Vol. 109, Iss. 22 | Tuesday, January 28, 2020
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
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Housing changes for 2020-2021 announced
DESIGN BY EMMA FORD / THE FLAT HAT
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Language houses move to Hardy and Landrum Halls, Class of 2023 faces on-campus residency requirement EMMA FORD // FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
As students began classes for the spring semester at the College of William and Mary, one topic permeated discourse on campus: housing selection. Regarding the 2020-2021 housing application, two new housing changes are at the forefront of discussion. For the first time, the College will require sophomore students to remain on campus as part of the Sophomore Year Experience for students returning in their third and fourth semester. Additionally, the Language Houses currently placed in the Randolph Complex will be moving to spaces in Hardy and Landrum Halls. According to Associate Director for Administration Harriet Kandell, the College does not have any major space concerns regarding the influx of sophomores living on campus. “We won’t really be able to see the impact at least for another year or two to be able to compare the data from previous years,” Kandell said in an email. “Historically we house approximately 75% of enrolled undergraduate students. In recent years about 200 sophomores have chosen to live off campus, and we have
space to accommodate this number.” For fall 2020, the College will make available 5,028 bed spaces total. To prepare for the Class of 2024 and for the new sophomore requirement, the College will hold 1,534 of those beds. For the Classes of 2021 and 2022, a total of 1,934 beds will be left available. As in past years, rising seniors will be given the first time slot to select rooms, then rising juniors, and lastly, sophomores. However, certain rooms will be unavailable during senior and junior room selections to ensure that enough rooms will be available to all sophomores. No singles and apartments will be reserved for sophomores exclusively. Based on data from previous years, Kandell explained that there appear to be more beds available than demanded by upperclassmen. She also added that in the past six years, more than 75 percent of sophomores have chosen to remain on campus. “… every year we know on average over the last 5 years 1,730 juniors and seniors opt to stay on campus,” Kandell said. “This past year we have 1,611 juniors and seniors residing in
campus. So you can see, we anticipate having enough space for all students who wish to live on campus.” The push for the new requirement came after the College enacted its First Year Experience program in 2013. According to the College, the new sophomore year experience was established “to support students’ academic and personal success during what is often called the ‘slump year’ or the ‘lost year.’ Many institutions have been moving in this direction with approaches that are programmatic and/or residential in nature.” Some current freshmen have concerns around the new residency requirement. Taylor Robertson ’23 wondered how the sophomore on-campus living requirement will affect fraternities and sororities. Some FSL organizations do not have on-campus housing and this new requirment will prevent sophomores from living in their organization’s off-campus housing. “For me personally, I’m in a fraternity but we don’t have an on-campus house, so for most fraternities and sororities, all their sophomores
are going to go live in their on-campus house and will be fine,” Robertson said. “… Since we don’t have a house, I’m going to be required to live on-campus which will be really hard for a fraternity to keep off-campus houses because you have less brothers who are unable to go and get houses together. ... I definitely feel like I’m getting a bonding experience taken away.” Additionally, Ella Schotz ’23 also expressed frustration with the fact that because of being required to live on campus, she and other sophomores must purchase one of the three meal plans available to students. “I don’t really see the reasoning and its really frustrating because now you’re required to have a meal plan on campus, which I think if I cooked for myself, I could get that at a much better price,” Schotz said. “And especially since I don’t think the food is exceptional, especially for me since I am a vegetarian.” Other housing changes will be occurring during the 2020-2021 academic year. No residence halls are set to close completely, but See HOUSING page 3
CAMPUS
Dining halls apply additional sustainability measures
Sadler Center Court, Marketplace, the Commons, College Catering receive green designation ETHAN BROWN FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR
This semester, Sadler Center Court and the Commons dining halls will no longer utilize single-use plastics as one of many broader campus-wide initiatives to improve dining sustainability in spring 2020. Some of these initiatives will continue to develop and evolve well into the new decade. Sadler Center Court Operation Manager Steve Moyer said that Sadler, the Commons and Marketplace strive to implement environmentally conscious policies envisioned by the College’s five-year Sustainability Plan, which was published in 2019. These policies include the elimination of single-use plastics, improved
Index Profile News Opinions Variety
Sports
composting accessibility and increased vegetarian and vegan meal options. These designations recently led to these three dining halls being officially recognized as “green restaurants” according to the Green Restaurant Association. The GRA evaluates restaurants on several metrics based on their environmental impacts. In addition to examining menus and food availability, inspectors consider everything that goes into a dining establishment’s functional operation and decide whether to categorize it as sufficiently environmentally friendly. All on-campus dining halls, as well as the College’s catering service, received a passing grade and subsequently earned a “green” designation. “We got certified in four locations,” Moyer said. “We got
Inside Opinions 2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
See SUSTAINABILITY page 4
Inside Sports
Immersive language experience offers new outlook on failure
Sunny High 53, Low 34
certified in Commons, Sadler, Catering and Marketplace. What happens is that they take a holistic approach towards certification. It’s not just food. It’s energy, it’s water, it’s waste, it’s building maintenance.” Marketplace, Sadler and the Commons all had to obtain their own certification, requiring inspectors to grade each establishment individually to ensure environmental consciousness at each location. Getting certified was a timeconsuming process, with inspectors evaluating every aspect of the dining halls’ operations both inside and outside of the kitchen. Since the GRA is based out of Boston, these inspections were
Anna Boustany ’21 says her study abroad experience in Amman, Jordan has taught her to be more open to failure, and encourages students to try more things without assurance of success. page 5
Track: Crossing the finish line
Tribe excels in Patriot Games at George Mason, racking up four event wins and nine qualifying marks for IC4A. In the mile event, seniors Deirdre Lewin and Olivia Patton recorded personal bests. page 9
newsinsight “
News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Leslie Davis News Editor Emma Ford fhnews@gmail.com
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The Flat Hat | Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
Native people have not been able to own our own stories and we haven’t been able to define ourselves; we’ve been defined by the outside, and this is all storytelling under different names ... It’s people wanting narrative control.
— Author Tommy Orange
THIS WEEK IN FLAT HAT HISTORY January 30, 1981 — News The NCAA expanded into female athletics with its groundbreaking decision to to bring women into its governing structure and allow Division I schools the option of sponsoring women’s championships. This decision faced pushback from a number of major athletic schools and female athletes who saw the NCAA attempting to gain control over women’s athletics by ousting the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. January 29, 1993 — News Several employees filed for worker’s compensation after experiencing respiratory problems due to Blow Hall’s extensive mold growth and consequential poor air quality. Although complaints were filed the previous August, bureaucratic policies prevented Facilities Management from addressing the issue — caused by poor ventilation, high humidity, and a leaking foundation — until January. January 28, 2005 — News The Office of Residence Life released planned changes for the following year to the housing and lottery process. The main changes involved alterations to freshman housing due to overcrowding in the Botetourt Complex. The first floor and basement of Jefferson Hall were designated as freshmen halls to alleviate some of the issues, and Hunt Hall was changed to upperclassmen housing. January 29, 2010 — Sports After coming off an impressive victory against George Mason University, the College of William and Mary’s Women’s Basketball team lost to Old Dominion University at home. The Tribe’s team lost 88-65, in front of over a thousand fans at Kaplan Arena. HISTORY BY KARINA VIZZONI AND SARAH GREENBERG / FLAT HAT NEWS ASSOC. EDITORS
A THOUSAND WORDS
ETHAN BROWN / 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.
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COURTESY PHOTO / SASKIA MORDIJCK
Mordijck spends her time teaching in the College’s physics department and researching the role of fusion in the future of renewable and clean energy.
Studying plasma for clean energy Saskia Mordijck researches the importance of plasma in the fight against climate change MAGGIE MORE // FLAT HAT DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Professor Saskia Mordijck has spent enough time studying stars to appreciate them for more than just the view they give the night sky. Without stars and the atomic fusion that takes place within them, the building blocks of the universe wouldn’t exist. “This is why we have carbon, we have oxygen; it all comes together through fusion,” Mordijck said. “And a lot of that happens in stars. As I explain to my children, we’re all made out of stardust.” Mordijck is one of two female hires last year in the College of William and Mary’s physics department. In addition to her teaching duties, Mordijck studies plasma turbulence, as part of research into atomic fusion that could create a new form of clean energy. Plasma is a superheated gas, and is classified as the fourth state of matter. “When these things get very, very hot, these electrons kind of can be taken away, and then they can start moving completely freely around,” Mordijck said. “Because they have that much energy that the whole system doesn’t stick together anymore.” As heat within a system intensifies, then the nucleus that was left behind starts moving around as well. This process creates plasma, a state of matter less frequently referred to in basic science education. “Any textbook you’ll find, until high school, will tell you the sun is a gas,” Mordijck said. “It’s not — it’s a plasma.” Since gaseous atoms already have more energy than atoms in a liquid or solid, throwing even more energy into the mix and creating plasma can produce interesting scientific outcomes, including turbulence. “Particles that are far away from each other can still kind of feel each other,” Mordijck said. “It’s like a huge magnet. Because I’ve pulled two things apart, there’s an electric field between them, there’s a magnetic field between them ... It’s not completely random motion. And as a result, it starts behaving more like a fluid.” This principle is used by researchers like Mordijck to study fusion energy. As the inverse of fission, fusion is something of a holy grail for clean energy scientists looking to battle the deleterious effects of climate change. “[Fission], which is what nuclear power plants are doing right now, is you have a very heavy particle, you shoot something at it, and it splits into two particles,” Mordijck said. Fusion, on the other hand, is the process of smashing two atomic nuclei together. “You want to do what the sun does,” Mordijck said. “If you think about fusion, what you want to do is you want to have two very small particles, and you want to somehow force them to stick together. And then when they stick together, they’ll form a new particle.” This creates a new atom for a heavier element on the periodic table than the atoms at the beginning of the process. Fusion is the process that ultimately created every element on the periodic table, and it creates the basic ‘stardust’ that everything is made of. Whether atoms are split or joined together, the end product is lighter in mass than the starting products in both cases. While this seems counterintuitive, it’s because both fission and
fusion release energy. Harnessing the release from fusion would have significant implications for clean energy projects, which is what Mordijck and other physicists are especially interested in. However, the issue with sparking that process is that it requires more energy to heat the plasma than the plasma generates in turn. Right now, that reality is many years down the line. “Two particles, to bring them that close together — they really don’t like that,” Mordijck said. “At some point it becomes statistical. If you have enough energy, there will be particles that will fuse.” Understanding the turbulence of the plasma helps explain more about how fusion works and could increase the odds of finding an efficient method for fusion energy, without as much heat or energy loss. “What we’re trying to do is understand a little bit how this turbulence occurs,” Mordijck said. “Where does it come from, when is it stronger, when is it weaker?” As the plasma reacts, eventually the “fuel” used to start the fusion process dissipates into the surrounding area, like water vapor when a pot of water is boiling. The fuel can also get polluted with particles of other elements from objects in the surrounding area, if the plasma is in a lab and not a star. Mordijck focuses specifically on studying turbulence to minimize plasma leakage as hydrogen isotopes fuse in tokamaks. A tokamak is a machine of Russian origin which creates a magnetic field, sometimes called a magnetic bottle, to contain the charged particles that make up plasma. This allows scientists to study the material on earth, since it’s too hot to be put in an actual container. “It looks like a donut,” Mordijck said. “It can be small, can be large. You have donuts that fit on this table, and right now we’re building a huge donut — ten meters high … enormous donut.” It is difficult to add fuel to plasma because of the heat and controlling how that fuel is used is even a harder feat. If the turbulence can be used to move the fuel from the outside of the donut shape to the center, where the fusion happens, that improves the possibility of fusion as an efficient energy source. “Temperatures in the core of our plasmas are actually hotter than the sun,” Mordijck said. “As a result, you can imagine that trying to put something in and making sure it goes nicely to the center is not straightforward. It seems that turbulence is helping us doing it.” When she’s not researching plasma and how it can be used for fusion energy, Mordijck teaches classes as one of five female physics professors at the College. According to the department list of full-time staff on the College’s website, there are 30 full-time staff members total. She first noticed that there were more men than women in STEM fields during her high school education, but said that the disparity did not particularly bother her. “I was the only girl out of eight,” Mordijck said. “I was, in our physics and our chemistry classes, pretty much fine … I think partially I was lucky that those advanced level things — they were all male, but … my physics teacher went like, ‘You were often completely opposed to all
your classmates and had a completely different opinion. Unfortunately for them you were always right.’” Mordijck partially attributes her confidence to her parents’ support of her academic endeavors. “I think that was very, very important,” Mordijck said. “That your parents believe you are technically capable, and then push you. Really, it was not an option to be bad — it was just not. They wanted me to shoot for the stars.” Mordijck joined the College in 2011, as a “trailing spouse” for a candidate in the computer science department. A trailing spouse is a highly educated person married to a candidate for a position at a university. Universities often hire interested spouses in this manner, as an added incentive for the candidate to join the university staff. The alternative would be the married couple finding jobs at two separate universities that are not necessarily near each other, limiting choices for everyone involved. However, the process is very complicated, with a lot of moving parts, and it can often take a while for the ideal position to open for the trailing spouse. Mordijck finally became an official faculty member in the Applied Sciences department in 2016. She was there for three years, at which point she moved to the Physics department because it was a better fit. Mordijck has enjoyed her time at the College, but argues that, to increase diversity, it is important to recognize that trailing spouses role in applicatant decisions and department personnel. “Trailing spouses are an opportunity for the College to attract high-caliber, top-level individuals,” Mordijck said. “And it’s becoming more of a factor in the 21st century.” Another challenge to keeping female hires is ensuring that the “iceberg effect” — where much of the hostility towards women is in frequent microaggressions building up over time — is kept to a minimum. This prevents toxic work environments that can force women out. Mordijck said she has experienced these kinds of microaggressions at different research facilities over the years. “When I’ve been part of teams where men are running, I’ve never heard them get that kind of thing,” Mordijck said. “And that is kind of these things where you go ‘there is clearly sexism in there.’ And that can make it toxic, because apparently, I don’t just have to be a good scientist, I also have to double-think how I’m going to tell you what to do next because otherwise I’m being ‘bossy.’” According to Mordijck, the physics department strives to support women and minority hires and works hard to address disparities. For example, the department has a diversity committee that deals with student concerns, putting out surveys and trying to use the feedback they get to overcome biases and improve them sufficiently. For female students considering STEM careers, Mordijck had a simple piece of advice. “Go for it,” Mordijck said. “Go for it. I mean, do what you want to do, do what you’re good at, do what you like … Being unapologetically who you are, especially as a minority, can be empowering to women.”
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The Flat Hat
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
CAMPAIGN
For the Bold Campaign nears goal in final year
College fundraises over $960 million out of initial $1 billion pledge In 2015, the College of William and Mary launched a major long-term fundraising campaign, “For the Bold.” In its initial launch, the campaign aspired for a monumental goal of raising $1 billion in donation revenue and focused on three essential pillars: “Where Great Minds Meet,” “Making the Remarkable” and “Passion for Impact.” These three pillars include initiatives for increased scholarships and faculty pay funding, the implementation and construction of on-campus better facilities and the promotion of enriched community engagement. Specifically, $580 million of the campaign’s revenue has been allocated to the “Where Great Minds Meet” pillar, $320 million to the “Making the Remarkable” pillar and $100 million towards the “Passion for Impact” pillar. Within the “Where Great Minds Meet” pillar, $350 million will be funding undergraduate, graduate, athletic and international scholarships; $200 million will be allocated towards faculty development and $100 million set towards furthering alumni engagement. The "Making the Remarkable" Pillar was broken down to focus $110 million towards experimental learning outside of the classroom, $110 million towards advancing equipment, facilities and research, and the final $100 million for building and facilities. Finally, the third pillar of the campaign, “Passion for Impact,” has been designated to use between $50-100 million for leadership development in students, $25-50 million for development of the College global presence in academics and research and $25-50 million towards civic engagement. Along with these large monetary goals initially set by the campaign, the College hoped to increase alumni participation and relationships. The campaign is largely focused on alumni engagement and sought to strengthen ties between them and the College. When the campaign originally launched in 2015, 27.1 percent of alumni supported the school. In an effort to progress towards alumni participation numbers found within the United States’ top tier universities, the College established a goal of 40 percent alumni participation. The campaign now sits at nearly $30,000 under its goal of $1 billion as of Dec. 31, 2019, with around six months left before its official close. The campaign originally planned to end the goal June 30 to match the end of the fiscal year and has continued its commitment to this conclusion date. Vice President for University Advancement Matthew Lambert ’99 shared information regarding the campaign’s progress, success and future. Lambert said the campaign has been largely successful, particularly in building relationships. The campaign’s goals had a wide variety of focuses creating a real impact across the College’s community. “The impact of the campaign can be felt everywhere – both on and off campus,” Lambert said in an email. “This has been a campaign about our people, and it is particularly gratifying to see the many ways the effort has benefitted our students and faculty. For the Bold has been a remarkable success and has succeeded in building a culture of engagement and philanthropy amongst our students, faculty & staff, parents, alumni and beyond.”
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This has been a campaign about our people, and it is particularly gratifying to see the many ways the effort has benefitted our students and faculty. For the Bold has been a remarkable success and has succeeded in builiding a culture of engagement and philanthropy.
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CHARLES COLEMAN FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
—Matthew Lambert
The Office of University Advancement is currently pursuing a finish within the next six months to officially close this five-year campaign. While there are loose plans for future fundraising campaigns, University Advancement is focusing on using this time to strategize for the future and strongly complete the current campaign. Since donors have the ability to designate where donations go, there has been slight variance in the original numbers set for each group. However, Lambert mentioned that a majority of the donations have stayed right within the original designations for each group. Lambert described the significance of this campaign to the College and the rarity of other similarly sized schools undertaking such an ambitious undertaking. The campaign has performed well so far in its pursuits, which Lambert highlights as a source of pride for the school. “There are a couple of things that distinguish this campaign from others,” Lambert said in an email. “… As President Rowe often says, we need to think about the long play. Having goals around alumni engagement and participation allows us to think about the university’s future financial stability, not just our current funding needs. Additionally, we are the only university of our size pursuing a $1 billion campaign that does not have an engineering or medical school. We have now passed the $960 million mark, so we should all feel great pride that our ambitious goal is well within our reach. This campaign puts us into a very small cohort of universities that have ever undertaken such an ambitious effort.” Student Assembly President Kelsey Vita ’20, who also serves as a member of the Institutional Advancement Board, explained how the revenue raised from the campaign is being broken down into specific components throughout the College. “The increased availability of scholarship resources will make higher
education more accessible to a variety of students and will hopefully bring greater socioeconomic diversity to the university,” Vita said in an email. “The Lemon Project Memorial, the Neurodiversity Initiative, the Veterans Benefits Clinic, and the Haven Fund, to name a few, are all examples of initiatives highlighted by the For the Bold campaign.” While she encouraged students who wanted to make donations to do so, Vita recognized the economic stances of college students, and the abundance of other potential areas of donation. “Donating to the university is obviously not financially feasible for all students,” Vita said in an email. “College is expensive and especially in this day and time, there are a variety of important causes beyond the university that warrant our attention … So I never want a student who feels them-self called to other causes or is unable to donate for other reasons to feel pressured or guilted for not doing so. But I do think that choosing a few, powerful causes at the university to financially support, when possible, is a great way to ensure the university continues to thrive once we leave.” Finally, Vita touched on how she believes the campaign and future campaigns can better reach students and alumni. Vita described how the campaign allows for broad participation, yet still focuses on its core principles. Vita also encouraged future campaigns to take a stronger focus on mental health issues from her knowledge of student-body needs. “The campaign’s broad approach encourages more donations by asking alumni and students to choose where they would like to make their impact,” Vita said. “While still maintaining the core pillars of scholarship, innovation, and impact, which drive the campaign. However, in a future fundraising campaign, I would love to see even more focused attention given to health and wellness issues…By setting clear, tangible fundraising goals for specific wellness causes such as counseling center resources, a future campaign could better situate itself for student engagement and impact.” Since alumni played such a critical role in the success of this campaign, the College has seen both an increase in participation and excitement for a commitment to endeavors on campus. Executive Director for The William and Mary Alumni Association Marylin Midyette ’75 described how active the College’s alumni behave compared to other alumni. “William & Mary alumni are unrivaled among public universities in the country,” Midyette said in an email. “I’m proud to say that W&M claims the highest alumni participation rate of any public institution in the US and we exceed many of our private and ivy league peers. Nearly 30% of our alumni give back to the university each year. Given the size of our alumni base, this is nothing short of remarkable.” Midyette assured that many alumni were extremely excited to participate in this campaign. The campaign has brought many members of the College community together in settings both on and off campus. According to Midyette, support for the campaign has created over 500 new scholarships and will help several different departments around campus. “Our alumni are committed to ensuring William & Mary maintains its reputation as one of the leading liberal arts institutions in this country with a global reputation and brand,” Midyette said. “It is important that we maintain that perch for all time coming… They want to ensure that future generations of students have the same high-quality experience, if not better, that they had.”
HOUSING
One Tribe Place set to open for the 2020-2021 academic year Residence Life announces partial closures, changes to language houses' location HOUSING from page 1
Yates Hall, Madison Hall and Stith Hall basements will be closed for repairs with the goal of reopening by fall 2021. Compensating for these temporary partial closures, One Tribe Place is set to open for fall 2020 and the construction is scheduled to be complete by July 2020. One Tribe Place closed for the 2019-2020 academic year due to structural concerns. After construction is complete, both the structure of the building as well as interior design will be updated. Meetings are being held to make sure the construction is following a proper schedule in order to avoid a late opening, which befell Landrum Hall in fall 2018. “There are weekly construction meetings and thus far all work is proceeding as planned,” Kandell said. “Our regular protocol with all major projects includes a contingency plan for temporary housing that if for some unforeseen reason there was delay and it didn’t open on time, we have an advance plan in place. At this time the project is on schedule. We are excited to share that not only are we completing the structural renovations such as structural work, but we also are in the process of renovating all interior spaces removal of wallpaper, new flooring, and new bedroom and lounge furniture. The building will certainly feel and look different when residents return.” However, some students are concerned with signing up for a room in One Tribe Place since it plans to open so close to the start of the fall semester. Caroline Donnelly ’22 said that the current housing changes makes it difficult for upperclassmen to choose nice, livable dorms to choose for the next academic year. After moving into her freshman dorm in the Green and Gold Village last year, Donnelly began experiencing asthma and other breathing issues. Although she states that it is hard to prove a causal relationship between her health issues and her residence in GGV, she believes that mold and a lack of a clean environment contributed to her issues with her health. “I would say that my past experiences with housing has been pretty negative considering I lived in GGV, which isn’t terrible because I understand that they need to fit a lot of freshman somewhere,
but the mold issues were so bad that I have developed asthma and I’m on Pulmicort because the inflammation that started freshman year of college didn’t go away,” Donnelly said. “… I’m not saying that my freshman dorm caused my asthma, it could have been something I was going to grow in to, but it definitely pushed things forward. … I am super wary of potentially having another living situation where my asthma is bad, and that’s just one more thing to deal with in addition to being a college student, being involved in stuff.” Donnelly’s concerns stem from the fact that Camm Hall will be housing freshmen for the 20202021 academic year as she is a current resident of Camm, signifying less available accessible housing
for upperclassmen. The movement of the modern language houses from the Randolph Complex to the second floor of Landrum and the second and third floors of Hardy has sparked discussion among students in different Facebook groups. Additionally, the Africana House will move to Landrum’s ground floor. Students currently living in these dorms will be eligible for same building sign up. The change was implemented so the programs would be housed in more accessible dorms complying with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, so that all students can participate in the programs. Donnelly explained that she understands why the College made the change, but also believes the
College should prioritize creating livable, clean dorms for all students. “I understand why they are closing down the basements, especially if they have mold issues because I don’t want anyone to go through what I did my freshman year. …” Donnelly said. “I feel like the language houses were in an area that was kind of hard to get to, so I like that they are more integrated into campus. I think that’s important if we want to underscore how much we value the role of language, and being bilingual and all of those important things, but I don’t know if it should be coming at the expense of all these other students who are now going to be living in gross, buginfested, mold-ridden rooms that are inevitably going to be harming their health.” Schotz added that students do not expect the College to upgrade every dorm immediately, but emphasized that the College can take action to improve student’s living experiences without costheavy repairs. “I will say, a big problem that I have with the dorms is the lounges because they are not functional at all, at least in my dorm. …” Schotz said. “I guess I wish that if they were going to be forcing us to stay in the dorms, they could show that they are trying to make them better. You don’t necessarily have to redo the whole building like Hardy, just like putting in furniture that is functional.” In addition to the changes to dorms, Residence Life has also redefined block housing for the 20212022 academic year. “Block Housing will consist of blocks of four in suite style housing and will occur with traditional housing selection,” Kandell said. Schotz hopes that in the future, the College improves correspondence with students regarding housing and begins to incorporate them into the discussion earlier, particularly around the sophomore requirement. “I wish there was just more communication,” Schotz said. “And I know that I am just a freshman, so maybe there was more student input given last year for students who were already there, so I can’t speak to that. But just like, communicating what is going on and what they are thinking in advance and their reasoning. I just have no idea what the school would do this for except for wanting us to pay them again for housing.”
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The Flat Hat
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
ACADEMICS
Acclaimed author discusses new novel
Pulitzer Prize nominee Tommy Orange explores reclaiming native identity Award-winning author Tommy Orange visited the College of William and Mary Thursday, Jan. 23 to hold a discussion about his novel “There, There.” The discussion was moderated by American Indian Resource Center Director Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, and Orange was formally welcomed by the president of the College’s American Indian Student Association Carolina Wasinger ’22. Orange is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma and grew up in Oakland, California. “There, There” and many of Orange’s other fictional works center on the Native-American experience in the United States, especially in urban spaces like Orange’s hometown of Oakland. “There, There,” Orange’s first novel, won the 2019 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, the 2018 National Book Critics Circle Award’s John Leonard Prize, the 2018 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and the 2019 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction. “There, There” was also a 2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. More directly to developments in Williamsburg, the book was also chosen as the common book for the College’s Class of 2023 by the Dean of Students Office. Orange’s novel tells the story of 12 Native-American characters in the Oakland area whose stories coalesce around a single climactic event. The point of view of “There, There” switches between different perspectives throughout the story since Orange utilizes both first- and third-person narration. The book’s title is a reference to a passage from fellow Oaklander Gertrude Stein’s memoir “Everybody’s Autobiography.” In his talk, Orange expanded on his writing style and elaborated about how he constructed his novel. Orange also read aloud a selected passage from the book, and focused his conversation around the struggle and progress of Native-American authors in reclaiming narrative territory which has historically been ceded to non-Native-American people. “There’s something true about what I’m talking about through these different characters and something true about the function
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There’s something true about what I’m talking about through these different characters and something true about the function of stories in different cultures, in our culture; it’s a constant narrative battle, reality is. — Tommy Orange
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PHILIP SCHUELER THE FLAT HAT
of stories in different cultures, in our culture; it’s a constant narrative battle, reality is,” Orange said. “Native people have not been able to own our own stories and we haven’t been able to define ourselves; we’ve been defined by the outside, and this is all storytelling under different names. … It’s people wanting narrative control.” Another recurring topic of discussion was the contrast between the stereotypical view of Native-American people as historical objects living on isolated reservations. Rather, Orange’s and other Native-American people’s experiences in urban and other settings seeks to demonstrate a more realistic view of native peoples and their relationship with nature.
“In thinking about identity and being Native and what it means, and being from the city, I wanted to get away from this idea of reservation or relationship to land meaning nature, and have there be a way that somebody could relate to their environment and that be the place that they belong and be home and still be sort of man-made or artificial,” Orange said. “The values don’t stop at man-made versus nature. It’s all part of what reality is; just because it’s manufactured doesn’t mean it’s not a part of what you’re relating to. It’s your environment.” Anthropology doctoral student Graham Calloway enjoyed the discussion and was impressed with Orange’s work. “I think it’s a wonderful thing to see a Native person be such a successful author and I hope we see more of that and that this is part of trend,” Calloway said. Maggie Aschmeyer ’20 said she found the passage from “There, There” that Orange read aloud the most memorable part of the discussion. “I feel like everything he said was really poignant,” Aschmeyer said. “I remember when he read aloud the bit from the book, there were just some really beautiful phrases in that.” Maggie Gentry ’21 read “There, There” before the discussion and said that the discussion helped provide a better perspective on Orange’s literary style. “I think it was interesting for him to talk about his influences in writing, because I really enjoy writing, so it was really interesting to hear about his process,” Gentry said. Towards the end of the discussion, a member of the audience asked Orange about his opinion of the College’s use of the word “tribe” in its athletic teams and branding. “People holding on to traditions is understandable, but people holding on to traditions when they know it hurts other people seems really petty,” Orange said. “I strongly feel that no one should be using our imagery for mascot territory. It’s only animals and objects, so it shows you what they think of us if they’re using us that way, so I’m strongly against it, but I don’t know what to do about it because institutions are hard to move. It’s machinery and there are a lot of old pieces in there that are stubborn.”
SPEAKER
Jakana Thomas talks role of women, female soldiers in war Michigan State political science professor discusses her research on violent politics GEORGIA THOMS FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
Friday, Jan. 24, the College of William and Mary welcomed political science professor Jakana Thomas to campus for a talk entitled “Women in Violent Politics: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” The talk, which was co-sponsored by the Center for African Development and the College’s International Justice Lab, focused on her research regarding women soldiers and the role of women in historical and modern warfare. College professor Philip Roessler introduced Thomas, and explained that Leymah Gbowee’s autobiography “Mighty Be Our Powers” informed Thomas’s experiences researching women soldiers, especially given her peacemaking work in Liberia and her analysis that women during civil wars are often seen as either victims or peacemakers. “In the traditional telling of war stories, women are always in the background,” Roessler said. “Our suffering is just a sidebar to the main tale. When we are included it is for human interest. If we are Africans, we are even more likely to be marginalized and painted solely as the affected. Hopeless expressions, torn clothes, sagging breasts. Victims. That is the image of us that the world is used to and the image that sells.” Thomas began her research with early examples of women on the battlefield such as the Amazon warriors in a 700-year period between 900 B.C.E. and 200 B.C.E., and then went through time chronologically by detailing the experiences of 16th century Dahomey women warriors and
the trials of women in Kurdistan fighting against the Islamic State group in modern times. “If you’ve seen the newspaper, women are pictured seated, looking sad, talking about wanting peace,” Thomas said. “You see women being victimized by conflict but don’t have an agency or participate actively in these conflicts. This is certainly a true portrayal of some women’s experiences with conflict, but what you don’t typically see are women who have been participating in violence for centuries and millennia.” In her research, Thomas has found a common theme throughout media frequently presenting women as victims of wars, and rarely as active participants. However, with the involvement of women, Thomas’ data supports that peaceful resolutions can be hastened, posing negative and positive consequences. “Fourty-five percent of the organizations we have looked at included female participants in some capacity,” Thomas said. “This could include support roles like couriers, information transmission, cooks and spies. Twenty-nine percent of these groups included women as former combatants like soldiers and fighters. This is a phenomenon that has transcended beyond Africa.” Thomas explained how conventional perceptions of female temperament can play a significant role in how women approach war negotiations. Women are usually more amenable to compromise, are more willing to negotiate and value peace more because of the likely benefits of incorporating women’s rights
into resolution treaties. “Women fight in a variety of violent political organizations,” Thomas said. “In almost every region of the world, women are participating in rebellion. Some countries have seen upward of 40 percent participation by women.” Women are drawn to violent groups for complex reasons. Women frequently mirror men in that they possess strong ideologies, and they care strongly about political outcomes because of the repression and victimization that they encounter in many societies. Most of women’s presence in war efforts, however, is explained by the necessity of recruiting many different groups of people in war times, regardless of whether women actually want to serve. “A lot of the literature that exists suggests that participation in violence is not voluntary, so it is forced,” Thomas said. “When it is voluntary, a lot of people have simple motivations. It is either to get something out of the conflict like solitary rewards, like ideology, or goods such as protection and material support.” Terrorist groups are starting to use women in the field more due to their potential lethality. Recruiting women, especially young girls, as suicide bombers is a strategic choice as the terrorists use gender stereotypes to evade detection and exploit the element of surprise. Oftentimes, women use stereotypes of femininity, such as maternal pacifism, to their advantage to get close to targets and bypass certain security measures. As gender equality improves, these tactics prove less effective, limiting the advantage women have in obtaining violent objectives.
“Security operatives or counter-terrorist operatives eventually learn,” Thomas said. “But in the global picture, it takes on average 10 years for security forces to catch onto women such that men and women are equal in terms of their lethality.” Gender equality influences women’s role in rebellion. Women’s action can improve gender equality through the peace process, but gender norms also influence how lethal women can be. “Gender matters,” Thomas said. “Women and security matter. There is really no one effect of women on security. In some cases, we can see that women mobilize for war and participate in rebellion and terrorism, but we also see that women mobilize for peace and civil society. We need to understand what women are joining. Gender norms affect what they will mobilize for.” Thomas explained how female participation is far more complicated than what is portrayed in the media. Situational contexts matter, and women can wear hats both as warriors and as victims. Nathaniel Liu ’22 attended the talk because he wanted to expand his knowledge on the topic. “I came to this presentation because I am not very familiar with this area and Africa in general, but also this study area of conflict and peace,” Liu said. “I wanted to learn more about it.” While the media depicts women, especially those in Africa as victims, it is crucial in order to understand policy and violence that women play a role in determining the future outcomes. “Joining the armed movement as soldiers — that story is not very well told,” Roessler said. “Dr. Thomas brings us that lens.”
College reexamines plastic use in dining halls, works to rid excess waste Administration implements initiatives in alignment with campus plan to become carbon-neutral by 2030 SUSTAINABILITY from page 1
conducted via video conference — particularly lengthy phone calls. “We got on a Skype call with them, and we went through every nook and cranny of the building,” Moyer said. “... Everything from the aerators underneath every sink. … We went through every single toilet.” Moyer said that a core component of the green restaurant certification process was more expected — a thorough examination of Sadler’s menus and food options ensued where each aspect of dining halls’ menus were tested for their environmental sustainability. “We went through our menus, looking at how much vegan and vegetarian we serve,” Moyer said. “We got points because, obviously, we have a partnership with a farm, we grow a lot of our vegetables, we have bees so we have local honey, we’re
one of the largest composters in the state of Virginia.” These policies contributed to Sadler’s successful certification as a green restaurant, alongside other dining options at the College. The GRA’s certification rubric categorizes restaurants by assigning them a “Greenpoints” score, where establishments earning at least 62 Greenpoints are classified as sufficiently “green.” Sadler earned the highest certification score of 121.03 Greenpoints, Marketplace followed with 96.75 points, Dining Services received a score of 92.75 and the Commons earned 82.63 points. Moyer estimated that the process of making changes in preparation of the GRA inspections began last spring, where dining officials set up an initial call with the organization to begin a conversation about dining halls getting certified. Moyer said that following the
exchange of questionnaires between the GRA and the College, it became more feasible to implement environmentally conscious changes that would benefit the dining halls throughout the actual certification process. The GRA certification accompanies other changes designed to improve sustainability on campus, as set out by the College’s five-year plan for environmental commitments between 2019 and 2024. In the report, several measures are scheduled to take place in the coming years, including expansions to the College’s green revolving fund, the reduction of printed materials and increased attempts to improve biking and walking accessibility on campus. “William & Mary’s 325-year history of exceptional academics, civic engagement, and innovation equip the university to meet the challenges of a sustainable future,” College President Katherine Rowe
said in the statement. “As an institution that prepares students to be global citizens, we view our campus as a lab for generating innovative solutions to the many challenges confronting the world today – be they environmental, social, individual, or economic.” While many of these sustainability changes have been implemented on schedule, some have been delayed due to minor administrative setbacks; the vast majority of green commitments, including those introduced in dining halls this semester, have proceeded on time. “Work on a comprehensive recycling collection program was paused while a position was being created for a waste and recycling supervisor,” Sustainability Director Calandra Waters Lake said in an email. “With this position comes the capacity to truly dedicate time to not only building a program on time, but
sustaining it.” One sustainability change that is taking longer to implement lies within external food franchises at the College, which are less easily managed and have lagged behind on-campus dining halls in introducing environmentally conscious policies. These outlets, like Chick-fil-A and Starbucks, face competing pressures from their company and from the College when debating the merits of environmentally sensitive policies. As the College enters a new phase of implementing sustainable measures around campus, these franchises may pose a challenge to the College’s desire for concerted environmental awareness. “It’s tough when you get into brands because brands are brand-specific. You can’t change the Chick-fil-A cup,” Moyer said. “It’s constantly talking to brands to see where they stand on sustainability.”
opinions
Opinions Editor Chloe Folmar fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | Page 5
STAFF COLUMN
GUEST COLUMN
March for Life showcases diversity, exhibits optimism of anti-abortion movement
Immersive language experience offers new outlook on failure
Patrick Britti and Anne Whelan FLAT HAT GUEST WRITERS
Jan. 22, 1973, following years of legal efforts and local legislative victories, abortion supporters heralded Roe v. Wade’s decision to grant a constitutionally and federally recognized right to abortion. The following year, opponents of this radical redefinition of American rights created what has become an annual rite in Washington, as well as many other major cities across the United States and the world. A synthesis of sorrow and determination, the March for Life has drawn hundreds of thousands every January to condemn what they know to be one of the most destructive events in human history. Among the other 46 often cold, rainy and snowy Marches for Life, this year was particularly notable. For the first time, the President of the United States spoke before the crowd of protesters. Despite polarizing those even within the crowd, the President’s presence demonstrated the continued relevance of the pro-life battle against what has become one of the most entrenched values in modern society. The marchers are an eclectic bunch. Besides potentially being the largest gathering of priests, nuns, religious sisters and Catholic laity outside of a papal audience, the march hosts people of various faiths and many who are not religious at all. Just beside a throng of energetic Louisianan diocesan high school students, a bright blue banner bearing “Secular Pro-Life” guided a smiling following. Further along, a group of women held black signs declaring themselves “Pro-Life Feminists” at waist level. Stenciled on a red poster board was “Medicare for All, Abortions for None,” brought to you by the Democratic Socialists of America Pro-Life Caucus.
The joy in the vast crowd at the March is palpable because, even in the face of a tragic decision, this peaceful protest celebrates the inherent value of every life and looks forward to the day when our laws will protect the most vulnerable among us. What never fails to impress is the joy carried in most who trek from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court. Certainly, there are some who will indulge in what they oppose. But many more remain committed to bringing themselves forth as happy representatives of a movement determined to dismantle a society of death. Indeed, in their awareness that what they stand against is legalized and systemic violence, the marchers refuse the violent and armed confrontations that have recently plagued demonstrations pertaining to similarly divisive issues. Even while marking the somber anniversary of a Supreme Court decision that legalized the deaths of millions of the unborn since 1973, the enormous crowd shows great energy and hope, bearing witness to the beauty of a culture of life. Everyone is united by the importance of the cause for which we march. Ultimately, the pro-life movement is built on love: for unborn children, for mothers and for every human life, from conception until natural death. The joy in the vast crowd at the March is palpable because, even in the face of a tragic decision, this peaceful protest celebrates the inherent value of every life and looks forward to the day when our laws will protect the most vulnerable among us. Every year, these happy warriors traverse roadways, airports and the Beltway in hopes that this will be their last such journey––that this may be the time when their leaders listen and move for change. Until such a just day, however, the March for Life will not cease. Email Patrick Britti at mpbritti@email.wm.edu and Anne Whelan at acwhelan@email.wm.edu.
Anna Boustany FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
Apologies in advance for another “study abroad changed me” opinions piece, but I have been in Amman, Jordan for the past month studying abroad for the spring semester and the opportunity to be here has been an incredible one. I came to Amman with the main goal of improving my Arabic, especially building my confidence with speaking. Getting to be in a place where I have to speak a language I’m not comfortable with has been an incredible growing experience. Something that I’ve realized during my time at the College of William and Mary is that I am very afraid of failure. It can feel much easier to not to try something rather than to take a class, try a club, and not do well. That perspective, while easy to hold, has held me back from a lot of cool opportunities that I was scared to try because I knew I wouldn’t be perfect at them. I think a lot of us, coming from high school where we were often some of the most relatively successful students, have tried to maintain that experience and perspective at the College. We live in a society where success is often measured by numbers, the GPA and achievements we can put on our resume. If something doesn’t meet those qualifications, why try? And if it does, but I’m worried I won’t be good at it, I can feel the same lack of motivation. I felt that way with Arabic. I loved it, and I felt confident in certain aspects, but I hated and felt so
nervous speaking because I knew I would mess up, or not know the right vocabulary. I am so grateful to the generosity of the community here in Amman who are happy to correct me and wait for my fumbling words to come out with absolutely no malice. I have learned so much by trying and often finding myself in the scary space in between failure and success. I’ve realized that trying or starting something will get you a lot further than not starting because you’re scared of messing up. For example, I have always been bad at going to the gym, or exercising because I’m not that sure what I’m doing. My commitment in Amman has been to go to the gym every class day and do just 30 minutes of exercise. I might not be perfect, and by that I mean I’m definitely not perfect, but I already feel much happier and healthier. Being in a new environment has given me a new perspective on trying things and feeling more comfortable when I do not succeed or do them perfectly. I am incredibly lucky to have this experience. While it is a little too easy to put pressure on study abroad experiences to be perfect, I am attempting to simply try my best and learn, and be okay with things missing the mark of perfect, be it in my experiences or in my Arabic. Email Anna Boustany at aeboustany@email. wm.edu.
GRAPHIC AND HEADSHOT BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT
INDEPENDENT GRAPHIC
Lengthy break leads to mental turbulence GRAPHIC BY RIEL WHITTLE / THE FLAT HAT
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
STAFF COLUMN
Page 6
STAFF COLUMN
Lack of listening on campus hampers relationships, inhibits personal growth
Unwarranted, excessive aggression from Residence Life antagonizes students
Matthew Kortan
Ethan Brown
FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR
FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
Stop, look and listen, baby. By the time Elvis Presley bellowed this lyric on his forgettable track “Rubberneckin’” in 1970, his transformation from America’s heartthrob into looking like Captain Kirk’s pet turtle was well underway. Granted, Elvis didn’t pen his own lyrics, and in all likelihood this song was just another ode to his own penchant for making love. However, if we take the chorus lyric at face value, it can be interpreted more like a simple exposure of a lost social value that has left our ability to communicate with one another as strung-out and vacant as Elvis himself when he sat dead on the toilet seven years after the release of “Rubberneckin’.” That is, at the College of William and Mary, we like to talk about ourselves incessantly. What we should really do is take the advice of the King: stop talking, look into the eyes of another and listen to what that other person has to say.
Meanwhile, to everyone else you’re just another narcissistic twit who just can’t look away from your own reflection in the Snapchat-filtered mirror. In reality, our campus is nothing but a microcosm of a far more expansive sociological crisis that been unfurling for years, while social media and the covetous nature of modern job markets continues to drive a dagger into the heart of interpersonal bonding by making us increasingly self-absorbed by the day. But here at the College, where the stakes are not so high, it’s worthy of attention. I first noticed it when a friend told me she felt I didn’t listen to her. It really ate me up because I realized she was right. I’d formed a bad habit of interrupting; what a rotten thing to do to someone you deem to be a friend. Something else also came to mind. This same friend had rarely, if ever, asked me a question beyond the standard orientation elevatorinterview prompts like “Where are you from?” and “Did you play any sports in high school?” Between my anti-contextual blurting and her lack of interest in exploring my perspective, our development as friends came to a grinding halt due to a simple communication breakdown. It wasn’t just us, though. If only Elvis were retroactively docked one prescription pill each time somebody at the College began a sentence with “I” or “Me,” he might’ve lived long enough to see himself become a meme. The sad part is the only instance students do choose to listen involves a set of once-pristine pearly white AirPods that are now caked in brain-cell-powdered ear wax. We have an uncanny knack for separating ourselves by way of selective hearing. I can’t even walk to class without beaming New Order’s “Leave Me Alone” through the canvas of his ear drums. How ironic. What can I say? The bassline is groovy. Also, music is the best way to shut yourself off from the world because it doesn’t care about you. Meanwhile, to everyone else, you’re just another narcissistic twit who just can’t look away from your own reflection in a Snapchat-filtered mirror. The institution is not blameless. We’re taught to cherish Ted Talks and the Tommy Oranges of the world. The highest mark of human achievement could only manifest itself as earning the right to blabber about whatever ad nauseam. Don’t get me wrong, public speech is an effective technique when it comes to the mass communication of important ideas. But last time I checked, we also teach physics here at the College. “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction.” Ring any bells? Why not take the same approach to listening? Why not teach listening as a skill rather than a chore? Making that 10 percent participation grade for speaking up in class always felt more like a chore than a skill anyway. Still, I digress. It’s important to be able to talk. I just wonder why the scale between speaking and listening is so off-balance. We should be calling equal attention to both, teaching each as an invaluable skill. After all, Elvis never needed to take a class at Toastmasters, and he’s way cooler than any of us will ever be on our own. Email Matthew Kortan at mrkortan@email.wm.edu.
Of the few things I dislike about the College of William and Mary, Residence Life typically isn’t one of them. While I sympathize with students who were upset with the office’s controversial housing adjustment policies last year following the dramatically named “Housing Crisis” of 2019, I largely haven’t had any complaints. I was fortunate enough to live in Lemon Hall as a sophomore, enjoying a personalized air conditioning unit and roomy lounges on every floor. As a junior still living on campus, I’m lucky to call DuPont Hall my home. Actually, scratch that ; while DuPont is fairly unattractive, I’m lucky to call my own room home, since I live in the building’s only triple. It has its own private bathroom and two relatively spacious rooms, and I’ve delighted in living here since August. This semester, one of my two suitemates from the fall is abroad, leaving me and my other suite mate alone in occupying the triple. We knew from the beginning that our third roommate’s departure could potentially result in someone random moving into DuPont with us, and although we didn’t await this reality with eagerness, we figured something would work itself out. Then we both received an abrupt email from Res Life informing us of our options for the spring semester now that a vacancy had occurred.
I was so frustrated by the email’s tone that it made me reconsider my previously apologist behavior for the office. The email stated that since there were only two occupants in a room designated as a triple, we were mandated to either buy out the remaining space or indicate our willingness to accept a new roommate at any time. Furthermore, it stipulated that if we did anything to suggest anything less than unbridled enthusiasm in welcoming a new roommate, we could face potential disciplinary action through the Undergraduate Honor Council or through the Student Handbook. What did I do to deserve this passive aggression on a random Tuesday afternoon? As far as I’m concerned, neither my roommate nor I had made my third roommate leave campus last semester through nefarious means; she’d had plans to study abroad since freshman year, and her departure was in no way our fault. Why did this email make it sound like I was somehow morally or financially culpable for her leaving campus? As a student paying tuition, fees and room and board, I sincerely don’t appreciate being told by College officials that I need to be on my “best behavior” in a situation that I had no role in creating, or to face the consequences. If the goal is to minimize student discomfort and maximize the ability of individuals to live on campus who want to live on campus, then I don’t see how sending intimidating emails advances these objectives. If I get assigned a roommate at some point this semester, I’ll obviously treat them with kindness because I’d like to think that I’m not a bad person. I don’t need officials in Residence Life coercing me into doing so by threatening of disciplinary action in front of my face. GRAPHIC BY SUNNY AHN AND Email Ethan Brown at HEADSHOTS BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT ewbrown@email.wm.edu.
STAFF COLUMN
Unnecessary new changes at Marketplace entrée box lead to monotony, student body backlash, potential health concerns
Alyssa Slovin
FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR
You walk into Marketplace for lunch and turn to look at what the College of William and Mary’s Dining Services is serving today at the entrée box. It’s Asian food: a choice of fried rice, plain rice or lo mein, with the protein options of chicken, beef or tofu. You can also pay extra for steak as a premium protein. It comes with vegetables and an egg roll. Not bad, you think, and you choose your meal. Later that night, for dinner, you return and again check the entrée box, to see what’s new. It’s the same thing. Hmm. You decide to eat a sandwich, instead. You return the next day, and then the next. It’s still the same meal. You get the idea. New this semester, Marketplace has changed its normal set up. Usually, areas like salads, hot sandwiches, the grill, etc. remain the same, with the entrée box as the only food option that changes for each meal. Now, the only rotating option is not exactly rotating anymore. Each meal option will stay for a few weeks at a time, for both lunch and dinner, until the next meal comes around. Of course, this is not the end of the world. There are many other food
options within Marketplace itself, and there are also two other dining halls on campus that follow a typical dining hall set-up. There are certainly some positives to this change. First, if the current meal option looks really appetizing but you don’t have time to wait in line, you don’t have to be disappointed that you missed your favorite meal. You can just get it later. Also, if there are multiple options for proteins, you can always cycle through each one and make a slightly different meal each time. Or maybe, if you really enjoy the meal, you can get it every day.
requires the meals to be fully made in advance and in larger quantities. Since the meal is repeated twice every day, I am a little worried about how long they will keep the leftovers that people do not eat. I do not think that Dining Services would purposely serve something that is no longer healthy to eat, but I do think it should be a relevant point in the conversation of such a longstanding food choice. In this new system, it seems that there could be a higher chance of Marketplace serving spoiled food. Personally, that area of Marketplace has always been my favorite because I am always excited to see what’s new there, and I feel like it adds some variety to a dining hall that otherwise always sells the same things. There is nothing wrong with consistency, but I prefer those other old, reliable options for when I am in a hurry or when I cannot decide what to eat. Now, the whole dining hall will basically serve the same food all of the time. I am not trying to be dramatic or cause unnecessary concern, but these are just my initial thoughts that I feel deserve some attention. As students, we always demand changes to the dining halls, and I wonder if this change is something that other students have asked for or if Dining Services chose this change in order to solve other issues: creating less waste, saving Dining Services’ money and making more profit. Is this the change we were looking for? It’s certainly food for thought. Email Alyssa Slovin at amslovin@email.wm.edu.
Most obviously, no one likes to eat the same thing every day for lunch and then again for dinner. However, there are several negatives to this new set up. Most obviously, no one likes to eat the same thing every day for lunch and then again for dinner. There are other options at Marketplace, but the entrée box always makes the most balanced and complete meal. Also, if there is a meal that a person either does not like or cannot eat due to dietary restrictions, they have to wait almost a month for a new option. I am also slightly concerned about the freshness of the entrée box. Other areas that always serve the same food can easily freeze the products, like burgers and chicken, until they want to make them, whereas the entrée box
variety
Variety Editor Zoe Beardsley Variety Editor Adithi Ramakrishnan flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | Page 7
SMART HUMOR
REBECCA KLINGER / THE FLAT HAT
Sinfonicron Light Opera Company brings fresh wit, modern perspective to performance of "Ruddigore" SAM CLARK // THE FLAT HAT At the start of every spring semester, students jump back into school knowing their first weekend back can be spent enjoying the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company’s annual production. This year, director Sofia Quinteiro ’20 and producer John Lesko ’21 undertook the Gilbert and Sullivan show “Ruddigore,” putting a more modern touch on this mid-19th century opera. The audience is first met with the charming set, which effortlessly depicts a rustic early 20th century town in Cornwall amid the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Letting the audience know that the show is officially underway, the orchestra begins playing the overture. Under the guidance of Orchestral Director Ayush Joshi ’20, the orchestra performed excellently and continued to impress throughout the performance, bringing life to the long-winded operatic songs. The pit was situated entirely behind the set, and yet the sound flowed gracefully alongside the vocals — credit to Vocal Director Patti O’Meara ’20 — to create an unforgettable musical experience, something Sinfonicron is known for. As for the story, the opening number exposits that there has been an odd lack of marriages in town, with Emily Flack’s ’20 Rose Maybud likely to be the next bride. There is also talk of a strapping young lad fit to be married, one Robin Oakapple as portrayed by Quan Chau ’21. Chau’s delightfully positive and unstoppable energy paired with Flack’s star-quality acting made audience members truly believe in the chemistry between these two characters as they share a coy number asking each other for advice about how to court one another. The only catch: Oakapple is actually Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the latest Baronet of Ruddigore, who was presumed dead. In this world, Baronet of Ruddigore is not as desirable a title as it may seem. Maggie Sheridan’s ’22 Dame Hannah relates that they all bear a curse that requires them to commit one crime every day or else they shall die in agony like their ancestors. With Ruthven presumed dead, the title falls to his younger brother, Sir Despard Murgatroyd, excellently brought to life by James Lynch ’20. Despard shows up not long after Robin’s foster
brother-turned-mariner, Richard Dauntless, sails into port. Luke Hemmingson ’21 plays the comic-relief sailor, and together with Chau and Zach Schiffman ’20, who plays Robin’s faithful servant Old Adam Goodheart, the three radiate comedic energy and excellent timing in their interactions. Another strong comedic source is Xiara Colon ’21 as “Mad” Margaret, the local suffragette leader. Her unlikely pairing with Lynch’s Despard allows for some hilarious moments.
The production's best quality — save for the musical performances — is the fact that it did not take itself too seriously, which is the best way to make a Gilded Age Opera disgestible for a modern college audience.
If you have not yet been tipped off by the character names or the premise — this show is goofy and weird. You could even say zany, wacky, ridiculous or any other words that surround those three in a thesaurus, but none would suffice to describe how this quality exponentially increases in the second act. However, its clever direction allowed the actors to really lean into this aspect of the story, and the show was made all the better for it. The production’s best quality — save for the musical performances — is the fact that it did not take itself too seriously, which is the best way to make a Gilded Age
opera digestible for a modern college audience. Story-wise, the plot really begins when Richard falls in love with Rose and seeks to woo her himself, revealing Ruthven’s true identity in the process. Despard passes the title of “Bad Baronet” back to Ruthven and is free to marry Margaret the same as Richard is now free to marry a begrudging Rose. Act II takes the audience inside Ruddigore Castle, where the ghosts of Ruthven’s ancestors torment him, making sure he keeps up with his daily crimes. Led by Clay Gibbons ’21 as the most recently dead Baronet Roderic Murgatroyd, the ghost ensemble takes the stage with several strong, spooky numbers that make use of a litany of impressive special effects. The performances continue to shine with Chau comedically leading the cast through Ruthven’s insanity, and the vocals never falter despite both the long, belted chords and the rapid lyrics that Sullivan likes to challenge actors with. The story accelerates to the resolution with increasingly large numbers and goofy bits, eventually coming to a head when a discussion about the semantics of the curse through the use of Rose’s etiquette book seems to ameliorate the whole thing like it never even happened, reaffirming the overtly silly tone of the entire show. In the style of a Shakespearean comedy, everyone ends up happy or happily marrying, and a grand final number leaves the audience applauding all the way into curtain call. “Ruddigore” is a delightfully odd opera that showcased the incredible talent of everyone involved in this year’s production. Not one part of the show was lacking thanks to commendable effort of the whole company. This entirely student-run organization put on a show that leaves its viewers in good spirits and touts the fantastic capability of its members. Editor’s Note: The Flat Hat would like to clarify that Gavin Aquin ’22 and Leslie Davis '21 are Sports Editor and News Editor for the paper, respectively. Their involvement with “Ruddigore” is not on behalf of the paper’s interests.
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Page 8
Around the world in four days A glimpse at the different movies, workshops being offered at the 2020 Global Film Festival CLAIRE HOGAN // FLAT HAT ONLINE EDITOR
PREPARING FOR THE AUDITION: PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD Friday, Jan. 31, 11:30 a.m., Reeder Media Center
A CAREER IN DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION Saturday, Feb. 1, 2:30 p.m., Reeder Media Center
Students interested in a career in digital media can hear firsthand experience about the industry in this workshop hosted by Aaron Barksdale ’13, an associate producer at VICE Media. Barksdale will discuss tools for pre-production, production and post-production of documentaries and short-form media content. The workshop will include interactive elements, giving participants a glimpse into the life as a producer.
Auditions can be critical for success in the performing arts world. In this workshop, Dr. Sheri Bias ’97, owner and operator of Liquid Talent Group, will share her tips and tricks for success in auditions. From studio auditions to headshots, Bias will work with participants to make sure they put their best foot forward at any type of audition.
CO UR T
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Slay the Dragon
Scales
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Thursday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m., Kimball Theatre
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2:00 p.m., Kimball Theatre
The Oscar-nominated South Korean thriller comes to Williamsburg. Created by acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite” tells the tale of two families, one rich and one poor, who enter into a symbiotic relationship. The dark comedy has already garnered critical acclaim, making it the first South Korean film to be nominated for Oscar categories such as Best Picture and Best Director.
The French film “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” chronicles the lives of Heloise, a young woman about to be married, and Marianne, a painter commissioned to paint her wedding portrait. The story evolves into a tale of forbidden love between the two women. The film has already won several awards from international film festivals, and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes. There will be a pre-show performance by accordionist David Gussman ’86 starting at 1:40 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31, 8:30 p.m., Kimball Theatre
“Scales” is a story of bravery against the customs of a dystopian, patriarchal society. Set in a small fishing village in which girls are sacrificed to sea monsters, a young girl named Hayat challenges the tradition and refuses to be sacrificed, shaking the foundations of the village culture. Scales comes to Williamsburg to deliver its tale of courage along with writer and director Shahad Ameen, who will be present at the screening. There will be a pre-show performance by the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble starting 8:10 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 1, 3:00 p.m., Kimball Theatre
“Slay the Dragon” is an in-depth documentary that follows the tale of two organizers in Michigan and Wisconsin and their grassroots fight against partisan redistricting, giving viewers a glimpse behind the curtain at the process of drawing congressional districts to favor one party over another. This viewing also features special guests Executive Director Brian Cannon ’04 J.D. ’11 and Deputy Director Liz White ’04. Cannon and White will also host a workshop session Saturday, Feb. 1, 11:30 am in Earl Gregg Swem Library.
Need for speed
Students, alumni compete to create short film in twenty-four hours CARMEN HONKER // FLAT HAT CHIEF FEATURES WRITER Friday, Jan. 24, the 16th-annual student and alumni 24-hour Speed Filmmaking Competitions began at 7 p.m. Twenty-three student teams and 10 alumni teams are competing this year, to produce a three-minute short film in 24 hours. The student 24 Speed Films will be screened at the Kimball Theatre Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m., while the alumni films will be shown in St. George Tucker Theater Saturday, Feb. 1, at 10:15 p.m. The 24-hour film competition was conceived 16 years ago. “It was started by some students, a faculty member, Sharon Zuber and I think one alum was in the mix there,” Head of Media Services Troy Davis said. “Essentially, it was just an extracurricular to do, that would allow students to get some experience making a short film. The idea was to do it in 24 hours and have some kind of restraints involved as well.” Each film must comply with the set requirements. Those include featuring a selected line of dialogue, using an assigned prop as well as incorporating a genre chosen from the Moving Image Genre-Form Guide from the Library of Congress. Davis and the Reeder Media Center staff collaboratively decide on the line of dialogue and prop that the films must contain. Each team is randomly presented with a choice of two genres from which they can select their preferred category. Despite being assigned the same piece of dialogue and prop, Davis said that it is exciting to view the variety and scope of films that the teams produce. “Every film must have a line of dialogue, and a few years ago we decided to use the previous year’s winning film as a source for that line of dialogue,” Davis said. “We go back and watch last year’s winning film and pull out a line of dialogue for that. It is sort of this homage to the previous year’s student film winner. Then there is the genre. … Somebody could get, for example, ‘singing cowboy’ and ‘opera’ and have to decide which genre to use. We try to be upfront about the interpretation of those genres. … Part of the creativity of the contest is how students interpret those genres. There are definitions that they can look at; they can play around with it. … And then they get a prop. We try to connect it to some topical stuff, so for example, this year the prop was an ‘I voted today’ sticker. Since we are in an election year, we thought that might be appropriate. Every film must have those three things. What is cool, is having the same things in every film, but you still have the diversity of products.” The 24 Speed competition was not always linked to the College’s annual Global Film Festival. But now, Davis said the screening of the films produced during the competition serves as the unofficial beginning of the film festival’s schedule.
“It merged with the Global Film Festival as a way to kick off the festival,” Davis said. “So, for example, the screening of 24 Speed this Wednesday is, I would say an unofficial, but informal kickoff to the Global Film Festival. Part of it was to just having to kind of connect it to the Global Film Festival did raise its profile a little bit and made people think about it as a festival-related event. And now it is ingrained into the festival and it is in the festival program now as a thing. We really enjoy that relationship with the Global Film Festival, and it seems to work for the Global Film Festival and for 24 Speed.” A group of faculty members from the Film and Media Studies department and other staff members from the College, such as librarians, judge the film submissions. Davis said that he also tries to engage some alumni who visit for the Global Film Festival to contribute as judges. The student teams can request equipment from the media center’s resources for filming and editing purposes. The alumni who participate in the competition provide their own equipment and often come from media studies backgrounds. However, Davis said that the quality of the student films has increasingly rivaled that of the alumni teams in recent years. “A fair amount of the alumni who are participating are working in the field of media making,” Davis said. “So, they have their own equipment; they have been on the planet longer, so they pull off some really good stuff because of that. I think it is interesting to note that in the past couple years that gap seems to be closing in terms of the quality of the student films and the quality of the alumni films. But then again, this year there is an alumna who has been working as a cinematographer for over a decade now, and I cannot wait to see what she does.” Corey Bridges ’21 acted in a couple of the films in last year’s competition but is officially participating as part of a student team this year. Bridges is competing on a team comprised of Media Center employees. “This year I was like ‘I want to do this on an actual team, where I am giving more input,” Bridges said. “I want to win, because I want to be able to say that I am an award-winning filmmaker.” Bridges said that the competition is a unique way for students from different academic backgrounds to exercise their creative talents. “It’s an opportunity for students to showcase their perspective and their talents,” Bridges said. “I know that film and media studies is a program just for people who are interested in that for a career path, but this gives an opportunity for all students to showcase what they have and what they have to offer, and be a part of something that is
cool and in the Global Film Festival.” Barrett Smith ’23 is competing in 24 Speed for the first time on a student team and is interested in contributing to the script writing process and acting in the film. Smith said he is excited to produce a film in such a condensed period with a group of friends. “I’ve obviously seen some of the older videos and it has really interested me,” Smith said. “I had really no interest in joining, I am not that much of a film guy, but I still think that the idea of writing something and filming it with a bunch of friends is still pretty cool, so that’s why I am doing it.” Smith said the 24 Speed is a great way to gain experience using film equipment, and that the competition fosters campus community. “Not only does it gives you experience in the future if you want to work in film or media, but it also helps promote community engagement,” Smith said. “It is just another thing to bring William and Mary together, I think.” Davis said that the competition offers a chance for those who may not otherwise be exposed to the film production process to participate in a creative, fun space with the reward of seeing their worked presented on the big screen. “One reason I think it is valuable is because it introduces students who may not otherwise be interested, so maybe they are not film studies majors or maybe they are not interested in film production; it introduces them into that process of making something,” Davis said. “It is low stakes, it is not for a grade, it’s fun, they can work with their friends. It’s just a way for students to do something in a 24-hour period that is kind of fun, that is creative, and most importantly, I think, it is collaborative too; it has students working collaboratively together on something. And then they get to see it on the big screen, and it is a really cool process. … We don’t really give prizes for this … street cred is what they get.” The film submissions from the past 16 years of the competition are archived on the William and Mary Libraries YouTube page. Davis views the 24 Speed Filmmaking Competition as a valuable community tradition and relishes in the large crowd drawn by the annual screening. “I am always really enthusiastically jazzed about going to the screening and seeing the Kimball Theatre packed, literally packed with students to see their films,” Davis said. “It is such a great community building thing to do. I am always amazed at the creativity and the amazing things students come up with in a 24-hour period, it’s really amazing. If you cruise some of the YouTube videos, you’ll see, they are just really amazing works of art.”
sportsinside
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | Page 9
TRACK AND FIELD
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
In the mile event, seniors Deirdre Lewin and Olivia Patton both recorded personal bests and placed third and fourth in the race, running 5:05.40 and 5:10.21, respectively. Senior JP Trojan won the event for the men with a time of 4:10.83
Tribe excels in Patriot Games at George Mason
Team racks up four event wins and nine qualifying marks for IC4A Championships
COLLIN ANDERSON FLAT HAT SPORTS ASSOC. EDITOR
Friday and Saturday Jan. 24 and 25 at George Mason in Fairfax, Virginia, William and Mary racked up numerous top performances including four event wins and nine qualifying marks for the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America Championships. Freshman Daniel Layton got the action started Friday evening in the heptathlon. A local of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, Layton placed third overall in the event which consists of seven different events and races. Layton won the 1000-meter run as a part of the heptathlon and also picked up top three finishes in the pole vault and 60-meter hurdles. Saturday, the relay team of sophomores Evan Goodell and Colin Grip, and freshmen Andrew Lagattuta and Tyler Lipps placed third in the distance medley relay with a time of 10 minutes, 20.29 seconds. In the men’s mile, the College dominated, placing four athletes in the top nine. Senior JP Trojan won the race in a time of 4:10.93. Trojan picked up right where he left off in an impressive crosscountry campaign in which he won two races and placed second at the Colonial Athletic Association championships. Sophomore Patrick Lynch placed fourth in the same race, with a time of 4:16.2 and sophomore Spencer Tsai and senior Christopher Short placed eighth and ninth respectively. In the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Ryan Thomas set a lifetime best of 8.70 to place third
overall. Redshirt junior Theo Chambers won the 500-meter dash in another lifetime best of 1:06.22. In the final running event of the day, the College placed third in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:25.2. In the field events, the Tribe again impressed throughout the meet. Junior George Cross placed in the top 10 in the long jump to set an indoor personal best and was just three inches shy of his overall personal best. Cross also placed second in the triple jump with a personal best jump over 44 feet. In the pole vault, sophomore Michael Fairbanks set a massive personal best of 5.10 meters and captured first overall. Junior KJ Cook set a lifetime best en route to victory in the weight throw and also placed second in the shot put. The All-American looked poised for another breakout season. Led by Cook, the College placed three athletes in the top eight in the shot put with junior Connor Scott finishing just behind Cook and sophomore Troy Yearwood finishing eighth overall. Yearwood also placed sixth in the weight throw with a heave of 18.05 meters. On the women’s side, freshman Carly Swierbut impressed in her collegiate debut in the 400-meter dash. Swierbut placed second overall in the race with a new Tribe freshman school record time of 57.59 seconds. Friday in the pentathlon, freshman Monay James scored 2,999 points in the five-event competition, good for second place. James won the shot put and long jump events in the competition. Similar to the men, the College picked up several key performances in the mile. Seniors Deirdre Lewin
and Olivia Paxton both recorded personal bests and placed third and fourth in the race, running 5:05.40 and 5:10.21, respectively. Freshman Kaycee Cox-Philyaw placed ninth in the same race. In the 60-meter hurdles, junior Jadyn Currie finished just one hundredth of a second off her personal best and placed fourth with a time of 9.22 seconds. The Tribe picked up three qualifying marks in the 500-meter dash, with juniors Victoria Gersch and Susanna Maisto placing second and third respectively, and senior Gabriel Runge right behind in fourth. In the 800-meter run, freshman Hope Stephens placed fourth in her collegiate debut with a time of 2:19.52. Juniors Lauren Finikiotis and Taylor Jones picked up top-10 performances in the 1,000-meter run. In addition to her performance in the 1,000, Jones recorded a sixth-place finish in the pole vault and a fourth-place mark in the triple jump. In the final running event of the day, the Tribe again impressed in the 4x400-meter relay. The relay team of Runge, Swierbut, Maisto and Gersch won the race in a qualifying time of 3:54.25. In the field events, junior Leah Earnest recorded a sixthplace finish in the shot put, throwing 11.66 meters. Senior Alexis Brender a Brandis placed second in the long jump with a leap of 5.26 meters. Brender a Brandis would also go on to place second in the triple jump, jumping 11.12 meters. Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams will be back in action Friday and Saturday on the road at the Penn State National where they will look to continue racking up top performances.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
College drops home game in second half to Drexel, 61-54 Tribe struggles, fails to maintain its offensive rhythm, can’t successfully complete its comeback LEXIE HIESTAND FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
With less than half a minute to go in the fourth quarter, William and Mary senior forward Victoria Reynolds stared down the court, watching Drexel forward Niki Metzel sink two free throws, finally pulling out of the Tribe’s reach for the last time. Reynolds had done her best to keep the Tribe in the game, recording 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, leading her team in all three categories, but without other offensive support, the Tribe could not pull ahead, losing to the Dragons 61-54. Sunday, Jan. 26, the Tribe (13-6, 4-4 CAA) met the Dragons (13-6, 6-1 CAA) at Kaplan Arena for what looked to be a fiery matchup. The Dragons came to Williamsburg with a fivegame win streak, and the Tribe looked to defend a fledgling streak of their own. Defense was the theme of the first period. The Dragons were extremely effective at closing the Tribe’s passing lanes, and the final score of the quarter reflected that: 17-7, Dragons. The Dragons engaged in a full court press, suffocating the College’s offense. They scored 10 points on turnovers alone, while the College failed to reach double digits overall. Drexel forced Tribe mistakes by closing passing lanes and forcing mistakes. Nine of the 17 points the Dragons scored went unanswered to open the period. Sophomore guard Eva Hodgson opened scoring for the Tribe almost four minutes into the quarter with a three-pointer. That basket was almost half of the Tribe’s final score for the quarter. Head coach Ed Swanson weighed in on the oppressive defense. “They are really tough, stingy defenders,” Swanson said. “It’s tough to score on them. I thought those first couple minutes, they really
knocked us back on our heels, and it took some time to recover. We couldn’t get anything in transition — everything was tough. It was like a root canal each offensive set.” The Tribe got its feet back under it in the second period, outscoring the Dragons 19-13,
for a score of 30-26 at the half. Despite multiple opportunities to surge ahead, several ill-timed fouls and key turnovers from the Dragons kept the College behind. Reynolds shone in the third period, notching six points and four assists in that 10 minutes
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Senior forward Victoria Reynolds shone in the third period, notching six points and four assists within a 10 minute span.
alone. Unfortunately, the Tribe gave up nine points on free throws, while only getting one in return. In other words, it didn’t capitalize on Reynolds’s offensive production. “It was great to get her going there in the second half,” Swanson said of Reynolds. “That’s one thing we talked about at halftime, that we have to get our players going.” The Dragons let up a bit on defense, allowing the Tribe to even the score twice. The home crowd was excited to motivate the Tribe past the tie plateau, but the Tribe never took the lead. The teams headed into the fourth quarter with a score of 43-41. One minute and eight seconds into the period, Reynolds dumped in a ball in the paint to tie the score once again. Metzel took the next four points herself, with a combination of free throws and jumpers, and the Dragons pushed the score all the way up to 53-43 before the Tribe answered. At that point, it was too late for a comeback surge, even though Reynolds netted seven points. Six Dragon free throws later, the game was over. Swanson attributed the loss to the first period effort. “We didn’t come out of the gate the way I was hoping,” Swanson said. “I thought we showed lack of focus. We didn’t have lack of energy — I thought we were playing hard, but lack of focus and lack of discipline forced me to call a quick timeout down 7-0. We can’t play from behind again against a good Drexel team like that because they run their stuff.” There were some positive statistics to come out of this loss. Reynolds notched her third double-double this year. Hodgson also put up double figures, extending her 20-game streak, with 12 points and eight assists. The Tribe has a week off before it faces Elon (9-10, 4-4 CAA) in North Carolina, Jan. 31.
sports
Sports Editor Gavin Aquin Sports Editor Avery Lackner flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, January 28, 2020 | Page 10
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tigers topple Tribe, 70-58
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Despite being one of the most consistent contributors for the men’s basketball team, averaging 20.5 points and 10.4 rebounds, Knight got into foul trouble early on in the contest and had to sit much of the second half.
Comeback bid falls short despite 20 points from Knight, six rebounds from Van Vliet BRENDAN DOYLE FLAT HAT EXECUTIVE EDITOR Despite a second-half push that cut an 11-point deficit to just two, William and Mary dropped a matchup with Towson in front of a raucous Kaplan Arena crowd Saturday, 70-58. The Tigers (12-9, 6-3 CAA) put together a 12-2 run over the final five minutes of the game to secure the wire-to-wire win, while the Tribe (15-7, 7-2 CAA) turned the ball over four times in the same stretch to deny a comeback opportunity. “We kept fighting,” head coach Dane Fischer said. “I told our guys afterwards, I said I loved the way that we fought. We just couldn’t quite get over the hump. We couldn’t quite get it going enough, but sometimes that happens when you play.” The College had its work cut out from the tip, as the Tigers jumped out to a 6-0 advantage and then continued to expand it, eventually leading 14-5 at the 14 minute, 57 second mark. However, the Tribe closed the gap quickly, with a pull-up jumper by graduate guard Bryce Barnes and a triple from freshman wing Miguel Ayesa tying the contest at 21 just over halfway through the opening period. Towson grabbed the lead again immediately, pushing it to as much as seven points on the back of a strong shooting performance. The Tigers shot 63 percent from the field in the first half, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc. “Towson played really well tonight,” senior center Nathan Knight said. “The biggest thing for us was just sticking to the gameplan, making them take those tough mid-range shots and contested threes. I don’t know what they shot in the first half. … It just felt like they couldn’t miss, really. They were shooting the shots we wanted them to take, they were just making them.” Even with the Tigers shooters on fire, the College kept the game within striking distance. A Knight andone in the last minute of the period ensured the Tribe would enter the second half down just four, 39-35. Towson came out of the gate strong in the second half, holding the Tribe scoreless for the first four minutes and extending the advantage to 46-35. After the College attempted to cut into the lead, Towson guard Jason Gibson hit a contested jumper to push the lead back to 11, 50-39. Gibson led the Tigers in scoring on the afternoon with 21 points. “He’s been playing really well lately,” Fischer said. “I think early on, they were taking some of the shots we wanted them to. We probably could have made it more challenging, a little bit, put them under a little more duress, but he certainly got going, and then kind of stayed hot the rest of the way.”
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WILLIAM AND MARY TRIBE
TOWSON TIGERS
The College did not go quietly. A 15-6 spurt powered by senior forward Andy Van Vliet got the Tribe within two, 56-54. But in two separate possessions with chances to tie the game — one down 58-56 and one down 59-56 — the Tribe came up empty. The second of those two was a backbreaker; Barnes threw an errant pass to Knight that resulted in a turnover, and Towson scored on the other end. The College did not get any closer for the rest of the game. That was not the only mental mistake down the stretch — Knight turned the ball over on a careless pass leading to a fast break layup, then Barnes did the same just moments later, ensuring a late comeback would not come to fruition and all but sealing a 70-58 defeat. Knight led the College with 20 points and six rebounds in the contest while playing just 29 minutes due to foul trouble. Van Vliet added 10 and six boards, while no other Tribe players broke double-digits. The College struggled mightily from three-point range, just sinking four of its 21 attempts. Even with the loss, the Tribe still sits in first place in the Colonial Athletic Association at the halfway point of conference play, at 7-2 in the league. Meanwhile, Towson, Charleston and Hofstra are all tied for second place at 6-3. In what will be a defining week in the race for the regular season conference crown, the College will play host to Charleston Thursday night at Kaplan Arena before welcoming Hofstra to Williamsburg Saturday afternoon.
SWIMMING
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Senior Chris Balbo records lifetime-best time of 9:21.58 to win 1000 freestyle; freshman John O’Hara wins first collegiate race in 200 freestyle; freshman Katie Stevenson, sophomores Inez Olszewski, Missy Cundiff, and Anna Kenna break records to win 200 free.
Women’s team cruises to 125-80 victory, men win 138-67 Men’s, women’s swim trounce Colonials to end seasons with strong 8-1, 6-4 records; underclassman women’s relay team breaks dual-meet record GAVIN AQUIN FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR William and Mary hosted George Washington Saturday, January 25 for its Senior Day meet. The Tribe men and women both finished their seasons with a big splash as they gained victory over the Colonials, with the final score for the women being 125-80 and the final score for the men being 138-67. Overall, the men obtained an 8-1 record for the seventh time in the history of the Tribe and the women ended with a record of 6-4. The men began their meet with the 200 medley relay, where seniors Colin Demers, Ian Bidwell, Jack Doherty and Ian Thompson were able to swim an astounding 1:28.28 — shattering the pool and dual-meet records set by the College last week and accomplishing the eighth-fastest time in school history. Entering the 1000 free, senior Chris Balbo swam a lifetimebest 9:21.58 to take the event for the College. Aside from breaking the previous record set two years ago by alumnus Carter Kale ’19, Balbo is also recognized as being third all-time among Tribe athletes as he finishes his
astounding last regular season. In another Tribe victory, senior Colin Wright won the 50 free with a National Collegiate Athletic Association provisional-qualifying time of 19.90 seconds — his third time under 20 seconds in a dual meet this season. Thompson followed him with 20.55 seconds and sophomore Graham Hertweck rounded out the team with 20.67 seconds. In the 200 free, freshman John O’Hara won his first collegiate race in 1:41.91. In the 200 IM, senior Ben Skopic broke the pool and dual-meet records with a time of 1:49.85. Skopic subsequently took his second win in the 200 breast, where he swam 2:05.15. In the final event, a team of Doherty, Wright, Hertweck and Thompson swam 1:19.71 on the 200 free relay to break the pool and dual-meet records set in October — the fastest time in the Colonial Athletic Association this season and the fifth-fastest race ever at the College. For the women, the first race of the day was the 200 medley relay where
sophomore Anna Kenna, senior Lauren Freeman, junior Madeline High and sophomore Missy Cundiff won with 2:00.00. In the 1000 free, freshman Grace Tramack took the event when she touched the wall first in 10:26.01. Entering the 200 free, junior Megan Bull won her race in 1:53.02. She had subsequent back to back wins: in the 500 free she swam 5:05.32 and in the 200 breast she won with 2:19.98. In the last event of the day, a team of freshman Katie Stevenson, sophomore Inez Olszewski, sophomore Missy Cundiff and Kenna combined to win the 200 free relay in 1:34.81 — breaking both the pool and dual-meet records of 1:34.84 that have stood since 2014. The Tribe will now begin to train for the post-season. The men and women will first compete at the Virginia Tech Invitational, Feb 7-9, followed by the Colonial Athletic Association Championships February 19-22 in Christiansburg, Virginia. The Tribe men have won each of the last five conference titles while the Tribe women last won back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017 and have finished second in the past two seasons.