From someone with perpetually cold feet.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

A “hugging-my-dogfor-warmth” dart to my heating unit for not working as soon as the temperature started to drop.

From someone who has three blankets in their bed.

Editorial Policies The Breeze 1598 S. Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Including civic learning in classroom curriculums would likely increase civic engagement among students. Emma Connelly / The Breeze

Despite a concluded election, civic engagement remains important LUKE PINEDA | contributing writer Recent elections saw some of the highest engagement from young people within the last decade. Virginia’s 2021 General Election for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates members and other local offices have garnered the attention of many within the Commonwealth, and it’s important that we maintain this level of engagement even after the election cycle ends.

According to the Department of Elections, it’s estimated that over 1 million Virginians voted early in Tuesday’s election. The 2020 elections saw a record-setting 159 million voters participate, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. And at JMU, The Breeze reported that JMU’s voting rate in the 2020 General Election was 74.6% — a 20.5% increase from the 2016 General Election, according to a report from Tufts University’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education.

Although the numbers remain high, it’s important that voters, especially students, understand that civic engagement doesn’t stop once a vote is cast. Voters should stay engaged within the realm of politics — locally and nationally — all year round.

It’s easy to disconnect from politics after an election. Voters may simply feel satisfied with voting as a means of civic engagement and decide not to pursue further involvement in their communities. Tufts’ Center for Youth Voting and Civic Engagement found that the national rate of volunteering among youth voters in 2020 was 30.3%.

Even among adult voters, Pew Research Center found that only 53% of those who voted in 2020 participated in varying political activities ranging from volunteering to

demonstrating support on social media.

Contribution is necessary to maintaining a healthy community bound by a commitment to preserve a healthy democratic ecosystem.

Citizens often find themselves engaging in politics once every two years when an election happens, and then decrease their engagement after casting a vote. To limit this trend, JMU offers a great option to stay informed and updated on politics.

The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) is home to a non-partisan approach to political engagement within the JMU community.

Regardless of political affiliation, any student can keep up-to-date with political information through the Center’s podcast, blogs, newsletter and programs, all of which are made available on their website.

The CCE helps direct students to events and resources they have an interest in.

Students can visit the CCE to seek out potential volunteering and learning opportunities based on their liking.

Time commitment plays a major role in the lack of civic engagement from college students. Students may prioritize the balance of coursework, exams, extracurriculars and jobs over all else, so it can be naturally difficult to stay up-to-date on politics and volunteering. Participating in civic engagement is a time commitment, but the payoff helps improve our community and country.

Many of the problems with staying civically engaged exist above students’ control over how and what they learn.

Carah Ong Whaley, the associate director at the CCE, said civic engagement would be bolstered through its inclusion into the educational curriculum.

“Even with all of the speaker series and

lectures, unless it is part of the curriculum with built-in incentives, it is really hard to get people to attend,” Whaley said. “We would like to have more time and resources to focus on working with faculty to incorporate civic learning into the curriculum no matter what the discipline [is].”

With the inclusion of civic learning in classrooms, students would have greater exposure to many of the topics discussed at the CCE without having to seek it out themselves.

Whaley is also concerned with the recent removal of “Tent Talks,” a CCE open forum on the Quad where students were able to learn and discuss current events with each other or civic leaders.

“The Senior Leadership Board recently made a decision that nothing can be on the Quad except for QuadFest, ESPN College GameDay and the lighting of the Christmas Tree,” Whaley said. “I do not know what is going to happen with Tent Talks.”

JMU didn’t respond to a request for a comment on the removal of “Tent Talks” from the Quad.

The recent decision made by the Board showcases another limit to student civic learning. With enough student support, “Tent Talks” could return to providing a space which creates more deliberate, academic dialogue.

We, as students of JMU, have the ability to change many of the limits to civic learning on campus. This may seem daunting, but it’s necessary to change the Harrisonburg community for the better.

The Breeze welcomes and encourages readers to voice their opinions through letters and guest columns. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. Guest columns must be no more than 650 words.

The Breeze reserves the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and if material is libelous, factually inaccurate or unclear.

The Breeze assumes the rights to any published work. Opinions expressed in this page, with the exception of editorials, are not necessarily those of The Breeze or its staff.

Letters and guest columns should be submitted in print or via e-mail and must include name, phone number, major/year if author is a current student (or year of graduation), professional title (if applicable) and place of residence if author is not a JMU student.

CONTACT Luke Pineda at pinedalm@ dukes.jmu.edu. Luke is a junior political science major.

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OPINION

Distribution disruption As supply chains clog, Harrisonburg businesses deserve local support EMMA SELI | contributing writer Small businesses have been hit the hardest and are in need of consumer support. Not only is small-business aid being neglected, but they’re also struggling with skyrocketing prices for normally inexpensive goods. Owners have expressed their concern for the survival of their businesses and livelihoods.

Ben Luther, one of the managers at Broad Porch Coffee Co., explained how the business has been affected by the disruption. While the roaster hasn’t experienced any significant shortages, they’ve been struggling with delays on necessary equipment like their ice machine, which broke a few months ago and led them to order a new one.

“We were waiting on [the new machine] for a solid three or four months before we canceled the order,” he said. It took so long, he said, that they ended up having to buy one from eBay. Praserth Saesow, a manager at Beyond Restaurant & Lounge, said the prices of their ingredients — specifically, beef and

chicken — significantly increased.

“The price of the beef was almost double at one point,” Saesow said.

Saesow said Beyond has been having a difficult time finding employees, which tend to be mostly JMU students. Usually, he said they receive many applications, but this year they only received a handful of applications at the beginning of the semester. With increasing demand in the food industry, Saesow said the business is looking for more people to help out in the kitchen so they can keep up with demand.

While most businesses have faced shortages and delays, some have ended their operations altogether. DBi Services — a company that provides safe solutions to preserve infrastructure and to improve transit operations — announced Oct. 25 that it’d be shutting down its operations due to persisting financial challenges, leaving its workers unemployed in an unstable economy.

DBi states on its website,

“Macroeconomic forces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain disruptions, higher material costs and the labor shortage, coupled with increased financial requirements from sureties and lenders, impeded the Company’s ability to successfully execute and finance its products.”

After over a year of supply chain disruptions, the problem persists. Unfortunately for Harrisonburg, much like the rest of the world, its businesses continue to struggle, regularly dealing with shortages, delays and other financial issues. However, the public can help these businesses by supporting them financially and applying for open positions. The hope is that the economy will bounce back sooner rather than later, but right now, all businesses can do is try their best as the pandemic and its ensuing consequences come to a close.

CONTACT Emma Seli at seliek@dukes.jmu. edu. Emma is a junior writing, rhetoric, and technical communication major.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

COVID-19 has reached most countries, leading to consequences that harm their economies — part of this has been a serious supply chain disruption that’s been hurting both businesses and consumers around the world, even in Harrisonburg.

There’s no denying that Harrisonburg businesses are facing serious financial challenges and a continuing labor shortage. Shopping at and supporting small businesses can help keep them afloat during these troubling times, and there are often many job positions waiting to be filled.

Individuals and local businesses such as Harrisonburg’s’ Broad Porch Coffee Co., a coffee shop and roastery, are waiting weeks — in some cases, months — for basic products. They’re running out of supplies and are unable to operate at their full capacities, forcing them to deal with increasing financial issues.

12

OPINION

Preventative measures JMU’s COVID-19 response provides promising results

ANIYAH MULLIGAN | contributing writer

Students who aren’t vaccinated are required to get tested once a week. Missed tests can result

Thursday, November 4, 2021

in fines and removal from classes. Matt Young / The Breeze

For more than a year, our world has faced an immense number of disturbances fueled by COVID-19, and it’s safe to assume that nearly everyone is ready for normalcy.

Colleges around the U.S. have mandated COVID-19 vaccines for the fall semester, and luckily, COVID-19 cases appear to be declining according to JMU’s COVID-19 dashboard. JMU’s proper handling of this semester’s return to in-person learning is the reason for this.

On May 27, JMU made a rational decision to require proof of vaccination before returning to campus this fall. The University Communications & Marketing department sent out a campus-wide email mandating vaccinations, including accommodations for religious purposes and medical conditions, and enacted an Assumption of Risk waiver.

It can be exceedingly risky to return to campus without being fully vaccinated.

According to the American College Health Association, “COVID-19 vaccinations are the most effective way for institutions of higher education to return to a safe, robust on-campus experience for students in fall semester 2021.”

Tim Miller, vice president for student affairs, has actively communicated with students about the precautions JMU is willing to take to ensure students and faculty are safe on campus. This has included the university requiring students to show proof of their vaccination by July 8 or sign the Assumption of Risk form.

According to JMU’s website, “Students who have not submitted documentation of having received the COVID-19 vaccination (including those who submitted the Student Assumption of Risk waiver) must complete regular screening testing each week.” Students who miss screening tests are subject to fines and can be removed from classes if skipping becomes a habit.

The university’s communication department also emphasized that it’s following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

With constant emails and campus-wide reminders to receive a vaccine and wear a mask in campus buildings, it’s refreshing to see this is a campus that’s guided by

science and puts students’ health first.

On Aug. 25, 2020, JMU implemented a COVID-19 dashboard which allows people to see COVID-19 trends on campus, vaccination percentages among students and faculty and the number of available quarantine facilities.

The dashboard notes that the university began exhibiting immunization data on Aug. 9, 2021, displaying the percentage rates of COVID-19 cases and vaccinations among JMU students and faculty. The dashboard is also updated every Monday by 10 a.m.

At the time of this article’s publication, JMU has a student vaccination rate of 92.3%, which totals 19,305 people. Those who have signed a waiver to exclude themselves from getting the mandated vaccine make up 7.7% of JMU students — 1,605 total. JMU experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases during the first month of the fall 2021 semester despite the majority of students and faculty being vaccinated.

The spike may be associated with the fact that there was, and still is, a substantial number of students on campus who aren’t vaccinated.

The data JMU is reporting reflects that vaccines are leading the community into a substantially healthier direction. With the majority of students now being vaccinated, cases are monumentally lower compared to fall 2020.

The prevalence of vaccination mandates in higher education schools isn’t abnormal.

JMU has an immunization form that’s been mandatory upon entry long before COVID-19 was relevant. The form is generated by the Commonwealth of Virginia Law and requires five immunizations.

JMU has adequately enforced vaccines and the protocols for those who are choosing to opt out of immunization against COVID-19. The university has also shown its willing to adapt as new public health guidance becomes available.

While some students are still reluctant to get the vaccine, JMU should continue to enforce the message that the vaccines are safe and that they work.

CONTACT Aniyah Mulligan at mulligag@dukes.jmu.edu. Aniyah is a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations.

BUSINESS EDITOR Filip De Mott

13

EMAIL breezembr@gmail.com

@BreezeMBR

Early retirement?

IRAs provide students with wealth for future years

In Roth IRAs, small investments can grow into big returns. Matt Young / The Breeze

By FILIP DE MOTT The Madison Business Review

If children can invest in their future, what’s stopping students?

While an individual retirement account (IRA) may sound ludicrous to those in their twenties, older generations have reason to be jealous of people who start saving early. At its core, thinking about retirement sooner means more pay down the road.

From rags to riches

Study now, profit later

But, for those who consider retirement too far of a concern, the Roth IRA comes with some extra incentives for students — namely, early withdrawals.

According to IRA Financial Group, unlike other versions, the Roth offers the most “qualified distribution” options.

For instance, students who are planning to become property owners after graduation can withdraw up to $10,000 when purchasing their first home, completely tax-free.

Other qualified withdrawals allowed under Roth IRAs include free withdrawals after the age of 59-and-a-half, or in case of disability and after the holder’s death. Additionally, though not qualified, money retractions used to finance higher education aren't usually taxed, either.

While some of this may hamper the long-term benefits of investing, the extra money Roths accumulate can provide relief in moments of need — especially for students.

Setting up an IRA doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s easy.

As outlined by NerdWallet, one should begin by deciding on their investment preferences, choosing between a broker or “robo-advisor” — automated companies that make investments for you with a small fee.

A simple internet search will provide countless options.

CONTACT Filip at demottfs@dukes.jmu.edu. Filip De Mott is a senior media arts and design and international affairs double major.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Despite their retiree-focused name, IRAs are available even to minors — as long as they’re earning money. The principle doesn’t change with adulthood.

Students working part-time or in a workstudy program can begin putting savings into their account and allowing the investments to compound with time — something young people are able to build on for decades.

When choosing the type of IRA, budding investors conscious about their financial future should look at Roth IRAs. It’s the ideal option for a few reasons.

According to SmartAsset, based on historic trends, the average annual return for a Roth IRA is between 7%-10%. This means that, if one was to invest $6,000 per year — currently the maximum contribution — after 30 years, they could end up

with over $500,000.

Simply put, this type of savings account allows for the investment of earned income. As this money has already been taxed, the savings can accumulate without the burden of being diminished later. This is unlike most other accounts, in which earned interest “is considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and must be reported,” Investopedia explains.

They’re also different from a typical 401k, which is only offered by one’s employer later in life and comes with less investment options. Instead, the money placed in a Roth account can be used in “stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, CDs, REITs and more,” according to the IRA Financial Group.

It’s a large number of choices for real growth.

Not only do students have decades ahead of them to watch their savings grow, but because of their income, they begin in a lower tax bracket.

This is to their benefit: According to Investopedia, unlike traditional versions of IRAs, Roths are designed to benefit those who’ll achieve higher brackets in coming years — a bachelor’s degree would surely help with that.

CULTURE

EDITORS

Amy Needham & Charlotte Matherly

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EMAIL thebreezeculture@gmail.com

@Breeze_Culture

‘What, like it’s hard?’

JMU alumna pens famous screenplays

By HALEY HUCHLER The Breeze

The 2001 film “Legally Blonde” takes place on two college campuses — first at the fictitious CULA, then at Harvard. But one other university is embedded in the film’s history — JMU.

New beginnings

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Screenwr iter Karen McCullah (’8 8) g r a d u a t e d f ro m J M U w i t h a d e g re e in marketing and a minor in fashion merchandising. After years of working in a variety of different careers such as sales, finance, marketing and public relations, she began writing movie scripts.

“I thought, ‘If I’m a good writer, I should probably write something I want to read, not just brochures on mutual funds,’” McCullah said.

McCullah’s first script to make it to the big screen was the 1999 film “10 Things I Hate About You,” which retells the Shakespeare comedy, “The Taming of the Shrew,” in an

American high school setting.

Then in 2001, McCullah helped write “Legally Blonde,” which was based on an unpublished manuscript. The film remained relatively similar to the original manuscript, but McCullah said she and her writing partner Kirsten Smith adapted it to be more memorable on the big screen.

“The challenge was just making law school seem interesting on screen,” McCullah said.

“We added the friendship with Paulette, the manicurist; we added the Luke Wilson character so we could have a romance; we made the trial a murder trial so it would be a little bit more high stakes.”

Art imitates life

While McCullah may have never attended law school, she was, like Elle Woods, involved in a sorority during her college years. She lived in the Alpha Gamma Delta house on Greek Row for her sophomore, junior and senior years.

Nancy Mammano (’88) was her roommate during the latter two years.

“It was great living in the house … tons of memories from those two years l i v i n g t o g e t h e r,” Mammano said. “It was just a fantastic experience.”

McCullah’s sorority experience was a major influence in some of her scripts, especially “Legally Blonde” and “The House Bunny,” which both heavily focus on the sorority experience. The scene in “Legally Blonde” in which Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) holds a meeting to vote on toilet paper for their sorority house is based on a real experience McCullah had while living in her sorority house at JMU. “The toilet paper that the custodian people were leaving for us was horrible,” Mammano said. “[Karen] believed it was in Wilson Hall, so she made the pledges go look for better toilet paper in some of the administrative buildings.” Pledges are members of a Greek organization who haven’t yet been fully initiated.

Even some of the smallest details in McCullah’s movies — like the decision to make Elle a fashion merchandising major — were intentionally pulled from experiences she gained at JMU. “I had to use that knowledge somehow,” McCullah said. “You might not work in fashion merchandising, but you’ll write a character who’s majoring in it … It all shows up in different ways … Your life is an accumulation of things that eventually end up in your writing.”

In the industry

McCullah (right) and Mammano were roommates in the Alpha Gamma Delta house at JMU. Photos courtesy of Karen McCullah

McCullah’s advice for aspiring screenwriters is to read and learn as much about film as possible — “just read, read, read,” she said.

School of media arts and design (SMAD) professor Joe Loyacano teaches script writing at JMU. In his class, he said he encourages students to do exactly that: Read, read, read.

As Loyacano said, “You need to understand the history of storytelling to be able to tell stories.”

Loyacano is a JMU alumnus (’02) like McCullah. He came back to JMU for

graduate school and finished in 2005, then returned again to teach English before transitioning to teaching SMAD classes.

“Here’s the thing I love about screenwriting — everybody has these stories that no one’s ever heard,” Loyacano said. “I think anybody who’s in the creative arts is collecting pieces of the world, and then eventually there’s some sort of spark that puts them all together.”

When McCullah decided she wanted to pursue screenwriting, she said she spent all of her spare time writing while still doing marketing and public relations work on the side to support herself. She said she was fully committed to teaching herself a new craft.

“I had to teach myself a whole new thing,” McCullah said. “I read every script. I would sit there and time movies [and] write down what happens at each beat.”

Loyacano said he believes how students spend their time outside of class is key to their success in their chosen field.

“Occasionally, I have students that tell me that they don’t watch movies or TV, and I say, ‘What are you doing here? What are you doing in the major?’” Loyacano said. “This is what we do. We live and breathe this stuff.”

It took McCullah 4 1/2 years before she finally sold her first script, “10 Things I Hate About You.” After that, she said, the opportunities started to roll in.

Now, McCullah is working on several different scripts for new movies. Although COVID-19 put some of her projects on pause, she said she’s hopeful about what’s coming next, even if she’s unsure what the future holds. In the screenwriting industr y, she says, “ You never know until s omething ’s ab out to happ en.”

CONTACT Haley Huchler at huchleha@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

15

CULTURE

Homegrown goodness

COVID-19 impacted some businesses, like Ryan’s Fruit Market, positively — owner Patrick Ryan said more people started buying local last year. Photos by Megan Bradshaw / The Breeze

JMU farmers market rebounds as COVID-19 restrictions loosen

By HALEY HUCHLER The Breeze

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, JMU’s farmers market is in full swing. On the patio of The Union, vendors are set up with tables and tents. Students swarm the walkway and stand in line waiting for a variety of treats: baked goods, coffee, flowers and vegetables. After a hiatus due to COVID-19, the JMU farmers market is lively once again.

The crowd is mostly on-campus students — here, they can have a farmers market minutes from their dorms and use their dining dollars to purchase food, drinks and even clothing. It’s a vibrant scene as students and business owners interact with each other.

While vendors can rotate in and out throughout the years, some are dependable stand-ins. Here are some of the vendors that can be found at the JMU farmers market this semester.

Dye Happy

Dye Happy sells tie-dye T-shirts and other accessories, like stickers. The space around the stand is almost always crowded, with students standing in line to purchase a new favorite T-shirt.

For Dan Lambert, founder of Dye Happy, the JMU farmers market is an opportunity to give back to his alma mater.

“I’m particularly excited about being able to share my love for the school with the freshmen,” Lambert said. “This is the perfect embodiment of what JMU is and all that we represent in terms of friendliness [and] compassion — it’s everybody wanting to make a difference locally.”

Lambert and his partner, Cam Raynes, first participated in the JMU farmers market in spring

2021, and Lambert said they’re excited to be back this fall.

“It’s a very welcoming and wholesome experience to see so many local artisans and entrepreneurs all gathering on campus and seeing so much support from the student body itself,” Lambert said.

His Child’s Bakery

Sharon Payne, owner of His Child’s Bakery, has been a part of the farmers market since its first opening. She sells various products, such as baked goods, honey and peanut butter. All products are made by her — a one-woman show operating out of her own kitchen.

Payne returns to the JMU farmers market time and time again for its community feel, she said.

“I like to interact with the students,” Payne said. “I love when the students come back and remember you.”

Wildwood Gardens

While some might gravitate toward sugary treats and iced coffee, Rich McDonough of Wildwood Gardens has found that students enjoy vegetables as well.

“It’s good to bring local produce to students who might get sick of institutional food from the dining hall, and they get to see different kinds of produce and ask the farmers how they grew it,” McDonough said. “It’s just nice to have an open-air market to add some color and life to the campus experience.”

McDonough sells a variety of vegetables grown without chemicals. He said his most popular products at JMU are tomatoes and hot peppers.

He also sells some handmade items, such as recycled guitar picks made out of old credit cards.

Rich McDonough

Owner of Wildwood Gardens

Valentin Prince took over his family’s print business, Prince Gallery, last year. He collects vintage art, sourcing pieces from places such as eBay or antique malls and selling them at local flea and farmers markets.

This is Prince’s first season at the JMU farmers market. He said one type of art in particular is a best seller among JMU students — pictures of cats.

“People go nuts for cats,” Prince said. “I’m trying to find more, as much as I can.”

Sugar & Bean Baking Company

Of all the vendors at the farmers market, the longest line is usually in front of the Sugar & Bean Baking Company cart. Students line up for hot coffee, fruit smoothies and baked goods, such as cookies and muffins.

Sugar & Bean started out by selling exclusively at farmers markets in Harrisonburg and Bridgewater. Now, the company also has a brickand-mortar store in Bridgewater. However, it still continues to make the rounds at the local farmers markets every week. Heather Benin, owner of Sugar & Bean, said she was glad to return to the JMU farmers market this fall.

“We like being here,” Benin said. “We like being outside. We have fun together.”

Ryan’s Fruit Market

Ryan’s Fruit Market has been a staple of the JMU farmers market since 2009. The Ryan family grows and sells a variety of produce, including apples, peaches and cherries. They’re currently the ninth generation to run this family-owned farm.

Though they couldn’t return to the farmers market due to the pandemic last year, Patrick Ryan said COVID-19 impacted the business positively.

“It benefitted actually because more people were trying to buy stuff from farms because grocery stores were running out of stock,” Ryan said.

The Plant House

The Plant House sells a variety of indoor plants.

It also carries a selection of ceramics and pottery from local makers.

Kari Carpenter, owner of The Plant House, runs most of her business from her home. She takes orders online and does lots of “porch pickups,” where buyers can purchase products online and come to her home to pick them up. However, she often brings her business around town for various pop-ups.

“I feel like there’s always good traffic with the students and good interactions,” Carpenter said.

“It seems to be a good, bustling place most of the time.”

DL Shipp Farms

Donna Shipp, owner of DL Shipp Farms, brings a wide range of products to the farmers market — breads, baked goods, artwork, ceramic-potted plants, jellies and jams.

She said she grows the berries for her jams and jellies on her 48-acre farm, and her products have been incredibly popular among farmers market patrons this season. Shipp said she sold 60 jars last week.

“I had to go back in and make some [jam] this weekend,” Shipp said. “I thought I had enough made for the whole season.”

Future of the farmers market

This fall, the farmers market represents a return to normalcy as campus life once again becomes a place where students and Harrisonburg community members can gather. The farmers market presents an opportunity for students to shop locally with their fellow Dukes.

“I just really enjoy being able to be a living breathing example of who goes to JMU and the kind of culture that we try to provide and to get people excited to be a Duke — to bleed purple, so to speak,” Lambert said.

CONTACT Haley Huchler at huchleha@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

“It’s just nice to have an open-air market to add some color and life to the campus experience.”

Prince Gallery

16

PERFORMANCES FOOD GIVEAWAYS ACTIVITIES MOVIE

QUADFEST

05

Thursday, November 4, 2021

NOVEMBER

2 0 2 1

5-7 PM

Free food, yard games, giveaways, activities, cornhole tournament and special performance by JMU Cheer, Dukettes and the Marchiing Royal Dukes.

7-9 PM

It's time to HOMEcomeSING at a JMU a capella outdoor concert.

9 PM

Finish the night off with a movie under the stars. Bring blankets and settle in for the movie Shrek.

CHECK OUT THE FULL SCHEDULE OF HOMECOMING EVENTS

17

CULTURE

Learn the language

JMU ASL Club advocates for American Sign Language education

By SARAH CONNOR The Breeze

CONTACT Sarah Connor at connorse@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

As a deaf student, Tartivita said she appreciates the university’s efforts to provide closed captions in videos. Photos by Matt Young / The Breeze

“Start learning becase there is absolutely no drawback for you to educate yourself and get to communicate with other types of people ...”

Bailey Kramarik ASL Club member

Sliman said learning sign language can help her not only at JMU but in her professional life as well.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Even the most passionate football fans might be surprised to hear that the infamous football huddle began at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the world’s only university that communicates primarily in American Sign Language (ASL).

According to the university’s website, in 1984, Gallaudet’s quarterback, Paul Hubbard, wanted to be able to communicate with his team without his opponents seeing. He had the offense form a tight circle so he could sign to them privately, creating the huddle technique seen across football fields today.

“I mean, everyone knows the football huddle,” sophomore intelligence analysis major Jenna Sliman said. “I think it’s just amazing how much deaf culture is in our own culture.”

Sliman is a member of JMU’s American Sign Language Club, whose members recently went on a field trip to Gallaudet. There, they learned fun facts, visited the “signing Starbucks” — the first ASLcentric Starbucks — and immersed themselves within the deaf and signing community.

“I loved that trip,” junior biology major Victoria Tartivita said. “I really think that the ASL club provides opportunities such as those so that you can really get a feel for the deaf community and really try to understand what it’s like.”

ASL Club is an organization that accepts anyone from the deaf or hearing communities as members regardless of previous experience. Club president and senior communications major Bailey Kramarik says she wants to use her position to teach, share and learn ASL while also understanding the culture and history behind it. She said she’s using her time in the position to focus on educating herself and ASL Club members about the deaf community and its culture.

“It’s important that we kind of amplify their voices and show their videos and use resources from them,” Kramarik said. “In our meetings, we try to do a 50/50 split … Part of it is teaching signs like vocabulary words, and the other part is highlighting deaf voices, teaching deaf culture [and] watching relevant videos and documentaries.”

A typical meeting is an hour long, once a week.

The first half is spent teaching signs, and the second half is focused on applying them through activities and games. Sliman said the past two meetings were centered around deaf culture and educating ASL club members.

ASL is used by 250,000-500,000 of Americans according to “American Sign Language” by Baker-Shenk and Cokely; The Modern Language Association of America reported it to be the thirdmost studied language in U.S. colleges in 2016.

Kramarik suggested hearing individuals learn ASL to bypass potential divides in future encounters.

“I hear people tell me all the time, ‘Oh, I wish I knew ASL; that’s so cool,’” Kramarik said. “Then go; go do it and go learn it. Start learning because there is absolutely no drawback for you to educate

yourself and get to communicate with other types of people, and it could end up making a big impact on their lives.”

Sliman has found that ASL is a skill that can help her beyond JMU and into her professional life.

“I didn’t realize ASL was so much more than just a language,” Sliman said. “I’ve found that learning how to sign has made me more cognizant of what I say and how I say it.”

Currently, ASL Club members are working to establish the language’s role on campus. Kramarik said there’s currently one ASL class taught at JMU — it’s offered as an elective and taught by a hearing, non-native speaker out of a book.

“Can you imagine somebody who has no experience in, maybe, Hispanic culture and maybe read a book or two about Spanish, stand up there and teach a Spanish class?” Kramarik said. “JMU would never do that for any other language, so there’s no reason why they’re doing it for ASL.” JMU’s Director of Communications Mary-Hope Vass didn’t respond to The Breeze’s request for comment on Kramarik’s statement.

Kramarick believes that by offering just a few more ASL classes, the university could make a huge difference.

“I can’t imagine the change they would be able to make — not only in the JMU community, but once we graduate and go all over the country and the world, even,” Kramarik said.

However, JMU does make an effort to help the deaf community in some ways. Tartivita is deaf — she uses cochlear implants and is registered with JMU’s Office of Disability Services (ODS). She said her experiences with ODS have been “phenomenal” and that JMU provides all of the services she needs.

She also said she appreciates how JMU has started to use closed captions on their released videos.

“That helps me out so much more than you could imagine,” Tartivita said. “I may be able to hear, but audio through videos is still really difficult to process and understand, so with captions, it makes it so much easier … It makes me so happy.”

ASL Club encourages students to become part of the organization and learn more about ASL and the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. They’ll continue to celebrate the language and advocate for those within the communities surrounding it, Kramarick said.

ASL has its own grammar, syntax and every other component of a language.

“All around the world, signed languages are not lesser than spoken languages just because they are nonverbal,” Kramarik said. “Unfortunately, JMU hasn’t really made much progress — that’s where we’re at — but that does leave a lot of room for growth in the future and, hopefully, soon.”

18

SPORTS

EDITORS Savannah Reger & Madison Hricik

EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com

@TheBreezeSports

Redshirt freshman midfielder Lexi Vanderlinden fights for the ball against Delaware.

Cambria Lee / The Breeze

Another season ahead

JMU's up-and-down season prepares the Dukes for the CAA tournament

Thursday, November 4, 2021

By JACKSON HEPNER contributing writer

It’s been a roller coaster season for the Dukes.

After a tough nonconference schedule that featured No. 3 U. Va. and No. 13 West Virginia, JMU entered conference play with a record of 3-5-1. Now with the regular season over, the Dukes are 8-8-1 — 6-3 in the CAA — and are the No. 3 seed in the CAA tournament.

After such an up-and-down season, how are the Dukes feeling entering the conference tournament? If the words of redshirt senior forward Hannah Couling from when the Dukes were just 2-2 in CAA play are still true today: The Dukes are feeling pretty confident.

“With the CAA, you can’t underestimate anyone,” Couling said. “There are some good teams in the conference, and they all play a little bit differently … But at the same time, I think we’ve learned … We’re good enough to play all of these teams and good enough to beat a lot of these teams.”

In JMU’s first CAA game against Drexel, its lack of scoring didn’t seem to matter, thanks to redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Alexandra Blom’s performance. In a game where JMU shot 16 times with only one — a 76’ goal from Couling — going in, Blom orchestrated her second-straight shutout to help her team hang on for a 1-0 win and a 1-0 start in conference play.

Blom echoed Couling’s sentiment: “We’re a very good team, and we are getting our chances and we just have to finish them …

We know we’re a good enough soccer team.”

When asked about her individual play as of late — where she gave up an average of only 1.75 goals per game and had a save

percentage of 78.6% — Blom gave the credit to her team. As she said, “I’m saving their mistakes, and they’re saving my mistakes, so we’re a good fit together.”

In their second game, the Dukes once again found a rhythm in the first half against No. 11 Hofstra. A 35’ goal from graduate forward Aïmy Diop put JMU up 1-0 at halftime, with Blom again holding strong in goal.

However, the Dukes’ offense failed to muster enough quality shots in the second half, just as Hofstra’s offense started to heat up. The Pride outshot the Dukes 10-4 in the second half, with two of those shots going in to give JMU a 2-1 loss.

“I think we’ve put in good performances, but we just haven’t gotten the win, and one of the big things that we have been saying after the games is that we haven't really been able to take our chances,” redshirt senior midfielder Ebony Wiseman said. “The backs have been doing their job and keeping the goals out, and sometimes, [the forwards] can’t get the goals in.”

This was evident in JMU’s third conference game against Northeastern. After a goal at 34’

by Northeastern sophomore forward Rose Kaefer, the Dukes responded with eight shots in the second half. Northeastern had zero shots, but junior goalkeeper Angeline Friel made six saves to prevent a Dukes comeback.

JMU lost 1-0.

“The first half of CAA [was] definitely a learning curve,” Coulling said, “but also a bit of a confidence booster.”

After a scoreless first half against Towson, the second half saw both teams combine for three goals in four minutes; it was Wiseman and redshirt senior forward Ginger Deel who managed to score. The two goals proved to be enough, and JMU won 2-1.

Following Towson, UNCW was just one of JMU's few long-time conference rivals it faced in the final stretch of the season, including Elon and Delaware — but Couling said she wasn’t worried.

“In any situation you’d ask me this, I would just say our next game,” Couling said. “For me, it doesn’t really matter who the opponent is; everyone is gonna be good, and everyone is gonna circle our name on our schedule — that’s just how JMU is.”

Unfortunately for the Dukes, UNCW proved to be too tough of a matchup, as JMU fell 3-1 against the Hawks. Missed opportunities from the offense coupled with an off night for Blom, which led to the Dukes ending the game with one save, 13 shots and a single goal that came from senior midfielder Iris Rabot while already down three — with less than 13 minutes left in the contest.

However, after that loss, JMU had a fourgame win streak. The Dukes started with a 3-2 win over the College of Charleston, where the offense scored three goals on 12 shots. Following that was a 1-0 overtime win against William & Mary — carried by the team’s defense rather than offense.

Suddenly, the Dukes were 4-3 in the CAA and had accumulated 12 points, tied with third-place Northeastern. Every part of the team was performing when it mattered most, and the Dukes were in control of their destiny ahead of a matchup with the CAA’s fifthranked Elon. Instead of simply fighting to stay in the playoff picture, JMU was threatening to take the conference’s third-place spot.

“I’m very confident,” Wiseman said. “We play a lot different than what’s ever been at JMU ... Everyone’s feeling very confident within themselves, within the team … if we play like we did … Hopefully, we can go out

and win the tournament.”

JMU continued its dominant performance against Elon, clinching its postseason berth.

Two first half goals put Elon down 2-0 early.

The halftime score stood thanks to a stifling defensive performance from JMU, allowing only seven shots all game. With that, the Dukes were heading into its regular-season finale riding three straight wins.

“We are really peaking at the right time and excited to head down to the CAA tournament again,” head coach Joshua Walters Sr. said postgame after facing Elon.

Rounding out the regular season against Delaware, JMU put on an offensive performance that featured a goal from redshirt freshman midfielder Lexi Vanderlinden and Deel to defeat the Blue Hens 2-1 — clinching the tournament’s No. 3 seed. On a four-game win streak and a semifinal tournament ahead of them, the Dukes are preparing for a rematch against No. 2 seed Hofstra.

Couling describes an environment on and off the field that focuses on taking a long season “one day at a time,” and always asks, “What are we gonna do to make ourselves better?”

“I’m very confident,” Blom said. “I believe in every single person on this team … We just have to put the work into it and bring the energy, and we’ll be just fine.”

Madison Hricik contributed to this report.

CONTACT Jackson Hepner at hephnejt@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more soccer coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @ TheBreezeSports.

19

SPORTS

Grow together

By MADISON HRICIK The Breeze

JMU basketball uses team and coach relationships as an asset ahead of new season

is clear — both are there for their team no matter the time or situation.

“I never want to be the coach that just hears reports from my assistant coaches because what matters to me in recruiting is that it becomes my responsibility to know what’s going on with them for the next four years,” O’Regan said. “If I don’t, I feel like I’m not doing my job, [and] it means a lot to me that they say that.”

Because Byington is a newer coach to JMU basketball than O’Regan, his team had to buy into a new philosophy rather than learn an existing one. In this case, it’s about putting the players first and focusing on the team as a whole and not one individual unit, Byington said. Basketball requires the entire team to make adjustments from offense to defense in a split second — a factor Byington works on with his team.

“I try to be honest with them and show them that I care; that way, it’s easier for me to be harder on them when I need to,” Byington said.

Byington and the men’s team have high expectations for the season after the zero-tohero turnaround last season. Picked fourth in the CAA preseason polls, the Dukes are maintaining an underdog mentality but still said they feel the reliance on each other to become a cohesive unit.

A difficulty the men’s team has dealt with over the last few seasons was the abnormally large number of transfers joining the Dukes’ roster. However JMU said that hasn’t been an issue, and the togetherness of Byington’s philosophy has helped gel the Dukes together throughout the offseason and into the season, now only days away.

“This is a players-first program,” Byington said. “We pull out all the spots for our players, whether it’s call or text, coming by the office.

We try to show that we put them first, and I always want what’s best for them … and be genuine in that.”

Can fans see this chemistry off the court now? The short answer is yes, and fans can look no further than social media. Both the men’s and women’s programs posted clips of the team interacting with each other — boasting the chemistry as the friendship radiates off the screen.

An example demonstrating this is a video of

Jefferson and the team cheering on O’Regan during a strength and conditioning practice — where O’Regan does pull-ups in a polo shirt and khakis. The men’s team produced a mini series over the summer creating friendly team competition with different JMU sports, reenacting big moments. One video went viral, getting over 16,000 views and congratulating the JMU softball team on its Women’s College World Series berth.

Preparations for the season begin in August for both programs and run straight through October before competition kicks off a month later. During that time, players are not only improving themselves on the court but also growing as a unit to become more cohesive.

“We’ve definitely benefited with COVID subsiding a little bit,” McDaniel said. “Last year, we were so restricted and couldn’t do a lot of stuff together — when bonding off the court is just as important as playing on the court.”

Now that the season is days away, the Dukes’ chemistry is supported by the previous weeks of preparation. Neither team could be in the locker room together last season and were split into two rooms.

Byington and O’Regan had a pregame or postgame speech twice, and both agreed it’s a part of last season they’re ready to forget.

Having a sense of normalcy back in the basketball programs not only relieves some stress of COVID-19, but it feeds into the culture both head coaches strive to create. “[Byington] has always strived for a good relationship with us,” Morse said. “He’s invited us over to his [house] and we’ll watch NBA games together, and it’s something we didn’t get to do last year that’s really helped us.”

Whether it’s screaming “Start Wearing Purple” during the pregame or sharing the emotions of the game, the Dukes said they’re ready to show fans their bond and feel the energy of the crowd again.

“It’s an exciting time of year,” Byington said. “I think we’re going to be one team in November and another team in January and have a chance to grow and learn together.”

CONTACT Madison Hricik at breezesports@

gmail.com. For more basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Listening down on the court during practice at the Atlantic Union Bank Center (AUBC), JMU men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington works his team through drills — shouting out cues and plays as a practice scrimmage begins in preparation for the regular season. Two hours later, JMU women’s basketball head coach Sean O’Regan observes his team during warmups and mini-drills, cheering the Dukes on and correcting their errors.

There’s one continual concept with both teams — the trust between the coaches and their players.

To the players, their head coach is their mentor and leader. While junior guard Kiki Jefferson and redshirt junior guard Vado Morse are considered the “faces of JMU basketball,” O’Regan and Byington are the ones both players feel a connection to.

“That’s my guy,” Jefferson said. “I talk to my friends on other teams, and they said they go to their assistant coach or trainers, [but] I know I can say I go to my head coach.”

There’s no specific coaching style for JMU because there’s the ideal of coaching to an individual rather than one way for the entire team. For O’Regan, he said he chose this because the different personalities on the team require a different approach.

“It’s about the presentation and what they need,” O’Regan said. “But all that is is relationships, and watching their reactions … and being flexible as a coach is just as important as being flexible as a player, so I try to lead by example in that.”

The women’s team radiates positive energy during both practice and competition. A simple glance at Jefferson’s energy during an 8-0 scoring run alone describes how excited the Dukes can get. She jumps, yells and highfives her teammates — echoing off the AUBC walls and back — and as the referee blows the whistle for a timeout, it only grows louder.

Sophomore forward Claire Neff has a similar personality to Jefferson, often being described as a “ball of energy.” She said O’Regan and the coaching staff often refer to her “faith over fear” tattoo as a means of

encouragement — a sentiment O’Regan said helps guide his coaching specifically to her.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with Coach O.,” Neff said. “Everyday I see him every morning, and he calls me ‘his sunshine’ … So this tattoo reminds me to take life one step at a time.”

While fans may not remember last season’s difference in chemistry, O’Regan said this season has a stronger mesh — and it’s something he said is very much needed.

“I don’t think anything we’re doing now is going to be harder than last year,” O’Regan said. “Having to coach in a mask and have separate locker rooms ... We had a rough time with that last season.”

O’Regan has been a member of JMU Athletics since he was a student manager and rose through the rankings into the head coach position. During that time, he said he’s learned about the different coaching styles, and he credits his perspective to knowing his team and how each individual responds during practice. Saying he never wants to “only be a head coach to them,” O’Regan wants his team to understand that his role as a coach is to be a mentor both on and off the court.

“He’s really bought into the development of the players,” sophomore guard Peyton McDaniel said. “For him, it’s not a system where we have to adjust to him, but when he brings players in, it’s about adjusting to us.

This is our team — and not just my team, like a collective unit.”

The process starts by understanding the athlete as a person then coaching them to how they react, O’Regan described. However, the most important aspect to this, O’Regan said, is the “open-door policy” he has with his athletes. He said he believes that regardless of how practice or a game went for the Dukes, he’s always available to talk about whatever his athletes need.

“I can go to him about anything — school, a pair of shoes, an outfit — literally anything,” Jefferson said. “When in doubt, he’s behind me 110%. He always has our backs and all of us can turn to Coach O.” This isn’t the first time an “open-door policy” has been described by a JMU head coach — it’s a concept Byington has for his athletes as well. While Byington and O’Regan have different coaching styles, their message

Trevor Cockburn / The Breeze

20

SPORTS

“#LetUsPlayCAA” CAA to ban JMU from postseason conference play From page 1

During the CAA Women’s Basketball Media Day on Oct. 27, CAA commissioner Joe D’Antonio declined to comment on what would happen to conference championships if JMU were to announce it’s changing conferences.

“That is a matter that will need to be taken and discussed by our presidents, chancellors and athletic directors,” D’Antonio said in a statement.

“If and when we are faced with that situation, I will make a decision according to the situation presented to us.”

Women’s soccer and field hockey are slated to compete in the CAA tournament Thursday and Friday, and Warner said the Dukes can compete until JMU puts in its notice to leave the conference.

JMU Athletics Director Jeff Bourne and the department are expected to present their conference realignment proposal to the Virginia General Assembly Intercollegiate Athletics Review Commission before formally accepting an invitation from the Sun Belt.

The Dukes can still compete in NCAA tournaments if JMU receives an at-large bid to its respective tournaments. The Dukes can also win individual titles for cross country, swim & dive and track & field but can’t win team championships.

JMU’s winter and spring schedules haven’t changed due to the CAA’s decision at this time.

“At this moment, we don’t anticipate changes to schedules … But things can change at any moment,” Warner said on a phone call with The Breeze. “We don’t anticipate schedule changes, just the ability to compete in the postseason tournament.”

The student-athletes were informed of the CAA’s decision in a meeting Wednesday evening.

Multiple Dukes have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the news, including football’s redshirt senior punter Harry O’Kelly and baseball’s redshirt sophomore outfield/ pitcher Chase DeLauter.

“Embarrassing. JMU has the strongest student-athletes I’ve ever met and for the CAA to not let us compete is not only embarrassing but

Fiery field hockey Madison Hricik / The Breeze

Thursday, November 4, 2021

By COURTNEY RYDER The Breeze

Junior midfielder Emily Harrison was a force to be reckoned with on the field for JMU field hockey this season. Harrison scored three goals and put up a .750 shots-on-goal percentage — one of the highest percentages on the team.

“My job is to go after the ball,” Harrison said.

“I think a lot of it comes from the style of play that my teammates help support me with and just the grittiness of JMU field hockey. I think that’s within all of us.”

JMU claimed its second consecutive regular season title this year after going undefeated in conference play and finishing 11-6. On top of winning the regular season title, the Dukes claimed the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CAA Field Hockey Championship tournament in Newark, Delaware.

“I feel like we’ve had moments of brilliance,” head coach Christy Morgan said. “Every time we play the game, we want to get better — we’ve been doing that, [and] we’re at a really good space right now.”

JMU’s success this season was a team effort, Morgan and multiple players said. The team racked up a combined 48 goals and were only shut out three times while holding their opponents to a combined 25 goals. Harrison said the team grew closer on and off the field this season, which she said helped them win games during the season and will hopefully lead to continued success in the CAA championship.

“We’ve grown in our confidence throughout the entire season,” Harrison said. “There’s just that element of trust behind that — knowing that we can win the championship and we all have each other’s back.”

On top of her goals scored, Harrison had four assists and played 856 minutes. Morgan said Harrison is a player she can rely on to be consistent and efficient every time she steps on the field — regardless of whether it’s at practice or in a game.

“She creates greatness out of craziness,” Morgan said. “She’s good on the defensive end with pressing, she’s good on the attacking end with finishing. She has a broad spectrum of skills, and we’re just excited that she’s a part of

a disservice to the quality of the championship,” women’s golf redshirt junior Kate Owens said on Twitter. “If you are going to win, win against the best the conference has to offer, no matter the school.”

Women’s golf competed in the fall; however, its conference competition isn’t until the spring season. The Dukes won the 2021 CAA championship for the first time since 2013.

“Absolutely heartbroken telling our team the #CAA [commissioner] @joeyd812 [Joe D’Antonio] won’t let us compete for a championship,” JMU volleyball head coach Lauren Steinbrecher said.

“These women deserve better!”

Volleyball is currently tied for first place in the CAA with Towson — which the Dukes are expected to play this weekend at home.

Women’s tennis redshirt senior Amanda Nord quote tweeted a statement by women’s soccer redshirt sophomore midfielder Ellie Johnson shared on Twitter.

“16 years and this is how it ends. No conference championship to compete in because of you @ CAASports. Enjoy the backlash, you deserve it.”

Breeze file photo

JMU softball catcher redshirt sophomore Madison Storey — member of the Women’s College World Series team — also shared her frustrations on Twitter, with JMU expected to win its third consecutive CAA championship before COVID-19 cut its run short in 2020.

“After going to the World Series and wearing the CAA logo with pride I’m sad to see that this is how it ends,” Storey said.

Former JMU football starting quarterback and Dallas Cowboys player Ben DiNucci shared his thoughts on the CAA’s decision on Twitter.

“Can’t be serious about that right? Don’t punish the athletes?!” DiNucci said.

The Breeze will update information as the situation continues to develop.

For a continually updating version of this story, go to breezejmu.org CONTACT Madison Hricik and Savannah Reger at breezesports@dukes.jmu.edu. For more sports coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

Emily Harrison brings speed and consistency to the Dukes this unit.”

Those who watch a JMU field hockey game will likely notice Harrison’s speed and presence all over the turf, moving from point A to point B and pressuring opponents. Harrison uses her whole body when pressuring opponents and defending the ball, often lunging and throwing her body around in an attempt to block a pass or shot. “[My main goal is] fulfilling my role and doing my responsibilities because I’m in the front of the field, people fall back behind me, so if I’m doing what I need to be doing then people can adjust accordingly,” Harrison said. “That’s kind of my mentality every game.”

Morgan said Harrison’s speed is one of her main contributions to the team. She also said Harrison’s mental toughness has grown, which has helped her become a better player.

“She contributes with her speed … She uses her athleticism to be a great field hockey player,” Morgan said. “She’s one of the many [consistent players] that I think has really risen to the occasion — [she] loves to play

high-performance hockey, and she’s become a high-performance player.”

Harrison started playing field hockey around 7 years old at her local YMCA with a group of friends and fell in love with the sport. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Harrison accumulated many awards and recognitions, including being a two-time Kentucky Select First Team member and alldistrict tournament member in high school.

Harrison said it hit close to home when the Dukes played Louisville on Oct. 24.

“It definitely fired me up,” Harrison said.

“It kind of gets back to that rivalry feeling. I played some of those girls in high school, so it made me kind of feel like I was almost in high school again.”

Finish the story at breezejmu.org

CONTACT Courtney Ryder at ryderce@dukes. jmu.edu. For more field hockey coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

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Savannah Reger Sports Editor

Madison Hricik Sports Editor

Amy Needham Culture Editor

Editor’s record

37-17

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Campbell vs. JMU

JMU

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William & Mary vs. Delaware

William & Mary

NDSU vs. SDSU

Grant Johnson Copy Editor

Jillian Carey Executive Editor

Jake Conley Editor-in-Chief

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Montana State vs. E Washington

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South Alabama vs. Troy

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Auburn vs. Texas A&M

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Christine Brady / The Breeze

JMU’s next step in conference realignment JMU to go to Virginia General Assembly on Friday to work toward finalizing move to the Sun Belt Conference

By SPORTS DESK The Breeze

CONTACT the sports desk at breezesports@gmail.com. For more sports coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

On Friday, the JMU Board of Visitors (BoV) unanimously approved to move JMU Athletics from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision and join the Sun Belt conference. The emergency meeting began and “was immediately voted into closed session to discuss ‘contract terms and other legal matters related to athletics,’ motioned by Vice Rector Deborah Tompkins Johnson,” as reported by The Breeze.

This was the first step in the process for JMU Athletics to change conferences in the realignment process. On Nov. 5, JMU will meet with the Virginia General Assembly and look for full approval by the Assembly’s Intercollegiate Athletics Review Commission (VGAIARC) before finalizing and accepting a potential invitation.

The VGAIARC is an advisory commission

in the legislative branch. The purpose of the commission is to review the plan and finances of the BoV of any public high institution in Virginia, when either adding a major athletics program or changing the division level of any of existing programs.

JMU must get approval from the VGAIARC before accepting or publicly announcing a move to the Sun Belt Conference.

Southern Mississippi, Old Dominion and Marshall are the three other teams to join the Sun Belt in this phase of realignment, all three leaving Conference USA to transition. This current wave of realignment began with Texas and Oklahoma announcing they were leaving the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the effect now reaches JMU. The Breeze will update information as the situation continues to develop.

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ACROSS 1 Kid around with 5 Wind with two reeds 9 Young fellow, in Ireland 14 Square footage, say 15 Mama’s mate 16 Rapper Ice Cube’s first name 17 *Trendy terms 19 Cardinals and Orioles 20 Runs in, cop-style 22 Ready for picking 23 Passage in a personal journal 26 Runs at full speed 28 College courtyard 29 Guerrilla Guevara 32 Curtain holders 33 Cities, informally 34 “(Marie’s the Name) __ Latest Flame”: Elvis hit 35 Dutch beer brand 38 Silent communication syst.

39 Vacillates ... or what you can do when you look at the starts of the answers to starred clues?

41 Mine find 42 Eyed lecherously 44 Rose of Guns N’ Roses 45 Not kosher 46 Elevated on a peg, as a golf ball 47 Hoped-for response to a marriage proposal 48 Splinter group 49 Mongoose family member 52 Needing practice 53 Luxury hotel 54 Ketchup-andmayo dressing 58 Title film cousin 60 *Popular cause to jump on 64 Formal “Just me” 65 Lake with the same first and last letter 66 Long skirt

www.breezejmu.org/ site/crossword_ answers/

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

29 Cracker cheese 30 Rush, old-style 31 Op-ed piece, e.g.

36 Upright 37 Southpaw 39 Search for 40 Chopping tool 43 Get the rest of the soap out of 45 Tidal wave cousin 49 Theater feature 50 Radiates

11/1/21

51 Potato or yam 52 Uncooked 55 __ Lee: dessert brand 56 Sulky state 57 “Good thinking!” thought 59 Yang’s partner 61 Wander (about) 62 Kitchen tool brand 63 Naught

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MADISON MARKETPLACE

Madison Marketplace is open for business, and all text-only listings are FREE! Post job listings, announcements, rentals and more using our online placement tool.

Ads run two weeks online and in two print editions.

SERVICES

Eastern Mennonite School is looking for host families for one semester

Eastern Mennonite School is looking for one or two families to host two of our international students from South Korea. Both students are female, one is a senior and one is a freshman in high school. They are currently both in a home together. The family they are staying with is expecting their first baby in January! We want this couple to be able to focus on being parents of a newborn (and it’s an EMS policy not to place high school students in a home with very young children). This need will be from January until school ends in early June. Host families get a monthly stipend. Being a host family is a great way to experience cultural exchange and welcome an international student into your home. It is also a great opportunity to develop lifelong friendships and connections, as well as representing your community internationally. Some of the host family responsibilities are to provide a bed/bedroom, meals and transportation to and from school and extracurricular activities as needed. ozcane@easternmennonite.org

JOBS

Graphic Designer Wanted The Breeze, JMU’s award-winning student media organization, seeks a student graphic designer for print and online advertising. Job requirements include creating ads for clients, collaboration with Advertising Coordinator, page layout and design. Must be deadline oriented. Knowledge of Adobe software and previous design experience. EOE. Apply at JMU Job Link https://joblink.jmu.edu/postings/6587

Part-Time Job Opportunity - Travel Specialist Do you want a fun part-time customer service position that allows you to interact with patrons visiting the Hardesty-Higgins House Visitor Center and local area? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s Tourism Department’s Travel Specialist position may be the right job for you! Find out more/apply online at: https://www.harrisonburgva. gov/employment. EOE.

House Cleaning

Elderly couple in Penn Laird (15 min drive/6 miles from campus) seeking a capable and trustworthy college student for house cleaning. Good pay! Make your own hours. Call 540-289-6181 leave message or email spalrose@gmail.com

Career Opportunity - Engineering Trainee

Do you want to utilize your engineering knowledge/skills to make a difference in the local community and enhance the quality of life for citizens? If so, the City of Harrisonburg Public Works Department’s Engineering Trainee may be the right career opportunity for you! Find out more/apply online at: https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/ employment. EOE.

City of Harrisonburg Custodian Senior Career Opportunity

Do you want a job with the City of Harrisonburg that helps project a friendly image to our citizens, employees and others? If so, the Custodian Senior position may be the right opportunity for you! Find out more/apply online at: https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/ employment. EOE.

Tutor needed

Precalculus tutor needed 5406888035

HOUSING

House for rent. Students welcome Available 7/1/22 on W Water St. Large 4bed 2 full bath. Hardwood floors. Large kitchen & living area.

Washer/dryer/dishwasher. Large fenced yard for pets w no pet fees or deposit. Off street parking. Lots of character with tall windows for natural lighting. Front porch and back deck. Landlord references available. $1860/month. Utilities not included.

Hiring immediately for Product Demonstrators who will promote, share samples and information about products to members.

Hiring Part Time Product Demonstrators What You Do: • Interact with customers and management • Prepare and demonstrate food and non-food vendor products • Generate brand awareness and positive product impressions. We Offer: • Immediate, part time positions • Flexible hours • Sales incentives • ADP PayActiv $12.65/HR Apply (https:// careers.advanta…/job/?req_id=2021388681)

For more information, qualifications, and to apply, please go to https://joblink.jmu.edu/postings/9864 or visit joblink.jmu.edu and reference posting number “J1803.”

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Post your ad at BreezeJMU.org/classifieds

The JMU Athletics Communications Department is looking for a student to assist with photographing intercollegiate sports during the 2021-2022 school year. Students must be degree-seeking students, enrolled on at least a half-time basis (6 credits for undergraduate and 5 credits for graduate), and be willing to work nights and weekends.

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