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The Flat Hat staff predicts this year’s Academy Award winners.
Mackrides’ five goals not enough as Ohio State cruises past Tribe, 21-8 Tuesday.
And the Oscar goes to...
Vol. 102, Iss. 37 | Friday, February 22, 2013
CAMPUS
Buckeyes overwhelm College
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
GREEK LIFE
Student workers and the minimum wage
Minimum wage through the years
President Obama proposes new pay increase that could affect campus employees
In 2013, the new proposed minimum wage is...
$9.00
In 2009, the minimum wage was increased to...
$7.25
In 2008, the minimum wage was...
$6.55
ANITA JIANG / THE FLAT HAT
Justin Poston ‘13 got a job at the Sadler and Campus Centers to earn extra money. With a minimum wage increase, Poston would earn $9 an hour.
BY KATHERINE DOWNS FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
When Justin Poston ’13 discovered that his laptop and camera had been stolen from his off-campus house during his sophomore year, he decided it was time to get a job. Almost two years later, he still has his job — and a new computer and camera as a result. “Circumstantially, yeah, it helped me get a new laptop with the help of my parents, and the reason I kept the job is that I have a car,” Poston said. I’m off the meal plan for the most part, so I use the extra money to buy groceries and gas, so it’s definitely beneficial.”
Through his job as a building manager at the Sadler Center and the Campus Center, Poston joined the 40 percent of full-time college students who are employed, according to a 2010 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics. His starting salary of $8 per hour was above the $7.25 minimum wage, but the same cannot be said for those starting out at the Earl Gregg Swem Library or the Campus Center’s candy counter. In his State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama proposed an increase of the federal minimum wage, which has remained static since 2009, to $9 per hour.
POLITICS
Attorney General Candidate speaks to Young Dems BY ZACH HARDY FLAT HAT ONLINE EDITOR
The College of William and Mary’s Young Democrats hosted Attorney General candidate Justin Fairfax in a meet-and-greet yesterday. Fairfax, a Columbia Law School graduate, served as a federal prosecutor in the eastern district of the commonwealth of Virginia. Among the four candidates for the position, Fairfax is the only one who has served as a federal prosecutor. “I think that brings us a unique set of skills and experience,” Fairfax said. “As attorney general, you are the chief law enforcement officer for the state. Having had experience in actually enforcing law is incredibly important and helpful.” Improving access to higher education is one of the key elements of Fairfax’s campaign platform. He hopes to make college loans more affordable both by improving transparency in the private student loan market and by ensuring that students from all economic levels have similar interest rates. He explained that student loan interest rates often are made based on parents’ or cosigners’ credit. This means some students have much higher rates than others. “For access issues, we would clean up the private student loan market, and make sure students get what I call ‘safe loans,’” Fairfax said. “It’s a fact of life that we See FAIRFAX page 3
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“Let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty,” Obama told Congress. College students may not be fulltime workers, but because workers under age 25 make up half of all people making minimum wage, they would be affected by the increase. “That would be insane. I would have a lot more extra spending cash,” Poston said. “I guess one of the biggest reasons I got the job was like with the camera, I realized that wow — there are a bunch of random expenses that come up in life
In 2007, the minimum wage was...
$5.85
In 1997, the minimum wage was...
See WAGE page 4
$5.15
Phi Mu suspends operation Gamma Alpha chapter to discontinue May 2013 BY KATHERINE CHILINSKY FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
The Gamma Alpha chapter of Phi Mu Fraternity at the College of William and Mary will suspend operations effective May 13. Declining membership led the National Council to shut down the 87-year-old chapter. “The decision to suspend operations is never easy, particularly with a chapter that has been such a part of Phi Mu’s history,” National President Kris Bridges said in a press release. “We came to this difficult decision because the chapter has struggled with membership for several years.” The Phi Mu house, located on Richmond Road, will no longer house members of the Gamma Alpha chapter starting Fall 2013. Current sororities interested in applying to live in the house have until Feb. 27 to submit contracts. If no contracts are submitted, the space will be available for the general housing pool. According to Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin, Gamma Phi Beta has expressed interest in the house. Gamma Phi currently resides in a house on Armistead Avenue. Despite the Phi Mu’s use of both informal and formal rush processes, membership has continually declined for the Gamma Alpha chapter. The National Council has an appeal process for chapters, but members of the chapter chose not to appeal. “Both the chapter and the national organization of Phi Mu have been working aggressively for many years to address the membership challenges that have been faced See PHI MU page 4
GREEK LIFE
Pi Kappa Alpha loses new fraternity house Gamma chapter violates Conduct Code; house will enter open registration BY MEREDITH RAMEY FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
The Gamma chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity lost its position in the new fraternity housing complex, to open this fall. According to Associate Dean of Students Dave Gilbert, this loss is the result of a disciplinary sanction issued for serious violations of the Student Code of Conduct. “We deemed it inappropriate for an organization to be provided housing so soon after a serious violation, and we felt the organization, through its response and future conduct, could earn back the right to seek on campus housing in the future,” Gilbert said in an email. Director of the Department of Student Leadership and Development Anne Arseneau elaborated on the nature of the violation. “Pi Kappa Alpha was investigated in December for a violation of the Code of Conduct for hazing,” Arseneau said in an email. “The case was resolved in January and they were held responsible for
COURTESY PHOTO / WM.EDU
Pi Kappa Alpha will lose the fraternity house on 760 Ukrop Way pictured in purple abore, but can reapply for the 2014-15 year.
the hazing charges.” The house, located at 760 Ukrop Way and currently under construction alongside the rest of the fraternity complex, will be available to undergraduate students participating in the 2013-14 housing selection
Inside OPINIONS
process in April. “During the course of their sanctioning, [Pi Kappa Alpha] was led to believe the house they selected would be held for them,” Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin said in an email. “Typically Residence Life does
Inside VARIETY
Keeping failure in perspective
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It goes without saying that stress is a hallmark of being at the College of William and Mary, so when things get rough, don’t blow them out of proportion. page 5
not assign the house they selected to another chapter for the 2013-14 year.” All fraternities and sororities must reapply to the Special Interest Housing committee after losing See PIKA page 4
“Merry Wives” delivers
William and Mary Theatre and Dance’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” is a success for its costume design and comedic value. page 7