Flat Hat 10-05-12

VARIETY >> PAGE 7

SPORTS >> PAGE 8

Faculty Lecture series continues with discussion of the significance and benefits of humor.

Men’s soccer allowed three goals in Saturday’s 3-0 home loss to UNC-Wilmington.

Behind the laughter

Vol. 102, Iss.12 | Friday, October 5, 2012

Tribe falls to Seahawks, 3-0

The Flat Hat

administration

New policy challenged Students raise concern about arrest disclosure bY meredith ramey Flat hat news editor

The Student Assembly initiated discussions with the Office of the Dean of Students on the controversial arrest disclosure policy added to the Student Handbook this fall. Secretary of College Policy Ben Migdol ’13 met with Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct David Gilbert and discussed a possible adjustment of the policy to better accommodate students.

According to Gilbert, Migdol and Student Assembly President Curt Mills ’13, the major issue with the policy is student awareness. They feel the student body is not attuned to the change in policy and the need to disclose their arrests or violations to the College, especially if they occur outside the Williamsburg area.

“Most of the student body is still pretty uninformed,” Migdol said. “They don’t know what all [the policy] entails.”

Gilbert said if students fail to disclose any arrests, their lack of awareness of the changed policy will be taken into account.

In terms of disclosure in general, Gilbert said students should not be concerned about the College knowing too much about their personal lives.

“We are relying to some extent on self-disclosure,” Gilbert said. “Most of the time when the student has disclosed, I’ve already gotten the report [from Williamsburg police].”

According to Migdol, one concern students have with the policy is the need to disclose any and all arrests experienced both on and off campus. He said the policy’s language is unclear and students do not know if it is necessary to disclose summons if there was no physical arrest. According to Gilbert, the policy currently includes all arrests and violations of the law excluding minor traffic violations.

Other concerns the students addressed with Gilbert include the ramifications and punishments students will face if they do not disclose arrests or if significant arrests are reported. Gilbert stated that

The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper

construction

Delaying the arts complex

Lack of funding stalls original design plan bY matt esporrin // the flat hat

of The College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary conducted a feasibility report in January 2009 for building a new arts complex and estimated the cost of the project at $350 million. After more than three years of waiting, the College of William and Mary has opted for a plan that will allow construction to span a longer period of time.

The proposed 2009 plan centered on moving the Muscarelle Museum of Art to a new building, around which the music, theater, dance and art history facilities would be built.

Since the state does not view the Muscarelle as an academic building and would not fund its construction, the construction had to be supported largely by private funds.

“The large [2009] plan required a huge amount of

private funding,” Vice President of Administration Anna Martin said. “The majority of funding would have come privately, which was not possible in 2009 because of the financial situation of 2008.”

Eventually, the wait for funding became unacceptable.

“After more than three years, we have not been able to move this project forward.

We found ourselves in a place where the perfect was getting in the way of the necessary.

We needed to come up with an alternative plan that would allow us to get started and address this one space at a time,” Provost Michael Halleran said in an email.

The Muscarelle is no longer at the top of the waiting list for a new home. Instead, the College seeks to first create spaces for

See Handbook page 3

See arts page 3

Live stream of the Dalai Lama speech

katie demeria / THE FLAT HAT

The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale, wagon and dalmation mascot circled campus Thursday evening, stopping by the Sadler Center and proceeding down James Blair Drive. According to University Relations, this trip was the first time that the world-famous horses and dalmation have visited campus.

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the traditional academic art departments, starting with theater and music.

“We have facilities that are in dire need of work,” Halleran said. “We evaluated and reviewed each building this summer and met with each department. We determined our academic departments — particularly music and theater should come first.”

Currently, there are not many specifics about the new arts complex.

“We issued Request For Proposal (RFP) last week for a more limited feasibility study to look at the possibility of renovations to existing facilities as well as building new,” Halleran said in an email. “We expect it to be

anita jiang / THE FLAT HAT

Feature photos

Index

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Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Inside opinions

Ambiguous plagiarism

Sunny High 83, Low 58

When it’s difficult to tell if an action constitutes as cheating, professors should take responsibility and clearly define their policies. page 5

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will speak at the College of William and Mary Oct. 10. The College announced Tuesday that the event will be streamed live for free at http://www.wm.edu/ dalailamavisit.

The lecture, sponsored by the Student Assembly, AMP and the International Dalai Lama Relations Club, will begin at 2:00 p.m. The second half of the Dalai Lama’s lecture will include a question-and-answer session. Students are encouraged to submit questions in advance through an online form at https://forms.wm.edu/6204. The form closes at 5:00 p.m. today.

— Meredith Ramey

Inside VARIETY

The hazing prevention pledge Travis Apgar encourages students to analyze behavior that might be deemed unsafe. page 6

newsinsight “

The Flat Hat | Friday, October 5, 2012 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

Universities interact more with children than you think — that’s something we’ve already become aware of.

All The News that’s unfit to print

Three Hampton Correctional Facility inmates were charged for assisting another prisoner escape last week, according to a the Daily Press. Michael Stanback, currently serving a 15-year sentence for armed robbery, jumped the facility’s barbed wire fence sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. during the inmates’ recreation time. It was not until 6 p.m. that staff learned he was absent from his cell. Stanback was arrested two days later. The news release was unclear how the three men charged helped Stanback escape.

“

THE PULSE

News Editor Katherine Chiglinsky News Editor Meredith Ramey fhnews@gmail.com

—University Policies and Compliance officer Kiersten Boyce

BEYOND THE ‘BURG

Conservative talk show pundit Sean Hannity criticized The Daily Press, Hampton Roads’ local newspaper, over a video it posted of President Barack Obama giving a speech in 2007. In the speech given at Hampton University, Obama sharply criticized former President George W. Bush and his handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hannity said the portion of the speech posted on http://www.dailypress.com intentionally omitted the speech’s harshest parts. “This is further proof that the mainstream media has been in the pocket of Barack Obama since the day that he arrived on the national stage,” Hannity said.

A government report released today states that the number of births in the United States fell for the fourth year in row, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Experts attribute the one percent drop in birth rate to the still-faltering economy.

The birthrate for teen mothers decreased the most sharply — last year’s number was the lowest since 1946. Hispanic births dropped by 6 percent, and the birthrate for single mothers dropped by three percent, while the rate rose for Asian Americans. The birth rate for African-Americans and whites remained constant.

NBC News, Wall Street Journal, and the Marist Institute for Public Opinion released a new poll that shows Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine currently ahead of Republican candidate George Allen, 49 to 44 percent, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Another recent poll by Fox News also gave Kaine a 4 percent lead, 47 to 43 percent. Allen has a narrow edge among male voters, but falls by 10 points among women. Allen leads among white voters, 55-39 percent but falls far behind with nonwhite voters, by a ratio of 12 to 79 percent.

COURTESY PHOTO / PENNLIVE.COM

Former offensive coordinator for Pennsylvania State University, Mike McQueary, has filed a $4 million whistlebowler lawsuit against the university.

A THOUSAND WORDS U.Tn hospitalization not due to “butt-chugging”

Penn State hit with whistleblower lawsuit

The lawyer for a hospitalized student at the University of Tennessee claims Alexander Broughton’s intoxication was not caused by an alcohol enema or “butt-chugging.”

According to the Washington Post, Alexander Broughton says his hospitalization was brought on by the drinking game “Tour de Franzia.” The game, which is a race between players to be the first to finish a box of wine, resulted in Broughton’s 0.4 blood alcohol level. Hospital staff originally suspected Broughton’s condition was caused by butt-chugging based on damage done to his rectum.

His fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, has been suspended indefinitely from the school and has surrendered its charter.

According to The New York Times, former offensive coordinator Mike McQueary has filed a $4 million whistleblower lawsuit against Penn State University.

McQueary witnessed Jerry Sandusky sexually assault a young boy. He reported the incident to football coach Joe Paterno and university officials Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, but did not pursue further action when they remained silent. When allegations of Sandusky’s abuse came to light, the university supported Curley and Schultz’s claims that McQueary had not said Sandusky’s abuse was of a sexual nature. McQueary was placed on administrative leave. He is now seeking damages for not receiving more support.

Caltech places first for research universities

Gangnam Style spoofs spread across universities

The Times Higher Education magazine ranked the California Institute of Technology first on their 2012-13 list of the world’s best research universities. According to The Los Angeles Times, rankings are determined after looking at a variety of factors such as the number of doctorates awarded, the international diversity of the students and faculty, and the amount of research funding. Stanford University and the University of Oxford tied for second, with Harvard University ranking fourth. Of the top ten universities on the list, seven of them are in the United States.

According to The Washington Post, many students are following Saturday Night Live’s lead and spoofing PSY’s song “Gangnam Style.” The U.S. Naval Academy, West Point Academy and the University of Maryland both have created hit videos, showcasing students dancing and mimicking the moves. Most recently, Ohio University’s marching band included the dance during a half-time routine. These viral videos have been gaining thousands of views on Youtube. According to The Washington Post, PSY attended Boston University for one semester in 1997.

CITY POLICE BEAT

Oct. 2 to Oct. 4

Anita Jiang / the FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS

Oct. 2 — An individual was charged with 1 Tuesday, larceny on York St.

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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.

Oct. 2 — An individual was charged with 2 Tuesday, larceny and shoplifting on Richmond Rd. Oct. 2 — A citizen requested officer 3 Tuesday, assistance on Richmond Rd.

The Flat Hat

Oct. 3 — An individual was involved in 4 Wednesday, a suspicious incident on Settlement Dr. Oct. 4 — An individual was charged 5 Thursday, with possession of drugs including marijuana on Richmond Rd.

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News in brief Mews set to reopen on Oct. 8 Greenberry’s Coffee Co. will open in Mews Cafe in Earl Gregg Swem Library Monday, Oct. 8. The first person in line for the opening at 8 a.m. will receive free brewed coffee for the semester. The first 100 people to visit during the grand opening will receive a free medium brewed coffee during. The event will also feature free samples of coffee drinks and pastry items. Greenberry’s Coffee Co. will accept Express, Flex points, cash and major credit cards. Aramark, the company which manages dining services, was considering adding a swipe option to the café, but no decision has been made.

VIMS receives EPA grant Virginia Institute of Marine Science has received a $999,640 three-year grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The grant will aid VIMS research in development of planning tools that aim to effectively and efficiently protect the upland swamps and swales. The upland swamps and swales are considered essential because they help keep pollutants and excess nutrients out of the Chesapeake Bay tributaries. According to EPA project leader Carl Hershner, the number one goal of the project is “to have the tools we create facilitate coordination across all levels of government.”

VIMS alum receives environmental award Bob Carroll was one of 18 environmental educators awarded with the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators in May. Carroll, who received a Masters from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in 2002, serves as a middle school teacher at Plaza Middle School in Virginia Beach. In addition, Carroll served as the education program director for VIMS’s Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Carroll has also started his own business, Virginia Beach Sea Camp and Kayak. He hopes to use the business to take students on field trips to the water.

Page 3

Friday, October 5, 2012

The Flat Hat

college policy

Freeh Report prompts policy review

Athletics Department utilizes report suggestions in summer camp policies by katherine chiglinsky flat hat news editor

When Chair of the Board of Visitor’s Committee on Audit and Compliance John Thomas arrived at the committee’s meeting in September, he dropped a bulky stack of papers on the desk.

The stack was littered with tiny multi-colored Post-it’s in an attempt to condense the 267-page report. Thomas had carefully marked and examined the Freeh Report for the meeting.

The Freeh Report was compiled when Judge Louis Freeh combed Penn State’s organizational structure after former football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of multiple sex crimes. It also raised issues about higher education policies, issues that affect procedures at the College of William and Mary.

“It was a total collapse [within Penn State],” Thomas said. “What Freeh was doing was telling them what they could have done better. They got to basically do an autopsy of what happened at Penn State.”

The report, which incriminated top Penn State officials, points to a breakdown in communication and structure.

“For me and for any compliance officer, what I see in it is not just an awareness that universities interact more with children than you think — that’s something we’ve already become aware of,” University Policies and Compliance officer Kiersten Boyce said.

“If universities or any other complex organization do not have controls in place, they leave themselves vulnerable to the risk that things will happen.”

Officials at the College have been examining the report in an attempt to utilize some of the suggestions.

“My whole mission has been to avoid people just saying, ‘Oh that couldn’t happen’ or ‘We don’t need to do any of those things because we don’t have that type of a football program or we don’t have that culture here,’” Boyce said. “I think that’s true, but we can still learn, and should learn, some valuable lessons.”

One of the first responses to the Freeh report came when the athletics department contacted Boyce to begin reworking their guidelines for summer camps. Associate Athletics Director of Internal Operations Steve Cole composed a taskforce of assistant coaches from varsity teams to rework policies in regard to minors.

Starting this year, all counselors at any athletic summer camp must undergo a background check. This includes counselors that come from other organizations and universities as well as student athletes.

Additionally, Cole has pushed for greater education of staff, campers and parents. A camper’s information packet must now include educational material about b e h a v i o r expectations while at camp.

Counselors also receive education on signs of abuse Cole and reporting methods. Both Chief of Police Don Challis and Boyce gave presentations to the athletics department this year to educate them on policy guidelines and available resources.

“Those meetings say, ‘Here are the resources available for you to access if you have concerns,’” Cole said. “The subliminal message there is that there are a lot of people out there to help you.

You need to say something to somebody and there’s a lot of people here to assist.”

One of the stories stemming from the Penn State incident was the janitor who noticed some activity but felt uncomfortable reporting anything. In the past at the College, only certain individuals have had an obligation to report any questionable activity.

But as of July 1, 2012, all individuals have a legal responsibility to report questionable behavior.

The College also researched purchasing a hotline for reporting questionable behavior through a thirdcompany, NavexGlobal. The contract is still under review.

The Freeh Report did not spur all of the policy changes. The College was ahead of the curve with the implementation of Compliance and Policy Office headed by Boyce in July 2011. While the new office and its staff require funding from the College, Boyce noted that the protection the office offered to the College is well worth the money.

“Sometimes students are referred to as our customers, but that’s not the relationship,” Boyce said. “Yes, you’re buying a service among other things, but it’s a totally different relationship.

It’s a much more complex and rich

relationship and it’s a very highlyregulated industry. So, people don’t like administrative load, but I hope they recognize that spending money on people who put those policies in place, those are necessary evils, if you will.

We’ve got to do this work and we’ve got to do it right.”

Boyce is also working on creating a standalone policy for sexual harassment.

The policy, intended mainly for faculty and staff members, will not be changed, but merely clarified in a policy on its own.

The policy will include a description of the two types of sexual harassment as recognized by the law, quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment.

While the Freeh Report has raised concerns at the College and at other colleges and universities, Thomas noted that the College already has many systems in place to prevent such incidents, especially with Honor Code’s importance on campus.

“Things that we do naturally at William and Mary as part of the culture are good,” Thomas said. “It’s not that it’s perfect, but we’re constantly working on it. Just the nature of William and Mary makes us more aware, but we still need to be vigilant.”

Student assembly

SA talks recent election and Steer Clear technology Senate inducts new members and debates ongoing publication awareness initiatives

by aine cain The flat hat

Elections Commission Chair T.J. O’Sullivan ‘13 briefed the Student Assembly Tuesday on the successes and setbacks of the latest election.

“There were a fair number of write in candidates.

I believe Cap’n Crunch did reasonably well,” said O’Sullivan. “It was actually pretty impressive in terms of voter turnout.”

He described the class of 2016 elections as especially contentious.

“There were a lot of freshmen running for the Student Assembly senate,” O’Sullivan said. “I was really impressed by the number of people interested in running in this election. Overall, the class of 2016 had around a 50 percent voter turnout.”

Despite the removal of two candidates from the ballot, sign-tearing complaints and conflicts with Extended Orientation, Student Assembly Vice President Melanie Levine ’14 thought the election in general proceeded relatively well.

“This was actually a very smooth election cycle compared to past elections,” Levine said.

Nine candidates were sanctioned in the SA presidential race last spring. O’Sullivan and Mills attributed the decrease in sanctions to a better enforcement of the rules rather than to changes in the rules.

The senate unanimously approved the Steer Clear Act following a presentation by program director Mark Moran ’14.

“Our program is plagued by long wait times and a lot of inefficiencies,” Moran said. “We really want to improve our transparency. In conjunction with the Programming Club, we’re developing an app that will automatically manage routes, give directions and decrease wait time.”

The Act will provide Steer Clear with a data plan and tablets, technology that Moran hopes will help the program become more efficient.

The senate then discussed the Wall Street Journal and Economist Act, which will provide students with easier free access to the publications.

“We have full access to these subscriptions; the issue is they’re hidden under layers of database searches,” Senator Drew Wilke ‘15 said. “We want to have direct links to these subscriptions on the school website for casual reading.”

Madame Chair Kendall Lorenzen ’15 outlined another aspect of the ongoing “What Can the SA Do for You?” campaign. Senators will now table during high traffic hours in order to better understand issues important to the student body.

Levine went on to voice her support of the SA’s new policy regarding Homecoming grant applications. This year, grants are available to a wider variety of student organizations. The

COURTESY PHOTO / MELANIE LEVINE

After being elected on Thursday, new members of the Student Assembly were sworn into office during Tuesday’s meeting.

deadline to apply is Friday at five PM. “It’s really exciting that the Student Assembly has decided to allocate grants to everyone this year, not just Greek organizations,” Levine said.

“Hopefully we’ll soon be getting some great requests for awesome events.”

The senate also welcomed newly elected

Admissions

New Ampersandbox recognized Interactive viewbook breaks traditional viewbook mold by emily stone The flat hat

The Ampersandbox, the Office of Undergraduate Admission’s new interactive viewbook, won a silver award in the University and College Designers Association’s annual design competition.

“It’s kind of like the Academy Awards for college design,” Associate Director of Creative Services Cindy Baker said. “There’s lot of categories, including print, brochures, websites and social media. We won for the card package and campaign website.”

The Ampersandbox was a joint collaboration by mStoner Inc., a creative design firm, Creative Services and the Admissions Office.

The cardboard “box,” now in an envelope for mailing purposes, contains a set of small cards, each with an eye catching picture and word pair. The back of the card explains the word pair and offers facts about the College.

Word pairs include “Fast & Furious,” “Down & Dirty” and “Naked & Friendly.” “Naked & Friendly,” a favorite among the Admissions Office, was placed at the top of the stack. “’Naked & Friendly’ being on top was deliberate, and I think it’s attention getting,” Dean of Admissions Henry Broaddus said.

courtesy photo / WM.EDU

The Ampersand Box won a silver award in the recruitment and viewbook category.

“It’s not particularly irreverent; it’s ultimately about being comfortable in your own skin here. That’s another triumph of content on these cards.

They’re arresting, but they’re also serious. You get a very good sense of the College of William and Mary by looking at these cards.”

The College strayed from the traditional viewbook seen at college fairs and in admissions offices.

“Ours is really more a reflection of the personality of the College.

This is the way viewbooks are supposed to work. This piece takes the concept of a viewbook and blows it up. Most viewbooks are heavy on statistics and very interchangeable,” Associate Dean of Admissions Deborah Basket said.

The Ampersandbox is part of a continuing effort by the admissions

office to stand out in mailboxes and inboxes across the country and draw a greater number of applicants.

There were 13,660 applicants for the class of 2016, almost 1,000 more than the 12,825 applicants for the class of 2015.

“I think the communication capabilities of the Admissions Office made big strides in that period of time,” Broaddus said.

“The Ampersandbox is the most visible way. There are expanded on-campus visit opportunities, interviews; there are outreach strategies that the staff goes through.

There’s too many variables to isolate [it] down to one thing, but certainly the feedback that we’ve gotten is that the Ampersandbox made a powerful impression on students, and that was the goal.”

undergraduate officers and senators to their inauguration. The freshman class senators opened the meeting with their rendition of the Alma Mater.

At the meeting’s conclusion, Chairman of the Review Board Scott Hardy J.D. ’13, swore in the new undergraduate senators and officers.

SA advocates policy change Gilbert discusses policy intricacies with Migdol HANDBOOK from page 1

files are analyzed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a student’s history of arrests. Gilbert then sends any concerning incidents to Dean of Students Patricia Volp and from there the decisions regarding possible suspension are made.

The Student Handbook states that “Interim suspension may be imposed only either to ensure the health or safety of the student or of other members of the College community,” and interim suspensions are made if the student “adversely affects the College community and the pursuit of its objectives.”

According to Mills and Migdol, the SA initiated this discussion with the goal of changing the policy to better serve student interests at the College.

“This is an initiative that came out of the SA executive at the end of the year,” Mills said. “What we want to see out of that is a reexamination of the arrest disclosure policy … Our hope is to make the policy only apply to violent activity and mental health concerns.”

Migdol repeated these goals, adding that this initiative is a major focus of the SA right now.

“The position of the executive is that we are cautiously optimistic that we can make some changes to the policy,” Migdol said. “The executive this year is really committed to student rights as a whole. …

This policy is the real focus right now for the whole executive, not just two people.”

The SA and Dean of Student’s office

will continue to meet to discuss the policy throughout the semester. Mills and Migdol both stated they will be meeting with Gilbert again in the coming weeks. Gilbert also voiced an interest in addressing the SA if he is ever invited to do so.

“I think the best way is working hand in hand with [the administration] to reform the policy to handle the problem they are actually trying to solve,” Migdol said. “The issue is going at it the right way… What we have to do is ally with [the administration] and open discussions that lead to outcomes.”

According to Migdol, Gilbert has a history of working closely with students on controversial policy issues. Last year, Gilbert worked closely with the SA to reevaluate the medical amnesty policy to provide clearer language to students.

Gilbert also affirmed that the College is not alone in making such changes to disclosure policies. The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech implemented arrest disclosure policies following incidences on the respective campuses.

The perpetrators in the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech and the murder of Yeardley Love at U. Va. in 2010 both exhibited signs of violence and mental instability, yet neither school was aware of the legal history of the students before these incidents occurred.

Even though the policy is being discussed with the goal of readjustment on the SA’s part, all parties involved assert the productive nature of the policy. Gilbert, Mills and Migdol concluded that the policy is for the safety of the community.

Page 4

The Flat Hat

Friday, October 5, 2012

Administration

Background checks executed across campus

All current faculty and staff will undergo background checks in addition to applicants bY claire gillepsie THE FLAT HAT

Current faculty and staff, as well as applicants to the College of William and Mary, are now subject to a stricter background check policy, instituted last October and now under review.

According to the policy, every person holding a job position at the College is eligible for a background check except “adjunct and other part-time, nontenure eligible faculty positions; graduate research fellows, teaching assistants, resident assistants, and other temporary student works; and volunteers.” No faculty member will be excluded from background checks.

When the background check policy change was being considered in Sept.

2011, College leaders including Provost Michael Halleran and William and Mary Police Chief Challis at the time cited a greater societal trend toward tightening college security as motivation behind the policy change. Some College incidents also served as motivating factors. Former economics professor Justin May pled guilty to child pornography charges in October 2010 and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on February 3.

“Background checks are aimed at prevention — preventing the university from hiring someone whose criminal

history indicates past behavior, which, if repeated, would be incompatible with the duties of the position or the university’s responsibility to provide a safe and secure campus,” Vice President for Administration Ann Martin said in an email.

Depending on the job position, the College may also review a candidate’s driving or credit record, drug screening and degree verification.

“The candidate is informed if relevant information is discovered, and is given an opportunity to respond; among other things, this avoids denying employment to someone whose background check has brought up information about someone with the same name, for example,” Provost Michael Halleran said in an email. “The information discovered is considered carefully, bearing in mind the nature of the position, the nature of the severity of the offense, when it occurred and other relevant information.”

According to the policy, the candidate’s response is an informal process, designed to keep administrators from making decisions based on incorrect information.

All candidates also undergo a CP Clear check, which runs the candidate through the National Sex Offender Registry. Those in sensitive positions undergo fingerprint checks, which check against the Virginia State Police and the FBI.

file photo / THE FLAT HAT

The College is instituting background checks this fall with the CP Clear program for all faculty and staff and fingerprint checks for those in sensitive positions.

“The benefit of CP Clear is that we do not have to have the person present, as we have to for a fingerprint check, to complete the process,” Challis said in an email.

A sensitive position is currently defined as a “position designated by the university as directly responsible for the healthy, safety and welfare of the general populace or protection of critical infrastructures,”

but the definition may change. “[The] change currently being contemplated … which would categorize individuals whose jobs involve substantial interaction with or access to minors as holding ‘sensitive positions’ and thus subject to the fingerprint-based check.

Whether this change will be made, and the exact wording, has yet to be determined,” University Compliance and Policy Officer

Kiersten Boyce said in an email.

CP Clear and fingerprint checks can run from $13 to $27 each.

“While there is a cost to conducting background checks, they pale when compared to the cost of not doing them,” Challis said in an email.

According to Halleran, no faculty member last year was excluded due to the results of a background check.

student LIFE

College selected as military friendly for another year G.I. Jobs included the College in its list of Military Friendly Schools for support of military students bY aine cain THE FLAT HAT

G.I Jobs has once again included the College of William and Mary, along with the Mason School

of Business and Richard Bland College, in its list of Military Friendly Schools.

The publication’s survey takes into account a variety of factors, including the number of enrolled active duty and veteran military students,

Meredith Ramey / THE FLAT HAT

ROTC students trained on the Sunken Garden Monday. The College has beenplaced on G.I. Jobs’ list of Military Friendly Schools.

participation in GI Bill programs, academic policies that support military students and organizations that specifically cater to military and veteran students.

“It is an accomplishment that takes universitywide dedication to active duty, reserve, and veteran military members, and my office is proud to be part of that commitment,” University Registrar Sallie Marchello said. “Our responses to the survey show that we have incorporated many military-friendly policies into our relatively traditional university setting.”

She described the College’s approach to providing support for military students as part of a collaborative effort.

“Our Veterans’ Services Coordinator, Kacie McClain, pulls together a group of colleagues from around the College each month for discussions about education benefits and other services that our students need,” Marchello said. “That coordinated effort is part of what makes us successful.”

Thornton Ray ’13, the College’s ROTC Recruiting, Retention and Marketing Officer in Charge, noted the efforts on the part of the administration and the faculty to accommodate the often-hectic schedules of military students.

“It’s awesome to see the school recognized for all that they do to help veterans, those who are currently serving, and those who will serve,” Ray said. “Military students have training and other events that we have to travel for. Our professors are very accommodating. They work with us and provide the support that we need.”

Hunter Gill ’14, a cadet planning to major in history

and minor in business, explained that the College’s financial aid policies provides veterans with the help and encouragement they need to pursue a college degree, especially when returning from overseas.

“With veterans coming back from deployment, finding jobs or applying to higher education can be a tough transition,” Gill said. “William and Mary is part of the Yellow Ribbon program, which helps pay for the tuitions of veterans. For guys coming back from Afghanistan, Iraq, or anywhere else, this is a huge incentive to come to school here. The Law School also offers tuition help, and there is a Veterans Society on campus. Basically, there is a strong military-friendly presence on campus.”

Despite the approval of the College’s ROTC program and resources for veterans, Marchello noted that her office is always striving to improve their ability to extend support to military students.

“We will enhance our ability to know which students have military ties, including dependents, by incorporating a question in the verification process that students complete at the beginning of each semester — to begin next term,” Marchello said.

“Doing this will give us a more accurate sense of the military presence on our campus.”

Ray noted that Williamsburg’s historical roots serve to explain the school’s continuously strong military programs and resources.

“We have a lot of military history here on campus,” Ray said. “One of my favorite fun facts is that our Battalion, the Revolutionary Guard Battalion, is one of only two that have survived since the Revolutionary War.”

Art complex plans pushed back State says Muscarelle not academic building, holds funds ARTS from page 1

ready by April 2013. We will then determine how to include the separate projects in our six-year capital improvement plan we submit to the Commonwealth.”

Aaron de Groft ’88, Director of the Muscarelle Museum of Art, is pleased to see that the

Anita jiang / THE FLAT HAT

Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall updates will be part of the plan.

administration is moving forward with the plan, even though the Muscarelle is no longer the first in line for a new building.

“The [Muscarelle] is thrilled that the school is replacing the arts buildings that are in impoverished conditions,” De Groft said. “The time frees the museum to collect private funds.”

Yet De Groft could not understand why the commonwealth does not recognize the Muscarelle as an academic building and supply funding for it.

“The museum takes pride in being a laboratory of experiential learning,” said De Groft.

Joan Gavaler, chair of the department of theatre, speech, and dance at the College, feels that the progress on the arts complex is long overdue.

“There is now a shared understanding between the administration and the arts departments that it is essential to deal with the arts’ facilities,” Gavaler said. “It’s about time that there is congruence across the administration that the arts should move forward at the College.”

Gavaler, who also directs Orchesis, feels the proposed central location will take the arts to new heights at the College.

“With integration with peers across the disciplines of the arts, we will be able to offer new experiences to students,” Gavaler said. “It is very exciting.”

Christie’s eduCation Campus Visit William & mary, oCtober 9

Our admissions officers will be available to discuss a wide variety of postgraduate study opportunities, including Master’s programs and Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate options.

Please contact Hilary Smith at hsmith@christies.edu for more information.

opinions

Opinions Editor Ellen Wexler fhopinions@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Friday, October 5, 2012 | Page 5

Staff Editorial

Setting a standard L

By Patricia Radich, Flat Hat Graphic Designer

Why you don’t need to win an election England preparatory boarding school, I have witnessed and understood how often even the most brilliant and most ambitious students can narrow their vision. My school concentrated heavily on politics; there was little focus beyond that. My advice to you is simple: Do not think you must hold a title in order to make a difference.

The Flat Hat Every person contributes something, and it does not take a CEO or the President of the United States to make an impact on the community.

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you Being accepted to the College means you are an can do for your country.” individual with myriad accomplishments and awards.

These hallowed words resonate in American history as Perhaps you served on your high school’s student council. significant not only because they sound catchy, but because Maybe your athletic talents brought you here. For whatever they are symbolic of the belief that each individual in every reason, you were identified as a hard working, creative and community can do their part to make the nation as a whole even better. Almost 52 years later, I would like to echo this belief intelligent individual. By default, you have the potential to do something huge and can leave an everlasting legacy as to my fellow students at the College of William and Mary. a student of the College through a variety of outlets.

The opening days of official student elections were met with My last challenge to you: Find another outlet through great zeal and excitement by the ambitious within the student which you can pursue your passions. If the availible body. Winners rejoiced while losers put on a brave face. Days options do not suit you, create your own. Go beyond before voting began, one of my hallmates, who was a candidate convention. Think differently. Creativity drives progress for the Student Assembly, came into my room panicking. As I in communities. Every student is listened to him pour out his anxiety, accountable for his actions, and it occurred to me that his ideas your legacy at the College will be of opportunities for participation My advice to you is simple: Do founded on your decisions and within the community were limited. not think that it is necessary actions that affect the greater I reminded him that his passion for for you to hold a title in order community. Do not give up on all public service need not be strictly to make a difference. options when you are deprived limited to the SA Senate. I urge all of one, do not wait until someone students to look beyond these official else makes an impact, and do positions and instead find other ways not hesitate to act when you have an idea. Our proud to contribute to the greatness of this school. As alluring as the predecessors have sought ways to improve the community title of “Class President” or “SA Senator” may sound, there are for centuries; now it is our turn to do the same. We can do always multiple roads that lead to the same destination.

Never forget that you are part of an institution that provides this by providing a bright pathway for future generations to continue to lift our great traditions rather than sink into a so many opportunities for you to do so much. This school sea of complacency and mediocrity. offers options for students to join or to create their own community service clubs and trips. As a graduate of a New Email Benming Zhang at bzhang01@email.wm.edu.

Benming Zhang

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ast year’s scandal at Penn State University served as a wake-up call to improve safety measures at many colleges.

While we want to applaud the College of William and Mary for having some regulations in place before the scandal was unearthed, we are most impressed by the actions the College has taken to improve its safety since the release of the Freeh Report.

In 2011, the College created the position of compliance officer and designated a small task force to oversee the goings-on around campus. This role addresses many different safety issues on campus. Because rules and regulations are only beneficial if they are followed, this task force acts as an extra resource for the College. Even though the College’s budget is tightly stretched, we believe the creation and continued funding of the task force is necessary in order to ensure the safety of the campus community and to prevent the College from finding itself involved in a scandal and expensive lawsuit.

The Athletics Department acted proactively in contacting the compliance officer and seeking out ways to make the program safer for all students, especially minors. These efforts by the Athletics Department show a commitment to ethical standards and should be mimicked in other departments at the College, including Residence Life, Dining Services, the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Model United Nations and even academic departments. Furthermore, we believe external organizations hosting events and programs on campus should be held to the same standards.

We would like to see the level of attention paid to protecting minors participating in athletic summer camps applied to all campers at the College. While camp counselors have to undergo some training, they should be made aware of the signs of abuse and what to do if they believe a camper is being abused.

The College is also developing a third-party hotline as a resource for members of the campus community to report questionable behavior. This hotline would allow anonymous reports so that whistleblowers would not have to fear retaliation from the school. In light of this new resource, the College is holding every member of the College community responsible for reporting illicit or unethical behavior. Students should be counted as those responsible. While the Honor Code is not explicit about the importance of reporting questionable behavior, students often pride themselves on the community of trust that exists on the College campus. In order to maintain this level of trust, students must be willing to extend the definition of “not lying” to include coming forward with information when a member of the College community’s safety is at risk.

The College, especially the Athletics Department, should be applauded for being proactive in ensuring the safety of everyone on campus. By developing a strong preventative plan and means of oversight for following rules and regulations, the College is protecting not only itself and its reputation, but also everyone connected to the College, be they faculty, students or campers.

Editor’s Note: Katherine Chiglinsky recused herself from this editorial in order to remain unbiased in her reporting.

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 Do you think the College adequately accommodates students who celebrate religious holidays?

Yes 48.7

No

51.3

Poll By Zach Hardy

When cheating becomes ambiguous, professors need to take responsibility Max Cea The Flat Hat

As an incoming student at the College of William and Mary, it feels as if you are warned about the school’s policies concerning academic integrity before you have unpacked your bags. During orientation, students swear to adhere to the honor code — pledging not to lie, cheat or steal. They also attend an exhaustive seminar on plagiarism. In my session, the instructor told a story about a student who was brought before the Honor Council because he did not use citations in what the professor assured the class was an informal rough draft. A student in my seminar became outraged, asking — understandably — what the point of a rough draft is, if not to fix a paper’s initial mistakes. The instructor

of the seminar was trying to make the point that students should always play it safe and cite from step one; she was probably right. On the other hand, this is an example of a rule that is not universally enforced and thus needs to be relayed clearly by professors who want to administer it. We all know not to copy a neighbor’s exam or pay a friend to write an essay. However, when there is gray area regarding academic integrity, professors need to take more responsibility in clearly defining their policies, teaching students the correct methods of citation and keeping students out of compromising positions.

It is important to remember — although it is often overlooked — that the purpose of education is to learn. In the situation described above, rather than bring the student before the Honor Council, the professor could have used this as an opportunity to teach the class the reasons why you should make correct citations in rough drafts. When a student’s intent is not

malicious, a mistake should be viewed in the same way as a mistake on an algebra question — as a chance to allow the student to learn from his or her mistake. The policy of most professors is to severely punish students who cheat, but when the line is blurry, why not take a few points off of the assignment and show the student what was wrong and how to improve?

A few weeks ago, Harvard University was in the news for a cheating scandal that, according to The Associated Press, involved “as many as 125 students in a single class” sharing answers on an open-book, take-home final. I would raise the question of why you would give an open-book take-home final if you don’t want students to collaborate.

On a test of this nature, students are essentially being told to use every resource at their disposal to find the right answers, so why not use your peers? Furthermore, in this situation a large number of students were given a great opportunity to collaborate. To

assume that everyone was working independently would potentially put some students at a big disadvantage if this were not the case.

Students have a great responsibility to uphold the College’s Honor Code; however, when the rules are unclear, professors should put more responsibility

upon themselves and remember that learning is the most important goal. The College and Harvard may be the oldest schools in the country, but our approach to academic honesty should not share that honor.

Email Max Cea at mrcea@email. wm.edu.

Graphic by Rachel Brooks / the Flat hat

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variety

Variety Editor Abby Boyle Variety Editor Sarah Caspari flathat.variety@gmail.com

The Flat Hat

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| Friday, October 5, 2012 | Page 6

The mental and emotional impacts that hazing can have can last even longer than the physical ramifications.

Travis Apgar, associate dean of students at Cornell University

Discussing the impact and damage the Fallout prevention of hazing survived respon on college campuses My Tribe sibility pulled

“pick up the gun”

the trigger prevention

desensitized

serious

victim proactive

My Tribe

BY SARAH CASPARI FLAT HAT VARIETY EDITOR

Imagine for a moment that you are climbing a flight of stairs in the middle of the night. You are led into a dark attic.

First, you discern a group of people — all strangers. They are standing around a table in the middle of the room. You approach them slowly, unsurely. As you draw nearer, you see with a jolt of fear that on the table lies a gun.

The leader of the group shatters the silence. “Pick up the gun,” he says.

“I want you to put it to your head and pull the trigger, and when you do, say ‘I would die for this fraternity.’”

What do you do?

Travis Apgar pulled the trigger. What ultimately followed was an emotional reaction so intense that he had to be hospitalized. No one in the fraternity could have foreseen that this hazing experience would evoke for Apgar the

”

memory of his father’s suicide.

“We don’t usually think about somebody’s previous life experiences before we ask them to do things that we’ve probably done,” Apgar said Tuesday in his lecture entitled Hazing: the Fallout. “It didn’t have that impact on us; we think it’s okay for anybody because we survived it.”

Apgar, the associate dean of students at Cornell University, returned to the College of William and Mary to speak on Tuesday night during Hazing Prevention Week for the second time.

His first visit was in 2010. The week’s events are sponsored by the Hazing Prevention Coalition, the department of campus recreation, the athletic department and the Inter-Fraternity Council. The name of the campaign is My Tribe, My Responsibility: A Home Without Hazing.

Speaking from his experience as a victim and an opponent of hazing,

BENOIT MATHIEU/ THE FLAT HAT

Associate dean of students at Cornell University Travis Apgar spoke at the College of William and Mary Tuesday night. In his talk, he described his own experiences as well as ways to prevent hazing.

Apgar challenged the conventional definition of the word. He argued that hazing isn’t limited to Greek organizations and athletic groups, nor is it gender-specific or limited to new members. Even if someone agrees to participate in an activity, Apgar emphasized, it’s considered hazing if it has the potential to cause damage — physically or mentally.

“The mental and emotional impacts that hazing can have can last even longer than the physical ramifications,” he said.

These ideas are reflected in national statistics, which say that while 74 percent of varsity athletes — the largest percentage of any group — and 50 percent of Greek members have experienced at least one hazing behavior; 20 percent of students in academic clubs and 56 percent of students in performing arts clubs have had similar experiences. Of these students, 90 percent did not identify the behavior as hazing and 95 percent of those who recognized it did not report it, according to the statistics that Apgar cited in his presentation.

Students who do recognize hazing are most likely to discuss it with friends or family. When alcohol is involved, the heavy drinking on college campuses can numb students to the potentially serious consequences.

“You become desensitized to the idea that they might actually need help,” Apgar said.

Since it can be difficult for all parties involved to recognize what is considered hazing, Apgar asked students to consciously analyze the things they ask others to do.

“If you would do it or have it done to you in front of the president of the

university, in front of the person you love most in the world, in front of the police … it’s probably not hazing,” he said.

The Hazing Prevention Coalition at the College, now in its third year, is working to address these issues and help students who have been victims of hazing.

“Unless we’re forcing people to drink or really seriously harming people physically, many people have a higher tolerance for what they consider hazing to be,” Coalition Co-chair and Director of Student Leadership Development Anne Arsenau ’89, M.A. ’92 said. “So, I think what we’re trying to do is bridge that gap to kind of help people see it doesn’t have to be extreme in order for it to be hazing, and we also just want to talk about it on the front end before it gets elevated into a bigger problem.”

The Coalition recently launched an anonymous hazing reporting system that is available to students. With the advent of the website, reports of hazing at the College have increased.

“I think that’s a good thing,” Coalition Co-chair and Director of Campus Recreation Linda Knight said. “I don’t think we have more hazing on campus; I think we’re having more reported, and the more you have reported the less you’ll start seeing on campus.”

While statistics from 2007 show that the hazing at the College was consistent with the national average, Knight maintains that the College has emerged as one of the primary forces in hazing prevention.

“William and Mary is viewed by other schools as being kind of one of the leaders in the hazing prevention effort and part of the reason I think that is, is because we’ve been fortunate enough through our

administration to be able to be proactive instead of reactive,” she said.

Last week, http://www. hazingprevention.org sponsored National Hazing Prevention Week.

It hosted a webinar series on hazing prevention during the month of September in which the Hazing Prevention Coalition at the College participated. Additionally, the Coalition has launched a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #WYDTO, or “What you didn’t think of.” The Inter-Fraternity Council and Panhellenic Council bolstered the platform by sponsoring My Tribe, My Responsibility bracelets that were distributed at Apgar’s presentation to students who signed a pledge against hazing.

Varsity and club sports teams and members of Greek organizations were especially encouraged to attend the presentation. Freshman varsity athletes were required to attend as part of the Freshman Academy program and club sports teams were given a budgetary incentive. The IFC required 75 percent of new members, plus a brother to match each member, to attend.

“We wanted to [send] a pledge — associate member, new member, whatever you want to designate them — and a brother in order to make it more of a brotherhood conversation,” IFC Vice President of Conduct Stephen Bennett ’14 said.

While the issue of hazing prevention has been getting more attention at the College, steps remain to be taken before it can be resolved.

“Culture change is never a fast process,” Bennett said. “It’s slow, it’s difficult but it has been successful.”

CONFUSION CORNER

Falling for autumn: Taking advantage of all October has to offer Enjoying time with family, breaks from classes and planning the perfect Halloween costume

Dasha Godunova

confusion corner columnist

From Family Weekend to Fall Break to Halloween, I adore the myriad of special events October offers. If that first sentence sounded like it belonged on an SAT, I assure you myriad is my one and only academic word of the week. I think it also fulfills my knowledge requirement for October much better than these silly midterms everyone seems to be taking.

First and foremost, I adore everything about Family Weekend.

Whether it be the packed restaurants waiting to capitalize on the influx of doting parents, or the empty shelves of frozen foods at the nearest Trader Joe’s afterward, I could not imagine a happier mini-holiday. The best part is having enough invitations to the Blue Talon Bistro and the Trellis to

avoid eating in the dining halls for the entirety of the weekend. The only downside is that I now have enough granola bars and Pop Tarts to feed a small army, all of which I am sure to eat by the end of this month.

Family Weekend is also the best time for your parents to meet that boy or girl whose existence you have been glossing over during your phone calls back home. Unfortunately, common side effects often include the ominous “So are we like dating now or what?” or “I know it’s been two years, but I’m just not into the whole meeting the parents thing just yet” conversations. My best advice would be to advocate for a trip to the outlets and allow your parents to mend your broken heart with a new fall wardrobe or a set of killer speakers for your room.

Next up is fall break, and its glory need not be underestimated. It’s more like two wonderful symbols of beauty and rest magically united into the savior of a student’s sanity post-midterm season. To our dismay, professors often see it as the best time

to assign that one book you’ve been avoiding all semester. Fortunately, Sparknotes remains as savvy and helpful today as it was during that awful month of Shakespeare in high school, and I encourage you to take full advantage of it. I firmly believe that fall break should be a time of adventure, joy and travel, and I hope you have a chance to forget all the little troubles, even if its just for a few days.

Last but not least, Halloween is a glorious time of mini-chocolates, costume parties and family care packages. However, I think that costume competitions should be held informally with the eligible participants mainly being the pink Easter bunnies and scantly clad pirates doing the walk of shame the morning after.

College also happens to be the last time that trick-or-treating is socially acceptable; I promise you, there will be no circumstance after graduation in which you will be allowed to knock on strangers’ doors with a candy bucket and expect good results.

Most of all, I encourage you to take

the time to sit back and savor the month of October. If you are a freshman, rejoice in the fact that you have already survived the first few months with flying colors. If you’re an upperclassman, take a moment to appreciate how far you have come in your years here and to reflect on all of the wonderful things ahead. Most importantly — do not

stress. You have a full life ahead of you to learn but only four years of collegiate fall breaks, Wawa Pumpkin Spice Latte’s and Halloween celebrations.

Dasha Godunova is a Confusion Corner Columnist and will be taking her own advice by spending the afternoon brainstorming her most creative superhero costume.

LIZZIE DABBS / THE FLAT HAT

Friday, October 5, 2012

The Flat Hat

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Page 7

The secret to cultivating a good sense of humor is to shorten the lag time between when the bad thing happens and when you’re able to laugh about it.

‘‘

Religious studies professor John Morreall

BY RYAN GOSS THE FLAT HAT

It’s no secret that a good laugh makes our lives better. Everyone enjoys chuckling at a clever play-onwords or at a student’s awkward stumble along the uneven brick walkways around campus. But few people stop to wonder: Why are some things so funny?

In the second installment of the College of William and Mary faculty lecture series Oct. 2, professor of religious studies John Morreall discussed this question, along with the influences of humor, in his lecture entitled “What’s So Funny?

The Nature and Value of Humor.”

Morreall is an accomplished scholar in the field of humor research. He is the author of five books about humor and comedy and has served as an editor for the International Journal of Humor Research. He addressed the topic by examining the many facets of humor from its historical significance to its medical, psychological and social benefits.

“When I heard he was giving a talk, I knew I wanted to come and hear him speak,” Anna McCulla BENOIT MATHIEU / THE FLAT HAT ’14, a former student of

Faculty lecture series continues

Morreall’s, said. “He’s always so dynamic in class.”

While lecturing in the Sadler Center’s Tidewater room, Morreall explored the history of humor and explained that humor was largely unappreciated up until the 20th century.

“The kid with the musical talent was sent to the music room, the one with a flair for art to the art room, but the kid with a good sense of humor was sent to the principal’s office,” Morreall explained.

The largely embraced notion that laughter was “medically dangerous” and “utterly unnatural” did not begin to change until the 20th century. It was not until academic scholars began looking into the value and influence of humor that the world of comedy began to receive some academic respect.

“One important thing was to find out [humor] was actually an area of study,” McCulla said. “Nobody goes to school and thinks, ‘I’m going to learn about jokes and ridiculous signs all day and that it’s going to be important.’”

McCulla added that she thinks humor is also valuable in everyday life.

“I feel like at William and Mary, you kind of need to laugh at yourself sometimes,” she said.

Morreall also cited the value of humor in his approach to his role as an educator at the College.

“I’ve used humor in every class I’ve ever taught,” he said. “It has got a way of relaxing students, especially self-deprecating humor. [It] allows them to just learn.”

Morreall’s examination of humor during Tuesday’s lecture also included its medical benefits

Characters on a journey entice audience

Actors shine, complement each other in “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”

BY BRIAN BOLT THE FLAT HAT

It becomes clear by the midpoint of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” that not every character will find what he or she is looking for. In Artisia Green’s ’00 production, set in a 1911 Pittsburg boardinghouse, the motivation for the journey is much more significant than the destination.

Enter Seth Holly, the owner of the boardinghouse, played with self-assured frugality by Jamar Jones ’13. He runs the day-to-day activities of the residence and charges $2 daily for lodging and food. The residents themselves are either freed slaves or the offspring of emancipated black individuals.

In either case, the scars of slavery are still fresh and weigh heavily on the boardinghouse and its visitors.

The setting provides an efficient means for jamming an assortment of unique personalities together at one dining room table. Fair warning: leave your appetite for Southern cooking at home, because the show’s constant talk of biscuits, grits and gravy will cause your stomach to growl louder than the booming voice of Christopher Richardson ’13. Richardson plays Bynum Walker, an elderly conjurer who seems to be happiest when the story delves into the supernatural, which, surprisingly, it does.

Richardson’s deep and sonorous voice, seemingly made for the stage, is by far the liveliest aspect of the show. Sometimes he hums quietly at the dining room table, but most of his performance is spent bellowing the lines of a thumping call and response.

The narrative moves along pleasantly enough until the arrival of Herald Loomis, played by BJ Minor ’13, who casts a dark pall over the residents of the boardinghouse.

He has an 11-year-old daughter with him and, upon his entrance, states that he is searching for his wife. Minor plays Loomis with the dreariness of one who has been

condemned, and his voice, raspy and tremulous, serves as a sharp contrast to Richardson’s clear-cut tones. This distinction serves quite nicely when the two characters converge at the end of Act One. Aided by the fantastical properties of the set itself, Minor, on his knees protesting to the heavens, and Richardson, rhythmically stamping his voodoo stave, both work to deliver the most powerful moment of the play.

Every character, whether it’s Loomis searching for his wife or the flighty Jeremy Furlow (Nathan Alston ’13) seeking a casual female companion, is on a journey to find something or someone. This mirrors the plight of the freed black man of the early 20th century who, while facing a society that has recently treated him so harshly, must forge a new identity.

Clearly, though, racism still lingers in the society. The sole white role is played by Ryan Warsing ’15, who slouches across the stage, exhibiting the most consistent accent throughout the production.

He plays the delightfully named Rutherford Selig, whose eccentric exterior masks his inner waywardness. Selig is a selfidentified People Finder, the son of a man who hunted down runaway slaves. Selig spurs along the plot concerning Loomis’ wife, without losing the dark subtext of tracking down another human. This talent is counterbalanced by the conjurer, Bynum, who has the unique ability of binding two people together through the power of a mystical melody. Music, on the whole, seems to define characters in the play.

Bynum tells Loomis that he needs to “find his song” because without it, life has no purpose.

However, the most animated moment in the play comes when the assembled cast performs a juba — an African call and response — on stage.

Richardson, so invested in his role, leads his fellow actors in a jubilant expression of emotion. He stamps his feet on the ground, roaring notes of

spiritual fervor, while the other actors dance around the set. This is clearly when the cast is having the most fun, and it has a way of infecting the audience with merriment.

For all its strengths, the play has its fair share of weaknesses.

A few of the subplots within the sprawling cast get lost in the mix, and an introduction of a character in the last scene of the play doesn’t help matters.

There are at least a couple of

truly profound moments in the production, and the curtain call is simply unrivaled. The actors take their bow and, in character, form a tableau vivant around the stage before breaking into another call and response. The cast exits the stage in a triumphant procession, and even as the sounds of the juba echo to an inevitable halt, it leaves the audience desperately wanting more. The show opened last night and will run through this Sunday.

COURESY PHOTO / ARTISIA GREEN

August Wilson’s play “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” directed by Artisia Green ‘00, explores themes of racism and identity at the beginning of the 20th century.

and a scientific understanding of its origin.

According to Morreall, humor has significant value that goes beyond the benefits of simply feeling good. Laughter provides us with a workout for our heart and lungs. It also reduces pain and leads to relaxation, an immune system boost, stress reduction and even laxative benefits.

The lecture covered the origins of laughter and why the acts of laughing and smiling are associated with what we find funny. Like many innate behaviors, the act of laughing is derived from humans’ most closely related animal species, the ape. “[Apes engaged] in play, and laughter was their play signal,” Morreall explained. “If they didn’t have some signal that ‘I’m not really trying to puncture your skin with my teeth’ … apes would take [play] as real aggression.”

After hearing Morreall’s lecture, student Noa Nir ’14 reflected on the evening’s themes.

“Being goofy and silly for most of us is such an integral part of ourselves, and I think Professor Morreall made it clear that such a skill is really valuable in the workplace … It really helps create relationships and strengthen work ethic,” she said.

Those who attended the lecture were left contemplating Morreall’s closing words.

“The secret to cultivating a good sense of humor is to shorten the lag time between when the bad thing happens and when you’re able to laugh about it,” Morreall said. “You’ve all said to yourself, ‘Some day you’ll laugh about this.’ My closing question to you is: Why wait?”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Deer Editor of The Flat Cat, When I was a younger man at the age of seven or perhaps nine or perhaps ten or perhaps five even as to be honest at the time I didn’t feel the need to record my age along with the memory, I was taught that history is only decided by winners. Those who are conquistadored not only have to suffer the fall of their civilization/the fall of their homes/the fall of their iPhones as they’re knocked out of their hands on to the most likely bloodied streets - they also have to suffer knowing they will be forgotten or worse, their story will be made askew.

After your quick defeat in the game of Dodgeball to the armies of WCWM at the Sunken Garden on September, thirtieth 2012 one/I/ the entirety of this proud college-state can only assume this will be your fate.

So may I ask of you, our dear Deer Editor of The Flat Cat, to share with us some knowledge/ customs of your soon to be forgotten culture before the inevitable steamroller of history comes along and puts up a desperately needed parking lot where you once stood, on one-leg, making lion noises in a bizarre mating ritual. (That’s something you did right? Please correct any inaccuracies for our Winner Records. Also was there supposed to be a question mark at the end of that sentence/paragraph? Deer Editor please advise.)

1.

In our Winner Records we will be referring to you as The Flat Cat but to quench our own throbbing curiosities, what is “the flat hat?” Is it one of those newsies caps that paperboys would wear while yelling, “EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!” (Where would the question mark go in this situation? Deer Editor please advise.)

2.

Why do you not have a staff of paperboys yelling, “EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT” around campus?

3.

When was the moment our proud college-stage stopped reading the newspaper because like ewww and like Instagram? Two years ago? 5 years ago? People never read The Flat Cat? (A rough estimate will suffice.)

4.

In your last issue I counted zero articles about Gossip Girl season 5 coming to Netflix Instant Stream and you call yourself a respectable publication. I guess my question is, how do you sleep at night?

5.

I’m already bored with this. To be honest we’re probably just going to put you as a small footnote in our Winner Records. The Flat Cat will definitely/maybe be in the index though so you can show your friends. We’ll send you a copy as soon as you come up with a new address. A cave?

The woods? Would you be cool if we relocated you to Oklahoma? (Deer Editor please advise.)

OK byeeee XOXO WCWM

sports

Sports Editor Mike Barnes Sports Editor Jared Foretek flathatsports@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Friday, October 5, 2012 | Page 8

MEN’S SOCCER

w&M tribe

0

3

unc-w seahawks

Empty-handed

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Sophomore midfielder Marcus Luster attempts to wrest the ball away from a UNC-Wilmington defender Wednesday. Luster recorded three shots against the Seahawks, one of which would have tied the game after the first UNC-W goal.

College allows three second half goals, unable to capitalize on opportunities in loss to Seahawks

BY SETH OPOKU-YEBOAH THE FLAT HAT With a goal by North CarolinaWilmington defender Hannes Schmitz with 11 minutes left in the match, William and Mary saw itself looking at what would be their seventh loss on record. As the clock hit zero, the College faced the reality of a 3-0 defeat; a loss that leaves the team 2-7-2 with seven games remaining in what has already been a testing season.

“There’s really nowhere to go but up from here — we’ve really hit rock bottom and we’ve got to come out and try to get a win in our next game no matter what it takes,” senior midfielder Ben Anderson said. “[We play] Towson on Saturday, it’s a winnable game, so we just need to get a win.”

The Tribe has been winless in their

five previous games and hoped to change that with a strong performance against a 4-5-1 UNC-W squad.

Sophomore midfielder Chris Albiston led the College to a strong start with his crosses from the flanks, but the squad was unable to capitalize on their numerous chances in the attacking third. Though the team was able to continuously whip balls into the box, the inability to make the most of its opportunities in the attacking third came back to haunt them later in the game.

“We kept trying to create chances by getting it wide and crossing it in, and that’s been something we have been working on, but we just aren’t having the success we want to,” Anderson said.

Failing to connect on the final pass was a recurring theme for the Tribe.

Unable to score off their chances,

UNC-W began to press and establish rhythm and control that took both teams scoreless into the half.

Despite the lack of goals at halftime, the College came out strong in the first half. “[We] came out with a little more energy than we had previously, and our willingness to attack was a little better in the first half,” freshman midfielder Jackson Eskay said.

This desire to attack would continue into the second half when the team had a chance to score seconds after the restart, but the goalkeeper deflected the shot on goal. Minutes later, UNC-W capitalized on the missed chance and scored the match’s first goal.

After that goal, the Tribe never fully recovered their footing and continued to chase into the later stages of the match.

“Our mentality is fragile, so a goal

against us feels like two. Part of it is that we haven’t been prolific ourselves in front of goal and we’re on a bad run.

When you’re on a bad run, sometimes you think everything is going to go against you. You go down a goal, you feel like it’s a mountain to climb. Forty seconds in we have a chance to score.

If that goes in, than that will change the nature of the game,” head coach Chris Norris said.

UNC-W would add another goal to their lead in the 66th minute and seal the team’s fate in the 79th.

The concern did not seem to lie with the team’s defensive effort or performance in the attacking third.

Norris believes if the team can cut down on mistakes, they will begin to see the results they desire.

“Our defenders as a group have played very well this year. The goals

we’re conceding a lot of times are a result of things happening up the field. It is quite simply a bad turnover.

I’m more concerned about us in every position making fewer mistakes since it’s not one area of the team we need to improve right now. It’s really if everyone makes 10 percent fewer mistakes, I think the cumulative effect will be great,” Norris said.

The Tribe hopes to find itself with a few more wins by focusing on small, overlooked parts of the game. The quest begins again Saturday in Baltimore against Towson.

“I still believe we have the opportunity to turn this around and keep searching for answers and looking for ways to bounce back on Saturday.

Trying to stay positive and cut out the simple mistakes, connect more first passes and fewer mistakes,” Norris said.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Rutter’s two goals lead Tribe to triumph over Seahawks Seahawks get on the board first, but Schaffer’s equalizer gives College momentum

BY JARED FORETEK FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary entered its Thursday night matchup with UNC-Wilmington on a tear to start its 2012 conference slate.

In its first three CAA games, the Tribe (10-3, 4-0 CAA) won by a combined score of 8-0, its most recent game a 5-0 thrashing of Towson.

The Seahawks (7-6-1, 2-3 CAA) made it clear from the opening that they wouldn’t be victimized the same way the Tigers were, but in the end still fell to the College 3-1 at Martin Family Stadium.

UNC-W quickly put an end to the Tribe’s consecutive shutout streak. Trouble started for the College in the 7th minute when it conceded a corner kick from the left side to the Seahawks.

The initial threat of the corner was averted before UNC-W’s Kim Currie made a long pass across the 18-yard box to the right side of the box where Natalie Winslow one-timed a short chip shot over freshman goalkeeper Caroline Casey and into the net on the far side.

“First 20 minutes we were very, very sloppy,” head coach John Daly said. “The scouting report was that they serve the ball long at corner kicks and we had everyone too close in, we didn’t have anyone covering the long post.”

It didn’t take long for the Tribe to respond

though. Not surprisingly, the equalizer came from the team-leader in goals, senior midfielder Mallory Schaffer.

Early in the 23rd minute, Schaffer gained possession of a bouncing ball, just inside the top of the penalty area. Schaffer took it down and cracked a powerful shot that bounced off the crossbar and over the endline for her ninth goal of the year.

“I was back post and took a touch,” Schaffer said. “Trapped it, and I saw the keeper starting to come out and I just ripped it with my left foot as hard as I could.”

For the rest of the half, the two teams probed on the attack, looking for opportunities but finding little space in front of goal. In the 28th minute, Schaffer nearly struck again on what would have been an impressive individual effort when she possessed from about 24 yards out, dribbled left and past the defender and struck a hard, dribbling shot that skidded just outside of the right crossbar.

The first-half box score bore the story of an evenly-matched opening half. Both teams logged seven shots, the Tribe putting four on the frame to the Seahawks’ three shots on goal. Still, Daly and his team were confident at the half.

“I knew if we got to half time tied up or ahead, we would be fine,” Daly said.

The College wasted no time in the second half. In the 46th minute, junior forward Audrey

Barry took control on the left side of UNC-W territory and played a long cross to Bristol. A Seahawks defender lunged and missed, and Bristol took a shot that deflected to junior midfielder Danni Rutter, who went far-post and buried a point-blank shot to put the Tribe up 2-1.

“Cortlyn took a shot off Audrey’s cross, and it ended coming to me,” Rutter said. “Just placing it into the goal, we work on that all the time.”

A barrage of near-goals from the College followed, but timely UNC-W defending kept the Seahawks within a goal.

Finally, with just over 20 minutes to play, the Tribe doubled its lead. Barry drove down the right side to the end line and played a cross that was deflected out of play by a Seahawk for a corner kick. Bristol then launched the corner into the box, where Rutter poked it past the goalkeeper and in for her second goal of the half, giving the College an insurmountable 3-1 lead. It was Bristol’s third assist of the night.

“Cortlyn was magical,” Daly said. “She was outstanding.”

The Tribe finished the night with 20 shots to UNC-Wilmington’s 11, and remains undefeated in conference play.

“It feels pretty good,” Schaffer said. “We’re hoping to keep it up.”

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Junior midfielder Dani Rutter led the College against UNC-W.