Vol. 109, Iss. 5 | Tuesday, April 2, 2019
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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Computer science department faces 300 unique override requests as job market increasingly prioritizes technical skills
n response to years of limited course availability, “We’ve tried to keep the [introductory] classes the College of William and Mary’s computer from getting enormous,” Lewis said. “... [At] a lot of science department intends to hire five new faculty universities around the country, one of the responses members for the fall 2019 semester and utilize state to big enrollments is just to make the intro classes resources provided by a new statewide initiative. really huge, like 300, 600, 900 students ... I just don’t The College’s computer science department was once think that’s the right way to do it.” eclipsed by larger STEM-focused disciplines but has Rachel Oberman ’20, a double major in computer expanded in the past decade. Only 12 computer science science and data science at the College, argues majors graduated in 2010; nine years later, the number that the pressure to compete with students from a of students leaving the College with a bachelor’s degree myriad of different majors while seeking enrollment in computer science has increased by over 600 percent. in introductory classes has complicated her journey Now, the department graduates upwards of 75 computer through the department and occasionally sparked science majors each year. Department chair and professor anxieties about on-time graduation. Robert Lewis attributes this increase to demand for “I believe everyone pursuing a CS degree at one ETHAN BROWN // FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR competitive compensation as well as the proliferation of time or another has been worried about fulfilling computer-based technologies. requirements on time. ...” Oberman said in an email. “It’s not just the fact that the jobs [in computer “... You really need to strategically plan when you are science] are well-paying jobs,” Lewis said. “... The way taking specific classes.” this stuff is getting used everywhere, machine learning, Lewis believes that computer science’s limited artificial intelligence, sensor data, you name it ... [it’s] got a course availability will improve following the addition computer attached to it somehow.” of five new faculty members. Lewis said that a typical registration period sees over According to Lewis, these new professors — who 300 unique override requests from around 180 students. are currently in the process of being hired by the While many of these override requests originate from department before the fall semester — will teach computer science majors seeking to fulfill their graduation introductory, intermediate and advanced courses, requirements, increased demand among non-majors — increasing the department’s supply of open seats at often students pursuing similar disciplines like applied all levels of the discipline. mathematics, economics and data science — intensifies Alongside the planned expansion in faculty, the the department’s competitive registration process. department plans to take advantage of funding offered “The focus is [to] make sure that [computer science] through the Tech Talent Investment Program and majors graduate in four years … that’s been the top priority Fund, which is a pilot statewide program designed in making sure that happens,” Lewis said. “... And then to add at least 25,000 graduates in computer science GRAPHIC BY EMMA FORD AND LESLIE DAVIS / THE FLAT HAT trying to deal with minors, certainly people in areas like and computer engineering at Virginia’s institutions of math or applied math who need classes for proficiencies higher education by 2039. to graduate ... it doesn’t leave a lot of leftover space.” students within the department. Before funding can be allocated, the Tech Talent The department organizes override requests with an online “I remember one time trying to override into a CS class and I got program requires that universities enter a formalized memorandum application form. Although the department attempts to accommodate an email back saying there was a list of over 100 requests and that they of understanding with the state to enshrine expectations regarding the largest quantity of students using this process, its limited course were going to have to wait to give overrides,” Fantine said in an email. degree production goals and eligibility requirements. availability necessitates the rejection of many requests. The department’s reluctance to lift caps on student enrollment The grant program passed both the Virginia House of Delegates “We collect so many of them that we have to go through them by in introductory classes adds another dimension of difficulty in and the Virginia Senate March 7. After being signed by Virginia Gov. hand, it’s a very laborious process and unfortunately, we have not accommodating override requests. Unlike other STEM disciplines Ralph Northam March 19, the initiative’s impact on the College’s been able to ... solve a lot of the problems in the last few years,” Lewis where preliminary courses can be offered in lecture-style computer science department is subject to negotiation between said. environments with hundreds of students, the hands-on, project- university officials and the state. It is currently unclear what While tedious for faculty, overrides are frustrating for students based nature of computer science — especially in introductory specifically will change at the department given the lengthy process as well. Alex Fantine ’21, a computer science major, said that classes like CSCI 141 Computational Problem Solving — necessitates of drafting a memorandum, but according to Lewis, the ramifications professors frequently resort to rejecting overrides even from a more intimate classroom setting. could be significant.
STUDENT LIFE
UndocuTribe holds Dreamers Week to destigmatize immigration Advocacy group hosts panel on diverse assimilation experiences, highlights speaker Samantha Ramirez-Herrera DAISY GARNER THE FLAT HAT
March 24 to March 28, the College of William and Mary’s immigration awareness and advocacy group UndocuTribe hosted their fourth annual Dreamers Week. Throughout the four days, Dreamers Week offered different events aimed to help students become better allies to immigrants and the undocumented community. The principal objective of Dreamers Week was to showcase the diversity of immigration. UndocuTribe members emphasized that immigrants originate from different countries and have diverse experiences. According to UndocuTribe Director Olivia Leon Vitervo ‘19, immigrants can be refugees, Temporary Protected Status holders or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients; while some immigrants live without documentation entirely. During Dreamers Week, students and professors discussed these realities and engaged in a dialogue about the unique experiences faced by immigrants from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. UndocuTribe illustrated this diversity by selling T-shirts with the phrase “no human being is illegal” in 10 different languages on the front and “migration is beautiful” on the back. UndocuTribe members Ariana Afsari ‘19 and Aida Campos ‘20 conceptualized and designed the shirts, and wanted the shirts to act as an example of how each component of Dreamers Week was planned by students. “Our club has been brought together by this,” Vitervo said. Wednesday, March 27, UndocuTribe hosted an immigration panel entitled “Becoming ‘White’ in America,” featuring professor Stephen Sheehi from the Asian and Middle East studies and Arabic studies departments, along with professors Sohoni and
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Gosin of the sociology department. As an organizer for Dreamers Week, Patrick Wachter ’19 explained that UndocuTribe incorporated the panel into the week’s program in order to portray diverse perspectives on assimilation. Panelists analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of “white,” and argued that while the census is supposed to serve an apolitical function, it has broader political ramifications. “I felt like this needed to be addressed,” Afsari said. According to the professors, making changes to the census would better represent the realities of certain groups within the United States. They proposed the combination of race and ethnicity on the census form, and changing the form’s interface to make it possible for individuals to check multiple boxes. However, President Donald Trump’s administration has vetoed these proposals. Student attendees found the panel interesting and insightful. “As a white person, it’s very easy for me to ignore these issues,” Connor Kennedy ’21 said. “But that’s exactly why this panel was so important. It was illuminating in a lot of ways.” Thursday, March 28, UndocuTribe hosted their culminating event of the week, “Borderless Dreams,” alongside the Center for Student Diversity. The event, which featured activist and artist Samantha Ramirez-Herrera, aimed to draw attention to the experiences of undocumented individuals in the United States. “It is through their stories we are able to validate their experience and better empathize,” Vitervo said. After considering several potential speakers, Ashley Hernandez Estrada ‘21 and CSD Assistant Director Roxy Patton felt that Ramirez-Herrera’s story was exceptional. As a 33-year-old single mother without a college degree, Ramirez-Herrera is not a typical DREAMer, and her unique experiences were
ones that Dreamers Week sought to publicize. Ramirez-Herrera began her talk by reflecting on her experience immigrating from Mexico to America when she was six years old. She remembered saying goodbye to her grandparents in Mexico, not knowing if she would ever see them again. Soon she would be running through the desert, her mom carrying her sisters and her dad holding her hand. “We were running, and I didn’t know why we were running,” Ramirez-Herrera said. When Ramirez-Herrera and her family eventually arrived in Arizona, she felt like an outcast in her new environment because she did not understand the language and felt misplaced in the American school system. The longer Ramirez-Herrera lived in the United States, the more she felt like she was American. However, when her high school friends were applying to college, Ramirez-Herrera felt like an outcast once more — since DACA did not exist at the time, Ramirez-Herrera was ineligible for financial aid and scholarships. “It was really heartbreaking to feel like I was just my friends, but I wouldn’t be able to go to college,” Ramirez-Herrera said. Ramirez-Herrera struggled for years as a waitress and single mother living in Atlanta. Keeping up hope throughout her struggles, Ramirez-Herrera continued to remind herself, “My day will come.” Ramirez-Herrera started a YouTube channel, “SamOffThaRecord Experience,” and eventually rose to become an entrepreneur and filmmaker. Through her position as a filmmaker, Ramirez-Herrera has become involved in activist circles fighting to vocalize the experiences of vulnerable communities in the Unites States. “I have been in this position to elevate the experiences of communities that are marginalized and not visible,” Ramirez-Herrera said.
Inside Opinions 4 5 6 7 8
Inside Sports
Facebook group contributes to College’s stress culture
Rainy High 54, Low 40
Among her other accomplishments, including working alongside Gloria Steinem and former Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams, Ramirez-Herrera was also invited to be U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson’s guest at the 2019 State of the Union. “I was there taking up space with my brown self; my undocumented space,” Ramirez-Herrera said. Students rushed to take photos with RamirezHerrera after the event and described how the talk inspired them. Attendees, including Billy Bearden ’19, were affected by Ramirez-Herrera’s talk and reflected on how Dreamers Week had impacted them. “I can’t say that hearing people talk usually fills me with inspiration, at least not to this degree, but her words moved me deeply and filled my mind with not just the adversity which she has faced, but what we’re capable of,” Bearden said. “I came away from the event, organized by the ever-wonderful UndocuTribe, filled with hope and ideas for making the world better. Additionally, it speaks to the cruelty of the U.S. immigration system, how a settlercolonialist state can deny so many people humanity on stolen land.” Vitervo says that Dreamers Week is essential because it facilitates important conversations regarding immigration, and that the events all sought to restructure narratives about undocumented individuals. “The media is portraying immigrants and undocumented immigrants in a way that is very detrimental to our community, painting us as criminals, dehumanizing our experience,” Vitervo said. “There is a sector on our campus that does not believe what we believe, but we want them to be able to have these resources to come have the conversation with us. That is why we have this whole week.”
Anna Boustany ’21 discusses Swampy Memes, and describes how it can potentially influence student culture in a negative way and allow for more stress culture. page 6
Nathan Knight leaves Tribe football
Junior center Nathan Knight declares for NBA Draft, becoming final starter to leave program. Others include redshirt junior Matt Milon and junior Justin Pierce. page 8
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News Editor Heather Baier News Editor Leslie Davis News Editor Emma Ford
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The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Page 4
THE BUZZ
I do think that it’s important for people, no matter what the belief system is, to really look deep into the religious, the spiritual or philosophical tradition. Chances are that you’re going to find some common ground with love. — Selena Fox ‘71, renowned Wiccan priestess, discussing environmental and religious discrimination issues from the perspective of a Wiccan practitioner and as the co-executive director of the Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wisconsin
POLICE BEAT
March 27 - March 30
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Wednesday, March 27 — Two Faced: An incident of fraud was reported at York Street, Williamsburg.
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Friday, March 29 — Rowdy on Richmond: Murillo Jose Toledo was arrested on charges of Public Intoxication or Swearing at Richmond Road, Williamsburg.
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Friday, March 29 — A family affair: Susan Rachel Guthrie and Jose Luis Guevara were arrested on charges of assault and battery of a family member at the intersection of Scotland Street and Braxton Court.
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Saturday, March 30 — Deals and steals: Police responded to reports of larceny and shoplifiting at York Street. POLICE BEAT BY SARAH GREENBERG AND KARINA VIZZONI / NEWS ASSOC. EDITORS
A WEEK IN FLAT HAT HISTORY April 6, 2010 — News: After 16 months of deliberation, the College unveiled its new mascot in a public showcase in Kaplan Arena at William and Mary Hall — the griffin. Athletic director Terry Driscoll explained the decision to change mascots as the griffin represents strength and intelligence, two pillars of Tribe Athletics. The griffin was chosen over a pug, a wren, a king and queen and a phoenix. April 4, 2008 — Variety: Band Gym Class Heroes performed at Lake Matoaka after openers Tyga, KidZ in the Hall and I Am the Avalanche. Most notably, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes performed his cover of Britney Spears’ hit song “Gimme More.” March 31, 2006 — News: Former Flat Hat staff writer Ben Domenech resigned from the Washington Post, which had recently hired him to write the weblog “Red America” after allegations of plagiarism. In regard to his Flat Hat articles, he accused editors at the paper of editing his articles to sound like pieces written by others. March 31, 1995 — News: College seeks to improve registration by moving it online. Through the miracle of modern technology, students were then able to choose classes through an online system rather than choosing preferences during a month-long offline pre-registration process and hoping for the best. HISTORY BEAT BY GAVIN AQUIN / SPORTS EDITOR
CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
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COURTESY PHOTO / JERRY WATKINS
Visiting assistant professor Jerry Watkins III examines queer history in the South in his book “Queering the Redneck Riviera: Sexuality and the Rise of Florida Tourism.”
Uncovering queer history
Visiting Professor Jerry Watkins III describes his work on queer southern history WILLIAM ALLEN // FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER Sifting through countless records in the State Archives of Florida in Tallahassee, visiting assistant history professor Jerry Watkins III discovered how the closeted lives of countless Floridian gay men and women were exposed and ruined through a state probe. Watkins’ occupation as a historian of sexuality allows him to unravel the complex personal and emotional histories of the queer Southern experience. Since his time as an undergraduate at Georgia State University, Watkins’ research and work has focused on the history of sexuality and the untold experiences of queer individuals in the American South. In his office, Watkins displays his passion for the history of gay sexuality with items such as a large pin up of the ACT UP pink triangle poster, a James Baldwin candle and a poster for the play “Yank” — a love story about gay people during World War II. Watkins also collects unicorn “plushies” in his office and has a large velvet painting of a rainbow-colored unicorn on display in his home. “Me and my husband were at this thrift shop, and we saw two massive velvet paintings of unicorns,” Watkins said. “We were like, ‘We can’t leave two velvet paintings of unicorns in Alabama. It is our gay duty to possess these unicorns.’” Watkins moved from Panama City, Florida to Atlanta in the early 2000s to pursue his college degree at GSU while working full time as a first-generation college student. The transition from his small Florida town to a campus of about 30,000 students in midtown Atlanta took some getting used to. At first, Watkins planned on studying marketing until he had a change of heart. “I went back to a history major after I realized marketing was going to destroy my soul — no offense to marketing majors,” Watkins said. One history course in particular steered the course of Watkins’ academic interests and career away from marketing and towards history. “I took a history of sexuality course, Alicia Long’s history of sexuality course, early on in undergrad,” Watkins said. “That’s what told me that sex has a history; sexuality has a history, and that’s when I went, ‘Oh my God, that’s what I want to do.’” Watkins pursued his master’s degree in history at GSU. For his master’s thesis, Watkins focused on telling the sexual history of his hometown, Panama City. Watkins started his research at a local Panama City gay bar, the Fiesta, which later became the subject of his project. “I didn’t think anything gay ever happened there,” Watkins said. “In my young mind, the Fiesta looked like it had been built in the 80s, and nothing had ever happened there since. There were sort all of these old men around the bar, and I come to find out that they would be the coolest people ever.” While Watkins’ worked on his master’s thesis, he was introduced to Professor John Howard, a historian that focuses on Southern queer history. After a long talk in a London gay bar, Howard helped Watkins narrow down the
subject of his project to his hometown. When it came time to earn his Ph.D., Watkins applied to Kings College London to work with Howard. For his Ph.D., Watkins started his research for what would become his book, “Queering the Redneck Riviera: Sexuality and the Rise of Florida Tourism.” Published in May 2018, the book focuses on recounting the history of North Florida’s LGBTQ community. Starting from the aftermath of World War II, the book covers historical topics including Florida’s McCarthystyle, state-run investigative probe by the Florida Legislative Investigative Committee, known as the Johns Committee. The Johns Committee worked to expose the private lives of gays, arrest homosexuals to maintain public order and link homosexuality with mental illness and pedophilia. This effort continued until 1965, after their original mission of linking the NAACP to communists in the 1950s failed. A self-described “people’s historian,” Watkins’ research took him to record collections where the individual stories of homosexuals fit into broader historical narratives. Watkins’ research into archives containing documents, such as Johns Committee records, often exposed moments of extreme trauma experienced by LGBTQ individuals during their arrests — specifically on charges of crimes against nature — in public places like bus station bathrooms. “You look at the time these [interviews] that are taking place it’s like two in the morning,” Watkins said. “And it’s in the police station, and it’s clear that this person’s world is falling apart now. Sometimes, not a lot of emotion comes through, but putting yourself there as a human being, what must it have been like for you to be arrested in a public bathroom because for all the rest life of your life, you can’t be out. And, this is the only place you can go to meet other people like yourself, and now you’ve been arrested. And, you know the state is going to put your name in the paper, and you know your life is quite literally over now.” Watkins described his experience in the archives as extremely emotional as he read through the accounts of ruined lives.
“The number of times I’ve cried in the archive is weekly, just from the weight of those sort of realizations coming through those interviews,” Watkins said. Among the queer stories and history contained within his research, Watkin’s favorite source was one that did not make it into “Queering the Redneck Riviera.” The source is a letter written to California homophile magazine “One” from a gay man describing how he lied to get out of a mental institution treating him for homosexuality. “He wrote to ‘One’ magazine just being like, ‘So I heard about you guys while I was in the hospital. I’m gay now. What can you tell me?’” Watkins said. “He was requesting information, and [the letter] was a very rich description of what life looked like after [being in] a mental institution.” Other notable discoveries from Watkins’ research in North Florida included exceptional cases of gay openness in the South, such as at Emma Jones’ parties in Pensacola, Florida. “That shouldn’t have taken place,” Watkins said. “A giant gay beach party with 1,000 gay men, lesbians and drag queens on the beach in Pensacola in 1970. All of these incidents, that just as far I knew, just shouldn’t be.” Watkins is currently researching the history of gay drama. Watkins’ current research covers topics such as aids plays like Rebecca Ranson’s “Warren” and the importance of drama to the memorialization of the LGBTQ experience. Professor Watkins is also teaching a COLL 300 course on American Sexualities and will be teaching a class entitled “History on Stage” next semester. Watkins’ described some of his most rewarding and interesting findings while writing his book as the ones that exposed changes in the experiences of queer people over time and the historical struggles of LGBT life. “To think about how different my experiene was versus say your generation coming up was, and to think about how lonely and sad many of them were whenever they were writing these letters. I think that was probably the most touching experience.”
COURTESY PHOTO / JERRY WATKINS
Watkins focused his master’s thesis on the LGBTQ history of his hometown Panama City, Florida.
Page 5
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
ACADEMICS
Wiccan priestess discusses spirituality Selena Fox ’71 reminisces on college experience, gives pagan perspectives GAVIN AQUIN FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
March 27, students at the College of William and Mary attended a COLL 300 talk given by renowned Wiccan Priestess Selena Fox ’71. From her unique perspective of a Wiccan practitioner and the co-executive director of the Circle Sanctuary in Barneveld, Wisconsin, Fox’s talk focused primarily on issues of environmental protection and religious discrimination. College Theatre professor Elizabeth Wiley has been heavily influenced by Fox and extended her the invitation to speak at the COLL 300 lecture. “When Selena was a student at William and Mary, she was already planting the seeds that would then come into bloom her life,” Wiley said. “She was one of the founders of the first Earth Day in 1970. She is also among the founders of the first women’s equality groups on campus, so it was no surprise that in 1974 that she founded Circle Sanctuary, a nature spirituality church and preserve.” Wiley has seen Fox in many roles, including as the officiant in her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony. “Over the years I have witnessed her as [a] priestess, teacher, organiser, mentor and above all as [an] inspirer,” Wiley said. Following along with the COLL 300 curriculum’s theme of ceremony for the spring 2019 semester, Fox answered panel questions from students about how ceremony has touched her life. “Ceremony in my life began on this very campus,” Fox said. “… Every yuletide there is the campus yule log ceremony. In the summer of 1970, I had the opportunity with others to be part of this long-standing tradition and ceremony at the College.” As a Wiccan priestess, Fox is required to be the officiant of many ceremonies, but ceremony has not always occupied such a meaningful role in her life. For Fox, ceremony is inspired by ancient and classical cultures, some of which she studied as a student at the College. “I also created my very first public ceremony at the [College] ... Through my long-time interest in the classics,” Fox said. “I was president of Beta Sigma Phi as well as founder and president of the Classics Club. It is important to experience the classics through ceremony, not just reading or discussing it over tea ... With the full cooperation and participation of all the faculty ... we created and enacted a Rite of Spring.” Reflecting on her time at the College, Fox credits the inequities faced by women during her time in Williamsburg for inspiring her drive towards justice and equality. “In the fall of 1967, as a freshman on campus I got a copy of the ‘William and Mary Woman’ and I was told I had to read it, memorize it and be tested on it,” Fox said. “I read the book and I started to wonder if men had a similar book. I later found out they did not. We had all sorts of interesting rules.” Looking through the books, which can still be found in Special Collections at the Earl Gregg Swem Library, Fox realised that there were many discriminatory rules aimed at restricting the freedom of women on campus. “You couldn’t go walking in the woods without signed parental permission,” Fox said. “You couldn’t wear slacks. I lived on Chastity Row: Jefferson, Chandler, Barrett, Landrum. We would get locked up at 11 at night and periodically there would be fire drills. For fire safety? No, but to make sure we were there.” Eventually, Fox grew exasperated with what she saw as patronizing behaviour. “This experience pretty much radicalized me, I would say,” Fox said. “Only 25 percent of the campus was women and you had to be an A student to even get in here, but they were treating us like we were little kids and controlling us. What is wrong with this picture?” Fox decided to organize an administration-approved burning of the rulebooks in protest. Though not many women were brave enough yet to stand up to administration, many men expressed their solidarity by joining in the book burning. “After contemplating and reflecting, I thought we needed to do something,” Fox said. “Now, I love books. I would never think of harming a book, much less burning a book. But I thought this might be a bright way of expressing our concern. In fact, there was a great burning of ‘William and Mary Woman’ rulebooks.” Though Fox hasn’t always identified as a Wiccan, she has always seen herself as a nature practitioner — even when she was a Southern Baptist.
COURTESY PHOTO / WM. EDU
Selena Fox ‘71, renowned Wiccan priestess, highlighted the importance of ancient and classical cultures in ceremony at her COLL 300 talk at the Sadler Center.
She found ways to commune with nature and connects the content of the Gospels with her Wiccan faith. “I started my nature spirituality journey as a Southern Baptist and indeed, and though I honor many beliefs ... I would go out and commune with nature as a young child and saw no dissonance with that and my Southern Baptist practices,” Fox said. “In my Bible study, as I learned about Jesus having what I call his ‘40-day vision quest,’ I saw that same piece as being part of Christianity.” As a practitioner of nature, Fox sees it as important to have ceremonies which celebrate the order of nature. Consequently, she greets the day ceremonially no matter the weather condition. “One ceremony that I do personally every day is what I call ‘greet the day’ ceremony,” Fox said. “It happens in three places: when I awake I reflect on my dreams, and then I make my way to my home shrine and I do a focus and a prayer, and then I’m out the front door regardless of the weather ... and I literally greet the day.” For Fox, ceremony without community is meaningless. Without a community of people to commemorate or celebrate a ceremony, it’s difficult to create a lasting ceremony that can outlive the people who envisioned it. “Ceremony is about community,” Fox said. “It’s about having a community connect together as well as connect with the divine in whatever form that’s conceptualized. With the rise of international and interreligious collaboration and communication there has been an evolution of ceremony that can give expression to different forms of prayer.” As an activist for nature-based religions, Fox has pioneered the way for practitioners to be recognized by governments on federal and local levels. “I have worked with the U.S. Department of Defence and the Department of Veteran Affairs,” Fox said. “I have been an advisor to a lot of state organization and government agencies. I have helped revise the section on the Wiccan religion in the 1980s with the Pentagon for the army chaplain’s handbook.” Recognizing that sometimes people’s prejudices can only be swept aside with the threat of legal action, Fox gives credit to the legal teams — and the College — that have helped her push past discrimination that prevents recognition for pagans. “Sometimes it takes lawyering up to get action,” Fox said. “Working with the different branches of government and having first-hand opportunities to see government in action or not in action, I can say that it has helped to have some institutional background and a lot that understanding got its roots right here at William and Mary and some of it has come from my conservative upbringing.” Ultimately, Fox said she knows that anti-pagan discrimination has deep roots, especially in Christian-European influenced cultures which conflate nature practice with Satanic worship. “Not all people in the U.S. or on planet Earth are embracing of diversity
that includes nature spirituality,” Fox said. “There is some fear, there is some misinformation, there is some ignorance, there’s outright bigotry — and I’ve had a number of close encounters of the problematic kind.” Fox then harkened back to a similar college talk she was asked to give. Asked to speak to a government class, many people complained about her presence once it was made known she was a Wiccan, with the ultimate goal of silencing her. “I was speaking in a government class on civil rights and First Amendment rights and some people learned that I was also a pagan priestess and a nature spirituality minister and did not feel that I should be speaking there,” Fox said. “They created all sorts of ruckus and made phone calls to the head of the campus. Fortunately, I didn’t have to lawyer up. What was I speaking on in the government class? Persecution of pagans. I don’t think they even knew that, but clearly they proved the point.” Fox later remarked on the successes that her holistic healing has had when she would work with patients — as a response to some of the medical-related questions asked by students. “When I worked at a private, for-profit mental hospital, I proposed to the director of medical services that I be able to take the severely mentally ill people out to the grounds as part of the therapy,” Fox said. “No surprise, it boosted some wellness with them.” However, parts of Fox’s talk did not resonate well with audience members. Some saw Fox’s promotion of alternative medicines as a problematic gesture. “She mentioned that you could use herbs and medicine to have a holistic connection to medicine, but that’s like saying you could teach alchemy and chemistry alongside each other to have a holistic understanding of the elements,” Matthew Petit ’22 said. “I’m not convinced that you could combine the two.” In relation to religious pluralism, Fox urged audience members to look introspectively and examine their beliefs in relations to that of others and realize that everyone has more in common than they have differences. “I do think that it’s important for people no matter what the belief system is to really look deep into the religious, the spiritual or philosophical tradition,” Fox said. “Chances are that you’re going to find some common ground with love.” Along with finding religious common ground, Fox wants people to show compassion to others — especially in this current political climate. “We are in contentious times right now, but I’m truly hoping that good manners will re-emerge and prevail, honesty will prevail and that compassion and consideration will also become a thing,” Fox said.
CAMPUS
Lemon Project’s second ‘porch talk’ features Teresa Younger
Speaker discusses improving accessibility of feminist movement SARAH GREENBERG FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITOR
In their second Porch Talk of the spring semester, The Lemon Project: A Journey of Reconciliation hosted an informal panel where students and community members engaged in discussion with Ms. Foundation President and CEO Dr. Teresa C. Younger on her company’s efforts to promote gender equality across all racial and ethnic backgrounds. The talk was held in association with the College of William and Mary’s 100th Anniversary of Women Committee, the Africana studies department and Africana House. Younger began the panel by providing a brief background on her personal experiences working as an activist for gender and racial minorities in the private and public sectors. She also discussed the history of the Ms. Foundation and her role within the organization. As the United States’ oldest women’s foundation, the Ms. Foundation seeks to support and build the collective power of women by raising awareness on critical issues affecting women and advocating for women’s economic justice. More recently, the Ms. Foundation’s efforts have included a launch of campaigns funding investigations of sexual assault within the prison pipeline and various philanthropic endeavors to establish economic opportunities for low-income young women and girls. “The work of the Ms. Foundation is to amplify and lift up voices of women who are doing work on the
grassroots,” Younger said. “We believe 100 percent that women have the answers to help and heal their communities, and they need to be given the supports to make that happen.” In acknowledging the power of language in the feminist movement, Younger and the Ms. Foundation launched the #MyFeminism campaign. This multimedia campaign features a compilation of testimonials that reevaluate what it means be a part of the feminist movement. More specifically, it attempts to expand what it means to be a feminist, breaking out of the gender binary by defining feminism in an intersectional manner as “a social, political and economic equality of all genders.” These efforts are in acknowledgement of the movement’s historically limiting terminology that has had a tendency to exclude and alienate certain demographics, particularly those of minority genders, races and sexual-orientations, from participating or identifying as being a “feminist.” “Language is really important, and it carries a history with it, so what we said is that it’s not important whether or not you call yourself a feminist,” Younger said. “It is important whether you believe in the value of feminism.” Younger conceived the idea for this campaign after assuming her position as Ms. Foundation president and CEO. She realized that while she was well-acquainted with women’s issues and attitudes toward feminism at the local level, she was largely unfamiliar with perspectives at the national level. This prompted Younger to conduct a listening tour, in which she traveled across the country
educating herself on the current state of the feminist movement by asking a diverse range of people from various backgrounds and regions how they defined “feminism.” Furthermore, she inquired whether individuals classified themselves as a feminist and inquiring about the reason behind their hesitation to be labeled as one. “Men said to me, ‘You don’t want us in this movement.,’” Younger said. “Young women said, ‘You don’t listen to us.’ Trans folks said, ‘We don’t feel safe with you.’ Women of color said, ‘We don’t believe you actually want us there.’ Older white women said, ‘We don’t see a problem, why isn’t everybody a feminist.’ The list went on and on and on, and as we came out of that conversation, I realized that there was a need to define and use language more strategically.” In changing the language surrounding feminism and reevaluating how the movement is defined, Younger hopes to create a more inclusive environment by placing women of color at the movement’s forefront. She also aims to challenge the country’s historically exclusive philanthropic traditions; according to Younger, in the United States, less than seven percent of philanthropic dollars go to women and girls, only about four percent to African Americans and less than two percent to African American women and girls. “We specifically say that we center our work around women and girls of color as a point of inclusion and not as a point of exclusion, so really it opens up a conversation about … how do we define women of color,” Younger said. “… What does
inclusion look like, why has philanthropy been so white-male centric, patriarchal and capitalistic in its approach? How do we center the conversation and how do we challenge them to move more dollars?” Continuing to discuss the powerful implications of language used within female advocacy movements, Younger suggested that the language in the Equal Rights Amendment should be adapted to erase any unconscious bias contained within it to shift underlying national culture, narrative and policy. “You don’t have to straight out critique in a negative way our own history, you have to acknowledge what that history looks like and then engage in how to change it to make it more relevant today,” Younger said. Mya White ’21 found Younger’s perspective on feminism and the Ms. Foundation’s efforts to shift philanthropic efforts and make feminist discussion more inclusive enlightening. “Hearing [Dr. Younger] speak from her lens of feminism was completely different,” White said. “I think generally we see feminism under a lot of different guises, but here I was able to see it in a way that I could connect to.” Meg Jones ’22 similarly appreciated Younger’s perspective on feminism and her work at Ms. Foundation’s to extend the conversation. “I thought that this presentation was really important,” Jones said. “I think that a conversation on feminism is something that’s kind of always shadowed over and I think that she did a really fantastic job at displaying what she believes in and it was just inspiring.”
opinions
Opinions Editor Anna Boustany Opinions Editor Chloe Folmar fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Page 6
STAFF COLUMNS
Students divided over merits of Swampy Memes Meme page amplifies college stress culture Swampy Memes fosters positive connection
Anna Boustany
FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
I distinctly remember being introduced to the wondrously bizarre land that is “Swampy Memes for Twampy Teens” upon my arrival at the College of William and Mary. I wasn’t exactly sure what a college-specific meme page would look like, and ‘Swampy Memes’ has certainly been an experience. I quickly realized that ‘Swampy Memes’ was the way most of the student body stayed up to date about what was happening on campus. What I also noticed was that’Swampy Memes’ seemed to be a haven for the College’s infamous stress culture. Many of the postings that weren’t about relevant news were often about students posting about their stress and about how hard they were working. While I understand the need to vent about academics — or about life in general — there is a massive difference between discussing the woes of three midterms in one week to a friend, off-line, and posting it online for thousands of people to see. I do think that in recent months there has been an improvement in the general culture of ‘Swampy Memes.’ Beneath whatever complaint has been made in the original post, there are often recommendations being made on actions that can be taken to remedy whatever the student’s complaint. While not all situations are fixable — I’m looking at you, the great Housing Crisis of 2019 — I think the shift in attitude from simply complaining to also trying to find actionable solutions is an important one. I also think that ‘Swampy Memes’ is unique in
that it is where many students, myself included, get their news on what is happening on campus. However, as many big issues do get aggressively covered in ‘Swampy Memes’ content — again most recently the many housing issues — I think a lot of what is happening at the College goes unnoticed. Now, as a member of The Flat Hat, I am certainly biased, but many of our students’ accomplishments that are published in several places, not just The Flat Hat, go largely ignored because they are not being shared as memes. While again, I love spending time on ‘Swampy Memes,’ I think it is important to recognize that it is not the only place, or perhaps even the best place, to get information about what is happening on campus. I think it is incredibly important to recognize the very special space that ‘Swampy Memes’ fills at the College, and the wonderful art that is created specifically for it is, in fact, fantastic. But at the risk of sounding too much like your middle school teachers, what we put on the internet does have consequences. It is important to remember that ‘Swampy Memes’ is a big part of forming the College’s stress culture, and we ought to strive to be leaving a positive influence on the College. I am by no means telling anyone to stop complaining or creating memes if that makes them happy, but I think it is important to remember that our words and attitude do influence other people. Finally, I will say that despite my issues with the College’s meme page, I have also somehow joined Elitist Memes for Ivy League Teens despite not being a student at an Ivy League university, and our meme page is overall a much more enjoyable page with much better memes. So, let’s keep making memes about what’s happening and how we feel, but let’s also work on making ‘Swampy Memes’ — just like the rest of the College — a more positive, solution-seeking atmosphere. Email Anna Boustany at aeboustany@email.wm.edu.
GRAPHICS BY SISSI TANG AND HEADSHOTS BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT
GUEST COLUMN
Wrong attitudes disregard importance, impact of collegiate theater productions Andi Nealon
FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER
To everyone who just registered for a theater class next semester, be advised — it’s going to be harder than you think it is. If you signed up for Intro to Theater, Stage Lighting or Stagecraft, be prepared to work outside of class, and be prepared to not complain about it. I’m a theater major who has taken these classes, so let me give you the long and short explanations for it. Theater classes sometimes require manual labor as part of their syllabi. That’s normal for the theater world. There’s a lot of stuff that needs to get done, and we need hands to do it. If you don’t want those hands to be yours, don’t sign up. I know I sound a little confrontational, but hear me out. I’ve worked on a lot of productions in my time here, and every time I’ve heard someone in the theater class complaining about all the work they do, and I get it. It’s a lot of hard work, and sometimes it is physically taxing work. But as any theater industry professional will tell you, the best way to learn those skills is through repetition. You’re not going to learn anything about lighting unless you actually touch a light once in a while, nor will you figure out how to screw some wood together unless you actually do it. I’m continually baffled by people who sign up for theater classes with practical applications who think that it’s going to be an easy A, an easy GPA boost or an easy fulfillment to the COLL 200 requirement. While I am guilty of spewing nonsense in a theater class and expecting the professor
to accept it as a valid opinion, it’s not a constructive or useful course of action for any class. There has always been a trend in academia of believing that theater classes are easy, or that they don’t mean anything. However, anyone who devalues theater classes or brushes them off as blow-off classes is never allowed to watch a movie, see a play or listen to music ever again. If you don’t respect the craft, at least respect your fellow students. If you choose to take one of these classes, and on the first day, the professor lays out all of the expectations of outside work, and you still decide to take the class, and then proceed to complain about how much work you’re doing or call it “slave labor,” as I heard on student say during hanging lights, consider how much work you’re going to put it in your unpaid campaign internship this summer. Then stop complaining about your theater class. If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that the theater scene here actually does have an impact on students. People have continually told me since November how much they enjoyed Putnam, or how much they liked The Children’s Hour or The Drowsy Chaperone and more recently how much [title of show] meant to them. These are people I’ve never seen in a theater class or in the theater buildings, but we reached them. So, if you end up in one of these classes, and you don’t enjoy the work you’re doing, just remember that someone out there might be positively affected by the work you’re putting in, and they’ll appreciate it for a long time. Email Andi Nealon at adnealon@email.wm.edu.
However, anyone who devalues theater classes or brushes them off as blow-off classes is never allowed to watch a movie, see a play or listen to music ever again.
Lauren Cohen
FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOCIATE EDITOR
If you are a student here at the College of William and Mary who’s even a little bit hip, I know you’ve at least heard of the infamous Facebook group “Swampy Memes for Twampy Teens.” Personally, I joined this group the summer before I even got to the College, and at the time the memes meant nothing to me, as they were all inside jokes about life on campus. I was excited to get to school and see what they were all about, and the group has not disappointed during my time here. Although recently there has been discourse about ‘Swampy Memes’ and the idea that the memes within it encourage the stress culture that weighs down on students here on a daily basis, I see the group as quite the opposite. ‘Swampy Memes’ creates a space where students can express complaints in a not-so-serious way, start conversations among other students and find a little comic relief in our stressful everyday life. If you scroll through the most recent posts on ‘Swampy Memes’ at this given moment, you will see lots of memes about the Residence Life debacle, registration failures, Sodexo disappointments and the griffin statue. Even though a large percentage of the memes posted on the daily are some sort of negative commentary about issues on campus, I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. ‘Swampy Memes’ creates a low-pressure and accepting environment for students at the College to blow off some steam about their current frustrations. It is a low-stakes way to get feelings off your chest and, in turn, receive validation from students who feel the same way as you. In any area of my life, I am comforted when I know that people agree
with me and are experiencing the same feelings on an issue. Really, what’s the problem with gaining support from comments and the “haha” react button on Facebook? Another beneficial thing that ‘Swampy Memes’ has done for our campus is start meaningful conversations about controversial issues. In fact, members can even become “conversation starters” on the page if they consistently share content and comment on other people’s memes, a title that holds quite a bit of pride for a friend of mine who has received it. It can definitely be argued that ‘Swampy Memes’ isn’t the right platform for important conversations surrounding mental wellness and other issues on campus to take place, and I completely agree with that. However, I think it is a great place for these conversations to spark. If a meme gets posted about a specific issue and students gather in the comment section voicing similar opinions, you acquire a whole group of students come together. There’s power in numbers, and to make change around at the College, you need as many voices to be heard as you can get. ‘Swampy Memes’ is a good starting point for these groups. Lastly, here’s my favorite thing about ‘Swampy Memes’: it’s funny. Simple as that. I love the large variety of memes from students all over campus that are posted every day — it creates such a unique place for student expression and creativity. You’re bound to see at least one meme that makes you chuckle when you’re scrolling through during class — not that I would ever do that — or on a study break, and since the commentary is tailored to our own student body, most of the posts are hashtag relatable. Whenever I get a notification saying “a friend has tagged you in a post in ‘Swampy Memes for Twampy Teens,’ I know that it’ll give me a smile, and sometimes you need just that to get through a long study session at Swem or any particularly dreary day. Whether you think ‘Swampy Memes’ is helpful for students, you can’t deny it a little laugh every once in a while. Email Lauren Cohen at lhcohen01@email.wm.edu.
variety
Variety Editor Zoe Beardsley Variety Editor Adithi Ramakrishnan flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Page 7
A RTISTS S#A R P, ATTENdA N CE FLAT Spring concert presents impressive lineup of female performers despite low turnout
I arrived at Kaplan Arena 40 minutes before the start time of the 2019 Spring Concert put on by AMP and Student Assembly, my floor tickets screenshotted on my phone, for fear of arriving too late and missing a chance at the very front row. I felt the papery blue wristband press against my skin as I stepped into the venue, my eyes zeroing in on the front of the stage — only to find a handful of students mingling on the floor level while the seats in the general admission area were more empty than full. Shrugging, I worked my way to the center of the stage, and as the lights went down, I prepared myself for my very first frontrow concert experience, even if it seemed that most of the campus wasn’t in attendance. Suffice it to say, the experience delivered in full, even if the audience appeared to miss the mark. March 29, the Spring Concert boasted performances from soulful singer Ari Lennox, young pop sensation Daya and upbeat band Misterwives. All three groups gave it their all onstage, presenting powerful
ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN / THE FLAT HAT
performances that got the crowd both moving and moved. Lennox came onstage in a somewhat unassuming manner, her cheetah-print jacket hanging off her shoulders in a carefree fashion; her smooth, rich voice spoke volumes as to her talent as a singer and an artist. Lennox sang with a quiet confidence, swaying from side to side as her vibrato resonated throughout Kaplan Arena. While her songs had a slower beat and thus did not really get the crowd dancing, her ability to interact with the audience with charm and wit gave her set a special spark. Following Lennox’s opening number was 20-year-old Daya, who skipped onto the Kaplan stage with dark tinted glasses and a confident gait. Her personality struck a chord with those in attendance almost immediately, as she shyly asked the audience if anyone knew her personally since she’d grown up in Pittsburgh and shouted out her high school — then transitioned immediately to an impassioned performance of one of the songs from her 2017 album “Sit Still Look Pretty,” her conspiratorial smile transforming to match the emotions of the track. Daya performed her radio hits to pitch-perfect accuracy — the crowd’s energy heightened significantly for “Hideaway” and especially for her closing number “Don’t Let Me Down.” But the best moments from Daya’s set were the songs that weren’t as well known. Her performance of “Back to Me,” a song she’d written in high school, was soulful and bittersweet, done solely with piano and vocals, its simple brilliance and stunning delivery connecting instantly with the audience. Daya also performed a cover of Janelle Monae’s song “Make Me Feel,” adding a fresh color to the track while hitting every note. The singer’s strong stage presence, pitch and personality left many of her songs stuck in the heads of those in attendance — particularly her newest single “Insomnia” that she performed for the first time live on the Kaplan stage. Misterwives rounded out the Spring Concert with an exciting new energy and a flair for the unexpected. They filled the arena with an array of exciting instruments, from the drums and guitar to the trumpet and saxophone, as lead singer Mandy Lee skipped across the stage, interacting with each band member in turn while belting each catchy tune. Misterwives’ set had the crowd dancing, as each song had a fresh beat and hook that was impossible to sit through without at least some toe tapping. Their most well-known songs got the largest reaction from the audience, but Misterwives also premiered a brand-new song titled “Why Why Why” from their upcoming album that was easy to echo by the second or third chorus. Misterwives’ energy and their ability to play off of each other during each song was an instant hit; the camaraderie within the band shone through and made their set all the more appealing. The band tried to bring something new to their familiar songs: they added an extended percussive segment to their closing performance of “Our Own House” before proceeding to take a bow, thank the audience, and pretend to hide behind their drums in an attempt to end the show. Five seconds of silence later, lead singer Lee looked over at a fellow band member, mouthing to him “Are we done?” before the whole band launched into the song’s final chorus with passion, smiles dancing on their faces from their attempt at hoodwinking the audience. In between tracks, Lee spoke to how music transcends the mundane events of our lives and allows us to escape the hard times we endure by virtue of singing along to a song that we love. She mentioned that she was going through some of the hardest moments of her life in her adult years, but that the experience of performing with the band and with the crowd was like no other, and something that helped her get through the darker times. At the end of the day, regardless of concert attendance or turnout, that’s what matters most: the ability of music to unite a group of slightly sweaty, packed-together college students on a Friday night and encourage them to forget the exams and commitments waiting around the bend; to bring a group of people together for three hours
ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN / THE FLAT HAT
ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN // FLAT HAT VARIETY EDITOR
to do nothing more than watch, sing, dance, breathe and live. That’s exactly what the Spring Concert did: create an explosive and immersive memory — a secret, even — shared by the people lucky enough to be in attendance. I am so1 glad that I was one of them.
sports
Sports Editor Gavin Aquin Sports Editor Avery Lackner flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Page 8
MEN’S BASKETBALL
BASEBALL
Knight declares for NBA Draft Friday Retains NCAA eligibility, possible collegiate return AVERY LACKNER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
College sweeps UNCW JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Freshman infielder Hunter Hart tied Friday’s game in the seventh inning with an RBI single, and used a sacrifice bunt to move a runner along and eventually take a late lead.
College now sits second in conference, looks to playoffs JULIA STUMBAUGH FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER
as seven hits culminated in those five runs to push the Tribe into the lead. The Tribe added one more in the fourth off two walks to make the lead 6-0. The Seahawks cut into the advantage in the bottom of the frame William and Mary’s pitching shined this weekend in a clean three-game with a single run to make the score 6-1, but starting pitcher senior Bodie sweep of Colonial Athletic Association rival North Carolina-Wilmington, Sheehan was relentless, not letting the home team get any closer as he as the Tribe (19-7, 4-2 CAA) trounced the Seahawks (15-14, 3-3 CAA) in pitched seven innings while only allowing that single run, six hits and zero two close 3-2 wins and one 8-1 blowout in North Carolina. walks while striking out seven batters. Starting pitcher junior Wade Strain allowed only two hits through Senior pitcher Nick Butts then closed out the game with two hitless, four scoreless innings to start out Friday’s game, but it was the scoreless innings to keep the Seahawks at one while the Tribe added Seahawks who were first on the board as UNCW right fielder Kep two more runs in the eighth and ninth to make the final score an 8-1 Brown hit a homer to left field to put win. Sheehan would record the win to the home team ahead 1-0. improve his record to 3-0 on the season. GAME 1 However, the Tribe was only left Sunday, the Tribe closed out the behind for a single frame; freshman series with another close win. The infielder Hunter Hart tied the game in Tribe was again first on the board, the seventh frame with an RBI single putting up one run on a throwing error GAME 2 to score junior first baseman Matthew in the second and two more on a left Trehub and knot the score at 1-1. In the field error in the fourth. Meanwhile, next frame, the College snuck out to their starting pitcher freshman Zach first lead of the game when sophomore Tsakounis threw six scoreless innings, NORTH CAROLINA WILLIAM AND MARY infielder Matt McDermott was hit by a allowing only six hits, two walks and WILMINGTON GAME 3 TRIBE pitch and eventually sent home on an striking out four. SEAHAWKS RBI single by freshman outfielder Matt After holding the 3-0 lead for seven Thomas. The Seahawks immediately frames, the Tribe ran into trouble in tied it in the bottom of the inning, and the eighth when the relief pitching the game was sent into the ninth frame faltered, allowing two consecutive hits GRAPHIC BY: GAVIN AQUIN/FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR tied at 2-2. and a walk to load the bases. Junior COURTESY PHOTOS / TRIBE ATHLETICS, UNCWSPORTS.COM Pitching troubles in the ninth sunk pitcher Jamie Sara entered the game the Seahawks; Trehub reached first on a dropped third strike. Freshman and limited the damage to just two runs, but UNCW had managed to infielder Phil Conti was sent in to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt from Hart cut the lead to 3-2 and came within one run of the tying the contest. and an RBI single from McDermott then sent Conti home to claim a late It came down to Farrell to close it out. After his win Friday, he picked up ninth-inning 3-2 lead. the save Sunday with a three-strikeout, hitless inning to finish off the game Redshirt junior pitcher Chris Farrell then picked up the win on the and secure another 3-2 victory for the Tribe. mound with a clutch swinging strikeout in the bottom of the ninth to With the three-game sweep of the Seahawks this weekend, the strand a UNCW runner on third and claim the victory for the Tribe, 3-2. Tribe has already eclipsed its conference win total from last season, Saturday, in contrast to Friday’s last-minute victory, saw the winning when it went 3-21 in the conference. Now 4-2 in the CAA and sitting run scored in the early innings. The Tribe scored five runs over the first two at second place in the conference behind Elon, the team’s race to frames to surge out to a 5-0 lead over the Seahawks heading into the third. the playoffs will continue when they resume conference play next Thomas began the game with a lead-off single, and the line kept moving weekend, April 5, at Delaware.
3-2
8-1 3-2
TRACK AND FIELD
Tribe dominates at Raleigh Relays Numerous top-10 finishes mark successful outing against CAA rivals COLLIN ANDERSON THE FLAT HAT Over the weekend, the William and Mary men’s and women’s teams headed south to Raleigh, North Carolina for an early season test at the Raleigh Relays, hosted by North Carolina State. By far the biggest meet of the season, the College was in for a tough test this weekend. The meet featured several competitors, including in-state rivals George Mason and Virginia Tech, as well as several other top teams from across the country. The College sent several top-tier athletes to the meet, such as sophomore Miles Owens, last week’s Colonial Athletic Association Track Athlete of the Week and freshman Troy Yearwood the current reigning CAA Field Athlete of the Week. Friday, the Tribe’s distance runners toed the line for the men’s 5000m run. Senior Ryan McGorty ran a personal best of 14:10.78, likely putting him in position to qualify for the National Collegiate Athletic Association East Regional Meet in May. Freshman Evan Goodell also ran a personal best, running 14:40.59. In the 1500m, junior Charlotte Kowalk continued the personal
best trend, winning the sixth heat, with a blazing 4:32.02 time. Sophomore Lauren Finikiotis also ran a personal best in the same event, winning the fifth heat in a time of 4:35.72. Finishing off the impressive marks for the College was junior Olivia Paxton, who raced to an impressive third place in the open 10000m, running 34:56 for the 25-lap race. Overall, the distance runners showed up in Raleigh and provided some key performances that will be needed as the season rages on. In the throws, the Tribe picked up four top-15 finishes in the men’s discus, led by sophomore Kelly Cook, Jr., who recorded the first of three Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America Qualifiers with a throw of 50.14m. He was followed by sophomore Connor Scott, senior Preston Richardson and Yearwood. Cook, Jr. also finished in the top ten of the men’s shot put and men’s hammer throw, while junior Samantha Moravsky placed fifth in the women’s javelin with a throw of 44.73m. In the women’s pole vault, sophomore Taylor Jones finished in the top 15 with a mark of 3.65m while junior Grace Becker
finished fifth in the women’s high jump, continuing her strong season with a jump of 1.68m. The field events have carried the Tribe so far this season, as the College has earned IC4A qualifiers in many field events. Senior Brianna Miller, fresh off her school record in the triple jump last weekend, notched a pair of top-10 finishes in the long jump and triple jump, with performances of 5.60m and 11.77m, respectively. Thus, the Tribe recorded a plethora of impressive performances across the track and in the field, where the College finished with numerous top-10 marks. This meet will provide a stepping stone to bigger and more important meets later in the season. Next weekend, the teams will be back in action at Zable Stadium, as the College will host the 54th annual Colonial Relays. This meet is the nation’s largest regular season scored meet, and the action will continue from Thursday to Saturday. The meet will feature numerous top teams from across the NCAA. After that, both teams will head north to the nation’s capital, for a showdown at the Mason Spring Invitational April 13. Action will kick off this weekend Thursday at 4 p.m. inside Zable Stadium.
Junior center Nathan Knight announced March 29 that he was officially declaring for the 2019 National Basketball Association draft. Knight’s announcement marks the departure of William and Mary’s last starter from the program, with the others having entered the transfer pool en masse beginning with junior forward Justin Pierce March 16. In a statement posted to Instagram, Knight expressed his intention to retain his final year of National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility, should he want to return to school. “The College ... will always stay with me and I will consider returning after I have fully tested the waters and discovered all of my possible opportunities,” Knight wrote. Knight has been the bedrock of the basketball program for the past two years and is one of the best centers in the Colonial Athletic Association. He was one of just five finalists for the prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, which highlights centers who excel at their position on teams across the entire NCAA. During his time with the Tribe, Knight has racked up a series of records and awards; during his freshman season, he was named to the CAA All-Rookie team, and led the CAA in blocked shots per game, averaging 1.3. As a sophomore, Knight’s playing minutes increased drastically, and he rose to the challenge. Knight averaged 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game. He scored a career-high 31 points against eventual champion Charleston during the CAA tournament. Knight also earned nine double-doubles over the course of the year, the fourth highest in the CAA and 82nd in the nation. His numbers earned him a spot on the CAA All-Defensive Team as well as the AllCAA Second Team. In addition, Knight was named 2017-18 Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American by collegeinsider.com. Knight became a team captain his junior year and continued to flourish on the court, improving yet again from last season. Knight was once again named to the CAA All-Defensive Team, in addition to making the All-CAA First Team. He put up 21 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game. Knight became the first basketball player to average 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots per game since Tim Duncan’s 1996-97 season at Wake Forest. Additionally, Knight’s three consecutive 30-point games became a program record and boosted his scoring average to the highest seen by a member of the Tribe since 1968. Knight also increased his double-doubles to twelve on the season, the most since 1987-88. Knight’s role on the team was more than a collection of accolades, though. His hard work and dedication to the program were an example for younger, more inexperienced players like freshman guard Chase Audige. Knight also worked incredibly well with a pair of fellow juniors, forward Justin Pierce and redshirt guard Matt Milon. The trio fed off one another, creating plays for each other and scoring in critical moments. There is no doubt that the program will suffer when they go their separate ways next season. It’s unclear whether this mass exodus of basketball players is a result of head coach Tony Shaver’s firing after the Tribe was upset by Delaware in the first round of the CAA tournament. While the timing of the transfers may be closely tied to Shaver’s unexpected departure, the decision to declare for the draft isn’t something Knight would take lightly. Professional scouts have attended home games in Kaplan Arena multiple times this season, so Knight’s declaring for the draft may have been in the works for months prior to the season’s end. In any case, his decision leaves the Tribe’s starting lineup completely empty for next year and completes the collapse of one of the most promising rosters in the CAA. Even if the College somehow retains all its other starters despite the transfer pool, losing Knight will be a body blow for the program. His leadership combined with his scoring and playmaking ability were what the Tribe was built around. It remains to be seen whether Knight will be drafted, but if he withdraws his declaration before the draft he will retain his NCAA eligibility, though is still unknown whether or not he would choose to play his final year at the College.
JAMIE HOLT/ THE FLAT HAT
Nathan Knight’s departure spells doom for the College’s prospects.