VARIETY >> PAGE 6
SPORTS >> PAGE 8
Humans of New York-inspired photoblog seeks to capture the College’s community.
Sports Editor Jack Powers explores the College’s lack of minority head coaches.
Are we human or are we TWAMPS? Something’s amiss
Vol. 103, Iss. 28 | Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
REsidence life
SigEp, SAE join fraternity row No more independent houses
Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
of The College of William and Mary
Making the move Student Life
BY Daria Grastara The Flat Hat
Two of the fraternity houses built last year and occupied by independent students will be home to the brothers of the Virginia Kappa Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Virginia Delta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon starting in fall 2014. “Two chapters [that] had been assigned houses for this academic year lost their housing privileges last spring, leaving the houses unassigned,” Director of Residence Life Deb Boykin said. “The presidents of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Phi Epsilon were happy to know they were granted housing.” The fraternities followed ResLife’s website criteria for new special interest housing proposals and submitted their requests before Thanksgiving. The Special Interest Housing Committee then reviewed the proposals and discussed them at length. The recommendations were handed to Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06. Boykin also took part in the determinations. “The fraternity houses were constructed to house fraternity chapters and a community building to serve fraternity and sorority life on campus,” Boykin said. While renovations will not be made to the reassigned fraternity houses, chapter letters will be added to the exteriors to match the letters currently provided on the other houses. Sigma Phi Epsilon became a recognized fraternity in fall 2010, built on the Balanced Man Program, an initiative committed to not following conventional pledging rituals and to helping students Boykin adjust to life in and out of college. “The biggest reason I joined was the opportunity to create something where I felt like I belonged,” Sigma Phi Epsilon member Joe Acosta ’14 said. “I liked some other fraternities on campus but knew I didn’t fit in perfectly with most of them. I felt like I fit in with a few guys that were in Sigma Phi Epsilon at the time, and I knew I wanted to help build an organization that I’d be proud to be a part of.” Acosta and his fraternity brothers followed developments with the fraternity complex very closely. The fraternity knew they would not be included in the original housing assignments due to a lack of size, but planned to apply this fall. “It certainly is frustrating when you don’t have a central place on campus that you and your brothers can call your own,” Acosta said. “Having the house on campus will be huge boost for us in terms of on campus presence. It will be a great tool for rush and be a great central location where our brothers can gather. I’m excited to come back to school in the future and see our continued success.”
CAROL PENG / THE FLAT HAT
About 70 transfer students are acclimating to life at the College of William and Mary this semester BY Madeline Bielski FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
Although the past few weeks have seen many students return to campus to begin their spring semester, a few recent arrivals are only just beginning their academic careers at the College of William and Mary. Each year, thousands of students in the United States make the decision to transfer colleges due to unmet expectations, the pursuit of a different educational experience or a variety of other reasons. According to the College’s website, around 200 students are accepted as transfers for the fall semester and another 70 are accepted for the spring semester.
The appeal of the College varies from one transfer student to another: some are attracted to the academics, others to extracurricular activities. Dale Golden ’15, who transferred to William and Mary from Indiana University-Bloomington in the fall of 2013, was attracted by the College’s attitude toward its students. “As I was researching the school, I really liked how the mindset of the school was ‘we want you to be here’ not ‘we’ll let you be here,’” Golden said. “I think that’s a big difference.” Similar to the process freshmen undergo when applying to schools, the transfer process involves an application. Its questions are more transfer-specific, and it is submitted after freshmen applications are collected. The College
also offers a transfer orientation period for accepted students. Transfer orientation is something that Sarah Boegner ’17, who transferred to the College from the University of Notre Dame this spring, credits with helping her transition into the College community. “[Orientation involves] a lot of getting you acclimated with William and Mary and all the resources they have here and trying to get you acclimated with some of the people around you,” Boegner said. Alia Prasad ’17 transferred to the College this spring from Vanderbilt University. She said current students assisted her in adjusting to the College. “The students who are already here See TRANSFERS page 3
Residence Life
ALUMNI
Beds shift in 2014-15 housing changes
College alum arrested on suspicion of rape
Chandler closed for renovations, all 330 beds in One Tribe Place available
Sharper released on $200,000 bail
BY SANG HYUN PARK FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The College of William and Mary’s Residence Life office announced a number of changes for on-campus housing next year. These changes continue reshuffling practices that started last year after the College purchased the Hospitality House, now called One Tribe Place. “We think the changes we are making will make living on campus more attractive,” Director of ResLife Deb Boykin said. “We hope that students will continue to see living on campus as something that they enjoy and [consider] beneficial to their education.” The ResLife changes include the closing of Chandler Hall for the 2014-15 academic year. The hall was scheduled to be closed this year, 2013-14, but was reopened after unforeseen complications with One Tribe Place renovations. The Chandler renovations will include efforts to improve its facilities and freshen its appearance by adding central air-conditioning
Index News Insight News Opinions Variety Variety Sports Sports
BY ARIEL COHEN FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
See RESLIFE page 3
See SHARPER page 3
FILE PHOTO / THE FLAT HAT
All 330 beds in One Tribe Place will be available next year. Many were closed due to mold and renovations.
as well as new bathrooms, windows, doors and ceilings. Substance-free housing, currently on the third floor of Chandler, will move to the first floor of Landrum Hall.
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Komal Parhar ’15, a resident assistant in Chandler, said that she feels the renovations
Former College of William and Mary football player and former National Football League defensive back Darren Sharper ’96 was arrested on suspicion of rape by the Los Angeles Police Department Friday night. Soon after the arrest, he was released on $200,000 bail. The LAPD is investigating the former Tribe defensive back in relation to two possible sexual assaults that occurred in October and early January, both in west Los Angeles. The New Orleans Police Department also recently released a statement saying they are investigating another claim of sexual assault against Sharper Sharper, filed Sept. 24. While playing at the College under head coach Jimmie Laycock, Sharper received All-American honors twice and was
Inside opinions
SPORTS
A modern alternative to the foreign language requirement
Snow High 41, Low 16
Amid the current curriculum upheaval, the foreign language requirement should be revised to include programming languages. page 4
Tribe roll Dukes
Junior guard Marcus Thornton couldn’t miss as a hot-shooting College performance proved too much for visiting James Madison. page 8
newsinsight “
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
There was a definite possibility of me being really unhappy, but I had to take that chance. — Dale Golden ’15 on his experience as a transfer student at the College
AROUND THE ‘BURG
“
THE DIGITAL DAY
News Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran fhnews@gmail.com
last week’s “flat hat insider” Check out the latest edition of “The Flat Hat Insider” on The Flat Hat’s Facebook page. WMTV’s Tanner Russo and Mary Kate Winebrenner detail recent reporting on the offcampus rape that occurred in December, Governor Terry McAuliffe speaking at the College’s upcoming Charter Day ceremony, and Chancellor Robert Gates’ new memoir, “Duty.”
A THOUSAND WORDS
KARIN KRAUSE / THE FLAT HAT
The normally humid William and Mary campus will turn into a white wonderland this week as the forecast predicts snow beginning on Tuesday.
Break out the snowshoes
Collision on Route 199 causes hospitalizations
The National Weather Service is reporting that Williamsburg could get as many as six inches of snow starting Tuesday afternoon, according to the Virginia Gazette. A winter weather watch will begin around 10 a.m. Tuesday, and freezing temperatures are expected to continue through the end of the week. The Virginia Department of Transportation has already begun to pre-treat roads in the area in anticipation of the snow. Decrease in visitors to Jamestown and Yorktown
Jordan lee / the FLAT HAT
CORRECTIONS In the Jan. 17 issue of The Flat Hat, the article on the Student Assembly meeting incorrectly stated that the Code Revisions committee proposes to create a Department of Transportation and a Housing Support Administration. Sen. Gabriel Morey ’16 and senate Chair Will McConnell ’14 came up with the Department of Transportation and the Housing Support Administration proposals, respectively.
Revenue increased but visitor numbers decreased at the Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center in 2013, according to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily. The two museums received a combined total of 560,072 visitors in 2013, a slight drop-off from 2012’s totals. Still, admissions revenue rose to $5,153,363, up by 2.4 percent. Ticket prices increased for adults by 50 cents at the Jamestown Settlement, and a combination ticket for both sites rose by 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children, accounting for the rise in ticket revenue. These price changes will remain in place for 2014.
CAMPUS POLICE BEAT
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.
Two cars were flipped and several people were hospitalized following a collision on Route 199 westbound Monday, according to the Daily Press. James City Police Sgt. Brian Staton said a call reporting the crash came in at 2:52 p.m. Monday. A work truck and a sedan reportedly collided on the highway and were overturned. Police do not know what caused the accident. When emergency services arrived, all of the passengers were safely out of their vehicles. Some were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Stryker Building to be demolished The Stryker Building, home to the Williamsburg City Council, is expected to be demolished beginning April or May, according to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily, and construction on a new Stryker Center is supposed to begin in September. The new center is expected to take about 12 to 18 months, and an interim meeting place for the city council has not yet been decided on. In December, a vote entered WIlliamsburg into an agreement with architects David Stemann and Edwin Pease to design the new complex.
Jan. 14 — Jan. 16 1
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Tuesday, Jan. 14 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public and using profane language on South Boundary Street.
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Tuesday, Jan. 14 — An individual was arrested for being drunk in public on Richmond Road.
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Wednesday, Jan. 15 — An idividual was arrested for obtaining money by false pretenses on Richmond Road.
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Thursday, Jan. 16 — An idividual was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on Page Street and Second Street.
Editor flathat.editor@gmail.com Opinions fhopinions@gmail.com News fhnews@gmail.com Variety flathat.variety@gmail.com Sports flathatsports@gmail.com Photos flathatphotos@gmail.com Copy flathatcopy@gmail.com
Katherine Chiglinsky Editor-in-Chief Ellen Wexler Executive Editor Meredith Ramey Managing Editor
Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran News Editor Aine Cain Variety Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber Sports Editor Zach Frank Opinions Editor
Ariel Cohen Chief Staff Writer Rebecca Marshall Copy Chief April Smith Copy Chief Benoit Mathieu Chief Photographer Matt Camarda Editorial Writer Jared Foretek Online Editor
Emily Stone Assoc. Variety Editor Madeline Bielski Assoc. News Editor Carol Peng Photo Editor Rohan Desai Assoc. News Editor Ashley Richardson Photo Editor Claire Gillespie Assoc. News Editor Samantha DeFlitch Copy Editor Bailey Kirkpatrick Assoc. News Editor Lauren Dybel Copy Editor Eleanor Lamb Assoc. News Editor Quint Guvernator Copy Editor Sang Hyun Park Assoc. News Editor Bobby LaRose Copy Editor Matt Camarda Assoc. Opinions Editor Emily Lowman Copy Editor Daria Grastara Assoc. Opinions Editor Rachel Neely Copy Editor Kaitlan Shaub Assoc. Opinions Editor Allison Ramage Copy Editor Karin Krause Assoc. Online Editor Richie Thaxton Copy Editor Ashley Hamilton Assoc. Online Editor Jenna Tan Copy Editor Kayla Sharp Assoc. Online Editor Dani Aron-Schiavone Cartoonist Haley Arata Assoc. Variety Editor Allison Hicks Cartoonist Jillian Bates Assoc. Variety Editor Sarah Thoresen Cartoonist Rachel Brown Assoc. Variety Editor Lindsay Wade Cartoonist Cristyn Filla Assoc. Variety Editor Brian Kao Cartoonist Emily Nye Assoc. Variety Editor Kaitlin Kunowsky Business Manager
News in brief MBA students collaborate with businesses
AidData hosts research consortium
Professors receive Fellowship Awards
The Mason School of Business offers the Corporate Field Consultancy Program to second year MBA students. This program aims to give students real-world experience. The 13-week program began in 1996. Students collaborate with organizations to solve real problems that the organization may face. Two executive partner advisors and a faculty supervisor guide the students as they tackle various projects. The students also work with Executive Partners, former executives in various other industries. The program helps students learn valuable realworld business lessons that may help them secure a job after they graduate.
Nearly 60 participants arrived in Williamsburg Jan. 8-11 for the inaugural AidData Research Consortium at the College. Participants studied geographic information systems, spatial econometrics and field experiments training during the consortium and broke into research teams to pursue various case studies in a more intimate setting. Topics for the teams included economic growth, climate change, food security, global health, humanitarian assistance, democracy and conflict mitigation. Participants will meet again next year to discuss progress on their research agendas.
Five faculty members received Alumni Fellowship Awards this year. The award, endowed by the Class of ’68, recognizes the outstanding work of faculty. Associate professor of psychology Danielle Dallaire, assistant professor of physics Patricia Vahle, assistant professor of dance Leah Glenn, assistant professor of English Erin Minear, and associate professor of marine science Eric Hilton all won an Alumni Fellowship Award this year. Dallaire focuses on at-risk youths, while Vahle focuses on neutrinos. Glenn focuses on ballet, modern dance and historical dance classes. In marine science, Hilton focuses on fish anatomy. Minear serves as the College’s Shakespeare expert.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Flat Hat
Page 3
CONSTRUCTION
Laundry systems installed in OTP Chandler, Tyler halls next in line for construction upgrades to take place over summer, next year By bailey kirkpatrick flat hat assoc. news editor
Classes started a little more quietly this semester without the sound of ongoing construction projects. Following the conclusion of many construction efforts last semester, the campus is experiencing a lull for a few weeks while campus management begins planning new projects. “We are currently in an interlude from construction for the time being. We are just waiting on the spring semester to really kick off, and then more planning and building will begin,” Wayne Boy, director of planning, design and construction, said. Over the winter break, laundry systems were installed in One Tribe Place and are expected to be approved by a code review team in a few days. The underground garage — which extends two levels below ground level — is being updated because it did not meet code. The fire alarm systems and ventilation need to be updated before students can use them. There is a committee that will decide what other changes will be made to the building in the future.
Administration intends to renovate Tyler Hall and is currently creating working drawings. The goal is to begin construction at the end of the summer. Changes to the building will include improved handicap-accessiblility, removal of tiered floors and expansion of the attic. Currently, much of the psychology department resides in this building, and it will be moved to the basement of Old Dominion Hall, where Phonathon is currently stationed, until the renovations are completed. Tyler is not the only building to be renovated, as Chandler Hall will undergo renovations over the summer. Working drawings for the third installment of the Integrated Science Center are currently in code review and will next go into negotiation for pricing. Construction of this building is intended to begin in either late spring or early summer. Additionally, campus-wide alterations will be made to make buildings and pathways more handicap-accessible. For example, the entrance to Adair Hall will be altered to ease access and increase mobility between floors.
FILE PHOTO / THE FLAT HAT
Administrators are planning to renovate Tyler Hall, with construction set to begin at the beginning of the summer.
VIRGINIA
State legislators propose new “Ban-the-Box” bill
Bill would eliminate criminal history box from job applications, aims to promote fairness in hiring By DALE WOLF THE FLAT HAT
If two Virginia state legislators have their way, employers will no longer have a box on their applications asking whether an applicant has a criminal history. Sen. Donald McEachin, D-9, and Delegate Robert Krupicka, D-45, held a press conference Thursday promoting their proposed bill to “Ban the Box” in the commonwealth. The bill would neither prohibit state agencies from asking if an applicant has a criminal history, nor would it
prohibit background checks. Instead, the bill would prevent agencies of the commonwealth from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history on his or her application. “[The aim of the bill is to] create that opportunity for folks who want to get jobs and take care of their families instead of keeping them down and keeping them in a perpetual cycle of incarceration and unemployment,” McEachin said in the press conference. Krupicka agreed. “This is also an important liability issue for Virginia,” Krupicka said.
“The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has started to take actions against employers that fail to hire somebody solely due to a criminal background. Virginia can avoid this legal liability by ensuring we give prospective employees of the state a fair chance at a job interview by eliminating the criminal background box on employment applications. ” McEachin and Krupicka garnered support at their press conference from Richmond City Councilwoman Michelle Mosby, who discussed the success of similar legislation in the state’s capital
city. Gail Arnall, executive director of Offender Aid and Restoration, offered her support as well, citing economic factors. “Businesses are missing out on qualified applicants because they are making assumptions about them before interviewing them,” Arnall said. “Employers have the right to know someone’s criminal background, but at least give them a chance at an interview.” Multiple other advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and Advocare, Inc., were on stage supporting the legislation.
ADMINISTRATION
Report stresses College’s achievements Reveley mentions rankings, importance of financial contributions By brianna coviello THE FLAT HAT
College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley recently published the annual President’s Report titled “Creating Leaders for Home and Abroad.” The report outlines the College accomplishments throughout 2013. In the report, Reveley provided statistics highlighting the College’s admission rates. “William & Mary’s strength in the marketplace for applicants has never been greater,” the report reads. “We enrolled a freshman class of 1,479 students from a record pool of more than 14,000 applicants. … William & Mary Law School was one of only 11 U.S. law schools with an increase in applications in 2012-13. Our 226 entering J.D. students were selected from nearly 5,900 applicants. Whether undergraduate or graduate, our students are extraordinarily able.” Reveley mentioned the College’s rankings, including its U.S. News and World Report recognition as the first among public universities for undergraduate teaching. The
College ranks third among all universities, public and private, in that category. The College’s emphasis on branching out globally was also mentioned. On campus, there are 580 international students from over 55 countries. The Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies celebrates it 25th anniversary this year. The College is also ranked first in the Institute of International Education Open Doors 2013 Report on International Education Exchange, with 45.7 percent of undergraduates participating in study abroad programs before graduation. The report also addressed athletics. “More than 80 percent of our students play on varsity, club, or intramural teams, Reveley take part in fitness and wellness classes and programs, use the Student Recreation Center on their own, or get involved with outdoor activities,” Reveley wrote in the report. Additionally, Reveley highlighted the 109 conference championships the Tribe holds in
the Colonial Athletic Association since it was founded 31 years ago. Reveley also highlighted the arts’ successes on campus. The Muscarelle Museum of Art presented the “Michelangelo: Sacred and Profane, Masterpiece Drawings from the Casa Buonarroti” exhibition in 2013, which attracted almost 50,000 visitors to campus. Over the course of the year, the College acquired the Hospitality House — now known as One Tribe Place — as a new dormitory and built a new fraternity complex with 11 houses and a joint activities building. The Sadler Center was also expanded, and Facilities Management completed renovations on both Tucker Hall and the Brafferton. Toward the end of the report, Reveley discussed the College’s financial foundation and hopes for continued alumni support. “A great institution is always under construction, always evolving to take advantage of new opportunities and to meet the realities of ever-changing times,” Reveley wrote in the report. “William & Mary has been under construction for more than three centuries. It is thriving in the 21st century. I firmly believe its greatest promise lies ahead.”
Transfers discuss experiences ResLife changes planned TRANSFERS from page 1
… have been very helpful [with] showing me where to go, helping me with the nuances of different buildings and things like that,” Prasad said. Some transfer students cite the course registration process as one of the most difficult aspects of transferring to the College. Transfer students register later than most current students, often only a few days before classes begin, meaning they have a smaller selection of open courses, as most of the student body has already chosen classes. “[Course registration] was the most stressful part of transferring, but now that I’m a William and Mary student and I’m here and I register with everyone else, it’s not as
difficult,” Golden said. Making the choice to transfer schools is not necessarily an easy one. Golden explained that for her, it was a challenging decision that took time. “There was a definite possibility of me being really unhappy, but I had to take that chance,” Golden said. Golden, Boegner and Prasad all said that so far, the transfer process has gone relatively well. “It has been a lot easier than I expected just because people have been so welcoming,” Prasad said. Golden leaves some advice for other students that are contemplating transferring institutions. “Transferring is really scary. … Really trust that you know who you are and that you know what you need and don’t be afraid to ask for it because it’s more scary to be somewhere that isn’t right for you,” she said.
RESLIFE from page 1
are necessary. “I like living here, but it definitely does need to be renovated — it is an old building,” Parhar said. The addition of One Tribe Place and the new fraternity complex allowed the College to discard the wait list for students wishing to live on campus in last year’s registration process. With this, room designations in the Ludwell apartments and the Bryan Complex changed to accommodate the additional beds and limit the number of vacancies on campus. In the fall, Boykin said there were about 200 vacancies. Basement rooms
in Bryan Hall, Camm Hall, Madison Hall and Stith Hall will become singles and Ludwell triple apartments will become doubles. This will provide 30 additional single rooms and 58 more double apartments for next year. Hunt Hall, changed to upperclassman housing last year, will move back to freshman housing for the 2014-15 academic year. In terms of other future efforts, Boykin said more long-term renovation projects are in the works. She said improvements in residence buildings require a lengthy renovation process that cannot be achieved in the summer alone.
Daphne Essex, an armed forces veteran, also discussed her personal experience seeking employment after being released for a non-violent crime that she later discovered was the result of untreated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. “What made the situation even more frustrating was that I knew I had skills to offer,” Essex said. “I helped install the 911 system in Baghdad. … I have received accolades from both the Department of Defense and the State Department. My skills and experience should not be ignored because of one mistake.”
WILLIAMSBURG
HINCKLEY’S VISITS EXTENDED
John Hinckley, Jr., the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981, can now visit his mother in Williamsburg for up to 17 days at a time. In past visits to Williamsburg, he has visited the College of William and Mary’s Muscarelle Museum of Art and the New Town Barnes and Noble. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman ruled Dec. 20 that Hinckley’s visits could increase from 10 days at a time. Hinckley has been visiting Williamsburg since 2006. Hinckley’s attack on the president, which was an attempt to impress actress Jodi Foster, left three men wounded and Press Secretary James Brady permanently paralyzed. Hinckley has been residing in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., since 1982, after he was ruled innocent on the grounds of insanity. Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily reported that the staff at St. Elizabeth’s recommended that, following two 17-day visits and six 24day visits in which he exhibits appropriate behavior, Hinckley should be released into his Hinckley mother’s full-time care. Secret Service agents have followed Hinckley on excursions in Williamsburg since 2006. In documents summarizing his actions, the Secret Service stated he has acted appropriately. Despite the overall stamp of approval, the Secret Service documents reported two occasions in which Hinckley got in trouble. In a 2011 visit to Barnes and Noble, an agent saw Hinckley reading about the assassinations of former Presidents William McKinley and John F. Kennedy. The other blemish on his record occurred when he lied about seeing two movies. The Virginia Gazette reported that Hinckley’s lawyer called the ruling a “victory for mental health advocates.” — Flat Hat News Editor Annie Curran
Sharper arrested for alleged rape NFL commentator played professionally, at College SHARPER from page 1
also named first team AllYankee Conference defensive player of the year. Sharper finished his college career with a school record of 24 career interceptions, an I-AA record 468 career interception return yards and a school record for 1,037 career punt return yards. Senior Assistant Athletics Director of Public Affairs Pete Clawson worked with Tribe Athletics during Sharper’s last two years at the College. “As far as I’m aware, he was never in any trouble — he wasn’t the kind of person we thought ... about for causing
any trouble,” Clawson said. “He was a great player and a good citizen while he was on campus.” After graduation, Sharper played 14 seasons in the NFL with Green Bay, Minnesota and New Orleans. While playing in the NFL, Sharper played in two Super Bowls. He was also chosen All-Pro six times and selected for the Pro-Bowl five times. He retired after the 2010 season. Since his retirement from playing football, Sharper has been working as a commentator for the NFL network. Until his Feb. 14 court date, Sharper is suspended from the NFL network without pay.
opinions
Opinions Editor Zachary Frank Assoc. Opinions Editor Kaitlan Shaub fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | Page 4
EDITORIAL CARTOON
STAFF EDITORIAL
Virginia: Ban the box A
Don’t waste opportunities to be a mentor people during my visit. Coming from New Jersey, I am not used to people smiling at me for no particular reason or letting me cross the street when I do not have right of way. The attitude of the students here was exciting, and from the outside looking in, I looked at the upperclassmen as mentors. FLAT HAT ASSOC. OPINIONS EDITOR When early decision notifications were handed out one month ago, social media was flooded with excitement from the class of 2018. Hashtags, statuses, screenshots Many influences in your life inspire the decisions you of the acceptance email and pictures of eager students make on a daily basis. As emerging adults, the hardest holding their acceptance letters filled newsfeeds, and as a decisions most of us have made thus far were deciding which freshman at the College, this excitement was so familiar. colleges to apply to and which college to call home for the The infamous Facebook group titled William & Mary next four years. Class of 2018 emerged. The eager admitted students Perhaps a parent, sibling or family member initiated the began binge posting, and because some posts were decision to continue the family legacy, or stalking a friend on comedic, current students at the College wanted to join in Facebook and seeing their pictures influenced the decision on the fun. to apply to a particular school. Even something as minor Current students began mocking and teasing the as hearing about certain schools while growing up makes admitted students, writing on students connect to a school they know posts that asked for roommates on a superficial level. The accepted students were or responding to questions with A recent poll conducted by Hart ridiculous and belittling comments. Research found that 76 percent of at-risk robbed of their moments of While some of the incoming young adults, who might not otherwise excitement and elation for students ignored these jokes, an pursue higher education, aspire to enroll the sake of current students’ overwhelming amount did not, and in college when they have a mentor to boredom during finals week. they were made to feel inferior or encourage them. naive. Mentors — teachers, parents, cousins, Soon, there were more people at the College writing family friends, coaches, religious leaders and others — have a priceless influence on everyone they inspire. The way one in the group than those who were recently admitted. person affects another is unpredictable, but understanding The accepted students were robbed of their moments of how you present yourself to others can open you up to making excitement and elation for the sake of current students’ boredom during finals week and the opportunity to an impact on at least one life. be a good influence was lost for personal, sarcastic Before I made the decision to come to the College amusement. of William and Mary, I was anxious about the overall The value of being a mentor is rare. Anyone can environment and the attitude of the students. However, when I took the campus tour and shadowed a student, almost every impact someone in the most insignificant way. Our role in society today is more valuable than some may believe. As person I met made eye contact and smiled at me. For me, emerging adults, we have the power to shape those who that was enough to initiate my decision to call this beautiful are younger than us while still commanding and gaining campus my home. respect from those who are older than us. It was a strange and overwhelming experience to be surrounded by such positive, upbeat and genuinely nice Email Daria Grastara at dagrastara@email.wm.edu.
Daria Grastara
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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.
Staff Editorial
STREET BEAT
Legislation currently pending in the Virginia General Assembly would prohibit employers from asking about past criminal convictions on job applications. How do you feel about this?
“Employers have the right to know if they’ve been convicted, but they should also give them an opportunity to explain why.” Kiara Earl ’16
“[I disagree.] You don’t know the nature of their criminal background.”
Michael Morgan ’17
“They shouldn’t [ask] because people do dumb things when they’re young and that shouldn’t follow them for their whole life.” Hannah Whitworth ’16 — PHOTOS AND INTERVIEWS BY KAITLAN SHAUB
% NUMBERS
BY THE
BRIAN KAO / FLAT HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNER
nyone who has ever filled out a job application has encountered a box requesting disclosure of any criminal convictions, which can prejudice employers against applicants with criminal records. “Ban the Box,” a law proposed by two Virginia state legislators, would prevent employers from directly asking this question on job applications, but it would allow them to conduct criminal background checks. The bill’s proponents argue this would allow applicants with criminal records an equal shot at a job interview and a better first impression. Given college students’ propensity for poor decision-making and the often-arbitrary nature of drug and alcohol enforcement, this is an initiative the College of William and Mary should support. We all make mistakes in college. Some of these mistakes may include breaking the law. In fact, one study published by The New York Times found that, by age 23, almost one third of Americans have an arrest on their record. While violating laws is not advisable, getting caught can be as much a result of bad luck as poor judgment. “Ban the Box” would at least spare some unlucky students the humiliation of applying for a job and confessing to a crime in the same instant, letting them obtain interviews on their own merits before employers find out their criminal history. The challenges facing students in the current job market are hard enough without that additional complication. “Ban the Box” would also benefit employers who might write off otherwise qualified applicants based on their immediate knowledge of an applicant’s criminal record. It would be better for employers to learn of an applicant’s criminal history after they have seen their resume. Having the chance to interact face to face with potential employers, job candidates could explain their criminal histories to employers on their own terms during interviews, or they could wait for employers to run a background check. Either way, employers will be able to evaluate applicants’ qualifications more objectively and hire good employees. This bill should appeal to the Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center, which helps students build resumes but is unable to erase criminal records. “Ban the Box” could assist the Career Center in its work for convicted alumni. If alumni and current students with criminal records knew they would not be immediately asked about any criminal convictions, they would feel more encouraged to apply for jobs. If the legislation passes, the Career Center should make a specific effort to reach out to convicted students and alumni, to let them know that there are services available to help them. Students who feel passionately about this proposed bill should make it known to our district’s newly elected delegate, Monty Mason. A good percentage of Mason’s constituency is students at the College; it’s in both his and their best interests to work toward passing this legislation. Offenders who cannot get jobs because of their criminal convictions will likely find themselves back in jail. This imposes a tremendous cost on society, both in taxpayer dollars to convict and imprison repeat offenders and in a shrunken labor force and economy. It is an ethical and economic imperative that we work toward higher employment for these men and women. One day you could be one of them.
30.2
Percent of Americans who reported having been arrested by age 23, according to The New York Times
Programming languages should fulfill the foreign language requirement Zachary Frank
FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
A little over a month ago, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the College of William and Mary moved to replace the current GER system with a new system of required courses called the College Curriculum, or COLL. Although the efficacy of COLL remains to be seen, it is already clear that an update to the foreign language proficiency requirement would be timely and advisable. Currently, students who fail to take four years of a language in high school (or place out by means of the SAT, AP, IB, what have you) are required to complete the fourth semester of a foreign language at the College, where the options run the gamut of modern languages. With all due respect to the faculty, I would like to submit the addition of three new languages to fulfill the requirement: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
As Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Kate Conley told William and Mary News, “Our faculty have moved carefully, precisely, and boldly to design a liberal arts curriculum that’s right for our time and looks to the future.” Ms. Conley, I trust that the faculty has proceeded with the best interest of the undergraduate student body in mind, but I am hard-pressed to believe that four semesters of Italian is a more forwardlooking alternative to four semesters of the three basic programming languages of website design. Ms. Conley, you say that COLL is right for our time, and it would be platitudinous for me to say that we live in an increasingly digital world — one in which computing power increases exponentially and wherein a rudimentary understanding of web design would prove useful on the job market — yet, the faculty has not moved to arm students with perhaps the greatest boon it could afford them: technological literacy. Beyond the financial advantages a student would gain from learning programming languages, there is a more immediate, practical concern that ought to be addressed:
Students who do not care to take foreign languages will not care to learn them. It’s important to remember that languages take a tremendous amount of time and effort to learn. This is by no means a reflection on the terrific language professors teaching at this school, but no rational student will devote precious time to four semesters of a language that he or she does not care about. Students will prioritize other classes and extracurriculars before the language, hastily study for tests at the last minute, and watch their GPAs fall bit by bit. But give those students something of immediate and practical value, something from which, on their laptops’ monitors, they can see the immediate results of their efforts — and the faculty will see language students rise to the challenge. The practicality of programming languages is undeniable, and for many students, learning HTML, CSS and JavaScript would be a rigorous process — one that they would have to approach with engagement and finesse. And that is exactly what a college curriculum should strive for. Email Zachary Frank at zsfrank@email. wm.edu.
GRAPHIC BY ALLISON HICKS / THE FLAT HAT
OP
The Flat Hat
Page 5
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Sinfonicron Light Opera Company performs a colorful, cohesive version of “Sullivan and Gilbert” this past weekend at Phi Beta Kappa Hall
BY KAYLA SHARPE // FLAT HAT ASSOC. ONLINE EDITOR
A
ny denizen of the theater can appreciate the apprehension that accompanies the opening night of a show. After countless hours of rehearsal the stage is set, the lines are memorized, and all actors can do is rely on their own fortitude and that of their peers. The Sinfonicron Light Opera Company brought all of this to life in Thursday’s opening night production of “Sullivan and Gilbert.”
Based on the actual Victorian-era theatrical duo of William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, the musical was written by Ken Ludwig and premiered in 1983. Sinfonicron’s operatic display captures the chaotic antics that take place behind the scenes as the directors, Sullivan and Gilbert, have only eight hours to put the finishing touches on their latest production. However, when tempers boil over and secrets threaten to tear the friendship apart, the pair struggles to rally the cast and prepare for the curtain to rise on opening night. Completely student run, the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company celebrated its 50th year as the College of William and Mary’s only opera company with this witty production directed by Kelsey Schneider ’14. Colorful, cohesive and clever throughout, the show displayed a distinct
level of professionalism in every detail and expression. From costumes to hair, all aspects of the production were fitting of the Victorian era, providing an added layer of believability. Each member of the relatively small ensemble was engaging and maintained character with very few exceptions. The impressive volume and enunciation lent intensity and clarity to the larger musical numbers, while the simple yet balletic choreography envisioned by Megan Tatum ’15 was carried out with skill and finesse. Ricky Portner ’14 and Ryan
(TOP) COURTESY PHOTO / THESCHOOLOFLIFE.TYPEPAD.COM (BOTTOM) COURTESY PHOTO / THETIMES.CO.NET
William Gilbert, top, and Arthur Sullivan, bottom, were Victorian-era theatre directors and serve as the subjects of the play “Sullivan and Gilbert,” recently performed by the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company.
Warsing ’14 brought an undeniable degree of emotion to the stage. Their versatility was displayed in the pair’s numerous exchanges, which ranged from shrewd banter to moments of palpable fraternity. Tyler Bell ’16 and Annie Kehrli ’14 both served as necessary middle ground to aptly balance the energy that engulfed the plot. Though some actors struggled to portray a believable level of age and maturity, the overall skill of the supporting characters made for some notable moments. The vocal dexterity of John Kean ’16, Will Theuer ’17, Tiger Ricchetti ’17 and Andreas Moffett ’15 allowed for dynamic harmonies while Isabel DoCampo ’16, Christine Jacobs ’16, Erin Roberts ’16 and Gillian Giudice ’17 each took advantage of moments to display their unique vocal skills.
The production’s orchestra, directed by Ethan Roday ’14, was quiet at appropriate times, and simplistic sets allowed for smooth transitions while simultaneously drawing attention to the actors’ colorful hues. Lighting designed by Sunny Vinsavich ’15 served to differentiate between scenes that took place on and off stage while welltuned microphones and apt projection allowed nearly every line, lyric and colorful outburst to be heard. Sinfonicron Light Opera Company’s production of “Sullivan & Gilbert” is a testament to the high level of talent and dedication alive and thriving at the College. This lighthearted, realistic story serves as a reminder that while friends may challenge you, they always have your best interests at heart — and that the very best of friends often know you better than you know yourself.
Students work with AidData to allocate foreign aid Research compiles information on global aid projects into databases and maps in order to promote transparency BY HALEY ARATA FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
For Justin DeShazor ’15 and Rebecca Schectman ’16, late-night coding sessions are a regular past time. Both DeShazor and Schectman work at AidData, a research lab partnered with the College of William and Mary. Broadly speaking, AidData strives to make development finance more accessible. Researchers collect information about aid projects around the world and file it into a public database. The database then produces personalized maps and details about aidbased projects in specific geographical regions. The lab tracks the data in order to “increase transparency, efficiency and coordination by donors and recipient countries.” DeShazor learned about the AidData internship program from a friend’s older brother. Intrigued by the field of study, DeShazor began as an unpaid intern in the fall of his sophomore year. A little
over a year later, he now serves as a Senior Research Assistant, leading a team focused on geocoding AidData’s data collection for China. Geocoding pinpoints the exact locations of aid-based projects. Producing a sea of red dots across continents, the mapping provides concrete evidence as to who funds projects within specific regions. Concentrating on the media-based dataset for China, DeShazor supervises a team of about ten interns and research assistants. Fond memories accompany the atmosphere of the lab, even during crunch-time. “[AidData] has a great environment,” DeShazor said. “It’s a great place to grow.” Grateful for his involvement with AidData, along with the networking opportunities, DeShazor looks forward to future research involvement. “AidData is the perfect place to kickstart your professional career,” DeShazor said. “I’m very lucky and thankful.”
DeShazor worked at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has his eye on the Center for Global Development for post-graduation. Although she began as a Research Assistant with AidData last fall, Schectman has worked on related projects since her freshman year at the College. Now a Research Fellow with AidData, Schectman works on geocoding with students in the office and with a professor on his independent research project. Captivated by both the geocoding process and the intricacies of development finance, Schectman considers this job an extension of her academic life. “The more I do it, the more I realize what I’m interested in. It relates to my major and influences what classes I take,” Schectman said. An international relations major, Schectman plans to continue research in development projects. Later this year, both DeShazor
and Schectman will study abroad as summer fellows for AidData. Serving as representatives of AidData, both researchers will work to promote the use of AidData information and its effects within the region. Although the fellowship plans are
not yet fully developed, DeShazor and Schectman expressed enthusiasm for the trip and the role it will play in increasing their hands-on experiences. “I just hope I get to keep traveling and keep learning more about development finance,” Schectman said.
COURTESY PHOTO / ELLIE KAUFMAN
Justin DeShazor ‘15 and AidData project manager Doug Nicholson ‘12 at an AidData conference.
Page 6
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
The Flat Hat
“ I am a lot less cynical
William Mary other humans
now than when I first came here because people are so genuine here. - Tattiana Bamba
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COURTESY PHOTO / ALLISON SHOMAKER
COURTESY PHOTO / TEYMOUR MOINZADAH
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“ Well, I now speak 59 languages. I’m a true TWAMP. - Joe Blair
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COURTESY PHOTO / INDIA BRAVER
...Just seeing these two, I can’t help but put a smile on my face. - Tony Song
His name is George. - Brian Brooks COURTESY PHOTO / STEPHANIE FAUCHER
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COURTESY PHOTO / STEPHANIE FAUCHER
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I kept the mustache due to popular demand. - Anton Lachowicz
COURTESY PHOTO / LYNN NAKAMURA
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Project seeks to photograph staff, students and faculty that make up the College BY CLAIRE GILLESPIE FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
They’re photographs of people wearing sombreros or holding dogs. They’re smiles and expressions of people at their most raw. They’re stories and connections and conversations. They’re the Humans of William and Mary. Humans of William and Mary is a photoblog dedicated to depicting the College of William and Mary community through a series of photographs and words. The initiative is based off the Humans of New York photoblog, which Brandon Stanton started in the summer of 2010 and which now has over two million followers. Student Assembly Undersecretary of Multicultural Affairs Teymour Moinzadeh ’14 said the Humans of Tehran — the only photoblog Stanton created besides
Humans of New York — inspired him. “The reason why he went there was because he wanted to show the rest of the world that people in Tehran aren’t just the people you see in TV, but they’re actually real people with real issues and real conflict and real life, like us,” Moinzadeh said. “I thought that was really fascinating that someone went out of his comfort zone to a country he’s never been to [to] showcase people that he has no connection with.” In a similar fashion, Moinzadeh said he hopes HOWM will combat certain stereotypes associated with the College. “I’ve heard people say, ‘there’s so many white people at this school; this isn’t diverse,’” HOWM photographer Stephanie Faucher ’16 said. “But they forget that diversity’s not just your skin, it’s everyone’s experiences, their lives. Through Humans of William and Mary and actually interviewing people, I’ve
gotten to see the huge amount of diversity that there is at this little school.” The HOWM images depict staff, students, visitors and faculty at the College. Each photograph is accompanied by a quote, short caption or interview excerpt. “I look out for things that are more striking around campus or people who are interesting,” Faucher said. “You don’t want to be too invasive, but yet you want to get an idea of what their life is like or find something that is poetic, artistic or just stands out about that person.” SA Secretary of Diversity Dylan Frendt ’14 said behind every image and caption is an interaction between photographer and subject that sometimes took more than 30 minutes. “All of us learned more about the people we were interviewing than we were ever expecting,” Frendt said. Frendt said he spent an hour in Earl Gregg Swem Library last semester talking
with the cleaning staff and security guards about their lives and concerns. “For me, that moment, it hit me,” Frendt said. “It was my personal profound moment, the moment that I was appreciative of everything I have. And I guess what makes [Humans of William and Mary] striking is that each and every picture is a moment like that.” Faucher said that she looks out for anything that catches her eye and hopes to explore more of the people in the surrounding area. “I started carrying my camera around with me … and just took a picture a day,” Faucher said. The Humans of William and Mary Facebook and tumblr page launched Dec. 1 and has close to 2,500 followers on Facebook. “Every 100 likes … we were exploding. I was texting everybody, they were texting me,” Frendt said. “Everybody was so
excited and when it hit 1,000 and then it progressed to 2,000, it’s like, oh my goodness. It was wonderful.” According to Frendt, some of the photographs on HOWM have 10,000 views because people have shared the photos on their own Facebook timelines. HOWM has more followers than other college human pages, according to Moinzadeh and Frendt. Humans of U.Va, Humans of Emory and Humans of Duke, for example, all have less than 1000 followers on Facebook. “It just goes to show how close we are as a school and as a community that things like this catch fire so quickly,” Moinzadeh said. This semester HOWM plans on making videos as well as photos. Frendt and Moinzadeh will choose new HOWM photographers and videographers. Potentially, HOWM will bring a speaker to campus to lecture on photography.
CONFUSION CORNER
Let the fifes and drums drop and party like it’s 1693
Who really needs a hip, raging nightlife when you’ve got ghosts, sheep, pancakes and centuries of quirkiness
Ariel Cohen
Confusion Corner columnist
Second semester senior year, time to finish the old college bucket list. After four years, what remains unchecked? Item No. 7: “Attend a colonial re-enactor party.” Just imagine the scene: In the cellar of the tavern by the Peyton Randolph House, colonial gentlemen and ladies kick back after a long day’s work. They dance to fifes and drums into the wee hours of the morning. After a few too many pints of ale, the judge takes his wig off, again. Look in the corner. Could that be the blacksmith courting the governor’s daughter? Oh no, we appear to be out of toddy and rattle-skull. Guess we’ll have to wait for another shipment from the motherland before we get “halfway to Concord” again. Sorry for partying like it’s 1693.
Now, these parties may or may not actually exist, but Williamsburg is wacky enough that I have a strong feeling they do. Let’s be honest: Williamsburg, Va. gets a bad rap. The common reaction to telling someone that you go to school in Williamsburg is either a) “Oh, in New York City? Cool.” or b) “Oh. I went on a third grade field trip there. Do you see the colonial people often? That must be weird.” There is much more to Williamsburg than the historical section — I’m looking at you, New Town — but to the outside observer, that’s difficult to see. Most colleges and universities of our cozy size are located in small town suburbs in the middle of nowhere. These towns have two to three local bars, a few restaurants, maybe a movie theater or a mall, and definitely some townies. Sounds boring. Williamsburg has all the defining characteristics of a typical, small to midsized college town, but we also have a something much more dynamic. We have sheep. We have horses and goats
and ghosts and people who are paid to walk around in bustled skirts, recalling the colonial era. We have cider walks and Duke of Gloucester Street runs and field trip groups from Nebraska dodging the horse poop in the streets. Taverns and blacksmith shops. Fifes and drums. Stars and stripes. History and legacy. An undeniably weird and wacky tourist destination, our town attracts thousands of American history buffs every year. Our 18th century friends put on a quite a show — people recognize Colonial Williamsburg as “the biggest living history museum in America.” All this being said, in my four years, no colonial re-enactor has shown up at the Sadler Center inquiring about oats for his horses. No one wears a bonnet to class and none of my friends have side jobs churning butter on the weekends. Student re-enactors in the College Company do come to football games and shoot off muskets when the Tribe scores a touchdown. We all funnel into Colonial Williamsburg for Grand Illumination Fireworks or Halloween ghost tours. At the intersection of history and
modernity lies our little college town. It’s quirky. But, hey, so are we. So, next time someone raises an eyebrow when you say “Williamsburg, Va.,” ask them what makes their college town special. If they went to a small school, chances are, outside their university walls, they only had a pancake
house or two. Well, we have dozens, and, on top of that, we’re smack in the middle of a unique living history museum. We also may have wild colonial re-enactors parties. Top secret ones. Ariel Cohen is a Confusion Corner columnist and is desperately waiting on that shipment from the motherland.
GRAPHIC BY DANI ARON-SCHIAVONE / THE FLAT HAT
sportsinside
MEN’S TENNIS
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | Page 7
GYMNASTICS
Tribe falls to ranked foes Second at meet College unable to grab a point in either match
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Juniors Aaron Chaffee and Will Juggins recorded the Tribe’s only doubles victory in the team’s 4-0 loss to Northwestern, after its loss to Notre Dame.
BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR After a season-opening dual-meet sweep over visiting Norfolk State and Campbell, William and Mary hit the road for a pair of matches against nationally ranked programs. Unlike the prior week, the College faced more stiff resistance in No. 29 Notre Dame and No. 32 Northwestern. The Tribe (2-2, 0-0 CAA) fell 7-0 and 4-0, respectively. Juniors Aaron Chaffee and Will Juggins dropped the No. 1 doubles match 6-3, finishing after senior Ben Guthrie and freshman Addison Appleby found limited success in a 6-4 loss at the No. 2 spot to open play against Notre Dame Friday night, losing the first point. Senior tandem John Banks and Ben Hoogland were leading at the No. 3 spot, 5-4, before the play was suspended. With the doubles win, Notre Dame (3-0, 0-0 Big
East) wasted little time in singles play. The Fighting Irish won each match in straight sets en route to the 7-0 victory. No. 22 Greg Andrews, last season’s Big East player of the year, snapped Hoogland’s four-match win streak with a 6-4, 6-2 win. Wyatt McCoy’s 6-3, 6-1 decision over Chaffee at the No. 4 spot clinched Notre Dame’s win, dropping the College to 2-1 on the season. The College traveled north, playing No. 32 Northwestern (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) Sunday afternoon. Chaffee and Juggins rebounded from Friday’s loss to claim the No. 1 doubles spot 6-3. Banks and Hoogland fell 6-4 at No. 3, forcing the doubles point to be decided in the No. 2 match. Guthrie and Appleby forced a tiebreak against Northwestern’s duo of Strong Kirchheimer and Raleigh Smith. Up 3-1, Guthrie and Appleby dropped the tiebreak as Northwestern won the next five points. Wins at the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 spots
guaranteed Northwestern the 4-0 team victory. The No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 matches did not finish as a result. Northwestern’s Fedor Baev downed Banks 6-1, 5-6, 6-2 at the No. 6 spot, while Chaffee fell to Kirchheimer 6-1, 6-1. Juggins couldn’t keep pace with the Wildcat’s Mihir Kumar, as Kumar claimed the No. 3 spot 6-4, 6-1. The Tribe was on its way to three victories before the match play ended. Freshman Damon Niquet led Northwestern’s Alex Pasareanu 6-5, 5-2 at No. 6 while Guthrie led No. 114 Sam Shropshire 4-6, 6-3, 5-2. Hoogland bounced back from a 6-5 setback in the first set of the No. 1 match against Raleigh Smith with a 6-0 second set win. Hoogland was ahead 2-1 in the third set when the matches ended. The College continues its road trip, facing Penn State Friday and St. John’s Saturday.
Funiciello takes first in parallel bars BY JACK POWERS
FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
In its first competition of the season, William and Mary finished second at the West Point Open Friday, outcompeting four teams. The team also performed admirably in Saturday’s individual finals. The Tribe placed second behind Penn State, the No. 4 team in the nation, with a score of 416.7, just ahead of host Army’s score of 413.05. Two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American senior Landon Funiciello led during the team meet and then punctuated the Tribe’s performances in the individual events. During the team meet Friday, Funiciello finished first in the rings competition, third in parallel bars and fifth in the floor competition. Funiciello broke his own school record in the rings by scoring a 15.95, his second consecutive recordbreaking performance in the event. Junior Jason Wang established a new school record on the pommel horse with a score of 15.1, beating sophomore teammate Keaton Ackerman’s record from last season. Junior J.J. Jindra and senior Daniel Potemski finished third and fourth in
the all-around. Sophomore Neal Courter, a fellow former NCAA All-American, and Funiciello each advanced to three finals during Friday’s events. Courter earned second place in the floor competition with a score of 15.2, then placed third in the vault and fourth in the high bar. After losing out by just 12 points in the team Courter competition Friday, the Tribe got back to action Saturday for the individual competitions. Funiciello, again, led the team with a first-place finish in the parallel bars with a score of 14.85. Courter placed second in the floor competition, earning a score of 14.45, while Funiciello finished fifth in the event. Senior Daniel Potemski placed fourth in the vault competition with a score of 14.4. Ackerman placed sixth in pommel horse with a score of 13.05. The Tribe heads to Annapolis next weekend for the Navy Open, where it will compete against Navy, Penn State, Temple and Springfield.
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Senior Landon Funiciello recorded a personal-best in the rings competition on Friday.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Belaya leads team to weekend sweep College takes down James Madison, its first CAA opponent of spring season BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Sophomore Leeza Nemchinov prevailed in her No. 2 match.
After dropping season-opening matches to No. 10 Duke and No. 13 Virginia, No. 40 William and Mary regained momentum with a dualmatch sweep Saturday. The College (2-2, 1-0 CAA) topped Eastern Carolina 7-0 before downing Colonial Athletic Association foe James Madison 6-1. Senior Maria Belaya and
sophomore Leeza Nemchinov claimed the No. 1 doubles match 6-1 before Eastern Carolina won the No. 3 spot. With the doubles point riding on the outcome, freshman duo Nabila Farah and Melanie Roy outlasted the Pirates’ Maria Storozheva and Dana Gray, 7-6, to win the doubles point. In singles play, No. 89 Nemchinov and Farah carried the momentum to win the No. 2 and No. 3 matches. No. 65 Belaya continued her strong play to win the No. 1 spot 6-2, 6-4 to guarantee
the College’s first team-win of the season. Sophomore Julia Casselbury eased past Gray 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 5 spot before Roy and senior Sydney Smith each won in three sets. The sweep sent the Tribe into the match against conference foe James Madison with confidence. Belaya and Nemchinov repeated their doubles performance against the Dukes, claiming the No. 1 spot 8-2. Farah and Roy’s 8-4 win in the No. 2
match secured the doubles point for the Tribe. With Belaya not participating in singles play, Nemchinov won the No. 1 match 6-2, 6-2. Farah, Roy, Casselbury and Smith all won to round out the 6-1 victory. The College travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for the ITA Indoor Kickoff Weekend Saturday and Sunday. Guaranteed a match against No. 11 Alabama, the Tribe will also face either No. 34 Oklahoma or No. 35 Mississippi.
TRACK AND FIELD
Tribe opens up outdoor season with slew of personal bests
Frenia comes a just few inches short of breaking 37—year—old indoor school record in shot put BY JACK POWERS FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Starting the season hoping it will last through June’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Outdoor Championships, William and Mary men’s and women’s teams competed at the Virginia Tech Invitational Friday and Saturday. The Virginia Tech Invitational is largely seen as a tune-up meet, especially because the officials do not keep the team’s scores. The meet did display the Tribe’s depth coming into the outdoor season, even without scoring. Both teams’ sophomore classes, which impressed mightily last year, appear to have improved during the offseason. On the women’s side Friday, sophomore Claire Tito ran the ninth-fastest time in school history in the 500-meter dash with a time of one minute, 15 seconds. Fellow sophomore Shelby Feliciano followed right behind Tito with a personal-best time of 1:18. Sophomore Felicia Hammer ran a personal best in the 1000-meter run, clocking in at 3:08.
Sophomore Ashley Woodards broke the school record in the 300-meter dash, crossing the line with a time of 42.10 seconds. Following Woodwards in the event, freshman Laura Klosterman finished in 42.62 seconds, good enough for fourth-fastest in school history. Although the 300-meter dash is a rarely held event, Friday’s race further illustrated the talent of the Tribe’s young athletes. The Tribe women’s field prowess was put on display Saturday. Sophomore Rochelle Evans registered her first schoolrecord with a throw of 14.68 meters in the shot put event. Evans’s throw granted her third place in a deep, experienced field and bested her previous lifetime-best throw by over a foot. Later Evans that day, junior Elizabeth Crafford cleared a height of 3.60 meters in the pole vault. Overall, Crafford was one of three Tribe women
to qualify for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Indoor Championships in March, her third-straight qualification for the meet. Evans and Tito were the other two qualifiers. The men’s efforts were just as encouraging as the women’s. Nine of the 11 performances for the Tribe Friday night were collegiate-bests. Beginning Friday night with the one-mile run, junior Ian MacFawn shaved off a little less than a second from his personal best to finish the race in 4:22. Freshman Alex Hedrick set a freshman record with a time of 7.24 seconds in the 60-meter dash, which was the fifth-best time in College history. Sophomores Taylor Frenia and Brian Waterfield impressed in the weight throw Friday night, both setting personal bests. Frenia finished fifth in the event with a throw of 16.71 meters, over two-feet longer than his previous best. Waterfield, last year’s Colonial Athletic Association Field Athlete of the Championships, finished seventh with a throw of 16.55 meters. Frenia expanded on his performance Friday in
the weight throw with a nearly historic throw in the shot put. Coming close to breaking a school record that has stood since 1977, Frenia’s second shot-put try reached 17.38 meters, second-best in school history and third-best in Saturday’s field. It will be interesting to see if Frenia will break the 57 foot, seven inch throw set by William and Mary Hall of Fame thrower Drexell George ’77 this season. After a rousing freshman campaign, sophomore Bob Smutsky came out strong Saturday. Smutsky ran the 200-meter dash in 22.83 seconds — his first sprint of the year was good enough for the 17thfastest indoor time in school history. All told, Frenia’s shot put throw was the only Tribe performance in the meet that merited Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America qualification. The men’s version of the ECAC Outdoor Championships, the IC4A Outdoor Championships, will take place in early March. The College continues its early indoor action with the Christopher Newport University Captains Invitational this weekend.
sports
Sports Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | Page 8
COMMENTARY
Tribe promotes equality, but fails to diversify hires Lack of minority head coaches at College forces questions of hiring process, equal opportunity
Jack Powers
Flat Hat Sports editor
It is no secret that there is an imbalance between minority athletes and minority head coaches in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Minorities have permeated the highest ranks of college sports as players for decades, but have yet to become a consistent fixture as coaches. This trend is easily identified at the national level but can hide in plain sight locally. Although we might not readily notice it, the coaching imbalance is especially pronounced at William and Mary. Only once has a member of a minority held a head coaching position for the Tribe in any varsity sport over the last thirty years, and it appears that only three minorities have ever held a head coaching position at the College. Trina Patterson coached the women’s basketball team from 1991 to 1999. Sgt. Jorge Perez coached volleyball for the 19741975 season. The College’s first Japanese-American
MEN’S BASKETBALL
student Arthur Matsu ’28 coached swimming for a season. Besides Patterson, the short influences of these figures largely seem like historical anecdotes belying a larger concern. The College prides itself on diversity — a claim bolstered by the athletes who represent the school and the students who root for them, but oddly not by the men and women who coach them. Athletic competition is generally viewed as a meritocracy, one that has been an excellent incubator for genuine racial progress because the better player, no matter his or her race, will prevail over a lesser opponent at a set game. While players’ effectiveness can be reasonably quantified in statistics that encompass most aspects of their performances, coaches do not have the same luxury. Their business is much more abstract and, thus, much more subject to prejudice. Unlike shooting a jump shot or jumping over a bar, minority coaches can’t prove their worth in irrefutable physical terms. Ambiguity allows athletic departments to ignore minority candidates without backlash, which reinforces the system by assuring that white coaches will get more head coaching experience than their minority counterparts. At the College, where white coaches are ubiquitous and coaching turnovers are as infrequent
as teaching turnovers, this cycle has been in effect for decades. Each head coaching hire must be evaluated on its own terms and the Tribe’s head coaches have been more good than bad, but this isn’t about one particular hire or one particular program, it’s across the board. No doubt, something is amiss. This brings up a few thorny questions: Is the all-white athletic department being discriminatory in its hiring methods? Does the athletic department see white coaches as easier sells to fans and boosters than minority coaches? Is there simply a lack of qualified minority candidates? Allegations of discriminatory hiring seem natural in this context, but the more likely culprit for the Tribe’s lack of minority head coaches is, simply, lazy coaching searches. In other words, athletic department officials have shown a reluctance to search for new coaches outside of the insular circle of current NCAA coaches or Tribe assistant coaches. The athletic department has been content to perpetuate the system that makes head coaching experience much more accessible to white coaches than to their minority counterparts. The lack of minority head coaches at the College may be primarily an oversight, but it is becoming an increasingly embarrassing one as the boundary
between negligence and racism is becoming blurred. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday, it is important to focus on not only the numerous successes of racial progress in this country, but also on the corners of society that have proved resistant to integration. Sports reflect the society that supports them, and as long as minorities are kept from the clipboard, equality is merely a mirage. This sad situation is not entirely the College’s fault, but it is part of the problem. Moreover, a school that graduated Mike Tomlin ’95 cannot legitimately claim to have had a lack of talented minority candidates for its head coaching positions. There are several minority assistant coaches sprinkled throughout the College’s 21 varsity programs, and it is likely that the athletic department will hire another minority as a head coach relatively soon. If so, Tribe fans will be able to root without reservations. The College often boasts of being ahead of the curve. There is even a plaque outside the Sir Christopher Wren Building listing all of the innovations this school was the first to embrace. But much like the musket fire that follows every touchdown at Zable Stadium, the College’s aggregate head coaching hires have been hopelessly anachronistic.
When it all goes right
JACK POWERS / THE FLAT HAT
Senior forward Tim Rusthoven dons a yellow hard hat while senior forward Kyle Gaillard embraces Tribe fans after the College’s 78-56 win over James Madison Saturday.
James Madison can’t keep pace as Thornton, Tribe pounds Dukes 78-56 KAPLAN ARENA
Home court advantage? With an official capacity of 8,600 for basketball games, Kaplan Arena often feels halfempty during the men’s and women’s seasons. Fans are reminded of its 1971 construction completion date as they climb concrete stairs to brittle plastic seats. Still, Saturday’s announced crowd of 4,102 had coaches and players alike applauding the fan support. Senior guard Julian Boatner and sophomore forward Sean Sheldon took to Twitter to express their gratitude for the atmosphere. Head coach Tony Shaver acknowledged the crowd in his post-game remarks. Does William and Mary enjoy home court advantage? Is there something to the crowd serenading Thornton and freshman forward Omar Prewitt after a play? The statistics would suggest so. The College (10-6, 2-1 CAA) holds a 6-2 (2-0 CAA) record at Kaplan, while going 4-4 (0-1 CAA) on the road this season. After the Dec. 4 loss to Richmond, the Tribe hasn’t lost at home and has won four consecutive contests. — Flat Hat Sports Editor Chris Weber
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
4,102 attended Saturday’s game, shy of capacity.
BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Last season’s three losses to eventual Colonial Athletic Association tournament champion James Madison still weighed on junior guard Marcus Thornton and his William and Mary squad. Saturday afternoon’s emphatic 7856 win helped relieve that weight and marked the first win against the Dukes in the program’s last four meetings. “We definitely didn’t forget about it — it was just last year,” Thornton said. “The CAA tournament hurt the most, so we definitely had a chip on our Thornton shoulder this game.” The College (10-6, 2-1 CAA) shot a ridiculous 70.8 percent from the field to build an 18-point halftime advantage. In a closer second half, the Tribe held James Madison (613, 1-4 CAA) to a 41.7 field goal percentage in front of a jubilant 4,102-person crowd. ”We talked about it all week. We had a really good defense; we had a lot of enthusiasm on defense too,” senior forward Tim Rusthoven said. “That’s another thing that we really pride ourselves on and try to get
better at. We did that tonight.” Having allowed over 40 points in the second half of its first two conference games, the College clamped down on a largely inexperienced squad and limited the Dukes to 32 second-half points. James Madison capitalized on three early Tribe turnovers to establish a 10-4 lead after five minutes of play. Thornton, senior guard Brandon Britt, freshman forward Omar Prewitt and senior guard Julian Boatner all scored over the following five minutes to recapture the lead, an advantage the Tribe would hold the rest of the way. Fueled by a bevy of Thornton jumpers and three-point shots, the College seemingly couldn’t miss en route to outscoring the Dukes 29-11 the remainder of the half. “We understand basketball is a game of spurts,” Thornton said. “They’re a talented team, a young team, a good team — so we understood they’d make a run. It was just a matter of us refocusing.” Thornton finished the game with a team-high 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Thornton wasn’t alone, however; nine of the 12 players seeing minutes scored as the College ended shooting 56.9 percent from the field for the game. “We’re good shooters. ... We have a lot of guys that can shoot the ball,
but the thing that got it going for us was the defense,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “We defended hard, we rebounded hard, and as a result we got transitional baskets.” Despite outscoring James Madison by just a point — 10-9 — on fast breaks, the College dominated on the boards. Sophomore guard Terry Tarpey led with nine rebounds as the Tribe out-rebounded the Dukes 35-24. Tarpey turned in another allaround performance, recording four points, nine rebounds, five assists and a steal and block. “Terry Tarpey and Kyle Gaillard may be the most important players on the team,” Shaver said. “When they play at a high level, when they play with confidence, we go from [down] here to [up] here.” Gaillard added seven points, five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. Britt, who has yet to return to his starting role after returning from suspension, added 12 points alongside a pair of rebounds. Sixtime CAA Rookie of the Week Prewitt had eight points, four rebounds and two steals as the College’s bench outscored James Madison 27-12. “This year our bench has been amazing. It helps because we have so many weapons,” Rusthoven said. “If you take away Marcus or me, you have guys coming off the bench like Brandon and Omar and the other
guys. You can’t stop everybody.” Rusthoven, after joining an elite list of 1,000 point scorers earlier in the week, shot well and avoided foul trouble while recording 17 points and seven rebounds. With conference play in full-swing, Shaver knows the ceiling is high for his squad. Nonetheless, Shaver maintains a simple philosophy when it comes to success on the court. “It sounds simplistic, but I think we played with more intensity,” Shaver said. “We played with more passion, more energy, and I think we played each possession more consistently.” The College returns to action Wednesday as it travels to Hofstra for a 7 p.m. tip.
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Junior guard Marcus Thornton scored 20.