VARIETY >> PAGE 6
SPORTS >> PAGE 8
Shakespeare in the Dark takes on the Bard’s violent Scottish play this semester.
After tying the school record for 3-pointers, the Tribe’s shooting stalls.
College falls in Charleston
Fair is foul, foul is fair
The Flat Hat
Vol. 103, Iss. 36 | Friday, February 21, 2014
The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
DINING
MOOYAH and the meal plan?
MER
EDIT
HR
THE
FLAT
HAT
Moving toward marriage equality Court votes against marriage ban BY WILL EMMONS THE FLAT HAT
contract with Sodexo sometime in the next few weeks. “We are hoping to be able to offer meal swipes here,” MOOYAH owner Alpen Patel said. Although he has yet to talk to Sodexo about the matter, Patel said he looks forward to furthering the business’s partnership with the College. “There are benefits on two parts. It helps the business in volume, and it also gives the students more options,” Patel said. Currently, a meal plan swipe costs approximately $12.00, and a burger, fries and soda from MOOYAH costs about $11.50. In January, Patel estimated that MOOYAH sales dropped $10,000 since the same time in 2013. At the time, Patel attributed the revenue loss to the College’s introduction of a mandatory on-campus meal plan for freshmen, sophomores and juniors that was put in place two years ago. By partnering with Sodexo and the College, Patel said he hopes the restaurant will increase its revenue, especially among student customers. “We are looking for three things from See MEAL PLAN page 4
See SAME-SEX page 3
BY ARIEL COHEN // FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
Y/ AME
VIRGINIA
For Federal Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen of the Norfolk Division of the Federal District Court in Eastern Virginia, the question was simple: Do Virginia’s bans on same-sex marriage violate Virginians’ rights to equal protection of the law? Her answer, resoundingly, was yes. Feb. 13, Allen handed down a decision that invalidated not only the two same-sex marriage bans in question, but also any bans on same-sex marriage within Virginia’s borders. Arguing that the Constitution was “designed to evolve and adapt to the progress of our citizenry,” Allen ruled that same-sex couples are just as entitled to marry whom they wish as opposite-sex couples are. Thus, any ban on same-sex Allen marriage must be struck down. “We the People have become a broader, more diverse family than once imagined,” Allen wrote. Some student organizations at the College of William and Mary are supportive of the decision. Young Democrats President Zach Woodward ’14 said he is encouraged by the implications it has for samesex couples. Woodward praised Allen’s wording of her opinion and said students can play a role in court battles by raising awareness about the issues at stake. “There is very little we can do to actively affect the [court’s] outcomes,” Woodward said. “What we can do is cheer on those that are in the courtroom, fighting on behalf of justice, liberty and equality.” Christian Bale ’13 M.P.P. ’15, who founded William and Larry, a student group that supports same-sex marriage, said the court rulings are important because of the conversations they spark about the topic. “The best mechanism for helping people overcome their prejudices is dialogue,” Bale said. While a victory for same-sex couples, the District
Tribe Square vendors to negotiate with Sodexo to join College meal plan Tribe Square vendors have entered into discussion with next year’s food provider, Sodexo, about joining the College of William and Mary’s meal plan. Vice President of Administration Anna Martin said that when the issue of Tribe Square came up in discussions, the College asked Sodexo if the school could work with Tribe Square to make them subcontractors in a partnership similar to the relationship Aramark has with Einstein Bros. Bagels. If the deal goes through, the four businesses in Tribe Square — Pita Pit, The Crust, MOOYAH and SUBWAY — would work with Sodexo on an individual basis to create a customized plan. “This allows them to figure out some way that the retailer fit[s] in the meal plan,” Martin said. “That can happen in a variety of ways — either with Flex points or something else, like the equivalent of a meal plan.” Martin noted that Sodexo has not begun conversations with the businesses in Tribe Square, and will not do so until the College finalizes its
Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
of The College of William and Mary
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
SA proposes merging Undergraduate Council positions
Undergraduate council to vote on merger proposal Senate funds upcoming events, passes Respect Act BY MADELINE BIELSKI FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The College of William and Mary’s Undergraduate Council met with several Student Assembly senators Tuesday night in a meeting focused on reforming the council’s role and composition. The council will officially vote on whether or not to merge the Vice President of Advocacy and the Vice President of Social Affairs into a single position in their meeting next week. “This would accomplish more efficiency, make it more of a competitive race between people … [and] establish the prestige that it is to be in the Undergraduate Council,” Chairman of the Undergraduate Council Brett Prestia ’14 said. To support the legitimacy of merging these two roles, SA Chief of Staff Drew Wilke ’15 said it is more difficult to get juniors and seniors to run for these positions, so combining these roles may reduce that problem. These reforms came at the recommendation of the Code Revision Committee, Wilke which met Saturday and suggested making significant changes in the function of the council. A discussion arose amongst council members concerning if the merger between the positions
Index News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
would indeed be more efficient. Most council members were in agreement that the merger would be a good change to make; however, the senior class officers showed some hesitation. Senior Class President Grace Martini ’14 explained that the senior class officers must deal with additional programming at the end of the year due to Commencement, which adds extra work. Martini said her concern is that one fewer officer would only increase the workload already placed upon senior officers. To remedy that concern, it was suggested that the senior class could appoint a specific Commencement liaison to help with the planning and organization of Commencement. After some discussion, Class President Brianna Buch ’15 suggested that the council consider pushing up the merger of the vice president positions, effective this coming election. Wilke, who worked on the concept of merging of these positions last year as a senator, encouraged the council to pursue Buch’s suggestion of moving up the merger. “[The idea of ] merging the two VP’s was brought up last year … but it just didn’t work out in time,” Wilke said. “If you guys all feel that it should happen, why not do it now? The rest of the Student Assembly is definitely in support of this. … It’s really not going to affect that much. See COUNCIL page 4
BY CLAIRE GILLESPIE FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The Student Assembly senate passed bills addressing rape culture at the College of William and Mary, changed the SA code and constitution, and funded the 2014 TEDx William and Mary conference and I Am W&M Week events at its their meeting Tuesday night. The Respect Act, which senators wrote in partnership with several other student organizations, is the SA’s statement in reaction to the Sigma Chi email, which prompted a campus-wide discussion of rape culture over the past few weeks. “Resolved, that the Student Assembly will sustain involvement in initiatives that oppose the persistence of sexual aggression and rape culture in our community … the Student Assembly pledges to be cognizant of the language and definitions used in Student Assembly bylaws and governing documents. … The
Inside OPINIONS
Student Assembly will actively partner with any individual student or student organization to empower members of our community and work toward the aforestated goals. … The Student Assembly will continue to represent the voice of the student body and serve as a resource to all members of the William and Mary community,” the resolution reads. The bill passed unanimously. After voting to move the VP Code Act and the VP
Constitutional Amendment from new business to old business and taking a 10 tenminute recess, the senate approved the two bills that which merge the position of Vice President of Social Affairs and Vice President of Advocacy into one position. “This bill just goes through the code; every time it says VP of Social Affairs or VP of Advocacy, it changes to Vice President,” See SENATE page 4
Inside SPORTS
Seeing humanity on both sides of the abortion debate Thunderstorms High 63, Low 35
TAYLOR HORST / THE FLAT HAT
Sen. Daniel Ackerman ’16 expresses support of the undergraduate merger.
Both pro-life and pro-choice advocates are motivated by a respect for human life. page 5
Previewing track and field
The Flat Hat Sports Desk assesses director Stephen Walsh’s men’s and women’s squad as it heads into the outdoors season. page 8
THE DIGITAL DAY @THEFLATHAT
The Flat Hat | Friday, Febuary 21, 2014 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
The best mechanism for helping people overcome their prejudices is dialogue. — William and Larry founder Christian Bale ’13 M.P.P ’15 on the discussion of same-sex marriage in Virginia
AROUND THE ‘BURG
“
newsinsight “
News Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran fhnews@gmail.com // @theflathat
A THOUSAND WORDS
COURTESY PHOTO / WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Williamsburg Area Transit Authority’s executive director presented a $9.5 million budget to the Authority’s Board of Directors this week.
WATA proposes new budget
Rhinehimer to become Police Chief
An expanded bus and a new ticket vending station have both been removed from the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority’s proposed budget, according to the WilliamsburgYorktown Daily. In January, WATA Executive Director Kevin Danker presented a $9.5 million budget to the Authority’s Board of Directors, but the Board instructed him to plan for the same amount of funding as last year. In addition to removing the expansion bus and ticket station from the budget, the proposed wage increase for WATA employees was reduced to 1.5 percent, half of the originally proposed increase. Tire explodes, causes firefigher’s hospitalization A tire on some logging equipment exploded on Jolly Pond Road Wednesday, sending a James City-Bruton volunteer firefighter to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, according to the Virginia Gazette. Firefighters had responded to a fire on the logging equipment when the tire exploded, shooting debris into the abdomen of the firefighter who was thrown back. The firefighter was held overnight at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center for observation.
Bradley Rinehimer will become the permanent Police Chief of James City County, according to the Daily Press. Rinehimer has been serving as the acting Police Chief since December 2013 and will technically take over as the permanent Police Chief in March. A graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Professional Executive Development School and the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development School, Rinehimer has served in the department for 18 years. James City County’s Police Department consists of more than 90 sworn law enforcement officers. Budget proposes hiring new teachers in Williamsburg James City County schools Williamsburg-James City County Superintendent Steven Constantino proposed a $121.5 million budget for 2015 that calls for the hiring of 16 new teachers in WilliamsburgJames City County schools, according to the WilliamsburgYorktown Daily. Also included in the budget’s Capital Improvements Program is $16 million to plan for and design a new middle school and central office.
CITY POLICE BEAT
Feb. 13 — Feb. 15
JACKSON REALO / the FLAT HAT
CORRECTIONS 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.
The Flat Hat
1
Thursday, Feb. 13 — An individual was arrested for damaging private property at Richmond Road.
2
Friday, Feb. 14 — An individual was arrested on charges of embezzlement of less than $200 at Mount Vernon Avenue.
3
Saturday, Feb. 15 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public and using profane language at the intersection of Richmond Road and Armistead Avenue.
4
‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911
25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 23185 Newsroom (757) 221-3283 — Advertising Dept. (757) 221-3283 / flathatads@gmail.com
Saturday, Feb. 15 — An individual was arrested for driving after consuming alcohol under the age of 21 at the intersection of Richmond Road and Ironbound Road.
Editor flathat.editor@gmail.com Opinions fhopinions@gmail.com News fhnews@gmail.com Variety flathat.variety@gmail.com Sports flathatsports@gmail.com Photos flathatphotos@gmail.com Copy flathatcopy@gmail.com
Katherine Chiglinsky Editor-in-Chief Ellen Wexler Executive Editor Meredith Ramey Managing Editor
Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran News Editor Aine Cain Variety Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber Sports Editor Zach Frank Opinions Editor
Ariel Cohen Chief Staff Writer Rebecca Marshall Copy Chief April Smith Copy Chief Benoit Mathieu Chief Photographer Matt Camarda Editorial Writer Jared Foretek Online Editor
Emily Stone Assoc. Variety Editor Madeline Bielski Assoc. News Editor Carol Peng Photo Editor Rohan Desai Assoc. News Editor Ashley Richardson Photo Editor Claire Gillespie Assoc. News Editor Samantha DeFlitch Copy Editor Bailey Kirkpatrick Assoc. News Editor Lauren Dybel Copy Editor Eleanor Lamb Assoc. News Editor Quint Guvernator Copy Editor Sang Hyun Park Assoc. News Editor Bobby LaRose Copy Editor Matt Camarda Assoc. Opinions Editor Emily Lowman Copy Editor Daria Grastara Assoc. Opinions Editor Rachel Neely Copy Editor Kaitlan Shaub Assoc. Opinions Editor Allison Ramage Copy Editor Karin Krause Assoc. Online Editor Richie Thaxton Copy Editor Ashley Hamilton Assoc. Online Editor Jenna Tan Copy Editor Kayla Sharp Assoc. Online Editor Dani Aron-Schiavone Cartoonist Haley Arata Assoc. Variety Editor Allison Hicks Cartoonist Jillian Bates Assoc. Variety Editor Sarah Thoresen Cartoonist Rachel Brown Assoc. Variety Editor Lindsay Wade Cartoonist Sarah Caspari Assoc. Variety Editor Brian Kao Cartoonist Cristyn Filla Assoc. Variety Editor Patricia Radich Cartoonist Emily Nye Assoc. Variety Editor Kaitlin Kunowsky Business Manager
News in brief Fidler wins Gates Cambridge Scholarship Ashley Fidler ’14 was recently awarded the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, an honor given to only 40 people in the country. This semester, Fidler is taking a 17-credit class load and is working 30 hours each week with three scientists. The Gates Scholarship will enable Fidler to pursue a Masters of Philosophy degree at the University of Cambridge in England. After she graduates from the College with her double major in chemistry and biology, she will start working with professor of Chemical Physics and head of the Laser analytics group in Cambridge, Clemens Kaminski. Fidler is currently finishing her honors thesis, which involves stem cell regulation.
Kijanowska heads to China
ACA honors graduate students
Anna Kijanowska, a piano instructor in the College’s Department of Music, will embark on a concert tour across China from March 1-17. Wu Productions, a Chinese management firm, organized the tour. Kijanowska will be performing with the Hubei Symphony Orchestra at Quintai Concert Hall in Wuhan. She will also give solo performances at major venues, such as the Bei Hang University in Beijing and the Shanghai City Theater. Kijanowska also plans to give lectures at conservatories and universities and to offer master lessons in addition to performing. This is not her first time traveling abroad; in fact, she conducted a five-semester world tour that took her to over 10 countries in 2010.
A small team of doctoral students, under the guidance of associate professor of education Rick Gressard, recently won the top award in the American Counseling Association’s Graduate Student Ethics Competition. The association is the largest membership organization for counseling professionals in the world. The students entered in the competition are Eleni Honderich, Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, and Richelle Joe, all of who are members of the School of Education’s Counselor Education Program. In the competition, students are presented with a scenario and must write a brief response that points out the ethical problems and proposes solutions to fix them.
Friday, February 21, 2014
The Flat Hat
Page 3
WILLIAMSBURG
Busch Gardens tourism on rebound
Revenue suffers from low hotel occupancy, too few business travelers BY SARAH CASPARI FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
Due to decreased tourism in the city of Williamsburg, the historic destination is getting an update. The Williamsburg Area Destination Marketing Committee is partnering with the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance to revive branding and marketing strategies in order to speed up recovery from the 2008 recession, during which tourism levels in Williamsburg dropped drastically. “Tourism took a big hit during the recession of 2008,, and we’ve been gradually clawing our way back, although not as quickly as many of us had hoped,” Mayor Clyde Haulman, who sits on the WADMC board, said. “For the city of Williamsburg, our tourism revenues, which are an important part of our fiscal picture, come from room, meal and sales taxes, and while those have grown, they have not grown very rapidly.” Signs of decreased tourism and a stunted economy are visible in recent reports of lower hotel occupancy — indicative of overall shorter visits – and an increase in timeshare usage. Part of the problem is that Williamsburg attracts mainly leisure travelers as opposed to business travelers, according to Alliance Senior Vice President of Tourism Bob Harris. Williamsburg does not have large corporations that hold conferences in hotels and drive up business. Leisure travelers are very responsive to changes in the economy, so when the recession hit, visits declined. “We’re very dependent on the family leisure traveler who comes to our destination,” Harris said. “Starting in 2008, consumer confidence has really just been up and down.” The solution WADMC and the Alliance are relying on is an updated assessment of the Williamsburg brand, which involves re-evaluating marketing and advertising strategies.
COURTESY PHOTO / WiILLIAMSBURGREALESTATE.COM
Busch Gardens is battling its dwindling business through a revived advertisement campaign, adding more screenings for shows.
Carl Lum, WADMC chair and president of Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, said that, until last year, destination research had not been completed in several years. “Our current advertising campaign is about four years old, so we’re going through a process now,” Lum said. “We want to make it clear to consumers that there’s a lot of different things to do in the Historic Triangle and there’s a lot of good reasons to come visit the Historic Triangle.” Specifically at Busch Gardens, Lum is optimistic that new attractions will dramatically
drive up visits. The Food and Wine Festival was so successful last year that two extra weekends will be added this spring. Other additions are a new show called “London Rocks” and a new ride in Water Country that will feature a 500-foot-long slide. Busch Gardens has been a significant part of attracting tourists who may not be interested in the historic value of Colonial Williamsburg. While Colonial Williamsburg has always been a draw for travelers interested in history, efforts are being made to expand the audience Williamsburg appeals to. Marketing specifically geared toward
promoting the arts, sports and the holiday season aims to attract this wider tourist clientele. “When people think of Williamsburg — and this clearly came out in the research that was done — they think history,” Haulman said. “I think what we need to do is think about how do you approach [those not interested in history] with a message that says, ‘Yes, we’re history, but we’re also a lot more.’ And that’s where things like eco-tourism, the arts, just the wide range of things that you can do while you’re here, need to be part of that message.”
Undergraduate Council votes to merge vice president positions
Proposes senior class appoint seperate liaison responsible for Commencement planning, class gift COUNCIL from page 1
It’s just going to help the body, so I would say go for it.” After taking a straw poll, which showed that most council members were in favor of merging the vice president positions, the group decided the council should try to pass the change in time for the elections. Sen. Gabriel Morey ’16 subsequently drafted two bills to reform the constitution of the SA and the Code
of the SA to reflect the merging of the two positions. The bills were introduced in the senate the same evening. At the meeting, representatives and senators also discussed the idea to start fundraising for the school earlier in a student’s time at the College. Instead of only asking seniors to contribute, students would be asked as early as freshman year to give back to the institution. This idea of asking students to give
earlier on made several council members weary. The straw poll on the concept of starting a culture of giving earlier at the College had mixed results. “[For freshmen,] we just started [at the College] and everyone is kind of still basically coming to terms with the amount of money we are paying to attend this school, and it seems that for some people that might be pressure put on them kind of right away to contribute and give back when they already feel
like they are having to give up a lot to be able to go here,” Class Secretary Emily Heath ’17 said. “I think it’s good to create a culture of giving, but I think it’s best to start out slowly.” Senators and the council also discussed making the council more involved in all major ceremonies that occur on campus, including Commencement and Charter Day, among others. Most council members were in favor of the reform.
“I feel like really the point of this inclusion in Undergrad’s role is just because it will help us serve … more [as] liaisons towards the undergraduate students, between them and Student Leadership Development or other offices on campus,” Secretary of Undergraduate Council Yousif Al-Amin ’16 said. The council plans to pass the reforms concerning the merging of the vice president positions, which the senate passed Tuesday night.
Student Assembly allocates funding for TEDx, I Am W&M Week SENATE from page 1
Sen. Gabriel Morey ’16 said. Senators also changed all the gender pronouns in the code and constitution from the masculine “he” to the gender-neutral term “him or her.” Senators expressed hope that the merge will be complete before the upcoming elections. Information sessions on running for SA positions will begin on Sunday. The merge means that next fall, the Uundergraduate Council will have only one vice president per class. The senate also unanimously approved the
TEDx Conference Funding Act, which allocates $8,750 from the SA Reserve to fund the rental of Kimball Theater and to speakers’ traveling and lodging fees. “I think after this year, [the TEDx conference] will become a staple of the William and Mary experience,” SA President Chase Koontz ’14 said. The senate unanimously passed the I Am W&M Week Act, which allocates $6,618 from Student Assembly Reserves to fund various costs associated with the annual week-long festival, including the costs of holding the World Expo, putting on the Pride Festival and Drag Show,
SA DIRECTOR TRICI FREDERICK SHARES THOUGHTS ON RESPECT ACT Tuesday night the Senate unanimously passed the Respect Act. In this bill the Student Assembly recognizes the existence of sexual aggression on campus and they say they will be involved in movements that work to resist sexual aggression in our community. Trici Frederick, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Development and SA advisor, sees the act Frederick as a first step by the SA to start a conversation on rape culture on campus. “I believe SA’s intention in writing the statement was to bring the group together and create one voice/stance for their entire organization. As students elected by the peers to represent the student body and the concerns of the community, they believed this was an important step for them in helping our community as we move forward,” Frederick said in an email. The language composing the Respect Act can be interpreted as vague. Frederick sees that language as providing the SA option’s
in how to deal with this problem. “I do think the language can be perceived as vague, however, in situations such as this, broad language allows for flexibility in their approach as well as the ability to encompass the needs of a diverse group of students,” Frederick said in an email. “Student Assembly is just one of the many student groups and departments forwarding the conversations around the issues the Respect Act addresses.” Overall, Frederick sees this as a continuation of a dialogue started on campus. She emphasizes that if discussions continue to occur and we continue to learn from each other change will begin to happen. “One of the things I realized at the Town Hall meeting held several weeks ago is that when we have to dialogue about important concerns and issues, by doing so we really learn so much more about each other rather than relying on our assumptions about what others are experiencing and that is how change can begin to occur,” Frederick said in an email. — Flat Hat Assoc. News Editor Madeline Bielski
inviting a speaker to discuss Nneurodiversity speaker and hosting a “Boundless Spaces” event. “This is the leanest, most sensible way of providing the campus tradition that has gone on for three years,” Secretary of Diversity Initiatives Dylan Frendt ’14 said. Senate Chairman Will McConnell ’14 introduced the Student Assembly Housing Support Agency Act, which would creates an venue for agency where students would to use Williamsburg databases to create an off-campus rating website. McConnell assigned the bill to public affairs. Additionally, McConnell and Sen. Colin Danly ’15 introduced the Student Service Organization Act, which amends the code to create a new Student Service Organization fund from 10 percent of the Competition fund. McConnell assigned this bill to the finance and executive
committees. Senators Shannon Caieti ’17 and Emily Thomas ’17 introduced the First Year Council Reform Act, which would create a mentor program pairing upperclassmen SA members with first-year SA members. McConnell assigned the bill to the policy committee. The SA also approved Sam Glover ’16 as secretary of the newly created Department of Transportation on Tuesday. Koontz, Morey, Sen. Yohance Whitaker ’16 and Secretary of Diversity Initiatives Dylan Frendt ’14 all spoke about Glover before the senate approved him as secretary of the Department of Transportation. “Sam’s … clearly qualified, and he seems to always have been a great friend of the Student Assembly,” Koontz said. “We’re looking forward to what he’s going to be able to do in the coming weeks and hopefully within the next year.”
TAYLOR HORST / THE FLAT HAT
Sam Glover ‘16 was appointed by the Student Assembly as the secretary of the newly created Department of Transportation
Page 4
The Flat Hat
Friday, February 21, 2014
FORUM
College sets out 20-year plan for renovations New arts complex, turf field among structures that may be built in coming decades BY SARAH CASPARI FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
When current students come back to the College of William and Mary for their 20th reunion, they may need to pick up a campus map to get around. The College is planning to undertake widespread renovations within the next 10-20 years to address current issues around campus. These problems include the declining condition of many academic buildings and the lack of a centralized space devoted to student life. Director of Planning, Design and Construction Wayne Boy said in an open meeting Thursday, Feb. 20 that the changes will emphasize the renovation of current facilities, and will minimize new construction. “If it’s in the historic campus east of the Sadler Center, we’ll gut the building and renovate it because we’ve got an
architecturally significant shell,” Boy said. “If it’s west of that area, my hope would be that we don’t build additional space, but we tear down the space of the 1960s south campus and replace it with something better.” One of the first potential changes on campus will be the development of a new, three-building arts complex near Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall. The committee also aims to add a turf field with lights for athletics, two lighted recreational fields and air conditioning in residence halls. A focus will also be put on student life and wellness. According to the committee’s current data, the Campus Center currently lacks 72,700 square feet of necessary space. The plan suggests constructing several new buildings near the Sadler Center to centralize and expand the hub of student life, rather than having it divided between the Sadler Center and the Campus Center.
“The thrust seems to be to move student life here [to the Sadler Center], not split it between the two centers,” Boy said. After presenting the basic plan, the committee opened the floor for questions. Forum attendees expressed concerns about the lack of space in McGlothlin-Street Hall for the computer science department, mold and climate control problems in Washington Hall, deficiencies in campus safety — such as nighttime lighting and bike paths — and problems with parking services. The committee conducted a parking study that indicated a need to address the location of parking spaces, not the quantity. “We’re more or less in equilibrium between demand and supply; we just have a location issue,” Alan Resnick, AIA LEED AP and vice president of the Brailsford and Dunlavey program management firm, said.
Maggie Perreault ’15 voiced her concern for the current lack of administrative space devoted to wellness. “Myself and some other students have been working with people in the Center of Student Diversity … about the importance of having health and wellness spaces designated on campus and how there’s a larger need for them and a larger need for more than the one room we have now to handle all those things,” Perreault said.
After the meeting, the audience was invited to give written feedback for the committee to use as it develops what it calls the “master plan.” “A master plan is not a final document that sits on the shelf,” Reskin said. “We like to think of it as a framework for future decision-making, so it becomes a living document that serves in the right direction for the campus development, but we recognize that it would be modified over time based on the kinds of considerations and criteria the master plan describes.”
ALL PHOTOS BY AUDREY KRIVA / THE FLAT HAT
Director of Planning, Design and Construction Wayne Boy emphasized student well-being. The committee addressed problems with the College of William and Mary campus, like the lack of space in the Campus Center and McGlothlin Street Center.
Equal marriage ban disputed court’s ruling is only the beginning of a larger legal process. The ban’s proponents have publicly promised to appeal the decision to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. From there, the case could continue on to the Supreme Court. Professor of law Neal Devins said he believes the ruling is unique partly because the attorneys arguing against the ban — Ted Olson and David Boies — hope to take the case to the Supreme Court. Olson and Boies’ ultimate goal,
“
Devins said, is to persuade the Supreme Court to establish a national, constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The decision comes just a few weeks after Attorney Gen. Mark Herring said he would use the powers of his office to oppose the bans in Woodward court. “We are now in a much different regime politically,” Devins said.
What we can do is cheer on those that are in the courtroom, fighting on behalf of justice, liberty and equality. — Young Democrats President Zachary Woodward ’14
“
SAME-SEX from page 1
Sodexo meal plan may include Tribe Square MOOYAH, Pita Pit, other vendors hope to partner with College MEAL PLAN from page 1
Sodexo; to get under the meal plan, to get under Flex points and to keep use of Express,” Patel said. The Crust Beer and Tequila Lounge is also looking to become incorporated under the meal plan. “While students became forced to eat on campus, it hurt our business,” Crust Manager Rob Kline said. “We are technically on campus. There are dorms right above us.” Between 2012 and 2013, The Crust’s profits decreased by between 20 and 25 percent. “We use Express now, but that’s still money,” Kline said. “If we could we could get on the
meal plan we’d become more a part of the school, and not just pay rent to them.” According to Martin, when the College switched to the mandatory meal plan, 83 percent of students were already on the meal plan. In light of Tribe Square restaurants’ recent decline in revenue, the pairing with Sodexo could help increase business. “We want to help the vendors in any way that we can,” Martin said. “Will this completely fix the
problem? I can’t say.” While The Crust and MOOYAH both hope to partake in the meal plan, it is possible that not all local restaurants will do the same. “To be honest, it’s going to be different for everybody. Even if we get on the meal plan, we will have to give a percentage back to Sodexo,” Patel said. “So this may make economic sense for us and [T]he Crust, but not for other places.”
ONGOING
FH
For more coverage of the dining changes, check back with The Flat Hat.
ABBY BOYLE / THE FLAT HAT
MOOYAH and other Tribe Square hope to be included in Sodexo’s meal plan.
COURTESY PHOTO / WWW.757.COM
MOOYAH and other Tribe Square vendors hope to be part of Sodexo’s new meal plan at the College of William and Mary.
opinions EDITORIAL CARTOON
Opinions Editor Zachary Frank Assoc. Opinions Editor Daria Grastara fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat | Friday, February 21, 2014 | Page 5
STAFF EDITORIAL
SA’s redundancy T
afforded the already born, your reaction to abortion would reasonably be one of horror. You would see it as an ugly, barbaric act. That 55 million abortions have been performed would be a cause for great mourning. You would believe, regardless of the circumstances, that society should have no part in this atrocity. I would advise even the most fervent supporters of abortion rights to consider the implications FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR of abortion. Barring miscarriage, abortion prevents the existence of human beings. What if you had been aborted? However abhorrent abortion may seem to proI witnessed an odd spectacle last December. Lugging my laundry through the Bryan Complex basement, I noticed life advocates, they need to understand the equally a flier with a picture of an infant, sitting peacefully, finger compassionate motives driving their pro-choice in mouth, wearing a Santa hat. It read: “1.21 million babies counterparts. I support a woman’s right to terminate her will not be celebrating Christmas this year.” Then I saw an pregnancy because, in my extremely limited capacity, I’m index card thumb-tacked beside it: “1.21 million mothers aware of the weight and responsibility and psychological had a choice, and it sure as hell wasn’t easy.” I didn’t know and emotional toll of carrying a pregnancy to full term, what to make of it, so I kept going. Passing it later that night, giving birth, and then living with the consequences. I’m I saw the index card was gone and the flier was covered with aware of the imperfections of birth control and the potential fighting words. I sighed. I’ve always tried to avoid abortion mismatch between a woman’s sexual viability and her ability politics. It strips people on both sides of their rationality and to handle pregnancy. I’m aware of the what-ifs: pregnancy resulting from rape, teen pregnancy, engenders nothing but pettiness and anger. pregnancies that endanger the mother, And that’s sad, because at the heart of both Pro-life and pro-choice fetuses with genetic diseases so sides is a fundamental respect for the value of views are irreconcilable by crippling they would make what short human life. It would be nice if we could direct nature, but you can at least life the child would live agonizing. that respect and empathy toward those who disagree with us. take the time to understand Abortion is a terrible thing, but I believe it needs to exist as a choice, if The first step is recognizing each other’s why others are well only to prevent greater suffering. legitimacy. Pro-life and pro-choice views are intentioned. There can be common ground irreconcilable by nature, but you can at least take the time to understand that others are well intentioned, between these deeply entrenched foes. It is small but even as you believe differently. Recently, I asked a good friend powerful. It comes from listening, from seeing the humanity I knew to be passionately pro-life why she felt that way. She behind the picket sign. When thousands marched for life said it stemmed from her Catholic faith and that no one has in Washington, D.C. last month, they didn’t do it because the right to take another person’s life. There was no hint of they hated women; they did it because they wanted to malice, no hearkening back to an era when women lacked save children. Wendy Davis didn’t filibuster the Texas state basic control of their lives. There was only compassion for the senate because she wanted to murder babies; having been unborn. I’m deeply pro-choice, but I sometimes need to be a teen mother herself, she likely knew that the steep cost reminded why those opposed to abortion have fought so hard of childbirth would be too much for some women to bear. People feel strongly about abortion because they believe life since Roe v. Wade: to protect vulnerable life. has value. That should be enough. If you truly believed that from the moment an egg is fertilized, it should be treated with the same care and dignity Email Matt Camarda at mjcamarda@email.wm.edu.
Matt Camarda
“
“
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, Katherine Chiglinsky, 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
Lawyering is about much more than understanding court rules — it’s about argumentation and pressing on points where the other side’s case is weak. Those things could be helpful to a student in this context.
—Jeremy on “Guest Column: Lawyers shouldn’t be allowed to represent students before the Conduct Council”
“
Online Therapy can be very effective indeed, especially if you use Skype so that you can see each other in real-time.
“
On abortion: Both sides value life
“
BY PATRICIA RADICH, FLAT HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNER
he Undergraduate Council has long been a source of redundancy within the Student Assembly. In past elections, certain positions have either gone uncontested or unfilled, and even attendance at meetings of the council is a problem. Thus, we approve of the SA’s measure to consolidate the positions of Vice President of Advocacy and Vice President of Social Affairs into a single Vice President position. The SA should take even more substantive action, however, and eliminate the council completely. The result would be a more competitive and credible SA, and stronger fundraising efforts for the senior class gift, which is the senior class president’s biggest duty. The council does not contribute enough to the SA to justify its existence as a separate body of student government. Often, its positions are unfilled, and their functions are ambiguous to students outside the SA as well as those who hold them. Students who consistently run unopposed or have to be convinced to fill positions lack incentive to perform well. Eliminating the council would make SA senate races more competitive and eliminate unfilled positions. Candidates would need to work harder to appeal to students, and senators would need to keep earning their seats. Furthermore, the SA as a whole would become more efficient. When one section of it serves no significant purpose, it weighs down the senate’s ability to pass meaningful bills and conduct business in a timely fashion. The SA has accomplished much in the last few years, from establishing Tribe Rides to subsidizing STI testing, but it could do even more without the council; the SA would not have to worry about positions going unfilled and elected leaders lacking direction. The senior class president’s role on the executive board for the senior class gift would be served just as well by student appointments made by the Office of University Development. When graduates return to the College of William and Mary and see their class’s plaque beside the Sunken Garden, they should take pride in their class’s participation in their gift. The best way to ensure high participation is a diverse group of senior fundraisers leading the charge. Students could apply to the Office of Development and focus solely on fundraising. With a strong senior-based commitment to the senior gift, the senior class president would be unnecessary. Now would be the best time for the SA to eliminate the council. The SA is holding an election soon after spring break, and newly elected students would be unhappy to lose their positions so quickly. The reorganization would be clean, and current council members would have a chance to make their final terms count. While we know an elimination of the council is unlikely to occur any time soon, we commend the Code Revisions Committee for recommending it. It is clear the council’s diminishing importance has become a pressing issue for the SA, and eventually they intend to do something about it. We hope that soon the SA will understand the tremendous benefit it would reap from the merger: a more powerful and effective SA.
—Online Therapist on “Online therapy is a useful resource, but shouldn’t replace in-person sessions”
Weed-out courses unfairly deny college students academic experimentation
Wenqing Zhao THE FLAT HAT
Weed-out courses are classes that have been specifically created to weed out the many students who come to college with the goal of majoring in a particularly academically rigorous program — often within the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Colleges are apparently so friendly that they let you dip into the water a little bit instead of simply weeding you out via IQ test. Then, if you fail, you have no one else to blame but yourself, because your nature just doesn’t fit your proposed course of study.
Weed-out courses deprive students of their passions and dreams without a sufficient reason. Proponents of weed-out courses would say that such courses are fair game for everyone: If you get past them, you can continue in that major. If not, there’s no point studying the subject anyway. I respond that it’s fair for me to have an F on my transcript if I got an F on a test, but it’s never fair to be outright denied when it comes to academic passions and interests. A great amount of research has confirmed that students tend to do much better in college after two or three semesters, and evidence for improvement over time can be found in our daily lives. I’ve always heard a friend of mine with great talent for playing cello say that after several weeks of practicing a new piece, he feels more comfortable with it. If a new piece
of music requires several weeks of preparation from an expert, then I ask: Isn’t it imprudent to weed out a student after just one or two semesters’ study, while he or she may still be making progress? Even if students fail a weedout course, it’s not appropriate to assume that students are wasting their time by studying that subject. As an old-fashioned person, I believe in the ultimate value of the education itself, rather than in the monetary benefits people try to squeeze out of education. However, career is a necessary concern, and immediately weeding students out of a course of study denies them the possibility of studying something they might find useful later on. If you get nothing at the beginning, chances are you will get nothing at the end. Email Wenqing Zhao at wzhao01@email.wm.edu.
GRAPHIC BY ALLISON HICKS / THE FLAT HAT
variety
Variety Editor Aine Cain flathat.variety@gmail.com // @FlatHatVariety
The Flat Hat| Friday, February 21, 2014 | Page 6
Shakespeare in the Dark tackles Macbeth BY KAYLA SHARPE FLAT HAT ASSOC. ONLINE EDITOR
Something wicked this way comes. Feb. 20, the College of William and Mary’s Shakespeare in the Dark presented a compelling rendition of one of the most illustrious dramas by history’s best-known playwright. Directors Zach Hurst ’16 and Molly Earner ’16 reimagined this powerful piece with a modern twist, juxtaposing the ambitions of nobles and royals with the schemes of 1920s gangsters. Infusing the godfather-esque mannerisms of an old gang family while still retaining the gravity of the Shakespearean language, the production created a distinctive setting on a simple backdrop. While some background interactions seemed unnatural, the cast was otherwise cohesive and succeeded in projecting enough to fill all corners of the Commonwealth Auditorium without the aid of microphones. Standouts included the “Weird Sisters” Leah Baker ’15, Isabelle Baucum ’17 and Katherine Oliver ’16, who demonstrated irregular and mystical movements that translated well within their ensemble as well as during entertaining yet dragging scene changes. Aaron Stapel ’17, Daniel Burruss ’16, Bethany Bennett ’17 and Ricky Portner ’14 succeeded in adding a great deal of energy to the stage with
their bold character choices and idiosyncrasies. Max Sorger ’16 exuded impressive tenacity as Macduff. He, along with Paul Soutter ’17, lent several impassioned moments to the performance that were palpable and fitting. Jason Via ’15 portrayed the tragic hero Macbeth with severity and thrilling complexity. His monologues were delivered with such conviction that he teetered on the edge of the stage just as his character stood precariously on the edge of sanity. As Lady Macbeth, Emily Wolfteich’s ’14 inflections allowed her to express the complex language with natural ease. As a cutthroat mob wife, she transitioned smoothly from manipulative to vicious to pitifully insane. The set, consisting solely of black curtains, created a monochromatic grimness that was fitting with the production’s overall tone and was highlighted by old-timey music and lighting arrangements that were simple yet well executed. Dark suits and dresses emphasized the rigidity of the characters while impressive use of fight sequences and gruesome blood effects added an extra level of intensity. Shakespeare in the Dark depicted the tragic and universal tale of “Macbeth” with dedication and attentiveness. With strength and confidence, they imparted the universal lesson that power and ambition can prove to be the undoing of even the most steadfast of men.
ALL PHOTOS courtesy of molly earner
Top: Jason Via ’15 plays Macbeth in Shakespeare’s production of “Macbeth” at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall. Left: Scott Shapses ‘14 portrays the death of Banquo during the show.
Midterms stress? Keep calm and meditate
Meditation Club provides students with tea, relaxation and a chance to breathe
BY MARIE POLICASTRO THE FLAT HAT
Close your eyes. Now, focus. Don’t tense. Let it be. Find your inner peace. Don’t think about the essay due in two days, the 50 pages of reading for French, the laundry piling up in your room. Just focus. Easy, right? Yeah, not so much. Students of the College of William and Mary can forget their stress with the Meditation Club. Led by Kelsey Trouton ’16 and Rob Risque ’16, the Meditation Club meets once a week in various calming environments around campus, assisting students in the art of meditation. As a prospective student, Risque, like many other eager applicants, perused the College’s website looking at the many clubs and extracurricular activities offered here. For one who had been interested in meditation since the age of 13, the Meditation Club caught Risque’s attention immediately. Upon acceptance to the College, Risque emailed the Meditation Club listserv, but he did not receive a response. After further inquiry, Risque discovered that, for some years now, the club had dissipated and desisted multiple times. Risque corralled his fellow hallmate, Trouton, who was intrigued by Risque’s interest in meditation and together they decided to revive the lost club. They created their own constitution and began holding meetings in the spring of 2013. “I think we’re supposed to, but we don’t [currently] have some sort of re-election process,” Risque said. Risque and Trouton dislike being thought of as “in charge.” They encourage others to lead mediations and create a community environment. Naturally, the club has evolved over the past couple of semesters. “We’re more focused with what meditations we want to try and are more concrete in what we want to do with trying different methods and different ways to
relax,” Risque said. Both Risque and Trouton described the club as a community, as a safe place to come together and devote time to detoxing from the stress that all students face. “In hearing from others, it’s not so much doing it, but having a place that facilitates it,” Trouton said. They encourage members to contribute to a discussion about meditation as a whole and deeply value their opinions. Every week, a survey is sent out on their Facebook page, asking members for feedback about discussion, types of meditation to try and their interest in other specific programs they’d like to see the club adopt. Recently, the Meditation Club has begun to offer tea at meetings as another way of relaxing. This has been well received by members. The club usually garners a group of 10 to 20 students. In the past, even some Ph.D.-seeking students have attended meetings. Each member of the club has a different reason for attending. “Some go because they know of the club through us,” Trouton said. “Some just like to take that time for themselves. However much they put in is how much they get out. Some will just close their eyes and meditate and leave,” Risque said. Trouton describes meditation to be a very personal experience and different for everyone. To Risque, meditation is the perfect balance between relaxation and focus. “I came because I am interested in introspective mindfulness,” Christian Weber ’14 said. The club has lately been focusing on mindful meditation, which is a more conscious awareness of how one is naturally. This can be practiced in a variety of ways such as by focusing on one’s breathing or how one’s clothes feel on one’s body. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. Risque and Trouton teach that getting distracted while meditating is completely normal and that what is important is that one recognizes that they are
distracted and have the ability to refocus their energy. As students at the College, we are constantly distracted. We are bombarded emotionally and spiritually with clutter that creates stress in our lives. It can feel like it’s coming from all different directions: professors and exams, applications and deadlines, significant others and relationships, finances and the future. “My brain always goes a hundred words a minute. If I can just get my brain to stop for five minutes or so, that’s helpful,” Bishop Clarke ’17 said. Risque described his reasons for meditation. “You know that throughout the day you will be stressed out eventually, so if you take time out and meditate, it can help,” Risque said. Trouton echoed Risque’s sentiments. “I can feel when it’s too much and I need to take time to rebalance mentally,” Trouton said. Looking forward toward the future of the club, both Trouton and Risque are mostly concerned with its upkeep. They do not wish it to succumb to
the same fate as the previous Meditation Clubs that mysteriously fell apart. They are both optimistic for the future of the club and are extremely open-minded and excited for the direction that it will take in the next couple of years, allowing it to take the form of whatever others desire. Trouton noted that the club is whatever the members make of it. “If they want it to be more spiritual, philosophical … it’s dependent on the people that come and what they want,” Risque said. They are concerned that there is a misconception about meditation and that others don’t recognize the benefits that it can have, especially on such an academically rigorous campus. “[People think] that it’s some trippy kind of practice. You’re not supposed to float off of your chair. From a more practical standpoint, [mediation] is very good for your mental health and well-being. [People should] come out to the club and see what it’s about,” Trouton said.
GRAPHIC BY SARAH THORESEN / THE FLAT HAT
Friday, February 21, 2014
The Flat Hat
Page 7
Michael Jordan, Explorer, Fighter Pilot: Investigating the childhood dreams of Tribe administrators and professors
by EMILY STONE // FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
Rodney Franks “I wanted to play for the Chicago Bulls, and I wanted to be Michael Jordan,” Area Director for the Botetourt Complex and Jamestown Residences Rodney Franks said. While growing up in Arkansas, basketball was a passion for Franks. He began playing when he was seven and continued throughout junior high, until an injury ended his dream of making it to the NBA. “In high school, I started to move on to different things and different career aspirations,” Franks said. He enrolled in an early-bird class for computer science, where he was in charge of wiring and computer repair at the elementary school in his district. “I really wanted to be the director of technology at a K-12 school. I wanted to be a network administrator. That’s where I went into [for] undergrad. My bachelor’s degree was in computer science; I knew that was what I wanted to do,” Franks said. At Arkansas Tech University, Franks studied computer science, but he also made a few poor choices during his freshman year. These choices affected his grades, catching the attention of his hall director. His hall director pushed him to get involved in the
Residence Hall Association, the Conduct Board and other Residence Life activities. He also became a Residence Assistant. “I became an RA, and that’s when I realized that I was making a difference. I had a really great group of residents, even some guys that I still stay in touch with to this day,” Franks said. His school district offered him a job after graduation, but Franks declined. “The pay would have been very nice, but I had gotten burned out. I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. I had found higher education and housing,” Franks said. Franks got his master’s degree in higher education from the University of Central Arkansas, and his first position was running the football hall on campus. He says that he never knew he would end up working in ResLife, but he loves that the job is anything but routine. “I just fell into it; it was never anything that I knew about,” he said. “I was a first generation college student, so I wasn’t aware of a lot of the things that were out there. It can be stressful — there are a lot of late nights — but then you have experiences where you do feel like you made an impact.”
Marlene Davis
COURTESY PHOTO / RODNEY FRANKS
Area Director Rodney Franks dreamed of becoming a basketball player for the NBA when he was a child.
Dennis Smith
When he was an undergraduate, government professor Dennis Smith came to a major realization. “I decided that I’m going to do what I want to do, and I’m going to trust that if I really like it, that I’m going to be able to get a job,” he said. However, Smith didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do right away. His childhood dream was to be a fighter pilot, a dream fueled by his life on air force bases, air shows and the advent of flight simulator games. “I think that dream started transitioning in high
Marlene Davis always had a hankering for adventure. At the age of five, Davis was diagnosed with what was thought to be rheumatoid fever. The typical treatment at the time was a year of bed rest. Davis, the youngest of seven children, did not allow her illness to dampen her enthusiasm for adventure. From her bedroom in North Dakota, Davis taught herself to read and began devouring books like the “Nancy Drew” series and adventure stories that her eldest brother sent from England. She collected postcards sent by aunts and uncles around the world, and she followed her family’s journeys on maps. “I think books are so important. You can’t have all experiences, so how wonderful are books?” Davis said. Davis was determined to meet people outside of her hometown, which lacked diversity. After high school, she volunteered at an interracial center in Portland, Oregon. “When I was an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, I worked informally with international students,” she
school because I was really good at math. I also realized that I don’t like roller coasters. Being a fighter pilot and not liking roller coasters is kind of a problem. So once I got to high school, I wanted to be an aerospace engineer,” Smith said. At the University of Missouri, Smith began taking the math classes that his intended engineering major required. He realized he was good at math, but he didn’t feel he had the same passion for it that some of his classmates did. He changed tracks and asked his parents’ opinion on a major in political science. They were hesitant and suggested international business, thinking that
said. “There really weren’t special programs for international students, and I thought, this is the neatest thing. All I have to do is help somebody figure out how to say or write something, and I’d find out all sorts of things about them.” One of Davis’ most memorable moments at her job was working with a young Swiss woman. “When I found out Swiss women didn’t vote, I was shocked,” Davis said. “And she said, ‘Why are you shocked? We just influence our husbands.’” Davis’ passions have carried over to her work at the College of William and Mary. “When I ended up here in Williamsburg, I thought, ‘What can I do to keep my world broader?’” Davis said. She has taught popular freshman seminars about travel and espionage literature, and she began a program to help international students develop their writing skills. “It was literature that really made me open my eyes to the importance of diversity,” Davis said. “Books have really influenced not just my career choice but the way I think.”
job prospects would be better. However, Smith hated his accounting class, and after exiting a difficult midterm, he came to his big conclusion. He was going to pursue political science, even if that meant he had to get a master’s degree to be successful in the field. Smith received his master’s degree at U.Va., and was invited to teach International Relations of the Middle East. “A few days after I showed up at U.Va. to teach, I got a call from the William and Mary government department asking me to teach a senior seminar. To be honest, at the time, I did not think about how far
apart the two schools were, so I took the job. I would teach Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at U.Va. and Tuesdays and Thursdays at William and Mary. I spent more time commuting between Charlottesville and Williamsburg than I did in class, about four hours a day on the road.” However, the semester went well, and Smith took a visiting professor position at the College. He hasn’t looked back since. “The experience you’re getting here is radically different than the experience you would be getting at most institutions,” he said. “This is very much like a big, extended family. It brings out the best in me.”
JIGGLYPUFF CARTOON
This cartoon was slipped beneath the door of The Flat Hat’s office in the Campus Center basement. The Jigglypuff Artist later emailed a Flat Hat editor the following statement: “The great thing about a hundred dollars is that you can go see Frozen 10 times. The amount of snow Williamsburg has received this year makes it obvious that someone here isn’t doing such a good job of concealing and not feeling. Valentines Day is the
worst day of the year. The worst. One time I was robbed three times in the same day and was forced to fight a pack of rabid weasels for some food scraps since I had no money to eat. I recall thinking ‘at least it’s not Valentines Day.’ If anyone knows any good cults, give me a ring. The one I’m in now drinks ginger ale instead of blood. Weak. The best part about Christmas is that it’s never more than a year until Christmas.”
GRAPHIC BY THE JIGgLYPUFF ARTIST / THE FLAT HAT
sports The Flat Hat
Mark, Set, Go
Friday, February 21, 2014 | Page 8
SPRING SPORTS PREVIEWS
As William and Mary heads toward conference play among its winter sports, the spring sport athletes prepare for the new season. A baseball preview ran Feb. 14 while a preview of the lacrosse program ran Feb. 18. The spring sports preview concludes with a look at the track and field program.
Under director Stephen Walsh, the program has enjoyed unparalleled success, most recently winning Colonial Athletic Association championship last spring on both the men’s and women’s side. Check back with Flathatnews.com and follow @FlatHatSports for coverage on all spring programs.
E
xpectations are high for track and field in 2014 following a successful 2013 season. The Flat Hat Sports desk sat down with third-year director of track and field Stephen Walsh, junior pole vaulter Elizabeth Crafford and junior long distance runner Dylan Hassett to preview the 2014 season. BY JACK POWERS // FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
Director Stephen Walsh sees the season as a process — one that takes shape gradually over the course of four months. When the Tribe comes to the starting line in Harrisonburg, Va. May 2 to defend its men’s and women’s Colonial Athletic Association titles, it will do so after countless hours of exertion in the quest to run faster, jump higher and throw farther. With the end of indoor season approaching, Walsh said the short-term goal is to garner individual qualifications for the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America indoor championship meet on the men’s side and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship indoor meet on the women’s side. However, the team’s main objectives are rooted in the outdoor season, which follows on the heels of the indoor season. “Everything indoors is built on to get us to the outdoor championship,” Walsh said. “The first few
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
An official starts an event at last season’s Colonial Relays. The College looks to defend its men’s and women’s CAA title.
meets will be relatively low-key for us, but then Colonial Relays will be when a bunch of kids start to get going. Then every weekend becomes a bigger and bigger weekend leading up to the conference championship. This year we’ll see if we can defend the title. We got the people to do it, and right now we’re getting people into position.” The most striking aspect of this year’s team is its youth. Last year, the College’s freshmen made their impact felt at each and every meet. The most obvious example of younger team members making their mark was sophomore long-distance runner
BASEBALL
Tribe struggles versus No. 1 Top-ranked Virginia blasts College 17-2, Katz homers BY JACK POWERS FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary headed into Wednesday night’s matchup against No.1-ranked Virginia with their sights on a momentous upset. Unfortunately for Tribe fans, the script did not follow the team’s hopes. Instead, the Cavaliers routed the Tribe 17-2 at Plumeri Park. “Obviously, they’re a really good team, and we would have needed to have played our best to beat them and we didn’t,” Murphy said to the Daily Press. “I didn’t think we were very good in any area. Obviously when you give up 17, you don’t really stand a chance, but there was no facet of the game we played our best in.” Murphy T h e Tribe sent junior right-hander Bryson Kauhaahaa to the mound for the start against the Cavaliers’ (3-1) batters. In his first career start for the Tribe after transferring from Cypress College last fall, Kauhaahaa pitched a scoreless first inning but faltered in the second, giving up six runs. Only two of the six runs were earned
as the Tribe’s fielders racked up two errors. Kauhaahaa threw 52 pitches over two innings, more than the Cavaliers’ starter Artie Lewicki pitched over five. Following Kauhaahaa’s second inning breakdown, Murphy sent out four pitchers to varying success. Freshman Daniel Powers pitched the next two and one-third innings, giving up one run. Down six runs in the fourth, the Tribe’s batters pulled their team back into contention. Junior first baseman Michael Katz, fresh off his walk-off homerun Sunday against Army, cracked another ball over the centerfield wall to bring two runs home. Katz’s homerun brought in the Tribe’s only runs for the game, while the Cavaliers continued to punish College pitchers. Virginia scored one run in the fifth against Powers, then nine in the sixth against junior J.T. Castner and junior Sean Rutherford. Castner let in four before recording the first out of the inning, and five more poured in before Rutherford tallied the third out. All told, 15 Cavaliers batters would come to the plate during the sixth inning. Sophomore pitcher James
Bedi rounded out the night on the mound for the Tribe, pitching the final three innings and giving up just one run on two hits. The Tribe’s batters were only able to muster one hit during the final five innings. Freshman outfielder Porter Reinhart, pinchhitting for Katz, drove a single up the left side of the field in the Katz bottom of the ninth, but his teammates left him stranded. The Cavaliers’ 17-2 thumping of the Tribe handed Kauhaahaa (0-1) the loss and Lewicki (1-0) the win. Wednesday night’s matchup represented the sixth-straight season in which the two teams had faced off with Virginia, which has a perfect 6-0 record for that stretch. Last year’s game ended in an 11-2 Cavaliers win. After four home games to start the season, the Tribe travels to High Point for a three-game series that begins Friday at 4 p.m. Junior Jason Ingrahm is scheduled to get the start Friday.
Emily Stites. This year, the new class is just as exceptional: Freshman long-distance runner Trevor Sleight finished second overall in the 5,000 meters last weekend at the Lafayette/Rider Winter Games, qualifying for the IC4A indoor championship. “I’d say about 70 percent of our group is freshmen or sophomores, so it’s going to take some time for them to mature into a division 1 top notch athlete,” Walsh said. “But I think that’s what’s coming from this group” The women’s long distance team is paced by a duo
of All-Americans: Stites and senior Elaina Balouris. Stites finished 10th in the 5,000 meters last June at the NCAA outdoor championships, while Balouris finished 10th in the 10,000 meters at the same meet. Although they haven’t appeared in very many meets so far this year, Walsh is confident in their development since last season. “They’re doing a great job, coming off a great cross country season,” Walsh said. “They put in great performances at Iowa State. I think they’re capable of running faster, especially since we’re tapering for outdoor. In two weeks, they should run faster which bodes well for the outdoor season to see if we can get down to the 15:40s for both of them. But I think they’re doing a great job representing the program at the national level.” Junior Dylan Hassett attested to the positive example Balouris and Stites provide to the rest of the women’s long-distance team. “Its a reminder that those top, elite runners [that] they’re only human,” Hassett said. “They’re just like us — we talk about our daily problems and classes and stress. If I’m there running with them, why can’t I be an elite, well-known runner too?” The men’s long-distance team is most remarkable for its depth. Senior Rad Gunzenhauser and other veterans are joined by a collection of young accomplished runners, headed by Sleight. “Trevor Sleight was the one who ran really well last week as a freshman,” Walsh said. “It’s a young group and we got a bunch of guys in the fold and there’s a handful of freshmen who are stepping up, so I think it’s only a matter of time for them to mature as a group, but I think it’s really starting to show. “ The College’s long-distance teams generally garner the most accolades, but the field and long sprints teams have become nearly as accomplished over the past few weeks. “I’m a big believer in having a well-rounded program, and you can see we’ve put a lot of emphasis on the throws, jumps and long sprints, and it shows with people going after school records every week,” Walsh said. The Tribe will need its field athletes to impress during the outdoor season if it will stand a chance of defending its conference title. One of its premier field athletes, junior polevaulter Elizabeth Crafford has her priorities straight. “Our outdoor conference is definitely an ‘eye-onthe-prize’ type of thing. Last year we definitely went in knowing we could do a lot,” Crafford said. “I think it’s really unique that the conference meet brings everyone together for one specific goal, whereas in a lot of other meets its to get a personal best and less of a united feeling.” It may difficult to sum up two teams of 50 athletes, but Walsh is quick to point out how motivated his team is to defend its title and place at the NCAA outdoor championships. “I think the team is definitely hungry,” Walsh said. “They want to get to IC4As as an individual and as a group. They want to defend their title. A number of guys are talking about making NCAA regionals. We got a really hungry group out there, and it’s a young group that’s maturing over time.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Charleston overwhelms College Tribe can’t keep pace as Cougars shoot blistering 64 percent BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Facing a 16-point halftime deficit shouldn’t have fazed William and Mary Wednesday night. Just a month earlier, trailing nine, the College had rallied to beat Charleston. While the advantage may not have affected the Tribe (16-10, 8-5 CAA), it emboldened the Cougars. Charleston (14-14, 6-7 CAA) hit 20 of its final 26 shots en-route to blowing past the Tribe, 87-54. Junior guard Marcus Thornton continued his recent struggles from the field, finishing with nine points on 3 of 12 shooting in 35 minutes. Charleston’s Nori Johnson drew the defensive assignment on Thornton and focused on upsetting Thornton’s shooting rhythm. Before Sunday’s loss to Towson, Thornton had scored 10 or more points in 53 of his past 54 games. He has now failed to do so in two of his last three games. “I think we made some really good adjustments from the first game to the second game. Obviously, he is one of the hardest to guard in our league,” Johnson told CofCSports.com. “He can score it using those ball screens and in their Princeton offense. I just wanted to frustrate him a little bit, stay attached to him, and go around the ball screens just to make sure he didn’t get comfortable enough to get in a good rhythm.” Johnson ended with 16 points, one of four players in double figures for the Cougars. With Thornton misfiring, the Tribe couldn’t find an answer. All told, the Tribe shot 37.3 percent from the field, including 12.5 percent from beyond the arc. Senior center Tim Rusthoven opened the game with a basket for the Tribe’s only lead of the contest. Despite a 7-0 run midway through the first period, fueled by Thornton and senior guard Brandon Britt, the Cougars used a 15-3 run to build a 16-point halftime advantage. Charleston’s back-to-back three-pointers to close
out the opening period foreshadowed the remaining 20 minutes. While shooting 64.2 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from three, the Cougars hit eight three-pointers in the second half alone. “It was just a complete performance for us. We shot the ball well tonight,” Charleston head coach Doug Wojcik told CofCSports.com. “We shot it well from two and we shot it well from three.” Offensively, the Tribe had just two players in double figures. Rusthoven and freshman guard Omar Prewitt each finished with 13 and converted more than half of their shots. Junior forward Sean Sheldon, who has seen more minutes of late, tied his career-best with nine points without a miss from the field in 17 minutes of action. Britt finished with five points as senior forward Kyle Gaillard and freshman guard Daniel Dixon rounded out the College’s scoring. Alongside a season-low 2-of-16 effort from threepoint range, the Tribe failed to outscore Charleston’s bench. Entering Wednesday night, the Tribe had outscored opposing benches by 11.6 points per game. With Britt resuming his starting role and senior guard Julian Boatner relegated to the bench, overall bench scoring has suffered. Boatner didn’t register a shot in a team-low nine minutes. Three conference games remain before the Colonial Athletic Association’s Men’s Basketball Championship. Currently, the College sits at No. 3 in conference rankings. Head coach Tony Shaver and the Tribe will have a chance to improve to as high as No. 2 before the tournament, beginning Saturday when it hosts Northeastern. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Kaplan Arena.
ONLINE
FH
William and Mary women’s baseketball fell 75-69 to Towson. Visit Flathatnews.com for the story.