The Commonwealth Times; March 20, 2019

COMMONWEALTHTIMES.ORG @theCT

THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY 2ⁿ place, weekly newspaper of the year — 2018 Pinnacle Awards

VOL. 60, NO. 24 MARCH 20, 2019

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Story on page 6

Junior guard Mike’l Simms logged 8 points in the A-10 quarterfinal loss to Rhode Island. Photo by Erin Edgerton

Rams earn eighth at-large bid to NCAA Tournament

‘Unapologetically Muslim’: Students find solace after New Zealand Story on page 3

‘Home Sweet Home’ WALTER CHIDOZIE ANYANWU Contributing Writer The Anderson debuted its annual Undergraduate Juried Exhibition titled “Home Sweet Home” March 15, with entries from more than 30 students all working in various mediums to answer one question — what is home?

For students in the Muslim Students' Association, fellowship served as a way to cope after the attacks. Photos by Shayla Bailey

NEWS VCU budget 2

SPORTS Coaching tree 8

SPECTRUM Photobook 11

See HOME SWEET HOME on page 12

OPINIONS Black horror 14

2 The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office asked a judge for more time to unseal documents related to Paul Manafort’s case because of “other work,” a sign the Russia investigation could be wrapping up. international: UK Prime Minister Theresa May will formally ask the European Union to delay Brexit amid struggles to reach an agreement, the BBC reports.

Proposed VCU budget projects no tuition increase for undergrad students HANNAH EASON Contributing Writer For the first time in several years, VCU’s proposed budget does not include a tuition increase for undergraduate students. The plan was introduced at the Student Tuition and Budget Forum at the Student Commons Monday.

The Tuition Affordability Plan, which is part of the proposed 2019-2020 budget, allocates money from the state to reduce the need for a tuition increase. If the Board of Visitors approves it, it will keep undergraduate tuition for in-state students at $12,094 and out-of-state students would continue to pay $32,742.

VCU Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Karol Gray presented at the forum with other senior administrators in attendance. Gray said she thinks the budget will pass with little resistance.

Gray said the university’s administrators, Gov. Ralph Northam and the General Assembly compromised to get VCU $6.8 million to offset the tuition increase. The increased state funding also allocates $3.4 million to undergraduate financial aid.

“This is an unusual year,” Gray said. “We did not know the state was going to give us this money. We had a 4 percent [tuition] increase planned until then.”

Gail Hackett, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said the university previously raised tuition to offset a lack of adequate state funding.

“If you look at the cost of public higher education over the past 20 years, and the shift in cost from the state to [the student],” Hackett said, “it’s been because of the state’s disinvestment in higher education.”

“This year, the state has elected to give us enough money to where we were able to balance the budget and freeze tuition,” Hackett said.

The proposed budget includes an increase in faculty and staff salary by 4 and

SGA members ponder diversity as students elect new leadership ZOBIA NAYYAR Contributing Writer State and national leaders get elected in the fall, but the spring brings college students to the polls.

Elections for the Student Government Association were open from Wednesday to Friday last week.

The upcoming elections allowed students to vote for the candidates of their choice for president and vice president of undergraduate and graduate students.

The university features diversity and inclusion as part of its core message, and current officers said it’s important for SGA to also uphold those ideals.

Junior Hassen Hafiz ran for president of undergraduate students. He currently serves as chairman of the appropriations committee. He said he doesn’t think SGA is diverse or inclusive in terms of the colleges within

Tuitions freeze, faculty salaries increase in proposed budget STUDENTS

FACULTY

Tuition freeze at

Faculty salary increases:

+3% in 2019

$12,094 for in-state students

&

$32,742 for out-of-state students

Tuition increases for medicine program:

+3%

for in-state students

+4%

tuition increase for dentistry students

&

+5%

+4%

&

in 2020

Minimum salary for adjunct professors: increases to $1,000 per credit in 2019

&

$1,100 per credit in 2020

for in-state students

+2.5%

Tuition increase for pharmacy students

PLUS...

$121 million for a new STEM building on the Monroe Park campus

Source: Virginia Commonwealth University

3 percent this year and next, respectively.

It also includes a faculty salary increase to match a statewide 5 percent increase for K-12 teacher salaries.

VCU faculty salaries are $26,619 lower than other Virginia public research universities on average, according to figures presented at the forum.

The proposed budget increases faculty salaries by 3 percent in 2019 and 4 percent in 2020. The minimum salary for adjunct professors would increase to $1,000 per credit rate in 2019. The following year, it would increase to $1,100 in addition to the planned 4 percent increase for faculty and staff.

Tuition for students in the medicine program could raise by 3 percent for Virginia residents and 5 percent for non-residents.

Dentistry tuition would increase by 4 percent for all students, and pharmacy students’ tuition would increase 2.5 percent.

The budget also increases the cost of on-campus housing, dining plans and parking rates.

The state is contributing $121 million in funds for the construction of a new STEM building on Monroe Park campus. VCU will acquire no debt from the project expected to open in Fall 2022 replacing the Franklin Street Gym. “I’m very excited about this 0 percent

Infographic by Ryan Rich

proposed tuition increase, because many prominent universities around the country, including the University of Virginia, have started discounting tuition for low-income students,” said Shane Emory, a junior broadcast journalism major. “While VCU is not going that far, I think a 0 percent increase is great for students.”

Students have the opportunity to give their opinion on the budget at the Board of Visitors Budget Workshop on March 21 at 12:30 p.m. in James Branch Cabell Library. Students can also add their comments to the online portal between March 21 and April 26 at president.vcu.edu/board/ open-comment-portal/.

information as issues come up.”

Kuruvilla said he encouraged inclusion during his presidency, but acknowledged that there are more voices to be heard.

SGA’s student life committee started a new program called Level With Me. Six students with opposing viewpoints host a panel discussion about certain issues in order to give students the opportunity to express their thoughts.

“I feel this really emphasizes the idea that inclusivity and diversity go hand in hand providing an outlet for people to voice their own opinions as well as hear out others,” Kuruvilla said.

Hafiz agreed that it is important to have more diversity programs. He said he started a “Senate Walk” to get SGA representatives to walk around campus and talk to students to gauge their needs and concerns.

SGA president Vivek Kuruvilla, right, at a forum in 2018. CT file photo “I think this university is really good at talking about [diversity and inclusion], but I don’t see a lot of practice. Or when they the university that students yield from. the business, engineering and arts colleges, practice it, it’s very separate from the stu“It’s not a true representation,” Hafiz said. which creates a bias toward one college. dent body — like not a lot of people know “I think one day SGA will get there. SGA Vivek Kuruvilla, the current undergrad- what’s going on,” Hafiz said. “We need a will practice more diversity and more inclu- uate SGA president, said he believes SGA stronger and bigger pulse on the student sion but currently, SGA is not diverse nor is “getting more diverse.” body to represent them and advocate is it inclusive.”

“You can see that in the debates and dis- for them.”

He said that most elected students are cussion that occur in senate and committee The results of the election will be anfrom the College of Humanities and Sci- meetings,” Kuruvilla said. “People are now nounced March 20 at noon on VCU SGA’s ences, and SGA lacks representation from asking more questions and searching for website, sga.vcu.edu.

Wed. March 20, 2019 3

For Muslim students, New Zealand attacks feel close to home FADEL ALLASSAN News Editor Ali Ijaz felt numb when he woke up to the news of 50 dead and 50 injured at shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday.

Ijaz, like many other Muslims, was shocked upon hearing the news. But he had always realized the possibility that such an event could happen given the strong anti-Muslim sentiments felt by many.

“I haven’t really processed it. I haven’t had time to do that yet,” Ijaz said. “As far as how the Muslim community has coped, I think we’re still doing that.”

For many Muslims on campus, a terror attack nearly 9,000 miles away felt close to home. The nature of the attack is familiar to Americans who are used to news of deadly shootings.

The shooter’s decision to target mosques on a Friday afternoon is not coincidental.

The Friday prayer is well-attended every week by Muslims around the world. Some VCU students said the Christchurch attacks resonated with them because the fear of attacks at Friday prayer aren’t unlikely, especially given that the U.S. is notorious for a high number of mass shootings.

On Friday afternoon, the Muslim Students’ Association held a vigil to console its members. Despite the short notice, nearly 50 people attended.

“We just thought we needed to do some-

thing because it was so tragic and alarming,” said MSA President Moazan Rehman, a junior.

During the vigil, students of all faiths gathered in a circle in the Compass and read prayers for the lives lost. MSA members spoke and emphasized solidarity, peace and kindness in response to actions fueled by hate.

Rehman said he wanted students who attended the event, which was open to people of all faiths, to come away feeling a sense of unity. The fact that Jewish and Christian students came to the vigil to show their support, Rehman said, showed that the Muslim community has plenty of support from the outside.

“They shouldn’t feel alone or feel scared,” Rehman said. “They should know they have people there for them.”

The university made an effort to show support for Muslim students. In an email sent to the VCU community, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs condemned bigotry and reminded students it provides services to help with coping.

“We condemn all forms of bias, bigotry and hate and extend our support to Muslim students, faculty and staff members and to everyone who has been affected by bias-related violence recently,” the email read.

In a similar message, university president Michael Rao said he recognized that events like these happen often, but there is never any excuse for it.

Dozens of students mourned the victims of the shooting at a vigil Friday.

Photo by Shayla Bailey “All of us are deeply affected by threats against any of us,” Rao stated.

Despite the support, Rehman and other Muslim students like Barika Mirza are also too familiar with the prevalence of Islamophobia.

The MSA secretary and sophomore said it’s time for society and media to take a hard look at how they portray Muslims.

“Terrorist attacks carried out by Muslims get way more coverage,” Mirza said. “The focus on demonizing and terrorizing Muslims — they need to take ownership for what happened as well.”

Ijaz reiterated Mirza’s sentiments, adding that Islamophobia runs beyond any single event or administration.

“We have to avoid saying that this happened because of the particular person in the White House,” Ijaz said. “Islamophobia has been rampant in our society for at least 20 years now.”

Mirza said she reminded everyone who attended the vigil that they should not be afraid to be themselves.

“I told them they shouldn’t live in fear,” Mirza said. “They should be unapologetically Muslim.”

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

In the face of evil, stories of Muslim compassion prevail in New Zealand SAFFEYA AHMED Managing Editor I … don’t even know where to begin.

I hate that I’m writing this article. Fifty Muslims were killed and 50 more injured in New Zealand in a hate-filled terror attack at two mosques during Friday prayer. And I still haven’t fully processed it.

I read the news early Friday morning when I woke up for morning prayer, and I burst into tears. My community of sisters and brothers in Islam was attacked in horrifying violence perpetrated by white supremacists spewing anti-Muslim anti-immigrant rhetoric. Again.

I should have been shocked.

But that’s the thing. I wasn’t.

I wasn’t shocked when a London man drove a van into a group of Muslim worshippers leaving evening prayers during Ramadan. Nor when six Muslims were killed in Quebec City half a year earlier.

I will admit I can barely get through a full news article on the shooting. My heart breaks a little more by just reading the headlines. The stories are painful. A father watched a bullet hit and kill his toddler son, then cradled him in his arms, whispering, “God is sufficient, He is my protector,” into his ear.

Naeem Rashid and his son Talha tackled the shooter outside the mosque in an attempt to stop him. They were shot and killed.

Hosne Ahmed died trying to save her husband, who uses a wheelchair.

The youngest victim was 3-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim. He died after he was separated from his family in the chaos that

ensued during the attack.

And these are the people you label terrorists.

Waking up to more headlines of terror attacks and hate crimes has become the norm. But this time, it hit me differently. I’m still in a state of mourning, anger and heartbreak.

Never have I mourned so deeply the lives of people I did not know before March 15. And maybe I should take a second to explain why Christchurch has, to an extent, traumatized me. The Muslim community quite literally functions as one working unit.

We believe in the oneness of God, and therefore, the oneness of our community.

Christchurch Muslims are my sisters and brothers just as much as my VCU Muslim community.

“The believers, in their mutual love, mercy and compassion, are like one body. When one limb aches, the whole body aches.”

But I have found peace in the stories about the worshippers at the Christchurch, New Zealand mosques that exemplify Islam in its greatest form. One of the shooters decided to Facebook Live his horrific actions. I won’t even get into the disgust and pain that brings me. But in the video, the man who greets him at the door of the mosque says, “Welcome brother.” His name was Daoud Nabi. He was 71 years old and a grandfather. He died trying to save someone else from getting shot.

Forty-eight-year-old Abdul Aziz distracted the gunman at Linwood Mosque by throwing the closest object he could find at the shooter, disarming him and sending him back outside to his car.

He saved countless lives, the mosque’s imam said.

But just because we act compassionately and dignified in the face of violence does not mean we deserve death.

It’s a cycle. Mocked, hated, hunted, pitied, repeat.

White men kill us, and we’re still at fault. They attack us in our places of worship while we pray, but we still aren’t human. WE are the threat worth monitoring, banning and labeling terrorists, not white supremacists. We are slaughtered by white men preaching that “as long as the white man lives, [we] will NEVER conquer [their] lands.” Everyone — except the “white man” — is othered. Islamophobia at its finest, folks.

Islamophobia has followed me and every other Muslim I know our entire lives.

I sat silently while high school classmates called me “sand [N-word]” and jokingly apologized when Osama bin Laden was captured and killed. Muslim-Americans are fighting an administration that has implemented a Muslim ban while claiming “Islam hates us,” and the religion is “a cancer.”

Islam has always been demonized, despite the fact that all it preaches is peace.

But the Muslim community is constantly explaining why we deserve to live — as if being human isn’t reason enough.

Everyone, ranging from hate-filled torch-carrying, gun-wielding white supremacists to our very own president, tries to get rid of us. But when will they learn you cannot eliminate a faith when its people find peace even when facing death?

A man who lost his wife in the attack told BBC he forgives the shooter.

“I lost my wife, but I don’t hate the killer. As a person I love him. But I’m sorry, I cannot support what he did,” he said. “I don’t have any grudge against him, I have

forgiven him and I’m praying for him that God will guide him and then one day he will be a savior.”

The man’s name is Farid Ahmed, my grandfather’s name.

If his actions don’t speak for Islam, I don’t know what will.

Our people’s blood has been spilled across the world. And now, we are mourning the deaths of 50 sisters and brothers, taken far too soon. Not surprising, but completely indigestible.

Muslims stand at the forefront of interfaith dialogue and combating hate.

But I am tired. We are tired. Our religion speaks for itself through our actions; we don’t need to keep explaining.

The response to the attacks in New Zealand isn’t satisfactory. When black and brown bodies die, we get blanket statements of sorrow, a few pity tears and then everyone forgets.

Locally, I’ve seen very little solidarity since the shooting. I attended a vigil Friday evening on campus, held by the VCU Muslim Students' Association.

There was an interfaith gathering at the Islamic Center of Virginia on Sunday.

But as a city, there’s a lack of response and condemnation.

Stand in solidarity. Condemn violence, otherwise you are no better than the perpetrators of it.

I am not here to preach for the eradication of white supremacy and anti-immigrant or anti-Muslim rhetoric, because I believe those things will always exist. Hate will always exist, in whatever odd shape it shows itself as. But hate is taught and learned by example. So lead a good example. Return hateful speech and actions with kindness and compassion. Accept differences and show solidarity. We all bleed red. At the very least, that should unite us as one.

4 The Commonwealth Times

An esketamine expert on the FDA’s revolutionary approval of the drug MARY MCLEAN Contributing Writer

message as far as the brain is concerned.

MACY PRESSLEY Contributing Writer

And you were able to actually use this drug on patients, what results did you see?

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration approved a nasal It’s amazing. The people spray called esketamine for that have been on 16 meds, off-label clinics. The spray is 20 meds, depressed for years, based on ketamine, an anesI’ve even had multiple pathetic that has been used as tients, VCU students who a party drug. were suicidal, and it made The approval of the drug them not suicidal. It really comes after a study from is remarkable to see those 2011 stating the positive results in a matter of weeks. effects of the drug was released in 2017.

What are the possible According to the Nadrawbacks or negative tional Institute of Mental side effects of esketamine?

Health, 7 percent of adults in 2016 had a depressive It can give you disassoepisode. That accounts for ciation, which is an out-ofmore than 16 million adults, body feel. It’s kind of like a with the majority being beroller coaster. Some people tween 18 and 25 years old. like that feeling and some Nearly 37 percent of Dr. Patrick Oliver, a former VCU Health physician, has been using esketamine as a treatment at the Mind Peace Clinic in people do not. It can also those suffering from de- Richmond. Photo by Jon Mirador make you nauseous and pression go without any give you really anxious or treatment.

VCU Health physician, talked with The both. What [the manufacturers of esket- panicky feelings.

Mind Peace Clinic, a Richmond- and Commonwealth Times about the new de- amine] did was they took the right moleBut long term, it doesn’t have the side Arlington-based health care provider offers velopment. cules and put it in a nasal spray. So, you’re effects that a lot of the other medications ketamine to people with anxiety, depression, essentially getting half of what generic ket- do. It doesn’t have the weight gain, it doesn’t PTSD and other pain disorders.

A lot of people hear the words K2 or amine is. The reason they did that is so they have the loss of libido. So the side effect proAccording to the clinic’s website, it does Special K and don’t really know what could patent it and make money on it. file is more immediate, like when you’re taknot accept health insurance but does offer it means, so I’d like to start with, what ing the medication or immediately thereafan “Advance Care Card” which helps pa- is ketamine?

The Washington Post called esketamine ter, and it doesn’t have the lasting side effects. tients with the financial aspect of treatment. the biggest advance for depression in To receive treatment, patients are re- patrick oliver: Ketamine is a 50-year-old years. What is it about this drug that How do you respond to concerns that quired to see a psychiatrist who will con- medication that is on the World Health makes it so groundbreaking for depresesketamine could potentially become duct a questionnaire. In some locations, the Organization’s list of essential medicines. sion treatment? addictive? patient alone does the questionnaire. If the It’s what we call a dissociative anesthetic. patient is proven to have severe depression, Anesthetic because it’s used for pain and You’ve heard of SSRIs and serotonin, I think they’re legitimate concerns. It’s a physical exam is completed to ensure the anesthesia. Dissociative because, at lower which is how we have been treating de- not an addictive medication. I’ve treated patient is healthy enough to receive the doses, it can give you an out-of body type pression for years. [Esketamine] works not multiple patients with both alcohol and treatment. If patient is, a treatment plan of feel and makes color sensations more on the serotonin system, but on gaba and heroin addiction and they don’t become is written up. The treatment plan typical- vivid. Which is why, in the past, it has glutamine, which is a different molecular addicted to this. ly consists of six infusions of ketamine been abused and has the street names that communication.

There’s not a psychological addiction, through an IV. you’re referencing.

Serotonin can take between six and 12 and it doesn’t have withdrawal symptoms The clinic also uses an interface called weeks to work. Your Prozac, your Paxel, your like cigarettes would, or alcohol. But it does “Mood Monitor” which helps the patient How does esketamine compare to generic SSRIs, your NSRIs, they take two to three have potential for abuse because some peotrack their progress alongside treatment ketamine? months to work. A ketamine infusion ther- ple really like the way it makes them feel. electronically. apy can work in as little as one treatment It’s gonna be physicians’ office administered, Dr. Patrick A. Oliver, the primary psychiSo essentially, molecules come in both or within two weeks. So it’s the difference so it’s not like you’re going to go home with atrist at the Mind Peace Clinic and former right and left forms and the generic has between sending a letter and sending a text a spray bottle to take this medication.

Researcher finds rare fish in James River WALTER CHIDOZIE ANYANWU Contributing Writer Matthew Balazik, along with his colleagues at the Rice Rivers Center, has been trawling the James River for years trying to find traces of the Atlantic sturgeon, a species of fish that was declared endangered in 2012.

The researchers were working on this project for eight years before they began making progress last fall with the discovery of baby sturgeon in the James River — significant because of their scarcity.

“We had no idea what we were doing, but we went out with some other researchers to see if we could catch them. That was back it 2007,” Balazik said. “Through persistence and effort, we got pretty good at catching them. We were catching plenty of adults, but the important thing was to catch the young ones — the babies.”

The Rice Rivers Center, owned and operated by VCU and located along the James River, is dedicated to environmental research and is leading the Virginia Sturgeon Restoration Team’s effort to re-

establish the sturgeon population in Virginia. It receives funding from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Initially, the researchers noticed the robust adult sturgeon population in the James River. In the last 10 years, however, there have been few young sturgeon reported in their findings.

“It’s been scary how few young ones we’ve been finding. It’s great to have an adult population spawning, but if they’re not having success it doesn’t matter,” Balazik said. “Because we need new young fish to take the place of the older fish as they die.”

Every river population has completely different spawning patterns, and Balazik thinks some answers to the shortage of young sturgeon can be found by looking closely at these patterns. The patterns are affected a lot by the river’s flow.

More flow leads to a greater chance of successful spawning.

The James River has had a particularly successful spawning season this year,

Baby Atlantic sturgeon have been scarce in the James River for the last 10 years. Photo courtesy of Matthew Balazik and Balazik attributes that to the river’s high flow.

“That’s the way it naturally is in the James.

You have a few [fish] that survive during the normal flow year, but then we have a really strong run, a really wet year,” Balazik said.

“Then there’s a population boom. It’ll really bump up the future population.”

While there isn’t enough data to back up this claim, Balazik said there are a lot of factors connecting high river flow with suc-

cessful spawning. For one thing, the water level’s rise allows the sturgeon to reach their spawning habitats and clean them out more easily. The sturgeons need clean, solid substrate to spawn. Their eggs are very sticky and dense, so if there’s a lot of sediment, it will build on the eggs and suffocate them.

“We’re very ignorant [right now], and we’re just learning as we go,” Balazik said.

“We’re in uncharted territory right now.”

Wed. March 20, 2019 5

‘Equal access to college is a myth in America’: VCU community responds to bribery in Ivy League admissions

HANNAH EASON Contributing Writer Last week, the FBI charged dozens of wealthy parents in connection with a sting operation that found they bribed their children’s ways into college. VCU students said they were frustrated about the revelation.

The FBI found evidence that celebrities Lori Loughlin, who played Aunt Becky in “Full House,” and Felicity Huffman of “Desperate Housewives” were among elite parents who paid to fraudulently designate their children as athletes and improve their standardized test scores. The higher education community has been questioning the integrity of the admissions process since the story broke.

Tomikia LeGrande, vice provost of VCU’s Division of Strategic Enrollment Management, said many factors determine undergraduate admission, one of which is standardized test scores. VCU applications accept official test scores from an ACT or SAT testing agency, or from an official high school transcript.

“VCU has had infrequent situations in which admission to a student was revoked due to providing false or misleading information,” LeGrande said.

Sociology professor Mark Plume said “behaviors follow our beliefs,” causing wealthy, successful parents to break the law in order to get their children into elite schools.

“We believe, in America, a really good college is your foot in the door to social stability and social success,” Plume said. “This idea of equal access to college is a myth in America.”

Political science professor John Aughenbaugh, who is a first-generation college student, said the results of the investigation are “offensive” and challenge the idea that admissions are based on merit.

“If a seat at a prestigious university can be bought,” Aughenbaugh said, “then it implies that any way you define merit is applicable.”

Aughenbaugh said many universities are becoming businesses, which creates an en-

The Lilian Goldman Law Library at Yale University. Yale was among the schools implicated in the scandal. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons vironment focused on profitization rather than education. Universities are expensive to facilitate, and degrees in higher education are becoming increasingly more vital to Americans in the workforce, he said.

Junior Spencer Vincent, a first-generation college student, said admission bribery takes educational opportunities from deserving applicants.

“If I’m working hard through four years of high school, and I can’t get in because another student has more money than me,” Vincent said. “It’s not right.”

Gender, sexuality and women’s studies major Alexa Santisteban said the findings of the FBI bust didn’t surprise her.

“Obviously, if you’re rich, you’re just going to keep advancing,” Santisteban said. “I can only imagine the spots that were taken by people who actually deserve to go to the school.”

The junior suggested lowering tuition costs for public universities to reduce the financial burden of education.

Theater performance major Madison Hatfield said the financial advantage of the wealthy gives them an “upper hand” over the average applicant.

“Money is power,” Hatfield said.

According to the District of Massachusetts’ Department of Justice press release, William “Rick” Singer, the owner and operator the Edge College & Career Network LLC or “The Key,” is accused of using bribery and fraud to guarantee the admission of students.

“Singer’s clients paid him between $15,000 and $75,000 per test. In many instances, the students taking the exams were unaware that their parents had arranged for the cheating,” the press release said.

The bribery extended to several levels

of the college application process. The conspiracy involved paying SAT and ACT exam administrators to allow a test taker to secretly take the place of a student or to correct the students’ answers after the exam was complete. Singer is accused of bribing university athletic coaches to admit students as recruited athletes, as well as accepting the funding for the bribes through Key Worldwide Foundation, a non-profit purported charity.

Colleges and universities currently involved in the scandal are Yale University, Georgetown University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, Wake Forest University, University of Texas and others.

Thirty-three parents, 13 coaches, and two standardized test administrators have been charged for their involvement in Singer’s business.

Richmond students leave class to teach legislators a lesson on climate change EMMA NORTH Contributing Writer Young people in Richmond went on strike Friday to protest a lack of government action on climate change as part of a nationwide effort.

The high school students left school early to rally at Abner Clay Park at 12:30 p.m. and marched to the Capitol 30 minutes later. The advocates urged older generations to take children’s futures into consideration.

“Climate change is the longest-term issue that we’ll have. I think the youth definitely understand that,” said William Spencer, a student at Richmond Community High School. “The older people get it, but they don’t really get it, because they don’t understand that you need to act now.”

Supportive adults from the community also attended. Appomattox Regional Governor’s School student Anna Homer said she joined the strike to stand up for what she believes in. “[I want to see] more of a focus on preserving what we have rather than putting everything in favor of big business,” Homer said. “I feel like a lot of the policies are so favored toward just making profit, not really

Students and parents marched from Abner Clay Park to the Capitol. It was the second year of the march. Photo by Emma North protecting things.”

Elijah Wilson was also absent from his Friday classes at ARGS. His main climate change concern is desertification, the process in which drylands become unproductive due to human and natural causes.

“It just removes environment where people could be living, especially in places like the Middle East or Africa,” Wilson said. “It just makes places uninhabitable for anyone.”

The youngest attendant, “Baby Leo,” was pushed in a stroller by his mother, Violeta

Sosa. His stroller had a sign attached to it with stuffed animals inside. The sign read, “I’m nine weeks and three days old today! I brought my friends Leon the Lion, Ella the Elephant, and Linda the Llama. They’re my stuffed toys but their real life families and my future matter.”

Richmond students were not the only ones marching on Friday — the Youth Climate Strike is a global movement. The first climate strike was held by Greta Thurnberg, a 16-year-old Swedish girl. She started the

#FridaysForFuture movement in August of 2018.

Through the movement, she and other students sat outside of Swedish parliament on Fridays until it signed the Paris agreement, according to a video she made. She encouraged others to continue the movement around the globe. Thunberg was nominated for a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.

All of the U.S. Youth Climate Strikes took place on March 15. There were marches in 46 states, according to the Youth Climate Strike organization.

The U.S. strikes demanded the passage of a Green New Deal, a halt in fossil fuel projects, clean water and better climate change education.

March participants also offered solutions like better agricultural practices, more renewable energy usage, closing mines, more emissions standards and the extraction of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

“If we don’t do something right now and systematically change how our government functions, as well as how we consume energy, as well as material goods,” said Spencer, the Richmond Community High student, “what we will see is the gradual collapse and fall of the current civilization we know.”

6 The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the week

Men’s Basketball earned its eighth at-large bid in program history after being named a No. 8 seed in the NCAA tournament this season.

Rams to play UCF in first round NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor A year ago, coach Mike Rhoades set a challenge for his team to achieve in a year’s time — making the NCAA tournament.

“I told these guys this time last year that we can play in the NCAA tournament next year,” Rhoades said. “We really can, but all of you have to give yourself to the program, you got to be more coachable, you got to be more committed, we’ve got to work harder than we ever have.”

After falling in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinal to Rhode Island, Men’s Basketball left Brooklyn, New York, early and disappointed.

“It’s part of going through the season.

It’s part of going through games,” Rhoades said. “We wanted to be there all weekend and try to win a conference tournament, and we wanted to win the league outright — regular season and tournament. It didn’t happen, didn’t go our way.”

Since the Rams did not win the conference tournament, their fate was held by the selection committee, and they had to wait and see if they got into the tournament.

The third team announced, they did not have to wait long until VCU popped up on the bracket.

“I was excited, excited for all of us because we worked very hard to get to where we are right now,” sophomore forward Marcus Santos-Silva said. “It was a dream of mine since I was a kid to make the NCAA tournament.

And it’s good because usually VCU gets put far away. This time, we get to stay close.”

Junior guard De’Riante Jenkins averages 11.4 points for the Rams entering the NCAA tournament. Photo by Erin Edgerton By making the NCAA, the Black and Gold accomplished the challenge Rhoades set a year ago.

“It comes with a lot of hard work when nobody’s watching, no camera around, the bleachers aren’t pulled out,” Rhoades said.

“And the guys bought into it, and they held each other accountable. You could see a lot of love among them. They were really excited for each other … I’m really proud of them.”

VCU’s out-of-conference resume — with

a road win over Texas and a neutral court victory over Temple — allowed the Black and Gold to earn an at-large selection.

This selection is the fifth at-large selection for the Rams in the last seven years.

VCU will travel to Columbia, South Carolina to take on UCF in the East Region for the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Over the last seven NCAA Tournament appearances for the Rams, all of the First Round games were played on the West

Coast or in the Midwest. The last time VCU played on the East Coast in the First Round was in 2009, when the Rams opened the tournament in Philadelphia.

Junior guard De’Riante Jenkins’ family spoke the Rams’ location into existence after the early exit from the A-10 tournament. His granddad called him after the loss to Rhode Island and said he thought it was a “blessing in disguise.”

“He saw the bracket and said, ‘We're going to be playing in Columbia.’ He told me that right after the game,” Jenkins said. “And then when it came out and I saw us playing in Columbia, I just thought of him and I just thought of just how exciting it is for my family just to finally see me play at home."

Columbia is an hour away from Jenkins’ hometown: Eutawville, South Carolina. “[UCF is] very talented,” Rhoades said.

“Coach [ Johnny] Hawkins does a great job.

They’ve had some big wins this year. They did really well all year long, and especially in their conference. And they’re a tough matchup with the pieces they have — they have some really talented players.”

The Knights are led by B.J. Taylor, Aubrey Dawkins and 7-foot-6-inch center Tacko Fall. Taylor averages 16 points, while Dawkins averages 15.2. The duo accounts for 31.2 of UCF's average 72.1 points.

Fall has started all 31 games for the Knights this season and leads the team with a 75 percent shooting percentage. The Senegal native averages 10.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for UCF.

Women's Basketball to host Charlotte in WNIT NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor Women’s Basketball’s season will continue March 21 in the WNIT First Round when the Rams host Charlotte at the Siegel Center.

VCU (23-9, 13-3 Atlantic 10) won the A-10 regular season title via a tiebreaker with Fordham — beating the Bronx Rams head-to-head — earning an automatic bid to the WNIT tournament. But Fordham got the better of the Black and Gold March 10 in the A-10 Championship game, winning 62-47 and earning the bid to the NCAA tournament.

Coach Beth O’Boyle said playing in a postseason tournament is a “great accomplishment.”

“If you look at the season, [the team is] the co-champion of the A-10 — first time in school history,” O’Boyle said. “You get to the championship game. It’s so hard to get to a championship game. And obviously we wanted to play a little bit better against Fordham, but they earned their way to that. And I look at it again and we earned our way into the NIT.”

Freshman guard Kseniya Malashka averages 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Rams. Photo by Shayla Bailey A season ago, the Rams finished 7-22. This season, they practically flipped that record.

“We’re excited to be playing in March,” O’Boyle said. “That’s every team’s goal, and that was a big step for us this year.”

Charlotte (18-12, 9-7 Conference USA) was the No. 7 seed in the C-USA tournament and fell in the quarterfinals to UAB 70-55.

“They’re a very athletic team,” O’Boyle said. “They get the ball in transition. They’re going to play a lot of man-to-man. They have a very talented guard, Jade Phillips.

She can score in a variety of ways.”

Phillips leads the 49ers, averaging 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds for Charlotte.

VCU will counter the 49ers star with a nationally ranked defense — the Rams are in the top five in scoring defense, 3-point defense and field goal percentage defense.

Sophomore guard Tera Reed leads the Rams, averaging 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Black and Gold. Sophomore forward Danielle Hammond holds the highest shooting percentage on the team, shooting 58.4 percent from the field.

The Rams will make their seventh all-

time appearance in the WNIT and second under coach Beth O’Boyle.

O’Boyle — who was named the A-10 Women’s Coach of the Year — led the Rams to the 2016 WNIT tournament, but they fell to Virginia by two.

The furthest the Rams have made it in the WNIT was the third round in 2010 and 2012.

The Rams and 49ers tip off at 6 p.m. Thursday, and the winner will play either Virginia Tech or Furman in the second round.

Wed. March 20, 2019 7

Rams make early A-10 exit in Brooklyn

The Rams were outscored by Rhode Island in bench points 25-18. Photo by Erin Edgerton NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor After the Rams’ 75-70 Atlantic 10 quarterfinal loss to Rhode Island March 15, coach Mike Rhoades used it as a learning lesson.

“The battle itself and the competition — and when you have a tough ones like this — it reveals character,” Rhoades said.

“It reveals what you are good at. It reveals what you’ve got to get better at.”

The Rams shot 39.7 percent from the field, including 35 percent from beyond the arc against Rhode Island.

Sophomore forward Marcus Santos-Silva was the bright spot for the Black and Gold in the lone A-10 tournament game for the Rams, logging career highs in points and rebounds with 26 and 22, respectively.

Santos-Silva is the first Ram to record more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game since Kendrick Warren in 1991 when he logged 29 points and 20 rebounds.

The Rams entered the A-10 tournament with a “hunter” mindset, but after falling in their first and only game of the weekend, that mentality changed.

“The feeling of winning a championship and just having that feeling versus this feeling of losing and knowing it’s one and done,” junior guard De’Riante Jenkins said of the team’s new mindset. “I don’t think no one want the season to end and I think everyone’s going to remember this feeling and just work harder.”

Working hard is nothing new for the Rams after being picked to finish seventh in the A-10 preseason poll.

“The character of this team all year long probably surprised a lot of people. But one thing that didn't surprise is they are not

afraid to work, and they took ownership of the team,” Rhoades said. “They will take ownership, like the coaching staff will, in this loss and see where we can go from it.”

Throughout the season, when the Rams made mistakes, they addressed them in the locker room before the coaching staff brought it up.

“As upset as I am and feel for our guys, this is why you play the games,” Rhoades said. “We’re not going to make one excuse … Let’s see if the character that we need all the time continues to get better and better.”

Tennis recovers from early deficit to defeat ETSU ANDY RIDDLER Contributing Writer

Redshirt-senior midfielder Sky Hyatt logged six goals in the loss to William & Mary. Photo by Shayla Bailey

Tribe downs Lacrosse, hands Rams third straight loss NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor Lacrosse fell to William & Mary 17-13 at Cary Street Field March 17, as the Rams comeback came up short after being down by seven late in the first half.

The Black and Gold trailed 9-2 with

about two minutes left in the first half before going back and forth with the Tribe, but William & Mary held a six- goal lead — 12-6.

VCU used a 5-2 second-half surge to cut the deficit to three goals, but that was as close as the Rams got to the Tribe. William & Mary added three more goals at the end to pull away for the victory.

Redshirt-senior midfielder Sky Hyatt led the Rams with a game-high six goals and three assists. Junior midfielder Karen McTavish and junior attacker Jessica Del Rossi added three goals apiece.

The Rams will be back in action to open Atlantic 10 play March 22, hosting Duquesne at 4 p.m.

Women’s Tennis went down early, trailing by as many as 3-1, but won three straight singles matches to take a 4-3 victory over ETSU March 16.

The Rams were on the comeback trail early after they dropped the doubles point to ETSU — only the sophomore duo of Marina Alcaide Bakkari and Sofia Sualehe won their doubles match.

Sophomore Paola Exposito Diaz-Delgado continued her unbeaten spring season run to grab VCU’s first point of the day, winning 6-4, 6-0.

Sualehe earned her second victory — and VCU’s second point of the match — with her two-set victory to help bring VCU within one point.

Junior Noumea Witmus kept the energy going for VCU with her three-set victory to tie the match with only the No. 3 singles match left to decide the winner.

Alcaide Bakkari fought off four match points to win in three sets 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(6). Her victory marked the Rams’ third straight win and was the clinching point for VCU. The Rams are back on the court March 20 when they take on No. 24 Old Dominion in Norfolk.

8 The Commonwealth Times

Lasting Legacy

Smart’s influence leads coaches to the top NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor The season after the 2011 Final Four run, then-Rams coach Shaka Smart sent his assistant coaches — Mike Rhoades, Will Wade, Jamion Christian and Mike Morrell — to a workshop, and the speaker wasn’t optimistic about the future of their coaching careers.

“The guy told us at the time, ‘you know there’s probably only going to be one of you guys that goes on to become head coaches just because that’s what the numbers say,’” Morrell said.

He was wrong — all four of the coaches in the room are currently Division I head coaches.

Smart coached the Rams for six seasons, and of the seven assistant coaches that served under him, six are at the helm of their current programs.

Shaka Smart’s VCU coaching tree Smart had seven assistant coaches during his six seasons at VCU, and six of them went on to become head coaches at the D-I level.

Years in parantheses refer to time spent at VCU as an assistant coach.

SHAKA SMART University of Texas

MIKE RHOADES Rhoades, the current Rams coach, spent five years as an assistant under Smart from 2009-2014.

The Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, native led the Rams to tie the school record in overall regular season wins (26) and conference wins (16). The new HAVOC defense led VCU to win the regular season title for the first time in program history.

“I really liked [Smart’s style] because that’s how I played growing up. A little bit more of a style of play, a little bit faster. Let the guys have a little more freedom [to] go make plays, so I really enjoyed that part,” Rhoades said. “I felt that way — and that’s how I want to coach — but watching him for five years at VCU, coach Smart made it solidify in my mind that this is how we’re going to play.”

This season, Rhoades referred to the team as a “family,” something he drew from Smart.

“I always felt that I had strong relationships with my players. But watching coach Smart, it’s a whole different level,” Rhoades said. “And I said I want to make sure we do it that way.”

Before returning to Broad Street, Rhoades was the head coach at Rice for three seasons.

In his second season at VCU, Rhoades led the Rams to their first outright A-10 regular season title after beating George Mason March 5. In that contest, HAVOC held the Patriots to only 36 points — a new program record for points allowed.

Rhoades guided the Rams to the NCAA tournament this season, gaining an at-large bid and No. 8 seed.

The Rams finished the regular season boasting the No. 5 defense in the country, according to KenPom.

MIKE RHOADES Virginia Commonwealth University (2009–2014)

JEREMY BALLARD Florida International University (2012–2015)

MIKE JONES Radford University (2009–2011)

WILL WADE Louisiana State University (2009–2013)

MIKE MORRELL UNC Asheville (2011–2015)

JAMION CHRISTIAN Siena College (2011–2012)

JEREMY BALLARD Ballard coached on Smart’s staff from 2012-2015 before a year with Rhoades in the 2017-2018 season.

Upon leaving Broad Street last year, Ballard traveled south to coach at FIU. The Atlanta native brought a similar defensive philosophy to FIU. “For me personally, our defense, our full court pressure, is something that we’ve certainly taken [from Smart],” Ballard said.

“We need to make some steals and turnovers for us, so we definitely brought the HAVOC full court pressure and trapping with us.”

FIU led Conference USA in steals and forced turnovers this season, averaging 10.6 and 19.7, respectively.

Smart helped Ballard learn to get in the head coach’s mindset when he was an assistant.

“The entire time that I was with him, he always encouraged me to think like a head coach,” Ballard said, “and always be thinking about what my head coaching philosophy would be and how I would want to run things the entire time I was there.”

Smart not only encouraged Ballard to think like a head coach, but he also showed Ballard firsthand the decision-making process head coaches go through.

“He also included me in so many decision-making aspects and included me on

Infographic by Ryan Rich

what the thought process is like when you are in the head coach’s chair,” Ballard said.

“That helped me to prepare for my first year as a head coach.”

In his first season at the helm of FIU, Ballard led the Panthers to their best regular record since 1997-1998 and only their second winning season in the last 20. The 10 Conference USA wins are the most that any FIU team has won in conference play.

Ballard’s coaching staff at FIU is littered with four former VCU assistants: David Cason, Joey Rodriguez, Jesse Bopp and Zavier Anderson.

Ballard said VCU and Richmond were

a “perfect marriage” for college basketball, starting with the Athletics administration.

“The administration there, beginning with Ed [McLaughlin], they really nurture and support the program and each and every member of the staff, each and every member of the team,” Ballard said. “They nurture those guys to help them be great and they’ve been instrumental in all progress that we’ve had.”

Ballard and the Panthers will play in the Collegeinsider.com tournament against Texas State March 23 at 7 p.m.

JAMION CHRISTIAN Christian was part of the Rams coaching staff during the 2011-2012 season and is now the current head coach at Siena.

The Quinton, Virginia, native arrived to Broad Street the year after the miraculous Final Four run in Houston and knew the expectations ahead of the team. “[The coaching staff ] definitely knew we had a great challenge ahead of us, but we were just really inspired by the group before us and with the opportunity to really grow the program,” Christian said.

“So, obviously we were really fired up for being able to have the ability to do that.”

Christian left VCU the following year for a head coach position at Mount St. Mary’s after helping coach the Rams to a school-record 29 wins.

“One thing coach [Smart] did say was he asked me, ‘What’s your goal?’” Christian said. “And I said I wanted to be a head coach. And he said to me, ‘You don’t want to be a head coach, you want to be a successful head coach.’”

To Smart, there was a big difference.

“He said, ‘You’re going to be a head coach someday, but you want to be a successful head coach and be ready for the opportunity,’” Christian said.

Christian went on to lead Mount St. Mary's to the NCAA First Four in his second season at the helm of the program.

He returned to the Big Dance in the 20162017 season, falling to Villanova in the first round.

Smart was “one of the biggest reasons” why Christian has “been able to have so much success as a head coach.”

“When you’re growing up in this game of college basketball as a coach, if you don’t have someone that you can really look up [to] and can mentor you, it can be really difficult,” Christian said. “And I’m really fortunate having coach Smart. Having a guy like that that I can watch every day, and how he led with his heart and putting that in every single day, was obviously really beneficial to me.”

Siena was voted to finish last in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason poll, but Christian led the Saints to a tiedfor-second-place regular season finish with a record of 17-16. The team fell to Iona in the conference tournament March 11.

Under the direction of Christian, the Saints made a nine-win improvement from a year ago.

MIKE JONES Jones is the current head coach at Radford and was an assistant at VCU from 2009-2011 before being named the Highlanders’ coach after the Final Four.

The Howard alum said Smart was “selfless” and cares about his assistant coaches — but he was also willing to lose them to help them.

“We all wanted to become head coaches, and Shaka embraced our dreams,” Jones said.

Wed. March 20, 2019 9

“He co-signed with us and worked hard to help us achieve that. Every coach is not like that.”

Some coaches, Jones said, don’t help with finding new jobs for assistants they like and trust and, therefore, don’t want to lose.

Jones has found success at Radford as the Highlanders won their First Four game to advance to the First Round in the 2018 NCAA tournament. But the team later fell to Villanova.

This season, Radford placed second in the Big South Conference tournament, falling 76-65 to Gardner-Webb March 10.

The Highlanders closed the season with a 22-11 record.

“[Smart is] just a guy who had a tremendous respect for VCU but also a guy who had a great belief in his players,” Morrell said. “Probably the biggest thing that I took from him as an assistant coach was the impact that you can have on your players from a confidence and belief standpoint by just trying to develop as best of a relationship as you can.”

UNC-Asheville finished the season 4-27 with the “youngest team in America,” Morrell said, referencing the players’ experience.

“From a results standpoint, it’s been a tough year,” Morrell said. “But from a growth standpoint, it’s been a really good year for us.”

Of eight freshmen on the team, Morrell starts four of them. He said the Bulldogs improve with each game.

“So it’s really just [building] the foundation for our program moving forward,” Morrell said, “and a lot of that I learned from when I was at VCU under coach Smart and under coach Rhoades.”

WILL WADE Wade is in his second year at LSU and led the Tigers to a 22-5 regular season record. His squad enters the NCAA tournament ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll, as well as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA

tournament.

The Tigers will face Yale in Jacksonville, Florida, during the First Round of the NCAA tournament.

Wade was an assistant at VCU from 2009-2013 under Smart, then becoming a head coach at Chattanooga for two seasons.

Wade made his return to Broad Street in 2015 as head coach of the Rams, but left for Louisiana in 2017. Wade could not be reached for an interview.

The Nashville, Tennessee, native is currently suspended indefinitely by LSU after being caught on an FBI wiretap.

MIKE MORRELL Morrell was a part of the Rams’ coaching staff from 2011-2015 before following Smart to Texas after the 2015 season. He’s currently the coach at UNC-Asheville.

The Elizabethton, Tennessee, native has known Smart since he was a graduate assistant at Clemson when Smart was an assistant for the Tigers.

Morrell joined the Black and Gold at the same time as Christian: the season following the Final Four run. The Clemson alum called VCU “one of the best places in America for college basketball.” “[VCU] was a really special place for me,” Morrell said. “I was there for four years, I loved my time there. … There’s such a genuine love for the players by the fans and vice versa.”

Morrell is in his first season as a head coach at UNC-Asheville after spending the last three seasons at Texas with Smart.

Left to right: Mike Rhoades, Will Wade, Shaka Smart, Jamion Christian and Mike Morrell. Photo courtesy of VCU Ram Nation

Rams drop two of three at UCF leadoff doubles, in the bottom half of the inning to push their lead to 4-0.

After two scoreless innings, UCF ended the drought with a solo home run to right field. The Knights responded with two more runs in the sixth. An RBI single from UCF’s Adams Torres extended UCF’s lead to 8-0 after seven innings.

The Rams made a comeback effort in the eighth after three straight singles from freshman outfielder Tomas Sanchez, sophomore utility player Hogan Brown and freshman infielder Noah Heisler. Junior infielder Steven Carpenter then singled to left, bringing in two runs to get VCU on the scoreboard and cut the Rams’ deficit.

But the Rams were held scoreless the rest of the way, and the Black and Gold fell, 8-2.

SATURDAY

Freshman right-handed pitcher Evan Chenier pitched three innings in the 8-2 loss to UCF March 17. Photo by Gessler Santos-Lopez RYAN GRUBE Contributing Writer

B‌

‌aseball dropped two games in ‌a three-game series against UCF, ‌bringing its record to 14-5. The Rams battled all weekend, playing two one-run games on Friday and Saturday — splitting the pair with the Knights — before losing handily, 8-2, on Sunday.

SUNDAY Sunday marked the second of two losses for the Rams in Orlando, Florida. The Knights defeated the Black and Gold 8-2 as UCF jumped out to an early lead with four

runs in the first two innings.

The Knights loaded the bases quickly in the bottom of the first after a single

by UCF infielder Tyler Osik, followed by two walks. UCF singled in the opening run of the game, before redshirt-sophomore right-handed pitcher Justin Sorokowski walked in another to make it 2-0. Sorokowski was able to pitch out of the jam, as he got Griffin Bernardo, the Knights’ third baseman, to strike out looking.

But VCU was unable to answer. Following a leadoff single by junior infielder Paul Witt, the Rams went down in order to close out the top of the second. UCF kept its foot on the gas from there. The Knights hung another two runs, aided by back-to-back

VCU rallied from behind March 16 to beat UCF 4-3, as the Rams scored three runs in the final two innings to complete the comeback.

The Rams finally got on the board with an RBI triple in the top of the sixth after trailing early when UCF hung two runs in the bottom of the first. After Witt singled to left with two outs in the inning, sophomore infielder Liam Hibbits brought him around with a shot down the right field line to cut the Knights’ lead to 2-1. UCF would answer with a solo home run off the bat of Dallas Weaver in the bottom half of the inning.

Witt then reached on an error with two outs in the eighth, Hibbits doubled to drive Witt in for a second time. Sophomore outfielder Jack Schroeder then singled to bring in Hibbits and tie the game 3-3.

A scoreless half in the bottom of the eighth gave the Rams an opportunity to continue their momentum in the ninth.

Brown singled to left and took second after a strikeout from senior infielder Zac Ching. Junior infielder Brett Norwood then

reached on a throwing error, which Brown was able to score on to give VCU the lead, 4-3. Senior right-handed pitcher Benjamin Dum recorded three quick outs in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win.

Hibbits led the way for the Rams, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Junior right-handed pitcher Connor Gillispie struck out four batters over five innings, while Dum pitched three scoreless innings to earn his third win of the season.

FRIDAY VCU’s March 15 comeback effort came up just short, as the Rams scored two runs — needing three — in the ninth to lose the shootout battle 10-9. As they did all weekend, UCF struck first, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first. VCU rallied for two runs in the second, but the Knights responded with two runs of their own to extend their lead to 5-2.

After UCF hung three runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Rams plated four runs in the top of the sixth. VCU led off the inning with three straight singles from Witt, Hibbits and freshman catcher Logan Amiss. Witt scored on Amiss’s single before junior catcher Josh Simon drove in Hibbits with an RBI double. Amiss and Simon came around to score on a sacrifice fly and a ground out, respectively.

The Rams added one in the seventh, before their ninth-inning rally fell short.

Senior right-hander Curtis Bafus started for the Rams and only went three innings, surrendering nine hits and five earned runs.

Witt led the way for the Rams with three hits in five plate appearances, including his first home run of the season, to go along with two RBI. The Rams are back in action March 20 at the Diamond against Towson at 6:30 p.m. and March 22-24, hosting Massachusetts at 6:30 p.m, 2 p.m. and 1 p.m.

10 The Commonwealth Times PRESS BOX

Players take back power from the NFL This NFL offseason could be one of the best of all time, as many star players are switching teams and signing new record-breaking contracts.

Some of the more notable moves this offseason were: Odell Beckham Jr. being traded to the Cleveland Browns and Antonio Brown being sent to the Oakland Raiders. In addition, Le’Veon Bell signed with the New York Jets to return to football after sitting out the entire 2018 season.

The reason this offseason has been so exciting is because stars are starting to control their own destinations in a system set up for players to never have leverage.

For years, NFL players have been getting the short end of stick in terms of the respect and power they deserve from NFL owners.

Even other athletes have noticed how much more power they have in their sport compared to NFL players.

Last year, NBA superstar Lebron James said “The difference between the NBA and NFL is what we believe a player can be, the potential. In the NFL it’s what can you do for me this Sunday, Monday or Thursday, and if you ain’t, we moving on.”

When drafted, rookies sign four-year contracts, and first-round picks get a fifth year option on their contract. So, after the first four years, teams can decide whether to keep the player for another year or let him leave for free agency.

Another factor that hinders the power of players is the franchise tag, a one-year deal that can be placed on a player up to three

Junior mid-distance runner Ashley Brown placed second in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:43.93. CT file photo

Track and Field has successful weekend in Miami BEN MALAKOFF Contributing Writer Track and Field began its outdoor season with more than 20 top-five finishes at the Miami Hurricane Invitational March 15-16.

WOMEN’S Junior distance runner Delaney Savedge came in third place March 15 in the 5000-meter with a time of 18:01.72.

The Rams opened the second day of the meet with redshirt-senior mid-distance runner Nichelle Scott placing first in the 800, clocking in at 2:13.01. Following two seconds behind her was senior mid-distance runner Ashley Greenlee, finishing in third.

times. Players are powerless against this, because if they choose to sit out, they can miss out on millions.

The franchise tag has a set dollar amount for each position that changes annually.

There is no negotiating the amount of money players receive when they are given the franchise tag designation.

Moving forward, the NFL Players Association needs to negotiate the removal of the franchise tag in order to allow players to hit free agency quicker. They would not have to wait a year to hit free agency because of the franchise tag that was applied to them.

Bell fought against the franchise tag last season by sitting out the entire year instead of playing under the $14.5 million franchise tag placed on him by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“It was about protecting himself, limiting wear and tear, and making sure he didn’t suffer a major injury before hitting free agency,” NFL reporter Ian Rapoport said of why Bell sat out.

Bell’s decision was rewarded with a fouryear $52 million contract from the New York Jets, with $35 million guaranteed.

Guaranteed money is a huge issue in the NFL. Unlike other major sports leagues like the MLB and NBA, players with the NFL contracts are not fully guaranteed to be paid the entire value of the contract. This is outrageous, considering the NFL is a very phys-

Illustration by Steck Von

ical and dangerous professional sports league.

Players should be paid all of the money written on their contracts like is done in the MLB. Three baseball players recently signed contracts exceeding $300 million, all guaranteed. This shows that professional sports teams are capable of paying out large contracts instead of relying on incentives for a bulk of the payment.

Gripes against the lack of guaranteed money were shown when Brown demanded a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Despite having three years left on his contract with the Steelers, Brown had no guaranteed money.

After being traded to the Raiders, Brown is now the highest-paid wide receiver in the

ADVERTISEMENT

$6 SAVE ONLINE WITH

VCU’s hot start continued when junior sprinter Kayla Smith won the 400 with a time of 53.94.

The Rams’ relay team — comprised of Smith, Scott, senior sprinter Taylor Watkins and junior sprinter Kara Lyles — won 4-x-400 relay, finishing at 4:43.93.

Sophomore jumper Aliyah Newman recorded a length of 12.5 meters, earning third place in the triple jump.

Junior mid-distance runner Ashley Brown finished second in the 1500, recording a time of 4:43.93.

Another second-place finish came from senior thrower Camora Sanders, who threw 15.15 meters in the shot put.

Lyles also came in second place in the 400-meter hurdles, posting a time of 59.73.

MEN’S Sophomore thrower Willie Schwartz started off the Rams with a 57.09-meter second-place finish in the hammer throw.

Grabbing another second-place finish for VCU, junior distance runner Bryce Catlett finished the 5000 with a time of 15:26.09.

The Rams earned first place when junior thrower Drew Hess won the javelin throw with a toss of 58.22 meters. His throw was nearly four meters farther than second place.

Freshman sprinter Emmanuel Waller won the 400 with a time of 52.80.

The men’s relay team — made up of junior sprinter Chukwuezugo Aguolu, redshirt-senior sprinter Nicholas Buckingham, freshman hurdler Daiqwaun Faircloth and junior hurdler Ian Davis — finished fifth in the 4-x-400 relay with a time of 3:17.78.

The Rams will host their next competition, the VCU Ram Invite, March 22 at Sports Backers Stadium.

NFL at $19.8 million per year and has $30 million guaranteed.

Over the past two seasons, new contracts have started to reshape the markets for players, giving them the compensation they truly deserve. Both quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers got contracts last offseason that were fully guaranteed.

In the non-quarterback market, safety Landon Collins signed a six-year $84 million deal with $45 million guaranteed. This signing sparked many players to praise Collins for raising the market.

One of them was all-pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey who tweeted “So a “box safety” getting corner money now?, it’s time to keep moving this market! Ballers get paid!”

promo code VCU19

southernwomensshow.com

MARCH 22-24

raceway complex

fri 10a-8p sat 10a-7p sun 11a-5p

tickets $12 at door, $6 for kids

at the richmond

ADVERTISEMENT

NILE MCNAIR Contributing Writer

SAVANNAH CHRISLEY

IF YOU LIKE CELEBRATING SHOPPING EDUCATORS FREE admission

from chrisley knows this show is for YOU best on saturday

all weekend

SOUTHERNWOMENSSHOW.COM

FREE Parking!

PROUD SPONSORS 800.849.0248 A Southern Shows, Inc. Production

Wed. March 20, 2019 11

On this day

In 1965, civil rights and women’s rights activist Dorothy Height — a Richmond native — published her first column in “New York Amsterdam News,” a weekly AfricanAmerican newsletter.

VCU professor transcends time and family in ‘Pine Tree Ballads’ photobook

Graduate director and assistant professor David Thulin released “Pine Tree Ballads” March 1 at a Candela Books and Gallery reception. The photobook is a poetic memoir about family, childhood and nature. Photo courtesy of Terry Brown IMAN MEKONEN Contributing Writer

father and grandfather.

The collection tells a story while playing on the concept of time A wide-eyed young girl through the use of scratches, light sits upright in front of a leaks and dust, making it hard to tell faded blue wall with her when each photo was taken. hands resting on the arms “I like the idea that it’s a narrative of a chair. Her wide, imand a poetic memoir,” Thulin said. pressionable eyes cast an “And that there’s a mythical, folklore alluring stare while light story here.” leaks into the scratches at One photograph, titled “Golden the bottom of the image.

Hour,” depicts a tree standing out in The girl in the photoa forest. A rainbow stems out from graph, titled “At the Right behind the tree, adding Thulin’s Hand of God in the Bed“magical” element as it travels out of room,” is named Scout. the frame.

She’s Paul Thulin’s daughAt the top right corner of the ter and one of four women photo appears what resembles a in his family included in his patch of mold and some grain. Thufirst photography book and lin said this touch symbolizes age — newest exhibition, “Pine defects on images make the viewer Tree Ballads.” value it as part of history.

Thulin is an assistant When Thulin created the project, professor and VCU’s gradScout was frequently photographed uate director of photografrom ages 4 to 14. In the current exphy and film. An exhibition hibition, there are only photographs — which featured pages Paul Thulin’s daughter Scout is pictured in “At the Right Hand of of her when she was 9 years old. of Thulin’s book as well as God in the Bedroom,” an image included in his new exhibition.

“It was like seeing her childhood some of his other photog- Photo courtesy of Ashby Nickerson through my eyes,” Thulin said. raphy — went on display Also featured in his exhibition is a March 1 at Candela Books and Gallery.

Five generations of Thulin’s fami- picture of his grandmother, above an image “The book is separated into six chapters,” ly shared memories in that house — his of his daughter — both in black and white. said Ashby Nickerson, associate director at great-grandfather settled there in the 1900s.

“My mom, daughter, wife and grandCandela Books. “They resemble a natural “At some point, I was documenting my mother essentially became a character,” Thupause in the photographs and add a per- family and it wasn’t artwork,” Thulin said. lin said. “I have relationships to them. But sonal touch to it.”

“After getting a lot of images at a particular when you look at the book, they became one Alongside the photography, Thulin in- point, I started to see some connections and person traveling in time.” cluded handwritten notes to guide readers. interesting things happening that made the Thulin said he included the three other Named after a book found in his fami- work not so much just about family, but it women to help define Scout’s entrance into ly’s house in Maine, “Pine Tree Ballads” is a also made it start to seep into a narrative.” womanhood. poetic memoir about family, childhood and Thulin’s photography book spans over 10 “She was starting to hit the development a sense of place in nature. years and includes photographs taken by his phase as far as maturity and much more

about thinking about the idea of becoming a woman,” Thulin said. “At that point, my wife as far as a character, encompassed that moment so she was entering another character’s realm.”

Everything about the book belongs there because it added to a sense of place. I wanted to make something that could sit on the shelves with it, and the images in the stories felt that way too.”

Paul Thulin, assistant professor The book encourages readers to feel the pages — certain photos of trees are accompanied by rough, colored paper on the next page. Thulin said he did so to connect the vision of texture with the actual feeling of it, appealing to multiple senses.

“Everything about the book belongs there because it added to a sense of place,” Thulin said. “I wanted to make something that could sit on the shelves with it, and the images in the stories felt that way too.”

“Pine Tree Ballads” is on display at Candela Books and Gallery until April 20. It can also be viewed online at candelabooks.com.

12 The Commonwealth Times HOME SWEET HOME

Juried exhibition prompts students to consider home as a concept Continued from front page

the balconies she visited in Spain and France last sumIn the past, the annual mer. She spent a lot of time exhibition was a “best of ” wishing she could be back showcase, with entries from in Europe and materialized more than 100 students. that constant longing with But since Anderson Diher head cage. rector Chase Westfall took Peter Rylander, a senior over the exhibition, it’s bein the painting and printcome themed and featured making department, won significantly fewer entries. the Dean’s Award –– an Westfall says this was award for artists of all disdone in an effort to “give the ciplines–– for his untitled students an experience that piece, which was two perwould more accurately modfect halves of an eggshell el what professional practice carved into walls across would be like for them.” from each other.

The event featured juror “It’s untitled, but I’ve just Rebecca Matalon, a curator been calling it ‘egg,’” Ryat the Contemporary Arts lander said.

Museum Houston, who He likened an egg to a also provided the exhibihome and its common astion’s theme. pects like breakfast, for ex“It’s always really excitample. He also drew much ing to participate and see “Home Sweet Home” is an annual juried exhibition at the Anderson. It prompts student artists to consider whether inspiration from the egg what students are doing, home is a place, a fantasy or something in between. Photo by Jon Mirador itself. and an opportunity to vis“An egg is so incredibly it an academic institution to share what The exhibition is seeking to reconsid- these queries, as she has worked on exhibi- strong when there’s pressure around all I’m working on and see what students are er cultural assumptions about the idea of tions with the same sort of message. sides of it, but it’s the most fragile thing working on, Matalon said. “It’s fantastic. home, by trying to answer questions like, “Is “The theme, ‘Home Sweet Home,’ comes ever. It’s a shell, a protective layer, a barIt’s part of what my job is as a curator.” home a real place, a fantasy, or something out of my own interest and my own com- rier against the outside world,” Rylander The call for submissions was centered in between?” And, “Is it about safeguarding mitment to, and curiosity around, daily life said. “What it encases is [life], allowing for around a quote from James Baldwin’s 1956 the past, sustaining the present or shaping and domesticity,” Matalon said. “The ways nurturing and growth … until it hatches. novel “Giovanni’s Room.” — “Perhaps home the future?” in which it doesn’t mean a single thing, and And with the two halves positioned across is not a place but an irrevocable condition.”

Matalon had a particular interest in its meanings are multiple. That it’s also al- from each other in the room, the immediate ways a constructed ideal.” space [becomes] a space of nurturing.”

A lecture from Matalon preceded the Most of the attendees were VCUarts ADVERTISEMENT opening reception, as well as remarks from students, along with their friends and family.

VCUarts Dean Shawn Brixey. A brief “I think a lot of people feel alienated by awards ceremony followed, during which art,” Matalon said, “because they think they 10 students were recognized for their work. don’t understand something when in actuVCU junior Shana Cave won the Craft ality, they really do.” and Material Studies Award for “DayBut arts education is about asking quesdream,” a head cage adorned with flowers. tions, she said, referencing the “visual thinkShe said she made the piece last semester ing strategies” used in the field. before she learned about the exhibition, “If we can build in more direct participaand her work happened to fit the theme. tion opportunities and other kinds of things “My head cage was pretty much about of that nature,” Westfall said, “I think [that] this idea of me being lost in my day- will be the secret [to] unlocking that other dreams and eternally wanting to escape spectrum of broader engagement.” with daydreams,” Cave said. “So I kind of connected those ideas of feeling comfort- “Home Sweet Home” will be on display at able and being at home within my own the Anderson (907 1/2 W. Franklin St.) until thoughts and my daydreams.”

March 28.

Her work, she said, is reminiscent of

EVERY BODY BELONGS HERE

ADVERTISEMENT

All bodies, all weights, all abilities, all heart.

Uncover the best workout of your life.

UNLIMITED CLASSES, THREE DAYS FREE.

STUDENT RATES AVAILABLE Follow us on Instagram @titleboxingclub_richmond TITLE Boxing Club Richmond 2525 W. Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23220 804-918-5856 I TITLEBOXINGCLUB.COM

VCU junior Shana Cave won the Craft and Material Studies Award for “Daydream,” a head cage adorned with little white flowers. Photo by Jon Mirador

Wed. March 20, 2019 13

‘Climax’ is an appalling masterpiece you have to see to believe

UPCOMING EVENTS See something

THU. 3/21

LANDON ROBERTS Contributing Writer

“Roma” Screening and Discussion

“Climax” is the brainchild of Argentine-French cinematic provocateur Gaspar Noé, the mind behind “Enter the Void” and “Irréversible.” His latest film tells the story of a dance troupe that — after a practice session in an abandoned school — slowly descends into madness as a result of drinking LSD-spiked sangrias. As the night continues, the drugs take over and what started dancers show their true colors, allowing out as a fun night out with friends turns into their hatred for one-another to come out a living, breathing, hallucinatory nightmare. in displays of repulsive violence and aggression. Watching them slowly unravel and lose their grip on reality is an unnerving BRANDON’S ANGLE experience, but the gorgeous presentation 2019’s biggest head-trip “Climax” is one makes it strangely alluring. of those rare theater experiences during In a relatively brisk 90-minute runwhich the film is equally as captivating as time, Noé gives you just enough to make it is exhausting. your own conclusions about the film and It’s a nauseating, grotesque, disturbing its characters. And while it isn’t a pleasant nightmare with little-to-no likable charac- watch, it’s an outstandingly visceral and ters, and it instills a constant temptation to surprisingly insightful film that will surely shield your eyes from the horrors unfold- leave you breathless. ing. And yet, it’s one of the most rewarding “Climax” is Noé at his most outrageousexperiences I’ve had — and likely will ever ly creative and audacious, and I can’t wait to have — in a theater. see whatever nightmare he has in store for Noé is at the height of his directorial us next. powers with this film. Using a variety of bright neon greens, reds and blues in its cin- Rating: 5/5 ematography, “Climax” is about atmosphere and making you feel uncomfortable — not LANDON’S OUTLOOK only with the characters and their actions, but with their surroundings and how they Walking out of Noé’s “Climax” was a move through them. freeing but frustrating experience. It felt as “Climax” is highly stylized and very aware if I escaped hell, yet wanted to revel in the of its setting, using the cramped and con- madness for a second time. fined environment to its absolute advantage.

While the film’s premise is quite simple, The camera slowly glides through the school Noé’s direction elevates it to mirror every hallways and corridors, creating drawn-out character’s fear and paranoia. His use of the shots with minimal cuts. The filming puts camera acts as a voyeuristic spirit that soars the viewer into the story, making the danc- through moments of self-mutilation, body ers’ unadulterated insanity seem closer. contortion and pleading screams, leaving As they fall into madness, the drugged no time for the audience to breathe. The

Illustration by Lindsay Hart

BRANDON SHILLINGFORD Contributing Writer

resulting discomfort is a stylish triumph that drives its roots in the middle of the madness.

While the camera work is masterful, the nightmarish fever dream wouldn’t have worked without the unhinged performances. Every character exemplifies a constant internal struggle for composure, and when this battle is lost the outbursts reveal the true colors of the troupe. With every nervous tick and fearful glance, one can only imagine the horrors the characters are seeing, but the violent screeches and flailing limbs bring forward enough insight to drive your imagination to a dark place.

The film’s style truly transcends through its infectious and uneasy EDM score that echoes throughout the entire set. At first, the score feels like a safe haven for the audience and characters, but as the film progresses and songs are repeated, the fast-paced beats match the characters’ paranoid heartbeats.

The score paired with neon-colored sets establishes an atmosphere only comparable to a hellish rave. At the peak of the dancers’ trips, these aspects become utterly disorienting — it’s the only point in the film where the audience can somewhat grasp the horrors visible to the characters.

“Climax” is a delightful dance through insanity. The nightmarish imagery will tiptoe through your psyche for days, leaving you with an experience you will not forget.

Rating: 5/5

New country album offers blues for the modern era QUENTIN RICE Staff Writer Nashville country and blues musician Todd Snider’s new album “Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3” is a departure from the lively barn-burners he typically puts out. Recorded at the cabin Johnny Cash built in 1978, Snider’s new album plays like an “Unplugged” session, full of mellow acoustic guitar diddies and quaint harmonica embellishments.

Snider recorded the album largely without overdubs. He just sat in front of a microphone with a guitar and sang-spoke about a number topics — the relationship between technology and politics, roadies longing for the spotlight and even toxic, blind patriotism.

Many of the political tracks have a more liberal bend than most country music, such as on “Talking Reality Television Blues,” where Snider laments “reality killed by a reality star,” a not-so-subtle line directed at President Donald Trump. Snider said, this dynamic doesn’t matter much to his audience.

“It doesn’t make people as mad as it seems like it might,” Snider said. “Every once in a while someone might get angry, but mostly people just want to tap their feet.”

The album’s delivery is unlike Snider’s previous releases, which featured more contemporary country elements and rock-inspired tunes. It harkens back to the nonchalant and conversational deliveries made famous by Delta blues musicians like Robert Johnson and Jesse Fuller.

Nashville musician Todd Snider recorded his latest album, “Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3” at a cabin built by Johnny Cash in 1978. Photo courtesy of Stacie Huckeba Snider meditates on the cyclical nature of blues he contributes to on “The Blues on Banjo,” where he opens up with the famous blues opener — “I woke up this morning/ And I realized that I repeat myself/ I said I woke up this morning.”

Snider echoes many blues legends when he explains his relationship and draw to the genre.

“The kind of music that I play feels real natural. I’ve learned other types of music, and I can play them too,” Snider said. “But when it’s time to play and I’m drunk or whatever, there’s just a certain way I always play.”

On “Talking Reality Television Blues,” Snider explains the simplicity of blues writing in a rather tongue-in-cheek way.

“Talking blues are easy to do/ All you gotta rhyme is a line or two/ Rhyme a line or two and then/ You don’t ever have to rhyme again.”

Snarky humor is a recurring theme on this new record and is certainly a charming and relatable aspect.

This charm is perfected on the record’s closer, “A Timeless Response to Current Events,” wherein Snider foregoes singing to speak frankly about America’s deteriorating political landscape with a few specific jabs at Trump. The juxtaposition between the verses’ comically complicated alliterations and the simple, singsong choruses draw a number of somber smiles.

Snider responds to America’s mess of a political landscape with a simple phrase — “Ain’t that some bullshit?”

These tunes can be heard at The Beacon Theatre, where Snider will perform March 20 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are limited and priced around $60. Snider said he doesn’t plan to experiment with this type of mellow blues in the future, so this might be a rare opportunity.

The Latino Medical Student Association will host a screening of “Roma” with H:UMAN (Humanities: Understanding MAN). The College of William and Mary’s director of Latin American Studies, Betsy Konefal, will lead a presentation before the film. A discussion will follow, and pizza and movie snacks will be provided.

RSVP for food before March 20.

5:30-9 p.m., Room 5-101, James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Medical Education Center (1201 E. Marshall St.) Free, RSVP online for food.

FRI.-SAT. 3/22-23 Provocations Performance: Tavishi feat. Womajich Dialyseiz

Sarmistha Talukdar will present “Tavishi,” her project combining scientific research data with classical Indian music and ambient elements. She will generate music from the plants in Rashid Johnson’s “Monument.” On Saturday, Womajich Dialyseiz, an improv collective made up of women and gender non-conforming people, will also perform.

4 p.m., Fri., 3 p.m., Sat., Institute for Contemporary Art (601 W. Broad St.) Free

Do something

THU. 3/21 Tiny Shiny Jewelry Sale

Students from craft and material studies will showcase and sell their work, including bracelets, brooches, rings and more. A portion of the proceeds will go to students attending the Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference in Chicago.

5-8 p.m., Quirk Gallery (207 W. Broad St.) Free

FRI. 3/22 VCUarts Market

This market will feature work from School of the Arts students, alumni, faculty and staff. Guests will be able to buy from the artists and vendors, including Studio 23, Rikrack, Jen Paxton, Jacob Eveland, Amelia Langford, Little Nomad, Dashiell Kirk and more. TO THE EDITOR LETTER 4-8 p.m., Fine Arts Building (1000 W. Broad St.) Free

FRI. 3/22 “Massive Resilience” Closing Reception

Art 180 will host a public reception to close “Massive Resilience,” an exhibition from local high school students. The young artists visualized their thoughts on African-American history and the role Richmond played in the Atlantic slave trade.

6-8 p.m., Art 180 (114 W. Marshall St.) Free

Learn something

WED. 3/20 Women in Peace Corps Discussion Panel

Women Peace Corps volunteers will explain their roles in the group and provide suggestions for the application process.

For more information, visit peacecorps. gov.

6-7 p.m., Room 1030J, West Grace Street Student Housing North (830 W. Grace St.) Free

THU. 3/21 The Afterlife of Jim Crow: Artist Talk

Brian Palmer and Erin Holloway Palmer will talk about the photojournalistic work they’ve done in the East End Cemetery, culminating in their latest exhibition, “The Afterlife of Jim Crow.”

6-7 p.m., 1708 Gallery (319 W. Broad St.) Free

14 The Commonwealth Times

Quote of the week

“Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished.”

— Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Horror hasn’t always loved black people but that’s changing BRIANNA SCOTT Opinions Editor Preface: Fun drinking game for you legal kids — take a shot every time I say the word “horror” or “black!”

Horror hasn’t always been the genre where black people are the prime stars and are shown love. As a horror movie fan myself, specifically of classic slasher films, my favorite movies have few, if any, black characters. And if they do, they’re always killed first, in one of horror’s biggest cliches. From “Halloween” to “Friday the 13th,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream” — I cannot recall seeing more than one black person, and they usually aren’t a main character. They’re sidekicks and background actors or the only black friend in a group of white people.

Preface: Fun drinking game for you legal kids — take a shot every time I say the word ‘horror’ or ‘black!’”

Brianna Scott, opinions editor Some of 2018’s top-grossed horror films such as, “The Nun,” “Hereditary,” “Strangers: Prey at Night” and the highest-gross-

Illustration by Sammy Newman

ing horror film of the year “A Quiet Place,” had little to no black characters or people of color in general. None of the films featured a non-white main character.

Just as in every genre, it’s not that there is a lack of black actors. It’s that black people aren’t cast in these roles. In addition to that, there aren’t many filmmakers of color.

A UCLA study shows that ethnic and racial minorities make up nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population, but only 18 percent of directors, 12 percent of film writers and 6 percent of studio CEOs and chairmen.

There have been a good — albeit small — number of black horror films with a sizeable black cast such as “Blacula,” “Def

by Temptation,” “Candyman,” “Blade,” ironically the “Scary Movie” franchise and recently “The First Purge.” Despite black people never receiving attention in the horror genre, the tide is changing thanks to director Jordan Peele. He didn’t invent black horror, but he’s revolutionizing it and proving black actors can be cast as leads in horror films and properly carry the franchise.

The first marked horror film to feature a black character was George A. Romero’s 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead.”

Actor Duane Jones portrayed Ben in the film and — spoiler alert for a movie that has been out for more than 50 years — is the hero, despite being shot at the end by a white man who thinks he shot a zombie. In interviews, Romero said he never intended for “Night of the Living Dead” to have racial undertones, but it happened to work out that way. Ben is trapped in a house with a bunch of white people, which alone creates tension, while trying to fight off zombies.

“Get Out” and “Night of the Living Dead” have similar parallels. Chris from “Get Out,” portrayed by Daniel Kaluuya, is visiting his white girlfriend’s family for the weekend, and it turns into a very similar storyline to Romero’s film. Chris is trapped in this house with a liberal white family — which is quite honestly one of the most terrifying situations to be in. There’s nothing worse than being around white liberal people who think they aren’t homophobic

because they approve of marriage equality or aren’t racist because they voted for Barack Obama.

“Get Out” addresses how much white America loves black culture and what black people have, but not black people themselves. In this film’s case, the bodies and talents of black people are sold to white people, whose brains will be transplanted into black bodies. The host of the body remains conscious in the “sunken place,” but they are completely powerless.

As a director, Peele weaves in societal issues into cinematically beautiful and capitativing horror movies where black people are at the forefront. In Peele’s films, black people are important figures who aren’t solely there to die or advance the narrative of a white character.

Peele’s second horror movie, “Us,” is coming out this Friday, and the ratings are already pouring in from critics saying the movie is a winner. “Get Out” wasn’t just a one-off special, Peele is showing us that black people have a place in horror.

Don’t be fooled, situationships are not like dating IMANI THANIEL Contributing Writer Wait, are we dating?

Many people have asked themselves that question. It’s one of those moments when you like someone, but there’s confusion about the status of the relationship.

I used to ponder and tear my brain apart for hours trying to find answers and felt so hurt that I regretted everything.”

Imani Thaniel, contributing writer Believe me when I say I’ve been there.

This confusing and mind-boggling “relationship” is none other than a “situationship,” a relationship with no label. It has

all the perks of a real relationship without being established.

In a situationship, you’ve usually been told by your friends that what you are doing isn’t the best thing for you, and it will only make things worse if you keep having sex.

But then your friends take a second look and say, “But you’re in college, and you’re having fun.”

Pick a side, please.

If you have been a part of a situationship, you know there are red flags that go up each time you are with the person. A couple of red flags include not putting a title on the relationship, avoiding talks about the future and not spending time with each other in public.

According to neuroscientist Nicole Prause, situationships are becoming more common because society is beginning to shift away from marriage and committed relationship to those without a label. Younger generations are straying away from the “headaches” of committed relationships and the possibility of rejection. Prause said it best when she said, “People want to remain free of being rejected.”

I was part of a situationship not too long ago. He was my ex-boyfriend of two and half years. We still loved each other and wanted to stay connected. We usually only met up at night, we didn’t hang around our friends very often and we refrained from talking about our relationship. This was great for a few weeks because I believed we might get back together. But the harsh reality was, we were no longer in a committed relationship, and I had to make a choice.

My options were to be silent about how I truly felt and continue to have him in my life — or speak up and let it go.

Well, I chose the latter.

I used to ponder and tear apart my brain for hours trying to find answers and felt so hurt that I regretted everything. I realized I can’t hold hostility toward myself, or him, because we were in it together, and forgiveness overpowers all regret.

If you’re grappling with a situationship, there will come a day when you will not be afraid of rejection, and the feelings of confusion and doubt will subside.

Having a situationship, or even a relationship, cannot fill a void or end fear. Only realizing your own power can do that.

Illustration by Steck Von

Wed. March 20, 2019 15

THE CT STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Georgia Geen geengr@commonwealthtimes.org

Adults by Erin Joo

MANAGING EDITOR Saffeya Ahmed ahmeds@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Fadel Allassan news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Noah Fleischman sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Andrew Ringle spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Brianna Scott opinions@commonwealthtimes.org MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Erin Edgerton photography@commonwealthtimes.org AUDIENCE EDITOR Alexandra Zernik zernikal@commonwealthtimes.org ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Steck Von illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Adam Cheek, Sports STAFF COLUMNISTS Shaun Jackson, Opinions jacksonsk@commonwealthtimes.org

Priorities by Ellie Erhart

STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Sammy Newman Erin Joo Summer McClure

VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER DESIGN EDITOR Ryan Rich ryan@ryanrichdesign.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mai-Phuong Bui Jeffrey Pohanka Andy Caress designers@vcustudentmedia.com ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Gabbi Bernardo Dana Cantor Miles S. Hicks advertising@vcustudentmedia.com (804) 828-6629 WEBMASTER Chrislin Hearn webmaster@vcustudentmedia.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Evan McGrady distribution@vcustudentmedia.com DIRECTOR Allison Bennett Dyche abdyche@vcu.edu (804) 827-1975 CREATIVE MEDIA MANAGER Mark Jeffries mjeffries@vcu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Jacob McFadden mcfaddenjc@vcu.edu

Right After Midterms by Max

ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Drew Salsbury smc_assistant@vcustudentmedia.com

ABOUT THE CT The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning independent student newspaper at VCU, since 1969. The CT staff maintains all editorial and operations discretion. There is absolutely no prior review by the public, university or VCU Student Media Center administration or staff. The Executive Editor writes and manages the Operations Budget.

ADD YOUR VOICE The opinions pages of the CT are a forum open to the public. Contributions are welcome by email to Brianna Scott, by mail or in-person at 817 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times.

Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The CT staff.

The Commonwealth Times strives for accuracy in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please email the appropriate section editor.

Corrections will appear on the news pages and/or online. One CT per person. Additional copies can be purchased at the Student Media Center for $1 each.

16 The Commonwealth Times

For answers to this week’s puzzles, check commonwealthtimes.org/puzzles every Friday at noon.

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle GOING GREEN

Sponsored by

L o s A n g e l e s Ti m e s Sunday Crossword Puzzle

By Matt McKinleyEdited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis 4 Diminutive ACROSS 72 Try again 5 Roxane’s lover 1 Boxer who 74 Really irritate 6 One may come defeated Holyfield 75 Bully’s words over a crowd 77 Come to __

By Matttwice McKinley 7 Prankster 78 Tenth of a grand 5 Contentious 8 Name of six popes 80 Part of a cook’s job shoulder piece?

4 Diminutive again ACROSS 9 Ballpark staple 63 Recognized 9 Equal-split offer 72 Try81 5 Roxane’s lover tuna irritate island nation 1 Boxer who tussles 74 Really 10 Yellowfin 84 Pacific 13 Rugby 6 One11may come Tony64 words truck defeated Holyfield Three-time 85 Winter 19 Lang. of Livorno 75 Bully’s over a winner crowd __-Manuel to __ 65 twice 20 Border Patrol city77 of Come attachment 7 Prankster a grandpast 5 Contentious Miranda 86 of Zoomed the Southwest 78 Tenth 8 Name six popes a cook’s job shoulder piece?

12 of Daze 88ofUnproductive 21 Three Rivers river80 Part 9 Ballpark staple 9 Equal-split offer 13 Blew big-time 67 89 Walked 22 “That’s enough!” 81 Recognized 10 Yellowfin 84 Pacific island nation 68 13 Rugby tussles 14 In tuna a snippy 90 “Mean Girls” 23 Green 11 Three-time Tony 85 Winteractress truck 69 19 Lang. of Livorno betrayer manner 27 Samson’s __-Manuel attachment 70 20 Border Patrol 15 Falling-outs 92 Jim Davis canine winner 28 Pub budcity of 86 Zoomed past the29 Southwest 16 Bryce Canyon 73 93 “The Nutcracker” Miranda Apostle also called 12 Daze locale 88 Unproductive 76 21 Three Levi Rivers river dip 13 Blew 89 Walked 22 “That’s enough!”

17big-time Clock-climbing trio 94 Sad sound 30 Habit wearer 14 In a snippy 90 “Mean Girls” 23 Green 18 Slow cooker dish78 95 Green 31 Happy eating word manner actress 79 27 Samson’s betrayer 24 Jewish month after 99 Himalayan beast 33 Kewpie and 15 Falling-outs 92 Jim Davis canine 28 Pub bud Av 100 Until now kachina 16 Bryce Canyon 93 “The Nutcracker” 80 29 Apostle also called 25 Hide seeker 101 One of the 34 Kings, e.g. locale dip 82 Levi 26 Appalachian range 91-Down 37 Green 17 Clock-climbing trio 94 Sad sound 83 30 Habit wearer 32 The NCAA’s 102 Moving wheels 42 Not a Crimson fan 18 Slow cooker dish 95 Green 31 Happy eating word Spartans 104 Needing bailing 45 Break-in sound? 99 Himalayan 24 Jewish month after beast 85 33 Kewpie and out, maybe 47 Hawaiian goose100 Until now Av 33 1971 American kachina Airlines debut 107 60 secs.

48 Prepare to take off, 25 Hide seeker 101 One of the 87 34 Kings, e.g.

34 Ice cream treat 109 Museum works 26 Appalachian range 91-Down 37 Greenperhaps Self-help website91 113 Green Printer function 32 The35 102 Moving wheels 42 Not49a Crimson fan NCAA’s 36 Green 118 Allowing 50 Premier League104 Needing bailing for the 45 Break-in sound?

Spartans 38American 1936 Literature 95 possibility that 33 1971 soccer anchor out, maybe 47 Hawaiian goose With 109-Down, Rebecca secs.

96 48 Prepare to take off, 107 60119 AirlinesNobelist debut Vacation obsession 51 Nissan model 109 Museum works 97 perhaps 34 Ice 39 cream treat home for dogs?

120 Hot message 35 Self-help 53 Ownership 98 49 Printer function proof113 Green website 40 QBs’ concerns 121 Against-the-wind 54 Suffragist for the 50 Premier League Julia 118 Allowing 36 Green 41Literature Bring about 100 sailing __ possibility thatmaneuver38 1936 soccerWard anchor 42 Green 122109-Down, Handy reference Nobelist 55 Terrible year? 119 With 103 Rebecca 43 Allowed 123 Springlike, as 39 Vacation 56 Metal containers obsession 51 Nissan model home for 44 Actually existing weather 57 Heart and soul, e.g.

120 Hot message 104 53 Ownership proof dogs?

46concerns Southwest 124 Skip-a-round 59 Slapped-on 121 Against-the-wind 105 54 Suffragist Julia 40 QBs’ formation restraints sailing privileges maneuver Ward __ 41 Bring about 49 Synagogue 106 125 Barrie’s bosun 42 Green 60 Cremona 122 Handy reference 55 Terrible year?

51 Word with way 108 or 123 Springlike, as 56 Metal Christmas containers 43 Allowed DOWN 62 AEC successor weather 57 Heart and soul, e.g.

44 Actuallycase existing 52 Wings 1 Texas city 63 Beast in a Beatles’ 124 Skip-a-round 109 59 Slapped-on 46 Southwest 58 Frodo pursuer 110 nickname title privileges restraints formation 59 Psychiatrist Jung 2 Siouan 64 Iowa summer hrs.

125 Barrie’s bosuntribe 111 60 Cremona 49 Synagogue 61 with Spotway during 3 Interactive 66 Green Christmas 51 Word or a 112 71 successor Land in the Seine DOWNFacebook feature case program 114 62 AEC 1 Texas city 115 63 Beast in a Beatles’ 52 Wings 3 Frodo 4 pursuer Level 1 2 58 nickname 116 title 2 Siouan tribe 117 64 Iowa summer hrs.

59 Psychiatrist Jung 3 Interactive 66 Green 61 Spot during a Facebook feature 71 Land in the Seine program

GOING GREEN

63 Reacting to a tearjerker 64 Skillfully makes 65 2003 AFI Life Achievement Award recipient Reacting to a 67 Promise tearjerker 68 Acquire Skillfully makes 69 Kind of skiing 2003 70AFI HeLife has the answers Achievement 73 Geraint’s beloved Award 76 recipient Decide not to Promiseattend Acquire 78 Intimate with Kind79of Like skiing seven Nolan He has Ryan the answers games Geraint’s beloved 80 Mani mate Decide not to 82 Lamb pen name attend 83 Common pay Intimateperiod with Like85 seven Nolan End-of-season Ryan games games Mani mate 87 Shylock’s Lamb pen name adversary Common pay 91 Citi Field team, on period scoreboards End-of-season 95 __ de corps games 96 Filled in Shylock’s 97 Throws out adversary Like many Citi 98 Field team, on basements scoreboards 100 Together __ de corps 103inHomes in the Filled Throwswoods out 104 Bakery specialist Like many 105 Porto-__: Benin’s basements capital Together 106 Shake Homes in the __: hurry 108 Accident woods agcy.

Bakery investigation specialist 109 See 119-Across Porto-__: Benin’s 110 Eliot’s “__ Bede” capital 111 __: Track event Shake hurry 112 Youngster Accident 114 Edge agcy. of a canyon investigation 115 Star Wars initials See 119-Across 116 “__ Smartphone no.

Eliot’s Bede” 117 event Ferdinand II of Track Aragón, por Youngster Edge ofejemplo a canyon Star Wars initials Smartphone no.

Ferdinand II of Aragón, por ejemplo

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Need a summer job? Learn to be a lifeguard L o s A n g el es Ti m es with Aquatics! recsports.vcu.edu

S u n d ay C r o ssw o r d P u z z l e Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Going Green by Matt McKinley

Level

Sudoku

1 3

By The Mepham Group

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) containsSolution to Monday’s puzzle every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

Solution to Friday’s puzzle

1/15/19 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit

ADVERTISEMENT

2

sudoku.org.uk

3/16/19

4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, please visit sudoku.org.uk

DIFFICULTY LEVEL 1

2

© 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed © 2019byThe Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Sponsored by

Quickness RVA -Since 2010Order Online Now! @ quicknessrva.com

ADVERTISEMENT