VARIETY // Dr. Jaws and Mr. Nicholls, page 7 Zach Nicholls ‘14 is going to need a bigger boat after publishing a nonfiction book on sharks, titled “Carcharhinus obscurus.”
The Flat Hat
Vol. 103, Iss. 8 | Friday, September 20, 2013
The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
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of The College of William and Mary
VIRGINIA
RANKINGS
Will Virginia’s top colleges go private?
See FUNDING page 4
See SALARIES page 3
administrators continue to search for new funding options.
COURTESY PHOTO / VIRGINIA STATE CAPITOL
In 1980, 42.8 percent of the College’s operating budget was supported by the state. By 2012, that decreased to 12.4 percent, forcing the College to search for new options.
BY Ariel Cohen and zach hardy // flat hat assoc. NEWS EDITOR and chief staff writer
$
commonwealth of Virginia and operate more like a private institution. “I think that it is highly unlikely that either U.Va. or William and Mary would go private,” Vice President of Financial Affairs Sam Jones said. “It is not something that you can decide unilaterally as an institution to do because you need state approval first.” The 11-page report describes difficulties facing higher education across the nation, such as student debt and decreasing federal and state aid. The report claims going partially or fully private would allow the school to retain faculty, to attract elite students from across the nation,
BY LAURA STERN THE FLAT HAT
and to continue to maintain its reputation internationally. “Reductions in state and federal support and stiff competition for outstanding students, faculty, and staff are a reality at UVA and placing increasing pressure on the funding model, programs, University leaders, and the Board of Visitors,” the report said. “UVA has the opportunity to be a leader in advocating for the value of higher education with a new model for excellence in public higher education.” Under the proposal, U.Va. would give up
12.4 %
The public ivies of Virginia, the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia, continue to see the top of ranking lists year after year. Yet, both schools also continue to see decreases in state funding. Recently, a panel at U.Va. released a report recommending the school break many of its ties with the
Pay affected by starting careers
Last week, the College of William and Mary moved up in the U.S. News and World Report’s top universities list to tie for 32nd place. However, PayScale recently released a ranking of its own. The report lists colleges with the highest mid-career salaries for graduates, with the College rated 97th. PayScale’s rankings could be greatly affected by the fields that students enter upon graduation. Certain high paying concentrations, such as engineering, are not offered at the College. Universities like the Polytechnic Institute of New York University stand in 14th place, with salaries starting at $60,700 and mid-career salaries around $116,000. In comparison, PayScale reported that the College’s mid-career salaries average around $93,300 and starting salaries were $44,500. “William and Mary [graduates have] higher salaries longitudinally,” David Lapinski, a senior associate director at the Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center, said. “Over time, there is more growth within their careers.” Lapinski explained that the survey also does not take into account the fact that 30 to 35 percent of the graduates of the College enter graduate schools upon graduation, which often leads to an increase in starting salaries. “Our students are going out there and are more focused on making a difference in the world,” Wendy Webb-Robers, senior associate director at the Cohen Career Center, said. She says students are not as concerned about going into industries with high salaries. Instead, they care more about finding jobs in their specific field of interest. Kelly Buckley ’05, assistant director of Freshman and Sophomore Career Experience, chose the College for its quality of education. She wanted to attend a school where she would be prepared not only for a career following her study of English literature but also for graduate school and her personal life. “And all of that happened for me,” Buckley said. Many people might wonder how PayScale
With state funding for the College’s operating budget dropping to
College Funding Series
College ranks 97th in salaries
WILLIAMSBURG
Ten years later, reflecting on Isabel One of the Commonwealth’s most severe hurricanes caused power outages, damages BY RACHEL DENNENY ThE FLAT HAT
Ten years ago to date, Hurricane Isabel made landfall in Virginia and has since been hailed as one of the most severe storms in the history of the state. In the hours preceding the storm, the College of William and Mary urged its residents to evacuate, and it became a haven for the few who had no choice but to remain. “We ate lots of fried chicken,” Area Director Jenn Garcia said in reference to the food that was served at the Campus Recreation Center during the hurricane. The building served as a temporary home to 50 students who were unable to evacuate, as well as Residence Life staff, who remained at the College as necessary personnel during the 11 days the school was without electricity. The lack of electricity was not the only problem. A William and Mary News story from the time reported that a tree fell through a Lodge behind the Sadler Center, an unwelcome addition to the 22 trees found strewn across the Wren Yard. However, professor Marylou Zapf said she thought the school handled the disaster well.
Index News Insight News News Opinions Variety Variety Sports
Today’s Weather 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
“There was clearly coordination in planning … most of the damage that could have been a threat to someone had been removed by the time we got back to campus,” Zapf said. After days of no electrical outages, the College was able to pull together a cleanup coalition manned by the inhabitants of the Rec, who began the process of restoring the campus as quickly as possible so classes could resume. Even today, ten years since the arrival of Isabel, Anna Martin, vice president for Administration, emphasized the College focused on bracing itself for the storm’s aftermath. “Evacuation really is not just about the incident itself but what’s going to be the consequence of that incident,” Martin said. In terms of readiness for future disasters, Garcia said she encourages residents to take an active role in campus safety. “Everyone can be a part of keeping the community safe,” Garcia said. “Considering our timeline, what we did, the way the school was able to pull together … it was a huge reflection on how community-oriented [the College] is.”
Inside opinions
Inside SPORTS
Are sororities deserving of criticism?
Partly cloudy High 82, Low 63
COURTESY PHOTO / BRYAN KOENIG
Ten years ago, Hurricane Isabel downed 22 trees along the Wren Yard as well as one near the Crim Dell Amphitheater.
Greek life is often maligned as being a way to buy your friends. Now more than ever, sororities seem to worthy of that criticism. page 5
Tribe nets overtime winner
Senior forward Dani Rutter scores in 97th minute to push College past Radford 2-1 page 8
newsinsight “
News Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran fhnews@gmail.com
THE BUZZ
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The Flat Hat | Friday, September 20, 2013 | Page 2
I want to get more students and more faculty involved. If we can tee that up for success, we’ll do some incredible good in the world. — AidData Director of Operations David Trichler said when discussing his career goals
AROUND THE ‘BURG
THE DIGITAL DAY “THAT Guy” WITH MARCUS THORNTON ‘15 The Flat Hat presents “That Guy” with Marcus Thornton ’15 this week. He is a current junior who plays on the Tribe basketball team. Our host, sports editor Jack Powers, spoke with Marcus on various topics covering majors, Drake’s new album and pugs. Check it out at flathatnews.com. If you would like to see someone on “That Guy/That Girl,” email flathatonline@gmail.com.
A THOUSAND WORDS
COURTESY PHOTO / ABCNEWS.GO.COM
The Mega Millions $1 million prize was to be claimed in Hampton on Tuesday. However, no one came forward to claim the prize.
Cuccinelli campaign steers clear of distasteful joke A northern Virginia rally in support of gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli, R-Va., resulted in more damage control on the campaign, The Washington Post reported. A local Republican official reportedly made an anti-Semitic joke before Cuccinelli got on stage to discuss his plan for better education and limited government in Virginia. Although Cuccinelli had not been part of the joke and was not visibly present when it was made, the campaign has taken steps to distance the candidate from the joke, saying “it’s not reflective of Ken Cuccinelli.” Lottery winner remains unknown A $1 million lottery ticket was sold at a convenience store in Hampton Tuesday in the Mega Millions drawing, the Daily Press reported. Although it is certain that the ticket was bought in Hampton, a winner has yet to come forward to claim the prize. The anonymous winner has 180 days to claim the prize, but it is not uncommon for large-prize lottery winners to wait and speak with a financial planner before coming forward. As with all unclaimed lottery tickets, if no person comes forward, the prizes will go to the state’s literary fund.
CAMPUS POLICE BEAT KRISTA BRAUN/ the FLAT HAT
CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted by email to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
Lafayette Gun Club to have new building According to Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, citizens from across the area turned out to support the Lafayette Gun Club of Virginia, Inc. The large group of people carrying firearms with stickers reading “Guns Save Lives” was fighting for a new building where they can hold meetings. The board unanimously approved the proposal. It is still unclear where the building will be located, but it will most likely be close to the existing building that houses the indoor shooting range. E. W. Jackson emphasizes grassroots campaign Though Republican lieutenant governor candidate E.W. Jackson obtained fewer funds than every candidate except the Libertarian nominee for governor, Jackson’s campaign claims to have the highest number of individual donors, aside from the governor candidates, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Jackson emphasizes his strong grassroots campaign, which helped him gain the nomination for lieutenant governor after his failed campaign for Senate last year. Because an especially low turnout is expected this election, Jackson believes that his high number of supporters may lead to an upset against Democrat Ralph Northam.
Sept. 15—Sept. 17 1
Sunday, Sept. 15 — An innkeeper was arrested for committing fraud on Richmond Road.
2
Sunday, Sept. 15 — An individual was arrested for manufacturing, selling and operating a fictitious operations license on Richmond Road.
Sept.1 6 — An individual was arrested for 3 Monday, making annoying phone calls on England Street.
The Flat Hat
4
‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911
Tuesday, Sept. 17 — An individual was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol at the intersection of York Street and Lafayette Street.
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Katherine Chiglinsky Editor-in-Chief Ellen Wexler Executive Editor Meredith Ramey Managing Editor Abby Boyle News Editor Annie Curran News Editor Aine Cain Variety Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber Sports Editor Zach Frank Opinions Editor Veronique Barbour Assoc. News Editor Ariel Cohen Assoc. News Editor Claire Gillespie Assoc. News Editor Bailey Kirkpatrick Assoc. News Editor Eleanor Lamb Assoc. News Editor Matt Camarda Assoc. Opinions Editor Andrea Aron-Schiavone Assoc. Opinions Editor Ashley Hamilton Assoc. Online Editor Rachel Brown Assoc. Variety Editor Natalie Ferenbach Assoc. Variety Editor Devon Ivie Assoc. Variety Editor Emily Nye Assoc. Variety Editor Emily Stone Assoc. Variety Editor
Rebecca Marshall Copy Chief April Smith Copy Chief Benoit Mathieu Chief Photographer Benming Zhang Online Editor Matt Camarda Editorial Writer Zach Hardy Chief Staff Writer Mick Sloan Assoc. Sports Editor Carol Peng. Photo Editor Ashley Richardson Photo Editor Richie Thaxton Copy Editor Emily Lowman Copy Editor Allison Ramage Copy Editor Jenna Tan Copy Editor Lindsay Wade Cartoonist Lizzie Dabbs Cartoonist Brian Kao Graphic Designer Karin Krause Social Media Manager Jared Foretek Production Assistant Kaitlin Kunowsky Business Manager
News in brief Students research life of Maggie Walker
John Henry comes to life
Coastal flooding gains depth
Students at the College have almost finished sorting through a stash of documents and photos pertaining to the life of Maggie L. Walker. A group of Sharpe Fellows uncovered the collection of 31 boxes in the attic of St. Luke Hall in Richmond in 2009. Adjunct associate professor Heather Huyck has helped students place the documents, page by page, in acid-free folders within acid-free boxes. Once all the papers are sorted, the papers will be given to the National Park Service, which runs the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. A digital set of the papers will be kept on the College’s website, pending agreement from the Stallings family of Richmond.
The College’s Legum Professor of History Scott Nelson will see his work come to the stage. Nelson’s book, “Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, The Untold Story of an American Legend,” is being incorporated into a play by the Hiawatha Project, a performance company based in Pittsburgh. The company puts on theatrical performances that address specific social questions. Although Nelson did not know what the Hiawatha Project was when he was initially contacted, he is thrilled that they are turning his book into a live performance and pleased that people still think of talltale figures like John Henry. The tentative date for the performance is August 2014.
The College’s School of Education recently hosted a conference entitled “Adaptive Planning for Flooding and Coastal Change” which discussed the impacts of coastal flooding. The Virginia Coastal Policy Clinic ran the conference, which is a partnership between the College’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and funded by the Virginia Environmental Endowment and the Virginia Sea Grant. Over 230 government and military officials, scientists, scholars, business leaders and citizens attended. The goal of the conference was to rally support and government action to help communities directly affected by the flooding of coastal waters.
Friday, September 20, 2013
The Flat Hat
Page 3
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
“Kings and Queens don’t bow to Dukes” SA approves Chaney, Holden’s combined Homecoming T-shirt design, portable toilets for tailgates by Claire Gillespie flat hat assoc. news editor
Based on bills passed in Tuesday’s Student Assembly senate meeting, students can look forward to portable toilets at future tailgates and to studentrun events during Homecoming week. Both the Grand Royal Throne Act and the Homecoming Grant Round 3 Act passed unanimously. Additionally, 36 freshmen and two seniors are running for vacant positions among the Class of 2017 and Class of 2014 senate seats in the elections scheduled for Sept. 26. Undergraduate Council Chair and Class Treasurer Brett Prestia ’14 named Lucy Holden ’16 and Briana Chaney ’15 the winners of the Homecoming T-shirt design contest. The T-shirt, which will be sold a few weeks before Homecoming, combines Holden’s motto —“Kings and Queens don’t bow to Dukes” — with Chaney’s design. “We really loved … Lucy [Holden]’s motto, and we put it on the back,” Prestia said. “In the front, we really liked Briana’s coat of arms — the royal dual symbol. … We think both designs together produce the best shirt.” The newly approved Homecoming Grant Round 3 Act allocates up to $1,500 to give to various student organizations that apply to run a campus-wide event during Homecoming week.
Lexi Braschi / THE FLAT HAT
Senators discussed the Grand Royal Throne Act and the Homecoming Grant Round 3 Act in their meeting Tuesday. They also announced the winners of the Homecoming T-shirt contest.
“This is 12.15 percent of the reserve,” Sen. Colin Danly ’15 said. “That is a big chunk of the reserve. That being said, this money is allocated but not necessarily subject to being spent, and Homecoming is a big event.” Last year, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Pi, Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Alpha and Alpha Epsilon Pi received a total of $10,126 from the SA to run events during Homecoming week.
“Over the years, this body — and I think the finance committee as well — has been particularly inclined to make sure that Greek organizations don’t get any special treatment,” Danly said. “We encourage the other student organizations to apply and we recognize the Greek organizations that do apply and host a lot of events, but we also understand the importance of having non-Greek organizations at Homecoming.”
As passed, the Grand Royal Throne Act allocates up to $850 to provide two portable toilets at the new tailgating venues for every home football game. “One of the biggest complaints from the tailgate was the lack of toilets,” Sen. Daniel Ackerman ’16 said. “They would not let us use the ones inside of Kaplan, and the Rec was not a big fan of people going inside to use the facilities.” The senator policy committee is also
reviewing the College of William and Mary’s mandatory meal plan policy in relation to Resident Assistants. “We want to see if there’s some way we can help them out if an RA doesn’t necessarily want to have a meal plan,” Sen. Peter Lifson ’14 said. “We feel that they are providing a service for the school and that maybe some of them should be compensated if they want to pursue other options.”
STUDENT LIFE
Students, staff discuss health center policies
In and out-of-state students pay $268 from tuition each year in addition to fees for each visit
by ARIEL COHEN flat hat ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The College of William and Mary provides full-time health care access at the Student Health Center. All students, both in-state and out-of-
state, pay a $268 health fee as a part of the fees for Auxiliary Services; however, this fee does not fully cover the cost of the Health Center’s services. Because of this, some students find the Health Center expensive or ineffective. The Health Center requires a copay for all
FILE PHOTO / THE FLAT HAT
The College of William and Mary’s Student Health Center is the only place students can get healthcare on campus.
visits, in addition to fees for medical tests and outsourced services, such as x-rays. “While there is some goodwill there, I am usually run through several tests that seem unnecessary, and because they don’t take my insurance, it can get costly,” Rhys Tucker ’14 said. “It makes me wonder if those tests are really necessary or if it’s just a way to beef up the bill.” The Health Center is the only place students at the College can get healthcare on campus. “Students get upset when they have to get a strep test or a mono test and it’s expensive,” Student Health Center Director Virginia Wells M.D. said. “If we could bill insurance we would, but we don’t work with hundreds of healthcare providers.” Each day the Health Center sees about 120 students. About one-third of those patients have chronic illnesses, about one-third represent acute illnesses and procedures, and the remaining onethird stop by for ongoing health needs. “We live in such close quarters that if one person gets sick, a million people get sick,” Liz Hernandez ’15 said. “Most people just go to the [Student] Health Center for that general sickness kind of stuff. I’ve learned my lesson. … Now, I don’t go there when I get sick.” Although the Health Center does not require health insurance to provide services to students, insurance coverage is a condition of enrollment for all full-time graduate and undergraduate students. The Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan, written by United HealthCare Insurance Company, has an annual student premium of
$1,541. Unless a student proves that he or she has other health insurance, he or she is automatically enrolled in the College’s healthcare plan. “It’s almost like socialized medical care over here,” Wells said. “We are still the cheapest place in town. I think that students want to come in and pay nothing, but we can’t do that. We are just covering our costs.” She added that these policies are also prevalent at other universities. “Every school requires that its students have some kind of healthcare coverage so, in the event of in emergency, they can be cared for,” Wells said. “It’s not a matter of liability, it’s a matter of coverage.” About 1,665 students use the College’s Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan. Student Insurance Coordinator Trista Sykes said the number historically ranges between 15 and 20 percent of the student population. “We definitely have students evaluate the Student Insurance Plan and select it because it’s a good value. Then we have some students who choose it because it’s offered and they don’t have insurance,” Sykes said. “It is a group health insurance plan, so students cannot be denied enrollment.” When Megan Costello ’15 thought she had mononucleosis last year, she immediately went to the Health Center. Several hours and medical tests later, she left with no concrete answers or help. “After doing all this blood work, they told me there was nothing they could do,” Costello said. “The tests cost $60 and the visit cost $15. I’m better off going to the emergency room off campus.”
We’re on our way!
College ranked 97 on PayScale list of salaries
See you at the grad fair on your campus.
Administrators, Career Center discuss College’s long-term success rate SALARIES from page 1
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education • Philadelphia, PA www.gse.upenn.edu
when looking at the rankings. For example, PayScale does not reveal information regarding individual school’s data,” Brian Whitson, associate vice president of Communications and University Relations, said in an email. In addition to its policy not to release information about sample size, PayScale chooses only to include information gathered from graduates that are full-time, civilian employees in the United States and who have received only a bachelor’s degree. This means the substantial amount of graduates from the College who enroll in graduate school are not
included in this ranking. “With its limitations in mind, PayScale can provide useful snapshots,” Whitson said in an email. “Rankings can be extremely useful, as long as the viewer understands the context behind the list and the research that was done.” Mary Schilling, assistant vice president of Student Affairs and executive director of Career Development, said she believes students choose to attend the College for its academic opportunities. “The issue is, does the school provide an array of opportunities for students interested in a broad range of areas, no matter what the pay is?” Schilling said.
THE TOP OF THE LIST Which schools rank the highest on PayScale’s list of recent graduates’ salaries?
1 2 3 4 5
Harvey Mudd College U.S. Naval Academy California Institute of Technology Stevens Institute of Technology Babson College
6 7 8 8 8
Princeton University U.S. Military Academy
Stanford University
Harvard University Brown University
The Flat Hat
Friday, September 20, 2013
Page 4
AIDDATA
Trichler one of “99 under 33”
AidData employee earns Diplomatic Courier recognition as innovator by ANNIE CURRAN flat hat news editor
Under 33 years old and making Diplomatic Courier’s list of “some of the brightest and most innovative minds of the time,” David Trichler took the advice of Secretary of State Colin Powell to heart — that working for the government or in public policy is some of the most “noble and rewarding” work one could do. Powell’s advice, given at a summer program at Georgetown University that Trichler attended while in high school, led Trichler to his current position as operations director at AidData at the College of William and Mary. Diplomatic Courier’s 2013 list of the “Top 99 under 33 Foreign Policy Leaders” is broken down into catalysts, conveners, influencers, innovators, practitioners, risk-takers and shapers. As an innovator, Trichler is designing “a new solution to a critical global challenge.” While he says it’s always
embarrassing to be publically recognized, Trichler feels flattered because he was nominated by his peers. “It was a nice gesture to know that other people I worked with valued what I was contributing to the team and to the things we were doing,” Trichler said. After graduating as valedictorian from Brigham Young University, Trichler moved on to complete his master’s degree at Georgetown University. Since then, Trichler’s resume includes serving as a special assistant to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, operating as an advisor to the ExxonMobil Foundation, and serving as a consultant to the World Bank. At AidData, Trichler oversees day-to-day operations. “You wake up and go to a job you love and you try to do the best you can,” Trichler said. Members of the AidData staff said they appreciate Trichler’s work. “AidData is currently going through a period of rapid growth,” Brad Parks, co-
executive director of AidData, said in an email. “Our staff has tripled; our budget has increased by a factor of five; and we now have field operations and partnerships with local universities, civil society organizations, line Trichler ministries, and USAID missions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. David has made this rapid expansion in AidData’s global reach and impact possible. He brings an infectious energy, enthusiasm, and stick-to-it-iveness to his job and has raised the bar for all our staff, our students, and our faculty affiliates.” Troy Shepley, who serves as project manager at AidData, said it is exciting to work with Trichler because, while he is approachable and helpful, he holds his staff accountable for good work. “He’s got a lot of vision and he really implements things,” Shepley said. “[He’s] really driven.”
Administrators discuss funding FUNDING from page 1
approximately $154 million in state funding annually, about 6 percent of its operating budget. The state provides 12 percent of the College’s operating budget, or about $43 million per year. To make up for the lost funding, U.Va. would raise tuition to the level out-of-state students currently pay, increase private support from donor and alumni, and pursue new investment vehicles. However, the report explicitly states that U.Va. wouldn’t become a completely private institution, but rather, shift from being a state-controlled university to a state-associated or state-affiliated university. A discount for tuition would apply for in-state students, and the commonwealth would likely still provide funding for STEM research and other initiatives. Although U.Va. is talking about going private, it is improbable that the College will follow suit. “It doesn’t make any sense. The state is very proud of having one of the best, if not the best public institutions in the country,” Jones said. If the College were to sever ties with the state, it would take an additional $905 million in
endowment, on top of what the College already has, to replace that amount of annual state funding. “We have to look at this realistically,” College President Taylor Reveley said. “The only point here is that, politically, the state isn’t going to agree for us going private.” The College became a Virginia public school in 1906 after existing as a private institution for 213 years. By becoming public, the College surrendered complete autonomy to the state. “We’re owned 100 percent by the state,” Reveley said. “When we build a building, such as the business school, without a drop of state money, the state owns 100 percent.” Although an entity of the state, the College has found many ways to remain independent of the state. The Board of Visitors passed a new operating model, “The William and Mary Promise,” to control tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students. “We’re able to accomplish a lot as a public institution,” Jones said. “There can be days when the state frustrates us, but our Board of Visitors can accomplish pretty much anything when we plan carefully.”
Trichler says that he thinks of himself as more of a fixer than an innovator. He says perhaps he was put in that category because of the type of work he has to do for AidData. “The first line of staff will solve them or resolve them, but the problems that get kicked up to me are just a little more complex or nuanced. So often times I take a different approach by using different resources to solve them,” Trichler said. “That combination of resources, whether it’s people or financial resources or technology solutions, means you have to get creative. There’s a little bit of innovation in there.” Trichler also explained that he thinks he was also put in the “innovator” category because of AidData. “It’s also a reflection of AidData at William and Mary that what we are doing is innovative and I benefit from that association,” Trichler said. Students can learn from the people on the list, Trichler believes. He says that many of them got where they are
today because they used their peer networks to make connections. “I think, more broadly, if you look at the list, it does show just the power of this generation,” Trichler said. To celebrate his achievement, the AidData staff threw Trichler an icecream-cake party, and they kept their sense of humor. “Anytime the printer ran out of paper they called for an ‘innovative solution’ to get back to me, so they keep you humble. It’s a good work environment,” Trichler said. Trichler has even bigger goals for AidData. “If foreign aid is more efficient, you can do more with it and touch more people,” Trichler said. “Including our students in that process is to me a great goal. I want to continue to grow AidData. I want to get more students and more of the faculty involved. If we can tee that up for success, we’ll do some incredible good in the world, just because what we’re doing is incredibly valuable for so many people.”
Family weekend schedule Some highlights of the weekend’s activities Friday, Sept. 20 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Students and their families can check in at the Dodge Room in Phi Beta Kappa Hall. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Classes are open to family members. Family members can attend any class as long as it is designated “open” to visitors. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The College of William and Mary Class Ring Table will be set up in the Sadler Center Lobby for those interested in ordering their class ring. 3 - 3:45 p.m. Earl Gregg Swem Library’s Special Collections is hosting a “Behind the Scenes” Tour, in which participants can tour the stacks area of Special Collections and see specialized manuscripts, university archives and rare books. Space on the tour is limited and requires an RSVP to (757) 2213094 or acschi@wm.edu. 3 – 5 p.m. Students and family members can sign out canoes and kayaks and go boating on Lake
Matoaka. Boat rental is free. At least one person per boat must have either a student ID. Alumni can also present a letter from the Alumni Office to rent their boat. 4 – 5:30 p.m. The William and Mary Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience will host a meetand-greet with co-directors Professors Anne CharityHudley and Cheryl Dickter as well as a showcase of research by WMSURE students. Refreshments will be provided. The event will take place in the 2nd floor lobby of Tyler Hall. 5 – 6:30 p.m. This week’s Friday at 5 will feature the Alex Hilton Band, a country music band from of West Virginia. The group will perform on the Terrace for free. In the case of rain, the event will move to Lodge 1 in the Sadler Center. 7 – 9 p.m. Varsity Field Hockey will play the University of Michigan at Busch Field.
7 – 9 p.m. Women’s Varsity Soccer will play Penn at Martin Family Stadium, Albert-Daly Field. 7 – 9:30 p.m. The Swing Dance Club will host free lessons in the Campus Center Little Theatre. 8 – 9 p.m. The Women’s Chorus, William and Mary Choir, the William and Mary Wind Ensemble and the Orchestra will perform at William and Mary Hall. 9 – 11 p.m. Students and their family members are invited to the “Let’s Be Social at the Bookstore” at the Campus Bookstore, which is offering wine, cheese and other refreshments. The bookstore will also be raffling off a Nook Color e-Reader and all will receive a student discount. 9:15 – 10:15 p.m. Lantern Tours of Old Campus and the Wren Yard will begin at the gated entrance to the Wren Courtyard and are open to students and their families.
Saturday, Sept. 21
&
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF WM.EDU
W M
Greek Life
Congratulations to our Greek scholars!
31% of students listed on the past Dean’s List are members of the Greek community.
10 - 11 a.m. Five faculty members will offer presentations. Represented departments include history, biology, psychology, anthropology and government.
the Terrace, which will include a moon bounce, clowns, face painting, popcorn and balloons.
4 - 7 p.m. AMP is putting on a street fair at
7 p.m. Watch the Tribe take on Rhode
12 - 2 p.m. Campus dining is offering a picnic lunch at the Wren Yard for all families. 12 - 1:30 p.m. Members of the Spotswood Society will offer tours of the Wren Building and the President’s House. 12 - 3 p.m. Representatives from international programs and students who have recently returned from trips will present about their experiences in Trinkle Hall in the Campus Center. 2 - 4 p.m. The College’s many a capella
Congratulations to Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Tau Omega for having the highest overall sorority and fraternity GPA averages for spring 2013!
groups will perform at the Lake Matoaka Ampitheater in “William and Mary Sings.”
COURTESY PHOTO / YOUTUBE.COM
The Accidentals, one of the College of William and Mary’s a capella groups, sings.
Sunday, Sept. 22 8:30 a.m. The Family Weekend 5K “Marrow-thon” will begin in front of the Rec Sunday morning to raise money for the Alan Buzkin Bone Marrow Memorial Drive.
12:45 - 2 p.m. The ballroom dance club will be offering free dance lessons, which are open to visiting relatives of all ages.
opinions
Opinions Editor Zachary Frank fhopinions@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, September 20, 2013 | Page 5
STAFF EDITORIAL
No to privatization I
Eric Garrison
FLAT HAT GUEST COLUMNIST
In March of 1964, events involving two women — both named with a variant of “Katherine,” both very much in love, one of them my biological mother, the other a closeted lesbian, yet neither one of them having met the other — resulted in my current employment here at my alma mater. Less than a week after guests toasted Katie and Gary, my parents-to-be, in a small wedding ceremony not too far from here, a much larger number of people in Queens, NY, peered from their bedroom windows and witnessed Kitty Genovese face multiple stab wounds over several hours outside of her apartment. Genovese called for help, yet the onlookers called for no one, and weeks after Genovese died, the “bystander response” was born. Whether to prevent suicide, to thwart hazing, to counter homophobic taunts, to avert sexual violence, to stop religious persecution, or to help a friend, bystander intervention not only saves lives, but it also makes life at the College of William and Mary more meaningful while allowing everyone to flourish. This past week, a young peer health advocate whom I’ll call Heather intervened in what could have been a bad situation, as a gaggle of first-year students watched another student misbehave.
She realized that she had to intervene, because everyone else preferred watching and doing nothing. She was part of the William and Mary team, and even if you are not athletic, you are all part of the William and Mary TEAM too. Here’s how: T: Take responsibility. These issues are not just men’s issues, women’s issues or trans issues. They concern us all, whether you are a four-foot freshmen or a seven-foot senior. E: Educate yourself about all these issues where we all could intervene more: mental health, disordered eating, sexual violence, homophobia, racism and regionalism. Learn how to deal with rude comments, discover the locations of all the resources mentioned in last week’s Flat Hat. Turn yourself into the necessary expert for that specific event. A: Assess the situation, based on your education. Do you have what it takes to intervene — physically, spiritually, emotionally? Whom do you need to enlist to help? What barriers will you face? Is it safe to do so — and I’ll let you define “safe” however you wish. M: Mediate alone or with others. Follow the above three steps, so that an intervention becomes second nature to you. If you need more knowledge or skills to mediate better, just ask. Remember: Seeking sensible support shows strength. We’re here! So please accept your role as part of the solution, embrace the notion of being an upstanding bystander, and do your fair share to make this College even more amazing than it already is. Go TEAM. Email Eric Garrison M.A.Ed. ’94 at emgarrison@wm.edu.
Sororities unfairly obligate would-be sisters Julia Robins THE FLAT HAT
Sororities have long had to fight the argument held by critics that, because membership is largely based on a commitment to pay dues, a sorority acts solely as a platform from which to buy new friends. As a member of a sorority myself, I too feel the need to dispel this myth. Sororities offer so much more than Lily Pulitzer-clad blondes to pregame with and Vineyard Vines bros with whom to hook up. They offer, despite the obnoxious clichés, life-long friendships, support systems to make it through four years of college woes, and yes, some pretty awesome parties in the hope of making the College of William and Mary resemble more of a typical college campus. But, to address the dissenters: Yes, you have to pay dues to be a part of a sorority, just like you have to pay dues to be a part of any other club that you decide to join on campus. As of this fall, however, the Panhellenic community has made it harder for sororities at the College to separate their organizations from this stereotype of buying friends. During fall
recruitment, potential new members were presented with a contract the night before bid day. The contract essentially read that by accepting a bid, a PNM would be agreeing to pay dues to that sorority for a full financial year. This is wrong on so many levels. First and foremost, the purpose of a “pledging period,” as far as I am concerned, used to be to acclimate the pledge with her new sorority before she fully committed via initiation. This is why pledges can’t wear letters before initiation, can’t know the juicy secrets of their sorority, and can’t be referred to as a sister. The pledging period also serves as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Think about it. Recruitment is already superficial. You have two weekends filled with long days of meeting way too many people in way too short of a time. Then after five days, you’re supposed to narrow down your choices and commit to one or two sororities based on the five-minute conversations you had with a handful of people. And then, to top off all of the stress that is recruitment, you’re expected to pay to be a part of this sorority, this club, this group of potential friends, and, for some ladies, I expect potential awkward acquaintances. Maybe they’ll realize in a couple of weeks — maybe even in a couple of days — that they don’t fit with this group of women as well as they had hoped. It used to be that they could just drop the
sorority, no harm done. Now, I imagine one’s inner monologue would go something like, “Well, I have to pay a full year of dues anyway, so I might as well stick around despite it all.” This is not the Greek Life that I know. This is buying your friends before you meet them. This is accepting the dissenters’ criticism about Greek Life and glorifying it. Which brings me to point number two. Why? Why does a woman, if she is not participating in the sorority anymore, not taking up space for events, not buying the sorority’s apparel, not part of the sorority at all — why in the world should she have to pay for not one, but two semesters worth of dues? I can’t think of an answer, but then again, I’m also not on the Panhellenic Council. Perhaps, if you run into someone who is, you can ask that person, and then let me know. To me, it sounds a lot like buying your friends before you meet them. Email Julia Robins at jlrobins@email. wm.edu.
GRAPHIC BY LINDSAY WADE / THE FLAT HAT
The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Abby Boyle, Matt Camarda, Katherine Chiglinsky, Meredith Ramey and Ellen Wexler. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.
COMMENTS @THEFLATHAT
FH
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Reactions to “Students shouldn’t allow the Williamsburg Police to overstep boundaries,” in the Sept. 17th issue of The Flat Hat
Next time, politely request and write down their names and badge numbers. If ... an official police vehicle(s) is/are present record the license plate number and any identifying characteristics (make, model, color, car number), without stepping off your property if at all possible — you don’t want to be arrested for drunk in public. Don’t interfere with their investigation, however, you should assert your constitutional rights wherever applicable. —Catalase
Telling a one-sided tale, creating a straw man, and then saying “Of course this isn’t an isolated incident!” is rhetorically infantile. Look, respect goes both ways, and by your utter lack of concession and consideration for the local police force, you made your perspective clear. Am I supposed to believe that your attitude was respectful, and the impetus of aggression came from the officers? I think we all know that this is wishful thinking. —Balthazar
I don’t agree with the language they used, if it is in fact accurate, but the main point of this article seems to be that they searched the premises without a warrant— they don’t need a warrant to search if they have probable cause that there is illegal activity (i.e. underage drinking, which is reasonably common around a college, shocker) occurring on the premises. Probable cause in most instances waives warrant requirements. —Greg
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Become a part of the College TEAM
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GUEST COLUMN
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BY BRIAN KAO, FLAT HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNER
n the midst of dwindling state funding for Virginia’s public universities, a University of Virginia panel proposed that the school transition from public to private. While the change is unlikely to happen, that U.Va. is even considering the transition reflects a dramatic shift away from state investment in public higher education, one that the College of William and Mary has felt to its core. Currently, the commonwealth of Virginia contributes about 12 percent of the College’s operating budget, leading some to consider the possibility of privatization. That mindset is understandable; we have deep fears about the College’s future, especially about our ability to attract quality long-term faculty. However, privatization is infeasible. If the College were to decide to privatize, it would need to come up with an additional $905 million in endowment, on top of the $700 million we currently have in our endowment, to replace state funding. Next, the commonwealth would have to agree to sell the College to itself, which it would not. Additionally, the College would have to close the 11 percent funding gap on its own. Granted, fundraising efforts at the College have been outstanding this past year, but even they could not realistically cover this gap. That being said, the commonwealth’s rapidly decreasing funding puts the College’s quality at risk. Right now, our faculty pay is at the 17th percentile. If we cannot provide incentives for quality professors to teach here, we will lose them to colleges that do. We will lose valuable research opportunities along with the money and prestige that come with them. We will also become a school of adjuncts and visiting professors, instead of one that can offer long-term job security and long-term student-professor relationships. We should not be a stepping stone for professors and administrators on the path to better jobs. We need to offer those better jobs. As a state school, we are a viable, affordable education option to Virginia residents. If we cannot offer better salaries and retain higher-quality teachers, we will lose an essential part of what attracts Virginians to the College. We may even lose them to outof-state schools. There was a time when Virginia funded 43 percent of the College’s operating budget. That time has long passed. And it’s easy to understand why: There is a broad national trend of decreasing state investment in public universities, and a weak economy means less tax revenue for states. However, we as a nation still believe that education is important, so much so that the number of college applications is skyrocketing. If we are serious about education, public funding for higher education ought to be a priority. The slow death of the “public” aspect of public universities does not bode well for the education of our populace. Privatization may look like an attractive option now, in lieu of more public funding, and that mindset comes from reasonable fear for the College’s long-term future; but it could ultimately exacerbate our lack of funding and drive up costs for Virginians. Nor do we have the funding or power we would need to make this drastic switch. A lack of practical alternatives places the College in a pernicious situation, one with which we are all too familiar and unlikely to escape any time soon.
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variety
Variety Editor Áine Cain flathat.variety@gmail.com
The Flat Hat
| Friday, September 20, 2013 | Page 6
COURTESY PHOTO / MIKEMALONEDDS.COM
COURTESY PHOTO/ GOOGLE.COM
COURTESY PHOTO / CALIFORNIADIVER.COM
COURTESY PHOTO/ BOMAICRUZ.SOUTHERNFRIEDSCIENCE.COM
Student publishes non-fiction book on sharks, navigates publishing process BY EMILY NYE FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
Forget everything you think you know about “Jaws.” Sure, the famous, giant, shriek-inspiring shark may have had his moment in the sun, but he’s got nothing on the doctor — Dr. Jaws that is. Zachary Nicholls ’14, a biology major at the College of William and Mary, recently became a published author. Nicholls, or Dr. Jaws, as he is known in the literary world, is the author of a short book entitled “Carcharhinus obscurus.”
COURTESY PHOTO / CKWIKI.COM
The book, whose title was inspired by the scientific name of its subject, the dusky shark, is not just another non-fiction chronicle about sharks. Rather than pages of monotonous facts and figures, “Carcharhinus obscurus” opens readers’ eyes to the world of the dusky shark in a way that combines art, philosophy, science and sheer passion for a beautiful species. It all began with a love of sharks, which, for Nicholls, was no new development. “My love of sharks is inherent, ever since I was little,” Nicholls said, “I can’t explain why. … It’s just there. It’s a part of my character.” So what drives a biology student with a love of sharks to write a book and seek publication? “I started to get interested in the arts, really interested — especially in movies,” Nicholls said. “I interned at a local film studio throughout my high school years, and I learned to develop my more artistic side.” Nicholls’ two passions led him to become what he calls a “hybridist author.” His primary goal is to enlighten his readers as to the plight of “Carcharhinus obscurus,” a species that, in recent years, has faced difficulties with survival due to the impact of the fishing industry. Because of this decrease in population, coupled with the dusky shark’s slow repopulation rate, the species faces dangerously low levels of population,
an issue that Nicholls addresses in his book. However, this is no cut-anddry piece of non-fiction literature. Nicholls presents the necessary information, but in a creative way: by accompanying the facts with poems and prose pieces placed on pages decorated with Nicholls’ own art. “I present the single species in a biological light, but also with a spiritual side and an artistic side,” Nicholls said. Nicholls began the writing process the same way any other author does: with an idea. In January 2012, Dr. Jaws set out with his mission and spent the next full year researching, writing, creating and editing his work. By January 2013, Nicholls had successfully assembled and arranged his creation onto a PDF file ready for submission. Next came a whole new kind of research: navigating the publishing industry. And no better place to start than the internet. Nicholls spent the next four months scouring the web, deciding everything from whether to self-publish or submit to a publishing house, to whether to go with an agent or venture out unrepresented. In the end, he chose to submit unsolicited and packaged up his brainchild, sending it to six publishers. Among those was Deep Sea Publishing. Deep Sea Publishing is a publishing company in Herndon, Va. that specializes in general fiction, children’s stories, young adult and teen novels, art and photography and technical references. Of Nicholls’ six submissions, Deep Sea proved to be the perfect fit. After Deep Sea communicated its
interest in his manuscript, Nicholls began the real work: editing, a process Nicholls described as fun due largely to the good match he found with the publishers at Deep Sea. “I really found a perfect fit with my publisher,” Nicholls said, “It just really felt like a collaborative effort between us, which made the whole process very enjoyable.” Today, Nicholls proudly displays a tangible copy of “Carcharhinus obscurus,” adorned with an illustration of the dusky shark by Dr. Jaws himself. “This has been my favorite part of the process,” Nicholls said, motioning to his book. “That is me on paper, the whole thing. I’m inherently proud of it because it has gotten to the point where it’s tangible now, and it is something that I will always be able to look back on.” For now, “Carcharhinus obscurus” is available online through Deep Sea, Amazon and Barnes and Noble, with hopes to break into the aquarium marketplace as an educational resource. As for Dr. Jaws, he is currently busy with research for his follow-up book. As Nicholls’ time at the College comes to a close and Dr. Jaws prepares to enter the real world, he advises remaining students to stay passionate about what they truly love. “In going through college, the whole goal is to learn inside and outside of the classroom,” Nicholls said. “The time spent here is a golden opportunity: Be mindful of what you want to be, be mindful in all of your choices, and never give up on yourself.”
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of? Three little words that can be excessive or spot-on, depending on who you’re talking to
Joseph Scholle
Behind Closed Doors columnist
I love you. I love my girlfriend. I love my mom. I love my teammates. I love my dog. I love apple pie. All of these statements are true, but romantic love is different than the “love” we throw around in casual conversation. I want to play fetch with my dog, but I have no desire to take him out to a fancy restaurant, spend a lot of money on a nice steak, and give him a kiss goodnight. I’m sure all of you are smart, attractive people who have wonderful taste in newspaper columns, but I
don’t know you that well. I wouldn’t want to rush into anything. Clearly, the word love can mean a wide variety of things; It makes sense that saying “I love you” can create awkwardness and confusion. This inexactitude mixed with a dash of commitmentphobia means that, while some couples go years without saying a simple three-word phrase, others use it as a goodbye on the first date. I say “love” a lot, both to my girlfriend and to others. In case some of you think I am overeager, let me explain my reasoning: When I say “I love you,” I mean it in two distinct ways. The first is the common one, synonymous with saying “I really, really, really like you.” This is well and good. The definition I like best comes from MerriamWebster: “unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.” If I tell my girlfriend that I love her, I am confirming my decision to work toward her happiness. This is distinct
from saying “I like you” and is focused on the positive emotions and affection that my girlfriend elicits from me. It is an affirmation of her good qualities because those are what draw me to her. I say “I love you” instead of “I like you” because I desperately want her to be happy, even if it requires sacrifice on my part. I can be bad at this; I can a selfish jerk, but the point is that I am trying. When I tell my girlfriend that I love her, I am reminded of two things. I recall her cool attributes and wonderful personality and my decision to bring about her good as much as I can. How can I possibly think all of that in the 0.67 seconds it takes to say “I love you?” I can’t, but I do think about these things often. I can say “I love you” with the same confidence that I say it takes a ball 0.45 seconds to fall one meter on Earth. I’m not doing all the calculations in my head again, but I know the answer. (I’m a physics major, and I
apologize if I gave anyone flashbacks.) “I love you” is a scary thing for a lot of people to say because it implies a level of commitment that might not yet be present in the relationship. Some of my friends have waited months before saying it because they wanted to be sure it was true. I would not wait that long to say anything, but that is a matter of preference. Sometimes breaking out the four-letter “L word” will put undue seriousness and strain on you and your partner. You probably shouldn’t break out the love sonnets if the commitment hasn’t reached that level — just wait until the time is right. Wait until you feel and think that you love someone. Then start memorizing some Shakespeare. I’m just kidding about the Bard. Don’t do that. Unless your significant other is an English major. Joseph Scholle is a Behind Closed Doors columnist and deeply regrets rushing into things and confessing his love for you so hastily.
Page 7 Friday, September 20, 2013
The Flat Hat
Page 7
Ready, set
Scene
Directors, actors and writers collaborate in hectic 24-hour “crisis theatre” festival
BY TUCKER HIGGINS THE FLAT HAT
Saturday night, John Kean ’16 — a six feet, four inch former cattle farmer who owns nine pairs of suspenders and has what he calls “big, gangly arms you can do anything with” — became a firsttime playwright. The next day, history enthusiast Emma Bresnan ’17, clad in full eighteenth-century garb and carrying a mandolin, asked: “Why don’t we do naked yoga on the front porch?” Who are these people? They were participants in this year’s 24-Hour Play Festival, a theatrical charity event that involves little preparation and even less sleep. The festival is the frenetic byproduct of exhaustion and creative rush, a sprint-style theatrical hodge-podge that falls somewhere between improvisational comedy and scripted drama. Put on by the Alpha Psi Omega National Theater Honor Society, the event began Saturday at 8 p.m. and culminated in a series of eight plays put on 24 hours later. In voluntary ticket sales, it raised $230 for Clowns Without Borders, a non-profit founded by alumnus Tim Cunningham ’00 and dedicated to bringing comedy to those suffering in conflict zones and refugee camps across the world. “24-Hour is about so much more than the plays,” said Cris Ruthenberg-Marshall ’14, the vice
president of APO. Instead, the so-called “guerilla theater” festival is about its characters: both those it creates and those who create it. This year, the group comprised eight playwrights, eight directors, and 33 actors, who met for the first time Saturday night for an onerous two-hour tryout session. Based primarily on fastpaced improvisational games, the intensity of tryouts belies one of the key tenets of the show: Everybody who tries out is cast. This meant that, instead of deciding whom to cut, directors and playwrights were left to an intense bidding war arbitrated by APO president Kevin Place ’14. After each team submitted its top four picks, Place used a white board to assign actors and manage trades. The later rounds of bidding were known to prompt a few outbursts, particularly from the directors. “He’s our main character,” Director Hilary Adams ’14 said, after one of her prospective leads was snapped up. Place calmly maintained order throughout the casting melee and Adams hastily returned to flipping through her notes on the actors’ performances. After 30 minutes, most actors and playwrights seemed satisfied. The teams were set. Directors said goodbye and left for the night; their jobs wouldn’t start for another ten hours. For playwrights, however, the night had just begun. “I just need to let ideas bounce around my head,” returning playwright Sara Rock ’14 said, before beginning her manuscript.
Kevin Xu ’17, writing for the first time, explained that he expected his play to be about an embarrassing incident from his sophomore year of high school. Others took a more cosmic approach. Playwright Shaan Sharma ’15 — who eventually finished his play despite falling asleep at his keyboard — said that he went home “to go ask the universe for inspiration.” The next day, participants could be heard in every nook of Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall. Actors and directors had arrived early — most by 9 a.m. — to receive the scripts that had been written for them. “We had only a couple of hours to memorize our lines,” Kean said. “It’s not fair.” Director John Ponder White ’15 had a simple reply for the actor. “A lot’s not fair in theatre,” Ponder White said. By 2 p.m., Kean and the rest of Ponder White’s group were rehearsing sans scripts. At the same time, the group performing “Penny Man” by Lucy Fiol ’14 was coping with having lost a cast member thirty minutes earlier. Director Eliot Bacon ’17 opened his inbox at 1:30 p.m. to find an email informing him that one of his actors had too much work to do that day. “It’s a testament to 24-Hour that we didn’t burn down the building,” Bacon said. Instead, Fiol was called back in — on no sleep — to adapt her comedy for a three-member cast. Among all the words spoken at the festival, “crisis” was probably the most common, closely followed by “resolved.” Things were brighter in another part of PBK. On the balcony, Isabel DoCampo ’16 could be heard singing. Her group, performing “An Elegy for Charmington DeRue” by Coleen Herbert ’14, was practicing next to a table that served as a sort of theatrical campground, similar to the seven other colonies springing up around the building. On the table lay Altoids, scripts, chopsticks, tape,
an empty dry cleaning bag and copious amounts of trail mix. While discussing Herbert’s play, which includes imagined references to The Great Rat Fire of 1947 (wherein “a herd of rats self-immolated”) and the origins of Pubic Wine (from the apocryphal Pubic region of Virginia; to be served with CheezIt crackers), director Joseph Biagini ’16 explained to his actors that the fundamental principles of directing theory still held, even under the strict time constraints. “Try to be normal in some crazy world, not crazy in this world,” Biagini said. On the bottom floor, a group directed by Tyler Bell ’16 was working through what it meant to be human. In a comedy by Ryan Warsing ’14 called “Table for 2.0,” Nelson, an anti-social robot played by Scott Vierick ’15, goes speed dating with three eccentric women who teach him about religion, art and love. “The three things that humans have opposed to statues, animals and robots,” Warsing said, referring to religion, art and love. “It’s a Pinocchio story.” As Nelson learns what it means to be human, he touches on many of the themes that surround the philanthropic side of 24-Hour. “People need food and water, but they also have psychosocial needs, and we can’t forget that,” said Ruthenberg-Marshall, explaining why the group chose to donate to Clowns Without Borders. On his third date, Nelson is asked why he would risk “disobeying [his] protocol” and getting caught just to meet people he doesn’t know and learn about subjects that he, as a robot, cannot possibly ever hope to understand. “That’s what living is,” he said. “That’s what we do. That’s what humans do.” Later that night, the smiles flashing onstage and the uproarious laughter bellowing throughout the auditorium proved that, in addition to religion, art and love, humans may also do comedy.
Turn up the Enya
Rec Center, local studios help students relieve stress with yoga
BY DEVON IVIE FLAT HAT ASSOC. VARIETY EDITOR
There’s a revolution coming to the College of William and Mary, arriving in the form of brightly colored Lululemon mats and groove pants. Yoga, one of the world’s most popular activities for exercising the mind, body and soul, is greatly increasing its presence at the College. Known for its vast physical and mental benefits, the ancient Indian practice has been lauded for the immediate gratifications and lasting transformations it provides to its participants. There are an abundance of on-campus options to suit every level and schedule. Morning and evening classes are offered at the Student Recreation Center, the College’s official Yoga Club practices on a weekly basis, and two one-credit yoga classes are currently being offered for the fall semester in the department of kinesiology and health sciences. Many local yoga studios in Williamsburg, such as the nearby Body Balance on Prince George Street, offer daily classes as well, including those of the “hot yoga” variety. Practicing students can rent out the squash courts in the Rec Center for a private and individualized yoga experience, or even soak up some rays while practicing their
“downward dog” on the Sunken Garden. The Rec Center offers eight yoga classes of varying rigor every week, each of which are almost always filled to capacity. Other yoga-based classes, such as yogilates, are also available and equally well attended. There are no prerequisites to attend a class, except for the required purchase of a “Fitwell Pass,” which grants a student or faculty member unlimited access to all scheduled Rec Center classes. The cost for students is $45 per semester or $75 for the academic year. Yoga mats, blocks and straps are provided at no additional cost. Sarah Prowitt ’14, who teaches both regular and “power” yoga classes, praised the Rec Center for its naturally inclusive community. “The William and Mary yoga culture is special because you have teachers who work because they love the community,” Prowitt said. “The Campus Recreation department does a wonderful job of promoting wellness and how you feel about your body rather than promoting a one-size-for-all agenda. Yoga is for everybody, and we want you to take time and honor your body by practicing yoga … while classes can be very physically challenging, they can also help to recharge and refresh your mind.” Prowitt also took time to address some common rumors that plague the yoga culture. Flexibility is not essential for first-time students.
“You get more flexible by coming to yoga,” Prowitt said. There are many different yogic philosophies and schools, rendering a stereotypical instructor or class invalid. Although consistent practice results in physical strength, most notably in arm, leg and core muscles, yoga has also been notably regarded as a major source of mental health recovery and restoration, particularly in anxiety and depression. Patricia K. Charles, a faculty member in the department of kinesiology and health sciences and current instructor of the one-credit yoga classes, noted the vast increase of research and studies throughout the country, most recently at Boston University’s School of Medicine and UCLA, that verify the positive psychological benefits of yoga. Both studies reported significant decreases in anxiety and depression in people after yoga sessions. Charles also noted yoga’s increasing presence in college communities, such as the University of Virginia’s reception of a $10 million grant to build a yoga center. “It is a very exciting time to be teaching yoga,” Charles said. Still can’t make it to a mat? “Working with the breath is a simple yet effective method for dealing with stress, distress or anxiety,” Charles said. “If you can breathe, you can practice yoga.”
sports
Sports Editor Jack Powers Sports Editor Chris Weber flathatsports@gmail.com
The Flat Hat | Friday, September 20, 2013 | Page 8
WOMEN’S SOCCER
College shines in
over time 2
william and mary tribe
1
Radford highlanders
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Senior forward Dani Rutter fired the golden goal past Radford’s goalkeeper in the 97th minute to break the tie and send the College to its third win of the season.
College bests Radford in overtime after dominating shot total BY MICK SLOAN FLAT HAT ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Senior forward Dani Rutter sent in the winning shot Tuesday.
William and Mary grabbed its third win of the season Tuesday night, dropping Radford 2-1 in a nail-biter at Martin Family Stadium. The College fell behind early in the match before rallying after halftime and finishing off the tenacious Highlanders in overtime. The Tribe (3-1-2) dominated possession for almost the entire game, firing a staggering 38 shots in 97 minutes, placing 11 on goal. The Tribe allowed just two shots on target and held Radford scoreless for 93 consecutive minutes. “We were the better team basically for … however many minutes it was,” head coach John Daly said, “It’s a shame that we had to go to overtime to do it, but all’s well that ends well.” Radford struck four minutes into the contest, when forward Melanie Priestly corralled the ball off of a blocked shot and fired a strike past sophomore goalie Caroline Casey to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.
The College controlled the ball for most of the first half, logging a striking 18-3 advantage in shots. Despite the possession imbalance, the Tribe lost several promising opportunities to errant passes, a physical Radford defense and a superb first half by Highlander goalie Che Brown. Brown had four saves before intermission and broke up several other College scoring chances. Despite facing excellent defense, the Tribe nearly tied the game multiple times in the opening 45 minutes. A Tribe corner kick in the 14th minute set up two shots that nearly found the net, but Radford defenders deftly blocked each just short of success. A second particularly near-miss came in the 38th minute, when senior forward Dani Rutter ripped a shot from the right side of the box. The strike looped past the defenders before ricocheting off the left corner of the crossbar. Eventually, the College was forced into halftime trailing 1-0. The Tribe’s shooting onslaught continued in the second half, and
the team broke through in the 48th minute when sophomore forward Barbara Platenburg took a precise crossing pass from Rutter and hammered home a shot to equalize the score at 1-1. After missing nine clear chances in the first half, the goal provided hope that the College offense was kicking into gear. The Tribe held Radford to just four shots in the second half, and only twice did the visitors threaten to score. Both shots were sharply deflected by senior defender Ali Heck to keep Radford scoreless for the half. The College, by contrast, tested the Radford defense for the rest of the night. The closest chance came in the 78th minute when junior forward Emory Camper’s blazing shot from just outside the penalty box hit the crossbar. Rutter also came close to scoring just four minutes later, but Brown saved her attempt. “It’s definitely frustrating when we’re getting that many opportunities in the final third of the game … but it motivates us to keep shooting and gets us pumped up,” Platenburg said.
After regulation time elapsed with the score still tied 1-1, the Tribe entered its fourth overtime contest in six games. The College continued to dominate play in the extra period, preventing Radford from attempting a single shot while firing four of its own. After several minutes of tense play, the Tribe finally caught a break in the 97th minute, when Platenburg broke free of her defender and zipped a pass to Rutter just right of the net. The senior did not hesitate to send the go-ahead goal into the opposite corner of the net, ending the match and giving the Tribe another win. “Our season has had a lot of ties and a lot of overtimes, so to win a golden goal … definitely gives us motivation,” Rutter said. The win extends the Tribe’s unbeaten streak to five games, dating back to its opening loss at Georgetown. The squad will put that streak on the line when it hosts Pennsylvania at 7 p.m. Friday.
FOOTBALL
College set to open CAA schedule
Rhode Island visits Zable as Tribe looks for third-straight victory BY CHRIS WEBER FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR In just its fourth game of the season, William and Mary has the chance to overtake its win total from last year. The Tribe will begin its Colonial Athletic Association schedule Saturday, hosting Rhode Island at Zable Stadium. For head coach Jimmye Laycock, the timing couldn’t be better. Laycock and Offensive Coordinator Kevin Rogers have the offense humming. The College (2-1, 0-0 CAA) has scored more than 30 points in each of its last two games, both of which were overwhelming wins. Senior quarterback Michael Graham, prone to turnovers in the past, has yet to lose the ball since an interception late in the season opener at West Virginia. Graham has played consistently so far this year, but he hasn’t shown any big-play ability outside of a few long throws and a 55yard scamper a week ago against Lafayette. With the running game averaging 208 yards a game, however, Graham hasn’t needed to be spectacular. A trio of Tribe backs — sophomore Mikal Abdul-Saboor, redshirt freshman Kendell Anderson and junior Keith McBride — have combined to run for 5.3 yards per carry. Defensive Coordinator Scott Boone’s side has been equally effective. Led by senior safety Jerome Couplin and sophomore middle linebacker Luke Rhodes, the Tribe has allowed only 37 points through the first three games. Averaging 12.3 points allowed per game, the College ranks eighth nationally in scoring defense. Thanks in part to a defensive line led by senior lineman George Beerhalter, the College
ranks second in the nation in third down conversion percentage, allowing offensive conversions just 23.3 percent of the time. As the College leaves non-conference play and enters its CAA schedule, junior wide out Sean Ballard is focusing more on momentum than on the game itself. “We started off with a tough opponent in West Virginia; then the last two weeks we came out with a win — much needed wins. Now we’re looking to keep that momentum going,” Ballard told Tribe Athletics. “The CAA is looking tough … and we’re looking to start off the CAA schedule strong.” Rhode Island (1-2, 1-1 CAA), winless alltime at Zable Stadium, enters the game a week after breaking a 15-game losing streak. The Rams beat Albany 19-13 in overtime for the program’s first win since its 2011 win over the Tribe. “We know they’re going to be a very physical team. They’re always well coached, they play hard, and this should be a big test for us,” Laycock told Tribe Athletics. Graham and company face Rhode Island linebacker Andrew Bose, fresh off a 17-tackle performance that garnered him the CAA Defensive Player of the Week and FCS National Defensive Player of the Week from Sports Network. Overall, however, the Rams’ defense has struggled, allowing 29.3 points a game. Defensively, Couplin and the secondary will contend with Rhode Island’s versatile senior quarterback, Bob Bentsen, whose 59.7 completion percentage is first in the Rams’ program history. When Bentsen isn’t in the pocket, he will be rushing the ball to break another Rhode Island record. Bentsen needs just six rushing yards
to top 500 yards for his career, which would make him the only quarterback in Ram history to rank in the school’s top-10 in passing and rushing yardage. For Laycock, the game is another chance to grab a win at home. “It’s always great to be back here at home, and have our fans and our students and everyone out there. It should be an exciting night,” Laycock told Tribe Athletics. Saturday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Zable Stadium.
COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
Junior wide receiver Sean Ballard caught 177 yards.