VARIETY >> PAGE 5
SPORTS >> PAGE 7
The Global Film Festival kicks off with a double feature screening.
Flat Hat Sports Editor Jack Powers takes stock of the football program’s season.
Reborn but not rewarded
Michael Cera visits Williamsburg
ACADEMICS
One skipped class could cost up to
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The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
$110.36
Calculating the cost of classes at the College Each day, students at the College of William and Mary are faced with a choice: head to class or forego attending for an extra 50 minutes of sleep or an extra hour in Earl Gregg Swem Library. But those extra minutes in Swem or bed could cost up to $110 per skipped class. According to the Bursar’s Office’s data on undergraduate and graduate tuition rates, the cost of each credit hour is $325 for in-state undergraduates and $1,030 for outof-state undergraduates. For a typical three-credit class at the College, these costs mean that in-state students pay $975 for each course, while out-of-state students pay $3,090. In a 14-week semester, twice-a-week classes will meet 28 times, meaning the cost of each
STUDENT LIFE
Counseling Center sees about 1,500 each year BY KATHERINE CHIGLINSKY FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
See COUNSELING page 2
ABBY BOYLE / THE FLAT HAT
various tactics in the courses she teaches to encourage students to come to class. Lockwood’s main strategy, she said, is learning as many names as possible in each class, even in the 100-person course she is teaching this semester. Lockwood said she will also occasionally have unannounced participation activities, in which students will run through a quantitative problem, do a demo, or participate in a discussion. The activities are then graded based on effort. Like Lockwood, associate psychology professor Constance Pilkington does not opt to take attendance in her classes. Pilkington has taught introductory classes with up to 300 students, as well as upper-level courses, which she said tend to have between 16 and 45 students. On any given
Addressing mental health
See COST page 2
— Chrissy Sherman ’14 on the decision to skip class
class is about $34.82 for in-state students and $110.36 for out-ofstate students. Classes that meet three times a week will convene a total of 42 times, with each class costing approximately $23.21 for instate students and $73.57 for out-ofstate students. Faculty Director of Academic Advising and associate professor of geology Rowan Lockwood said that although she sees a correlation between high class attendance and exam scores, she views the decision to go to class as a student’s personal choice. “By the time a person gets to college, it’s really up to them,” Lockwood said. “I know that in the classes I teach, it’s really hard to skip class and do well on the exams, but I think that’s an individual’s choice.” Lockwood said that she does not take attendance, but employs
CAMPUS
day teaching either type of class, Pilkington said she thinks about 75 percent of her students are in attendance. “Of course I could take attendance and award points for that,” Pilkington said in an email. “But I am neither a high school teacher [nor] a parent. It’s the student’s job to attend class.” While Lockwood and Pilkington do not take attendance in their classes, University Registrar Sara Marchello said many faculty members do take roll regularly. However, they do not report the information to any central database, meaning the College does not have any data on how common skipping class may be. However, Lockwood said she does not think the College has
It’s a cost-benefit analysis in terms of what you can get done during that time.
BY ABBY BOYLE FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
Nearly 1,500 students filter into the Counseling Center at the College of William and Mary every year, according to Director Warrenetta Mann. The center, tucked in the hallways of Blow Memorial Hall, addresses primary concerns about the mental and emotional health of the more than 6,000 undergraduates at the College. Conversation about the treatment of mental health concerns has increased following the death of former student Austin “Gus” Deeds. His father, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, vowed to investigate the mental health system in Virginia after the incident that led to Gus’ death. Mann emphasized the difficulty with retrospective looks at the incident with Deeds, as the media only gets a glimpse into the intricacy of the issue due to confidentiality concerns. “First of all, this family, my heart goes out to them,” Mann said. “This is the saddest situation. From all appearances, this was a father doing his best to take care of his son. That is all we know for sure.” Mann agreed that leaders should address how we handle mental health concerns, supporting Creigh Deeds’ intention. “If we can come up with a good formula in Virginia and kind of take that to a national stage, I think that would be a Mann really good outcome for him and, I think, in honoring the memory of his son,” Mann said. Trained counselors work to address the needs of the nearly 1,500 students who visit the Counseling Center each year. But the Counseling Center can only help students once they or others recognize the need for help, Mann said. “My experience since I’ve been here, is that like any other over-achieving people, students at William and Mary are very hesitant to get other people involved,” Mann said. “I think students are just used to taking care of each other ... but I think sometimes it just delays students getting the help they need early on.” Mann noted that friends and peers are the biggest referral source for the center. Of the students who seek help at the Counseling Center, counselors suggest that about 40 students per year take a break from school, while another 20 students generally decide on their own to take a break from the College, Mann said. She explained that the school generally does not force
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Vol. 103, Iss. 25 | Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Flat Hat
CONSTRUCTION
CollegeCambio Campus construction finetunes frat houses relaunches site College makes changes to address problems in newly finished buildings
Network aims to connect campus
BY BAILEY KIRKPATRICK FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
BY ELEANOR LAMB FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The College of William and Mary expedited the completion of the new fraternity houses in order for students to move in for fall 2013. Due to the limited amount of available resources, completion of the fraternity community building was delayed to complete the residences on time. Unfortunately some residents have noticed problems with the daily function and construction of some of the buildings’ features. For example, within a few weeks of completion, there were reports of flooding in bathrooms due to malfunctioning shower drains. Campus construction follows the list of Standards for Accessible Design devised by the Department of Justice’s Americans with Disabilities Act. These standards guide building planning in order to make buildings accessible to all students, including those
During fall 2011, Joe Laresca ’15 and Matt Sniff ’15 launched CollegeCambio, an online marketplace designed by the then Yates-dwelling freshman hallmates exclusively for students at the College of William and Mary. Requiring an email.wm.edu address to join, the 2011 version of the site looked to expand to the original mission of Facebooklike status. Now, with its most recent re-launch, Laresca and Sniff increased the services provided by CollegeCambio beyond the original marketplace. “This year, it’s a full-fledged social network,” Laresca said. “[The site is] at a good place and close to being where we want it.” Originally, CollegeCambio served as an online marketplace where students could buy and sell used textbooks or dorm essentials as well as find and offer rides and other services students at the College may find necessary. However, the team wanted the See COLLEGECAMBIO page 3
Index News Insight News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7
ABBY BOYLE / THE FLAT HAT
Construction was completed on the fraternity houses at the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year.
with disabilities. To follow this code, the new fraternity house showers must drain outward into a drain placed length-wise at the outer edge
Inside OPINIONS
See CONSTRUCTION page 3
Inside VARIETY
Reform GERs
Compulsory survey courses have their place, but they shouldn’t extend past freshman year. page 4 Sunny High 59, Low 43
of each shower. The water from the shower curtain should drip directly into the drain,
Definitely not a drag
La Cage Aux Folles is a dynamic, moving production by William and Mary Theatre. page 6
newsinsight FLAT HAT FLASHBACK
News Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran fhnews@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, December 3, 2013 | Page 2
AROUND THE ‘BURG
“ENERGETIC CHEERLEADER PERKS UP ON PEP PILLS” On “From The Archives,” our new blog featuring stories from old issues of The Flat Hat, read about how 1962 cheerleader Carol Evans stayed so energetic through football games. Her method was more acceptable then than it is now.
A THOUSAND WORDS
COURTESY PHOTO / HAMPTONROADS.COM
Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe recently visited Williamsburg to speak with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and speak at the Williamsburg Lodge.
Settler’s Market to add new businesses
McAuliffe to speak at Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Settler’s Market will add three new businesses according to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily. New Concept Gifts plans to move to the recently constructed commercial complex from the Williamsburg Outlet Mall. Hi-Ho Silver, a local jewelry and gift store, will relocate from New Town early next year. Owner Leslie Sink says that she looks forward to the new, smaller space, located next to Noodles & Company. Pizzeria Marzano also opened in the same building as Noodles & Company.
Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe visited Williamsburg to speak with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, imploring the group to support his plan to expand Medicaid as a part of the Affordable Care Act, according to the Daily Press. McAuliffe, coming off his win over Ken Cuccinelli in the gubernatorial race, spoke at the Williamsburg Lodge, where the Chamber of Commerce had met. The new governor also spoke about the importance of community colleges and early childhood education.
State senator calls for recount Republican State Senator Mark Obenshain is calling for a recount in his race with Democratic state Senator Mark Herring for the Virginia Attorney General seat, according to the Daily Press. On Monday, the State Board of Elections declared Herring the winner by just 165 votes, 1,103,777 to 1,103,612. Normally, in such a case, the recount would be overseen by the chief judge of the Richmond Circuit Court, but Judge Bradley Cavedo recused himself from the case due to a personal connection to a candidate. The recount will now be supervised by circuit court Judge Beverely WSnukals. Two other selected judges will also oversee the recount.
James City County election still contested After a recount in the race for the Jamestown seat of the James City County Board of Supervisors, Republican Kevin Onizuk leads incumbent Democrat Jim Icenhour 2,677 to 2,647, according to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily. Still, a panel of three judges has to convene to officially declare a winner. Icenhour requested the recount on account of the suspected malfunctioning of a voting machine. Because he did not originally win the race, Icenhour will have to pay all fees associated with the process. Despite the recount, Onizuk recently released a statement about winning the seat on the James City County Board of Supervisors.
Skipping class costs students COST from page 1
LING BEISECKER / 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.
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a problem with student not attending classes. “I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised at student attendance in my own classes, even in the really big classes,” Lockwood said. “I offer a dinosaurs class with 150 people, and I usually have 90 percent attendance, and I’m very happy with that. I think William and Mary students in general tend to be really committed, really dedicated and enthusiastic.”
Lockwood said she finds it fascinating to watch how her students handle telling professors about their impending absences. Some will come in with notes or visit office hours, she said, while others will be perpetually absent and not say anything at all. Chrissy Sherman ’14 said she occasionally skips classes to catch up on other work. “It’s a cost-benefit analysis in terms of what you can get done during that time,” Sherman said. “Usually going to class is more valuable, but sometimes it’s more
beneficial to learn the material outside of class or to spend that time doing work.” Pilkington said that while students may have differing reasons for missing class, she views being in the classroom as key. “Even if you can get all the information from a textbook or your friend’s notes that is necessary to achieve your goal grade on an exam, you miss out on a critical element of a liberal arts education — the interaction between faculty and students,” Pilkington said. “That’s where you can learn to question and challenge in a productive way.”
Counselors address mental health COUNSELING from page 1
students to take a break, except in extreme cases where students might pose a threat to themselves or others. Counselors focus on evaluating each situation individually, taking into account the circumstances before suggesting a break. Students who withdraw from the College due to mental health concerns receive a medical withdrawal note on their transcripts with no specific details. Mann noted that students have expressed concern about the mark on their record for potential job interviews, but she stressed that acknowledging the incident and the fact that the student sought help can prove beneficial in the end. “It shows sound judgment; it shows your ability to get help when you need it and to be pro-active about things you need to do,” Mann said. “There’s a lot of experiences that go along with advocating for yourself and getting help that really speak to leadership and that I think make it valuable that a student can bring into a workplace.” Gus Deeds’ death has also raised concerns about hospitalization. According to Virginia
law, a person cannot be detained against their will under an emergency custody order for more than four to six hours while they undergo a mental health evaluation by a community services board. If the board determines that the person is in need of more care, they must find a psychiatric bed for the person at hospitals in the area. Once at a hospital, the person cannot be held for more than 48 to 72 hours against their will. According to reports, Rockbridge’s community services board released Gus because there were no psychiatric beds available. David Coe, executive director of Colonial Behavioral Health — the community board that services Williamsburg — noted that the board generally has no problem finding a bed for patients in this area of the state. The College works closely with Colonial Behavioral Health whenever a student is hospitalized, helping to provide information that leads to a more accurate assessment of the student’s health. “These are people we’re talking with at two or three in the morning so we have to kind of build a good relationship with them because it’s tough stuff,” Mann said. “Most of the crisis
stuff doesn’t happen conveniently during office hours.” Once a student is hospitalized, the College continues to maintain a role in the situation. With the introduction of a new position at the center, the mental health services coordinator, the center can send an employee to help students considering their options while in the hospital. The same employee also helps students as they consider returning to school after taking a break. “We try to be as helpful and supportive as we can,” Mann said. “This position has really allowed us to do that at a different level than we’ve been able to do before.” Describing the details of the Counseling Center’s services, Mann emphasized that any reform to mental health needs to coordinate all the groups addressing mental health. “I think it’s not limited to William and Mary and it’s not limited to Virginia,” Mann said. “I think a national profile for how we manage and deal with mental health issues is a dialogue that our society, our culture and our country needs to have. ... We say it’s a system but it’s really a bunch of different entities trying to do different things and plug up different holes.”
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Flat Hat
Page 3
BOARD OF VISITORS
Early decision record broken
Proposed “blitz diagnostic” will give time to brainstorm how to generate revenue with current model BY ZACH HARDY AND LINDSEY STROUD FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER AND STAFF
Friday’s early morning Board of Visitors meeting on strategic initiatives and new ventures discussed the College of William and Mary Promise and its implementation, a new business innovation project and early admission indications concerning the pool of applicants for the class of 2017. The proposed business innovation includes a “blitz diagnostic” beginning in fall 2013 which will spend eight to 10 weeks determining and working on areas in the current business model which have the greatest promise in generating revenue. One proposed initiative includes promoting the William and Mary brand with new college apparel and products. In January, Julie Summs ’92 will be hired as Director of Economic Development and Business Innovation to help lead the effort.
“This position is a catalyst that tries to stimulate activity around the university and the resources that we have … I think she’s going to do a great job and we’re delighted,” Vice President for Strategic Initiatives James Golden said. The review process for the diagnostic initiative will happen in March 2014, approving areas with the most promise by April. “The point of all of this is to use all of our resources to their optimal level … This is a multi-year, multiprong exercise … We want our operations to reflect the quality of our academic excellence,” Provost Michael Halleran said. Henry Broaddus, dean of admission and associate provost for enrollment, also updated the committee on admissions statistics for the class of 2017. The early decision acceptance rate rests at 37 percent for the class of 2017. The early decision pool was record-breaking, with over 1,200 applications, 800 of whom were in-state, exhibiting a growth in
Virginia-based applications compared to last year. Over 60 percent of early decision applicants are from Virginia, while about 40 percent of regular decision applicants are in-state for the class of 2017. Since 2009 the size of the out-of-state early decision applicant pool has decreased, but the regular decision pool has demonstrated steady growth. In state, on the other hand, has shown a 33 percent increase in the early decision applicant pool while the regular decision pool size has remained comparatively flat. Broaddus said the regular-decision wave of applicant will show how Virginia families are responding to the William and Mary Promise. “The real test of the William and Mary Promise … is going to be about yield this year,” Broaddus said. “Early decision can tell us something and certainly right now it can say it did not hurt us in-state in the early decision round and I think that’s very good news.”
ANNIE CURRAN / THE FLAT HAT
The Board of Visitors discussed applicant pool sizes during the Strategic Initiatives Committee.
BOARD OF VISITORS
Scott proposes new teaching initiatives Reveley stresses importance of financial contributions from community due to lack of state funding BY CAROL PENG THE FLAT HAT
The College of William and Mary’s Board of Visitors full board meeting commenced with board members mourning the recent loss of College community member Austin “Gus” Deeds before moving into BOV initiatives introduced at committee meetings occurring Nov. 20, 21 and Nov. 22. College Rector Todd Stottlemyer ’85 made an opening remark on student accomplishments in academics, athletics and service at the College. Specifically, Stottlemyer mentioned
the College’s 14 recent Fulbright scholars, its ranking as the No. 1 public university for students studying abroad according to the Institute of International Education’s 2013 report, and the College’s men’s cross country team’s 14th consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship and women’s cross country teams’ second consecutive CAA championship. “[Students] not only thrive here on campus, but also have exposure to the world,” Stottlemyer said. After Stottlemyer’s review of student activities, Vice Rector Robert E. Scott J.D. ’68 discussed the teaching and
research dimension of the College. Scott described the Arts and Sciences faculty committees as a unique quality of the College. “They are all at work in one way or another to have the best implement to enhance academic innovations ,” Scott said. Scott proposed possible ways for the Academic Affairs Commission to fulfill the College’s obligation as a leading university in undergraduate teaching. The proposal calls for two major initiatives designed to facilitate the teaching mission at the College without sacrificing its commitment to research.
College fixes frat houses Shower drainage, air conditioners demonstrated issues
BAILEY KIRKPATRICK / THE FLAT HAT
Construction of the fraternity community building was delayed to ensure the houses were completed on time.
CONSTRUCTION from page 1
but, due to improper measurements, the ADAcompliant shower benches were too long and pushed the curtains out past the drain, causing improper drainage. “In order to rectify this problem we have pulled the benches out of the showers and have smaller benches on hand if they are needed, as we have no students in wheelchairs currently living in the houses,” Wayne Boy, director of facilities planning, design and construction, said. “We have installed a rubber dam around the drains and have modified the drains so they could be more easily cleaned out. These modifications seem to have fixed the drainage problem and will be installed in all the houses.” The funding for these post-opening changes was taken from the original construction budget, which included excess funds for potential problems. Also, as a result of changes in ADA code, doorknobs can no longer be twist knobs and must be levers, since they ensure that doors are easier for all individuals to open. Only levers were installed in the new houses. However, some of the houses’ exterior front doors did not close completely due to weather stripping that was too thick. Troubleshooting with smaller stripping is complete and has rectified the problem. Boy also mentioned problems arose with the houses’ air conditioners and fireplaces. “There was nothing structurally wrong with the air conditioners that were installed. They were just not cleaned as thoroughly as they should have been the first time,” Boy said. “We just had them cleaned out to make sure all the construction dust was eliminated.” Additionally, Boy said fireplaces were never part of the design plan and that it was ultimately decided that the houses did not need fireplaces because their possible liability costs outweighed their aesthetic benefit. Alongside the construction of the houses, the
College consulted horticulturist Betsy Boykin. Boykin is a landscape architect who helps the College by traveling to nurseries, selecting the trees and directing the construction teams on proper planting times and techniques. Despite the minor problems, most residents are happy with their new homes. “The Fraternity community is truly appreciative of the new houses that the school has provided. They are a major upgrade on previous housing,” Jake Silver, vice-president of public relations for the InterFraternity Council, said in an email. “Understandably, new dorms and recent construction projects are going to have some issues that need to be worked out and they are being dealt with.” To complete the fraternity houses on time, work on the community building was delayed. “We pushed the construction of the community building back to complete the houses first,” Boy said. “Due to commissioning, we have to inspect materials before construction, inspect equipment before use, and then check the completed building in order to work through issues. This process takes quite awhile, which is why it has taken extra time to officially open the community building and to give Shylan [Scott, assistant director for fraternity and sorority housing] her apartment.” Scott now has an apartment in the community building. However, until the completion of the building, she lived in a rented trailer parked next to the building. “My ‘single’, aka my little trailer, has been just fine! In some ways I will be a little sad to see it go; it is a pretty unique experience,” Scott said in an email. “I’m excited about the fraternity and sorority community building and the myriad of ways chapters and the campus community will be able to use the space. It truly honors scholarship, leadership, service, and community, the values of fraternities and sororities and our William and Mary Community.”
The first initiative requires matching the teaching obligations of an individual faculty member with his or her current research productivity, which requires crediting invisible or less visible teaching outside of the classroom, as well as creating a flexible merit evaluation system to balance research and teaching obligations in personal cases. The second initiative recognizes critical teaching faculty — invigorating them to the governing structure of the varied schools, and, most importantly, providing a long-term career path for those who want to pursue full-time teaching careers. College President Taylor Reveley shed
light on strategic financial fundraising to better the functions of the College. The president discussed sources for financial support, given that less than 14 percent of the operating budget are provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Reveley stressed the importance of financial contributions as a joint effort of students, families and alumni. “We are going to build an extraordinary financial foundation for William and Mary and, if one group pops out, this is not going to work,” Reveley said. “We will spend wisely, as we will extract every essence of a dollar.”
Student founded site relaunches COLLEGECAMBIO from page 1
website to provide more services and, after it’s Nov. 20 re-launch, the website boasts open forums, anonymous discussion boards, a class and professor review system, forums for clubs and organizations to promote their events and a ride-arranging service For the re-launch, the duo split up the work — Laresca handled marketing and public relations and Sniff the website coding. A third teammate, Hareesh Nagaraj ’15, who also lived in Yates their freshman year, joined the team following the trio’s summer internship at Princeton University where some of them created a photography website, PhotoRankr. “We gained a lot of team chemistry very quickly,” Nagaraj said. Laresca and Sniff’s goal for CollegeCambio remains close to that of the original 2011 site: to link everyone on campus through a single online medium. The team felt that the College’s organizations were disjointed and that, if the community was connected through the same website, students would have a much better idea of what was going on. Laresca noticed that students tend to ignore the flyers stapled across campus bulletin boards and thought such information about events and campaigns would be more readily available if posted online. CollegeCambio previously re-launched in November 2012 to streamline the original features
and engage in an online marketing campaign to raise awareness. Since its release, 1,700 users have adopted CollegeCambio and about 1,100 of users registered in the first year of the site. The team is still trying to increase their users and active use of the site. According to Sniff, the difficulty has been getting people to use the website on a daily basis, rather than just joining. The team hope that CollegeCambio’s anonymous posting tool in their discussion boards will make people feel less polarized when they post and increase site traffic. “If we get students to use it, it’ll be invaluable,” Sniff said. “The fact that it’s students and not crosschecked with administration is a big deal.” Student Assembly Chief of Staff and another previous resident of Yates Hall Drew Wilke ’15 said CollegeCambio is a great idea, highlighting the differences between it and regular social media sites. To Wilke, CollegeCambio, unlike Facebook, is completely oriented toward the College student body. “It brings the community aspect together. It’s a lot easier to interact,” Wilke said. “If used, it can have a lot of impact.” The team plans to introduce their website to students at Stony Brook University and Princeton University. They have also received notice that several other Ivy League schools are interested in using their website.
RESIDENCE LIFE STUDENT STAFF SELECTION
Resident Assistant, Graduate Resident Assistant, Housing Assistant, Program Assistant, Head Resident, Complex Director, Hall Director http://www.wm.edu/offices/residencelife/employment/student/index.php
Apply Online: Now – Jan.13 (11:59pm) (Late applications will not be accepted)
opinions
Opinions Editor Zachary Frank Assoc. Opinions Editor Andrea Aron-Schiavone fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
EDITORIAL CARTOON
| Tuesday, December 3, 2013 | Page 4
STAFF EDITORIAL
Costly priorities
T
Don’t make English majors take calculus classes that stress quantitative reasoning fit some students better than others. Upon reaching college, students should know whether they are more fit for quantitative or qualitative reasoning. If I know that I want to write books for the rest of my life, then I should stock up on English courses. If I know that I want THE FLAT HAT to sell books for the rest of my life, then I should take business, statistics and calculus courses. Students are responsible for gaining knowledge necessary for their prospective futures. I still remember when a chemistry teacher in high school Required courses have a place, but that place is in told the class that English majors will probably never make compulsory public education, not higher education. Public any money, and I was quick to pin her as the sole fault of education’s purpose is to give students an idea of each of the modern education. Since then I have heard plenty of back and subjects so that they can sharpen specific skills in college. After forth between advocates of a science, technology, engineering all, college is a financial investment. Students put money in and mathematics (STEM) education and advocates of a full with the expectation that they will get money out in their future humanities education. GERs remind us that the College of William and Mary is a careers. It only makes sense that the courses a student pays for liberal arts college, but the significance of a liberal arts education in college are relevant to the career that they hope to have. I do not have a problem with taking GERs and survey is that students can take whatever courses they want. Students should not be required to take specific courses simply because courses as a freshman, as it is beneficial to experience a variety of subjects. However, if I decide a certain camp of thinkers values certain to major in English, I shouldn’t be skills over others. The College should limit Required course subjects using quantitative reasoning skills GERs so that they can be completed during have a place, but that place is in in my courses by the time I’m an students’ freshman year, allowing students compulsory public education, not upperclassman. Likewise, liberal arts to devote the remaining years entirely to colleges shouldn’t insist on shoving their selected majors. higher education. English down the throats of STEM majors. A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher What needs to change is the way that Education suggested that college students do not use enough quantitative reasoning skills in class. Obviously, these varied subjects are taught in middle and high school. STEM majors are exempt from this article’s observations. This Eventually students stop using what they learn in their daily lives article seems to be advocating for an across-the-board STEM and wonder, “When will I ever need to know this?” They raise a valid question that secondary education often fails to answer. education for college students. More emphasis should be placed on realistic applications of the STEM advocates often exaggerate the importance of skills students are learning. quantitative reasoning. I believe that quantitative reasoning Colleges are certainly doing us a favor by requiring a broad skills are necessary for advancements in technology, medicine range of courses in the first year and calling it a liberal arts and engineering but that is where their real relevance stops. education, but the emphasis on liberal arts needs to come Some people try to make a case that numbers matter in the daily earlier. Instead of students excelling at specific courses in high activities of everyone, regardless of their careers. I agree that I use school and then spending money on survey courses in college, basic arithmetic every day, but will I really use calculus in every education should be the other way around. possible career that I might choose? Doubtful. I do not mean to discredit education in STEM fields, but Email Stuart Mapes at smmapes@email.wm.edu.
Stuart Mapes
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COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT
STREET BEAT
For an in-state student, three credits cost $975 a semester. Does this change your perspective on attending class, and do you think it would change other students’ perspectives?
The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Abby Boyle, Matt Camarda, Katherine Chiglinsky, Meredith Ramey and Ellen Wexler. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.
“I think it should. It definitely inspires you to want to pay attention more to get more bang for your buck.” April Hardy ’14
“You’re paying for the class but you’re also paying for the professor’s knowledge. That [$975] dollars is a lot more of a motivator for an 8 a.m. class.” Lizzy Himes ’16
“I think it would make me value going to classes more and I assume it would be the same for others.” Luke Masse ’17
— PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS BY ANDREA ARON-SCHIAVONE
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This is awesome. great, light attention to the subject ... thanks!
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BY ALLISON HICKS, FLAT HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNER
he average three-credit class at the College of William and Mary costs $975 for in-state students and $3,090 for out-of-state students. Meeting three times per week, each session costs either $23.21 or $73.57, respectively. Students paying their way through college should not be told they must attend class, or at least use their time deliberately, but the rest of us could use a reminder every now and then. In an unstable economy, students need to keep in mind the cost of attending college. It is first and foremost an investment, not only in future employment, but also in character and identity. We need the tools and experiences the College provides us, and part of those experiences includes taking and attending classes. Of course, once we get to college, it immediately becomes our responsibility. Having autonomy means we get to make decisions — good or bad. If we are using this freedom correctly, it means we are learning how to prioritize. For example, attending class may not be a priority if you have a midterm the next period. Using the extra time to study will likely earn you a better grade. However, you will also miss a valuable lecture in another class, and you will be forced to obtain the notes elsewhere. Thus, your success is contingent on what you personally need to do, rather than what others expect you to do. We should, however, respect the effort that goes into those lectures — the ones we attend and the ones we miss. Just as we can spend weeks or even months studying and writing papers, so can professors on crafting their material. Professors must continually adjust and update for new students and ever-changing fields of knowledge; that is no small task. Missing their classes for no good reason wastes their time and is disrespectful to other students who, during registration, may have been shut out of a chance to hear those lectures. We should be mindful of how we use other people’s time, especially those working for our benefit. For what we are paying, we should expect quality from our professors. As we value the time commitment and funds expended for our education, so should our professors. In whatever class or subject, our professors’ work should reflect that. If nothing else, college, and the large sums of money we spend on it, should teach us to approach our lives with a sense of consequence. It matters the way we use others’ time and our own. Only briefly, we have access to so many classes that we cannot afford to take for granted. Maturing here requires prioritization, and that may mean forgoing class attendance every once in a while, but that should be to our ultimate benefit and not come at the expense of our education and our wallet. Abby Boyle recused herself from this staff editorial to remain unbiased in her reporting.
— Erin Caro Aguayo on “Do you feel dirty when they start talking cute?”
Thanks for the great article about the extremely funny and good Jigglypuff cartoons.
—The Overseer on “In the shadow of the Jigglypuff artist
Course evaluations could be a more reliable alternative to ratemyprofessor Wenqing Zhao THE FLAT HAT
There’s only one thing more stressful and painful for many of my freshman friends than registration: finding out the professors of their dream courses got negative reviews on www. ratemyprofessor.com. The College of William and Mary doesn’t release its course evaluation results to students, but it needs to. Without official data regarding the quality of courses, students hoping to learn about potential professors must refer to other resources, among which are those famous mood spoilers: rating websites. During the week of registration, I received several desperate phone calls from my friends. They had barely survived the registration for spring
semester, when they immediately found out that one of their professors got a horribly low score online. “Oh, that’s the class I wanted most! But with that score and those reviews online … should I drop the class?” I couldn’t even come up with a comforting sentiment because this double-edged sword of a dilemma was going to cut them one way or another. They had to either drop that dream course or endure a professor who didn’t seem like a good deal. But is that the only truth? What if the professors are actually much better than they seem online? Personally, I don’t believe in online professor ratings; in fact, I never use them as I make my course lists, which time and again is considered insane in the eyes of my friends. They always ask, “What if you run into a crazy critic who simply isn’t satisfied with anything you do?” Well, that argument seems a bit nonsensical to me. One of the biggest reasons I’m here is to study and have instructors enhance my abilities. What’s wrong with a professor with high
expectations, as long as he or she gives you great instructions and knowledge? I’ll be more than glad to see my tuition fees go to the right place, to see that professors are paying attention to me and to my education, rather than carelessly to some empty chairs. Apprehension about mediocre instructional quality, on the other hand, is the case worth discussing. Many people refer to online rating sites to learn the teaching quality of the professors because the college doesn’t release the results of course evaluations to students — or if the College does, students like me have no idea where the course evaluations from previous students are available. The National Survey of Student Engagement recently released a survey of students’ participation, stating, “Although about 9 in 10 students have completed an evaluation, only a third of freshmen and one-fifth of seniors said they use the forms when choosing courses.” Well, I don’t know the exact number of students who use the evaluation forms on our campus when choosing courses,
but as far as I know, such forms are not open to students, which is really a pity because course evaluation forms have much more reliable results than www.ratemyprofessor.com. Because the entire student body, rather than a small number of students, completed the evaluations, the results are more reliable and valuable to those students who are eager to know whether or not certain professors teach good courses. Even if that does not completely relieve my friends’ painful burdens of finding out how good their professors are, it can at least give them some valid data. So when the College urges students to complete the course evaluations and give feedback to professors, I sincerely hope the College will also remember that students need those previous course evaluations, too. With that information, students won’t need to go to rating websites and debate whether or not to trust those online reviews. Email Wenqing Zhao at wzhao01@ email.wm.edu.
GRAPHIC BY BRIAN KAO / THE FLAT HAT
variety
Variety Editor Áine Cain flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, December 3, 2013 | Page 5
LING BESEICKER / THE FLAT HAT
Actor Michael Cera and Chilean film director Sebastian Silva headlined the College of William and Mary’s Global Film Festival’s event, screening their two collaborative films “Magic Magic” and “Crystal Fairy & the MagicAL Cactus and 2012.”
Sebastian Silva, Michael Cera help kick off the Global Film Festival Chilean film director Sebastian Silva, wearing jeans, sneakers and a denim jacket, sat at a patio table at the Crust. It was a damp midnight, and the after party for the College of William and Mary’s Global Film Festival was in full swing. Alternating between drags of his cigarette and sips of his Busch Classic, Silva was holding court with a number of College students. Although, as he explained, it could just as easily not have been. “I was invited,” Silva said, explaining his appearance at the Global Film Festival. “I never heard of the existence of this place until I was invited.” Earlier in the evening, the festival had kicked off with a double feature at the Kimball Theatre. Playing to a soldout house, two of Silva’s films — “Magic Magic” and “Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus and 2012” — were screened. Before both films, episodes of the upcoming web series “Gringolandia” were shown. After the screening, Silva, editor Sofia Subercaseaux and actor
Michael Cera — who starred in both films — held a question and answer session with the audience. Pointing to his red T-shirt, the text of which read “Williamsburg, VA,” Cera revealed that, much like his director, he had been unaware of Williamsburg’s existence. “I bought this shirt in Toronto at a thrift store,” Cera said. “I didn’t know it was a real place.” One member of the audience asked if there were any more Silva-Cera projects in the works. Cera fielded the question. “Sebastian wants to do a play where I’m a lesbian and you see my vagina,” Cera said. There was no indication that he was joking. Despite rumors that he might make an appearance, Cera was not to be found at the Crust after the screening. During an intermission held between the two films, moviegoers milled around the Kimball’s lobby, jostling and vying for the food. Chilean hot dogs — a gustatory reference to “Gringolandia” — were being served for dinner, and one floor above the lobby, festival workers were hurrying to make
sure the food got onto trays. One such worker was Alana Wildermuth ’12, an alumna of the College who majored in film studies. Wildermuth says that, for the film students, the Global Film Festival is just as important as the kickoff of the football season. “The graduated film majors who don’t go to Homecoming usually come to the film festival,” Wildermuth said. “I miss this about William and Mary.” Wildermuth currently works for
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Sebastian wants to do a play where I’m a lesbian and you see my vagina. — Michael Cera
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BY ZACHARY FRANK FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
WAVY-TV, a local television news station. In January she will be moving to Los Angeles, where she hopes to move away from the news industry. She wants to get more film work, hopefully as an editor.
“I’m hoping to do something more film-y, less news-y,” Wildermuth said. Wildermuth may be an alumna, but many of the festival workers are current college students enrolled in the Global Film Festival class, which is offered through the film studies program. Film major Michael Burrows ’16 is enrolled in the class, although he isn’t new to festival proceedings. During time spent in Ireland this past summer, Burrows attended the Galway Film Fleadh — a film festival held in Galway, Ireland. Although only a sophomore at the College, Burrows knows that he wants to pursue a career in film. He claims that working on the Global Film Festival has allowed him to explore his options within film. “I’ve always thought director, but come to think of it … I’ve gained a new respect for the film festival process,” Burrows said. In preparation for the festival, the students in the Global Film Festival class see a film every week and write a review of it. Burroughs believes that this process has given him more of a critical eye for film.
“It’s sharpened my review skills,” Burroughs said. “When you’re programming for a film festival, a review is not just ‘Did I like it?’ but ‘Will Williamsburg like it?’” Burroughs is currently acting in a film that is being directed by Chad Kotz ’14, a classmate in the film festival class. At the after party, Kotz was acting as the Global Film Festival’s photographer, but when he isn’t busy taking pictures of partygoers, Kotz is an award-winning filmmaker, co-directing films such as “Anna Walks In,” which recently won the James River Film Festival. Kotz is slated to graduate in January, and is currently enrolled exclusively in film classes. His previous two semesters were just as film-oriented; Kotz took 10 film classes during the last academic year. “I’d love to start a film company,” Kotz said. At his table at the Crust, Silva rated his time in Williamsburg a 7.6 out of 10, but he found that he had to defend himself to an incredulous student, sitting nearby. “7.6 is a lot,” Silva said.
Campus Kitchens’ mission: Save Thanksgiving
Student organization fights hunger, bonds with local communities at annual food drive
BY SANG HYUN PARK THE FLAT HAT
No stomach in Williamsburg was left behind on Thanksgiving. Once again, the Campus Kitchen had everyone covered. The College of William and Mary’s chapter of the Campus Kitchen served a bountiful Thanksgiving meal Tuesday for those who could not afford it. Stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and more were up for grabs at the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church. The Blayton Dinner was served for approximately 40 to 50 people. In the days prior to the event, Campus Kitchen members also handed out meal packages including turkeys and green beans to those who requested delivery. “It is a great community event that I enjoy being part of,” Campus Kitchen Education and Programming Co-Chair Colin McDonald ’15 said. “Every Blayton Dinner is great for the opportunity
to eat with the residents who really enjoy the company.” This was no new endeavor for the Campus Kitchen. As an affiliate of the national Campus Kitchens Project, the organization has worked to combat hunger and meet nutritional needs in the community for the past five years, delivering meals to nearly 200 food-insecure residents each week. Piecing these deliveries together has been no easy feat for the volunteers behind the scenes. For “Turkeypalooza” alone, students raised more than $500 to meet their goals. Volunteers spent hours in the kitchen preparing the food; delivering the food presented its own challenge. “The turkeys are a little bit heavy, trust me,” Public Relations Chair Anne Hefele ’15 said. “They’re frozen, so they’re like giant 10 to 15 pound bricks.” Other organizations were there to lend a helping hand. The Black Law Association helped run food
drives for the past few weeks of deliveries. The Williamsburg Presbyterian Church also helped by allowing Campus Kitchen members to use their kitchen not only for this special occasion but for other activities in the program. “We love their involvement and help,” Hefele said. “We’re grateful that they let us use the kitchen because it’s not only where we cook but also where we store food and where our mentoring takes place.” For Campus Kitchen, handing out food is simply a means and not an end for helping the community. The organization strives for a closer relationship with those in the community who can use a bit of help. “I feel like it’s better to deliver rather than having them come to you because you actually get to see where they live and how they live,” Hefele said. “What I liked about it was that it led to personal connections.” Campus Kitchen also runs Fun at Five, a
mentoring program for children meant to encourage personal connections between College students and the children from the neighborhoods that primarily receive deliveries. Education and Programming Chair Lauren Hong ’14 said that forging relationships with these communities has made the experience meaningful. “I got to know a lot of families in the neighborhood and see their struggles, their joys, and help break down the barriers for what we wanted to do,” Hong said. “By us being there, we showed that we’re not just giving handouts, but we’re also here to help them whatever way we can and encourage them.” The efforts of Campus Kitchen volunteers have not gone unnoticed. Last year, the group was awarded the governor’s service award in recognition of its contributions to the community. “It was good to see that what we’re doing in the community is actually making enough of a difference to be recognized,” Hefele said.
Page 7 Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Flat Hat
Page 6
KAYLA SHARPE // THE FLAT HAT
Enter into a fantastic world of thrills and lights. A world of divas, dance and just a bit of sass. Here you will be shocked and awed by William and Mary Theatre’s production of “La Cage Aux Folles.” ALL PHOTOS BY AUDREY KRIVA/ THE FLAT HAT
The William and Mary Theatre’s recent production of “La Cage Aux Folles” featured a cast that demonstrated excellent chemistry. Lead actor Kevin Place ‘14 demonstrated great ability and versatility in a particularly challenging and complex role.
Performers shine in drag-centric production “La Cage Aux Folles” Premiering on Broadway in 1983, “La Cage Aux Folles” has been nominated for nine Tony Awards and has won six, including “Best Musical.” The show takes place in La Cage Aux Folles, a French drag club owned by the illustrious George — played by Kevin Place ’14 — and his “wife” and star attraction Albin played by Andrew Perry ’16. However, when the gay couple’s straight son Jean-Michel — played by Will Hart ’16 — wishes to bring home his fiance and her very conservative parents, George is torn between the prospect of letting down his only child or abandoning the man with whom he has made a home. William and Mary Theatre’s cast put on an impressive show with all the glam and sass that a troupe of drag queens could ever dream of. Although some scenes lacked energy or didn’t quite reach their potential, the drama, wit and dynamism was fittingly over the top. The show’s ensemble, Les Cagelles, portrayed extreme dedication and
commitment. Despite its low volume during certain numbers, the ensemble humored the crowd with its distinctive character choices, especially those of the male actors dressing as drag queens. Dance numbers choreographed by dance professor Denise Damon Wade featured impressive acrobatics, lifts and can-can lines. A highlight of the show was “The Best of Times,” in which the entire cast displayed its chemistry and overall strength. Place demonstrated great versatility as a character torn between acting as a business owner, father and husband. His strong back-and-forth banter between other actors built strong cohesion amongst the cast. Both he and Perry excelled at interacting with the audience; Perry showcased great inflections with just a dash of wry humor. The poignancy and emotion of “I Am What I Am” summed up the show’s main theme of being true to one’s self without fear of shame or ridicule.
One of the show’s strongest vocalists was certainly Hart, whose range and distinct transitions between serious and comical highlighted several numbers such as “With Anne on My Arm.” A standout performance came from Keaton O’Neal Hillman ’16 as Jacob, whose vibrancy and perfect on-stage balance with the other actors created many comical moments. The show’s set was electrifying as well as diverse — audiences were convincingly transported from a sultry club to a romantic boardwalk along the French Riviera. The orchestra, conducted by Gary L. Green, handled the complex score with ease but slightly overpowered the ensemble at times. Lengthy scene changes greatly detracted from the show’s momentum, but effective use of spotlights helped smooth changes of focus and transitions from interior to exterior. The production included many lavish costumes and wigs which all fit
neatly into the spectacle. In some cases, makeup left actors looking washed-out and pale. However, the drag makeup was executed skillfully. In all, the cast of “La Cage Aux Folles” took on a very challenging production with aplomb, even though certain
Andrew Perry ‘16 plays Albin, George’s drag queen wife and La Cage Aux Folles’ star performer.
CONFUSION CORNER
Broke for the holidays?
Embrace your inner Pretty Woman and be an escort for Christmas cash
Zoe Johnson
Confusion Corner Columnist
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, would you please put a penny in the old man’s hat? What’s that you say? You don’t have a penny? Sorry, old man, we’re college students here. If you search for the word “broke” in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, you’ll see a picture of my smiling face. Hello! Hanukkah is here, Christmas is coming, and even if you don’t celebrate either, undoubtedly your wallet is still crying because life is happening, and it stops for no one. Printing fees? Yes, add them up because I refuse to read 50 pages on the theory of bodies in cities — literary and cultural studies major, don’t ask — on my computer screen. Food at Wawa? Absolutely. Who can survive off of 10 meals a week at the Sadler Center? I’m not a Muppet; I need to eat. These things are not unreasonable for me to buy, but they can certainly be pricey.
How can we spend money without completely breaking bank? How do we, to quote the great 50 “Fiddy” Cent, forget about the haters and stack our paper? I have come up with four easy and reasonable ways to acquire more money before the end of the year. Let’s call the list “Four Easy and Reasonable Ways to Acquire More Money Before the End of the Year.” Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. 1) Sell your eggs: Not the ones from chickens in your fridge, the ones that grow inside of you. This one is for females or males who know very generous females. It’s a simple concept. You’re not using them at this very second, and there is a large, bustling market of people who want and need your eggs. Don’t ask questions; just get the money you deserve. 2) Sell your homework: There is no honor code on the streets. We are students and therefore automatically intelligent. Our super brains are pushing out advanced thoughts by the second. Immanuel Kant was an important philosopher. Boom. I told you, these thoughts just flow out of us. Remember high school? What a walk in the park. It
would take some of us 10 minutes to write at a high school level. At the next Model UN convention on campus, I say we seize the opportunity to meet some desperate high school students. 3) Adult-sit: Similar to baby-sitting, but it involves no babies, toddlers or overprotective parents. This is adult-sitting. It’s a non-sexual escort service. Are you still with me? Stop complaining that you do not have any friends; that is nonsense. Older adults will quite literally pay for your companionship. To the movies, to the mall, to Wawa, for a walk around safe neighborhoods — do not sweat the details, just know that it is hard to make friends as an older adult. It’s actually downright awkward. The directness of adultsitting is perfect. You need friendship; I need money. Everyone sign up today. 4) Get a job: Just joshing you! “Get a job.” What a slippery phrase. People just throw it around all willy nilly as if there is a magical job generator. One job, please! If I could order up a job the way I order sandwiches at Wawa, there would not be a problem. There’s also the issue of not
aspects lacked conviction or energy. This complex story about love, family, commitment and respect transcends many boundaries to prove once and for all that even though no family is the same and the term “traditional” may change, love is eternal and family is forever.
having time in the day to look for a job, or even time to show up and behave rationally at work. That’s asking a lot from a student. We cannot just “get jobs.” We need to find a way and that’s not it. Do not get a job; find alternative sources of income. If you’re a person, money will be an issue for the rest of your life. It is obnoxious that we have so many incredible opportunities available to us as college students that we cannot always take advantage of because we’re sorely lacking in the monetary department. Try to stay calm; if there is one issue that unites the majority of the world, it’s the fact that we all are in desperate need of money. Try to tap into the widespread community appeal in that fact. You can use my alternative list, or don’t — it’s your choice, but I know some lucky lady will soon have my eggs, and I’ll be sporting a gorgeous, brand new jacket. ‘Tis the season for pea coats. Zoe Johnson is a Confusion Corner Columnist and is sporting some mint condition eggs and a solid B+ paper on Kant — going once, twice — sold to the lady in the lovely pea coat.
Journalistic journey
From The Flat Hat to The Washington Post BY ARIEL COHEN FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
Washington Post reporter Steve Vogel ’82 got his start writing about stolen cacti in Millington Hall. Now, three decades after leaving The Flat Hat office in the Campus Center basement, the College of William and Mary alumnus found himself in another basement. This time he was in Early Gregg Swem Library, talking about his most recently published historical fiction novel, “Through the Perilous Fight.” The former government major is now a reporter for the national staff of the Post, covering the federal government as well as military and veteran affairs. “Through the Perilous Fight” tells the story of the British Invasion of the Chesapeake in 1814. Vogel’s first novel, “The Pentagon: A History,” was inspired by his time reporting on the U.S. Department of Defense and the Pentagon. “I’m attracted to telling stories, stories that people have kind of forgotten,” Vogel said. “The Pentagon was one, and this is another.” While at the College, Vogel wrote for The Flat Hat, was an active member of the Sigma Pi Fraternity and played for the men’s rugby team. Outside of his major, Vogel took numerous classes in English and history. He also fondly recalled one particular non-fiction seminar in the English department as helping him prepare for his journalism career. “I think that, as a reporter, I was really lucky to have a liberal arts education where I got to learn about everything,” Vogel said. “In a lot of reporting it helps to have a background in history, economics [and] science. To know a little bit about a lot of things has been very helpful.” The College does not offer communications or journalism majors, so any student who wishes to enter the media must learn skills from other news outlets. “Because there wasn’t a journalism program at the College, I took a few classes in the English department, and that gave me a good foundation.” Vogel said. “Most of what I’ve learned about journalism was on the job.” After graduation, Vogel went on to work for a local newspaper in the greater Washington, D.C. area. From 1989-1994 Vogel wrote overseas, covering the fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War as well as U.S. military operations in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Rwanda. After coming back to the States, Vogel reported on defense for The Washington Post, covering the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon. Today, Vogel focuses on veterans’ affairs, especially returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
sports
Sports Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, December 3, 2013 | Page 7
COMMENTARY
Unfulfilled promise College ends season empty handed, no post-season play
Jack Powers
Flat Hat Sports editor
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
ONLINE
FH
Flat Hat Sports Editor Chris Weber takes stock of all the fall season’s programs, from the men’s soccer program’s run into the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament to seniors Maria Belaya and Jeltje Looman’s title defense to a historic hole-in-one. Find the recaps on Flathatnews.com.
We’ll always have those three glorious games. Those three games against three nationally ranked Colonial Athletic Association opponents — James Madison, New Hampshire and Delaware — that William and Mary made look like open-note exams. Those three games when opposing offenses couldn’t touch the end zone with a 100-yard pole. Those three games when the receiving corps could seemingly catch anything thrown in its direction, or at least its general vicinity. After those three games, it felt like the Tribe could do anything, beat anyone. How did those games turn into a season-ending 31-20 shellacking at the hands of a middling team like the Richmond Spiders? The simple fact of those three games is that a team who will be watching the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs at home this winter won them. The vicious shifts of sport were never captured more acutely than with the College’s 2013 season. Compare the first half of the season-opening West Virginia game with the last half of the Richmond game and you will be perplexed, left searching for similarities. It’s easy to forget that this program went 2-9 last season and lost newlyminted Dallas Cowboy B.W.. Webb ’12 in the offseason. Don’t let the debacle in Richmond overwhelm the progress
that the program made this season. The 2013 team restored the swagger of Tribe football. At the start of the season, I picked the College to do no better than .500 — and even that seemed optimistic coming on the heels of two dreadful campaigns. The Tribe’s 7-5 overall record may not seem impressive for fans looking back five years from now, but, digging a little deeper, they’ll see a team that was competitive throughout. With the exception of the doldrums at Maine and Richmond, every loss could have gone the other way, while each win was resounding and by at least 10 points. Some may quibble about specific play-calls, but head coach Jimmye Laycock and his staff deserves credit for their body of work this season. Most Saturdays, the Tribe looked like a team full of players who were conscious of their roles and intent on the win. The breakout of a skill-position star, like sophomore running back Mikal Abdul-Saboor, may have come down to maturation more than mentoring, but surely the relatively inexperienced offensive line in front of Abdul-Saboor benefitted from intense instruction and preparation. Moreover, it takes serious leadership to mold an amorphous group of eleven players into a defense that was downright scary. Defensive coordinator Scott Boone, along with seniors safety Jerome Couplin, cornerback Ryan Smith, linebacker Quincey September, lineman Bryan Stinnie and lineman George Beerhalter, instilled a give-no-ground mentality that sent opposing offenses running the other way, as Delaware’s negative 35 yards rushing attests. Ultimately the Tribe couldn’t overcome one fatal flaw: the quarterback
position. Seniors Michael Graham and Brent Caprio carried the burden of the position. Each battled through injuries and showed promise in turn, but failed to stimulate an elite group of receivers with consistently accurate passes. The College’s offense relied on a bruising rushing attack led by AbdulSaboor, while Graham and Caprio made token passes to keep opposing defense uncertain. This combination worked until the College’s rushing attack collapsed in the thick of CAA play. The Tribe closed out the year with two straight losses against Towson and Richmond, totaling 108 yards on 33 carries and 56 yards on 22 carries, respectively. The passing attack was finally put on center stage, and it didn’t deliver. The College converted just nine of 24 third down conversions over its final two games, not good enough to keep pace with upper-echelon CAA offenses. To accomplish its goal of reaching the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2010, all the Tribe had to do in its final game was beat a team that came in as one of the CAA’s bottom dwellers. Of course, the Spiders played excellently, but the Tribe surely did not. The 31-20 final score hardly represented how lopsided the match was. After the final whistle at Robins Stadium in Richmond, Tribe fans left wondering what accounted for the gulf between the unflagging promise of the team and its bitter end. Still, fans can hold on to those three straight matchups where the Tribe imposed its will on top teams. While the Tribe won’t be able to prove its potential again this season, FCS playoff teams should be thankful for the College’s absence. After two years in the wilderness, it feels good to have the real Tribe back.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Prewitt drops career-high 24 points in third consecutive win
College finishes No. 12 at NCAA meet
BY YONNIE IYOB FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
Tribe outlasts Howard, 84-79 Balouris leads Tribe Coming off an 84-point performance against Virginia Military Institute, William and Mary (4-3) had five players score in double figures as it defeated Howard (2-7) 84-79 in overtime. Freshman forward Omar Prewitt’s impressive freshman season continued with a career-high and game-high 24 points off the bench, scoring 10 of his points in the decisive overtime period. The Tribe won despite Bison forward Emannuel Okoro’s 40-point night. Okoro shot 15-19 from the field, while getting to the line 10 times and converting nine free throws. No individual player had scored 40 points against the College since East Carolina’s Anton Gill in 1994. On the flip side, Prewitt went 5-10 from the field and 2-5 from threepoint range. Prewitt’s most impressive statistic was his game-high 13 free-throw attempts, of which he converted 12. Prewitt is now the Tribe’s second leading scorer with 15.9 points per game, all while also shooting a hot 47.2 percent from behind the line. The Tribe’s offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting 52 percent (26-50) from the floor while Prewitt sprinkling in 11 three-pointers. The College also went 21-28 from the free-throw line and distributed 17 assists on 26 made field goals. Alhough the Bison dominated the paint, outscoring the College 36-24, the Tribe’s bench-committee of one, Prewitt, came up big by outscoring Howard’s bench 24-7. Senior forward Kyle Gaillard scored a season-high 16 points, all in the second half. Fellow senior forward Tim Rusthoven threw in 15 points, while snatching a team-high six rebounds. Senior guard Julian Boatner went 3-7 from three-point range, scoring 13 points. Even with junior guard and preseason first team all-CAA choice Marcus Thornton riddled with foul trouble all game, the College still led by eight points, 65-57, with 6:20 remaining in the second half after a pair of Gaillard three-pointers. The momentum of the match, however, swung drastically when the Bison scored seven straight points and retook the lead with a pair of free throws from Howard guard James Daniel with 1:31 remaining. After another Bison free throw brought the lead to two, Rusthoven worked his way to the line, getting fouled in the post with 52 seconds remaining. He converted both free throws to tie the match back up at 69-69 apiece. But the College would need a miracle after Daniel once again converted free throws to make the score 71-69. Head coach Tony Shaver turned to his leading scorer throughout the season, Thornton, who had managed just nine points up until that point, 10 less than his season average of 19 points. With the ball, and game, in his hands, Thornton converted a
difficult 17-foot jumper to tie the game up 71-71 with 19 seconds left. Okoro would then miss a tough last-second shot, sending the match to overtime. The overtime period proved to be the Prewitt highlight reel. Prewitt scored 10 of the Tribe’s 13 points in overtime, including the opening three points that put the College ahead for good. Following an Okoro lay-up, Thornton knocked down a key threepointer from the wing, putting the Tribe up by four, 77-73. After the Bison once again cut the lead down to two, Prewitt weaved into the lane hitting a lay-up and drawing the foul. Prewitt completed the three-point play at the line, giving the Tribe some room to breathe with the scoreboard now showing 80-75. Prewitt would go on to convert four free throws over the final 1:10 while the College’s defense held the Bison to 1-of-4 shooting, leading to the final score of 84-79. The Tribe brings its three-game winning streak into a home contest against rival Richmond Wednesday. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Kaplan Arena.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tribe loseS, winS in tournament After watching Green Bay (5-1) trounce his team 90-44 Friday, head coach Ed Swanson earned his first tally in the win column for William and Mary (1-5) in an overtime victory against the University of Massachusetts Saturday in the Maine Thanksgiving Tournament. Junior forward Jazmen Boone led the Tribe with a career-high 24 points and seven rebounds. However, the Tribe’s first win of the season was a full team effort. Junior forward Kyla Kerstetter chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and three steals. Freshman guard Marlena Tremba had a team-high four steals along with 15 points and six assists. Junior guard Anna Kestler scored a career-high 12 points, while directing the offense. The Tribe would go on to win 96-88 in overtime. Boone The loss of 69 percent of the team’s scoring production from last year largely accounts for the prevalence of career-high totals. Lacking a definite scoring leader, the Tribe has been lackluster on offense thus far this season. The College’s offensive woes were on display Friday, when it was drastically overmatched against the eventual tournament champions, Green Bay. The Athletics dominated the contest from the onset as they jumped to a 9-0 lead and led 45-13 at halftime. Tremba led all Tribe scorers with 11 points and was the only one in double-figures. With the game all but over at half, the Phoenix cruised to a 90-44 win. The Tribe faces La Salle at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kaplan Arena. — Flat Hat Sports Editor Jack Powers
Senior Elaina Balouris paced No. 18 William and Mary at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Cross Country Championships Nov. 23, placing 11th overall to claim her fourth All-American performance. Balouris completed the 6,000 meter course in 20 minutes, 22 seconds. Overall, the College finished 12th overall, upsetting six higher-ranked programs. Sophomore Emily Stites, winner of the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships Nov. 15, crossed the line in 20:50 after being caught in the pack. The Tribe turns its focus to the indoor track season, which opens at Christopher Newport University Dec. 7.
33rd NCAA Cross Country Championships William and Mary Finishers *11. Elaina Balouris 20:22.7 46. Emily Stites 20:50.3 113. Meghan McGovern 21:24.7 123. Michelle Britto 21:28.1 141. Carolyn Hennessy 21:35.5 167. Dylan Hassett 21:47.0 225. Erica Amatori 22:22.2
*All-American
Balouris
Top-14 Finishers (Team) 1. No. 1 Providence 141 2. No. 2 Arizona 197 3. No. 13 Butler 200 4. No. 8 Michigan 215 5. No. 6 Georgetown 226 6. No. 14 Mich. State 236 7. No. 5 Colorado 265
8. No. 4 Florida State 278 9. No. 10 Virginia 283 10. No. 11 New Mexico 301 11. No. 12 Stanford 322 12. No. 18 College 326 13. No. 7 Iowa State 333 14. No. 17 Oregon 340
STEINWAY STUDIO GRAND UPRIGHT PIANO, WALNUT, SUPERB TONE, CLEANED & TUNED NOVEMBER 13, 2013 $2000. gcsioutreach@gmail. com for details.
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Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Flat Hat