The Flat Hat December 5, 2017

Vol. 107, Iss. 25 | Tuesday, December 5, 2017

The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper

GREEK LIFE

SIA chapter suspended after reports of hazing

GREEK LIFE

Members will lose recognition on campus, ability to facilitate events until at least fall 2018

of The College of William and Mary

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PIKA moves out

SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

The Beta Delta Chapter of Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. lost official recognition from the College of William and Mary Nov. 22 following a suspension as a result of violating the College’s hazing policies. This suspension comes at the conclusion of a university investigation that found the chapter responsible through an administrative hearing board.

Assistant Director for Student Leadership Development Joe Wheeless and Coordinator for Fraternity/Sorority Life Anne Strickland notified members of fraternities and sororities of this decision through an email Nov. 28.

“Hazing demeans and harms and has no place in our community,” Wheeless and Strickland said in the email. “SIA engaged in hazing behaviors including, limiting or prohibiting contact with non-members, social isolation, and forced eating of food. The hazing behaviors resulted in a physical and mental toll on new members.”

Due to guidance from their national organization, representatives from SIA were unable to respond to requests for comment on their chapter’s suspension.

Because SIA has lost privileges as a student organization, it will not be able to use College facilities and resources or participate in or sponsor extracurricular or social activities on campus while suspended. The earliest it can resume activity as a chapter is the 2018 fall semester.

According to Wheeless, before SIA can resume activity, the organization must comply with certain stipulations, such as submitting an updated guideline for its new member initiation and integration process that is hazing-free. If it does not work to comply with these stipulations while suspended during the 2017 spring semester, it will not be able to resume activity in the fall.

According to Wheeless, these stipulations and the findings of the administrative hearing board were the result of a process that lasted throughout the duration of the 2017 fall semester. Multiple reports were filed, all during previous semesters, which alleged that SIA engaged in hazing behaviors. The administrative hearing board found that these reports were true.

According to Associate Dean of Students Dave Gilbert, when a report of hazing is received, the quality of the information provided determines how the report is handled.

After failing to comply with Interfraternity Council sanctions, PIKA loses housing privilege SARAH SMITH // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

L

ast semester, the Gamma chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity hosted their annual “camo” party, which in previous years had been referred to as a “Vietnam” party, allegedly commemorating fraternity members who were preparing to leave the College of William and Mary to fight in the Vietnam War. Following the party, which President Owen Fish ’19 said the fraternity had tried to disassociate from past offensive behaviors, the Asian American Student Initiative released a petition signed by other student organizations and academic departments that condemned the party and called for the fraternity to apologize for culturally insensitive decorations and the Vietnam theme.

At the end of the academic year, the Gamma chapter released an apology.

At the same time, the fraternity was sanctioned by the Interfraternity Council for having open alcohol at their event.

These sanctions included limited social probation — the fraternity could only host three social events during the fall 2017 semester. In addition, the chapter had to go through two informational sessions. One, which was titled “The Ladder of Risk,” was completed by the chapter Sept. 3. The second, which focused on cultural sensitivity and was hosted by Associate Director of the Center for Student Diversity Roxie Patton, was held in early September as well.

Fish and PIKA Internal Vice President Ryan Walter ’20 said that although they believed that the second informational session went well, they were later contacted by Patton, who said

they failed to complete the session and demonstrated disruptive behavior. The chapter was required to have at least 85 percent of their members in attendance at the on-campus fraternity house for this informational session, which Fish and Walter said had happened. However, toward the end of the session, they said one member muttered an expletive aimed at Patton, but other fraternity members were quick to correct him.

“The [information session] was on how we could avoid the issues that got us punished in the spring,” Walter said. “We were enthusiastic to learn what she had to say and really happy that she was open to our questions.”

Walter and Fish said that they appreciated how Patton encouraged chapter members to share their opinions on what had happened and on the material that she was presenting.

They also said that approximately half of her presentation was focused on specific issues pertaining to the “camo” or “Vietnam” party.

When Adam Illowsky ’18, who was serving as PIKA’s president at the time, received a notice from Patton informing him that the fraternity was being charged with disruptive behavior at the second session, which meant they had failed to complete their sanctions from the spring, he began an appeals process through the IFC that was later picked up by Associate Dean of Students Dave Gilbert.

“Adam filed an appeal with the IFC Conduct Board, See PIKA page 3

See PIKA page 3

CAMPUS

College recognizes World AIDS Day, provides subsidized tests 29th anniversary of international event marked with film screening, participation in ‘National Wear Red Day’

Friday, Dec. 1, the College of William and Mary celebrated World AIDS Day after a week of HIV/ AIDS awareness events. The week kicked off with a film screening of “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt,” a 1989 documentary about the AIDS Memorial Quilt that was unveiled on the National Mall in Washington D.C. in 1987. Thursday, the screening was followed by an evening talk about safe sex. Friday, the week concluded with people wearing red ribbons to promote awareness and tabling at the Sadler Center.

Eric Garrison M.Ed. ’94 has been working as the assistant director of the Office of Health Promotion at the College since 2011. Over two decades ago, Garrison was a graduate student at the College’s School of Education, and was a peer educator in his free time. Just a few years before he was a graduate student, the first World AIDS Day was recognized in 1988. This year marked the 29th anniversary of this event.

For Garrison, the ‘Common Threads’ screening and the significance of the AIDS Memorial Quilt carry emotional weight.

“Each quilt panel was three feet by six feet, which is the size of a standard gravesite,” Garrison

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said. “[The quilt] was a creative outlet, it was an emotional outlet, it was a visual outlet, for everyone to say this is someone I loved.”

Garrison also spoke about the campus climate surrounding HIV/AIDS based on what he noticed both as a peer educator in the 1990s and as a sexual health professional today.

“There is a lot of HIV-phobia and homophobia,” Garrison said. “And people still think that HIV is

“

There is a lot of HIV-phobia and homophobia. And people still think that HIV is a gay disease.

Assistant Director of the Office of Health Promotion Eric Garrison M.Ed. ’94

“

CAROLINE NUTTER FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

a gay disease. … All week long we’ve heard from various people across campus, ‘I really want to go to that but I don’t want to be seen at that,’ which was our philosophy back in the 80s.”

Garrison said that when he was a student at the School of Education, peer educators were on the

front lines of HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

In 1994, Garrison organized an HIV/AIDS and safe sex awareness event on campus and elicited angry responses from College alumni.

“They may not know it, but [Health Outreach Peer Educators] has its origins in HIV prevention,” Garrison said. “Many peer education groups across the United States started not because of alcohol or smoking, but they started in the 1980s because of HIV.” Ginger Ambler ’88, Ph.D. ’06, who is now the College’s vice president for student affairs, was also a peer educator during her time as an undergraduate student on campus. Ambler was a member of Facts and Referrals on Human Sexuality, a group which primarily functioned to teach students how sex worked. Much of this group’s focus was also on contraception. During her time at the College, the HIV/AIDS crisis began to draw national attention.

“Our efforts focused on getting accurate information, to the extent that [it existed] ... but there was a lot of fear,” Ambler said. “So we tried to combat fear with information and knowledge.”

Ambler said the biggest difference in the campus climate since the 1980s was sparked by the change in outcomes for those diagnosed with HIV/ AIDS. She said that with advanced treatments, a

diagnosis of AIDS isn’t a death sentence.

“The biggest difference is the outcomes of AIDS,” Ambler said. “At that time, we didn’t have treatments, and people were dying by the thousands. I don’t hear students [today] talking about HIV/AIDS. I don’t have a good sense of students’ awareness of HIV/AIDS as different than other STIs … we don’t talk about HIV/AIDS the same way [anymore].”

One student initiative, led by Student Assembly, is the subsidization of testing for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Each year, the SA senate votes to continue to allocate money to the Student Health Center for this subsidization.

According to SA Vice President Annelise Yackow ’18, the Student Health Center screens students who come in for testing to determine who should or should not be tested, to deal with the volume of students requesting the testing and to make sure that students are not paying for more tests than they need.

“The health center is going to begin doing more screening to determine who should or should not be tested to ensure that those who have a very low risk are not paying for a full panel of tests,” Yackow said.

The HIV test at the Student Health Center is available to all students, and costs $25.

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THE BUZZ

The biggest difference is the outcome of AIDS. At that time, we didn’t have treatment, and people were dying by the thousands. I don’t hear students [today] talking about HIV/AIDS. I don’t have a good sense of students’ awareness of HIV/AIDS as different than other STIs. We don’t talk about HIV/AIDS the same way [anymore].

— Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ‘88 Ph.D. ‘06 on recognizng the 29th World AIDS Day at the College of William and Mary

One class, one rhythm at a time

The Flat Hat Page 2 Spotlight

Dance accompanist Larry Tolj discusses his passion for music, how he explores new rhythms for modern dance classes CARMEN HONKER // FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITOR

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theflatchat A THOUSAND WORDS

Since taking piano lessons at Peabody Preparatory, playing music has been an integral part of dance accompanist Larry Tolj’s everyday life.

Tolj accompanies the ballet and modern dance classes at the College of William and Mary, playing the piano along with a variety of percussion instruments. Tolj attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and received his degree in visual and performing arts with a concentration in piano, as he said that at the time the school did not offer a major solely in music. Additionally, Tolj earned an education minor in order to teach music at secondary schools. Tolj also said that he played in various local bands and taught piano throughout the years.

Prior to playing at the College, Tolj was the accompanist at the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk.

Now living in northern Gloucester, Tolj has been at the College for 19 years. Tolj said that accompanying modern dance classes was a new venture for him when he first came to the College.

“At the Governor’s School for the Arts I played for ballet classes.

I wasn’t playing [for]modern classes,” Tolj said. “I was around it, [as] they were doing modern in the other studios, so you’re hearing it. But this was really my first [time being involved with a modern dance class]. I mean here, I am playing only for one ballet class, everything else is modern classes.”

During the almost two decades in which Tolj has played for the dance department, his repertoire has seen much evolution. When Tolj first arrived, he said that he only played piano for his many classes. As the years have progressed, Tolj said he has found it necessary to adapt the type and variety of music that he plays. “[For] the first couple years, I just played piano, and that was actually hard, trying to keep up an energy and keep things interesting and keep it moving,” Tolj said. “[The College] actually had a nice collection of instruments, percussion instruments, on the rack, and we’ve [since] added to that, so then I started playing percussion really, out of necessity. I just felt like I needed to add some more energy and interest.”

Then, about three years ago, Tolj said he decided to add a type of drum synthesizer called a wavedrum to his playing regimen. The Korg Wavedrum, World Edition, has 200 different voices, some synthesized and some samples of worldly instruments, that provide Tolj with an entirely new, expanded collection of sounds in which to incorporate into his music. Tolj also said the addition of a looper pedal further expands his musical capabilities, as it allows him to layer different sounds and to add more energy to his music, and helps him to not tire his wrists as quickly.

Tolj said he also enjoys composing his own

music. Tolj occasionally works with the dance faculty to compose pieces for the Orchesis Dance Company’s fall DANCEVENT showcase. This year he wrote the music for theater and dance professor Leah Glenn’s “Red Mettle.”

Tolj said he sometimes gets lost in the music that he is playing in dance class, that he gets inspired by the music at unexpected times during class. Tolj also said that he likes to explore the workings of and reconfigure parts of rock and roll and blues music, the sounds that he grew up with and cherishes.

“That’s why every once and a while I get caught, [the dance combination has] ended and you hear it’s gotten quiet and you look up [to see me still playing],” Tolj said. “But somehow, that’s

“

classes, but each teacher kind of has their own style, so that works. And, again, actually that wavedrum has helped because it uses algorithms.

So, besides the voice, depending how hard you hit and where you hit it, there is some randomization of sounds. It’s almost like playing with someone because you don’t always know exactly what it’s going to do, even though [because of the] algorithm, you know it’s going to work with what you are playing. But it helps, I think, to get the random feedback, to kind of have something to play to, like playing with another musician.”

However, the wavedrum is more than just another tool to which Tolj has access. Tolj said that the drum synthesizer has actually benefited his music in more ways than one; not only does the wavedrum ease the pain caused by his arthritis, but it also allows for Tolj to play with more precision. Tolj said that the additions of the wavedrum and looper, although added partially out of a necessity due to his arthritis, have now become undoubtedly an asset.

“I wear those braces when I’m playing the wavedrum, so instead of using mallets, and working my wrists all the time, I can play with my hands,” Tolj said. “And then the rim of the wavedrum is actually separate voices and algorithms. I can use my wrists to play the rim, so it’s actually almost giving me two hands or four mallets.

So, that’s been interesting and I think it has really helped, taken some of the strain off and still added more nuance.”

Tolj’s other love, besides music, is the water. He said that he enjoys boating, kayaking and fishing.

He even spent time working at a boat shop, and later in his life, before coming to the College, took a year off to sail.

“I like to go out and just beachcomb, look for [American] Indian artifacts, arrowheads and sharks’ teeth and stuff like that,” Tolj said. “I go fishing, I do a lot of fishing. And when I can, get together with friends and play music. Neither of my parents were water people, but I’ve always had a fascination with being on the water. After college, I actually went down and lived in the Outer Banks in Manteo and worked at a shop building sport fishing boats, mainly because I wanted to build a sailboat and go cruising. [The] reality is that it is such a large amount of work to build a sailboat from scratch and a lot easier and cheaper to buy a used boat and fix it up, so that’s what I did.”

Tolj said that being on the water and making music have consistently allowed him to find a sense of calmness throughout periods of his life.

As long as it is feasible, Tolj said that playing music will always be a part of his routine.

“Music for me is kind of my meditation,” Tolj said. “Anytime there have been difficulties, music is where I end. Well music, and the water; I would say both of those to me are soothing and meditative. As long as my hands keep working, I will keep playing, I’m sure.”

I’m constantly searching out new music and world music and different rhythms and things, again trying to keep things fresh. It’s hard when you’re playing this many hours and classes, but each teacher kind of has their own style, so that works.

CATHERINE SCHEFER /THE FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.

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POLICE BEAT

— Dance

accompanist Larry Tolj

where I find the music, looking inside. But then also, sometimes, I’ll take old rock and roll music and then turn it into a waltz or change it or change the metrics and use those progressions as fallback for when you have to come up with something quickly.”

Diving further into the composition of his own music, Tolj said he often experiments with a digital audio workstation in his free time to record his own sounds.

“About four years ago, I started teaching myself how to use a DAW, which was totally foreign to me,” Tolj said. “Getting into that, I always thought that ‘you know, I played piano, that’s what I did,’ so I’ve been working with that to be able to record music; I want to do more with recording.”

Over this past summer, Tolj took part in a master class for scoring film, headed by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Tolj said that through opportunities like these, he tries to gather new ideas for how to work with music and keep his sound lively. Tolj also said that he recently has been searching through the “Tiny Desk Concerts” on NPR and has been studying the percussive sounds of Ukrainian band, DakhaBrakha; he said he loves the unique global music and rhythms.

Additionally, Tolj said that his work with the wavedrum almost mimics that of playing alongside a human, which brings yet another element to his music played in class.

“I’m constantly searching out new music and world music and different rhythms and things, again trying to keep things fresh,” Tolj said. “It’s hard when you’re playing this many hours and

Dec. 2 - 3

1

Saturday, December 2 —A domestic assault was reported on Mount Vernon Avenue.

2

Saturday, December 2 — Peng Wang was arrested for the assault and battery of a family member on Mount Vernon Avenue.

3

Sunday, December 3 — Margaret Elizabeth Wilder was arrested on charges of being drunk in public and using profane language on Powell Street.

4

Sunday, December 3— Ryan Joseph Lauzardo was arrested on charges of being drunk in public and using profane language on Powell Street.

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Page 3

WILLIAMSBURG

City Council plans to focus on Airbnb, group homes Legislative plan will determine agenda for January General Assembly meetings JENNA GALBERG FLAT HAT COPY EDITOR

As the calendar year draws to a close, the Williamsburg City Council is finalizing its legislative agenda to be addressed at the Virginia General Assembly session in January. This year, priorities for the council include regulating the presence of Airbnb and other internet-based rental companies as well as group homes in the Williamsburg area.

With an increasingly shared economy, where individuals are able to borrow or rent assets owned by someone else, more people are recognizing the monetary rewards that come with renting out houses in close proximity to Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary. However, an increase in short-term rental homes, while profitable for owners, has raised concerns from individuals living in single-family home neighborhoods.

Assistant City Manager Andrew Trivette said this is not a new issue. Last year, Virginia Sen. Thomas Norment (R-Williamsburg) successfully sponsored a bill allowing localities to determine where rental homes could be located. This was a shift from the previously existing legislation that allowed Airbnb to establish anywhere.

Now, the Council is dealing with how to amend the City Code to reflect this new responsibility. The Council is currently conversing with residents to determine where these rental homes would be allowed in the City.

Council member Doug Pons, a Williamsburg resident for over 40 years, said that Airbnb can “take away from the tent of a single-family neighborhood,” as it is unknown who is coming in

and out at any given time. Pons said that it is important to make sure these homes are allowed in locations that are agreed upon by residents and the local government.

“The issue of regulating such uses is complicated by a need to balance the economic development aspect of the online economy and the needs of residents that expect true residential conditions,” Trivette said.

House of Delegates Rep. for District 93 Mike Mullin agreed that it is important to affirm the rights of localities like Williamsburg to regulate services such as Airbnb so that the future of the neighborhoods can be preserved.

The presence of group homes, places where a small number of unrelated people in need of care, such as those who are elderly or mentally ill, in the Williamsburg area poses legislative issues as well. Currently, the City doesn’t have jurisdiction over where group homes are located, as that is a state mandated decision.

Thus, the Council is asking the General Assembly to provide legislation that will give advance notice to municipalities when a group home is going to be located in its area of authority.

Pons sid that the City is in no way looking to limit or exclude group homes. Rather, it is only trying to simplify the process, as well as make certain that both residents and the Council are aware of the location of these homes in advance.

Concerns over safety have previously arisen in regards to the presence of group homes in neighborhoods and close to schools. Trivette said that this recent push for legislation was spurred by the unexpected presence of a group home in a local neighborhood.

“Because the City was unaware, we were ill-equipped to help manage the concern and mitigate

the frustration of our residents while helping the group home succeed,” Trivette said.

Mullin said that he understood the desire of residents to know who their neighbors are, but that he wanted to ensure communities were taking care of vulnerable populations.

“If we’re going to be serious in Virginia about tackling the ongoing mental health crisis, we need to make sure that we are taking care of those vulnerable in our community and not demonizing someone just because they’re ill,” Mullin said.

He said there is a current backlog of people at Eastern State Hospital who would be able to leave if not for the lack of beds in group homes within the state. He also said he believes residential concerns over the safety of group homes are essentially baseless, because these types of facilities have been present in the Williamsburg community for two decades.

“There haven’t been [previous] instances of violence or lack of security for our neighbors,” Mullin said.

Mullin, who visited Williamsburg last week to go over the legislative agenda, said that his biggest priority at this time is supporting the citizens and hearing their requests. These concerns will be addressed during the annual meeting of the General Assembly, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 10 and lasting for 60 days.

In addition to these two issues, Pons said that tourism is always a major concern for a city such as Williamsburg which focuses solely on service.

“Virginia spends far less than some of our neighboring states on tourist promotion; we’ve got to get more money into the Virginia Tourism Corporation and have that funneled back to the local jurisdictions,” Pons said.

STUDENT LIFE

Neurodiversity Student Group hosts student-led panel Nov. 29 John Tyler Community College students join panel, work to form own student group GRACIE HARRIS FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

The Neurodiversity Student Group held a student-run panel Wednesday, Nov. 29 entitled “Neurodiversity: Accepting All Kinds of Minds.”

The panel was composed of four members of the Neurodiversity Student Group: Alanna Van Valkenburgh ’20, Chloe How ’20, John Michael McCormick ’18 and Martha Gizaw ’19.

The panel focused entirely on taking audience questions in order to educate others and allow for dialogue on what neurodiversity is and how it affects students’ experience at the College of William and Mary.

The panel opened with a definition of neurodiversity.

“Neurodiversity is basically the idea that there’s lots of different kinds of brains, there’s structural differences, chemical differences, and there’s lots of kinds of minds,” How said. “And the neurodiversity movement is saying that’s not a bad

thing, and that different types of brains come with different challenges and benefits, and we should embrace that as part of diversity.”

Several students from John Tyler Community College who were starting their own neurodiversity student organization attended the panel.

They had several questions regarding raising awareness of the organization, activities organized by the student group and how the group gains members.

The College is the first four-year institution to have a recognized neurodiversity initiative, yet the student group is only two years old and not yet a fully recognized student organization.

The panelists were able to offer advice on starting an organization to the students from John Tyler.

While fielding questions, the panelists discussed topics such as why neurodiversity is important, what comprises the neurodiverse community and how to fight stigma.

“It’s about being the best version

of yourself,” McCormick said. “It’s also about standing up for yourself; it’s about fighting for what you need to succeed even if that’s a little more and a little different than most people.

Neurodiversity has taught me that you can be proud of something without loving it, especially a part of yourself.

You can be proud of who you are while still willing to change.”

The panel also spoke on some of the main goals of the larger neurodiversity movement beyond campus.

Neurodiversity is defined as the diversity of human brains and minds, and includes variations in neurocognitive functioning, such as mental illness and other neurological conditions.

“The most important [thing] is that neurodivergent people exist, and we go out in public and interact with people on a daily basis, and you can’t either forget about us or treat us as some far away issue,” McCormick said.

Panelists also spoke about representation in the larger community.

“The slogan of the disability activist movement that the neurodiversity movement sort of coopted is ‘nothing about us without us,’ so I think right now what the neurodiversity movement is trying to do is taking charge of things that involve neurodiverse people,” Van Valkenburgh said.

On talking to neurotypical people, those individuals who do not display atypical patterns of thought or behavior, the panelists agreed that it’s often much easier to talk to people who know very little about neurodiversity rather than others who have misguided ideas about neurodiverse issues that are not presented from a neurodiverse perspective.

They also expanded on what encompasses neurodiversity, although it was originally designed to include brain differences, like Autism.

The word neurotypical was originally used for people not on the Autism spectrum. Those who were

neurodivergent, were.

“The word was sort of designed to include really any brain difference, so like autistic people, people with Tourette’s, people with ADHD, people with any sort of mental illness, but it’s of course something you can choose to identify with or not,” How said. “Some people feel like, ‘okay, I have an anxiety disorder, but it doesn’t really affect me a whole lot, I don’t really identify a whole lot with this so they might choose not to use the neurodivergent label, but it’s still open to any kind of deviation from what’s neurotypical.’”

Van Valkenburgh said that the main purpose of the panel was to raise awareness of what neurodiversity really means and what the student group does.

“I feel like a lot of people either don’t know what neurodiversity is, or they have a base understanding of it but don’t really know what we do, or what they can do, so we’re just trying to get the word out to people interested in neurodiversity and what we do,” Van Valkenburgh said.

Following session, PIKA loses on-campus housing, spring recruitment privileges Fraternity held election Nov. 2 to replace entire executive board after losing appeals process for failing to complete sanctions PIKA from page 1

Gilbert took it from there, and we had an informal hearing with Dean Gilbert on October 25,” Fish said.

“We were some of the witnesses called, he asked us questions, and we answered them honestly, and he asked us questions based off of [Patton’s] testimony.

He told Adam that he would hear back about the informal hearing within one week. On November 2, he got an email saying that we had sanctions because of disruptive conduct.”

These sanctions, which are in place beginning at the end of the fall 2017 semester, include losing oncampus housing privileges. According to Associate Director of Student Leadership Development Joe Wheeless, Residence Life is working with fraternity members who are living in the on-campus house to relocate them for the spring semester. The process began earlier in the fall, when the sanctions were first issued, but by the start of next semester, the house will be vacant of PIKA members.

The other sanctions, which were imposed on the fraternity for failing to complete the spring 2017 sanctions, include that the fraternity is not allowed to participate in spring recruitment, that each member must complete a mandatory five hours of community service, that the chapter is unable to participate in any on-campus activities such as intramural sports events, that the chapter is unable to host social or philanthropy events, and that the fraternity’s national organization has been called in for membership review.

Fish said that he disagrees with the severity of the sanctions for the crimes the fraternity was charged with, and said that he did not agree with the loss of recruitment privileges as a punishment because he said he does not believe that it promotes healthy growth for the chapter. Those sanctions, which will be in place for the duration of next semester, will

gradually lessen throughout the next fall.

The fraternity will still not have on-campus housing privileges, but they will be allowed to hold fall recruitment and host three social events. Beyond this, Fish and Walter said the fraternity’s activities will return to normal in the fall.

Their housing privileges will not automatically return. According to Wheeless, if the fraternity continues to comply with sanctions, they will be eligible to turn in a roster of members who would be living in the house for the 2019-20 academic year, but their submission of such a roster does not guarantee that they will receive an on-campus fraternity house.

They will also not automatically get their house back during this academic year, but they would have the opportunity to move into a house if a vacancy occurs.

According to Wheeless, there are fraternities eligible for on-campus housing that haven’t received it for a few academic years because there has not been a vacancy, such as Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Although the house will be vacant this coming spring, no fraternity will move into the house then.

Wheeless said it is possible that unaffiliated students will move into the house if there is a need for more housing. In the fall, the College — through ResLife and the IFC — will determine which eligible fraternity will move into the vacant house.

Although the fraternity will lose their on-campus house for an indefinite period of time, Fish and Walter said that the chapter is continuing to move forward, and that they believe the lessons Patton intended to share with them were learned and appreciated by chapter members. Following the Nov. 2 notice that Illowsky’s appeal had been denied, the chapter held a vote-of-no-confidence election and re-elected an entirely new executive board. It was at this meeting that both Fish and Walter received their current positions. They said that they believe this meeting is evidence that they are committed to

showing the community and College administration that they want to grow and change their image.

“Every single one of us wakes up with a smile on our face because we still have each other,” Walter said. “We will fulfill the sanctions against us and keep moving forward. PIKA has the closest bonds as friends, and we want to prove that to the community and to the school because we want to be better in the eyes of the school.”

Walter and Fish said that they know the chapter has been in need of “soul-searching” over the last few years, but that they were working on it on their own.

Due to the sanctions, however, the College mandated this soul-searching before the chapter could finish it themselves.

“The presentation really was informative, and we learned a lot. We want to make clear that we learned the lesson Ms. Patton was sent to teach us,” Walter said.

Page 4

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

STUDENT LIFE

VOX hosts pro-abortion rights discussion Students, professors share perspectives on abortion, reproductive rights Dec. 1 LESLIE DAVIS FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood held its annual “Pro-Choice Talk” Dec. 1 to discuss what it means to be pro-abortion rights. The panel, comprised of seven students and professors from the government, kinesiology and Hispanic studies departments, shared personal and academic perspectives on reproductive rights.

“I think it’s so important to destigmatize abortion in public spaces and to see a variety of perspectives,” VOX Treasurer Isabelle King ’19 said. “That’s why we pushed to have students and professors talk and to have at least one or two men on the panel because I think it’s important to destigmatize abortion along the gender binary.”

For speaker Paulina Farley-Kuzmina ’20, the discussion of abortion rights was not in the abstract. Earlier in the fall 2017 semester, Kuzmina had an abortion, and the pro-abortion

rights talk was the first time she spoke publicly about her experience.

“I felt that sharing my story at the pro-choice talk was appropriate because even if I could touch one person, or one person heard through word of mouth that there was one person who had an abortion, or who was pregnant and made it through, that that would make the difference,” Farley-Kuzmina said. “That would have made the difference for me.”

In her speech, Farley-Kuzmina discussed the state regulations she worked through to receive her abortion.

Virginia state law requires individuals to wait 24 hours before having an abortion if they have traveled to a clinic within 100 miles of their residence.

Farley-Kuzmina traveled 123 miles to Charlottesville, Virginia, to waive the law.

However, since Farley-Kuzmina lived in a residence hall and had no government-issued proof of residence in Williamsburg, she

COURTESY PHOTO / MADISON TATE

Students and professors shared their perspectives on the pro-abortion rights movement at a discussion held by VOX Dec. 1.

used her driver’s license, which showed her permanent address in Northern Virginia. With that address, she was 101 miles from the clinic.

“It just freaks me out that if my parents had bought the house down the street, I wouldn’t have been able to get that abortion,” FarleyKuzmina said. “You can learn about the laws restricting abortion, but it’s very different when you have to hurdle them.”

Farley-Kuzmina said she used her experiences to send a clear message to the audience: People should do more than retweet their support of the pro-abortion rights movement.

She said she wants to see greater activism among those in attendance and greater support for women after their procedures.

“Caring about reproductive rights enough and only waiting to engage in political activism until it affects you directly is really dangerous,” Farley-Kuzmina said. “I urge you to not play that game.”

For government and gender, sexuality and women’s studies professor Claire McKinney, her academically focused talk emphasized the existence of shame and stigma that still affect women seeking abortions today.

“The real importance of doing something like a pro-choice speak out is to provide the space, so we can create solidarity that counters the notion of shame,” McKinney said.

McKinney said that a woman’s ability to make decisions regarding her reproductive rights demonstrates a greater exercise of political decision-making power as citizens.

Kinesiology professor Iyabo Obasanjo continued the discussion of the importance of female political decision-making and leadership, but from a public health standpoint. She said studies have shown that female leaders create better health outcomes for other women.

“We bring our lives into leadership, which is the reason why we want diverse leadership, so that diverse backgrounds can get into positions of opportunity to be able to have an impact on people,” Obasanjo said.

Raised in Nigeria as the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Obasanjo said seeing poverty in her country reaffirmed her pro-abortion rights stance, since she said women should be able to control their family planning. Continuing her research in the United States, Obasanjo fears that high maternal mortality rates will continue to rise in the United States as abortion laws become stricter.

“Countries that have really strict abortion laws have high maternal mortality because abortion care is part of maternal health,” Obasanjo said. “Once you start to untie it, you start to have problems.”

The pro-abortion rights talk’s showcase of varied perspectives, whether that be Obasanjo’s public health talk or Hispanic studies professor Carmen Sanchis-Sinisterra’s story about embracing the pro-abortion rights movement despite her Spanish Catholic upbringing, spoke to audience member Colleen Grady ’18.

“I really liked the diverse perspectives offered and that the talk didn’t shy away from religion, as it very much hits at the cornerstone of this pro-choice, pro-life dichotomy,” Grady said. “I think the emphasis on personal experiences was really important and made me happier to be involved in [the] William and Mary community and more supportive of young women and pro-choice people on campus.”

It was that same sense of support that made speakers like Farley-Kuzmina cultivate their personal understanding of the pro-abortion rights movement.

“That’s what pro-choice is,” Farley-Kuzmina said. “It’s women supporting women.”

WILLIAMSBURG

Publix to expand Virginia locations, move in on Monticello Avenue New grocery store will replace Martin’s, employ approximately 140 people upon opening CARMEN HONKER FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

Publix Super Markets, which originated in Florida, is coming to Williamsburg. With eight store locations already operating in the greater Richmond area, the company announced their purchase of the storefront at 660 Monticello Ave., as part of a larger plan to establish their brand in southeastern Virginia.

“I think you are in for a real treat,” Publix Media & Community Relations Manager Kimberly Reynolds said. “We are excited about our expansion.”

The new Publix will be opening in the place of the Martin’s grocery store that closed July 10, 2017.

Williamsburg Economic Development Authority Chair Adam Steely said that as a resident of James City County, he expects the store to do well in the neighborhood and is happy to see its addition.

“I think that grocery store location has always struck me as being very busy,” Steely said. “It’s in the center of a lot residential concentration and I can’t imagine they are not going to be successful. I think the departure of Martin’s had nothing to do with Williamsburg as a market and everything to do with a corporate merger at a much higher level.”

The grand opening date is yet to be set, and is dependent on external factors.

“We don’t have an opening date yet,” Reynolds said. “It will really [be] determined on the scope of work that that store requires. We did purchase the location, which included the store and the lease. So now we are evaluating the condition of the store and determining what kind of work that may need and then that will help us determine how long before we can get the store open. Obviously, there are other factors like permitting and weather that can affect that as well.”

Reynolds said that she is excited about what the Publix’s brand will bring to the area. She said that Publix is the largest employee-owned company in the nation, and that this enables them to focus on customer service.

“When we talk about Publix, we talk about being the premier quality retailer, and so customer service is what we truly hang our hat on,” Reynolds said. “Our associates are company owners, and as a result, the job that they do every day is to exceed our customers’ expectations, and as our founder would say, ‘treat them like kings and queens.’ So, for example, things like complimentary carryout to your car, having your groceries unloaded in your trunk or walking you to an item down an aisle, just those little touches that make shopping more of a pleasure.”

The opening will employ approximately 140 associates and more than 100 will be locally hired. Reynolds said that this is one way in which Publix hopes to benefit the surrounding community.

“Premier service is definitely something we are looking to bring to the community, as well as quality products. But even beyond that, we can talk about how we revitalize shopping centers and bring jobs,” Reynolds said. “And then just giving back, so when Publix comes to town, not only is it revitalizing shopping centers and hiring local associates, but it’s also supporting our local community, and just working hard to be a great partner in the community.”

Additionally, Reynolds said in an email that Publix will appeal to college students, as their store will have a large selection of grab-and-go food items as well as being known for buy-one-get-one-free deals. She said in an email that there are lots of ways to save at Publix.

Steely said the Trader Joe’s and ALDI stores in town both target a very specific sector of the market, however Publix will have a much larger footprint as to who its brand will appeal to. Steely also said that Publix should also be prepared to face some competition from other, larger

vendors like Harris Teeter.

“I lived for a few years in Florida, and had a great experience with Publix, so I think it’s a first-rate grocery store,” Steely said. “They have some good competition in that area. I think our market is well served; Harris Teeter is doing a great job and Publix is in that same category of higher service grocery supply. So, they compete for variety and selection, but they also want to make a name for themselves with specialty products and butcher service and produce service, and those kinds of things that the slightly lower-tear grocery stores don’t really compete for.”

Publix does not stand alone in its interest in establishing a presence in James City County and the Williamsburg area. Steely said that, within a few days, there is an impending announcement of the arrival of a nationally recognized organic grocer to the Monticello Shopping Center.

“I think it’s a sign of our growing population,” Steely said. “The town [and] the counties around the town continue to grow and I think that [since] there are so many quality companies that want to come here, it’s not a coincidence.”

Publix has made announcements about spreading their stores across Virginia, and Reynolds said that their pending opening in Williamsburg is an important step in the direction to expansion.

“We are committed to aggressively growing across Virginia, and Williamsburg was a great opportunity for us to start to serve southeastern Virginia,” Reynolds said. “It’s a growing community, it’s a great community, and we are just excited to be a part of it. We understand that at this location specifically, we are eager to get our store open as soon as we can so that we can start providing that service to customers and residents there, but it will be worth the wait. We want to make sure that we are providing the absolute best store that Publix is known for, and it will certainly be worth the wait.”

Following reports of isolation, forced eating, SIA loses on-campus recognition Without SIA, Multicultural Greek Council will cease to operate, leaving Delta Phi Omega Sorority, Inc. without a Greek council SIA from page 1

“The determination of whether and how a matter is investigated depends on the quality of the information available and whether the information can be verified in some way,” Gilbert said in an email. “For example, if we receive an anonymous and unverified report, our ability to investigate the matter may be limited. If, however, we receive a report from an identified source or the matter is independently verifiable, we will investigate the matter to the extent feasible. If the report asserts activity occurring that represents a potential and ongoing threat to safety or well-being, we may apply interim actions, such as restriction on activities or suspension, until the matter is investigated and resolved.”

When reports of hazing are received and university administration chooses to conduct an investigation due to the quality of information provided, there are different options for conducting the investigation and issuing judgement. According to Wheeless, SIA opted to have the investigation conducted by

an administrative hearing board.

Student organizations can choose to resolve these cases administratively, request a hearing before a designated case administrator or choose a panel hearing. After one of these options has been selected, if the reports of hazing are found to be true, a student organization could face a warning, could be terminated or could lose recognition, depending on the severity of the matter and the previous disciplinary history of the organization.

According to Wheeless, the last time that a fraternity or sorority lost College recognition due to reports of hazing was in 2013, when the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha lost recognition on campus due to reports that were found to be true. Since then, Lambda Chi Alpha has not been active on campus.

Wheeless said that it is not uncommon for the university to receive reports of hazing and that he has not spent a semester at the College where he has not received at least one or two reports of hazing. Gilbert said that the College typically receives between five and 10 reports a year, but not just from fraternities

and sororities. Gilbert said that in the past, the College has received reports involving club sports teams, athletic teams, performing arts groups and service organizations.

“Hazing certainly is not limited to fraternities and sororities,” Gilbert said in an email.

Hazing at the College is defined as any action taken or situation created intentionally, whether on or off campus, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule. The College recognizes activities and situations such as paddling, the creation of excessive fatigue, physical and psychological shocks, scavenger hunts, road trips, wearing publicly apparel that is not normally in good taste and engaging in public behavior that is degrading or humiliating as examples of hazing.

At the College, the Hazing Prevention Coalition exists to prevent hazing. It is charged with helping the campus community recognize hazing, understand its implications and act when hazing is reported. It also provides student organizations with healthier means of member integration.

The Hazing Prevention Coalition is currently co-chaired by Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Housing Shylan Scott and Director of Student Leadership Development Anne Arseneau ’89, M.A.Ed. ’92.

Another ramification of closing the investigation against SIA is that the Multicultural Greek Council, which was formed in late spring 2017, will cease operation. The MGC was formed to incorporate sororities and fraternities that were not part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Panhellenic Council or the Interfraternity Council. It previously consisted of SIA and Delta Phi Omega Sorority, Inc., a sorority that formed on campus last academic year.

“Unfortunately, this means the Multicultural Greek Council formed in April 2017 will cease operation as a council until the return of SIA or another chapter is able to join MGC,” Wheeless and Strickland said in their email. “Delta Phi Omega Sorority, Inc. is still an active chapter at William & Mary and will continue to be supported by the fraternity/sorority advising team.”

opinions

Opinions Editor Brendan Doyle Opinions Editor Kiana Espinoza fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, December 5, 2017 | Page 5

STAFF COLUMN

Following up on allergy concerns at dining halls

Julia Urban

FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER

KAYLA SHIRLEY / THE FLAT HAT

STAFF COLUMN

Study tips to overcome stress during finals

Kevin Richeson

FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR

Looming like a dark cloud on the horizon, finals begin Dec. 11. Mental illness is a huge problem on campus throughout the year, and more needs to be done by the administration to improve the situation.

The amount and quality of mental health resources and the ease of access to existing resources is painfully inadequate.

Typically, the most stressful time of any semester is the two weeks of finals. While I would certainly advocate for an expansion of and increased focus on mental health resources on campus, there are some strategies that I use, especially during finals, that help me to combat deteriorating mental health.

One event that I really look forward to during finals is therapy dog visits. While therapy dogs are occasionally in Swem, in the Campus Center or on the Sadler Terrace, they are on campus more frequently during finals. I love dogs, and this is one of the highlights of finals for me.

Furthermore, Wesley Campus Ministry puts on an event at its house on Jamestown Road one night during finals where it brings dozens of dogs for students to pet and play with. If you are a dog lover, this can be a great, brief distraction from work that can boost your spirits.

Sleep is not for the weak, no matter how many people tell you that. My sleep schedule is certainly not ideal, but I set aside time for naps and make sure I almost always sleep at least a few hours at night. During finals it can be more difficult to get a sufficient amount of sleep and especially to maintain a good sleep schedule.

It can be tempting to pull an all-nighter to get that extra couple hours of studying in, but a lot of the time sleep is the best thing to help you be refreshed for your exam.

I figure out a day or two ahead of time when I want to wake up and when I want to do work so that I can try to balance sleep, work and breaks. No matter how you go about it, make sure you are sleeping to allow your body to recharge.

It helps me to plan week by week when I want to accomplish different tasks. This decreases my stress and allows me to get ahead so I do not feel rushed.

While I do not always meet these deadlines exactly, it helps me to have a guideline to follow. I do the same thing for finals, so that tasks seem more manageable and I can adequately prepare while also allowing myself time for breaks and rest. Not everyone likes to plan ahead, but if you are stressed out by deadlines or tend to procrastinate, planning can help you make the most of the limited hours in a day and hopefully limit stress.

It can be tempting to stay in your room for days on end studying alone. However, it is refreshing to study in different places or with other people. While studying alone has value and can be very productive, sometimes it can be a welcome change to study around or with other people. There are also different options for places to study besides your room or Swem. I like to study in the Campus Center, different classrooms, Marketplace or common areas in dorms. This can prevent you from becoming a recluse, which for me intensifies depression, during finals.

It is not only important to make time for sleep, but also for breaks during the day. While everyone will have a lot to accomplish each day, set an hour or two of time aside each day to do something different that you enjoy.

Whether this is spent watching a movie or television, going to a sporting event or show or exercising, these breaks can help you to rest and prepare for the next stretch of exam preparation.

I know that not all of these ideas will help every person, because everyone has different types and levels of mental health issues, but I hope that some of these options that have helped me a lot will help other people on campus. No matter how you cope, I hope that everyone on campus can remember that their mental health is important. Please prioritize your mental health during finals because it truly is more important than the exams we will be taking.

Email Kevin Richeson at kmricheson@email.wm.edu.

A month ago, I wrote a column titled “Addressing Allergy Concerns at Marketplace.” I described my experience eating at the popular dining establishment, where many foods were not labeled for the eight main allergens. When I inquired about allergens at the Grille, I was informed that Marketplace cooks with peanut oil.

Last night, I enjoyed chicken tenders and fries at Marketplace without the need for an EpiPen. The Grille now displays a sign stating, “we cook with vegetable oil,” and, according to campus dietician Julie Nance, the College of William and Mary has many more improvements in store for the future. After my article’s publication, I sat down with Nance to discuss these improvements. She corrected the misinformation I received regarding peanut oil at Marketplace, assuring me that they use vegetable oil, hence the new sign. She hopes to increase labeling throughout the dining space. While sandwiches are labeled and products like Simply-to-Go cups have ingredient stickers, the soup bar and dessert station lack allergen information. Nance explained that Marketplace is technically classified as “retail,” and therefore has an ingredient database separate from that of the Sadler Center and the Caf. Due to this separation, labeling at Marketplace may not be as consistent as at the other two cafeterias. She hopes to overcome this barrier so that Marketplace can reach the same standard of allergen safety.

Nance’s hopes for the College go beyond simply labeling allergens.

She wishes to find alternatives for them where possible and to reduce cross-contamination. She explained that students with dietary restrictions pay the same price for meal plans as other students and should therefore have the same range and quality of food. For example, she has proposed buying a fryer for Simple Servings at the Sadler Center, since Sadler’s current fryer may be cross-contaminated with shrimp. Also, within Simple Servings, she hopes to increase the variety of starches available, so that students who eat there aren’t limited to rice. She encourages students to speak up for themselves and provide feedback (and hopefully support the movement for a Simple Servings fryer). At the College, student feedback is taken very seriously. I was impressed especially by the response to my column regarding Marketplace. The sign at the Grille clarifying the type of oil used was posted almost immediately. As well, I was assured that the Marketplace staff are allergen certified, and that increased labeling is in progress.

Though I feel very safe here, I never hesitate to speak up if I have questions. I encourage other students with dietary restrictions to also advocate for themselves. No question is “stupid” or too small, especially when it comes to health. Sometimes it can be difficult to ask; I often feel like I am inconveniencing other people. However, the inconvenience of answering my questions could save me a trip to the hospital.

Years ago, I brought my own ice cream to a restaurant, knowing that its ice cream would most likely contain eggs. When it was time for dessert, the manager of the restaurant brought out ice cream for me, but I knew something was not right. I asked her to double-check that she brought the correct one. With complete confidence, she insisted that she had my ice cream, but eventually agreed to check.

I was correct and, in speaking up for myself, I prevented an allergy attack. I am by no means saying to distrust people. I’m just saying trust yourself, go with your gut, and know that your safety comes before anyone’s convenience. There are a lot of situations where a student with allergies will “probably” be okay. I would “probably” be okay eating foods labeled with “processed in the same facility as tree nuts.”

I may even be okay consuming peanut oil, which is so refined that little to no allergenic protein remains. However, students with allergies should speak up for themselves, no matter how “small” the issue, so that they can be safe — not just probably, maybe or sort-of okay.

Email Julia Urban at jaurban@email.wm.edu

When in doubt, take the elevator: A guide to lifts across campus

Naomi Gruber

FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

There are some horrors all students at the College of William and Mary have to face: Sadler food, astronomical printing fees, Banner crashing during each and every registration period. These tragedies are, sadly, unavoidable.

The four-story walk to your GSWS class on Morton’s third floor, however, is not. And it’s all because of a magical little box. No, the College has not installed TARDISes into its buildings, but it has installed something better — elevators.

I know what you’re thinking and I’m going to stop you right there; I am aware that taking the stairs is the healthier thing to do. Walking up stairs gets that heart rate up, squeezes exercise into your busy day, maybe even helps you lose the extra pound (or two) you happily packed

on during the last break. My qualm is not with the basic idea of taking the stairs, just with taking them to that third or fourth-floor class.

For many students like me, our schedules leave little wiggle room for a mid-day spurt of exercise on the stairwell. Maybe you have a 10-minute gap between your English class in Tucker and the geology class in Andrews that you’re taking because dinosaurs sound cool. Or maybe you’re a real big fan of sleep and only have 10 minutes to get from your dorm on New Campus to your 8 a.m. Spanish class in Washington. Or maybe you just haven’t found time for the Rec lately and are not in the best of shape. Regardless of the specific circumstance, my fellow sprintersacross-campus and exercise-slackers know that taking the stairs is perhaps one of the worst decisions of your college career.

If you’re one of the many students that choose to live the stairwell life, you’ve been in this situation before: out of breath, slightly pink in the cheeks, suddenly the most fascinating thing in the room. All eyes turn to you (at least in your head), the heavy-breather, the white noise machine, the person who gives off waves of not-so-silent suffering. As you take your seat, you try to stifle your breathing, only making the problem worse by not giving your lungs the room they need (and deserve) to breathe. The class is quiet as the professor fusses with the

projector, and you are forced to wait, alone in your pain, for the lecture to finally begin.

You might be wondering what the solution to this problem is. How on earth can I avoid this fate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday?

I have good news for you. In 1870, the first passenger elevator was installed, paving the way for elevator fanatics ever since. Even better, public buildings with more than one floor are required to meet the American Disability Act’s accessibility requirements — at least one passenger elevator. To elevator aficionados such as myself, the elevator is an obvious, easy, and perhaps even fun solution to the dilemma. All that is required of you is a few seconds of wait, an irrational fear of plummeting to your death and a brief moment of relaxation as you are carried up to your destination. However, I have noticed during my time at the College that some people are not aware of the locations of these wonderful inventions. In order to aid you in your elevator discovery, here are some campus elevators you might not know where to find: Morton. Beholder of the famous four-floor trek, worst offender of them all. If you’re coming from the path by Jones, bypass the stairs and head toward the main hallway. It’s right by the restrooms, I promise.

Campus Center. Not an academic building, but apparently a mystery to many. Keep going

past the info desk and the Dean of Students Office, almost all the way toward the door you never seem to use.

Blow Hall. Due to its structural abnormalities, Blow can be one of our more confusing buildings. I recommend taking the ground-level door on Blow’s front-right corner. From there, ignore the staircase and go through the doorway.

Follow the hallway until you pass the Registrar’s office, then keep going some more. The elevator awaits you at the very end of the hall.

Tucker. For such a weird building, this one’s pretty easy. Hang a right at the big staircase in the lobby, then keep turning right into the hallway.

The elevator is across from the girls’ restroom.

Washington. Unless you use the back entrance, first climb the unavoidable, oddly steep stairs to the main floor. On the right-hand wall before the door to the stairs sits your relief.

Swem. Yes, I know you know already. But are you aware of the third elevator? Take a left after you pass the writing center. You’re welcome.

The next time you find yourself rushing to Morton’s infamous stairwell, pause. Take a left, then a right. Experience for yourself the joy of not entering class embarrassingly out of breath, and press that elevator’s button.

(Except in the case of fire, overcrowding or the inevitable collapse of Morton into a sinkhole.)

Email Naomi Gruber at ncgruber@email.wm.edu.

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Page 6

GRAPHIC BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT

GUEST COLUMNS

In the wake of the Botetourt fire: Displacement and lack of communication College struggles to execute evacuation

Grant Wong

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

I didn’t blame the College of William and Mary for its hectic response to the Fauquier transformer explosion and the subsequent campus-wide blackout. A lot of people, my hallmates included, were understandably upset at the College’s actions. I know that it must have been difficult to run classes and services on a powerless grid, much less find a way to relocate and house over 160 displaced Botetourtians.

However, what I couldn’t understand was the College’s lack of communication and the fact that its messages and alerts came late causing a lot of unnecessary inconvenience.

The College’s updates on the entire blackout situation often reached me long after I had already received the news via GroupMe or word-of-mouth. I even found out about the fire firsthand: I saw the burning, exploding transformer from Gooch Hall and heard the fire alarm going off before I left for class. I saw police officers on the scene, mobilizing in response to the fire. Yet, it wasn’t until 20 minutes later that I received a Tribe Alert about a fire on campus.

Significant delays in communication persisted later in the day. It wasn’t until 3:14, as I was on Old Campus, that I received an urgent email from the College informing me I was to be out of the Botetourt Complex at 4:30 at the latest, so that I could be relocated to the Governor’s Inn hotel for at least four days. I reiterate that I had no issue with what actions the College took in dealing with the blackout, but found it appalling that crucial information was being sent out so late.

Botetourt makes a chaotic move to hotels

Given the commute from Old Campus all the way back to Gooch Hall, I was left with less than an hour to prepare for four days of living in a Colonial Williamsburg hotel.

The process of checking into the Governor’s Inn (which is about a 16 minute walk from Confusion Corner) was utter chaos. Masses of Botetourtians waited outside the hotel as RAs and hotel staff scrambled to get everyone settled. I personally waited over an hour to receive my room key. There were a lot of frustrated people out there and I can’t say I blamed them for how they felt.

One of my hallmates pointed out the College’s hypocrisy in requiring us to all submit evacuation plans to it while it struggled to carry out its own. Things considerably cooled down after everyone had properly retreated to their hotel rooms or the dorms of friends. After packing away my things, I enjoyed a hot shower and a fullsized bed to myself.

It was at noon the next day I was let down again by the College, this time through a vaguely-worded eviction notice. Power had miraculously been restored to Botetourt.

Therefore, I was free to “move back at my residence hall at my own convenience,” as long as it was by 11:00 a.m. the next day. All of my clothes were snug in the hotel room’s dresser and my books were neatly arranged on the desk.

It wasn’t a good feeling, repacking all of my things after only one night’s hotel stay. I must say, I’m still frustrated we were told to pack for four days with only an hour’s notice, settled into a nice hotel, then had our nights cut in half.

It hadn’t helped the College’s standing in my eyes that I had heard of my eviction even before I had received their email: I first found out about it from a local news website. Although I’m not nearly as angry with William and Mary as my fellow Botetourtians were, I hope the College will be much more practical in communicating with its students in the future.

Email Grant Wong at gwwong@email. wm.edu.

Caroline Toth

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

My experience with the generator blowing up and the subsequent evacuation was a largely negative experience. I was in class the whole day Monday and wasn’t able to check my phone, so after I got out of class I noticed that we had gotten an email about an evacuation. The email stated that we were to be moved out of our residence halls by 4:30 p.m., and that we were unable to move after sunset.

At this point it was 3:50 and I had 40 minutes to pack up my stuff and find temporary housing for my two fish. Luckily, I was able to find housing for my fish just in time. They are delicate fish, and if I hadn’t, they surely would have perished. I didn’t have time to correctly treat the water and make sure that all everything was safe, so I hoped that they would survive the projected four days without me.

When I got to the hotel with my hallmates, it was a largely disorganized setting, and I didn’t know what was going on. About 15 minutes after we had gotten there, someone came in and told us that the reservations didn’t go through and that we would have to wait another hour in order to get our rooms.

I understand that administrative constraints had to be taken into account, but if I had that hour left on campus I would have been able to take better care in the living situation of my animals.

About an hour or so later we were told to quiet down and that we were getting our room keys, so we all hushed. After some names were called, there was increasing commotion, and those at the back of the room were having

trouble hearing the announcer. Roommates were not called in pairs, and if your roommate was called and they weren’t there to receive the key, you had to wait until everyone else got their room before you could get yours. We were not permitted to accept the key in place of our absent roommate.

Additionally, the organizers didn’t consider whether people would elect to stay on campus, with a friend for example, so there were many people staying in double rooms alone, which most likely contributed to a larger cost. If they had considered this fact and done hotel rooms on more of a case-by-case basis, we would have been able to get our rooms much faster.

Living in the hotel was inconvenient, yet overall not much different. There were a few problems with transportation. For example, the buses were supposed to arrive at the top of the hour. My first time taking the bus it was 15 minutes late, which was a problem for people in a hurry.

One of the buses that was going to the Governor’s Inn also arrived slightly late and let its passengers off but didn’t let the people waiting on board. The bus that I was waiting for (from the Woodlands hotel) came shortly after, and the Governor’s Inn residents had to wait even longer. Upon my asking, the Governor’s Inn occupants had to wait an hour total. Also pertaining to the Governor’s Inn, it was of significantly less quality than that of the Woodlands. Some people I talked to reported having moldy shower curtains and foulsmelling carpets, which was a bit unfair.

Overall, I believe that the situation could have been handled better, yet I am grateful for the help of our RAs and how they kept us as informed and organized as possible. Looking back, I would have appreciated more time to take care of my fish. Since the incident didn’t last the projected four days, the fish survived without me living with them. I appreciate the College’s ability to get us temporary residence and, considering the abrupt nature of the issue, it handled it in a satisfactory way. Still, I would have appreciated more warning, time and information.

Email Caroline Toth at cetoth@email. wm.edu

GUEST COLUMN

Confronting polarization on campus: A matter of listening first, speaking second

Alex Hubbard

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

With this past year’s election going down as probably the most controversial in American history, it makes sense that the political climate on campus is increasingly tense.

It seems that in this age of unhinged Facebook arguments and polarized opinions, compromise is a dying art. As soon as someone begins to express an opinion that does not match our own, we have a tendency to close our ears and to immediately start thinking about what is wrong with their argument. This practice just serves to worsen rifts and entrench people in their own way of thinking. Sometimes, it feels as if our campus is an echo chamber, where certain opinions are repeated over and over and others are silenced.

If we really want to grow and become the best citizens of the world we can be, we need to practice listening. Not only to people with whom we agree, but also to those people with whom we disagree. In fact, especially to those with whom we disagree, and even to people whose opinions we find downright stupid. No one can grow without being challenged, and a college setting is the perfect place to allow yourself to be challenged. Listen to opposing views and really closely examine your own before you open your mouth or your Facebook app to share them.

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If, on our campus, we focused more on listening and understanding, we could restore the somewhat lost art of compromise.

When my high school forced me to read “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, I didn’t retain much of what I read, except for one rule: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. If you come across an opinion you think is wrong, figure out why that person thinks the way they do instead of rebutting or insulting them until they shut up. Odds are that no one leaves that conversation any wiser and everyone involved is angry and convinced that their opponent is a moron. Really look hard for the merits in what someone is saying and then try to explain your point of view in a non-aggressive way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to accept hate speech.

Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated. Those ideas are problematic and have no place anywhere in society. But instead of fighting fire with fire, try to take a step back and fight smarter, not harder. It’s possible to be just as convincing without being hostile, and in general, people are more receptive of and respectful to someone who is respectful to them. If, on our campus, we focused more on listening and understanding, we could restore the somewhat lost art of compromise and go on to be productive and exemplary citizens of the world.

Email Alex Hubbard at amhubbard@email.wm.edu.

BEST of the ’BURG

BEST Campus Bathroom. BEST Coffee and tea.

BEST SCENERY. BEST GHOST OF Tribe Square.

BEST Facebook Page. BEST DESSERT.

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HAT FLAT

Best Dessert: Kilwins SARAH FARNEY FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

Living in Williamsburg has plenty of perks, but the swampy humidity is not one of them Nothing is better on a hot day than a mint chocolate chip sugar cone from Kilwins.

Kilwins is a confectionary chain that sells all kinds of sweets like ice cream, chocolates, Mackinac Island Fudge, caramel apples, hand-crafted corns and brittles, chocolate dipped pretzels, and rice krispie treats.

Kilwins is close to campus and cheap enough for the occasional treat. It is right down the street from popular restaurants like Retro’s and Aromas, and across the street from Blue Talon.

Walking down Prince George Street, the delicious smell of waffle cones being made is bound to catch a hungry twamp’s attention. Once inside, the blackand-white checkerboard floor and traditional copper kettles create an atmosphere of a vintage ice cream parlor. The chic white

subway tile backsplash brings in a touch of modernity that makes Kilwins’ decor perfectly fit the vibe of Williamsburg: oldfashioned meets modern day.

On a brisk fall day, Kilwins’ hot chocolate hits the spot. In fact, while Kilwins is known by students for its ice cream, that isn’t the only indulgence available. The store has a candy kitchen full of homemade sweet treats. They paddle Mackinac Island fudge the old-fashioned way on marble and you can taste the difference. The Kilwins original recipe for caramel and fresh Granny Smith apples make Kilwins’ caramel apples to die for.

Finally, the chocolate-covered pretzels and rice krispies are the perfect chocolate pick-me-up after a long day at Swem.

Kilwins is a sanctuary for students looking for a sweet treat on a hot summer’s day (or a hot winter’s day). And when the weather finally does get cooler, there’s a plethora of options outside of ice cream for students to devour.

Campus Center Basement

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EMILY CHAUMONT FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR

Privacy, comfort, mirror placement, toilet paper quality and overall ambiance are usually the most important factors when it comes to creating the ideal bathroom. The folks who designed the bathrooms in the basement of the Campus Center had none of these factors in mind, yet there is no bathroom on campus closer to the hearts of the Flat Hat staff.

Affectionately known as “the murder bathroom,” the Campus Center basement bathrooms meet none of the criteria one might expect for a well-loved bathroom, but this unlikely favorite is the only one available during the long Monday nights spent laying out the paper.

The women’s restroom is done in a pale green tile and the men’s in light gray. Both appear

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to be portals into another time — or perhaps another dimension?

They are the sort of liminal spaces that make you incredibly uneasy for no particular reason. In order to reach the toilets, you have to round a corner, which should be normal but is somehow incredibly frightening. In the entrance to the men’s room is the sinks, meaning you must wash your hands with your back to the entrance. The entrance to the women’s room is an inexplicable hallway with mirrors in which you can only see yourself from the chest up, and the racks are too high to hoist your backpack onto and too widely spaced to put your phone on. There are no mirrors above the sinks, as there are in most bathrooms. Instead, you must use the toilet in a stall with walls that are far too short, wash your hands at a sink that seems just a bit too low and then try to use the mirrors that are mounted too high up on your way out.

Despite all this discomfort, we all have a begrudging affection for this bathroom. The pale green walls and awkwardly high mirrors aren’t just perfect for delirious Monday night selfies; Rocket did a shoot in there for last year’s spring issue, which is definitive proof that these bathrooms are the coolest on campus.

Even though they look like an abandoned horror movie set, we must use these bathrooms, so we have learned to love them.

Next time you’re in the Campus Center, follow the dim fluorescent lights past the Little Theater, past the Publication Lab and pay a visit to the Flat Hat staff’s favorite bathroom on campus. Just make sure you come by before midnight and hope that you don’t have to prop open the door and turn on the lights yourself, unless of course you’re up for horror movie-worthy tension.

AKEMI TAMANAHA / THE FLAT HAT

ALEX HUBBARD THE FLAT HAT

Best Coffee and Tea: Swemromas

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RENEE NAPOLIELLO FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

Caffeine is arguably the most coveted substance on campus. Its main sources, coffee and tea, have become a necessity for sustaining college students in daily life, from surviving latenight study sessions to struggling through earlymorning classes. There are many establishments near or on campus that make these beverages available to students: dining halls, the Integrated Science Center’s Starbucks, the Wawa, etc. But, if a student wants to visit the best option, then they’ll have to take a trip to Earl Greg Swem Library on campus and visit the spinoff of Aromas coffee shop inside, otherwise known as Swemromas.

Swemromas has everything you’ll need for your caffeine fix. Of course, there are the standard

Best Scenery: Matoaka Trails

coffees and teas for purchase. On top of that, though, are the more flavorful options. From mint mochas to s’mores lattes, this coffee shop will find any way to jazz up your drink. And Swemromas also wins in the food category, offering excellent pastries and other sweet treats that beat out those of other establishments in quality, giving it extra points in its favor.

The most important factor is the atmosphere.

The homey, slightly quirky touches around the shop, the blackboard featuring the entire menu handwritten and the soft but upbeat music all create a welcoming and relaxing space for the harried college student. Add to that the friendly and personable staff and you have a place that would make any student feel at home. As such, the cozy, comfortable vibe provides an excellent space for anyone to hang out with friends or study. There are simply no other places on or near campus that

provide as nearly a friendly and chill atmosphere.

Not the Wawa, not the Starbucks and certainly not the dining halls.

The final point in favor of Swemromas is convenience, which combined with taste and atmosphere, puts it clearly at the top of the list for students. Sure, perhaps students could go to other local coffee shops for good drinks and a cool vibe, such as the main Aromas, but will it be worth the trek out there? Swemromas is literally the center of campus, located in one of the most popular and visited buildings. If at any time while studying you need a caffeine rush, Swemromas is immediately there to provide. Since Swemromas is unparalleled in the immediate area for quality, atmosphere and location for students at the College, it is the clear top choice for students in search of coffee or tea. If all that is not enough to convince you, just remember that it also takes Flex. Case closed.

WWhether you’re on a run or just need some fresh air and a break from studying, the scenic trails around Lake Matoaka cannot be beat. With finals just around the corner, it’s important to remember to take care of yourself. A calm walk in the woods is a great way to clear your head and keep your stress levels in check.

The trails are just a short walk from Swem, with an entrance to the trails just behind DuPont Hall and another behind the Rec. Catch a glimpse of Lake Matoaka through the trees – The trails are a wonderful place to spot some of the local wildlife if you are getting bored of just seeing squirrels. There are plenty of places just off the trails to sit and take in the scenery

if you need to catch your breath, or just need a quiet place to meditate for a bit. They’re easily accessible and an excellent way to kill an hour between classes.

In the fall, when the leaves begin to turn and the air is cool and crisp, the forest floor is blanketed in multicolored leaves and the cool air is invigorating. It’s an ideal spot if you need some quiet alone time away from the hustle and bustle of the main campus, and is almost always just a short walk away.

Not to mention, the trail offers a glimpse into the campus life of yesteryear, as it is dotted with old outdoor workout equipment, so if the trail is your chosen running spot, you can rest your legs and round out your workout.

Be wary of venturing out on the trail at night, especially in the fall. When the trail is dark and obscured by all the fallen leaves, it’s easy to get turned around and lost or to trip on a stray root.

Now that finals are nearly upon us, it’s the perfect time to get out and take advantage of this beautiful campus resource.

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Best Facebook Page:

“Swampy Memes”

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I remember walking into The Crust for the first time my freshman year. It felt familiar, like I had been there before in a thousand other college towns. I think that’s why students liked The Crust so much; not because the pizza was good, or even because of the convenient location, but because it felt like a place that belonged on a college campus.

The Pita Pit closing wasn’t ideal.

And Mooyah has a cult personality bigger than its burgers and fries, which is apparent to anyone who was on “Swampy Memes for TWAMPy Teens” early last year.

But the absence of The Crust leaves a void in the heart of campus life.

Sure, College Delly and the Green Leafe are better bars, but they don’t take Dining Dollars. Paul’s Deli and Brickhouse are cool, but where

in the world are the skillet cookies?

Speaking of skillet cookies, many of my friends loved the Ladies’ Night special. Half-off the dessert to share with friends (or not) was a perfect recipe for a great time.

In fact, any time spent at The Crust with friends was enjoyable.

One specific night in March, a group of my friends went to The Crust to watch basketball. We ordered all kinds of appetizers to share – wings, nachos, mozzarella sticks – and didn’t have to pay a dime of real money. It was one of those nights you couldn’t have anywhere else in Williamsburg. Of course, the food wasn’t amazing, but it was exactly what you wanted. That’s what I’ll remember about The Crust.

In short, The Crust was like that old friend from high school: a little trashy, but something you remain loyal to, whether ironically or not.

And when it’s gone, you look back on the days you spent with it fondly.

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Best Ghost of Tribe Square: The Crust

T There is only one place at the College of William and Mary for students to share their innermost memes without getting up from their carefully procured spot on the third floor of Earl Greg Swem Library: “Swampy Memes for TWAMPy Teens.”

‘Swampy Memes’ is a public Facebook group (officially listed as a study group) that rose out of the need for a space to post memes relevant to the College community.

Adam Benmhend ’19 and a group of friends started the group in late January 2017 after discovering the need for a College-specific meme group. Topics such as stress, strange happenings on campus and even our beloved mascot, the Griffin, are all fair game. Whether you are a frequent meme-maker or a quiet consumer of internet entertainment, ‘Swampy Memes’ is the Facebook group for you.

Like any internet space, the content of ‘Swampy Memes’ is always evolving (and if your

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memes are stale, others will be sure to let you know).

One week you’re scrolling through pixelated images of animals in cowboy hats, and the next you’re trying to decide if you relate more to the infamous Yates Hall or the quieter, twamp-ier Brown Hall. Saw something weird spring up on campus overnight (we’re looking at you, Grim Dell fountain)? Check your Facebook feed in a few hours and you’ll be pleased to find a plethora of fresh and juicy memes that so articulately express how you’re feeling about the new addition.

College Facebook groups are the place to be in 2017, but standing the test of time takes dedication, creativity and an audience of stressedout students wanting to take their mind off work for a minute.

While some groups have faded into the archives, “Swampy Memes for TWAMPy Teens” stands out above the rest, ready to hark upon the gale for all meme lovers in the years to come.

Warning: this article is not edible. The Flat Hat does not condone any consumption of its newspapers.

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NAOMI GRUBER FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

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what any w&m business school student looks like walking around campus

sportsinside

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, December 5, 2017 | Page 7

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tribe rides Burchfield to wins

Tribe defeats Marshall, Savannah State behind dominant offense, key defensive stops KEVIN RICHESON FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR

William and Mary continued its nonconference schedule last week with two games. The Tribe first took on Marshall at home before traveling to Savannah State Saturday. The College won both games with offensive outbursts, scoring over 100 points in both games to increase its win streak to four.

Wednesday, the Tribe (5-2) welcomed the Thundering Herd (5-3) to Kaplan Arena. Sophomore forward Nathan Knight opened the scoring for the Tribe just over a minute into the game, with a jumper to tie the contest at two. After giving up four straight points, senior guard Connor Burchfield drilled his first three of the night to cut the deficit to 6-5. A dunk by Knight, off a pass from senior guard David Cohn, just seconds later gave the College its first lead of the game, 7-6. The Tribe fell behind again before Burchfield added his second three of the night. He added his third a few minutes later to give the College a 17-13 advantage with 13:39 to play in the first half. In an early, back-and-forth affair, Knight put the Tribe back up 21-20 with a layup at the 12-minute mark. Knight finished as the Tribe’s leading scorer, with 31 points, 22 of which came in the second half, and 12 rebounds.

“I was looking to score,” Knight said.

“It was just my teammates looking for me.”

The College kept up its hot shooting from deep midway through the first as junior forward Paul Rowley knocked down back-to-back threes giving the Tribe a six-point advantage over the Thundering Herd. Sophomore guard Matt Milon added another triple and Cohn banked home a layup to extend the lead to 34-23 with 8:32 to play before the half. However, Marshall responded with six-straight points. Burchfield added another three to get the lead back to eight for the Tribe. Layups by Cohn and sophomore forward Justin Pierce gave the College a double-digit lead once again. Pierce finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes. He was one of five players for the College in double-figures for the game. The College’s advantage did

not last long as the Thundering Herd responded with another scoring run, this time a 10-0 spurt to tie the game at the 4:23 mark of the first half. Threepointers from Cohn, Burchfield and Milon late in the period allowed the College to take a 51-44 lead to the locker room. Milon also finished in doubledigits with 15 points.

The hot shooting for both teams did not dip in the second half. However, the Tribe started off slowly, allowing the Thundering Herd to take a lead. The Thundering Herd tied the contest at 59 in the first few minutes of the second half and took a 62-59 lead on a three from guard Jon Elmore. Elmore played the entire game and led the Herd with a game-high 32 points. Marshall scored 20 points in the first five minutes of the second-half. The College still trailed as the clock ticked below the 10-minute mark and the Herd extended their lead to 77-69. However, Burchfield caught fire once again, making his sixth, seventh and eighth threes of the game within 49 seconds. The eighth three, assisted

by Cohn, gave the College a 78-77 lead.

The Herd did not lead for the rest of the game.

“Obviously Connor Burchfield was great tonight,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “I’m so happy for him and proud of him. … He stuck it out and [I’m] just so thrilled for him.”

Marshall tied the game at 80 before Burchfield hit his ninth three of the game to give the College an 83-80 lead.

Burchfield’s ninth three of the game tied the school record for threes in one game.

With 6:20 to play in the game, Burchfield broke the record with his tenth three, giving the College an 88-82 advantage.

Burchfield finished the game with a career-high 30 points on 10-12 shooting from long distance.

“After seeing one or two go in, the basket starts to look a little bit bigger,” Burchfield said. “I’m pretty sure all 10 of them were off of passes by my teammates, so they were looking for me when I was open. … I was fortunate enough to knock them down tonight.”

The Thundering Herd worked the deficit back to four points a couple times, but each time the Tribe was able to respond. The College finished the game strong, as Cohn hit a three with

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHELTICS

Senior guard Connor Burchfield scored 30 against Marshall and 27 against Savannah State on a combined 15 for 21 three point shooting.

11 seconds left. Cohn finished with a double-double of 20 points and 13 assists and the Tribe won a shootout, 114-104.

The College shot over 60 percent from the field and over 64 percent from three.

“In three of our wins here at home, against really quality teams, we have gotten down at key spots in the ballgame and showed the resiliency to keep playing and keep working,” Shaver said.

The Tribe opened its three-game road trip with a matchup against Savannah State. The College picked up where it left off against Marshall, getting off to a quick start against the Tigers.

Pierce opened the scoring with a layup before Burchfield and Milon hit threes to give the Tribe an 8-3 advantage just two minutes into the game. Milon hit his second three of the game a couple minutes later to get the lead back to five.

Burchfield followed with his second and third threes of the game to give the College a 17-9 lead at the 13:41 mark of the first half. Burchfield finished 5-9 from three and led the College with a game-high 27 points. The Tigers fought back within three before Burchfield hit his fourth shot from long distance in the early-going.

After Burchfield went to the bench, Knight and Pierce stepped up to keep the Tribe in front. Within 50 seconds, Knight converted on two dunks and

Pierce added another to give the College a 26-20 lead at the halfway point of the first half. Later, Milon and Rowley hit threes a minute apart from each to give the College a commanding 38-24 lead with 7:24 to play in the half. Milon finished 4-7 from behind the arc and scored 18 points for the College. He also contributed five rebounds. Rowley added another three a minute later to give the Tribe a 16-point advantage. The Tigers worked the lead back down under 10 before Pierce drained a three with less than two minutes to play before the half.

Another dunk from Knight punctuated the half with the College leading 5442. Knight contributed 18 points, 12 rebounds and 7 blocks.

Milon and Burchfield picked up where they left off in the second half, hitting baskets on the Tribe’s first possession to push the lead back to 16.

The Tigers refused to go away and cut the deficit to nine again, but Knight extended the lead back to 12 after a layup and a free throw with just over 16 minutes remaining. The Tigers were unable to whittle their deficit into single-digits for the rest of the contest.

The lead was back up to 17 just over a minute later after Justin Pierce hit a three. Pierce had a monster Knight with a double-double from 21 points and 17 rebounds. Rowley, who was 3-5 from

three for the game, hit his third triple with 10:42 remaining, giving the Tribe its first 20-point lead of the day.

The College took its largest lead of the game with 7:24 to play off of two Cohn free throws that gave the Tribe a 91-65 advantage. Cohn finished with a balanced effort including 11 assists, 7 points and 7 rebounds. The Tigers cut the deficit to 18 with just over five minutes to play, but Milon answered with his final three of the game to give the College a 21-point lead. Burchfield added a three-pointer and two layups in the span of four possessions to give the Tribe a 105-82 advantage with 1:56 to play. The College was able to finish the game with a 23-point advantage, winning 108-85 in a game where it never trailed.

The College will finish its three-game road trip with matchups against George Mason and Ohio State this week. The Tribe is looking to extend its four-game winning streak and improve its road record.

“We obviously have a home-court advantage with the atmosphere we have in Kaplan, but as we hit the road … we need to stay mentally focused and sharp,” Burchfield said.

The College will return to Kaplan Arena Dec. 17 when the Tribe takes on Milligan.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

College defeats Davidson, Richmond, St. Francis in key matchups Boggs, Rendle, Green impress as College improves its record to 7-1 in blistering non-conference start to season KEVIN RICHESON FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary opened a busy schedule last week at home against Davidson. The Tribe led from start to finish in a double-digit win. The Tribe then played two games on the road against Richmond and St. Francis. The College picked up victories in both road matchups, extending its winning streak to five.

Monday, the Tribe (7-1) started quickly against the Wildcats (3-4), with freshman guard Nyla Pollard hitting two baskets in the first minute of the contest.

She scored on the opening possession of the game before draining a three off of a pass from senior guard Jenna Green with 9 minutes to play in the quarter.

Pollard had eight points in the opening quarter alone and was one of four players for the Tribe to finish in double figures for the game. Junior guard Bianca Boggs, who also hit an early three, added a layup in transition with 6:30 to play in the quarter to give the College a 14-5 advantage. The Wildcats cut the lead to 19-12 before the Tribe scored the last six points of the quarter. Senior center Abby Rendle and Green each made layups before Boggs added two late free throws to give the College a 25-12 lead.

The Tribe maintained its hot shooting with a quick start to the second quarter. The College went on a 9-3 run to begin the quarter. Boggs had four points during this stretch, and junior guard Misha Jones nailed a three to give the College a 34-15 advantage.

The Tribe continued to stretch the lead later in the quarter when sophomore guard Nari Garner drained a three of her own with 3:04 to play before the break.

Garner’s three gave the College its largest lead of the game: 41-19. She finished the game with 20 points after shooting 5-8 from beyond the three-point line.

The Wildcats scored the next five points before Rendle wrapped up the scoring for the half with a layup to

give the College a 43-24 halftime advantage.

The third quarter was low-scoring. The College committed 13 of its 19 turnovers after halftime.

“I like our attitude and our attack-mode, so I don’t want to change that … but we do have to take care of the ball a little better,” head coach Ed Swanson said.

After Green made a jumper with just over four minutes to play in the quarter to give the College a 22-point advantage again, the Wildcats scored seven consecutive points to cut the deficit to 52-37.

However, Rendle scored in the last minute of the quarter to extend the lead back to 17.

The fourth quarter was highlighted by the individual performances of Garner and Rendle.

Garner drained a three to start the quarter to give the College a 20-point advantage again. She would go on to score 17 of her 20 points in the fourth quarter, including four threes in that time period.

The only other player to score in the quarter for the College was Rendle, who made a layup. She finished with a double-double on 18 points and 11 rebounds.

She also added four blocks. On her fourth block, with 4:39 to play in the game, Rendle set a school record for career blocks — it was the 256th block of her career.

“I didn’t really know I was that close to it, so it’s exciting,” Rendle said about the record.

The College then traveled to Richmond for a Wednesday afternoon contest against the Spiders (55). The College got off to a slow start, scoring only 10 points in the first quarter. Early baskets by Rendle and sophomore forward Victoria Reynolds gave the Tribe a brief, early advantage, but the Spiders responded with 16 of the next 22 points. Richmond guard Micaela Parson had five of the first eight points for the Spiders and finished with a game-high 21 points.

The Spiders scored the next six points to take a 10-point lead, 18-8, with just over a minute to play in the first quarter. Green scored for the first time

in the contest to cut the deficit to eight at the end of the opening quarter. The College responded in the following frame, scoring 25 points and taking the lead before halftime. Still trailing 21-14 with under six minutes to play in the second quarter, the College hit three three-pointers in just over two minutes to tie the game for the first time since it was 2-2. Reynolds hit a three before Garner continued her hot shooting with two of her own to tie the game at 23.

Both Reynolds and Garner finished with 18 points, leading the Tribe. Reynolds added nine rebounds, and Garner made five threes for the second consecutive contest. With 2:19 to play in the half, Reynolds hit another three to give the College a 28-27 advantage, its first lead since the opening minutes. Garner added five more points before the end of the quarter, and the College took a 35-32 lead to the locker room.

The College cooled off in the third but still maintained a slim lead throughout the quarter. After the Spiders had clawed to within one point, Reynolds scored and Pollard made two layups to give the Tribe its biggest lead thus far, 39-34 with 7:34 to play in the quarter. Rendle made her second consecutive layup, this time off of an assist from Pollard, to give the College a six-point lead before Parson knocked down a three to cut the Spiders’ deficit to 43-40.

Rendle finished with another strong effort, this time with 14 points, seven boards and seven blocks.

With just over a minute to play in the quarter, Reynolds made another layup to stretch the lead to seven. At the end of the third, the College led 49-44.

The Tribe dominated the fourth quarter, with the Spiders scoring several points in garbage time to make the game look closer than it was. In the first five minutes of the quarter, the College went on a 17-5 run that secured its victory. After Green made a three with just under two minutes left, the Tribe led 75-54. The Spiders scored 10 points in the last two minutes, but

the College still claimed a double-digit victory, 78-64, for its fourth-straight win.

The Tribe concluded its busy week with a second road game, this time at St. Francis (3-4). Once again, the College fell behind early but was able to come back for a victory in a tightly contested game. Trailing 9-5 with 6:20 to play in the first quarter, Boggs got a steal and made a layup and a free throw. Boggs finished the game with 33 points, a career high.

The College led 15-14 midway through the quarter, but the Red Flash went on an 11-2 run to end the quarter. With 8:16 to play before half, the Tribe faced its largest deficit of the game at 30-21. However, Boggs, Reynolds and Reynolds each made a basket in just over a minute to cut the deficit to three. Reynolds had her second consecutive game scoring over 18 points, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds. The Red Flash extended the lead to nine points with just under three minutes until half, but the Tribe bounced back again to trail by just two, 43-41, at the half.

With 7:43 to play in the third quarter, Boggs hit a three. Then, Reynolds made two consecutive baskets to give the College its first lead since the first quarter, 50-49. The Red Flash fought back again and went on a 12-5 run to take a 61-55 advantage late in the third quarter. Boggs scored the last five points of the quarter, but the College still trailed 70-66 going into the last 10 minutes. Green cut the deficit to one early in the fourth quarter after a basket and a free throw.

The Tribe took the lead for good on two free throws by Reynolds with just over six minutes to play.

The College finished with six straight free throws after the Red Flash had cut the deficit to 86-82. The Tribe finished with a 92-86 come-from-behind win.

The Tribe will look to extend its winning streak to six games when it takes on South Carolina Upstate December 5 at Kaplan Arena. The College will then host in-state foes Old Dominion and Norfolk State.

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Sports Editor Alyssa Grzesiak Sports Editor Chris Travis flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, December 5, 2017 | Page 8

SWIMMING

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

The Tribe women ended the Big Al Invitational with three bronze medal finishes thanks to Oceguera’s performance in the 200 fly, Bull’s 1,650 free and Harrington’s 200 breast while the men finished just 17 points shy of fourth place finisher.

College finishes in middle at Big Al Invitational Men and women finish in the middle of the pack, both teams finishing in fifth place

ALYSSA GRZESIAK FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary traveled to Princeton, New Jersey to compete in the Big Al Invitational this weekend. The women placed fourth of 10 with 444 points in the Sunday finals while the men placed fifth of eight with 423 points.

Friday, the women came in third of nine in the prelims with a score of 106, behind Brown with 266 points and Villanova with 178. Freshman Megan Bull broke the Tribe’s freshman record in the 500 free with a time of 4:51.05. Bull’s performance secured her second place and a spot in the championship finals, where she came in eighth place with a time of 4:59.25.

22 swimmers advanced to the Saturday finals, including Bull with a 4:23.38 in the 400 IM, the eighth-fastest time in Tribe history. Freshman Tara Tiernan was the only swimmer to qualify for the 200 free with a time of 1:51.57 in the prelims; Tiernan finished in 15th place in the finals with a slightly better time at 1:51.31.

In the Saturday finals of the invitational, Bull placed fourth in the 400 IM with a time of 4:25.42. Junior Morgan Smith was right behind her in fifth place with a time of 4:26.08. In the 100 fly, senior Abby Mack finished in seventh in 55.33. Junior Maria Oceguera improved to 10th in Tribe history after cutting her time down to 55.75, taking 18th in the competition. The College finished fifth in the 800 free relay with Bull, junior Morgan Smith, Oceguera and Tiernan with an overall time of 7:26.38.

The College maintained a solid fifth place at the end of the Sunday prelims behind Princeton (727), Brown (603), Villanova

(555) and Miami (322), with a score of 321. 15 Tribe women advanced to four events in the finals.

Sunday night, Bull’s 16:54.74 in the 1,650 free earned her a bronze medal and seventh place in Tribe history in this event.

Sophomore Norah Hunt placed fifth in the same event in 17:01.56, a personal best with a 1,000 free split that ranked 10th in Tribe history. Smith finished in eighth with a time of 17:12.16.

Tiernan came in 12th in the 200 back in 2:02.04. Senior Shannon Harrington posted a lifetime best in the 200 breast with a time of 2:16.15, earning her third place in the finals.

Harrington’s performance tied for fifth best in Tribe history.

Bull took eighth in the event in 2:23.84. Oceguera came in third place in the 200 fly with a lifetime best performance of 2:00.13.

This marked the College’s third bronze medal finish in the invitational.

Friday, the men started off strong for the College as well, coming in fourth of eight with 96 points. The Tribe trailed behind Princeton (310), Brown (147) and Columbia (100).

Sophomore Ben Skopic came in sixth in the 200 IM with a time of 1:49.86. Skopic’s performance marked the College’s first championship final of the day. Sophomore Colin Wright was the second seed with a time of 20.38 in the 50 free. Wright’s performance was the 13th fastest in Tribe history.

The Tribe jumped to third of eight with 151 points to conclude the Friday finals, only 10 points behind Brown. The College came in third overall in the 200 free relay in 1:20.93 with sophomore Ian Thompson, Wright, sophomore Jack Doherty and senior Kyle Neri. Junior Carter Kale completed the 500 free in the fasted Colonial Athletic Association time thus far, coming in 19th place

Graphic by Meilan Solly / THE FLAT HAT

in 4:30.65.

Sophomore Chris Balbo finished in 4:32.05 for 20th place, right behind Kale. The team of sophomore Colin Demers, junior Brooks Peterson, Thompson and Neri took sixth in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:20.23. The team’s performance marked the 10th fastest time in Tribe history. Senior Wyatt Grubb, freshman Devin McNulty, Doherty and Wright placed eighth, right behind their teammates, in 3:20.42.

The conclusion of the Saturday prelims knocked the Tribe back to fifth, where it stayed through the Saturday finals.

Demers, McNulty, Doherty and Thompson completed the 200 medley relay in 1:28.99, finishing fourth overall and securing the fifth fastest time in Tribe history.

Balbo took seventh place in the 400 IM, followed by Skopic in 10th place with times of 3:56.74 and 3:57.28, respectively.

McNulty stole third place in the 100 breast with a time of 54.97, breaking the previous freshman record of 55.11 set in 2014 by Josh Zimmt ‘17.

In the finals Sunday, Balbo placed fifth in the 1,650 free with a time of 15:35.96, the seventh fastest performance in Tribe history. Kale took seventh in this event in 15:43.86. Balbo also came in eighth in the 200 fly with a time of 1:53.27.

Wright placed eighth in the 100 free in 45.60. McNulty achieved a lifetime best with a 2:04.37 in the 200 breast, coming in 13th overall.

The College finished just 17 points shy of fourth place finisher Johns Hopkins (440).

The College’s next meet, a tri-meet, will take place Jan. 4 in Boca Raton, Florida.

Graphic by Meilan Solly / THE FLAT HAT