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Two students travelled abroad this summer to foster tolerance in the Islamic world.
Tribe falters down the stretch after excellent first half, loses 24-17 to WVU in Morgantown.
Serving in Morocco
Vol. 103, Iss. 3 | Tuesday, September 3, 2013
FACILITIES
From ecstasy to agony
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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Faculty
New charges, system at Rec Swipe-in system installed bY Veronique Barbour Flat hat Assoc. news Editor
When walking into the College of William and Mary’s Student Recreation Center, one might notice some changes. The swipe-in machines no longer accept key codes or finger prints. The Rec staff is stopping some students before they enter, and a few of the swipe-in machines have pink “out-of-order” signs. Currently, the Rec is undergoing a system update as well as a policy change that Director of Campus Recreation Linda Knight believes will benefit the facility as a whole. “We have a new software system that will allow us to do a much better job of controlling who comes into the facility and who doesn’t,” Knight said. “It also allows us to do a much better job of assessments, so we know that we are meeting the needs of our students, faculty and staff.” Within the new system, the Rec will be able to distinguish between full-time students, parttime students and faculty members. The Rec now charges part-time students the same recreation fee previously charged only to full-time students. “As a full-time student you have to pay a recreational fee, but as a part-time student you did not, and we felt that was unfair. So part-time students are being charged the recreation fee, just like a full-time student is being charged,” Knight said. “Part-time students do not have to pay the fee if they do not want to enter in and use the facility, but full-time students don’t have that option.” Improvements that Knight predicts the Rec Center will make include an online sign-up system for fitness classes and intramural sports. Also, with increased funds, the Rec is looking to purchase new fitness machines. “Any money that we get in from this [the new fees] will go back into the facility to benefit the students,” Knight said. The new software capabilities also include tracking who uses the facility and the times,
Former Rector Jeffrey
Trammell calls for partner benefits percent of faculty and staff at Virginia public colleges and universities are gay or lesbian. — Trammell said in a June 26 email to college leaders
Every month, Hispanic studies professor George Greenia takes over $900 from his after-taxes paycheck to pay for his partner’s health insurance, an insurance plan that lacks dental and vision care. His partner, Tom Wood ’73, stopped working as a primary clinician seven years ago to take care of his ailing mother. Wood lost his personal health insurance but cannot be covered under Greenia’s insurance at the College of William and Mary. As a public university, the College uses Virginia’s state health plan, which doesn’t extend coverage to domestic partners. The lack of benefits has sparked concerns among higher education leaders, especially for the former Rector of the Board of Visitors Jeffrey Trammell ’73, the first openly gay rector at the College and the state. Earlier this summer, Trammell sent a letter to Virginia Tech’s President Dr. Charles Steger, following up on an April meeting of college presidents and rectors during which the pair discussed domestic partner health benefits. According to Trammell, Virginia colleges and universities are losing their competitive edge. “The best business practice, the best way to run the university today, is to extend same-sex health benefits,” Trammell said. Benefits offered by private companies and in other states often lure talented faculty members to leave Virginia schools because of their lack of same-sex health benefits Trammell said. The Human Rights Campaign, which
See REC page 3
Student Assembly
BY Katherine chiglinsky // flat hat editor-in-chief
tracks health benefits for domestic partners, reported that 62 percent of Fortune 500 companies offer health benefits to same-sex partners. “The faculty members take valuable skills and research money with them,” Trammell said. Greenia explained that close proximity to family members combined with a commitment to the College has kept him at the College, despite the lack of benefits. “It’s an antique virtue, but there’s institutional loyalty. I love William and Mary ... I’m committed to the institution and its people even though it’s costing me money,” Greenia said. Then, this summer, the Supreme Court ruled same-sex couples could receive the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples in the thirteen states and the District of Columbia where their marriages are now recognized. Following the ruling, Trammell sent an email to Virginia’s college presidents and rectors, further emphasizing the need to address the issue of domestic partner health benefits. “We must face the reality that today’s Supreme Court rulings add a substantial incentive for our gay and lesbian faculty and staff to leave the Commonwealth’s public universities and colleges,” Trammell See HEALTH BENEFITS page 2
SA, Koontz discuss aspirations, plans for 2013-14 academic year Newly appointed Assistant Director of Student Leadership Development for Programming Frederick begins role bY Claire Gillespie Flat Hat ASSOC. News EDITOr
As the student body returns to campus to begin the new year, the Student Assembly has started to operate with a new administrative advisor and looks to continue financial reform, student life initiatives, transparency and election efforts. Opening the year with an executive branch retreat last Saturday, SA President Chase Koontz ’14 positively described his cabinet as “passionate” and “lateral” as it begins to plan for various initiatives for the upcoming semester. Alongside his cabinet, Koontz commented on a positive intergovernmental relationship between the three branches of the SA and believes his cabinet will work well together, alongside the student groups across campus and within the other branches of the SA. “This year is a great year for the Student Assembly,” Finance Committee Chair Sen. Colin Danly ’15 said. “I think this year we’ll have the closest and most effective relationship between the executive and the [rest of] Student Assembly in a very long time, which is very helpful to the student body and, frankly, cuts down on the bullshit.” Administratively, this year marks a change from years past, with the newly appointed Assistant
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Director of Student Leadership Development for Programming Trici Fredrick M.Ed. ’05 as the adviser to the SA. Before the renaming and reorganization of the Student Activities office last year, Fredrick served as the faculty adviser for AMP. “She’s going to be a huge resource that we’re excited to have for this year,” Koontz said. “She’s going to be huge in terms of establishment and institutional knowledge for the Student Assembly.” Koontz commented favorably on the potentially positive result having a consistent advisor knowledgeable about the SA and its policy history will have on the SA. In her position, Fredrick will meet regularly with Koontz and other SA members. Additionally, the Student Leadership Development Office faculty members have Koontz been assigned to advise the Undergraduate Council this year. In terms of student outreach, the SA looks to increase transparency with the student body through a website revamp scheduled for later this month. By the end of September, the SA will launch its new website, which will include a list of current SA members, their biographies and information about
the SA and its latest initiatives. These changes, among others, will bring the website up to SA code. Koontz said the executive, the senate and the council will be given access to the website so that updates may occur faster and more easily. Additionally, the fall elections will take place Sept. 26. This will include elections for freshman positions as well as the vacancies in the Class of 2014 vice president of social affairs and secretary positions. “Freshmen come in with so much excitement and enthusiasm to really get involved and help out,” Koontz said. “They’re going to be a huge asset.” As the Election Commission advertises freshmen elections, the undersecretaries of voter registration will prepare for the November Virginia general and gubernatorial elections through voter registration. Voter registration efforts could also have an effect this spring during the Williamsburg City Council elections in May. The SA is also hoping to make students aware of various changes that went into effect this fall, including updates to the Honor System and Student Handbook. All undergraduates will receive “Know Your Rights” wallet-sized cards that outline students’ rights in relation to the honor code and student conduct code.
See PLANS page 3
Honor System updated for 2013-14 academic year College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley announced to students via email Aug. 19 that Honor system changes have been adopted for the 2013-14 academic year. There were three major changes to the Honor Code: a new early resolution option for Honor System infractions, the standardization of sanction levels and the creation of a Honor System Advisory Committee. The Honor System Review Committee began working in 2010 after Reveley called for a review of the Honor Code. It released its findings for students, faculty and administrative review. Government professor Clay Clemens ’80 chaired the committee.
Inside SPORTS
Inside opinions
The continuing allure of on-campus housing
Off-campus housing may be cheaper, but the full college experience is still to be found on campus. page 4 Chance of storms High 86, Low 66
Another initiative taking affect this fall is Tribe Tailgating, which will begin this Saturday, Sept. 7, for the first home football game. In terms of Homecoming, the council is planning events, including a T-shirt design contest.
The colors of the cube
Solving isn’t just a fun pastime — it’s a way of life for some members of the Rubik’s Cube Society. page 6