Vol. 110, Iss. 5 | Tuesday, September 8, 2020
The Flat Hat The Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
COLLEGE CANCELS SEVEN VARSITY SPORTS
Flathatnews.com | Follow us: COURTESY PHOTOS / TRIBE ATHLETICS
COVID-19 exacerbates athletic department’s budgetary concerns
GRAPHICS BY LULU DAWES / THE FLAT HAT
PHOTOS BY JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
ZOE BEARDSLEY, NATHAN SEIDEL // FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITORS At 4 p.m. Sept. 3, the athletic landscape of the College of William and Mary was significantly altered with the discontinuation of seven of the College’s varsity sports. The College cited ongoing budget concerns that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as their reason for disbanding the seven sports. Men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s indoor and outdoor track and field and women’s volleyball comprise the list of cut programs, which will lose their Division 1 sponsorship after spring 2021. Pandemic-permitting, the affected teams can participate in a last season before the decision takes effect. College President Katherine Rowe, College Provost Peggy Agouris and Director of Athletics Samantha Huge penned an “Open Letter” to the Tribe community to accompany the release of the news. In the letter, they described both the context and process by which the decision was reached, detailing a structural deficit of more than $1 million prior to the economic effects of the pandemic, and projections for deficits exceeding $3.2 million over the next three years. “The pandemic has made these budget constraints acute and has brought us to a point of reckoning,” Rowe, Agouris and Huge said in the letter. Huge explained that a lot of factors led to the final decision to cut the seven sports and was made in correspondence with the College’s Board of Visitors. “It was a very thoughtful, deliberative, consultative process,” Huge said. “We looked at a lot of different factors; we talked with leaders of the university and took so much into consideration — the history of the program, to NCAA caliber facilities, to alumni engagement and community building, and it can go on and on. In the end, the decision was made for
these seven sports. It was made in very close consultation with the Board of Visitors and with their full support.” The cutting of these seven sports affects 118 student-athletes and 13 coaches. The athletic department stated in the letter that students on scholarship can retain their scholarships through the student’s graduation. “Our focus is on the 118 student-athletes whose athletic career was changed today,” Huge said. “For them, for the amount of work that they’ve done, the dedication they’ve shown and what they’ve represented for this university … We honor them, we respect them, in addition to their coaches who have given so much to ensure that their four years at William and Mary and beyond are years that prepare them for life after William and Mary. And not only for the coaches and the student-athletes, but for the many alumni donors, parents, families and others who care so deeply for William and Mary. But particularly for our students; this is a difficult day for them and that’s where our focus should be.” That difficult day came as a surprise to many of the affected athletes. While it was nationwide news that COVID-19 was slashing budgets across the country, athletic and otherwise, several athletes were caught off guard both by the decision. Swimmer Megan Bull ’21 was going about her day when her mom called around 1:30 p.m.— a little over two hours before the Sept. 3 announcement. “She said she saw on a Tribe swimming parent group that some alumni had heard through whatever grapevine that we were going to get cut,” Bull said. “When my mom called me that was the first time I had heard about it. About an hour after that, our coach texted us though Teamworks and was like hey, check your emails for something coming up. So yeah, I probably truly knew about the meeting at like 2 or 2:30, like an hour and a half before
it happened.” Bull recalled how the team constantly checked in during the pandemic about cuts to the programs, which they were repeatedly informed there would not be any cuts. “Even during COVID there were continued questions of are you cutting programs, what’s going on with the budget,” Bull said. “We continued to ask those things, and the answers were no, we aren’t cutting you.” Gymnast Christian Marsh ’22 was present at the meeting as well and came away very disappointed by how it was conducted. “It was the most disingenuous speech I have ever heard in my entire life,” Marsh said. “Samantha Huge popped up on the screen and she read from a script into her camera to tell us that our programs were being discontinued. Then she switched to Deidre Connelly, and she was talking about the emotional support we were going to have, and then the call ended. I don’t even think she said goodbye. I think it was probably the rudest way they could have done it.” Bull also pointed out the hypocrisy of the statements made by those leading the meeting, particularly in reference to Huge. “One of the things that stood out about that was that she said something along the lines of ‘Oh you guys all have your own voice and everything’ and then they just cut off the meeting without letting us ask questions,” Booth said. “I’m sure there would’ve been multiple questions and multiple people who were frustrated, but to say you have your own voice and then not let us use our voices even to just ask questions in any kind of manner is very insulting.” When the meeting ended, Marsh explained that many of the athletes See SPORTS CANCELLATION page 7
COVID-19
College community questions Kallaco credibility, campus safety protocols Backlash pushes College to verify reliability, accuracy during next stage of COVID-19 testing ALEXANDRA BYRNE FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
As the College of William and Mary reopens this fall, pre-arrival and on-campus prevalence testing has been an integral part of the College’s path forward. Last week, The Flat Hat reported that Kallaco, the company contracted to administer the pre-arrival testing, has relied on testing that has not been granted Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Association. The tests, which were conducted at New Orleans based Opteo Laboratories, are categorized as Laboratory-Developed Tests — tests that have been designed for manufacturing and use in a single
Inside Opinions
Index
News Insight Opinions Variety Sports News
laboratory. Who is responsible for the regulation of LDTs has been in question since before the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the need for accurate and fast COVID-19 testing has rekindled the debate. Aug. 21, the Trump administration rolled back the FDA’s ability to regulate LDTs. This new policy allows laboratories to distribute tests without the FDA’s review. The FDA has come under fire in the past for the arbitrary enforcement of its LDT regulations. Some health experts applaud the removal of red tape to increase the number of COVID-19 tests available while others have expressed concerns over the accuracy of tests that have not undergone pre-market approval by the FDA. “There are reasons why they relaxed the rules that have to do more with politics than science,” Research
2 3-4 5-6 7 8
Associate at Johns Hopkins University Paul Stamper said. “The science behind it is that we don’t have enough assays and it’s taking time to get them to market. We’re having trouble scaling up innovation. Arguably we’ve had six months to do that and we still haven’t been able to scale up.” With over 4,000 students being tested before the Trump administration’s Aug. 21 announcement, the College has found itself in the middle of a decades-long debate within the scientific community. After it was revealed that students were indeed tested with an LDT that had not been granted EUA, the College announced in a Sept. 7 email that all students living on campus will be required to undergo another round of testing
which will be performed by Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories, in partnership with VCU Health. The new tests will be collected by medical professionals in Kaplan arena. Wisconsin Diagnostic Laboratories says it uses a Center for Disease Control developed PCR assay test, which has been granted EUA by the FDA. The Flat Hat confirmed that the laboratory is accredited under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. The College still maintains that Opteo was authorized to distribute its LDT as a laboratory accredited through the CLIA .
Inside Sports
Inside Variety
College must improve standards of communication for COVID-19
Chloe Folmar ’22 says the College must perform better in conveying important campus updates to students this semester. page 4
See KALLACO page 8
Penne for your thoughts
Rebecca Klinger ’22 shares her recipe for how to make the perfect ramen. Though less dorm-friendly than the classic ramen recipe, this recipe is fillwed with a variety flavors. page 6
Opinion: Former swimmer’s open letter to Samantha Huge
The decision to disband seven sports this week has far-reaching impactS, including the swimming community that symbolizes the Tribe for many. page 7
newsinsight “
News Editor Charles Coleman News Editor Lulu Dawes News Editor Carmen Honker fhnews@gmail.com
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The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | Page 2
THE BUZZ
While we understand the need for sunlight, even if we were to allow folks to sit directly outside their door, we would open up the possibility that other members of our community might be exposed.
— College spokesperson Suzanne Clavet
FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF Cabell Hall temporarily closes for mold spread The College of William and Mary’s Residence Life Office recently evacuated Cabell Hall in the Randolph complex due to the presence of mold. ResLife reported that high indoor humidity levels in the Cabell Hall apartments could lead to serious mold and mildew issues rendering the building unfit for residential use. ResLife consulted with the College’s Environment, Health and Safety department in its decision to close the residence hall. Students living within Cabell will be relocated to a different dorm for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. During this time, Facilities Management will be updating and repairing Cabell’s faulty HVAC system. ResLife has given Cabell residents new room assignments, keeping roommate and apartments together. ResLife stated via email that “The University will do all that it can to ease this transition.” The College will not be changing the room & board rates for displaced students. Curb-to-curb moving assistance will be provided by the College from Sept. 8- 11, and will offer various key pickup locations for these residents moving to new locations. Chrissy Boody ’21 said she was evacuated due to mold, and expressed her frustration with the situation while appreciating the College’s efforts. “I moved in on Friday and then today I was working on a project in my room and got an email saying we were being moved to the grad complex,” Boody said. “I understand that the school doesn’t have anywhere else to put us, but I don’t have a car so it’s a sucky situation but it’s not their fault. Res life told me they checked the rooms a couple days ago and that only one room was iffy but then Friday and Saturday it turned into more mold growing in the other rooms.” NEWS BRIEF BY KARINA VIZZONI / FLAT HATNEWS ASSOC. EDITOR
MATT LOWRIE / THE FLAT HAT
Felecia Hayes ‘21 has been coordinating Black Lives Matter protests since the murder of George Floyd in May and has also lobbied the College administration.
Leading protests, seeking change Felecia Hayes spearheads Williamsburg demonstrations, demands better resources
A THOUSAND WORDS
AVERILL MEININGER // FLAT HAT CHIEF STAFF WRITER
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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reform and establishing greater support for Black students and faculty. They stressed the importance of making the College’s history more accessible in a way that could not be ignored. “Another point was implementing more education of this school’s history and not white washing it, making it inescapable as a student or a faculty member,” Hayes said. Following the meeting, Hayes still had some concerns and pointed out how far the College still has to go in terms of addressing systemic inequalities on campus.
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I’ve found that in order to get things done, in order to really make a difference, there’s never going to be a right time in your life to do those things. ... There’s never going to be a perfect time to make sure your voice is heard. If you feel passionate about something, go do it.
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ETHAN BROWN / THE FLAT HAT
Over three months ago, Felecia Hayes ’21 began organizing protests in Williamsburg against police brutality. Since then, the College of William and Mary track and field athlete has organized over 13 Black Lives Matter protests in the local community. Hayes’ inaugural protest began with just four friends, a professor at the College and his family, all marching through Colonial Williamsburg. It has since become a weekly occasion, with upwards of 120 people lining the streets from Confusion Corner down Jamestown Road every Saturday afternoon. Hayes’ inspiration for protesting police brutality and systemic racism closely aligns with the motivation behind many marches this summer: George Floyd. “All of this started with me waking up one morning, a couple days after George Floyd was murdered and saying I had to do something,” Hayes said. “I could not stay in bed and be upset about this anymore, I had to make sure my voice was heard.” As for the reactions to these ongoing protests, Hayes recognized the pervasiveness of positive responses and increased allyship with each new protest but admitted there had been more than a few unpleasant moments. “There’s always someone out there who believes in what we’re doing, who gives a honk, they’re going to tell us ‘good job’ – we appreciate that,” Hayes said. “But there are people who oppose it. Whether they’re walking through looking to break up the assembly, whether it’s people yelling at us ‘you don’t know what you’re talking about.’” Among other things, Hayes and her fellow protesters have been followed, yelled at and called anti-American. While coordinating these protests, Hayes has worked with her peers and other community leaders to advocate for change on campus. Her approach to improving the challenges faced by Black students and faculty on campus is multifaceted and often materializes behind the scenes. “I’ve been working a lot with Salli Sanfo and some other community leaders like Carl Fowler, Ted Hefter, and Anthony Joseph, Student Assembly president, and just trying to figure out what we can implement around campus to make sure that Black lives truly do matter,” Hayes said. Around two months ago, Hayes and several others were able to sit down with College President Katherine Rowe to discuss specific steps they hoped the College would pursue in order to demonstrate that the lives of their Black students, professors and faculty did in fact matter. Hayes and others emphasized removing statues, changing building names, working with the campus and local police on police
— Felecia Hayes
“We got some good feedback, but not a lot of action toward the things that we want,” Hayes said “We know there’s a working group to change statue and building names, but to be honest I just don’t want that to be yet another thing that the school says they’re going to do and we never see it happen.” One place where her platform has allowed her to see valuable advancements take place is in the athletics department. As a short sprinter on the College’s women’s track and field team, Hayes has had unique insight into the diversity of the community, or the lack thereof. When she first started her college career, she described her surprise at the lack of representation across the College’s teams. “I went to a very diverse high school, so when I came to William and Mary, I expected that there would be more people that looked like me on the track team, but that was something I had to adjust to,” Hayes said. Hayes asserted she has always felt welcomed by her team. However, when it comes to communicating her perceptions of the program to friends and future track and
field athletes, she feels stuck. “I’ve been having this conversation with my coaches and asking the question, how can I sell this school, in regards to recruiting, if I know there’s not as much representation as I want there to be?” Hayes said. Despite these circumstances, Hayes has been appreciative of the response she has gotten while advocating for change in the athletics program. “In all the conversations I’ve been having with the athletic department and with my coaches, since all of this began, they’ve been extremely receptive to the information, moving in the direction which I would hope to see the athletic department go,” Hayes said. In these conversations, most of the progress Hayes has pushed for is in terms of the resources being facilitated to Black athletes. Her focus has been on the systems in place that provide for the academic and psychological well-being of these students. “I demanded for the return of study hall, academy, more academic advisors, a Black athlete mentorship program and our own mental health counselor,” Hayes said. “And, I explained to them that when we lack in resources Black lives suffer.” According to Hayes, several of these requests have already been fulfilled and the Black mentorship program is attempting to gain footing. Other items, particularly those that involve hiring are still on the list. While she has seen success in changes to the athletics department because of the platform she has there, Hayes made it clear every change she had driven forward within athletics was applicable to all Black students and reiterated the crucial nature of resources. “When we lack in resources, Black lives suffer,” Hayes said. “That’s true of every space on this campus.” The efforts Hayes has made and continues to make across campus has resulted in tangible change. More than anything, she hopes the movement that gained momentum following George Floyd’s death and became a catalyst for her and so many others proves something important about change. “I’ve found that in order to get things done, in order to really make a difference, there’s never going to be a right time in your life to do those things,” Hayes said. “I look back at all the change I’ve wanted to make and wondering if it was the right time. The fact that this came during the time that it did, during a pandemic- what I’m saying is, there is no better time than right now to act on how you feel. There’s never going to be a perfect time to make sure your voice is heard. If you feel passionate about something, go do it.”
opinions
Opinions Editor Chloe Folmar Opinions Editor Alyssa Slovin fhopinions@gmail.com // @theflathat
The Flat Hat
| Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | Page 3
GUEST COLUMN
STAFF COLUMN
Students deserve answers as COVID-19 circumstances continue evolving on campus Matt Lowrie
FLAT HAT DATA ASSOC. EDITOR
To the individuals presiding over the College of William and Mary: what do you consider to be an acceptable number of losses? Do you, in all honesty, think that this semester will go anything but poorly? Have you stepped on campus recently, and did it live up to your expectations? How many of you are living on campus this fall? Do you also have roommates that inevitably interact with a small but different group of people than you do? Remember, “We have a shared responsibility to do everything within our power to reduce the spread of this virus.” What about your response is supposed to inspire confidence in your students that you’re doing enough to protect them from a pandemic that other similar, wealthier universities have been unable to fend off? Did you plan anything in the five months between sending students home and begging them to come back? Or are students subject to the whims of an administration hellbent on receiving housing payments? Remember, “Integrity is one of William & Mary’s core values.” Why not be healthy apart? Do you think a deadly virus cares that “we are in it together”? Does wearing a mask make you feel confident enough to come back to campus or are you still working remotely? Is a sick student or a sick professor worse? How about a dead one? Remember, “Our community’s well-being is paramount. It is imperative that you do your part to safeguard everyone’s health at William & Mary.” What happens if quarantine housing fills up? Where do we all go if there’s an outbreak on campus? Back home to our parents for whom this virus can be far more serious? What about students for whom coming back to campus was infeasible? If they have a serious health condition are they supposed to delay their college education for at least a semester just so you can have students back on campus? Remember, “The COVID-19 pandemic requires that we uphold our commitments to one another at all times and locations.”
What if we’re the school that shows everyone else how to open during a pandemic? What if we’re not? Is that the gamble that you’re willing to take? What if we’re the school that shows everyone else how to open during a pandemic? What if we’re not? Is that the gamble that you’re willing to take? What makes us as an institution so exceptional, aside from having signed a document that outlines the different ways you can deny us a refund when we become an epicenter for the virus’s spread? While many of you seem sympathetic to the concerns raised by community members, too many are not. You have implemented a zero-tolerance policy on students, so why don’t students implement a zero-tolerance policy on you? If it only takes a handful of students behaving recklessly to jeopardize the ability for all of us to be on campus this fall, how many administrators does it take to jeopardize the future of 6,000 undergraduates? How firm are you in convictions to punish those goading a return to campus when the first positive case finds itself in a surprisingly crowded freshman dorm? What about the 100th? Remember, “Please note that the submission of intentionally false reports are subject to disciplinary action.” You have asked students not to be selfish this semester, but have you asked yourselves not to be greedy? You have asked students not to be the reason that the school shuts down this semester, but have you asked yourselves not to be the reason that someone doesn’t go home this semester? You have asked students not to be the reason that you have to lay off or furlough “valued employees,” but have you asked yourselves how culpable you are for the same offense? Have you considered the resolve of the community to take action to prioritize their health and well-being? Who in the world is watching the College? What, in your mind, are students capable of doing other than demanding their money back when you shut us down? Without your compliance, our fall semester will be over before it starts. If the number of universities that are closing is growing daily, what makes you think we won’t join them? Will the threatening emails do it? The passive-aggressive texts? How about having students afraid of making a mistake lest their future at this college is put in jeopardy? Remember, “If you see something, say something. Hold one another accountable.” Please consider these questions moving forward. Email Matt Lowrie at mhlowrie@email.wm.edu.
Genocide demands action, attention Nicolas Sas
FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER
The Holocaust museum in the District of Columbia emphasizes the importance of “never again.” Going through the exhibits, I wondered how Americans did so little in the late 1930s and early 1940s when the signs of the coming evil arose. Everyone knew. Few cared. Today, I see a similar pairing of knowledge and apathy towards the genocide of the Uyghurs at the hands of the Communist Party of China. The Han-supremacist genocide in Xinjiang includes re-education camps, forced sterilization, banning of religion and forced marriages, among other things. Beyond this, the CCP’s Anschluss of Hong Kong is only a small part of its expansionism that has caused 18 border conflicts with its neighbors. Perhaps if we recognize China’s claim of the “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea, it will bring us “peace for our time.” History suggests otherwise. On the College of William and Mary’s own campus exists a chapter of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, an organization that harasses Hong Kongers, works on behalf of the United Front Work Department to support Beijing’s “talent-recruitment” programs, conducts surveillance on Chinese students and operates under the direction of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. The George Washington University CSSA indicates it is “directed by the [EPRC]” while the CSSA at the University of California, San Diego indicated that it was “ subordinate [to] the Chinese [Consulate] in Los Angeles.” The president of the University of Pittsburgh’s CSSA indicated that the CSSA received an annual budget of $6,000 from the Consulate in New York. In addition, the constitution of the College’s CSSA illegally limits membership on the basis of race, marital status, nationality, and national-origin, per its constitution: “(1) Any students and scholars who come from the People’s Republic of
China or America Born Chinese and study and work at the College of William and Mary can join CSSA through introduction of its previous members; (2) The husbands or wives of the members shall also be included in the association naturally; (3) Any other Chinese students and scholars who desire to participate in the CSSA’s activities can do so whether or not he/her is the member of the CSSA.” The CCP actively suppresses publicity and discussion of its atrocities in a wide variety of American institutions, from Chineselanguage American media to universities, from Hollywood to state governments. The Chinese company Tencent coproduced the remake of Top Gun with Paramount. The Taiwanese and Japanese flags included on Tom Cruise’s flight jacked in the original film thus found themselves quietly removed from the remake. The CCP’s influence in the US already reaches the sartorial choices of action remakes; we cannot allow it to reach our campus. What can the College do? The first clear step is to sever all relationships with the CCP and CCP-controlled entities. Beyond this, the College should do its best to recruit Hong Kongers, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongolians, and other victims of CCP rule. No group has suffered more from the CCP than Chinese nationals. In addition, the university must ensure the College’s CSSA abides by the law. The CSSA must disclose its financial backing, amend its constitution, and register with the Department of Justice to maintain compliance with the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Finally, the administration must bring speakers from the Uighur community to raise awareness of the atrocities happening. We cannot be apathetic in the face of evil: we must act. Email Nicholas Sas at ncsas@email.wm.edu.
Today, I see a similar pairing of knowledge and apathy towards the genocide of Uyghurs at the hands of the Communist Party of China.
GRAPHIC BY SOPHIE CASSIDY / THE FLAT HAT
INDEPENDENT GRAPHIC
New monument begs relocation on campus near Lemon, Hardy GRAPHIC BY RIEL WHITTLE / THE FLAT HAT
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Page 4
STAFF COLUMN
STAFF COLUMN
College must improve standards of communication for COVID-19
Online classes stimulate Zoom fatigue in students
Chloe Folmar
Lucas Harsche
FLAT HAT OPINIONS EDITOR
As we all know, the COVID-19 era has brought countless challenges for individuals and society at large. The nuances of this situation are difficult to navigate, and they affect millions of people in different ways: physically, mentally, economically and socially, to say the least. The implications of all of these factors need to be balanced in institutions’ responses to the pandemic. I am sympathetic to the complications of the situation the College of William and Mary is in right now and has been in since early this year. Undoubtedly, the College will be making hard decisions for months to come. I’m not in a position to heavily criticize these decisions, if only because I’m a college junior with half a philosophy degree. But what people in charge at the College don’t seem to realize is that equal to the importance of the choices they are making is their ability to communicate rules and expectations to the College community, specifically the students who are paying thousands of dollars to be here—or not—this semester. As one of those students, and someone who has traveled literally 7,000 miles away from home to be here at the College, the ambiguity of the College’s expectations so far is something I feel obligated to push back on. Aug. 21, two days after classes began and a full week or so after freshmen moved onto campus, the Dean of Students sent out an email describing a Zero Tolerance Policy in response to violations of the regulations presented in the Healthy Together Community Commitment. The expectations in the Commitment included wearing a mask, appropriate social distancing (with further description for on-campus students but not for offcampus students), frequent handwashing, participating in testing and staying home when sick. For the record, I happily follow these requirements and have been doing so since March. The problem with them is their lack of specificity. The Student Code of Conduct, cited in this same email from the Dean of Students, prohibits “behaving in a manner that a reasonable person would find alarming or intimidating” or “in a manner that a reasonable person would consider indecent or disorderly.” I hope this isn’t news to the Dean of Students Office, but reasonable people find a wide range of things alarming, intimidating, indecent or disorderly. Vague jargon tells me very little about the practical expectations I need to follow in response to COVID-19.
Student Happenings emails are read by a handful of students for information about club events around campus, rather than by everyone for vital information about COVID-19 policy. To its credit, the Dean’s office did explain that gatherings could not exceed 10 people, whether on- or off-campus. The College released a fairly explicit description of the disciplinary consequences for violations to the Community Commitment. This was helpful — but again, this information was given to students a week after freshman move-in and three days after the start of classes, when a large portion (probably the majority) of off-campus students had moved in as well. And again, the pandemic has been an issue since the beginning of 2020. Students are already scared and confused. They deserve to be given information and requirements before the last minute. Yes, we were given this information eventually, but since then there have been subtle situations where the College has continued its pattern of insufficient communication. Recently, the idea has been circulating that students are not allowed to ride in cars together, despite an absence of concrete communication directly from the College. More notably, the most recent Student Happenings email seemed to alter policies for outdoor exercise. While previously the College allowed students to participate in rigorous outdoor exercise without wearing a mask, the COVID-19 Response Team slipped “advice” into Student Happenings that masks should be worn whether exercising in or outside. Student Happenings emails are read by a handful of students for information about club events around campus, rather than by everyone for vital information about COVID-19 policy. The ambiguous wording of this “advice,” in addition to the fact that it contradicts previous policy, makes it more confusing whether students are recommended or required to follow the mask guideline. None of us should be worried about being penalized for breaking a rule they didn’t realize existed. If the College genuinely wants a safe, successful semester, students need clear expectations they can easily abide by. Without the College’s ambiguity at play, awareness and safety will increase. The more the College communicates, the better we’ll be able to actually be “Healthy Together.” Email Chloe Folmar at csfolmar@email.wm.edu.
FLAT HAT OPINIONS ASSOC. EDITOR
Zoom fatigue. That’s right, now you have a scientific explanation to explain why you are tired in class. Some readers may be relieved to know that they are not the only ones who have noticed this situation; others, and maybe some skeptical professors, may think it convenient that it is now possible to tire from one of the few methods of education available this semester. Regardless of which camp you happen to fall into, I hope to offer some form of public awareness addressing this phenomenon. I believe it is something that the entire College of William and Mary community should keep in mind as we semi-proceed with online courses in the coming months. So, why does Zoom make you tired? According to Bond University professors Olivia Bauman and Libby Sander, it is because “[p]eople feel like they have to make more emotional effort to appear interested, and in the absence of many non-verbal cues, the intense focus on words and sustained eye
GRAPHIC BY SKYLER FOLEY / THE FLAT HAT
contact is exhausting.” Think about it. On Zoom, you can’t lean in to show interest in your conversation with a friend. You can’t stand up and move around if you’re trying to tell a story. You can’t even dart your eyes around the room to avoid direct contact, if socializing isn’t really your arena. Instead, you are effectively trapped in front of your screen, forced to make more physical efforts to display interest when participating in class discussions or listening to professors. Even worse — according to “National Geographic” — “If the video quality is poor, any hope of gleaning something from minute facial expressions is dashed.” Many professors are now requesting that students keep their cameras on during the entire class time, either to measure their students’ participation in class or in a kindhearted attempt to re-create the normalcy of seeing other faces during classes. While no sane person would dare tell a professor it is easier to teach to a screen full of names rather than faces, it is worth noting for professors that students may have more difficulty in the coming months with active participation and attentiveness in classes due to Zoom fatigue, especially if they face a gauntlet of multiple Zoom classes in a row. But wait, you may say, don’t professors also have to endure the same number of Zoom classes as their students, or possibly even more? Quite correct, but there is a problem notorious among college students that many professors seem to have a handle on: sleep, or a lack thereof. With a large number of courses available to learn from one’s own dorm or bedroom, heavy limits on social gatherings, and an increasing possibility of tiredness based on one’s Zoom load, college students will reclaim what has been lost to us for so many years: sleep. Unfortunately, due to the factors listed above, we are not bound to develop healthier sleeping habits as a result of adjusting our routines. If anything, the lack of an ability to maintain our regular daily routines will only further confuse our sleeping schedules. After sitting through multiple Zoom classes in a row, possibly in the comfort of our own dorm or bedroom, it is very possible we may only be a few short steps away from relieving our exhausted bodies. Can college students really be expected to deal effectively with such pressures for a full semester? I am not suggesting that the College overhaul its revised system of course delivery. I do not envy them the task of having to carefully calibrate a plan for the whole community to return to campus safely. However, just as we all are reminded to keep track of our healthy behaviors, we should all also prepare ourselves in the future for the possibility of Zoom fatigue. Likewise, students should not be heavily penalized for failing to give their undivided attention in class from time to time. We care just as much as our professors about our education, but we are not tireless machines. Email Lucas Harsche at lmharshe@email.wm.edu.
GUEST COLUMN
Varsity athletes with Olympic dreams fight for their right to develop athletic careers as promised
Katherine Vanbourgondien FLAT HAT GUEST WRITER
“One Tribe, One Family.” That’s the selling line that the College of William and Mary uses to rope its students in. But how can we be a family when the College inevitably just stabs us in the back without warning? Or, to be more precise, when they betray some of their best student athletes on campus? As a member of the swim team and an incoming freshman, I had chosen the College not only because of the amazing academics, but for the chance to further my career as a swimmer. When leaving high school, most people that are dedicated to a sport like swim or gymnastics or football have to make the decision to either end their athletic career or search for schools where they can continue to train. We chose to find a school where the athletic department led us to believe we could do just that, and with a few words, Athletic Director Samantha Huge took that away. She took away a part of us that we weren’t ready to give up just yet. “The athletic department lied to us and completely blindsided all of us,” women’s swim team member Anna Kenna ’22 said. “The amount of hard work that each individual athlete has put into their sport was heartlessly taken away over the course of a teleprompted script, in a meeting that lasted seven minutes.” When I was in my dorm and my roommate came in all worried about this meeting, I had full faith everything would be okay. I thought the worst was going to be that they
planned to send us all home due to COVID-19 issues. Never did I expect that three weeks into school, and two days into finally beginning to start practices, that they would announce so brutally that I would only be able to swim for this year.
nation for college swimming.” And we’re not just athletes. We’re training to become Olympic Trialists and some of us, one day, Olympians. Does it make sense to cut a team with five Olympic trial qualifiers? And I know I’ve mainly focused on swimming because, like I said, I’m a swimmer, but we’re not the only ones that were cut unjustifiably. “This is a terrible shock to all of us, and a fatal blow to men’s NCAA and US Olympics Gymnastics.” Men’s gymnastics team member Christian Marsh ’22 said. “Our team has a longstanding history of success as both scholars and athletes, walking in the tradition of William and Mary students who work hard and commit themselves to excellence in the gym, the classroom, and the community.” Samantha Huge broke all our hearts yesterday. We were all hit and quite unfairly. She had absolutely no remorse as she read lines from a script for seven minutes without even having the decency to open the floor for questions or even have the courtesy to say goodbye. No, she just ended the conversation believing that it was all over. But it’s not over. We’re not done. We’re going to fight. Because as athletes, that’s what we do. We’re trained to not give up. So, don’t be surprised when you see everyone — swimmers, gymnasts, football players, basketball players and non-athletes alike — all come together for this. Because, like the College says, we’re one tribe, one family, and families stick together. Email Katherine Vanbourgondien at klvanbourgondi@email.wm.edu.
We’re not just athletes. We’re training to become Olympic Trialists and some of us, one day, Olympians. Does it make sense to cut a team with five Olympic trial qualifiers? What doesn’t make sense to me is the reasoning behind cutting these sports. When you go to watch the Olympics, what are you most likely tuning in to watch? Swimming, gymnastics, and track and field. Everyone wanted to watch Michael Phelps become the most decorated Olympian, the American Gymnastics team win the most medals out of all the countries in 2016, and Usain Bolt become the fastest man alive. Why cut the teams that produce Olympians? “[The swim team has] been on an upward trend of performance over the past decade,” Kyle Demers ‘23 said. “Winning the past six conference titles, turning our winloss ratio positive for the first time in decades and developing professional caliber athletes such as Colin Wright, [who] was ranked 4th and 8th in the
variety
Variety Editor Gavin Aquin Hernández Variety Editor Matthew Kortan flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | Page 5
Safely Socializing Students craft creative ways
for safe social activity this fall through @covidculture Instagram page
COURTESY IMAGE / @covidculture
ETHAN BROWN // FLAT HAT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF COVID-19 has impacted life at the College of William and Mary in innumerable ways, touching daily life everywhere from classrooms and dining halls to student-run extracurricular activities and part-time jobs. But the novel virus’s consequences perhaps most directly fall on the shoulders of social life at the College — which has had to adapt significantly as students pursue social distancing, wear masks and limit large gatherings as mandated by the university. To help their peers understand COVID-19’s ramifications for student life in Williamsburg and brainstorm creative ways of incorporating social distancing into their daily routines, five College students have launched a new social media campaign designed to facilitate these important conversations. Their account, @covidculture, has garnered more than 1,000 followers on Instagram since its creation in early August and features tips, graphics and advice for navigating campus life with safety and intentionality. Sophia Hernandez ‘21 serves as @covidculture’s content head, and helped create the campaign alongside Solongo Bayarmaa ‘21, Allie Moyer ‘21, Henry Netter ‘23 and Olivia Koenig ‘22. Hernandez said the page was born from concerns over young adults’ adherence to social distancing and mask protocols this summer, especially given the lack of any formal etiquette for how to discuss COVID-19 safety with peers. “During the summer, I noticed that many of my peers were not following social distancing whatsoever,” Hernandez said in an email. “As someone who comes from New Jersey (the second COVID-19 hotspot), I was trying to understand why they were blatantly disregarding this new way of life. I realized that the CDC gives us guidelines to socialize six feet apart and wear masks, but ignores the implications these guidelines have on all the intricate social interactions we have in everyday life. In other
words, students didn’t incorporate social distancing into their routine because it’s just awkward, and there was no common etiquette.” Hernandez decided to address this issue by dispelling the awkwardness surrounding social distancing procedures. “...We realized that someone needed to spell out and help students visualize what a safe college experience looks like, before we get to campus,” Hernandez said. “We then gathered a couple of like-minded students, and got to work.” Hernandez noted that the page’s engagement has sparked as students return to Williamsburg, with the bulk of its new followers originating from the College. However, students from other universities are also among those engaging with @covidculture’s content, demonstrating a nationwide demand among young adults for advice about how to successfully balance best health practices with social interaction. Among @covidculture’s key objectives is conveying to students that abandoning social distancing and mask requirements while around your ‘quaranteam’ — a term used to describe a small group of friends that choose to neglect public health guidelines while in each other’s company — fails to take COVID-19’s spread and severity into account. “We are mainly concerned about students making uninformed decisions that affect the safety of our community and the lack of a culture where social distancing is standard and personal health and safety boundaries are respected,” Hernandez said. “For example, people are using justifications such as ‘it’s just my quaranteam,’ without considering the actual amount of people in the quaranteam based on households involved.” The page’s content focuses on three main strategies for integrating social life and COVID-19 conscientiousness, employing different infographics and arguments to
articulate them. The first is to accurately convey how the virus spreads, which Hernandez said will help students as they seek to minimize exposure risks in social situations with their peers. The second overarching tip is for students to map out their social interactions, keeping close account of who they interact with over time. Hernandez said that @covidculture highly recommends that individuals exercise caution with their friend groups, even with peers that have been safe around others. Lastly, @covidculture encourages students to maintain their perspective throughout the fall semester, especially since many members of the College community, including immunocompromised students and faculty, face higher risks of developing severe symptoms. While adapting to new social situations may prove difficult, Hernandez emphasized that it is a labor of love that ultimately preserves the university community best. “Remember why you are social distancing,” Hernandez said. “This is an inherently isolating time, and there will be a time when you are tempted to forgo all precautions. Remember that your actions directly affect yourself, those you love, and the community. You have a responsibility as a member of this community to protect those who cannot risk getting COVID-19.” Furthermore, @covidculture exists to remind students that they can still have fun, make memories and meaningfully immerse themselves in campus life during the pandemic, provided they are willing to do so safely and creatively — a challenge the page is more than willing to meet. “… you can still socialize, make memories, and have the same amount of fun, as long as it’s done safely,” Hernandez said. “Connections can still be created and strengthened; you just have to be creative.”
COURTESY IMAGES / @covidculture
The Flat Hat
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Page 6
PENNE FOR YOUR THOUGHTS: REBECCA KLINGER // FLAT HAT SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR After going home in the spring, I got to eat my mom’s good but repetitive cooking — sorry mom — or I cooked dinner myself, which almost always meant Asian night. I had gotten really good at preparing stir fry and Mongolian beef. Upon moving back to Williamsburg, I had to completely restructure my cooking style to accommodate only myself. I utilized a rice cooker and have been making extreme amounts of fried rice without a recipe, relying on my limited knowledge of Asian foods. Earlier this week, my legs brought me into the pantry, and while blankly staring at the shelves, I rediscovered a box I had placed on the floor back when I first moved in. Last semester I was gifted a box full of ramen packets, and never put that ramen to use. Now, I have so much ramen to eat, and I need a little variety in my life. Thus, I have come up with three ways to prepare ramen noodles. 1. Ramen Tartar This is my go-to depression snack: when I can’t cook myself food but know I should eat, this is usually what I eat. This snack helped me survive living in Richmond Hall, a hike from any dining hall. All you will need for this one is a single pack of ramen, and maybe a plate if you want to contain the crumbs. This dish puts the “raw” in ramen, and has very simple steps. First, I’d suggest you get a plate or paper towel. This step is entirely optional but recommended due to the sheer crumbage of this dish, but if you can’t leave your bed, your chest should do just fine. Next, open your ramen package and place the brick on your desired surface. Depending on your flavor palette, you may want to sprinkle a desired amount of the seasoning packet on the brick (the seasoning is very concentrated, I would not recommend using more than half and maybe slowly add it in little by little to make sure it is spread evenly), I don’t do this step anymore because it adds to my prep time. Lastly, break the ramen brick into bite-size pieces and munch. 2. Classic Ramen This one is easy, just follow the directions on the packet. 3. Someone Call PF This one has been my personal favorite, but does require cooking materials and extra foods, which makes it less dorm-friendly. Living off-campus was probably the healthiest decision I’ve made in my college career, not just for my mental health — I could not imagine trying to live on campus during this time, props to all that are navigating that. This recipe is probably done best without measurements, rather adding the ingredients to taste, but I’ll give you this recipe as a starting point. The most important thing to remember while making this dish is that we all have different palettes and you can add or remove anything you want.
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Tips for turning your upsetti spaghetti into a gourmet ramen concoction worthy of fine dining
Directions To start, follow the instructions to prepare “Classic Ramen” noodles. When this is done, strain your noodles. To maximize efficiency, you can prepare the other ingredients while waiting for your water to boil. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, water and sriracha. In a pan on medium heat, add the oil then sauté the onions and garlic. Add the egg to the onions and garlic and scramble these all together. Next, add the frozen peas and corn, then add the noodles and soy mixture to the pan, mix to evenly color the noodles in sauce and spread the vegetables and egg throughout. This is where you should taste a noodle and figure out if you need to change anything. If the soy sauce is too heavy, add honey; if the noodle is sticky, add water; feel free to mix in extra spices as you please — maybe more sriracha — random spices from the cabinet, this is truly your time to shine and make this dish the best possible taste for you. Right before taking your noodles off the heat, mix in some scallions, then plate your masterpiece. This last step applies for every dish: make sure you clean up after yourself. If you hate this step, I would suggest sticking with Ramen Tartar, which results in the least amount of dirty dishes. Don’t be the person in your living situation that leaves your mark all over the kitchen. If you’ve made it this far, good on you, and I hope you are able to learn something from my nood tips.
REBECCA KLINGER / THE FLAT HAT
“SOMEONE CALL PF” INGREDIENTS • A pack of ramen • 1/8 cup soy sauce • 1/8 cup water • Honey • Brown sugar • Garlic • 1/4 tsp Sriracha [optional] • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onions • 1 egg • 1/4 cup frozen peas • 1/4 cup frozen corn • Olive oil or avocado oil
sports
Sports Editor Zoe Beardsley Sports Editor Nathan Seidel flathatsports@gmail.com @FlatHatSports
The Flat Hat | Tuesday, September 8, 2020 | Page 7
JAMIE HOLT / THE FLAT HAT
Sept. 3, William and Mary announced the discontinuation of seven sports teams, including men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s indoor and outdoor track and field and women’s volleyball.
College announces discontinuation of seven varsity sports teams
Decision comes after Tribe Athletics budget reductions due to the effects of COVID-19 SPORT CANCELLATIONS from page 1 had to try to process the news while dealing with the reactions of the public. “The call happened, they told us our programs were being cut, and at the same time they broke the news to the public,” Marsh said. “So before the call was over, I was getting texts, I was getting calls from people all over the country sending me their condolences, and I hadn’t even had time to process it myself yet.” Bull added that emotions were high for both the athletes and coaches after the call. “At 3:45, our coaches had a meeting so we could all zoom right afterwards,” Bull said. “Basically, it was just, everyone was upset. Kelly, one of our coaches, was just crying, she was really upset.” Around 4 p.m., the athletes of the discontinued teams were notified that Tribe Athletics had arranged for all the teams to gather on the football field. “They gave all the teams who were being cut a chance to come to the field and gather in a place as a team,” Marsh said. “They said we’re cutting your team, be at this field at five o’clock if you want to talk to each other.” The gathering occurred three weeks after an Aug. 21 email by the Dean of Students office, announcing a zero-tolerance policy in regard to large gatherings at the College during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Large student gatherings of any kind — both on- and offcampus — are not permitted,” Dean Marjorie Thomas said in the email sent to students. “Students may not gather in groups of more than 10 people.” All seven teams were brought to the football field at the same time to interact with their fellow athletes over the news. With the discontinuation of these sports, many athletes will look into transferring. For small programs like men’s gymnastics,
this process can be especially difficult. “Men’s gymnastics is rare,” Marsh said. “It is a small sport, and there are maybe 14 programs at the NCAA level. So when they were talking to us about transferring, it didn’t sit right with me because they know it’s not an option. What they did was they just trophy-hunted our sport. This is a fatal blow to NCAA Men’s Gymnastics. Iowa, they cut their team two weeks ago, we got cut this week. That pattern, it’s going to continue, and Men’s Gymnastics will not exist at the NCAA level because of this decision.” Many of the discontinued sports are smaller teams who are not given much funding, but whose athletes are extremely successful in their sports and in the classroom. “I am just so frustrated, I don’t even have the words for it,” Bull said. “A lot of the programs that she cut are the ones that have really done well athletically and academically, so it’s really frustrating to see that even though our programs are doing so much for the school, albeit they’re not, like revenue generating, that she just doesn’t seem to care about that. It just really makes me feel like she has absolutely no compassion for how programs can be special without having to generate revenue for the school.” Men’s and women’s swim alone has won eight CAA Championships, all of them coming in the last 15 years. The men’s and women’s gymnastics teams have amassed 10 ECAC Championships between them, and the men’s team consistently has athletes honored as All-Americans, including 23 in the last three seasons alone. Women’s volleyball has won eight CAA championships. Men’s track and field has had six athletes honored as AllAmericans in the last five years, while also winning five CAA championships since 1990. “The impact of our program on this school, considering how small we are, is insane, it’s unreal,” Marsh said. “We had three
Phi Beta Kappa Initiates last year, including most outstanding initiate, and Thomas Jefferson Award winner, and that’s just within the past two years. We have National Championships; we have Conference Championships; we send people to NCAA Championships regularly, we send people to finals; we have All-Americans. We are incredibly distinguished athletes and scholars all around. We have one of the highest GPA’s in the Athletic Department — we consistently do. And not only that, we have won the academic championship at least eight times. We are self-functioning; we fund ourselves; we don’t give out scholarships; we have our own facility off campus, so we are a very low-impact sport when it come to the Athletic Department, but we yield them all these benefits.”
“
Men’s gymnastics will not exist at the NCAA level because of this decision.” -Christian Marsh
SPORTS OPINION
Former swimmer offers open letter to Athletic Director Samantha Huge Loss of program creates far-reaching effects in tight-knit Tribe swimming community network GRACE OLSEN FLAT HAT VARIETY ASSOC. EDITOR The Tribe swimming family extends beyond just swimming. When I toured colleges back in my high school junior spring, I did not want to go to the College of William and Mary. I’m from Williamsburg and grew up swimming for Tribe swim alumni. I thought I had experienced enough of it. I took my official visit to the College my senior fall. We went to Yankee Candle and Sno-to-go and walked in downtown Colonial Williamsburg through tourist shops to fulfill the Williamsburg experience. After 12 years here in the ’burg, I had never felt as at home as I did with the Tribe swimming team that day. Williamsburg is quiet. Nothing “big” ever really happens here. My town was comfortable and safe, until my life began to change in spring 2019. In March 2019, my younger sister attempted suicide. Among the first of people to reach out to my family was former head coach and Tribe swimmer Matt Crispino. He called me one afternoon to invite me over to his family’s home for dinner and to talk. He genuinely wanted to know if I was okay.
Because of his alumnus status and lifeexperiences, I think the authenticity of my coach’s reaction was wholly expected as this is simply the person he is. What I found in my coach is what I found in the Tribe swimming family — I found a sense of understanding. It was a team built on connections and care. Everyone that knows Tribe swimming knows this. My argument is that the cuts made by Athletic Director Samantha Huge are unjust. The story I shared is one among hundreds of other life-changing events that the team has supported one-another through. She cut seven teams in seven minutes. After she read her speech in the driest manner possible, she proceeded to deflect any questions. Where are the financial predictions? Why did she lie to the swim team on multiple occasions that they would not be cut? How could she hurt so many people in so little time? The one reason she gave for the cuts of the seven sports was that the athletic department was realigning. No one knows what realigning means. The athletic department has provided athletes with no information as to why the athletes with some of the highest GPAs and highest winning streaks were cut. The men’s team receives no scholarships and the women’s team receives two. The swim team hosts one of the lowest operating
budgets among the athletic departments and is incredibly well-endowed. Until the financial predictions are seen, there is no way to see what the swim team was supposedly inhibiting Huge’s favorite teams from doing — favorite teams meaning the ones that do well for the departments bank account. Huge did not leave the window open for fundraising efforts. Pledges are currently being made, but until the department is willing to accept their efforts, nothing is certain. Until the athletes and families receive more answers, the cuts made will continue to be unjust. Please take the time to read through the posts and websites of the teams impacted. Huge and the department have made many questionable decisions that have impacted each of these athletes personally. I haven’t been a member of Tribe swimming for several months now (due to some personal reasons). That being said, my time away from the team has not strained the friendships I began during my time there. Everyone walks away from Tribe swimming having learned some sort of lesson. I learned many, but the best one I learned was that there is a group of people that will support you no matter what — this is your tribe. Last fall, my parents separated. This was another great turning-point in my life and to say the least, many other
life-changing decisions followed. When I eventually parted ways with the team, I seriously began to consider transferring to a school in Washington state, to be closer to my mom. I visited and gave the schools serious thought before realizing that the College will always be my home. It’s a cliché of orientation to talk about the Tribe family, but it really is true. Once you find your tribe, you find your family. The swim team is a well-established tribe that Huge took away, and that is an enormous loss to this school. The College will not continue forward in the direction Huge dreams of without the swim team. The Williamsburg community loves Tribe swimming, I can say that for a fact. The team has long been an inspiration to young swimmers in my community and the people that go through the program go on to do good. Huge’s decision is not just a loss to the school, but also a loss to the entire community. A family is not something Huge can take away, and Tribe swimming will continue with or without a program. Here, I found my people and will walk away from the College at least having that. The incoming classes deserve this opportunity as well and the struggle to reinstate the program will continue until changes are made. Until then, I hope Huge reads our stories.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Page 8
The Flat Hat
COVID-19
COVID-19 cases rise across Virginia universities
College’s in-person semester begins as other schools struggle to control virus’s spread
ETHAN BROWN FLAT HAT EDITOR -IN-CHIEF
Four weeks after the class of 2024 arrived in Williamsburg, returning upperclassmen students at the College of William and Mary moved into campus residence halls over Labor Day Weekend. Their arrival sparked the heralding of the university’s transition into the next stage of its COVID-19 response stage. As in-person classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 8, the College and other Virginia universities face uncertain circumstances brought on by COVID-19.
comfortable option for students who must quarantine or isolate, but by its nature it will be restrictive,” College spokesperson Suzanne Clavet said in an email. “Students should be prepared with personal items, books, computers, cell phones, etc for approximately 14 days.” In a normal academic year, Richmond Hall provides housing for up to 180 students in singles, doubles and triples. Since most interim housing assignments are singles to keep students away from their peers while in Richmond Hall, the facility can hold approximately 90-100 quarantined students at any given time. Access outside for students staying in Richmond during
President Jonathan Alger said in a Sept. 1 statement. “However, we have also observed troubling public health trends. As a result of a rapid increase in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in our student population in a short period of time, the university is concerned about capacity in the number of isolation and quarantine spaces we can provide.” Also reporting hundreds of cases is Virginia Tech, which has recorded 416 positive cases since Aug. 9; of those cases, 238 — more than half — were recorded in the past week. Other Virginia universities have also seen sizable case counts in the past few weeks as students have returned to their campuses, potentially
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Tech
James Madison University
Total student cases:
Total student cases:
Total student cases:
183
416
768
Total faculty/staff
Residents currently in isolation
Total faculty/staff
cases:
or quarantine on-campus:
cases:
15
75
4
their university-prescribed quarantine and isolation is strictly prohibited. Clavet described that stepping out of one’s assigned room for sunlight or exercise would constitute a violation of the College’s Healthy Together Community Commitment. “While we understand the need for sunlight, even if we were to allow folks to sit directly outside their door, we would open up the possibility that other members of our community might be exposed,” Clavet said. While conditions on campus and occupancy in Richmond remained stable throughoutduring August, the return of upperclassmen to Williamsburg raises the College’s on-campus population to its highest point since early March, potentially setting the stage for an uncertain future regarding the university’s ability to control COVID-19.
foreshadowing the College’s future since upperclassmen have finally returned to Williamsburg. The University of Virginia, for example, has reported 161 student cases since Aug. 17, with the bulk of these cases materializing after undergraduate classes began Aug. 25 and students moved back on campus. In addition to rising case counts, several Virginia colleges and universities are experiencing strain on their COVID-19 response plans. For example, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Radford University is nearing capacity in its quarantine housing, with a university spokesperson commenting that 40 of Radford’s 54 interim facility slots are being used as of Sept. 5. Similar trends were visible at JMU before it ultimately decided to close, with 92 percent of isolation beds being occupied before the university temporarily shut down. More similarly to the College, other Virginia universities have not yet seen quarantine housing reach capacity. Virginia Commonwealth University, which has provided isolation housing for students testing positive for COVID-19 since the university reopened Aug. 17, currently has 29 of 160 beds full. Like Richmond Hall, these students have been transported to an alternative dormitory serving as a temporary isolation facility. As Virginia universities move beyond Labor Day Weekend and infection risk fluctuates, students and staff face an uncertain public health environment. This reality has prompted a univocal piece of advice from the College: be mindful and be intentional to preserve an in-person semester. “We ask that you join into our shared norms with curiosity and respect: be mindful of the effort it takes to integrate COVID-19 rules of conduct into daily, healthy social habits,” Ambler said. “Those habits will be the key to a successful in-person fall semester at W&M.”
DATA FROM RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, VIRGINIA TECH COVID DASH-BOARD
College enters next stage of COVID-19 response
According to its COVID-19 dashboard, the College had completed 7,200 COVID-19 tests as of Sept. 7. This test count reflects the College’s intention to test all returning students before permitting them on campus. Of these tests, only 20 positive cases have been reported, with all positive cases taking place before students returned on campus. This indicates limited community spread at this stage of the College’s re-opening. The College has employed multiple preventative measures to combat COVID-19’s spread in Williamsburg, including mandatory mask-wearing, social distancing protocols, prevalence testing and ‘party patrols’ monitoring large gatherings on and off campus. After a series of texts and emails sent to students the last week of August that implied poor compliance with interim protocols, the College reminded community members to exercise caution when upperclassmen move in. “We cannot let up,” Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ‘88, Ph.D. ‘06 said in an email sent to students Sept. 4. “Our commitment to each other is especially critical this weekend and in the week ahead as a new cohort of 1600+ students join our in-person community. Spikes in positive COVID-19 cases at other institutions came in the first few days after students arrived on campus, often as a result of large gatherings where mask-wearing and physical distancing expectations were ignored.” Additionally, like many other Virginia universities, the College has established a quarantine and isolation facility in Richmond Hall, which has housed several temporary residents since students returned to campus Aug. 12. The hall’s occupancy holds a strong influence over the university’s ability to safely manage the COVID-19 situation on campus. “Richmond Hall has been structured to provide a clean,
Rowe hosts conversation on safety Wednesday, Sept. 2 College of William and Mary’s President Katherine Rowe continued the virtual conversations series on the College’s path through the pandemic. The goal of these community conversations is to provide students, families and faculty with updated information and an outlet for suggestions. Wellness, safety and the new fall semester were the primary topics discussed in the Wednesday’s conversation. Classes began three weeks ago, with 25 percent of students fully remote and 75 percent living on or off campus in Williamsburg. The majority of undergraduate classes offered this fall are a mixture between online and in-person styles in order to maintain flexibility to adapt any circumstances in the coming months. “We are actually in a good place,” Rowe said. “I say this cautiously knowing how tenuous that can be, but also with some optimism. We have taken a different path than many others and will continue to learn from our peers across the country.” With the College’s smaller size, gradual return of students in phases, the dispersal of the campus and the large outdoor spaces, administrators are confident in mitigating the risks of the spread of COVID-19. By wearing masks and social distancing, students can play their part. “We expect there will be cases on campus, and we have taken every step to be ready,” Rowe said. “Based on the feedback you give us we will continue to evolve in clarity.” GEORGIA THOMS / FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The College has not yet experienced significant infection rates among on-campus students and staff, in sharp contrast to other Virginia universities. James Madison University announced Sept. 1 that it would transition to predominantly online learning and close residence halls until Sept. 25, at which point the university will decide whether students return to Harrisonburg, Va. for in-person instruction after Oct. 5. JMU’s closure makes it the first university in Virginia to suspend inperson classes after the beginning of the semester. As of Sept. 4, JMU had reported 772 positive COVID-19 cases according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, outpacing other Virginia institutions. “In the days since students have been back on campus, we have observed their vibrancy, excitement to engage with their faculty, and large-scale adherence to COVID-19 rules and guidance,” JMU
COVID-19
College implements second phase of testing
Concerns grow with on-campus COVID-19 testing, reliability of Kallaco’s facilities KALLACO from page 1
“As a CLIA-certified lab, Opteo’s testing procedures must be rigorously validated well beyond the rapid-turnaround FDA approval process under COVID-19,” the College said in a Sept. 4 statement. “But we have changed labs until we have a clearer answer to Opteo’s authorizations.” While the recent change in regulation does allow Opteo to distribute its test without FDA authorization, CLIA accreditation and EUA are not equivalent. CLIA does require high standards for its labs, but it does not focus specifically on device efficacy. Though Opteo notified the FDA of its LDT, the request remained submitted, but not reviewed, according to Kallaco spokeswoman Amy Cheronis. The FDA would not comment on the status of Opteo’s submission. If Opteo’s submission stalled, Stamper said that might indicate a problem with the test, since the FDA has a finite amount of time to respond to a proposal. “That means it didn’t meet their minimum requirement to remain a test that is emergency use authorized and move on to the next step for getting to be an FDA approved assay,” Stamper said. “So yeah, they should be worried. Something was wrong with the proposal that was submitted with the performance of the assay or the performance of the laboratory. You don’t know unless you actually saw that report.” The test’s pending status could indicate that the data is not sufficient enough to prove its accuracy, according to Stamper. Students reported a label on the test collection tubes indicating that it was not intended for diagnostic purposes. Though Cheronis said this label referred to the tube alone, which is not a diagnostic element of the kit, the label could actually be indicative of a larger problem. “The reason you would be concerned if it’s for diagnostic use only is the quality of the validations,” Stamper said. “If it’s for research use only, typically they’re still in the process of getting the data.” Opteo did not respond to The Flat Hat’s request for comment. The confusion over Kallaco has left many students wondering how much the College knew about Opteo’s authorization status and whether they should have done more research before using Kallaco to
administer testing. Cheronis said that Kallaco provided the College with the specifications of the test and the acknowledgment of the FDA’s receipt of Opteo’s submission, though she indicated the College was not made aware of the test’s status as an LDT.
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We have a great need and we certainly have too few people who can do the testing and too few assays. Relaxing the rules and the stringency of those is probably not the way to do it. I think there has to be transparency and oversight.
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FLAT HAT NEWS BRIEF
Virginia universities struggle to combat virus spread
— Paul Stamper
“Kallaco was not required to disclose this level of detail to clients but was required to confirm the testing being done was authorized by the FDA, which was part of our contractual obligation,” Cheronis said in an email. “Under the FDA/EUA process the Opteo Laboratory test was “authorized” as defined by the EUA guidelines.” Cheronis maintained that Opteo was allowed to test while it was waiting for a decision on its EUA submission,
which is still pending. College spokeswoman Suzanne Clavet did not comment on the College’s decision to use a test that was pending EUA. The College also argued that Opteo’s LDT is suitable for home collection of specimens — that is, the test is effective with a throat swab collected by students themselves. “Like many certified clinical testing laboratories in the United States that conduct COVID-19 tests, Opteo is allowed to use both self-collected and clinicallycollected samples for diagnosis under the same EUA,” Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring said in an Aug. 26 email to students, faculty, and staff. According to the latest guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees CLIA accreditation, home specimen collection is not permitted unless explicitly authorized under EUA, even for LDTs. A spokesperson for the FDA confirmed that Opteo’s LDT has never been on a list of LDTs for COVID-19. Furthermore, there are currently 23 tests authorized for home collection through nasal swabs or saliva samples. No tests have been authorized for home collection via oropharyngeal (throat) swab, which is the method students were instructed to collect their samples. Stamper emphasized the importance of good science and data-driven solutions to a lack of adequate testing capacity in the United States. Though he said companies such as Kallaco may not be at fault, he emphasized the need for transparency. “We have a great need and we certainly have too few people who can do the testing and too few assays,” Stamper said. “Relaxing the rules and the stringency of those is probably not the way to do it. I think there has to be transparency and oversight.” Thus far, 20 students have tested positive in the first round of pre-arrival testing. No students and fewer than 10 faculty have tested positive in the oncampus prevalence testing. Still, accurate testing is vital to making informed public health decisions. “I think the fear for a lot of clinical scientists is that things are being relaxed too quickly,” Stamper said. “We know the need is great, but these are people’s lives at risk.”
