Vol. 106, Iss. 3 | Tuesday, September 6, 2016
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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TYLER HALL $17.4 MILLION COMPLETED
Building a new campus THE FLAT HAT GUIDE TO CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION SARAH SMITH // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
W
ALKING
ACROSS
campus, students might notice a field of dirt between The Daily Grind and the Student Health Center, or construction workers adding finishing touches to Zable Stadium. Over the course of this academic year, the College of William and Mary will be finishing up these construction projects and finalizing designs for the next round of renovations. This construction involves adding new buildings, doing “gut renovations” of existing structures, and working to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act’s guidelines for people with
disabilities. Zable Stadium The $27 million renovation project will be completed in time for the first football game hosted at the College. This project included removing the old bleachers and then adding in new ones behind the end zones, building a new concourse behind the west wing of seats, building luxury suites on top of that concourse, creating new sections of seats designed to accommodate wheelchairs, and improving the president’s and press boxes. According to Director of Facilities, Planning and Design Wayne Boy, the new concourse is
ZABLE STADIUM $27 MILLION | EST. COMPLETION DATE: SEPTEMBER 9
very modern but still fits with the aesthetic of the historic campus. “I told the architect that we really needed to keep the aesthetic of historic campus or we would start over,” Boy said. “We have the bricks and the slate roof … we are the only stadium in the country with a slate roof.” Much of this project was finished over the summer, but completion was delayed by lastminute electrical problems. Boy said that these electrical problems will be taken care of by the first home game. Tribe Athletics hosted an open house at the stadium Sunday, Sept. 4. Another more routine change was made to the stadium, which
was replacing the turf field and painting a new Tribe logo on the center of the field. While the logo is a new addition, the turf field is just a newer version of the existing field surface. According to Boy, these fields typically need to be replaced every eight to 10 years. Busch Field In order to protect the longterm future of Busch Field and the health of the athletes using it, the College bought a new AstroTurf field. Because many of the College’s recreational sports teams use Busch Field, the field was being destroyed by use. Boy said that the new field will be ready for use by the
INTEGRATED WELLNESS CENTER BUDGET TBA | EST. COMPLETION DATE: FEBRUARY 2018
end of September. William and Mary Hall While not as costly or as noticeable as other construction projects on campus, students frequenting William and Mary Hall might have noticed ropedoff sections of construction where the ticket booths used to be. In the next few weeks, new ticket booths as well as more seat spaces for people in wheelchairs and their companions will be added. Tyler Hall The government and economics departments found a new home at the start of this See CONSTRUCTION page 3
INTEGRATED SCIENCE CENTER 3 $74.18 MILLION | EST. COMPLETION DATE: SEPTEMBER 7 ALL GRAPHICS BY KRISTIE TURKAL // THE FLAT HAT
HOUSING
College’s Real Estate Foundation purchases Days Inn hotel for student housing
Following City inspection, College will determine plan of action for new campus property SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
In preparation for planned renovations to Landrum Hall and in anticipation of long-term need for expanded undergraduate housing options, the College of William and Mary’s Real Estate Foundation purchased the Days Inn. According to Real Estate Foundation Executive Director Nancy Buchanan, this decision was influenced by the location of the Days Inn in relation to the College and the Williamsburg community. “We’re very happy to announce this agreement,” Nancy Buchanan said in a press statement. “We’re always interested in property that is adjacent to campus and strategically located, especially
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when it could represent a mutual benefit to the university and local communities.” The property on 902 Richmond Road is currently owned by Jalaram of Williamsburg, Incorporated. The twostory building is approximately 38,600 square feet and includes 102 guestrooms. At this time, it is not clear how many of those rooms would be usable for student housing. The Real Estate Foundation purchased the building for $3.05 million, but the sale is contingent on the City of Williamsburg’s inspection and rezoning of the hotel through a special use permit. Because the College anticipates using it for student housing, the Foundation will go through a change of use process for the building. Unlike when the College purchased
One Tribe Place, a hotel formerly known as The Hospitality House, for student housing, the company responsible for selling the property is actively and publically going through the process of selling. According to Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Sam Jones, this means that issues like the water infiltration in One Tribe Place will be caught early on in the inspection process. Director of Facilities, Planning and Design Wayne Boy said that the Days Inn will go through two rounds of inspections. The College will hire a team to do a “forensic analysis” of the building and then employees of the City will make the final say in their inspection. See HOTEL page 3
Inside Sports
Inside Opinions
The death of the college’s favorite app
2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
Julia Wicks’19 discusses the decline of the app, Yik Yak. page 5 Sunny, High 93, Low 70
TUCKER HIGGINS / THE FLAT HAT
Most of the rooms inside the Days Inn will be used as singles when hotel opens as student housing.
Football season starts with loss
William and Mary kicked off 2016 at FBS foe North Carolina State, where a flurry of offense rolled over the Tribe Thursday night. page 10
newsinsight “
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, September 6, 2016 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
Our ideas at William and Mary are helping to make the world better, even if incrementally.
— AidData Director of Operations David Trichler
Now it’s easier than ever to stay upto-date on all on-campus news.
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Following The Flat Hat?
News Editor Emily Chaumont News Editor Sarah Smith fhnews@gmail.com
From Flat Hat graphics to graphic novels David Lasky ’90 worked with future comedian Patton Oswalt ’91
The Flat Hat
EMILY CHAUMONT // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
Page 2 Spotlight
@theflathat
@theflathat
theflatchat
Comic artist David Lasky’s graphics career has taken him from the basement of the Campus Center to the comic shops of Seattle. Breaking into producing published comics as a Flat Hat staff member, Lasky ’90 has gone on to publish his own comic books and a graphic novel. At the College of William and Mary, Lasky majored in fine arts and minored in English. He said that this combination set him up perfectly to become a graphic novelist because he was able to dive deeply into both artistic techniques and the mechanics of storytelling.
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I think the most valuable lesson I learned starting out was to just go ahead and do things for yourself. Don’t wait for an editor or person in charge to approve your work, get your work out there.
A THOUSAND WORDS
— David
KYRA SOLOMAN / THE FLAT HAT
CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted by email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
The Flat Hat ‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911
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Tucker Higgins Editor-in-Chief Isabel Larroca Managing Editor Sarah Ruiz Executive Editor Kayla Sharpe Digital Media Editor Madeline Bielski Digital Media Editor Emily Chaumont News Editor Sarah Smith News Editor Sam Dreith Variety Editor Lizzy Flood Variety Editor Nick Cipolla Sports Editor Chris Travis Sports Editor Jenny Cosgrove Opinions Editor Julia Stumbaugh Opinions Editor Miguel Locsin Editorial Writer Quinn Monette Editorial Writer Emily Martell Chief Staff Writer
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Akemi Tamanaha Chief Features Writer Julia Kott Chief Videographer Iris Duan Social Media Editor Lauren Bavis Copy Chief Leonor Grave Copy Chief Kyra Solomon Photos Editor Iris Hyon Online Editor Cort Mays Online Editor Bri Little Blogs Editor Ammon Harteis Pollster Kristie Turkal Graphics Editor
Bel Kelly-Russo Copy Editor Becca Merriman-Goldring Copy Editor Katherine Peck Copy Editor Lillian Waddill Copy Editor Moises Romero Business Manager Ebony Barnes Accounts Manager Sean Aminali Business Assoc.. Manager Aaron Kiser Business Assoc.. Manager Feng Li Business Assoc.. Manager Tim Shanahan Business Assoc. Manager
Lasky ’90
In fact, storytelling is a crucial part of Lasky’s work. “I still do some painting from time to time, but I’m really more interested in telling stories than in just presenting images,” Lasky said. This desire to tell stories through his art led him to The Flat Hat, where he became a cartoonist his freshman year. By his sophomore year, Lasky was promoted to graphics editor, a position he held until his senior year. “I even tried to quit so somebody else could take the job because I felt guilty keeping it for so many years,” Lasky said. “But the editors kind of said, ‘Nope you can’t quit,’ so I just kept the job.” Since working on The Flat Hat was such a major part of his college experience, Lasky remembers a number of people with whom he worked who have also gone on to be successful in their fields. Married couple Cece Bell ’92 and Tom Angleberger ’92 met at the College, worked at The Flat Hat and have both made a name for themselves as children’s book authors. Angleberger is best known for the Origami Yoda series and Bell for her 2015 Newbery Honor winning graphic novel El Deafo about what it was like growing up deaf. Besides working with the couple when he was at The Flat Hat, Lasky also worked with Bell as a colorist on El Deafo. “I’m really proud to have had some hand in it,” Lasky said. “I’m glad the book
is successful, but I’m really pleased that it’s helping people understand what it’s like to have hearing loss.” The cartoonists working under Lasky had different levels of involvement in the publication process. According to Lasky, Drew Dernavich ’90 was a very talented cartoonist who was almost never seen in The Flat Hat’s office. “He was a cartoonist who would just turn in his work by sliding it under the door,” Lasky said. “But he did really amazing single panel cartoons and he’s now a New Yorker cartoonist.” Lasky also remembered working with comedian Patton Oswalt ’91 on The Flat Hat. “[Oswalt] was a reporter, but he also did a comic strip,” Lasky said. “Nobody really understood his comic, but it was interesting.” Lasky said that even though the strip didn’t make much sense, Oswalt’s unique brand of humor shone through. Lasky had always wanted to create a weekly comic strip, but had never found an idea he felt he could flesh out enough to commit to going back to weekly. But, at his editor’s request, he worked with Oswalt on a strip because of his skills as an graphics artist and Oswalt’s skills as a writer. Lasky said it certainly isn’t an example of his best work, but it was an exciting project to take on. “When I look back at it, it wasn’t really that great and I don’t really want people to see it now,” Lasky said. “But at the time it was very exciting for me.” According to Lasky, The Flat Hat gave him more than just friendships and handson graphics experience. It also provided him with an understanding of the basics of journalism that would be instrumental in his later work. “Because my illustrator’s desk was just a few feet away from the editor-in-
chief ’s, I would hear whatever debates and discussions were going on and I would really get an education in journalism, just by sitting there one night a week for several hours,” Lasky said. Lasky used this education a lot in his 2012 graphic novel The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song, a biography on the American folk music group The Carter Family that Lasky created with Frank Young. The Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group from Maces Spring, Va. According to Lasky, creating this graphic novel was the result of a desire he had since getting into comics. “I had always thought about making a graphic novel, but for a while I didn’t really have a story that I thought was big enough and I was still kind of learning my craft,” Lasky said. It took a couple of years to find someone willing to publish the book, as Lasky was mainly contacting comic book publishers, but by the late 2000s he found a publisher in Abrams Books. Lasky said “actual book publishers” were starting to seek out and publish graphic novels at this time. Prior to the publication of his graphic novel, Lasky created comics in many different forms. He started out self-publishing “minicomics” made on a photocopier and was later picked up by a Seattle comic book publisher. Lasky said that now it is easier than ever to get your work published. The advice he offered to aspiring comic artists at the College is to get as much experience as possible and to find a way to get their work published. “I think the most valuable lesson I learned starting out was to just go ahead and do things for yourself,” Lasky said. “Don’t wait for an editor or person in charge to approve your work, get your work out there.”
EMILY CHAUMONT / THE FLAT HAT
Lasky ’90 worked on a weekly comic strip during his time as Flat Hat Graphics Editor with Patton Oswalt ’91.
POLICE BEAT
Aug. 31 - Sept. 2 1
Wednesday, Aug. 31 — An individual was arrested for a hit and run on Richmond Road.
2
Thursday, Sept. 1 — An individual was arrested for marijuana possession on York Street.
3
Thursday, Sept. 1 — A larceny was reported on Richmond Road.
4
Friday, Sept. 2 — An individual was arrested for assault and battery on a family member on York Street.
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September, 6 2016
Page 3
STUDENT LIFE
Students gather, ride to mourn Anne Davis ’16 Friends of Davis plan vigils, bike memorials in memory of recent graduate KAYLA SHARPE FLAT HAT DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR
Erin Goodstein ’17 can only describe her reaction to hearing that her friend Anne Davis ’16 had died in a cycling accident only as “shocked.” Described by her friends as a role model and an activist, Davis graduated from the College of William and Mary in May and died July 13 after being struck by a car in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Goodstein, as the president of the William and Mary Bike Alliance, along with members of the Student
Environmental Action Coalition, began the semester mourning the loss of one of their own. Now they are working to honor Davis’ memory through a series of events aimed at continuing her legacy. Numerous student organizations whose members were affected by Davis’ death are working to provide support to those who need spaces to grieve and remember. Goodstein hopes that these student-led events help students who are effected by loss process their emotions, and noted that even though
COURTESY PHOTO / MORGAN ELIZABETH
The William and Mary Bike Alliance plans to hold a memorial bike-ride for Davis, friends and family.
time has passed, returning to a school environment are memories that can be difficult to process. Goodstein met Davis during her freshman year at the College at a Branch Out alternative break trip, and the two later became roommates. According to Goodstein, Davis became a member of the William and Mary Bike Alliance in the spring of 2016, but in that short period of time made a large impact in the biking community. “Last year, she decided to do Bike and Build,” Goodstein said. “In preparation for that she had to do a lot of training and she was learning more about the biking community. She started coming to more Bike Alliance meetings and doing rides with us.” Bike and Build, the organization that Davis was working for when her bike was struck in Idaho, is a nonprofit focused on building affordable housing. An informal vigil was held for Davis on the evening of Sept. 1. Organized by a few of her close friends, about 30 people who knew and missed Davis gathered on the Sunken Garden to both share their memories or mourn her in silence. Ben Olinger ’16, Davis’ partner of nearly three years, helped organize the vigil. “Many people had not been around others who knew Anne when they heard news of her death,” Olinger said in an email. “So many people were grieving differently and had not talked
to the community about it.” Claire Seaton ’18 was studying abroad in Italy when she read an article about a cyclist being killed in Idaho and is grateful for the support she received while mourning a friend so far from home. “Part of me just wanted to fly back home and be with all of the people from SEAC and the various activist groups that Anne and I have been involved with,” Seaton said. “It was hard to stay but I told myself that I would climb a lot of trees and see a lot of things for her.” Seaton met Davis while Davis was coordinating a trip to the People’s Climate March in New York City during the fall of 2014, and came to look up to her as they worked together in SEAC. According to Seaton, Davis transferred to the College as a sophomore and quickly become active in numerous environmental organizations and initiatives including the Seed Dialogues and the Virginia Student Environmental Coalition. A memorial bike-ride in honor of Davis, postponed from the past weekend due to Hurricane Hermine, has been a goal of the William and Mary Bike Alliance since the summer. “The mission of our organization is to make people feel safer and more confident on bikes and to try and prevent collisions of the kind that Anne was in.” Goodstein said. “The Bike Alliance chose Chickahominy Riverfront Park as their destination as
it was one of Davis’ favorite places and the location of her very first bike ride as a member of The Bike Alliance. That was really the first time that Anne was exposed to cycling.” Davis would have started as a Hunger and Nutrition Fellow for the Office of Community Engagement. Olinger plans to work with SEAC, VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood, the Wesley Foundation, Black Lives Matter Williamsburg and other organizations Davis was involved with during her time at the College to form a Partnership for Participatory Leadership to encourage the next generation of leaders who might follow in Davis’ footsteps. “I think that we’ve dealt with the loss of a student at William and Mary too many times, and I think that we just need to keep reminding each other that there is hope and a legacy that she is leaving behind that is in our hands to carry on,” Seaton said. Olinger said he remembers Davis as someone who was passionate about activism and nurturing new community members into activism. “When someone asks you about Anne, say how she lived and how she lives on in you, not only how she died,” Olinger said. “Anne was passionate about building a more just society from the bottom to the top, mobilizing people for socio-ecological action, and nurturing newly interested community members into active citizens.”
Real Estate Foundation purchases Days Inn on 902 Richmond Road
College to use hotel for undergraduate or graduate student housing for fall 2017 HOTEL from page 1
“Since the City will consider the Days Inn as a change of use, all decisions on the inspection will come from their review team,” Boy said. Within the next 90 days, the College and the City will work on getting a special use permit approved and then evaluate the property between November and February. Barring any major issues with the building, the College will use the summer months to make any improvements. Adjustments to the interior of the building to create public spaces and bathrooms for non-residents may need to be made. Jones said it is not clear whether or not these changes are needed for the Days Inn building, but those were the standard changes made to One Tribe Place. The inspection teams will look for leaks or pooling of water on the roof, check for asbestos since the building predates the asbestos ban in construction, and make sure all the utilities — such as
heating, electricity and plumbing are working properly. If all goes as planned, the building will be ready for use by fall 2017 for either undergraduate or graduate housing. As of now, the College estimates that the building will hold 100125 students. The Days Inn and The Hospitality House were two of the hotels within walking distance of the College. Jones said that alumni who are interested in visiting the College for events like Homecoming were more upset after the purchase of The Hospitality House than of the Days Inn, but that he believes any complaints over this purchase will subside in the future. “At the end of the year, there are maybe 12 days that attract that many alumni back to campus,” Jones said. “We don’t see any longterm impact on alumni. Colonial Williamsburg has plenty of lodging and there are several bed and breakfasts close to the College.” Because the property was purchased by the Real Estate Foundation, not directly by the College, the Board of Visitors does not need to formally vote on a resolution to approve the decision.
Jones said the College will discuss the purchase and develop a strategy for moving forward when the BOV meets later in September. The Real Estate Foundation is responsible for “strategic purchases” for the College. Jones said that they also handle selling property that alumni or other donors gift to the College. For example, they handled the purchase of Tribe Square. According to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin ’76 M.Ed. ’82, the College will wait to determine the specific use of the Days Inn until after the City rezones the property. “Residence Life and Facilities Management work together to develop a plan for taking buildings offline for renovations, like we did with Chandler 2014-[20]15 and like we plan for Landrum for 2017-[20]18,” Boykin said in an email. “When this happens it is advantageous for us to have ‘swing space’ to accommodate for the loss of beds. We will also consider the option of using Days Inn room for graduate housing.”
College administrators plan new construction, finalize work on existing renovation Construction on new athletic facilities, renovated academic buildings and performing arts space opening on campus in 2017, 2018 CONSTRUCTION from page 1
semester in Tyler Hall after being housed in Morton Hall for several years. This project was a gut renovation, meaning that the entire interior of the building was rebuilt. Beyond meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act’s guidelines to add accessible entrances — which was done by adding a ramp to the left of the main door — the project also removed all tiered classrooms and resized the classrooms to mid-size and seminar-sized classrooms. The first two floors of the building are home to classrooms, and the third and fourth floors are office spaces for faculty. Additionally, the $16.4 million project included the addition of a skylight, tiered staircases and a large space in the entryway of the building to be used for the departments’ social functions. According to government and public policy professor John McGlennon, the renovated building has improved the morale of the government department. “We have said for a long time that the move to Tyler should give us a facility to match the quality of our students and faculty,” McGlennon said in a press statement. “This building does not disappoint. It has already reinvigorated the departments and programs housed there even as the finishing touches are being applied.” Integrated Sciences Center 3 According to Boy, the ISC-3 space is “one hell of a laboratory facility” and is one of the most modernlydesigned buildings on campus. This building is completely new and is the third installment in a multi-part series of Integrated Sciences Centers. Last spring, the College officially got approval for funding to begin designing and building the fourth installment. New in this one is the “machine for science,” which is a central place for ducts and exhausts at the top of the building that helps streamline the design of the utilities. Additionally, the machine for science creates a central outlet for all of the building’s exhaust, which is something the other two ISC buildings do not have.
Besides the machine for science, the ISC-3 comes with a new Starbucks café and laboratory space that is completely vibration free, something that no other science building has been able to offer at the College. ISC-3 also gives the applied sciences department an official home. The building cost $74.18 million and is expected to be finished Sept. 7. While much of the building is already in use, electrical difficulties in the main lecture hall have delayed its use. Integrated Wellness Center Over the summer, the College completed demolition of what used to be the Lodges, small houses that used to be the home to upperclassmen. In their place, the College will build the Integrated Wellness Center to expand the resources offered at the Student Health Center and the Counseling Center. All that is completed for this project is the underground utilities, but the projected completion date is February 2018. Andrews Hall Darkroom Art and art history professor Eliot Dudik was the mastermind behind the new darkroom in Andrews Hall. He coordinated and bought most of the equipment and converted old studio space. Dudik did most of the work, according to Boy, although the College did give $46,000 in addition to art department funds for finishing touches on the $146,000 space. While there is not a set completion date for the project, installation of the equipment is almost done. Landrum Hall The first step in completely renovating Landrum Hall, picking the architect, was recently finished. In May, design for the hall will be finished, and ideally renovation will begin after the 2017 graduation. This project will last for a full year, following the model that Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Sam Jones said the Board of Visitors preferred. “When we needed to renovate we used to do it over the summer and then let students move back in during the school year, which meant that it would take multiple summers to finish a project,” Jones said. “The Board of Visitors recommended just doing 15 month projects and taking a dorm off-line for the whole time.”
One of the major changes that will be made to Landrum is the addition of air conditioning; the College recently laid lines for a fourth air cooler that will make this possible. One Tribe Place Demolition to the 1988 wing of One Tribe Place was scheduled to begin in the summer of 2016 but was delayed to accommodate the wishes of others involved in the redesign process. It was apparent leading up to the demolition that re-finalizing the set electrical design for after the demolition would be necessary. Now, once the electrical design is complete, demolition will begin between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. and should be completed by graduation in May 2017. Hickson Experiential Learning Center The Hickson Experiential Learning Center is a 12,400 square foot addition to the Marshall-Wythe School of Law that will give law students new space to hold clinics for community engagement and will also include another mock trial space. This addition will be connected through a glass walkway. The project is scheduled to be completed in
January of 2017 and cost $7.308 million. New Utility Plant Starting in February 2017, construction on a new utility plant along Ukrop Way will begin. This new utility plant will support the Earl Gregg Swem Library and the new Performing Arts Center. On efforts to modernize construction, the building will have glass sides adjacent to Adair Hall and will have brick sides facing toward old campus. If all goes according to plan, construction on the new utility plant will be completed by February 2018. Performing Arts Center Over three years ago, the College picked a designer for their proposed performing arts center, which would provide temporary stage and rehearsal space while Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall is renovated. At this time, it is not clear if the College will purchase space off campus or renovate an existing campus building for this purpose. Additionally, there will be space for set construction in design, potentially near the Dillard Complex. Ideally, construction will begin in 2018 and last for one year Boy said.
TUCKER HIGGINS / THE FLAT HAT
Renovations to Zable Stadium are complete except for electrical outlets. This photo was taken with a distorted focal plane.
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Page 4
FACULTY
AidData wins $1.3 million research grant Two-year project aims to reduce H.I.V. rates in girls in sub-Saharan Africa EMILY CHAUMONT FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
In July, AidData was selected as one of the recipients of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR)’s DREAMS innovation challenge to reduce the incidence of H.I.V. in girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa. AidData was awarded a two-year project grant worth $1.3 million. As part of this project, AidData will work with the State Department to partner with health organizations Akros and ToroDev to bring data to policymakers in Zambia and Uganda, helping them make the most informed healthcare decisions possible. According to AidData Director of Operations David Trichler, having a good partnership with local organizations is crucial for effective aid because those organizations have deeper knowledge of the local communities than a researcher could get from afar.
“The ideal partner for us is someone who has a bit of the familiar and a bit of the unique or different,” Trichler said. AidData has fostered relationships with ToroDev and Akros through students doing research abroad through the AidData summer fellows program. Although no students were involved in the initial proposal of this project, students play a unique and crucial role in the operations of AidData. AidData’s Senior Program Manager Alena Stern ’12 has been involved with the project since it was founded in 2009. She said that AidData could not have done the work it has done over the years does without students’ involvement in research. “The body of work at AidData has really grown and students have been a driving force at every step,” Stern said. Stern said that student research and connections built abroad help to lay the groundwork for big projects like the one awarded
KAYLA SHARPE / THE FLAT HAT
AidData Director of Operations David Trichler talked about the importance of partnerships with local organizations when providing effective aid to communities.
from the DREAMS challenge. Government and international relations professor Michael Tierney is the co-founder and director of the AidData Center for Development Policy, and he also stressed the importance of student efforts in AidData’s body of work. Tierney also said that winning this project grant will create more opportunities for students seeking to be involved in the research process. “As with most other AidData projects, this grant will provide opportunities for William & Mary students to be involved in every step in the research process,” Tierney said in an email. “From gathering original evidence, coding and categorizing data, conducting field research, presenting to academic and policy audiences, and ultimately writing up the results in the form of publications.” Like Stern, Tierney noted that the way students are involved in AidData projects is unique. “Students who work on AidData projects are not practicing or preparing to do research,” Tierney said in an email. “They are directly involved in the creation of new knowledge.” One of the most significant roles students play in AidData is their involvement in the organization’s work with geospatial data. According to Trichler, this project will help provide decision makers in Zambia and Uganda with the granular data needed to deliver outcomes in public health, including the geospatial data needed to identify where aid is most needed. Trichler said that working at AidData has brought him a greater appreciation of the amount of data involved in the average American’s daily life, citing Google, Yelp and Pokemon Go’s datagathering specifically. “Pokemon Go has so much data it’s amazing,” Trichler said. “But arguably more important than Pokemon Go is getting these health medicines to those very vulnerable populations, and without understanding things like where aid has historically flowed, without understanding where there’s populations in need, you’ll have higher burdens on taxpayers and less effective treatment rates.” Trichler also said that something he enjoys about working with AidData is seeing the impact the organization’s research and partnerships with local organizations can have on populations in need. “Our ideas at William and Mary are helping to make the world better, even if incrementally,” Trichler said. “At the end of the day it’s about helping people’s lives improve and without those local partnerships and without AidData as that bridge, it’s much harder to do.” According to Trichler, AidData will meet with the State Department two more times to finalize plans before the project gets underway.
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opinions
Opinions Editor Jennifer Cosgrove Opinions Editor Julia Stumbaugh fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, September 6, 2016 | Page 5
STAFF COLUMN
The peril of group work
Jennifer Cosgrove FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
The entire duration of my education has been spent in anticipatory fear of one of the most personally paralyzing phrases, namely, “group project.” My long-lived sentiment, however dramatic, is not uncommon. Many students dread the assignment of random, or even voluntary, pairings to work on a task. A majority dislike the group project for reasons of unequal workload distribution. It is not ill-conceived to think that two people generally carry the majority of the workload.
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Group projects can be a breeding ground for sexist behavior.
GRAPHIC BY JULIA STUMBAUGH / THE FLAT HAT
GUEST COLUMN
Julia Wicks
FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST
Yik Yak is dead. People love to say that about every website that’s more than five days old, but this time, it’s really true. The app, which allows people to create and view discussion threads (called “herds”) within a 5-mile radius, has become something that no longer appeals to most people. You might wonder: What was lost, and how, and why should anyone take note? In the beginning, Yik Yak was completely anonymous, with only a basic upvote/downvote system. It was like a slicker, far more moderated 4chan, and its content reflected that. Wild stories, wry observations, emotional confessions, inside jokes, sexual frustration and inane gossip were all available at the tap of a finger. All of it was tied to your area, and because Yaks with more than five downvotes were automatically deleted, nothing too awful stayed up for long. This gave it an advantage over similar platforms, and the app took off. Soon Yik Yak developed its own ecosystem. It became heavily tailored towards college students, and each college seemed to have its own collection of memes and trends. At William and Mary, for example, people joked about the almighty status of “black boot” (a randomly assigned icon in the comments section), clearlyfake compliments from people claiming to be visiting UVA students, and the kid from Williams College who supposedly made William and Mary his herd. It doesn’t sound funny looking back, and it wasn’t, really, but like all cultural memes they provided very small points of unity. You could also look at other herds, organized by school, which made for some interesting interactions during football games. And you could set your “home herd” to where you went to university, so if you didn’t like the herd at home, you could still carry a small piece of your school with you. What’s interesting is that, for the most part, Yik Yak remained a fairly neutral reflection of William and Mary’s environment. It drew all types of people and promoted a sense of shared experience and community. Even the most oblivious freshman would “know” that the Caf was better than Sadler, or that such-and-such was a terrible place for a party. The atmosphere was casual and impersonal, a passing conversation minus the niceties and inhibitions that come with interpersonal interaction. But all things must come to pass, and as time wore on, Yik Yak stopped growing as quickly. Plenty of people still used it, but it wasn’t expanding usership, and it no longer had a sense of exclusivity or insider-ness. This doesn’t have to be an issue, but the developers had a major monetary interest in seeing the app remain exciting, fresh and vibrant. They wanted to improve on their formula to stay relevant. The way they went about this seems, in retrospect, bizarre. Slowly but surely, they stripped away the features that had made Yik Yak what it was. First came the usernames. This was fairly innocuous, since you weren’t required to use them, but why add this feature when Yik Yak’s appeal rested largely in its total anonymity? What else were people using Yik Yak for? Then came the profiles, another leaden anchor of continuity in a medium that was supposed to be about fluidity. The
app started to send notifications about global leaderboards, trying to create competition. This mechanic was nonsensical (of course densely populated areas are going to have higher scores), but more importantly, it undermined the community aspect that drove the app’s very existence. At some point came the profile pictures, at which point it became clear that Yik Yak was no longer concerned with anonymity. Even if you made the picture a cartoon frog or a solid color, it promoted image-consciousness. Yik Yak was trying to get you invested in your personal presence on their app, which, again, defeats the point of anonymity. Still, I kept the app on my phone until they made usernames mandatory. Now you weren’t just encouraged to name yourself; you were being forced to do so. By now, Yik Yak has become the opposite of what it set out to be. It’s gone from a popular café to a run-down cafeteria selling terrible memes. The comments are the sort of toothless, irrelevant observations that you could get by, you know, going outside and talking to someone for five minutes. Why did it happen? I’m guessing that Yik Yak’s developers looked at bigger social networks, and tried to copy what keeps them alive. First it tried to be even more like Reddit, which is never a good sign, and then it took it a step further. Perhaps they noticed that ego investment was working for a lot of sites. Some consider Twitter popularity and Tumblr followers a mark of personal achievement, and they generate consistent traffic in order to get more of that validation. Maybe the developers of Yik Yak thought that by aping profiles with pictures and “raising the stakes” through global leaderboards, they would create that sense of competition, and it would keep them going. But Yik Yak was about community, not competition — communism, not capitalism, if you will. If people wanted to be personalities they would go on a site that was built to facilitate that, like Twitter. Yik Yak failed because it stopped being true to itself, and tried to reinvent itself based on what it saw succeeding. Basically, it went through middle school. As most people learn by college, the irony is that being a copycat is incompatible with lasting coolness. Being cool happens when you’re doing your own thing in a way that other people find appealing. If you have to mimic the traits of others, your insecurity becomes more visible and people see you as a try-hard. Still, Yik Yak’s fate is poignant. Can’t we all relate to feeling inadequate when we go on social media? When you see a hot person’s Instagram, a witty person’s Twitter or a rich person’s Facebook, it’s so easy to doubt yourself. Maybe it’s tempting to pose and primp your life to make it seem a little more interesting than it is, because the underlying message in this stream is that if everyone else’s life looks that good, yours must be lacking. Social media can generate connection and community, but by that token, it can encourage shallow competition and conformism. I like to think that College students are conscious of this, but we’re only human. Anonymity can provide an escape from this artificiality, and remind us that when all is said and done, we are nothing if not ourselves. There’s safety in following the herd, but if everyone’s waiting for the yak in front of them to move, nobody will move at all. So embrace your best qualities, the ones that make you who you are, and know that they’re worthy whether or not other people are praising them all the time. Basically, you do you. Go climb that Himalayan mountain and feel the wind on your fur, you majestic bovid, you. Email Julia Wicks at jhwicks@email.wm.edu.
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Yik Yak has become the opposite of what it set out to be. It’s gone from a popular cafe to a run-down cafeteria selling some terrible memes.
What remains unknown to most, however, is that team assignments can perpetuate a social environment of difficulty for specific sects of students. From first hand experience, I can say that they can be a breeding ground for sexist behavior towards women of authority. I very often take the lead in group projects, which by definition means directing and delegating tasks to other members. In one particular instance, I was paired with two males, one freshmen and one senior. Both had blatant disregard for the class, one member never even coming to it. Coordinating meetings was difficult, and the senior would consistently be late to or miss the meeting. If he did come, he contributed close to nothing to the discussion. When I attempted to incite participation , I was brushed aside quickly, and the two would go on to discuss a video game whose name was far too complicated for recollection. The group had morphed into a boys’ club in which I had clearly become an intruder. I, the cooing voice politely asking for progress in the project, felt not only ignored, but also vilified. Eventually I decided to “tell them like it is”, which meant objectively stating, “If you do not come to meetings and participate, do not expect to have your name on the project.” After a long period of time, I was told by one member to calm down, while the other replied with a simple “ok”. I can take a not-sowild guess at what they thought of me: that I was such a b-word (hint: not boss). This is not the first time I have felt vilified by males for being the leader of the group. After speaking with my friends about it, I learned that they all have experienced similar discomfort. No female should feel obnoxious or ‘bossy’ for simply taking charge of an assignment. Group projects are a beast requiring organization and directed efforts. If we did not take charge, who would have? So next time you are about to call the group leader a bitch, please think twice, because she’s the one getting you an “A”. Email Jennifer Cosgrove at jrcosgrove@email.wm.edu.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Democratic vice presidential candidate Timothy Kaine is a Catholic apostate heretic asserts this former Roman Catholic seminarian of the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Kaine supports the continued legalization of abortion, including partial birth. Mr. Kaine’s faith, the holy Roman Catholic Church, has condemned abortion for twenty centuries. Even today, the woman who “procures” an abortion is automatically excommunicated as are the accomplices who assist her. While the pope and bishops do not instruct specifically that Catholic pro-choice politicians such as Timothy Kaine are accomplices to legal abortions, the implication is clear. Mr. Kaine is an accomplice in the abortion holocaust and he is, therefore, ipso facto excommunicated. Joseph E. Vallely kerryscookies@hotmail.com
The death of the College’s favorite app
COURTESY IMAGE / WIKIMEDIA
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Page 6
Police Chief’s response
Deborah Cheesebro FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST
It’s the responsibility of the William and Mary Police Department to ensure the safety of our campus. As police chief, it’s my goal for the community and its members to not only be safe, but to feel safe. I have read closely the letters submitted in the most recent issue of the Flat Hat about the Aug. 27 shooting at Tribe Square. Any shooting in Williamsburg is frightening, especially one so close to where our students live and socialize. While William and Mary Police knew the campus was safe in the moments that followed the shooting, we’re hearing that many of you did not feel safe. That matters. It’s understandable to question how police make a determination of imminent threat or not. Several factors go into our assessment of an incident scene, and we have to consider all of them almost simultaneously. This assessment is based on our training and experience. This is the same whether the incident occurs on campus or outside of our jurisdiction, as was the case with the shooting at Tribe Square. This assessment dictates if and
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As police chief, it’s my goal for the community and its members to not only be safe, but to feel safe. how we formulate and distribute any warnings or alerts. As police chief, it’s my goal for the community and its members to not only be safe, but to feel safe. In this situation, William and Mary Police responded as mutual aid to the Williamsburg Police Department, the agency with jurisdiction at Tribe Square. Williamsburg Police quickly determined there was not an active shooter situation — that it was an isolated incident involving individuals in a dispute, and that the suspect fled the scene quickly away from campus. WPD determined no imminent threat remained, and my officers concurred. If that determination had been any different, we would have immediately sent out an Emergency Alert through our Rave notification system. Given the circumstances, our protocol called for a Clery Warning — a less urgent informational message, which was approved by WPD and distributed to campus approximately an hour after the incident itself occurred. I understand the questions about the timing of the messages. Given today’s climate and available technology, there is an expectation of immediate notification even in circumstances that experienced police professionals determine don’t represent an immediate threat. We are reviewing the handling of this situation, as we would with any incident such as this, to learn if there are areas for improvement. The feedback from all who have asked questions, expressed concerns and shared their perspectives will inform our review process. The William and Mary Police Department remains committed to your safety. It always has been and always will be our number one priority. And we will not only continue to work to keep you safe, but also to ensure that every member of this community feels safe. The author is the Chief of Police of the William and Mary Police Department. Email Cheesebro at dcheesebro@wm.edu.
COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT
As a parent, I feel that a delay of one hour before the students were notified via text is excessive. Otherwise, students rely on social media and rumor, creating a lot of fear. Had there been a real danger, students would’ve been completely unaware for one hour that someone armed was on campus. I am sure that the police department did an excellent job, but in fact the shooter [was] still at large. — Karen Eselon Belding on “Trauma Caused By Delayed Response”
COURTESY IMAGE / WM.EDU
The emotional need for dogs in dorm rooms
Sarah Smith
FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
With a new semester underway, students like myself may feel overwhelmed by a new year’s commitments and what can seem like never-ending homework. I often find it hard to balance my extracurricular activities and the homework for my classes with selfcare. I believe that at the College of William and Mary it is hard to find balance in an environment that prioritizes success and achievement over mental health. I am so thankful for the resources on campus that help students like myself take a step back to focus on self-care and form meaningful relationships with hall mates, coworkers and that random friend you make studying in Swemromas. One thing that helps me more than anything else on campus is when the Earl Gregg Swem Library brings in therapy dogs from K-9 Connection. I find it soothing to pet Gordo and his other canine friends — dogs definitely are empathetic creatures. While I understand that allowing pets other than fish in student housing comes with a variety of issues – especially those related to allergies and the needs of animals that students might not be able to
meet while juggling coursework, I would greatly appreciate being allowed to have a dog or cat in my dorm room. In a study from the National Center for Health Research, researchers showed that participants who had domestic cats or dogs had lower resting blood pressures and heart rates at times when they were stressed than other participants. I know that for me, a dog or cat can provide a holistic remedy to stress and anxiety when classes get the best of me. One of the things I miss most about my hometown is my beloved puppy, Buddy. If a student proved that they could sufficiently provide for their pet — including its bathing, training and exercise, I believe that the College should make having emotional services pets easier and require less paperwork. If these reasons aren’t enough, having a dog can aid in those social interactions that can sometimes be painful. I’ve made more than a handful of friends from meeting people walking their dogs on campus. If you’re at loss for words, asking to pet a dog is an easier start. Also, walking a dog can be an easier way of getting exercise, which in turn can benefit your physical and mental health. When I’m stressing as a deadline approaches, I find myself enjoying walks around Swem. Walking a dog, however, would be an even better way to get that exercise. Lastly, safety can be a real issue, especially if you’re like me and often walk home from The Flat Hat office after midnight. If I had a dog, I’d feel much safer making that trek to my dorm room. While there are definitely easier to implement self-care practices, The College should consider easing the requirements to keep a dog or cat in on-campus student housing. These animals would help me and I’m sure many of my other classmates. For now, though, I’ll stick with my adorable betta fish. Email Sarah Smith sesmith01@email.wm.edu.
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At what point does preventing people from speaking ... become an attempt at censorship?
variety
Variety Editor Sam Dreith Variety Editor Lizzy Flood flathat.variety@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, September 6, 2016 | Page 7
Catch ‘em all at college
Pokemon Go craze continues on campus after its summer heyday AKEMI TAMANAHA FLAT HAT CHIEF FEATURES WRITER
No matter where you traveled this summer, one international phenomenon was sure to follow. Hordes of millenials could be seen walking in groups glued to their phones from Williamsburg to Johannesburg, but these people weren’t wading into traffic for the sake of Instagram or Snapchat. They were playing Pokemon Go. Pokemon Go has been a popular gaming app since its release in July. Even cell phone cynics praised the app’s ability to get people off the couch and to pay attention to the world around them, and all its pokestops. Pokemon Go encourages users to interact with their surroundings by posting information about landmarks, which are designated as Pokestops in the game. According to Director of Social Media and Engagement for Colonial Williamsburg Jessica Hann, Colonial Williamsburg took advantage of the app’s interactive component to teach visitors about the history of Colonial Williamsburg. “It really all started because we started to see an influx of Pokemon players in the Historic Area,” Hann said in an email. “From early morning to late at night, there were players — phone in hand — everywhere! We just felt it was our duty to take this opportunity to build excitement for Colonial Williamsburg — to fulfill our educational mission and share history with some of the completely new people walking our streets.” Colonial Williamsburg hosted two Pokemon meetups. The most recent meetup was held Aug.18. The event began at 5:30 p.m. with a barbeque at Shields Tavern. From 7 to 8 p.m. participants split up into two groups and went on a walking tour of Colonial Williamsburg. At each Pokestop or gym, a tour guide would also include a brief history of the landmark itself. According to Hahn, around 400 people came to the event. There are no plans for another meetup, but Hahn says they would consider hosting another meetup if there is interest. “Anything that brings fresh faces to Colonial Williamsburg is a win for us,” Hann said in an email. While Colonial Williamsburg is full of Pokestops and gyms, several students and tourists enjoy playing the game on the College of William and Mary campus. “Campus is one of the, probably, greatest places you could possibly
play this game on,” Faisal Alami ‘20 said. “There are a lot of Pokestops so you could refresh and refill your supplies. Everything is within walking distance of each other, all of the classes and library because the campus is a reasonable size. You have to do a lot of walking if you live here so that’s also really good for hatching eggs.” Alami, who is new to the College this year, said the game helped him learn his way around campus. “When you open the game, the game is basically a map of like campus,” Alami said. “So it really helps you find your way around.
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Campus is one of the, probably, greatest places you could possible play this game on. —Faisal Alami
What’s close by, what’s next to each other. It did help in a way.” Though campus may be a great place to play, Pokemon Club President Arjun Malhotra ‘17 said that interest in the game is dying down. “Williamsburg has so many tourist attractions that Nintendo
The Flat Hat’s
PokeGuide If you find the poke-lingo that your friends throw around difficult to interpret, have no fear! Allow the Flat Hat to guide you through the verbage of Pokemon Go.
placed for the Pokestops and so it was just a constant getting items and resources, but after a week or so it started dying down,” Malhotra said. “Now we’re in that weird phase where only the people who are hard core Pokemon Go fans still play, but as soon as the next update comes out, which I’m sure will come out pretty soon, that’s when I’m sure a lot of people will start playing again.” Malhotra said two updates he would like to see are trading and expansions in battling. “The gyms are the only source of battling right now, but that is location dependent,” Malhotra said. “You can’t just go up to someone and say ‘Hey let’s battle.’ It doesn’t really work like that yet. Hopefully, they implement that soon.” The app is set to release a new update sometime in the near future that will allow players to choose a Pokemon to be their companion and walk around with them as they play. Many students have also stopped playing the game because of poor service on campus. “I stopped because T-Mobile has really bad service on campus so I can never tell if I’m going in the right direction,” Joyce Ai ‘19 said. Despite the lack of service and updates, the Pokemon Club has kept interest in the game alive. The club hosted its own Pokemon Go meetup Thursday, Sept. 1. Members gathered at Blow Memorial Hall before heading out for a Pokemon Go night walk. The walk looped all the way around campus and stopped at several Pokestops and gyms. The point of the walk was to get members acquainted with four main gyms, which were located near Kimball Theater, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall, Earl Gregg Swem Library and James Blair Hall. “I haven’t actually been to all of [the gyms] yet, so I’m looking forward to getting to check them all out,” Rane Squires ’18 said. Although the Pokemon Go craze has calmed down since the summer, it’s not uncommon to hear someone talking about an egg that they hatched or an Eevee that they caught on the way to class. Students have even created a Facebook group called Pokemon Tribe Go. Members post and make polls on anything related to Pokemon Go. There is also another group dedicated to Pokemon Go in the Historic Triangle. Members of this group post almost every day. Interest in the game may be dwindling for some, but for others, the lure of finding an elusive Dragonite keeps the fun alive.
Gyms A place to earn experience points by battling other trainers’ pokemon while also attempting to claim turf for your team.
Pokemon
PokeStops Pokestops are placed on top of significant geographic locations where trainers can periodically stop by and recieve important items.
Pokemon pop up at semirandom locations across campus and the world for trainers to catch.
COURTEST PHOTO / YouTube
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Let’s talk about sex baby: putting words to the acts Why you shouldn’t be locking your sexual and personal experiences behind closed doors. couldn’t keep my mouth shut about it. Being attracted to someone is exciting, and so is having positive intimate experiences with someone you are attracted to. I can’t help but share my enthusiasm with others. My whole middle school knew my crush, everyone I knew heard about my first kiss and my entire high school found out when I discovered I didn’t identify as straight. Talking about my personal experiences and feelings helped me to become more confident in my sexuality. When I came to college, I continued to become more comfortable talking about sex. I’m fairly
Katelyn Reimer
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS COLUMNIST
It’s probably pretty clear that I like talking about sex. I mean, I write a column called “Behind Closed Doors.” Honestly, I am not sure who came up with that title (it was here before I was), but I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means. This column is largely about sexrelated topics, and we usually talk about sex-related things “behind closed doors.” I think I’d like to open the doors a little bit. Let me be clear: don’t open your door while you’re having sex. Please, give yourself some privacy and keep your door closed. I do, however, want to bring conversations about sex out into the open. Like I said, I like talking about sex. I’m extremely comfortable with it. I have always been something of an “over-sharer” when it comes to my personal sex life and feelings. I’m pretty sure my entire middle school knew who I had a crush on in the seventh grade because I
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... It’s difficult to encourage people to have healthy, positive sexual relationships when so many people don’t feel comfortable talking about sex.
certain that day one of orientation, I announced to my freshman hall that I had condoms in my room and they were available to anyone at anytime. I found that I was actually very passionate about encouraging others to have safe sex, and as I started to have
more conversations along these lines, I became more passionate about encouraging others to focus on having positive sexual and relational experiences, not just safe ones. I wanted everyone to feel as comfortable with their sexuality as I was. I am still working hard to reach that goal, but I realized that it’s difficult to encourage people to have healthy, positive sexual relationships when so many people don’t feel comfortable talking about sex. A wise friend of mine once said: “If you are old enough to have sex, you are old enough to talk about it.” I think it’s important that everyone who is sexually active is able to have a conversation about sex. I’m not saying that you need to be an over-sharer; you don’t have to tell all of your friends when you have any sort of sexual experience. When and how you share your experiences is up to you. At the very least, however, we need to be able to have conversations about things like consent without feeling uncomfortable. Everyone should feel empowered enough to express their wants and needs to a potential partner. If you do not feel comfortable and confident talking about sex, it can be very difficult to communicate in the moment when communication becomes critical. I would like to encourage everyone to talk more freely and openly about sex in the hopes that we can create an environment in which everyone feels comfortable talking about sex and relationships. I feel confident that we are all more than capable of doing this, and that it would help so many people to not be afraid to speak up about their wants and needs. Katelyn Reimer is a Behind Closed Doors columnists who’d prefer to be a Behind Open Doors columnist.
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Page 8
CONFUSION CORNER
Learning to love your second best Don’t let self-judgement get in the way of fully enjoying your college experience
Emily Gardner
CONFUSION CORNER COLUMNIST
I’m a bit late hopping on the cliched addressto-incoming-freshmen train, but I will be the first to confess to my indolent nature. This is definitely low-hanging fruit, but I have no shame. In addition, I have to apologize in advance for the pretentious vocabulary that will be slipping in and out of my writing for the next few weeks, but I have had the fortune of studying for the GRE recently. I have the overwhelming urge to violently crush the bubbling enthusiasm of all the eager and unsoiled freshmen. On a Friday evening, I inevitably find myself casting a contentious glare in the direction of a gaggle of dolledup freshman girls. It’s really hard for me, as I slovenly bumble off to a wine-stained girls’ night, to understand their motivation. It just seems so irrational to don heels that make you more unstable than the foundation of Morton Hall just to cram yourself into a sweaty, loud frat house where the only guarantee is a nice groping from intoxicated strangers. Then I remember that I did that a lot my freshman year. But that was back when I was so full of, well, hope. From my squeaky old rocking-chair, I can hand down only one crumb of advice: lower your expectations. This is where you think I will deliver my tired sermon about the less glamorous aspects of college, like having to work hard or the debilitating sense of loneliness that will interrupt your otherwise ebullient collegiate escapades by the middle of the semester. I may be so lazy that I haven’t eaten off one of
my real plates since I got here. However, my torpid tendency does not mean I can’t come up with something a bit more original than what every mid-August Buzzfeed article does. No, instead of lowering your expectations of the College of William and Mary or of your experience in general, I need you to lower your expectations of yourself. The College is great, but you are going to disappoint yourself … a lot. You will make mistakes and you will not be as productive or as unique as you thought you would be. You will also be a subpar friend to at least four people and you will probably transgress at least two moral standards. No matter how hard you try not to, you will break some of your promises to yourself. It doesn’t matter if those were promises to stay healthy, to go to class or to go out of your comfort zone more often. Inevitably, you will hold the actions you took your freshmen year up for examination and realize that, at least in some areas, you fell miserably short of the high aspirations you formed in high school for the “adult” you. I can’t say this is ok, but it is normal. Everyone comes into college, or into any new situation for that matter, with some unrealistic expectations. Even I, your infallible columnist,
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GRAPHIC BY / KRISTIE TURKAL
went through this experience. When my selfimage plummeted from my imagined ivory tower, it hurt. So, I beg you to relax about your preconceived notions about who you should
I have the overwhelming urge to violently crush the bubbling enthusiasm of all the eager and unsoiled freshman.
STUDENTS!
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be or what your life should look like now before you stray too far from them. Don’t get me wrong: I am not advocating for complete egosurrender. We do not need a hoard of feckless freshmen stumbling around campus, carried about by any whim or fancy. It’s bad enough you have accepted eating at the Caf. It is really about being gentler with yourself, opening yourself to different lifestyles and accepting that the road to fully enfranchised adulthood includes the bitter process of casting off some of the idealistic ambitions that are formed in the sheltered bubble of high school. Sorry to kill your dreams. One bright spot is that due to the limited perspective of our enduringly shortsighted species, there is also a whole range of positive experiences and accomplishments you will have that you are physically incapable of imagining. For example, the satisfaction of disseminating a fresh batch of wisdom on people you pull seniority over. Emily Gardner is a Confusion Corner columnist who appreciates when the bar is nice and low so she doesn’t trip over it.
Here’s a Stack to Study!
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sportsinside
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, September 6, 2016 | Page 9
WOMEN’S SOCCER
College splits pair of in-state matches
Tribe tops Old Dominion in dramatic fashion, falls against No. 16 Virginia Tech HENRY TROTTER FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR Before William and Mary’s tough weekend matchups, coach John Daly told his players: “Regardless of what happens, keep going, keep fighting.” The team took his words to heart, defeating Old Dominion in overtime on the road. Though the Tribe (3-2) came up short against No. 16 Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon, it draws confidence from its second-half fightback. Virginia Tech (4-1) dominated proceedings in the first half Sunday, led by standout Hokie forward Murielle Tiernan. Tiernan tallied two first-half goals, slotting home a cross after 27 minutes and doubling the Hokies’ lead 15 minutes later, blasting the ball inside the right-hand post of redshirt junior goalkeeper Grace Smith. The Tribe had a few chances — senior midfielder Haley Kavanagh hit the post when she seemed sure to score — but only managed three shots. After the game, Daly acknowledged that sometimes one player can turn a game. “[The Hokies are] a good team, and they have one special player … she was the difference with the two goals,” he said to Tribe Athletics. But, Daly was impressed with his team’s second-half performance. After
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Kober took two shots over the weekend, including the golden goal in the 94th minute against Old Dominion.
conceding 11 shots in the first half, the Tribe was in need of a second wind. The team exploded out of halftime, and although the Hokies had their share of chances, the Tribe squandered several golden opportunities. The Tribe failed to get a shot away after seizing on a back
pass gone wrong, often looking to lay the ball off when shooting was an easier option. “In the second half we got a bit more into battling for the ball … and did much better dealing with [Tech goalscorer Tiernan] and with their other threats,”
MEN’S SOCCER
Daly said to Tribe Athletics. The comeback seemed to be on when junior midfielder Rachel Moore stroked home a penalty kick in the 63rd minute, but the Tribe could not find another breakthrough. Soon after, sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Kober hit the
crossbar, but the Tribe was pinned back for much of the remaining time. Not all of the College’s opponents will be so tough, though, and the Tribe created the chances to win the game, which Daly characterized. “The kind of chances that you just have to take against a good team,” Daly said to Tribe Athletics. “We had chances in the first half, we had easy chances in the second half, and we didn’t take them.” The Tribe, the Colonial Athletic Association favorite, did take home a win on Thursday, with Kober heading in a golden goal from a free kick by junior back Haley Kent just three minutes into extra time to beat ODU. In a back-andforth contest, the Tribe was outshot 14-5 by the Monarchs, but Smith made six saves. The game was delayed just after its beginning due to severe weather, and the first half was mild-mannered. The match kicked into life in the second half; Kent’s shot was scooped off of the line, and all hands were on defense for the College in the final seconds of regulation. The Tribe held its nerve and clinched Daly’s 397th career win. Daly will search for wins 398 and 399 this week. The Tribe takes a short drive to take on Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond Sept. 8 before travelling to play North Carolina-Greensboro on Sept. 11.
FIELD HOCKEY
College puts out Flames Tribe drops two more Tribe uses man advantage to score twice in four minute span
College competitive against American and Rutgers
CHRIS TRAVIS FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
NICK CIPOLLA FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
Deadlocked in a scoreless match with Liberty 15 minutes into the second half, William and Mary’s offense asserted itself and poured in two goals in four minutes to break open the game and cement a 2-0 road victory. The first half was largely a defensive battle, with neither team being overly aggressive on offense and always looking to prevent counterattacks. This half featured only three combined shots, with just one from the Tribe. Liberty had the first scoring opportunity of the game in the seventh minute, but Flames forward Tresor Mbuyu’s shot sailed just above the goal. At the 13:39 mark, Kevin Mendoza unleashed a shot, but Tribe redshirt junior goalkeeper Phil Breno reacted immediately and came up with a huge save. The best Tribe chance of the
opening half came when freshman forward Reeves Trott found some space and took a shot on net, forcing the Liberty keeper to make the save. However, Trott’s attempt proved to be the only shot by the College through the first 45 minutes. The chance for the College to turn on the attack was presented just over one minute into the second half, as Liberty midfielder Kevin Mendoza accrued his second yellow card of the game, leading to his ejection. With a man advantage, the Tribe attack picked up in tempo and intensity nearly immediately. In the 53rd minute, redshirt senior midfielder Jeff Bombelles smoothly placed a corner kick to sophomore forward Antonio Bustamante, whose shot was saved. Just two minutes later, sophomore midfielder Marcel Berry had his shot blocked after gathering a welltimed pass from junior forward William Eskay. After knocking on the door for nearly 10 minutes, the Tribe finally
found the back of the net in the 61st minute. Sophomore forward Ryder Bell drove the ball down the right sideline, crossed to a cutting Trott, who headed the ball into the upper right corner to give the College a 1-0 advantage. Just over three minutes later, Bustmante delivered a near-perfect free kick from just outside the box, curving the ball into the upperleft corner to put the Tribe up 2-0 and put the game out of reach for Liberty. After coming out without a lot of energy in the first half, the Tribe pulled together at the half, gained a man advantage, and put away the Flames to the tune of 11 secondhalf shots, including five on goal. Trott, Bustamante and Berry led the team with three shots apiece, while Breno finished with his first career shutout for the College. The Tribe returns home for a three game stretch, beginning on Tuesday against Longwood at 7 p.m. at Martin Family Stadium.
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Sophomore midfielder Marcel Berry tied for the team lead with three shots in the 2-0 win against the Liberty Flames on Saturday.
William and Mary dropped a pair of matches over the weekend, falling first at American 3-0 Friday before being defeated by Rutgers 2-1 in the Tribe’s home opener at Busch Field Sunday. “Any schedule that we put for this team, I like challenges straight off the bat with a strong schedule,” head coach Tess Ellis said. “Going into American, I think they won the Patriot League and have gone to the [NCAA] final 16 for the last five years, and then Rutgers … will always come to the table with a lot of aggression, which is something that we’ve got to prepare for going into conference.” Friday’s match at Jacobs Field in Washington, D.C. was the first shutout for the College (0-3) this season. Offense wasn’t exactly a struggle as the Tribe went shot-forshot with American at 11 apiece. The College did have a tough time capitalizing on its shots, however, ending up outdone 10-5 in shots on frame. 10 minutes into the first period, Connor the Eagles scored off a loose ball that deflected from a Tribe save by freshman keeper Morgan Connor seconds prior. The game remained 1-0 until midway through the second period when American successfully converted a penalty corner in the 52nd minute. With three minutes remaining, the Eagles found the back of the net for the third time, putting the game out of reach as the home defense shut down the Tribe’s chances. Both teams had five penalty corners, with American going 1-5 and the Tribe going 0-5 in their attempts. Connor finished with seven saves while Eagles keeper Maura Jacobs finished with five. Following the 3-0 shutout was a more competitive match Sunday afternoon in Williamsburg. The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers (2-2) picked up a 2-1 win, dropping the College to a 0-3 start for the season. Just as in the Friday game, the Tribe opponent scored first in the first couple of minutes, this time from a recovery off a penalty corner in the fifth minute. The College’s offense took most of the half to warm up, not registering a shot until the 18th minute of the opening half. The Tribe would end the half outnumbered 11 shots to four. “We definitely sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot and realize that we can be, when it comes to halftime, like, ‘You guys, there’s
nothing this team is doing that we can’t handle and beat,’” Ellis said. Defensively, Connor was in the cage once again, making the third start of her college career. Filling in for redshirt-sophomore Meredith Clay, who is out with an injury, Connor is still adjusting to the speed and aggression of the college game. “Morgan’s in a unique situation,” Ellis said. “It’s always going to be that situation of, ‘Welcome to D1 athletics,’ and it doesn’t matter what you do over the summer, nothing can compare to the speed of a D1 game … We’ve definitely seen a huge improve[ment] from first scrimmage through even today.” Connor and the back line surrendered the eventual game-winning goal in the waning seconds of the first half as the referees called for Rutgers to set up for a penalty corner. Scarlet Knights defender Sofia Walia converted the opportunity to put the Tribe at a 2-0 deficit at the break. Ellis spoke about tweaking her defensive strategies. “It’s a matter of finding the right combination and having confidence, whether it’s a freshman in cage or a sophomore or junior in cage,” Ellis said. “I think each game that confidence gets better.” The College retook the field with high energy, nearly doubling the total shot count with seven second-half shot attempts for a total of 11. Rutgers was steadfast with eight shots of its own in the back half, though it was unable to score again. The score looked as if it would end 2-0 when Pastor senior forward Maria Jose Pastor sent an unassisted shot that rebounded off a Scarlet Knights save into the net with 31 seconds left. With another goal out of reach, the game ended 2-1 as the Tribe dropped its third of three games. Connor ended with four saves while a pair of Rutgers keepers combined for five. Junior forward Cammie Lloyd led the Lloyd offense with four shots, three of them on target. “If you look at our stats, our defense is improving every game, now we just have to finish at the other end,” Ellis said. “I’m hoping within the next week that everything comes together and we’re at the strength we need for our next two games.” The Tribe heads north to face Georgetown Friday at 1 p.m. before returning to Busch Field to play No. 20 Old Dominion Sunday at 1 p.m.
sports
Sports Editor Nick Cipolla Sports Editor Chris Travis flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, September 6, 2016 | Page 10
FOOTBALL
Wolfpack devours Tribe WM
N. C. STATE
TRIBE
WOLFPACK
48
14 (0-1)
(1-0)
College opens 2016 campaign with 34-point loss to Atlantic Coast Conference’s North Carolina State JOSH LUCKENBAUGH FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
With William and Mary down 14-7 midway through the second quarter and North Carolina State once again driving towards the Tribe end zone, freshman safety Corey Parker intercepted Wolfpack quarterback Jalan McClendon, seemingly shifting the momentum of the game. Two plays later, however, senior quarterback Steve Cluley threw an interception of his own, a turnover which N.C. State (1-0) quickly turned into seven points to take a two-touchdown lead. The College (01) was unable to regain momentum after that devastating turn of events, ultimately dropping its season opener in Raleigh, N.C. in lopsided fashion, 48-14. The Wolfpack’s physical style of offense proved too much for the Tribe
from the start. The College is still trying to find its defensive rhythm with the losses of defensive leaders Deandre Houston-Carson ’16, Luke Rhodes ’16 and Zack Fetters ’16. Their absence was clearly felt Thursday night, as N.C. State racked up 521 yards of total offense. Wolfpack running back Matt Dayes proved particularly difficult to contain, rushing 23 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end/fullback hybrid Jaylen Samuels also enjoyed a big game against the Tribe defense, finding the end zone three times, scoring twice on the ground and once through the air. After the game, head coach Jimmye Laycock ’70 discussed his team’s struggles on defense, citing the Tribe’s youth as well as the tough transition from limited physicality in practice to a real game situation. “Nowadays, it’s so difficult to get players to practice in a physical
VOLLEYBALL
Tribe struggles
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
The North Carolina State offense attempts to pummel through William and Mary’s defense during the season opener last Thursday in Raleigh, N.C.
environment,” Laycock told Tribe Athletics. “You just don’t hit much anymore … other than the games, obviously. And then when you haven’t been in the games much, that’s kind of where you’re getting your physical contact … I think that probably played into it some.” The Tribe fell behind less than four minutes into the game, with Dayes capping off the Wolfpack’s opening drive with a five-yard touchdown run. The College offense was quick to respond. Cluley and company put together an 11 play, 75 yard drive to knot the score at seven. The Tribe’s senior quarterback went a perfect four for four on pass attempts during the drive, finding junior wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon on a 16-yard touchdown toss. The rest of the night was a struggle for the Tribe offense, which was only able to muster one more scoring drive
to begin the second half, with N.C. State already ahead by multiple touchdowns. Senior running back and preseason AllColonial Athletic Association selection Kendell Anderson, nursing a shoulder injury, was completely ineffective, and Cluley completed only five of his final 15 passes while throwing two costly interceptions. The second came just one possession after the first, Cluley badly overthrowing Dedmon into the waiting hands of Wolfpack safety Josh Jones. Once again, the turnover led to seven N.C. State points, putting the Tribe in a 28-7 hole heading into halftime. “Steve just made poor decisions on his throws,” Laycock said to Tribe Athletics regarding the two interceptions. “It’s a fast-happening game out there sometimes, and people are bearing down on you, and he was under pressure a lot of times … There
CROSS COUNTRY
ZABLE STADIUM
College wins Both squads first at UR
Squad 0-3 at Belmont tourney
NICK CIPOLLA FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
NICK CIPOLLA FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
William and Mary continued to struggle at the Belmont Bruiser Showcase in Nashville, where the Tribe lost all three of its matches, falling to 1-5 on the young 2016 season. Playing against Georgia State and Belmont Friday, as well as Mercer Saturday, the College had several close matches, but was defeated in all of them. In all matches combined, the Tribe won a lone set against Mercer by a 25-20 margin. Both Georgia State and Belmont shut out the Tribe 3-0, while Mercer rebounded from a 1-1 split at intermission to rally for a 3-1 victory. Friday morning, the tournament opened with a strong showing for freshman outside-hitter Alex Stein against Georgia State (3-3) as she registered a team-high eight of the College’s 32 kills. Senior defender Gabrielle Pe led the team with 12 digs. The match began well with a close 25-23 loss for the opening set, but a 25-17 second set put the Tribe down 2-0, which proved to be insurmountable. Momentum stayed with the Panthers as they hung on for a 25-20 third set victory. Without much rest between matches, the Tribe took on host Belmont Friday afternoon. The Bruins (6-0) entered and left the match undefeated. The scoreboard looked eerily similar to the Georgia State game, as the first set was a close defeat at 25-22 before the College fell behind in the second set once again, this time by a 2511 margin. In the final set, the Tribe fought back from a deficit to nearly take a set, but Belmont kept its lead and padded it for a 25-21 result, closing the match with another mark in the loss column for the Tribe. Freshman outside-hitter Casey Foote and junior outside-hitter Sydney Biniak topped the stats with six kills apiece. However, Belmont more than doubled the Tribe kills in the match, leading 45-22 in that category. The final match Saturday afternoon was the closest of the three. The Tribe outshined on kills 54-51 and won the second set, but Mercer (3-3) took advantage of 32 College errors while only committing 19 of its own. The Bears also rode a 15-5 blocking margin to victory. The Tribe fell 23-25 in the first set before bouncing back for a 25-20 win in the second. After the break, the College failed to produce points, falling 25-12 in set three before a close 25-22 fourth set sealed the match and placed the Tribe in fourth of four teams for the tournament. Biniak led with 14 kills, swiftly followed by 13 kills off the hand of Foote. Pe put up 22 digs in the match to lead the defense. The Tribe returns to Williamsburg this weekend to host the Colonial Classic, where it hopes to end a fivegame losing streak. The tournament features Charlotte, Western Carolina and Coppin State and starts Friday afternoon in Kaplan Arena.
was probably some miscommunication involved in one of them, maybe both of them, too.” The College began the second half promisingly, Cluley finishing off a five-play, 65-yard drive with a 10yard touchdown run, and the defense forcing a rare Wolfpack punt. But the offense could not put any more points on the board, and despite the best efforts of the defense, which produced an impressive goal-line stand as well as blocking a PAT, N.C. State tacked on plenty of insurance over the final 30 minutes. In the end, the Wolfpack cruised to a 48-14 victory, the College simply outmuscled and outplayed by its Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. The Tribe will try to bounce back from this opening day loss when it takes on the Hampton Pirates next Saturday in Hampton, Va. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m.
Tribe Athletics hosted a public open house of Zable Stadium and its new Smith-McGlothin Grandstand on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 4. Flat Hat Staff Writer Josh Luckenbaugh attended and took photos. For a full gallery, check flathatnews.com. Top: Panoramic view of the new turf from the Smith-McGlothlin Grandstand. Left: New endzone design for 2016. Bottom left: Local residents explore the new luxury boxes that lie under the Smith-McGlothlin Grandstand’s new bleachers. Bottom right: One of the press box media desks overlooking the field.
ALL PHOTOS BY JOSH LUCKENBAUGH / THE FLAT HAT
On Saturday, William and Mary opened its racing season by sweeping first place in the Richmond Spider Alumni Open at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va. In a field of five, the men took first in the 5,000-meter race with a combined 20 points, 23 points better than second-place Davidson. The Tribe placed three runners in the top five, with sophomore Ryan McGorty leading the pack and taking second in 15:09.6. McGorty trailed first-place individual finisher Will Brewster of Davidson by two and one-half seconds. Following McGorty was redshirt junior David Barney at No. 3 with a time of 15:14.2 and junior Dawson Connell at No. 4, crossing the line in 15:17.9. Rounding out the top seven runners that count for points were seniors Trevor Sleight, Faris Sakallah and Cavender Salvadori, as well as junior Chris Hoyle. Sleight took sixth in 15:22.9, Sakallah followed in seventh at 15:26.9, while Hoyle and Salvadori finished a respective 14th and 15th at 15:38.5 and 15:38.7. Overall, nine runners finished in the top 20 for the Tribe. The No. 30 women’s team also topped the field of five, finishing with 30 points to beat runner-up and host Richmond by 15. While the men ran a 5k, the women ran a two-mile race. Junior Regan Rome, a 2015-16 All-American in all three running seasons, led the way for the College, finishing in second in 10:38.2 on the hilly course. The overall individual winner was Massachusetts’ Heather MacLean, who broke the finishing plane in 10:35.7, less than a second ahead of Rome. Like the men, the women had two other top five finishers: senior Molly Applegate and junior Molly Breidenbaugh, who took fourth and fifth, respectively. Applegate finished in 10:55, while Breidenbaugh followed in 11:00.7. To complete the scoring seven, junior Audrey Gordon took ninth in 11:13.8, sophomore Kathryn Eng was 12th in 11:17.4, junior Molly McKenna took 15th in 11:20.2 and sophomore Hope Bloxom scraped her way into the top 20 with a 20th-place 11:25. The men and No. 30 women take to the course again Sept. 16, hosting the 58th William and Mary Cross Country Invitational at the Eastern State Hospital course in Williamsburg, Va. This features a men’s college 6,000-meter race, a women’s college 5,000-meter race and high school races on Sept. 17.