The Flat Hat January 26 2021

The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper of the College of William and Mary Vol. 110, Iss. 11| Tuesday, January 26, 2021| Flathatnews.com

Round 2: Here we go again In this Issue:

College alumnus runs for supervisor p. 2 SA condemns Capitol insurrection p. 3 Disaffiliate for Change members speak out p. 4 Reflections on the semester ahead p. 5 City readies vaccine distribution p. 8

PHOTO BY MATT LOWRIE / THE FLAT HAT Inside Opinions

Index

News Opinions Variety Sports News

2-3 4-5 6 7 8

A difficult and overdue decision: Leaving the Omicron Beta Chapter of Chi Omega

Former members of Chi Omega describe their experiences in White Greek Life at the College. page 4

Inside Sports

Inside Variety

Zoom: It’s all Greek to me

J.R. Herman ‘24 writes about how fraternities and sororities have struggled to adjust to online recruitment during COVID-19. page 6

Changing the game off the court

The Flat Hat sat down with Misha Jones ‘19, a former Tribe basketball player currently pursuing sports journalism. page 7

“

newsinsight “

News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Lulu Dawes News Editor Carmen Honker fhnews@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

I would just like to say that the committee and the Board and the administration takes tuition increases very seriously and we welcome any comments you might have.

— Board of Visitors member James Hixon J.D. ‘79 M.L.T. ‘80

FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF College announces death of two emeritus professors Thursday, Jan 21, the College of William and Mary annouced the death of professor emeritus of philosophy Alan Edward Fuchs. Fuchs passed away at the age of 79 and began his teaching career at the College in 1969. During his time at the College, Fuchs recieved a number of notable awards such as the Thomas Jefferson teach award and the Thomas Ashley Graves Jr. Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching. Fuchs academic career focused on the work of John Stuart Mill and John Rawls, and examined subjects of moral psychology, moral theory and the philosophy of rights. Fuchs enjoyed tennis, classical music and a great debate. Fuchs died in his home Monday, Dec. 28.

Monday, Jan. 25, the College also annoucned the death of English professor Scott Donaldson. Donaldson began his career as an Army Security agent during the Korean War and went on to write a number of notable biographical and analytical books on literature. Much of his notable work focused on Early 20th-century writers such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald. At the College, Donaldson spent nearly 30 years teaching American Literature while continuing to write.

Donaldson spent his retirement in Scottsdale, Az. Donaldson died Tuesday, Dec. 1 at his home in Scottsdale.

BRIEF BY CHARLES COLEMAN / FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR COURTESY PHOTO / LIAM WATSON

A former Student Assembly senator, Watson is seeking to become the Democratic nominee in a competitive primary election in his native Montgomery County.

Progressive politics in rural Virginia

A THOUSAND WORDS

Former Student Assembly member Liam Watson launches bid for county supervisor ETHAN BROWN // FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BRIEF BY PHIL SCHUELER / FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITOR

ZACHARY LUTZKY / THE FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any fact printed incorrectly.

Corrections may be submitted in email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.

The Flat Hat ‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911

25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 23185 Editor flathat.editor@gmail.com Managing flathat.managing@gmail.com Executive flathat.executive@gmail.com Magazine editor@flathatmagazine.com News fhnews@gmail.com Sports flathatsports@gmail.com Copy flathatcopy@gmail.com

Opinions fhopinions@gmail.com Variety flathat.variety@gmail.com Photos flathatphotos@gmail.com Online flathatonline@gmail.com Advertising flathatads@gmail.com Graphics flathat.art@gmail.com Blogs fhnews.blogs@gmail.com

Ethan Brown Editor-in-Chief Emma Ford Managing Editor Adithi Ramakrishnan Executive Editor Claire Hogan Digital Media Editor Leslie Davis Data Editor Gavin Aquin Hernández Magazine Editor-in-Chief Maddie Douglas Business Manager Amelia Sandhovel Business Manager

Anna Boustany Operations Coordinator Andrés Bencomo Magaña Webmaster

Charles Coleman News Editor Becca Klinger Social Media Editor Lulu Dawes News Editor Lizzie Brown Copy Chief Carmen Honker News Editor Cana Clark Copy Chief Gavin Aquin Hernández Variety Editor Zoe Connell Copy Chief Matthew Kortan Variety Editor Lillian Parr Copy Chief Zoe Beardsley Sports Editor Jamie Holt Photos Editor Nathan Seidel Sports Editor Alexandra Byrne Chief Staff Writer Lucas Harsche Opinions Editor Averill Meininger Chief Staff Writer Alyssa Slovin Opinions Editor

Sarah Greenberg News Assoc. Editor Kim Lores News Assoc. Editor Philip Schueler News Assoc. Editor Georgia Thoms News Assoc. Editor Mary Trimble News Assoc. Editor Karina Vizzoni News Assoc. Editor

Ashanti Jones Variety Assoc. Editor Grace Olsen Variety Assoc. Editor Elaine Godwin Opinions Assoc. Editor Collin Anderson Sports Assoc. Editor Lexie Hiestand Sports Assoc. Editor Matt Lowrie Data Assoc. Editor

Almost every weekend when he was a student at the College of William and Mary, Liam Watson ’20 spent eight hours traveling roundtrip on Interstate 64 back to his home in Pilot, a small town in Montgomery County, Va. Now, as a freshly graduated College alumnus, Watson is seeking to serve his community in the best way he knows how: politics.

Watson, who graduated from the College last May, is currently running to become Montgomery County’s youngest-ever elected county supervisor. Home to Virginia Tech, Montgomery County is governed by seven county supervisors. Thanks to partisan gerrymandering, the board is closely divided between four strong Republican seats and three Democratic strongholds. Watson is challenging incumbent supervisor Sara Bohn in the Democratic primary election for District A, which will take place June 8.

Watson first became passionate about politics in in 2007, when Montgomery County bore witness to the Virginia Tech shooting that killed 32 people. Watson’s family knew students and family friends who died in the event, and Watson saw in the aftermath of the shooting how politics could work to heal communities after tragedy — and how it could make situations worse.

“It showed me what happens when politics works, and what happens when it doesn’t,” Watson said. “It showed me the calming impact that of all people, George W. Bush could have, when he came to campus to speak. But it also showed me what happens when politics fails people, and what happens when people own guns who shouldn’t have guns. It inspired in me a desire to contribute to my community.”

That nearly lifelong interest in public service led Watson to pursue several leadership roles within his home community. In Montgomery County, Watson has served as a county parks and recreation commissioner, a vice-chair of his district’s Democratic committee, a voting precinct captain and a notarized elections officer. He is also an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church as a parish administrator and parishioner.

Through his persistent journeys on I-64, Watson juggled many of these roles while attending classes in Williamsburg. However, Watson also took on responsibilities on campus as well, serving a partial term as a Student Assembly senator and assisting his friend Caleb Rogers ’20 during his successful bid for Williamsburg City Council last year.

“We started talking one day after class and we noticed we both had a passion for local government,” Watson said. “I think, as far as I understand, I was one of the first people he told about his desire to run for city council, and he’s one of the first people I told about my desire to run for Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. It has been, and continues to be,

an excellent, fruitful partnership.”

After graduating, Watson initially struggled to decide what opportunities to pursue after his time in Williamsburg.

Ultimately, he reflected on what experiences had been most meaningful to him as an undergraduate. That reflection brought him back to Montgomery County.

“At William and Mary, like most people, I was struggling to think of what comes next,” Watson said. “… Something I really had trouble grappling with for a while, and it was staring me in my face, what’s the place I care about the most? It’s my hometown … you only have one hometown. You might have a million opportunities, but you only have one hometown. I wanted to come back and serve the people I grew up with and serve the people that had been my neighbors my entire life.”

If elected, Watson has proposed multiple legislative initiatives designed to promote social justice and bolster economic development.

When Watson sat down with The Flat Hat, he touched on three policy areas — affordable housing, broadband access and access to quality schools – as core issues guiding his campaign. Broadband access has become an especially important area for Watson as students and teachers have had difficulty adjusting to distance learning because of poor Internet access.

“Broadband access is pitiful in Montgomery County,” Watson said. “At a time in history when it’s more important than ever for us to be connected virtually, it’s a travesty that people are unable to participate simply of a consequence of where they live or what their

income level is.”

Watson’s experiences as a young person living in Montgomery County are partially responsible for spurring these policies within his campaign. At 21 years old, Watson is less than half the age of the county’s current youngest supervisor — and he said that the age gap shows in the way that sitting board members govern the county.

“I see increasing problems in rural America,” Watson said. “… There is an increasing divide between rich and poor and a widening gap between those two groups. The rural parts of Virginia are desperately under-served, and it’s a pity, a heartbreak, really, that these parts are not served by competent leadership, broadly speaking.”

Watson’s campaign is being run by several of his childhood friends. While in-person campaigning is limited because of COVID-19, Watson’s team has successfully hosted multiple online town halls and events — one recent virtual lunch attracted more than 1,000 attendees.

As Watson continues campaigning in the run up to June’s primary, he is excited to continue connecting with voters and share his visions for Montgomery County with them.

Most importantly, he’s excited to give his neighbors a platform for speaking up about what matters most to them, a priority he hopes to bring to the Board of Supervisors soon.

“We have to find innovative, new ways to meet with people and make them feel heard,” Watson said. “The biggest challenge with this campaign is making sure that we’re able to interact with our neighbors and do so safely.”

COURTESY PHOTO / LIAM WATSON

At just 21 years old, Watson hopes to become the youngest ever elected supervisor in his county’s history.

Page 3

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

STUDENT ASSEMBLY

Student Assembly holds special session, passes resolution condemning Capitol insurrection participants SA holds College alumni, Va. representatives accountable for destruction to democracy Sunday, Jan. 17, the College of William and Mary Student Assembly held a special session to pass the “The Insurrection Condemnation Resolution.” Senators created this resolution in response to the actions that took place during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol Building.

The resolution condemns the siege and destruction of the Capitol as well as the actions of the individuals who were prepared to harm members of the United States Congress. Additionally, the resolution condemns the actions of former President Donald Trump through which he encouraged his supporters to participate in the insurrection.

Sens. Peter Hayden MBA '21 and Zhanna Imel MBA '21 sponsored this resolution. Hayden expressed why the resolution needed to pass, especially at a school like the College.

“It’s important to realize that we are the 'Alma Mater of the Nation,' and many of our founding fathers and mothers went to William and Mary,” Hayden said.

SA President Anthony Joseph ‘21 also supported the resolution and contextualized the act within the College’s recent history.

“William and Mary has a lot of responsibility to repair in the past,” Joseph said. “… When we look at this moment 10 years from now, where were you in that moment? What side were you on? Where did you stand for and what did you not stand for?”

Joseph further elaborated on the importance for SA to condemn the act because many College alumni contributed to the event.

The resolution specifically condemned two alumni of the College who serve in the House of Representatives, Rep. Steve Chabot ‘75 and Rep. Matthew Gaetz J.D. ‘07, who both voted to throw out certified Electoral College votes for then President-Elect Joseph R. Biden. SA encouraged the College’s administration to enforce accountability from these two alumni, while also asking for explanations from Chabot and Gaetz about their support for the controversial measure in Congress.

Imel spoke to a complex dynamic between the College’s relationship with its alumni, in that some College alumni contributed to the building of American democracy centuries ago — and now SA views some alumni as actively eroding that work.

“It was also kind of surprising that William and Mary has built

“

When we look at this moment 10 years from now, where were you in that moment?

What side were you on? Where did you stand for and what did you not stand for?

— Anthony Joseph

“

CALLIE BOOTH THE FLAT HAT

these democratic ideas, yet we saw several William and Mary alumni representatives that were bashing our American democratic ideas by saying there was fraud in the election,” Imel said.

Sen. Mia Tilman ‘24 believes that both current students and alumni have a responsibility to uphold the legacy of democracy that has been built.

“Alumni of the College have had bad positions in US history, and it is important that we look at the history and the present and acknowledge that we have had a role in some of the damage this country has done,” Tilman said. “As a school that has such a large role in the creation of US history, it is our place to make a statement.”

SA also condemned four House members from Virginia who voted against Trump’s second impeachment, which occurred a week after Jan. 6’s insurrection. These condemned congressmen were Reps. Ben Cline, Bob Good, Morgan Griffith and Rob Wittman. SA also encouraged Congress and the Department of Justice to bring appropriate legal action against Trump after his presidential term expired Jan. 20.

The resolution additionally commended four House members — and College alumni — who voted to impeach Trump three weeks ago: Reps. Stephanie Murphy '00, Jennifer Wexton J.D. '95, Dina Titus '70 and Lizzie Fletcher '06. SA also praised the bravery of the Capitol Police and National Guard, along with journalists who documented the siege when they were at risk of danger. Further recognition was given to Eugene Goodman, a Capitol police officer who protected Congress from the onslaught of domestic terrorists.

SA published a co-authors statement that was written by Hayden.

His letter emphasized his belief that the United States is currently deeply divided and he said that American citizens need to have more respect for one another so that events similar to the insurrection are not repeated.

“What I was taught growing up was to do the right thing, and when you are in a position to say that something that is wrong, you should say it,” Hayden said.

Finally, the resolution acknowledged how the College is known as the “Alma Mater of the Nation,” with many alumni being influential figures within the executive, legislative and judicial branches that helped establish modern American democracy.

“We are the 'alma mater of the nation,'” Joseph said. “We helped create this democracy and our actions directly coincide with the mission of our university.”

DINING

College implements new temporary dining hall policy On-campus dining will provide to-go only meal options until Feb. 10 MOLLY PARKS THE FLAT HAT

Thursday, Jan. 14, the College of William and Mary announced all dining services will be carryout only until Feb. 10. This announcement was sparked by a recommendation from the College’s Public Health Advisory Team and reflects current public health concerns related to COVID-19.

The College’s Public Health Advisory Team continually monitors COVID-19 positivity rates, hospital capacity and other critical public health data on campus and in Williamsburg before making decisions and recommendations. The team was involved in the new dining hall regulations.

In a written statement, College spokesperson Suzanne Clavet described the decision-making process behind the change to takeout meals.

“William & Mary’s Public Health Advisory team has advised strict adherence to the university’s Healthy Together Commitment and, for at least the early part of the spring semester, has recommended limiting indoor dining,” Clavet said.

“PHAT regularly monitors national, state and local health data and advises decision-makers across campus regarding any decisions related to the health of the campus community. This is the same process that was in place in the fall.”

According to the College’s COVID-19 Dashboard

for the spring 2021 semester, 33 students and one faculty member have tested positive for COVID-19 before returning to campus. On campus, there has been one student positive case and one faculty positive case. As of Jan. 25, 2,965 students and 490 staff members have been tested for Covid-19 for the spring semester.

While administrators are prioritizing the health and safety of students and staff as the spring semester begins, some students fear that tighter restrictions may limit students’ abilities to meet people on campus and grow their social circles.

Tara Kerr ’24, who plays on the College’s lacrosse team, moved back onto campus for the spring semester Jan. 15. After experiencing the College’s restrictions for a week, Kerr described the isolation that the dining hall changes could cause, especially for freshmen who are still navigating social life at the College.

“I totally understand why, because in the fall you could sit at a table with somebody who lived in a different dorm than you without a mask on and potentially spread the virus,” Kerr said. “It’s also indoors so circulation is more difficult. So, I totally understand why. But at the same time, it is sad and especially as a freshman who hasn’t experienced how social college is supposed to be, I think it is going to be tough. I think it’ll be especially hard

for people who don’t have a ton of friends who live near them.”

Kerr also discussed how new restrictions have affected her team’s morale and the schedules of Tribe sports teams, particularly in creating bonding among teams.

“A lot of coaches across the board were frustrated,” Kerr said. “I know our coach was hoping we would be able to do a team meal in Caf, especially since it’s kind of chilly in the winter.”

The timing of the new regulation poses a challenge to students as they decide when and where to eat. Cold weather in January and February limits the feasibility of outdoor dining on campus.

Also, as Kerr mentioned, club and team dinners are more difficult to organize because outdoor gathering numbers are limited.

The roles of dining hall workers are also evolving in response to the new regulations. Since indoor dining is prohibited, workers will be cleaning fewer tables and washing fewer student dishes, and they also will no longer have to enforce seating and social distancing guidelines.

Reflecting on the changing roles of dining hall workers this semester, Resident District Manager Jason Aupied discussed how the College’s changes will affect dining hall employees during the spring.

“The switch to all to-go dining has not affected the pay of workers,” Aupied said. “Our staff are

being cross-trained and will be working in multiple locations to maintain their employment status.”

During fall 2020, the dining hall staff reportedly did well in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

“All members of the W&M Dining team were tested for COVID before returning to campus in the fall and again in the spring,” Aupied said.

“We are also a part of weekly prevalence testing.

Other mitigation factors include configuring workstations to allow for physical distancing, requiring face coverings in the workplace, daily health monitoring, physical barriers in high contact areas like cashier stations, staggering of shifts to reduce cross contact and increased sanitizing of high touch areas. While there were a minimal number of cases amongst the dining team in the fall, none of those were determined to be work related.”

As the spring semester begins, the College hopes to maintain the level of success that the campus had in the fall with controlling the spread of COVID-19 – a big task given the pandemic’s worsening severity across the United States.

“We were one of the only lacrosse teams in the region to make it the whole semester without any cases,” Kerr said. “We got to contact which was the final phase. So shoutout to William and Mary students, I was definitely proud of our school coming home for break.”

ADMINISTRATION

Facing deficits, College hosts public hearing on potential tuition raises Administration examines 2020 budget, announces potential 3% increase in student tuition PHILIP SCHUELER FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITOR

Thursday, Jan. 21, the College of William and Mary held a public hearing on potential tuition increases from 0 to 3% for students who entered during the 2019-20 and 202021 academic years. The hearing was led by Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring, who also provided an overview of the College’s fiscal state during the 2020 fiscal year.

Board of Visitors member James Hixon J.D. ‘79 M.L.T. ‘80 opened the hearing by acknowledging the significance of potential tuition increases.

“I would just like to say that the committee and the board and the administration takes tuition increases very seriously and we welcome any comments you might have,” Hixon said.

Sebring’s presentation focused on the specifics of how the College allocates each tuition dollar. She stressed tuition revenue’s large role in supporting the College’s budget, which has been put under additional strain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Tuition is William and Mary’s single largest source of revenue,” Sebring said. “If you look at FY20, tuition and educational and general program fees, those fees that support the academic programs, approach almost $220 million, or about 47% of William and Mary’s budget.”

Sebring continued by emphasizing how much tuition costs directly fund the academic programs of the College.

“Academics accounts for over half of the university’s overall expenditures,” Sebring said. “If you look at FY20, $241 million, over 50% of our operating budget, went to

support academics ... Importantly, if you add financial aid to that, at 13%, over twothirds of the university’s budget goes to those two programs.”

Sebring explained that a plurality of tuition dollars, approximately 47%, supports direct instruction, including faculty compensation. An additional 17% supports need-based financial aid, 13% supports libraries, academic technology and deans, 11% supports institutional support such as human resources, finances and information technology, 8% supports operation and maintenance of facilities, including WMPD, and 4% supports administrative services including the registrar’s office, career services, the financial aid office and the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Sebring also noted that tuition has remained relatively consistent in recent fiscal years.

“Over the last four years, there has been relatively little growth in undergraduate tuition at William and Mary,” Sebring said.

“In FY19, FY20 and FY21 tuition has been held flat for the incoming class, so that’s remained constant over those three years.”

According to Sebring, the College is facing a shortfall of more than $40 million in the next fiscal year because of several factors. First, the College is projecting a drop in anticipated revenue because of a relatively large current enrollment of in-state students as opposed to out-of-state, who face steeper tuition costs. Additionally, the College expects a $24 million projected loss in auxiliary expenses, coupled with $10 million in increased expenses related to COVID-19.

Sebring then detailed the

measures being taken to balance the College’s budget, including $17.4 million in expense reductions across the institution, $10.7 million in temporary debt service savings due to refinancing, $5 million in one-time state appropriations to fund COVID-19 expenses, $3.5 in one-time state funding to mitigate the impact of holding undergraduate tuition growth at 0%, and $4.2 in carryforward balances from prior year savings.

Virginia law mandates that the power to set tuition and fees be given solely to the College’s Board of Visitors.

The College is required by state law to have a balanced budget. The Board of Visitors will make a final decision on tuition and fees at its Feb. 26 meeting.

opinions

Opinions Editor Lucas Harsche Opinions Editor Alyssa Slovin fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | Page 4

STAFF COLUMN

GUEST COLUMN

A difficult and overdue decision: Leaving the Omicron Beta Chapter of Chi Omega Members of Disaffiliate for Change

Facing cabin fever, students learn to appreciate bright spots this spring

FLAT HAT GUEST WRITERS

Both the National Headquarters of Chi Omega and the Omicron Beta Chapter itself — as well as the entire White Greek Life System, perpetuate and benefit from systemic racism through recruitment practices, the dues system, and the consistent alienation and silencing of Black and Brown women. Ultimately, after much consideration and discussion, we have concluded that reform of systemic racism and practices is not possible, and we recognize the best course of action is to disaffiliate and disavow the White Greek Life system.

First and foremost, the former members who composed this letter were all participants of the very system we seek to challenge; we joined for reasons likely similar to those who are still members of Panhellenic (NPC) and Interfraternity (IFC) Councils, and we understand that these reasons are powerful and compelling. We openly invite others to engage with us in this conversation in hopes of creating an open dialogue on the issues systemic to White Greek Life.

The intention of this letter is not to demonize or chastise; rather, it is to emphasize the insidious and fundamental elements of racism within the NPC and IFC, or White Greek Life, and to push forward with a call for complete and total abolition, especially on the College of William and Mary’s campus.

There is no denying the College’s racist past: the first Black female students were accepted in 1967. Ironically, in 2018, the College celebrated “100 years of women,” which directly excluded Black women. Even after the College began accepting Black female students, it took much more time for Black women to be recruited by the Omicron Beta Chapter of Chi Omega. The very existence of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which exists to celebrate and promote Black/Afro-diasporic pride, history and culture, shows that White Greek Life inherently excludes Black people.

The Omicron Beta Chapter has an extensive history of racism and continues to perpetuate these practices to this day. Omicron Beta fails to make meaningful contributions or pushes for accountability and ultimately, the members seem to care more about maintaining their image when met with critique. In the past, the Chapter participated in Black face and other culturally insensitive incidents.

Today, Omicron Beta’s racism is more discreet, but it is still powerful and pervasive. Some examples from recent years include culturally appropriative and racist Halloween costumes, apathy at Diversity, Equity and Inclusion conversations, microaggressive behavior, and insensitive recruitment videos.

These actions were rarely, if ever, met with discipline or action from the Chapter’s executive board.

There is a clear divide in the prioritization of values within the Chapter. While the visible, performative elements of anti-racism present themselves in forums with high viewership, oftentimes the labor is allocated to the so-called “social justice warriors.”

This creates a sense of ease and complacency within the Chapter, without the intensive work that is required to truly and actively address anti-racism.

This produces a veil of protection for the organization, as the small DEI conversations that were often met with indifference at the time, are referenced and idealized for social capital and as a defense against claims of racism. This raises the question: what work are the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils doing to actively dismantle racism, even when Twitter is quiet, when pressure is low, and when no one is watching? Or are these Councils merely acting as a form of performative damage control, listing action steps only to lose interest once the hashtag #BLM stops trending?

As much as the White Greek Community at the College speaks of values, there is little introspection required to be in any Chapter. The Black Lives Matter protests this summer renewed the need for us all to examine our participation in organizations.

This is when Omicron Beta, among many other sororities, released statements against racial injustice, words that could have been so impactful but were empty and disappointing. While the Chapter shares messages of support outwardly in the campus community, there was little inward reflection of the Chapter or support of the DEI initiatives proposed by members, many of whom are leaving the Chapter today.

To white individuals in these organizations: we ask you to reconsider your membership.

We recognize that Omicron Beta’s shortcomings may be obvious, but it is not the sole offender; it is a symptom of a racist disease that is endemic to the White Greek system. Many nonaffiliated Black and Brown students feel that IFC and NPC need to be abolished, as do we. How and why do you defend your affiliation with White Greek Life?

Our goal as an organization is to work as a platform to amplify the voices of those marginalized and traumatized by the White Greek Life system, serve as an educational resource for those who wish to learn more about the ingrained bigotry of White Greek Life, and ultimately work toward the abolishment of Greek Life from the College campus.

Through donating to anti-racism efforts, providing individuals with avenues for disaffiliation, and working with other organizations that uplift communities most damaged by White Greek Life, we aim to rid our community of the unreformable system that is the College’s White Greek Life.

Anyone with questions or interested in getting involved can follow/message us on Instagram @disaffiliate4change_wm or email us at disaffiliate4change@gmail.com.

This article was written by Sophia Kingsley ‘21, Elissa Cleland ‘21, Yasmeen Attia ‘22, Zenobia Goodman ‘22, Clare Garrity ‘21, Abby Fergus ‘21, Caroline Rhodes ‘21, Marika Scotland ‘21 and Tara McLaughlin ‘23.

The Flat Hat welcomes guest submissions at any time. Email submissions to flathat.editor@gmail.com.

Caitlin Noe THE FLAT HAT

As we start off this semester in the midst of winter, which many scientists predict will bring the worst of the COVID-19 crisis, we must ask ourselves a uniquely 20202021 question: how can we delay the onset of cabin fever during a global pandemic?

Throughout the College of William and Mary’s fall semester, my friends and I often found ourselves struggling to escape the patterned nature of a semester under COVID-19 health and safety rules. Although we understood that the rules existed for valid public health reasons, we often found it challenging to, well, have fun.

Our options were limited: walk to Wawa, watch a movie or tv show, hang out on the “Sunky Gs,” go kayaking, do yoga, and not much else. By the end of the semester, I was excited to go home — partly to see my family, but mostly because I was bored with the routine. Now, as the cold weather closes in on us, the options seem even more sparse. Many of the appealing outdoor activities that enticed us in September and October were no longer feasible — or at the very least, not very enjoyable.

As I drafted this article, I planned to offer some reasonable suggestions for activities outside the “Zoomiverse.” But the truth is, there really is not much to do on campus that is COVID-19 safe during the winter.

With more days stuck inside, we will experience cabin fever this spring. It’s inevitable.

But what we can do is find the balance between appreciating the fact that we get to be on campus at all and mourning missing out on a typical college experience.

As a freshman, I was deeply saddened by the loss of the end of my senior year of high school, followed by the dullness of my first semester of college. I know

I was far from the only person feeling this way. Many College students struggled to adjust to campus life in Williamsburg last fall, trying to find friends and community in the grim backdrop of a global pandemic.

But despite the hardship of losing some of the fun of youth, there always will be bright pockets among all the darkness. Life is full of beautiful contradictions. This year has been in many ways one of the worst, but some wonderful things happened too.

Last fall, I danced around my dorm room to Shakira with my roommate, I kayaked in the rain, I hosted tea parties in my hall lounge, I discovered the epic tv show that is “Money Heist” and I had some quality deep talks with friends.

This second semester will have more of those moments, even though some of the time will be truly boring. COVID-19 dealt us a tough hand, but it is still up to us how we look at the situation. We can focus on the negatives or instead look forward to the truly positive experiences we have yet to enjoy.

We can brave the cold some of the time to go to Wawa, we can make hot chocolate and watch television, we can have those deep talks with our friends and we can have mini dance parties to music.

It might not be the most exciting winter months of our college years, but we don’t have to waste the opportunity to enjoy the smaller moments.

At the end of the day, those moments are equally as meaningful to the college experience. And with many of us only in Williamsburg for four years, time here is priceless, making it all the more important for us to get whatever we can out of it.

Caitlin Noe ‘24 is a government and psychology double major. She is also a member of Amnesty International and Film Society, and plans to participate in the DC Summer Institute American Politics program this summer.

Email Caitlin at cjnoe@email.wm.edu.

INDEPENDENT GRAPHIC

Commemorating Martin Luther King. Jr. Day GRAPHICS BY ANGELA VASISHTA / THE FLAT HAT

The Flat Hat

Page 5

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

STAFF COLUMN

As students begin a new semester, practicing empathy has become more important than ever

Lucas Harsche FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR

Last week, newly-inaugurated President Joe Biden called for all Americans to “begin to listen to one another again. Hear one another; see one another; show respect to one another.” As the Alma Mater of the Nation, history shows that the College of William and Mary has failed many times in the past to answer such a call. But now, we as the College community have a chance to reclaim our pride of place among America’s universities and lead the effort forward in transforming our broken society into one based on empathy.

The sharp divisions that have plagued our country for years now have not spared the College’s campus. Every Saturday at Confusion Corner this past fall, hundreds of students peacefully protested in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sending out a cry for racial justice that still remains to be answered by local and federal governments. The chalkboard outside of the ISC became a fiery battleground over abortion. And for many students, social media became a safe haven for echo chambers which reinforced convictions but rarely reached across aisles — something which I admit I am definitely guilty of, lest I stand on a soapbox.

We, as a community, are all now presented with a choice. We can either continue to ignore the voices crying out for justice, assume the absolute worst intentions of others, and celebrate our moral righteousness within our enclosed communities. Or, we can practice, in the poetic words of Oxford Languages, “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another,” otherwise known as empathy.

If we all strive for empathy in the coming months, the College can make a stand against the tide of hate that has all but risen throughout the country over the past few weeks. We can be a community where we learn more about each other and even ourselves in the process. Listening to one another not only enriches our lives and those around us; it is also necessary for the future world which our generation is set to inherit.

Easier said than done, to be sure, since empathy requires more listening than talking. The College is a university filled with bright minds waiting to share strong opinions. I mean, here I am now, sharing neither my first nor last strong opinion. But it is my view that too often we take strong views we find comforting and then are forced backwards to cherry-pick supporting evidence to save face, rather than build productive solutions for all of humanity on

the basis of learning from other voices. Whatever grand truth there is to the design of the universe, one guarantee is that the person standing next to you has quite a unique perception of it compared to your own.

That does not have to be scary. Our unique perspectives are what shape us as unique human beings, but it is only through empathy that we will be able to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. The College already has several policies in place to facilitate empathy on its campus, but it is incumbent upon us as the student body to practice what we preach.

For instance, we at The Flat Hat are working to establish a new print philosophy to better amplify the opinions of all students on campus. Only by exposing ourselves to a wide variety of voices and experiences — especially those that have often gone unheard — can we better understand one another and find solutions which benefit us all.

Of course, empathy toward one another entails an interest in the common good, and in no way am I suggesting that all beliefs are created equal. Earlier this month, we all witnessed the consequences of a shared but false belief allowing itself to strike at the very heart of our democracy. Those who do not have the common good of humanity in mind must be challenged with every effort available to us.

As a history major, I am regularly exposed to the personal accounts of people who lived in times and places very different than my own. To understand the pains and the joys that these people experienced in their historical moments is in itself a test of empathy.

This spring, as we all safely return to campus and strive to find some sense of normalcy, let us also strive to actively hear one another as well. We may all live in the same era, but we certainly all come from different places.

Lucas Harsche ’23 is a history major. In addition to his work at The Flat Hat, Lucas is also the treasurer for both Swim Club and Active Minds, and plays violin in the Symphony Orchestra.

Email Lucas at lmharsche@email.wm.edu.

GRAPHIC BY ANGELA VASISHTA / THE FLAT HAT

STAFF COLUMN

In the wake of insurrection, Student Assembly demonstrates greater accountability than the United States Congress breach in integrity and honor, both of which the College upholds above all else, the resolution continued forth in condemnation of these alumni, severing all ties and claim to them.

Although others were not alumni, the resolution condemned those of the Commonwealth and beyond who did not vote in favor of Trump’s second impeachment or may have participated FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR in the insurrection, directly or otherwise.

By this point in time, every American The resolution was not all negatively is highly aware of the unfortunate toned, however, and even commended events that unfolded Jan. 6 in four alumni representatives who voted Washington, D.C, which culminated in favor of the impeachment, some of in the storming of the United whom attended the College States Capitol building. The for undergrad and others response to such actions has whom attended for law school.

It is hardly necessary, but I been widespread and rife with Despite the complicated public overwhelmingly approve of the much controversy, although the opinion of police officers, the majority of American citizens Student Assembly applauded decisiveness with which the Student appear to openly denounce members of law enforcement, Assembly has acted. President Joe Biden particularly Eugene Goodman, the violent protesters and insurrectionists. who has been heralded as a may not be the perfect leader, but he As a student at the College, hero for his actions during the is indeed the one that our America has storming of the Capitol.

I was anxiously awaiting the complete condemnation from It is hardly necessary, but chosen, and by our very own laws, we university officials, particularly I overwhelmingly approve of are bound to honor that decision. The College President Katherine the decisiveness with which Rowe’s, who has come under the Student Assembly has Student Assembly may not have the great scrutiny by students in acted. President Joe Biden prestige of the United States Senate the past few months concerning may not be the perfect leader, her verbal responses relating but he is indeed the one that itself, but it acted more maturely and to the 2020 election, support our America has chosen, and thoroughly than the unfortunate of DACA students on campus by our very own laws, we are and support for the Black Lives bound to honor that decision. members of Congress who stood with Matter movement.

The Student Assembly may Trump and the insurrectionists by Furthermore, as someone not have the prestige of the who lived in fear for the entirety United States Senate itself, refusing to condemn them. of the Trump administration but it acted more maturely because of the former and thoroughly than the president’s homophobic unfortunate members of legislation and his homophobic Representative Steven Chabot and Congress who stood with Trump and followers, I craved protection and Representative Matthew Gaetz II. the insurrectionists by refusing to assurance from the College.

“These alumni, by their own actions, condemn them.

The Student Assembly, in their have failed to fulfill their obligations Elaine Godwin ‘22 is an English and recent Jan. 17 email, completely as a member of the William & Mary Data Science double major. As a queer assuaged these fears by speaking out community outlined in the Honor Code, person, she has a unique view on the in a confident, well-worded manner as well as their obligations as sworn world and is dedicated to inclusion for that detailed their opinion of the riot. defenders of democracy,” the Senate the LGBTQ community.

The email details their Insurrection Resolution stated.

Email Elaine at Condemnation Resolution, which was Because of the multiple forms of sgodwin@email.wm.edu.

Elaine Godwin

notably passed unanimously and which cited the United States Constitution as basis for their statement.

Indeed, transitions of power should be utterly peaceful and respectful of the nation’s desires — namely, the desire for Joe Biden to take over the country after this election, period.

The statement further calls out Trump himself as the cause and center of the insurrection and extends to many members of his administration and party as well.

Not only this, but alumni of the College were found to be inveigled within the despicable actions:

STAFF COLUMN

New Zoom meme group offers more welcoming environment during pandemic than “Swampy”

Alyssa Slovin FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR

Since March, our social circles have become smaller and more secure than ever. Everyone is in their own world, holding onto the friends that they cannot live without, and letting everyone else fall by the wayside. Trust and openness are not exactly as easy to come by as they were in previous years. But even before the pandemic, how many new people did we meet every day? We are the generation that sticks to themselves when they go out instead of making conversation with strangers in elevators and wearing masks over our mouths and noses hasn’t changed our habits.

March 12, 2020, some infamous students created the Facebook group “Zoom Memes for Self Quaranteens,” first under the name “Zoom Memes for Self Quarantining Teens.” Possibly unaware of their genius at the time, this group now has around eight hundred and fifty thousand members. Similar to other Facebook meme groups, such as the College of William and Mary’s popular “Swampy Memes for TWAMPY Teens,” students post relatable content to make everyone join in for a much-needed laugh. However, this group is open to anyone who wants to join, and that includes college students from around the world, as well as a few high schoolers who are eager to get in on the action.

We have written several articles about good old’ Swampy Memes in the past here at The Flat Hat, and it doesn’t seem like the future will be much different. Memes and the community that surrounds them will always be a pivotal part of culture at the College, even as the content edges towards social justice.

However, before the creation of Zoom Memes, I noticed that Swampy Memes was becoming a toxic place, and I was not alone in that assessment. Posts became competitions of who was suffering the most, which made every scroll through the newsfeed a chore instead of an escape.

Students also took to the site to critique every one of the administration’s decisions, which was often valid, but it made it feel as if College students were all miserable and couldn’t wait to write their memoir about the trauma of their college experience. Everyone was piling on, and it was no longer a group with which people wanted to interact. I know multiple people who left the group all together, and I only stayed in order to keep up to date with campus buzz.

I’m sure the transition was more smooth than this, but it seemed as if Swampy Memes immediately quieted down when Zoom Memes was created. It was a place for fresh faces that no one had ever met before. It was a place to talk about something beyond the College.

Not to be dramatic, but it was bigger than all of us as individuals or individual universities. Students worldwide connected over issues they were all facing, whether it was professors who didn’t know how to use Zoom, turning in assignments late due to forgotten deadlines, or unbelievable stories about the incredible lack of empathy during a pandemic. As it turns out, we were all facing the same hurdles. Also, it turns out that we all find the same jokes funny. Somehow, almost a million students post, comment and like within the same Facebook group and it works due to the diligence of those students who moderate the group, and I really hope they don’t give it up when the pandemic is over and we are no longer “Quaranteens.”

In no way do I think liking and tagging my best friends in a post made by someone in Wyoming counts as branching out and meeting new people, but it does create a sense of community between students that has never existed previously. And besides that community, I think it has calmed our own community in a way too.

In no way do I think liking and tagging my best friends in a post made by someone in Wyoming counts as branching out and meeting new people, but it does create a sense of community between students that has never existed previously. And besides that community, I think it has calmed our own community in a way too. Part of this is likely due to the moderators on Swampy Memes cracking down on the amount of negativity in the group, but I attribute another part of my rejuvenated newsfeed to the refreshing feeling that the new group brought to us TWAMPs and reminded us of the laughs we were missing. Swampy Memes will always be a place for students to discuss injustices they see in the classroom or at the College as a whole, but that does not have to be all it is.

It is a hodgepodge of all of the emotions, and I think viewing life from such a wide scale has helped us all remember balance. That, and we’re all going insane indoors and just want to be connected again. Either way, students have found a way to achieve balance and unlikely connections during crisis, and that is too special to just go away overnight.

Alyssa Slovin ‘22 is an English and marketing double major.

Besides her work at The Flat Hat and The Flat Hat Magazine, she is involved in Sinfonicron Light Opera Company, The Gallery and Active Minds.

Email Alyssa at amslovin@email.wm.edu.

variety

Variety Editor Gavin Aquin Hernández Variety Editor Matthew Kortan flathat.variety@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | Page 6

ZOOM: IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME

Fraternities, sororities at the College struggle with digital recruitment in the age of COVID-19 JR HERMAN // THE FLAT HAT COVID-19 has affected all aspects of student life and completely revolutionized socialization — Greek life has been no exception. Fraternities and sororities — traditionally known for hosting parties, hangouts and large social events — have had to adapt to state laws and school-specific COVID-19 mitigation rules, including gathering restrictions, mask mandates and virtual recruitment. Parties, socialization and networking typically are allures of Fraternity and Sorority Life. During the pandemic, however, these allures have been greatly diminished due to the drastic decrease of in-person activities, which, for the most part, have been replaced with Zoom sessions and other online events. This year, the College’s fraternities and sororities conducted recruitment virtually in order to ensure the safety of all, at the same time allowing both on-campus and remote students to equally participate in the process.

While Zoom recruitment was certainly a logistical challenge and a difficult transition for Sorority and Fraternity executives accustomed to traditional recruitment, the virtual setting also made it more difficult for potential new members to determine which chapters would be the best fit for them personally. However, despite the difficulties of Zoom meetings, which tend to hinder bonding between members, the College’s fraternities and sororities seem to have adapted well to the restrictions.

Grace Haffner ’21 served as President of Pi Phi in 2020, leading her sorority through the pandemic and virtual recruitment. While Haffner acknowledged the logistical difficulties and unpleasant side effects of an entirely virtual recruitment process, she also saw some benefits to the method.

“There were some positives to an online experience — faster rounds, less standing and waiting outside for long hours for potential new members, ability to dress more comfortably, etc.,” Haffner said. “However, the platform itself makes the typical logistics of recruitment much harder. Typically, we have two to three girls come around to potential new members per round. With so many women at once, it was hard to utilize breakout rooms seamlessly.”

Pi Phi was successful in both recruitment and fostering sisterhood, despite the untraditional Zoom platform for weekly meetings. While bonding between members has been more difficult due to the cancellation of traditional events, including the new member retreat, Pi Phi still managed to encourage sisterhood through socially distant outdoor events like walks around campus and Pilates classes, as well as through the big/little sister relationships and breakout rooms during Zoom sessions. This semester, Pi Phi hopes to host outdoor, socially distant picnics.

For Haffner, while socially distant and virtual events are disappointing when compared to in-

person activities, the sorority experience during COVID-19 has nevertheless been valuable.

“All in all, many, many events we hold near and dear such as sisterhood events, date parties, chapter meetings and initiation were moved to Zoom or a virtual platform,” Haffner said. “It is hard to replace sisterhood through a screen for a whole semester, but many tight-knit relationships were still fostered… We have certainly gotten creative — nothing will replace the traditional in-person experience, but I speak for myself and others by saying I am very glad I had Pi Phi to lean on during this unexpected return to campus.

In the face of so much change and uncertainty, it served as a constant.”

Benjamin Gittelman ‘22, member education chair of Beta Theta Pi, has only experienced fraternity life in the midst of the pandemic, having pledged last spring.

According to Gittelman, Beta Theta Pi saw a decrease in new members this year compared to regular years.

“We got much less new members than we were able to get last fall, but we know the guys that did join are people we can trust and people we respect,” Gittelman said. “It’s tough for organizations like fraternities where the merit of joining is always so explicit — hanging out in big groups on the weekend, studying together, playing sports together, getting food together — when those things can put people in danger.”

Because Beta held all weekly meetings and rush events with more than two or three people over Zoom, the lack of in-person interaction between various friend groups has affected the social dynamic of the fraternity.

“A large group of people always forms cliques and not ever being able to see the entire fraternity only encourages this,” Gittelman said. “With new members, it’s especially difficult. Thankfully, I live in the on-campus house, but there are several new members who have never met some of the guys in the fraternity.”

While many chapters have seen a significant decrease in new members, the College’s Delta Delta Delta sorority, despite anticipating lower numbers due to restricted socialization opportunities and the Zoom format, actually ended up on par with previous years in terms of new member recruitment, welcoming over 30 new women to the chapter.

Jana El-Sayed ’21, Tri Delta’s 2020 president, studied remotely during the fall semester, as did several other returning chapter members, which prevented them from meeting new members in person during the semester. Remote returning members, combined with gathering restrictions, complicated communication, especially with newer members.

“These changes and the loss of our bigger philanthropy and social events certainly created a different environment and made it more difficult to

meet new people and stay in touch ‘organically’, but I think our officers did a phenomenal job of always providing opportunities for members to safely engage in activities,” El-Sayed said. “Staying in touch was certainly easier for older members because there was a precedent, while meeting new members proved to be a bit more difficult.”

El-Sayed also expressed that the COVID pandemic affected her sorority going into the future in another aspect — the overall restructuring allowed Tri Delta to redefine their goals and priorities and focus on furthering inclusivity and diversity in the present and in years to come.

While Zoom is not an ideal medium to conduct recruitment and events, Ryan Klopp ‘22, secretary for the College’s Lambda Chi Alpha colony, thinks that some recruitment techniques implemented as a result of the pandemic were not only beneficial but may have a lasting impact on the way in which his fraternity conducts recruitment in the future.

“In lieu of the large gatherings and open-houses which characterized recruitment in past years, we switched to a much more individualized recruitment process,” Klopp said. “Brothers would individually reach out to potential candidates, and if mutual interest was established, the potential new members would be invited to meet other brothers in oneon-one and small-group settings such as lunches.

While this required a bit more ‘legwork’ than rush in past semesters, it allowed brothers to build more meaningful connections with the candidates before introducing them to the general brotherhood — a lesson which we will certainly learn for future recruitment cycles.”

Lambda Chi successfully hosted safe gatherings and followed the College’s guidelines by reserving outdoor spaces in advance and distributing sign-up sheets prior to events, something which helped ensure the College’s gathering limit was respected at all times. The fraternity also bought Lambda Chi Alpha masks to distribute to its members in the hopes of encouraging bonding and promoting brotherhood. While in-person events were difficult to coordinate and did not allow for the entire fraternity to ever be physically present in the same location, Klopp thought that the challenges increased the sense of brotherhood.

“The rewards offered by the chance to see our brothers in person in this socially-distanced semester made the extra work well worth it — I would even go so far as to say that these meetings helped strengthen our connection with our newer members, as the stresses of this semester reminded everyone of the value of seeing friends in person,” Klopp said.

As the spring 2021 semester unfolds with COVID-19 mitigation rules still in place, Greek life at the College and across the country will continue to adapt and evolve under the ever-changing circumstances.

sports

Sports Editor Zoe Beardsley Sports Editor Nathan Seidel flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | Page 7

Changing the game off the court

Misha Jones ’19 provides fresh perspective to the world of sports journalism

COURTESY PHOTOS / MISHA JONES After a successful basketball career at the College of William and Mary, Jones turned her attention off-court, pursuing journalism post-graduation with Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

independence, and to really take the time to hone my craft.”

At the Cronkite School, Jones went through something resembling a journalism “boot camp.”

“I’m interested in whatever’s interested in me! At the end of the day, all I want to do is use my skills to help make the world safe for Black, Brown and indigenous people of color, as well as trans and gender non-conforming people.”

This motto appears on the website of former William and Mary women’s basketball player Misha Jones ’19. Jones, who played basketball at the College from 2015-2019, eventually decided to pursue a career in journalism after she graduated — albeit through by an unconventional route.

“I came to William and Mary wanting to major in something communications, journalism, you know, in that realm, but obviously we don’t have that at William and Mary,” Jones said. “So for me, the next best option was either create my own major, which was like a headache in itself, or do film and media studies.”

Since Jones was not able to major in journalism, her goal had to be put on hold for a few years. After she graduated from the College with a degree in film and media studies, Jones set out to pursue her career fully, which led her to a master’s program at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“The reason why I chose grad school is because I knew that if I wanted to launch myself into a journalism career, I would probably need some more formal journalism training,” Jones said. “ASU’s Cronkite School, it was an accelerated program, so I started last fall and I’m already done with it. And it was an opportunity to explore a place I’d never been to, to have some more

“

The simple fact of it is, in journalism there’s way too many white men. There are way too many people who don’t look like me making big decisions. ... it slowly filters out all the stories that really pertain and hit home for people who look like me and people who don’t look like me ...

“

ZOE BEARDSLEY FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR

— Misha Jones

“I started of the first semester, and you’re kind of all hands on deck,” Jones said. “You learn the basics of digital journalism, writing, the basics of photography, the basics of making packages and broadcast journalism, just the basics of everything.”

She also used her free time to gain journalism experience in lots of different fields.

“I got lucky that I found an extracurricular like group called the Walter Cronkite sports network,” Jones said. “I was able to cover the women’s basketball team as a beat reporter and as a photographer, which was really cool… I also got to cover some baseball and some softball.”

Jones graduated from Arizona State in fall 2020 and then began working as a freelance journalist. Throughout her time writing as an undergraduate, graduate student and freelancer, Jones’s identity as a

Black, queer woman has informed her work as a journalist and helps drives her passion to write and tell stories.

“The simple fact of it is, in journalism there’s way too many white men,” Jones said. “There are way too many people who don’t look like me making big decisions. And from the higher ups, the editors, the CEOs and CFOs, when they make decisions about the kind of content that they put out, it slowly filters out all the stories that really pertain and hit home for people who look like me and people who don’t look like me, then we have a problem because we have a lack of information reaching communities that need it the most. For me, as much as I try to take myself out of my own shoes, when I’m writing, when I ’m reporting, I can’t help but be a Queer Black woman. If I’m seeing something about the NBA and all of their social justice initiatives, I’m going to feel some type of way if you don’t put in there something about the WNBA and how they set the tone for the NBA.” As a journalist, Jones is constantly learning and working to make the world a better and safer place for all people and communities that are oppressed and affected by white supremacy.

“There are just some fundamental truths, like in this country, white supremacy is king and white supremacy touches every aspect of our lives, whether we choose to see it or not,” Jones said. “And when I say white supremacy, it doesn’t automatically equate to racial prejudice. It also trickles down into transphobia and homophobia because the gender binary is completely a white supremacist social construct. So, it’s just about making sure that everybody who comes across my work understands where I’m coming from and why it’s necessary to go so hard for these communities that are just being treated poorly, horribly, terribly.”

Jones recently accepted a position as an audio editor and associate producer for Complex Networks. But regardless of where her career takes her, she will continue to stay true to herself and her identity.

“In my opinion, I think it’s a detriment to journalism as a whole to remove a person and a person’s perspective from the work that they do,” Jones said. “I think at the end, our goal as journalists should be to connect with people with human beings, provide them with a service, provide them with entertainment, you know, whatever it is that you’re doing, and I just don’t think it’s smart to try to pretend like we’re robots. And that’s not to say that you shouldn’t check yourself because you absolutely should…But if what you’re doing is going to, at the end of the day, empower marginalized people, marginalized communities, then you’re in the right place. And I think that’s just the baseline of everything that I do; Is this making anything better for anybody else.”

BASKETBALL

Tribe’s efforts falter after comeback attempt

Redshirt junior Sydney Wagner displays strong gameplay, Cougars dominate with rebounds NATHAN SEIDEL FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR Despite 28 points and six triples from redshirt junior Sydney Wagner, William and Mary women’s basketball (6-7, 3-5 CAA) dropped the second half of its doubleheader against the College of Charleston (5-3, 1-1 CAA) Jan. 24, falling 69-66.

The Cougars’ five double-figure scorers proved too much for the Tribe to overcome, accounting for all but two of their team’s points.

The teams earned similar field goal and three-point percentages, but the Tribe making just one of the eight threes it attempted in the fourth quarter was a key element in their narrow defeat.

They still outscored the Cougars in the final period, but after falling behind 11 points, 25-14, after the first quarter it was an uphill climb.

Adding to Wagner’s 28, which fell just three points short of her season high 31, was

a double-double from senior guard/forward Bailey Eichner that consisted of 13 points and 10 rebounds, her season-high for points.

Senior guard Nyla Pollard added nine points and sophomore guard/forward Bre Bellamy pitched in six.

In addition, the Cougars outrebounded the Tribe 50-30, getting multiple extra shot attempts and possessions to help counterbalance their 20 turnovers.

The Tribe did pass the ball well, logging 16 assists to the Cougars’ 10.

Leading the way for the Cougars was junior guard Tyler Collins’ 19 points, freshman guard Tyler Gray’s 15 points and 8 rebounds, as well as junior forward Arynn Eady’s 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The Tribe returns home for a doubleheader next weekend, facing off against Towson at 2 p.m. in Kaplan arena Jan. 30 and 31, as the Tribe attempts to return to or eclipse .500 on the season.

JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT The Tribe women’s basketball team continues its season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, losing to the Cougars.

Page 8

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

COVID-19

College, localities plan for spring vaccination rollout as students, staff return to campus during phase 1B Williamsburg, James City County lag behind other Virginia regions in vaccine distribution As students, staff and faculty begin to arrive on campus for the spring semester, the College of William and Mary announced that it has partnered with the Virginia Department of Health to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

In a Jan. 14 email, College President Katherine Rowe expressed optimism about the vaccine but provided limited information about vaccine rollout at the College and clarified that plans are still in developmental stages.

“In early January, the United States is experiencing the fiercest spread of COVID-19 to date,” Rowe said. “At the same time, hearts are lifted by the vaccines being distributed to frontline healthcare workers and our most vulnerable community members — thanks to extraordinary efforts by scientists around the world.”

Williamsburg just completed phase 1A of its vaccine rollout — limited only to healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents.

Just last week, Peninsula, Hampton, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach were the only health districts in phase 1A as the rest of Virginia has moved into phase 1B, meaning Williamsburg lagged behind the rest of the state in the initial vaccine rollout. Williamsburg officially entered phase 1B Jan. 21. Williamsburg, with a population of 14,927, has administered 27 doses as of Jan. 25, with two people fully vaccinated. James City County, with a population of 76,523, has administered 6,039 doses as of Jan. 25, with 542 people fully vaccinated. Williamsburg has vaccinated roughly 0.16 percent of its population; James City County has vaccinated roughly 7.1 percent of its population. That said, many of the hospitals and health facilities that serve Williamsburg, at which the first doses were administered, are located in surrounding James City County.

The six localities of the Peninsula, including Williamsburg, have been working cooperatively to address vaccination needs.

Christopher Newport University, Hampton Roads Convention Center and the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center have all been established as vaccine clinics but are not yet open to the public.

“These clinics are set up to administer more than 1,000 vaccines each eight-hour operating period, made possible by using existing medical staff, including school nurses, from each locality to serve as vaccinators,” the localities said in a press release. “However, these clinics are currently limited by the amount of vaccine available. The three clinics are supplemental to the efforts from VDH, which plans to open smaller clinics on the Peninsula.”

It is unclear whether a vaccine clinic will be set up at the College.

Amy Sebring, the College’s chief operating officer, said that students may have to wait longer for the vaccine than staff members, who are included as essential workers in phase 1C of vaccine rollout. Some College employees, such as those working in the student health center or in quarantine housing, were included in phase 1A. Police and other essential workers are included in phase 1B. “William & Mary is providing information to the local health districts on employees meeting job-related criteria for 1A and 1B vaccinations,” Sebring said in an email. “The

majority of faculty and staff members, because they work in Virginia higher education, qualify for the 1C distribution schedule. At this time, the local health districts have not started offering vaccines to individuals in Phase 1C. We anticipate most students will be vaccinated with the general population following Phase 1C. Ultimately, it is the Virginia Department of Health that is the decision-maker on vaccinations in Virginia.”

According to Sebring, many College employees in the 1A category have already been vaccinated at no cost. Sebring said the College is keeping tabs on its workers that have been vaccinated based on employment but does not necessarily know the status of individuals who may qualify through other factors, such as age or preexisting conditions.

She said VDH’s plans for 1C vaccination are still unavailable. The Flat Hat reached out to VDH for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been painstakingly slow for many Americans.

While the vaccine itself was developed at a record pace, its distribution is fragmented and vaccination plans vary drastically on local, state and federal level. Newly inaugurated President Joe Biden has promised 100 million vaccines administered in his first 100 days in office — a steep increase from the mere 13 million Americans currently vaccinated, only two million of which have received both doses.

While many private companies across the country, including Starbucks and Honeywell, have pledged to contribute to distribution efforts, they face a herculean task. Herd immunity for diseases often requires upwards of 80 percent of the population to be vaccinated, and the threshold for herd immunity for COVID-19 is still unknown.

College and universities are frequently emphasized as vital centers of information in combatting COVID-19, both by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies. In this spirit, medical expert Anthony Fauci plans to join Rowe for a community conversation the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 26, where they will discuss the vaccine, its distribution and other COVID-19related topics.

For many students, the wait for a vaccine and the lack of information has fostered uncertainty and stress. With many hoping for a ‘normal’ semester next fall, Sebring said the College has received many questions about vaccine requirements.

“Yes, we’ve received questions about whether the vaccine will be required for any population of the William & Mary community,” Sebring said. “The short answer is no, with caveats. Because the current COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed under an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA, they are not currently required of any faculty, staff or students. However, in the future, when the vaccines are approved beyond emergency use, they may be included among the other vaccinations required of students who attend W&M or for employees. W&M will continue working with state officials on those determinations as more information becomes available.”

For those wondering when it will be their turn in line, the VDH website has resources to help individuals determine if they qualify for a vaccine in the current phase.

Williamsburg completed phase 1A, which was limited to healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents. Phase 1B began Jan. 21 and includes those over 75 and frontline essential workers.

As of Jan. 25, Williamsburg, with a population of 14,927, has administered 27 doses. 2 people are fully vaccinated.

PHASE

1B

WILLIAMSBURG VACCINATION PHASE

WILLIAMSBURG’S

VACCINATION PLAN:

WHAT WE KNOW

GRAPHIC BY CARMEN HONKER / THE FLAT HAT

ALEXANDRA BYRNE FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER

27

WILLIAMSBURG DOSES ADMINISTERED JAMES CITY COUNTY DOSES ADMINISTERED

WHEN WILL MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS GET VACCINATED?

PHASE

2

6,039

As of Jan. 25, James City County, with a population of 76,523, has administered 6,039 doses. 542 people are fully vaccinated.

Most college students will be vaccinated in phase 2 among all individuals ages 16-64 who are without high-risk medical conditions.

Phase 2 will begin after phases 1B and 1C are well underway.

WILLIAMSBURG

Health foundation, local governments raise $1 million for rent relief COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates fears of eviction, prompting municipal action on rental assistance ALEXANDRA BYRNE FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER

The Williamsburg Health Foundation, in cooperation with the local governments of Williamsburg, James City County and York County, announced a total of $1 million in grant funding to prevent rental evictions in the Greater Williamsburg area due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money was divided up among the three localities based on population size and number of lowincome households, with the City of Williamsburg receiving $270,000.

The grant program is slated to run through the end of 2021 and will cover up to three months of rent. Applicants must have a current lease in their name and their total household income must be below 120 percent of area median income. The application process will include an interview to

determine eligibility.

In a press release, the WHF emphasized the connection between health and housing. For many on the brink of eviction prior to the pandemic, COVID-19 exacerbated these fears. Many who struggled with housing instability turned to non-profit organizations such as the Williamsburg House of Mercy for rental assistance and the search for permanent housing during the pandemic.

President and CEO of Williamsburg Health Foundation Carol Sale noted that WHF dipped into its corpus to fund this program due to the dire circumstances during the pandemic.

“Our community will only be truly healthy when we have safe, affordable housing for all who live and work here,” Sale said. “The Health Foundation is not in a position to provide longterm rent relief, but at this critical moment during this pandemic, we are

certain that helping people to be able to remain in their homes is the best way to prevent a bad situation from becoming a desperate situation.”

The housing problem is not new to Tidewater Virginia. According to Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, Richmond, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Chesapeake all ranked in the top 10 evicting cities in the country in 2016. Just before the pandemic began, Williamsburg convened a working group to craft long-term solutions for the city’s housing crisis and lack of affordable housing.

Though a federal moratorium on evictions is currently in place, many residents fear the “eviction cliff ” once the moratorium is lifted. The protections for renters are becoming more precarious as time goes on — Virginia’s statewide eviction moratorium ended Dec. 31.

Furthermore, the moratorium only

applies if renters can prove their financial situation has worsened due to the pandemic.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Jan. 21 asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to extend its current moratorium to March 31. However, a moratorium on evictions cannot cancel debt, leading the Biden administration to seek $25 billion in rental assistance to help cover these existing expenses. After March 31, just a few months away, protections for renters remain murky and uncertain, both locally and federally.

Director of Human Services for the City of Williamsburg Wendy Evans emphasized how the program will connect participants to additional resources.

“On an individual level, as we’re working with households and families, we are going to try to

prevent another cliff,” Evans said.

“This gives us an opportunity to help them work one-on-one with their landlords to catch up on their rent and it provides us an opportunity to link them with additional resources or services in our community, whether that’s employment support, a job academy, or other supports that will help them get to self-sufficiency.

Stabilizing their housing is step one in that process.”

The funds from the WHF grant will be paid directly to landlords as residents adjust to the postmoratorium situation and recover from financial hardship caused by COVID-19, according to Housing Manager of James City County Keith Denny. The application for the COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Program opens Feb. 1 for qualifying low- and middle-income households in need of emergency rental payments.