The Flat Hat March 27, 2018

Vol. 108, Iss. 5 | Tuesday, March 27, 2018

The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper

of The College of William and Mary

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COLLEGE CHAINED TO VCE CONTRACT Student groups work to raise awareness of inmate wages in state correctional facilities.

CAROLINE NUTTER // FLAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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curement Services Greg In 2014, former Director of Pro between VCE and the College Johnson said that the relationship g on for “eons.” of William and Mary has been goin d about this relationship Four years later, little has change n as student groups eve e, from an institutional perspectiv advocate for reform. e of Virginia, the Virginia Under section 53.1-41 of the Cod st provide state inmates with Department of Corrections mu Correctional Enterprises was opportunities to work. Virginia Assembly in 1934 with the aim founded by the Virginia General that would provide jobs and of being a self-sustaining program prospects for convicted ent work skills to enhance employm r sentences and reintegrated felons once they completed thei into their communities. blished VCE, all institutions According to the law which esta required to purchase goods and agencies of the state are ates. A 1999 report explains produced or manufactured by inm free from this obligation if be that Virginia institutions can only ’s desired product.

VCE does not offer the institution ’s contracting is with state VCE of y Although the majorit engage in joint ventures with institutions, VCE is allowed to ds and services in the open private companies and to sell goo market. e-funded institution, the As a participating Virginia stat inmate-produced goods se cha College is bound by law to pur to fiscal year budget reports and services from VCE. According spent varying amounts on its from 2014-17, the College has VCE contract. ment at the College since Erma Baker, the director of procure ion is due in part to the cycle of November 2016, said the fluctuat to new constructions projects. furniture replacement, as well as like basic office furniture, Baker VCE is able to contract for items h as medical products for the said, but specialized items — suc or the Virginia Institute of new Integrated Wellness Center, d lab building — are found Marine Science’s new consolidate elsewhere in the market. lege has spent $1,176,246 In the past four fiscal years, the Col See VCE page 3

GRAPHIC BY NIA KITCHIN / THE FLAT HAT

ACADEMICS

U.S. Senator Mark Warner to deliver spring 2018 Commencement address ‘Hidden Figures’ inspiration, NASA engineer Katherine Johnson to address crowd via video due to health issues SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the class of 2018 prepares to walk through the doors of the Christopher Wren Building and into the world after graduating, it will come together May 12 for the College of William and Mary’s Commencement ceremony.

Guiding its members out of the College and into the world will be U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.).

Joining Warner in giving honorary remarks will be Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician whose story was featured in the film and book “Hidden Figures.” Due to health issues, Johnson will not be able to attend, but will still address graduates via video remarks. Her daughters, Katherine Moore and Joylette Hylick, will attend in her place. Additionally, College President Taylor Reveley will honor Johnson, Lynn Briley ’71, Karen Ely ’71 and Janet Brown Strafer ’71, M.Ed. ’77 with honorary degrees.

“One of our nation’s most dedicated public servants will speak at this year’s Commencement, and we will honor the extraordinary journeys of four women of color,” Reveley said in a press statement. “Katherine Johnson’s achievements are legendary. It’s marvelous that her inspiring example has not passed quietly into obscurity. No less courageous are our three alumnae, Lynn Briley, Karen Ely and Janet Brown Strafer, who arrived on campus in 1967 as the first African-American residential students at William & Mary.

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They led the way.”

Warner, considered a long-time advocate for higher education, was awarded an honorary degree at the College’s Charter Day ceremony in 2002.

“Senator Warner has been a stalwart friend of William & Mary and higher education for many years,” Reveley said in a press statement. “Over the past decade he has been an especially strong advocate for members of the military and worked closely with our Law School’s Puller Clinic to ensure veterans have better access to benefits.”

Chancellor Robert Gates ’65 will also be in attendance at the ceremony to offer welcoming remarks, and as this is the last Commencement that Reveley will preside over, he will offer closing remarks.

Who is Mark Warner?

Growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, Warner was the first person to graduate college in his family, and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from George Washington University. He then went on to earn his law degree from Harvard University in 1980.

In his early professional life, he co-founded the company that would become Nextel and served as the founder and managing director of the venture capital firm Columbia Capital. Then, following the influence of one of his former teachers, he was elected governor of Virginia in 2002.

Since then, Warner was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 and then again in 2014, where he currently serves as a member on the Finance, Banking,

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Budget and Rules committees as well as Vice Chairman on the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Since receiving an honorary degree in 2002, Warner has built a relationship with the College, and most recently gave the Commencement address at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law’s graduation ceremony in 2011.

Who is Katherine Johnson?

Born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Johnson skipped ahead several grades and first attended high school at the age of 13. She then enrolled at the West Virginia State University five years later and graduated with highest honors.

Later, Johnson was one of the first three black students to integrate graduate schools in West Virginia, and she enrolled in West Virginia University’s graduate math program, although she left at the end of the first session. In 1953, after starting a family, she moved to Virginia to start work in an all-black computing section of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics’ Langley Research Center.

There, she co-wrote a report providing equations for orbital spaceflight with a specific landing location, completed the trajectory analysis for the Freedom 7 mission, ran orbital calculations for John Glenn’s Friendship 7 mission, synced Project Apollo’s Lunar Module with the Command and Service Module and worked on the Space Shuttle and Earth Resources Satellite. In 1986, she retired from NASA after 33 years there.

Ted Maslin MBA ’80 says that maintaining a good relationship with the City of Williamsburg is essential for the College. page 6

Tribe baseball by the numbers

Flat Hat staff members Julia Stumbaugh and Josh Luckenbaugh take a look at what the College has done with its season so far and where it’s going from here. page 10

The Flat Hat

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News Editor Leonor Grave News Editor Madeline Monroe fhnews@gmail.com | Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

I decided to participate in the walk because I’ve been battling an eating disorder myself for nearly two years and I’m finally in recovery and I wanted to celebrate how amazing it feels to be healthy. The walk itself was so well planned, the speakers were so inspiring and it reminded me why I’ve made this journey and that I’m not alone.

— Elizabeth Ashley ‘21 on why she decided to participate in the National Eating Disorder Association walk March 25, 2018

Telling her story, one slice of cake at a time

POLICE BEAT

March 22-25

TEDx student speaker Natalie Rowland ’21 talks baking cakes, handling rejection NIA KITCHIN // FLAT HAT MANAGING EDITOR

1

Thursday, March 22 — Thievery on Jamestown: an incident of shoplifting was reported on Jamestown Road.

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Friday, March 23 — Blowing smoke: T’anna Michelle Finch was arrested on charges of marijuana possession.

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Saturday, March 24- Stealth on Scotland: Thomas George Meehan was arrested for charges of grand larceny on Scotland Street.

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Sunday, March 25 — Crash and dash: A hit and run was reported on West Francis Street in the P-4 public parking lot..

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Sunday, March 25— Graffiti gone wrong: an incident of property destruction was reported at Airport Road.

POLICE BEAT BY KARINA VIZZONI / THE FLAT HAT

A THOUSAND WORDS

COURTESY PHOTO / NATALIE ROWLAND

Natalie Rowland ‘21 was selected as the student speaker at the College’s annual TEDx conference. There, she spoke about her former cake baking adventure.

For the first time ever, the College of William and Mary partnered with TEDx to sponsor a student speaker March 25, 2018. Natalie Rowland ’21 was selected from a slew of competing students at an audition. She spoke about her experience baking a cake to celebrate the birthday of every single student in her high school graduating class.

GRACIE HARRIS / 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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‘I had this overwhelming feeling that this was something I had to do’ Throughout her first three years of high school, Rowland would occasionally bake cakes for her close friends’ birthdays.

However, the summer before her senior year she decided that in the coming academic year she would bake every single member of her 320-person class a cake on their birthday. Rowland said that she felt this big power overcome her and she knew she had to do it.

Rowland said that many people thought she simply liked baking, or that she was looking for attention. But this wasn’t about baking or making a name for herself — even though she did end up winning prom queen. Rowland wanted to get to know all of the people in her graduating class before they left high school together for the last time.

To accomplish this, she would ask the birthday person to tell her three things in the days approaching their birthday: whether they preferred chocolate or vanilla for the cake flavor, what their favorite color was for the icing and to tell her a story.

Through these stories Rowland learned about her classmates.

Some of her peers misunderstood the purpose of the project and told her surface-level stories about their love for music or animals. However, with other classmates she was able to talk deeply about their lives. Rowland based the decoration of the cake on the story that her classmate told her.

“My favorite one is this one kid named Hunter,” Rowland said.

“We were kind of friends before and he FaceTimed me while I made his cake. We were FaceTiming for hours and he was telling me so many stories from his life. And then his mom came in and she told me a story about him. ... Then my mom came in and told a story about me to Hunter and his mom.”

Rowland said that her cakes made the school days more interesting and exciting. She would enlist her little brother and friends to help transport the cakes to school and on paper plates through the hallways. There were days where she had to make multiple cakes, up to seven at a time. She was surprised that she only ever dropped one cake, and her dog stepped on two.

In order to deliver the cakes, Rowland would often interrupt class to bring people their cakes. However, the teachers were extremely accommodating. Rowland also sang happy birthday to every single person when she brought them their cake, a process that she found terrifying but rewarding.

“My school became this place of daily celebration,” Rowland said. “Like a party that everyone was invited to.”

During the process of making these cakes, Rowland said that she felt the importance of creating something physical that would be eaten and enjoyed and never come back. She said that while she doesn’t remember making each cake specifically, they are all documented on the Instagram she made for the project, @natmakescakes.

Rowland said that creating is important to her. While putting so much effort into making these cakes beautiful and personal could be difficult and trying at times, each cake taught her something.

“It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever done,” Rowland said. “Cakes taught me so much more about the whole world than I ever thought anything could teach me.”

‘All their stories became my favorite story’ While Rowland said she is retired from cake-making — for the time being at least — she is incredibly proud of this year-long

escapade and wanted to share it with the world. That is why she decided to audition for the TEDx conference. At first she was apprehensive and did not think that she would be able to do it.

However, her love of TED Talks and her desire to share this story shone through and in the end, she decided to audition.

Many of the other students who auditioned to be the student speaker had experience with debate or public speaking. Rowland plays music and has performed in theater, however she said that she would not call public speaking her forte. She said that she had her talk memorized and would be practicing every second leading up to the conference.

“I don’t know how to be a speaker,” Rowland said. “I just know how to tell my story.”

Listening to the other auditions, Rowland was really scared.

She said they were all such good speakers, which was intimidating for her. However, she ended up securing the student speaker position and giving her talk, titled “320 Cakes: The Existential Escapade,” to a sold-out crowd at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall.

Rowland is from Los Angeles, California, so her parents were not able to attend. However, her mother tweeted about it and notified her daughter’s old high school. Many of Rowland’s friends sat in the overflow room where a screen broadcast her talk, as they were unable to get seats.

Rowland spoke last, which she said both intimidated her and felt like an honor.

‘It’s been a long winter’ During high school Rowland was not sure that college would be the best path for her. Her father had attended the College and she wanted to follow in his footsteps when she was younger but vacillated on that idea as she neared graduation. Only during her senior year did she happen to pass through Williamsburg during a trip to her cousin’s wedding. She decided to take a tour and found a number of signs that pointed toward the College as the place she was supposed to be.

“There were all these little universe clues, these happenstance coincidental things,” Rowland said.

From the willow trees — her favorite tree — outside James Blair Hall, to the lore around the Crim Dell bridge that seemed eerily similar to her own personal superstition about crossing bridges, the coincidences kept piling up.

“It just seemed like a really nice place that I was supposed to go to,” Rowland said. “So I applied early decision and it was this complete turnaround.”

Yet, moving all the way across the country took a toll on Rowland. Because she wants to move back to California after graduation and live there the rest of her life, Rowland made the decision to not travel home for shorter breaks, and instead experience life on the East Coast. Adjusting to the culture and weather of a new state, Rowland said, has been extremely difficult, and she often misses her family and hometown friends.

“The very first couple weeks of school I cried to my mom every single day, like, ‘I’m not going to make any friends, this is horrible,’” Rowland said.

During her first two semesters at the College, Rowland said she hit roadblock after roadblock. She applied to be on the staff of ROCKET Magazine and did not get in. She auditioned for an a cappella group and did not get a callback. She applied to be an Orientation Aide and was rejected. She auditioned for theater shows and was not called back. In her first semester she joined a social sorority but then decided to deactivate because she did not feel that it was the right place for her.

However, Rowland has maintained a determination to follow her passions throughout it all. This spring she joined Alma Mater Productions and sang and played her ukulele at a Homebrew.

She was also invited to join a group called Creative Individuals as a result of her securing the student speaker spot at TEDx. “Everything is kind of falling into place,” Rowland said.

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Page 3

CAROLINE GANT, SYDNEY MCCOURT, MAISIE BLAUFUSS / THE FLAT HAT

Students march in Williamsburg, D.C. Joining March for Our Lives movement, students protest for gun legislation ANNA BOUSTANY, LEONOR GRAVE, MAX MINOGUE OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR, NEWS EDITOR, CHIEF STAFF WRITER

While the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C. attracted over 200,000 anti-gun-violence protestors, local protestors gathered at the Capitol building in Colonial Williamsburg, joining 800,000 protestors at 817 registered locations of sister marches worldwide.

At the D.C. event, all of the speakers were students — from Parkland, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Newtown, Connecticut and across the United States — whose lives had been affected by gun violence.

One of these speakers was Yolanda King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s 11-yearold granddaughter, who referenced the civil rights struggle in her remarks.

“I have a dream that enough is enough, and that this should be a gunfree world, period,” King said.

Other speakers also shared their personal experiences of loss and pain from gun-related violence. The organizers demanded legislative gun reform measures, including an assault-style rifle ban, universal background checks and a high-capacity magazine ban.

The march also drew famous musical guests, including Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The march, though organized by teenagers, was attended by people of all ages. On Pennsylvania Avenue, where crowds of people stood shoulder to shoulder, signs denounced politicians for accepting donations from the National Rifle Association. Many signs displayed price tags of $1.05, which — according to the Parkland survivors — is the amount of NRA money Sen. Marco Rubio has taken per Florida public school students.

Peter Kinton ’18 drove up to D.C. for the March, along with some friends and recent graduates of the College, to be able to take part in what he described as a historic event.

“You could throw a stone, and there’s someone who has been affected by gun violence,” Kinton said. “It’s an issue that needs to be addressed.”

He said he remembers being surprised by how many people he saw on the Metro coming from Reston, Virginia — the farthest stop on the silver line — and how he could feel the comradery between everyone present.

Kinton said that he felt it was important to people whose lives have been affected by gun violence.

“It’s silly that we have to talk about this in 2018, after all this has happened,” Kinton said. “But we have to, and it’s important to.”

One student from the College who attended the march in D.C., along with her family, was Olivia Coan ’21. She said that she admires the initiative, especially its emphasis on giving a platform to the voices of young people.

“I really appreciated that while they had a lot of big-name people there to perform, they kept the talks to the teens,” Coan said. “I think that was really important because the teens were the reason the march happened in the first place, and it sends the message that yes, we are young, but we are not to be underestimated or discounted just because of that.”

Elizabeth Kelefant ’21 said that she was glad to be able to be a part of the March in D.C. and that the speakers inspired a sense of urgency for legislative change.

“The speakers and artists were amazing at lifting people up and fully addressing and demanding change for gun control,” Kelefant said.

Many students from the College who attended the March for Our Lives in D.C. expressed feelings of hope, a feeling that was shared by most of the attendees of the March. Many volunteers around the March were registering people to vote, and the speakers encouraged the attendees to call their legislators.

However, the sister march in Williamsburg also drew a sizeable crowd, with over 1,000 gun-control advocates participating in the event.

In Williamsburg, the demonstration began with a diverse group of speakers at the Capitol building, followed by a march down Duke of Gloucester street. Students organized the Williamsburg march with help from Moms Demand Action of the Peninsula, Common Ground Williamsburg, Middle Peninsula Progressives, Peninsula Indivisible, Williamsburg Indivisible Group and the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists’ social justice group.

Samyuktha Mahadevan ’19 spoke as a representative of the new student group, William and Mary Students Demand Action. While she said the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, served as a catalyst for the March for Our Lives movement, Mahadevan drew attention to the daily gun violence occurring in the United States.

“What we frequently overlook when we are faced with these mass shootings is the number of lives lost to gun violence every day,” Mahadevan said. “Domestic violence, street crime, suicide — we cannot forget that these factors contribute to an average of 96 deaths per day from gun violence.”

Isabela Riofrio, an eighth grader at Hornsby Middle School, also spoke at the demonstration.

“This is not about taking away your right to own guns — this is about common-sense gun laws,” Riofrio said. “This is about owning guns in a way that makes us all safer.”

93rd District Virginia House of Representatives Delegate Mike Mullin also spoke at the event in Williamsburg, emphasizing the importance of translating the demonstration into votes that will support policy change this November.

“There is an opportunity to do something — not just thoughts and prayers,” Mullin said. “… If we are going to see changes in our legislature, if we are going to see change in our government, we need to see us all here in November.”

This sentiment was echoed by the protesters themselves as they chanted phrases like “enough is enough” and “vote them out.” March organizers encouraged attendees to register to vote in the Williamsburg area.

Other speakers included Skyla Bailey, the vice president of the York Youth Commission, Reverend Laura Horton-Ludwig of the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists and Bobby “Blackhat” Walters, who played a recording of the song “Run Baby Run,” which he wrote in response to the Parkland shooting.

Williamsburg resident Sally Fisk attended the demonstration to support young voices.

“We’re older women, and we really care about what the youth have come up with, so we can’t let them down,” Fisk said. “We care about the youth of this country, we care about the integrity of lawmakers, we care about priorities of what’s really important for this nation — and guns have got to go.”

Williamsburg resident Tamara Zurakowski attended the march and said that she believes the protest will translate into real governmental change.

“I am optimistic,” Zurakowski said. “[This is] the first time that I’ve really heard a lot of discussion after a gun violence event. This didn’t happen after Columbine or Sandy Hook.”

While much of the demonstration focused on mass shootings, Valerie Bambha ’19 agreed with Mahadevan, saying that the movement should address gun violence as a whole. “[This] has been brought into the public attention because of the recent Parkland shooting,” Bambha said. “Parkland students were in a position to advocate for the issue, which is good, but we also need to remember everything that’s happened in the black community.”

Student organizations advocate for higher wages for inmate labor VCE employees claim offering inmates work programs lowers recidivism rates in state VCE from page 1

on average at VCE, primarily for the purchase of furniture, but also for products like business cards and other services. And while 2015 saw a decrease in spending compared to 2014, the last two years have seen the amount of money spent on VCE products increase. The College spent a total of $1,186,989 on VCE products in 2014, $511,425 in 2015, $1,457,569 in 2016 and $1,549,000 in 2017.

In recent years, student organizations have taken a public stance against the College’s purchase of VCE products and services. Hailey Ulrich ’20 and Shannon Lewis ’20, the coordinators of the College’s Amnesty International chapter, said that they wanted prisoners to be paid a fair wage, which they believe is above their current compensation.

“It’s a complex situation in Virginia that’s tied to the law — it’s not about just tackling one institution,” Ulrich said. “We are coming from a human rights perspective, ensuring that all citizens are treated like citizens regardless of incarceration, ensuring dignity, which includes being paid more than $0.50-$0.80 per hour.”

Lewis echoed this idea that is difficult to separate the legislative framework from the human rights issues.

“It’s an incentive to keep putting more people in prison, to keep up quotas, and Virginia is profiting,”

Lewis said. “[VCE] is driven by profits instead of rehabilitation and developing skills.”

The College’s Amnesty International chapter plans to make the VCE contract its prison industrial complex committee’s main focus next semester.

The committee will be hosting phone-banking and letter-writing events, as well as potentially including the VCE contract as an issue in the club’s “Jamnesty” event.

The Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at the College is another group which has condemned the VCE contract. YDSA President Billy Bearden ’19 said that the program’s legal foundation makes it “insidious.”

In the 1970s, Bearden said there were a number of prison strikes across Virginia and throughout the country that resulted in the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program, created by the U.S. Congress in 1979. The program was designed to encourage states and units of local government to establish employment opportunities for prisoners that approximate private sector work opportunities.

Two main aims of the program are to allow inmate pay to provide a source of repayment to victims, and to help defray the costs of inmate housing and maintenance. The PIECP thus requires inmates to be paid at the minimum or “prevailing” wage of similar private-sector work.

“It would be factually inaccurate to say that VCE

is not paying minimum wage,” Bearden said. “Which is interesting, because the actual pay of incarcerated labor is $0.55-$.80 cents an hour. Because the labor of incarcerated people is not considered legal employment, [VADOC] is able to garnish up to 90 percent of wages, which go to room and board, things like that. They’re getting paid, but the actual money isn’t getting to them.”

The YDSA chapter has made VCE’s relationship with Virginia public institutions the club’s primary focus.

“The campaign that we’re looking at is expected to last one to three years, which is very long-term for a college club, but in political organizing, it’s pretty standard,” Bearden said. “We’re going to be eventually writing, or help to propose, legislation aimed at the Virginia Tax Code, to have incarcerated labor included in types of legal employment, which would mean wages would have to be the full legal minimum wage.”

Bearden said that one of the first short-term campaigns is to raise awareness among students, faculty and staff at the College about VCE and its contract with our school.

VCE’s Chief Operating Officer Malcolm Taylor said that VCE employs 200 civilian employees and around 1,300 inmate workers across state prisons in Virginia.

The state does not allocate funding to VCE. VCE has around 30 product lines, including vehicle

conversion, digitizing documents, embroidery, translating books into braille, laundry service and, more familiar to the College, furniture assembly.

VCE makes about $50 million each year, Taylor said, which pays for all the salaries of the 200 state employees, a fleet of trucks, raw materials, product machinery and inmate wages. In 2014-15, the total payroll of the VADOC was $429,887, with a median pay of $35,416.

Taylor said that although inmate wages sound “ridiculously low” compared to what people in the public make, most of the things incarcerated people need — rent, clothing, food, expenses — are provided by the VADOC. The money made from inmate labor, he said, is used for toiletries, obligations to pay child support or restitution and savings.

Taylor said that VCE aims include reducing the recidivism rates — the amount of inmates who end up reoffending — among the felon population and helping incarcerated people with employment when they return to public life.

“90 percent of incarcerated people are released,” Taylor said. “And if they are released with marketable skills, they have a much better chance of securing a job.”

Out of 36 states that document felon recidivism rates, Virginia, with a prison population of 2 million, has the fourth lowest felon recidivism rate in the United States.

Page 4

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

CAMPUS

College releases sexual misconduct climate analysis New survey reveals trends in sexual misconduct, FSL members most vulnerable SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A year ago, the College of William and Mary sent out a survey asking for feedback on the campus climate surrounding sexual misconduct. Now, the results are in, as 2,672 respondents — just over 30 percent of the student body — have shared their experiences. The university’s female, LGBTQ and Fraternity and Sorority Life populations are still much more likely to have experienced sexual misconduct than the rest of campus.

What does the data say?

Of the students who took the survey, 69.4 percent of respondents were victims of at least one act of sexual misconduct. Additionally, 43 percent of all respondents were members of fraternity or sorority organizations. These respondents were likely to experience sexual misconduct at increased rates.

31 percent reported experiencing at least one incident of physical sexual violence, compared to 12 percent of non-affiliated students who reported experiencing physical sexual violence.

Female students, and those who identify as LGBTQ, also reported experiencing sexual misconduct at higher rates.

“One student experiencing sexual misconduct in any form is too many,” College spokesperson Erin Zagursky said in a press release. “The only acceptable rate is zero.”

These results are not new. In fall 2015, the College released data from its 2014 campus-wide Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey. At this time, women affiliated with social sororities were found to be 31 percent more likely to be sexually assaulted and 154 percent more likely to be raped than non-affiliated women. Fraternity men were 86 percent more likely to experience sexual misconduct than non-affiliated men.

These results prompted discussions among Fraternity and Sorority Life members and the creation of the Sexual Assault Steering Committee for

fraternities and sororities.

Title IX Coordinator Kiersten Boyce said that although she has seen that Fraternity and Sorority Life leaders and members do work to address this, she believes there is still more to be done.

“It’s not like an ‘Oh, that’s done’ situation,” Boyce said. “I have seen some meaningful changes, but certainly work remains to be done. It’s definitely a higher risk group.”

Dean of Students Marjorie Thomas said that she has seen students in Fraternity and Sorority Life stand up for their peers since the release of the last survey’s results.

“When you have members of social fraternities and sororities sanding up and saying ‘We won’t engage with a group because of this behavior,’ that’s a game changer,” Thomas said. “That doesn’t mean everything is perfect, but it means that there is an effort out there. To even feel that a little bit is impactful.”

The survey In 2014, the College released a similar survey, although administrators had less control over the content of the survey. This survey compared groups based on socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, athletic team membership, gender and degree level. It did not allow for comparison of LGBTQ communities.

This year, the College worked to design their own survey where staff members could pick specific definitions for certain terms like “sexual misconduct” and “sexual assault” to get a better gauge for who experiences what. However, because the surveys were not identical in methodology, they cannot be directly compared.

One thing that is new about this survey is that it asked questions about different types of sexual misconduct like stalking, harassment and intimate partner violence.

“A harm is harm,” Thomas said. “If a student is stalked, that still impacts their ability to live their life, their ability to pursue their study. It can be stressful

if someone has been consistently harassing them in a particular environment.

That still has the opportunity to interfere with their quality of life.”

Intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence or relationship violence, was one of these new categories added to the survey.

“We added a couple of questions, for example, around interpersonal and domestic violence because that’s something Liz Cascone in the Haven has seen quite a bit during her time here,” Director of Student Affairs Planning and Assessment Anna Mroch said in a press statement.

According to Thomas and Boyce, they have engaged with students experiencing this type of violence and also peers of students who experience this violence and want to help their friends.

“Quite a heartening thing for me is that a number of the reports we have about unhealthy relationships are from friends that are observing it and that know it’s not right,” Boyce said.

Moving forward Thomas and Boyce said that they both have taken these survey results as a way to think critically about what to do next. One thing that they both are working on is supporting Assistant Director of Health Promotion T Davis in developing a bystander intervention program.

“With any assessment, after you get the initial picture of what’s going on and the basic understanding, you can move into more focused areas of improvement,” Mroch said in a press statement. “So we’ve done the general improvement of making sure students know where they can report, having signs in all of the bathroom stalls, making sure the website has a lot of information, to now look at being more focused on are there pockets of students from whatever demographic that we’re not reaching? Are there pieces related to our response that we can improve? Are there pieces related to our communication? That allows us to continue to refine the work that we’re doing to best serve students, both in the prevention aspects of it but also the response pieces for victims.”

STUDENT LIFE

NEDA walk invites survivors, community members to fundraise Walk aims to raise awareness about eating disorders, collects almost $6,000 in funds SARAH SMITH FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students and community members gathered Sunday, March 25, outside of Campus Recreation for a walk sponsored by the National Eating Disorder Association.

NEDA is the largest nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders. They estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men have or will suffer from an eating disorder in the United States. Because of this, NEDA works to raise awareness and fund research for those in need.

The walk started at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony and ended at 11 a.m. The fundraising goal was $10,000, and, according to the event’s website, $5,821 was raised. Top earning teams included one sponsored by the varsity men’s gymnastics team and the MarshallWythe School of Law. Additionally, Team Shamrock, which was organized by Elizabeth Ashley ’21, earned $300 and placed as the fifth highest earning team.

At the end of February, groups on campus organized different events surrounding eating disorders and body image. The College of William and Mary’s Counseling Center sponsored the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week on campus. They hosted Dana Suchow, a speaker and activist who overcame bulimia, binge eating disorder and compulsive exercising.

She led a makeup removal workshop and a special presentation Feb. 27 about feminism, eating disorders and body image.

Feb. 28, students and experts led a panel about eating disorders and diet culture. This walk was initially planned for a weekend over spring break at the end of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, but was later rescheduled to maximize participation.

Ashley, one of the students on Team Shamrock, chose to participate because of her personal background with an eating disorder.

“I decided to participate in the walk because I’ve been battling an eating disorder myself for nearly two years, and I’m finally in recovery and I wanted to celebrate how amazing it feels to be healthy,” Ashley said.

“The walk itself was so well planned, the speakers were so inspiring and it reminded me why I’ve made this journey and that I’m not alone. I walked with some of my best friends and having their support just fills me with love, they’re amazing and I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

Louisa Janssen ’21, one of Ashley’s close friends, also participated in the walk as part of Team Shamrock. Janssen said she chose to participate to support Ashley and because of how close the issue was to her.

“NEDA is important to me because of my personal experience with an eating disorder,” Janssen said. “I

was formally diagnosed with bulimia nervosa at 15, and I’ve been through treatment by a psychiatrist and therapist since. I wish I could say that treatment was easy, and that things were magically resolved after a few trips to the counselor, but eating disorders are a complex illness that can take years to treat. Although I now call myself a survivor, my ED continues to affect me to this day. … Knowing that other people are out there who’ve had the same experience is also comforting and helpful, and I want to do everything I can to remind others suffering from an ED that they are not alone.”

Sam Wooley ’18 said that NEDA is an organization that is very important to her because she and several of her friends have been affected by eating disorders.

When she saw that her sorority had formed a team to support a member that is recovering from anorexia, she said that she felt that she needed to be there to support her.

“For me, this was a very hopeful event,” Wooley said. “There was excellent turnout, and it was wonderful to be surrounded by fellow survivors, allies and advocates. I’m so glad to see increased eating disorder awareness events on campus – especially since [Colleen Reichmann] was brought on board last year, there has been a lot more conversation about the reality behind eating disorders and their presence on campus.”

Wooley said that she hoped that the walk, in addition to bringing continued awareness to campus, would make those who attended feel that they were supported by their community.

“I definitely remember a time when I wasn’t sure if I would ever fully recover of if I even had a future,” Wooley said. “For me, the support and acceptance of those around me was crucial in my recovery. For those who don’t know about the event, it’s an event that both fundraised for NEDA and raises awareness and support for those who have been affected by eating disorders in our community.”

For both Ashley and Janssen, one of the most important parts of the event was the awareness it raised for NEDA’s goals of destigmatizing eating disorders and promoting awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness.

“It’s so important to create a healthy and happy atmosphere [surrounding] mental health and eating disorders, especially in stressful environments like college campuses and I feel like the walk really created that safe space,” Ashley said. “I would want to tell someone who didn’t know about the event that eating disorders are so unrecognized and stigmatized and that the walk was an amazing way to dispel myths and to support an amazing community of warriors.”

FACULTY

Liz Losh tackles problem of ‘fake news’ in annual Tack Lecture Professor warns of emotional pull of ‘fake news,’ says media literacy combats misinformation MADELEINE YI THE FLAT HAT

Professor of English and American studies Elizabeth Losh delivered the 13th Tack Faculty Lecture, entitled, “Fake News for Real People.” Her lecture addressed what Losh called one of the most pressing and relevant issues of today’s world: how much can the news be trusted?

Each semester, the Tack Faculty Lecture Series, funded by Charles and Martha Tack ’78, gives a faculty member the opportunity to present on a topic of general interest. Losh studies the digital humanities and new media ecologies at the College of William and Mary.

“Is there a day, a single day or an hour, that passes without us hearing the term ‘fake news,’ whether from a POTUS tweet, a newscast or among our friends?” Provost Michael Halleran asked as he introduced Losh.

Losh explained that today many people share fake news stories on social networking sites without realizing they are sharing fake news. She pointed to satirical videos on the sport of “ball-less soccer” and even a comedic news report on the discontinuing of Reese’s peanut butter cups as examples of this phenomenon.

Losh studies rhetoric and she said she believes that understanding Aristotle’s three main methods of persuasion — ethos, pathos and logos — is helpful for understanding the problem of fake news. Many contemporary news stories, Losh said, overuse pathos, which appeals to the emotions of the reader, and lack ethos and logos, which appeal to the authority or credibility of the author and to the logic of an argument, respectively.

“We shouldn’t be afraid of pathos in journalism,” Losh said. “We just need to have ethos and logos as well.”

To untangle what she called the “complex media ecology” of fake news, Losh presented a few simple premises. First, she noted that fake news is not purely a partisan issue. Second, she pointed out that fake news often has a purpose other than deception, such as satire. Finally, she concluded, the problem at hand is not limited to fake news articles.

“The problem is that we are living in a time when it is very difficult to ascertain truth,” Losh said.

Losh also categorized “fake news” within various genres. Fake news, she said, can fall under the category of satire or parody, such as Onion stories or “The Daily Show,” or it can fall under the category of conspiracy, such as “Loose Change,” a darkly satirical documentary about the Sept.

11, 2001 attacks.

Today, Losh said, the term “fake news” is largely used to describe distrust of mainstream news sources.

“Traditional news organizations are mistrusted and disparaged,” Losh said. “And the grounds for truth, when it comes to journalistic standards, are no longer clear.”

Losh identified three trends in the way that we distribute and collect news. First, she said, authority is replaced by authorization. Instead of elected officials or experts who act as “gatekeepers” for legitimate transactions, readers rely on authorization processes and passwords.

Next, she said that authenticity is replaced by authentication: readers rely on procedures and algorithms, such as touch verification used to unlock a cell phone, instead of personally investigating the sincerity of an item. Losh also said veracity is replaced by verification — when readers rely on thirdparty websites, such as Google, they allow truth to be manufactured through these procedures.

Losh noted that because of the inherently partisan nature of government, it cannot be relied on to regulate news. She also said that fact-checking websites cannot fix the problem of fake news, since they often lack adequate funding.

Instead, she pointed to media literacy as the most promising solution. If young people were educated in media literacy, she argued, they would be better equipped to understand and recognize fake news.

Sarah Bomfim ’20 attended this lecture because she was interested in learning more about fake news and how to spot it.

“There was never really any mention of fake news in school, at least before coming to William and Mary,” Bomfim said. “I think this is

relevant to all students since we consume a lot of social media today, and it’s easy to be duped by fake news stories.”

Losh ended her presentation by advocating for an interdisciplinary approach when addressing fake news and she placed a particular emphasis on the humanities. History, philosophy, rhetoric and even foreign languages, Losh said, are critical for identifying fake news.

“This is my rallying cry to support the humanities,” Losh said.

opinions

Opinions Editor Ethan Brown Opinions Editor Katherine Yenzer fhopinions@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Tuesday March 27, 2018 | Page 5

GUEST COLUMN

GUEST COLUMN

Gun control march, walkout created sense of community

Samyuktha Mahadevan, Matt McCauley FLAT HAT GUEST WRITERS

GRAPHIC BY KAYLA PAYNE / THE FLAT HAT

Workers highlight of dining hall experience

Robin Bradley

FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER

As I’m sure we are all aware, the dining halls are a subject of much discussion and critique among students. I have heard Sodexo referred to as both a pox upon the student body (by a student), and quality, tasty food (by a tour guide). Because we all eat at the dining halls so often, largely due to the irritatingly rigid nature of the meal plans, especially for freshmen and sophomores, every student has their own opinions about Sodexo. My personal hypothesis is that the food starts off all right at the beginning of each semester, but drops noticeably in quality as the year goes on.

One of the most common criticisms regarding the cafeterias is that they don’t provide enough options for vegetarian and vegan diners. Even with the addition of the Mosaic Bowls in the Caf, students don’t feel like their dietary preferences and needs are being met.

“Frequently the only vegetarian options are sad and cold and low in protein, especially during weekends and especially at the Caf,” Catherine Green ’20 said. “And I have eaten a ridiculous amount of chickpeas since I came to William and Mary, because it’s the only form of protein we have.”

A meal without hot food isn’t a meal at all, and in that regard, vegetarians usually only have one option at the Caf and Sadler. In addition, the so-called “Meatless Monday” meals are rarely a big hit with students. Some of the workers at the Caf, however, do not agree with students’ complaints. When I asked Caf workers whether or not

the dining halls do enough for vegetarians, the answer was always yes.

“The Caf has a lot of strictly vegetarian areas. Even my section [the wrap and sandwich section] does,” Melissa, a chef at the Caf, said. “I prepare veggie wraps every day, in addition to all the other options,”.

The cafeteria workers do so much for the students, and I think it’s unfortunate that their efforts can’t be appreciated by the full student body because the food suppliers don’t offer more meat-free options.

Of course, students evaluate the dining halls on additional criteria.

“I feel like there should be more options between peak dining hours, because when I go at certain times there’s just nothing there,” Seth Fiderer ’20 said. “Also I really miss the stir fry that used to be at Sadler.”

I couldn’t agree more with both points. It’s irritating to swipe into the dining halls for lunch at 3 p.m. every day and be faced with three options — a burger, fries or a burger and fries. I think a meal swipe during the off-hours should count for half of a primetime meal swipe. Also, Sadler’s Mongolian stir fry was by far the best food served at any of the cafeterias, so I’m not sure why it was removed.

The dining halls at William and Mary have a lot of issues. They offer very few palatable and hot options for vegetarians, significantly drop in variety from the hours of 2-5 and often remove the best food options (please bring back the lucky charms, Sodexo). And sure, it would be nice if the dining hall bathrooms had toilet paper that wasn’t 1/10 ply and made out of sandpaper, but few buildings on campus do. But the saving grace of William and Mary’s dining halls is undeniably the superb employees who imbue each dining hall with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Many of them wake up as early as 4 a.m., yet are always as genuinely enthusiastic as possible. The workers make sure that the 100 percent recyclable . napkins are always stocked at each table, and every night all of the uneaten food is composted. I think the William and Mary student body would have revolted against Sodexo long ago had it not been for the sunny smiles and kindness of the cafeteria staff.

Email Robin Bradley at rwbradley@email.wm.edu

“

I think the William and Mary student body would have revolted against Sodexo long ago had it not been for the sunny smiles and kindness of the cafeteria staff

‘

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I write in response to your recent article, “U.S. Senator Mark Warner to speak at 2018 Commencement address,” published on March 23. I must express my disappointment with the College’s choice of speaker in the context of the milestones we are celebrating this academic year.

One of my first memories at this school was the news during freshman orientation that our graduation year would mark 100 years of women and 50 years of Black students at the College. With Senator Warner speaking, I will remember that we will have been “guid[ed] out of the College and into the world” by a white male on the anniversary of not one, but two landmarks for historically disenfranchised groups in the College’s complex, flawed history. I shouldn’t even have to point out the obvious disconnect here.

I acknowledge and celebrate the inclusion of Katherine Johnson and the first Black residents in the ceremony, but short remarks and the conferral of honorary degrees are not enough. President Reveley claims to be honoring the journeys of these women of color (dubious enough considering the President’s record handling other matters of race politics) but why not honor one of them, or another person of color, with the central speaking platform at this event? The College had the opportunity to further lift the voices of groups historically and presently barred from spaces of higher education, to prove to non-male, non-white students that the claims to prioritize diversity are not just that, and they have utterly missed it. This critique would stand in any year in which the school chose a white male commencement speaker, but the choice is especially disappointing in the context of what we are supposed to be celebrating this year.

I do not intend to criticize Senator Warner himself. I’m proud to be represented by him in a Senate half-composed of unprincipled politicians who refuse to criticize President Trump and I do not doubt that he truly cares about higher education and this school. Nor do I want this criticism to translate into any sort of protest against him at Commencement.

My criticism is against the school, and against the committee who chooses the Commencement speaker. I write only to let the College know that this disconnect has not gone unnoticed. If we claim to be celebrating 100 years of women and 50 years of Black students in residence at the College in 2017-2018, the Commencement speaker at the end of that year should reflect that celebration.

Sincerely, Emily Abbey ‘18 elabbey@emailwm.edu

A few days after the shooting in Parkland, Florida, Matt and I (Samyuktha ) got together for dinner to catch up on life and all of a sudden, our conversation centered on how we felt so distraught by the tragedy that had occurred. We then began to speak about how inspiring it was to see students take to the streets and demand the status quo be changed for the better. It was in this moment that we decided to get off the sidelines and try to unite our community with a message of hope and humanity. Later that week, we created a Facebook event with the expectation that only a handful of strong activists on campus would attend, but we knew we had to do something. About five minutes after making the event, we decided to walk through Swem to get a coffee. As we walked, we noticed that our event was already on the computer screens of students throughout the library. This is when it hit us that something special could happen.

The next few weeks we spent advertising our event — sharing it on Facebook and interviewing with The Flat Hat. We also reached out to various on-campus groups to help spread the word. We were in for a pleasant surprise when we returned from spring break to see that almost 300 people had said they were “going” on our event page. Two days later, the number had reached almost 400. The day of the event, we hung up our banner that said “Enough” and laid out another banner that served as a letter to the Parkland community that students at the College of William and Mary could write messages of hope and support on. When the clock struck 10 a.m. that Wednesday morning, there was already a line forming on the Sunken Garden.

Five minutes later, there was a line that stretched across the entire Sunken Garden. I remember looking up at one point and being in disbelief — it was a moment that truly inspired me and told me that

“

Our primary goal in forming a Students Demand Action chapter at the College is to educate our peers and our community on the issue of gun violence in America. what we were doing was not only important but also had the potential to continue.

The beauty about this day was that it was an event centered around bringing our community together. There were no speakers, big name organizations or news crews. It was a day where we could all unite, no matter our political beliefs, to show that this community stands together with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the other communities that have been affected by gun violence.

This event’s purpose was not to energize a political movement, but to remind our students that we can enact change when we stand together.

There has never been a more promising time in our lives. Students are leading a movement that will change how this country is shaped. It only makes sense to bring this movement to the nation’s alma mater.

We have received a lot of interest in this group and believe that by the end of this semester, it will be an established organization here at the College. We were represented well at Saturday’s March for Our Lives rally in Colonial Williamsburg as Samyuktha Mahadevan gave an empowering speech that challenged the crowd to focus not just on ending school shootings, but all gun violence in every zip code. The march was inspiring for the same reason our walkout was — students were at the forefront.

Our primary goal in forming a Students Demand Action chapter at the College is to educate our peers and our community on the issue of gun violence in America. Our organization is a proponent for common sense gun laws that protect those who live in our country. Especially in a state like Virginia, where guns are integral to many households, it is crucial that we are aware of safe gun practices and that we keep weapons that don’t belong in civilian hands out of our communities.

We will continue to promote our nonpartisanship, as gun violence is an issue that knows no political boundaries.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be reaching out to student organizations about giving presentations on gun safety. The hope is that groups and individuals can engage with those in their spheres in order to spread knowledge about the scope of this issue.

Everyone is capable of participating in this movement, and we want to provide them with ample opportunities for advocacy, whether that is calling representatives, presenting to the community, holding forums or simply having open discussions with their peers. We ask that all students, no matter their political ideology, consider joining our club to bring about true, effective change within our community, Richmond, and D.C. Most importantly, we ask that all students who care about this issue educate themselves on the candidates running in their districts and vote for gun safety in November this year.

Email Samyuktha Mathadevan and Matt McCauley at skmathadevan@email.wm.edu and mrmccauley@email.wm.edu

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 27. 2018

GUEST COLUMN

Page 6

STAFF COLUMN

Town-gown relations vital to community engagement

Ted Maslin

FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER

Williamsburg’s 100th Business Roundtable Luncheon featured College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley reflecting on his 10 years as president of the College. Concluding the meeting, Economic Development Authority Vice-Chair Rick Overy ’88 opined that town-gown relations had never been better.

Williamsburg’s town-gown relationship refers to the interactions between the College and the residents of the City of Williamsburg.

The town-gown relationship has experienced highs and lows throughout the College’s rich history. Certainly, with the College’s founding president James Blair serving on the Governor’s Council as well as being rector of Bruton Parish Church, agreements were easy to reach! In previous talks, Reveley has reflected (with a hint of jealousy) on how nice it would be to earn multiple salaries, both from the College and from Bruton Parish Church.

To understand what community relations were like when Chancellor Robert Gates ’65 was a student, I reached out to Dan Landis ’63. He had convinced Gates to leave Kansas and enroll at the College. Landis relayed that the opportunity for involvement in the community then created a special experience for students at the College. Gates’s community involvement included singing in the choir at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, driving school buses, babysitting and providing leadership for Scout Troop 103. This leadership experience served Gates well during his career as well as during his volunteer term as president of the Boy Scouts of America. Today, many factors are essential for fostering strong town-gown relations. Our community leaders deserve credit for creating processes and communication channels to accomplish this. City of Williamsburg staff and elected officials actively participate in New Student Orientation and organize the Great Williamsburg Adventure Race to welcome students to town. Since the majority of City Council members are graduates of the College, this collaboration is expected. Strong town-gown relations are reinforced during monthly Neighborhood Council meetings, when College administrators and student leaders provide updates to neighborhood representatives.

Another successful group is the Neighborhood Relations Committee, which provides a forum for communication and problem-solving among representatives from the College (administration and students), the City, landlords and neighborhoods. According to its website, this committee’s goal is to “improve the quality of life in the neighborhoods; and to build and maintain effective working relationships across the board.”

A major benefit of living and learning in Williamsburg is the numerous opportunities for community engagement and leadership. Tribe basketball demonstrates both. The energy evident on the court and in the stands at Kaplan Arena during the final league games was substantial. Supplementing strong alumni attendance was the presence of many community members who adopt the College as their school, especially during basketball season! Tribe athletes also give back to the community.

“The basketball team took a half day at Matthew Whaley Elementary School last year,” Paul Rowley ’17, J.D. ’20 said. I think the kids really valued the experience — hearing the importance of reading from college athletes really seemed to strike a note with them, that if we think it’s cool they can think it’s cool as well.”

Child Development Resources relies on Tribe soccer players to assist with its fundraisers. At CDR’s March 18 Bid ‘n Buy Auction, these students managed everything from setup to breakdown of tables. They staffed registration tables and even produced ad lib theater during the live auction. Tribe cheerleaders helped get the crowd fired up. CDR Executive Director Paul Scott ’88 hopes the soccer players also benefit by volunteering.

“By learning more about CDR’s work and the children we serve, they learn the importance of early intervention and early childhood education, and the support we receive will impress upon them what a great community we have here,” Scott said. We applaud the players and their head coach Chris Norris for making community involvement a priority and thank them again for all of their hard work.”

The College’s “culture of serving” is evident within the 100+ nonprofits that benefit from student participation. According to Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement and Leadership Andrew Stelljes, a survey of undergraduates at the College showed that 70 percent of respondents were engaged in some form of community service. He estimates that volunteers from the College donate more than 257,000 hours of their time annually.

Pre-med student Sam Dyer ’20 explained that 10 students serve the Williamsburg Volunteer Fire Department.

“I became a volunteer at WVFD to help the people of Williamsburg when they need it most,” Dyer said. “I’ve learned a lot about taking initiative on an EMS scene. We are often the first responders at an emergency so it’s up to us to determine if the scene is safe and what kind of equipment we will need before responding to the emergency.”

Demonstrating teamwork and propensity to lead is an important factor when employers and universities evaluate applicants. I also reached out to Director of MBA Admissions at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business Amanda Barth. Barth explained what skills business school admissions value in applicants.

“MBA admissions will evaluate certain soft skills as indicators of leadership potential for graduate study and beyond,” Barth said. “Those competencies include: communication, initiative and motivation — to name a few. All talented leaders require these proficiencies to help them positively influence and manage employees or team members. Examples of demonstrated leadership might be volunteering to be a team lead at work, sharing an example of how one communicated successfully to work through a complex problem or how a professional motivates those around them to get the job done. Professionals need real-world opportunities to develop and practice leadership skills. Community engagement and volunteerism are wonderful activities to help build exceptional leadership.”

Ted Maslin MBA ’80 served as a volunteer firefighter while a student at the College. Email Ted Maslin at efmaslin@gmail.com.

GRAPHIC BY JAE CHO / THE FLAT HAT

Repping Tribe pride off campus is great honor bring out the best in me. The community at the College has given me the confidence to truly be myself. I am also taking exciting, challenging classes that I feel are truly preparing me for a future where I can make a difference and make the world a better place. Those are just a few of the reasons why I am happy to share my experiences at the College. It is the perfect place for me to be right now, and the enthusiasm of students here compelled me to choose it as my home for four years. Sharing my love for the College has the potential to draw someone else here, to a place that can be perfect for them.

Anna Boustany

FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR

As I took the Metro out of Washington D.C. last Saturday night, I was exhausted from the March for Our Lives. Suddenly, a lovely woman noticed my College of William and Mary sweatshirt and asked me how I liked it at the College. She pointed to the students gathered around her and told me they were high schoolers from Florida who had traveled to D.C. for the march. Her own daughter was a junior who had already been considering the College in her college search. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to share my wonderful experiences from the College with kids who were obviously passionate, kind, well-spoken and driven.

That being said, I was not surprised to hear their inquiries, as the name of the College carries recognition, and often when I wear my Tribe gear outside of Williamsburg, I get asked about it.

“

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to share my wonderful experiences from the College with kids who were obviously passionate, kind, well-spoken, and driven.

I am not someone who enjoys talking to strangers or who seeks social interaction with people that I’m not already familiar with. In that light, it seems that I wouldn’t like it when people ask me about the college I attend. To my surprise, I’ve found the College to be the one thing I am overjoyed to talk about with just about anyone, and I can and do talk for absolutely ages about how much I love it here. Being at the College has been the best experience in the world for me. I am part of a family who cares about me, and I am surrounded by friends who

“ “

“

I think it speaks to the wonderful education and community here that average William and Mary students are proud and happy to discuss their college experiences with anyone who is curious, and this passion for my school is not something that I alone possess.

While I do not work in public relations for the College and am not a tour guide, I love sharing my college experience. I think it speaks to the wonderful education and community here that average William and Mary students are proud and happy to discuss their college experiences with anyone who is curious, and this passion for my school is not something that I alone possess. Almost everyone I know is beyond thrilled when they get to talk about the College to their friends, family or even strangers. I am so proud to wear green and gold, and I feel fortunate to get to be an ambassador for William and Mary as soon as I step off campus. I’m honored to continue displaying my passion for the Tribe for the rest of my life.

Email Anna Boustany at aeboustany@email.wm.edu.

COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT

I love having white men in government speak at every major college event!!!!!

— Hannah Kwawu ‘18 on “U.S. Senator Mark Warner to speak at 2018 Commencement address”

I’m disappointed they did not do more to seek out diversity in representation, especially when it coincides with the 50th anniversary of African Americans at the College and the 100th anniversary of women. There are many wonderful women and people of color that could fill that role. Katherine Johnson sounds cool though.

— Jack Zhang ‘16 on “U.S. Senator Mark Warner to speak at 2018 Commencement address”

variety

Variety Editor Heather Baier Variety Editor Carmen Honker flathat.variety@gmail.com

The Flat Hat

| Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | Page 7

Student fashion magazine provides inclusive, welcoming community for photographers, fashion lovers, models alike SARAH SMITH // FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF tionally said that it has allowed them to find a space for creativity in their lives.

“I would like people to know that you can be your own person on ROCKET,” Uhrig said. “It doesn’t take knowing how to do a lot of things technically to do what you do. I just knew how to do a good amount of cool, creative things, and I learned the technical aspects as I went along. As long as you’re creative and you can show that, you can be a part of ROCKET.”

AN DR EW

UH RIG , RO CK ET

MA GA ZIN E

“I have worked on turning ROCKET into not just something that is aesthetically pleasing, but something that deals with the intersection of fashion and publication and art and politics because they are so intertwined.”

– Isabella Arias ’18

CO UR TE SY PH OT OS /

W

illiamsburg, New York and Williamsburg, Virginia don’t have a lot in common. One is known as a hub for artists and up-and-coming designers. The other is known for its colonial charm. ROCKET Magazine, a student art publication at the College of William and Mary, might bridge this gap, providing a community for students interested in pursuing fashion, art and photography at the professional level.

For ROCKET Editor-in-Chief Isabella Arias ’18, finding the magazine truly did mean finding a community.

“I found a copy on a table in Swem as I was just lying out during finals first semester freshman year,” Arias said. “I sent them a few emails over winter break saying, ‘Can I please join?’ and I ended up getting on the style team. I came from a very strong arts background, I didn’t find the community I had back in high school and I was looking for people interested in arts and fashion that I could share that passion with. When I saw that copy in Swem, I was so thrilled that I found an organization that shared that.”

The magazine publishes two print issues a year, occasionally publishes online-only content and as of last year, hosts an annual fashion show titled ASTRAL. The staff is home to beauty experts, photographers, videographers, editors and stylists who all play distinct roles in coordinating each photo shoot and event.

According to Arias, what makes the staff unique is that even though some come in with strong technical skills, others learned their skills only after joining ROCKET, illustrating their adaptability.

“I would say that the staff of ROCKET are all incredibly driven people that are willing to learn,” Arias said. “While people might not come into ROCKET with a certain skill, they are so driven and curious that they will teach themselves the skills they need to grow and thrive. Nothing is out of the question, someone will just learn how to do it. It’s great to work with a team of just highly creative people.”

Andrew Uhrig ’20 works as the magazine’s photo director, and enrolled at the College with only a few months of photography experience. Now, Uhrig works to develop conceptual ideas for photo shoots, helps to execute those shoots and oversees the editing process.

“I was only doing photography for seven months before I came into doing ROCKET,” Uhrig said. “I hadn’t taken any formal classes, I just worked really hard when I got on ROCKET to produce more

content. I had an array of creative work, I used a knockoff version of Photoshop and Google was my best friend to look up how to take nice photos.”

Arias herself is not unfamiliar to picking up new skills quickly. She said that when she first became editor-in-chief, she wanted to learn how to redesign the print version of the magazine to make it competitive with professional fashion publications. To do so, she researched how to use Adobe InDesign and learned about different page sizes and paper weights to give the magazine a completely new look.

ROCKET Managing Editor Emmel El-Fiky ’19 said that beyond learning new skills over the last few years, she has seen the staff work to change the publication’s relationship with the broader student body.

“When I first joined, ROCKET was rather isolationist in that we created the publication mostly for ourselves and it wasn’t created with the mindset that people would look at it and talk about it,” El-Fiky said. “Then, the more involved I got, the more it became that we needed ROCKET to be a talking piece. In doing so, we realized we needed to be more conscious of what we are putting on our pages.

We emphasized diversity, inclusivity, intersectionality … it showed different perspectives than what we had shown before.”

Arias said that she supported this change as part of her work to help the publication grow and become more relevant to the student body.

“I have worked on turning ROCKET into not just something that is aesthetically pleasing, but something that deals with the intersection of fashion and publication and art and politics because they are so intertwined,” Arias said. “The students at William and Mary are so affected by these sociopolitical events that we can’t stand off to the side as an objective bystander, but we need to learn our voice. We have been working over the last couple of years to move in that direction, and that’s something I hope to see continue on over the year.”

Although the magazine’s staff has worked hard over the last four years to change its focus and image on campus, the everyday work matters just as much to them.

El-Fiky works as both the managing editor and as the co-editor of the features section, which means she is responsible for managerial tasks and for curating and editing all of the articles and art that go in the features section. She also writes her own articles, and said that with each one, she’s been trying to improve her work.

“I think every piece I have done I have been proud of,” ElFiky said. “With each new piece I try to challenge myself to write something more prolific than the last piece. Where I started was an interview with two students who had radio shows. … The pieces I am proudest of are the ones I am working on. They are more challenging than anything I have done before.”

Besides executing photo shoots, Uhrig said that their days never look the same when it comes to working on ROCKET. Uhrig is sometimes responsible for discussing which models should be used, proposing new concepts, deciding what issues are pertinent to the magazine and thinking about how fashion can be an exploratory tool.

“One thing I’ve just been in a meeting about is the fashion show coming up this week,” Uhrig said. “I’ve been helping with casting models, doing lighting design for the setup. The night of I am going to be doing production directing, set up the lights, make sure the models and designers are ready, and there will be a shoot there that will go into the magazine. Beforehand, we’ll do a photo shoot, too.”

For Arias, El-Fiky and Uhrig, ROCKET provides a community that allows them to explore art as well as the possibility of professional careers in the arts outside of their majors. They all addi-

The Flat Hat

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Page 8

CONFUSION CORNER

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COURTESY PHOTO / GEOFFREY WADE

Modern muse Orchesis performed “An Evening of Dance” Thursday, March 22 through Sunday, March 25, featuring 11 student-choreographed pieces.

‘An Evening of Dance’ was en pointe JO ROZYCKI // THE FLAT HAT

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Athletic, interactive and visually captivating, the dancers’ skills were highlighted with the help of the energetic music and silhouettes and shadows provided by the lighting design.

“

The final dance of the first act, “Sect,” came across as a cult-like hellscape, a stark contrast from the previous piece. Choreographer Kate Archambault ’18 put her dancers in plain frocks, demanding uniformity and lack of individuality. A leader of the dancers seemed to be poisoning the minds of her followers in order to control them. Ending with the motif of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” the powerful movements of all six dancers

created a cathartic story of restraint and mind-washing.

“Origins of Descent” was the first dance in the second act, with choreography by Jessica Pitts ’19. Conceptually, this piece was one of the best in execution. The rumblings of the music equated to the creation of the earth, followed by the formation and evolution of man, rife with conflict, violence and development. Visually-speaking, this piece integrated every form of production, from music to lights to costume to movement, seamlessly.

“

The gradient of colors and beat behind the strings in the music translated the themes of mobility and strength in an aestheticallypleasing fashion.

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It goes without saying that the Orchesis Modern Dance Company provides entertainment, spectacle and provocative artistic performance. “An Evening of Dance” highlighted the combination of thoughtful themes with stunning movement created by its company members.

It is also noteworthy to mention the amount of patience and strength that is required to carry on after a 16-minute hold due to sound malfunction at the top of the show.

The 11 student-choreographed pieces included a variety of music genres, themes and emotions, from group performances to a solo.

Beginning with “Eyes Closed and Traveling,” choreographed by Carrie Byrne ’20 and Antonella Nicholas ’20, the show started off strongly. Athletic, interactive and visually captivating, the dancers’ skills were highlighted with the help of the energetic music and silhouettes and shadows provided by the lighting design.

“Unconditional” featured the music of local band Talk to Plants. Choreographed by Emma Lather ’19, this lofi, ethereal piece featured a gradient from red to blue. It highlighted the dynamic of support and connection with the tension of discord.

Arguably one of the most energetic pieces, Jillian Marzziotti ’20 and Moira McDermott ’20 created “Reach” with pop house music in a somewhat competitive dynamic between three dancers and a fourth who separates from the rest.

“Which Transcends All Understanding,” the only solo of the evening, performed by the talented Hailey Arindaeng ’18, was not a disappointment by any means.

Choreographed by Arindaeng herself, the piece seemed to tell the story of one at war with her mind. The strain between power versus control is hard-fought internally, and Arindaeng did a masterful job of communicating that sentiment.

The sleepy purple hues of the fifth piece, “Träume,” mixed well with Ludwig van Beethoven’s recognizable “Moonlight Sonata.” Choreographers Nicole Audia ’20 and Madison Renner ’20 captured what it might be like if dreams were choreographed in perfect synchronicity.

Toward the end, the dancers accentuated the energy of wakefulness before falling back into a restful slumber.

The eighth piece of the evening, “Awakes,” faced a bit of trouble about a third of the way through when the music cut out for a long 10 seconds. However, the dancers did not miss a single beat, continuing the dance, and seemed to pick up exactly where the music cut back in.

Choreographer Tovah Klein ’18 included very serious and professional dancers, communicating her theme of the human condition. “da pe trois” had a clever lilt to it, as choreographer Maddie Doherty ’18 provided a play on the customary pas de trois. Her distorted versions of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” provided a clever and intriguing take on the identifiable movements and songs we recognize in traditional dance. Even the costumes gave a mixed-up feeling with mismatched lengths on the arms and legs of the costumes.

The power behind the choreography of Courtney Wiley ’18 was accentuated beautifully in her piece, “Holistic Well-Being.” The gradient of colors and beat behind the strings in the music translated the themes of mobility and strength in an aesthetically-pleasing fashion.

Finally, the entire company came together to perform a group piece choreographed by Hailey Armstrong ’19.

“Elements” divided the company into the four elements of earth, wind, fire and water. With the help of costumes, light and movement, the dancers perfectly captured the character and energy behind each element. Each element received its own moment, and Armstrong even included times where groups interacted with one another, finally culminating in the unity of all four elements.

It would be a shame not to mention the outstanding lighting design provided in this evening of dance.

Madelaine Foster ’18, Christopher McDonnell ’18, Alex Poirier ’19 and Jordan Leek ’17 all contributed to each piece with their thoughtful and beautiful lighting design, including spotlights, windows, gradients and silhouettes.

“An Evening of Dance” made for a far from wasted night. It was a joy to witness the work and talent of Orchesis. The athletic strength and graceful balance of each performer was memorable and inspiring, with every element working together in tandem.

Working into the night, after 3 a.m. leads to series of subsequent mental states

Ellie Moonan

CONFUSION CORNER COLUMNIST

After attempting to convince yourself to do work for the last few hours, it is 2:55 a.m. and you are curled up in a ball watching YouTube videos. At this point, it is too late to get a healthy amount of sleep and too early to attempt productivity. Only five more minutes until haunting hour begins — the land of 3 a.m. limbo.

A little-known fact is that the hour of 3 a.m. includes its own alternate universe, full of emotions and thoughts only tackled by dreams.

Thus, we begin the stages of 3 a.m. existence — starting with exhaustion.

Once 3 a.m. hits, biologically, your body is completely aware of the absence of sleep. Incapable of allowing the body to rest, you try to advance from this stage by numbing your brain with other distractions. These distractions can differ depending on the person. Some examples include exploring YouTube black holes or reading about dystopian futures — anything to keep you from remembering that the world isn’t awake, and that you are cheating the system. After finally overcoming exhaustion through excessive visual distraction, you are brought into the next stage of 3 a.m. — isolation.

Isolation is one of the worst stages, but a necessary one nonetheless. Completely aware that you are going to be awake and alone for the next few hours, the pit in your stomach starts to rise. Behavior during this stage includes staring into the void and/or looking at yourself in the mirror for what seems like centuries. Blankly looking at your features in the mirror at 3 a.m. sparks intrigue and wonder. A different part of your mind turns on at this point, full of intense emotion and a strange energy.

The emotional peak of isolation feeds the next stage — selfreflection and nostalgia.

While examining every single life choice you have ever made as

you stare into blank nothingness, common features of the selfreflection stage include journaling or visiting old pictures and papers. Every memory comes flooding into the present, and the need to overanalyze yourself becomes a priority. Not wanting this emotional high to fall, you try and grasp your thoughts into something concrete. Here we are brought to my favorite stage of 3 a.m. — inspiration.

With a mind full of color and light, inspiration causes an intense devotion to creation, typically practiced through physical art. By expressing this mindset through art, there is a need to prove to both the sleeping world and yourself in the morning that you are capable of such thoughts. It may be messy and overdramatic, but this type of art is honesty at its finest. After all of your mental energy is used up and every ounce of creativity has been squeezed out, you start to wind down as you enter the last stage of 3 a.m. — hunger.

At this point, time hasn’t existed for what seems like hours and you have no idea when you are supposed to sleep anymore.

So, you focus on your bodily needs and begin to eat absolutely everything. After all, there is an emptiness inside you at this hour that only Gushers and pizza rolls seem to fill.

Looking at the clock, it is 3:55 a.m. With a drained mind and a full stomach, you feel ready to start the day. The sun is beginning to rise, the world is new again and you may as well just pull an allnighter. Excited about the decision to stay conscious for the next few hours (like a personal slumber party), you reward yourself by laying down for a just a moment — believing your mind has finally outsmarted your body. However, your body has one final say on the subject as it begins to weigh heavy while you lay down, ultimately pulling you into hibernation.

Before you know it, you wake up in a pool of your own drool and tears, delirious, with only empty wrappers and abstract art to remind you of the morning well spent in isolated fantasy.

Ellie M. is a Confusion Corner columnist who thinks all-nighters occur in a series of mental stages and ultimately conclude in sleep.

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The Flat Hat | Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | Page 9

GYMNASTICS

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Tribe falls then bounces back College loses to Rice, beats Princeton 5-2 CATHERINE SCHEFER FLAT HAT SPORTS ASSOC. EDITOR

Waldman wows COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Freshman Katie Waldman won the all-around title at the ECAC Championship, reaching the podium in bars, vault, and beam. Her all-around score of 39.200 was the third-best in Tribe history.

Freshman wins all-around as Tribe claims second at ECAC final EMILY CHAUMONT FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER William and Mary rounded out its season in style at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship, finishing in second place in a competitive sixteam meet. The College posted a team score of 194.575 Saturday, a season-best rating that tied for the sixth highest in school history.

The Tribe was beat only by Yale (195.325) and bested the other four teams in the conference, Brown (194.025), Penn (193.200), Cornell (193.150) and Temple (192.675).

As has been the case in many meets throughout the 2018 season, freshman Katie Waldman was a standout for the College. She won the all-around competition with 39.200 points, which ranks as the third best all-around score in school history and the best ever by a Tribe gymnast at the ECAC Championship.

Waldman’s best individual events were also the Tribe’s best events. Bars was one of the

College’s strongest performances, as Waldman tied for first place in the meet, posting a 9.800.

Sophomore Caroline Caponi took fifth, with a 9.775. Sophomores Evan Pakshong and Taylor White both posted scores of 9.725, helping the College tie for first on the event with a team total of 48.725.

When it came to vault, Waldman tied for second place, putting up a score of 9.800.

Sophomore Erika Marr and freshman Mary Graceyn Gordon both scored 9.750, marking a career high for Gordon. Those gymnasts added to the Tribe’s 48.700, the eighth best vault score in school history.

On beam, Waldman once again received all-ECAC honors, tying for third place with a career-high 9.825. Pakshong took second with a career-best 9.850, adding to the College’s team total of 48.550.

Floor was the only event where the Tribe did not place a gymnast on the podium. White led the way for the College, putting up a career-high 9.825 and tying for

fifth place. Waldman tied for 10th on floor, scoring 9.775.

Following Waldman’s allaround win for the Tribe, White took third place overall after competing in all four events, scoring 38.950. Caponi also competed in the all-around, placing seventh with a score of 38.150.

Monday, the NCAA announced the lineups for the six regional competitions across the country.

William and Mary will have two gymnasts competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association regional competition April 7 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Freshman Katie Waldman and sophomore Taylor White qualified to compete in the all-around next weekend.

For each region, six teams qualified. Out of the schools in each region who did not qualify for the team competition, the top four all-around competitors and two individual specialists per event were also selected.

The Tribe did not qualify for the team competition. Waldman

was ranked second of the allaround competitors in the region and White was ranked fourth, both qualifying to compete in the regional, hosted at North Carolina State.

Sophomore Caroline Caponi was named an alternate.

The other all-around competitors Waldman and White will be facing are Morgan Lane of North Carolina and Mary Elle Arduino from Towson.

“We’ll go and travel with a different team through the events, so that will be interesting,” Waldman said. “And we’ll have to be last on every event, which will be a long wait, but I think it will be a lot of fun and a cool experience.”

After all six regional competitions have been completed, Waldman and White will have a chance to make it to the national championships, which will be held at the University of Missouri April 20-21. The top two all-around competitors from each regional will advance to St. Louis, Missouri along with the top two teams from each regional competition.

Friday, William and Mary traveled to Rice to take on the Owls. Things did not bode well for the Tribe and it fell in a crushing 6-1 defeat.

Junior Clara Tanielian posted her sixthstraight singles win, earning the Tribe (107) its sole point of the evening against the Owls (9-6).

Tanielian earned her victory at the No. 3 singles spot. She won the opening set 7-6 (5) but dropped the second set 6-4. In the third set, she claimed a 10-4 victory in the super tieTanielian break, clinching the point for the Tribe.

Despite working recently at the doubles position, the College dropped the doubles matches at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.

The match at the No. 1 spot was abandoned as Tanielian and freshman Vitoria Okuyama stood stolid in a 6-6 tie after a victory for the Owls was secured.

The Owls won the remaining five singles matches in a forceful push that quenched any hope for a Tribe victory.

Saturday proved to hold much more success for the Tribe as it claimed a 5-2 comeback win over Princeton. The Tribe now joins Kentucky as the only two teams to upset the Tigers (12-2) this season.

Despite a rough start in Perry doubles play, the College turned on the fire and won the first set in all six spots during singles play. Sophomore Natalia Perry posted her first career nationally ranked win at the No. 2 position.

Her victory leveled the score board with a point for each team.

Senior Olivia Thaler at the No. 6 spot and Tanielian at the No. 3 spot pushed the College to a 3-1 lead with straight-set wins, bringing both Thaler and Tanielian to 20 singles wins this year.

Sophomore Rosie Cheng Cheng clinched a nationally ranked win with a three-set win in the top position, solidifying a Tribe victory. This marks her fourth nationally ranked win of the year.

Senior Ekaterina Stepanova rallied alongside her teammates and claimed a three-set success at the No. 5 position.

Moving forward, the Tribe will travel to Charlottesville to face off against Virginia Thursday, March 29.

Currently, the College stands 1-1 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams, with a victory over Boston College and a loss against North Carolina, which currently sits at No. 1 in the country.

MEN’S TENNIS

College fades, loses to Cornell

Big Red takes five singles points to win 5-2

ALYSSA GRZESIAK FLAT HAT EXECUTIVE EDITOR Saturday, William and Mary traveled to Ithaca, New York to take on No. 41 Cornell.

Despite taking the doubles point early on, the Tribe (9-7) fell 5-2 to the Big Red (7-6).

Freshman Michael Chen and sophomore Brenden Volk started the Tribe off strong in its doubles contest at the No. 3 spot against Daniel Grunberger and Alafia Ayeni, coming out on top 6-3.

The dynamic duo of junior Tristan Bautil and senior Alec Miller secured the point with a 6-4 victory over Cornell’s Jake Hansen and Lev Kazakov at the top spot.

Senior Christian Cargill and freshman Louis Newman’s match at the No. 2 spot went unfinished.

Freshman Sebastian Quiros was the sole singles winner for the Tribe against the Big Red, defeating Cornell’s Pietro Rimondini at the No. 5 spot. After dropping the first set 6-4, Quiros came back to take the final two sets 6-4, 6-1.

Cornell took over the Tribe’s early lead, winning three-straight singles matches at the top three spots. Miller dropped both sets at the No. 1 spot 6-2 to Cornell’s David Volfson. Cargill followed suit, falling 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 2 spot to Ayeni.

At the No. 3 spot, Newman was unable to come back from a deep second set, eventually falling 6-3, 7-6 (7) to Kazakov. Volk fell behind early in his match against Hansen, dropping the first set 6-1. He came back with a 6-4 win in the second set, sending the match into a third set, which Hansen eventually claimed with a 6-3 triumph.

Hansen’s success at the No. 6 spot put the Big Red up 4-1, marking their win over the College.

Freshman Finbar Talcott’s match at the No. 4 spot also went to a third set after Talcott won the first set 6-2 and dropped the second set 7-5.

Opponent Grunberger took the third set 6-4, closing out the match.

The Tribe will head to Greensville, North Carolina March 31 to take on East Carolina.

GRACIE HARRIS / THE FLAT HAT

Senior Christian Cargill fell in his singles match, 6-4, 6-2. His loss was one of five losses out of six singles matches against Cornell.

sports

Sports Editor Brendan Doyle Sports Editor Julia Stumbaugh flathatsports@gmail.com // @FlatHatSports

The Flat Hat | Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | Page 10

COURTESY PHOTOS / TRIBE ATHLETICS, GRAPHICS CREDIT / PIKTOCHART

THE EXTRA POINT

College baseball still has time to turn this season around

After a season start of a poor away record due to offensive struggles, College will look to improve

Josh Luckenbaugh FLAT HAT SENIOR STAFF WRITER

It may not seem like it when walking out into the chill currently laying siege to Williamsburg, but spring is officially here, which translates to baseball season for sports fans. While the 2018 Major League Baseball season is set to begin in less than a week, William and Mary has been in action since February, starting its season just as cold as the frigid weather outside.

Two years removed from winning the Colonial Athletic Association title, the Tribe has dropped 16 of its first 24 games, including getting swept by Charleston in its first conference series this weekend. The College has particularly struggled on the road, winning just one of its first 10 games away from Plumeri Park.

While not necessarily the sole factor in the Tribe’s lackluster start, the team’s performance at the plate so far this season certainly has not matched the offensive output of previous years. The College lineup has usually included multiple hitters with at least a .300 batting average, getting solid production from spots in the batting order.

Approaching the midway point of the 2018 campaign, however, the Tribe roster has only one player batting at least .300: junior shortstop Zach Pearson, who is hitting .302. As a team, the College possesses a pedestrian .215 batting average, by far the worst such mark in the CAA. The Tribe ranks in the bottom half of the conference in other offensive categories as well, matching Northeastern for the fewest home runs with seven and recording a meager 79 runs batted in, the second-lowest total in the CAA.

For various reasons, a number of players have not lived up to preseason expectations offensively. Sophomore outfielder Brandon Raquet, a preseason All-CAA selection, has missed the majority of the season so far, playing in just eight games. Meanwhile, the two Tribe players who received preseason All-CAA honorable mentions, junior catcher Hunter Smith and senior outfielder Ryan Hall, have not had the offensive impact College fans hoped for, hitting .242 and .200, respectively.

With the offense failing to score on a consistent basis, the Tribe has found it especially difficult to fight its way back into games after falling behind. The College holds a 1-13 record in games in which the opposing team scores first, and when the opponent holds a lead after six innings, the Tribe is 0-12. In fact, the Tribe has yet to win when trailing after just one inning, a discouraging 0-7 in such scenarios.

If the Tribe wants to turn its season around, the team will have to show more resiliency than it has thus far, finding ways to manufacture runs when trailing and in clutch situations.

A prime example of the College’s need for improvement came in the Tribe’s home game March 17 against East Tennessee State. The Tribe held a slim 2-1 lead heading into the eighth inning, but the Buccaneers tied the game in the top half of the frame.

The College offense failed to score again, ETSU eventually inching another run across in the 10th inning to win the game in extras.

“We just don’t give ourselves any margin for error the way we score runs at the moment,” head coach Brian Murphy told Tribe Athletics after the tough loss. “Eventually, against a team like this, they’re going to create some chances and they beat us with two-out hits.”

With a healthy majority of the conference slate left to play, the Tribe has time to turn this season around and challenge the top teams in the CAA. Baseball is a game of ups and downs, and the hope is that players like Smith and Hall begin to hit their strides in conference play, and that Raquet can feature in the starting lineup on a more consistent basis. But as the temperature (hopefully) begins to rise in Williamsburg, the Tribe bats will have to get hot if the College wants to compete for another CAA championship.

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Senior outfielder Ryan Hall’s production has been down this season for the Tribe.