The Flat Hat, March 22, 2016

Vol. 105, Iss. 22 | Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Flat Hat

The Weekly Student Newspaper

of The College of William and Mary

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SPECIAL EDITION

SA Election Guide

Platforms take shape on the trail

Diverse interests influence presidential hopefuls as they seek votes SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

This election cycle has seen candidates making their pitch to student groups across the spectrum. While the contenders have sought votes, they have also sought guidance, with club leaders and members playing an influential role in major platform items.

Presidential candidates Eboni Brown ’17 and Hannah McKiernan ’17 have worked to incorporate the opinions of student organizations who are typically not heard on campus.

“We knew that in the past there are a lot of groups who don’t get attention from SA and we think our platform would appeal to a lot of them,” McKiernan said. “A lot of them pay attention to what SA does but are not as engaged because SA isn’t making the effort to reach out for them. We have this great idea that would appeal to them, so we tried to get as many people as involved as possible that our platform would directly affect, that we hoped would be more likely to

vocalize if we were elected.”

Brown and McKiernan spoke to members of multiple cultural student organizations, as well as different Greek life organizations, despite not being involved in Greek organizations themselves.

Other contenders Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17 have used their six-part platform to address student organizations in different corners of the College of William and Mary. They — The issues | below reached out to a majority of the Greek organizations, Rocket Magazine, Lambda — Where they differ | p. 3 Alliance and many others. In terms of Greek life involvement, Ambrose is the — The Flat Hat endorses | Vice President of Administration of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority and Jacob is the Awards

p. 5

See DIVERSITY page 3

ON THE ISSUES

MENTAL HEALTH

After turbulent year, mental health plays a large role SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

Over the last few months, the College of William and Mary has been the subject of a high-profile conversation on mental health.

Before classes ended last April, The Washington Post detailed reactions to the fourth on-campus student suicide during that academic year, and the lack of a full-time psychiatrist was one focus of a student sit-in held at the Sir Christopher Wren Building in the fall.

Now, student concerns about mental health are playing a large role in the Student Assembly elections for president and vice president. Each of the candidates’ platforms includes attention to mental health advocacy and awareness on campus.

According to presidential contender Eboni Brown ’17 and vice presidential hopeful Hannah McKiernan ’17, their platform essentially aims to address the campus climate surrounding mental health. When the pair created their platform, they talked with

groups on campus that had existing programming relating to mental health.

“This is the campaign,” Brown said. “We are running on advocacy for students. To see the amount of students who are saying that this is an issue is what we live for. We are fighting for students that have issues that aren’t being addressed.”

As part of their platform, Brown and McKiernan acknowledge the recent hiring of a full-time psychiatrist and plan to work with the Counseling Center to spread awareness of the Center’s services.

They also plan to continue to support the SA’s Mental Health Week, as well as working with HOPE and other student organizations to promote mental health.

McKiernan posted her personal experiences with depression and a family history of mental health on the pair’s Facebook page Friday, March 18. According to McKiernan, her personal post has sparked more questions about their platform and positive feedback from other students.

“We included mental health in our platform not just because the

campus is addressing mental health, but because it’s important to acknowledge the great strides we have made,” McKiernan said. “The big role that Eboni and I saw for mental health in our platform is being advocates for Student Assembly to the rest of campus. It helps when people are willing to share their stories and break down the stigma. It wasn’t easy for me to share that story, but if Eboni and I want to be advocates for the student body we have to put ourselves out there; we are not a separate entity. I understand what it is like to be a student with a mental illness on our campus and that’s part of our platform.”

Justin Canakis ’17 and A.J. Scalia ’17, another presidential ticket, place their focus on mental health as well. According to their campaign’s website, the pair plans to foster increased communication between the Counseling Center and the student body to erode the stigma associated with seeking help. They also plan to advocate for increased funding for social outlets and sports See MENTAL HEALTH page 3

SEXUAL ASSAULT

TRANSPARENCY

Aftercare and awareness prioritized

Presidential candidates all promise websites

SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

As candidates have finalized and published their expanded platforms, sexual assault and sexual health have become large parts of two out of the three Student Assembly presidential candidate’s proposed plans.

Presidential contenders Justin Canakis ’17 and A.J. Scalia ’17 do not have a published platform on sexual assault. They have proposed creating a mobile app that would allow students who have recently been sexually assaulted to speak with trained students at the College of William and Mary while they are walking home.

Other contenders Eboni Brown ’17 and Hannah McKiernan ’17 advocate for getting a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit or a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner in the Williamsburg area. Currently, survivors must travel to Newport News for these services. Their platform on sexual assault also includes a focus on prevention and education, specifically, working with existing student health advocates and student organizations to provide

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sexual assault prevention training. They want to spread a common message that sexual assault is not tolerated at the College.

Expanding on this, contenders Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17 also want to support the SA in integrating language related to health and wellness into the College’s mission statement. Expanding on education and prevention, they want to create a HOPE sexual assault and bystander intervention program that they would pilot.. They also plan on providing resources for faculty and staff that would clarify their roles in reporting and would establish a published list of faculty contacts for student.

Ambrose and Jacob’s platform also include bringing a SANE nurse to the area. They want to lobby at Road to Richmond 2017 to bring a SANE nurse to the Health Center and plan to provide free transportation to local hospitals for students in the meantime.

Additionally, they want to use SA funding to subsidize or completely cover the costs of PERK kits for students at local hospitals, until they come to the Student Health Center.

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A farewell to The Flat Hat

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Transparency in the Student Assembly has been the topic of great discussion this year, as the current administration failed to deliver a website promised in their campaign. Each of the three presidential contenders includes transparency in their published platforms.

Presidential contenders Justin Canakis ’17 and A.J. Scalia ’17 plan to increase the SA’s online presence with a functional website that would be highly interactive. They also plan to improve financial transparency by hosting quarterly budget report meetings open to the student body, in addition to montly town-hall style forums.

The last piece of their platform on transparency involves opening up dialogue between students and parking services.

Other contenders Eboni Brown ’17 and Hannah McKiernan ’17 plan on following current path of SA transparency: launching a website through the College’s website and hosting weekly office hours and info sessions to help students

Departing Editor-in-Chief Aine Cain says goodbye to The Flat Hat. page 5 Sunny, High 66, Low 48

with their questions and concerns. They also plan to work with the graduate schools to collaborate and plan events because graduate students often feel unincluded in SA discussions. They want to be the candidates that follow through on their promises.

Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17 launched a prototype of their proposed website earlier in the campaign period. They also plan on increasing SA communication with student organizations including the Interfraternity Council and the PanHellenic Presidents.

On the website they plan on posting weekly SA meetings as well as Faculty Assembly and Board of Visitors meetings. They also promise proactive town-hall meetings.

The final part of their transparency platform involves working with Honor Council and Conduct Council to increase transparency and further publicity by releasing information about cases tried.They also propose preventive programming for specific departments. To do this, they propose a collaboration with the current Honor Council and Conduct Council leadership.

Greenhouse goodbye party

The Millington Greenhouse has its last hurrah.​ page 7

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The Flat Hat | Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

The school is trying to whitewash their history a little bit, and I think that’s a general consensus as far as Native American issues are concerned ... There has to be acknowledgment and a push towards greater education and inclusivity.

— American Indian Student Association member Amber Bryant ’16

A life in words and pictures

The Flat Hat

Writer-in-residence Nicole Georges reflects on graphic memoirs ABBY RUSSO // THE FLAT HAT

Page 2 Spotlight

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theflatchat FROM THE ARCHIVES

COURTESY PHOTO / THE COLONIAL ECHO Colonial Williamsburg celebrates Grand Illumination, as shown in the 1999 Colonial Echo issue.

CORRECTIONS An article pulished last week incorrectly identified international relations professor Michael Tierney as Dominic Tierney.

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.

For Nicole Georges, work on her book doesn’t end when she finishes writing the story. When the writing ends, the drawing begins.

This semester Georges joined the College of William and Mary English department as the 2015-2016 Donaldson Writer in Residence to share her experiences as a graphic novelist.

While at the College, she is working on the art for her next book, “Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home,” which will be finished by July, as well as teaching a master class on autobiographical comics.

“My students are great,” Georges said.

“They’re a pleasure to work with.”

Georges, a Portland-based artist, illustrator and teacher, published her first graphic memoir in 2013 after years of making autobiographical zines, or short, self-published magazines.

Her zines are now collected in two anthologies entitled “Invincible Summer.”

She is a self-taught artist whose work has been influenced by cartoonists such as Phoebe Gloeckner, Lynda Barry and John Porcellino.

“I put out tons and tons of comics and I knew I wanted to write a graphic novel someday,” Georges said.

Through her work with zines, Georges said she developed her style and her voice.

She says that these elements are essential for artists to find, especially when working on long projects.

“You need to commit to one style and one voice for years,” Georges said.

Her first graphic memoir, “Calling Dr. Laura,” intertwines the stories of Georges discovering family secrets and discovering herself.

In the memoir, Georges’ girlfriend at the time gifts her with a palm reading session in which she is told her father is still alive, although she grew up being told he was dead.

Eventually deciding to phone in to speak to the famous radio talk-show host Laura Schlessinger for advice on her situation, Georges then struggles to figure out her own identity through a series of events that ensue.

“Calling Dr. Laura” was met with both

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COURTESY PHOTO/ NICOLE GEORGES

Georges teaches a class on comics at the College.

POLICE BEAT

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Nicole Georges, a Portland-based artist, illustrator and teacher, published her first graphic memoir in 2013.

national and international recognition. It was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Graphic Novels and was officially selected at the Angouleme International Comics Festival in France.

Though new to the College, Georges is no stranger to teaching.

She has had experience teaching children, adults and senior citizens about zines, comics, graphic novels and selfpublishing.

In her classes, Georges said she emphasizes her mission in art and in life: People can be empowered through selfexpression.

According to Georges, working with seniors who discover they could be published taught her that she wanted to give young people the tools to express themselves and feel like that their voices are important.

“They have never been told they could be published and that their voices deserved to be heard,” Georges said.

Representation of various minority communities in art is also important to Georges.

As a woman in comics, she said she had to look for role models for herself and hopes that through art, people will be able to create more role models for other future artists.

While teaching and working on her next graphic memoir, Georges is living in Richmond.

She said she comes to campus several days a week and makes herself available to

her students as much as she can, whether on Skype or in person, even if it is just to help them figure out how to draw something.

“Be a lifelong learner,” Georges said.

“There’s always more to learn.”

Georges said she encourages both artists and students to learn from everything they can and that students can learn from anything, from movies to bad art.

Georges said students can learn from all their experiences, not just their classes. She also said students are paying for classes, so they should take advantage of their opportunities and all they have available.

As for artists, Georges said to start small and develop a voice.

“There aren’t tools that make you a writer,” Georges said. “It’s just you.”

Following her residency and the completion of “Fetch,” Georges said she has lots of plans. She will be joining the faculty at California College of the Arts.

She plans to expand into a variety of genres, hoping to write a television screenplay for “Calling Dr. Laura” and a children’s book.

Addtionally, Georges plans to continue to work on her podcast, Sagittarian Matters, for the foreseeable future. In this podcast, she interviews a variety of guests, including cartoonists, feminists and people from the queer community.

“I like that people can feel empowered by self-expression,” Georges said.

Here at the College, in addition to so many other communities, Georges said she is teaching students this lesson early.

Mar. 18-20 1

Friday, Mar. 18 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public at Lafayette St. & Harrison Ave.

2

Friday, Mar. 18 — An individual was arrested for being a Peeping Tom at Merrimac Trail.

3

Sunday, Mar. 20— Property that was damaged at Newport Ave.

4

Sunday, Mar. 20 — An individual was arrested for underage possession of alcohol at Lafayette St. & Harrison Ave.

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Page 3

NEWS ANALYSIS

Presidential platforms differ mostly in scope The Flat Hat analyzes differences in Student Assembly candidates’ election pledges AMELIA LUCAS FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR

Mental health, diversity, transparency within the Student Assembly — it’s easy for all the topics in this year’s SA election to get muddled. Although the presidential and vice presidential candidates seem to focus on the same issues, their platforms differ based on the depth of their campaign promises and on their primary goals if elected.

The single-page platform that leads with big ideas and solutions from the ticket including Justin Canakis ’17 and A.J. Scalia ’17 differs greatly from the ambitious seven-page, multi-pronged outline of campaign promises made by Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17, while the platform of Eboni Brown ’17 and Hannah McKiernan ’17 straddles the two strategies.

Transparency According to Canakis and Scalia, their primary goal would be to create a working website for the SA if elected.

“I think the website is absolutely our main goal because that serves as a precursor to solving every other problem,” Canakis said. “We live in an Internet revolution, and this is the new frontier.

We are lagging behind, and so much can be done through social media and the Internet. This will serve as a catalyst to propel ourselves into solving all of our other ideas.”

In fact, their platform for transparency primarily focuses on creating the website, similar to the other two campaigns. However, unlike the Ambrose-Jacob or Brown-McKiernan tickets, Canakis and Scalia leave their plan for creating the website open-ended. Their plans for what information will be included on the website does not significantly differ from the plans of the other tickets, but the ticket did emphasize that the interactive abilities of the website were important to them.

Ambrose and Jacob have already launched a model for their version of the SA website, which will require continued collaboration with the College’s computer science club, ACM @ WM. Alternatively, Brown and McKiernan share the same vision for the website as current SA President Yohance Whitaker ’16 — seeking to create a website attached to the College’s own website, which will help ensure its continuity.

All three approaches to creating the SA website have their own list of pros and cons.

Continuity was the most significant issue with past administrations who have either provided or promised websites, but creating a website attached to the College’s own website presents significant room for bureaucratic lag, which Whitaker’s administration dealt with this year.

Diversity Brown and McKiernan named their plans to

make the College inclusive for every single student who joins its student body as the goal that they would most like to accomplish. Their definition of diversity centers on not only race, but also gender, sexuality and other forms, including creating gender-neutral facilities all across campus.

The unique element of their plan for diversity, in comparison to that of Ambrose and Jacob, is the extension of I Am W&M Week into monthly events highlighting different forms of diversity.

“If we could get one thing done, it would be to get William and Mary to be a more inclusive environment, so students can actually feel, from day one when their parents drop them off, that they belong here,” Brown said.

While Canakis and Scalia’s platform does not acknowledge diversity at the College at all, Ambrose and Jacob’s platform outline on diversity echoes Brown and McKiernan’s through its emphasis on collaborating with different existing student organizations and programs, as well as with the Center for Student Diversity.

Sustainability Ambrose and Jacob’s campaign differs from the other two in its stance on sustainability. Canakis and Scalia do not have a published platform on the issue, and Brown and McKiernan’s can be summarized in two bullet points: working with campus sustainability organizations and making the College more sustainable, including

emphasizing recycling on campus. Ambrose and Jacob name different programs and areas to target for sustainability efforts, such as dining halls through Dining Services, as well as a variety of campus organizations and programs that address sustainability on campus to support.

Jacob said that her passion for sustainability comes from her environmental studies major and from her roles organizing Earth Week and in Seize the Grid, and has impacted the construction of their platform.

“I was comparing us to other schools in the state and seeing that we could do a lot more and be a leader in how we look at environmentalism,” Jacob said. “That really stood out to me in how we bring that to the student body in a way that is not just a buzzword …”

Despite the differences in SA experience amongst the three tickets — with Canakis and Scalia having zero combined years of experience, Ambrose and Jacob a single year and Brown and McKiernan four years — all three campaigns remain similar in their approaches to transparency beyond implementing a website.

Promises of monthly town-hall-style meetings between the SA and students with questions about the SA or of holding weekly office hours with SA representatives share the common goal of creating more opportunities for the student body to be informed about the goings-on of the SA.

Student leaders help design SA candidates’ platforms Presidential contenders seek endorsements, support of diverse organizations for elections DIVERSITY from page 1

Director for the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

According to their campaign manager Brendan McNamara ’16, the pair has adapted their list of meetings to try to incorporate as many students as possible in order to share their platform and receive feedback.

“Katherine and Liz chose to visit a variety of organizations throughout their campaign period,” McNamara said. “Their goal is to reach out to all facets of campus life — whether focusing on diversity and inclusion, sustainability, academics, or other areas … The campaign hopes to engage the totality of our campus since the platform is for everyone. We’re also holding office hours on the Terrace and at the Daily Grind to cross paths with as many students as possible to tell them how the campaign relates to them. We see so much great work being done on campus by inspiring peers, and we want to both learn more about and highlight their work.”

For the second week of campaigning, the third presidential ticket, Justin Canakis ’17 and A.J. Scalia ’17, is visiting Greek life organizations and Phi Sigma Pi, the honors fraternity.

Much of their platform involves further including Greek principles of philanthropy in campus-wide activities and fostering communication between all student groups.

Student Environmental Action Coalition Facilitator Abby Holcombe ’17 has worked with Ambrose and Jacob over the last month and has chosen to support them in the election because

of their inclusion of sustainability in their platform.

“I believe that Katherine and Liz put the strongest emphasis on sustainability out of all the candidates, which makes me proud to support them,” Holcombe said in an email.

“On their website they explain in great detail how they intend to integrate sustainable practices into our existing long-lasting traditions, and they understand how crucial it is to push for the College to commit to a clean energy plan. I know that Liz is very involved with environmental sustainability efforts all around campus, and I think it would be amazing to have someone like her in such an influential position for our campus.”

Ambrose and Jacob’s sustainability initiatives include creating a formal energy efficiency policy for the College, collaborating with Dining Services to improve sustainability, providing the dining halls with compost programs, furthering the SA’s sustainability pledge, and increasing publicity for DormMania and the Campus Free Market.

Both Ambrose and Brown’s campaigns have reached out to student cultural organizations like the Muslim Student Association.

Both campaigns will be speaking at a general MSA meeting, and Ambrose and Jacob spoke at an Islam Awareness Month event.

According to MSA President Hiba Vohra ’16, both Brown and Ambrose’s campaign have facets that appeal to the interests of diversity and inclusion relating to MSA. “I’m interested in Eboni’s previous

work as a senator,” Vohra said.

“When the MSA had trouble securing funding for our annual Eid Banquet last semester she helped us out with the approval process. At the same time, Katherine has laid out a more comprehensive layout for her plans surrounding diversity and inclusion.

While I am still waiting to hear how each platform will specifically relate to the needs of the MSA, I sincerely believe that either way, our school will be in good hands.”

According to Vice President of Sigma Chi Dave Pontari ’18, their fraternity’s principles urge each brother to vote for himself.

He personally supports Canakis and Scalia.

“I personally support Justin and A.J. because I believe they will do the best job serving the student body,” Pontari said. “They are both incredibly hardworking and successful in their own personal endeavors and I would expect them to continue that success in their roles with SA. Sigma Chi was founded on the principles of equal say and fairness and we feel it is important that each brother decides for himself who to vote for. There is a strong group of capable candidates this year and it will be up to the individual members to select the candidate they think will best serve the student body.”

As Ambrose and Jacob also have Greek involvement, they reached out to many sororities and fraternities.

President of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority Kate Connors ’17 does not plan on publicly endorsing a candidate before the election, but says she appreciates that the candidates have

spoken to her sorority.

“Both tickets [Brown’s and Ambrose’s] had impressive goals and ideas,” Connors said in an email. “I think a lot of them would be great.”

Ambrose and Brown’s campaigns both focus on sexual health as well.

Ambrose and Jacob’s platform includes creating a sexual assault bystander intervention training program.

They also propose initiatives that would increase SA funding for STI testing as well as an initiative that would involve lobbying for funding at Road to Richmond 2017 for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner trained staff member at the Integrated Wellness Center.

Brown and McKiernan also include a focus on getting a SANE nurse in the Williamsburg area so that survivors of sexual assault do not need to travel to Newport News for proper care.

They also want to work on expanding education on sexual assault prevention and advocate against sexual health.

Brown was the SA senator responsible for introducing Sexual Health Act 3.0, which further subsidized STI tests at the Student Health Center and subsidized herpes tests for the first time. She and McKiernan plan to further subsidizing those tests if elected.

VOX President Taylor Medley ’17 has endorsed Ambrose and Jacob’s campaign because of their focus on uplifting the voices of students who were already doing important work on campus. According to Medley, their campaign includes a wide array of issues that are of interest to her as a reproductive justice advocate.

These issues include continuing

conversations about sexual wellbeing for all students, including members of the LGBTQ community, and addressing sexual violence.

One of the things Medley would most like to see if they were elected is their “Sexual Health Screening Day” initiative. SA, HOPE, and the Health Center would work together to further the conversation on sexual health and healthy relationships.

“I believe both [Brown’s and Ambrose’s] campaigns are addressing these concerns, however, I think Katherine and Liz’s initiatives are more implementable,” Medley said in an email. “For example, both campaigns were advocating for the addition of a SANE nurse on campus — these nurses provide physical evidence recovery kit exams for survivors of sexual violence so they have physical evidence if they decide to report. However, when Katherine and Liz took the initiative to speak with administrators and health promotion specialists about the feasibility of this idea, they quickly realized that federal and state restrictions mandate SANE nurses meet a quota of exams to keep their certification. On a college campus with many barriers to reporting in the first place, this kind of service would most likely not be utilized enough to justify having a SANE nurse on our campus.

After realizing this, Katherine and Liz worked with members of their team to find other options to access a SANE nurse including working to ensure students have free transportation and making the reform of SANE nurse certification standards a priority in the 2017 Road to Richmond event.”

Candidates support Counseling Center, promise new resources McKiernan shares personal struggle with mental illness on campaign’s Facebook page MENTAL HEALTH from page 1

clubs to help students better cope with academic stress.

The pair plan to create an SA website that will provide students with an easy place to access information related to the College. This website

COURTEST PHOTO / WM.EDU

All candidates propose using funds for new mental health resources on campus.

would also provide resources for students who are seeking psychological help.

“Why don’t we put some money into supporting mental health?”

Canakis said. “I heard earlier in the year that we didn’t have a full-time psychiatrist. Why can’t SA put money into hiring another psychiatrist?

We also have to erode the stigma associated with it. We have to create an open forum for discussion, like our website. We have to make the resources for students known.”

The third pair of contenders, Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17, focus part of their expanded platform, “Addressing the Priorities,” on their mental health-related plans.

According to their website, the duo wants to foster public communication and provide access to information about mental health resources. The website said that they hope to use SA publicity efforts to raise awareness for mental health.

Plans focusing on mental health programs include holding neurodiversity-focused initiatives, publicizing the Tribe Rides system and collaborating with the Counseling Center to strengthen its online tools, as well as using the SA website to promote the Center’s resources. Moreover, they want to facilitate collaboration between academic departments and Student Accessibility Services for when students require extra attention.

“We thought well about how all students on campus intersect with mental health in some capacity,” Ambrose said in an email. “Throughout

our experiences we have had the privilege of being resources for friends regarding mental health. We understand for the community to operate at its best our individual members need to have space and resources for their well-being. Because our community holds mental health in such high regard we made it a priority for our campaign to best advocate for our students.”

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The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Page 4

STUDENT LIFE

Students petition for new assault policy

16(IX)3 plans to present eight part proposal at upcoming BOV meeting

SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR

Last spring, the College of William and Mary was placed under a Title IX investigation, under suspicion of not following Title IX when handling sexual assault. In the following months, students founded 16(IX)3, a student project that aims to foster conversations between students and administrators on sexual assault.

Starting in January, the group’s co-founders Abbey Childs ’17 and Francesca Maestas ’17 began drafting a proposal to administration, asking them to modify certain elements of campus policy regarding sexual assault. The group launched a petition March 19 at the Meridian Coffeehouse, looking for signatures from people in the community who supported their proposal.

Their proposal has eight main parts, which include a request for the College to improve sexual violence education during orientation, to endorse and use the Callisto reporting tool, and to implement a mandatory expulsion policy for repeat violators of the sexual misconduct policy.

According to Childs, while the College has made several improvements to their policy over

the last few months, there is still potentially harmful ambiguity in the language of the policies.

“In terms of education and prevention, [administrators] are very receptive to change, now we are trying to address ambiguity,” Childs said.

“Things like ‘what constitutes a serial perpetrator’ are [currently] decided on a case by case basis, making the implementation of something like mandatory expulsion for repeat offenders difficult.”

While the College was going through the investigation and making the first round of changes to the policy, they moved away from the traditional hearing system, which can often be intimidating to sexual assault survivors.

Instead, they have implemented a system that allows students to report assaults to the Dean of Students, where their final report is made. Then, an administrator in the Dean of Students office decides what the outcome will be for the person reported.

16(IX)3’s proposal also includes a request to the College to make case determinations by a highly trained panel consisting of one faculty member, one counselor and one administrator. The group hopes that this will be less intimidating to students

reporting assaults, while also ensuring one person in administration is not solely responsible for making important decisions.

“The problem is that [sexual assault] is not an issue directed at a single subset of the population,” 16(IX)3 member Dave Ernyey ’17 said. “However, the decision-making process does reflect a certain subset, which is a critical lack of due process. We have seen that now, if other people see what’s happening and don’t say anything, things don’t happen.”

Other elements of the group’s proposal include the recommendation that permanent dismissals should extend beyond graduation to limit the return to campus of alumni found responsible for sexual assault, the reinstatement of a Peer Advisor program to help students going through the reporting process, and extending the use of the Clery Act email notification system to include off-campus assaults involving a student.

The group’s event at the Meridian Coffeehouse came as part of their 60-day challenge. This challenge pays tribute to the 60 days that a sexual assault investigation is supposed to take. Each day they are posting online to spread awareness, and about once a week they are trying to host a

public awareness event. At the end of the event at the Meridian, they had received approximately 75 signatures on the petition from members of the community.

They will continue to add signatures to their petition in the next few weeks and plan to present their proposal with its signatures at the Board of Visitors meeting in April.

Following talks with administration during the earlier part of the semester, they have learned that implementing changes in prevention and education are easier to do, but implementing policy changes.

According to Maestras, she personally intends to further include the student body in their campaign, which she hopes will benefit the rest of the group.

“I’m trying to focus on getting students more involved,” Maestras said. “We have members that come to each meeting, and we have lots of support, but we want to see more action. This affects everyone: it affects students and parents and community members. That’s often the damage that people don’t see, and this damage is a long-lasting one. It’s an issue that William and Mary students should keep in mind.”

STUDENT LIFE

AISA hosts second powwow, discusses Native history American Indian students, community members present traditional songs, dances NATE WAHRENBERGER FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

A diverse community from campus and beyond gathered for an afternoon of dancing, singing and culture at the second annual College of William and Mary Powwow, hosted by the American Indian Student Association.

The powwow ran from noon until 5:00 p.m. in Trinkle Hall. The event was open to the public, and students from the College were granted free admission.

The powwow featured dancers and representatives from various Virginian and non-Virginian tribes. Dancers were dressed in traditional regalia, and they performed various traditional dancing styles, including “War Dance,” “Fancy Style” and “Hoop Dance.” New Jersey’s Red Blanket Singers and Charles City, Va.’s Turtle Clan Singers provided the music for the event. The powwow also featured a number of vendors selling various Native American-made goods, from traditional instruments to jewelry.

The event incorporated several tributes to American veterans, including a “Veteran’s Dance,” in which master of ceremonies and Chickahominy tribe member Clark Stewart invited veterans to join the dancing circle and be honored for their service. Native Americans have served the U.S. military in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnic group in the nation.

American Indian Student Association president Vanessa Adkins ’19 said she publicized the event through social media, inviting everyone she knew from the Native American community. The crown Adkins wore to the powwow declared her “Queen Chickahominy,” a title she said she earned by winning an essay contest. She represented the Chickahominy Tribe, as well as the American Indian Students Association, in the opening ceremonies.

According to Adkins, the American Indian Student Association has gone through several reincarnations in the past decade, the most recent of which she attributed to Mackenzie Neal ’18. She said she hopes to grow the American Indian Student Association by recruiting more Native American students to the school and continuing to plan yearly powwows at the College.

“A lot of times people have a stereotypical view of Native Americans,” Adkins said. “So it’s good to have an authentic view.”

The event began with remarks from the Chickahominy Tribe’s chief Stephen Adkins, who mentioned the College’s controversial history with local Native Americans. He spoke about the Indian School at Brafferton Hall and argued that the College has fallen short of its promises to recruit Native Americans.

“I would challenge you, President Reveley, to again, redouble your efforts, to reach out to the Native students of Virginia,” Chief Adkins said.

College President Taylor Reveley later made a speech in which he discussed the importance of celebrating Native American traditions.

He also mentioned the Brafferton School, but it was unclear whether he had arrived in time to hear Chief Adkins’ speech or whether he was responding to it.

“William and Mary and the Native Americans go way back,” Reveley said. “The third oldest academic building in the United States used to be a school for young men in neighboring tribes … I think we’ve come a long way in recent years in renewing those ties, and this great powwow is another indication of it.”

Aaron Staples ’17, who said he did not think Reveley had arrived to hear Chief Adkins’ speech, said that not enough has been done to correct past injustices.

“There were a lot terrible things that came out of those Indian schools, and the institutions themselves were just a very destructive and violent colonial force,” Staples said. “That is something that hasn’t been addressed by the school yet, and I think one of the things having a powwow was trying to promote was reconciliation by the college, and in my opinion, Reveley’s little blurb … was kind of shooting that dead in the water.”

Vanessa Adkins said in an email that she agrees with her cousin Chief Adkins that more should be done to recruit Native Americans to the College, both for the sake of her organization and for overall student diversity.

“The Brafferton is definitely a time in W&M’s history that needs to be talked about, as it was essentially a boarding school designed to assimilate natives into English/colonial culture (aka destroy/get rid

of Native culture),” she said in an email. “I personally feel like talking about the Brafferton makes people uncomfortable, but that makes it that much more important to talk about. It will be interesting to see if President Reveley does try to reach out more to Native students, and AISA would be more than happy to work with him if/when he does.”

Amber Bryant ’16, who said she identifies as one-eighth Pamunkey, said she was glad to get in touch with her heritage in an available setting.

Bryant also said that the College must recognize the darker aspects of its history.

“The school is trying to whitewash their history a little bit, and I think that’s a general consensus as far as Native American issues are concerned,” Bryant said. “So it’s like, ‘Yeah there was genocide and we kidnapped a bunch of your boys, but it’s all fine now. There has to be acknowledgment and a push towards greater education and inclusivity.”

NATE WAHRENBERGER/ THE FLAT HAT

American Indian Student Association’s powwow featured goods from local tribes.

ADMINISTRATION

Administrators discuss College’s tornado policy, safety

Campus-wide lack of communication causes potential dangers to students

ELEANOR LAMB FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

At 2:41 p.m. Feb. 24, the College of William and Mary’s Emergency Management Team issued a campus-wide alarm urging people to seek shelter on the lowest floor of the building they were in at the time.

The EMT was responding to the National Weather Service’s report of a tornado in the Williamsburg area.

As a result, students and their professors descended to the lowest floors of their respective buildings.

As the student body reacted to this warning, the first of its kind in several years, the EMT was monitoring the storm. The warning provided an opportunity for the EMT to observe how people on campus reacted to their various updates and revealed ways in which they could modify their mass communication strategy.

“We did not have a drill,” EMT Coordinator Kenton Towner said. “We had a real situation. It looked like we could have experienced a tornado. We were very concerned.”

Preceding the message that told people to seek low ground, the EMT sent an email at 2:12 pm reporting that the school was under a tornado watch. When storms develop in the area, administrators stay alert for information from the NWS. The College released a take-shelter notice, which can be announced with or without a siren, on the

basis of the NWS’ reports. In this event, a siren alerted the campus community. The EMT continued to track the progress of the storm as students and faculty moved to basements.

“We’re constantly surveilling the weather,” Towner said. “The NWS is our primary provider of info about severe weather. They’re the authority. They’re the experts.”

The College of William and Mary Police Department also plays an important role in such weather emergencies. Chief of Police Deborah Cheesebro said the police began monitoring the weather very early in the day on Feb. 24 and provided frequent updates to Chair of the Emergency Management Team Sam Jones.

Cheesebro is a member of the EMT and oversees the EMT Coordinator position. However, all campus police officers are trained in using the emergency notification system.

Cheesebro noted that, after such warnings, the EMT collects community feedback in the effort to improve response protocols.

“Overall, the community took the warning very seriously and we commend our students, faculty and staff for prioritizing personal safety,” Cheesebro said in an email. “It is critical to heed these warnings and be absolutely certain the threat has passed before leaving shelter.”

While no one was harmed during the event, the EMT noticed certain areas for improvement in their

communication processes. Students who lined basement halls waiting for the storm to lift went on their phones. Many of these students searched the progress of the tornado on their devices. When they saw that online sources determined the severe weather had passed, they exited buildings, regardless of the fact the College had not yet sent an all-clear message.

Jones stated he and his fellow members of the EMT are working on ways to streamline and clarify the communication process. He said that the school itself will send an “all-clear” message indicating when it is once again safe for students and staff to move freely about campus.

“One thing we noted was that in our initial message to take shelter we should be clearer about the fact that we will be issuing an ‘all clear’ once the NWS has lifted its warning,” Jones said in an email. “While students, faculty, and staff can check the NWS and other weather sites on their phones [and] computers, the ‘all clear’ should come from the university.”

Towner corroborated this statement, saying the College would send out a message confirming safety on campus in the event of another warning. He said that, as the EMT was tracking the reports of the NWS on the day of the alert, students also followed the weather via their mobile devices.

“There were lots of people looking at a lot of different information sources,” Towner said. “[Those who left buildings] weren’t being absent-minded.

They were using the last word. We want to be the last word.”

One of the most populated buildings during the warning was Earl Gregg Swem Library. The supervising librarians had received training on what to do in the event of a tornado and issued an announcement over the library’s intercom system as soon as the alert was released. The librarians then began to usher students into the basement.

Jeannise Sarvay ’17 was working at the library’s circulation desk during the alert. After the librarians made the announcement over the intercom, she was sent to the basement because she is a student employed at the library. Sarvay’s supervisors continued to direct people as she joined her fellow students.

“We are prepared for every disaster, natural or manmade,” Sarvay said.

Towner mentioned the EMT has trained people who work in heavily-populated buildings, such as the librarians on what to do in the event of a weather emergency. He said the people in charge of Swem are familiar with the procedures.

He stated that communicating to professors how to handle an alarm in a certain building can sometimes be difficult.

“Their offices are usually not in the places they teach,” Towner said. “That’s of course going to change every semester. There are a lot of obstacles to total awareness.”

opinions

Opinions Editor Jennfier Cosgrove Opinions Editor Julia Stumbaugh fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Page 5

STAFF EDITORIAL

SA endorsement

GRAPHIC BY BRIAN KAO / THE FLAT HAT

A very fond farewell to The Flat Hat Áine Cain

FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Flat Hat is one heck of a drug. She is a cruel mistress, like the sea. It’s a cult, complete with a strange name, a shadowy basement headquarters and a lopsided Edgar Allen Poe mask donned for midnight dances.

A 104-year-old hot mess, dying medium, Yik Yak fodder, bastion of lamestream cronies and eternally-declining standards, #FlatHatFilth, coterie of nerdy Campus Center dwellers, stronghold of leftist babble or reactionary prattle (largely depending on your own views and your ability read guest column disclaimers) — The Flat Hat is a hundred other cliches.

The Flat Hat is staying up all night in the office listening to Barry White and Rumours and napping on the unspeakable couches during the day.

It’s a stuffy room crammed with stacks of paper, pictures of Nicolas Cage and red pandas, customized Game of Thrones banners and a Christmas tree.

It’s a campus institution. Time and time again, it brings together the College of William and Mary community as the preferred target of both furious students on Twitter and angry alumni who’ve just learned to use Facebook.

To paraphrase Stephen Crane, The Flat Hat is bitter. But I like it because it is bitter. And because it is my heart. But most of all, in a Soylent Greenesque twist, The Flat Hat is people. These are also some of my favorite people, so if you’re allergic to cheese, stop reading.

It is my pleasure to hand over the conn to one of the most enthusiastic, journalistically knowledgeable people I know: Editor-in-Chief Tucker Higgins ’17. He has already demonstrated his creativity, drive and dedication to the paper serving as Variety Editor, Executive Editor and Managing Editor. These traits will serve him well going forward, and I know he’s going to continue improving and expanding The Flat Hat. I’m thrilled to leave the newspaper in such capable hands.

Amelia Lucas ’17 will be making the leap from News Editor to Managing Editor. From serving as Student Assembly beat reporter to getting tossed into the deep end of the news section over the summer, she’s demonstrated tremendous skill and a sharp sense for news. She’ll keep news, sports and copy on the right track with her firstrate headline ideas and sunny disposition.

Staying on as Executive Editor, Isabel Larroca ’18 will continue to lead variety, opinions, photos and graphics with her trademark sense of humor and Stark-like levels of integrity. She has already guided her side of the office through some stormy crises and served as an integral part of the executive staff.

Former online editor Kayla Sharpe ’17 will be moving into a new leadership role on the paper, joining executive staff as Digital Editor.

The position is new, but Kayla has the online experience and eternal professionalism to take it on. She’ll boldly guide the newspaper into the digital age, overseeing videos, blogs, podcasts and social media.

Former Associate News Editor Emily Martell ’19 will take on the role of Chief Staff Writer this spring. With her great news sense and adept writing abilities, Emily is exceptionally well-suited to this crucial role. On the other side of the office, former Associate Variety Editor Lizzie Flood ’18 will become Chief Features Writer and continue to contribute compelling features to the variety section.

Quinn Monette ’17 and Miguel Locsin ’19 will both continue serving as editorial writers. Together they have strengthened the paper’s editorial board with their strong writing skills and insightful takes on campus culture.

Beyond the wall, Copy Chief Bezi Yohannes ’18 will stay on as Copy Chief, and Leonor Grave ’19 and Lauren Bavis ’19 have also ascended to become Copy Chiefs. If Leonor and Lauren’s District 1-worthy performance in Flat Hat assassins is any indication, they’ll tackle their new roles with intimidating competence.

In the world of photography, Kyra Solomon ’18 will stay on as sole Photos Editor and Gabbie Pachon ’17 will remain as Chief Photographer.

They will both continue to provide the paper with lovely images of campus life. Two familiar faces will be helming the online section: former Social Media Editor Iris Hyon ’18 and former Associate Online Editor Cort Mays ’17. They will enhance the expanding section with their ingenuity and focus on producing quality video content. Meanwhile, former Online Editor Julia Kott ’17 will step into the new role of Chief Videographer, where she will continue to handle assignments with a sensitive and artistic eye.

Former Associate Social Media Editor Iris Duan ’19 is ascending to Social Media Editor. She’s already proven her ability to pen quality blurbs on all kinds of topics and engage The Flat Hat readership on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram.

In the realm of podcasts, Associate Podcast Editors Peter Eckel ’19 and Siobhan Doherty ’19 will continue to produce engaging audio journalism.

Business Manager Patricia Mook ’17 and Business Outreach Manager Moises Romero ’19 will be taking care of business and working overtime in the paper’s crucial business section. Their combined persistence and aptitude for business will certainly help the paper continue to expand.

Brianna Little ’17 will join Blogs Editor Caroline Nutter ’17 to helm the fast-growing section. These two have the mad writing abilities and enthusiasm to continue to provide campus with an outlet for all kinds of expression.

Over in opinions, Opinions Editors Jenny Cosgrove ’19 and Julia Stumbaugh ’19 will continue to cruise through the oft-treacherous seas of representing the student voice. May their columns be plentiful and diverse. May the subsequent angry Yik Yaks about the section be swiftly down-voted.

Former Associate Sports Editor Josh Luckenbaugh ’17 will join Sports Editor Nick Cipolla ’17 at the newspaper’s sports desk. In addition to covering the often-heartbreaking, always exciting world of Tribe athletics, these two talented editors will also hopefully continue to further the section’s multimedia reach (Cheerleading 101 needs to happen, just saying).

Former Associate News Editor Sarah Smith ’19 will join News Editor Emily Chaumont ’18 to helm the turbulent but rewarding news section.

These two have demonstrated insane work ethic and calm dispositions that will serve them well as they tackle the front page, breaking stories, the wonderful world of sleep deprivation and all that other fun news stuff.

Now for my home section: Variety. Sam Dreith ’18 and Sarah Ruiz ’18 will continue on in the spicy section. These two are the perfect pair to continue to oversee excellent designs and meaningful features and … well … sensual sex columns. They’ve really made a mark on the section and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Shout outs go to Copy Chief Bezi Yohannes ’18, former Editorial Writer Kaitlan Schaub ’17 and former Managing Editor Madeline Bielski ’17. These three have each done excellent work for the paper. They’re all currently out adventuring or about to leave for study abroad, but we hope to see them back in the office very soon.

Now I’d like to recognize the people who can grouse with me about the twice-weekly slog and the scary white vans we used to distribute the paper in — the outgoing staff. Former Graphics Editor Brian Kao ’16 has entertained and engaged campus with his excellent drawings. His hard work and talent have been greatly appreciated.

It’s not hyperbolic to say that former Business Manager Amanda Lutick ’16 truly revolutionized the business section. The Flat Hat appreciates her diligent and patient work, as well as all those emails reminding us to actually run the ads that fund us.

Emily Nye ’16 wraps up four years on staff by returning to her original section. Emily served as the paper’s first-ever Chief Features Writer.

She produced numerous insightful pieces that demonstrated her considerable writing talents.

Former Photos Editor Ashley Richardson ’17 brought her managerial and visual talents to the role. Her work has really enhanced and expanded the section.

Former Webmaster Ben Marks ’16 should really have taken on the title of Digital Wizard. He has done extensive work on our Wordpress and always promptly rebooted the website when it crashed. He has even done online battle with a Parisian cell of Russian spammers. Seriously about the Russians though; that’s an actual thing that he’s dealt with.

Can’t write a goodbye column without mentioning Matt Camarda ’16, our inaugural Blogs Editor. He’s off taking over the world in D.C. right now, but his legacy remains on the paper. He was missed this year and his many years of service are greatly appreciated.

Former Copy Chiefs Richie Thaxton ’16 and Kat Turk ’16 will also be moving on. When they’re not dominating at past and ongoing assassins games, these two are busy catching all of our dumb mistakes. It’s been a pleasure to work with these chiefs beyond the wall.

With his penchant for excellent sports stories, good humor and passion for Tribe lacrosse, former Sports Editor Sumner Higginbotham ’16 will be missed in the office (although the various computer cords are probably much safer now).

Last but definitely not least is Amanda Williams ’16. She’s done it all. Copy Chief. News Editor. Chief Staff Writer. I bounced her around a lot because I knew she’d continue to produce excellent work no matter where she was needed. She killed it in each role, producing superb articles and displaying tremendous journalistic sense and sensitivity.

It’s truly been an honor to work with all of these talented and lovely people. Stabilitas et fides.

Email Aine Cain at aicain@email.wm.edu.

“

The Flat Hat is bitter. But I like it because it is bitter.

And because it is my heart. Most of all, in a Soylent Green-esque twist, The Flat Hat is people.

We are in the midst of a rare and welcome election cycle this year, as multiple candidates vie for the top spot with accurate boasts of exceptional character and accomplishment. But you can only choose one pair Thursday, and in this year’s stand out field, the stand out candidates are Katherine Ambrose ’17 and Liz Jacob ’17, talented juniors whose unique vision for the College of William and Mary the school should rally behind.

The two have already demonstrated that they are rallying behind the school. To read their seven page blueprint for next year is to acquaint oneself with the goals of campus community leaders across the board.

It helps that VP candidate Jacob, who works for the Arts and Sciences Department and the Sustainability Office, in addition to holding leadership positions in HOPE and SEAC, among other campus organizations, qualifies as an authoritative and articulate campus leader herself.

The team of advisers they assembled — comprising both students and faculty members — puts the ticket over the top.

The duo can make no claim to outsider status, and they don’t attempt to do so. Here is a team of distinctly

“

Katherine and Liz have the right mettle and the right priorities for the job. committed insiders, presenting a roadmap with the thoroughness and deep regard for process that is only possible if one first possesses familiarity with the many communities and systems involved.

This familiarity pays off in the details.

Requiring any student organization that receives Student Assembly funding to designate two representatives to be trained for sexual assault and bystander intervention is a strong statement of priorities.

In an environment where providing PERK kits is sadly infeasible, providing free transportation to the hospital for students who have suffered sexual assault is a necessity.

There are no buzzwords here. The candidates talk like real people with a cohesive set of goals. While the team will work to make the school a more inclusive environment through the typical channels of funding allocation and event planning, their academic plans — specifically, implementing a system of faculty mentors — will also contribute to the success of students of color. The plan will also go a long way toward alleviating student stress, even as plans more specifically dedicated to improving mental health are implemented as well.

Despite their sprawling platform, Katherine and Liz don’t seem to have set unrealistic expectations. After all, many of their plans rely on empowering student leaders and organizations. The two have billed themselves as “catalysts for change” and seem to recognize that the best way to be just that is by finding and engaging the many active students on our campus who are already working for it.

When not directly engaging with student leaders, Katherine and Liz will be effective advocates on their behalf in front of the school administration, Board of Visitors and Virginia lawmakers. Katherine and Liz want strong statements of priorities in writing in the school’s main governing documents. This will take tough, patient negotiators and capable listeners, willing to work for incremental change. Katherine and Liz have the right mettle and the right priorities for the job.

The Student Assembly has a great deal of money and a large microphone. In the hands of Katherine and Liz, we think it will be able to accomplish a great deal.

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 Emily Chaumont, Tucker Higgins, Isabel Larroca, and Kayla Sharpe. 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.

STREET BEAT

How do you feel about the posters relating the current political parties to Nazi and communist ideology?

“Whoever has furnished this poster has grossly distorted both parties’ image.”

Kenny Wilder ‘19

“People should expand their thinking about two party systems, but not using cheap tactics like the association of our current parties with totalitarian regimes.”

Nathan Fafjar ‘18

GRAPHIC BY VIRGINIA STROBACH / THE FLAT HAT

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Page 6

GUEST COLUMN

A lesson in privilege

Lindsey Carter

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

When I checked the box for the “New Alternatives” option on the Branch Out application a few months ago, my main priority, admittedly, was spending spring break in New York City. It helped that the trip also concerned the LGBT community, which I hold in high esteem. However, I paid little to no attention to the “homeless” part of the trip. This, however, was a key part of my experience.

I knew coming in to my Branch Out trip that I would get more out of it than I could possibly put in during a week’s time.

However, I did not know just how apparent that would become. I met many people during my week in New York. I met transgender women and men, their children, the people who work every day of their lives to provide the homeless with opportunities they may not otherwise have and, yes, a couple of celebrities. It was a whirlwind of a week to say the least, and it was an experience I am sure I will never forget.

At the end of each day, my team and I reflected on our experiences. We sat around in a circle and discussed our feelings.

Some talked more than others, but everyone had an input. It was during reflection at the end of the first day that the gravity of our situation hit me the hardest. Here we were, a bunch of college students in New York City, provided with housing and ample

“

I believe everyone should have the opportunity to work firsthand with the realities of homelessness. access to food — our purpose: to help the homeless.

It was as we sat there, in our graciously-provided sleeping quarters for the week, that I realized just how privileged we were.

We were given amenities and privileges that the very people we were there to help might never have access to. I remember the cogs in my brain spinning, trying to find some way out of the guilt that was creeping into my head. I wasn’t helping the homeless, I was taking advantage of my own privileges simply by sitting in this room and enjoying the heat and food provided to me. The woman I had helped find clothes for earlier that evening may not have a place to stay, yet I felt some kind of self-gratification in finding her a pair of shoes that wouldn’t make her feet cramp up.

It was then that I realized this is the same feeling we all push down, deep into our gut when we see a homeless person on the street asking for money. We look away, pretend we don’t hear them, start a conversation with our friend about what Kim Kardashian said on Twitter, just so we don’t think about how we’ll have a roof over our heads tonight when that person on the corner may not. Or maybe, we give them a dollar, hoping the action will wash the feeling away, like Mr. Clean on a dark stain, wiping it away without a trace. And while your dollar may help them get a ticket on the subway, or even buy a hot dog from a stand, they remain in their endless cycle, unable to purchase the clothes they need to get a job. These are real people with feelings and lives and communities. They are people who are so often ignored or deemed lazy.

I’m not offering a solution. I don’t have one. I’m suggesting a conversation. This is a conversation we as a society need to have.

I believe everyone should have the opportunity to work firsthand with the realities of homelessness in the United States. It is not pretty work, and it is not the rewarding or gratifying experience you may be looking for when you volunteer, because it is unlikely you will make a lasting difference. But it is a perspective you may not otherwise have access to. Seeing the ugly realities of the lives of those who don’t know if or when they will receive their next meal is simply the first step in making a lasting difference.

Email Lindsey Carter at lmcarter@email.wm.edu.

GRAPHIC BY BRIAN KAO / THE FLAT HAT

GUEST COLUMN

Inflammatory posters shouldn’t be anonymous

Ammon Harteis

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

fliers around campus. I have often found them to be a good way for students to communicate and organize when they please. Most fliers name the organization that is responsible for posting them. This is a good practice, especially on fliers with a political or controversial subject matter. Without the authors taking credit for their work, it is impossible to start a dialogue.

Because this flier is uncredited, the College Republicans and the Young Democrats have no way of knowing who is criticizing them and will therefore have a hard time responding to these characterizations of their parties. One of the fundamental goals of a liberal arts university like the College of William and Mary is that people with different views can come together and discuss those views.

The lack of a name on this flier is not conducive to fostering such discussion. We cannot learn why the author of this flier feels so negatively about the two political parties of the United States and what the author would like to see done about our party system.

This hinders intellectual growth from occurring.

This flier is not the beginning of a discussion; it is an invisible critic yelling at other people with no accountability.

In our current era of vitriolic verbal attacks, with the most divided body politic in the living history, when internet communication allows people to verbally attack each other with no repercussion, surely the last thing our campus needs is more uncredited yelling. I call upon the creators of the flier to take credit for their work to rectify these problems.

Email Ammon Harteis at ammonfh@gmail.com.

“

Last week I walked into Swem Aromas and was confronted by a flier tacked on the bulletin board. The campus is covered in fliers announcing student-led events and organizations, faculty talks, job or internship opportunities and graduate school programs. This flier was different. Not because the flier had on it a stylized image of an elephant and a donkey representing the Republican and Democratic Parties of the United States, respectively. Nothing strange about this. There are many bipartisan political organizations on campus and they will often put up fliers.

But this flier was different. On the elephant, there was a Nazi swastika and on the donkey was a Communist hammer and sickle. Under these two images was written, “Isn’t it great to have a choice?”

I should state first that I support the right for someone to post

The lack of a name on this flier is not conducive to fostering such discussion.

“

COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT

It may be a good fix or demonstration of commitment this year, but this problem transcends generations of SA leaders for a reason. We need a more sustainable solution ... preferably a website the administration sets up and provides access to the new SA to use each year so all they have to do is plug in numbers or release articles/ statements.

— Joe Soultanis on “Attempting to show follow-through, Ambrose campaign launches SA website before election”

GUEST COLUMN

Why a traditional grading system is a necessary aspect of college

Han Wang

FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST

For some students from universities like Duke University, John Hopkins University and many others, the Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory (SA/UN) Grading System is now available. This grading system allows students who fit in specific requirements to receive satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades in place of conventional grades. The question of whether or not grades matter seems to be debated repeatedly. However, in my opinion, traditional grades are still necessary.

The first reason is that there will never be a more efficient grading system than the one we have. I’m an exchange student at the College of William and Mary, and I come from China. The number of graduates in China will reach nearly 7.7 million this

year. What method aside from grades can you imagine employers using to select students from such a large pool? I agree that grades can’t perfectly measure intelligence or personal skills, but they can measure students’ abilities to learn and adapt.

We are now living in an age defined by technology and globalization; therefore we should be ready to acquire and possess new knowledge at any time. High scores mean a higher aptitude for learning, which I think is especially important for modern human beings who spend so much of their time studying. With better study abilities, an individual can better fit into this society. A grading system makes students with high study skills easier to select from a group of applicants.

Secondly, grades encourage students to work harder. Harvard University has stated, “We believe that learning is the most important thing that happens in our classrooms.” Thus, helping students learn more effectively is important. Without the traditional system, hard-working students

and hard-playing students will have the same grades. What will be the incentive for studying hard?

Since there are often many students in one class, studying doesn’t only mean to work hard outside of class, but also to devote time to interacting with teachers, finishing relative readings, polishing your homework, and succeeding in exams.

Together, all of those things make you a high-scoring student.

A 4.0 GPA gives the student motivation to get another 4.0. New grading systems without a function to distinguish between students can only make them slack off equally.

Last but not least, there isn’t any new system that is practical and universal.

Even the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (SA/ UN) Grading System can only be applied by specific students, such as non-degree seeking students. The grading system still has a long way to go. For now, however, one thing for sure is that we still need traditional grades to keep students striving for success.

Email Han Wang at hwang10@email.wm.edu.

“

Grades can’t perfectly measure intelligence or personal skills, but they can measure students’ abilities to learn and adapt.

variety

Variety Editor Sam Dreith Variety Editor Sarah Ruiz flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Page 7

Goodbye Greenhouse AKEMI TAMANAHA // FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR

COURTESY PHOTO / MADDY KING

The Millington greenhouse hosted a farewell party on Friday to say goodbye to the old location and celebrate its move to the roof of the ISC. Attendees explored the flora while listening to music from live bands and snacking on refreshments.

Uprooting 47 years of botanical history and cultivated community

T

he gloomy Williamsburg sky brightened for a moment as students gathered on the roof of Millington Hall for the greenhouse goodbye party March 18.

The greenhouse has been a hidden gem tucked away on the fourth floor of Millington Hall since its construction in 1969. Next semester, however, Millington is being torn down, and the greenhouse will be relocated to the roof of the new Integrated Science Center.

The old greenhouse’s farewell party kicked off at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Attendees took self-guided tours of the greenhouse while listening to live music and enjoying refreshments. The musical line-up included Greg Taylor, the Appalachian Music Ensemble and a band fittingly named Talk to Plants. Edible crickets were among the refreshments provided for those feeling particularly adventurous that day.

The greenhouse itself is like a tiny maze of botanical wonders that satisfy the senses. The hundreds of green plants provide a visually appealing backdrop for photos. Visitors can smell the soothing scents of the ginger plants or the lemon eucalyptus tree. Pair these features with nice weather and, according to student volunteer Rachael Carlberg ’17, the greenhouse becomes the perfect place to go to escape.

“I think it’s such like a really relaxing place. It’s probably my favorite place on campus,” Carlberg said. “I just think it’s really beautiful up there. I just think it’s really peaceful and nice. It’s a really nice place to get away from the stress of school work.”

Visitors can even interact with a plant called mimosa pudica, which is also known as the “sensitive plant.” It’s called the sensitive plant because its leaves shyly fold into themselves when they are touched.

The plants are organized in a few different ways. Some, like the cacti and succulents, are grouped by type. Other plants are paired together to ensure that they receive the proper amount of sunlight and shade.

The greenhouse also includes a water component that is home to a few turtles from Lake Matoaka. The new greenhouse will not include this water component, however, so the turtles will either be released back into Lake Matoaka or taken to someone’s man-made pond.

Relocating the greenhouse from Millington will mean leaving behind a long history. When it was first built in 1969, faculty were excited about the new location. Professors had trouble growing plants that needed a lot of sunlight in the previous ground-floor greenhouse, so the rooftop location was ideal. An article in the 1972 edition of William and Mary News even called it the College’s “penthouse.” It became a popular location for the William and Mary Faculty Club to hold brunches and cocktail parties in the late 1970s.

According to volunteer Janhavi Giribhattanavar ’17, during homecoming weekend, alumni sometimes come back to the greenhouse to see if some of the plants they grew in their botany classes are still there.

In its early years, maintenance of the greenhouse relied heavily on the work of outside

“

SARA FRANKLIN-GILLETTE / THE FLAT HAT

Greenhouse visitor Jessica Seidenberg ’19 investigates the “sensitive plant” that curls up its leaves at the slightest touch.

I love seeing the new growth on the plants ...

— Janhavi Giribhattanavar ’17

SARA FRANKLIN-GILLETTE / THE FLAT HAT

The greenhouse’s resident turtles will have to be released, as the new ISC location won’t have a pond to house them.

volunteers. Over the decades, the greenhouse has attracted more student workers and volunteers.

Giribhattanavar saw a job posting at the greenhouse while on a tour last spring semester.

She watered the plants at the greenhouse everyday over the summer while she was on campus doing research. She now spends about five to six hours a week at the greenhouse.

“I love seeing the new growth on the plants, like when there are new leaves and new flowers,” Giribhattanavar said.

Student involvement at the greenhouse is not limited to working and volunteering. The William and Mary Botany Club uses the greenhouse to hold meetings and conduct club projects.

Students and faculty also use the greenhouse for research. Joshua Puzey, an assistant professor who specializes in plant development, biomechanics and genomics, described some of the current research projects.

“One of my students is looking at the biomechanics of morning glory movement,” Puzey said. “Morning glories are flowers that open in the morning time and then they close in the evening.

The student is exploring the biomechanics of how that motion takes place. Another student is using the greenhouse to look at variations in petal spots.”

In the past, the poor climate control in the Millington greenhouse has made research difficult. The new greenhouse will include better heating, cooling and light intensity control systems.

“The biggest conceptual transition from the old greenhouse to the new greenhouse is the new greenhouse is going to be much more researchfocused,” Puzey said.

Students will be growing milkweed plants at the new greenhouse this summer to study the interaction between milkweed plants and monarch butterflies.

Though the new greenhouse will create a more research friendly environment, both Carlberg and Giribhattanavar said they will miss the old charm of the Millington greenhouse. Older plants have begun to grow into benches and onto the brick walls. The roots of some plants have even shattered and engulfed the outsides of their pots.

Giribhattanavar says she regrets that they will not be able to take these plants with them to the new greenhouse.

Still, there are other benefits to the new location. Carlberg says she often felt students didn’t visit the Millington greenhouse because they didn’t know it existed. She is hopeful that more people will come visit the new one once it opens.

“I’m really excited that it really has a little bit more of a central place on campus,” Carlberg said.

“It’s a lot more visible on top of the ISC. People are seeing it being built. I hope that it becomes more of a popular spot and that new students will come and see it.”

Those who have not yet had a chance to see the Millington greenhouse can visit until the end of the semester. The greenhouse is open Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m; Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Page 8

A glimpse into the

Muscarelle

Museum currently displaying three exhibitions LIZZY FLOOD FLAT HAT CHIEF FEATURES WRITER

Next time you find yourself with a break after class this semester, consider going to look at Dorothea Lange’s famous photograph “The Migrant Mother,” or maybe one of Norman Rockwell’s classic paintings of the Boy Scouts. While normally you would need a weekend or longer break to see these artworks, you should only need about 15 minutes to cut across campus to the Muscarelle.

The Muscarelle has three new exhibitions this semester, all of which debuted Feb. 6: “Hiroshige’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido,” “Light Works: A Century of Great Photography” and “Norman Rockwell and the Boy Scouts.”

Unlike the Hiroshige and Normal Rockwell exhibits, which will remain in the Muscarelle until August, “Light Works” will only be on display until April 10. Mostly made up of pieces on loan from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, “Light Works” also includes pieces from the Muscarelle’s permanent collection. Major artists in the exhibition include Dorothea Lange and Ansel Adams.

“It’s a celebration of a hundred years of photography through a series of masterworks,” Director of the Muscarelle Aaron De Groft ’88 said.

The choice to have an exhibit on photography coincided with the College of William and Mary’s new photography program, said De Groft. The College’s first ever art photography class debuted last spring, and is being develop within the Department of Art & Art History.

In order to celebrate the history of photography, the museum also set up an interactive camera osbcura between the Muscarelle and Small Hall. Students can walk into the camera obscura, the earliest form of a camera, and see the outside world flipped upside down via light let in by pinholes in the structure.

Back inside the museum, “Norman Rockwell and the Boy Scouts” celebrates the famous American painter through nine of his paintings, all on loan from the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas.

The exhibit takes a unique approach to exploring Rockwell’s work, according to Muscarelle intern Lowry Palmer ’17.

“I feel like everyone knows the Thanksgiving dinner, the classic kids at the soda fountain, but it’s really cool to see some other Rockwell work,” Palmer said.

The collection is also a tribute to Chancellor Robert Gates ’65, who

“

shown from different perspectives. They weren’t just simply the same, and there’s all kinds of really interesting things going on in the sets.”

In order to celebrate these three exhibits, the Muscarelle is planning to host a student event in April that will take advantage of the outdoor space behind the museum. The Muscarelle usually tries to have at least one or two student events per semester, according to Intern Holly Fleming ’17.

“I helped with the student event last semester,” Fleming said. “That was the student Curating Comedy Show, and I really enjoyed that cause it’s something that everyone comes to, whereas the regular exhibits, you know, not all my friends come in and see it.”

In April, the Muscarelle will also participate in Williamsburg’s Historic Garden Week. Once the “Light Works” exhibit has been cleared out, pieces from the Muscarelle’s permanent collection that feature floral designs will be displayed for participants in Garden Week. De Groft said this event, called Art in Bloom, usually draws a large crowd and will feature the museum’s Georgia O’Keeffe painting “White Flower.”

Looking into the future, the Muscarelle plans to unveil a large-scale exhibit in 2017 that will follow in the footsteps of last year’s “Leonardo Da Vinci and the Idea of Beauty.”

“2017, we have a huge surprise, but I’m not willing to say what it is,” De Groft said. “If you look at our history of Charter Day, every few years opening a major, major exhibition like Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Leonardo, I would just suggest to think about that trend. It will really be a once in a lifetime chance to experience, a lot like the Leonardo show and the Michelangelo.”

De Groft also said the museum looks forward to its expansion plan as part of the College’s “For the Bold” campaign. The Muscarelle plans to expand in size and start displaying parts of its permanent collection year-round. In the meantime, the Muscarelle hopes to continue welcoming students through its doors everyday as a source for students to learn more about the art world. Fleming said she hopes more students will consider getting involved.

“A lot more student work goes into it than people probably think,” Fleming said. “And what I really like in working there is learning how there are just so many paths you can go on with museum expertise.”

Palmer agreed that the museum has helped her gain real world experience in the art world and said that more students should take

GABBIE PACHON / THE FLAT HAT

The exhibit Light Works follows the history of photography, featuring photographs such as Silo by Richard Buswell, above.

GABBIE PACHON / THE FLAT HAT

Woodcut prints such as 52 Ishibe , from the Gyosho set, are featured in the exhibition Hiroshige s 53 Stations of the Tokaido.

2017, we have a huge surprise. . .

. . . but I m not willing to say what it is. ̶ Aaron De Groft 88

GABBIE PACHON / THE FLAT HAT

serves as President of the Boy Scouts of America. De Groft said this connection with the Boy Scouts made the exhibit a clear choice.

“The Boy Scouts, their anniversary is Feb. 8, and our Charter Day was Feb. 8 so you see where things lined up really well,” De Groft said. “The ideals taught by the Boy Scouts and what the College tries to instill in its students are pretty similar in many ways, so that was a really nice kind of synergy.”

Stepping away from American art, the museum’s “Hiroshige’s 53 Stations of the Tokaido” showcases the printmaking talent of one of Japan’s most esteemed 19th century artist. The collection has work from five different sets of Hiroshige’s “The 53 Stations of the Tokaido Road,” which have never been displayed together before now.

“Sets of these had never been compared one-on-one before, ever, and what really is neat about it when you see it this way is that it’s sort of a Google Earth approach,” De Groft said. “So in the 19th century you collected these prints because each of the stations he illustrated are

advantage of the opportunity to simply walk around the Muscarelle.

“I think the funny thing is it is something on campus, but I think a lot of people don’t realize how accessible it is,” Palmer said. “Because really it’s empty so often and I’m always surprised there aren’t kids sketching, there aren’t more kids coming into see it. ‘Cause it is free, and it is such a wonderful experience, something really unique about our campus. There aren’t that many colleges with on-campus art museums, and for such a small museum, there have been so many interesting and really almost high-profile kind of stuff going on.”

De Groft said welcoming students and providing unique opportunities for them to experience art was at the core of the Muscarelle’s mission, a mission that reaches back to the original creation of museums.

“The ancient origins of where the museum began was as a place for gathering, debate discussion, and I’m sure they had fun,” De Groft said.

“So let’s just put it out there as a hub of activity, as a place of creativity.”

GABBIE PACHON / THE FLAT HAT

A Scout is Loyal is one of Rockwell s many Boy Scout paintings currently on display in the Muscarelle through August.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Kissing your conservative kiss-and-tell stigma goodbye

Why silence might not always be golden when it comes to sexual experiences.

Katelyn Reimer BEHIND CLOSED DOORS COLUMNIST

When I was a kid, people used to say: “Don’t kiss and tell.” My young, non-confrontational self accepted this without questioning it, but I never understood it. Why should kissing be such a huge secret? I felt that if I was ever lucky enough to kiss another human being, I was going to shout it from the rooftops. I had a very naive idea of how magical kissing another person would be, but a surprising amount of awareness of how strongly I would feel about it.

Turns out, I really didn’t have to worry about it as much as I did in elementary and middle school. My first kiss wasn’t until I was a freshman in high school.

I was right, however. Almost seconds after my lips met Trevor’s (yes, my first kiss was with a boy named Trevor. Yes, my first kiss was with a boy), I was scrambling to find someone to tell about it. I needed to share my excitement. I needed to talk

about it for as long as anyone could bear to put up with me talking about it because I was bubbling over with feelings. At the time, it was a life-changing moment, and I like to share life-changing moments with others.

So, what exactly is wrong with kissing and telling?

Well, in my humble opinion: nothing. Why shouldn’t you be able to share your excitement about your intimate experience with other people?

There are two reasons that I think contribute to the existence of this “rule.” I think one of these is completely valid, but the other I do not agree with at all.

Let’s talk about the one I understand first. It can be inappropriate to talk about an intimate experience with another person if the person you have been intimate with does not want you to talk about it. If it makes your partner (in crime, sex,

“

life, etc.) uncomfortable for other people to hear about the details of your make-out session or sexual encounter, that is perfectly okay. You have shared an intimate experience, and some people prefer for it to remain just that: intimate. To them, talking about it with others outside of the experience can remove any element of intimacy.

People have a natural tendency to want to share their life with others, so it is important to tell your partner if you are uncomfortable with them talking about your intimate time together. Conversely, if someone asks you to keep your intimate relations with them private, you should respect their wishes.

It is also extremely important that you do not talk about an intimate moment to embarrass the person with whom you shared it. In addition, embellishing the experience is a definite no-no. It is not fair for you to take advantage of another’s vulnerability in

We learn a lot from the experiences of others in general, and sexual experiences are just as educational as any other kind.

this way. The most important thing to remember is to be respectful, always.

The other reason I think the phrase “don’t kiss and tell” exists, however, is because it is considered “inappropriate” to talk about your sex life. It is “not polite” to impose details of your intimate experiences on the ears of others, and it is most certainly not “lady-like.” It makes other people uncomfortable; therefore, you should not do it.

In case you couldn’t tell, I love talking about my sex life. Additionally, I love hearing about the sex lives of others. We gain a lot from exchanging tales of intimacy. We learn a lot from the experiences of others in general, and sexual experiences are just as educational as any other kind. When you don’t understand a math problem, you turn to someone who has experience with the type of math you are doing, right? It should be just as easy to turn to someone who has experience with the type of sexual experience you are having, in order to receive advice and support.

Finally, there is nothing shameful about sex.

For a decent proportion of humanity, sex has been labelled as a shameful act. Times, they are a’changing my friends. We live in a time when no one should feel ashamed of having sex or talking about sex. Period.

Katelyn Reimer is a Behind Closed Doors columnist who’s still looking for some help with that math problem . . .

sportsinside

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Page 9

LACROSSE

College rally extends Hokies’ losing streak

Tribe recovers from early 5-0 deficit to claim decisive overtime victory over in-state rival Virginia Tech SUMNER HIGGINBOTHAM FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER If cockroaches have the best shot of surviving a nuclear apocalypse, collegiate rivalries probably have the second-best chance. Alumni and current students alike quickly accept the timeless hatred against a rival school, allowing the permanent feud to continue its existence for seasons on end. Rare is the opportunity to witness the birth of such a rivalry. Yet William and Mary’s 10-9 overtime victory over Virginia Tech (5-7, 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Saturday at Martin Family Stadium may contain exactly the necessary elements to forge a longstanding rivalry between the two schools, as the recent history between the Tribe and the Hokies benefits from yet another nail-biting finish.

Virginia Tech has gotten the best of the College (4-4) over the last two seasons, defeating the Tribe 11-10 in 2013 with a save in the waning seconds, and then 12-10 last year. Despite the relative proximity of the two in-state universities, the series record has just nine games between the Hokies and the College. The Tribe holds a 6-3 advantage in the series, but Saturday’s win marks the first overtime game between the two programs.

Despite the close finish, the final score was hardly indicative of the early action of the game, Virginia Tech sprinting out to a 5-0 lead.

“That was a really exciting game,” head coach Hillary Fratzke said to Tribe Athletics. “Virginia Tech really played their game, and we dug ourselves into a hole ... But we really enjoyed the way the girls responded out there.”

After starting last week’s game against Connecticut in an 11-0 hole before eventually losing 13-6, the Tribe sputtered in the early minutes of Saturday’s contest as well, allowing four goals in a three minute span from 24:57 to 22:11. After the initial score, the Hokies seized each of the next three draw controls and capitalized on all three possessions, rendering the Tribe offense a non-factor. Fratzke attempted to shift momentum back in her team’s favor with a goalie switch, a tactic that she has not shied away from in the past.

Junior keeper Alex Lista came out at 22:11 as Fratzke sent senior goalkeeper Meredith Crizer into the net. Virginia Tech added one more draw control and subsequent score at 18:11 before the goalie switch started to pay dividends.

“Meredith had a phenomenal game today,” Fratzke said to Tribe Athletics.

“Lista has been really solid for us, and some days you just have to make the change. When we needed her to step for us, she did; she really changed the momentum for us multiple times in the game, which we were really thankful for.”

Crizer finished the day with 10 saves on 16 shots on goal. However, she did not turn the momentum right away. Junior midfielder Shannon Quinn initially cracked the Hokies’ onslaught, as Quinn seized a draw control and earned a free position shot opportunity at 17:26.

Quinn made the most of the opportunity, at which point the Tribe trailed 5-1.

Each side traded goals over the next five minutes of action, and the College fell behind by five once more with a Virginia Tech goal at 12:08, pushing their lead to 7-2. The score remained the same for the next eight minutes before the Tribe finally found its stride on offense.

Junior defender Abby Junior earned a penalty while clearing the ball up the field, providing her with a free position shot at 4:06. Junior capitalized on the opportunity, setting off a streak of the Tribe scoring to end the half. Quinn struck again, and sophomore attack Abby Corkum then fired a shot in a manup situation, as the Tribe benefited from the Hokies’ overaggressive defense. The score stood at 7-5 as the teams headed to the locker room.

Virginia Tech notched the first and second goal of the back frame, taking a 9-5 lead with 21:40 up on the clock.

After permitting 20 shots in 39 minutes of action, the College defense solidified in this final stretch, holding the Hokies to a quarter of their previous offensive production in over 21 minutes of play.

Virginia Tech squeaked out just five shots with no goals for the remainder of the game.

Despite the Hokies winning three of the next four draw controls, the Tribe chipped away at the lead, scoring at 21:01, 15:47, 10:51 and 7:42. Sophomore attack Meghan Brophy earned the first and third goals, sophomore defender Emma MacLeod fired in the second, and sophomore midfielder McKinley Wade scored the tying goal. Virginia Tech’s 12-9 advantage in draw controls (5-2 in the second half) forced the Tribe to play defense before most offensive possessions, making the successful comeback effort all the more impressive.

“The draw control battle … it was theirs, they had it every single time” Fratzke said to Tribe Athletics. “We’ve got something there to work on moving forward.”

After the tying goal, the game continued to be dominated by the

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Junior midfielder Shannon Quinn scored the winning goal in the Tribe’s 10-9 win Saturday night.

defenses. The Hokies only threatened to break the tie, as the College had no shots over the final seven minutes, yet the College defense held firm, withstanding two VT shots to preserve the tie and head to overtime.

After scoring the game-tying goal in the second half, Wade came through in the clutch once again in overtime, as she grabbed the rare draw control for the Tribe to start the overtime period.

Though Brophy’s initial shot went wide, the College maintained possession,

taking their time to set up a gamewinning play. Leading scorer Shannon Quinn stepped up for the Tribe, firing in the winning score with just 5.8 seconds left to play. With the heartbreaking loss, the Hokies’ losing streak extends to five in a row, while the College improves to .500 once again this season.

After possibly creating a new rivalry Saturday, the Tribe heads off to participate in a very old feud, facing Richmond on the road March 23 in Richmond, Va. Start time is set for 6 p.m.

BASEBALL

Good as Gould: Tribe takes CAA weekend series

Preseason CAA Player of the Year helps William and Mary take two of three from conference foe Elon

JOSH LUCKENBAUGH FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR After a short stay upon returning home to Plumeri Park Tuesday, William and Mary hit the road again to open its Colonial Athletic Association slate this weekend, taking on Elon at Latham Park in Elon, N.C. The Tribe (9-11, 2-1 CAA), picked to finish fifth in the conference before the season, took two of three from the Phoenix, who were third in preseason rankings.

The College had a strong start Friday, rattling off eight unanswered runs over the first fourand-a-half innings. Senior first baseman Charley Gould, the preseason CAA Player of the Year, was the catalyst for the Tribe’s early outburst, driving home four runs, including a three-run bomb in

in the top of the seventh, as two hit batters put runners on first and second with one out. Junior designated hitter Ryder Miconi stepped to the plate and smacked a base hit up the middle, freshman catcher Hunter Smith scoring on the play. Miconi enjoyed a strong day at the plate, going 3 for 4 with two runs batted in, scoring twice himself.

Both teams added additional runs over the final two-and-a-half frames, bringing the final score to 10-5 in favor of the Tribe. The Phoenix struck back Saturday, overwhelming the Tribe 137.

Both teams jumped on the opposing starting pitchers early in the game, Elon grabbing the initial advantage with five runs in the bottom of the first off senior right-hander Mitchell Aker.

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Senior first baseman Charley Gould smashed home runs in each of the College’s two wins at Elon this weekend.

the top of the first.

Working with a commanding 8-0 lead, junior right-handed starter Dan Powers allowed Elon (9-11, 1-2 CAA) to cut the lead in half by the end of the sixth inning. Powers ultimately claimed the win, allowing four runs on nine hits in his 5.3 innings pitched.

The Tribe brought the lead back up to five

Aker did not record a decision, going just three innings while allowing seven runs, four earned, on six hits and five walks.

The College responded with six runs in the top of the second, Miconi and Gould driving home four in the inning. Gould’s two-out, two-run double drove the Tribe ahead 6-5. The College only scored once after the second, an RBI double

by freshman third baseman Zach Pearson in the fifth, scoring sophomore left fielder Ryan Hall.

Elon quickly seized the lead back in the bottom of the third, courtesy of a two-run shot

by Phoenix designated hitter CJ Young. After Pearson’s double knotted the game at 7-7, the Phoenix scored six times over the fifth through eighth innings to put the game to bed. The long ball proved the largest source of runs for Elon over the latter Miconi half of the game, as four of those six runs resulting from Phoenix home runs. Freshman left-hander Kinston Carson was saddled with his first collegiate loss, relieving Aker in the fourth inning and giving up two runs over two innings.

The Tribe took the series with another strong offensive display Sunday, crushing Elon 14-7 in the rubber game. After Pearson answered a lone Phoenix run in the bottom of the first when he stole home in the top of the second, the College plated four runs in the third and two in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead into the bottom half of the fifth.

No one man carried the load on offense, as every position player scored at least one run, and all players except Miconi drove in at least one as well.

Elon responded in the fifth and sixth, scoring two and three times respectively. Junior righthanded starter Nick Brown was pulled after the fifth, eventually credited with the win after allowing three runs on five hits and four walks, striking out six.

Their lead down to one, the Tribe plated six runs over the final three innings with a leadoff solo shot by Gould in the top of the seventh getting things started before a four-run ninth clinched the victory for the College. Six different players drove in at least a run over the span, the Phoenix’s only response a single run in the bottom of the eighth. Senior right-hander Joseph Gaouette tossed a perfect final inning and a third for his fourth save of the season, and the Tribe opened CAA play with an impressive series win over one of the league’s better teams.

The College begins a seven-game home stand Tuesday, taking on in-state rival Richmond before three games sets against CAA opponent Hofstra and Georgetown. First pitch for the midweek game against the Spiders is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The InterFraternity and Panhellenic Councils would like to congratulate the 3 fraternities and sororities with the highest GPA’s: Fraternities:

1. Alpha Epsilon Pi 2. Kappa Delta Rho 3. Sigma Phi Epsilon

Sororities:

1. Kappa Delta 2. Delta Sigma Theta 3. Delta Gamma

Congratulations to these six organizations for demonstrating academic excellence and continuing in your hard work.

sports

Sports Editor Nick Cipolla Sports Editor Josh Luckenbaugh flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, March 22, 2016 | Page 10

FEATURE

Diving back in NICK CIPOLLA / THE FLAT HAT

Seventy-five athletes from 15 teams across the nation attended a U.S. Masters meet Saturday afternoon hosted by Club Tribe Masters Swimming; the host team consists of 24 Tribe swimming alumni as well as other College alumni.

William and Mary alumni hold inaugural Club Tribe Masters Classic meet NICK CIPOLLA FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR After Division I athletes graduate, many go on with careers and lives outside of athletics. For those who do not continue in professional sports, athletic clubs exist for those wanting to stay both fit and competitive postgraduation. This Saturday marked the inaugural Club Tribe Masters Classic, a swimming event hosted by William and Mary alumni that swim as part of a United States Masters Swimming club.

In the pool at the Student Recreation Center, 75 swimmers from 15 teams attended the event, headlined by the return of many alumni from Tribe swimming as well as the College’s club swimming team from classes as far back as 1980 and as recently as 2013. Team manager Kyle Ahlgren ’97 co-founded the Club Tribe team, also known as Team Tribe 1693, in December 2014 with his wife after they began participating in USMS meets in Northern Virginia.

The team is one of hundreds nationwide and just a snapshot of thousands of Ahlgren adult swimmers in the league, which only requires that participants be 18 or older.

“My wife and I both graduated here; my wife is class of ’98, I’m class of ’97, and we started doing Masters meets,” Ahlgren said. “We started noticing there were William and Mary people there, a lot of them a lot younger than us, some our age, people from all different eras.

We started putting two and two together — we were swimming unattached — a lot of them were swimming unattached or with teams they didn’t really have any connection to.”

The team began with just four members, enough to participate in relay events at meets. Team development began when Ahlgren and the other

“

Fame ’01), Michael Lovett ’00, Katie Grier ’10, Kevin Gallager ’10, Gabby Mizerak ’13 and Sidney Glass ’13.

The team now has a part-time coach and has organized its first meet at its “spiritual home.”

“We were all living independent adult lives and training ourselves, no coaching,” Ahlgren said. “Now we sort of

“Our program is a family. When you graduate, you don’t leave that family. If anything, you become a stronger member.

Our alumni are not only here competing but they’re training together in Virginia or wherever they may live — Director of swimming Matt Crispino ‘02

members wanted to build a bigger presence of College swimming alumni.

“We decided we wanted to put something together and why not form a sort of virtual team that doesn’t have a physical location,” he said. “Its spiritual location is right here at William and Mary, but would include all sorts of people from the William and Mary swimming diaspora, which is huge.”

As the team grew over the last 15 months of existence, extending throughout Virginia and its neighboring states and reaching directions as far north as Massachusetts, as south as Florida and as west as California. Now consisting of 35 members, 24 of them former members of the Division I team, including former stars such as Doug Slater ’80 (William and Mary Hall of

have a coach in Rich Williams from the class of ’98, who is a former [American Swimming Coaches Association] level 5 certified coach, which is kind of a big deal. He provides virtual coaching for a lot of these swimmers and writes workouts based on something called USRPT, which is Ultra Short Race Pace Training.”

Ahlgren said that USRPT is ideal for training as an adult due to the focus on training Williams like every workout is a race, which is beneficial for getting in pool time along with managing careers and families that many alumni have now, years after their time at the

NICK CIPOLLA / THE FLAT HAT

One of the William and Mary alumni competing in Saturday’s meet warms up on the starting blocks of the Student Recreation Center pool.

College. Rich Williams ’98 commented on how coaching is different than a college program.

“There has to be consideration for the fact that your body isn’t the same as it was when it was 20,” he said. “You’re also limited by time because you have jobs and family. They train really, really hard with much less time. There are narrow workouts on very specific things. It couldn’t work without adults.”

With the program established, Ahlgren reached out to the Tribe’s Director of Swimming Matt Crispino ’02 in order to propose a meet for the team to return home to the 25-yard, eight-lane pool in the basement of the SRC. Not only was Crispino on board for the idea, but he and the Tribe — fresh off dominating the Colonial Athletic Association Championships last month — worked behind the scenes to set up and put on the meet.

Club Tribe Masters Swimming donated 100 percent of the proceeds to the William and Mary swimming program.

The event consisted of 16 events ranging from short 50-yard sprints to the 1,000-yard free, including several relay options. Former and current Tribe swimmers alike were all around the pool Saturday afternoon, as well as members of the other teams and families. Other teams were from locations such as Hampton Roads, Richmond, North Carolina, Georgia and more. Crispino appeared relieved to be on the other side of a competition as the College’s operation of the event marks the end of two weeks of rest before offseason workouts begin.

“We wrapped up the season at the CAA Championships, and our kids took a week off and then they had spring break after that,” Crispino said.

“Now we’re just getting back into our training schedule, so none of them are competing today but they’ll be helping to run the meet. This is the first time we’ve ever done this masters meet, so we’re excited to see how it goes.”

According to Crispino, the event raised approximately $2,500 for William and Mary swimming, which will go toward travel and equipment.

The importance of Tribe alumni was not lost on him, as his role as a member of the College team in the early 2000s wouldn’t have been possible without an alumni endowment in 1991 that prevented the program from being cut.

Swimming at the College has the feel of a family affair because alumni stay in touch and often contribute to the program. This U.S. Masters-sanctioned meet is an important example of the deep connection of the alumni with the school, showing that competitive spirit as well as Tribe Pride stays with them after receiving degrees.

“Our program is a family,” Crispino said. “When you graduate, you don’t leave that family. If anything, you

become a stronger member. Our alumni are not only here competing, but they’re training together in Virginia or wherever they may live … Everybody you see here is a supporter of the program, they know what’s going on and who the current swimmers are.

They cheer for us and they support us financially, so we couldn’t ask for a better group of alumni.”

The meet results had Tribe 1693 members topping the fields of 32 events of 40 in which the team participated, showing strong performances even years later Crispino from one of the more successful Tribe sports.

Twelve Virginia records were broken, including four by Slater and one from Mizerak.

The event was the first of its kind in Williamsburg, Va., but the organizers are hoping to make it an annual occurrence to keep the bond between the swimming alumni and the College strong.

“This is one of the [swimmers’] first offseason Saturdays and to ask them to come in and do this was a big ask, and we really appreciate it,” Ahlgren said.

“We hope it’s going to be worth it …

We’re hoping to grow the meet and turn this into a reliable source of fun.”

In addition, the Club Tribe team hoped that the event would allow the team to grow by recruiting graduating swimmers.

“We recruit like its nobody’s business,” Williams said. “When we see people that we know swam at William and Mary at masters meets, we want them on the team and we go after them hard. We recruit at all age groups … This is also a recruiting event for us, with the senior kids working the meet. We want to put on a good show and hopefully they’ll join us someday as well.”

The strategy appears to be somewhat effective, with at least one current College swimmer considering joining after graduation.

“I love swimming, it gets you in shape and works almost every muscle in your body,” junior Conor Cudahy said. “I can definitely see myself and hopefully a bunch of my friends doing [masters swimming] after college to stay in shape and have some friendly competition.”

The College swimming family is a tight-knit group, and with the large crowd at the pool Saturday, and the Club Tribe Masters Classic could have a bright future as a fundraising event for the Tribe as well as a source of competition for the faithful alumni returning to their collegiate stomping grounds to share old memories and create new ones.