VARIETY // The Flat Hat makes its picks for the Oscars, p. 6
Vol. 101, Iss. 35 | Tuesday, February 24, 2012
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
COMMENCEMENT
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WILLIAMSBURG
Candidate considers
Jim Lehrer
signs on
Christina Carroll confirms potential run for City Council by katherine chiglinsky FLAT HAT news editor
for commencement
Courtesy photo / KUED.ORG
Reporter Jim Lehrer, former anchor of the Public Broadcast System’s top news program, will serve as the 2012 commencement speaker.
by BEcky koenig FLAT HAT managing editor
When the Senate Watergate Committee investigated one federal official after another in 1973, reporter Jim Lehrer helped to keep Americans informed by bringing continuous live coverage to their television sets. The celebrated anchor will address members of the College of William and Mary class of 2012 at their commencement ceremony May 13. Lehrer served as an anchor of the Public Broadcast System’s top news program for 36 years. He has moderated 11 presidential debates and was inducted into the Television Broadcast Hall of Fame in 1999. “For decades at PBS, Jim Lehrer stood in the forefront of the most knowledgeable and trusted voices on television news. He has also been a cherished friend of the entire Williamsburg area, including serving for years as a trustee of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation,” College President Taylor Reveley said in a press release. “Mr. Lehrer will be a
marvelous Commencement speaker.” Lehrer has worked in the field of journalism for more than five decades, starting his career as a reporter for The Dallas Morning News and then The Dallas TimesHerald. He next worked as a public affairs coordinator for PBS in Washington. As a correspondent for the National Public Affairs Center for Television, he worked with Robert MacNeil in 1973 to provide live, Emmy-winning coverage of the Watergate hearings. “Jim Lehrer has had a front-row seat for some of this nation’s most significant news events. There is no doubt he will draw on those unique experiences in his message to members of the Class of 2012,” Director of University Relations Brian Whitson said in an email. “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report” first aired in 1976 and won more than 30 awards in its first seven years. The next iteration of the show, “The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,” premiered in 1983 and ran until MacNeil left in 1996. Lehrer anchored “The NewsHour
with Jim Lehrer” until 2009, when it was renamed the “PBS NewsHour.” He retired from the show in 2011. Lehrer has been honored with two Emmys, the Chairman’s Award at the 2010 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences News & Documentary Emmy Awards, the 1999 National Humanities Award and the 2011 Fourth Estate Award, as well as Colonial Williamsburg’s Churchill Bell. A creative streak accompanies Lehrer’s journalistic objectivity; the anchor has written 20 novels, two memoirs and three plays. His 23rd book, “Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain,” was released in September. Lehrer is the second broadcast journalist to address a College commencement ceremony in recent years. Tom Brokaw, former NBC anchor, spoke to the College’s class of 2009. “I wouldn’t say two broadcast journalists in four years is a trend but we are very much looking forward to Mr. Lehrer’s speech,”
Whitson said in an email. Two alumni will also receive honorary degrees at the ceremony: Jonathan Jarvis ’75, director of the National Park Service, and Carolyn Martin ’73, the first female president of Amherst College. Nominated to the position by President Barack Obama, Jarvis became the 18th director of the agency in October 2009, having served in its ranks since he started as a seasonal interpreter in Washington in 1976 after graduation. The Lexington, Va. native majored in biology at the College. Martin was elected the 19th president of Amherst College in 2011. She came to the College from Campbell County, Va., majored in English and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Martin played for the women’s basketball team during her senior year, averaging almost nine points per game. Newly installed College Chancellor and recently retired U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates ’65 will give welcoming remarks at the ceremony.
The race for May’s Williamsburg City Council election has started to heat up with the recent announcement of another potential candidate. Christina Carroll ’05 J.D. ’10 confirmed that she is considering a potential bid for a seat on the council. According to Win Sowder, Williamsburg’s voter registrar, potential candidates for the council must file with the city by March 6. Candidates must also submit a petition with 125 signatures from registered voters in the city, along with other paperwork. With the announcement, Carroll joins a field of four other potential candidates. The three incumbents, Mayor Clyde Haulman, Vice Mayor Carroll ’05 J.D. ’10 Paul Freiling ’83 and city council member Judith Knudson, have already announced their own bids. Felix Schapiro ’15 has also announced potential plans to run. “One of the things that the College of William and Mary does great is that it trains students to serve others and serve the community,” Carroll said. “I think we’re so privileged to receive an education that it’s an obligation for us to give back to our community. For me, I think City Council is the best way to give back.” Carroll has yet to declare her candidacy officially, but she plans to make an official decision before the deadline of March 6. “I’m talking to lots of people around the community at this point,” Carroll said. “I want to be educated about what issues are affecting City Council before making a final decision.” Carroll currently serves as the manager of institutional advancement at the Muscarelle Museum. She volunteered at the museum for two years while enrolled at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law before accepting a job with the museum. “Christina just made an immediate impression — she was very sharp,” Muscarelle Museum Director Aaron De Groft said. “She was so full of potential, and that’s why we hired her full-time.” Carroll began her time in Williamsburg as a government major at the College. As an undergraduate, she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and served on the Panhellenic Executive Council. See CARROLL, page 3
General assembly
Dining: Special series, part I
Watson pushes for additional funding
College works to accomodate special diets
Dining Services labels food stations to alert students with allergies
Amendments to fund construction by michael thompson the FLAT HAT
While the Commonwealth of Virginia has steadily decreased its funding for the College of William and Mary over the last 30 years, it appears the state will be sending some aid to the College soon. The office of Del. Mike Watson, R-93, announced the Feb. 17 inclusion of two amendments to the House of Delegates’ version of the state budget that would affect the College. The first amendment would grant additional funding authority to construct the planned fraternity housing complex. The second would grant additional fund authority to renovate the Brafferton in addition to Watson the state’s matching funds. Christopher Barret Sowers ’11, Watson’s legislative aide, explained that the amendment for the fraternity housing See WATSON, page 3
Index News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
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bY ARIEL COHEN Flat hat assoc. news editor
On days when there are peanut butter cookies on the menu, Susan Johns ’13 can’t even go near the Sadler Center Dining Hall. Having a severe peanut allergy can make finding food on campus difficult, but the director of the Commons Dining Hall met privately with Johns her first week on campus freshman year and showed her around to the food stations. Two and a half years later, she is still on a meal plan thanks to the help of Dining Services, allergy food labels and some careful planning. Whether they avoid ingredients for medical or personal reasons, students with special diets have received more attention at the College over the past few years. At the beginning of this school year, Dining Services met with approximately 100 new students dealing with special diets in order to better accommodate their needs.
DANA DYTANG / THE FLAT HAT
Dining Services met with approximately 100 students at the beginning of the year to accomodate special diets.
“In the beginning of the year we get acquainted with the students with a special diet and find out what they need. If that particular student comes in later that evening, we try our best to make sure there is a meal option available to them. It may take a little longer, but 95 percent of the time
Inside opinions
Beyond the Burg
The College of William and Mary will benefit both culturally and academically through increased diversity. page 5 Rainy High 74, Low 40
Inside SPORTS
we can accommodate them,” Dining Services Director of Operations Larry Smith said. Approximately 3 percent of the College’s population is lactose or gluten intolerant, and See dining, page 3
College bests Hofstra at home
A late three-pointer from sophomore guard Brandon Britt iced a 75-71 win at home for the Tribe. The College held Hofstra to 31.3 percent shooting in the second half. page 8
newsinsight “ Flat hat insider
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News Editor Katherine Chiglinsky News Editor Vanessa Remmers fhnews@gmail.com
| Friday, February 24, 2012 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
“I’m not running against any of them. I’m running for issues.” —Christina Carroll ’05 J.D. ’10
BEYOND THE ‘BURG
NYPD spied on Muslim students for years
This week The Flat Hat, in a partnership with WMTV, launched The Flat Hat Insider, a weekly news program consisting of the latest news, video coverage and interviews with the individuals and reporters behind what you read in the newspaper each week. Host Lauren Stephenson ’13 runs down the latest stories at the College of William and Mary and talks to Cassie Cole ‘12, copresident of the College’s Lambda Alliance, about the recent Campus Climate Index rating on LGBT issues. Flat Hat Insider will be available through The Flat Hat website and the WM Television YouTube channel every Wednesday.
University officials and civil rights groups are up in arms over the release of a report detailing the New York Police Department’s efforts to infiltrate Muslim organizations on college campuses since 2006. According to an article by The Huffington Post, a special intelligence unit within the department deployed investigators to 15 colleges in the northeast United States, including Yale University, Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of monitoring Muslim student organizations’ activities. The reports included notes of such things as the number of times students prayed, as well as the names of investigated students. Officials at many of the colleges condemned the NYPD’s actions as infringing on civil rights and constituting racial profiling. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has defended the department’s actions as being necessary to the safety and well-being of the city.
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Streaming coverage of Tribe Athletics press conferences, including postgame interviews, press conferences and game recaps from @FlatHatSports.
In our weekly “That Guy” series, Ariel Cohen ’14 sits down to talk with nationally ranked debator and campus tour guide Matt Herdman ’12. COURTESY PHOTO / POLITICKERCOM
According to released reports, the NYPD has been following Muslim organizations on college campuses close enough to be a potential breach of civil rights.
A THOUSAND WORDS
Boston-area students busted at Canadian border Thirty students attending colleges in the greater Boston area were cited with various drug- and alcohol-related possession charges. According to a report by Boston.com, the students were part of a group returning by bus from a ski trip in Quebec when their belongings were searched by officers of the Customs and Border Protection agency at the Canada-Vermont border. Twenty-six students were charged with underage possession of alcohol, three with possession of marijuana, and one with possession of ecstasy. A Boston University spokesman claimed that four of the students charged were BU students and could possibly face disciplinary action. Davis students to file lawsuit against university At the University of California, Davis, 17 students and two alumni are suing school officials in connection with an incident involving the use of military-grade pepper spray during a student protest. UC Davis officials allegedly violated students’ constitutional rights of freedom of speech and assembly during the dramatic event last November. The American Civil Liberties Union is also charging UC Davis with violating Fourth Amendment rights against “unreasonable search and seizure.” Students complained that they were targeted by police for arrest due to their history of protest and political activism.
George Huguely found guilty Wednesday Feb. 22, the jury serving on the trial of former University of Virginia varsity lacrosse player George Huguely returned with their verdict after nine hours of deliberation. Huguely was convicted of second-degree murder for the May 2010 death of U.Va. women’s varsity lacrosse player and Huguely’s former girlfriend Yeardley Love. Huguely now faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison. Love died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. During the trial, Huguely did not testify, but his defense attorney described him as a “stupid drunk” and a “boy athlete,” pleading not guilty of charges to first-degree murder.
CITY POLICE BEAT
Feb. 13 to Feb. 20 DANA DYTANG/ the FLAT HAT
CORRECTIONS In an article on Feb. 21, The Flat Hat incorrectly attributed a quote to Sara Beason J.D. ’14. The actual source of this quote is Chelsea Bobo J.D. ’14.
The Flat Hat
1
Monday, Feb. 13 — Two bicycles was reported stolen at 601 Landrum Dr. The estimated values of the bicycles were $300 and $40.
2
Wednesday, Feb. 15 — Damage was reported to a vehicle on Harrison Avenue at the rear of the Units. The damage was estimated at $450.
3
Thursday, Feb. 16 —A bicycle was reported stolen at 201 Ukrop Way. The estimated value of the bicycle was $500.
4
Friday, Feb. 17 — An individual was arrested at the Old Dominion dormitory for public drunkenness.
‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911 ‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911
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News in brief Williamsburg stars in student film
APO celebrates 50 years of service
Tribe Club fundraiser generates $200k
A symphony kicked off this year’s Global Film Festival Thursday. Not a musical symphony, but one of film. The film, “Williamsburg City Symphony,” was produced by film studies students in professors Tim Barnard and Jes Therkelsen’s class last semester. The goal of the film was to go throughout Williamsburg, finding out and recording as much as they could, then compiling a 15 minute film. The film models a “City Symphony” genre of filmmaking that dates back to the silent era. Clips of movies are treated as notes, making a melody of film. To produce the film, the students spent time with Williamsburg’s Fife and Drum Corps, filmed from an airplane and visited the multiple pancake restaurants throughout Williamsburg.
As the celebrations of the College of William and Mary’s 319th birthday begin to fade into the past, one of the largest organizations on campus is just beginning to celebrate its anniversary. The Nu Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed service fraternity, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding this year. The College’s chapter has approximately 280 members, making it not only one of the largest organizations on campus, but the largest chapter in the country. The chapter celebrated quietly, with a low-key celebration with pizza and cake during its general meeting. APO hosts one major philanthropy event a semester. Its upcoming event will be in March.
The Tribe Club, the College of William and Mary Athletic Department’s fundraising arm, recently raised $200,000 at an annual auction. The auction, entitled “The Lord Botetourt Affair,” was held on Charter Day at the Mason School of Business in Miller Hall. This year’s auction brought in 344 people, a record number of attendees. The money is used for the College’s student athletes, with the goal of making their athletic careers the best experience they can have. All proceeds go directly to the Tribe Club. Because the Athletic Department receives no state funding, the department relies on events such as these for partial funding.
Page 3
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Flat Hat
FACILITIES
College turns to state funding for construction Barrett Hall stands as the only dorm currently approved for a reconstruction makeover project by chris McKenna flat hat SENIOR STAFF WRITEr
It’s no secret that the College of William and Mary is in a bit of a financial pickle. State budgetary support has been steadily declining, currently accounting for less than 13 percent of the school’s budget. The College has increased tuition to make up for lost funds — according to a recent report, tuition has risen 48.8 percent over the past six years — but problems still remain. With two campus construction projects already approved — renovations on St. George Tucker Hall and construction of the third Integrated Science Center building — and more down the pipe, students may be asking: can the school afford all of this? The answer, according to administrators, is yes. “The beginning of wisdom on this front is that funds for bricks & mortar and funds for the operating budget come from different sources and are not interchangeable,” College President Taylor Reveley said in an email. “So, it’s quite possible, indeed it’s reality, for us to have money to build and renovate while also being short of funds to operate.”
State funds are used exclusively on capital projects, which cover construction of new academic buildings and renovations of old ones, Vice President for Finance Samuel E. Jones said. Any operating expenses, like building dorms and providing food service to students, the College covers itself. “For instance, you can’t take money the state or a private donor has provided to build a building and use it instead to pay faculty salaries or provide financial aid to students,” Reveley said. Even when the state of Virginia is in want of funds, it can pay for the construction of capital projects with long-term debt. “It’s like a mortgage,” Jones said. The College has a different strategy when funding new housing projects, such as the planned fraternity complex. “What you hope is that the math works out so that the revenue generated [by housing fees] makes up some of the cost,” Jones said. With that in mind, the College is taking dorm renovation projects one at a time. Currently, only Barrett Hall is approved for a reconstruction makeover, which includes the installation of air conditioning.
However, proposed renovations to Chandler and Landrum Halls are still on the horizon. “They are buildings that need to be renovated, but in terms of scope and timing, it’s way premature,” Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin said. “In terms of a full building renovation, we’re not there yet.” Although additional long-term projects aren’t on the table yet, Residence Life will continue to make small-scale improvements, Boykin said. “What we are continuing to do … is the smaller renovations that come out of the Residence Life operating budget,” Boykin said. The College continues to work with the state of Virginia to approve additional funding. “We’re working with the state today to get funding for [the] Brafferton,” Jones said. The College has used private funding to pay for a majority of the Brafferton’s renovation, including the cost of an archaeological survey around the site, and is working with the Virginia General Assembly to match the project’s private money, reaching its $4.5 million goal. State funding cuts have had an impact on proposed capital projects,
john lee/ THE FLAT HAT
Tucker Hall, the former home of the English department, is one of several buildings which has been undergoing reconstruction throughout this year.
but is understandable considering Virginia’s own budgetary problems, Jones said. “We understand it. The state has to manage its finances,” he said. However, according to Jones, the
College has no plans to abandon necessary projects. “If, pragmatically, we need new space for the well-being of the College, you need to move forward with that,” he said.
LECTURE
History conference opens with Voltaire and slavery Duke University professor Laurent Dubois speaks on influence of Voltaire during Haitian Revolution by chase hopkins flat hat assoc. news editor
While slaves have been absent from the College of William and Mary since the nineteenth century, their cultural legacy remains a source of continued scholarship. The College’s 24th annual Southern Intellectual History Circle began its program Thursday with a keynote presentation on Caribbean slave culture and its relation to the Atlantic theatre. Duke University professor of French studies and history Laurent Dubois’ lecture was titled “Voltaire and Dessalines in the Theatre of the Atlantic.” He discussed the influence of French philosopher Voltaire in the Caribbean around the time of the
Haitian Revolution. “Making his own contribution to the vogue of plays in the Americas, Voltaire made his unique contribution to the work of other [playwrights],” Dubois said. Dubois, also the director of the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute Haiti Lab at Duke, has written seven books about the Francophone influence on Atlantic culture. The latest was reviewed on the front page of The New York Times Book Review. He is the recipient of multiple fellowships and research grants from both American and French organizations. Dubois emphasized the underappreciated relationship between Caribbean culture and European empires. “We needed to rethink the history of
Five people to run for city council CARROLL from page 1
During her years at the law school, Carroll continued her involvement in campus life by serving as a tour guide. “She was one of our very best tour guides,” Associate Dean for Admission at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law Faye Shealy said. “She certainly is energetic, involved, articulate and engaging. She is a very good listener.” Carroll remains actively involved in the community. She helps to manage An Occasion for the Arts, the annual art festival held in October. She also serves as a youth group leader at her church, Williamsburg Assembly of God, and participates in her neighborhood book club. At the College, Carroll serves as an advisor for the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. “She has potential for being a successful candidate because she’s really interested in what’s going on in the community,” Muscarelle Curator of Education and New Media Amy Gorman said. “It’s a testament to her commitment to the community — she did her undergrad here, attended law school, and then chose to work here.” If Carroll officially decides to run, five candidates will be vying for three positions on the council. “It’s certainly part of the process to give people a choice from which they can make an informed decision,” Freiling said. “Having more candidates can be beneficial.” In 2010, five candidates competed for two open seats. Six candidates were vying for three open seats in 2008. “It’s important if people want to serve the community that they run for office,” Knudson said. “It’s what democracy is all about.” Carroll emphasized that her campaign would focus on issues facing residents of Williamsburg rather than on the other candidates. “I’m not running against any of them,” Carroll said. “I’m running for issues.” Carroll would change the current make-up of the council, as she would be the only person with a law degree. Council member Scott Foster ’10 J.D. ’14 is currently pursuing a law degree. “I think it’s more important to add the perspective of a lawyer to City Council,” Carroll said. With law training and her years as a Williamsburg resident, Carroll hopes to bring her knowledge of community issues and her passion for civic participation to the race. “We’re a diverse community and we all give back in our own ways to the community,” Carroll said. “I think that’s what makes us a great community. You need discourse and those different perspectives to make it a good community.”
the Enlightenment … by expanding our analysis beyond Europe and integrating what I call an intellectual history of the slave into this history,” Dubois said. Some of the presentation also examined the direct critiques that Caribbean theater offered of slave culture. Not only wealthy slave owners, but also free blacks and slaves frequented many playhouses of the period. “Plantation owners would leave their estates and go into town to see plantation life portrayed onstage,” Dubois said. “The theater dealt with and confronted the plantation culture of its day. … The theater nonetheless was extremely popular in both cities and small towns.” English Department Chair and professor of American studies Susan
College to raise funds for housing WATSON from page 1
does not grant the College more funding from the state directly but gives the College required authorization from the state to fund the fraternity housing. The College will have to raise funds for the fraternity housing privately, in part through tuition. According to Sowers, the Brafferton amendment would allocate approximately $4.5 million for renovations. Approximately $2.25 million would be paid for by the College, and the state would provide a matching amount of $2.25 million. “It’s kind of a long process, but this is the first step in that process,” Sowers said. “Typically, the budget gets decided by March 10, but the problem this year is that the Senate is evenly divided. There are 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans that need to pass a budget. Twenty-one votes are needed to pass the budget. ... The process may get drawn out a little because of the tension in the Senate. ... We still have a ways to go, but, regardless, we don’t anticipate either of these budget amendments being in contention at this point. The fact that they were included in the House budget is a great sign.” Ishan Bardhan ’13, Inter-Fraternity Council president, emphasized the positive impact the fraternity complex will have on campus. “The houses, in addition to the new community center, will strengthen our growing emphasis on risk management and organized, registered events open to the entire campus,” he said in an email. “The new complex will aggrandize the status of William and Mary’s fraternities across the community and help us make the entire Greek community stronger, freer and safer.” In order to be included in the final state budget, the House budget must be reconciled with a senate budget by legislators designated as budget conferees. The final version of the budget needs to be passed by both the House and the Senate and signed by Governor Bob McDonnell, R. The final budget is expected sometime between March and May. “I am happy to carry these budget amendments for the College, one of Virginia’s oldest treasures,” Watson said in a press release. “Although the budget is in its infancy, I am optimistic that both amendments will be included in the final budget.”
Donaldson was instrumental in selecting Dubois as the keynote speaker for this year. She is quick to note his qualifications for the honor and within his field of study. “He is doing terrific work on the Caribbean and is a top scholar on the subject,” she said. “He is doing very important work on the Haitian Revolution. His books have won numerous prizes; he is pioneering a path in Atlantic studies.” Dubois noted the significance of Caribbean plays on the culture of both slaves and slave owners alike. He added an anecdote about the Creole language in some plays he studies. “About 5 percent of the plays were written in Creole, being the first language texts in Creole, starting in the 1750s,” he said.
Director of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and professor of history Ron Hoffman introduced Dubois’ paper presentation. He shares Donaldson’s enthusiasm for his academic work. “We’ve published his work and given the subject that he attested to this evening, he is probably the foremost scholar in the field … very advanced,” Hoffman said. The program continues Friday and Saturday with events ranging from guest presentations to rebuttal discussions, and a guided tour of slave sites at the College. All events are open to the public, and more information on the conference can be found on the English Department’s website.
College offers gluten-free options DINING from page 1
Dining Services provides colorcoded labels at food stations to ensure students know whether allergens can be found in their foods. Daily menus with food ingredients are posted online. While the College has recently provided gluten-free options and a vegetarian station at the Caf, other Virginia colleges may provide more options for their students. At Virginia Tech, all food is labeled if it contains one of the top eight listed allergens: gluten, milk, soybeans, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts and peanuts. At the University of Virginia, an onsite nutritionist works with the dining staff to ensure allergen information is accessible to all students. James Madison University has permanent vegan and gluten-free stations. “I never use the gluten-free stations here because I don’t want to wait 30 minutes for my food. Sometimes it’s weird things at the gluten-free station. I’d rather just go to the burger line and have the burger without the bun,” Pam Kotorac ’14 said. “There aren’t many breakfast options that are gluten-free. Also, it’s also hard at the Sadler togo station because they don’t have any gluten-free options at all. But the people in Dining Services are very accommodating, so I don’t have too much of a problem.” While the College does not have a large host of vegetarian options, Dining Services makes sure to make at least one “hot food” option along with the salad bar, cereal and a daily vegetarian soup. But, with 10 percent of the College population on a vegetarian or vegan diet, students often feel that their needs are not met. “I don’t feel like I’m eating as well as I do at home,” vegetarian Isabelle Hardee ’15 said. “They don’t really have tofu
options here, and even when they do it’s not cooked and it’s kind of tasteless. I try to eat vegan, and it’s really hard to get protein and eat in a healthy way. It’s really easy to eat fried, fatty foods where you would otherwise eat meat.” Some students resort to adjusting their diets due to the lack of options that College dining offers. “I was a vegetarian for four years, but my junior year I went carnivore because it was hard for me to get a good variety and enough protein. It’s hard to be a happy vegetarian at the College,” Jacob Saracco ’12 said.
Dana Dytang / THE FLAT HAT
About 3 percent of the College population is lactose or gluten intolerant.
Page 4
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Flat Hat
transportation
student assembly
SA to fund STI testing Airline looks to fulfill transit needs Election chair selected for campaign season by meredith ramey Flat hat assoc. news editor
Students are accustomed to the luxury of the at-cost STI testing offered through the College of William and Mary Student Health Center. On Tuesday, the Student Assembly senate voted to aid in the continuation of this initiative through Student Health Act III 1/2. The act allocated an additional $2,000 from the Student Activities Reserve to continue the full subsidization of STI testing for students at the College until the new budget takes effect later this summer. The initiative previously fell into jeopardy when funds already appropriated for the subsidization dropped below $2,500. “I think it’s a great cause and something that needs to be provided to the student body,” Sen. Kendall
hayley Tymeson/ THE FLAT HAT
YSS-205_5.6x10.5_CollP.pdf Student Assembly members debated funding1 for STI tests, with a variety of objections raised.
Lorenzen ’15 said. Senators questioned exaggeration in describing the need for this program, specifically the real necessity for it and several flaws in the method of statistical measurement. The act cites statistics drawn from a student-wide survey stating that 87 percent of the student body voted in favor of STI testing. Sen. Joe Mehan ’12 pointed out that the statistic in question only draws from those students who completed the survey and not the full student body. Other senators also questioned whether the entire student body needs full subsidization of STI testing. “I believe there are certainly some students in this college who are financially strapped; at the same time I have some issues with who will be taking advantage of this when they can pay for it themselves,” Sen. Ryan McManus ’13 said. Senators also spoke out in favor of STI education and awareness for the student body. The act’s sponsor, Sen. Douglas Haynes Law ’12, said these initiatives are already in the works within the Executive Department for Student Health and Safety in addition to the SA. The senate also unanimously approved Tanuja Potdar ’13 as Chair of the Independent Elections Commission. Potdar will be in charge of implementing the SA election schedule during the next month and a half. Elections are scheduled for March 22. “I’m organized, and I think that’s the biggest skill required for this job,” Potdar said. “I think I could do a pretty good job of putting it together.” Senate Chairman Noah Kim ’13 and Sen. Grace Colby ’13 reminded senators to submit any amendments to next year’s budget by Friday. The finance committee is scheduling hearings with various clubs and organizations 12/16/11 11:00 AMfor this weekend to discuss funding.
PEOPLExpress planning to offer flights out of local airport by ariel cohen Flat hat assoc. news editor
A new airline arriving in the Williamsburg area this summer aims to aid College of William and Mary students as they commute home for breaks on a college budget. PEOPLExpress Airlines moved into its freshly painted headquarters in the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport Feb. 14. This is the first time the lowcost airline has operated independently since 1987, and it hopes to be flying by this summer. Williamsburg’s current primary airline provider, AirTran, plans to leave the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport March 9. With up to 43 percent of Newport News and Williamsburg fliers travelling on AirTran in last year, PEOPLExpress hopes to fill that void. “I liked AirTran. They had good prices and flew to the major places I needed to go to. I’m sad to see it go because now I guess I’ll have to take the nine hour train back to Jersey,” out-of-state student Matt Pereira ’14 said. PEOPLExpress will offer fares approximately 40 percent cheaper than AirTran’s, with rates as low as $69. “The original PEOPLExpress was an ultra-low-fare carrier that took the eastern U.S. by storm in 1981 with frequent low-fare service and an energized staff of customer service professionals,” PEOPLExpress said in a press release. Allowing employees to become shareholders in the company, storing fuel and giving employees more than
one job were three ways the company intended to absorb economic shocks and make a profit. The airline chose Newport News as its headquarters due to its proximity to Richmond and North Carolina, its lack of traffic issues, its temperate climate, and its stable economic conditions. They hope to bring more than 1,000 jobs to the Hampton Roads area over the next three years, with hundreds of jobs this year. PEOPLExpress will begin operations this summer with routes to New England, the Great Lakes region, the MidAtlantic and Florida, with approximately 25 daily departures from Newport News. Boston native Sean Sweeney ’14 typically used AirTran to fly from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport to New England three to four times per year. He chose AirTran because of its low fares and direct route to Boston Logan International Airport. “I haven’t heard of this new airline, but I would be open to trying it. As long as it gets me from point A to point B and is inexpensive, I don’t care what the name on the side of the airline is,” Sweeney said. PEOPLExpress first operated in the 1980s on a no-frills, budget-friendly motto for those traveling nationally. At the time, it was the nation’s fifth largest airline and Newport News was one of its major destinations. After six years of operating out of Newark, New Jersey, the airline merged with Continental Airlines due to overexpansion and other complications in 1987. The airline soon flying into Newport News is a resurrection of this brand.
courtesy photo/ WWW.VIEWLINERLTD.BLOGSPOT.COM
PEOPLExpress, a newly independent airline, intends to relocate its headquarters to the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
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opinions
Opinions Editor Elizabeth DeBusk Assoc. Opinions Editor Elliott Hay fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, February 24, 2012 | Page 5
Editorial cartoon
Staff Editorial
I
By Rachel Brooks, Flat Hat Cartoonist
Tribe admissions stuck in a jam on I-95 they’re missing. These unaware students are taking their talents to places like Stanford University and the University of Southern California. They are fine schools, but the last time I checked, they don’t have a Tribe, a family like we have. Until the College can reach out and recruit students proudly representing every state, the Tribe isn’t complete. Flat Hat Assoc. Sports Editor This reads a lot like election results, and for all intents and purposes, that’s exactly what these numbers show. Where a college freshman attends school affects not only the individual’s The College of William and Mary must work to expand our immediate future, but also the future of the next generation. Tribe. I came to college an innocent 18-year-old, practically The College’s budget largely comes from tuition, and as we oblivious to the lifestyles of those outside of my cozy high school Virginians are reminded by our friends from across the state atmosphere. I think it’s safe to assume that most freshmen come border, out-of-state tuition is twice as high. The decision to in with a similar mindset, mostly unaware of what else there is in attend the College despite the steep bill accomplishes two the world. I’m now a not-so-innocent 19-year-old, and I am still surprised things. First, the money helps the school expand and improve so that the quality of education increases. Second, the out-ofby how much I learn from other people and the lives they lead. state-students themselves provide valuable variety with which The hallmate from southern California, the roommate from the student body can expand its horizon. Minnesota, that one guy in the Commons Dining Hall with the We need you, out-of-staters. You make us better, just as we San Francisco jacket — they all bring a unique and different improve your world view. You make the perspective to the College. Tribe echo across Times Square and down From my initial narrow examination, Hollywood Avenue. This world could use it seemed as if the College really had What the Tribe has built is a lot more Tribe pride. expanded my horizons. However, I was a place of understanding of The College must expand the Tribe, in for a surprise when I looked at a report other cultures. not just for the betterment of the school from the Chronicle of Higher Education economically and socially, but because which laid out from where the class of 2015 hailed, marking the number of members of the Tribe from the Tribe owes it to the world. What the Tribe has built in the swamps of Williamsburg is a place of cooperation and each state. acceptance, or at least understanding, of other cultures. For all that I thought I had learned from people not from As we enter into a globalized world, we are the best Northern Virginia, it’s surprising to see the distribution. I thought equipped to become successful because of the family-like this campus was splitting at the seams with out-of-staters and atmosphere Zable Stadium holds, the sisterhood sorority kids from landscapes unfamiliar to me. Not so, apparently. court provides and the scholarly teamwork Earl Gregg Swem According to the map, I have a decent grasp on the Northeast, Library exemplifies. Texas and Illinois, oddly enough. However, I know nothing about Imagine if Zable wasn’t just the stadium of the Tribe, but the Northwest, nor Wisconsin or Louisiana. This is an absolute the arena of the world. That sorority court wasn’t just sorority travesty needing an immediate fix. houses, but the world-wide home of sisters. That Swem The Tribe is a mix of people from everywhere and from all didn’t just house 45-cent hot chocolate and tirelessly resilient different walks of life — or so the pamphlet says. In reality, our students, but world citizens who all burn their tongues. Tribe is incomplete. Nevada has no representation. Hawaii and We always claim to be one Tribe, one family. Let’s make it North Dakota face a similar plight. bigger, let’s make it better. I’m looking at you, Office of Undergraduate Admission. Let’s get some people from these other areas; they need to know what Email Chris Weber at cmweber@email.wm.edu.
Chris Weber
“
“
Quality control
n the College of William and Mary’s recent history, rarely has the student body formed as united a front as it did during the 2010 Williamsburg City Council election when Scott Foster ’10 J.D. ’14 became the first student elected to city council while still an undergraduate student. Foster and his supporters rallied students on campus, and he became a clear voice in the Williamsburg community calling for more student involvement outside the walls of the College. Foster’s involvement on campus left no doubt about his commitment as a candidate for city council. After serving the College in numerous ways, he sought the position on the council only after gaining the experience necessary to be an effective student voice in the community. Although we celebrated his election and are proud of his place on the council, we hope his election will not inspire unqualified students to run in the future. Foster had the maturity and experience to be a successful candidate. It would be unfortunate if Foster’s success created a situation in which of less-than-qualified candidates ran for the council only to lose in the general election. Foster’s win allowed the College to gain momentum in the fight for more student rights in the community. If students who do not have the maturity or connections Foster had when he campaigned decide to run, they will most likely be defeated. Unqualified students campaigning only to be defeated easily would mean stepping backward and losing the momentum we’ve generated. Only students who are serious, dedicated candidates should consider running for city council. Christina Carroll ’05 J.D. ’10 has been part of the College community since her undergraduate days and has recently announced that she is considering running for a council position. She now works for the Muscarelle Museum of Art and is involved in the Williamsburg community and the College in a variety of ways. Much like Foster, she has the experience to garner both student and resident votes. We want to continue seeing students take a significant interest in joining the council. More student involvement in Williamsburg is the only way we are going to be able to solve town-gown problems and finally address the infamous three-person rule. In order to achieve this goal, however, students must continue to look for pragmatic and realistic ways to become involved. As a freshman, Chris Connolly ’15 was able to take an active role in town-gown relations as a member of the Williamsburg City Planning Commission. While this is a smaller role than a city council position, it is a step toward increased student involvement with the city and shows how interested students are in expanding their community involvement. Foster cannot represent the entire student body’s interests adequately or accomplish all of our goals by himself — it is important to have more students interested in running for the council. More than just having students run for the council, we need students actually elected to serve on the council. We need someone who is actively involved, can run a well-planned and effective campaign and can actually bring in voters. The College has always been an important part of Williamsburg, and we need to ensure that the College is always represented in city government. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Jill Found, Ellie Kaufman, Elizabeth DeBusk and Alex Cooper. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.
Street Beat
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
“I think it ismeal freaking “The “I’m off football the game. plan,awesome. Go if that Tribe!” To initiative and tellshave youthe anything about it.”drive to participate in politics is impressive.” Erin Challis ’14 Sam Meadows ’12 Arrianne Daniels ’14
Coal plant problematic for students and residents To the Editor: The Surry Coal Plant controversy, which could result in the construction of the largest coal-fired power plant in the state of Virginia, may be reaching a turning point in the next two weeks. Feb. 27, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Surry County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a hearing at Surry High School to vote on Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s rezoning and conditional use permits for the town of Dendron. Next Thursday marks the second round of local zoning hearings after ODEC pushed forward an illegal vote in Dendron. If this plant is built, our air and water quality will be diminished here in Williamsburg, and the health of our citizens will be endangered by massive emissions of mercury, sulfur oxides and soot. The plant would also threaten the tourist economy that is so critical to our area.
What do you think of campus dining services?
“I “They “The findhomecoming do it impressive not providestep and enough show and“How “Theymuch give me cangood a freshman food when exciting choices after party for that vegetarians that a student the Black and at Student beI need awareit.”of the relevant issues William vegans. Organization ” and Mary puts can on.” have an facing Williamsburg?” impact on the Williamsburg community.” KsenjiaCheryl Kapetanovic Williams ’12’13 Ben Predmore ’14 Fresia Shawn Jackson Burley ’14‘13 August Anderson ’12 — photos and interviews by MATT RILEY
While it is difficult to predict the full impact the coal plant will have on our region, we know that ODEC is not a desirable business for the area. Their untrustworthy behavior, which resulted in the illegal vote, is the reason we are having this second hearing in the first place. Now we have a second chance to protect ourselves and our neighbors from a bad corporate neighbor and to stand up for what we envision for the future of our region. Surry County deserves better, as do Williamsburg and the other downwind towns and municipalities. The Student Environmental Action Coalition’s Surry Justice Campaign will be organizing a group to go to this hearing. Please contact Sharon Hartzell at sehartzell@ email.wm.edu if you are interested in attending this hearing, or a second hearing to be held March 5. — Sharon Hartzell William & Mary Surry Justice Campaign
College must take firm action in changing recruiting process to diversify Elizabeth DeBusk
Few things possess
Flat Hat Opinions Editor
Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court decided to hear a case involving race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas. With this decision thrusting an affirmative action ruling from 2003 back into the spotlight, many speculate that the Supreme Court, which has become more conservative over the past nine years, may end preferential admissions based on race in higher education. As the office of admission at the College of William and Mary prepares to welcome the class of 2016, we must recognize that this decision could have powerful effects on
future admissions processes. At the College, we’re more comfortable talking about the in-state to out-ofstate student ratios than we are about affirmative action, but the fact remains that all of these stipulations continue to have a major bearing on admissions. I believe that the terms of affirmative action need to be updated so that colleges focus on recruiting all students in order to have a broader pool of applicants from which to choose. Revisions to affirmative action need to begin with changing the language to focus on economic disparities, as the heavy focus on race and gender only perpetuates existing tensions. Lack of opportunity is not an issue grounded in either race or gender; rather, it is founded in economic disadvantage. Colleges must shift the focus of their admissions policies to these true disadvantages in order to ensure that they have the
strongest freshman class possible. Students at wealthier high schools have greater access to college counseling resources than students at high schools with strained budgets. This monetary discrepancy, therefore, makes the very process of learning about different colleges difficult. As a student from the most southwestern part of Virginia, I am well aware of the fact that the geographical restrictions placed on the College by the state made the admissions process considerably less competitive for me than it was for some of my friends from Richmond. The lack of applications from my hometown, however, results from the fact that many of my classmates are simply not aware that the College even exists. If colleges take the initiative to reach out to a broader scope of students and to inform potential applicants of the opportunities that the institutions will provide them, they may
find that affirmative action becomes less of a necessity. Opponents of affirmative action seem to argue erroneously that diversity and quality are mutually exclusive. As long as the College continues to build its academic
reputation, it can have the best of both worlds. The College has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence; this does not have to mean that it needs to sacrifice its focus on diversity. Email Elizabeth DeBusk at epdebusk@email.wm.edu.
Graphic by Molly Adair /the Flat hat
variety
Variety Editor Katie Demeria Variety Assoc. Editor Abby Boyle Variety Assoc. Editor Sarah Caspari flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
| Friday, February 24, 2012 | Page 6
The Flat Hat goes to the
OSCARS
The Flat Hat staff predicts this year’s winners COURTESY PHOTO / OSCAR.GO.COM COURTESY PHOTO /FC01.DEVIANTART.NET
Glenn Close
Jean Dujardin 17%
COURTESY PHOTO / CDN. DAILYMAKEOVER.COM
Brad Pitt 22%
Glenn Close ’74 graduated from the College after studying theater and anthropology. Under the direction of Howard Scammon in the theater department, Close began to study as a serious actress for the first time. Close also graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the College. Close had an extensive Broadway career after graduation, but she didn’t begin her work in film until almost a decade later. In 1982, Close was cast as Jenny Fields in “The World According to Garp” costarring Robin Williams. For this role, Close earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The next year, she was cast in the comedy “The Big Chill” and later starred in the sports film “The Natural,” receiving two subsequent Best Supporting Actress nominations. In 1996 and 2000, Close entered the wonderful world of Disney, portraying the vicious and animal-hating villain, Cruella De Vil, in both “101 Dalmatians” and “102 Dalmatians.” Close received her sixth Academy Award nomination this year for Best Actress as the title character Albert Nobbs in “Albert Nobbs.” In the film, Close plays a woman disguised as a man attempting to make it in a world where women have little power for social mobility due to gender restrictions.
Meryl Streep Glenn Close 18% 18% George Clooney 39% Viola Davis 35%
Rooney Mara 29%
Gary Oldman 22% Deman Bichir 0%
Michelle Williams 0%
COURTESY PHOTO / CDN.BABBIE.COM
Billy Crystal
This year, Billy Crystal will host the Academy Awards for the ninth time. Despite his experience, Crystal was not the first choice of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the decision to give him the position came after the original producer, director Brett Ratner, and host, Eddie Murphy, stepped down. Ratner selected Murphy as host. The two knew each other from the film “Tower Heist,” which Ratner directed. During a question-and-answer session for “Tower Heist,” Ratner made an anti-gay slur that caused an uproar from many of those he had worked with in the past. He resigned from his position as producer. Eddie Murphy followed suit, resigning along with his friend. Crystal’s stint as host this year puts him in the running for hosting the Oscars the most times, second only to Bob Hope. Hope holds the record at 18 times. Last year, Crystal appeared on the Oscars as a presenter and actually received a standing ovation. If one appearance elicits such extreme of a reaction, this year’s show promises to be a roller coaster ride of laughter for the whole three hours.
Flat Hat Best Picture pick vs. highest grossing film of 2011
Films with the most nominations
Ben-Hur (1959) Titanic (1997)
The Descendants
$350,000,000 $300,000,000
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
War Horse
$250,000,000
Moneyball
$200,000,000 $150,000,000
The Artist
$50,000,000 $0
Most nominations:
Hugo
$100,000,000
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Help
11 14 Most wins:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
$400,000,000
Oscar history
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
The Flat Hat
Friday, February 24, 2012
A Midsummer Night’s Magic
Play entertains, provides laughs despite distractions
Page 7
CONFUSION CORNER
Campus dining tough to swallow Jason Rogers
CONFUSION CORNER columnist
COURTESY PHOTO / EVRETT PAIST
Puck, played by Leah Beyer ‘14, performs in Shakespeare in the Dark’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show was performed Monday and Wednesday, and will play again Saturday, Feb. 25 in the Commonwealth Auditorium of the Sadler Center at 8 p.m.
BY ZACH HARDY FLAT HAT ASSOC. ONLINE EDITOR
For me, seeing Shakespeare performed is a wonderful treat because I often find reading Shakespeare a bit arduous and frustrating. A well-executed performance takes away the difficulties of understanding the Bard’s complex verse and exchanges it with all of the life and humor that he originally intended. Shakespeare in the Dark’s winter performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” ultimately succeeds due to the wonderfully tight-knit cast and modern sensibility brought to the performance. To speak of the brilliance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is almost unnecessary. The premise is simple — four young lovers venture off into an Athenian forest to escape familial pressure, only to find mischievous faeries and an amateur acting troupe — but provides a broad framework for plenty of romance, sex and downright hilarious moments. The lively and charismatic performances were the hallmark of Shakespeare in the Dark’s production of “Midsummer.” The chemistry between the actors was undeniable. Aron De Simone ’13 and Eliot Wegman ’12, who played Lysander and Demetrius, respectively, elicited great sympathy for their romantic troubles from the audience, and they were perfect rivals when the impish faerie Puck’s magical potion resulted in the two men pursuing the same woman. The group of faeries that followed the faerie king and queen, Oberon and Titania, worked very well together; their gentle movements and songs helped accentuate the dreamy, magical aspects of the play. The theater group within the play consistently
delivered the most humorous parts of the play well — the entire audience was in stitches as the troupe performed its parody of Romeo and Juliet for the newly wed Athenians, thanks to the natural humor that emanated from Ricky Portner ’14, who played Nick Bottom. As most of us learned in our high school English classes, Elizabethan actors were expected to take both multiple roles as well as roles of the opposite sex, a trend that persists in modern day Shakespeare performances. One actress in particular must be commended for an incredibly dynamic performance — Grace Mendenhall ’13 played both the stern and unsympathetic Egeus, father of Hermia, as well as the buffoonish Peter Quince, the leader of the rag-tag theater group camping out in the woods. I found her presentation of the slapstick routine in which Peter Quince attempts to pack up his troupe’s equipment singlehandedly a sidesplitting highlight of the show. Other cast members who successfully took on separate roles include the two leads, Robin Crigler ’14 and Elizabeth Cloghessy ’15. Crigler managed to capture the flighty benevolence of Oberon and the power-hungry and vulgar nature of Theseus. Cloghessy played the female leader of both the humans and faeries, Hyppolita and Queen Titania, respectively. She perfectly captured the dignity and pride of both characters through her exceptional ability to speak Shakespearean English with both force and clarity. Witnessing such a dignified-looking character flirt with the goofy Nick Bottom, who was transformed into a donkey, was priceless. Despite the synergistic cast and timeless script, one element of the performance felt persistently distracting. The floor of the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium was left
empty, save for a few rows of chairs by the walls and the front of the stadium seating so that the cast was not confined to just the small stage. While a good idea in theory, the use of the partition between the floor and stadium as a catwalk for characters and the use of all doors — including the ones in the back of the auditorium — for entry and exit and excessively coordinated fight scenes resulted in muddled lines and loud, stomping performers who were out of breath. To me, in a performance of Shakespeare, the focus should be on the beauty and brilliance of the text and the talent of the actors, not on acrobatics. Several other unique touches were added to the performance, which, although they ultimately added to the audience’s enjoyment, in my opinion made the performance a bit too informal. The faeries made eye contact with the audience, sat in chairs, and inspected water bottles. Leads would often make their asides to a specific section of the audience, once again frequently making eye contact. And during the comedic climax, in which Quince’s acting troupe gives their nonsensical performance, I was surprised to have Theseus and Hippolyta sit in my row and persisting in eating Milk Duds and shout their lines from the seats of the auditorium. The many smiles and laughs of the audience mostly indicated they appreciated the interactive nature of the show, but for me, Shakespeare is almost too sacred to take such liberties with the production, even if “Midsummer” is just a comedy. However, the minor distractions brought about by the unique additions are insignificant, because beyond them lies an incredibly skilled cast and a classic script that is not only brilliant, but genuinely fun and engaging.
I was lucky enough to spend last semester in Paris, the gastronomic capital of the free world — although I hear North Korea has some phenomenal gruel. Freshly baked bread was less than a euro, and wine was cheaper than water. I grew accustomed to the bounty. Then, this semester, I came back to the ’Burg and was slapped in the face by the Commons Dining Hall. Before I begin what is sure to be a rant, I want to qualify: This is not the Caf workers’ fault. They do the very best they can with the shit they’re given. Also, Curtis is the man. No, this rant is directed at the food, and presumably at whomever supplies it. The Caf manages, on a regular basis, to ruin seemingly unruinable staples of chicken, tomato soup, and bread. How on God’s green earth do you ruin bread? Peasants hundreds of years ago, using only stone ovens and the fear of an angry sun managed to produce passable bread. Fast forward several millennia to the Caf impotently prodding a lump of dough, pleading, “Please, turn into bread! Why won’t you turn into bread, you witch?” Every single meal, for an average price of $10 — do that math; that’s about what your meal plan works out to — I’m treated to a hospital bedpan of damp meat, burnt fruit and dry ice cream. I don’t even know how you manage to do the things I just said. Honestly, the physics behind the food production must be dizzying, but without fail, this is the brightly colored defecation we’re treated to night in and night out at the Caf. I don’t expect culinary excellence. I don’t expect to have to get up from the table, mutter some sort of sheepish excuse and waddle away from the table, embarrassed about the fact that I just jizzed myself at how tasty the food was. I simply expect not to get violent diarrhea for the first two weeks of every semester as my body screams, “Lord, why have you forsaken me?” like Jesus on the cross. I understand why the chicken marsala at lunch becomes the chicken sliders at dinner. Economy. Sure. Fine. I also understand why the soup has to be made in 55-gallon vats like it’s being imported from an Arab Emirate. I even understand that the comment cards are there to ameliorate some of the venomous ire that I’m spitting into this column. But for God’s sake, when I see a comment card, as I did last night, that just says, “A poor showing tonight. Get ’em next time,” like a peewee football coach consoling his Bad News Bears band of misfits, it pisses me off. My girlfriend goes to Virginia Tech, which famously boasts “the best campus food in the nation.” She knows I hate the food here, and when she brings up Tech’s food, the only response that I ever have is, “Yeah, well, sometimes, we get oranges.” I guess my point is this: The food at the Caf is not just bad, it’s unacceptable. The College has a lot of options for repairing this problem, too: lower the cost of meal plans, offer more Flex points options on campus, or just improve the food. Right now, every time I swipe my card at the entrance to the Caf, I feel like I’m buying back my old used car from the sleazy salesman I just sold it to: “Oh, you bought a meal plan, eh? Here’s a big plate of trash.” I just hate feeling betrayed by a school that I otherwise love. I can almost feel myself getting screwed every time I eat at the Caf, and I’m starting to walk funny. Oh, well. Chipotle, anyone? Jason Rogers is a Confusion Corner columnist and he had a nightmare last night that he was forced to have all of his meals on campus.
GLOBAL FILM FESTIVAL
JOHN LEE / THE FLAT HAT
Feb. 16-19 marked the fifth annual William and Mary Global Film Festival, which was held in the Kimball Theatre. The theme of the festival was “Film and the City,” and both international and student-produced films were screened.
sports
SPORTS IN BRIEF
Quotable
Sports Editor Jared Foretek Assoc. Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, February 24, 2012 | Page 8
MEN’S BASKETBALL
“He probably didn’t bring it up but Brandon lost his father right before the season this year and today was his father’s birthday, and you gotta maybe think he guided that ball in there for him a little bit.” — Men’s basketball head coach Tony Shaver on sophomore guard Brandon Britt’s game winning shot against Hofstra. The shot came with 18 seconds left in the contest.
Slide-stopper
Stat box
83.3
The College’s field goal shooting percentage against Hofstra. The season-high mark came along a season-high seven blocks.
upcoming games Men’s basketball Tribe vs. Georgia State 2:00 p.m. Sat., Williamsburg Coming off a thrilling 75-71 win over Hofstra, the Tribe will hit the court for its regular season finale against Georgia State. The Tribe will be playing for either the No. 9 or No. 10 seed in the CAA tournament, depending on results from both James Madison and UNC Wilmington’s final games. Look for seniors Quinn McDowell, JohnMark Ludick and Kendrix Brown to play inspired basketball in the trio’s final home game.
men’s Baseball Tribe vs. Florida 7 p.m. Fri., Gainesville, Fla. After suffering a close loss at the hands of Virginia, the Tribe will look to rebound against the topranked team in the nation: Florida. Junior pitcher Brett Koehler will have to put forth a strong effort in order to keep Florida’s active bats quiet in the seriesopener. After Friday’s game, the teams will play Saturday and Sunday. Look for freshman designated hitter and sophomore infielder Ryan Lindemuth to continue their hot starts.
women’s Basketball Tribe at Georgia State 2 p.m. Sun., Atlanta Following a 29-point loss to Drexel Thursday, the Tribe faces last-place Georigia State Sunday. Despite shooting 44 percent against Drexel, the College managed just 43 points. The Tribe would have to win its final two games against the Panthers and first-place Delaware in order to have any shot at the 10-seed in the conference tournament. Otherwise, it will remain No. 11 in the conference to start postseason play. per game on the web passing yards
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See more photos and the full video of the post-game press conferences from the Tribe’s win over Hofstra, and follow @FlatHatSports on Twitter for live coverage of games and all the latest updates on Tribe sports news and scores.
NOAH WILLARD / THE FLAT HAT
The College held Hofstra to just 31.3 percent shooting in the second half and stopped the Pride from scoring a field goal in the last 4:28 of the game, notching a 75-71 win at home Wednesday.
Britt’s late three-pointer clinches 75-71 win over Hofstra at Kaplan Arena BY JARED FORETEK FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
A three-pointer from sophomore guard Brandon Britt with the shot clock running down and 18 seconds remaining propelled William and Mary past Hofstra, 75-71 Wednesday at Kaplan Arena. The win followed an ugly loss at Virginia Military Institute Saturday and clinched at least the 10-seed in the upcoming CAA tournament. A James Madison loss to Drexel moved the Tribe into a tie with the Dukes for the No. 9 spot with one regular-season game left. “[Head coach Tony Shaver] was trying to draw up a ball screen for the zone,” Britt, who finished with 14 points on 4 of 6 shooting, five assists and three rebounds, said of the game-icing three-ball. “The first time, we set it, but I went off it the wrong way. … And then [sophomore center Tim Rusthoven] set it, the guy sagged off, and I was like, ‘I’ll just take the shot.’ I was open, and so it went in.” The College (6-24, 4-13 CAA) had a chance just minutes earlier to put some distance between itself and the Pride (9-21, 2-15 CAA), but with 1 minute, 53 seconds left and the Tribe clinging to a 71-69 lead, senior forward Quinn McDowell — a career 82.8 percent foul shooter — missed a pair from the stripe, leaving the door open for a Hofstra comeback. “I pretty much blew it,” McDowell said. “But that’s why you got teammates like [Britt] in order to pick you up. I don’t have an explanation for it other than I just missed them but Brandon’s one of my favorite people right now.”
Despite the misses, McDowell led the Tribe with 21 points on 6 of 12 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds, also a team high. In part, the Tribe was bailed out by an anemic shooting performance from Hofstra, as the Pride went a dismal 31.3 percent from the floor in the second half, finishing the game at just 40 percent. Hofstra didn’t connect on a field goal for the last 4:28 of the game. The College, on the other hand, shot 55 percent from the floor and 10 of 25 from beyond the arc. The first half was defined more by free throw shooting than anything else, as the officials called things extremely close, putting both teams in the bonus before just nine minutes had elapsed in the contest. All told, the teams racked up a combined 40 fouls as three players — two from Hofstra and junior guard Matt Rum for the College — eventually fouled out. Early foul trouble for Rum and Rusthoven limited their minutes drastically, but the Tribe was bolstered by strong play off the bench. Senior center JohnMark Ludwick — spelling Rusthoven — scored 10, pulled five boards and dished out three assists in 17 minutes of play while freshman guard Marcus Thornton stepped in for Rum to score nine points on 4 of 9 shooting. The College’s bench outscored Hofstra’s 22-15. “We got some good things out of a lot of people,” Shaver said. Regardless of the officiating, the opening half was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams going on runs and building up moderate leads but neither pulling away. After shooting an enormous 65 percent from the
floor and going 6 of 10 from downtown in the first, the College looked poised to head into the locker room with a six-point lead before a last-second heave from just inside half-court by Hofstra’s Mike Moore fell, cutting the advantage to 42-39. Moore would spark the Pride’s offense all night, finishing with a game-high 25 points to go along with six rebounds. But as close as the Pride would get, Hofstra failed to ever completely bridge the gap in the second, and the College led throughout the final 20 minutes, twice building up leads of seven. “Nice to win,” Shaver said. “It was a hard-fought game. We could’ve made it a lot easier on ourselves down the stretch but the important thing is, a team that’s had a lot of tough breaks this year found a way to win and that’s really important right now.” Shaver also pointed out that Britt may have been playing with an especially heavy heart when he sank the deep ball with 18 seconds left. “He probably didn’t bring it up, but Brandon lost his father right before the season this year, and today was his father’s birthday,” Shaver said. “You gotta maybe think he guided that ball in there for him a little bit.” The Tribe will close out its regular season when it hosts Georgia State Saturday. See more on this game at
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Tribe edged in heartbreaker at Virginia
U.Va. climbs back from four down in seventh to score 11th-inning walk-off win BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR
After leading by four runs in the eighth and one in extras, William and Mary fell at Virginia 6-5 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th. With the game tied at four in the top half of the 11th, the College looked as though it was on its way to an upset over the rival Cavaliers when junior second baseman Kevin Nutter led off with a walk and advanced to third when shortstop Ryan Williams moved him over with a single to center. With men on the corners and nobody out, the squeeze was on and freshman right fielder Josh Smith laid down a bunt. But U.Va. picher Justin Thompson bolted off the mound to scoop up the ball and flip it home to get Nutter at the plate. Still, the Cavaliers wouldn’t get out of the inning unscathed, and a throwing error by U.Va. catcher Nate Irving brought Brown home, giving the Tribe a 5-4 lead. Senior pitcher Jay McCarthy took the ball for the 11th but quickly worked his way into trouble, giving up a leadoff single to right before walking U.Va.’s Mitchell Shifflett on just four pitches. Head coach Frank Leoni quickly got McCarthy, bringing Williams in from shortstop to pitch. After a sac bunt moved the runners to second and third, Mike Papi sent Williams’ 3-2 offering to right for a two-RBI, walk-off single. McCarthy would take the loss. The College (2-2) held Virginia (2-1-1) at bay for the majority of the contest. Senior starting pitcher Matt Davenport threw six and two thirds shutout innings, allowing two walks and two hits. The senior’s ability to keep Virginia’s hitters guessing gave the Tribe’s offense time to gain traction, and the College drew first blood in the second. Senior catcher Chris Forsten doubled and scored on a
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Junior second baseman Kevin Nutter went 2 for 3 with three walks and one run in the Tribe’s 6-5 loss at Virginia Wednesday.
Williams groundout. Then, after reaching on a bunt single, Nutter touched home on an RBI-single by Smith, giving the College an early 2-0 advantage. The Tribe would add to its lead with one run on two hits and an error in the fourth and another run on one hit and one error in the seventh. Forsten went 2 for 3 with three walks and two runs while Nutter also went 2 for 3 with three walks, scoring once on the night. The College finished with 12 hits and 10 walks while the Cavaliers had 11 base hits and seven walks.
The 4-0 lead wasn’t safe, though, as U.Va.’s bats came alive in the eighth, tagging senior pitcher Cole Shain for three runs on two hits and a walk before tying it up with one run on junior pitcher John Farrell. Farrell, who entered the year as the Tribe’s closer, has struggled in his first three appearances, posting a 3.6 ERA and a 2.4 WHIP in five innings. The College will try to rebound when it heads to Florida Friday to kick off a three-game set with the No. 1 team in the nation.