Vol. 102, Iss. 2 | Friday, August 31, 2012
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
Class of 2016
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curriculum
Committee suggests reform Curriculum overhaul proposed bY jill found Flat hat editor-in-chief
Matt riley / THE FLAT HAT
“walk through every open door”
Judge Smith advises freshmen to seize opportunities while at the College bY ellie kaufman Flat hat staff writer
After being postponed by hurricane Irene last year, Convocation met with nothing but sunshine in the Sir Christopher Wren Building Yard Wednesday. “It was definitely an adrenaline high,” Lucy Gonzalez ’16 said. “It made me feel at home. Everyone was very genuine about it, and they were so happy that we’re here and a part of the Tribe.” U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith ’71, J.D. ’79 spoke at the ceremony. Smith, unable to attend the re-scheduled
Convocation the previous year, spoke to the freshman class of 2016. Appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in 1989, Smith is the first female federal judge in the state of Virginia. “I loved seeing the eagerness, the fresh faces. It was just a sign of continuing life and progress to me,” Smith said. “It’s wonderful to stand up there and look over the crowd and see the students who will be our future leaders.” Convocation, one of the oldest traditions at the College of William and Mary, welcomes the new class of freshmen into the College community with a ceremonial
walk through the Wren Building into a cheering crowd of upperclassmen. Dining services and AMP continued the festivities with dinner accompanied by a band on the Sunken Garden. Many aspects of the old tradition experienced changes this year. Freshmen have traditionally walked from Old Campus See Convocation page 3
For more photos of Convocation visit
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Future students may never know the struggle of waiting until their senior year to get into a 100-level history course to fulfill a General Education Requirement for graduation. A proposed plan by the faculty steering committee charged with creating a prospective new curriculum would overhaul the GER system, under which the College has operated since 1993. The proposed curriculum as it stands now aims to switch the emphasis from taking classes in a great number of topics to a more holistic general education program for students. “We don’t see general education as a series of boxes to check but a way to pull together [students’] knowledge,” mathematics professor and member of the steering committee Michael Lewis said. Freshman would continue to take the freshman seminars, though their designations would change to COLL 150. Additionally, the plan requires freshmen to take a COLL 100 course designed to compliment the freshman seminar. “[COLL 100] is where students are introduced to the rigor and excitement of the College,” Dean for Educational Policy in Arts and Sciences and Hispanic studies professor Teresa Longo said. Longo also chairs the faculty steering committee. Like the GER system, the proposed plan spreads out general education over all four years. But the proposal would require specific classes during certain years. Between their freshman and junior years, students would be required to take three COLL 200 courses, one from each of newly created fields: “The Arts and Aesthetic Interpretation,” “Social and Humanistic Understanding,” and “Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning.” In an effort to highlight the similarities and differences among fields, these courses would not belong to any department. Students would also be required to take three additional courses from the new fields that are not designated as COLL 200. “The new curriculum ties [different disciplines] together and allows students to learn from a perspective outside of their chosen major not only in core requirements but throughout their educational experience,” Caroline Yates ’12 a student on the faculty review committee said in an email. Third year students would enroll in COLL 300: See proposal page 4
Administration
Dalai Lama tickets announced The Dalai Lama will speak to a stadium at least half full of College of William and Mary students when he visits the College on Oct. 10. Student Assembly President Curt Mills ’13 announced today that 4,300 tickets will be reserved for students at the event and 900 for staff and faculty, free of charge. Students can register online at http://www.wm.edu/dalailamavisit Sept. 4-7 for a lottery to receive tickets. Members of the general public will be able to purchase tickets for lower level seating for $25 and upper level seating for $15 starting Sept. 17. — Jill Found
Index
News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Variety Sports
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Insert
Today’s Weather
Sunny High 91, Low 75
Student Affairs undergoes reorganization Rec Sports changes its name to Department of Campus Recreation by Sarah kleinkinecht flat hat staff writer
Many of the departments that students rely on most heavily have received a makeover after an 18-month review of the Division of Student Affairs revealed to administrators that those departments needed greater overall integration. “[The idea was] to see whether when the division was completely pulled apart and put back together, if it would be done in the same way,” Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06 said. The verdict: Things needed to change. Campus living, health and wellness, engagement and leadership, student success, and
career development cover vastly different aspects of life at the College. Those aspects, however, have merged to represent the five areas of the newly remodeled Division of Student Affairs. “The goal in all this has been to align our staff, offices and priorities with the broad mission and vision of the College and in the best interests of the students we serve,” said Ambler. In the past, four major areas of health and well-being were organized under multiple supervisors. After the review, health and wellness now includes the health center, the counseling center, campus recreation, and health promotion and education. These five areas will also all fall under the supervision of Ambler. Recreational Sports received
Inside opinions
The honor code and the College
Reflections on the story of David Tanar, a former academic ghostwriter who spent over 25,000 hours writing papers for a profit. page 5
a makeover under its new title of Department of Campus Recreation. “We are very excited about the change,” Associate Director of Campus Recreation Bob Gough said. “The term campus recreation is all-encompassing of the programs and services we offer. The changes that have been made are mostly visual; our philosophy, values, and mission statement are all the same. If anything, this furthers our values.” Along with the already established programs that fall under Student Affairs, a new department, Student Leadership Development, was created. “We still have the same responsibilities, but what feels different, at least to me, is that my title reflects the new thematic area of focus, and the way we foster
opportunity is where the new vision comes in,” Associate Director of Greek Life and Leadership Anne Arseneau said. “Thematic areas make sense for how we do the work that we do.” Greek life is one part of the new Student Leadership Development department. According to Ambler, departments have been aligned so that those that are closely related fall under the same thematic area. “[Student Affairs is now] organized in a way that we can do our best work for students,” Ambler said. “I hope that students continue to seek out the people and offices that they are used to. From the student experience viewpoint, the people are still here, but now we are organized in a way that we can be more collaborative and creative.”
Inside VARIETY
Unique summer internships
Students gain important work experience, opportunities through summer internships. page 8