Vol. 109, Iss. 17 | Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
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of The College of William and Mary
Honoring Asian American legacies APIA program prepares for centennial event of the first person of color at the College
COURTESY PHOTO / EARL GREGG SWEM LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Art Matsu ’28 led the College’s football team as quarterback to victory against the College’s rival team Richmond and also ran for the track team and played baseball.
CHARLES COLEMAN / / FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
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ast year, the College of William and Mary celebrated significant milestones in its history, such as the 100th anniversary of female enrollment and the 50th anniversary of AfricanAmerican students being admitted. To honor the 100th anniversary of football quarterback Art Matsu ’28 arriving on campus in 1924 — when he became the College’s first AsianAmerican student and more broadly its first student of color — various efforts are being made by departments across campus to plan a commemorative centennial year in 2024. Alongside members of the College’s Asian and Pacific Islander c o m mu n i t y , faculty from the Asian and Pacific Islander American COURTESY PHOTO / EARL GREGG SWEM LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS studies program, GRAPHIC BY EMMA FORD students within the
Asian American Student Initiative and alumni have been involved in the planning process. APIA Director Francis Tanglao Aguas is spearheading the initiative and strives for the commemorative year to highlight both past and current APIA members of the student body; he aims to give a voice to all minorities who have historically shaped the College. Aguas has been working closely with alumni and students to ensure that Matsu along with several other significant students are having their legacies respected and showcased. “Since being a professor in 2005, I have been working with students in researching the presence and contribution of those who were present as Asian American and Pacific Islanders here at William and Mary,” Aguas said. “A person of color was here in 1924 and he was Asian American, so the question of the day is about what efforts are being made for this ground-breaking engine to be a part of the William and Mary story. … I believe there should be a university effort to celebrate this one hundredth year milestone similar to
any other celebration.” AASI leader Jamelah Jacob ’21 is working closely with members within APIA program to craft portrayals of Asian-American students’ contributions and successes on campus. Jacob, along with other members of the group, feels passionate about raising awareness for important figures such at Matsu, as well as all current minority students. Jacob said he hopes further progress can be made following the APIA’s official establishment last May, when it became a registered major offered through the College’s undergraduate Arts and Sciences program. “We recently got the official major in May 2019 after years of pushing for it, and we’re one of the first, and I’d say one of the most successful, on the east coast to do it,” Jacobs said in an email. “Still, I think the school has a long way to go to address the APIA community better. I feel like a lot of the progress has been initiated by APIA students and faculty, so I hope to see more initiatives that are driven by the school in the future.” Edward Hong ’09 was the first student at the College to graduate with
a degree in Asian-American studies. Since then, the APIA program has been officially cemented as a full major and has graduated students each year. As an alum with deep ties to APIA’s budding status at the College, Hong is helping Aguas plan the celebrations commemorating Matsu’s matriculation and hopes to aid Aguas in officially proposing the celebration to the administration. Hong said that the point of the 100th year celebration is to demonstrate that Asian-American history should be emphasized as American history is more generally, both at the College and throughout educational curricula. “Asian Americans are a thriving and growing population not only at William & Mary but in the United States as a whole,” Hong said in an email. “Because of this growth, it is all the more important to celebrate these stories, not just through the culture shows the AAPI students would have with their student organizations but also in the academic realm where the history of Asian Americans is placed with greater emphasis alongside See APIA page 3
BOV
Board of Vistors holds public tuition hearing
Panelists answer questions, break down budget, discuss tuition revenue for 2021 fiscal year GEORGIA THOMS THE FLAT HAT
In September 2019, the College of William and Mary’s Board of Visitors unanimously endorsed a new six-year plan, which introduced a modified tuition model beginning in fall 2020. In addition, the Board decided to hold a public hearing on tuition Tuesday, Oct. 22, where students could voice their concerns and learn more in detail about various aspects of the budget. Board of Visitors Rector John E. Littel, Secretary Sue H. Gerdelman, members Anne Leigh Kerr and Karen Kennedy Schultz, Chair of the Finance Committee James A. Hixon, Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration Sam E. Jones and Vice President of Finance and Technology Amy Sebring were in attendance. Jones presented the overall uses of the budget and illustrated the process in setting tuition and fees for fiscal year 2021 to the Board. Furthermore, Jones emphasized that the meeting’s ultimate purpose was to receive public comment on the new tuition in relation to the modified six-year plan. “In September, the Board of Visitors made a six-year plan that sets the parameters for the tuition moving forward,” Jones said. “We continue to be an early decision school, so we provide the cost of tuition before the students have to make a decision so that they and their families know what the cost will be now and
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in the future.” In March, Virginia’s General Assembly will meet and consider adjusting funding for the state’s public universities. State general funds are state tax dollars that support the College because it is a state-sponsored institution. However, these funds do not provide financial support for out-of-state students. While there is potential for the College to receive money from the state, external factors make state funding highly competitive. Last session, state funding in the form of Tuition Moderation funds allowed for no increase in tuition for in-state undergraduates that year. However, this fiscal year there will be an increase in tuition because the state, despite consistent revenues, is unable to provide the requisite funding necessary for the College to continue operating in its current fashion. “We are very early in the process,” Jones said. “Current students, in-state undergraduates, will have no tuition increase because they are under the William and Mary Promise and Tuition Guarantee. For incoming freshman and in-state transfer students right now in the six-year plan as submitted to the state there will be a zero to three percent increase.” This increase in tuition is to keep the College running properly while also providing quality education as a public institution. “William and Mary is like a small city,” Jones said. “We are not only providing education, but food, transportation, utility plants, but counseling and health care are available as well. Auxiliary
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Inside Sports
Celebrating Halloween as a college student emphasizes holiday’s flaws
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activities are generally fee driven like the residence life program, food service program, athletics and transportation as well as many other things. The state provides no support for that, so it is completely revenue driven.” Tuition provides 44 percent of the College’s operating revenue, which in total is about $209.4 million. Additionally, academics account for over half of the school’s expenditures, $470.7 million divided into research, financial aid, auxiliary services and academics. Of that total expenditure, 56 percent is devoted to instruction, academic support, student services, institutional support and plant operations. The breakdown of each tuition dollar is as follows: 46 cents goes directly to instruction including faculty compensation; 18 cents for need-based financial aid; 13 cents for libraries, academic technology and deans; 11 cents for institutional support like finance and technology support; eight cents for the operation and maintenance of the institution; and finally, four cents for the University Registrar, career services, the office of undergraduate admissions and the Financial Aid Office. Jones also discussed the importance of financial aid in tuition cost. The College provides $61.2 million in financial aid and is adamant about continuing this tradition of support. “Thirteen percent of our overall budget goes into student
Carina Pacheco ‘23 says that the commercialism of Halloween can overshadow the holiday’s original intent. page 5
Tribe pulls off 2-1 upset in overtime
Facing off against No. 5 Louisville, the College forced an upset when it defeated the Cardinals (13-3) in a dramatic 2-1 double overtime victory, giving the College a now seven game win streak. page 9