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With the College in the thick of its schedule, coach thanks fans for home-court advantage.
Reveley, professors discuss their dream jobs as children, teenagers.
When you were young
Shaver gracious of fan support
The Flat Hat
Vol. 103, Iss. 32 | Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
of The College of William and Mary
STUDENT LIFE
VIRGINIA
Bill could change conduct hearings Lawyers could speak for students BY SARAH CASPARI FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
GRAPHIC BY ABBY BOYLE / THE FLAT HAT
Using a laptop to take notes may be less effective BY eleanor lamb Flat HaT assoc. News Editor
In the digital age, using laptops for notetaking has become a common practice in many college classrooms. Although using laptops in class may be convenient, recent studies have shown that electronic notetaking may not be the most effective method for actually learning the material. According to a recent Huffington Post article, students who use laptops are not as well-versed in the material because they simply copy everything the professor says without absorbing the information. While they may have the professor’s lecture copied down word-for-word, they lose understanding. Philosophy professor and Department Chair Elizabeth Radcliffe said she prefers the
pen and paper technique and sees copying an instructor’s words verbatim as a flaw in laptop note-taking. “I think note-taking is becoming a lost skill,” Radcliffe said. “I don’t expect students to repeat back to me verbatim what I said. I don’t think note taking has to be of that form to be valuable. Taking dictation isn’t thinking. It’s just writing down words.” Classical studies professor Molly Swetnam-Burland agrees that the pen and paper technique is optimal. While she concedes that laptops can help her students zoom in on pieces of artwork she includes in her PowerPoints, she said that they are, for the most part, a distraction. Swetnam-Burland also encourages her Latin students to copy conjugations of verbs repeatedly to solidify the words in their minds, a tactic that would be much more
ORGANIZATIONS
difficult with the use of a computer. “[Using] pen and paper focuses your attention, and you’re entirely giving your mind over to the task at hand,” SwetnamBurland said. “It helps both because you’re using more of your brain and because you’re really, really engaged in making choices.” Others view using laptops in class as a convenience. “[With laptops] you have the ability to look up information on your own [during lectures],” Mike Kikta ’17 said. “In history, you can copy and paste [notes] into chronological order. You have an added level of control.” Conversely, Christine Swengros ’16 said there are drawbacks to using a laptop in class. “[Laptops] distract me sometimes. People go on Facebook or shop,” Swengros said. “I’ve always been taught there’s a connection between writing and remembering things.”
The procedures and protocols for student conduct hearings at the College of William and Mary may be about to change, thanks to a new bill currently under examination in the Virginia state legislature. The bill — known as HB 1123 and introduced by Delegate Rick Morris, R-64 — would allow students being tried by campus judiciaries for non-academic offenses to hire counsel and challenge verdicts. The proposed bill would apply to all Virginia public universities. Last year, a similar bill passed in North Carolina by a vote of 112-1. Current policies regarding a student’s right to an attorney vary at institutions across the state. At the College, a student may hire a lawyer to be present during the hearing and to advise the student, but the lawyer is not permitted to speak on the student’s behalf. HB 1123 would change that, giving the lawyer the right to present the student’s case and conduct questioning. Joseph Cohn, legislative and policy director for the Foundation of Individual Rights in Education, said he believes this would give the accused student a fair chance — a fundamental right all students should be afforded. “It’s unreasonable to expect an 18- or 19-year-old to face a dean — who’s gone through [the hearing process] repeatedly — without any knowledge about how it tends to go, without any experience to recognize issues that need to be raised,” Cohn said. “It’s just so problematically unfair … that having a lawyer in the room fundamentally changes that.” Although the financial burden of hiring a lawyer would fall on the student, the law would most likely have secondary costs for universities, which would need to hire more legal counsel to balance things out, and may end up paying large sums in damages in cases that are successfully appealed. The Department of Planning and Budget conducted a fiscal impact study on the bill and concluded that large universities would each need to hire one extra lawyer, See BILL page 3
ALUMNI
Honor Council Survey shows class of 2013 grads finding jobs members inducted 58.81 percent of respondents report employment following College graduation BY ARIEL COHEN FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
BY ANNIE CURRAN FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
During a standing-room only ceremony in the Great Hall of the Wren Building, eight returning members and 16 new members were inducted to the College of William and Mary’s Undergraduate Honor Council. College President Taylor Reveley and Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct Dave Gilbert spoke during the ceremony. Gilbert, who was attending his tenth Honor Council induction ceremony, said he had never seen the room so full. Gilbert noted that the year had been mostly devoid of controversy and that it had been the first year under the new Honor Code. He said it was the strongest group of leaders he had ever worked with and commended the leadership team of outgoing Chair Erin Hills ’14 and Vice Chair Emmy Newcomb ’14. Gilbert stressed that while the job is difficult, it is also rewarding. “For those of you who are not part of this system, who are here as friends, family, I want you to understand and appreciate this endeavor that these folks have pledged,” Gilbert said. “I can tell you that my experience working with the council, it is rarely fun, but it is vitally important.” In addition, the new executive board members were sworn in. Caroline Chalko ’15 will serve as chair, Nicole Walsh ’16 will serve as vice chair, Brian Fuller ’15 will See HONOR COUNCIL page 3
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A record number of graduates from the College of William and Mary’s class of 2013 found employment within five months of graduation. The Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center’s annual career outcome survey showed that 58.81 percent of respondents reported they were employed and 29.02 percent indicated that they were enrolled in graduate school. “In an economy like ours that is somewhat recovering, this is amazing,” Executive Director of Career Development Mary Schilling said. 1,559 students from the class of 2013 were polled monthly via email from April until November 2013. Of that number, 65.88 percent responded. Schilling said the survey had both a better rate of return this year than in previous years, as well as a better yield, compared to 2012. “First the economy recovers, but then the job market recovers,”
“CAREER OUTCOME” SURVEY NUMBERS OF 1,559 STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2013,
65.88% responded to the survey. reported that 58.81% oftheyrespondents were employed. reported 29.02% ofthat respondents they were enrolled in graduate school.
aligned “very 90.50% employment well” or “somewhat well” with reported
that
their
their personal career goals.
— Executive Director of Career Development Mary Schilling
COURTESY PHOTO / WM.EDU
Schilling said. “We could feel it coming with 2013. Some seniors were even getting more than one job offer.” Among respondents who are employed, 90.50 percent reported that their employment aligned “very well” or “somewhat well”
Inside opinions
with their personal career goals. “Students here are not willing to take a job that they are just settling for,” Shilling said. “You want to be happy every day to get up and go to work. I think that William and Mary’s sense of purpose helps inculcate the attitude of going after
what you’re passionate about.” Not all students followed the path they expected after graduating from the College. “Among my friends only two or three actually had a job right out of See CAREERS page 3
Inside SPORTS
Expressing the College’s identity in the wake of the Sigma Chi email Cloudy High 46, Low 38
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First the economy recovers, but then the job market recovers.
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16 new members sworn in in Wren
The distressing email recently sent on the Sigma Chi listserv gives students a chance to show how caring and supportive the College is. page 4
Tribe defeats Charleston
Led by freshman guard Marlena Tremba and senior forward Kaitlyn Mathieu, the College secured its second win in three games. page 7