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After four consecutive wins, the Tribe was outmatched by powerhouse No. 5 Virginia
Club takes off at the College for students with a passion for Electronic Dance Music
Lacrosse loses winning streak
Rave all night
The Flat Hat
Vol. 104, Iss. 36 | Friday, March 27, 2015
The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Whitaker wins
Whitaker and Pinkerton elected to serve as Student Assembly president and vice president for 20152016 term
See ELECTION page 3
See INCIDENT page 4
ETHERIDGE
70.7% 29.3%
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AARON BUNCHER / THE FLAT HAT
Percent of the vote received by each respective candidate
AMeliA Lucas and Amanda Williams Flat hat Assoc. News Editor and Flat Hat Copy chief
— Yohance Whitacker ‘16
Alleged rape took place March 19
Yohance Whitaker ’16 and Catie Pinkerton ’16 have been declared Student Assembly president and vice president for the 2015-16 academic year after winning 1,667 votes in the election. Whitaker missed the initial call from elections commission chair Ryan Brophy ’15 and had to wait for a second. “[We feel] excited. We are glad that the voters thought that we were the best pick, [and] excited to get to continue working for the students,” Whitaker said. “It feels unreal.” Voter turnout for the election was 28.3 percent — a 17.2 percent decline from last year. Out of 8,338 eligible voters, only 2,359 participated in the election. Whitaker and Pinkerton won 70.7 percent of the vote, with the remaining 29.3 percent falling to Claire Etheridge ’16 and Marcell Crawford ’16. “We’ve been planning for so long,” Pinkerton said. “The plans were in place, we’ve just got to start doing it, that’s what I’m most excited for.” Runners-up Etheridge and Crawford declined to comment. Etheridge and Crawford won 692 votes. Whitaker and Pinkerton said that they are thankful for Etheridge and Crawford’s
Number of votes received per candidate
Everything that we promised in the campaign, in our platform, to connect, engage and inspire, we will get started immediately.”
Student reports off-campus rape Tucker Higgins Flat hat EXECUTIVE EDITOR
1667
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WHITAKER
campus
A female student from The College of William and Mary reported being raped off-campus Thursday night, according to an email sent to students, faculty, and staff Tuesday afternoon. The email, sent by Ginger Ambler, Vice President for Student Affairs, indicated that the incident was reported to the Dean of Students Office and the William and Mary Police Department Monday night. Williamsburg Police Department spokesman Major Greg Riley said the police department was informed of the incident at 8 p.m. Monday night. According to Riley, the victim was returning home from an establishment on Richmond Road and Scotland Street when she met the suspect. According to Riley, the student returned to her residence with the suspect and was not abducted. “The incident is under investigation and we are taking this matter very seriously,” Riley said. Captain Ed Schardein of the William and Mary Police Department confirmed the information provided in the email. He could not comment on the specifics of the case, because it is still under investigation. “[The William and Mary Police Department] will play whatever role the Williamsburg police Schardein needs assistance with,” Schardein said. According to the email the student was at a local establishment the night of the incident. The email said the police have identified a suspect described as a thin white male, approximately 35 years old, over six feet tall, with brown hair, a goatee, and blue eyes. The suspect is not in custody. The Williamsburg Police Department said they plan to make contact with the suspect after interviewing witnesses. “The purpose of my email is two-fold,” Ambler said in the email. “First, you need to be aware that someone from outside our community may be looking for opportunities to prey on others.” Ambler also directed students to resources available for those affected by sexual violence. “In addition to the Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office, the Title IX Coordinator and the recently opened Haven space in the
WHITAKER ETHERIDGE
Bomb Threat deemed Unfounded by FBI, Campus police Wednesday, Emergency Management Team Chair Sam Jones emailed students, faculty and staff stating authorities determined the bomb threats which had been under investigation since the beginning of the week were unfounded. Monday, Jones emailed the academic community reporting the College of William and Mary had received emails suggesting the possibility of a future bomb threat. The email also reported that the William and Mary Police Department was working with the Federal Bureau of Whitson Investigation to determine the credibility of these threats. In his message, Jones urged students to report any suspicious or unusual behavior to the police immediately. The last time the College received a bomb threat was in 2007. The threats stemmed from emails sent to email accounts belonging to the College’s offices, but were not sent to any particular individual. There was also no indication that the threat was immediate; the messages used the words “future” and “bomb.” Jones College spokesman Brian Whitson reported that four identical emails were sent to generic email addresses. The sender of these emails remains unknown. Jones said police efforts to identify the sender of these emails are ongoing. He also stated that the police force continues to work with the FBI and has conducted training exercises in preparation for such events. — Flat Hat Associate News Editor Eleanor Lamb
WILLIAMSBURG
Williamsburg to hold Harvest Celebration Event, centered around local eateries, expected to sell around 5,000 tickets Meilan Solly FLAT HAT assoc. news editor
Next fall, the greater Williamsburg area will host the Williamsburg Harvest Celebration, a five-day culinary festival designed to showcase
the region’s local restaurants and attract tourists from across the nation. The celebration, which is set for Nov. 1115, will feature events held in Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown. In each municipality, restaurants will offer special dining experiences led by
KRISTA BRAUN / THE FLAT HAT
The Williamsburg Harvest Celebration aims to attract tourists to the Greater Williamsburg area.
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of The College of William and Mary
See HARVEST page 4
Inside Variety
Inside Opinions
An accomplished, but problematic legacy
Rain High 50, Low 37
local chefs and focused on local products. Additional attractions will include an oyster roast; cooking demonstrations; wine, high-end spirits and beer tastings; live entertainment and colonial tavern dinners. Tickets to various events at the WHC will cost $25 to $100. According to Cindy McGann, executive director of the WHC, the celebration is expected to sell 5,000 tickets — 5,000 attendees are not expected, however, as some individuals will buy tickets to multiple events. McGann said that she hopes the event attracts wine and food enthusiasts of all age groups. “[The goal] is to increase awareness about what the greater Williamsburg area has to offer,” she said. In addition to highlighting Williamsburg’s culinary scene, the celebration will showcase the historical aspects of the city and work to increase overall tourism in Virginia. As part of the event, funds are also being raised for four charities — Meals on Wheels, FISH, Fresh Food Fund and Southern Foodways Alliance. McGann, who came up with the idea for
Former Secretary of State and Condoleezza Rice brings a wealth of political experience to her commencement speech this year. However, we must acknowledge the many sides of that experience -- especially its controversy. page 4
Tinker’s paradise
Small Hall Makerspace makes innovation open to all students at the College of William and Mary. page 6