The Flat Hat, February 13 2015

SPORTS>> PAGE 8

VARIETY >> PAGE 7

Undefeated at home

Olympic cyclist visits campus

College improves to 11-0 at Kaplan Arena with a 77-58 win over Elon.

Vol. 104, Iss. 30 | Friday, February 13, 2015

Cyclist discusses setbacks female cyclists face.

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Campus events

Student Impact starts petition

Vigil held for Chapel Hill deaths

PAC fights noise ordinance amelia Lucas flat hat assoc. News editor

The StudentImpact, a student-founded political action committee, released a Change.org petition Feb. 2 to amend the City of Williamsburg’s noise ordinance. The petition refers to the ordinance as an “outdated and unnecessarily strict law that disproportionately impacts students.”

The petition asks the Williamsburg City Council to require an official complaint to be filed when issuing a noise violation, to reduce the fine for violations to $250, to increase the limit of allowable decibels outdoors after 11 p.m. and to increase the distance that merits a violation.

Requests also include reducing a noise violation from a class one misdemeanor to a class four misdemeanor; however, the city’s noise ordinance states that first violations result in a class two misdemeanor.

“Any person who violates sections 12-72 [specific prohibitions] or 12-73 [prohibited noise, generally] shall be deemed guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $300 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense within a 12-month period,” section 12-76 of the City of Williamsburg’s Article V: Noise Ordinance with Amendments states. “Any subsequent offense within the same 12-month period shall be punishable as a class 1 misdemeanor.”

In 2014, the Williamsburg Police Department recorded 22 noise disturbances. Seventeen of the individuals charged with a noise violation in that year were students at the College of William and Mary.

The idea to amend the noise ordinance came from StudentImpact’s Political Director Joshua Fleitman ’15.

“I brought up the noise ordinance [at a StudentImpact meeting] because I’ve had a lot of personal experience with seeing the more unfair See PETITION page 3

KJ MORAN/ THE FLAT HAT

Students gathered on the Wren Portico Wednesday night to remember Deah Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, who were killed in North Carolina.

Students commemorate lives of three killed in Chapel Hill, N.C. kj moran fLAT HAT assoc. News editor

More than 100 students gathered on the steps of the Sir Christopher Wren Building Portico Wednesday night to honor the lives lost in a Chapel Hill, N.C. shooting Tuesday. The candlelight vigil was a collaboration between students at the MarshallWythe School of Law and the College of William and Mary’s Muslim Student Association.

University students Deah Barakat, 23; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21; and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, were killed Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. Razan Abu-Salha had recently started studying Architecture and Environmental Design at North Carolina State

University, and Deah was a second year dentistry student dedicated to dental relief efforts for Syrian refugees in Turkey. Yusor was planning to begin her studies at the University of North Carolina’s School of Dentistry in the fall.

President of the Muslim Student Association Maab Yasin ’15 and members of the Executive Board opened the vigil as students, faculty and members of the community lit candles.

Lamya Moosa J.D. ’15 is originally from Durham, N.C. and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate degree. Moosa helped organize the event with several members of the Muslim Student Association. She knew Barakat’s older sister while at UNC. “After reaching out to friends in the community,

student assembly

I learned the following things about them: I learned that they were kind, ambitious and that they were dedicated to their community,” Moosa said to the crowd. “But most importantly, I learned that they were just like us. They were loyal friends, caring siblings and loving children.”

Moosa closed her speech with a quote from the Quran: “Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is good. Then you will find your erstwhile enemy like a close, affectionate friend.”

Former president of the Black Law Students Association Michael Roy J.D. ’15 also spoke regarding his frustration at the portrayal of these students’ deaths in the media.

See VIGIL page 4

virginia

Undergraduate Council to be dissolved as SA branch College students Senate passes restructuring bills, discusses less manpower, changed senator roles amelia lucas FLAT HAT Assoc. NEws Editor

The College of William and Mary’s Student Assembly Senate unanimously voted to approve the dissolution of the Undergraduate Council Feb. 10.

The Senate approved both the Constitution Restructuring Act and the Code Restructuring Act

and effectively disbanded the Undergraduate Council as a branch of the Student Assembly. The Undergraduate Council passed the two bills Feb. 3.

As a result of the two acts, the role of class president will now include the duties of a senator, but the class president will also chair a class committee comprised of the class president and the four class senators.

ASHLEY RICHARDSON/ THE FLAT HAT

Under the Student Assembly’s new structure there will be one class president and four senators.

Index News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports

Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Senator Chase Jordan ’15 began the discussion of the Constitution Restructuring Act by proposing two friendly amendments. The first amendment would enact the law Feb. 11, and the second amendment allows the changes to take effect once the 323rd session of the Senate begins. The purpose of the amendments is to allow the Election Commission to inform candidates for next year’s Student Assembly about the changes and to allow the Undergraduate Council to finish their terms. The Undergraduate Council unanimously approved these amendments.

Sen. James Walker ’15 shared his concerns about how the dissolution of the Undergraduate Council could result in a shortage of manpower for Student Assembly events. Walker also expressed disappointment about the lack of transparency between the Undergraduate Council and the Senate concerning the changes. Sen. Emily Thomas ’17 later echoed this sentiment.

“I think that it would have been better if everyone had been brought in on this conversation and

everyone could have been having this conversation for a longer span of time instead of forcing it into two hours for us to list grievances,” Thomas said.

Senate Chair Daniel Ackerman ’16 stressed that the dissolution of the Undergraduate Council would make elections and the roles themselves in Student Assembly more meaningful.

“When you’re an upperclassmen running for an uncontested seat in undergrad council, and in the past, it has also been in the senate, you don’t feel that need to go above and beyond the mandatory rules,” Ackerman said.

Thomas asked about the senators’ added responsibility of planning class events, which was previously the role of the Undergraduate Council.

“Really the only two required programming or ceremonial activities that will fall upon the Senate are the junior class ring ceremony and the senior dance,” Chief of Staff Drew Wilke ’15 said.

“So, I think that you have to take

Danly, Tucker voice concerns emily Nye flat hat ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

Nine students from the College of William and Mary traveled to Richmond Monday, Feb. 9 to contest a new bill moving through Virginia state legislature. The bill would require all faculty, staff and administration of Virginia public universities to report instances of sexual assault to community law enforcement within 48 hours of notification.

The group of students, led by Student Assembly President Colin Danly ’15 and Student Assembly Undersecretary of Sexual Assault Advocacy Mallory Tucker ’15, sat in on a meeting of the Virginia Senate Courts subcommittee along with students from Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University and the University of Virginia.

Prior to Monday’s meeting, the bill in question, Senate Bill 712, would have charged public university employees with a Class 1 misdemeanor if they failed to report instances of sexual assault to the appropriate law enforcement.

During the meeting, students expressed See SEXUAL ASSAULT page 4

Inside Variety

Inside Opinions

Giving students a say in their surroundings

Sunny, High 35, Low 22

See SENATE page 3

oppose state bill

From the asylum feel of Tucker to a lack of seating in Lodge 1, certain parts of campus leave much to be desired. Giving students a voice in the decisionmaking process is necessary in improving campus. page 5

Love is all you need

Three student couples at William and Mary discuss their upcoming marriages. page 6

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THE BUZZ

Do we need to know that they were educated, exuberant and selfless to care about their deaths? Why isn’t the knowledge that they were human beings enough?

—Former president of the Black Law Students Association Michael Roy J.D. ’15 on the Chapel Hill shootings

THE DIGITAL DAY

Snapchats from Students

This week’s edition of Snapchats from Students details one student’s struggle against microbiology.

She studies at such a breakneck pace that she can barely contain her enthusiasm. However, microbiology begins to take a toll on her as she hungrily eyes a couple of petri dishes and later carries the sweet smell of science home. Send your snapchats to The Flat Chat and don’t forget to check out these and past Snapchats in our Facebook album.

theflatchat A THOUSAND WORDS

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CORRECTIONS

Oxford study abroad blogger Will Emmons watches the Super Bowl with his British friends and reflects on what it means to be an American. Check out all of Will’s blogs online at Flathatnews. com.

“Two Sundays ago, a great meeting took place. It was an exchange of cultures, a marketplace of ideas and a high act of international diplomacy: Together, American and British students watched the Superbowl. Food was served, beers were opened, and representatives of two great peoples united in merriment to observe this all-American event. Many of my British friends didn’t know the rules of football, which resulted in failed rugby analogies and lots of saying, ‘No … no, nope, not like that.’ Unfortunately, I think I learned more about rugby than they did about football.

We might have been speaking another language. Then the game started.

“As with many other things about my nationality as an American, I became more self-conscious about the Superbowl while watching it with foreigners. Because it’s so ingrained in American culture, I soon felt responsible for the Superbowl as one of the few Yankees in the room. All the media coverage, the game, the commercials and the halftime show turned into a microcosm of Americana.”

Washington, D.C. blogger, Daria Grastara, navigates the competitive game that is finding an internship. Read about this and more in her blog post on flathatnews.com.

“I truly believed applying for college was tough. At least colleges send you a nice rejection letter in the mail when you aren’t good enough. Internships just ignore your existence entirely.

“Because I am a sophomore and was slightly disadvantaged in the applicant pool, the W&M in Washington Program coordinator suggested applying to intern for a Congressman or Congresswoman, as they are always seeking free labor. So I did. I applied to intern for a Congressman from New Jersey — my home state — and a Congresswoman whom I idolize. I never heard back from either.

“This is when I began to panic. If the ‘safety’ internships don’t want me, then I must be the definition of pathetic and desperate.

And no ambitious, wannabe young professional wants to face that kind of rejection when everyone else in your program is posting statuses about their amazing internships. The type-A part of me could not possibly accept that the safety internship didn’t even have the courtesy to send out a “Sorry, but I’m not interested in you” response.” graphics by ellen wexler / THE FLAT HAT

CAMPUS POLICE BEAT

Feb. 10—Feb. 11

The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly.

Corrections may be submitted by 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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Tuesday, Feb. 10 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public on Richmond Road.

2

Tuesday, Feb. 10 — An individual was arrested for larceny from a building on Priorslee Lane.

3

Tuesday, Feb. 10 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public on North Boundary Street.

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Wednesday, Feb. 11 — An individual was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol at the intersection of Richmond Road and Monticello Avenue.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Tourism Alliance broadens According to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily, the Historic Triangle’s Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance implemented changes to attract new members to its 800-person population. The Chamber revised its pricing plan, set up an increased number of networking events and introduced new marketing opportunities.

One change is the alteration of the flat fees system for restaurants; restaurants with zero-50 seats will be charged $250, while those with more than 100 seats will be charged $1,000. Membership fees have decreased for individuals and retirees. The Chamber will host discussion seminars for the members to network.

Swem celebrates Black History Earl Gregg Swem Library has incorporated several events to celebrate Black History Month. Such events include a screening of the film “12 Years a Slave,” a talk by author Jack Trammell about the Richmond slave trade, and an exhibit featuring the work of photographer Louis Draper. Two screenings for the film will be held Feb. 18. The movie, which tells the story of Solomon Northup, has ties to Swem. The library contains the diary of Florence Barber, Northup’s granddaughter.

The library acquired the diary in 2009 after purchasing it on eBay. Additionally, the exhibit of Draper’s work will feature a talk by his sister, Nell Draper-Winston.

Busch Gardens brings new show Busch Gardens revealed a new show for the theme park’s 40th anniversary, the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily reports. The show, entitled “Roll Out the Barrel”, portrays a fictional German town where during a brewing festival. The focus of the show is the town’s brewers. It will include aerial acrobats, singers, musicians and dancers, and will be performed by the same troupe that put on Scrooge No More!, which was the show featured in Christmas Town this past year. “Roll Out the Barrel” will begin Mar. 27. Busch Gardens will continue to put on other shows, namely London Rocks, “Celtic Fyre”, which celebrates Ireland, and “Mix It Up!”

Page 3

The Flat Hat

Campus Events

New Ambassador talks US-EU Relations

Addresses proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement’s role in globalization Caroline Nutter flat hat assoc. news editor

The College of William and Mary hosted European Union Ambassador to the United States David O’Sullivan, Tuesday Feb. 10. O’Sullivan discussed US-EU relations, particularly in light of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement in the works.

The TTIP agreement, introduced with the intent of fostering multilateral growth, has faced criticism for potentially increasing the role of corporate power at the cost of government regulation.

O’Sullivan was appointed to his position in November.

He has worked at the EU for 35 years. O’Sullivan is originally from Ireland, and this trip to the College was his first trip out of Washington, D.C. during his time as Ambassador.

In the latter portion of the talk, O’Sullivan focused specifically on US-EU relations, discussing how the Atlantic Alliance and the transatlantic

corridor are becoming increasingly important in due to globalization.

“Forty to 50 percent of the world’s GDP [Gross Domestic Product] comes from the transatlantic corridor alone,” O’Sullivan said. “We are not entitled to that percent of the world’s GDP, we have to work for it with our brains, brawn and values.”

O’Sullivan described the TTIP as a next step for USEU relations, which would reduce tariffs, lessen the cost of doing business and push for a higher global standard of O’Sullivan production.

“This agreement is taking the relationship to a new level,” O’Sullivan said. “What’s not to be gained. … Free trade is unequivocally a creator of net wealth.”

On the topic of the TTIP, the ambassador stated that protectionist policies have no place in an increasingly connected global society.

“We don’t have the luxury or choice to shut

ourselves off from world trade,” O’Sullivan said.

O’Sullivan also answered a number of audience questions centered on various issues, including the Ukrainian crisis, the Middle East and the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in Paris.

He addressed how EU membership affects national sovereignty, austerity measures in the Eurozone and Turkey’s bid for full membership in the EU. Vice Provost for International Affairs and the Director of the Reves Center for International Studies Steve Hanson talked about how hosting speakers like O’Sullivan can increase the prestige and legitimacy of the College’s international relations program.

“It’s really important to have distinguished, important speakers,” Hanson said. “They can see our students in action and leave with a strong impression of our community.”

Hanson also mentioned how such VIP guests can help with networking.

“They remember we can stay in touch, and this means many more connections for our students

and faculty to make use of,” Hanson said.

Student attendee Lydia House ’16 expressed her enthusiasm for and engagement in some parts of the talk, and her dissatisfaction with a few points.

“I liked it, I thought it was impressive to get a speaker of that standard,” House said. “Though it didn’t really show the views of individual countries and was very all-encompassing — it toed the line of the EU’s real views on the subject.”

House also said that she felt such speakers could spark the interest of any student at the College, and that background knowledge in the EU and government was helpful, but not necessary.

“We have a cool class called international political economy that deals with things like that,” House said. “A deeper knowledge would help, but a Wikipedia knowledge would be all you need to be set.”

House also mentioned that she would like to see more discussions like this in the future.

“Considering how close we are to Washington, I think that would be great,” House said.

Global Film Festival Act passes, Undergraduate Council dissolves SENATE from page 1

“So, I think that you have to take a step back and not worry too much about this new programming role because there is not necessarily a concrete stone that says that it has to happen a certain way.”

The Graduate Council agreed to approve the dissolution of the Undergraduate Council provided that it receives two more senators, one of which will be placed on the finance committee, in order to balance the class presidents’ new voting rights.

This proposal will be discussed at a later date.

In addition to approving the dissolution of the Undergraduate Council, the Senate also unanimously approved the passage of the Global Film Festival Act. The bill allocates $7,500 from the Reserves fund to pay for the speaking fees of two sexual assault advocates to accompany

the screening of the film “The shared that the Charter Day Concert Hunting Ground.” The documentary sold 3,333 tickets and more than investigates sexual assault and rape 2,400 students attended the concert. culture on college campuses.

“Personally, I think that it is pretty important to bring these two women to campus because it goes hand in hand with this programming event. … And I’m fiscally conservative, so that’s saying something,” Thomas said.

The Code of the Student Assembly was also amended to use genderneutral terms, to create a service organization fund, and to define more strictly campaign limitations for elections.

The Senate also approved allocating funds from those earmarked for STI test subsidies in the budget to support the Tribe Rides program, which subsidizes transportation for students to and from mental health appointments.

ASHLEY RICHARDSON / THE FLAT HAT Sen. Yohance Whitaker ’15 SA Senate listens to proposals before voting.

Undergrad Council to dissolve itself In its Feb. 10 meeting, the College of William and Mary’s Undergraduate Council unanimously passed revised versions of the Constitution Restructuring Act and the Code Restructuring Act. The bills, which dissolve the Undergraduate Council and change the structure of the Senate, were initially passed Feb. 3.

Revisions focused on time span clarifications – since the Senate also passed the Code Restructuring Act, the bill was enacted Feb. 11, but the full changes will not take effect until the Student Assembly’s next session.

Galt In the meantime, the Undergraduate Council will work to aid the Student Assembly through this period of transition.

“We’ll be passing information through

[the outreach committee] to our officers and anyone else who’s interested to help spread awareness of what Student Assembly does, what this restructuring means, and why we did it to different clubs and organizations,” sophomore class president Phoebe Galt ‘17 said.

“This is such an important time for SA and a really great time to help people understand because we have so much publicity right now.”

The Undergraduate Council will also continue to plan class events and finish current initiatives.

The seniors are planning their class dance, as well as career preparation events, while the juniors are working to select commencement speakers and improve safety resources on campus.

The sophomore and freshman classes are co-sponsoring a movie night Feb. 13.

They plan on showing “Footloose” to raise awareness for Tribethon’s Dance Marathon.

— Flat Hat Assoc. News Editor Meilan Solly

Haulman raises concerns over StudentImpact’s noise ordinance petition PAC gains more than 1,000 signatures from students as Williamsburg residents express worry over proposed reforms CITY COUNCIL from page 1

side of the law, especially as it applies to the students,” Fleitman said.

Co-founder and Executive Director of StudentImpact Benming Zhang ’16 agreed with Fleitman’s opinion on the noise ordinance and encouraged him to start the campaign.

“Why not amend it to a point that we all can agree?” Zhang said. “Let’s be honest, we have people that are a little irresponsible, and maybe they cause a lot of ruckus. That’s why the noise ordinance is there. We appreciate why it is there. It’s just that we believe that it disproportionately targets students for the most arbitrary reasons.”

Williamsburg City Councilman Scott Foster ’10 J.D. ’14 said he believes in finding a balance between the wishes of students and those of Williamsburg’s other residents.

“We have to remember that when living within close proximity of others, some disturbances will always occur,” Foster said in an email. “I think with some slight amendments we can better deal with true disturbances while reducing the likelihood that reasonable noise is penalized.”

Williamsburg Mayor Clyde Haulman agreed with the sentiment that the laws must treat all citizens equally.

“I think that fairness and equity is a thing that has to be in the talks of any consideration of an ordinance,” Haulman said.

However, Haulman raised several concerns with the petition.

“One of things that it suggests is that a citation should only be issued with an official complaint, but then they later on talk about officers increasing the distance,” Haulman said. “How does a citation or violation only come in with an official complaint? Does that eliminate the officers doing something because they aren’t making an official complaint?

So it’s somewhat confusing how those two parts interact with each other.

Secondly, I think that the points about the type of misdemeanor are something

worth talking about, particularly for the first offense.”

Haulman said he also disagrees with the idea that the noise ordinance is outdated. The City Council previously amended it in July 2012 to more clearly outline noise restrictions on public streets and sidewalks and to comply with a Virginia Supreme Court decision.

“To say that the law is antiquated and hasn’t been changed in a while is questionable,” Haulman said.

The release of the petition is only the first for StudentImpact’s multi-month campaign to amend the noise ordinance.

StudentImpact leaders, including Fleitman, attended the Feb. 12 City Council meeting to read the petition to its members.

Longtime Williamsburg resident John Austin addressed his concerns about amending the noise ordinance to the City Council following Fleitman’s reading.

“Maybe some parts of Williamsburg can take the change of having later, louder noise going on,” Austin said. “But there are areas like [my] street where it was not built for that purpose. Having students there that are very disruptive and if the students followed and lived the way that what I call residents [do] — I don’t call them residents unless they have lived here for a few years — it wouldn’t be so bad.”

In the coming weeks, StudentImpact plans to table on the terrace of Sadler Center to spread its message.

The group members also plan to reach out to other student organizations, including student political groups and the Greek community, to find collaborators.

Their goal is to gain enough support to compel City Council to open a public hearing about the matter.

“We want to encourage students to find ways to branch out beyond campus, and with the noise ordinance, it brings student involvement within the city,” Fleitman said.

Editor’s Note: Benming Zhang ‘16 served as Flat Hat Online Editor April to October 2013.

COURTESTY PHOTO / STUDENTIMPACT FACEBOOK PAGE

Benming Zhang ‘16 shared the proposal with the community outside of the Sadler Center in order to gain more signatures from students.

Amelia lucas / THE FLAT HAT

Council members review StudentImpact’s ‘16 petition, which has been signed by more than 1,000 members of the Williamsburg community.

Page 4

The Flat Hat

Friday, February 13, 2015

Academics

College IR program ranked 18th Foreign Policy magazine includes College in survey of international relations studies Paula wagner The flat hat

For the first time in ten years, the College of William and Mary has been included in “Foreign Policy” magazine’s list of “Top U.S. Undergraduate Institutions to Study International Relations.”

The survey, known as the Ivory Tower, was a joint effort between “Foreign Policy” and the College’s Teaching,

Research and International Policy project.

Preparations began one year in advance, allotting six months for the writing of over Peterson 100 questions and three months to contact the 1,615 people who answered the survey. The College was

ranked No. 18 on the list.

“The significance of the results is that William and Mary’s international relations program is among the best among its peers,” TRIP project manager Nicky Bell ’12 said.

The College is one of only two schools on the list that does not have a graduate program in international relations.

The other school is Dartmouth College.

Despite the College’s lack of graduate studies in international relations, the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations provides opportunities for undergraduates to conduct research. ITPIR hosts programs such as the Project on International Peace and Security, AidData and the Teaching, Research and International Policy project.

“When the Institute was founded, it gave an opportunity that was

unprecedented at the College,” international relations major Dylan Vorbach ’15 said.

Reves professor of Government and International Relations and Director of the International Relations Program Sue Peterson attributed the department’s success to a curriculum redesign which took place several years ago.

“What emerged is one of the most rigorous undergraduate IR programs around,” Peterson said in an email.

Community gathers to commemorate lives lost to violence Muslim Students Association organizes candelight vigil at Wren Portico for North Carolina students VIGIL from page 1

deaths in the media.

“Do we need to know that they were educated, exuberant and selfless to care about their deaths? Why isn’t the knowledge that they were human beings enough?”

Roy said. “One news source stated that this incident has caused an ‘overwhelming and fierce outpouring of pain’ from the international Muslim community. Why? We must ask ourselves why this event has not had the same effect on anyone who hears about this no matter what community they belong to?”

Following prepared prayers, convocations and reflections, the vigil opened for others to speak.

Many representatives from different religious groups — the Wesley Foundation, Catholic Campus Ministry

and the Canterbury Student Episcopal Ministry, spoke to offer words of support.

President of the Student Assembly Colin Danly ’15 contributed to the conversation.

“When we have social strife, hardship every day, it is hard to imagine that things will get better, that this feeling of normalcy around tragedy will go away,” Danly said. “These acts are not normal, nor should we treat them as such. The only way we can achieve a better world is through love and compassion, not through hate and intolerance. What I keep coming back to is the fact that they were students.

And they could [have] been walking on our campus next to us, but they just chose to pursue their education a few hundred miles south.”

The evening closed as vigil attendees blew out candles,

and many in the community embraced in solidarity.

“For a lot of the Muslims on campus, the news hit very close to home as we are Muslim American college students just like Deah, Razan and Yusor, at an institution that is not too far away,” Yasin said in an email. “Although we feel safe on campus, sometimes that sense of security doesn’t extend to the greater Williamsburg community, so it was scary in a lot of ways. I think it was great for us to hear from others who acknowledged the media’s bias on the matter and felt the same way we did about the incident, because it reminded us we were not alone. We were extremely humbled by the turnout, and I know for a lot of us, we felt a great sense of comfort and reaffirmation of the love and support of the William and Mary community.”

Students contest bill in Richmond

Legislation focuses on sexual assault reporting

concerns regarding mandatory reporting and the rights of survivors — as survivors would have no say as to whether their experience was reported to community law enforcement.

“I am grateful to our lawmakers for wanting to take up this issue,” Tucker said, “However, despite the urgency to do something about it, patience and a lot of listening is necessary. I was shocked and amazed at how limited the understanding seemed to be of the complex issue that is sexual assault, especially on a college campus. There didn’t seem to be a lot of focus on the actual perspective of survivors and those who are close to them, and much more of a black and white ideology of ‘people who break laws need to be stopped.’ I was very shocked on how little information people voting on these laws seemed to have.”

Those College employees who work specifically with the survivors of sexual assault in the days, weeks and months following their attacks disagree with Senate Bill 712 because of the ramifications it could pose for the survivor’s healing process, Senior Assistant Dean of Students Care Support Services Donna Haygood-Jackson said.

“We feel that [mandated reporting] would set back the work we have done on having survivors come forward to ask for resources,” HaygoodJackson said. “When survivors are sexually assaulted, they feel powerless and they feel their choices are taken away. If we create a scenario where they feel powerless about what’s about to happen and their choice is taken away, we are just re-victimizing them.”

The College’s current policy on reporting instances of sexual assault and violence is regulated by Title IX and the Office of Civil Rights.

At this time, there are currently three resources on campus where students can go and be assured confidentiality as long as no one’s immediate safety is in jeopardy: the Counseling Center, the Student Health Center and the Haven. The Haven is a student volunteer-run safe space for survivors located in the Campus Center. Should this legislation be passed, only the Haven would remain confidential, as it is run by volunteers, not employees of the College. The Counseling Center and the Student Health Center would be forced to initiate mandated reporting.

“A lot of the volunteers here at the Haven feel that having a bill that requires mandatory reporting will set up a lot of barriers for people looking for resources and support,” Lauren Dybel ’17, a volunteer at the Haven who was also in attendance for the higher education subcommittee meeting on

Monday, said. “For instance, if somebody comes to a professor looking for support, emotionally, mentally or maybe academically, the professor will struggle in finding a balance between being confidential with the student and feeling that they have to report it.”

After the meeting of the higher education subcommittee, the bill was amended so that instead of forcing collegiate employees to report instances of sexual assault to local law enforcement, employees would now be required to report the instance to an internal Threat Assessment Task Force at the College, which would include one member of law enforcement.

The bill, after amendments, has now been moved to the Courts Committee, where a final judgment will be decided before it moves to the floor. Once on the floor, a decision should be reached within a few weeks.

“There is always going to be a balance between survivor choice and public safety, and the Student Assembly is committed to giving as much agency and choice to survivors that doesn’t necessarily pose a threat to the public,” Danly said. “That is a very delicate conversation, but the Student Assembly is very active in this conversation in Richmond.”

“

I was shocked and amazed at how limited the understanding seemed to be of the complex issue that is sexual assault, especially on a college campus.

— Student Assembly Undersecretary of Sexual Assault Advocacy Mallory Tucker ‘15

“

SEXUAL ASSAULT from page 1

CAROLINE NUTTER / THE FLAT HAT

Students held a vigil for UNC Chapel Hill students Deah Barakat, Razan Abu-Salha and Yusor Abu-Salha outside the Wednesday.

opinions

Opinions Editor Isabel Larroca Assoc. Opinions Editor Annie Sadler fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat | Friday, February 13, 2015 | Page 5

EDITORIAL CARTOON

STAFF EDITORIAL

A wrong course S

GRAPHIC BY VIRGINIA STROBACH / THE FLAT HAT

I want accent walls — and a voice

Meredith Ramey FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The College of William and Mary’s Auxiliary Services Feb. 4 email was a good step and the right step. Although it graced the bottom of the missive — located just above a muchignored parking advisory for the next home Tribe basketball game — the “Poll Zone” offered one of the first outlets through which students could vote on the future ambiance of a recently renovated College facility.

Now, many may say that choosing whether to have silence, music, TVs, muted TVs or both music and muted TVs in Lodge 1 is an insignificant decision.

However, this poll marked the first time in recent memory that students were given agency and the means to make a decision about the atmosphere of a campus location. The weight of this survey is not important; what matters is the decision-making power that the poll provided. For once, I could democratically exercise my right as a student to decide whether I wanted to return to the footfall-filled Lodge 1 of old or expand the silenced, unwatched televisions of the pool-table area. (Obviously I selected a new feel and went with the music, no TVs, option. It was winning by 62 percent when I last checked.)

But this newfound decision-making ability should not end here. Has anyone else noticed that the campus is becoming more and more static, cold and uninviting? For example, while I would not have chosen the photo-collage-filled walls of the old Marketplace, they were much better than the silent, white hospital walls of the renovated dining option. It’s not that I

don’t like art — I’ve often found myself admiring the President’s Collection in Blow Hall — but why must the Marketplace become a sadder extension of the Muscarelle? Have you ever eaten in a museum? If you have, it was probably in a food court, removed from the galleries and placed in a fountain- or sculpture-filled space. I’m not saying that Auxiliary Services should add a fountain to the Marketplace, but could we at least see an accent wall or two?

Accent walls, accent walls — why do those ring a bell? Because two years ago when Earl Gregg Swem Library revamped Mews to install Greenberry’s Coffee Company (which is now Swem Aromas) and add the plush-chaired study room, they also added three accent colors throughout the library. While current freshmen and sophomores do not know Swem’s old look, they should be informed that the addition of “Independent Green,” “Gingery” and “Soulful Blue” — alongside the new ottomans — extended my usual stay in Swem by a few hours. To top it off, these changes were the result of a survey of students the spring before.

Auxiliary Services should learn something from Swem’s renovation. While I cannot speak for all students at the College, a poll or survey of some kind can. You can argue that a survey isn’t always answered, but if ten students take the time to answer a few questions, those ten students are involved in the decision-making process. Let students decide how we want our campus to look. Let English majors tell you whether or not they preferred the basements of Tyler to the asylum feel of Tucker, with its awkwardly wide classrooms and intimidating debutante staircase. Let students tell you that they no longer want to sit on hallway floors in Blair and Morton — give us benches or chairs. Who knows whether students would rather sacrifice the spacious nature of Lodge 1 so that they can actually find a seat?

While the suggestions I list here are my own, they and the opinions of all students at the College, deserve to find a voice and an outlet through which they can reach the great decision-makers in Auxiliary Services.

Email Meredith Ramey at maramey@email.wm.edu.

“

Has anyone else noticed that the campus aesthetic is becoming more and more static, cold and uninviting?

?

tudentImpact’s recent petition on Change.org to amend Williamsburg’s noise ordinance is in many ways admirable.

It seeks to involve students in city governance, promoting change through the democratic process. Over 1,000 students have signed, with legitimate reasons to do so. The petition, however, is dishonest and could harm its own cause.

Conceptually, we support many of the petition’s requests. The current minimum fine for a first violation of the noise ordinance is $300. That is unaffordable for the average student; we agree that it should be lower. The noise limits themselves also merit consideration. The law states, “No sound generation shall result in sound having a volume of 75 [decibels] or more, at a distance greater than ten feet from the place at which the sound is being generated.” 75 decibels is no louder than a speaking voice; the petition’s request for an increase in distance or decibels is fair.

These points aside, the petition is misleading in its description of the noise ordinance. It asks that the noise ordinance be reduced from a Class 1 to Class 4 misdemeanor. The noise ordinance is not a Class 1 misdemeanor, but a Class 2 misdemeanor. This category of crime only becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor on the offender’s third violation within a 12-month period. This matters. Any student reading this petition might get the impression that they could go to jail for up to a year and be fined a maximum $2,500 for one noise violation. Granted, a Class 2 misdemeanor carries a maximum six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, but these are tangible differences that those signing the petition need to know.

Furthermore, the petition presents the noise ordinance as disproportionately affecting students. This may be the case, but students are, on the whole, louder than other, older residents.

Even if StudentImpact received concessions on every challenged front, students would still constitute most of Williamsburg’s noise ordinance violators. This is a fact that even the strongest opponents of the noise ordinance must acknowledge in order to effectively make their case to non-student residents.

StudentImpact also claims that 25 percent of student noise violators were on the Dean’s List. Even if they are correct, the point the statistic makes is irrelevant; their inclusion reeks of entitlement — that somehow academic success exempts students from following the law.

Perhaps the worst thing about this petition is that it could prove deadly to its own cause. The Williamsburg City Council may reject these proposed amendments precisely because of the petition’s deceit and condescension. That would undermine the efforts of over 1,000 College students who seek to make a positive change in their community.

Even worse, it would erode trust between students and City Council, poisoning future attempts at reform and discouraging student involvement.

The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Abby Boyle, Matt Camarda, Zachary Frank, Meredith Ramey and Ellen Wexler. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.

COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT

“

STREET BEAT

Do you think the noise ordinance is too harsh on students?

“It seems fine to me. I live on Richmond Road and it gets a little loud, which can be annoying. But I don’t think it shouldn’t be allowed to be loud - not something the police need to regulate.”

Madeleine Engler ‘17

“The ordinance makes sense.

They’re entitled to peace in their neighborhood. I’m not sure about the extent its enforced to now, but to some extent there should be noises ordinances.”

Jack Allsopp ‘18

“I guess it all depends on who’s in the area. If it bothers the residents in their daily lives, getting up early, etc., then I think it’s totally fine, especially if it’s an off-campus house.”

Kaylin Stigall ‘16

Did anyone notice that new CW Prez Reiss is discussing with the the City of Williamsburg ‘tastefully’ lighting some of the major buildings in the historic area? ... Shall we ‘tastefully’ illuminate the Wren Building next? A little more light pollution and all 12 of the currently visible stars will be gone.

­— PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS BY ANNIE SADLER

— Jim Watts, ’73

50 shades of coercion: the danger of romanticizing abuse Jennie Pajerowski THE FLAT HAT

Seriously, don’t go see it. Just don’t.

A movie adaptation of the erotic romance novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” is being released this weekend, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The release date is a deliberate move — the producers are clearly marketing to an audience looking for a steamy, romantic film to celebrate the holiday.

But “Fifty Shades” is not romance — it’s abuse.

Obviously, I can’t speak to the movie, since it hasn’t yet been released, but if it captures even a fraction of the abusive nature of the book, it should spark outrage on our campus. The College of William and Mary should strive to be a community

whose members respect each other, as much in romantic and sexual relationships as those of any other nature, and I worry that the message ‘Fifty Shades’ imparts will work directly against that goal.

The book, written by E.L. James, depicts the romantic and sexual relationship between Anastasia Steele, a recent college graduate, and Christian Grey, a young businessman.

It is notable for its graphic descriptions and use of BDSM practices (a shortened acronym for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism). ‘Fifty Shades’ has become wildly popular, selling over 100 million copies and becoming a cultural icon — a popularity that is worrisome in light of the many problems present in Ana and Christian’s relationship.

Christian is very clearly an abusive partner whose actions sometimes border on outright rape. He manipulates Ana, coerces her into sex, deliberately gets her drunk in order to get her to consent to him, and has sex with her when she explicitly tells him no. That’s not just borderline — that’s rape, by definition. Ana is uncomfortable

with the elements of BDSM that he introduces her to, and her agreement is hesitant, based only on a desire to please Christian. The relationship is completely on his terms and focused entirely on his needs and desires with no regard for Ana’s preferences or even consent.

There are safe ways to practice BDSM — using safe words, being conscious of your partner’s emotional and physical state — but they require communication and enthusiastic consent on both sides. A relationship like Ana and Christian’s, based on manipulation instead of communication, has no concern for her emotional well-being or her desires. She has no say in the relationship; the power belongs entirely to him.

When a relationship like this is packaged into a glamourous movie and sold as romance, it sends the message that rape and abuse are okay — romantic, even. On college campuses, where sexual assault is already an underlying problem, attitudes such as these make it even easier to rationalize and justify rape. The last thing a community such as ours needs is for its members to consume media normalizing and even exalting

a relationship as unequal, manipulative and nonconsensual as the one depicted in “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

Do yourself and our campus community a favor and call ‘Fifty Shades’ what it is: abuse.

Email Jennie Pajerowski at jepajerowski@ email.wm.edu.

GRAPHIC BY MADELEINE KING / THE FLAT HAT

variety

Variety Editor Tucker Higgins Variety Editor Devon Ivie flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat

g n u a n d in o Y l ve

COURTESY PHOTO / ANIKA COLUMBO

COURTESY PHOTO /JOSHUA RISINGER

The Flat Hat

| Friday, February 13, 2015 | Page 6

COURTESY PHOTO / EDDIE LICHTER

A love founded in laughter, and a bad middle-school reputation

From leading camp songs to their own happily ever after

They found love in a hopeless Yates ­— then in Wren Chapel

MEILAN SOLLY FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

CHRIS MORRISON THE FLAT HAT

JENNA STAUB THE FLAT HAT

He heard of her before he met her — it was during middle school, and she was “absolutely infamous.”

They didn’t meet, however, until a shared 10th grade class. At that point, he didn’t like her.

“She held up the class, and I wanted to get my learning in,” he said.

By the next year, they were working on group projects together, and by senior year, they were dating.

Fast-forward to a different senior year — this time at the College of William and Mary — and Robert Torrence ’15 and Jocelyn Terry ’15 are still together. In fact, they’re getting married this summer.

Long before Torrence and Terry made their engagement official, the two knew that they were committed to staying together. Although both currently attend the College, Torrence spent his freshman year at Vassar College, while Terry attended Virginia Tech.

“We talked every day — constantly,” Terry said. “We didn’t go in thinking, ‘If we stay together…’ We just knew we would, so that made it a lot easier.”

Torrence also emphasized the importance of commitment in long-distance relationships.

“If you go in … just to try this out, long distance is too hard for that mentality,” he said.

After a year of monthly visits and constant Skype calls, Torrence and Terry both decided to transfer to the College for their sophomore year.

“We’re so much happier together that it just made sense to be in the same place,” Terry said. “[The College] is a perfect fit for both of us, so it worked out.”

One of Torrence’s favorite memories from the two’s relationship spans the course of a year at the College. At random points throughout the year, Terry told Torrence to close his eyes and open his mouth, at which point she would give him a snack.

“She was basically conditioning me to put something gross in my mouth, and she got me to eat a whole leaf,” Torrence said. “That doesn’t sound like a good memory, but I think it’s amazing. It was a good prank … it’s the little things that are much more fun after a long time, like unexpected hilarity.”

The two discussed marriage for years, but it wasn’t until their junior year that Torrence and Terry got engaged. It was May 20, and

May’s graduation ceremony is not the only event Karen Kimberlin ’15 and graduate Joshua Risinger ’14 are anxiously awaiting. Come May 30, the two will wed at the Sir Christopher Wren building, fulfilling an engagement made at opening convocation almost two years prior.

“We met in high school through a [Chrysalis] retreat kind of thing, like a Jesus retreat,” Kimberlin said. “We both had the same job but for the different genders, so I was the boss of the girls and he was [the] leader of the guys.”

Following their initial meeting at the retreat, Risinger discovered that both were attending Northern Virginia Community College, and he sought out Kimberlin on the first day of classes.

“I had seen [Karen’s best friend] in one of the buildings later, and I said, ‘Hey, do you know where Karen is?’ … She told me where [Karen] was and I was like, ‘Oh, I might walk by,’” Risinger said. “I was going to my car [after] I chickened out, but then I [saw] her walking out of one of the other buildings and I’m like, ‘I guess this is a chance to get to talk to her again.’”

Through this interaction, the two became friends and eventually began a romantic relationship.

According to Kimberlin, there were signs of romantic interest during their time at Chrysalis that hinted Risinger was the one.

“When we did the Chrysalis walk, I got all of the signs because we both had the same job, [and] we both had this talk where you get up and talk about — it’s now called Christian Action, but for our weekend they called it the ‘love talk,’” Kimberlin said. “I liked everything about him. He was so friendly and funny, and he pulled practical jokes [but] he didn’t [except] me from any practical jokes.”

Risinger transferred to the College one year before Kimberlin. The couple had since talked about the possibility of engagement and the idea of marriage.

“I had a list of rules for if I was going to propose,” Risinger said.

“Either both of our parents [had] to be there or neither of our parents [could] be there, [we had] to dress nice, and [I had] ask her parents for permission.”

On Aug. 21, 2013, while Kimberlin was preparing for opening convocation, Risinger was preparing for his proposal.

“When she transferred in as a junior she was having opening convocation, and [I knew] that opening convocation you usually dress-up,” Risinger said. “And so that was my toughest thing … to get her dressed-up without tipping her off that there might be something happening.”

Although it was lightly drizzling, Risinger was determined to bring Kimberlin to the Crim Dell for his proposal.

“And we get there and we walk to the top and I say, ‘Today is the beginning of your journey at William and Mary, and I want it to be the beginning of the journey for the rest of our lives,’ and then [as] I’m saying this, I’m getting down on one knee,” Risinger said.

“It was cinematic,” Kimberlin said.

Since the proposal, both have been approached with questions concerning their engagement and marriage at a young age.

“There [have] been a lot of people who have asked me, ‘Don’t you think that’s kind of a rash decision?’ or ‘You guys are so young, you have your whole lives to look forward to for marriage,’ but it’s kind of like when you meet someone and you just know that there’s no one you would rather spend the rest of your life with,” Kimberlin said.

Risinger also added that the couple doesn’t want to wait too much longer to marry, as they are looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together.

“I don’t think that there is a rule that can say, ‘If you’re not married by this time you’re wrong,’ or ‘If you get married this young you’re wrong,’” Risinger said. “I think that for us it just worked out, and it’s something we don’t want to wait too much longer [for] after graduation.”

Kimberlin said she believes that marriage won’t always lead to happiness — instead, she thinks happiness in marriage depends on the couple’s style.

“We are very into the idea of marriage and the commitment it creates between two people, so it doesn’t scare us,” Kimberlin said.

“What would be the point in waiting when you can have all this happiness now?”

Although Yates Hall is the butt of most orientation and dorm jokes, Catherine Acio ’16 and Eddie Lichter ’16 were brought together by the air-conditioned brick fortress.

“A couple [of ] friends from my high school lived in Yates, so I often went over to meet them, and she was there,” Lichter said.

Both from Northern Virginia, they each had ties to Thomas Jefferson High School, a fact which brought them together as friends and ultimately into a committed relationship.

Acio and Lichter have been together for 16 months. They got engaged in the Sir Christopher Wren Building Chapel Oct. 10, on their one-year anniversary. Lichter explained that he had to book the Wren Chapel a month ahead of time to execute his ideal proposal, which he planned as a surprise.

“Getting the people to help was hard because I didn’t want to

“

It’s the little things that are much more fun after a long time, like unexpected hilarity.

— Robert Torrence ’15

they were on a walk around a lake.

“And then I just got on one knee,” Torrence said.

So far, the couple has received an overwhelmingly positive response to their engagement.

“The main thing I hear is, ‘If I heard about strangers doing this I would say it’s too young, but knowing you two, I think it’s perfect,’” Torrence said.

Torrence and Terry plan on wedding this summer, after which point they’ll move to an as-of-yet-undetermined location.

Terry is going to veterinary school, while Torrence plans to either go to graduate school for mathematics or get a job — possibly as a teacher.

“If you want to [stay together] for grad. school or employment, it’s a lot easier to do so if you’re married than if you’re like, ‘Oh, I want to live in the same city as my girlfriend,’” Torrence said. “It’s a lot less valid. I think we’ve been together for a long enough time that we deserve to be considered valid from strangers.”

“

Marriage is about love, and if you reduce it down to what people think or how much money you have, it strips the meaning...

— Catherine Acio ’16

tell them what it was for. … I was afraid word would get around to her,” Lichter said.

Acio said she suspected he would ask her, but Lichter kept the secret well hidden.

“I had my hunches, knowing [Eddie] would probably do this or that. But he would just say, ‘I don’t know!’ He knew my tricks and shot them down,” Acio said.

Getting married at an early age is a bold choice for many, but Acio and Lichter emphasize the fun in being able to share the big moments in life together, such as starting a career.

“It’s an experience to grow together. It’s going to be a challenge figuring out careers and stuff, but being able to do it together and [have] a support system while you do it is special.

You have an opportunity that not many people get,” Acio said.

Acio admitted that she initially struggled with the decision to get married because of what others may think or how she might be judged. However, she says she ultimately realized, “When you’re in love with someone, it doesn’t actually matter.”

Part of the success of their relationship may be attributed to the couple’s complementary personalities. Acio and Lichter share a lot of the same interests, ranging from music taste to the original “Star Trek” series. Acio describes herself as an anxious type.

Lichter, she said, is “calming and brings [her] back to Earth.”

Neither Lichter nor Acio view marriage as something that will change their lives. Because they frequently spend time together and are already very open with one another, they both see marriage instead as a way of cementing that commitment.

The couple has already decided on an outdoor venue in Charlottesville and will be married in June 2016. In ten years, Lichter and Acio hope to be doctors — although in different fields — and live in California with a child or two.

They haven’t thought about their first dance yet, but the orchestral version of “Marry Me” by Train is in the running, as it was the song playing during Lichter’s Wren Chapel proposal.

“Marriage is about love, and if you reduce it down to what people think or how much money you have, it strips the meaning of what [it] really means,” Acio said.

The Flat Hat

Page 7

Friday, February 13, 2015

Half road the

Documentary shows challenges faced by female professional cyclists

COURTESY PHOTO / DEVIANT ART

JILLIAN BATES FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

This past week the College of William and Mary’s Bicycle Initiative hosted a screening of the documentary “Half The Road: The Passion, Pitfalls and Power of Women’s Professional Cycling” in the Commonwealth Auditorium of the Sadler Center. After the screening, there was a question and answer session with the director of the film, Kathyrn Bertine, who is also an Olympian cyclist, author and women’s rights activist.

The film consisted of a brief history of women’s place in pro-cycling, as well as the challenges women cyclists have faced and face today when working to attain equal treatment in the sport.The documentary addresses the roadblocks placed by the Union Cycliste Internationale, which has hindered the progress toward equality for women cyclists.

The UCI has placed limits on the time and length of women’s races because of their notion that women have “limited physical capabilities.”

They have refused to include an accompanying women’s race with the men’s races, provided fewer racing opportunities for women than they do for men, refrained from featuring women in UCI racing events, and set no minimum wage pay for professional women cyclists.

During the question and answer session after the screening of the documentary, Helen Murphy, assistant professor of biology at the College, asked about the structure of the UCI. She also discussed the possibility of finding loopholes to help break free and continue professional cycling careers without the stressful, systematically set inequalities put in place by the UCI. “There has been a lot in the media about the NCAA, and it’s just about these weird Mafia-like organizations controlling these sports. That’s why I was wondering if there was some governing body that could somehow be in control of UCI,” Murphy said. “I was also thinking, if it is European-based, couldn’t there be some human rights thing with the EU? I think it’s just absurd that they can make whatever rules they want to.”

Bertine further explained to Murphy that these setbacks have been systematically set in place by the UCI, which has a monopoly over the cycling world and control over qualifying cyclists for becoming Olympians in the sport. Because of this, there is no way to go around the system; cyclists can only change the system in place.

Murphy spoke more broadly on the presence of gender discrimination.

“It is 2015 and there are still misconceptions

about the differences in male and female physical ability,” she said. “There is this sort of systemic inequality, financial inequality, but the fact that there are still these myths that women can’t, like, exercise hard is just absurd.”

According to Brianna Buch ’15, the leader of the Bike Initiative Committee, the committee first learned of Bertine and her work through a fellow member, and they worked for nearly a year to bring her to the College.

“The ultimate decision to bring her to campus was directly in line with our mission and streamlined with our other ‘behind the scenes’ work to create a cyclingfriendly culture at William and Mary,” Buch said. “We intended it as a way to reach out and connect with the community about our passion — cycling.”

During the question and answer session, Bertine was asked to share advice for those who wish to help with the fight for justice and equality.

She emphasized surrounding oneself with likeminded people and pushed the fact that anyone has the power to help deliver change. She also emphasized that the key is to never give them a reason to say no.

“Don’t ask for a change when you don’t have an idea of how to make it happen … it’s all about the plan,” said Bertine.

Women cyclists have most recently been fighting for a women’s field in the Tour de France. They have received one day in the event but, according to Bertine, this is not the end of the fight.

“We are trying to get them to see the value of multiple days,” Bertine said. “From the activists’ perspective, we have to celebrate that we have one day but find a way that will support multiple days.

The snowball is what we want to keep rolling and not melting.”

Most event attendees appeared to have a positive response, and many seemed to repeat the word “inspiring” when describing B e r t i n e’s documentary.

Buch had a similar reaction.

“I was unfamiliar with Kathryn’s story before the committee discussed bringing her to campus” she said. “After the event, however, I am convinced her visit had a tremendous impact on students, community, staff and more. The message of how to create change and fight for what you believe in resonated whether or not you were a cyclist.”

COURTESY GRAPHIC / OPENCLIPART

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Kinky sex is good sex, so happy freaky Valentine’s

Has ‘50 Shades’ got you feeling adventurous? Don’t be afraid to experiment in your own sex life.

Catherine Mahoney BEHIND CLOSED DOORS COLUMNIST

I can’t lie; of all the columns I’ve written, this one came with the most pressure. Valentine’s Day and the premiere of “Fifty Shades of Grey”?

It’s quite a week for sex. Sex and the sex industry are on prominent display right now, but how does that relate to real people who are partaking?

As it turns out, kinkiness is becoming more mainstream than we might have thought.

First, let’s take a look at the numbers. A recent survey from Swedish intimate product designer LELO asked for feedback about sexual behavior from approximately 10,000 women between the ages of 25 and 50 in eight countries.

Experimentation with some sort of light bondage was reported by 47 percent of respondants. That’s right: nearly half. Now that does not necessarily mean that half of your friends are using whips and chains. Light bondage can include more innocuous activities such as using blindfolds and makeshift restraints like scarves and neckties. In any case, what is clear is that more people are

venturing beyond the vanilla.

The natural question is how this dramatic shift in attitude toward kinkiness came about. I think the answer is twofold. First, the movement toward openness with sex partners about having more satisfactory sex has been gaining momentum for a long time. Sexual empowerment has been gaining ground for years, and growing from this movement is the “Fifty Shades” phenomenon. The books resonated with readers because they found truth in them.

Art imitated life, drawing from ideas about sexual fulfillment that have been in the works for decades. Sure, the situations are contrived and sensationalized, but readers learned something about their own sexuality from the characters in the books. Strange as it may sound, “Fifty Shades of Grey” seems to have helped many people be assertive about having more diverse and satisfying sex lives. While art initially imitated life, when people learned new ways to bring their sexual desires (kinks and otherwise) into the open after reading E. L. James’ work, perhaps life imitated art, too. Huge jumps in recent sales of sex toys and bondage gear seem to support that idea.

For the most part, the rise of the non-vanilla has been a very positive thing. First and foremost, people are learning about their own sexuality through avenues they might have deemed too deviant before. Let’s be honest, the majority of couples probably would not have come up with many of the scenarios in “Fifty Shades of Grey”

on their own. A decent number, however, have managed to look past the excruciating dialogue and realize that there might be room in their sex lives for blindfolds and the like. Exploration is a great thing in a relationship, particularly when it leads to greater sexual self-actualization. Of course, with the increased visibility of kink comes the drawback of greater commercialization of sex. Seriously, you can now buy a cookbook called “Fifty Shades of Chicken” (OK, fine, it’s pretty funny) and Target sells themed blindfolds and a “Fifty Shades” “vibrating love ring.” If that’s your thing, that’s great, but an adventurous sex life does not necessarily need those sorts of accessories. The bottom line is that increased availability of information about sexual exploration is very positive, but as with any type of sex, it is important to see past the commercial aspect of it.

The good news is that the increased visibility of kinkiness is helping it fit into any sex life. It does not need to be an allthe-time thing, but stepping out of your sexual comfort zone can be very healthy.

Kinkiness is for everybody, so I encourage you to be a twamp who has a copy of Chaucer in the original Middle English, loves the Kruskal-Wallace one-way analysis of variance and has handcuffs in your sock drawer.

Catherine Mahoney is a Behind Closed Doors columnist who is sometimes handcuffed to more than her studies.

GRAPHIC BY MADDY KING / THE FLAT HAT

sports Tribe perfect at Kaplan Sports Editor Mick Sloan Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat | Friday, February 13, 2015 | Page 8

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Prewitt’s 19 leads win over Elon as College improves to 11-0 at home JACK POWERS FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR The halftime stat sheet could have told a different story for William and Mary. The College was 4 of 13 from three, senior guard Marcus Thornton had just six points, junior forward Terry Tarpey had two points, and sophomore guard Daniel Dixon was out.

Oddly, it all added up to a 42-23 halftime advantage that presaged a 77-58 victory over visiting Elon and underscored the team’s multifaceted attack.

“It was a great conference win,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “I thought we played really well. I thought defensively, the first half was terrific. That was the key to the ballgame.”

The rout belied the principal narrative coming into the game — revenge. The Tribe (16-8, 10-3 CAA) had fallen to the Phoenix (11-15, 3-10 CAA) in a contentious road matchup that showcased Elon guards Tanner Samson and Elijah Bryant’s skills just a month ago. The two combined for 45 points, leading Elon to an 85-79 win.

The Tribe’s defensive progression and coaching acumen was on full display Wednesday night, though, as the College limited the Samson and Bryant to 17 total points. That’s without the services of Dixon, one of the Tribe’s best defenders.

Shaver’s consistent emphasis on defense has paid off in spades recently.

After surrendering just 53 to North Carolina-Wilmington Saturday, the Tribe kept a Colonial Athletic Association opponent to less than 60 points for the fourth time this season.

The College wreaked havoc in its 2-3 set early, reaping eight turnovers over the first 20 minutes and jumpstarting the offense. Freshman forward Oliver Tot received the majority of Dixon’s minutes

out for at least two weeks, but the injury probably isn’t season-ending.

The Tribe faces Delaware at home Saturday in a rematch of last year’s classic CAA Tournament final. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

UPCOMING

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Sophomore forward Omar Prewitt goes for a shot against an Elon defender. Prewitt led the Tribe with 19 points in Wednesday night’s 77-58 victory.

and, though it didn’t show in his statline, made key defensive contributions.

Freshman guards Greg Malinowski and Connor Burchfield each hit two threepoint conversions to help shore up the Dixon’s missing offensive output.

“We certainly missed Daniel,” Shaver said. “You don’t just take one of your best players off the court and not miss a beat, and that’s what’s impressed me about this team. We lost Sean Sheldon for two or three games. Tom Schalk emerged. Jack Whitman played really well. Tonight we had to do it by committee, because we knew we didn’t have one player to take Daniel’s spot. I thought the play of that committee was really impressive.”

Sophomore guard Omar Prewitt

scored 18 of his 19 overall points in the first half, igniting the Kaplan crowd. Prewitt exploited Elon’s late rollovers off screens for two entertaining three-point plays.

“I just saw open driving lanes,” Prewitt said. “And I cooled off really quick in the second half, so that just shows our team’s balance. It’s great having guys like Sean and Marcus. If I’m not shooting well, they’re there to pick it up.”

With the Tribe’s trademark shooting hampered early, inside production took its place. Junior forward Sean Sheldon recorded the first double-double of his career with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior forward Tom Schalk contributed six points, four rebounds and three blocks over 17 minutes. Schalk’s numbers have

steadily climbed over the past few weeks at the expense of freshman forward Jack Whitman, who has played sparingly.

The Phoenix had a strong start to the second half, going 8-3 in the first four minutes. Thornton then cast aside a shooting slump to bury Elon. Whether he was whirling past his defender on the block or hitting step-back threes in opponents’ faces, Thornton overwhelmed Elon’s defense. Thornton’s 17 points put him just 64 behind the all-time school record. Given his recent play, Thornton is on pace to break the record Feb. 25 at home against Towson.

Dixon’s absence Wednesday was due to a hamstring injury sustained in a workout. Shaver said he would likely be

BASEBALL

Projected Lineup

College gears up for season Four players selected for All-CAA preseason team CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Of late, William and Mary hasn’t had much reason to complain. Three consecutive 30-win seasons bookended a 2013 run into the Raleigh Regional, and the conference awards haven’t been lacking.

Last season saw the College win its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association regular season title and advance to the CAA Championship for the second consecutive season. Head coach Brian Murphy took home the conference Coach of the Year award in his first season and Michael Katz earned the Player of the Year nod.

Still, the conference tournament title eludes the Tribe.

“Last year was certainly a good step to solidify ourselves as a contender in the league year in and year out,” Murphy told Tribe Murphy Athletics. “We accomplished a significant goal by winning our first-ever regular season title. Looking back on that, it shows just the consistency we played with throughout the year.

We had contributions from a lot of people, and the postseason awards really showed that.“ Murphy and the College enter the 2015 season with no definitive favorite for the conference title.

The College finished third in a preseason coaches’ poll, behind the College of Charleston and North Carolina-Wilmington.

Charleston — defending CAA Champion and preseason pick — returns after advancing to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Super Regionals last season. The College dropped a 6-4 decision against the Cougars in last season’s tournament final.

UNC-Wilmington finished third last season and missed the CAA Championship thanks to a 12-6 loss to the Tribe in the tournament. Historically, the Seahawks have placed well, winning the conference in 2012, 2006 and 2004.

Elon, a newcomer from the Southern Conference, figures to vie for the title as well and placed fourth in the preseason poll. Despite a 27-26 record a season ago, the Phoenix is regarded as one of the top

programs in the competitive Southern Conference.

Head coach Mike Kennedy has earned a winning record in 16 of his 17 seasons with Elon.

Murphy will deal with losing a core of players to Major League Baseball: Michael Katz (New York Mets, ninth round), Nick Thompson (St. Louis Cardinals, eighth round), Ryan Lindemuth (New York Yankees, 37th round) and John Sheehan (Colorado Rockies) all signed contracts after the season’s conclusion. All told, the College has sent seven players to the pros over the last three seasons.

Katz and company look to join Will Rhymes ’05 in the majors. Rhymes most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Even with the losses, Murphy looks to a group of players to continue where last season left off, as four players earned spots on the preseason all-conference team. Juniors catcher Ryan Hissey, catcher/ designated hitter Charley Gould, right-handed pitcher Joseph Gaouette, and senior southpaw Jason Inghram head a relatively young team.

“I think as you try to continue to maintain consistency in a program, some of [the] people that have been through the winning seasons, and been key contributors, and having them back — makes it transferable,” Murphy told Tribe Athletics.

“They know what it takes, and they’ve done it before, and we have had those experiences.

Obviously each team needs to learn how to win on their own, but having guys that have done it before is a big help.”

The College opens on the Hissey road against the University of Mississippi for a three-game series. The teams last played in the 2013 Raleigh Regional, where the Tribe topped the Rebels 4-2 and 4-1. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Friday.

ONLINE

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Check out Flat Hat Sports online to see the three latest recruits ahead of the 2015 volleyball season. Visit online at Flathatnews.com

Fans remember the game that Delaware stole a season ago. Now, with NBC Sports Network providing national television coverage, William and Mary hosts Delaware in a rematch of the 2014 Colonial Athletic Association Championship Game Saturday.

The College’s athletic department announced promotions ahead of the contest Thursday. The first 3,000 fans receive a Tribe rally towel, and Tribe Athletics will give away an additional 800 shirts during the contest. The first 100 students will also be offered access to the stage behind the north basket.

Local-area residents will enjoy Scout Day, an event where Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts in uniform receive free admission while parents and siblings get a discount.

The promotions come after the Gold Rush Game drew just over 5,000 students to a win over then top-ranked Northeastern. The crowd was the largest in the last five years.

— Flat Hat Sports Editor Chris Weber

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30 14

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10

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Catcher: Ryan Hissey (18) First base: Charley Gould (23) Second base: Cullen Large (4) Third base: Willie Shaw (10)

Short stop: Tim Hoehn (14) Outfielder: Josh Smith (1) Outfielder: Devin White (30) Outfielder: Porter Reinhart (15)

Head coach: Brian Murphy