The Commonwealth Times; April 30, 2012

BRIEFS

On the cover:

Local & VCU National & International

31 shot in April in Richmond

More people have been shot in Richmond this month than in any month in at least five years, which authorities attribute in part to several violent robberies and a pair of ruthless men believed responsible for at least three shootings – and one of those men is still at large.

Thirty-one people have been shot this month in the city, five fatally. That surpasses the 30 shootings in April 2010, although that month remains the city's deadliest since at least 2007, with nine homicides.

At least nine of this month's shootings occurred during robberies. Accidental shootings and suicides are not included in the totals.

Speaking about this month's high number of shootings, law enforcement officials note that April is usually a bad month. Since early 2007, more people were shot in April on average than in any other month, authorities said. Authorities said many factors could explain why April typically sees a high number of shootings, including warmer weather.

"Things come alive in the spring, even violent criminals," said Richmond Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Michael E. Hollomon, who handles many of the city's shootings, stabbings and other brutal attacks.

Despite the high number of shootings this month, Hollomon pointed out that February and March saw eight and nine shootings, respectively. Those are the only two consecutive months to have single-digit totals since at least early 2007.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Salahi says campaign in 'beginning phase'

White House party-crasher Tareq Salahi said Friday that his bid for the Republican nomination for governor is "very serious" but added his campaign is "still in the beginning phase" when pressed on specific details.

Salahi was interviewed on CNN and said, among other points, that he would be open to exploring the privatization of Virginia's ABC stores and helping tobacco farmers convert their operations to vineyards.

"I'm very focused on winning this race," he said.

Salahi is the socialite and former vineyard owner who, along with his then-wife Michaele, crashed a White House state dinner in 2009, earning a spot on a reality television show.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who has also announced he is seeking the nomination, recently sued Salahi for allegedly cheating customers who bought wine tours from his Northern Virginia company.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Va. Supreme Court reinstates Morrissey's law license

In a 4-3 decision Friday, the Virginia Supreme Court reinstated the law license of Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, in a two-paragraph order.

The Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board unanimously recommended against Morrissey's petition to the high court for reinstatement. Still, a majority of the court ruled he could get his license back provided he met certain requirements.

Among those was passing the written portion of the bar exam, which he did in February, as noted in Friday's order.

Morrissey, a former Richmond commonwealth's attorney and a state legislator since January 2008, lost his license in 2003 for failing to notify clients that his license had been suspended in 2000.

Brief by Richmond Times-Dispatch

U.S. won't pursue charges in border agent shooting

Federal prosecutors said Friday there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges against a U.S. Border Patrol agent in the shooting death of a 15-year-old Mexican national in 2010.

The agent didn't act inconsistently with Border Patrol policy or training regarding the use of force in the death of Sergio Hernandez-Guereca, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement announcing the decision, which was quickly denounced by the Mexican government.

U.S. authorities have said the agent shot Hernandez while trying to arrest illegal immigrants crossing the Rio Grande on June 7, 2010. Some witnesses said people on the Mexican side of the river, including Hernandez, were throwing rocks at the agent. Border agents are generally allowed to use lethal force against rock throwers.

The shooting occurred under one of the border bridges in El Paso, and it was recorded by an eyewitness with a cellphone.

The Mexican government issued a statement saying it "profoundly regrets and expresses its strong opposition to the decision" and was considering its next step. Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Arturo Sarukhan had a similar reaction to the decision, tweeting: "Mexico strongly rejects it."

The U.S. Justice Department also concluded that no federal civil rights charges could be pursued, saying that "accident, mistake, misperception, negligence and bad judgment were not sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation."

Brief by the Associated Press

Obama releases $147M in aid to Palestinians

American aid officials said Saturday they will restore development programs for Palestinians after President Barack Obama ended a six-month funding freeze that shut down the local Sesame Street and other projects.

An official with the U.S. Agency for International Development confirmed that $147 million, which pays for infrastructure, education, humanitarian aid and health projects, had been restored.

But the official could not say specifically whether Palestinian Sesame Street would resume.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

In October, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla, froze $192 million earmarked for assistance to Palestinians as a penalty for their United Nations membership bid in September.

The Palestinians attempted to gain international recognition via admittance to the United Nations, but they did not muster enough support.

Obama announced Wednesday he would override Congress and waive restrictions on all the remaining funds. He explained the move as in the "national security interests of the United States."

Brief by the Associated Press

China and Russia sign contracts worth $15 billion

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang has announced the signing of contracts between China and Russia worth a total of $15 billion.

Speaking at a trade and investment forum in Moscow attended by hundreds of Chinese businessmen, Li said he and one of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's top deputies had witnessed the signing of contracts for "transport, energy, communications, high technology and investment projects."

Among the specific projects named, he said Russia and China were considering the joint design of a wide-body longdistance passenger plane.

Brief by the Associated Press

AdAm Stern executive editor editor@commonwealthtimes.org 703-965-9811

mel KOBrAn managing editor managing@commonwealthtimes.org

mechelle hAnKerSOn news editor news@commonwealthtimes.org

JIm SWInG Sports editor sports@commonwealthtimes.org

nIcK BOnAdIeS Spectrum editor spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org

ShAne WAde Opinion editor opinion@commonwealthtimes.org

chrIS cOnWAy Photography editor conwayc@vcu.edu

emmA Breeden copy editor breedenep@vcu.edu

mArleIGh culver Graphic designer commonwealthtimesgraphics@gmail.com

yInG chenG Graphic designer commonwealthtimesgraphics@gmail.com

hunter nye Graphic designer commonwealthtimesgraphics@gmail.com

hAnnAh SWAnn Graphic designer commonwealthtimesgraphics@gmail.com

ShAnnOn lInfOrd Webmaster ctonline@commonwealthtimes.org

Andy KArStetter multimedia editor karstetterma@vcu.edu

JAcOB mcfAdden Advertising manager ctadvertising@gmail.com 804-828-6629

nelSOn W. JOhnSOn Associate Advertising representative ctadvertising@gmail.com 804-828-6629

Peter PAGAn and JOhn mcWhOrter Advertising Graphics Specialists ctadvertising@gmail.com 804-828-6629

GreG WeAtherfOrd Student media director goweatherfor@vcu.edu, 827-1975

lAuren KAtchuK Business manager 827-1642

mArK JeffrIeS Production manager mjeffriesvcu@gmail.com

The Commonwealth Times strives to be accurate in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please call Executive Editor Adam Stern at 828-6516 or e-mail him at editor@commonwealthtimes.org. Corrections will appear on the Opinion page.

Limit one CT per person. Additional copies may be purchased through the Student Media Center for $1 a copy.

817 W. Broad St., P.O. Box 842010

Richmond, VA 23284-2010

SMC STAFF

Kyle Busch celebrates after winning the Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night.

Photo by Chris Conway

NEWS

In this section:

Capital Semester program helps state legislators • 5 Local women rally against ‘War on Women’ • 6

VCU hosts first Lavender Graduation

Mark Robinson

Assistant News Editor

Forty seniors will don rainbow tassels on their caps to self-identify as members of the LGBTQ community at May commencement after participating in the first Lavender Graduation at VCU.

All graduating students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or queer were invited to participate in the inaugural ceremony. The event served as a precursor to the official commencement ceremony, but was not meant to replace it, organizers said.

The 40 students who participated in the ceremony were honored for their achievements as students at VCU and given their rainbow tassels.

Amber McNeal, a freshman member

of QueerAction at VCU, helped organize the ceremony. She acknowledges the possibility of judgment of the graduates for wearing the tassels, but said it’s nothing they haven't faced before.

“There’s a bigger issue if people are going to be targeted because they are expressing their identity and sexual orientation,” McNeal said. “That just points at a larger problem.”

More than 100 guests attended the Lavender Graduation held at Scott House on the 900 block of West Franklin Street on Friday night. Leticia Flores, Ph.D., director of the VCU Center for Psychological Services and Development, said the ceremony is a show of solidarity from the VCU LGBTQ community.

“It’s very much done in the spirit of

solidarity and celebration,” Flores said. “We’re all just very happy to be able celebrate these individuals as they finish their college of graduate school careers.

In the long run, the Lavender Graduation will serve a greater purpose, Flores said.

“It allows everyone in the VCU community to identify and see this as a really great thing so that in the future, there’s no greater consideration of sexual orientation or gender identity as (there is about what major you’re in,” Flores said. “It’s just another part of the individual’s life that we celebrate.”

The first Lavender Graduation was held at the University of Michigan in 1995. The tradition has since spread to schools across the country, including Virginia Tech.

The color lavender is used for the ceremony because of its importance in LGBTQ history. Lavender is a combination of the pink triangle gay men were forced to wear and the black triangle used to mark lesbians as political prisoners in Nazi Germany.

VCU Lavender Graduation was sponsored by the VCU Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, VCU Office of the Provost, VCU and MCV Alumni Associations, VCU Committee for Equity and Diversity and the LGBT Subcommittee, QueerAction, MCV Health Collective and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. CT

TOP LEFT: Leticia Flores and Liz Canfield are emotional as they welcome the attendees of the first annual Lavender Graduation this past Friday. TOP RIGHT: Beverly Warren, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs congratulates Marianna Campano on the reception of her cords. BOTTOM LEFT: The students and their families celebrated at the reception immediately following the ceremony. BOTTOM RIGHT: A variety of friends and family came in support of their peers being honored at the Lavender Graduation.

Timeline:

Mark Robinson Assistant News Editor

FEB. 22

Accused drunken driver to attend court for manslaughter charges

At approximately 12:37 a.m., a Richmond Police officer witnesses a Mazda 6 run a red light at the intersection of Second and East Canal streets. The Mazda T-bones a Toyota Yaris; the Yaris spins into a nearby building after the collision.

VCU sophomore Carolina Perez is in the backseat of the Yaris at the point of impact. She is taken to VCU Medical Center, but dies a few hours later from her injuries.

VCU students Gabrielle Atkins and

FEB. 24

Gabrielle Atkins and Jan Garcia are released from MCV. Atkins suffered two broken ribs, a bruised lung, liver and kidney. The whiplash from the crash fractured a vertebrate in Garcia’s neck. Both are expected to make a full recovery.

FEB. 25

Family and friends gather at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Virginia Beach for Carolina Perez’s funeral. More than 420 people attend, including about 40 VCU students. The university provides free transportation to the noon mass.

MAR. 22

Prosecutors raise Chahal’s charge from involuntary manslaughter to aggravated involuntary manslaughter at a hearing in Richmond Circuit Court. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors drop Chahal’s lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence and refusal

APR. 18

Mourners gather in the Commons Plaza to establish “Carolina’s Pledge,” a denouncement of drunken driving in the VCU community.

Students who knew Perez share their memories and admonitions with a crowd of about 60 people.

“Tonight is a reminder that drunk driving does not just come down to statistics,” Elise Isom said.

“Carolina was a real person. She had a real family. She has real friends. She had a real life. It was interrupted by a careless, reckless act that could have been prevented,” Isom said.

Jan Garcia are pulled from the Yaris. Both are taken to MCV for injuries that aren’t life threatening.

Varinder Chahal, a senior accounting major at VCU is the accused driver of the Mazda that collided with the Yaris. He is charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence and refusal to submit to blood and breath tests.

Neither Chahal nor any of the four other passengers in his car are injured in the crash.

FEB. 27

Chahal’s bail is set at $25,000 at the Richmond General District Court with the intent to allow him to finish his degree at VCU. Chahal surrenders his passport and driver’s license.

A university spokesperson confirms his enrollment at VCU but cannot confirm whether he will return to VCU to finish the semester.

to submit to a breath or blood test. Ed Riley, Chahal’s attorney, said he plans to contest the charge.

“We’ll see how the case develops, how the evidence plays out,” Riley said. “At this point, we’re looking at the charges, and we’re going to see what the government can prove.”

MAY 2

Chahal hearing scheduled Wednesday. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for his role in the drunken driving crash that killed Perez.

Legislative internship program is a capital idea

Ashley McLeod Capital News Service

At this year’s legislative session, 29 college students from across the state took part in Virginia Capital Semester, an internship program run by VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. The students interned with members of the General Assembly, watching and even shaping how laws are made.

The Wilder School developed the program 10 years ago with the goal of pairing students with members of the House and Senate.

“The goal is to give top students around the commonwealth the opportunity to gain extremely valuable handson experience at the Capitol,” said Jen Thompson, director of the Capital Semester program.

Students are not the only beneficiaries; legislators benefit, too. Interns perform various jobs for them, such as handling constituent inquiries, writing newsletters, tracking legislation,

never experience. Of all the things he learned, the most important had nothing to do with legislation or politics.

“All of the bluster and posturing that you see on the floor of the House is well and good, but behind the scenes, it isn’t party affiliation that makes people like or dislike you – it’s you,” Tindall said. “Republican or Democrat, in the end we’re all working towards what we see as the best path for Virginia. And even when we disagree, we’d do well to remember that.”

Capital Semester interns also take a three-credit course taught by Bill Leighty, former chief of staff to Govs. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

“We talk about the various barriers to bills becoming law, the various processes that have to be accomplished in order for a bill to become law,” Leighty said.

“We talk about the politics of the bills and essentially teach the student how they can avoid the traps that befall most bills that are out there.”

The seminar brings in guests such as House Speaker William Howell, leaders

meeting with lobbyists and attending committee hearings.

“It really is a service to the legislators, who need really excellent and strong help during the course of the session,” Thompson said.

Paul Tindall, a political science major at VCU, was one of the students chosen to participate in Capital Semester this session. Interning with Delegate Bob Brink of Arlington, Tindall handled communications in the lawmaker’s office – from writing blog posts and drafting the delegate’s weekly YouTube script to meeting with lobbyists and constituents.

“It allowed me to get my foot in the door of Virginia politics, meet the people I need to know – but more personally, it allowed me to focus in on what I wanted to do post-grad,” Tindall said.

Tindall said he could access the legislative process in a way most citizens

from both political parties, lobbyists and news reporters.

Students see how legislators work together despite political differences.

“An important aspect most students take away from the class is how congenial the members actually are with one another, which doesn’t come across in the newspaper, as well as the professionalism and the very critical role that lobbyists play in the legislative process,” Leighty said.

Capital Semester invites legislators to volunteer to have an intern. According to Thompson, there are always more legislators wanting interns than there are students in the program. Students and legislators are paired based on their interests, goals and party affiliation.

Although the program is sponsored by VCU and academic credit is granted by VCU, students from all universities and majors are invited to apply. CT

“It really is a service to the legislators, who need really excellent and strong help during the course of the session.”

Rally focuses on importance of voting to protect women's rights

Mechelle Hankerson News Editor

The importance of voting in local and state elections was brought to some Virginians' attention this past weekend during the “Unite Against the War on Women” rally at Festival Park.

State politicians and women's rights advocates gathered for the nationwide event to address issues related to women's rights.

The nationwide event focuses on issues that affect all women, including wage gaps, but Virginia's rally took time to focus on the General Assembly's efforts during the recently ended session to curb women's access to reproductive care.

Virginia Delegate Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, like most of the day's other speakers, stressed the importance of voting now that the General Assembly session was over.

“The 2012 General Assembly session was brought to you by those folks that stayed home (and didn't vote),” she told the crowd. “In Virginia, every election matters and has consequences.”

Speakers, which included delegates Kaye Kory, D-Falls Church, and Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, as well as former independent delegate Katherine Waddell (who served in the House of Delegates from 2006 to 2008) all made note of the majority Republican legislature this year and the laws that came out of it.

“

(These Republicans) have moved further and further to the right, and now I think it's time to move them right on out the door,” Waddell said to the crowd.

This year Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, proposed the controversial House Bill 1, which would have defined a fetus as a person. The bill was tabled for the year.

Speakers also referenced House Bills 62 and 462.

While HB 62 (which would have decreased aid for low-income women who sought an abortion for a child known to

have an incapacitating disability before birth) was passed by indefinitely for the session, HB 462 was amended and then signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

HB 462, introduced by Kathy Byron, R-Lynchburg, originally required any woman seeking an abortion in the state to have a trans-vaginal ultrasound.

McDonnell asked for the bill to be amended to remove the provision for the trans-vaginal procedure. The legislature obliged but the bill still required an ultrasound prior to an abortion.

McDonnell signed the bill into law on March 7.

Both House Bills 1 and 462 received national attention from political commentator Rachel Maddow and political comedian Jon Stewart.

“We did fight back and defeat (the personhood bill) this year (and) we did defeat HB 62...,” McClellan said. “We did that because people like you came ... and told their stories ... (and) people started to realize that you all matter, your stories matter, and they have the power to change a vote.”

Most speakers implored attendants to vote in the upcoming Senate election in November and made sure to point out Democratic Senate candidate and former governor of Virginia Tim Kaine's presence at the rally.

“I was so so discouraged with the General Assembly session this year and with the decision of the legislature to instead of focus on the issues they needed to focus on, do really patronizing and insulting things to suggest they knew how to make others' moral choices for them,” Kaine said.

Speakers made sure to mention that women make up 51 percent of the world's population and assured women's rights advocates that they can make a difference in their government.

“We need you to help us find candidates who get it,” McClellan told the crowd. “We need you to come out and vote for these candidates, and we need you to hold them accountable when they don't do what is right.” CT

Women from around the state gathered at Festival Park for the nationwide “Unite Against the War on Women” event.

ABOVE: Women's groups from around the state, including Charlottesville and Virginia Beach, rallied for the nationwide "Unite Against the War on Women." TOP RIGHT: Former Gov. Tim Kaine came out to the rally to show his support. Kaine is the current Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. BOTTOM RIGHT: Former delegate Katherine Waddell, I-Richmond, spoke about the General Assembly's action this past session, specifically in reference to House Bills 1 and 462, the controversial person and ultrasound bills.

SPORTS

In this section:

VCU sports’ Year in Review • 9 NASCAR in Richmond photo essay • 11

The new face of diversity in NASCAR

Quinn Casteel Assistant Sports Editor

It’s Friday afternoon at Richmond International Raceway, which for the weekend, is the center of the NASCAR world.

The Nationwide Series race, featuring the ultra-popular Danica Patrick and motocross hero Travis Pastrana in his first-ever event at the level, is only four hours away. Twenty-four hours later, the major leaguers of racing will hit the track for the Capital City 400, a Sprint Cup Series race.

Pit row, lined with haulers, is total chaos as golf carts and crew members pushing race cars meander through the narrow pathways, while fans with pit passes scurry around trying to spot their favorite drivers. Team officials duck in and out of trailers and event staff in yellow shirts watch everyone’s every move. The drivers themselves are visiting with their families or catching a final breath of relaxation before the night of racing begins. Others are preparing for the upcoming pole or signing autographs for fans. NASCAR legend-turned-team owner Richard Petty is sitting under a canopy outside his hauler taking it all in. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Darrell Wallace Jr. makes his way through the madness and strolls coolly up to the Joe Gibbs Racing hauler. He’s sporting a pair of dark sunglasses, an Oakley windbreaker, designer blue jeans and a sleek charcoal-colored watch. He’s of average build and doesn’t appear a day older than his age, but his demeanor is of someone who’s been in the sport for a couple decades.

Wallace, a developmental driver for Joe Gibbs’ team, is one of the racing world’s elite prospects. Before his 18th birthday he became one of eight drivers on a team with some of the sport’s biggest names in Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. He is racing full time in the K&N Pro Series East this season and already has six wins in his professional career, the first of which came when he was 16. In 2010, he earned the K&N East Rookie of the Year award, preceded by a dominant three years in the United Auto Racing Association.

When Wallace was 9 years old, his dad asked him if he wanted to try racing and he quickly became hooked for life. Even though he did get started at a young age, he explains that some people

would consider him behind the curve with many 5 and 6 year-olds even getting into the sport.

"I never really wanted to be a NASCAR driver," said Wallace. "I always played basketball before, and never had the inspiration to go out and do it ... My dad asked me if I wanted to try it, and I said 'Sure'. I never thought I'd be where I am today. We just went out and did it for fun, then started getting more and more serious and it paid off."

Wallace also happens to be black, which is a huge win for NASCAR as it attempts to diversify its sport and broaden its fan base. Wallace said he sees himself as an inspiration for African American children who want to get into NASCAR, but haven’t had any positive encouragement to do so.

“I believe (black children) are only interested in other sports because they don’t have anyone to look up to in NASCAR,” Wallace said. “They have M.J. in basketball and everybody in football; they want to be like them and do the things they do. There’s nobody in NASCAR just yet so that’s what I’m trying to do: become an idol.”

Wallace came up through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, which for the past eight years has actively been bringing non-white and female drivers into the sport. After decades of being almost entirely made up of Southern white men, NASCAR has been proactive in reaching out to other groups and is seeing some major results. In the K&N Pro Series race at Richmond on Thursday evening, there were five drivers from Mexico and three from Brazil. Wallace, who won his last race at Richmond International Raceway in 2011, finished 28th after his car spun out on the 102nd of 103 laps.

“You always want to go out and defend your title, so it was frustrating, but it’s racing,” he said. “I can’t say enough about Joe Gibbs Racing for putting me in that car this year.”

Wallace credits the Drive for Diversity program with drawing interest outside of the traditional white NASCAR audience, but he plans to accelerate that interest by winning some marquee races. He also said he is beginning to see a difference already in the NASCAR culture and is doing everything he can on a personal level to promote that change.

“Some people are already looking up to me,” Wallace said. “I ran a race down in Atlanta last year, and there was

a black kid right beside us; he was 8 or 9. Then, we went out there and won the race, and my dad came up to me and he was like, ‘Why don’t you give the trophy to that kid?’ So I signed the trophy, gave it to him, and he’s been a fan for life. Every time I see him he comes up to me, or I’ll go see him and see how he’s doing, so it’s cool to have little kids like that look up to you. It makes you feel like you’re on top of the world.”

Drivers like Wallace are exactly what NASCAR was looking for when it began Drive for Diversity in 2004, but despite the success of the program, there are factors outside the control of NASCAR that have held back the advancement of its diversity outreach. If you walk through the fan parking lot at Richmond International on race weekend, you’ll see a couple dozen RV’s and trailers flying Confederate flags. Some of those flags are hung alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 flags or No. 48 flags showing support for Jimmy Johnson, which could not be further from what NASCAR and the drivers themselves stand for.

Ignorant fans such as those are the vast minority, but because they put themselves in the forefront as some of the most passionate supporters of the sport, they often give NASCAR a bad name and detract potential fans.

That said, NASCAR’s relationship with the issue of diversity is endlessly complex, because although it has had problems with race, it is also the only major sport where women can com-

pete head-to-head with men. Patrick, who finished 21st on Friday night, is one of the sport’s most popular drivers despite never having won a race. And even though she, along with other female drivers, has drawn criticism from NASCAR ambassadors such as Petty, her achievements have done wonders for the sport.

For Wallace, achievement on the track will be the most important thing in his quest to become an inspiration for African American children across the country.

“Hopefully I’ll make it through the NASCAR ranks and the Cup ranks, performing well and doing anything I can to make them proud,” he said. “There’s no one there yet for them to look up to, but it’s definitely increasing.”

A 28th place finish on Thursday equates to a frustrating race weekend for Wallace, the rest of which will consist of fan interaction, meetings and cheering on his teammates. He knows though, that a rough night in Richmond is a mere speed bump in a career that has promise to be a transcendent one, on and off the track.

As a member of Joe Gibbs racing, with all the talent surrounding him, Wallace is in great position to achieve everything he wants to. And if his potential is anything close to what Gibbs and other great NASCAR minds see in him, Wallace may one day not only be a face of diversity in NASCAR, but an icon for the sport as a whole. CT

Darrell Wallace Jr. has won six professional races before the age of 20.

Photo by Chris Conway

VCU SPORTS a year in review

Jim Swing Sports Editor

The 2011-2012 sports year brought in another successful showing by VCU athletics. Below is a timeline of the year in which VCU sports gathered three CAA championships, including a second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament for the men’s basketball team.

Oct. 28, 2011: Men’s soccer performs on national television for the first time in VCU history, playing against High Point in the NSCAA College Game of the Week televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

Nov. 18-20, 2011: Volleyball defeats Towson and Northeastern in the CAA Tournament before falling to Delaware in a close 3-2 finals match.

Nov. 4-6, 2011: Women’s soccer defeats Northeastern 1-0 in the CAA Tournament semifinals before falling to host William & Mary 1-0 in a close overtime match in the tournament championship.

Dec. 9, 2011: Men’s basketball crushes cross-town rival Richmond 73-51 on ESPN2. Senior Bradford Burgess and sophomore Rob Brandenberg score 14 points apiece to lead the Rams.

Jan. 11 + Feb. 19: Women’s basket-

ball grabs the season sweep of crossstate rival Old Dominion.

March 8, 2012: Women’s basketball defeats William & Mary 78-69 in the first round of the CAA Tournament before eventually falling to Drexel in the semifinals a day later.

Jan. 21 + Feb. 11, 2012: Men’s basketball completes the season sweep of Old Dominion, defeating the Monarchs 61-48 at home and 68-64 in Norfolk.

Feb. 14, 2012: George Mason guard Sherrod Wright drains a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to defeat VCU men’s basketball 62-61 in Fairfax in what has been called one of the best college basketball games of the year.

Feb. 17, 2012: Men’s basketball takes out Northern Iowa 77-68 in the ESPN BracketBusters event.

Feb. 25, 2012: Men’s basketball exacts revenge on George Mason at the Siegel Center, defeating the Patriots 89-72 on ESPN2. It was also Senior Night for Bradford Burgess, who scored a career-high 31 points after several George Mason players came onto the court during his festivities.

March 3, 2012: Men’s basketball defeats Northeastern 75-65 in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals.

March 4, 2012: Men’s basketball

once again defeats George Mason in the CAA semifinals 74-64. The Rams jump out to a 30-4 lead to start the game.

March 5, 2012: Men’s basketball defeats Drexel 59-56 in the CAA Tournament Championship, earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It marks the men’s basketball team’s second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and second in three years under the guidance of head coach Shaka Smart.

March 15, 2012: Men’s basketball eliminates Wichita State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round, defeating the Shockers 62-59.

March 17, 2012: Men’s basketball falls to Indiana 63-61 in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32. Bradford Burgess leads the Rams with 15 points in his final game as a VCU Ram.

April 22, 2012: Men’s and women’s tennis both garner CAA Championships. CT

PHOTO ESSAY

Chris Conway Photography Editor

When NASCAR marketing emails the newspaper you work at offering full media access in exchange for coverage of the Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond, you don’t turn that down. Something must be said about the overall media relations of NASCAR because I have yet to experience people as helpful as they were.

I was excited heading into the weekend for a new challenge in an atmosphere that was completely new to me. As soon as I arrived at Richmond International Raceway on Friday, I knew I was in for a weekend of photo opportunities that I had never come close to experiencing.

Whether I was surrounded by pit crews scrambling to change four tires in 12 seconds or up in a photo stand with cars flying by at over 150 mph only feet away from me, the action was constant.

By the end of the night on Saturday, I had an endless list of reasons to love photographing the event. If encountering famous names such as Richard Petty or Travis Pastrana isn’t enough, or perhaps being showered with champagne as Kyle Busch celebrated his record-setting fourth win at the track, then simply being able to experience the atmosphere from a perspective few see is enough to ensure that I will be taking my next opportunity to be trackside at a race. CT

In this section:

RAMifications a cappella group performs their final concert • 13 Horoscopes: Party on, Wayne • 14 Album review for Gin Blossoms, “New Miserable Experience” • 17

This year’s Fashion Design and Merchandising final show to go back to the basics

Samantha McCartney Staff Writer

The end of the year is just around the corner, and VCU’s School of Fashion Design and Merchandising is gearing up for their annual student-run fashion show at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on May 6. This year’s event is titled RAW, which according to interim chair of the department Donna Reamy is meant to emphasize the importance of the basics of fashion.

“We started talking about fashion and its DNA and the basic elements of fashion. Most importantly how something basic can be transformed into something beautifully designed,” said Reamy, who has seen and been involved in the juried show for the past few years.

“The best thing is to see the students’ reactions when their piece goes down the runway. It’s really a capstone for the school year for them,” Reamy said.

The show, organized by junior and senior fashion merchandising students, is on its third run at the Museum of Fine Arts which, considering the vast artistic talent, is the perfect venue. With more than 400 seats available in three rows, the fashion show tickets sold out within two hours.

Despite its popularity this year, the department would like for more people to be able to see VCU Fashion students’ talent, so next year they are considering adding another show to provide more opportunities to those who could not purchase tickets before they sold out.

The show will include around 128 pieces designed by upperclassmen within the design department. The garments were chosen by a panel of judges earlier in the semester. As with any runway show, there will be segments, ranging from eco-centric, focused on sustainable fashions to hip hop, which explores the influence of pop culture on fashion in today’s society.

Chaz Epps, a model chosen from the model call earlier in the semester, said that preparing for the show has been a learning experience.

“A lot of people wouldn’t think that there would be anything hard about walking in a fashion show. I’ve had to practice the right way to walk for over a month. So it’s not that simple.”

The RAW fashion show will take place in the Lousie B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Atrium within the Museum. CT

Last year's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising fashion show also featured pieces designed by students.

Student a cappella group rounds out semester with final performance

Staff Writer

This past Friday evening, the RAMifications a capella group held their final concert of the semester in the basement of the Student Commons.

The concert was one of the few this semester the group held for its own purposes. Usually the Rams are booked in other events, including the opening act for the 25th anniversary concert of another VCU a capella group, the Notochords, this past Saturday. Additionally, RAMifications will be performing Monday at a fundraiser for Art 180 at the Lee monument on Monument Avenue.

“I thought it went really well,” said DeeVa Payne, who has been the RAMifications director for the past semester and will continue her duties in the fall. “We all felt really cohesive … and I thought our sound was really good.”

This past Sunday, RAMifications began the process of choosing their set list for the fall 2012 semester. All returning members will have proposed two songs. Over the summer, of the total number of songs submitted, seven will be selected by a board including Payne, Anneliese Grant, treasurer Lynsey Fadul, and secretary Rachel Heschen.

Friday’s performance consisted of two six-song sets featuring a wide spectrum of songs including “Take Me Out,” “25 or 6 to 4,” “Black and Gold,” and “Distance.”

“When it comes to choosing songs, I want us to represent who we are. So just by us choosing songs that we think will sound good a capella, that represents who we are. We try to have diversity in our set. Today we had songs in our set that were pop, hip hop – we have a lot of alternative songs, it’s all across the board,” Payne said.

RAMifications rehearses three times a week: Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The schedule remains the same each semester so that members can plan their schedules accordingly.

“We represent a lot of different majors,” Payne said. “We only have one music student. Well, one who is leaving the music program and one who is rejoining.”

All VCU students are welcome to audition in the fall, around the time of the SOVO fair. The current16-member group is losing a handful of members this semester, including current president Jonathan Litalien, whose duties will be transferred to Anneliese Grant. Whether or not the group will downsize or take in new members has yet to be determined, according to Payne.

“People (who want to join) really need to understand that it is a time commitment,” said Payne. “We really want someone who is energetic about music, loves working with a group of people, loves to travel. (And) we hang out all the time. We really are like a 16-member family.”

The audition process involves two parts: the actual audition itself, in which students sing 45 seconds of a song of their choosing, and then callbacks, in which selected students work directly with RAMifications. There are no special qualifications, such as the ability to read music.

“RAMifications is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” said Payne, who joined RAMifications the fall of her freshman year. “I can say that any member of our group can tell you that. It’s really dynamic and … it’s shaped my whole life here at VCU. I wouldn’t be doing any of the things I’ve been doing here if it weren’t for this group.” CT

Michael Todd

RAMifications, a student a capella group, performed last Friday in the Underground to an enthusiastic crowd.

CT HOROSCOPES FOR MAY

Guaranteed 100% accurate

AQUARIUS – Jan. 20 –Feb. 18

Offer your mother a phone call this month and maybe some chocolates in repentance for your wanton robbery of hundreds of thousands of dollars and the past two decades of her life.

PISCES – Feb. 19 – March 20

The stars advise that you stop hitting yourself. The stars advise that you stop hitting yourself. The stars advise that you stop hitting yourself.

ARIES – March 21 – April 19

The Internet runs out of animals fluffy, cuddly and vacantly-gazed enough to more-or-less plug shut the gaping hole in your heart this month.

TAURUS – April 20 – May 20

It needn’t be as tiresome as asking him/ her to get Starbucks with you. Instead, let a friend ask for you if he/she would get Starbucks with you, hypothetically, if you were to ask. Later this month, enjoy your 12th birthday.

CANCER – June 21 – July 22

Having finally met the true and only love of your life, impress them on your first date with your encyclopedic knowledge of the Holy Prepuce.

GEMINI – May 21 – June 20

Who’s to say?

LEO – July 23 – Aug. 22

Although you worry that coming out to your parents will strain your relationship, the truth is they’ll always love you, even as a Republican.

SPECTRUM

VIRGO – Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

You will successfully reach your goal weight for Memorial Day weekend by means of your death by malnourishment and subsequent decomposition.

LIBRA – Sep. 23 – Oct. 22

At least you’re pretty.

SCORPIO – Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Aspects of your award-winning New York Times Best Seller autobiography will be called into question this month. For example, whether you are in fact this or any nation’s first black president.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov. 22 –Dec. 21

Lie through your teeth in your resignation letter on such topics as your relationship with your colleagues, earnings satisfaction and whether or not you spent every minute of every minimum-wage hour longing for death.

CAPRICORN – Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

You often muse whether Shakespeare was right and all the world really is a stage populated by playactors. In fact, your life is a motion picture written and directed by John Waters.

“It should be considered not as a film but as a fact, or perhaps as an object.” - Roger Ebert, in reference to John Water’s film “Pink Flamingos”

Album review | Gin Blossoms, “New Miserable Experience” FLASHBACK

Brian Charlton Contributing Writer

Gin Blossom’s breakout album “New Miserable Experience” was once praised by the Mecca of all music magazines, Rolling Stone, as sounding “both fresh and highly personal.” When the album first released in 1992, it accumulated little fanfare with more or less lackluster critical reviews. But as 1992 went on, their lead single “Hey Jealousy” ascended into the top 40, with their other single “Found Out About You” following in the subsequent months. This indeterminable future shaped their fame leading New Miserable Experience to multi-platinum status and earning it a small place in all ’90s lovers’ hearts.

The group’s founding member, singer-songwriter David Hopkins, wrote all the best material for the albums up until the conclusion of “New Miserable Experience.” He was, however, soon disbanded by the time the major-label debut in 1992 due to his alcoholism. Shortly thereafter Hopkins killed himself.

The Gin Blossoms remained optimistic through this rough patch with the recruitment of a new member, Scott Johnson. With the release of their next single, the Gin Blossoms struck gold, so to speak, with “Til I Hear It From You.” The song never actually

appeared on any Gin Blossom album. Written by an outside writer, Marshall Crenshaw, it had a private release on the Empire Records Soundtrack.

Part of what made “New Miserable Experience” so lasting was not a question of how but when. During the zenith of grunge music, the album remains to be the best and most representative document of all the proceeding Gin Blossoms albums, where Allmusic quoted it as, “a tight and lean collection of brilliant, edgy pop music that was markedly different from the bulk of 1992’s modern rock albums.” Although the two songs that left the greatest impression of their talent on “New Miserable Experience,” “Hey Jealousy” and “Until I Fall Away,” both became successful singles, another notable jangle of melodic and lyrical desperation came out of “Hold Me Down.” Even some of the lower points, marked by the genre pieces “Cheatin’” and “Cajun Song,” provided some charm for fans.

Even today, The Gin Blossoms remain relevant as the people of Virginia have the opportunity to relive a dream world by seeing Gin Blossoms live at the Summerland Festival at Wolf Trap. Everclear, Sugar Ray, Marcy Playground, and Lit will also be present to rock the socks off of giddy women and men alike. CT

OPINION

In this section:

Don't be silent on cost of college

Shane Wade Opinion Editor

We have finally arrived at the end of a long semester, and for some of us, the end of our academic careers. A number of us head off into the “real world,” where a growing number of college graduates waste away in their parents’ home, unemployed, underemployed, in debt and seeking their very own “Great Perhaps.”

It is the great fear of unemployment, and the results of this tragedy, that brought me to college, and it is that same great fear that keeps me here.

In high school, we were promised that college and higher education was the way to go. The mantra still beats in my head to this day. Any divergence from “I’m going to such-and-such uni-

versity” resulted in judging eyes. Coming out of high school and into college, we were promised the American Dream.

Sooner, rather than later, the dream will end if action isn’t taken.

More and more students are waking up to a nightmare. Student loans and debts rack up. The stress of maxing out on credit hours in order to graduate sooner causes mental breakdowns. We’re forced to choose between having a relaxing college life and rushing out of here, missing valuable experiences and opportunities.

But to what end do I preach? It’s time for a serious, adult discussion about the value of a college education in America, and what said education should entail. It’s time to reexamine course and degree requirements. It’s time for schools to stop selling college

to the American middle class as a proverbial “get out of jail” free card.

When President Obama comes to speak at the Siegel Center later this week, he’ll come touting the necessity for our “do nothing” Congress, but recent history has shown us that movement from the Republican Party is unlikely. Democrats, too, are too lackluster politicians to do anything.

If you want an accurate view on how politicians view the price of a college education, look no further than the party leaders talking points: While Romney tells college students to borrow money from their parents, Obama urges college administrators to make cuts and for Congress to prevent student-loan interest rates from doubling. One shows actual concern about the cost of colleges and the other asks you to pass the buck.

The disparity must be fixed. The day college becomes a luxury available to only those that can afford it is the day that the middle class dies.

I began the academic year discussing the necessity for this dialogue to begin and for action to be taken, and I stand by that belief. Throughout this year, VCU students have shown time and time again that we stand for something and that we have the courage of our convictions.

When President Obama comes here four days from now, let him and the nation know that you are not passive. Let them know that you won’t accept being buried in debt. Let them know that you want to be part of a strong, bona fide middle class.

Be heard. CT

illustration by hannah swann

A demand for college affordability • 18 Majority of women don't think they are beautiful • 19

Increased inferiority complexes among women cause for concern

Alina Alam Columnist

In a world where all of our flaws can be erased easily through Photoshop, it is no wonder that women are overly conscious of their so-called imperfections and feel less than beautiful.

Recently, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty completed a Body Confidence Census in the UK with women between the ages of 18 and 64 as participants. The women were asked about their opinions on beauty and confidence, and only 2 percent of the women claimed to feel beautiful, while only 1 in 10 said they considered themselves attractive. Overall, women referred to themselves as ‘average’ on the scale of beauty.

Is it really all that surprising that so many women feel as if they don’t meet the standards of what is considered beautiful today? The bar for beauty is set so high in the eyes of women that many of them spend their lifetime futilely trying to measure up to it.

It isn’t being beautiful itself that is the issue; it is the idea that is associated with beauty. Beauty has a set of glamorous expectations that come with it. Many women may associate beauty

COMICS

as a key to achieving certain goals, such as finding themselves a man to marry or having a successful career.

Beauty is also seen as a source of power. Women think that reaching their ideal of beautiful will result in positive things, and they associate it with a glamorous life or overall happiness.

While more than one factor can contribute to women stating that they don’t find themselves attractive, the overall findings of this study are a cause for concern. Certain women may have a standard for themselves that they believe will make them beautiful, but most of these ‘standards’ are influenced by society. The overall idea is the same, and it is focused on both a woman’s body and face.

The expectations of beauty, though, are often unreasonable.

One example is that many women feel pressured to be skinny and curvy at the same time; they should have decently sized boobs, the mark of femininity, while having minimum to no fat shaping their frame. This is a highly unreal expectation and is probably contributing to the rising percentage of women receiving breast-augmentation surgery.

These standards are highly influenced

by Hollywood. Many people don’t realize how the images that they frequently are exposed to do not actually touch base with reality. Celebrities, who sometimes seem god-like due to their physical appearance, do not usually look the way that they often portrayed in pictures. Their exterior is the result of a lifestyle that consists of round the clock focus on their image, because their looks play a central role in their career. Even when some celebrities reach the highest brink of self-perfection, magazines will still find a flaw to Photoshop out.

At the end of the day, everyone is beautiful. A view that may be a little naïve but really beauty is not about a cookie-cutter image that we all must fit into. It’s about all the unique traits that make us who we are.

For this reason, I am going to accept my somewhat crooked nose, a mark of my ethnicity, and my not-so perfect body. No one can tell you whether you are beautiful or not; it is a matter of owning and believing it yourself.

And really, what is more beautiful than a woman who finds herself to be such? Because, apparently, this in itself is a rarity. CT

Trying Too Hard by Andy Kay

ADAM STERN Executive Editor SHANE WADE Opinion Editor

opinions expressed are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth times or Virginia Commonwealth university. unsigned editorials represent the institutional opinion of the Ct

Add Your Voice the opinion pages of the Commonwealth times are a forum open to the public. Clear, concise and compelling contributions are welcome online at our web site, by e-mail at opinion@ commonwealthtimes.org, or by mail and in person at 817 w broad st., richmond, Va. 23220-3806.

letters must be sent from a valid VCu e-mail address or signed with daytime and evening telphone contact. we reserve the right to edit for grammar, style and space.

letters to the editor can be sent to editor@commonwealthtimes.org