SPORTS >> PAGE 8
VARIETY >> PAGE 6
The College began its two-game homestead with a 2-1 loss to Elon Wednesday
College radio station begins weekly live shows at the Crust; continues WCWMFest
Tribe falls in overtime
Vol. 102, Iss. 8 | Friday, September 21, 2012
WCWM rocking out
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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Election 2012
Registration activity permeates campus
Organizations tackle voter registration
Senate candidate’s wife visits College
bY STEVEn LOVERN Flat hat STAFF WRITER
bY CRISTINA MARCOS Flat hat STAFF WRITER
The November election is closing in fast with 46 days left until students will be able to enter the voting booth. The last day to register to vote is even closer, at only 24 days away: October 15. The Student Assembly has led the charge in voter registration on campus, already registering 503 students, according to the SA’s Director of Voter Registration Zach Woodward ’14. Factoring in other student organizations’ voter registration drives, over 1,000 students have registered to vote on campus since late August. “Since freshman move-in, W&M for Obama has registered hundreds of students of all political stripes to vote in Williamsburg,” Noah Kim ’13, Organizing Fellow for the group William & Mary for Obama, said in an email. “We will continue to register new voters locally until the Virginia deadline on October 15th because, as half the population of Williamsburg, students will decide which way the City of Williamsburg goes in November.” The importance of voter registration has even broken down some partisan barriers. “As an organization we believe in offering everyone the opportunity to vote. Keeping track of numbers or achieving quotas is not our main purpose,” Young Americans for Romney Chair Madelaine Spangler ‘13 and Students for Romney Chair David Branton ’13 said in an email. “Although we have registered quite a few students on campus, we do not think that we should only register those who side with us politically. Voter access and the preservation of free elections is fundamentally more important.” Many of these newly registered students in Williamsburg are not even first time voters. “I would say the majority of students seem to change their registration from some other place, but I would say about a quarter of those registered thus far have never registered to vote before,” Woodward said. Some students are choosing to vote absentee while at school, since the College of William and Mary will be a closely watched swing state during this election cycle.
Anne Holton, the wife of former Virginia Governor and Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine, visited campus Wednesday to help the Young Democrats register students to vote in the November elections. Holton thanked the group for its work in registering students to vote in the swing state of Virginia. She emphasized that these local-level efforts were key to the campaign’s success in one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional races. “We are fundamentally a purple state, and that’s a good thing in many ways, among others that we get attention from all the nationals. But it does mean we do get the $10 million in negative ads as part of the attention too, so it means that what you all are doing to register folks and get people out to vote is really important,” Holton said to the assembled students. William and Mary Young Democrats President Zach Woodward ’14 said that over 1,000 students had registered to vote in Williamsburg since the start of the semester. Before visiting the voter registration drive, Holton was on campus to promote Kaine’s educationreform proposals at the College of William and Mary School of Education. Kaine faces former Virginia Republican Sen. George Allen in a race that political handicappers believe could decide which party controls the Senate in Jan. 2013. Both parties view the Virginia seat as key to winning Congress’s upper chamber. Allen is running for the seat he held until 2006, when he lost to now-retiring Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., by less than half a percentage point. Webb’s victory became the final seat Democrats needed to clinch a Senate majority. A Washington Post poll released Wednesday found that Kaine led by 8 points over Allen, 51 percent to 43 percent. It marked the first time that Kaine had opened a lead in the Post’s polling of the Virginia Senate contest. Until then, the previous two Post polls had showed the race in a statistical tie. Similarly, a poll by Quinnipiac University, CBS News and The New York Times also released
See voting page 4
courtesy photo / TANNER RUSSO
TYLER DUNPHY / THE FLAT HAT
courtesy photo / KAINE FOR VIRGINIA
Top: Former First Lady of Virginia Anne Holton meets with students working on voter registration on campus; Bottom left: Students register to vote in the Sadler Center Bottom right: Holton at the Young Democrats’ registration table
See holton page 4
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Sexual assault incident reported to College police
Packed ballots in upcoming SA elections
A female student at the College of William and Mary told College police that she had been sexually assaulted Sept. 15. According to an email sent by Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06 to the College community, the student reported that incident occurred near Barksdale Field and involved an acquaintance who “approached the female student and touched her in an unwanted and inappropriate manner.” “As a campus community there is much we can do, both individually and collectively, to support one another, and to stand together against sexual violence in all its forms,” Ambler said in the email. Ambler reminded the community of the resources available to support those who have been the victims of sexual assault or abuse. These resources include not only the Counseling Center and the Dean of Students Office, but also the College’s sexual assault website at http://www.wm.edu/sexualassault. — Ken Lin
Competition for Student Assembly positions began early Tuesday morning when campaigns kicked off at 12:01 a.m. Election Day is scheduled for Sept. 27, and all social classes will hold elections. After a spring election season marred with 18 complaints of SA Code violations, the Elections Commission hopes to better enforce the SA Code for fall elections. “The Code is pretty much exactly the same as it’s been, we’re just really trying to make sure it’s enforced,” Chair of the Elections Commission T.J. O’Sullivan ‘13 said. “In the past, we had a lot of leeway given and a lot was kind of opened to interpretation. We’re taking a very conservative, hard-line stance this year.” Door-to-door campaigning, which has been vaguely defined in the past, will not be tolerated all, according to O’Sullivan. In years past, a different set of people managed the fall and spring elections. This year, however, the Elections Commission
Index
News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Candidates battle for open officer positions across all social classes bY katherine chiglinsky Flat hat news editor
selected by the SA senate will manage both the fall and spring election. The commission is also only composed of upperclassmen, with the majority being seniors. “It’s exclusively upperclassmen,” O’Sullivan said. “The reasoning behind that is that we wanted people who could be impartial. There’s no such thing as perfectly impartial, but you don’t want people who have a stake in the race. “ For the Elections Commission, enforcement of the SA Code is key. “The vast majority of the problems last spring would have been avoided if the rules had been enforced,” SA President Curt Mills ’13 said. “If we set a decent tone for the freshman elections, we’ll have fewer problems in the spring election.” The fall elections will fill some social class vacancies on the Undergraduate Council. The Undergraduate Council, comprised of each class’s officers, handles programming for class events and Homecoming. In addition, senior class officers help to manage the senior class gift. “Just by tradition, [the Council’s] pretty
Inside opinions
The consequences of too much technology
Sunny High 82, Low 61
When we rely too much on technology, our relationships lose meaning and we become disengaged from the real world. page 5
Inside VARIETY
autonomous from the rest of the SA,” Mills said. “I think that the Undergraduate Council is very important, especially with the strides we’ve made in the senior class gift. It’s an enormous development burden, but with more underclassmen on the council, it prepares the next generation to handle that.” For the class of 2013, Naid Allassan ’13 is running unopposed for secretary and Austin May ’13 is also running unopposed for treasurer. The class of 2014 has four people vying for the Vice President of Social Affairs position: Charles Richard Lampkins ’14, Neal Friedman ’14, Sally Schoenfeld ’14 and Jyness Williams ’14 are all in the running. Alexis Caris ’14 is running unopposed for secretary. The class of 2015 also has a packed race for Vice President of Social Affairs. Cassidy Fazio ’15, Christopher Johnson ’15, Katherine Marie Ault ’15, Leo Del Rio ’15 and Joseph Laresca ’15 are all competing for the position. Kameron Melton ’15 is running See CAMPUS ELECTIONS page 4
Brackenbury comes to campus
New Donaldson Writer in Residence kicks off semester at the College with a public reading of her work. page 7
newsinsight “ ALL THE NEWS THAT’S UNFIT TO PRINT
According to the Virginia Gazette, a beer created by AnheuserBusch Williamsburg’s brewmaster has been chosen to be included in its fall sampler. Anheuser-Busch had each of its 12 brewmasters participate in a competition to create a new beer recipe. Each new creation was named for the zip code where the beer was first brewed — Williamsburg’s is named “23185”. The other two beers that were selected originate from Los Angeles and St. Louis.
The Flat Hat
“
THE PULSE
News Editor Katherine Chiglinsky fhnews@gmail.com | Friday, September 21, 2012 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
We are fundamentally a purple state ... but it does mean we do get $10 million in negative ads as part of the attention too. —Wife of former governor Tim Kaine, Anne Holton
BEYOND THE ‘BURG
Gov. Bob McDonnell released a statement Sep. 19 that said overseas visitors spent a record $390 million in the state in 2011, a figure up 21 percent from 2010, according to The Washington Post. In the statement, he said tourists from Canada spent the most, spending more than $148 million in 2011. Revenue from domestic tourists topped $20 million, an increase of 8 percent from 2010. The figures come from The United States Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, and the Survey of International Air Travelers and Statistics Canada. According to Politico, Gov. Bob McDonnell defended Mitt Romney’s statements on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends” in the leaked videos released this week on http://www.motherjones.com. In the leaked videos, Mitt Romney criticized Obama supporters for being dependent upon government entitlements, and said many don’t pay income taxes. “So he would say it probably differently today, but it is a significant problem when you have this level of people that don’t pay a significant amount of taxes because they can’t earn a good living,” McDonnell said. “So job creation, economic development through these plans, I think, are exactly the right formula for the country.” Virginia will receive more than $74 million for a future high-speed rail project from the Department of Transportation, according to The Associated Press. The project is part of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor between Charlotte, N.C. and Washington, D.C. The rail’s speed will top out at about 110 m.p.h. “The Washington, D.C. area transportation system has been plagued with delays as population in the area has increased and more commodities flow through the region,” Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo said in a press release. “Reducing congestion and adding capacity are two key outcomes we and our state partners in Virginia planned for in making this investment.”
A THOUSAND WORDS
COURTESY PHOTO / THETOWELIGHT.COM
Towson University student Matthew Heimbach and other students are working to create a White Student Union on campus. Heimbach has been previously criticized for his leadership of the Youth of Western Civilization. The group has not yet been recognized officially by Towson University.
Criminals apprehended for financial aid fraud Federal officials charged 21 Californians with stealing federal financial aid money. According to the Office of Inspector General (OIG), the group of criminals targeted online programs at community colleges and for-profit schools. Through this fraud, the groups obtained more than $770,000 in federal student aid. The accused thieves used their own names or the names of “straw students” who did not plan on attending college to collect the aid money. One individual recruited prison inmates as straw students. The OIG said distance-learning programs, such as online classes, are especially vulnerable to this type of fraud. Community colleges are also targeted because low tuition guarantees that there will be funds left over from student aid disbursements after tuition is covered. Police not prosecuted for actions in November protests Last November, University of California-Davis police officers used pepper spray on students and alumni during a campus protest. Prosecuters announced that they do not plan to file criminal charges against the police officers. The District Attorney office’s statement concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the use of the pepper
spray was illegal. According to an independent report, the UC-Davis officers believed they were dealing with a hostile mob and used the pepper spray to clear a path to safety. According to the Huffington Post, one police officer has been. White Student Union proposed at Towson University Towson University student Matthew Heimbach is working to create a White Student Union on campus. Heimbach first proposed his new organization in a letter to the editor in the student newspaper, The Towerlight. According to Heimbach, the club “would represent the unique cultural heritage, folk customs, and strong Christian traditions that define white civilization.” Recently, Heimbach was criticized for his leadership of Youth for Western Civilization, a student organization on campus focused on “countering radical multiculturalism, socialism and mass immigration.” In his letter to the editor, Heimbach wrote, “We must protect the security of Europeans and a future for the next generation.” Heimbach’s group does not yet have a faculty adviser, a requirement at Towson for official club recognition. According to the North Baltimore Patch, the group believes this requirement is illegal and if issues arise they may consider legal action. Heimbach plans to use the White Student Union to bring speakers to campus as well as educate and advocate “white interests.”
CAROLINE WREN MARTIN / THE FLAT HAT
CAMPUS POLICE BEAT
CORRECTIONS The September 14 issue incorrectly credited the A Thousand Words photo to Jung Hyun Lee. Caroline Wren Martin took the photo. The September 14 article, “Senators push to increase campus awareness for SA” incorrectly stated the Student Assembly allocated funds purchase 4,000 koozies. They purchased 3,000 koozies. The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted by e-mail to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
The Flat Hat
Sept. 10 to Sept. 17 1
Monday, Sept. 10 — Two bicycles were reported stolen from the Ludwell apartment complex. The bicycles were valued at $200.00 and $300.00.
2
Thursday, Sept. 13 — Unknown vandals damaged construction equipment and three fence sections, Damage to the equipment was estimated to be $100.00 and the damage to the fencing estimated to be $25.00.
3
Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 12-14 — Personal possessions including credit cards, debit cards, cash and keys were stolen in three separate incidents at 400 Brooks St.
4
‘STABILITAS ET ET FIDES’ FIDES’ || ESTABLISHED ESTABLISHED OCT. OCT. 3, 3, 1911 1911 ‘STABILITAS
Friday, Sept. 14 — A non-student was arrested on Landrum Drive near the ISC for DUI, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test, underage possession of alcohol and driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
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NEWS IN BRIEF Alumna joins Peace Corps Natalia “Jaime” Blackburn VIMS M.S. ’12 will serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Chibombo district of Zambia after she completes her 3-month training period in Chongwe. Blackburn will use nutrients to grow algae as food for tilapia and other fish in ponds that she will help build and manage. Farming fish is an effective way to raise the standard of living and add protein to the diets of rural Zambians in the area. The College of William and Mary ranks No. 8 in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers. As of January 2012, 571 College alumni had served in the Peace Corps since 1961 and 37 alumni were currently serving.
Law school honors Justice Scalia The Marshall-Wythe School of Law welcomed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia to campus Sept. 10. During his visit, Scalia received the Marshall-Wythe Medallion, the highest honor conferred by the law faculty, which recognizes Scalia’s exceptional accomplishments in law. Scalia also taught a class and answered questions from students and faculty during his one day visit to the College. Scalia’s suggestions for the College’s law students included reading about the life of Chief Justice John Marshall, remembering to balance work and personal life, and finding time to be involved with their churches and communities.
Psychology professor recognized William and Mary School of Education professor Bruce Bracken received a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Georgia Sept. 14. The award recognizes Bracken’s contributions to the field of school psychology and educational psychology. Bracken has conducted research in psychoeducational assessment and served as co-principle investigator on two five-year Jacob Javits Department of Education grants. Bracken has authored several tests on intelligence and other psychological assessments. Bracken is currently working on five new tests.
Page 3
Friday, September 21, 2012
The Flat Hat
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
SA raises concerns about new policy
Senate passes resolution to fund koozies with medical amnesty guidelines BY MEREDITH RAMEY FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
COURTESY PHOTO / THE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
New SA legislation funded the creation of 3,000 koozies sporting the College medical amnesy policy.
WILLIAMSBURG
Commercial space approved Building to feature condominiums BY ZACHARY FRANK THE FLAT HAT
The Williamsburg Planning Commission held a meeting Wednesday to approve a proposed commercial building on Second Street and to give out this year’s Beautification Award. The Planning Commission approved the construction of a project known as the Second Street Boutiques. The plan describes a 13,410 square foot building that would serve as commercial space and also have two condominiums on its second floor. The building would be located at 301 Second Street, next to Velvet Shoestring, a local consignment shop. “We’re not at the point where we have a floor plan, yet” Planning Director Reed Nestor said. The 2nd Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, William Kaffes, was unsure of whether the condominiums on the second floor of the Boutiques could be used as a possible living space for students at The College of William and Mary. “Whether they’d be suitable for students or not, I don’t know,” Kaffes said. “I guess anything’s suitable for students if you have the money.” Kaffes additionally said that he thinks the condominiums are going to be somewhat expensive, but he is unsure of their specifics. Nestor was more skeptical about the possibility of using the condominiums as student housing. “I don’t think they are looking at those as student housing, from what I understand,” Nestor said. Mayor Clyde Haulman formally presented the City of Williamsburg’s Beautification Award at the meeting. “The Beautification Award program was developed by the city’s Beautification Advisory Committee to recognize those who have enhanced the beauty of our community and aided in improving its environmental health,” Haulman said. The Williamsburg United Methodist Church, a congregation that has existed in Williamsburg since the end of the 18th century, received the award. Senior Pastor Bill Jones represented the church at the recognition ceremony to accept the award and give a short speech of gratitude.
A change to the student handbook has prompted Student Assembly representatives to pass legislation calling for greater discussion of the alteration. The change requires students to report any arrests no matter the time, place, or charge within 72 hours of the instance. The language and controversial nature of the policy sparked contention in the SA meeting Thursday. This change was proposed last spring semester and provided to students for comment before it was announced earlier this year. Senators A.J. Sapon ’13, Drew Wilke ’15 and members of the Executive answered students’ complaints with the Indecent Disclosure Resolution Act. The Act urges discussion between the Office of the Dean of Students and student body representatives about the change. “At this point we’re just trying to raise concern and open discussion,” Wilke said. “I feel like right now it’s going through each part of [the policy] and sitting down with Dean Gilbert in his office … Open the discussion first rather than going for the fill nine yards.” Senator Colin Danly ’15 disagreed with the legislation’s language, wishing that it outlined a more distinct goal. “Even if [the bill is] a conversation opener, I think we should have a message when we go there saying either we want it suspended or we want it amended,” Danly said. “I want this to go to Dean Gilbert and I want this to be a solidified measure.” The handbook change is sparked by a nationwide trend of which the College of William and Mary is an early subscriber. Recent violent crimes on campuses, particularly University of Virginia’s Yeardley Love murder and the Virginia Tech shooting where the perpetrators had histories of violence
unbeknownst to the school, prompted the policy. While the policy aims to create a safer community for students, some SA members feel the change is too vague and includes too many minor offenses. “What happens in our personal lives away from school kind of has no bearing on our academic career, but it would follow us to school,” Secretary of College Policy Ben Migdol ’13 said. “This pertains to noise complaints [and] being drunk in public. It’s concerning for a lot of reasons first and foremost being privacy and student rights.” Student Assembly President Curt Mills ’13 hoped this bill will show the Senate’s support when speaking to Dean Gilbert early next week. Senator Sapon agreed, emphasizing the need to inform the Dean of the dissatisfaction among the student body regarding the handbook change. “The thing that matters right now is registering with the administration that there is widespread discontent with the changes,” Sapon said. “I think that the most important thing that we can do right now is get the message out and deliver what the student body has been saying to the administration.” The Senate unanimously passed the bill as a document urging Dean Gilbert and the Dean of Students Office to “solicit meaningful student input on all major policies relating to the use of student information” and “solicit student input regarding changes to the scope and character of the Student Handbook.” Despite the successful passing of this Act, the Senate meeting struggled to reach quorum, creating criticism from Senate leaders that harkened back to last year. “I’m very disappointed in today’s turn out for Senate,” Senate Chair Kendall Lorenzen ’15 said. “It’s
inexcusable, [you] are elected officials and it’s your job to serve your class and you can’t do that if you aren’t here.” The senate, containing only two returning senators, also fumbled meeting protocol. Senators spoke out of turn and forgot to adhere to the speakers list. Lorenzen also spoke of senator punctuality, namely the need to submit proposals and legislation on time so she can add them to the meeting’s agenda. Two other pieces of legislation were debated and passed by the end of the meeting: the Bettering Education Efforts Responsibility Act, or BEER, and the Hark Upon the Ballot Box T-shirt Act. BEER will provide 3,000 free koozies to the student body. The koozies will sport the SA logo as well as an abbreviated version of the Medical Amnesty policy. The hope is that students will have their free koozies when in possible medical amnesty situations. “I think this a great act because it showcases the ability of the Student Assembly to get out the message of what medical amnesty is,” Senator and bill sponsor William McConnell ’14 said. “I think that in conjunction with the SA logo [this] is a great place to put the SA.” Secretary of Student Life Dallen McNerney ’14 is credited with leading the koozie effort. Other members of the senate support the initiative, including SA President Curt Mills ’13. “This is the bulk of what Dallen McNerney really focused on last year as Policy Chair,” Mills said. “I think that this will be extremely popular [and] a tangible way that the Student Assembly can give back.” The Hark Upon the Ballot Box T-shirt Act loans the SA $420 to purchase 50 voter registration t-shirts which will be sold for eight dollars to any student.
WILLIAMSBURG
New pub opens in Merchant’s Square High-end gastropub to become first of its kind in Williamsburg BY BAILEY KIRKPATRICK FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
With the opening of the DoG Street Pub this past June, Williamsburg also welcomed its first gastropub, a type of pub considered to be high-end. “Pubs are known as local hangouts with great well-known and local beers. But a gastropub basically has higher quality food served in an unpretentious manner and atmosphere,” Executive Chef and Owner of the DoG Street Pub David Everett said. “Casual is the kind of thing we were going for.” Everett, who was present from conception to construction to opening night, is also the executive chef and owner of two other popular restaurants in the area, The Trellis and the Blue Talon Bistro. “As opposed to having the desire to open a particular type of restaurant, this restaurant [DoG Street Pub] was open to looking at the question: What is the area lacking?” Everett said. “We looked at everything from a steakhouse to a fast food restaurant, but what we found out is that we don’t really have a beer thing around here.” The pub replaced an 80-year-old SunTrust Bank in central Merchant Square. It reflects the style of a British pub, with a menu similar to typical British cuisine. Chef Jason Clay, previously a chef at The Trellis next door, was one of the members of the team that helped create the menu for the new restaurant. Clay tried multiple variations in an attempt to preserve classic British recipes while also providing options that would appeal to American tastes. “We were literally mad scientists and tried probably 16 to 20 versions of recipes. We worked all day long and then had all the options ready to taste. So we would round up all the chefs, waitresses and waiters, and they tried them all,” Clay said. “It was a huge conglomerate with Chef [Everett] at the head, so ultimately
the final decisions were made by him, but there were a lot of people involved.” Everett’s wife played a huge role in designing the interior, but all of the tables, cabinetry and countertops are hand-made by Everett himself. “We wanted all the elements in the restaurant to sync with the design and layout of the building,” Everett said. When the idea was conceived, a Facebook page and Twitter account were created to garner support for the restaurant’s opening. The Facebook page now has over 1,200 likes. “The service we received was really accommodating, and the setting was
so nice and quaint. Plus, they made an amazing cup of coffee,” Emma Doyle ’15 said. General Manager Michael Claar was also the driving force behind the extensive beer and beverage menu offered at the DoG Street Pub. Between Claar, managers and the head bartender, beers are swapped out at a rapid pace. “The really fun thing about craft beer is that there is new stuff coming out all the time. The organization that judges and assigns beers to categories has a new category of specialty beers, which is basically made up of the
beers that don’t have a category yet because they’re so new,” bar manager Zac Moore said. “Beer in general is just very exciting.” In order to introduce the public to some of the new brews at the DoG Street Pub there will be an “Occasion for Beer” in October where different vendors can show their crafts. Beer 101 classes also will be offered for those interested in receiving formal beer education from one of the restaurant’s managers. “This is a unique opportunity for both college students and working class people to come and enjoy good food and drinks,” Clay said.
JUNG HYUN LEE / THE FLAT HAT
Executive Chef and Owner David Everett at the DoG Street Pub is also the executive chef and owner of The Trellis and the Blue Talon Bistro.
Page 4
The Flat Hat
Friday, September 21,2012
financial aid
Federal action on student loans offers relief Congress narrowly meets recent deadline to prevent higher rates on Stafford loans
bY dale wolf THE FLAT HAT
A last-minute vote from Congress, taken days before Stafford student loan rates were set to double saved potentially 7.4 million people, including College of William and Mary students, from paying on average $1,000 more while under the loan system. Congress voted to maintain the 3.4 percent interest rate on Stafford loans, a government-subsidized student loan, for one year. The interest rate had been set to double July 1 to 6.8 percent. For students like Joseph Soley ’16, who hope, to obtain a Stafford loan in the
future, the vote could not have come at a better time. “I’m very concerned that we came that close to having something like this happen,” Soley said. The changes to the interest rate will mostly affect College transfer students. “The imposition of the time limit will affect a small number of borrowers who have a longer than usual undergraduate career,” Director of Financial Aid Ed Irish said in an email. “At WM, these would be typically transfer students.” Due to a temporary provision lasting until July 1, 2014, undergraduates who hold subsidized Stafford loans taken this year and next will no longer have an interest-
free six months following graduation. However, the students affected will not need to begin repayment until six months after graduation, and they could qualify for government loan repayment programs. It is a different story for graduate students, who are no longer eligible for government subsidized Stafford loans. They can still receive unsubsidized Stafford loans, which would accrue interest at a rate of 6.8 percent while they attend school. Graduate students with federal loans would also remain eligible for government loan repayment programs after graduation.
michelle gabro / THE FLAT HAT
Congress maintained lower interest rates on student loans days before interest rates were set to double.
WILLIAMSBURG
Sorority returns to campus after four-year suspension
Alpha Kappa Alpha is a historically black sorority and the oldest sorority of its kind in the country bY CASEY LEWIS THE FLAT HAT
After a four-year hiatus, the Nu Chi chapter of the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha is returning to the College of William and Mary campus. The historically black sorority was originally suspended in the late spring of 2008 by both the national organization and the school after a hazing incident. Their sanction, which specified that the sorority could return to campus as an officially recognized student organization, expired in June of 2011. The four-year gap was intentional, as the sanction ensured that any active member present at the College at the time of the hazing incident would have graduated and would not be able to influence new members of the sorority. Because of the four year sanction, the
chapter will need to wait a minimum of two years in order to get housing on campus, as there is currently no designated spot for them. In addition, a student-run organization must exist for two years before it can qualify to have housing on campus. There will be members of the graduate school chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha to help guide the new members in getting the sorority back on its feet again. “No different parameters in place that are different than the expectations that we hold all our organizations accountable to at the college level,” Anne Arseneau, the Associate director of Greek life and leadership, said. “I think for Alpha Kappa Alpha, as an organization, the way in which they support and advise the chapter, will probably have some increased attention, because they don’t want to put themselves in
Tables register over 1,000 VOTING from page 1
“If you are from out of state it just seems to make sense to register in Virginia since it is a swing-state in this presidential election, which is why I vote here in Virginia instead of California,” Student Assembly Vice President Melanie Levine ’13 said. Levine added that is it important to register not only for the presidential election, but also for the entirety of a student’s time in Williamsburg. “It’s important to register in Williamsburg because the four years you are in college you are a citizen of Williamsburg, and the students’ voices are important because we are such a big part of the city,” Levine said. “It is important to maintain a level of involvement that is important and impactful.” In order to reach freshman students at the College, the SA launched a “Freshman Hall Captains Program.” “We have also started our Freshman Hall Captains Program to get freshmen trained on how to register
that situation again.” Some in the College community have expressed interest in the returning Alpha Kappa Alpha governing body. There are currently six historically black Greek lettered organizations on campus, and the addition of Alpha Kappa Alpha will bring the total to three sororities and four fraternities. “It is always positive for the community to grow,” Anne Arseneau said of the impact the addition of one more historically black sorority to campus. She also noted that the addition of this new sorority allows more women to join a sorority who otherwise would not. Alpha Kappa Alpha is the oldest sorority of its kind in the country. “We are very excited to welcome them back,” Arseneau said.
courtesy photo / BLACKPAST.ORG
Alpha Kappa Alpha returns to College campus after a four-year suspension.
Voter registration drive draws Holton Holton tells students Virginia important in this election as a purple state
HOLTON from page 1
students to vote so that they can register their fellow residents to vote on campus,” Woodward said. “We have been very happy with that program thus far. Last semester we had one freshman on every freshman hall trained and able to register their fellow residents, and we hope to do the same this year.” In addition, the SA hopes reach beyond campus to the William and Mary MarshallWythe School of Law as well as the William and Mary School of Education. “[The Student Assembly is] teaming up with the Election Law Society on the Law School campus to help register the law students,” Woodward said. “We are currently looking at holding voter registration drives on the School of Education campus as well.”
Did somebody say
ROAD TRIP!?
We’re headed your way! See you at the grad fair on your campus.
PENN GSE
University of Pennsylvania / Philadelphia / PA www.gse.upenn.edu
Wednesday showed Kaine in the lead by 51 percent to Allen’s 44 percent. The two recent polls on the U.S. Senate race mirrored President Obama’s current lead in the state among likely voters. The same Washington Post poll found Obama leading Mitt
Romney by 8 percent. Holton said that higher turnout among young voters could help vault Kaine and other Democrats to victory in November. “Young people historically haven’t participated as [much as] the rest of the eligible population. Anything we can do to increase that, it absolutely
makes a difference,” Holton said. “Young people have a longer perspective, they’re thinking about the future. I think when they think about those issues, they’ll vote Democratic.” But Holton also noted that increasing voter participation among students was the most important part of voter
registration efforts, even above choosing a particular candidate. “I hope they vote for my husband, I hope they vote for the president. But it’s even more important that we get people in the habit of participating in democracy. It doesn’t work without people participating,” Holton said.
SA fall elections kick off for all social classes Senate and Election Commission leaders hope for greater political participation CAMPUS ELECTIONS from page 1
unopposed for the position of secretary. The class of 2016 is looking to fill all its positions on the SA Undergraduate Council. For class President, Nick Hoffman ’16, Daniel Park ’16, Daniel Sutherland ’16, Tyler Willson ’16, Emily Nye ’16, John Christoph ’16, Weston Coward ’16, Ethan Teicher ’16, Ace Goldstein ’16 and Lindsey Rae Guthrie ’16 are all competing for the position. Daniel Rice ’16, Princess Johnson ’16, Patrick McLaren ’16, Jake Fansler ’16 and Torey Beth Jackson ’16 are all running for Vice President of Advocacy.
Five people are competing for Vice President of Social Affairs: Boyue Xuan ’16, Mikaela Spruill ’16, Yousif Al-Amin ’16, Joanna Odenthal ’16 and Owen Howe ’16. Quetzabel Benavides ’16 and Blake Martin ’16 are running for secretary. For treasurer, Shupeng Cao ’16, Rachel Johnson ’16, Peibo An ’16, Erik Berg ’16, Darrian Hobbs-Rasberry ’16 and Kiara Earle ’16 are in the running. Tuesday’s senate meeting barely reached the attendance quota, which troubled Senate Chairwoman Kendall Lorenzen ’15. Lorenzen hopes to see renewed interest with the fall elections.
“We’re fortunate to have a lot of new senators this year, but no one understands the freshman experience like freshmen do,” Lorenzen said. “I think that adding freshmen to the senate will help. They have a passion for it, and when they’re starting off with that, they have some more time to dedicate to it.” The freshman class is looking to fill four seats in the SA senate. Vying for those spots are Sam Glover ’16, Yohance Whitaker ’16, Lauren McIlvaine ’16, Brad Riehle ’16, Adam Nowicki ’16, Chantelle Tait ’16, Raymond Schein ’16, Mailise Johnson ’16, Asaad Lewis ’16, Connor McAlevy ’16, Thomas Northrup ’16 and Daniel Ackerman ’16.
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opinions
Opinions Editor Ellen Wexler fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, September 21, 2012 | Page 5
Staff Editorial
An informed choice A
By Patricia Radich, Flat Hat Graphic Designer
What we lose by using technology anything handwritten is more personal than the same message typed up. Kids and parents used to write letters back and forth during sleep-away camp — now they stay in touch through email and texts. My mom would tuck little notes and drawings away for me in my suitcase, but why would she do that these days when she can just send a Flat Hat Staff Columnist text? I’ve saved all of those notes, and I’ll always have that piece of her, along with a physical piece of my childhood. I’ve found that printing emails isn’t quite the same. I hate technology. Although it’s made everything more The ease of communication also dilutes friendships. efficient, it’s saved lives, and I probably wouldn’t be alive at When we were younger, you went over to your friends’ this point if it weren’t for a GPS — I should really say that, houses or called them from your house phone (using a more specifically, I hate how disconnected technology has number you’d memorized) if you wanted to talk to them. made our society. Now, you write on their Facebook walls or tweet at them. I don’t mean to preach as though I’m somehow above the Staying connected in this removed way lets us have rest of my age group; I’m far from it. I usually stare at my 500 fake friends rather than five real ones. That may be phone while I walk to class, and I’m embarrassed about the oversimplifying the matter, but anyone with a Facebook amount of time I spend on Facebook. I do these things at account knows what I mean. least as much as everyone else, even as I constantly scold It makes me crazy when I see one girl write on another’s myself for doing them. wall: “Miss you! We have to do something soon!” What My roommates and I embody the behavior of most college is the point? Go down the street and see her then, or at students when we sit around with the television on, glued to least call her on the phone to tell our computer screens, cell phones or her the same thing. Many of these both. God forbid we have only one Many of these interactions are interactions are driven by appearing piece of technology going at once, or social to others rather than actually even — gasp — sit around talking to driven by appearing social to maintaining a relationship. each other while making eye contact. others rather than actually I didn’t write this to advocate for Even though we’ve gained so much maintaining a relationship. a huge change because I know that through technological and social it won’t happen. For better or worse, networking advances, we’ve lost a lot technology is progressing and will continue to do so. I just as well. want to remind everyone (as I constantly try to remind Take books, for example. Library trips were a big part of myself ) that you absolutely will be happier after an hour my childhood. I can still smell the musty, comforting scent of talking with friends, running or just sitting outside than of the place, see the yellowing pages, hear the librarian reading to us. I’m pretty sure that my kids will never have that you would be after an hour of internet surfing. Don’t be afraid to ask everyone to put their phones experience. They’ll be able to pick the book of the week in a few seconds (on the Kindle Warpspeed or whatever), but they away while they’re at the dinner table. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results. won’t have those memories. What about handwritten letters? I think we’d all agree that Email Emily Kelley at emkelley@email.wm.edu.
Emily Kelley
The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Katherine Chiglinsky, Elizabeth DeBusk, Katie Demeria, Jill Found and Vanessa Remmers. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.
Flat Hat Opinion Polls What do you think of the stapler incident at the Grad Complex?
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s the Student Assembly elections approach, students at the College of William and Mary should take a moment to ask themselves: What do I want from the SA? Every year, student apathy and disinterest plague SA elections. Students need to become more aware about the role the SA actually plays — it’s more than bringing the Dalai Lama to campus. SA senators are responsible for handling a significant amount of student money. As a student, you should care about what the SA is doing with your funds. Students at the College should be more informed about the role of the SA in the daily goings-on around campus and what needs to be done in order to improve its functioning. Most of the conversation last year about the SA revolved around positive change; however, nothing seems to be especially different. The SA continuously struggles with simple problems like reaching a quorum at senate meetings. This year the SA elected to spend a portion of its money on koozies bearing the medical amnesty policy. While the medical amnesty policy is important, most students have a fair bit of knowledge about the policy after freshmen orientation, and the money could have been put to a more useful purpose. The SA needs to become more efficient and to stop wasting both time and money. The “What Can the SA Do For You Act” offered only disappointingly fluffy ideas, like buying SA stickers, to promote awareness about the assembly’s role on campus. The SA deserves a pat on the back for some of the major events they host, such as performances by major artists and bringing speakers to campus, but students should not forget to hold them accountable for their role in the daily functions of the College. The SA needs to discuss its goals and plans for enhancing student life at the College and seek student support to put these plans into action. While Residence Life and Dining Services are often criticized for not meeting student needs, they are significantly better at seeking student input than the SA. ResLife sends out student satisfaction surveys every year to discuss the housing registration process. Dining Services recently implemented the Text N Tell feedback program in order to gain more student input. The SA needs to follow these models and seek student input in more efficient ways than holding office hours with the SA president and vice president. With so many open positions in the SA, the organization has the opportunity to improve its role in the daily functioning of the College. Students should see this election as their chance to make a change in how the SA conducts business. Take time to learn about the candidates. Do not just vote for the person who lives in your dorm. The student body at the College needs an SA that is efficient and dedicated to spearheading new ideas. Take advantage of the opportunity to make the SA a more productive organization by becoming informed about the candidates in this semester’s election.
The school completely overreacted and shouldn’t send emails about every little thing. The school overreacted a bit, but it’s best they let everyone know what happens on campus. The school responded appropriately. Poll By Zach Hardy
Speech rights on campus: Don’t forget the problems we’ve had in the past Carter Lockwood Flat Hat Staff Columnist
Last week’s report from the “Foundation for Individual Rights in Education” gave the College of William and Mary a “green light” rating for protecting free speech on campus. Undoubtedly, this is a sign of the progress that the current administration has made, and it’s nice to note recognition of that progress. However, it seems that amidst our back-patting, we forgot that it wasn’t too long ago that the College was pretty bad about violating students’ constitutional rights. Fixtures of this school will remember the controversy over an “affirmative action bake sale” in 2003. A student
group protesting the College’s admissions policy (in which race is a factor that may be considered) set up a table in the Sadler Center and sold cookies to students of different races at different prices, claiming it was a representation of how affirmative action was unfair to certain students. The group’s demonstration was controversial, and the administration was not pleased about it — the demonstration was shut down as an affront to the College’s goals of diversity and inclusiveness. FIRE got involved and made enough noise about the issue that a second protest went unhindered, although the school released a statement which called the demonstration “inexcusably hurtful.” Free speech was back in the spotlight in 2007 when the College first established its Bias Incident Reporting system, which allowed any student to anonymously report hurtful behavior to the school if it was directed at anyone
because of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs. Students, alumni and outside groups, worried about the implications of the policy, got involved once again and pressured the College to remove the possibility of anonymous reporting and to clarify that harassment had to be serious enough to “threaten an individual or limit the ability of the individual to work, study, or participate in College activities.” We might like to think we’ve now become paragons of the First Amendment, but FIRE and other such groups are still concerned about the restrictive and confusing “free speech” zones at the College where, laughably, students still have to ask permission to protest. Lacking the kind of absolute, rock-solid, hundred percent administrative support of free speech that we deserve, we need to remember that nothing stops the school from violating our rights at their own whim. There’s a lot
of risky language in the College’s policies that mirrors some of the worst rights violators in the country. Code words are used, but anything that suggests that it’s not acceptable to ever offend anyone else is cause for concern. Currently, there
aren’t any College policies that threaten free speech as seriously as some have in the past. However, that doesn’t mean we can put that issue to bed. Email Carter Lockwood at crlockwood@email.wm.edu.
Graphic by Rachel Brooks / the Flat hat
variety
Variety Editor Abby Boyle Variety Editor Sarah Caspari flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, September 21, 2012 | Page 6
CONFUSION CORNER
Declaration of the rights of students
More than just radio
Dasha Godunova
confusion corner columnist
ATRICIA
IC BY P H / THE
RADIC AT FLAT H
LIZZIE DABBS / THE FLAT HAT
GRAPH
Dear College of William and Mary Administrators, Keeping astride of the recent Residence Life, Eastern Virginia Medical School merger discussions and Student Affairs changes occurring on our campus, I would like to take this opportunity to propose some suggestions. After three years here, I can attest to a serious level of expertise on almost every school-related subject, and I trust that my qualifications and knowledge will be regarded with the utmost seriousness. Article 1: First, I would like to propose that professors lower the course expectations to reflect that of other Virginia institutions. As a result, most classes should now be changed in accordance with the following: - Anything above a 75 should be automatically deemed a solid A. - Class readings should reflect the new cost of printing in Swem and should not at any point exceed 10 pages per semester. - Ratemyprofessors.com should be instituted as the governing body, with all professors subject to maintaining at least a 4.3 easiness rating. A hot pepper should be the highest achievement, with British accents taking precedence above all else. - No two exams or papers should be scheduled on the same day. Failure to abide by the rule may result in the offending professor writing the paper or taking the test for the student. - All of the rules mentioned above are nonnegotiable and subject to stringent enforcement by the student body. Article 2: Any school breaks and holidays henceforth are considered sacred and not subject to additional assignments. The following guidelines must be followed: - Fall and Thanksgiving breaks must be respected, and no work must be assigned during the two weeks before and after each vacation. - Student celebratory days, such as Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day, shall be deemed campuswide holidays. On the latter, the Crim Dell should be dyed a brighter and happier shade of green than its current color. - All other national holidays, such as Labor Day and Memorial Day, will be observed by staff and students alike. In order to make up for classes that already took place on Labor Day, all future holidays will include school-sponsored student trips to Busch Gardens. Article 3: Beginning with the class of 2016, all present and future students attending the second oldest institution of education in the United States must be granted the following privileges: - Preference in all job and internship applications, as well as higher salaries due to the obvious intelligence and superior capacity of our student body. - A portion of Colonial Williamsburg’s revenues because tourists constantly hinder the student population by asking for directions, clogging our running paths on DoG street and failing to abide by the straightforward traffic rules of Confusion Corner. - Worldwide publication of all our works and papers, as well as funding for every business recommendation and book analysis proposed by any student. - Complimentary food from the following restaurants: Chipotle, Wawa, the Cheese Shop, the Trellis and Aroma’s, as well as any additional items deemed appropriate from Trader Joe’s and Target. We hope you approach these recommendations with the utmost gravity, and we hope to receive approval for our suggestions by the next Board of Visitors meeting. We thank you for your time, and we look forward to instituting even more changes in the future. Dasha Godunova is a Confusion Corner columnist and thinks she should be offered a Dean of Student Affairs & Proposals position upon graduation.
WCWM expands activities to make music more universal BY KATHERINE DOWNS THE FLAT HAT
The College of William and Mary has many claims to fame: an impressive alumni network, the nation’s oldest academic building in continuous use, and an award-winning faculty. What the Admissions Office brochures don’t say is that WCWM, the College radio station, has a vinyl collection so impressive that the Wutang Clan tried to buy it. “This is the kind of place that has a lot of legends,” WCWM Station Director Todd Van Luling ’13 said. Standing in the station, in the middle of what is potentially the second largest vinyl collection in the southeast, you can see why. The walls are lined with records tucked safely away in their album covers, competing for space with a plethora of decade-spanning posters. “Part of the reason we all joined the station and became DJs is because we love sharing music, not just listening to it — that’s why we have shows, so we can put music on the airwaves and show people what we love,” WCWM Vice President Arthi Aravind ’13 said. WCWM will host several events this year, including a new weekly concert series this fall sponsored by The Crust, as well as the third annual WCWMFest in the spring. Last year WCWMFest brought out, by Van Luling’s estimates, approximately 1,000 people from the College and the surrounding community to hear the Mountain Goats and the Walkmen play. The festival also showcased panels with members of National Public Radio and BuzzFeed. According to Van Luling, this year looks to be even more promising.
“The goal is always to make it a stepping stone, where the first year was just a concert, the next year was a much bigger concert and more of a three-day thing; this year it’s going to be absolutely ridiculous. We’re already talking to members of the SA, and I think it could shape up to be something pretty ridiculous.” Pretty ridiculous could mean an expansion of the festival to include not only concerts but other activities as well. “There’s a lot of, not just artists, but activities that we talked about doing last semester that just never came into being because it was sort of new to us, the whole scale of it, and once it was over we[realized] we couldn’t do it this time, but we should definitely try it out next year,” DJ Kayla Meyers ’14 said. In addition to working with the SA for WCWMFest, the radio station is making plans to branch out into other partnerships on campus as well. The upcoming modern journalism panel featuring Travis Morrison of the band Dismemberment Plan is the product of collaboration between WCWM and AMP’s Contemporary Culture Committee. The fruit of WCWM’s newest partnership is a weekly concert series at The Crust, which agreed to front the cost of the artists, according to Ellyn Greene ’13, WCWM’s events director. Every Saturday through Nov. 17th, a local or unknown band will open for a bigger, up-andcoming artist. Often, the openers will be student talent — this Saturday’s show will feature student groups Swampblossom and Car Seat Headrest. Tickets will range from $5-10, but the radio will be advertising a $40 season ticket that includes admission to all of their shows for the semester, a free pizza and a WCWM T-shirt.
“The atmosphere we’re trying to create is an outlet for — this sounds corny — but for culture in Williamsburg,” Greene said. “There are a million things going on on William and Mary’s campus at all times, but none of it really represents a regular place where the niche music scene can express itself. So we want a consistent place where people can come and listen to good, local bands.” However, this niche music scene has not always been looked upon favorably in the past by other students on campus. “No one’s allowed to talk about music. It’s unfortunate that it gets that stigma because you can’t be a music nerd without simultaneously being considered pretentious,” Van Luling said. Through these upcoming campus and community events, WCWM hopes to dispel any aura of exclusivity that may currently shroud the radio organization. “There’s also kind of the stigma of the radio station being exclusive and hypercounterculture, too trendy, and I think that probably has a tendency to scare people off,” Greene said. “WCWMFest and the radio station have been seen in this certain light for a long time, and we’re trying to change that and trying to bring more people in without undermining the character of what makes it special or what makes it unique on campus.” Ultimately, WCWM is trying to find its niche at the College. “People aren’t listening to the radio as much as they used to,” Van Luling said. “People aren’t even owning radios as much as they used to, so we’re just trying to figure out what our role on this campus is. Like any organization, we try to do our best, and if people think that’s what the best should be, then maybe they’ll follow it.”
Listen
Dance
Move
Searching for a way to relax after a long week of classes? Then head over to the Sadler Center Terrace for AMP’s Fridays at Five event, featuring the Honkytonk Heroes. Richmond’s Honkytonk Heroes play “classic and contemporary country” music, covering artists from Willie Nelson to Jason Aldean. Fridays at Five are always free, so stop by for a bit and mingle with friends on the Terrace. As a self-proclaimed “pedal-to-themetal country party band,” the Honkytonk Heroes are sure to entertain.
Love dance parties? Interested in Arabic, Persian and Turkish music? Come to the One Thousand and One Nights: Dance Party, hosted by the William and Mary Middle Eastern Student Association. The party will take place tonight in Chesapeake A in the Sadler Center from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Revelers can COURTESY PHOTO / REVERBNATION.COM also enjoy drinks and snacks — for free! The dance party is one of several events that MESA hosts throughout the year. The focus of the events spans from Middle Eastern politics to different types ofcultural and historical traditions.
Participate in a 5K and one-mile walk/ run for a great cause this Saturday. The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council are co-sponsoring the Williamsburg Landing 5K for The Arc. The Arc of Greater Williamsburg is part of a national organization that both advocates for and supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a number of diverse social and educational activities. Interested in participating but not born to run? Fear not — all 5k participants are encouraged to either run or walk. However, this event is for early birds only: the one-mile will take place tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. and the 5k will be at 9 a.m. The awards ceremony and raffle drawing will take place at 10:15 a.m. Race day registration and packet pickup are at 7:30 a.m. at the Williamsburg Landing Campus off Lake Powell Road. There is a minimum donation per entrant of $25.
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Friday, September 21, 2012
The Flat Hat
The
fascination
with stories is something very basic in
Page 7
humans.‘‘
Rosalind Brackenbury, 2012 Donaldson Writer in Residence
Two-time Writer in Residence seeks to inspire young writers BY EMILY NYE THE FLAT HAT
Last Thursday, students, faculty members and other literary enthusiasts filed into Blow Memorial Hall, buzzing with excitement about the evening’s upcoming events. The seats in Blow 201 filled up quickly and the hosts
were soon pulling in extra chairs to accommodate the crowd. A hush fell over the room as Nancy Schoenberger, Director of Creative Writing at the College of William and Mary, rose to address the group. She began her introduction with a quote from the evening’s speaker. “To write, you must read,”
COURESY PHOTO / NANCY SCHOENBERGER
2012 Donaldson Writer in Residence Rosalind Brackenbury returns to work with students at the College of William and Mary this semester. She previously held the position in 2006.
Schoenberger said, the phrase hitting home among the many English majors and aspiring poets in the crowd. However, one person knows it better than any other — after all, she’s the one who said it. Rosalind Brackenbury was recently selected as the 2012 Donaldson Writer in Residence at the College. The Donaldson Writer in Residence Program, endowed by Professor Scott Donaldson and his wife Vivian, is an annual program at the College that hosts one distinguished writer each year to work with and mentor students in the English department over the course of several advanced writing workshops and seminars. Brackenbury has written 12 novels and five collections of poetry. Schoenberger looks forward to watching Brackenbury use her skills as she works with students at the College this semester. “A writer in residence can show students what a real writer looks like, how they live and how they write,” Schoenberger said. “It’s a great experience. There are so many talented and creative students at William and Mary, and our program is one place they can come and flourish.” A committee chooses each writer in residence every year. “We have a committee in the department, and we meet to find people who have reputations as good writers and teachers and who are available to come for a year or a semester,” Schoenberger said. However, Brackenbury is no stranger to the College or even to the Donaldson Writer in Residence Program. She was the Writer in Residence six years ago, and enjoyed her experience so much
that she decided to return. “I had a good time here six years ago,” Brackenbury said. “The students were great, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a nice place to teach.” Brackenbury kick-started her tenure as Writer in Residence by reading excerpts from her latest collection of poetry, “The Joy of Nearly Old.” Brackenbury’s poems ranged from a humorous description of her college days in a poem called “Letters to Home” to a deeper, more emotional theme in her poem, “Love Lines,” where she contemplates a life in which we bore our emotional scars as physical lines on our bodies. “I thought it was pretty straightforward as far as poetry readings go,” Wilson Collins ’13 said. “I think that she gets the idea that as a poet, it’s her job to put the wallpaper on, and she does it in a way that automatically translates, and so there’s very little work that has to be done by the reader.” Brackenbury then moved to the main showcase of the reading, the excerpts from her new novel “Becoming George Sand.” The novel, part historical fiction and part narrative, ties the modernday life of the protagonist, Maria, to the era and struggles of early female author George Sand. Andrew Miller ’13, who attended the reading, said he was impressed with the excerpts. “I liked the fiction,” he said. “I like it when people write fiction about people who really existed. There are always incomplete parts in the historical records, and so it’s always interesting when people create from the things that we know, things that we don’t know.” The praise for “Becoming George
On the record
Sand” didn’t stop there. “I thought it was splendid,” English professor Deborah Morse said. “After the last reading, I bought four copies of ‘Becoming George Sand.’ I sent it to my sister and other friends who were writers, one of which was the first biographer of Ramond Carver, and she said it was one of the best novels she had read in the last 20 years.” In fact, the novel has roots here in Williamsburg. In fact, Brackenbury wrote the beginning of the book during her last stay as Writer in Residence when she was here previously. “[My previous stay] was wonderful,” Brackenbury said. “I wrote the beginning of ‘Becoming George Sand’ in my room in Tucker. I remember writing the whole first scene.” However, more than anything, Brackenbury is excited to spend her semester working with students at the College. She explained that when she was growing up, she was discouraged from writing and was told that writing was simply not something you did for a living. “No one took writing seriously,” Brackenbury said. “It was just a hobby.” Brackenbury noted that today, students are lucky enough to write and to be encouraged to write and to tell their stories. “The fascination with stories is something very basic in humans,” she said. Brackenbury said she hopes to spend the semester showing the College’s aspiring young writers that their dreams can become a reality. “I just hope they’ll all have happy careers as writers,” she said. “I’m here to say it’s possible.”
THE CARPENTER — THE AVETT BROTHERS
G.O.O.D. MUSIC: CRUEL SUMMER — KANYE WEST
BY JILL FOUND FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BY ZACH HARDY FLAT HAT ONLINE EDITOR
I don’t really know if it’s more upsetting for an album to be bad or just mediocre. If The Avett Brothers’ new album, “The Carpenter,” lacked their usual charm and depth, it would be easy to write it off as a failed effort. If they did not deliver their distinctive creativity in crafting songs, I could write a diatribe about how The Avett Brothers have lost their touch. Instead, it is a much more difficult album to grapple with. If you consider yourself a fan of The Avett Brothers but you haven’t heard any buzz about their new album, it’s because there’s no reason for it — good or bad. The album features a diverse number of very good tracks, from the clear, sweet “Father’s First Spring,” to the sassy “I Never Knew You” and the rollicking “Live and Die,” which is the first single off the album and an obvious standout. But they’ve done all of these things much better in the past. All of these songs have their betters in “Swept Away (Sentimental Version),” “Distraction #74” and “Will You Return,” respectively. Their inventive mixture of genres — country, bluegrass, punk, folk, pop and more — comes through on the album, but perhaps not as cleanly combined as in previous efforts. “Paul Newman Vs. The Demons,” for example, comes off as a strangely contrived effort for something more hard rock. There is a characteristic depth to much of The Avett Brothers’ music — a distinctively down-home outlook on the world couched in well-produced
songs that is extremely comforting. Hearing them sing, “If I live the life I’m given / I won’t be scared to die” on “The Once and Future Carpenter” feels much more profound than it would in any other circumstance, and it takes real talent to make such a simple statement feel like a life philosophy. There are tear-jerking, beautiful songs as well, such as “Through My Prayers,” where they croon “Every night after and every day since / I found myself crying when the memory hit.” At least half of the songs deal with death and much of the album carries a real weight. Individually, these songs would have a place on any other Avett Brothers album. However, instead of making it feel more substantial, that heaviness seems to get stuck, bringing down the album. If this album had followed “Emotionalism,” it would have seemed like a logical movement forward, a progression in their ouvre towards something a little different. Instead, it follows “I and Love and You,” a huge, sweeping album, vastly different from much of their earlier work. It’s confusing then, to see them take a step backwards, not necessarily in terms of quality, but in style. “The Carpenter” sounds like a Rick Rubin-produced version of “Emotionalism” and does not show any sort of musical growth. “The Carpenter” isn’t a bad album by any means — I’ll have it playing in my car for at least a few weeks — but I’m not going to rush out to play it for everyone I know. At their best, The Avett Brothers demand to be shared, repeated, felt with every fiber of one’s being. This is not their best.
COURTESY PHOTO / WFDD.ORG
Just about everybody loves them some Kanye West. Critics and culture nerds laud him as one of the most consistently brilliant artists of the new millennium. From his debut production for JayZ’s “Blueprint” right up to last year’s “Watch the Throne,” Kanye’s work remains some of the most superbly crafted, intellectually stimulating and above all listenable rap ever. Everyone else who hasn’t followed his career as closely has still probably bumped “Gold Digger” while working out or has taken shots with “H.A.M.” playing on repeat. But even after all the delays, Kanye’s new collaboration album “G.O.O.D. Music: Cruel Summer” falls flat into the category of “cruelly mediocre.” Kanye launched his label G.O.O.D. Music, an acronym for “Getting Out Our Dreams”, back in 2004. He first signed on fellow Chicago rapper Common and R&B artist John Legend. Over the years he went on to sign musicians like Mos Def, Kid Kudi, Clipse’s Pusha-T, producers Q-Tip and No I.D., but also some more questionable talent, like Big Sean. So where exactly does “Cruel Summer” go cold? — the crowded and unfocused feel of the tracks. “Cruel Summer” hardly feels like a Kanye album — it has none of the cohesion and inventiveness that made his solo albums so great. The beats here — none of which Kanye produced on his own — are overproduced fare that might better suit a bling rapper like Gucci Mane. “Don’t Like” feels like a parody of H.A.M. with its overbearing drums,
COURTESY PHOTO / RADIOALICE.CBSLOCAL.COM
orchestra and choral backing. Don’t look for the brilliant minimalism of “Runaway” or the inventive sampling of “Otis”, because you won’t find it here. But it’s not all bad. “Mercy” boasts some funky steel drums, and the syncopated bass on “Clique” is undeniably infectious. What’s more frustrating than the production is the shoddy lyricism. The tracklist matter revolves around the tired topics of cash, sex and weed. I hate to keep comparing the album to Kanye’s old work, but when a rapper that has dropped lines like “Don’t rush to get grown / drive slow homie” in “Drive Slow” off “Late Registration,” is now rapping things like “I step in Def Jam’s building like I’m the shit / Tell ‘em give me fifty million or Imma quit” on “Mercy,” one can’t help but feel disappointed. Other lines range from idiotic — like Kid Cudi’s flub “If I had one wish it’d be to have more wishes / Fuck trying to make it rhyme, throw them stones” on “Creepers” — to outright ridiculous: “Now we out in Paris, yeah I’m Perrierin’ / White girl politicin’, that’s that Sarah Palin,” a Big Sean line in “Mercy.” Some of the tracks are saved thanks to guest appearances of seasoned veterans: Ghostface Killah steals the show on “New God Flow”, and Raekwon is flawless as usual on “The Morning”. “Higher” is a great slow track featuring The-Dream, the man behind Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” and the now unknown Ma$e. Kanye West has never released a bad album, but “Cruel Summer” is the first one that has is name on it that isn’t good. I’d recommend picking up “Mercy” and “Higher” for the gym and waiting patiently for his next solo album.
sports
Sports Editor Mike Barnes Sports Editor Jared Foretek flathatsports@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, September 21, 2012 | Page 8
MEN’S SOCCER
w&M tribe
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ELON PHOENIX
Phoenix rising MICHELLE GABRO / THE FLAT HAT
Freshman midfielder Ryan Flesch and the College took a 1-0 haltime lead over Elon, but the Phoenix battled back to even the score at one goal apeice midway through the second half. Elon’s Chris Thomas then scored the winner in overtime.
Albiston’s first half goal gives Tribe early lead, but fades down the stretch as Elon claims 2-1 win BY MICK SLOAN FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER After nearly three weeks of away games, road-weary William and Mary looked forward to revisiting the friendly confines of Martin Family Stadium with hopes of snatching a few home victories. Instead, the College, drained from its near upset of No. 2 Creighton over the weekend, fell in an intense 2-1 overtime game Wednesday against visiting Elon. The Tribe faced a formidable opponent, going head to head with a motivated Phoenix squad with a strong offense and plenty of fight. On this particular evening, the Phoenix proved too much for an exhausted Tribe squad. “We just didn’t have it in that tank,” head coach Chris Norris said.
The game started off favorably for the Tribe. After a scoreless 35 minutes filled with a fair share of shoving and physical play from both sides, sophomore midfielder Chris Albiston struck first for the College with a 36th minute goal from 20 yards out. Albiston’s shot itself was nearly perfect. The sophomore received the ball from junior midfielder Chris Perez, took careful aim and fired a left-footed shot that soared over the defense before bending sharply into the net. Elon goalie Nathan Dean had no chance at a save. The goal proved to be the highlight of the Tribe’s offense, as Elon possessed the ball for much of the game and was consistently on the attack. The back line of the defense, one of the squad’s greatest strengths, performed admirably despite nearly constant pressure.
Norris was fully aware of the obstacle facing his team in preparing for Elon. “We had a day of travel on Monday, and yesterday … we couldn’t get on the field because of the weather, so it wasn’t ideal in terms of preparation … we just didn’t adapt very well,” Norris said. The defense also benefited from a strong performance by sophomore goalkeeper Bennett Jones, who finished with six saves and helped keep Elon scoreless for the entire first half with a series of heroic stops. The game clearly began to shift in Elon’s favor by the second half. After an hour of aggressive offense, the Phoenix finally broke through — quite literally — when forward Chris Thomas sliced through the Tribe defense to force a breakaway goal past Jones and equalize the score at 1-1.
“It was just kind of a breakdown on a counter attack … [Thomas] just ran behind us,” junior defender Will Smith said. The tie game was hotly contested in the final minutes of regulation. After playing somewhat passively on offense for much of the contest, the Tribe generated multiple scoring opportunities in the final few minutes. Freshman forward Jackson Eskay had two of his five shots come in the final three minutes of regulation time, but Elon’s tenacious defense turned away each Tribe chance to force overtime. The Tribe stayed on the offensive in the extra period, generating two more shots in the first few minutes and giving hope to a spirited crowd. However, Elon had the last word when Thomas drew a penalty in front of the goal in the 96th minute. Thomas, a six-foot force who
challenged the Tribe all game with four shots on goal, drilled the penalty kick past Jones to end the game and hand the Tribe a heartbreaking fourth loss. The loss came at a challenging time for the Tribe, who followed their taxing trip to Omaha last weekend with this physical contest at home, with no time practice time in between. Smith was less willing to blame the loss on the circumstances his team faced Wednesday. “We had a couple days back here, I think everyone felt fresh. I just don’t think we came out with the right mindset, and that was the difference,” Smith said. The Tribe will hope to rediscover their winning mindset when they open CAA play Saturday at home against Northeastern.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Rams extract revenge against College with 2-1 win VCU knocks off College at home, avenges 2011 CAA Tournament loss BY JARED FORETEK FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR For an early-season game with a non-conference opponent, William and Mary’s meeting with Virginia Commonwealth Thursday night came loaded with pre-game storylines. For starters, it was a rematch of the 2011 CAA Tournament final, when the Tribe edged the Rams 1-0 in overtime to take the conference crown and move on to the NCAA Tournament. Second, the College entered looking for its seventh straight win while the Rams — now a member of the Atlantic-10 conference — came in on a fourgame undefeated streak. But to spend too much time on the pre-game buildup would take away from a hard-fought game that tested each team’s backline, toughness and resilience to the final whistle when the Tribe (6-3) came out on the losing side of a 2-1 decision. “We played the poorest game we’ve played all season,” head coach John Daly said. “We dwelled on the ball, we played way too slowly.” The College started scoring early. In the 7th minute, senior
forward Cortlyn Brisol picked off a VCU pass in Rams territory and sent a beautiful through ball to sprinting freshman midfielder Nicole Baxter, who had gotten inside position on VCU’s defender. As Rams goalkeeper Kristin Garden came off her line, Baxter poked the ball to the left side of the goal, just out of Garden’s reach and into the net to put the Tribe up 1-0. “I saw the ball go to Cortlyn so I took off running forward,” Baxter said. “She saw it and made the perfect pass and I just finished it to the corner.” As the half wore on, though, the Rams (4-2-3) consistently knocked on the door of the Tribe’s goal, testing freshman goalkeeper Caroline Casey and looking poised to tie things up. “I didn’t expect their front players to give us as much trouble as they did,” Daly said. “We were slow-thinking at the back.” Finally, in the 33rd minute, they did. VCU forward Brianne Moore sent a lead pass from the left side to a streaking Courtney Conrad. Behind the defense, Conrad dribbled to just outside the 6-yard box and tapped it to the far-post. Caroline got her gloves on it but couldn’t corral
the shot, letting it roll into the back of the net. About five minutes later, the Tribe had a chance to retake the lead. A throw-in from the right side of the pitch in VCU territory led to a bouncing ball inside the Rams’ 18-yard box. Baxter tried to take it down with her chest but was pushed to the ground, drawing a whistle from the referee, who awarded the College a penalty kick. Senior midfielder Mallory Schaffer’s shot went to the left side of the goal, but so did Garden, who made the save before the ball was cleared. The half ended in a tie, with the Tribe having taken 10 shots (four on goal) to VCU’s five (three on goal). Schaffer, the College’s top scoring threat, got more involved on the attack to start the second. In the 50th minute, the reigning CAA Player of the Week (and Year) found space at the top of the box and received a pass from freshman forward Barbara Platenberg. Schaffer turned and shot at the right side of the net, but Garden was again there to make the save. The College came close again in the 63rd minute when a hard VCU tackle drew a yellow card
and set the Tribe up for a free kick from the left side of the field, just outside the Rams’ 18yard box. The free kick went in and bounced around before two consecutive Tribe shots were blocked by defenders and the ball was ultimately cleared. “Their defense was strong in the air,” Baxter said. “And they were pretty fast so they were tracking a lot of the through balls that we wanted, so they were strong back there.” Ultimately, it was VCU who got on the board first in the final half. In the 80th minute, the Rams drew a corner from the left side. Cristin Granados sent it in for VCU’s Bex Kunz, whose shot was blocked. But the College couldn’t clear the line and Conrad gained possession, shooting it past Casey for her second goal of the night and the decisive score. When all was said and done, the second was a half controlled by VCU, who took 11 shots in the final 45 minutes while the Tribe mustered eight. “In the second half we completely lost composure,” Daly said. “We were chasing the game. They sat back and hit us on counter attacks but when we had the kind of situations to cash in,
HAYLEY TYMESON / THE FLAT HAT
Senior midfielder Cortlyn Bristol recorded an assist against VCU Thursday.
we didn’t have the composure.” For VCU, the result was a small ounce of revenge for what happened on the same field last season. “That was something we addressed. If you’re looking
for motivation, you know that they’ve got motivation,” Daly said. “We finished their season last year … and I said we can’t let that be a factor, make sure that we’re ready to match that, and we weren’t.”