The Commonwealth Times; Nov. 20, 2019 by VCU Student Media Center

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VOL. 61, NO. 14 NOVEMBER 20, 2019

VCU pilots Wi-Fi tracking program Illustration by Sammy Newman

Ram Attend will track connections for class attendance KATIE HOLLOWELL Contributing Writer Some students are uncomfortable with a $96,000 pilot program that tracks Wi-Fi connections to automate class attendance, questioning why the university “needs to have our location.” Through Ram Attend, which piloted Nov. 8, when students connect their devices to the VCU Safenet Wireless network, a Wi-Fi access point is automatically recorded. The access point is then compared to class times and locations to specify attendance. According to VCU’s student success page, Ram Attend is being introduced to track regular class attendance, “one of the most important indicators for student success.” The pilot is being used in smaller classrooms to test accuracy before introducing it in larger classes. The website states that connection data is not used outside of designated classroom locations and times. The current pilot is using data for attendance, but

it is unclear if the data will be used for other purposes. “Aggregate (de-identified) data may be analyzed at the university level to improve other areas of student success,” the website states. “Additional details will be available after the fall 2019 pilot.” Only focused inquiry classes — UNIV 111, 112 and 200 — are testing the new program. Since these classes are generally smaller in size, the professors can take attendance manually and compare it to Ram Attend results. Students whose classes were selected for the program were notified by email. Some VCU students, such as sophomore Sarah Pritchard, don’t understand why the program began so late in the semester. “I understood they just wanted another way to track us and take attendance, but why they were doing it so late in the semester was confusing to me,” Pritchard said. “Because that is not really an effective way to go about piloting something at least [to me] personally.”

Pritchard, an environmental studies major, sees this as another way for the university to keep an eye on students. VCU tracks students when they log into SafeNet and records when and which access points your device connects to, according to the student success page. “I feel like we are really already micromanaged, and I really don’t want that,” Pritchard said. “What’s the problem with normal attendance or doing [something] like Top Hat attendance?” Pritchard opted out of the program, not allowing VCU to track her location for class attendance. Students are protected through the Family Educational Records Protection Act, or FERPA, which gives students the rights to their educational records. University officials will not have access to the data unless it is required under their job duties, which would apply to instructors and advisers. There are also guidelines set by the vendor, Degree Analytics. VCU spokesperson Mike Porter said in an email that

the university signed a one-year, $96,000 contract with Degree Analytics that would not affect tuition. If a student decides to opt-in to the program, Degree Analytics will only record when the student logs in to the Wi-Fi for their class time and then filter out the rest of the data. Before the data is sent to the vendor, it will strip the student’s eID and only show a V-Number. Students selected for the pilot program can opt-out of having their attendance and Wi-Fi connection tracked through a Google Form link, which was included in a notification email about the program. Students not included in the pilot can also opt-out before the program extends to other classes. Junior Samantha Son said the new program is causing a lot of anger and confusion on campus. “I feel like while it may streamline attendance procedures,” the fashion merchandising major said, “many effective tools like Top Hat or other things are already set in place.”

Undocumented students could start enrolling next school year I would like to see us enrolling undocumented students. This practice that we currently use is over a decade old, it’s dated.” Sybil Halloran, senior associate vice provost for strategic enrollment management See UNDOCUMENTED on page 3

UndocuRams co-founder Yanet Limon-Amado says the change is a “step forward.” Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

2 The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: Chick-fil-A has announced it will no longer donate money to two organizations — the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes — that have been criticized for being anti-LGBTQ. international: The deforestation levels in the Amazon are the highest they’ve been in 11 years, according to data released by the Brazilian government on Monday.

Travis Harris’ former students said they were unsatisfied with the options given by the AFAM department and the lack of response from the school. Photo by Katharine Derosa

Students rally for reinstatement of African American studies professor KATHARINE DEROSA Contributing Writer A group of 10 students sat in former assistant professor Travis Harris’ old classroom on Thursday during their former class meeting time to discuss their plans to push for his reinstatement. Harris’ former students said they felt neglected by VCU and the chair of the African American studies department, Shawn Utsey, because they refused to make a statement on why Harris was removed. Harris was removed from teaching African American studies classes AFAM 111 and 211 on Oct. 29. VCU spokesperson Mike Porter said in an email he could not comment on Harris’ removal because it was a personnel matter. In an email, Harris said his removal was a result of three verbal complaints, and none were made in writing. One of the complaints Harris cited was the live streaming of lectures that included his students’ faces. He said two other complaints were from changing the syllabus by adding a grading rubric, and teaching topics that a student said were uncomfortable. He expressed disappointment and frustration with being removed from the classroom. “I worked years to get to this point, and it was taken away in a moment,” Harris said. “Why? Why should I be treated this way?” Harris said VCU has a problem retaining black faculty members, and “after three complaints, they are going to get rid of another one.”

After Harris’ former students refused to continue the class with a substitute professor, they were given three options in an email sent by Utsey: • To accept their current grade in the course as a final grade • To complete the final assignment based on the information discussed in class thus far with the option to have Harris or a neutral party review the work • To withdraw Dani Short, a junior international studies major and Africana studies minor, said she was unhappy with the lack of information given on Harris’ removal.

As a result of this situation, my entire life has been turned upside down. My appetite is off and at any moment, I can burst into tears.” Travis Harris, former professor “It’s feeling intentionally very vague,” Short said. “So we are trying to get a little bit more transparency in the situation.” The students said they haven’t had contact with Harris, and Short said there were things that Harris could and could not share with them. The students said they admired Harris’

dedication to the classroom and told a story about how he taught via Skype a few weeks ago while his wife was in the delivery room. “It really highlights how much he cares about us,” said Sierra Webb, a senior sociology and gender studies double major. According to the students, Harris was energetic starting the first day of class. Webb said he wore all black and told his students, “this is going to be the blackest class you ever take.” In Harris’ email, he detailed the way his life has changed since his removal from the classroom. “As a result of this situation, my entire life has been turned upside down,” Harris said. “My appetite is off and at any moment, I can burst into tears.” When Utsey delivered the news of Harris’ removal to the class a few weeks ago, the students said he was surprised by their passion for Harris and his teaching, and that he tried to solicit negative feedback from Harris’ other class when he broke the news to them. According to a Twitter post made by Korie Roane, a senior psychology major, Harris was wrongfully removed and “has done nothing illegal or that warrants filing.” The post continues to say that his classes for spring semester have been canceled. Harris is not listed as teaching any classes in the spring, according to eServices’ course lookup tool. Roane has been active on Twitter regarding the situation. She created a thread of tweets detailing her opinions on Harris’ removal.

“We all need to stand in solidarity so this isn’t just another displaced black man,” Roane said in a tweet. The students referenced coerced agency, a topic that Harris taught in class. In sociology, agency refers to a person’s ability to act on their own will. Webb said coerced agency is the idea that black people must “choose” between multiple situations that will hurt black communities, but the choice is not truly theirs to make. “You exist under a system of oppression, dispersion and coercion that is long ingrained in our society,” said Becca Dyson, a senior sociology major and Africana studies minor. The group members said they feel the options Ustey gave them were coerced and not what they wanted. “It wasn’t about one less class, it was about getting our professor back,” Roane said. The group’s goal is to contact the university for a formal statement, Short said, and to “gain transparency” as to the policies governing Harris’ removal. If a statement is not provided by the university, the group said they would prepare to enact civil disobedience, possibly in the form of a sit-in. Harris’ webpage can still be found at afam.vcu.edu and describes him as “one of the leading scholars in Hip Hop Studies.” The webpage also discusses his work to “overthrow white supremacy” and to “ensure that those ‘from the bottom’ are not forgotten.”

Wed. November 20, 2019 3 UNDOCUMENTED

VCU considering enrollment for undocumented students GEORGIA GEEN Executive Editor VCU might begin accepting and enrolling undocumented students in time to affect fall 2020 applicants, depending on the results of a review of the university’s admissions practices that began this semester. As the practice stands, the university admits but does not enroll undocumented students who cannot provide some sort of legal documentation. Beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — which gives temporary legal protections to people brought to the U.S. as children — already are allowed to enroll in the university. Sybil Halloran, senior associate vice provost for strategic enrollment management, said she hopes the review will be finished before winter break and anticipates changes will be made. “One thing VCU prides itself on is access … This [policy] doesn’t really fit into that,” Halloran said. “I would like to see us enrolling undocumented students. This practice that we currently use is over a decade old, it’s dated.” Halloran said the university will reference the practices of other Virginia schools that enroll undocumented students, such as George Mason University. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia allows individual universities to establish their own admissions policies for undocumented students and those with DACA status. Yanet Limon-Amado, co-founder of UndocuRams — an organization that advocates for undocumented VCU students — said the organization’s members are glad that the practice could be changed. She noted that if the current process were outlined on the admissions website, undocumented students would have saved time and money by knowing ahead of time they would not be able to enroll. The enrollment processes DACA recipients go through at VCU aren’t consistent, Limon-Amado said, and each member of UndocuRams has had a different experience. After being accepted on the spot at her community college, Limon-Amado went through a straightforward process, she said.

UndocuRams co-founder Yanet Limon-Amado said there are inconsistencies in VCU’s enrollment process for undocumented students. Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh “Luckily my admissions counselor who took my application sent me to the correct person in order to reapply for domicile and get in-state tuition,” Limon-Amado said. As part of revisions to admissions’ practices, Halloran hopes to ensure staff members have a better understanding of the university’s processes for DACA and undocumented students, including the difference between the two classifications. In a few cases, uncertainties regarding a student’s legal status have led to some being sent erroneously to the international students office, which Halloran said admissions is trying to prevent in the future. “That’s part of the problem with not having a clear path for undocumented students,” Halloran said. “We’re trying to make sure it doesn’t [happen] going forward.” VCU’s review of its practice of not admitting undocumented students comes as the Supreme Court’s conservative majority signals it may allow the Trump administration to end the DACA program. In the 2018-19 school year, VCU had the second-highest number of DACA students among four-year colleges at 72. George Mason University had

the highest amount with 267. The court is expected to reach a final decision no later than June 2020, according to the National Immigration Law Center. If the court sides with the Trump administration, the program would likely be phased out, and current recipients would lose their protections as their two-year statuses began to expire. Limon-Amado said UndocuRams hopes to see VCU President Michael Rao speak in favor of bills that would guarantee in-state tuition for DACA recipients and undocumented students. DACA recipients qualify for in-state tuition in Virginia thanks to a 2014 letter from Attorney General Mark Herring that gives them the opportunity to establish domicile, but undocumented students don’t have the same benefit, and a law would set the policy in stone. Aside from university support for in-state tuition, other demands from the organization include: • The establishment of a private scholarship for undocumented and DACA students

• Clarity on the admissions process, including on why immigration officials were involved in the admissions process for one student • The establishment of a dedicated staff or staff member to handle admissions and enrollment for DACA recipients and undocumented students • Additional mental health resources for undocumented and DACA students • Admissions staff and administrators attending a training on how to be an ally for undocumented people, in addition to financial assistance for those giving the training. The political climate is taxing for undocumented students and DACA recipients, Limon-Amado said, making the potential revision on VCU’s enrollment policy a welcome change. “This is a step forward to actually having a more inclusive university for students regardless of immigration status,” Limon-Amado said.

DACA students enrolled at public four-year institutions, 2018-19

George Mason: 267

VCU, which is considering allowing enrollment for undocumented students, has the second-highest number of DACA students among four-year colleges in Virginia.

James Madison University: 24 University of Mary Washington: 7 University of Virginia: 25 Virginia Commonwealth University: 72 Longwood University: 2 Radford University: 13

Statewide total: 454

William and Mary: 24 Christopher Newport University: 2 Old Dominion University: 18

Source: State Council of Higher Education in Virginia, Information compiled by Georgia Geen, Infographic by Kamryn Gillham

4 The Commonwealth Times

VCU says Times-Dispatch series on guardianship process is ‘out-of-context,’ lacks ‘journalistic ethics’ HANNAH EASON News Editor VCU Health System sent out a news release and email to employees Sunday on the recent Richmond Times-Dispatch series about the health system’s guardianship practice, saying the article lacks “context, balance, and journalistic ethics.” The Richmond Times-Dispatch released the first of a series of articles on guardianship — the legal process of removing an adult’s right to make life decisions — and said the university and other health providers used the process to disadvantage poor patients. A guardian is a person legally allowed to make medical and housing decisions on behalf of an incapacitated person. A conservator is in control of an incapacitated person’s finances. A person can be both a guardian and conservator. The email was signed by Marsha Rappley, VCU Health Systems CEO and senior vice president for health sciences, and Interim CEO of VCU Hospitals and Clinic Ron Clark, and contains five points that VCU says were incomplete or inaccurate in the Times-Dispatch’s report. “ We especiall y regret that the Times-Dispatch included incomplete information or out-of-context stories and hearsay about health system employees and patients to make their case,” the email stated. Richmond Times-Dispatch Executive Editor Paige Mudd said the publication

VCU Health System responded to the series Sunday saying the article lacked balance, while the Richmond Times-Dispatch says they are standing by their report. CT file photo “stands by our reporting on this story,” which was written by Bridget Balch. The Times-Dispatch article says reporters analyzed more than 250 court cases and interviewed more than two dozen people, which they say showed VCU Health System took hundreds of low-income patients to court to “remove their rights to make decisions about their medical care.” In the release, VCU Health Systems stated they use the guardianship process for patients who are unable to make health decisions and don’t have a friend or family member who can serve as a decision-maker. The article states there were 24 cases since 2013 in which patients had a family member

or friend willing to serve as a guardian, but an attorney was appointed instead. According to VCU’s statement, final decisions about guardianship and who will be the guardian are determined by the court. “VCU Health System has no role and has never participated in the process to determine who is appointed to be the patient’s guardian,” the release stated. The series, which will have a second part released Sunday, uses the example of a Richmond man, William Lomax, whose wife, Ora Lomax, was willing to take care of him. According to the Times-Dispatch, VCU Health Systems said that because her husband had been to the hospital 12 times in 8 months — among other factors — she

was unfit to care for him. Her husband’s guardian and conservator was attorney R. Shawn Majette, which the Times-Dispatch says was at VCU Health System’s request through a petition. The article also noted five VCU Health System cases in which a guardian ad litem — an independent attorney appointed to represent children and incapacitated people — or psychiatrist believed a patient was mentally competent, but an attorney was appointed as the person’s guardian anyway. “In at least 13 cases, Majette or another attorney was appointed guardian for the stated purpose of having the patient discharged to a nursing home, signed up for Medicaid or to ensure a bill was paid,” the article says. According to the article, Majette, who works for ThompsonMcMullan law firm, has more than 100 people under his guardianship. According to Virginia law, the “established ideal ratio” is 20 incapacitated persons per each full-time staff member. Both parties noted that guardianship is rarely pursued; it accounted for less than 40 cases out of nearly 40,000 this year. The statement said VCU Medical Center makes efforts to ensure patients are discharged into a safe environment by providing nursing facility contracts, home visits, transportation and medical equipment. VCU Health said the discharge process involves many medical experts including doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, social workers and others.

Boy Scout troops leave brown paper bags for Feed More collections ANYA SCZERZENIE Contributing Writer The members of Boy Scout Troop 478 say they beat the cold by running as fast as they could. While delivering bags for Scouting For Food on Saturday’s chilly afternoon, they raced up and down the streets and made sure to stop at every house along the way. “If they’re at the house, I’m supposed to wait, but I like running because it’s so cold,” 12-year-old Josiah Neely said. “The first time I did [Scouting for Food] I was pretty bored and didn’t want to do it, but I’ve been doing it for five years, so I think I’m better at it now.” 478 was just one of the Boy Scouts of America troops that participated in Scouting For Food, a food drive that collects canned and non-perishable items for food-insecure families each year before Thanksgiving. The event is coordinated by the Heart of Virginia Council of the Boy Scouts and sponsored by Feed More food banks and Kroger. On Saturday, Scouts dropped off paper bags at houses in the Maymont neighborhood. They plan to pick up the bags this coming Saturday after donors have filled them with food. Local participating Boy Scout troops will sort their bags and drop them off at the Faith Community Baptist Church, where they will then be taken to a local food bank. According to data from FeedMore Inc., the nonprofit organization that serves Central Virginia, 1 in 8 people in the region is food insecure, which means they lack consistent access to enough food for a healthy life. Scoutmaster William Hawkins is a VCU graduate who majored in music.

He played trumpet in the Peppas and says that he still visits campus occasionally. He now has a full-time job as a scoutmaster for Troop 478. “478 is a pretty historic troop,” he said. “We’ve been around for 80 years; we’re one of the first African American troops in Richmond.” Not all the Scouts participating were boys. Tia Hawkins, William Hawkins’ daughter, is a member of Troop 442, which is a BSA girl’s troop. There is only one of these in Richmond. “They earn merit badges just like the boys do,” William Hawkins said. “They’re doing everything the boys are doing. Right now, she’s just here helping her brother’s troop.” Malachi White, 10, said that he feels like he’s bonded with the other boys in the troop. “Someone I thought I’d never become friends with is one of my best friends,” he said. Malachi said he liked Scouting for Food because he could pretend he was in the video game Hello Neighbor, a popular survival horror game where the player tries to sneak into their neighbor’s house. “I get to act like I’m the boy in Hello Neighbor, trying to get the thing under the mat without the person in the house seeing me,” he said. “It’s pretty fun.” Cubmaster Joshua Neely said that although he knows the scouts are having fun delivering the bags, it’s important for them to think about the reasons behind it. “At the end of the day, it’s just a way to help other people out,” Neely said. “It teaches the kids about how to help other people who are less fortunate.”

Boy Scouts run to a doorstep to deliver Feed More bags that residents can fill with nonperishable goods for those in needs. Photo by Alessandro Latour

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6 The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the week

Senior opposite hitter Gina Tuzzolo was named A-10 volleyball Defensive Player of the Week.

Redshirt-senior forward Issac Vann logged 40 steals last season, good for second-most on the team. Photo by Jon Mirador

NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor

Issac Vann anchors Rams’ defense

After transferring from Maine in 2016, Issac Vann arrived in Richmond with little defensive experience at the college level. Vann was thrown into the fire, having to adapt quickly to the Rams’ defensive playing style. His first assignment for the black and gold came during his redshirt season: prepare to guard the opponent’s best player. “I just embraced it, and I step up to the challenge every night,” said Vann, a redshirt-senior forward. “It was just something they need me to do and look for me to do.” That hasn’t changed during his career with the Rams as he’s faced the likes of Hofstra’s Justin Wright-Foreman and LSU’s Skylar Mays — both prolific scorers. He limited Wright-Foreman to shooting 25% from deep in last season’s meeting and played a role in Mays’ seven turnovers on Nov. 13. Wright-Foreman’s 25% from three was well under his season average of 42.5% last season. “Certain guys are elite at certain things,” coach Mike Rhoades said of Vann. “I think he’s elite at taking some scorers — guys that need to score for their team — out of the game.” Vann does not like to be scored on, so when he was assigned to the best player on the other team, it was added motivation. “If I got to guard the other team’s best offensive player and I don’t like getting scored on, I got to step my defense up,” Vann said. “I take defense seriously. You’ve got to want to play defense, so it’s something I do.” Since Vann guards the opponents’ top players, it allows the four other players on the floor to stick to their assignments.

“He relieves a lot of pressure for us,” said junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva.

Certain guys are elite at certain things. I think he’s elite at taking some scorers — guys that need to score for their team — out of the game.” Mike Rhoades, coach “He just makes it easier for us. I’m able to help out other people on the court because IV’s [Vann] focus is on the best player on the [other] team.” Junior forward Corey Douglas called Vann the “best defender on the team.” Rhoades ventured further and said Vann was “one of the best defenders in the country.” “He can guard anybody on the perimeter and take them out of the game, make it really hard for them,” Rhoades said. When he played for Bunnell High School, Vann said he was mainly an offensive weapon. “I was just strictly asked to score,” Vann said. “I was never really asked to play defense like that. When I got here, the standards was just different. You got to play defense to get on the floor here.” Vann was all over the stat sheet at Bunnell, said his high school coach, Pat Yerina. He said Vann logged close to 20 points and rebounds a night, but he also

had a defensive presence. social media after dunking on the “He would have some blocks that Knights’ Tacko Fall, who stands at were coming out of nowhere,” Yerina 7 feet, 6 inches tall. said. “He was taking off one step for the “It was kind of a little inside joke befree-throw line, blocking some guy’s shot. tween the team before the game, who would After he did a few times, they were a little try to dunk on Tacko,” Vann said with a tentative going inside.” smile. “It was a cool experience.” Yerina said Vann’s defense improved throughout high school, as he knew he had to play defense at the college level. Vann realized that too. “ W hen I got here, they told me if I didn’t play defense, I don’t play,” Vann said. “So, defense is what I do.” Last season, Vann swiped 40 steals for the Rams, second-most on the team. Vann said his defensive play helps him on the offensive end of the court as well, especially in the Siegel Center. “When we get stops, the Stu goes crazy,” Vann said. “Those are the little things that make you want to play defense and make you want to score each and every time you go down the floor.” Even though he’s known for his defense, Vann has used his offensive skills from high school to be one of the top scorers each night for the Rams. In the NCAA tournament matchup with UCF last season, Vann made waves on Isaac Vann averaged 10.8 points last season. CT file photo

Wed. November 20, 2019 7 PRESS BOX

The U.S. men’s national team should play younger players JOSEPH DODSON Contributing Writer On June 8, 2017, the U.S. men’s national team was served a much-needed wake-up call. After losing to Trinidad & Tobago, a CONCACAF nonfactor, the USMNT’s World Cup dream was over for another four years. Fortunately, thanks to a young core of confident, skilled players who are hitting their strides, things are looking up. But it may take longer than expected. The men’s national team’s history can be divided by the star players every World Cup cycle, and in the 2014-2017 era, the men’s national team had its worst cycle of players in recent memory. In 2015, Jürgen Klinsmann, then coach of the U.S. team, selected Michael Bradley as the permanent captain. This was the first in a line of mistakes that would result in a step backward as an institution. Bradley had a great start to his national career, playing 151 games for the United States and scoring 17 goals from the midfield position. In 2010, he scored two goals to defeat Mexico in a World Cup qualifying match. He started every game in both the 2010 and 2014 World Cup. After the 2014 World Cup, Bradley played his first full season in Major League Soccer after moving to Toronto FC from the Italian super club, Roma. Bradley’s game changed after the move to MLS; he began playing more conservatively in his older age. Many fans let out a collective groan when Bradley received the ball in international games because he always turned back immediately to his defense and laid off some safe pass. Sometimes he used his passing ability to send a long ball up to the offense, but these passes became sparse. Passing back to the defense is not inherently bad, but when it’s your first thought as a player, you’re slowing down the team. This negative attitude from

Illustration by Sammy Newman the captain infected the whole squad. Between the years of Landon Donovan and now Christian Pulisic, the men’s team hit a slump, and any excitement was gone. Jozy Altidore has always been my least favorite player on the national team. Never have I seen such a young player display such a lack of effort on offense. Altidore has never scored a World Cup goal, and he spends the majority of a game walking from an offside position, slowly over to an onside position. Altidore’s scoring is worthy of praise — the forward has scored 42 international goals in 115 games. His style of play can be described as poaching; he rarely comes back to help with defense and spends most of the game right outside of the opponent’s goal box. This s tyle of play has not worked for him in international play in recent years, and he’s fallen out of favor with the current head coach, Greg Berhalter. The U.S.’ young core has already proven they play well together in games like their 7-0 win against Cuba. Bradley and Altidore have done great things for U.S. soccer, but with the World Cup qualifiers around the corner, it’s time for youth. The youth movement is led by Pulisic; the midfielder has scored 14 goals in 34 games for the U.S., but that is hardly his

greatest contribution. Pulisic was the only beacon of hope that night in Trinidad and Tobago. Although he didn’t play his best game of qualifiers, he was the silver lining to the team’s fans because we knew he would be in his prime by the time the next cycle came around. Two years later, Pulisic just keeps getting better. While some U.S. internationals are scoring in the MLS, Pulisic has been scoring in the Champions League and Premier League. Unlike most Americans who play for European clubs, Pulisic is not a role player — he’s a star. In six Premier League games, Pulisic has logged five goals and two assists for Chelsea FC. On Nov. 8, 2018, Pulisic became the youngest captain in the national team’s history at age 20. Pulisic has not been alone in his success. Forward Jordan Morris and midfielder Weston McKennie have added to this era of excitement for U.S. fans. McKennie has already played 56 games for the German top division club, Schalke 04. In his 18 games with the U.S., he has scored six goals from a holding midfielder position. McKennie and Pulisic play with confidence for the U.S. Unlike MLS players, most international games for the two could be considered a break from the tough competition they face in Europe.

Morris has given Berhalter an athletic offensive option — the former NCAA D-I Player of the Year has had a rockier start due to injury. Morris scored his first international goal against rival opponent Mexico in a friendly. The first thing you notice about Morris is his speed and eye for goals. In 2017 he scored the gamewinner in the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals against Jamaica. On Friday he scored against Canada in 4-1 win. The youth movement isn’t perfect. The U.S has lost some big games with Pulisc and McKennie at the helm, but development isn’t always measured in wins. For years the U.S. has tried to create an identity with players such as Bradley and Altidore. With players like Pulisic and McKennie, we have swagger, and more importantly, we have superstars in the making. Other players in the youth movement worth mentioning are Newcastle defender DeAndre Yedlin, Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen and D.C. United midfielder Paul Arriola. This group is solid and eager to fix the mistakes of their predecessors. The U.S. will have talented strikers to choose from for the first time since the Clint Dempsey era with 19-year-old Werder Bremen striker Josh Sargent. The U.S. has won the battle for Dutch-born Ajax defender Sergino Dest, who chose to play with the U.S. over his home country of the Netherlands. The team is taking a step in the right direction. Last month’s team that beat Cuba 7-0 was the youngest U.S. team ever with an average age of 24. Although they suffered a setback in a loss to Canada 2-0, they rectified that mistake with a decisive 4-1 victory on Nov. 15 against Canada. The future is bright, and fans are ready to give the younger players every possible chance they can — even if that means leaving some veterans at home.

Scott’s experience continues to help develop forwards BEN MALAKOFF Contributing Writer Brent Scott understood that he needed a plan when his professional basketball career ended. He had seen many professional athletes around him come to the end of their time as athletes without an idea of what they wanted to do next. Scott talked to his coaches and quickly realized he wanted to stay around basketball and “thank the game” by moving into coaching. He graduated from Rice in 1993 before entering his professional career, which included time with the Indiana Pacers and in Spain with Real Madrid. When his playing career was over, Scott decided to go back to his alma mater, Rice, as an assistant in 2007. After one season at Rice, he returned to the Owls as a coach in 2016. In his second stint with the Owls, Scott worked under coach Mike Rhoades. When the season ended, Rhoades decided to leave Rice for VCU and asked Scott to join him. “I was super excited for him [Rhoades],” Scott said. “Him and I had a conversation, and he said he wanted me to come with him. It was a pretty easy decision.” Scott is now considered the Rams’ big-man coach and spends a lot of time developing players such as junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva, who earned A-10 all-tournament team honors last season

and the preseason all-conference third team award prior to this season. Santos-Silva, who was recruited by former VCU coach Will Wade, was excited when Rhoades told him the team was planning on hiring an “actual big-man coach.” “When he [Scott] left Rice, we built a relationship real quick when I was thinking about staying here or not,” Santos-Silva said. “I owe him a lot. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now if it wasn’t for him.”

Douglas, who played one year at Tallahassee Community College before rejoining his former coaches in Richmond. He said his relationship with Scott has only gotten stronger. “I look at him as a father figure,” Douglas said. “As well as just as a great coach. We were close at Rice but we are even closer now.” Because he is 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Scott has been able to work closely with Douglas and get through some injuries that have held him out. “He’s starting to find his groove,” Scott said. “He’s had some setbacks, but now he’s healthy. I think he’s going to continue to grow.” I look at him as a father Scott has earned the nickname “OG” from the team because of his experience figure, as well as just as around the game. This highlights his rea great coach. We were lationship with his players and makes close at Rice but we are him remember how important the lifelong bond is that he also has with his even closer now.” former teammates. Corey Douglas, junior forward “Twenty-five to 30 years later, I’m still really close to those guys,” Scott said. “EnSantos-Silva played in all 33 games his joy the trips on the bus or hanging out freshman year but did not make a start and after practice. The wins and all that stuff averaged three rebounds. are great, but it’s the time that you spend Last season, he averaged 10 points and together that you’ll miss.” more than seven rebounds, including a VCU wants to continue to instill the cul26-point and a 22-rebound game against ture of being a family by holding a tightRhode Island in the A-10 quarterfinals. knit bond with their teammates beyond Santos-Silva started all 33 games last season. their college career. Because of that, Scott The same year Scott and Rhoad- said he can’t wait to see where his players es left Rice, so did junior forward Corey end up in the next 10 to 15 years.

“We are a family,” Scott said. “We all love each other. It’s been a lot of fun being around this group and obviously being at VCU.”

Brent Scott is in his third year as an assistant at VCU. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics

8 The Commonwealth Times

On this day

In 1986, the World Health Organization announced the first global effort to combat AIDS.

The ICA hosted a panel of graphic designers on Saturday to talk about representation within the industry and how it can improve going forward. From left: Silas Munro and Brian Johnson from Poly-Mode, VCU graphic design professor Nontsikelelo Mutiti and Tré Seals of Vocal Type Co. Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

Graphic design panel shares insight in industry, representation

IMAN MEKONEN Spectrum Editor

Munro and Johnson have familial ties in Virginia — Johnson’s family is from Roanoke and Munro grew up in Reston. The art of graphic design is more than “We feel like we understand the true what meets the eye. It can be layered with grit of how ‘the great force’ happens, different meanings and interpretations with where it comes from,” Johnson said. “And unknown themes of personal identity. because we’ve grown up in Virginia, we The Institute for Contemporary Art feel like we understand a lot of the nuhosted a “Design and Justice” panel Satur- ances of history and both the issues day that discussed the versatility of the field and context.” and representation. It featured three graphic “There’s an interesting homecoming asdesigners of different artistic backgrounds, pect to working on this project,” Munro including Silas Munro, Brian Johnson and said. “It feels really resonant for us.” Tré Seals. The talk was moderated by VCU graphic design professor Nontsikelelo Mutiti. “My hard work begins and ends here because I will have the pleasure of doing my favorite thing in the world,” Mutiti said. “Asking ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’” If you would’ve asked Mutiti started the discussion by acme — as a 5, 10 or 15 knowledging designers of color and those year old — ‘I wanna from marginalized communities, saying she wanted to spotlight those who aren’t getting be a graphic designer,’ attention instead of ones who have died. those words never “There has been almost a ritual in a lot of came out of my mouth. the events I’ve attended the past seven years after I left graduate school — the naming It just — it happens of people that have … deceased,” Mutionce you finally realize, ti said. “I want to flip that and take some ‘Oh, this is for me.’” time to name people that aren’t celebrated, other design practitioners who have paved Brian Johnson, the way for my own practice and also my partner at Poly-Mode colleagues’.” She prompted the crowd to acknowledge any other artists she might have left out as Poly-Mode came out of Munro’s thesis an “encyclopedic exercise.” research in grad school looking at identity Munro and Johnson make up the design and how it fits into form and design. company Poly-Mode, which helped create “A part of our collaboration is this intithe catalog for “Great Force,” the ICA’s cur- macy of friendship and how that also relates rent exhibit on race in modern-day America. to creating something,” Munro said. “We’re really interested in design and The talk included background on the connecting to culture, cultural value and origins of graphic design related to identity also diverse voices and how design can ele- and stories of the artists’ personal histories vate that,” Munro said. with the field. The catalog included pictures of the artSeals is the founder of Vocal Type Co., a work in the exhibit as well as context into type foundry based in Baltimore. The firm the art itself. adapts and recreates typefaces for revolu-

tionary causes and specializes in branding, His passion for art inspired him to conprint design and typography. tinue freelancing. In college, he designed At the event, Seals displayed the sources tattoos, resumes, bracelets and books. of inspiration for his typefaces, often from Seals eventually created his very first iconic 20th-century protest signs. typeface, “Unveil.” Each custom typeface is named after an “If you would’ve asked me — as a 5, 10 individual who led a social revolution that or 15 year old — ‘I wanna be a graphic dehas affected the economic and social con- signer,’ those words never came out of my ditions in the United States. “Martin,” was mouth,” Johnson said. “It happens once inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., and you finally realize, ‘Oh, this is for me.’” “Aveda” was inspired by Argentinian womEach panelist agreed that representation en’s right’s activist and unofficial political in the graphic design industry can improve leader Eva Perón. “William,” named after going forward through elevation of underW.E.B. Du Bois, is found frequently in the represented voices, allyship and teaching of exhibition and in its upcoming catalog. different historical contexts. Seals, also a typeface designer for the “It ties back to there being more overlaps brand, talked at length about his personal than differences,” Munro said. relationship with design and art, especially since he was diagnosed with a brain tumor To learn more about Poly-Mode, visit at a young age. poly-mode.com. To learn more about Vocal During this time in his life, Seals often Type Co., visit vocaltype.co turned to art to express his emotions. “As I grew, it grew with me,” Seals said. “During that ordeal, drawing and writing became my primary means of working through the pain and dealing with the pain. Even when the tumor was gone, drawing became my expression when I was healing.” During this time, Seals said he started being more observant for the first time, noticing the instances of racism he experienced. “One thing I started observing was my parents and how they ran their business,” Seals said. “It inspired me to start my own company. … I was convincing kids to have me graffiti Tré Seals, the founder of Vocal Type Co., shared details their names on index cards of how he got into graphic design and art at a young age. for $3.” Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

‘Invisible Weight’ exhibit analyzes concepts of motherhood and resilience KATHERINE NOBLE Contributing Writer VCUarts alum LaRissa Rogers’ exhibit “Invisible Weight,” which opened at the Rump Gallery on Nov. 9 with a performance, deals with the complicated roles women play in their families and the tensions and sacrifices they must negotiate. Rogers graduated this spring from VCUarts’ fashion merchandising and painting and printmaking departments, with dual minors in art history and business. This range of experience is evident in the diverse textures of her work. “This exhibit was an ode to the resilience and strength of women of color as mothers,” Rogers said through a direct message on Instagram. “For me, the home is a place of safety, but it can also become a place of discomfort. This exhibition drew on both of those realities, the complexities of home, motherhood and the unconditional love that blankets it all.” Rogers’ work is a striking combination of fabric embroidered with standard decorative sayings and glossy red architectural metal pieces. Kim Peters and Noah Hook, the co-founders of the Rump Gallery, were introduced to Rogers’ work through VCUarts. Hook spent time with Rogers in painting and printmaking classes and was impressed by the artistic concepts she was working with and the potential she exhibited. “Invisible Weight is actually the only solo exhibition that did not begin with an application,” Hook said in an email. “I had reached out to LaRissa personally about being the first artist to show, as I wanted a really strong start to the Rump and I knew LaRissa could deliver.” Peters added that Rogers’ work is conceptually complex and lends itself to non-traditional spaces like the Rump. “Her execution allows for conversation and conceptual growth,” Peters said in an email. “In many cases, the questions and conversations held are equally as important as the work itself.” Rogers drew off of her own experiences as an Afro-Asian woman growing up with

Wed. November 20, 2019 9

UPCOMING EVENTS See something

THURS. 11/21 - SUN. 11/24 Pocahontas Reframed “Storytellers” Film Festival

The Byrd Theatre will host a film festival celebrating movies created by and about native people, including several Virginia and East Coast film premieres. Tickets are $20 and include access to more than 20 movies at the festival. For more information and to buy tickets, visit pocahontasreframed.com. Times vary., The Byrd Theatre & Foundation (2908 W. Cary St.) $20.

FRI. 11/22 - SAT. 11/23 Dominion Energy Gardenfest of Lights

LaRissa Rogers, VCUarts alum, hosted the opening of her newest exhibit, “Invisible Weight” at the Rump Gallery. The exhibition will host its closing reception on Nov. 30. Photo by Raelyn Fines an array of adopted and foster siblings. She saw her mother as an example of unconditional love and the many forms in which love and strength can come, despite sometimes complex family dynamics. The opening exhibit also featured a joint performance from Rogers and Clara Leonor Cruz. In the performance, the two interacted with each other and the objects within the space, speaking at times to each other or themselves. They repeated dialogue throughout the performance, and red yarn — which could be seen in many of the pieces — was also used to momentarily stitch themselves together and reattach pieces of a disconnected bed frame. Hook said the dialogue in the performance was reminiscent of conversations between family members, and that the small size of the space placed the audience right in the midst of the experience. “Their performance was vulnerable, heartfelt and spoke to the relationship between mothers and daughters — or any family member for that matter,” Peters said. “A bond that changes over time, and one

that is often strained. LaRissa and Clara’s use of language and repetition grounded the performance, allowing for a point of conceptual accessibility.” The performance was called “Before I’m a mother, I am a woman,” and it referenced the complicated roles women play in their families and the tensions between personal sacrifice, care, work and self preservation. “We used the metaphor of binding and unbinding red thread to talk about kinship ties across generations and holding family together,” Rogers said. “We drew on phrases passed down from our mothers and grandmothers as a way to affirm, encourage, and express the intricacy of mother as protector.” Rogers hopes her work informs viewers of these tensions and communicates the strength passed down through the women in her family. The Rump Gallery, at 2320 5th Ave., will have its closing show for “Invisible Weight” on Nov. 30 from 5-7 p.m.

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will host the opening weekend for its illumination ceremony with live music and crafts. The Gardenfest runs nightly until Jan. 6, rain or shine. For pricing information, visit the event’s Facebook page. Times vary., Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (1800 Lakeside Ave.) $13 for adults.

Do something

THURS. 11/21 Canned Food and Coat Drive

The College Panhellenic Council of VCU will sponsor a coat and canned food drive on the Hibbs Hall side of the Compass. The drive will be benefiting Meals on Wheels and The Salvation Army. For more information, contact Isabella Wralstad at wralstadir@vcu.edu or 757202-7439. Noon - 3 p.m., The Compass, near Hibbs Hall (900 Park Ave.)

THURS. 11/21 Daily Planet Health Services Volunteer Opportunity

Daily Planet Health Services will host an event of preparing jars of Thanksgiving food for homeless people. The event will aim to educate the public about non-profit health care and other volunteer opportunities. For more information, contact Carmen Khalil at khalilc@vcu.edu. 7 - 8 p.m., Room 2129, Harris Hall (1015 Floyd Ave.)

Flight Club returns with renewed energy and evolved sound

Learn something

QUENTIN RICE Staff Writer

Bob Levy: Robertson School Speaker Series

The loading screens in Guitar Hero 2 contain quotes about life in a band with snide humor, and one of those quotes was crucial to the future of Richmond punk band, Flight Club. “My favorite was, ‘A minifridge is more important than a bass player,’” said Flight Club lead vocalist Charlie Mahoney. “The one I was thinking of was ‘If the lead singer’s not happy, nobody’s happy,’” replied lead guitarist and vocalist Sam Tucker, referring to a notorious meeting the band had in the midst of serious doubt about the band’s future. That meeting ended with a hardened resolve to keep Flight Club going, and last Friday, that dedication came to fruition with the band’s first release in two years: a rambunctious EP titled “Recreational Love.” The EP features five new tracks in addition to “Discount Drugs,” a single released on Halloween. They all retain Flight Club’s recognizable punk rock philosophy with more flashy guitar work and brassy vocals full of attitude. The band cited some unexpected acts as inspiration for how their sound is evolving, such as Hippo Campus, Sublime and even Harry Styles. Guitarist Drew Seliquini

turned the band on to the One Direction frontman’s solo work. “I will say Drew introduced me to Harry Styles’ full length, and that shit is fire,” Mahoney said. “It’s a fucking rock ’n’ roll record!” Fans starved for Flight Club’s energy and style over the past two years will find it in spades on “Recreational Love.” “Discount Drugs” is driven by a beefy, fuzzy guitar riff that’s more brazen than anything the band has put out thus far. “All Hell” opens up like a punch in the face with a combative riff and stylish guitar-tapping embellishments such as laser beams sprinkled throughout. A music video for “All Hell” is right around the corner. Flight Club recorded “Recreational Love” in a rustic blue barn in West Brookfield, Massachusetts. The song is by Alan Day, vocalist and guitarist for pop-punk band Four Year Strong, whom every member of Flight Club cited as a huge inspiration. “He [Day] was really open to letting us feel out this new vibe,” Tucker said. “We also understood that he was feeling out a new space because we were the first band that he did a full project with.” Flight Club will return to live performances on Dec. 13 at the Canal Club with fellow hard rock Richmond bands Centerfolds, Downhaul and Fanfare. They have soft plans for a new release in 2020, but nothing’s confirmed yet.

“Recreational Love” has enough energy to satisfy fans until then. “Recreational Love” can be heard on Apple Music and Spotify, and Flight Club can be found on Twitter and Instagram @flightclubva.

THURS. 11/21

The Robertson School of Media and Culture will host Bob Levey, a former columnist for The Washington Post, in its Speaker Series. He will give a talk about the democratic value of journalism in “From Nixon to Trump: Why Our Democracy Needs Strong Journalism.” For more information, contact Marcus Messner at mmessner@vcu.edu or visit The Robertson School’s website. 6 p.m., Commons Theater, University Student Commons (907 Floyd Ave.)

SAT. 11/23

“Behind the Scenes: Getting the Message Out”

In a lecture hosted by the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Allen Frey will display a chronological journey through presidential elections with campaign memorabilia including banners, buttons, posters and coffee mugs. For more information, visit virginiahistory.org. 10:30 a.m. - noon, Virginia Museum of History and Culture (428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.) $17.

Local punk band Flight Club released their first album in two years on Friday. Photo by Jon Mirador

10 The Commonwealth Times

Quote of the week

We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.” — C.S. Lewis

I am not your gay best friend EMMA SCHIRMER Contributing Writer

t’s a completely normal day in the library, the second floor is full of chatter. Occasionally, I catch a snippet of a conversation. But one conversation distracts me enough to completely abandon calculus. It’s a group of young women, and their discussion goes something like this: “I feel like gay people are just so insightful, and like having one around would be really great.” “Yeah, they’re so fashionable and fun. Did you know Henry is gay?” “Yeah, maybe he could be like, our gay best friend?” As soon as those words left her mouth, I was past livid. I was at raging queer level. Now I know these young women meant well. In their eyes, this desire to have a gay best friend is seen as a form of acceptance. But it’s not. It’s a fetishization of a whole group of people based on a stereotype perpetuated by straight people. Obviously, I am not their target gay because I’m a bisexual woman, and to them, queer women are unicorns. We’re not thought of in the same adorable, fashionable “cute” way as gay men. We’re thought of as edgy Silvia Plath-reading, Tegan and Sara-loving, flannel-wearing lesbians. Let’s play a game — an exercise to understand the error of the “gay best friend” stereotype. Close your eyes and imagine the whole world were LGBTQ+ and that the minority sexuality were hetero. Would we gay folks search out a token straight friend? No. Would you straight folks like being sought after like that to give advice on what sorority to join, what Nicholas Sparks novel to read next or what photo to post on your VSCO account? No. The specification itself is gross. You wouldn’t call up your “Jewish best friend” or your “black best friend” to hang out. When looking for friends, don’t search for a

Illustration by Lindsay Hart

specific race, sexuality, ethnicity or religious background. If the situation doesn’t call for it, there’s no need to specify anyone’s identity. It is neither relevant nor necessary. We are not here to be your token friends to flaunt and brag about. You’re also assuming what all gay people are like. You — who wants this so-called “gay best friend” — assume all queers will tell you what shoes go best with that dress because they have a fabulous fashion sense. And they’ll scream-sing Broadway hits and Britney Spears with you. But gays don’t always present like that. There are a plethora of gays, all of whom come in different shapes, sizes and appearances. If a queer

person doesn’t meet your stereotypical expectations, they’re not “straight-acting.” They’re being themselves. So, please don’t push your hetero notions onto us. Your stereotype is seen as acceptable. But it’s not. It causes damage and regression to years of hard work and suffering from the LGBTQ+ community. These remarks are ignorant and put a community of people into a box. Your perpetuation of the “gay best friend” stereotype promotes homophobia. When you make remarks such as “Gay men have great fashion sense” or “The gays are so much fun,” it makes it seem OK for homophobic people to exaggerate them. Suddenly “great

fashion sense” becomes “dressing like a fairy” and “so much fun” becomes “promiscuous.” Let me give you a piece of advice from one friendly neighborhood queer to a population of straight people: Your generalization of me results in a feeling of pure suffocation. There’s a term for grouping every single member of the LGBTQ+ community into one umbrella: marginalizing. Next time you’re about to say something, ask yourself: Is this statement marginalizing a large group of people into one arbitrary category? If the answer is yes, don’t say it. Trust me when I say this: us queers don’t want to be your “gay best friend” anyway.

Tea Time with Tagwa THEY’RE WATCHING YOU TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor

Illustration by Sammy Newman

Tea timers, they’re watching you. How many of you have skipped a class in the past few days? I have. I skip class more frequently than I’m willing to admit

for reasons far less valid than being “sick.” I never thought it was that deep, I mean, it’s only the classes that don’t take attendance. I’m sure all of you have done the same. None of us have thought too much about the situation. It’s natural to skip in order to take a break, catch up on work or even to hang out with friends on a Friday afternoon. Well, what if I told you that VCU will now track whether you’re in class? Some of you may have heard rumors about a new VCU policy that identifies whether a student attends their class or not. Let me put those rumors to rest: I’m here to tell you they’re true. Surprise, VCU has found yet another tactful way to invade your privacy. VCU is introducing a new program called Ram Attend, which tracks attendance via Wi-Fi connection. Basically, if you’re in class, your electronic device will connect to the Wi-Fi and alert the system that you’re in class. A lack of an alert will notify the system that you’re not in class. The pilot program was launched Nov. 8 and will be

tested in UNIV 111, 112 and 200 classes. This is all in the name of “student success,” according to VCU. Student success my ass. I’m not the first nor the last person to say that attendance doesn’t necessarily reflect success. According to a 2010 study from the University of Albany, mandatory attendance has relatively little to no impact on performance. Some classes don’t need continual turnout for a student to succeed. I’m not out here advocating for all of you to skip class, but let’s be real: I don’t go to every class, and neither do you. However, not all of us are failing classes left and right. Perhaps I could have believed the nonsense about “student success” if they weren’t being so secretive about this program. I can bet a large sum of students didn’t know — still don’t know — about the implementation of Ram Attend. I mean, how could they? The opt-out form was hidden in just another email. The program is “optional” but the default setting is for all students who received

the email to be enrolled. It was sent out with the subject: “Important: Your class is piloting a new attendance tool” and an opt-out link. If VCU truly wanted this program to be optional, Ram Attend would have been announced in a more fashionable way catered to students such as an Instagram or Twitter post. We all know most students just scroll past emails from VCU. I know that if the university wanted students to be fully aware of the program, they would have introduced it in a manner much more discoverable and noticeable. This program is an invasion of privacy. I genuinely can’t say I trust VCU won’t use this program to track our locations on a more consistent basis that has nothing to do with attendance. So excuse me if I choose to pass on the concept that Ram Attend isn’t just a form of VCU’s wildly inappropriate need to constantly surveil their students. And that’s the tea.

Wed. November 20, 2019â&#x20AC;&#x192;11

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

Friendly Reminder by Sarah Brady

MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Ringle ringlea@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Hannah Eason news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Noah Fleischman sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Iman Mekonen spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Tagwa Shammet opinions@commonwealthtimes.org PHOTO EDITOR Jon Mirador photography@commonwealthtimes.org AUDIENCE EDITOR Alexandra Zernik zernikal@commonwealthtimes.org ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Sammy Newman illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Adam Cheek, Sports Ryan Grube, Sports Quentin Rice, Spectrum

Sunset by Carleigh Ross

STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Erin Joo

VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER DESIGN EDITOR Jeffrey Pohanka designers@vcustudentmedia.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andy Caress Rey Carlson Kamryn Gillham Bobby Miller designers@vcustudentmedia.com AD SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Thomas Mai Harrison Powers advertising@vcustudentmedia.com (804) 828-6629 WEB MANAGER Chranjitpandian Murugapandi web@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

Worst Day Ever by Ellie Erhart

SALES & BUSINESS DEVELMOPMENT MANAGER Dominique Lee leeds3@vcu.edu (804) 827-1642 OFFICE MANAGER Owen Martin martinso@vcu.edu

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 Tagwa Shammet, 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.

12 The Commonwealth Times

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

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle *BLACK MAGIC