The Flat Hat May 4 2021

CAMPUS

SA holds town hall on reparations Co-chairs discuss progress, community outreach

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84 forced hospitalizations in six years Students detail negative experiences with mental health services ALEXANDRA BYRNE // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

CLAIRE HOGAN FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Thursday, April 29, the College of William and Mary’s Student Assembly Reparations Committee held a virtual town hall to discuss their work over the past year.

The committee co-chairs, Ifeoma Ayika ’22 and Victor Adejayan ’23, discussed survey data of diverse campus groups, community outreach and the path forward for the committee itself.

The idea for the Reparations Committee began in fall 2019, when Sen. Will Wasson J.D. ’21 brought up the idea of an SA committee that would understand and tackle racial inequality on the College’s campus. Following its incorporation into SA in spring 2020, the committee has changed from solely an SA venture to an SA-community hybrid, with two co-chairs, one from SA itself and one from the larger College community.

Co-chair of the Reparations Committee on the SA side, Ayika, pointed to the summer of 2020 and the killings of several unarmed Black Americans as a tipping point for the committee.

“After the murder of George Floyd, there was a lot of movement to make these conversations more in the foreground, more institutionalized within Student Assembly and on our campus, and we were also given a lot of spotlight,” Ayika said.

Following the resurgence of Black Lives Matter activism in the summer of 2020, SA created “The Plan to Tackle Systemic Racial Injustice at W&M,” a series of projects and committees aimed at identifying and remedying ongoing prejudice within the College. The plan emphasized the importance of the Reparations Committee, pushing the committee to the forefront of discussions of racial injustice.

“William and Mary honestly acts as a kind of microcosm for understanding these efforts on a national level,” Ayika said. “We are taking on the very daunting task of understanding what those harmful effects are, whose communities are affected and how we can remedy those within Student Assembly and the administration.”

Over the past year, the committee has conducted polls of diverse students on campus, conducted outreach efforts to the Williamsburg community and published a series of opinion pieces in The Flat Hat entitled “The Word on Reparations.”

Above all, Ayika said, the committee has been building from the ground up — gathering resources and conducting outreach so the work can continue for

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This article contains references to suicide and self-harm. onday, March 29, Provost Peggy Agouris notified students at the College of William and Mary that pass/fail grading would not be expanded for the spring 2021 semester, despite outcry from students over added stress due to the pandemic. Three days later, Agouris made controversial remarks on mental health during her regular office hours, sparking further condemnation of the administration’s recent handling of student wellness.

The subsequent conversation has led many to share their experiences with the College’s mental health services, revealing an overburdened counseling center and numerous instances of involuntary hospitalization for mental health reasons. According to records obtained by The Flat Hat, in the past six years, 195 students were hospitalized for mental health reasons, and 84 of those hospitalizations were involuntary.

College Spokeswoman Suzanne Clavet emphasized that the College has taken measures to respond to students’ concerns during the COVID-19

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pandemic.

“The mental health and overall wellness of our students, staff and faculty are among the university’s top priorities,” Clavet wrote in an email. “The learning and emotional challenges of the past year have required us to respond in new ways.

During the pandemic virtual resources and various support services have been added across the campus community. Current services include numerous remote therapy groups, as well as ongoing support groups and meetings. Additionally, a new health clinic was opened in conjunction with VCU Health Services just blocks from campus to further expand the care options for the community.”

Still, some students say these measures are not enough.

Casey Kim ’23 shared her experience with involuntary hospitalization in a widely circulated April 1 Instagram post, in response to Agouris’ comments.

The process Kim underwent began with a care report — an online form in which students, faculty, staff or parents can report concerns with a student’s mental health or safety to the Dean of Students Office — which was filed by one of Kim’s professors.

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“I was told by the Counseling Center that since I had a history of depression and suicidal ideation (I made it very clear that I wasn’t actively suicidal) my two options going forward were to take a leave of absence for the remainder of the semester or go to a mental hospital,” Kim wrote in her post on Instagram.

Kim was directed to the Dean of Students Office, which she said threatened suspension. With no stable home to return to, Kim said she felt trapped into making a decision with which she was uncomfortable.

“The last thing I was told by Dr. Felicia Brown-Anderson was ‘comply, comply, comply’ to get back on campus,” Kim wrote.

Director of the Counseling Center Carina Sudarsky-Gleiser said that the center advises compliance in line with the College’s Medical and Emotional Emergency Policy.

“I can’t speak to any specific cases or discuss particular treatment recommendations,” Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote in an email. “I can tell you that the Counseling Center provides clinical recommendations regarding need for further assessment or intensive inpatient treatment, in accordance to the William & Mary Medical and Emotional

GRAPHIC BY ALEXANDRA BYRNE / THE FLAT HAT

Vol. 111, Iss. 5 ¦ Tuesday, May 4, 2021

The Flat Hat

Emergency Policy (MEEP) and the Psychological Emergency Protocol (PEP), when a student exhibits high likelihood of harm to self or others and/ or symptomatology that interferes with their ability to function independently on campus.”

The MEEP policy is intended to maintain the safety of the student and the community and is activated in the event of suicidal attempts or other “displays of manic or psychotic symptoms.” According to the MEEP, failure to comply with its procedures could result in disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct. SudarskyGleiser said that the Counseling Center regularly informs students of the consequences of non-compliance.

“Counseling Center staff members will recommend a course of treatment that will help a patient address the presented mental health crisis and encourage a student to follow that recommendation,” Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote. “The Counseling Center may also remind a student that according to the MEEP/PEP, ‘failure to comply with the provisions of the university’s Medical/ Emotional Emergency Policy may result in disciplinary action through the See HEALTH page 8

STUDENT LIFE

Memorial to the Enslaved event honors legacy of people of color at College Student Assembly, Lemon Project collaboration showcases student art, confronts police brutality GEORGIA THOMS FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER

Monday, April 26, the College’s Student Assembly hosted a Memorial to the Enslaved with The Lemon Project. Held in the Wren Courtyard, the event consisted of many student performances and concluded with a viewing of paintings.

To open the event, assistant professor of history and Director of the Lemon Project Dr. Jody Lynn Allen spoke about the College’s history of enslavement. Revenue from institution-owned plantations, worked by enslaved individuals, funded the school and even provided scholarship money for lowerclass white male students. Approximately 200 enslaved individuals were owned by the institution or a student, of which only 81 Index Profile Opinions Variety Sports News

names are known.

“Regardless of how little or how much we know, what’s most important is we acknowledge their presence,” Allen said. “In short, they made the lives of the students, faculty, and staff livable. And yet, they were left out of the narrative from the end of slavery until around 2007. It was as if they had never been here, but not anymore.”

With Allen’s words echoing in the attendee’s minds, the host of the event, Kyle Vasquez ’21, shared the idea behind this celebration to honor the humanity and life of those remembered.

“This last summer, we saw the height of the Black Lives Matter Movement,” Vasquez wrote in an email. “It was a time where a lot of jobs started wanting to do more diversity and inclusion initiatives and carve out spaces for

Inside Opinions 2 3-4 5-6 7 8

black and brown employees.”

With this in mind and a coworker’s suggestion, Vasquez decided to watch the documentary “13th” on Netflix, which compares the prison system to an extension of slavery and how the effects of slavery are still apparent today.

“In the documentary they show how they wrote the name of everyone who had been murdered by police brutality on tape and tapped them on the wall,” Vasquez wrote.

“Throughout all of this, I had noticed that William and Mary students were starting to wonder on the progress of the Memorial to Honor the Enslaved — which will be breaking grounds May 26, 2021— So, I thought that we should find a way to complement the memorial that is going to get done but have something that will come faster!”

Inside Variety

The Word on Reparations: Part 9

In part 9 of the Word on Reparations, Anthony Joseph ‘21 discusses the role of institutions like the College in perpetuating racism. page 3

Inside the growing esports program at the College College opens a new Esports Training and Research Center and is set to welcome an esports major and minor in the coming years. page 5

With the help of Loni Wright ’21 and Anthony Joseph ’21, the idea for paintings was born. In early October, all the paintings were submitted and the first unveiling at the Board of Visitors meeting showcased the students’ talents.

“That was very metaphorical for us because, at the time, we were still trying to pitch our ideas on renaming,” Vasquez wrote.

“With the Board’s most recent decision, I think it’s very telling the role the paintings have on campus, and what I wish for them to do for people in the future. It’s really easy to know a name and a number and just move on or look away, but it’s so much more difficult to run away from a person because you are forced to remember their humanity.”

Inside Sports

See MEMORIAL page 8

Chance at the Championship

No. 3 Tribe Women’s Tennis falls 2-4 vs No. 1 JMU in CAA Finals following close top-spot singles match. page 7

The Flat Hat ¦ Tuesday, May 4 2021 ¦ Page 2

THE BUZZ

Taking these strides as an institution are imperative to reconcile with our past and to move on and be better. Their memory and legacy lives on. They can t vocalize that they are here, so this song had the ability to serve as a voice and a reminder.

FLAT HAT NEWS NUGGET Board of Visitors discusses research, improvement, legacies of the College Thursday April 22 and Friday April 23, the Board of Visitors of the College of William and Mary met to discuss several campus-wide topics of conversation and debate. These dialogues included: the naming and renaming of academic buildings, the COVID-19 pandemic, discrimination and harassment reports as well as their commitment to expand international recognition by increasing awareness of undergraduate research and other successes.

The executive committee met first to cover commencement, tuition, COVID-19 and an undergraduate research project that recently made world news and was published in the scientific journal, Nature Communications.

The study concluded that nuclear fallout from the Cold War is still present in today’s honey. The research was conducted by James Kaste, an associate professor in the College’s geology department, along with Andrew J. Elmore, a University of Maryland professor of landscape ecology and Paul Volante ’20.

“Here’s what’s great about having our research elevated at this level…” College President Katherine Rowe said. “It’s research that began with students, or undergraduates, and it’s just one of those moments that is the core of our mission. It is something lovely that showcases that there are many other moments that we could talk about, some other celebrations to share.”

Rowe also shared new information pertaining to the 2021 virtual and in-person commencement celebrations. She explained that the ceremony will be divided into six separate events in order to be consistent Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Each graduate will have the opportunity to walk across the stage, something that has not been done in decades.

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A THOUSAND WORDS

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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.

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“I’m gonna go for it”

Zenobia Goodman 22 prepares to lead the College as SA vice-president LINDA LI // FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR When she first came to the College of William and Mary, Zenobia Goodman ’22 never envisioned herself taking the helm of student government. Yet three years later, on Thursday, April 1, 2021, she was elected vice president of Student Assembly alongside former Senate Chair Meghana Boojala ’22.

Although Goodman and Boojala ran on an uncontested ticket, their victory still seemed inevitable given their extensive leadership roles on campus and enthusiasm for fostering a sense of community. Although many have noted Goodman’s status as an SA outsider, her ascension to the role is a testament to how much she’s grown during her time at the College.

When Boojala approached Goodman to discuss potentially running together, Goodman initially expressed skepticism but quickly realized it was an opportune time.

“Meghana reached out to me in January and was like, ‘oh, I’d love to meet’ ... And it’s like, okay, I’ll entertain it,” Goodman said. “When I entered that meeting, I was like, ‘okay, this feels right.’ You know, it’s one of those things, I was like, ‘this feels like something that only I can do, something that could be impactful.’ So I think I was just like, ‘you know what, I’m gonna go for it.’”

Goodman is keenly aware that many students perceive SA as detached from their everyday lives. Now almost a month into her vice presidency, she is working to remedy this weakness by improving transparency and strengthening ties to students.

“I think at this point, with admin moving slowly and all that other stuff, students feel abandoned,” Goodman said. “And I think a lot of students don’t feel seen and heard, and I think that’s a problem. For Student Assembly, I think that our first priority is paying attention to those issues. I do think people feeling that Student Assembly is a safe space is more important than any bureaucracy will ever be to me, and I think that right now there is not a lot of trust there, with a lot of students and Student Assembly.”

While Goodman may not have formal SA experience, she has nonetheless built a repertoire of skills for collaborating with her colleagues and communicating with the College community.

“I think a lot of the leadership involvement I’ve had in my college career have involved a lot of listening,” she said. “I think they’ve involved a lot of like, sitting back and having to be introspective and figuring things out that way.”

For the past two years, Goodman has worked as a resident assistant, a decision that was inspired by her freshman year RA’s kindness.

The small but genuine moments Goodman shared with her freshman RA inspired the way she sees her residents now, as she cherishes the opportunity to witness them flourish and guide them along the way.

“Both years I’ve adored them,” Goodman said. “I genuinely have, it’s so sweet. I think my favorite part is watching them grow, like in that transition from fall semester to spring semester… And then the spring you just see this burst of independence for the most part. I’ll see them around campus with like, friends from outside of the hall and I just feel so proud.”

Goodman’s SA candidacy wasn’t the only news to make a splash on campus. In January, Goodman and eight members of the Omicron Beta Chapter of Chi Omega sorority published an open letter announcing their decision to leave. Simultaneously, they launched the Disaffiliate for Change account on Instagram, advocating for the College to abolish white Fraternity and Sorority Life.

“I think I dealt with a lot of guilt for a long time because of how I had felt very complacent,” Goodman said. “And I reflected a lot about, like, who in my life is complacent? How do I navigate those relationships? And I think this shift from complicity to advocacy, I think it felt like a very natural shift.”

Goodman was one of the first individuals to publish the details of her negative experiences with the racism and elitism embedded in Fraternity and Sorority Life.

She described the moments leading it up to it as anxietyridden, but a wave of relief washed over her as the positive reactions rolled in.

“Obviously, everything in that letter, like, I completely stand by ... but, you know, it’s the idea of having it outside in the universe makes it a little bit different,” Goodman said. “At first, like, it was scary, you know,

coming from the community of white Greek life, it’s very easy to forget that that’s only 30% of the campus, roughly. And I think ... a lot of people are very protective of their organizations and stuff like that. But I think after the letter came out, all of the support that we got, like, outside of white Greek life and the other 70% of the William and Mary campus meant the world, and I think just made the whole experience a lot better.”

While Disaffiliate for Change first drew widespread attention for posting testimonies, Goodman is determined to hone the account’s educational aim and preserve its influence on campus.

“The posts that get the most traction are, you know, a lot of the testimonies, but that’s okay, because I think that the resources are there, they’re out there,” she said. “And if people want to learn, they will. I think we’re in a pretty good spot right now.

The biggest thing is making sure that there’s longevity, if that makes sense. I will always have love for the project [but] once I graduate, it might not be a primary focus for me anymore.”

Goodman, an international relations major with a global studies minor, is no stranger to pedagogical pursuits. This summer, she will be teaching virtual classes for students in Bosnia through the William and Mary American Bosnian Collaboration.

“I think it’ll be good for me to learn how to navigate teaching completely virtually, like problem solving that way,” Goodman said. “And then I think it’s a good experience to have to just be able to, like, teach intercultural competence.”

In her free time, Goodman enjoys cross-stitching, watching “Grey’s Anatomy” and taking barre classes. She admitted that her self-care habits have been less than consistent, but it is a work in progress.

“This past semester, my self-care kind of fell off the wagon,” Goodman said. “I was just like, my biggest self-care thing was taking naps — which is its own form of self-care — but when that’s the only version of self-care, I had to kind of re-evaluate.”

Heading into her final year at the College, Goodman seems to have more responsibilities than ever on her plate. With SA reforms, research, volunteering and graduation around the corner, Goodman is living in the moment and appreciating her journey thus far.

When asked what she would tell her freshman self, Goodman said the following: “Well, first of all, I’d tell her to chill out,” Goodman said. “It is somehow going to all work itself out and it’s going to be so much better than you would have ever expected.

And you’re going to be fine. And stop doubting yourself. Don’t do that.

You’re amazing. You’re actually incredible.

In everything you’re doing, there is a purpose.

You’re allowed to do things and just have fun.

And you can just exist.

There does not need to be a big grand reason behind everything.”

MAN

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GUEST COLUMN

GUEST COLUMN

The Word on Barefoot lifestyle deserves respect and Reparations, Part acknowledgement from student community 9: Institution Anthony Joseph FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER

Institution. One of the most important aspects of restorative justice work is the ability to be aware of how you engage with affected communities. We are more than just the person: we are the position itself and the institution it serves. We bear the unresolved mistakes of those entities and the negative perceptions that they bring. The past triumphs of our respective positions and the institution may make us stand tall, but we have to acknowledge the looming shadow that our posture casts. We must have the self-awareness to perceive these institutional issues and understand that we are carrying them into every arena, to embrace those hard and uncomfortable truths which we have denied for our gain, not just as a university, but as student organizations too.

That also means we have to assume we don’t have all the answers. We have to listen to the people who live this experience every single day.

I have been in conversations regarding renaming where the crime of chattel slavery was compared to a hypothetical crime of eating meat, and that 50 years from now, we will rename buildings for that reason. How can I have faith in an institution that compares the suffering of people who look like me to eating a hamburger?

Being Black in the United States is a regular, frightening educational and political experience. The fact that we all awaited the verdict of George Floyd’s murderer with bated breath speaks to that.

We have to take our conversations on racism from hushed corners and highly academicized presentations and understand the historical trauma present here. We have to humanize what is typically politicized and made controversial. But that involves humbling ourselves in these conversations to recognize that the only opinions that should carry the greatest amount of influence and weight are those that we have historically ignored.

Being Black in the United States is a regular, frightening educational and political experience. The fact that we all awaited the verdict of George Floyd s murderer with bated breath speaks to that.

So when we see letters and posts from a plethora of students about critical Diversity, Equity and Inclusion issues; when we see survey data characterizing an incredibly turbulent experience for diverse students on campus; when we hear about protests happening every month this year and every weekend the semester before, we must go to the communities affected with a desire to learn and listen.

Don’t make those who have already fought hard to even be recognized as human at this institution and in this country work harder still to even be heard.

We aren’t the only opinions that matter.

We must acknowledge that and directly go to these communities that have been systematically left out. We can’t say “Black Lives Matter” unless we are actively demonstrating that we care by asking BIPOC students what they need and making those things a reality. We know the dark underscores of history and our involvement within, so we need to authorize the BIPOC community as stakeholders.

One day, hopefully in the near future, it won’t be Black and brown students who suffer due to the negligence of your predecessors. Throughout this conversation, we must build the infrastructure to ensure equity at the College of William and Mary. That means building pathways for students to feel heard and seen.

And in that spirit, I hope you heed my final piece of advice to you, and I wish you luck. Don’t allow the shadow of our past to continue to grow. And when you feel like posting about it or making a one-time donation to BLM, or when you feel the pull to disengage from hard conversations about racism, remember you have that choice; we don’t. The recent deaths of BIPOC people around this country are just flashpoints in a pandemic of racial hatred that we have helped perpetuate for 329 years, longer than this country has existed. Let’s be deliberate about doing our part to swiftly end that pandemic.

We’ve had no other choice but to respect your time, so please, respect ours.

Anthony Joseph ’21 is majoring in government and global studies. He was the Student Assembly president for the 202021 school year. Email Anthony at amjoseph@email.wm.edu.

here for comedic effect. It would be inappropriate for me to say that I felt assaulted by the sight of someone FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER else’s body (unless I literally was). I don’t expect you to enjoy seeing my feet, but I ask that you refer to my My name is Jacob and I’ve been going barefoot body respectfully. full-time during the warm season for six years now.

It’s common for people to overstate the health risks If you’ve been on campus in the last couple of years, of going barefoot. A line in Lores’ piece states that you’ve probably spotted me at some point. I’ve being unshod is “unsanitary for others who might walk received a lot of feedback about my feet during my around on the same floor afterward but also for the time at the College of William and Mary, and thought barefoot people themselves.” I wash my feet far more this might be a good opportunity to address some of often than most people wash their shoes, and I track in the comments I’ve heard. considerably less dirt. To my knowledge, going barefoot There’s a wide range of reasons why people go is a great way to reduce fungal infections common from barefoot. I’ve heard of cultural, political and religious wearing sweaty socks. Many forms of self-expression motivations for fellow barefooters’ lifestyles. For me it involve health risks, and I consider my own carefully. started as an One of her last points is experiment, that “on a college campus, and grew to GRAPHIC BY RIEL WHITTLE / THE FLAT HAT where there is already such become an a small amount of privacy, important part it is rather rude to impose of my identity. on other people even I tell people further by acting as if the I go barefoot public library is your own because “it’s personal space.” To think comfortable,” that someone feels this way and what I about my self-expression mean is that is upsetting, and I think it would be this language contributes uncomfortable to an unaccepting culture to wear shoes. on campus. If you are I had a in a public space, which look through William & Mary is, you The Flat Hat’s should expect to encounter archives for people who express barefootingthemselves differently related than you do. articles, and Even though I see found a 2018 myself as an advocate opinion piece for barefooting, it can be

by Kimberly exhausting to deal with Lores ’22 negative reactions to my entitled identity. Thanks to the “Barefoot Office of Compliance & in Swem: A Equity, I affirmed my harrowing tale right to go barefoot in all of discomfort.” campus spaces soon after As the title I transferred here. But it suggests, takes a whole community Lores’ article to make someone feel dramatically accepted, and learning to disapproves respect and thrive among of barefooted people who are different patronage than you is an important of Earl Gregg Swem Library. I find her complaints part of college life. disrespectful, but representative of a lot of comments Jacob Hall ‘22 is a geology major, produces media for I hear on a day-to-day basis. I would like to address the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation and some of those here. helps run The Meridian. He also develops websites, The article describes the experience of entering works at the local meadery, and cooks with his partner.

Swem as one’s “eyes are assaulted by the sight of Email Jacob at jwhall@email.wm.edu. someone going completely barefoot.” The word To view citations, visit flathatnews.com. “assaulted” is a strong one, and is presumably used

Jacob Hall

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The Flat Hat

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

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STAFF COLUMN

STAFF COLUMN

Final Grade: B — freshman grades College’s performance

College dining halls struggle to deliver healthy international food options

by any means, nor do I usually make a big deal out of sodium content. The larger issue is that in producing renditions of non-American cuisine that add excess salt in lieu of authentic FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR spices and herbs, the dining halls are doing a disservice to Articles critiquing the dining halls are a mainstay of the Flat international students who already have limited access to their Hat’s Opinions section — and for a good reason. If students home dishes. are mandated to buy meal plans, then we have the right to Granted, the College of William and Mary’s international demand, at the very least, good quality — I wouldn’t say “high enrollment has only ticked upward in recent years. Increasing quality” — and nutritious food. the variety of international dishes was probably not a top Now, I have an overall favorable impression of the dining priority for a long time. Well, now there is a substantial halls; after eating Caf’s mosaic bowls for three months straight, number of international students here (that’s what the College I’ve only recently begun to tire of them. At the same time, claims, at least). We deserve a semi-authentic (because the I’ve had a consistent qualm about the absurdly high amounts food will always be Americanized) connection to our cultures of sodium found in the dining hall’s international-oriented without feeling gross afterward. dishes. While this piece is indeed a complaint about the food, Back in February, an email from Dining Services advertised I’m also encouraging the administration to consider honing Chinese dishes at Caf in celebration of the Lunar New Year. I was its commitment to diversity in areas less prominent than eager to try them out and stood in line for a solid five minutes academics and admission — such as improving the nutritional until I checked the Bite app — and whaddya know? The tofu value of food dishes more palatable to international students. and vegetable spring rolls had 2950mg THE FLAT HAT HTA / “Absurdly high” is an understatement when of sodium. My heart sank; it was S I S VA referencing sodium levels in the internationalmy first year spending the LA E NG inspired food. Not only is it appalling to see, Spring Festival alone, A BY but it could lead to dangerous health and I couldn’t even TS O conditions in the long run. Last week, partake in one of the Caf’s shoyu ramen with chicken char most fundamental siu listed a whopping 2990mg of customs sodium in one serving. That’s without nearly two-nine-nine-zero. The U.S. poisoning Department of Agriculture’s myself. I can’t 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for remember Americans recommend 2,300mg the sodium of sodium per day for adults. levels for the But here’s the catch pot stickers — 2,300mg is merely the and steamed recommended maximum dumplings, daily intake for reducing but I’m sure the risk of chronic disease. they weren’t According to randomized trials far off. And conducted by the Harvard T.H. here’s the kicker: Chan School of Public Health, in that email, the level that “allowed for an they claimed the adequate intake of nutritious foods chefs were “using naturally containing sodium” is 1,500 authentic recipes mg per day for people 14 years of age from our Culinary and older.

Team’s 2019 tour of China.”

Of course, a 2990mg-of-sodium sighting I’ll be damned. is pretty rare at the dining halls — but the regular I still appreciate the international dishes don’t fare much better. Yesterday, chefs for trying, and I agree their China tour Sadler served spicy shrimp and vegetable stir fry containing indicated a commitment to improvement. The problem of 700mg of sodium. Today, Caf’s red curry chicken over jasmine excess sodium affects other stations too, but at any given rice will set you back 760mg. Wednesday — shrimp lo mein time, there’s a much broader selection of American-style hitting you with a dose of 1210mg. You get the idea. dishes, so you have more flexibility to avoid non-sodiumIt is no secret that consuming excess sodium from packed items. It’s not the end of the world to occasionally processed foods puts you at greater risk of deleterious health consume a dish that takes up half of my recommended concerns. The American Heart Association’s website lists daily sodium intake — but I would truly prefer not to, and I kidney disease, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure think most students would agree. as just a few examples. I’m not saying these diseases will Linda Li ’24 is a prospective government major and GSWS suddenly befall a demographic of otherwise healthy young minor who just wants to eat healthier. She serves as an adults, but why should we be conditioned to think such associate variety editor for The Flat Hat, deputy editor for Flat unhealthy dishes are the norm?

Hat Magazine and features writer for ROCKET Magazine. Email I understand that salt is useful for flavor binding and Linda at yli76@email.wm.edu.agree. enhancement, as well as food preservation. I’m not anti-salt To view citations, visit flathatnews.com.

Caitlin Noe

FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR

With finals approaching, the time has come for this freshman to give the College of William and Mary a report card. It seems only fitting that the institution should receive feedback just as students do. For the sake of simplicity, I will base my grading system on the Niche website’s grading for the College. The very one I used during my college search a year ago.

Let’s start off with the least controversial aspect of the College. Drum roll please. Academics. Academics at the College receive a whopping A+ score on Niche. Deservedly so. The academics here are top notch. Classes tend to be difficult, but they are quality. Get ready to learn.

Moving on to professors, they too receive an A+ from Niche. I would have to agree with this assessment as well.

The vast majority of professors put in maximum effort to make their classes the best they can be. They also genuinely care about their students.

Now onto the more controversial topics. Niche ratings give the dorms a C-, that’s generous. I would say a D is more accurate. It’s the 21st century. Installing AC units in freshman dorm rooms does not seem like too much of an ask. It’s also in the school’s best interest to make their students’ living conditions, well, bearable in a climate notorious for humidity.

It s the 21st century.

Installing AC units in freshman dorm rooms does not seem like too much of an ask.

Next, let’s discuss campus food. Some may disagree with me on this one. Niche says the food is at a C- level.

I would say it’s at a C+ level. The dining hall food is the epitome of average with the occasional pleasant surprise.

However, campus also has Qdoba, Cosi, Chick-fil-A and good options at the campus coffee shops, which all take student dining dollars.

Most surprisingly, Niche gave the campus a B-. The campus is gorgeous, picturesque if you will. The campus deserves an A+. Vibrant autumns and stellar springs categorize the school. Additionally, just across the street is Colonial Williamsburg which gives off pleasant Hallmark movie vibes.

Lastly, the location receives a B from Niche. My opinion on this topic depends on the availability of a car. Campus and CW can be a good time, but you will likely run out of things to do. The ability to get off campus is important for the college experience, especially during COVID-19. Going into the greater Williamsburg area, Busch Gardens, College Creek and Virginia Beach is enjoyable. Therefore, without a car I would give the location a B-, but with a car, a B+.

The dining hall food is the epitome of average with the occasional pleasant surprise.

As far as student life and the party scene go, I cannot say.

My first year here consisted of nothing of the sort due to COVID-19. But I can always give a review on those aspects of the college experience next year.

To wrap up this year’s report card, I give the College an overall grade of a B. In addition to the grades given for the categories mentioned above, some points were deducted for administrators’ inability to listen to the needs of students.

Obviously, this year was far from normal. It was disappointing to miss out on many traditions, events and in-person classes. The COVID-19 pandemic also added some additional challenges. Housing and food really are not the best here. However, the people, campus and classes at the College make it what it is. I have great friends and excellent professors. It’s been a pretty good first year, considering the circumstances.

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.

To view citation, visit flathatnews.com.

GRAPHIC BY SKYLER F OLE YA ND HE AD SH

Linda Li

STAFF COLUMN

My experiences during Ramadan in 2021: practicing Islam remotely and on campus

Bushra Bablu

FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR

My alarm woke me up for sehri, the morning meal Muslims eat before dawn. I decided to eat pasta because I know it would fill me up and keep me energized throughout the day. After I finished my meal, I decided to begin my school assignments for the day since it was difficult for me to fall back asleep after a hearty meal. Even with this early start to the day, taking remote classes during the month of Ramadan can be slightly challenging.

I usually wake up for sehri around 3 a.m. and stay up until 6:30 a.m. or 7 a.m. to complete assignments. My first class begins at 9 a.m., during which it can be difficult to focus due to the shift in my sleep schedule.

After my first class ends, I usually decide to go back to bed and take a nap before my next two classes for the day. These two classes are both discussion-based which requires me to participate and speak a lot during class. This can be uneasy since when Muslims are fasting, they can’t eat

or drink anything during the day, including water.

After I finish attending classes, I normally have about two hours before iftar, the evening meal where I can break my fast at sunset. During those two hours, I help plan and create meals for my family to eat to break our fasts. I will also normally do other assignments in between creating these meals, however, it can be difficult because I tend to get hangry, which causes me to get irritated over the smallest problems. It can also make me lose focus and get distracted during class.

Even though the meats won t be halal, I think it is a stepping stone to being more inclusive and accomodating to Muslim students.

Even though I am not on campus, I still receive newsletters about new

additions on campus. I learned that Caf is extending their dining hours, opening until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. I also read that Center Court at Sadler Center is extending its dining hours, from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Even though the meats won’t be halal, I think it is a stepping stone to being more inclusive and accommodating to Muslim students.

School during Ramadan can be quite stressful, especially because midterms and final exams take place during that time. I can sometimes get anxious and worried. In order to have a somewhat relaxing time, I try my best to take as many naps as possible. This Ramadan experience is very unique to me since I am able to rest in between my classes, whereas if I was in person, I might not have had that option if my classes were held in buildings far away from my dorm.

At home, preparing iftar and sehri meals together as a family sounds wholesome, but it is stressful and time-consuming in practice. However, if I was on campus, I would probably have my meals already prepped.

Either way, this will be an experience I won’t forget.

Bushra Bablu ‘24 is a remote student 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

The Flat Hat

¦ Tuesday, May 4, 2021 ¦ Page 5

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

LEVEL UP, GAME ON

COURTESY IMAGES / WILLIAM AND MARY ESPORTS

College opens Esports Training and Research Center, possibility for esports major in near future JR HERMAN // FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR In the coming years, students at the College of William and Mary may be able to minor, or even major, in esports. The College is on its way to becoming an esports powerhouse.

Not only is the College one of the first institutions to offer academic classes on esports, but it also has a nationally competitive Division I esports team.

In March 2021, the College officially opened its Esports Training and Research Center (ETARC). Equipped with six high-performing gaming PCs and a streaming and production room, ETARC will serve as the home base for the College’s blossoming esports movement.

For those unfamiliar with the term, esports, or electronic sports, refers to competitive gaming. As for the academic side of the College’s esports program, classes on esports were first offered in winter 2020. Fifteen students enrolled in a completely virtual, one-credit course entitled “Introduction to Esports.” This course served as the launching point for esports studies at the College, covering the history of the movement, the evolving industry, and connections to education.

This summer, the College will launch its Esports LevelUp Program to help prepare students to enter one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries. Summer 2021 course offerings include “Esports in Education,” “Computational Problem Solving in Data Science,” “Reasoning Under Uncertainty,” “Esports & Marketing,” as well as “Esports & Communication.”

Plans are in the works for establishing an esports minor, and as of now, the door is open for a potential major. Esports courses incorporate a wide array of interdisciplinary studies, with possible future course topics including broadcasting, commentating, music theory, game design, health and wellness, data science, and more.

By studying the fundamentals of esports, students can gain insight into technological advancements and their impact on culture, as well as hone skills like teamwork, leadership and creative thinking, skills applicable to all industries, as the College’s Academic Specialist Esports Pioneer, Jonathan Newby ’22 explained.

“Esports is a digital-first industry — players are expected to not only have mastery of keyboard controls, but also develop robust social media presences and be influences of the internet market,” Newby wrote in an email. “Esports players come out with mental agility, technological prowess, and personal branding skills unmatched in many other fields, making them adaptable to a vast array of careers post-esports.”

Varsity Esports Coordinator and League of Legends coach Tim Cho ’22 added that specific technical abilities like digital marketing, statistical analysis, coaching, broadcasting and managing are invaluable skills that students can learn from the applied side of esports.

Simply put, competitive gaming allows students to gain profound experience with computers, programming and social media — professional benefits which can distinguish and allow esports gamers to be especially competitive in the modern job market.

Newby believes the implementation of esports into the academic curriculum is important for the College as a leading research university, and he currently is working to help facilitate career connections with alumni and industry leaders and create a space for independent research opportunities in esports and gaming for interested students.

“Esports is important because it encapsulates the experiential learning, creativity, and critical thinking we expect of our students,” Newby wrote. “From personal experience, my first course in gaming at William & Mary was Dr. Elizabeth Losh’s ‘Gender, Sexuality, and Gaming,’ and it opened my mind to the promise of video games being a medium for personal fulfillment and social change.

There are schools across the nation with strong gaming programs, and my long-term goal is for William & Mary to become the school for gaming and esports on the east coast, if not the nation.”

Esports first began in the early 1970s, and in the last several years, esports began expanding to college campuses across the country, beginning with the formation of the National Association of Collegiate Esports in 2016.

Today, over 170 institutions of higher learning belong to NACE, with 5,000 plus student gamers involved. In 2019, members of a University Teaching and Learning Project saw the benefits of potentially integrating esports into the College’s curriculum and organizations, and students entering in 2019 were surveyed on their interest in the possibility of esports coming to the College. The enthusiastic response encouraged the idea to be explored more seriously, leading to the robust program the College offers today.

On the applied side of esports, the College currently hosts a Division I esports team, partnering with the Electronic Gaming Federation, an independent esports league for high school and collegiate esports in the United States, allowing students to compete nationally.

Students of the College compete in the following games: FIFA, League of Legends, Overwatch, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Like in traditional athletics, each game has a coach and dedicated gamers. Additionally, all of the College’s gamers have an official William and Mary Esports jersey.

For Esports Pioneer Tyler Standfield ’22, being part of the Esports movement at the College has allowed him to learn more about esports sponsorships — granting him a unique opportunity to study business in an environment outside of the business school where he can experience firsthand the challenges and opportunities in the industry. Standfield commends the College for being ahead of the curve in terms of offering students interested in esports opportunities to follow their passions in both an applied and academic setting, especially since the academic study of esports is still in the beginning stages nationally.

One of the biggest challenges in creating a robust Esports program has been getting the word out to the student body. Social media and communications platforms like Instagram and Discord have been helpful in spreading information to both students interested in joining and members of the community. With nearly 300 members, the College’s Esports Discord server is stronger than ever, and it serves as a good starting point for students wanting to get involved.

According to Standfield, the stigma associated with gaming has also made it more difficult to grow the movement.

“Other than getting the word out, there’s the stigma associated with esports,” Standfield wrote in an email. “Video games aren’t reserved for kids or basement dwellers — there’s real competition that not everyone sees.”

Standfield has found that esports seem to be a wonderful fit for students of the College specifically, due to the commonplace mentality of being willing and excited to tackle new challenges. This agility to adapt is especially important in esports, a rapidly evolving industry.

As Varsity Esports Coordinator and League of Legends coach, Cho helps his players not only improve their technical skills and knowledge of the game but also seeks to enhance the team’s communication skills and synergy. Unlike traditional sports, where athletes grow up belonging to various types of teams (school, travel, recreational, etc.), and thus, have a strong working knowledge of team dynamics and strategy, most esports athletes join the team with individual experience and technical skill, but without the experience of playing esports as part of a team, which Cho notes is a different dynamic. To improve gaming

techniques, esports coaches review important plays after scrimmages and events to not only gain insight into players’ reaction times and split-second decision making but also to analyze opponents’ techniques.

The College’s esports teams have competed successfully this year, with the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team dominating nationally, particularly impressive given the recent nature of the College’s program compared to other universities’ longer established teams.

“Overall, our teams have done incredibly well adjusting to varsity-level play in the short time we had to prepare for the season,” Cho wrote in an email.

For some, like Media and Communications Esports Pioneer Max Simon ’24, the main allure of the esports movement is that there is a place for video games in postsecondary education. As a freshman, Simon hopes to see the College’s Esports program continue to grow throughout his years on campus.

“My biggest hope for Esports at W&M is that it will reach students who may have no background whatsoever in gaming,” Simon wrote in an email. “I love when people ask me for more information, because we’re always looking to grow our community and introduce more people to the world of competitive gaming.”

Page 6

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

SYNDI N CHILL

The Flat Hat

The College s student-run, hip-hop dance troupe Syndicate premieres spring showcase FREDA DENG // THE FLAT HAT

Fr iday, Apr il 30, the Syndicate Hip Hop Dance Team at the College of William and Mar y hosted its annual spr ing showcase “SYNDI N ’ CHILL” on YouTube.

Syndicate is a student-r un and student-choreographed hip-hop dance team at the College that was established in 2004.

Syndicate President Kyoko Minamio ’22 and Vice President Salimata Sanfo ’22 started the show with greetings and an introduction to the meaning of the team name.

“It stands for Student COURTESY IMAGES // CARO TOTH Network of Dance and Choreography Technique,” Minamio said. “But we are way more than that ... we are definitely a family.” “ This semester ’s theme is SYNDI N’ CHILL ,’ like ‘Netflix n’ Chill’” Sanfo said. “and we are so happy for you all to see it.”

Syndicate’s new members opened the show with “New(ish)bies” choreographed by Jess Atkinson ’23. Their smooth movements highlighted the beauty of hip-hop dance to the audience.

After this piece, the lights went down, and the team’s new members were divided into two groups and entered the stage to perform the next dance – “New Newbies.” Choreographed by Sabina Valery ’20, this dance was set to the tune of “1, 2 Step” by Ciara. While the two groups of dancers first appeared to antagonize one another, they quickly blended together, setting the audience on fire and showing the infinite possibility of hip-hop dance.

Next, the dance “Chopped & Screwed”– set initially to music of the same name by Ludacris – brought the audience a futuristic ambience with the help of cool tone stage lighting.

Chopped and screwed also refers to a hip-hop technique which involves intricate hip rolling and moving with a “bum” knee. Later, the stage light was changed to warm tones to fit the music “Jumped Out the Window” by Young Thug.

Many pieces, including “34 + 35” and “No Chill,” were presented following the piece “Chopped & Screwed.” The multiple styles and frequently changing music of the performance offered the audience a perfect audio-visual experience. As a result, the show attracted almost a hundred people to watch the live stream, and the number of views reached 423 only 11 hours later.

Besides their hip-hop dance techniques, Syndicate dancers’ use of chairs also surprised the audience. In the piece “Freak Like Me,” Syndicate members entered the stage from both sides with chairs. Using these chairs, dancers were able to express more complex body movements.

Unlike dancers in “Freak Like Me,” who chose to bring the chairs to the stage at the beginning of the dance, dancers from “No Idea” started while sitting on the chairs. With elbows on knees and their heads looking at the ground, the dancers created a gesture that

matched the lyrics “I don’t know” perfectly.

One can easily see how versatile and colorful hip-hop dance can be even just through the two pieces of chair dances performed by Syndicate members.

The 50-minute showcase came to an end with the finale set to the music “Holding Out For A Hero.” Starting with a solo dance, Syndicate members then surprised the audience by switching to group dances in which previous dancers entered and then exited the stage.

Though the showcase was held online, Syndicate members fully displayed the capacity and strength of hip-hop dance to the audience. The various dance forms and music of the performance ensure that the show is eye-catching for the audience with different tastes.

For Hunter Hullinger ’23, the piece “No Chill” won his heart.

“Nothing can top live Syndicate performances because the energy they have as a group is so invigorating to experience in person,” Hullinger said. “But I thought they did a really great job online considering that they weren’t dancing to a live audience.”

Hullinger also noted that despite difficulties caused by the pandemic, the Syndicate showcase still impressed.

“I was psyched to see the show because I know they’ve had some obstacles practicing this semester and I was glad that they were able to get this done,” Hullinger added. “ There’s not a lot of positive stuff happening on campus this semester, so it was nice to have this fall so close to finals.”

Jasmine Garnes ‘20 also echoed these sentiments, noting that the showcase impressed even on YouTube.

“I think they all did a great job accommodating the virtual setting and it was really well done,” Garnes said. “I think the only feedback I would have is putting the performers at the beginning, so we know who to expect coming up!”

While the virtual format imposed many challenges to Syndicate members, they successfully overcame these hardships through smooth transitions between different pieces of dance, the skillful use of stage lighting and the organic combination of dance and music.

For students who become interested in hip-hop dance and Syndicate after watching this show, Syndicate has auditions at the beginning of ever y semester and no formal dance experience is required.

DeathontheDivingBoard

Improv Group Improvisational Theatre performs murder mystery show, WhodunnI.T. ELLIE KURLANDER AND MADELEINE HARRIS // THE FLAT HAT Murder, secrets, a diving board and a talking dog named Fifi. What more could a person want out of a long-form improv show? The College of William and Mary’s oldest performing improv group, Improvisational Theatre, presented, “WhodunnI.T.,” a unique take on the wellbeloved murder-mystery genre. “WhodunnI.T.” began as any good improv show should: asking the audience for a word or phrase to anchor their story. With an array of words like “city,” “cricket” and “fisherman” being tossed out by the small number of in-person audience members, “diving board” is what won the cast over. The troupe began with a short improv exercise to set the foundation for the plot of the show. From this exercise came the tale of the infamous pool party hosted by the mysterious Reginald Poolface. The events that followed would alter the lives of our band of players forever.

Members of the troupe divided into four groups, some taking on multiple roles. The first act began with a group of scientists working to decontaminate an amusement park pool with their newest algae-killing invention. They received an invitation to Reginald Poolface’s pool party extravaganza, and eager to make some extra cash, the two scientists looked for ward to attending. Following them was a group of fourth graders intent on being the coolest kids at the pool through only wearing Justice swimsuits and accepting any dare thrown at them. As a former fourth grader, I can confirm that the cool kids did indeed only wear Justice swimsuits, and completing every dare was the mark of a truly cool kid. Unbeknownst to them, the list of dares they acquired included attending Mr. Poolface’s pool party.

The next group consisted of a set of 37 year old triplets trying to redeem themselves after being kicked out of the 1987 Olympics as they wanted to do the duet synchronized swimming event as a trio. They were living at home with their coach and dad, who preferred to go by, “Coach Dad,” when they received an invitation to Mr. Poolface’s pool bash. Excited for a chance to swim again, they knew that their only chance for success was to fool Poolface into thinking that they were twins rather than triplets so that all of them could taste the glory found in synchronized swimming. The fourth group, as one would expect, included Reginald Poolface, as well as his trusty henchman

Igor, whom he often called Reginald, and Fifi the dog. The scientists, fourth graders and disgraced swimmers all took a music-filled boat ride to the fateful pool party. However when Poolface tripped into his lethally acidic pool, the murder mystery began.

O ne of the standout per for mances of the evening came from Anthony Piccoli ‘22 w ith his por trayal of G er r y, the 37 year old, 7 foot tall, for mer O lympic athlete tr iplet who refuses to believe she is a fully-grow n adult. Piccoli received some of the more outlandish improv cur veballs

think you mean, water are we going to do?” While I’m sure many of you are shaking your heads or groaning at this joke, I thoroughly appreciated it.

The cast also improvised a “travel song ” that will be stuck in your head for the next three to five business days, as well as an impressively designed song about friendship that united the characters at the end of the performance.

“WhodunnI.T.” was entertaining through and through, with each cast member bringing comedy, drama and quickwit. Unfortunately, some moments did miss the mark. As someone who draws most of their murdermystery knowledge from the likes of the movies Clue and Knives Out, I was expecting the murder to occur early on in the performance.

What audience members received was 40 minutes of character exposition, leading to a climax that only occurred in the last 20 minutes of the production. While the deep-dive into each character allowed the actors to conjure up distinct personalities, the murder-mystery plot line became somewhat muddled.

Improv performers must wear multiple hats, create compelling characters and pay close attention to a storyline that is being made up on the spot. Even for professionals, this is a difficult task to take on, and all those who try should be commended. With that said, there were the occasional name, age and plot line slip-ups. Fortunately for the audience, the talented troupe played each blunder off masterfully. One example of this came when Igor was mistakenly addressed as Reginald midway through the performance. Of course, COURTESY IMAGES // LACY McLAIN the logical explanation for this, Poolface and played them off w ith the per fect combination of shared, was that, “I like to call him by my first name. It’s a melodrama and over-the-top humor. little more personable.”

New to the group this semester, G eorge Piccininni While the performance may not have been perfect, ‘23 was another light in the night ’s myster ious tale of in the grand scheme of things, what really is? Even the murder. With his back hunched and sw itching between an Mar vel cinematic universe has plot holes. Improv is one of old gothic voice and a snooty Br itish accent, Piccininni the most challenging forms of theatrical expression. This encapsulated the per fect Igor-like accomplice to “L ord performance had no script and only the prompt “diving Poolface.” board” to go off of. Acknowledging these difficulties makes As a pun enthusiast, I must applaud Zoë Bowen Smith each cast members’ performance all the more worthy of ‘21 in her role as fourth grader Petunia. When fourth praise. To quote Lord Poolface speaking to the coolest graders Rose and Petunia read the dare that they must fourth graders around, we triple quadruple double single attend Mr. Poolface’s party, Rose worried, asking Petunia triple quadruple octuplet dog dare you to check out this “What are we going to do?” to which Petunia responded, “I performance.

sports

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

The Flat Hat

¦ Tuesday, May 4, 2021 ¦ Page 7

WOMEN S TENNIS

NICK MEYER / THE FLAT HAT After finishing the Colonial Athletic Association championship tournament, junior Mila Saric and senior Vitoria Okuyama improve their record in doubles to 11-2 and 8-6, respectively. Their wins in singles in the finals account for the Tribe s two points.

Despite comeback, Tribe falls to JMU in CAAs

Loss of doubles point fatal to No. 3 Tribe after strong opening days LEXIE HIESTAND FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR

Friday, April 23 at 6 p.m., William and Mary (7-9, CAA 1-2) began its Colonial Athletic Association championship bid. The Tribe was seated No. 13 in the league, giving it a byround for the first match-up on Thursday. They faced the No. 6 UNC-W team (9-8, CAA 1-3) on Friday and swept the points with a 4-0 victory.

In doubles, the Tribe came out strong.

Between the first two finishing doubles’ teams, the Seahawks won only one game.

The top-line powerhouse pairing of graduate student Jill van den Dungen and senior Vitoria Okuyama finished first, with a complete 6-0 set sweep. The pairing extends their now threematch win streak.

On the third line, the much younger pairing of sophomores Elisa van Meerteren and Rafaela Alhach clinched the doubles point for the Tribe.

In singles, it was a race to finish. The Tribe needed only three wins to move on to the next stage of CAA competition, and they swept the game by winning the first three matches to finish, ending up with a sweep on the scoreboard.

The Tribe won its first set in all six singles match-ups.

On the top line, junior Mila Saric faced Seahawk graduate student Charlotte Madson. Madson graduated from William and Mary last year but continued her tennis career at UNC-W. Saric’s familiarity with Madson’s playstyle was evidenced by the match’s quick finish. Saric took the first set 6-3 and capitalized on the momentum to win 6-2. Her record from the season improved to 9-2 in singles.

Alhach was the second Tribe player to finish singles, propelling the Tribe to one point shy of victory. Again, her set scores show a negative split: she won the first 6-2 and finished off Seahawk Zoe Huffman with a 6-1 performance.

Van Meerteren clinched the win for the Tribe with a pair of 6-4 wins. The Alhach/van Meerteren pair combined for more than half of the Tribe’s total points against the Seahawks.

The next day, Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m., the Tribe faced No. 2-ranked Elon (17-5, CAA 4-1). The Phoenix were a thorn in the Tribe’s side in the regular season. Their last match-up, on April 3, Elon beat the Tribe with a narrow 4-3 victory. However, during the CAA semifinal match-up, the Tribe reversed that score with a 4-0 finish.

Van den Dungen and Okuyama finished first in doubles again with a 6-4 win. The pair was undefeated at the No. 1 position this season after the semis.

Alhach and van Meerteren, on the third line, were not able to capitalize on yesterday’s momentum, and they dropped their doubles match-up 2-6. They fought hard — many of their games were lost narrowly — but it was not enough. The doubles’ point came down to the second pairing.

Saric and sophomore Alisia Manolescu only played and finished two matches as a pairing with a record of 2-0 going into the Phoenix match. They traded points and games with the Phoenix, but their offense eventually paid off.

They clinched the doubles’ point for the Tribe with a 6-4 victory.

Saric carried over her performance from doubles into singles, where she won on the top line with set scores of 6-2, 6-1. This was Saric’s

seventh win in a row.

In singles, Alhach finished second again, putting the Tribe into a comfortable position with a 3-0 lead against the Phoenix. She put up matching 6-1 sets to win her fifth in a row. At the No. 5 position, she is undefeated.

Okuyama sealed the Phoenix’s fate with a 6-3, 6-2 win.

Every line contributed against the match with Elon. In singles, the Tribe won five out of six for the first sets. After van den Dungen lost her first set 1-6, she powered back to force a third with a 6-2 win. In addition, members from all three of the doubles’ pairing contributed to the Tribe’s points as they rallied together to defeat their long-time CAA foe in Elon, and they were headed to the championships.

The Tribe faced No. 1 JMU (14-3, CAA 5-0) at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The last season with championships (2018/2019), the Dukes won the CAA championships. Their 4-2 victory over the Tribe marks their second-straight CAA win.

The last time the teams faced each other, the Dukes swept the Tribe with a neat 7-0 score. Though the games were all hardfought, with forced third sets or tiebreaks, only the top Tribe doubles pair ended up winning their match. But the Tribe was determined to fight hard for a chance to win the banner.

In doubles, the Tribe’s top line fought hard, reaching a 5-4 score before the Dukes clinched the point with wins on the other courts.

Manolescu and Saric dropped first. They won only one game in the set, losing 1-6. Van Meerteren and Alhach held on a bit longer, but also fell with a final score of 2-6.

The Tribe would now have to battle for four victories in singles. It was a long shot, but they hoped to capitalize on the momentum of their last two matches in the CAA tournament.

Though Okuyama’s doubles match didn’t finish, she was determined to get on the board.

She finished her singles match in the No. 4 position with a 6-2, 6-3 split.

Van Meerteren’s subsequent defeat in the No. 3 spot increased the intensity of the last four matches. The Tribe needed to win three out of the final four. Monolescu’s defeat at No. 6 brought the Dukes within one point of CAA victory.

But Saric, at the top spot, was not going to give up easily. Her singles’ opponent, Daria Afanasyeva, beat her narrowly earlier in the month. Their last set went to a 7-6 (7) tiebreaker, where Saric ultimately lost. But Saric came prepared for their second match up. She gave the Tribe their second point of the night with a 6-1, 6-3 win. Saric finished the season with an 11-2 record in singles.

The points came down to the No. 2 and No. 5 courts.

Van den Dungen, on the second line, forced her singles match into a third set. She had won the first 6-1, dropped the second 5-7, and was fighting back and leading the third 3-1.

Alhach was fighting for time as well. The Tribe’s comeback came just moments too late.

Though she lost her first set 6-2, she didn’t make the second set an easy win. Her defense allowed her to stay tight in the second set, but culminated in a 5-7 loss. Van den Dungen’s final set was unfinished.

The Tribe’s final record for the season was 7-9 but received the designation of CAA runner-up.

s t r o p S t h g i l t Spo Seahawks soar past Tribe in 1-0 pitching duel to end series JAKE FORBES // FLAT HAT ASSOC. EDITOR

Sunday, May 2, William and Mary baseball (12-21, CAA 9-9) lost 1-0 to the University of North Carolina Wilmington (23-16, CAA 7-8). The loss concluded the Tribe’s three game series against conference rivals UNCW. Junior Zach Tsakounis started for the Tribe on the mound. Tsakounis, who was named Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week last week, lasted 6 2/3 innings and recorded three strikeouts.

“We wanted to keep the ball down and use my fastball on both sides of the plate,” Tsakounis said. “We also wanted to focus on managing their line-up by collecting outs at the bottom of the line-up to limit the number of runners in scoring position.”

Despite Tsakounis’ strong performance through the first five innings, Seahawk Matt Suggs sparked some offense for UNCW in the sixth. He hit a triple down the left field line to advance into scoring position. Seahawk Cole Weiss hit a single up the middle to drive in Suggs, but the inning ended with two flyouts.

The Seahawks rebuilt momentum in the seventh inning, with two runners on and two outs. However, senior pitcher Randy Prosperi forced a groundout to end the inning.

In the eighth inning, Suggs advanced to first on a hit by pitch in the eighth inning and got into scoring position with two outs. However, sophomore infielder Ben Greenspoon recorded a strikeout to end the top half of the inning.

In their final push, the Tribe put a runner in scoring position after senior infielder Matt McDermott was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second base on a groundout by sophomore Mark Trotta, but a strikeout ended the Tribe’s chances.

Despite minimal support on offense, Tsakounis remained poised throughout the game.

“I just focused on doing my job,” Tsakounis said. “I like the pressure of pitching in tight games. It makes every pitch feel a lot more important.”

On a quiet offensive day for the Tribe, Tyler Solomon went 2-3 with two singles. Matt Thomas rounded out the Tribe’s offense with one base hit.

The Tribe will travel to Durham, N.C. to face Duke on Tuesday, May 4 at 6 p.m. According to Tsakounis, the Tribe will focus on taking quality at bats this week.

“If we continue putting good at bats together then we will put ourselves in good positions to win offensively,” Tsakounis said.

Page 8

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

WELLNESS

CARE reports lead some students to involuntary hospitalization Controversial comments made by Provost instigate discussion about mental health of students, campus services HEALTH from page 1

Student Code of Conduct.’”

But for students suffering from depression and anxiety, disciplinary action can only worsen the situation, Kim explained.

“Anyone who has suffered from depression can tell you that there is a lot of stress that comes from the feeling of being out of control of one’s own life and, as so-called mental health professionals, the Counseling Center should have been more aware of that,” Kim wrote. “William and Mary took away my personal autonomy by forcing me into a mental hospital. They lied to me about certain accommodations and amenities that would be available to me upon admission.”

Sudarsky-Gleiser emphasized that the Counseling Center has an obligation to connect students with further resources, including potential hospitalization, if it is deemed necessary.

“There are many treatment options, but yes there are circumstances where Counseling Center staff would recommend a patient seek additional treatment through a psychiatric hospital or refer them for additional evaluation at the ER,” Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote. “Mental health professionals have the ethical and legal duty to save a life and ensure that the people they serve are able to provide for their basic human needs. In instances in which a student discloses information indicating substantial likelihood of risk to themselves or others, a referral for additional evaluation at the ER or a voluntary psychiatric hospitalization for intensive mental health treatment is recommended.”

According to Sudarsky-Gleiser, there are nine different service recommendations that the Counseling Center might make for a student with depression or suicidal thoughts. Several involve therapy — whether it be at the Counseling Center or via an off-campus provider for longer-term therapy.

The College may also recommend psychiatric services within the community, intensive outpatient therapy or intensive treatment in a specialized treatment center. The Counseling Center is also able to refer students to the Student Health Center to

explore potential antidepressant medication. Lastly, the center can recommend a voluntary medical leave, voluntary hospitalization or an Emergency Room evaluation. In the case of an ER evaluation, the possible results are either ongoing outpatient therapy, voluntary hospitalization or a Temporary Detention Order.

TDOs are legal documents that require immediate hospitalization for one to three days, during which a hearing is held to determine further action. Costs for hospitalization under TDOs fall upon the patient.

“There are situations in which the level of risk for a student (or any person assessed at the emergency room) fits the ‘substantial likelihood of harm to self or others,’ the student is unwilling to voluntarily follow the recommendation for a psychiatric hospitalization and there is not an available less restrictive alternative,” SudarskyGleiser wrote. “In these cases, the ER pre-screener would request a hearing by a magistrate who may order an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization.”

TDOs are the only path in which a student might be involuntarily admitted to a hospital, yet over 40% of hospitalizations since the 2014-15 academic year have been involuntary. The Pavilion, one of the facilities at which students at the College are hospitalized, describes the TDO process as an extreme measure.

“Taking away a person’s freedom and committing them to psychiatric treatment against their will is an extreme measure that it is only undertaken when all other treatment options have failed or been deemed unsuitable,” the Pavilion’s website says.

In the past, the majority of students at the College who were hospitalized for mental health reasons were admitted to either the Pavilion or Riverside Behavioral Health, along with various other hospitals outside the community. Recently though, several students have been sent to the Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center. In a Sept. 23, 2020 email obtained

by The Flat Hat, Mental Health Services Coordinator Christine Ferguson suggested students at the College experienced poor COVID-19 safety protocols in existing facilities.

“We just had a bad experience with another hospital and COVID policies and I think we

would like to do direct admissions to VA Beach if possible,” Ferguson wrote to VBPC Community Liaison Sarah Becker. “I wanted to know what the policies are regarding COVID/PPE on the unit. Do staff where masks? Washing hands? Just curious if you are able to share. This recent experience was really bad. Just even curious what the guidelines for psychiatric facilities are.”

During the 2019-20 academic year, four students were admitted to Pavilion, seven were admitted to Riverside, two were admitted to VBPC and nine were admitted to other Virginia hospitals. Upon request, the College did not reveal to which facility the email refers.

“William & Mary was an early adopter of strict COVID protocols including the wearing of face masks indoors and out,” Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote. “Not all of our community partners for inpatient psychiatric care have been equally aligned. In cases where partners have loosened their practices, we have sought resources that more fully match our protocols.”

The College said it does not currently hold a contract with VBPC, however, it is in the process of drafting memoranda of understanding with several facilities.

“The university does not have an agreement in place with the Virginia Beach Psychiatric Hospital,” University FOIA Officer Lillian Stevens wrote in an email. “The university is in the process of implementing MOUs with existing and new partners providing psychiatric hospitalization, we expect that process to be ongoing through the summer and won’t have a current document to provide until that process is complete.”

Not all Counseling Center processes end in hospitalization — over the past 10 years, the center has made 772 referrals to the Student Health Center.

Over 365 students have had an appointment with the College’s psychiatrist since 2016. Last academic year, the Counseling Center referred 53 students to the mental health services coordinator for a subsequent referral to psychiatric services.

Still, students say the College’s mental health services are lacking, citing inability to obtain counseling appointments and excessive bureaucracy

following a crisis. Andrew, who wished to be referred to by his first name alone, is a student at the College who was unable to make an appointment with the Counseling Center upon first arriving in August of his freshman year. By the time of his first appointment Oct. 28, it was too late. In late November, he attempted to take his life.

“I feel like it’s a no brainer if someone is coming to campus having previously needed therapy to do your part in helping them get therapy established in the place that they’re living, especially since we’re paying them money to do all these things,” Andrew said. “I had told the College before coming that I had diagnosed anxiety and depression. My point is they had the information and they put out a questionnaire to all students that are coming in — it feels like they don’t do much with that information unless you actively go out. And for a lot of people with depression, that is the hardest part.”

Since his first year, he has settled into therapy and has met regularly with Care Support Services. But additional meetings have been a burden to balance with academic work and extracurricular commitments.

“They’re very appreciative of the time I take out of my week to come meet with them,” Andrew said. “I don’t quite know how productive they understand the meetings to be. I think they think it has value, and to some degree it does. But at some point it loses value.

When I’m two years out of the event, still in therapy, have no volition to leave therapy, I don’t need to meet with them on a monthly basis. And I don’t think they acknowledge that.”

Andrew said systemic change is needed to address the issues that plague the College’s mental health services. He emphasized the need for preventative and proactive measures. If the College chose not to extend the pass/fail grading policies for this semester, he said, it should have provided other concrete actions to reduce stress and anxiety during the pandemic.

“A lot of the administration’s mental health policies are reactive, which in my case was way too little, too late,” he said. “If they don’t start taking proactive steps towards addressing mental health issues, things won’t improve.”

CAMPUS

Student Assembly, Lemon Project hosts Memorial to the Enslaved Memorial to the Enslaved held in Wren Courtyard with student performances, painting viewings MEMORIAL from page 1

Vasquez and his peers hoped that the paintings would make students of color feel honored and more at home through these works. Additionally, Vasquez wants students to see the paintings and start an honest conversation of the College’s history.

Nineteen of these paintings are physically being displayed in the Sadler Center and are virtually displayed on the Muscarelle and Lemon Project websites.

“All in all, I think everyone can enjoy the beautiful pieces and see those who had to build and maintained this institution for more years than not, we owe everything to them, and I think we are forever indebted to them,” Vasquez said.

An artist of one of the paintings displayed, Marley Fishburn ’24, explained the inspiration behind her piece.

“My piece is titled Halo and I wanted

to paint a portrait that showcased strength and fortitude as well as vulnerability,” Fishburn wrote in an email. “I wanted to show her ethereality in the gold halo behind her while also portraying her as the human being she was in order to honor her life.”

Along with the paintings, other showcases of student talent were shone in the Wren Courtyard that night. Ebony Expressions, a student choir and other singers and poets expressed their emotions during this changing time.

“I wrote ‘Brighter Day’ during quarantine because so many people were going through a rough time — including myself — and as a songwriter, I wanted to write a song that would give people hope for a better tomorrow,” Aria A’Shani Austin ’21 wrote in an email. “I performed it at the event because a lot of work has been put in by members of the William and Mary

community for positive change, but there is still a lot to be done. It will take all of us to be a part of that change and if we work together, there certainly are brighter days ahead!”

Another singer, Celeste Chalkley ’21, also felt that music as an art form expressed her thoughts well. She felt the song “I’m Here” from “The Color Purple” encompassed an emotional and personal journey.

“There is power in the authenticity that it brings forth,” Chalkley wrote in an email.

“I felt that this song was an appropriate fit for the Memorial to the Enslaved because there’s this commonality and build between the two. They are both vulnerable and developing at the beginning stages, but by the end they profess ‘I’m here.’”

Chalkley further explained that the legacy of Black Americans lives in the United States and the College.

“Taking these strides as an institution

are imperative to reconcile with our past and to move on and be better,” Chalkley wrote. “Their memory and legacy lives on.

They can’t vocalize that they are here, so this song had the ability to serve as a voice and a reminder.”

Another performer, Ephraim Takyi ’23 wanted to specifically highlight the issue of police brutality towards the African American community in his piece — specifically, 15-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant and the murder of a 13-year-old boy in Chicago.

“I wanted to get the message across that the fight is not over,” Takyi wrote in an email.

“Even though Derek Chauvin was finally convicted for murder in the case of George Floyd, we can’t get tired. It’s something that was supposed to happen. We need to keep fighting, so the norm isn’t even rightful conviction, but the end of discrimination, racism, and specifically police brutality.

That’s why I sang ‘Glory’ by John Legend ft. Common because I wanted others to understand that it’s not over and we haven’t yet cried ‘GLORY!’ The powerful student voices and works created a successful Memorial to the Enslaved and left attendees with a lasting impression. Attendee Chris Eliades ’23 noted how inspirational student action, creativity and accountability are.

“Seeing the pieces of art projected onto the side of the Wren building while getting to hear the ethereal vocal talents and resonating stanzas from our student body is an experience I’ll never forget,” Eliades wrote in an email. “By getting to listen to their words and their passion, we all got to learn and leave with the knowledge of how to ensure that we never forget our school’s history, how to hold it and ourselves accountable, and how to learn from its mistakes to make our world a better place.”

STUDENT ASSEMBLY

Student Assembly Reparations Committee evaluates progress of past year Campus climate survey reveals widespread discrimination, Reparations Committee discusses path forward REPARATIONS from page 1

future generations of students.

“We wanted to be an educational landmark when it came to this topic, so people knew who to come to and knew about the work we do,” Ayika said. “And we also wanted to make sure that we laid the groundwork — laid a solid foundation so that other co-chairs felt comfortable walking in those same footsteps and moving even farther than the previous people had done.”

As part of their polling of the campus community, the Reparations Committee released a small-scale survey in February, aimed at understanding the campus climate for students from diverse backgrounds. The survey included 18 LGBTQ+ students, 48 multicultural students, 29 first generation students and 14 low-income students, of which 54 identified as more than one group.

The survey asked the diverse students whether they felt respected by other students, faculty and staff, and whether they had ever felt discriminated against, among other questions.

Of the students surveyed, only 50%

felt respected by their fellow students, with only 20.6% of multicultural students feeling respected. Adejayan, co-chair of the reparations committee on the community side, saw these results as disheartening.

“These are the people that our respondents are going to class with, staying in their residence hall with, working on projects together, the people they are interacting with most on an everyday basis,” Adejayan said. “Twenty point six percent of them feel like they’re respected. That means that about 80% of our multicultural respondents don’t feel respected by our fellow students.”

Faculty results were similar, with 58% of student respondents feeling respected by faculty, and only 34.4% of multicultural student respondents feeling respected by faculty.

“These are the people that these students basically came to this school for,” Adejayan said. “They came here for this education, and the people who are supposed to be educating them, they don’t feel respected by them.”

However, results for staff were very different. Seventy point two percent of the

survey respondents felt respected by staff members, highlighting the differences in diversity between the student body and professors versus. the College’s staff.

“It’s notable because our staff here is arguably one of the most diverse groups of people on this campus, with a majority of our staff being Black,” Adejayan said. “And I can see why 70% of these respondents would feel like they are being respected the most by our staff. If anything, the staff is probably one of the most welcoming groups of people on this campus, as a multicultural student.”

Adejayan pointed to his own positive experience with staff members.

“I remember myself, coming from home to come to school my first year, the first people who really welcomed me at this school — even at my residence hall — were members of the janitorial staff, Black members of the janitorial staff,” Adejayan said. “They welcomed me, they were extremely excited to see me, they basically showed me around my entire dorm, gave me these useful tips on how to go about moving around this campus as a Black man. So I can see why these people are feeling like staff are respecting them

the most.”

Beyond the question of respect, the survey also asked respondents if they regularly experienced discrimination.

Sixty five percent of respondents reported yes, with 42% experiencing discrimination in the classroom, 23.3% while in Fraternity and Sorority Life, and 28.8% while walking around campus. For Adejayan, this once again underscored the severity of the problem.

“It’s not even just enough that these students aren’t feeling like they’re being respected on campus, as human beings, they’re also saying that, to a further extent, they’re feeling discriminated against, they’re being discriminated against on a regular basis,” Adejayan said. “And we’re seeing that, even with that discrimination, there is no safe space for these students.

They’re being discriminated against in the classroom, in Greek life, walking around campus. There is no safe space on this campus for these students.”

Adejayan pointed to the survey results as proof of the pattern of discrimination that students of color face at the College. As the Reparations

Committee moves forward, they plan to use the survey results to emphasize the importance of their work and the need for some form of reparations at the College. But for Adejayan, the work doesn’t solely rest with the committee — all students need to put in the work to make the College more inclusive to diverse communities.

“Yes, put pressure on administration, but that’s the easy part, right?” Adejayan said. “That’s where everybody goes. The harder part is now having those conversations with your friends, with yourself. What are you and your associates doing to add to these numbers? To take away from these numbers? What are you doing to constantly make this environment a better place for these diverse communities? Because now that we have this information out here, people can’t continue to just do nothing.

Because doing such would make them complicit, make them an accomplice to this environment that constantly disrespects and discriminates against multicultural students and students of color on this campus.”