Vol. 109, Iss. 8 | Tuesday, April 23, 2019
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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Campus protests against anti-abortion group PHIC BY LES GRA LIE DA V
Center for Bio-Ethical Reform group advocates for antiabortion message in front of Earl Gregg Swem Library
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NIA KITCHIN / / FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF When members of VOX at the College of William and Mary heard that a graphic antiabortion demonstration would be held on campus April 17 and 18, they organized to create a counterprotest. Students, faculty and community members participated by protesting around the sundial near the Earl Gregg Swem Library with pro-abortion rights signage across from where the antiabortion group had set up their images. The anti-abortion group, the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, is not affiliated with the College, but they are permitted to demonstrate at public schools under free speech laws. According to their website, CBR demonstrates at many public college campuses. They refer to these demonstrations as an educational initiative entitled the Genocide Awareness Project. Prior to the demonstration, Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler released a campuswide email to clarify that the College was not promoting CBR’s message by allowing them on campus. “As a public institution of higher education, William and Mary recognizes its legal obligations to foster constitutionally protected
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We need to be out here to make it clear that the student body doesn’t support spreading this sort of fake news and hateful messages. — Kinsey Wilk ’19
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free speech and expression in the university community,” Ambler said in the email. “This is not a university-sponsored event and William and Mary is not endorsing the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform’s message. The university is honoring its obligations under the U.S. Constitution and Virginia law … Discussion, differing opinions, debate and dialogue are part of the educational experience here.” The idea for the counter-demonstration was born when VOX Social Media Chair Elizabeth Snyder ‘21 received an email from Student Leadership Development Director Anne Arseneau April 13, letting her know that CBR would be demonstrating that week. Snyder disseminated the information via social media, and the announcement gained traction among the College community. VOX called a meeting April 15 to organize the counter-protest. They, along with community support, promoted and oversaw the event. “At this point, I was already considering a counter-demonstration but was primarily concerned with warning the student body because the school evidently was not going to do so,” Snyder said. The College’s anti-abortion organization Tribe for Life asked CBR to abstain from demonstrating and publicly dissociated themselves from the organization’s displays. “We have spoken directly with the Center, asking them to refrain from demonstrating at William and Mary,” Tribe for Life said in a Facebook post. “If they still choose to conduct their demonstration, please know that Tribe for Life is in no way associated with it. We affirm that all life must be protected from conception to natural death, but we reject the Center’s use of graphic imagery and condemnatory language in making this point.” CBR’s signage is purposefully large and contains graphic images, which depict what they claim are bloody embryos and fetuses alongside photos of See PROTEST page 3
George Mason dean Peggy Agouris named as new College provost Current provost Michael Halleran will abdicate from position in July to teach courses in Classics department NIA KITCHIN FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The current dean of the College of Science at George Mason University, Peggy Agouris, has been named the College of William and Mary’s new provost. College President Katherine Rowe made this decision, pending the approval of the Board of Visitors, who will be meeting this coming week. “Dr. Agouris brings an enormous breadth of experience as a teacher, scholar, researcher and administrator,” Rowe said. “She will be an extraordinary provost, and we are thrilled to welcome her to campus.” Agouris is set to take the helm as the College’s chief academic officer July 1, following current provost Michael Halleran’s planned abdication of the position. The provost oversees the arts and sciences, the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, the Law School and the School of Marine Science. In addition, the provost is responsible for all academic and research endeavors, including budgeting, faculty development
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and resource allocation. The provost will also play a leading role come August in the College’s strategic planning efforts. “Finding a worthy successor to Provost Halleran was a daunting assignment,” Rowe said. “In Dr. Agouris, we have someone who will value and advance the university’s core academic mission while also partnering with this community to navigate a rapidly changing landscape in higher education. She is an ideal choice.” In her current position at George Mason, which she has held since 2013, Agouris oversees an annual budget of more than $80 million, administers approximately 4,000 students, and leads over 700 faculty and staff members. “It is an exciting time to join William and Mary and I very much look forward to working with President Rowe and so many talented colleagues on campus to generate the community’s roadmap for William and Mary’s exceptional and distinctive educational experience,” Agouris said. “My leadership approach has always been driven by vision and method and is firmly based on transparency and accountability.” Vice Provost Ann Marie Stock chaired the search committee that chose Agouris.
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She said that Agouris has shown incredible initiative and ability to collaborate in order to make institutional change. “We are confident that she will be an extraordinary partner for our president, board and senior leadership in guiding our university into the future,” Stock said. Agouris also increased the diversity of her faculty at George Mason by 40 percent and hired a leadership team comprised of 60 percent women and underrepresented groups. “It is humbling to be selected to now lead the academic side of such an extraordinary institution, committed as it is to teaching and research equally, and whose talented faculty are matched only by the strength of their students,” Agouris said. “My family and I are excited to join the William and Mary community.” Halleran said that he feels confident about passing the baton to Agouris. He believes she will be very successful in taking over this role. “Peggy Agouris will be an excellent provost for William and Mary,” Halleran said. “Her rich experience, energy and collaborative instincts will serve her well in this role, and I am fully confident that she will be highly successful in helping to advance William and Mary’s distinctive educational excellence.”
Anthony Madalone ’21 says that students should not panic about not having summer internships, and that the season offers meaningful relaxation time. He thinks students should feel free to live without resume anxiety. page 6
Speaking their truth
Female students performed on the Lodge One stage to convey their experiences and identities at the College. The event was organized as part of 100 Years of Women at William and Mary. page 7