SPORTS >> PAGE 8
VARIETY >> PAGE 7
Delaware leaps out to 24-point advantage in the first half in front of large crowd.
Don’t sound like an idiot at your friend’s Superbowl party Sunday night.
College falls to Delaware, 89-72
Football illiterate?
The Flat Hat
Vol. 103, Iss. 31 | Friday, January 31, 2014
The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
FINANCES
College rolls out new out-ofstate financial aid package If student’s total estimated financial contribution was $20,000... OLD MODEL ADDITIONAL BORROWING
$6,880 IN GRANTS (80 PERCENT OF REMAINING FINANCIAL NEED)
$11,400 IN LOANS
ESTIMATED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION ($31,556)
GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CURRAN / THE FLAT HAT
Previously, students could receive up to 80 percent of the remaining financial need from grants after loans were subtracted from the inital financial need.
Out-of-state students are being offered a new financial aid package. Qualifying students can now receive up to 25 percent of the full cost of education through grant aid. The new package applies to students beginning their education at the College of William and Mary for the 2014-15 academic year. This change comes as part of an effort to make financial aid more predictable and understandable for families. Other than grant aid, out-of-state students can receive additional support from the Office of Financial Aid through loans and work study programs. Qualifying incoming in-state students can still receive up to 100 percent of their tuition through grant aid. The changes In the previous aid model, families received their estimated family contribution from the federal government after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. The EFC was subtracted from the cost of tuition to calculate the total financial need. Then, the first $11,400 was expected to be paid with loans. The College could provide up to 80 percent of the remaining need through grants. For example, an out-of-state student with $20,000 in total financial need would have used loans to pay $11,400 and could have received up to 80 percent of the remaining financial need, or $6,880, in grants from the College. Under the new model, the base loan amount decreases from $11,400 to $7,400 and the College will meet up to 25 percent of the total cost of education through grant aid. For the same student with $20,000 in total financial need, $7,400 could be paid through loans and they would receive $12,600 in grant aid from the College. At higher levels of financial need, a student
STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY OF A POLICE OFFICER A College of William and Mary student was charged with a felony for assaulting a police officer Monday, Jan. 27. The WilliamsburgYorktown Daily reported that the student allegedly scratched the officer attempting to take her into custody for public intoxication and underage possession of alcohol. Williamsburg Police Department’s Major Greg Riley told Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily that the officer saw a man and woman walking on Jamestown Road at about 1 a.m. The officer went to investigate and determined the woman was intoxicated. While attempting to take her into custody, she allegedly attempted to get away and scratched the officer in the process. The officer was not harmed during the incident. The man walking with the female student left without any charges. — Flat Hat Managing Editor Meredith Ramey
COURTESY PHOTO / GOOGLEMAPS.COM
Index News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
NEW MODEL
BY ANNIE CURRAN FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
See GRANTS page 4
$12,600 IN GRANTS (UP TO 25 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL COST OF EDUCATION)
$7,400 IN LOANS
ESTIMATED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION ($31,556)
GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CURRAN / THE FLAT HAT
Under the new model, there is a lower loan base rate. Then, students can receive up to 25 percent of the total cost of education through grant aid.
GREEK LIFE
Leaked Sig Chi email goes viral Reveley, Engh respond BY ABBY BOYLE FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
An email written by a member of the Zeta Upsilon chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity at the College of William and Mary stirred controversy this week after it was posted online Tuesday. The email, originally sent to members of Sigma Chi’s listserv, was leaked to the website “Total Sorority Move.” By that night, a link to TSM’s story had been posted to the Facebook group “Overheard at William and Mary,” where it received 206 comments and 238 “likes” at press time. The message, with the subject line “Life, love, and pussy,” describes the author’s concept for a community outreach program titled “Save the sluts.” Various comments on Overheard condemned the email, describing it as misogynistic. Sigma Chi President Charlie Engh ’16 released a statement about the email. “We deeply regret the message that was sent through our listserv encouraging Reveley actions that are inconsistent with our values as Sigma Chis,” Engh said in the statement. “The message was disrespectful toward women, and that is not who we are as a chapter. We have moved to suspend the individual who was responsible for the message and International Fraternity leaders are taking action to ensure proper disciplinary measures are taken. Rest assured that we are also voluntarily taking an internal review of our membership, to be sure that our chapter is comprised only of men of the highest character. Until then, we have voluntarily and proactively ceased normal chapter operations.” The Sigma Chi International’s advisors also issued a statement regarding the email. See EMAIL page 3
RESIDENCE LIFE
Transgender students question housing inequality Some students choose to live off-campus due to unhappiness with housing options BY ARIEL COHEN FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
When Emerson Ives ’14 transferred to the College of William and Mary as a junior, Ives identified as transgender and failed to find a comfortable housing option. Ives decided to request a single. Later in the summer, Ives received the housing assignment: a quad with three girls in a Ludwell apartment. “When you don’t deal with this stuff on [a] daily basis, you don’t even think about it.” Ives said. “But transgender issues affect a lot of students. But now, instead of my first semester academics, I was worried about dealing with my living situation.” Soon after receiving the housing assignment, Ives switched to living in the Governor’s Inn, a housing option reserved for overflow. “If they didn’t have the Governor’s Inn, I don’t know what I would have done,” Ives said. “There are some transgender students who have opted to live [in houses] on Richmond Road because they don’t agree
COURTESY PHOTO / WM.EDU
Emerson Ives ‘14, a trans-gender student, opted to live in the Governors Inn instead of an apartment in Ludwell with girls.
with the housing process. There’s definitely a disconnect here.” Students who elect to live in special housing for genderrelated reasons must go through the adaptive housing process at the College. Others choose to live off campus in order to
Inside OPINIONS
circumnavigate the housing process. Ives said there are at least 50 to 100 students at the College each academic year who identify as LGBTQ, and desire comfortable on-campus housing options. Students with appropriate
documentation from a qualified professional may apply to adaptive housing through the Center for Student Diversity. Director of the Center for Student Diversity Vernon Hurte, works with each See GENDER page 4
Inside VARIETY
Big names draw big crowds, but smaller is better Sunny High 46, Low 21
Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
When the College hosts events in smaller venues, fewer students show up, but it’s a better experience. page 5
Back to the grind
Campus coffee shop redesigns its setup to kick off the new semester. page 6
THE DIGITAL DAY
The Flat Hat | Friday, January 31, 2014 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
But transgender issues affect a lot of students. But now, instead of first semester academics, I was worried about dealing with my living situation. — Student Emerson Ives ’14 on gender neutral living
AROUND THE ‘BURG
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newsinsight “
News Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran fhnews@gmail.com // @theflathat
“THAT GIRL” WITH HALEY KUMAR ’14 Flat Hat Chief Staff Writer Ariel Cohen talks with Haley Kumar ’14 about her work as a transfer OAD, her kinesiology major and accounting minor, her plans after college and the memories she’s made at William and Mary. Check it out at Flathatnews.com for the video.
FLAT HAT FLASHBACK “GREEN TIES ARE COMPULSORY FOR FRESHMEN”
Read about the rules freshmen had to follow beginning in 1928, including wearing mandatory green hats and green ties and attending all home games in the online exclusive, “From the Archives.”
A THOUSAND WORDS COURTESY PHOTO / FAMILYTRAVELMAGAZINE.COM
Sales for admission tickets to Colonial Williamsburg have fallen in the past year while the number of visits have gone up, according to the Virginia Gazette.
Rock-throwing incident in York County causes thousands of dollars in damage Thousands of dollars in damage have been caused in recent rock-throwing incidents in York County, according to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily. The incidents took place between Dec. 29 and Jan. 28, each between 9 p.m. and midnight. The York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Department is asking for help to find the vandals, who it says have been throwing rocks and concrete at houses and vehicles. One residence has suffered broken windows from four separate incidents of rock throwing. Colonial Williamsburg Chief Executive set to retire The Chief Executive of Colonial Williamsburg Colin Campbell is preparing to retire, according to the Virginia Gazette. Campbell has led the historical attraction since 2000. Thomas Farrell II, the chairman of the Colonial Williamsburg Board of Trustees, will lead a succession committee that will search for Campbell’s replacement. Members of the board praised his performance over the past 13 years, noting his commitment to leadership during his career. Campbell will remain in place for the time being, but his retirement will apparently come in the near future.
Paid admission to Colonial Williamsburg fell slightly in 2013, ticket sale revenue rose In other Colonial Williamsburg news, the Virginia Gazette is reporting that paid admissions fell slightly in 2013. Nonetheless, other measures like ticket sale revenue and “turnstile” counts rose due to the attraction’s two-day pass. A visitor entering Colonial Williamsburg two days in a row with a two-day pass would count both times to the “turnstile” count but just once for the paid admissions count, according to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The past year’s “turnstile” count reached over 1.8 million visits, up from 1.5 million in 2012. 15-year old girl, two dogs rescued from a frozen lake after kayaking accident Hampton firefighters rescued a 15-year-old girl and her two dogs from a lake Thursday afternoon, according to the Daily Press. The girl was reportedly found out on the icy lake in a kayak, 12 feet from shore at the first block of Southall Landing near Foxhill Road in Hampton. At first, the firefighters tried to pull her out of the lake with pike poles, but couldn’t reach the kayak. In the end, a medic firefighter with a marine dry rescue suit on was able to go in and save the girl and her dogs. The teen had her foot exposed to the water for around 15 minutes. She was taken to Sentara CarePlex Hospital for treatment.
CAMPUS POLICE BEAT
Jan. 21 — Jan. 26
ALISON COHEN / 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
Tuesday, Jan. 21 — An individual was arrested for bicycle larceny at One Tribe Place.
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Wednesday, Jan. 22 — An individual was arrested for vandalism of a bench at the Integrated Science Center.
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Thursday, Jan. 23 — An individual was arrested for theft from William and Mary Hall.
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Sunday, Jan. 26 — An individual was arrested for public drunkenness and underage possession of alcohol at the Graduate Complex.
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NEWS IN BRIEF Charter Day honors alumni
Healthy Beginnings leads forum
Dickter wins Thomas Jefferson Award
On Charter Day weekend, three alumni will be honored with the Alumni Medallion, the highest honor of the College of William and Mary’s Alumni Association. The recipients are James Comey ’82, Gary LeClair ’77 and Joyce House Shields ’64. The award recognizes excellence in their respective fields and service to the community. Comey is the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. LeClair started a law firm to protect the needs of entrepreneurs and serves as the chair of the College’s Athletic Foundation. Shields won the Arthur S. Fleming Award for her work in the federal government and serves on the board of the Mason School of Business.
The College’s Healthy Beginnings Project drew over 40 agencies to its recent convention on how to best support pregnant women who are incarcerated. The project, funded by a grant from the Kellogg Foundation and led by Psychology Professors Danielle Dallaire and Catherine Forestell, teams up with local jails to help them give nutritional advice for their pregnant inmates. The medical director of Human Resources, Inc., as well as representatives from local jails, also spoke at the forum. Healthy Beginnings, which began in 2012, offers pregnancy tests, nutritional counseling, prenatal vitamins and other support. The program has already helped more than 70 women deliver healthy babies.
Assistant Professor of psychology Cheryl Dickter is this year’s winner of the College’s Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award. Dickter’s work requires her to tackle issues such as sexuality, stereotyping and prejudice. The award will be bestowed on Charter Day and is granted to a younger professor who has demonstrated inspiration in learning. Her nomination letter, written by Psychology Department Chair Janice Zeman, cited her enthusiasm for her students and her work in the Social Cognition Lab in the Integrated Science Center. Dickter is also the co-director of the WMSURE Program, which supports academically exceptional students from under-represented backgrounds.
Friday, January 31, 2014
The Flat Hat
Page 3
student LIFE
Campus Kitchen looks for new options
With vendors on vacation, students search for alternative ways to collect food for area families By Katherine Chiglinsky flat hat editor-in-chief
When The Campus Kitchen at William and Mary’s vendors unexpectedly went on vacation early this semester, student leaders rethought how they would gather food to prepare nearly 200 meals for lowincome families in the area. “Occasionally, the vendors will go on vacation,” student coordinator Anne Hefele ’15 said. “We’re the smallest organization they deliver to so I’m glad they’re donating ... but it’s never been at the same time. It’s just kind of unfortunate.” The group still had enough supplies to prepare meals for the time being. Some of the nearly 3,000 canned and dry foods gathered at Turkeypalooza, the group’s food drive in November, helped carry the organization as its leaders rethought their process of raising food. The vendors usually travel to local grocery stores and restaurants, collecting extra food to drop off at major donation
centers, including Campus Kitchen. But with two of its main vendors on vacation at the same time, Campus Kitchen investigated how to raise food on its own. Student leaders began visiting local grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s and Farm Fresh, to try to set up more direct relationships with donors. “Why have a middleman? Why not just do it through us? We represent the College well, we know our objectives, we know our aims,” Recovery Chair Inez Paz ’15 said. She noted that most local groceries have been receptive to donating to Campus Kitchen and that the group already has the resources necessary to begin gathering food. “It’s been great because about at least four or five volunteers are van-certified and we have cooling bags so we can safely transport the food,” Paz said. At the Student Assembly’s Executive Committee meeting Sunday, SA Sen. Colin Danly ’15 brought Campus Kitchen’s situation to light, informally
arguing that the SA should assist Campus Kitchen in collecting more food. “This is a beloved campus institution, and it’s really kind of sad that they’re in this situation,” Danly said. “Until they can figure out a more sustainable solution, we should help them out.” Details about how the SA and Campus Kitchen will work together have yet to be ironed out. Having two vendors on vacation proved challenging for the leaders of Campus Kitchen this semester, but as Public Relations Chair Anna Wong ’17 noted, student volunteers are familiar with the need to quickly solve issues. “There’s a sense of problem solving that occurs at every kitchen cooking shift in particular, because it’s like, okay, how are we going to turn all this food into 94 meals that are nutritional and wellbalanced?” Wong said. Campus Kitchen plans to host a food drive and profit share called “Raise the Dough” Feb. 21 to 28. Wong stated that more details about the event will be
courtesy photo / ANNA WONG
Students volunteer with low-income area families in Campus Kitchen’s activity “Fun at Five.”
released in the future. Hefele noted that any donations to Campus Kitchen, no matter how small, help the organization prepare meals for
local low-income families. “Everything counts, nothing’s too little, we always can use what we have,” Hefele said.
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Snow days cause two senate meeting cancellations SA work has continued despite missed sessions; senate will hold first meeting of semester Tuesday
— College President Taylor Reveley said in a statement
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too adversely affected. The agenda includes the inauguration of the new senator of the class of 2015, the Media Council Contract Act, the Religious Diversity Act, the Transportation Department II Act, the Spring Break Transportation Act and the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg Support Act. “It was annoying. Everything was out of our control. The school was closed, and we rescheduled [the meeting], and then it was closed again,” McConnell said. “We couldn’t really have done anything about that. It does not affect our work.” The agenda will be handled at next week’s senate meeting. McConnell explained that he directed the finance committee to meet in spite of cancellations to handle Activities and Events funding requests. According to McConnell and Koontz, these missed sessions have not conflicted with the SA’s Code. If all goes according to plan, the senate will have its first meeting of the semester Tuesday.
Email causes controversy Administrators, SigChi release statements on leaked email EMAIL from page 1
courtesy photo / SCHOLARSHIP.LAW.WM.EDU
The content contained in the email is unacceptable and wildly inconsistent with the values of Sigma Chi. Misogynistic discourse, even in jest, is repugnant, disgusting and distasteful and has no place in our world.
courtesy photo / EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
“We need two of every three senators that have been inaugurated … [meaning], out of twenty people, we needed 14 [senators to be present],” Senate Chairman Will McConnell ’14 said. Despite attempts to reschedule, the senate was not able to find a time for a make-up meeting due to the additional closing of the College Wednesday night. Because not enough senators were available, the senate was unable to reach quorum. “Unfortunately it has been a little more difficult for the Senate to work around the snow days because of the timing of the snow days and the requirement for them to meet quorum,” Koontz said. “The size of the Senate makes it difficult to switch up the time of their meetings at the last minute.” Although the Senate has been unable to meet, senate McConnell said it has not affected the senate’s work. He explained that the items on the SA’s agenda are not very time-sensitive and have not been
— Sigma Chi International Advisors in a statement
“The Sigma Chi International Fraternity stands behind the actions taken by the chapter in response to the email distributed by one of the members in their chapter — namely, to begin appropriate disciplinary proceedings on the member, voluntarily cease normal chapter operations, and to escalate the disciplinary proceedings within the international fraternity,” the statement reads. “The content contained in the email is unacceptable and wildly inconsistent with the values of Sigma Chi. Misogynistic discourse, even in jest, is repugnant, disgusting and distasteful and has no place in our world — particularly in connection with an organization whose mission is to ‘Create values-based leaders committed to the betterment of character, campus, and community.’ We are working in conjunction with the administration at
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William & Mary to let the concept of appropriate justice play out and to repair the damage done to the community as a result of this individual member’s abhorrent action.” Administrators have not yet said what type of disciplinary actions will be taken against the individual behind the email. By Wednesday afternoon, College President Taylor Reveley and Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 M.Ed. ’06 had also commented on the email, in an announcement that was published on the College’s website. “We learned of this email Wednesday morning,” Reveley wrote. “It’s flatly unacceptable. We put a lot of emphasis on building community at William & Mary, and a crucial element of community is respect for one another. This email makes clear we have more work to do. This serious lapse in community will serve as a teachable moment to that end.”
We deeply regret the message that was sent through our listserv encouraging actions that are inconsistent with our values as Sigma Chis. The message was disrespectful toward women, and that is not who we are as a chapter. — Sigma Chi President Charlie Engh ’16 in a statement on the leaked email that appeared online this week
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We put a lot of emphasis on building community at William [and] Mary, and a crucial element of community is respect for one another. This email makes clear we have more work to do. This serious lapse in community will serve as a teachable moment to that end.
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The snow that has fallen over the last few weeks caused Student Assembly meetings as well as classes to be cancelled. As a result of the last two snow days, the SA Executive department has cancelled one meeting. The senate, which has not met since the spring semester began, cancelled two meetings. Since the Executive department was unable to hold their regularly scheduled meeting last week, SA President Chase Koontz ’14 said secretaries sent in electronic updates and held a few small in-person meetings concerning initiatives that would take place the following week. The Executive department was not affected by the second snow day this week and held a formal meeting Monday. Koontz explained that no key initiatives were greatly affected by the delays.
“Fortunately none of the key initiatives during the first couple of weeks back required any bills to be passed immediately. The pending bills are for initiatives that will take place over the next couple of months,” Koontz said in an email. “The Student Assembly’s primary responsibility at this time is to work towards passing the budget and that process is right on track thanks to our Finance Chair, Joe Soultanis [’15] and the members of the EAC.” The senate was not as fortunate with regard to snow days. Their typically scheduled meetings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. were cancelled both weeks due to the College closing at 6 p.m. Both times the regular senate meeting was cancelled, members attempted to reschedule. SA’s Code dictates that two thirds of all members must be in attendance to ascertain quorum — the minimum number of senators needed to be present in order to conduct business, so any attempt to reschedule can be exceedingly difficult.
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BY MADELINE BIELSKI flat hat ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
courtesy photo / TOTALSORORITYMOVE.COM
A controversial email from a member of the Zeta Upsilon chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity was leaked online this week.
Page 4
The Flat Hat
Friday, January 31, 2014
student organizations
College’s MUN delegation competes in Montreal Nine individuals receive awards at McGill University’s conference over the weekend By bailey kirkpatrick flat hat assoc. news editor
Nine members of the College of William and Mary’s International Relations Club left Canada victorious after participating in one of the largest college Model United Nations competitions at McGill University in Montreal. Fifty of the club’s members represented the College at the conference. “My committee was the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers in 2008 addressing the automotive industry and the impending financial crisis,” IR Club Director of Finance Neal Chhabra ’14 said. “My position was Alan Mulally, the CEO of Ford, so during debate on whether to bailout GM and Chrysler, I had to try to promote policies that he would agree with.” Chhabra creates and monitors the budgets of all branches of the club, which include the MUN budget, the college, high school and middle school conference budgets, and the service committee budget. He also won the Best Delegate award in his committee for his performance. Other winners from the College included Jeff Rohde ’14, Jared Miller ’14, Tom Scott-Sharoni ’14, Kailyn Hornbeck ’16, Matt Heffernan ’16, Rachel Kellogg ’16, Stephanie Faucher ’16, Alexcia Chambers ’16 and Rachel Merriman-Goldring ’17. The College’s MUN team is ranked eighth in the nation. The top ten includes universities such as Georgetown University, Harvard University, Boston University and Yale University. McGill’s conference, named McMUN, celebrated its twenty-fifth year of operation and is one of 10 conferences the College’s club attends each academic year. “I have been on the trip to Montreal every year
since I was a freshman,” Connor Smith ’14, vice president of Model Union for the IR Club, said. “A lot of planning goes into the travel competitions. We have to register for the conference itself, book hotels and transportation, choose who attends and position or partner them up, go through training sessions to prepare and then the all-important task of keeping track of everybody.” Once at the conference, Smith said the organizers plan most of the weekend’s activities, which typically includes long hours of committee meetings interspersed with social events. MUN conferences, including McMUN, are organized into General Assembly committees and Specialized Agencies, which can differ wildly in the topics discussed. The College’s MUN team also competes in World MUN conferences. Sponsored by Harvard University, these conferences are located in a different place each year. This year, it will be held in Brussels, Belgium. “World MUN is really our bread and butter,” Iman Shakeri ’14, Vice President of Campus Affairs for the IR Club, said. “It is a week-long trip the week after spring break and it is a huge commitment for the nine to 14 people that we typically send.” Not only is the application process within the club extremely competitive, but members said chosen participants also take on a large time commitment each week leading up to the world conference. Last year the College’s MUN team won best delegation in the world in Melbourne, Australia and nine delegates on the team received awards. While the team is at school, they are also planning and participating in a variety of activities. With the help of the IR Club, the College is one of the few colleges in the nation that hosts a college, high
courtesy photo / CONNOR SMITH
William and Mary’s delegation came back with nine awards from McGill University’s Model UN conference.
school and middle school MUN conference each year. The middle school conference is the weekend of Valentine’s Day this year and is coordinated by Alison Roberts ’15, secretary general of the middle school MUN, also known as WMIDMUN. “It is a lot of work but it also really exciting,” Roberts said. “We invite local middle schools and we just want to give them a chance to have them talk about things they wouldn’t otherwise. It is more like an educational and service-oriented outreach program and I am so proud to be a part of it.” These conferences, along with aid from administration and the club’s many other fundraising activities, help fund transportation to conferences and provide money scholarships to support the delegates who attend the World MUN conference. The club also chooses a charity to support each year with some of the money raised. This year they
are helping an organization called COPE, which provides rehabilitation as well as orthotic and prosthetic devices to individuals in Laos who have disabilities due to explosions from old Vietnamese landmines. Shakeri also emphasized the club’s social aspects. “People meet their best friends in the IR club, live with each other, celebrate with each other,” Shakeri said. “MUN is a really social as well as incredible learning experience. You get speaking and writing experiences. MUN teaches you how the real world works. ” Smith said he would encourage other students to look into joining the College’s IR Club. “I think there is a perception that it is hard to join, but it really isn’t,” Smith said. “We have expanded the club a lot over the last couple years and we are a very open organization. We are eager to get people to join.”
Student, administrators discuss gender-neutral housing GENDER from page 1
student, as well as Residence Life, to help them find housing. Hurte stated that his role is to meet with students and discuss requests and needs. He said he aims to ensure that students don’t have to go through a process that is more difficult than it needs to be. “Students who were transgender in other institutions would go through other processes that would have them disclose to multiple different people,” Hurte said. “But being sensitive to students needs, we created a process here to basically cut out students going through so many people.” The process for gender-neutral housing mirrors that of the housing process for students with mental and physical disabilities, Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin said. She emphasized that the process is meant to help students feel comfortable on campus. “I would never want to violate a student’s privacy or confidentiality,” Boykin said. “We’re trying to make this as broad as possible to make sure that we can assist students with a unique need that falls under that umbrella,” Boykin said. It’s safe to say that we have a couple, a few, students who we accommodate under that adaptive housing.” Gender-neutral housing may not be available at all schools in Virginia,
but members of the College’s Student Assembly made a significant push for gender-neutral housing in 2011. The administration dismissed their efforts. “The College is simply not in a position to do that,” Boykin said. “We feel that we have a variety of options for students to live on campus — from single dorms to group houses. We have so many options that if living with someone of the opposite sex is what they really need, living off campus is the best option for them.” The only Virginia public higher education institution that offers genderneutral housing is the University of Mary Washington, which has provided this housing option in one on-campus residence hall since 2009. While gender neutral housing statistics vary by source, Rolling Stone, the Huffington Post and various college and university websites state that about 90 colleges and universities in the United States offer gender-neutral housing, whether campus-wide or in pilot programs like UMW. A majority of these institutions are private. In addition to the lack of genderneutral housing, the College also does not have many gender-neutral bathrooms. A student who does not entirely identify with a particular gender can experience conflict when choosing a gendersegregated bathroom.
A NATIONWIDE DISCUSSION Statistics on the number of colleges and universities that offer gender-neutral housing varies by source. A Rolling Stone article from October 2013 states that nearly 100 higher education institutions in the United States offer gender-neutral housing. Most of these schools are private institutions and include Columbia University and Harvard University; both universities introduced the policy in 2011. The Harvard University student body is currently working to expand gender-neutral housing campus-wide, which is offered in houses that opt to have a more relaxed policy in students’ choice of rooms, according to The Harvard Crimson. Gender-neutral housing continues to be highly debated among student bodies and college administrations across the country. When students at Boston University were fighting for the housing option last year, more than 50 students sat in at the college president’s office while others showed their support through a photo campaign on Tumblr, as reported by Boston University. BU
“Bathrooms produce the most anxiety for me,” Ives said. “It’s always baffled me why we create these binaries.” While the College does not have genderneutral bathrooms in most dormitories or academic buildings, the Campus Center
COURTESY PHOTO / BLOG.FAIRFIELD.EDU
Students at Boston University fought for and received gender-neutral housing last year.
introduced gender-neutral housing as an option this year. After the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill approved gender-neutral housing and set aside 32 living spaces for a pilot program last year, the UNC Board of Governors banned gender-neutral housing throughout the
and the Daily Grind both have designated gender-neutral bathrooms. The faculty in Morton Hall allow students who do not feel comfortable using gendered bathrooms to use their faculty facilities. “It seems that the students shouldn’t
UNC system in August. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that the four students who signed up for the genderneutral housing option opted to live elsewhere. — Flat Hat Managing Editor Meredith Ramey
have to be making this fight. It’s affecting a large number of students at William and Mary,” Ives said. “If you don’t feel safe in your home, its all for not. It adds another whole level of unnecessary stress for students.”
College hopes to create more predictable package with new grant model GRANTS from page 1
might need to borrow more than $7,400. The Office of Financial Aid says that the two models are not comparable. “It’s really an apples to oranges kind of situation,” Director of Financial Aid Ed Irish said. Dean of Admissions and Associate Provost for Enrollment Henry Broaddus says two thirds of the accepted out-of-state early decision students were given better packages under the new system. “Some students will be better off, and others will receive less in grant aid. In all cases we believe there will be greater predictability,” Broaddus and Irish said in a joint statement. These changes will not apply to currently enrolled out-of-state students. Those students will be grandfathered into their old aid plans. The cause of the change Broaddus said that under the old model, the 80 percent figure was a source of confusion for prospective families. It led to difficulties in comparing packages from other institutions. The primary purpose of the new package is to better control a family’s expectations. “Here’s the reality: We’ve never been able to meet 100 percent of need for out-of-state students the way we have for Virginians,” Broaddus said. “That’s an unfortunate reality that the College is well aware of.” Administrators made the decision in fall 2013 to repackage the system. Sept. 12, the Financial Aid office updated the online net price calculator with the new changes. Broaddus believes this is the primary mode prospective students use to determine
whether it is financially feasible for them to attend institutions. The deadline for applying through the early decision process was originally Nov. 1, though it was pushed back due to malfunctions on the Common Application website. The policy explaining the change was on the Financial Aid website until Dec. 2, four days before early decision applicants were notified of their acceptance. College clears up confusion on College Confidential Multiple confused prospective out-of-state parents posted on the College Confidential website in October because they believed the net price calculator was not giving them enough money. Two parents both posted that their household made $75,000, but the College grant calculator said they would still have to pay $32,000 a year for tuition. Broaddus said the change in the net price calculator caused the confusion. “In fact, I think that’s what predicated then some additional traffic to that College Confidential thread. In a way, it worked because people were noticing it there,” Broaddus said. Broaddus said all of the deans from the Admissions Office can post from the College’s College Confidential account, but it is normally the job of one staff member. A College representative confirmed Oct. 30 that this was the correct number for questioning parents because of a new cap on grant aid. After the College’s post, a current student commented that she was receiving $20,500 in grant aid this year, so it must be a new change. The College representative confirmed that they were in the process of reworking aid packages and that the changes would take effect in fall 2014.
Parents expressed their surprise in online comments and asked where they could find this information on the Financial Aid website. Dec. 2, the College representative responded saying the website was not yet available. “The website is being constructed as we speak. Since it only applies to incoming students (and we don’t have any official incoming students for 2014 just yet) it’s not yet live,” the College representative said. Despite what was posted on the site, Broaddus stated that the information was updated on the Financial Aid website Dec. 2 and the website went live on the same day. Broaddus said that, while College Confidential is a good resource in many ways, it’s also a source of rumors. For that reason, the Admissions Office has an account to answer questions. However, the thread did not cause them to update the Financial Aid website. “This is something that’s been talked about and rolled out, and we’re always adjusting the website based on any sort of sense of lack of clarity or feedback we’re getting. The College Confidential thread, I don’t think, was the explicit cause, but the timing was pretty near,” Broaddus said. The Admissions Office makes it clear that early decision is an inappropriate option for those who are cost-sensitive. Despite the confusion on College Confidential, Broaddus thinks that between the language of the site about the financial commitment of early decision and the net price calculator, prospective students had enough information without an updated Financial Aid website. With early decision, there is an escape clause for those who find their financial situation has made it
impossible for them to attend the College, but it is not common. Broaddus noted that most applicants benefitted from the change. “In fact, among the out-of-state early decision students that were admitted and will be here next fall, two thirds actually had better financial aid packages as a result of this new practice,” Broaddus said. “This was not something that deterred out-of-state students from enrolling.” The road ahead Broaddus stated that the Financial Aid and Admissions offices do not know how effective and beneficial the change will be. Every year, the College reassesses practices of both offices to make sure they are working for students and the College itself, but Broaddus thinks it will help the College. “Big picture — we feel that this is a way to take a scarce resource and allocate it in a way that’s going to help us,” Broaddus said. “The truth is, the old method … spread financial aid dollars too thin. This enables us, we believe, to in effect concentrate them more and do a better job serving students that we can afford to meet their need.” The Admissions office wishes that they could meet more out-of-state students’ need, but Broaddus said meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need for Virginians is expensive. However, he said that the College has one of the lowest rates for students defaulting on loans. “We don’t want them to leave here with crushing debt. We want to make sure that this is an affordable experience and open up all the kind of opportunities for them … without dragging that burden along,” Broaddus said.
opinions
Opinions Editor Zachary Frank Assoc. Opinions Editor Daria Grastara fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat | Friday, January 31, 2014 | Page 5
STAFF EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL CARTOON
On co-ed rooms R
Smaller venues make better shows Kaplan Arena, and again I was disappointed. (Kendrick was especially disappointing because I know that he is a good performer. When I saw him perform previously, in a smaller venue, he was excellent.) Last year, Ra Ra Riot was more enjoyable than Kendrick, and Bob Woodward was more enjoyable than the Dalai Lama. Blasphemous, I know, but proximity made all the difference. FLAT HAT OPINIONS COLUMNIST I saw both Ra Ra Riot and Woodward in the Sadler Center’s James Room. While the venue was by no means chic and The surname ‘Fox’ is as ubiquitous within Hollywood as there were fewer people present for the events, more people eating disorders and sex tapes. Overshadowed by Megan, Jamie were able to enjoy the experience. The same principle applied (to exponential proportions) (spelled with two x’s), Matthew and Michael J. is Dana. While you may not know the name Dana Fox, you’re probably familiar to Fox’s two-hour visit. Fox, who visited of her own accord, with some of her work. She’s written for feature films such as shared stories from her childhood in Brighton, N.Y., her “The Wedding Date” (2005), “What Happens in Vegas” (2008) education at Stanford (as an undergraduate) and USC (in and “Couples Retreat” (2009). She’s also produced 15 episodes the Peter Stark Producing Program) and her diverse set of of the hit Fox (a befitting network) sitcom “New Girl” (2011-12), experiences in Hollywood. Fox’s story is neither divinely and acted as a writer/executive producer for “Ben and Kate” inspired nor engrained in American history; however, (2012-13). A few weeks ago, myself and twenty-something other because of her quick wit and talent for speaking, her story was equally as interesting as the Dalai twenty-somethings — plus three professors — Lama’s and Woodward’s. The difference gathered in Tucker Hall for an intimate Q&A was that Fox was able to make each with Mrs. Fox. The majority of the talk was Fox was able to make each attendee feel like he or she was the only about Fox’s career in Hollywood. However, attendee feel like he or she person in the room with her. Instead of audience members did not need to aspire to was the only person in the standing in front of a podium, lecturework in cinema for the talk to be illuminating. style, she sat, surrounded by students, at In fact, the discussion conformed to a pattern room with her. the head of a long table, making it feel that I’ve noticed: When it comes to guest like a casual seminar. She encouraged speakers and performers, the smaller (both in everyone to ask as many questions as they terms of name and venue), the better. Last fall, I saw the Dalai Lama speak in Kaplan Arena. If you’re could muster, and she answered each of them with grace an upperclassman, you probably did, too. There were 8,200 and transparency. Moreover, Fox is young and self-reflective people in attendance, listening to His Holiness expound on enough to be able to provide more valuable career tips — matters as profound as the nature of love and peace. But if you’re applicable both universally and to Hollywood prospectives — like me, a year and a half after the talk, the donning of the green- than you’ll receive in a trip to the career center. One of the best pieces of advice that Fox gave was, “If you and-gold William and Mary visor has become more existential want to do something, always say yes to being some place than anything that was said. where you might be in the right place at the right time.” Perhaps the Dalai Lama’s visit was disappointing for me Because of the intimacy of the Q&A and Fox’s infectious because I was seated in the far reaches of the large stadium, personality, I believe that everyone who was in Tucker Hall requiring me to concentrate harder to interpret His Holiness’s that afternoon felt like they were in the right place at the right soft-spoken broken English than a monk seeking reincarnation. time. The following semester I saw Kendrick Lamar — in my opinion, one of the two best contemporary rappers — perform in Email Max Cea at mrcea@email.wm.edu.
Max Cea
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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
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I know W&M students are too young to remember apartheid South Africa, but boycott was very helpful in bringing about the end of apartheid. Civil society boycotts step in when governments fail. Boycott is a nonviolent way to try to end the Israeli occupation and we should applaud the ASA.
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BY PATRICIA RADICH, FLAT HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNER
esidence Life at the College of William and Mary has done a commendable job ensuring housing for its students. That said, some could benefit from a genderneutral option. Men and women sharing a dorm room and bathroom on campus may deviate from the norm, but it would improve life for LGBTQ students. LGBTQ students may feel uncomfortable living in the same room with other students of the same sex (and vice versa). Put into perspective: Imagine a straight person being required to live with another straight person of the opposite sex. Some may not be enthusiastic about this arrangement for obvious reasons. The College currently has an LGBTQ friendly rating of 3.5 out of 5 on the Campus Climate index — a rating that we should strive to improve. Gender-neutral housing could create a more healthy and accommodating environment for LGBTQ students. While colleges may have refrained from instituting gender-neutral housing due to the problems that may arise between straight couples that elect to live together, colleges should not have authority over the living decisions of legal adults. Should the College allow gender-neutral housing, it would be advisable for couples — gay or straight — not to live together, but this is a decision for students to make themselves. For those skeptical of gender-neutral housing because of its unfamiliarity, consider that 40 years ago the College’s administrators viewed co-ed dorms, which we now take for granted, with the same apprehension. In 1978, Taliaferro Hall became the first co-ed freshman dorm on campus with 44 men and nine women; students needed to get their parents’ permission in order to live there. Jack Morgan, then associate dean of students for ResLife, said co-ed dorms were not “developmentally sound for freshmen” and considered the co-ed Taliaferro as no more than an experiment brought about by lack of space. Today, all College freshman dorms are co-ed, and students could hardly conceive of it differently. Setting aside rooms for gender-neutral housing would not be difficult with the College’s surplus of residence halls. A floor or even a hall would be sufficient to satisfy the current low demand, and it could be monitored as an experiment, like Taliaferro Hall in 1978. ResLife could gauge student interest for gender-neutral housing on its satisfaction survey and hold focus groups. ResLife has been very responsive in the past, and the conversion of the Units, DuPont Hall and Barrett Hall from freshman to upper-classmen dorms (and vice versa) reflect that. ResLife would be instrumental to the success this experiment. The benefits to gender-neutral housing would far outweigh the minimal costs. It would bring peace to many LGBTQ students, some of whom might be more comfortable with a gender-neutral housing option. Given time and effort, gender-neutral housing could make the College a leader in yet another aspect of higher education. Meredith Ramey recused herself from this staff editorial due to a conflict of interest.
—jspark234 on “Boycott of Israel violates academic freedom”
Chipping away at the block: What to do when you don’t know what to write
Katie Kellenberger THE FLAT HAT
Whenever I begin to write anything that has to be more than two sentences long, my writing skills get locked away, my intellectual ability goes on vacation, and my fingers seem to stay locked in the ready-to-type position. That being said, I am usually very good at escaping the torment of writer’s block before falling victim to a mental breakdown. Writer’s block is as common as catching a cold, but the treatments for writer’s block are far simpler than walking all the way to Wawa for some Sudafed. Here’s a short list of cures that are effective for me, no prescription needed.
Cure 1: Stop writing to impress the reader. It’s hard to write anything you like when you’re terrified your reader is going to hate it. The only thing that matters during the preliminary stage is if you like what you’re writing. That being said: Write for yourself. Be happy with how your writing voice sounds. No two people have the same writing voice or style, so embrace yours.
you’re writing, steal your roommate’s attention or call your mom (which I do all the time; there’s no shame) and explain to them what it is that you’re writing about. My freshman year I had to write a paper about the relationship between three political theorists’ views on human nature, and I had no idea what to write. After explaining the theories to someone else, writing the paper became much easier.
Cure 2: Talk out loud. Whenever I’ve got a bad case of writer’s block, I start saying what I want to write out loud so I can actually hear my thoughts. After I get the first sentence, I read it out loud and just keep talking. This makes the paper flow better, and eventually you’ll have your first paragraph.
Cure 4: Take a break and goof off. Every once in a while you have to just step away and goof off with friends or go for a walk in order to get rid of a nasty case of writer’s block. It’s not unusual to see me whip my phone out and begin jotting down notes about my paper while I’m out with friends, making those Tribe choices. Sometimes you have to stop thinking about a subject in order to write about it. Email Katie Kellenberger at kakellenberger@email.wm.edu.
Cure 3: Explain the subject to someone. When you’re not even sure what
GRAPHIC BY ALLISON HICKS / THE FLAT HAT
variety
Variety Editor Áine Cain flathat.variety@gmail.com // @FlatHatVariety
The Flat Hat | Friday, January 31, 2014 | Page 6
Campus coffee shop redesigns its setup BY ARIEL COHEN FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
If you did a double take the first time you entered the Daily Grind this semester, you are not alone. The familiar, comfy student-run campus coffee shop underwent a redesign over winter break, creating an atmosphere that could only be described as a cross between a European coffee bar and a 1950s lunch counter. The new layout leaves patrons with many new places to sit, leading to greater convenience. The redesign provides more counter space, kitchen space and an additional 14 seats for patrons. “I think that Scott tries to change it up every semester to give it a fresh look and revitalize the energy,” Daily Grind Barista Betsy Coco ’14 said. “Every semester he’s seized different things that could make the place better.” Daily Grind owner Scott Owens did just that. Weeks before students returned to campus this semester, he walked into the Grind with his toolbox, ready to get down to business. Owens removed the couches and
replaced them with wooden benches and longer tables. Then he refurbished the previously wooden kitchen to a completely stainless steel design. He stated that the Grind has evolved and become more food centered than it was originally. The stainless steel kitchen reflects this new reality. Along with the increased demand for food came increased patronage. In past semesters, many students complained about the long lines — and even longer wait time — that accompanied a trip to the Grind. “If you were here last year, you noticed how crowded it was and how there were lines out the door,” Owens said. “We had to turn people away, and that really bothered me. We should never have to turn people away.” The espresso machine now faces the front door like in a traditional coffee shop. In place of a cash register by the door, Owens has set up four raised seats and a brand new stand of fresh-baked pastries. For baristas, the new behind-thecounter space has provided both new challenges and new advantages. “You have to get re-acclimated to where stuff is,” Daily Grind Barista Kylie Thorpe ’14 said. “There’s more
space behind the bar, which is nice for us.” Patrons have also taken notice of the changes. Daily Grind regular Scott Caravello ’15 noticed the changes his very first day back on campus. “I like how the counter is set up different so we can wrap around and aren’t forced out into the cold,” he said. Fellow Grind regular, Micah Luedtke ’15, agreed that the new design has its benefits. “I like the new benches; they’re very versatile. The space feels more open, like it flows better, but I miss the couches with all my heart,” Luedtke said. A beloved and somewhat tattered fixture of the Grind for many semesters, the old, blue couches were constantly crammed with students working, laughing or napping. “I knew I was going to hear a lot of flack for removing the couches, but once they see the new set up, most people would fall in line. It’s just that most people don’t like change,” Owens said. Despite the changes, the Daily Grind still holds its characteristic smell of warm bagels and hot coffee, as well as its familiar optimistic buzz.
ALL PHOTOS BY ARIEL COHEN / THE FLAT HAT
The Daily Grind is a popular location for students and visitors on campus. Owner Scott Owens has redesigned the coffee shop’s layout, removing the old, battered couches and installed a new row of stools at the counter. In the kitchen, the previously wooden kitchen has been updated with stainless steel appliances.
Stand-up comedians Erin Jackson and Marc Lamotte will perform on Saturday from 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM in the Sadler Center’s Commonwealth room. The comics will be joined by with two talented student performers.
Regarder
Reminisce
Connect
Say “oui” to French movies at the Kimball Theater. The William and Mary French and Francophone Film Festival will begin tonight at 7 p.m. with a screening of the film “De Rouilles et d’os” (“Rust and Bone” in English). The film, which was received positively at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, tells the story of a man who falls in love with an orca trainer. Additionally, there will be a wine and cheese reception to celebrate the beginning of the festival this evening. Tickets for students are $2 per film.
Feel like traveling back to the days of scrunchies, fruit roll-ups and Nickelodeon? AMP will aid students as they travel back in time to the 1990s. Tonight, AMP will play classic 1990s TV shows, including “Boy Meets World” and “Friends.” If your wardrobe lacks ’90s flair, AMP will provide some old-school digs to dress up with, off the racks of Goodwill. AMP plans to host arts and crafts and provide free food, including fruit roll-ups and mudcups. Flashback Friday runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in COURTESY PHOTO/ WWW.FALKVINGE.NET Lodge 1.
The club I-Faith will be hosting its second annual Interfaith Conference Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Commonwealth Auditorium at the Sadler Center. The theme of the conference will be “Religion in Conflict: Source of Resolution or Part of the Problem?” I-Faith says the goal of the conference is to “present conflicts in the world that did not arise from religious differences but somehow became described as such.” The conference will feature several speakers on various topics relating to religious conflict.
Craft Get crafty and join the College of William and Mary Ruritan Club for its second annual craft fair. Tomorrow in Tidewater A of the Sadler Center, the club will be displaying a variety of art projects for sale, including paintings, knitted hats and scarves. The Ruritan Club is a service group whose mission is “to promote fellowship and goodwill among members and citizens of the community and [to inspire] each other to higher efforts.” The event will run from 10 COURTESY PHOTO / MARNI ROBINS a.m. to 5 p.m.
Page 7 Friday, January 31, 2014
The Flat Hat
Page 7
The
superbowl guide
(for the sports illiterate)
T
his week you were faced with countless tweets, headlines and Facebook posts about the upcoming Superbowl. You thought, “Wait, the Superbowl is already happening? Didn’t it, like, just happen?” COURTESY PHOTO / AMAZON.COM
BY SKY SPRAYBERRY THE FLAT HAT
Since you have come to college, you may not have actually watched a Superbowl. I mean, why would you? The best commercials just get posted on Facebook anyway. If this sounds like you, you are part of the Sports Illiterate. You are the Americans who just can’t get into watching sports on TV for entertainment. You, like me, normally write these games off, don’t bother to learn the names of players, and pay little attention on the whole. Maybe this year is different. This year, you were invited to an actual Superbowl party and told to bring the chips. This year, you have to pretend like you actually care. Let a fellow clueless “football fan” help you through this troubling time with this handy guide for the athletically ignorant.
What it is:
It is Superbowl XLVIII. It is the
championship game of the 2013 football season. The two teams playing are competing for the title of best football team of the 2013 season. The winners get some fresh bling or something.
When it is:
The kickoff (start of the game) is at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Feb. 2. Show up to the party whenever you want, Wawa-bought supplies in hand.
Who is playing:
Seahawks: This team is from Seattle. You are caught up wondering what a sea hawk actually is. Forget about that now. You can Google it later. Focus. They will be wearing the uniform with blue on it. Player you might recognize: Richard Sherman, the defensive back who recently made news by trash-talking some other player. Who knows whether he is actually any good, but think of him as the current Miley Cyrus of football — known for saying something controversial and getting too much attention for it. Broncos: They are from Denver and will be wearing the uniform with orange
on it. Player you might recognize: Peyton Manning, the famous quarterback (heck, even I know him), is heading to his third Superbowl. He is basically ancient in terms of active football players — a whopping 37 years old — but the masses seem to believe in him.
Where it is:
In the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Apparently this is a big deal for the New York and New Jersey areas.
Entertainment:
Besides the beloved commercials, the halftime show is the best part of the game for the unfamiliar football fan. Unfortunately, the performer will not be as exciting as at last year’s Superbowl. Or, as I refer to it, the Beyoncebowl, because, let’s face it, Queen Bey was the most important part of the Superbowl last year. This year, the halftime performers will be Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Things to Say To Sound Like You Know Things About Football: 1. “Yeah, I really wanted the Seahawks for my fantasy team, but I got shafted in the draft.” a. And if you’re asked any follow-up questions, just say you ended up getting the Chargers, who were OK, and you got six out of 10 in the league. 2. “Can you believe this is the first outdoor, cold weather Superbowl?” 3. “Man, can you believe that the first two states to legalize marijuana are playing each other in the Superbowl? How funny is that?” a. This might lead the conversation away from football and, hopefully, in your favor. It also proves to your friends that you totally know where these teams are from. 4. “Peyton totally deserves another ring” (only if you/your friends are rooting for the Broncos). 5. “Well, whatever he says off the field, Richard Sherman is a good player” (only if you/your friends are rooting for the Seahawks).
6. If other people are upset, just mimic that behavior. They will never know that you have no idea why they are upset.
Things Not to Say to Sound Like You Know Things About Football:
1. “He scored a goal!” a. It is apparently a touchdown, not a goal. 2. “Who do you think designs their costumes?” a. Apparently people get offended if you don’t call them uniforms. Also, no one else apparently cares about these mysterious designers. 3. “What do those numbers at the top of the screen mean?” a. They are the points or something. Don’t worry about it. 4. Repeating “futbol” in a Spanish accent over and over until someone throws chips at you. a. Take it from me, just don’t. For those about to endure an evening of football, we salute you. Goodbye and good luck.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Forget Bella and Edward: Make bondage 50 shades of healthy
Take a moment to forget all the weird porn you’ve seen, because what the Internet might label BDSM is probably misguided
Kalyn Horn
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS COLUMNIST
If you haven’t heard of the infamous novel “50 Shades of Grey” by E.L. James, get your uncultured butt to the library or nearest bookstore. Prepare to be awed — and by awed, I mean confused, disgusted and maybe a little angry. I’m going to admit with absolutely no shame that I haven’t read “50 Shades of Grey.” However, I’ve read enough plot synopses, summaries and critical examinations that I feel justified in shouting my contempt — or writing it for all of you to read reverentially. Let’s all jump on the hate train. “50 Shades of Grey” is an erotic romance novel that follows characters Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey in their adventures of love, hate and kinky sex. Throughout the series, Christian introduces Ana to the world of BDSM — or, well, he haphazardly drags her into it with no explanation other than a contract stating, among other things, that he’s going to anally
penetrate her whether she wants it or not. The author markets Ana and Christian’s romance as a healthy BDSM relationship. However, it is anything but. Rather, Christian engages in emotional and physical abuse. He is also a manipulative scoundrel. Now let’s talk 50 Shades of Healthy BDSM. BDSM is a complicated abbreviation that stands for a number of terms: BD for bondage and discipline, DS for dominance and submission, and SM for sadomasochism. It has become somewhat of a blanket term for a number of sexual kinks, including leather, gags, power play and restraint, not to mention all that its letters imply. Take a moment to forget all the weird porn you’ve seen because what the Internet might label BDSM is probably ignorant and horribly misguided. Healthy BDSM lifestyles operate on three doctrines: safety, sanity and consent. These key concepts distinguish BDSM from abuse and rape, and when ignored can turn a night of fun debauchery into frightening violation. Do I need to mention that “50 Shades of Grey” never adheres to the aforementioned tenets? To elaborate on the doctrines, let’s start with consent. Both partners must explicitly communicate their consent and willingness to participate prior to sex acts, and both also have the power to stop them at any point. If the
participants agree that “no” doesn’t necessarily mean “no,” they employ a safe word: a word or phrase that can be said to completely stop the other party’s actions or indicate undesired discomfort. Healthy partners also constantly assess the risk of their actions and keep their sex safe. While partners may agree to use pain or humiliation in their play, there is always a line. Participants should always complete research prior to trying something new, or else experimentation could lead to severe injury instead of painful but thrilling stimulation. Finally, BDSM relationships can be both intense and enjoyable. Many partners may need emotional maintenance such as cuddling and whispered conversation after a session, assurance and validation in the middle of discipline, or even a back massage following a night of bondage to keep each party healthy and sane. To reiterate, “50 Shades of Grey” does not
portray a healthy BDSM relationship. For one, Edward Cullen and Bella — I mean Christian and Ana — never establish a safe word, despite Christian assuming consent even when Ana verbalizes objections. Ana’s limits are discussed only vaguely, and even then, Christian often seems bound and determined to break them. BDSM can be exciting and climactic when approached properly. It should always be a consensual process discussed explicitly before engagement. Experimentation is healthy and important, but before you decide to break out the blindfolds and gags, make a couple incriminating Google searches to keep the process safe. And don’t take any pages from “50 Shades of Grey.” None. Not even a paragraph. Finally, remember that you can buy whips and chains from Amazon, so save up those Christmas and birthday gift cards. Kalyn Horn is a Behind Closed Doors columnist and has fifty shades of hate for poorly written Twilight knockoffs.
Stand-up comedians Erin Jackson and Marc Lamotte will perform on Saturday from 8:00 PM -
Follow The Flat Hat’s Variety section (@FlatHatVariety) on Twitter and keep up with all the latest campus happenings.
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Out MEN’S BASKETBALL
Sports Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com // @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat | Friday, January 31, 2014 | Page 8
89
DELAWARE BLUE HENS
72
WILLIAM AND MARY TRIBE
of
reach
Matchup that got off to an emphatic start for the College — a Tarpey dunk and Thronton block — ends in dismay for players, coaches, fans and student section as Blue Hens win big, 8972 Wednesday
BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Sophomore guard Terry Tarpey sent Kaplan Arena into hysterics three seconds into Wednesday’s Colonial Athletic Association matchup. Tarpey’s two-handed dunk had junior guard Marcus Thornton smiling and William and Mary confident against Delaware. The Tribe, though, shot 2-of10 in the following five minutes as the Blue Hens rushed out to a seven-point lead, 13-6, at the under-15 minute timeout. Conference-leading Delaware (15-7, 7-0 CAA) never looked back, and the Tribe (12-8, 4-3 Shaver CAA) failed to get closer than nine points down en route to an 89-72 loss. “They’re undefeated in the league for a reason. I really thought the game was decided, in essence, when you look back at it, probably in the first five minutes,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “We dug such a deep hole and just couldn’t get out of it.” Aside from missing clean looks, the Tribe’s offense couldn’t find a handle on the ball in the early minutes of the game. The Tribe committed six turnovers in the first half, with five occurring in the opening 10 minutes of play. Still, the Tribe’s sloppy offense paled in comparison to its defensive effort.
ALISON COHEN / THE FLAT HAT
Delaware’s Devon Saddler, drawing matchups against junior guard Marcus Thornton and freshman guard Daniel Dixon, scored 19 and added seven assists in Delaware’s win Wednesday.
“We definitely felt good, we felt confident. We prepared for it and were focused. I think — like coach Shaver said in the locker room — I think we might have been a little too excited,” Thornton said. “We took a lot of quick shots to start the game off. … Those quick shots are good for us, but they weren’t falling early. The combination of that and not playing defense early — we got ourselves in a hole.” The Blue Hens had their way with the Tribe’s schemes, no matter whether man, zone or trap defenses. Guard Devon Saddler, inserted into the lineup following the suspension of guard Jarvis Threatt, controlled the pace of a relentless Delaware attack. Saddler finished with 19 points and a gamehigh seven assists — all seven came in the first half. “You get behind Delaware, Saddler is going to control the tempo of the game. He’s one of the most difficult players our team has tried to defend,” Shaver said. “He’s got great speed, he’s unbelievably strong. He just really controls the game.” Meanwhile, the College shot just 34.5 percent from the field in the opening period. Open looks clanged off the rim and easy lay-ups found ways to fall for Delaware rebounds. Thornton, who would finish with a team-high 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting, entered the half as the Tribe’s second-leading scorer — a rarity highlighting the Tribe’s offensive struggles. “We talk all the time of shooting with confidence. Some of our guys passed up open shots, and when you play good teams you can’t pass up good shots,” Thornton said. “I think we were a little off tonight, but
at the end of the day, the defense can never be off. That’s what really hurt us the most.” Despite a renewed energy coming out of the break, the College would only climb within nine points of Delaware’s lead. Seemingly on the verge of a game-changing run every few moments, Saddler or Delaware guard Davon Usher — who finished with a game-high 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including hitting 6-of9 from deep — would nail a tough shot to keep the Tribe at arm’s reach. Even as the College warmed to 47.1 percent shooting performance in the second half, the Blue Hens responded with a 56 percent that saw four players score in double digits. Sorely needing defensive help, Shaver sent in freshman forward Daniel Dixon. Standing six feet, five inches, Dixon provides the height and speed required to cover an opponent like Saddler. “We felt we had to try [Dixon] on Saddler, and he did a nice job,” Shaver said. “Both ends of the floor, really.” Dixon finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from deep, and added six rebounds and a pair of steals in an impressive 26 minutes of play. With Dixon on the court, six-time CAA Rookie of the Week Omar Prewitt saw just 16 minutes of action. Fellow wingmen Tarpey and Gaillard recorded 13 minutes and 25 minutes, respectively. “We have a little bit of an issue at the wing spot and
who plays right now. We’re trying to go with the hot players, quite honestly, who can help us on that day win ballgames,” Shaver said. “Daniel can be a really good player.” With the frontcourt chasing Saddler and Usher, senior center Tim Rusthoven struggled to contain Delaware big man Carl Baptiste. Due to foul trouble, sophomore center Sean Sheldon saw 18 minutes. Combined, Rusthoven and Sheldon shot 3 of 11 for 9 points and 11 rebounds. “[Baptiste] obviously dominated the inside. Timmy had a very rough night, just missing so many ‘gimmies’ in there,” Shaver said. “Baptiste is a big strong, physical kid and kind of had his way on both ends of the floor.” Baptiste helped Delaware reach 89 points, the most the Tribe has allowed all season. “It’s been a principle of ours; it’s something we’ve been struggling with all season, playing good defense on a consistent basis,” Thornton said. “We were excited, I think we were ready to play, but just didn’t get it done defensively like we needed to.” The result of the Tribe’s fourth game in eight days drops the College from its No. 2 conference standing. “Four games in eight days is tough. It’s what we’ve been dealt; you have to play with it,” Shaver said. “No excuses, just have to play. All we’re facing now is three straight road games.” The Tribe travels to Harrisonburg, Va. Feb. 2 for a rematch with James Madison. The Tribe topped the Dukes 78-56 Jan. 18. Tip is set for 2:30 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
College falls behind early, can’t overcome deficit
Kerstetter held scoreless as Tribe drops its seventh loss in last eight games, falls to last in CAA
BY JACK POWERS FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Jan. 16, Drexel blew out William and Mary by 40 points at Kaplan Arena. Thursday, the Tribe (4-14, 1-5 CAA) fell to the Dragons (9-9, 4-1 CAA) once again, this time by a slightly more respectable margin of 66-42. The Tribe couldn’t carry the momentum it gained from its first Colonial Athletic Association win Sunday against Towson into its second matchup with Drexel. Unlike its previous game against the Dragons, which saw a tied halftime, the College was hardly ever in contention Thursday. Falling behind 17-7 eight minutes into the game, the Tribe wouldn’t come closer than eight points the rest of the way. Drexel held the Tribe to its second lowest scoring performance of the
season, allowing just 42 points. The Dragons racked up 10 steals, which accounted for part of the Tribe’s 15 turnovers in the game. Only two College players hit double figures: Senior center Kaitlyn Mathieu scored 12 points and freshman guard Marlena Tremba added 11 points. Junior forward Kyla Kerstetter, who averages 11.1 points per game, failed to score, shooting 0 of 8 from the field. A recurring problem for the Tribe this season has been rebounding. The Tribe was once more outrebounded 42-32 by Drexel Thursday. The Dragons rotated in 10 players, wearing down the College’s rotation. In its first conference win Sunday, the Tribe shot better than 50 percent from beyond the arc, which was instrumental in the victory. Against Drexel, however, the Tribe was much less successful. Kerstetter missed all four of her three-pointer
attempts as part of the Tribe’s 5 of 22 mark from distance. The Tribe entered halftime down 3320 after falling down by double digits early. Five minutes into the second half, Tremba hit a three-pointer to narrow the deficit to eight. Following a Tribe turnover, a transition layup on the other end extended the Dragons’ lead back to double digits, where it would remain for the rest of the game. The transition bucket sparked a 10-0 Drexel run that practically put the game out of contention. The final 10 minutes were filled with missed Tribe three-pointers. After senior forward Victoria Willems converted a layup with 2:13 left in the contest, the Tribe would not score again. Drexel held the ball for the final 30 seconds to officially seal the game. Drexel’s offense was especially efficient with 22 assists to the Tribe’s
13. Drexel guard Rachel Pearson registered 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Despite the Dragons’ prolific offense, they shot just 4 of 20 from three-point range. Coming off an encouraging win against Towson and a last-second loss to North Carolina-Wilmington, Thursday’s loss sets back the Tribe’s apparent improvement. Drexel rose to just a half game behind James Madison for first place in conference standings, while the College is currently tied with Northeastern for last place in the CAA with a record of 1-5. The Tribe returns to Kaplan Arena Sunday to face the College of Charleston (11-8, 4-2 CAA), which is playing its first season in the CAA after moving from the Southern Conference. The Cougars won the first meeting between the two teams 101-65 Jan. 12. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Freshman guard Marlena Tremba scored 11.