The Flat Hat August 24 2021

T HE F LAT H AT

The student newspaper of the College of William and Mary

Vol. 111, Iss. 6 | Tuesday. August 24, 2021 | flathatnews.com

REAWAKENING CAMPUS In this Issue:

New COVID-19 policies p. 2 Lemon Project Update p. 2 A look inside the Center for Student Diversity Overview of College s finances p. 8

p. 6

PHOTOS BY REBECCA KLINGER/ THE FLAT HAT

News Opinions Variety Sports News

Inside Variety

Inside Opinions

Index 2 3-4 5-6 7 8

LGBTQ+ mental health

Elaine Godwin ’22 offers helpful advice and LGBTQ+ resources available on campus for incoming freshman class. page 4

Research Roundup

Carter Prilman ’23 and Grace Morales ’24 detail their summers as a lab assistant and DCSI intern respectively. page 6

Inside Sports

Keeping active on campus

Grace Lemley ’24 records a career-best five saves in the Tribe’s narrow loss to Virginia Tech in its second game of the season. page 7

The Flat Hat ¦ Tuesday, August 24, 2021 ¦ Page 2

THE BUZZ

Beyond the public health response, running a full-time quarantine and isolation (Q&I) operation was very people-intensive. We had staff working seven days a week, without a break, for months on end. It took a toll.

FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF White supremacist group posts propaganda posters across Williamsburg Sunday Aug. 15, a member of the Facebook Group ‘Williamsburg Action’ reported seeing a Patriot Front poster attached to an electrical box on the corner of N. Henry and Lafayette St. Patriot Front, a white supremacist and neo-Nazi organization, is notable for its particpation in the 2017 Charlottesville riot, the 2021 surge on the U.S. Capitol and the continuous spread of bigotry and hateful propaganda.

The poster found on N. Henry featured the statement: ‘United We Stand’, as well Patriot Front’s url and symbol. After the initial post in the Williamsburg Action Facebook group, a number of other members within the group reported other locations that these posters were found. These noted locations were adjacent to the Williamsburg Public Library, the entrance to Publix and on an electrical box in front of the Wendy’s on Monticello Ave. Many members of the same Facebook group quickly worked to take these posters down and shared tips for their removal.

Patriot Front was originally formed in August 2017 by breaking away from a similar white supremacy group, Vanguard America, after the Charlottesville riot.

Since its formation, Patriot Front has held a number of dangerous riots and demonstrations as recently as July 4th, 2021 in Philadelphia. The group’s website includes a great deal of hateful language and ideologies.

BRIEF BY CHARLES COLEMAN / THE FLAT HAT

READ MORE AT FLATHATNEWS.COM

A THOUSAND WORDS

“

newsinsight “

News Editor Alexandra Byrne News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Molly Parks fhnews@gmail.com

̶ Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring

COVID-19

College mandates vaccines and indoor masks Over 90% of students, staff, faculty vaccinated against COVID-19 MOLLY PARKS FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

July 29, 2021, William and Mary’s COVID Response Team announced that the College would be requiring the COVID-19 vaccination for all students, faculty and staff who do not have an appropriate exemption. The announcement also stated that 77% of students and 75% of employees had identified themselves as fully vaccinated, but the rate has now risen to 97% of faculty and 93% of students as of Aug. 23.

For students and staff without appropriate exemption status who refuse to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the repercussions are significant. According to the College’s principles and processes, these students will be administratively withdrawn, which means they are disenrolled from courses and are barred from living in on-campus housing. Staff who refuse to get vaccinated will be placed on unpaid leave and may be fired.

This announcement followed an email from July 26, which stated that the College was reconsidering its fall 2021 operations plans after only 56.2% of students and 72.2% of employees reported that they were fully vaccinated. The low rates of reported vaccinations sparked a cry for action among students to upload their vaccination status to the Kallaco portal.

Students quickly turned to social media and flooded their instagram stories with graphics from student-run accounts such as @wmstudentassembly and @covid_ campus_coalition_wm which detailed how to upload proof of vaccination into the campus portal. These efforts drastically improved the vaccination rate of the College’s students, as the rate climbed to 77% on July 29, according to the Director of the CRT and COO of the College Amy Sebring.

“The William and Mary community has responded well,” Sebring wrote in an email.

“Over 90% of students and close to 90% of employees are fully vaccinated and many others are in the process of becoming fully vaccinated.”

The vaccine mandate applies to all students

and staff who do not have a medical or religious exemption. All international students unable to receive the vaccine in their home country will receive aid from the College in order to receive their vaccines upon arrival to campus. The deadline for students and staff to receive and report the first dose of the vaccine passed Aug. 10. The deadline for the second dose is Sept. 17.

Aug. 9, the College also announced that students, faculty and staff would need to wear masks in shared indoor spaces. When asked about the update to masking indoors, Sebring said it had much to do with the emerging delta variant of COVID-19.

“Going into the summer, the Public Health Advisory Team and COVID-19 Response Team anticipated that we would not need to wear masks this semester,” Sebring wrote.

“Unfortunately, that was before the delta variant took hold. In the last month, we’ve needed to reverse that, requiring all community members to put masks back on in shared public spaces.

The shift back to masks indoors is happening everywhere, not just William & Mary.”

Through the end of September, students, faculty and staff will be required to wear masks in all classrooms, labs, residence hall common areas, indoor hallways and shared offices. The mandate will be reevaluated by Oct. 1 based on the existing public health guidelines. Masks are not required outdoors.

“We have much to be optimistic about this year, even as we constantly evaluate and reevaluate appropriate public health responses,” Sebring wrote. “We have vaccines, a high rate of vaccination in our community, all the things that worked in our favor last year and a much greater understanding of the long-term challenges we face together. I am always respectful and watchful of COVID, but I’m even more confident in our students and community.” Sebring.

Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler shared the same optimism as Sebring.

“As a highly vaccinated community this fall, the experience on campus will feel more ‘regular,’ with in-person classes across campus,

robust student club and organization activity, residence hall living that includes the ability to visit friends in other dorms, and traditions we have missed like Opening Convocation,” Ambler wrote in an email.

Ambler works on the Student Affairs side of the COVID-19 Response Team. She noted that her and the CRT work hard to answer all the questions that inevitably follow team updates.

“If the pandemic has taught me anything, it is to appreciate those things I surely took for granted before – the opportunity to eat out with friends, to attend a live musical performance, to gather freely with others, to go shopping, to hug a friend, to enjoy chance encounters while walking across campus,” Ambler wrote. “This semester will have its own unique character. It may still be ‘different’ in some ways, but it will be wonderful in so many other ways. Let us be mindful of the moments we’ll share this year. We have waited a long time for this semester to come.”

On the student operations side, Student Assembly President Meghana Boojala ’22 fielded questions, concerns and praise from students throughout the summer regarding the COVID-19 guideline updates.

“During the summer, we received overwhelming feedback that students and parents were in support of the vaccine mandate,” Boojala wrote in an email. “In fact, when the school was pushing for vaccination reporting, we received significant feedback asking us to advocate for a mandate. Due to ambiguity regarding vaccination reporting statistics and the delta variant, the vaccine mandate definitely eased a lot of the concerns we were receiving.

The indoor mask mandate was also generally supported by students.”

As this fall semester progresses, administration, SA, students and staff have to be prepared to adapt to the unpredictable COVID-19 virus.

“Moving forward, we are hoping to work with the administration to understand whether further guidelines will be necessary,” Boojala wrote.

FRESHMAN CLASS

College community welcomes Class of 2025 1,690 incoming freshmen matriculated with 37% acceptance rate

CLAIRE HOGAN / THE FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly.

Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.

The Flat Hat STABILITAS ET FIDES | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911

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Claire Hogan Editor-in-Chief Lulu Dawes Managing Editor Zoe Beardsley Executive Editor Rebecca Klinger Digital Media Editor Sam Gruber Business Manager Matt Lowrie Standards Editor Ryan Leventhal Webmaster Alexandra Byrne News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Molly Parks News Editor Ashanti Jones Variety Editor Grace Olsen Variety Editor Lexie Hiestand Sports Editor Nathan Seidel Sports Editor Lucas Harsche Opinons Editor Alyssa Slovin Opinions Editor Nick Reeder Data Editor Callie Booth News Assoc. Editor Patrick Byrne News Assoc. Editor William Kobos News Assoc. Editor Kim Lores News Assoc. Editor Abby Paras News Assoc. Editor Philip Schueler News Assoc. Editor Madeleine Harris Variety Assoc. Editor JR Herman Variety Assoc. Editor Ellie Kurlander Variety Assoc. Editor

Emma Ford Operations Coordinator Isabella DiFulvio Webmaster Victor Tran Webmaster Ashley Huang Online Editor Noah Broude Online Editor Erica Smedley Social Media Editor Judith Hahn Podcast Editor Nina Raneses Copy Chief Jamie Holt Photos Editor Nick Meyer Photos Editor Georgia Thoms Chief Staff Writer Adithi Ramakrishnan Chief Variety Writer Tara Vasanth Graphics Editor Linda Li Variety Assoc. Editor Daly Martorano Variety Assoc. Editor Bushra Bablu Opinions Assoc. Editor Elaine Godwin Opinions Assoc. Editor Caitlin Noe Opinions Assoc. Editor Jake Forbes Sports Assoc. Editor Leif McCoy Data Assoc. Editor Ellie Voorhis Online Assoc. Editor Justin Sherlock Photos Assoc. Editor

ALEXANDRA BYRNE FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2025 will be the College of William and Mary’s second class to begin freshman year under unusual circumstances.

While the College has lifted some safety measures, such as outdoor masking and virtual classes, this year’s incoming class will undoubtedly encounter a different campus than pre-pandemic ones did.

When the Class of 2025 arrives on campus, they will have already achieved some firsts.

For the first time, prospective students took virtual tours of the campus and sat for virtual interviews. Furthermore, this year’s applicant pool was the largest in the College’s history — roughly 17,400 high school students applied for approximately 1,690 spots in the Class of 2025. That number is up 23% from last year’s 14,200, and this year is the first time the College has received over 15,000 applications. Twohundred transfer students will also join the College’s community this year.

The admit rate for incoming freshmen was 37%, which is lower than last year’s 42%.

“COVID-19 forced Undergraduate Admission to completely reimagine its outreach, communications and recruitment efforts,” College spokesperson Suzanne Clavet said in a Jan. 27 press release.

Among those who applied to the College, there were more first-generation college students and students of color. Applications from those demographics increased 20% for the Class of 2025 and students of color make up 33% of the Class of 2025. First-generation students comprise 11% of the freshman class.

There was a 25% increase in enrolling freshmen who are Pell Grant eligible.

Dean of Admissions Tim Wolfe spoke to the College’s recruiting efforts, specifically aimed

at enrolling more students from historically excluded backgrounds. Among those initiatives include fee waivers for first generation and Pell Grant-eligible students and a partnership with the Posse Foundation.

“This year also marked the first year of our new partnership with the Posse Foundation resulting in the first W&M Posse Scholar cohort this fall,” Wolfe wrote in an email. “We are excited to welcome this diverse group of scholars and leaders to campus, and know they will make a positive impact on W&M.” The College also offered a test-optional application process for the first time this year, largely in response to the logistical and financial challenges many students faced during the pandemic. 39% of enrolling students chose the test-optional path. Of students who chose to submit test scores, the middle 50th percentile for the SAT was 1360-1520. Likewise, the middle 50th percentile for ACT scores was 31-34. The average weighted high school GPA was 4.3.

“Fortunately, this had been a move we’d started to research and consider even before the pandemic — which made it easier to quickly announce and implement that change,” Wolfe wrote. “Additionally, since our admission review process was already a comprehensive, holistic review process involving multiple components, we had plenty of other factors — including academic, extra-curricular and personal experiences — that we could use to make admission decisions..”

Senior Associate Dean of Admission David Trott detailed the obstacles that the Office of Undergraduate Admission faced in recruiting students virtually and giving them an authentic experience at the College without stepping foot on campus. Trott said admissions was able to reach even more students who would not have normally been able to travel to Williamsburg.

“The pandemic certainly created a unique

set of circumstances for the members of the Class of 2025 to begin their time at the university, starting with the admissions process,” Trott wrote in an email. “Due to COVID-19, we had to change the way we connected with prospective students. While we were unable to do in-person visits, we found new ways to reach out, through such things as virtual tours and online events.

Our virtual offerings allowed us to not only reach students we may not have been able to previously, but it allowed prospective students who may not have been able to travel to campus to participate in W&M programs that, in years past, were only hosted in-person. Our staff is looking forward to finally meeting some of these students — whom we now know so well — in person soon as they join us on campus.”

Despite the challenges, Wolfe emphasized the College’s success in recruiting new students.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, and at a time when many institutions have struggled with enrollment, William & Mary was able to enroll a record-breaking class and stay on track with meeting the university’s enrollment-growth goals,” Wolfe wrote. “It is clear that prospective students continue to be drawn to the William & Mary experience and community.”

And even if the Class of 2025 is entering during an uncertain time, Trott said the College’s sense of belonging for new students will persist.

“The sense of community at W&M is something that is truly special, but it is only possible through the commitment of our members to upholding our values of belonging and respect,” Trott wrote. “To our new students, you are already members of this great community and always will be. Nothing else is required for membership, but I hope you will always strive to find ways to connect with one another, to find support in each other when needed and to offer support when given the opportunity.”

opinions

Opinions Editor Lucas Harsche Opinions Editor Alyssa Slovin fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat

¦ Tuesday, August 24, 2021 ¦ Page 3

STAFF COLUMN

STAFF COLUMN

LGBTQ+ resources are often overlooked but remain important for incoming queer freshmen

Fellow students’ survival guide to managing your schedule and balancing college obligations

Elaine Godwin

FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR

One of the hardest things a new student can face is finding the niche where they belong. I remember it being my biggest apprehension as an incoming freshman exactly three years ago.

As a queer person, it was even more difficult — I didn’t know how to get connected with the queer community on campus or even advocate for myself as a queer student. With COVID19 restrictions at the College of William and Mary being put back into place because of vaccination rates and rising cases, options and opportunities to figure out these things may not be as accessible.

Entering college is chaotic enough, especially with the added demands and stress of maintaining physical and mental health during the pandemic. For many queer students, college is also the first real opportunity to be an out adult, with all the wonderful and terrible experiences that go with it. As the College’s environment is typically different from their hometowns, queer students can have a chance to come out without having to do anything other than be themselves and start anew.

Things are always easier said than done, however, and being queer in the academic realm is no easy feat. Resources for queer students are discussed rather scantily during orientation and beyond. As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, campus policies surrounding preferred versus legal name are less than ideal, as well as gender marker changes. Administration still has a long way to go in terms of proper advocacy and equity for their queer student population, as well as marginalized students in general. Incoming students who are concerned with these topics should be aware that queer rights are imperfect on public college campuses, as they are imperfect in the larger social and governmental structure.

Alyssa Slovin

FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR

As a senior here at the College of William and Mary, I still look back on my high school memories with fondness for both my teachers and for all the lessons that they taught me in terms of school curricula as well as navigating life.

One story in particular always sticks out to me, and it’s something I try to remember every day of college as a way to be productive without losing myself to my work. On the first day of sophomore year of high school, my English teacher, Mr. Lopez, handed out a piece of paper, and he read it aloud to the class. It is a story that has been told countless times under many different names, so I’m not sure which exact version he used, but I’m going to call it “Golf Balls, A Mayonnaise Jar, and Coffee,” which you can read for yourself at this link.

In the story, a professor stands in front of his class with an empty jar of mayonnaise, golf balls, pebbles, sand and two cups of coffee. First, he puts the golf balls into the jar and asks the class if the jar is full. They respond that it is.

Then he adds the pebbles, which fill into the cracks, and he asks the same question. They respond that it is full again.

Then he adds the sand, gets the same answer, and lastly adds the coffee to truly fill it to the brim.

The lesson he is trying to teach his students is that you should always prioritize what is most important in your life — the golf balls, in this case — so that you can ensure

Things are always easier said than done, however, and being queer in the academic realm is no easy feat.

there’s enough room for them. Then, the smaller things that are still valuable to you can trickle into the cracks.

And of course, there’s always time to grab a cup of coffee with a friend.

The story is admittedly pretty cheesy, especially the more you hear it, but that doesn’t make it any less relevant.

As it turns out, Mr. Lopez read that story to all of his classes on the first day of school, as well as to all the parents on every back to school night. So, after taking two more English electives with him, I was definitely rolling my eyes a little with my classmates. Despite the humor of the repetition, the lesson is undeniable.

Right when you get to college, your schedule is immediately challenged. You’re signing up for classes trying to figure out how much you should take on, you’re at the activities fair deciding which and how many extracurriculars to join, all while starting to make friends.

It’s easy to fall to either extreme: over committing yourself or not using enough of your time wisely.

I was definitely torn while trying to figure out which organizations to join. I remember imagining that these would be where I’d meet friends and spend my free time for all four years of college, and being stressed when some of those clubs weren’t what I thought they would be. I would recommend putting your name down for a few different listservs, some for clubs that align with your interests, and maybe also try something new with your hallmates.

You don’t have to keep going to every single one, and you can choose what you like from there. An important tip to remember is that it’s great to get experience through your extracurriculars that you can use later in life, but it’s also important to remember that the organizations you join are supposed to allow you to have a nice break from classes instead of adding more stress to your life.

For me, besides classes (which are my golf balls and should probably be yours too), The Flat Hat and Flat Hat Magazine are incredibly important to me. They’re a way of socialization for me, and they also are a way to build my skillset as a marketing and English double major through writing, designing, leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills. I know that I need to set aside time each week for these responsibilities. Then, I’m a part of a couple of other organizations, such as the literary magazine The Gallery and Active Minds, which I attend when I can, but I know that I need to make sure I have the time available. And recently, I’ve been pushing myself to say yes to more activities that are “just for fun,” because what is life without some fun? There’s always time for a laugh, no matter what you have coming up. Pro tip: if you know someone with a car, the Cookout drive-thru is a really great way to blow off some steam, laugh with friends and get your junkfood-fix when you’re suffering from a bit of burnout.

Alyssa Slovin ‘22 is an English and marketing double major.

Besides her work at The Flat Hat as Opinions Editor and Flat Hat Magazine as Editor-in-Chief, she is involved in Sinfonicron Light Opera Company, The Gallery and Active Minds. Email Alyssa at amslovin@email.wm.edu.

GRAPHIC BY TARA VASANTH AND HEADSHOTS BY KAYLA PAYNE AND ANGELA VASISHTA / THE FLAT HAT Although queer resources aren’t a major focus of the college’s first-year experience, they do indeed exist. The Center for Student Diversity offers inclusive programs and options for diverse students and is an ally of the LGBTQ+ student community. One of my favorite resources that they have in place is the Trans Locker, which is open to all Gender Non-Conforming students who wish to utilize it. Through the Trans Locker, I received my first full binder, as well as the essential health and safety information that all queer people using binders should be aware of.

For students looking to get connected socially, there are multiple groups across the College network that are comprised of queer members. Rainbow Coalition is the main queer social group on campus, meant to educate and inspire queer activism through a variety of events and programs. Lambda Alliance is another great option for new LGBTQ+ students, as they have smaller events centered around queer peer support and fun. Of course, queer people exist outside of LGBTQ+ centered spaces, and keeping an open mind to all positive social connections is key to queering college life.

Dean Thomas ’22 currently oversees the Center for Student Diversity’s Trans Locker and discussed how queer students shouldn’t be afraid to reach out and utilize resources that are meant to help them succeed.

Connecting with others is another huge focus for the queer college experience, one that Thomas and I can wholeheartedly agree upon.

“I didn’t have many queer friends growing up, but coming to William & Mary allowed me that opportunity and I am glad it did,” Thomas said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out to other queer students on campus, it could mean a huge difference in community.”

Elaine Godwin ‘22 is an English and Data Science double major. As a queer person, she has a unique view on the world and is dedicated to inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community. Email Elaine at sgodwin@email.wm.edu.

INDEPENDENT GRAPHIC

Students return to campus, bring life back to Williamsburg town, businesses for semester GRAPHIC BY TARA VASANTH / THE FLAT HAT

The Flat Hat

Page 4

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

STAFF COLUMN

STAFF COLUMN

Walking the fine line: students should listen and learn from each other in group settings

Lucas Harsche

FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR

Welcome, Class of 2025! Welcome, transfer students!

Welcome not only to The College of William and Mary, but also to the Flat Hat Opinions section! Here, in our library of student-submitted opinions, you can expect a weekly variety of the hottest takes, involving everything from the candy cane facade outside Earl Gregg Swem Library to the absence of campus fire pits during the winter months. You will also find more serious topics, such as the excellent ten-week series on reparations sponsored by Student Assembly, or an open letter regarding the protection of modern language faculty positions. Truly, ours is a forum where students and other members of the community can express their opinions and invite others to honest discussion.

But first, I ought to let you in on a secret. Whether in the Opinions pages or in your everyday life at the College, you will find people who view the world differently than yourself. Actually, perhaps it is not such a secret. After all, many people at the College are, if anything, quite passionate about their views. Nevertheless, it can be disheartening to find how inadequately equipped many students are to constructively handle such differences of opinion upon their arrival at the College.

Now, I know that the yearning for civil discourse is sometimes hijacked by those who simply seek to justify their own bigoted positions. While it is without question that such people have the constitutional right to freely express their ideas — short of calls for violence — I will be frank and state that not all ideas are created equal. To borrow a phrase from author John Green, ideas which attack not what their opponents believe but rather who they are do not deserve equal standing with others. Furthermore, as has been previously stated within this section, the First Amendment protects your speech from repercussions enacted on your person by the government only, not from consequences at work or in the community. And despite what you may hear, constructive criticism at work or within the student community here at the College, no matter how severe or widespread, is not equivalent to censorship. To make such a comparison is to minimize the severe human rights abuses suffered by millions around the world in nations where censorship is government policy.

If you hold any new idea, you owe it to society to speak up, regardless of any potential controversy. Remember, those ideas which radically changed the world for the better were often heavily challenged upon their introduction, and popular consensus is no accurate measure for quality. While we thankfully have many ideas such as human rights and the scientific method which enjoy popular consensus, it would be a disservice to forget how easily hate and prejudice can receive similarly broad support, even in our own time.

If you hold any new idea, you owe it to society to speak up, regardless of any potential controversy.

In lieu of constructive dialogue, however, there are some within our own College community who choose to respond with cyberbullying and denying the inherent human dignity of others. Additionally, such an issue is not fringe in nature or limited to “one side.” Regrettably, some people you encounter on this campus or on social media may display blatant disregard for the identities of yourself and others. Such behavior should rightly be called out on and condemned. On the other hand, by choosing to denigrate someone’s humanity in order to retain some semblance of power, cyberbullying has the chilling potential to put lives at risk if its victims take such words to heart.

In this world of hyper-polarization, let me be the one to plainly tell you that cyberbullying is not only wrong regardless of who employs it, but it is also highly counterproductive.

Those who are intimidated or coerced into accepting a certain point of view will experience a change of mind but not of heart, the latter of which is crucially important in healing our broken world. And yes, I am afraid it now falls on our shoulders to play such a role.

So, my new fellow members of the Tribe, make the most of your time while you are here at the College. Make friendships which will last a lifetime, take classes which push you to your limit, and join organizations that inspire your passions. Just remember, if your friends do not think the same way as you do, you owe it to them and yourselves to hear them out. You might just find that what they have to say will change your life.

Lucas Harsche ’23 majoring in History. In addition to The Flat Hat, Lucas is also the treasurer for both Swim Club and Active Minds, and plays violin in the Symphony Orchestra.

Email Lucas at lmharsche@email.wm.edu.

After year of COVID-19 restrictions, students must adopt positive attitude

Caitlin Noe

FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR

The more “normal” year that we have all been waiting for is finally here, thanks to the over eighty percent of students who are fully vaccinated. I could not be more excited. My main goal for my second year of college is to simply enjoy it.

Last year was incredibly draining. It introduced us to a kind of isolation that remains hard to put into words. But the one thing I did gain from the pandemic is a greater appreciation for the year we have ahead of us.

I want to make the most of my sophomore year at the College of William and Mary. I don’t mean that in terms of accomplishments like good grades, club leadership positions or fancy internships. I am referring to spending quality time with the Tribe community because that is equally meaningful to me.

Almost everyone at the College will tell you that the best part about it is the people. I am very grateful to have met amazing friends my first year, but the

circumstances were far from ideal. Even though I was on campus, it was challenging to meet people. I had one in-person class, all my clubs were remote and we could not visit other dorms. I spent way too much time in my room as a result.

This year, I will be looking forward to all in-person classes, getting involved in more clubs, attending sporting events, and everything in between. In many ways, my sophomore year is another freshman year, considering all the experiences that will be as new to me as the incoming freshmen.

While the people are the best aspect of the College, the stress culture is the worst. The students here are typically high achieving, but those high expectations can get out of hand. After a year of online school, we must resist falling into patterns of high stress surrounding academics. That is not to diminish the importance of trying your best, but rather to say that we should not let something as insignificant as one low grade ruin our in-person college experience. We have waited a long time for this. It would be a shame to let stress culture get in the way.

Instead of stressing about the little things, let’s make the most of this thrilling year. At this time last year, I would have given almost anything to be where we are right now.

I imagine many others can relate. Let’s not forget that, or take this moment for granted. It’s time to enjoy college life before it flies by, as the good times often do.

Caitlin Noe ‘24 is a Government and Psychology double major. She is also a member of Amnesty International and Film Society. She will participate in the DC Summer Institute American Politics program this summer. Email Caitlin at cjnoe@ email.wm.edu.

GRAPHICS BY TARA VASANTH AND HEADSHOTS BY KAYLA PAYNE AND ANGELA VASISHTA / THE FLAT HAT

STAFF COLUMN

Simple steps to ease stress and to have a successful freshman year

Bushra Bablu

FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR

I am very excited for the Class of 2025 to join us at the College of William and Mary. I wanted to share some tips that will help you succeed in college. Some things that I will share include how to stay organized, staying on top of your work, joining organizations, social activities and overall how to have a good freshmen year. Last year, when I was a freshman, I made sure to stick with these tips in order to make the most of my freshman year at the College.

When it comes to staying organized, it is important to understand how you like to coordinate your tasks for the day. I highly recommend using a planner or agenda to map out your plans. It is important to use your calendar and mark off when you have final exams, midterms, social plans, household chores and marking due dates of projects and papers.

Personally, I think it is beneficial to make a to-do list for each day.

Another suggestion would be to create goals you want to accomplish for that week, such as doing laundry on a certain day. Many students use online calendars such as Google Calendar to map out what plans they have on certain days or even use the Notes app. When it comes to your dorm, it is important to use

storage bins to stay organized and to ensure you don’t lose anything.

This way, you will know where you placed things without mixing them up with others.

While staying organized, it is important to prepare for your classes — obtaining textbooks, checking the syllabus before class, completing homework and being early for class.

It is also important to set aside some time for studying for your classes. If you ever feel that you are struggling in one of your courses, you should go to your professor’s office hours to get help or clarification on anything you’re unsure of. Along with these suggestions, creating strong study habits in college will help you do well in your classes.

Freshmen should also attend the activities fair to see the variety of organizations that the College offers, in order to find a sense of belonging with organizations they align with. Many students may join Fraternity and Sorority Life, publications, arts and cultural organizations and many more. Networking is also very important in college.

Establishing these connections during your freshman year is a necessity in order to have an overall fantastic experience. Networking allows students to find connections that can lead to jobs and internships.

Along with different organizations and networking, it is important to find activities that you enjoy doing in order to have a good freshman year. For example, I enjoy going on runs on the weekends, baking

with friends and watching movies.

By following these tips, College of William and Mary students can achieve a successful and organized freshman year.

Bushra Bablu ’ 24 is planning to double major in government and economics. Bushra serves as an associate opinions editor for The Flat Hat and the business manager for Flat Hat Magazine. Outside of The Flat Hat, Bushra is also involved with One for the World and Women in Business. Email Bushra at bebablu@email.wm.edu.

variety

Variety Editor Ashanti Jones Variety Editor Grace Olsen flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat ¦ Tuesday, August 24, 2021 ¦ Page 5

Research Round-up

COURTESY IMAGE / S--! My Glasses, by ANTA GUEYE

The Flat Hat

Carter Prilman 23 and Grace Morales 24 share summer research experiences on, off campus ASHANTI JONES // FLAT HAT VARIETY EDITOR

T he College of William and Mary prides itself on the vast opportunities for educational enrichment it provides its students inside and outside of the classroom. Carter Prilman ‘23 and Grace Morales ‘24 took advantage of some of these opportunities this summer, both near and far from campus.

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“I wasn’t really planning on getting very involved with research labs,” said Prilman. “I just had a lot of free time my freshman year and I remembered during orientation they really stressed that if you want to get involved with a research project you could. So, I decided I will.”

Over the summer, Prilman worked as a paid lab assistant in Williamsburg for biology associate professor Joshua Puzey. Prilman has been a part of Puzey’s lab since the spring semester of his freshman year.

“I didn’t really have a lot of direction coming in so I spent most of my time doing plant care.” Prilman said. “I had about 430 flowers that I grew from seed. I’ve been caring for these flowers for a couple years now but I put a lot more time into them over the summer.”

At the time, the lab was just beginning, and Prilman’s responsibilities were limited to growing and maintaining the plants involved in the project. Now, Prilman has begun to assist with experimentation on the plants.

“I performed molecular and chemical experiments to try and alter vein formation in the flowers to see if it would change the patterning on the actual petals.” Prilman said.

“There’s a really wide variety of difference between each of the flowers. Even though they all come from the same two species of flower, the developmental timesline and chemical tolerances are different. So, the methodology that works for every flower is so different.”

Carter Prilman 2023

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Grace Morales

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2024

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Biology

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D.C. Summer Institute

The objective of Professor Puzey’s lab is to determine whether Alan Turing’s reaction-diffusion mechanism seen in animals, such as zebras, clownfish and dalmatians, is also present in plants.

“The hypothesis was proposed

by Alan Turing in the 50s.” Prilman explained. “It says that each pattern is formed in living organisms by an activator. The activator molecule activates both an inhibitor molecule and itself. Then the inhibitor molecule will then go and inhibit the activator and this gives rise to spatially diverse patterns. Animal patterns are known to work off this but with plant patterns it has not been proved yet.”

Prilman is a biology major and prospective chemistry minor. Postgraduation, he plans to further his education by pursuing a graduate degree in either horticulture or agriculture. He attributes much of the inspiration behind this decision to his time spent in working in the lab.

“I would say working in the lab gave me a sense of direction.” Prilman said. “I came in not really knowing what I wanted to do. I tried working in clinical labs in the past and I hated it. For a lot of biology majors it seems like either medical school or clinical lab work is the only way to go but that really is not the case. There are a lot of opportunities out there for people who are not necessarily interested in doing clinical work. You’re not locked into healthcare as a biology major and that was really gratifying for me to see.”

Two hundred forty-six kilometers away from campus, Grace Morales spent her summer in Washington, D.C. taking part in one of the William & Mary Washington Center’s D.C. Summer Institutes. Morales was a part of the Leadership and Community Engagement Institute taught by professor Drew Stelljes. Over the course of two weeks at the beginning of the summer, Morales and the rest of her cohort attended lessons by Steljes and various guest speakers on the importance of leadership.

“We learned about leadership, different types of leadership styles, how leadership unfolds and effective leadership,” Morales said. “It was super helpful to have because in my own internship I was seeing how the people I was working with leadership styles were playing out and how effective they were and also when they were ineffective.”

Morales also worked as a diplomatic intern for the Diplomatic Courier, a magazine based in D.C. focused on international affairs and diplomacy.

At the magazine, Morales’ main responsibility was to help the editorin-chief with her duties, which ranged from writing articles to meeting with ambassadors.

“I assisted the editor-in-chief with her newsletter she has on embassies,” Morales said. “I did a lot of research for her, wrote an article, and we would go on trips to the embassies. That was definitely the best part for me because I got to talk to diplomats and I got to meet an ambassador which was really cool.”

In her spare time, Morales worked at Shaw-based restaurant Nina May as a waitress. While Morales was in D.C., she wanted a chance to connect more with the city on a personal level and believed working at the restaurant was the perfect way to do so.

“It was kind of difficult for me to be doing the majority of my work by myself in my apartment,” Morales said. “I kind of enjoy going to a central space where I can be with other people. I actually ended up taking a restaurant job which kind of fulfilled that for me. I was able to talk with a lot of people there so it was a good balance for me because I was getting to know two different cultures and two different types of people and I think that’s really important to have that experience of being in environments with people you wouldn’t normally come across.”

At the end of her experience in D.C., Morales remarks that she feels a newfound confidence in herself and her future career plans.

“Working at the internship and seeing all these diplomats, I want to go into foregin service when I graduate.”

Morales said. “I think I will work at an embassy doing research and international relations. My internship definitely helped me so much with the confidence to say that. My supervisor would always introduce me to someone as ‘This is Grace and she wants to join the foreign service,’ and at first I was like ‘you don’t really have to say that’ but then I realized that I might as well just own it, I do want to join the foreign service.”

COURTESY IMAGES / CARTER PRILMAN & GRACE MORALES

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Page 6

SPOTLIGHT ON:

CENTER FOR STUDENT DIVERSITY OTO SY PH E T R COU

EREZ PEZ P O L NIRA / YAN HAT LAT HE F T / R INGE A KL C C E REB

Taking a look at several programs and events offered by the Center for Student Diversity JR HERMAN // FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR The College of William and Mary’s Center for Student Diversity seeks to promote an inclusive, welcoming environment and foster dialogue among students of different backgrounds through various events, discussions, lectures and the performing arts on campus.

One of the most unique Center for Student Diversity programs is Inside Out Theatre, a group that aims to share the diverse life experiences of students through poetry and monologues. The group performs One Tribe, Many Stories each year for incoming freshmen.

Covering topics like race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disordered eating, mental health and addiction, as well as socioeconomic, immigration and veteran status, Inside Out Theatre troupe members showcase the struggles and accomplishments of members of the community, encouraging students not only to share their own stories with their classmates and peers but to listen and learn from others’ experiences and perspectives.

For Jason Dean Robinson ’22, Inside Out Theatre’s performance at Orientation quelled worries about fitting into the community.

“I’ll have to admit that, coming from a high school with a diverse campus, W&M’s lack of diversity made me a bit nervous,” Robinson said. “However, Inside Out Theatre’s One Tribe Many Stories program at orientation really turned that around. I felt like, even though there weren’t a whole lot of people who could relate to my experience, there were plenty of people open to learning about it and if I looked, I’d find someone who could relate. That is why I think Inside Out is important to the community — the group allows students to see themselves where otherwise they might not have. It gives them a space to teach and to learn about theirs and others’ lived experiences.”

Currently the student coordinator for Inside Out Theatre, Robinson considers both working with student writers and performers and seeing their artistic and personal growth to be a privilege. Robinson has also found that one of the most meaningful parts of involvement with the troupe is being approached by students inspired by the performances, a sentiment seconded by troupe member Aamir Mohammed ’23.

“I have witnessed firsthand some of the impact the club has done for the William and Mary community, whether it be freshmen seeking me or other performers after performances to mention their appreciation for the messages or representative perspectives we strive for, or locals seeing our shows and considering supporting the Center for Student Diversity,” Mohammed said.

Aside from Inside Out’s role during Orientation, the group typically performs every semester — last

October the organization hosted a horror-themed show, and in the spring, the group explored the experiences of students of color and the College’s history as a predominately-white institution with their performance “Institutions.” Shows are often followed by open mic sessions, allowing students who are not part of the troupe to still share their work. While plans for fall and spring semester shows are still in the works, Mohammed has been working on a full-length play to be performed in April about the 1970s Love Canal environmental disaster, touching on themes of immigration, gentrification and environmental injustice.

Students of any class interested in joining can apply to be a cast member, and no acting experience is required, nor are there auditions. The crew of about 12 meets weekly, and while plans are currently in flux due to COVID regulations, it is possible that meetings will once again take place in the Mosaic Room in Campus Center rather than being held over Zoom. Those who want to be kept up to date about Inside Out’s events can do so by following @wminsideout on Instagram.

In addition to Inside Out, the Center for Student Diversity sponsors Preparing for Life as a University Student (PLUS), a pre-orientation program which introduces incoming students to the College’s academic life, allowing for a smooth transition between high school and college. Program participants become familiarized with campus resources and interact with faculty as well as student counselors.

Yannira Lopez Perez ’22, currently the head PLUS counselor, experienced PLUS as an incoming freshman, and its effect was profound for her.

“As a first generation Latinx student I knew I would have issues transitioning into the William and Mary community,” Lopez Perez said. “Not only that, but I had no prior knowledge of what college would be like and what to expect ; I was going into everything completely blind. PLUS helped me not only feel prepared to start my freshman year but it made me feel confident ; it reassured me that I belonged at this institution and that there would be people supporting me every step of the way.”

Lopez Perez is also grateful to have had the opportunity to remain part of the PLUS community and pay it forward by serving as a counselor for the past three years.

According to Lopez Perez, although the preorientation program only lasts a week, its impact is far-reaching.

“The community and support students gain remains prevalent all throughout their college experience,” Lopez Perez explained. “This is evident in the long

lasting relationships that are sustained throughout the years not only with the faculty, but with one another.”

In addition to sponsoring Inside Out Theatre and PLUS, the Center for Student Diversity also relies on discussions, guest speakers and panels to foster discussion and celebrate diversity. During Latinx Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15), the Center recognizes and honors students of Mexican, Caribbean, Spanish, and Central and South American descent, and while particular events vary year to year, the College’s fall 2020 Latinx Heritage month included career counseling for Latinx students, alumni dialogue, a family dynamics panel, discussions on the complexities within Latinidad, as well as a Loteria Night.

Every October, in conjunction with the Rainbow Coalition and Lambda Alliance, the Center hosts a series of events honoring LGBTQ+ History Month, including town halls, panels, discussions, career navigation and guest speakers. This past February during Black History Month, campus organizations hosted Black History Jeopardy and trivia games, an African American Genealogy Workshop, a visit with Jason Reynolds, author of “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” panel discussions about critical issues, guest speakers and more. In normal years, the Center annually partners with the College’s chapter of the NAACP and the Black Student Organization to organize a candlelit vigil in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., after which students walk across campus in a commemorative march followed by a guest speaker.

Every March, the Center celebrates Women’s History Month. Other annual events include the Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and cultural commencement ceremonies — the Donning of the Kente ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of students of color, the Ceremonia Raíces (“Ceremony of Roots”) honors graduating Latinx students, and the Lavender Ceremony recognizes members of the LGBTQ+ community. In spring 2021, the Center instituted a new ceremony to celebrate Asian, Pacific Islander and Middle Eastern students.

The Center for Student Diversity often partners with the College’s many student organizations to reach a larger audience for performances, festivals, banquets and discussions. Consisting of a wide array of cultural associations, fraternities and sororities, performing arts and religious groups, over 50 of these organizations can be found on TribeLink under the “Culture and Identity” and the “Spirituality, Faith, and Religion” tabs. Students looking to get involved in programming and events can also follow @wmstudentdiversity on Instagram or subscribe to Diversity Happenings, the Center’s weekly bulletin about upcoming diversityrelated events and activities.

sports

Sports Editor Lexie Hiestand Sports Editor Nathan Seidel flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat ¦ Tuesday, August 24, 2021 ¦ Page 7

WOMEN S SOCCER

Tribe falls 1-0 to Hokies, drops back to .500

Goalkeeper Lemley records career-high five saves in close1-0 loss to Virginia Tech

JAKE FORBES FLAT HAT SPORTS ASSOC. EDITOR William and Mary (1-1) lost 1-0 at Virginia Tech (2-0) on Sunday, Aug. 22 afternoon in their second game of the season. The only goal of the game came at the start of the second half when Hokie Tori Powell scored in the 50th minute off a corner kick.

“It was a great battle today,” Tribe Head Coach Julie Shackford said. “Traveling and playing on the road on the same day is always a challenge, and I was really proud of the effort.”

The Hokies generated 11 corner kicks throughout the game, giving them a considerable advantage over the Tribe’s single corner kick.

Sophomore Grace Lemley, the Tribe’s goalkeeper, made a career high five saves, besting the Hokies’ Alia Skinner who finished with four.

Lemley made several critical saves in the first half, including one in the 19th minute on a shot from Emma Pelkowski and another in the 21st minute from Victoria Haugen.

“Grace Lemley had a great day at the office, thwarting some really dangerous opportunities,” Shackford said.

Despite the Tribe’s offensive struggles, senior forward Caroline Monahan tied her career-high of five shots, three of which were on goal. Monahan had two scoring chances in the 60th minute. The

first came from the right side of the 18-yard box, but Skinner made a diving stop to her right. Monahan put another shot on goal 40 seconds later from straight on but could not make it past Skinner.

Later in the second half, sophomore Ginny Delacruz collected a deflected pass and put a shot on goal from straight on. However, another save from Skinner kept the Hokies out in front.

The College’s final scoring chance came in the closing minute when senior Addie Puskar shot from the top of the box but missed wide left.

The Tribe will return to Williamsburg for their first two home matches of the season next weekend at Martin Family Stadium.

They will face former CAA rival Old Dominion on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 7 p.m. and Northwestern on Sunday, Aug. 29, at 11:30 a.m.

The team looks to build on this success and retain the current momentum after its 0-3-3 record in the COVID-abridged spring campaign. This season will include 17 games, including contests against out-of-conference opponents Georgetown, Army, Northwestern, East Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University.

“We look forward to getting to Albert-Daly Field this weekend,” said Shackford.

COURTESY PHOTO / WM.EDU

Sophomore goalie Grace Lemley was a bright spot in the loss to the Hokies, keeping the game low scoring and close.

Tribe tops American Unversity in season opener LEXIE HIESTAND FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR In the first match of the season on Thursday, Aug. 19, William and Mary (1-0) took home a win against American (0-1) on the road. For its 2-1 victory, the Tribe saw 15 shot attempts and 6 shots on goal to the Eagles’ 6 and 3, respectively. The win sets a promising tone for the rest of the 2021 season.

The game was scoreless until the 28th minute. Despite the nilnil score, the Tribe claimed the Reeves Field pitch as its own from the start. Eagle goalie Julia Kato faced two shots and one shot on goal from Senior forward Caroline Monahan alone, making her first save. The American offense, on the other hand, contributed nothing to the box score, except two fouls.

The foul on Eagle’s Asia Horne — a tackle during a Tribe crossfield offense pass — resulted in a penalty kick. Junior midfielder Kayleigh Shackleford took the kick.

She arced the ball past Kato for the Tribe’s first goal.

The Tribe continued its offensive push in the second half of the first period, but failed to score another goal. They recorded two more shots, two fouls and a yellow card to prevent any Eagle momentum. As the saying goes, the

best defense is a good offense, and the Tribe lived up to that mantra by working the ball on the far side of the field. Sophomore goalkeeper Grace Lemley did not face action until the last minute of the first half, when Eagle Alysa Vasquez took a wide shot.

After the brief period intermission, the game’s second half took a grittier pace. The Tribe met the Eagles with fervor, clawing their way towards another goal.

However, their new strategy netted three more fouls, another yellow card and no shot.

Their newfound push also did not serve to halt Eagle offense.

Vasquez forced Lemley to make her first save in the 54th minute.

Both teams recorded another pair of shots apiece, before the Eagles — thanks to Vasquez — managed to convert in the 76th minute. With less than 15 minutes to go, the game was tied.

Following the goal, Lemley managed to make a big save against Eagle Ashley Molz, who assisted Vasquez for the first goal, keeping the game tied at 1-1.

The Tribe hoped to capitalize on her defensive effort, and subbed back in Monahan who had rested for fifteen minutes in the second

half. Twenty seconds after being put back in the game, she scored.

Monahan’s five shots and two SOG game were finally rewarded with the stat that counted: a goal.

The rest of the game was uneventful for Lemley and the Tribe defense. As for offense, Monahan took one more shot. Sophomore forward Elaina Longjohn hoped to get her name on the box score as well, with a wide shot and a saved SOG late in the game.

However, the final score stayed 2-1 in favor of the Tribe.

The two Tribe goalscorers, Monahan and Shackleford, combined for half of the total shots, two-thirds of the shots on goal, and 100% of the goals. Their individual efforts were backed up by a team spurred by passion and drive to win. The victory and strategy to that victory shows promise for the upcoming season.

The Tribe will play next in Blacksburg, Va., against Virginia Tech, where they hope to net another win early in the season.

Tech is also undefeated this year (having played one game as well), so the Tribe will look to refine its strategy and gameplay against their opponent while developing cohesion for the upcoming season.

Tribe women s soccer will look to build upon its 1-1 start when it takes on Old Dominion on Aug. 26.

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

s t r o Sp potlight S Men s soccer: Tribe selected fifth in preseason CAA poll, retains 10 of 11 starters from last season NATHAN SEIDEL FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR The Tribe dropped an exhibition to American last Saturday, Aug. 21, failing to record a shot on goal in its final scrimmage before the 2021-22 season begins.

By no means a blowout, the College did have eight shots to the Eagles’ 10 and occupied 45% of the match’s possession.

Junior John Andrew Eskay posted three shots of his own and the team prioritized analysis of its depth, giving 19 different players some game time in the exhibition setting.

The campaign began with high hopes for the Tribe, being selected fifth in the CAA preseason coaches’ poll and junior Alexander Levengood earning CAA Preseason AllConference honors.

One of only 15 selected, Levengood looks to build upon the success of his All-CAA First Team campaign last season and a career that now amasses 10 goals in 24 games. Sophomore goalkeeper Will Stack was also named as a preseason honorable mention.

Also in the College’s favor this season will be its continuity, retaining 10 of its 11 starters, four of whom earned honors last season.

Levengood (first team), juniors Marcos Villeda (third team) and Alfredo Bozalongo (second team) and sophomore Joe Core (third team) all achieved All-CAA recognition in the previous spring season.

Also in the top five of the CAA preseason poll were familiar rivals James Madison, UNC-W, Hofstra and Drexel. The Dukes

won the conference last year and topped the poll as favorites to repeat, earning seven of the available nine first-place votes.

UNC-W and Drexel accounted for the other two votes to win.

This season boasts several compelling matchups for the College, including ACC teams like NC State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, which will be a home game for the Tribe on Sept. 21.

It also faces off against Old Dominion and all the familiar CAA foes to round out the 15game slate.

The Tribe opens its 2021-22 campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. when it takes on Old Dominion on the road. Its first contest at home is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 10 against Saint Francis (Pa.) at 5 p.m.

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Junior Alexander Leavenwood earned CAA preseason All-Conference honors this fall after achieving an All-CAA First Team Selection last season. He has scored 10 goals in 24 games for the Tribe.

Page 8

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

FINANCES

College attempts rebound from COVID cuts ranging from 2-12% Despite $390,000 raised, College continues to operate in deficit, Chief Operating Officer details financial state CHARLES COLEMAN FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

After a difficult year for the College of William and Mary, the 2021-22 academic year marks the beginning of the transition out of the COVID-19 era and its detrimental effects. The College must now address major concerns raised by students, faculty and staff, including the 2020 budget reductions, hiring freezes, job losses and program restrictions. As this year begins, the campus community is looking to the administration to revive the College’s financial standings and community morale.

Finances When the COVID-19 pandemic first caused major disruption in March 2020, the school sought immediate financial support from donors via the Fund for William and Mary. As the College’s largest and unrestricted financial reserve, the fund was used largely to support the transition to virtual learning and for emergency expenditures. In addition, the College quickly began fundraising efforts to support the immense financial burden of safety precautions and virtual programming. By May 31, 2020, the College community raised $390,000 for the Health, Emergencies, and Resources for the Tribe Fund, the International Student Scholarship Fund and the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation; all of which was dedicated to preparing the school for the 2020-21 academic year.

Despite this large-scale fundraising effort, extensive budget reduction and maneuvering was necessary. Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring serves as the financial head of the College and also plays a fundamental role in decision making and the information dissemination within the community. Sebring described how the unforeseen consequences and necessities of the pandemic affected the school’s operating budget, the administration’s current plans to recover and the COVID-19 policies that remain in place.

According to Sebring, auxiliary enterprises experienced the greatest impact, with student dining and athletics each receiving a 12% budget decrease.

Sebring also noted that general cuts across all campus departments ranged from 2-8%.

“Budget reductions and cost control measures were implemented campuswide in FY21,” Sebring wrote in an email.

“Most of those reductions will continue into FY22 to cover the unfunded portion of state-mandated increases in salaries and benefits. Auxiliary enterprises — including dining and athletics — experienced the most significant reductions which approached over 12% in each of those areas. All other areas of campus experienced budget reductions, ranging from 2-8% depending on changes in their operations due to the pandemic, the ability to defer expenses, and the impact of prior year reductions on discretionary funding.”

Sebring spoke broadly on the College’s financial state, describing how exactly the administration is restructuring finances to recover from this past year and the estimated timeline for this recovery.

“We were able to cover the lost revenues and increased costs through the actions we took last year to contain costs, defer expenses, slow hiring and restructure our debt,” Sebring wrote. “So I don’t think the pandemic will have a long-term negative impact on the university. Having said that, prior to the pandemic, W&M’s leadership recognized that the university’s long-term financial model would prove challenging if not amended, based on projections that showed expenses could outstrip revenues.

We began work prior to the pandemic to align resources more strategically, to diversify our sources of revenue, and to bend the cost curve in a way that slows spending growth over time.”

Another major concern of the community for this upcoming year is the question of continued hiring freezes.

During the 2020-21 academic year, the administration implemented campuswide hiring freezes in order to prevent additional costs. These freezes contributed to multi-departmental staff shortages this past year. Sebring said the College will continue to examine hiring in this upcoming year.

“The university will continue to assess the criticality of all new hires as we move forward — not because of the pandemic, but as part of prudent fiscal management,” Sebring wrote. “As positions turn over, we do not automatically assume the position will be filled, but ask each Cabinet member to assess the criticality of that position

Finances

$390,000 raised for COVID-19 related expenses

COVID-19

Morale

97% of faculty & staff

Tutorzone no longer free to all students

fully vaccinated

37% increases in price per credit hour for parttime students

93% of students fully vaccinated

Convocation happening for incoming freshmen

12% cut to dining and athletics budgets in 2020

Quarantine housing no longer being offered

College offering in-person classes for 2021-22

going forward.”

Similarly, the status of several nontenured faculty members’ employment contracts drew major discontent in the 2020-21 academic year. Early in the year, the College announced that 12 nontenured faculty members’ contracts with the College were not being renewed, a decision that was criticized by many students. These concerns were expressed through social media, petitions and rallies, all of which aimed to renew these faculty members’ contracts.

Provost Peggy Agouris spoke on the decision to not renew contracts with these employees and the current status of their employment.

“I would like to clarify again that there have been no terminations; all contracts for non-tenure-eligible (NTE) faculty last year were honored through their ending dates,” Agouris wrote in an email. “For curricular and financial reasons, we were not able to commit to offering a new contract for the next academic year to some Arts & Sciences NTE faculty with contracts that ended in 2021. That was communicated much earlier than in past years so that our valued NTE colleagues had a full hiring cycle available to them to seek other opportunities, which we thought was our most responsible course.

In the end, some of these NTE faculty were offered new contracts and stayed at W&M, some were offered new contracts and opted for other positions, some accepted positions elsewhere, and some withdrew from further consideration for their own personal reasons.”

Agouris also spoke on the difficulties the pandemic inflicted upon the College’s academic operations. She described the need to adapt academic programs in the future to continue their rigor and value while ensuring safety.

“One of our goals from the very beginning has been to deliver instruction safely, in a way that students could keep learning and remain on track to their degrees,” Agouris wrote. “Much of this meant pivoting the way we delivered programs to protect the health of our community and working hard to limit the negative impact of the pandemic on our human and financial resources. While the pandemic has changed, we still face many of the same challenges.”

Another consequence of pandemicrelated budget cuts was the elimination of international fellows during the 2020-21 school year. During a typical year, many of the language departments hire a native speaker of their specified language to work in the language houses and host interactive and community-building activities to share their cultures with students.

Unfortunately, due to continued travel and financial restrictions, this program will not return for the 2021-22 academic year.

Agouris spoke on the reasoning behind these fellows’ continued absence and her hope to have them return in the fall of 2022.

“We hope they will return in 2022-23,” Agouris wrote. “We know how beneficial it is for students to learn about languages and cultures in a nonacademic, residential setting. The pandemic made it very challenging for the international fellows in Williamsburg because it was difficult for them to return to their home

countries. Furthermore, both visas and finances have been uncertain since the pandemic began.”

April 23, 2021, the College’s Board of Visitors announced that there would be no tuition cost increase for both in-state and out-of-state students in the 202122 academic year. This decision reflects College President Katherine Rowe’s recommendation to not increase tuition due to the economic hardships many students faced as a result of the pandemic.

While the school instated this policy for full-time students, some community members noted that the administration raised the fee per credit hour from $425 to $581, an increase of nearly 37%.

Sebring detailed how the decision to increase the price per credit hour was made to even out the price that full-time and part-time students were paying for the same classes, a difference of over 35%.

“Looking at in-state students, on a percredit-hour basis, full-time students were paying over 35% more than part-time students for the same class,” Sebring wrote.

“The change in rates for this academic year brought those charges into alignment. In future years, I anticipate that part-time tuition will increase at a comparable percentage rate to full-time tuition.”

As it stands, the College is still far from complete financial stability. It is likely that many of the budget restrictions and decreases will remain in place well into this year and years to come. While it is clear that the pandemic brought about major financial difficulties, the College’s administration feels confident that the school will successfully recover through strong fundraising efforts and strict budgeting.

COVID-19 Policies As this new year begins, COVID-19 safety policies at the College continue to evolve. As students arrive on campus and anticipate the return of in-person classes, many feel uncertain of what to expect.

Recently, the College announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory for any student, staff and faculty member that wishes to return to campus. As students and staff have self-reported their vaccination status, the College has reported high vaccination rates.

Agouris shared that above 97% of the faculty and staff population have received the COVID vaccination, with few faculty choosing to leave their positions at the College. Similarly, Sebring noted that the current rate of students who have been fully vaccinated is 93%, with many students still waiting to receive their second shot.

Agouris noted the positive reaction the College’s faculty and staff had toward this newly-instated policy.

“Our faculty have been very cooperative,” Agouris wrote. “We are still evaluating employee data — which includes both faculty and staff — but I understand our compliance rate is above 97%. While some faculty have decided to leave W&M in recent months, which is typical with the annual cycle, the circumstances surrounding retirements or other separations from the university are generally treated as part of personnel records, which the university does not discuss or disclose as a matter of policy.”

Sebring spoke on the decision to enforce the vaccination policy, citing both scientific evidence and community support as major reasons for the decision.

“There were two key factors in making the decision to require vaccines: 1) the irrefutable science on the effectiveness of the vaccines, and 2) the desire to bring our community back together in a way that improved the likelihood of our collective health and success,” Sebring wrote. “In the main, our students and employees have been highly compliant. At this time we have fewer than 20 for-credit students who were registered for fall classes and are not compliant with the vaccine policy.”

As of Aug. 23, 2021, many of the major COVID-19 related restrictions from the 2020-21 academic year have been lifted.

While the school has decided to continue to require masks to be worn within indoor spaces on campus, residence hall and gathering restrictions are no longer in effect. This includes the termination of policies that prevented students from entering residence halls they did not live in and capacity limits for physical distancing within spaces across campus.

Another major change is the College’s decision to no longer provide quarantine housing for the 2021-22 academic year.

Last year, Richmond Hall, which previously was used as an upperclassmen residence hall, was modified to house students with COVID-19 exposure or positive COVID-19 tests for 14 days. This year, positive COVID-19 cases will be handled with protocol similar to how the College has dealt with various disease outbreaks in the past. This will include assistance for students who need to remain isolated in alternative locations, if needed.

Sebring spoke on the intensive and difficult operations required for quarantine housing, specifying the burden placed on Richmond Hall’s staff.

“Beyond the public health response, running a full-time quarantine and isolation (Q&I) operation was very peopleintensive,” Sebring wrote. “We had staff working seven days a week, without a break, for months on end. It took a toll.

It also was only temporarily sustainable because we limited operations in a number of other areas last year. So we were able to reassign staff to support the Q&I effort. As we move toward a more typical academic year, staff have returned to their normal programs and functional areas.”

Sebring also shared the updated policy for positive cases and resources available for any students who may be in that position.

“Given the effectiveness of the vaccines, the Public Health Advisory Team recommended in early summer that we manage COVID-19 cases similarly for the upcoming year,” Sebring wrote. “We expect cases will stay low, and many students have indicated that they’d prefer to isolate at home if needed.

Having said that, we also recognize that some of our students may not be able to go home or have a place where they can readily recover. In those instances, the Dean of Students Office will help identify alternative locations if needed.”

Additionally, virtual classes, the largest disruption to campus operations caused by the pandemic, will no longer be offered at the College for the foreseeable future.

Pending the necessity for the conversion to remote learning again, Agouris described the decision to resume in-person classes this year and the potential for virtual learning in the College’s future.

“We have heard from our community the strong desire to convene in person this fall, and so — now that we may do so safely with vaccinations and temporary mask mandates in place — our class offerings this semester will primarily be delivered in the traditional manner,” Agouris wrote.

“As we think of the post-pandemic future of W&M, we are reviewing and intend to take advantage of what we have learned during this crisis, which includes novel modalities of delivery.”

Agouris shared her thoughts on her hopes for the start of this year and the College’s goal of ensuring student safety.

“Our goals remain the same: to continue meeting the academic mission of the university while also keeping our community safe and helping to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Agouris wrote.

“Although we are convening in person once again this semester, we know that the pandemic is far from over. We will continue to consult with experts, follow the science and engage in phased decision-making in order to safeguard the health of our community as much as possible.”

Campus Morale The COVID-19 pandemic brought an abundance of challenges that were placed both on the administration, staff and student body. Furthering these challenges was the stark difficulty of finding activities that were both COVID-compliant and fun to relax from academic and pandemic intensities, as well as continuing on with beloved traditions at the College. Many students raised concerns about the burden of the College’s academics that were placed on students in an already difficult time. A number of petitions and arguments were made to encourage the administration to find more ways to offer support to students facing COVID-19 related difficulties.

To support students handling both virtual classes and extraneous burdens of the pandemic, the College removed the fee to utilize the Tribe TutorZone mid-way through spring 2021 semester. Dean of Students S. Mark Sikes Ph.D. ’15 said that with the start of the fall 2021 semester, the TutorZone will no longer be offering free sessions without indicated financial aid.

“To help students complete the spring 2021 semester, the Provost generously provided funding to cover the cost of tutoring for all students for a limited time,” Sikes wrote in an email. “For the Fall 2021 semester, the TutorZone will return to normal operations and tutoring will not be free of charge for all students…

Because of the outstanding support of donors, the TutorZone is able to offer free tutoring to students with financial need, and to students on Academic Warning and Academic Probation.”

Sebring said she believes that the community will continue to find ways to connect despite ongoing safety precautions and will begin to rebuild the campus’ environment and traditions.

“We are all looking forward to the start of a new academic year and the prospect of re- engaging and engaging anew with the W&M community,” Sebring wrote. “And yet we’re still in a pandemic... The pandemic reinforced what we already knew about the deep personal connections that this community forges and the critical importance of the traditions that sustain those connections.

It also made it abundantly clear that W&M is an institution that can adapt quickly and successfully in the face of uncertainty. So I have no doubt that we will quickly reestablish the traditions that we hold most dear and that we will create some new ones going forward.”

Agouris wished to express her gratitude for the College community’s perseverance during the difficulties of the pandemic.

Additionally, she noted her excitement to begin the year and continue forward.

“I want to thank our staff, faculty, and students for all that they have done to safeguard the health of our community and to enable the continuation of our work of teaching, learning and conducting world-class research,” Agouris wrote.

“We will continue to remain vigilant in safeguarding our community. That said, I am eager to see the university transition to convening in person once again so we can continue that work and build on the lessons we’ve learned throughout the last 18 months.”

With the start of this year the College’s administration is currently planning to return the long-lived campus tradition