F O U RT H E S TAT E October 15, 2018
Volume 6 Issue 6
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
RAISE YOUR
VOICE
page
3
John Lewis Speaks to Mason
ONE ON ONE WITH PRESIDENT CABRERA news page 5
LGBTQ RESOURCES ON CAMPUS culture page 15
EMMA VAN DURST: A DUTCH DREAM sports page 17
THANK YOU, DR. FORD opinions page 20 @ivestate | gmufourthestate.com
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10.15.2018
FOURTH ESTATE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
ALEXANDER SHEDD Editor-in-Chief
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
BASMA HUMADI Managing Editor IZZ LAMAGDELEINE LIZ ELKIND OWEN FERGUSON Copy Editors
Dear Patriots, “Looks great,” our Assistant Culture Editor, Hailey Bullis, wrote sarcastically on the blank Google Doc I had open for this week’s letter from the editor. That’s where I’m at this week. Staying on top of schoolwork and extracurriculars isn’t always easy, and as many of us deal with midterms, I want to remind everyone not to burn yourself out. We’re back this week with a lot of great content. Fourth Estate had the opportunity to talk with Mason’s President Ángel Cabrera and get his thoughts on pressing issues. Mason students marched up to Capitol Hill last week to protest Brett Kavanuagh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. Fall for the Book events could be spotted across campus last week, and we have the run-down of authors who’ve stopped by— including civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis and acclaimed authors Vanessa Hua and Yang Huang. Patriots for Choice, a Mason organization, just introduced one of the first morning-after vending machines on campus. Learn more about gendered rules in co-ed intramural sports or some of the amazing team members behind some of Mason’s soccer and volleyball teams.
TISHA HERRERA News Editor DANA NICKEL Assistant News Editor MONICA ECHOLS Culture Editor HAILEY BULLIS Assistant Culture Editor JAMIE BELIVEAU Opinions Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor LAUREN SULLIVAN OLIVIA VERMANE Longform Editors KRISTEN TALMAN GMU Korea Coordinator
If you have any concerns, comments or corrections feel free to email us at masonfourthestate@gmail.com.
ALLIE THOMPSON Photo Editor
It also looks like the weather’s cooled down and it’s starting to feel like the fall season we all deserve. It’s finally time to watch Halloween movies, drink apple cider and watch the leaves start to change colors. Enjoy it and stay cozy.
ALLY MCALPINE Art Director BILLY FERGUSON Online Director
Sincerely, Basma Humadi
ANDREA LUGO LAURA SCUDDER Social Media Editor
Managing Editor
We are always recruiting volunteers for: For all inquiries, please email - WRITERS - VIDEOGRAPHERS - ILLUSTRATORS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS
a resume and cover letter or sample to: masonfourthestate@gmail.com
DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor EMMETT SMITH Distribution Manager KATHRYN MANGUS Director DAVID CARROLL Associate Director JASON HARTSEL Assistant Director
Correction: In “A Perfect Storm” CAPS was incorrectly referred to as “Counseling And Psychiatric Services” the correct term is “Counseling And Psychological Services”. George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950
Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community. The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided. Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.
COVER PHOTO CREDITS Fourth Estate/Jeremy Uniszkiewicz
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CIVIL RIGHTS HERO SPEAKS AT MASON Congressman John Lewis shares message of inspiration, hope and urgency SAMI GIBBS STAFF WRITER
“The messages given by the book and [Rep. Lewis’] experience [are] topical and a neat example of the positive effects of student voice,” said Rick Gray, co-director of the event. He explained that over 4,000 copies of Lewis and Aydin’s graphic novels were given to new Mason students during orientation events. Additionally, several Mason staff members decided to use the first novel, March: Book One, for their curriculum this semester. The topic of student voice was a prominent aspect of Lewis’ speech, in which he stressed the importance
Photo courtesy of GEORGE MASON POLICE
MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG
of young people using their voice for good. He said that one positive use of their voices would be by voting in all elections and to participate in civil, nonviolent discourse. Lewis questioned, “Why can’t we inspire and be part of a non-violent revolution again, considering that we’ve made too much progress to be going back?” Sohila Hassan, a freshman at Mason and social activist, stated that the primary message she grasped from Lewis’ speech was persistence. “Sometimes you need to raise your voice and not let hatred silence that voice,” Hassan said. Hassan stated that she has hosted and led various gun reform walk-outs and LGBTQ+ community marches. The audience frequently erupted in applauses and occasional standing ovations. This was also the case for Lewis’ former press secretary, current digital director and policy advisor, and March co-author, Andrew Aydin. “Imagine instilling social consciousness [in] our children today—that’s
FOURTH ESTATE JEREMY UNISZKIEWICZ
The last living speaker from the March on Washington, Rep. John Lewis, was one of the 13 original Freedom Riders in the 1960s and is now congressman for Georgia’s 5th district. Lewis visited Mason on Oct. 11 and conveyed messages of inspiration, hope and urgency to the audience of students, faculty members, local journalists and other community members. Lewis and co-author Andrew Aydin also spoke about their graphic novel trilogy, March.
your job now,” said Aydin. Younger students also attended Lewis’ speech. Lauren, a girl from the Fairfax area, came with her grandmother. They had read March together. Lauren commented that Lewis’ speech was “inspiring.” Inspiration and admiration seemed to be felt among all audience members, especially by Mason art professor
Chawky Frenn. The professor brought a self-made painting to give personally to Lewis, one of his heroes. “He challenges me to not give up hope,” Frenn said. “[The] struggles of the Civil Rights movement are not history but a perpetual march to the top of the mountain.”
messages were applicable to every gender, race and age group—and were exemplified by one of Lewis’ closing statements. “We are all in the same boat,” Lewis said with a calming, absolute certainty. “It doesn’t matter your race. We are one people. One family. One house.”
Each audience member seemed to to be moved by both men’s words. Their
Wednesday, October 11, 2018 - Essex Hall, 11:49 p.m.
Monday, October 8, 2018 - Outside Ike’s Dining Facility, 4:13 a.m.
Drug/Narcotic Violations: Three Subjects (GMU) were referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for possessing illegal drugs.
Fight / Simple Assault: Complainant (GMU) reported a fight involving a large group of people.
Case 2018-010019 - Referred to OSC
Case 2018-009861 - Closed
Wednesday, October 11, 2018 - Lot A, 1:25 p.m.
Friday, October 5, 2018 - Art and Design Building, 3:13 p.m.
Hit and Run: Complainant (GMU) reported a hit and run of a vehicle.
Theft from Building: Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of an unattended painting from a unsecured area.
Case 2018-009992 - Inactive
Case 2018-009763 - Pending
Tuesday, October 10, 2018 - Fairfax Campus, 11:54 a.m.
Thursday, October 4, 2018 - Art and Design Building, 1:39 p.m.
Stalking: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from a known Subject (GMU) on multiple occasions.
Sexual Assault / Rape: Complainant (GMU) reported being sexually assaulted by an intimate partner (Non-GMU) on two occasions. Due to confidentiality of reporting, limited information is available regarding this incident.
Case 2018-009949 - Referred to Title IX
Case CSA Report #100418 - Information Only
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - Enterprise Hall, 10:38 a.m.
Monday, October 1, 2018 - Dominion Hall, 5:30 p.m.
Burglary / Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property. Complainant (GMU) reported an attempted burglary into an office.
Harassment by Computer: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving harassing/ bullying messages from known Subjects (Non-GMU).
Case 2018-009901 - Pending
Case 2018-009584 - Cleared by Arrest
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A HISTORY OF THE MERCATUS CENTER A closer look at one of Mason’s policy think tanks JALEN REID STAFF WRITER
The Mercatus Center, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization located on Mason’s campus in Arlington, Virginia, is a think tank affiliated with the economics department at Mason. According to their website, Mercatus’ mission is to “generate knowledge and understanding of the institutions that affect the freedom to prosper and to find sustainable solutions that overcome the barriers preventing individuals from living free, prosperous, and peaceful lives.” This is done through their extensive research programs and interests, their work with both undergraduate and graduate students at Mason and their communication of findings to media, to policy makers and to the general public. The current Mercatus Center director, Tyler Cowen, and the board of directors are appointed by Mason’s provost, David Wu.
The provost is the chief academic officer and executive vice president of Mason and is charged by the board of visitors, personnel appointed by the governor to make decisions regarding operations and planning for Mason, with overseeing the education, research and public engagement of the university. History According to an report published by Fourth Estate in March 2018, in 1977, Richard Fink started the Center for the Study of Market Processes at Rutgers University. Fink applied for a $150,000 grant from the Charles Koch Foundation. However, faculty members at Rutgers did not like what they thought was a Koch-funded and Koch-controlled organization on campus. Thus, in 1980, Richard Fink moved the Center for the Study of Market Processes to Mason, where it officially became the Mercatus Center. Activity, Belief, and Effect
Literature written by the Mercatus Center has influenced many types of deregulation on subjects related to environmental deregulation and tax cuts. Their philosophy and their economic toolkits are inspired by the likes of F.A. Hayek, Ronald Coase and Ludwig Von Mises. They believe that the market, a collection of individual values and subjective preferences, is capable of creating the maximum amount of utility in the macroeconomy. These views have led to policy proposals that are used to pass legislation in Congress. A Boston Globe article from Feb. 2018 states, “The Mercatus Center at George Mason University, which describes itself as ‘the world’s premier university source for market-oriented ideas,’ was specifically credited with doing the academic work to support the $1.5 trillion tax cut passed in December.”
A 2004 article by The Wall Street Journal alleged that in the Bush administration’s campaign to reduce government regulation, 14 of 23 rules that the White House wanted to eliminate came from suggestions from the center. The article also stated that the Environmental Protection Agency changed a rule due to criticisms from the Mercatus Center. Richard Belzer, a former governmental regulatory official, stated “If they know that Mercatus is working on a rule, they’ll be more careful.” Controversy Mason and the Mercatus Center have been the center of a lot of media attention recently due to their extensive funding from the Charles Koch Foundation. Ralph Wilson is one of the head researchers for UnKoch My Campus, a group dedicated to keeping Koch donor influence from affecting universities across the country. Wilson told Fourth Estate that the Charles Koch Foundation provides funding for organizations and initiatives with the option of withdrawing funding at any time. He stated that he believes that this gives undue power to the donor. Specifically, at Florida State University, there were provisions with regards to the donor’s influence in hiring tenured and non-tenured faculty.
Photo courtesy of RON COGSWELL/FLICKR
Last year, Transparent GMU, a student organization at Mason, sued Mason and the GMU Foundation after it was denied access to documents detailing how organizations such as the Charles Koch Foundation were given influence over academic affairs. Ultimately, it was ruled in July that the GMU Foundation is not subject to public records laws. The New York Times published an article soon after describing the network of influence the Charles Koch Foundation has over Mason and its think tanks. The article stated, “The documents reveal in surprising detail that for years, as George Mason grew from a little-known commuter school to a major public university and a center of libertarian scholarship,
millions of dollars in donations from conservative-leaning donors like the Charles Koch Foundation had come with strings attached.” Records show that Mason continued to allow the Charles Koch Foundation decision-making roles in key economics positions at the Mercatus Center through 2009. The positions chosen for the Mercatus Center also create a pathway for a teaching position within Mason’s faculty. The candidates typically selected by the Koch Foundation embrace unconstrained free market ideologies, similar to the ideology of CEO Charles Koch and Mercatus itself. The Washington Post published reports on the uncovered influence that the Charles Koch Foundation had over Mason and think tanks like the Mercatus Center. It stated, “the Charles Koch Foundation could name members of a selection committee whose appointees could also serve on an advisory board that had the power to recommend dismissal from the school’s Mercatus Center but had no power over faculty retention or promotion.” However, last year, Mason’s university president Ángel Cabrera emailed students and faculty regarding questions over whether these gift agreements were restricting Mason’s academic freedom. “The agreements did not give donors control over academic decisions, and all but the earliest of these agreements explicitly stated that the final say in all faculty appointments lies in university procedures,” Cabrera wrote, “yet these agreements fall short of the standards of academic independence I expect any gift to meet.” Recently, there have been reports by The Intercept and Fourth Estate that revealed the Mercatus Center uses a private email server that Mason personnel don’t have access to, making them not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests. These findings pose the question of what the exact relationship between Mason and Mercatus is.
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KAVANAUGH SPARKS PUSHBACK FROM STUDENT GROUPS Photo courtesy of WIKIPEDIA/FLICKR
Mason students speak out against Kavanaugh’s confirmation DANA NICKEL ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
This was one of the most “divisive votes in congressional history,” according to political commentator David Gergen. The confirmation sparked a mix of emotions among people across the country, including Mason students.
A ONE-ON-ONE WITH PRESIDENT CABRERA
Several student organizations at Mason displayed outrage at the news that Kavanaugh was confirmed.
President Cabrera discusses the future of Mason, funding, Transparent GMU and Title IX
The George Mason Democrats (GMU Dems) protested the confirmation over the weekend. Erica Kelly, a freshman intern for the group, was the only Mason student to be arrested while protesting on Saturday.
JACK HARVEY STAFF WRITER Fourth Estate sat down for a telephone conversation with Mason’s President Ángel Cabrera on Oct. 10. The interview touched on accommodating non-traditional students at Mason, online education, funding transparency and Title IX. The Internal Review Committee, a group of members of Mason’s administration, released a report titled Report of the Review of Gift Agreements. The report was the result of close examination of gift agreements to see if the academic freedom of Mason is called into question because of them. Of the 314 in-scope gift agreements examined in the report, 29 agreements were marked for further review. Cabrera explained that the committee does not believe those 29 reports need to be dissolved or removed. He added that the gift agreements were being further investigated to help the administration make future gifts “better-strengthened.” Last year, student group Transparent GMU sued Mason and the GMU Foundation— a private entity created by the school to handle financial gifts— over whether the donor and gift agreements should be private within the foundation. While the lawsuit was ongoing, no members of Mason’s
administration, including the university’s president, were able to comment on it. Cabrera said that he believes students have the right to express their thoughts and beliefs, but he disagreed with the legal case that they made. “I agree with our Foundation and I disagree with Transparent GMU,” he said. Aside from funding, much of the interview centered on accommodating more students Cabrera referred to as “non-traditional.” Non-traditional students are those who did not complete a college education immediately after high school and do not attend full-time. Cabrera stated that two-thirds of students at institutions for higher education are non-traditional.
system, providing students with more flexible options for degree completion. In addition to funding, transparency, and non-traditional education opportunities, Cabrera expressed concern for the Mason community in the wake of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court on Saturday, Oct. 6. On Oct. 9, Cabrera sent an email to Mason’s student body about the importance of Title IX and ending sexual violence on campuses. Cabrera expanded on his email, “During the last couple of weeks in the context of the senate confirmation … regardless of what your views are, many victims of sexual violence have had a hard time through this whole period.”
“[Providing access to excellence through higher education at Mason] includes surveying others for example transfer students from community college about how we can do a better job by them and make it easier for them to transfer and not to lose credit,” Cabrera said. “[It’s also about] serving working adults who have family responsibilities.”
“We are registering many more reports of sexual violence over the last two weeks,” he continued. “That means that victims and survivors of sexual violence are finding the courage to speak up. That’s a good thing. That allows us a chance to investigate, to provide services and support to them. It is very, very important that we continue to send a message.”
Cabrera brought up the need for modular programs operating on a different schedule from the semester
He concluded, “If you are a victim of sexual violence, we are here to help.”
Kelly was arrested on misdemeanor charges after yelling from the Senate gallery during the vote. She was held in a holding facility for four and a half hours on Saturday, along with an estimated 120 other protestors. “It was gut-wrenching,” Kelly said. “I was very aware that I was watching [the confirmation] happen. I was watching Kavanaugh be confirmed.” Kelly said that she had been aware of the consequences for yelling during the vote: “We were told when we were brought up to the gallery that [yelling] would mean we would be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.” Being charged with Disruption of Congress means that the offender must pay a $50 fine, must complete 60 hours of community service and is not permitted on Capitol grounds for six months. Kelly only had to pay the $50
fine and police decided to drop the charge against her. Two of her fellow GMU Dems stayed in D.C. until she was released. They met her at the door of the facility in which she had been held. Almost immediately after her release, Kelly was informed that Kavanaugh had officially been confirmed to the Supreme Court. “It was devastating,” Kelly recalled. “I knew he was going to get confirmed, but … it was really heartbreaking to know that we have empowered an individual like that. He did things during his hearing that I saw my own abuser do.” Though Kelly expressed immense sadness at the result of the vote, she asserted that persistence through political losses like Kavanaugh’s confirmation is important: “You can’t let these people have more power than you … We need to make our voices unignorable.” Though members of GMU Dems were worried about Kelly’s whereabouts and safety when they learned that she had been arrested, they expressed pride and support for her and other survivors of sexual assault in the wake of Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Other members of GMU Dems’ executive board and general body arrived at the Supreme Court early in the morning Tuesday, Oct. 9, to protest as the justices arrived for the day. As Kavanaugh arrived for his first day on the bench, members of GMU Dems joined in with a small group of activists chanting, “This isn’t over.”
FOURTH ESTATE DANA NICKEL?
Judge Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court in a 50-48 Senate vote On Saturday, Oct. 6.
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CYCLING INTO FAIRFAX
Capital Bikeshare considers extending service to Mason For the many locals who drive to work or school every day, the New Yorkbased Motivate created a Washington D.C., branch called Capital Bikeshare. The bicycle rental system, which is located in major cities, offers a healthy and environmentally friendly way to commute that may take less time than walking.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ROUNDUP New senators are welcomed into student senate JALEN REID STAFF WRITER
The 39th student senate met for the eighth time in Merten Hall this week and discussed the implementation of bills and resolutions and executive appointments while welcoming 23 new senators. From the Executive Cabinet, Bekah Pettine, Erik Truong and Adanna Newby explained in their executive reports that they met with the President Student Advisory group. With President Cabrera and University Life Vice President Pascarell in attendance, they all had a conversation and were hopeful to bring about change for Mason. Pettine further discussed the Board of Visitors meeting that took place on Oct. 10. “The Board of Visitors are appointed by the Governor of Virginia and they decide on university policy, expanding academic programs and decisions … for the university,” Pettine said. Resolutions to support the Fairfax City Council dinner and a debate
between George Mason Republicans and George Mason Democrats, called “First of All, We Vote,” were passed.
allocated for Witch Watch and $1000 were allocated for What Do You Want Wednesday.
On Oct. 4, resolutions to implement Scholarship of the Week, to support the Mason Stewards Program and to support registration awareness week were also passed.
New senators were welcomed with open arms, increasing the Senate population by 23 members. Over the course of the meeting, they asked questions concerning the allocation of funds and the best way to serve students with regards to Scholarship of the Week and related legislation.
Scholarship of the Week is a resolution to advertise scholarships on Student Government social media accounts weekly, while the Mason Stewards Program is an organization that encourages students to maintain campus buildings and foster leadership qualities. Registration Awareness Week is a week-long event that allows Academic Advisors and students to collaborate and prepare for an early registration. Senators passed bills that will provide candy for registration week and the allocation of funds for Witch Watch and What Do You Want Wednesday. Twenty-five dollars was allocated for candy for registration week, $200 were
Senator Charles Miller said, “This is the first time that either I or some of the older senators have seen a majority freshman senate,” and that it is “nice to see the amount of energy and general involvement they have.” Miller added that he appreciated all the questions asked as they started to understand both the situation and the bills. Kenyah Ruffin was appointed as Undersecretary for Identity Affairs and Wesley Ward. Hannah Friend, Sahar Behboudifar and Paula Morales were appointed to the Parking Appeals Board.
According to their website, in the month of September alone, 326,029 trips were taken using Capital Bikeshare in Washington D.C. This popularity has led Motivate to consider extending the program further into Fairfax County. Locations already opened in Reston and Tysons in October 2016.
form of transportation without the schedule constraints that come with public transit. For freshmen without cars, like Jendaya Williamson, leaving campus can currently present a problem. “Bus transportation is occasionally unreliable,” Williamson said, “so this will help me go places, since it is more efficient.” Despite the benefits that would accompany this expansion, it is questionable whether or not the bike system would be an affordable option for the average student. According to their pricing plan, $2 Single Trip riders can ride up to 30 minutes.
If Capital Bikeshare does expand into the Mason area, students and staff will be able to use it on the Fairfax campus. Reducing traffic and the pollution it creates could be significant benefits for the area.
Leo Rivoal, a senior who lives off-campus and walks to school daily, tries to be thrifty.
But would Mason students actually use the bike system?
While this extension of Capital Bikeshare could be beneficial for both the county and Motivate, it will ultimately be up to Mason students and faculty whether or not they spend money on the program here in Fairfax.
For those who live in the county but off-campus, Capital Bikeshare would provide another way of getting to school. It would also offer students who live on-campus an alternative
“Money is why I do not own a car, so spending money on these bikes doesn’t seem worth it,” Rivoal said.
Photo courtesy of WIKIPEDIA
FOURTH ESTATE JEREMY UNISZKIEWICZ
APRIL HORENCY STAFF WRITER
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PRESIDENT ÁNGEL CABRERA SPEAKS FACULTY SENATE MEETING
Infrastructure, transparent funding and online classes were discussed JACK HARVEY STAFF WRITER Mason’s Faculty Senate resumed meetings last week on Oct. 3, with an address from President Cabrera and an ensuing discussion between members of faculty. Protestors from Transparent GMU were also in attendance, positioned at the back of the room in silence, holding signs that called for donor transparency. Following Cabrera’s address, questions were asked regarding the ability of the university’s buildings and classrooms to keep up with the growing number of new students. President Cabrera cited the construction of Peterson Family Health Sciences Hall. He suggested that this would offset the increasing number of students and stated that a high demand of students is a good problem for a school to have.
simply replied, “Yes.” “Mercatus exists as a 501(c)(3) as an independent organization, and at some point Mercatus and the university agreed that they could benefit from an affiliation,” Cabrera later said in clarification. “So Mercatus and the university signed an agreement where Mercatus gets some benefits from the university … And the university benefits from Mercatus a lot as well, because Mercatus attracts a lot of research funding that the university
can use to fund, for example, PhD’s in economics. It funds more PhDs in economics than any other source.” Following the president’s address, Dr. Michelle Marks, vice president of academic innovations and new ventures at Mason, spoke about the initiatives Mason is currently in the process of researching and implementing. Among these was a focus on Advance, a program at Mason that helps to support transfer students in Virginia, as well as broaden the scope
of online education at the university. Marks noted several times that the office’s initiative to moving more classes online was in an “exploratory” phase but stressed the importance of reaching underserved “non-traditional” students with broader options for accessing Mason courses. Letiecq discussed efforts to expand Mason’s online education offerings, in particular the pitfalls that she hoped any such initiative would not fall into.
“We must sell [non-traditional Mason students] something that is of the highest quality with the Mason brand, so they can be highly competitive in the labor market,” Letiecq said. “If we sell a low-quality product and they’re spending a lot of money purchasing that in a convenient online format, it could have low returns for them and their livelihood.”
Turning to questions of donations within Mason, concerns were raised by Dr. Bethany Letiecq, a professor in the Human Development and Family Science Program, about Mason’s transparency and the connection between the Mercatus Center and Mason. Cabrera agreed that transparency is paramount to maintaining Mason’s academic integrity and cited efforts by the Internal Review Committee to examine donor agreements, but disagreed with the notion that donor agreements as they currently stood influenced Mason’s academic integrity.
“It’s great to have donors in universities,” MacLean said. “Donors play an important role, but donors shouldn’t have the kind of control that Charles Koch has had, and they shouldn’t be able to leverage a university.” As for the Mercatus Center’s relationship to Mason, when asked whether Mercatus was a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt entity or part of the school, Cabrera
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Nancy MacLean, author of “Democracy in Chains,” a critically acclaimed book about the effect conservative policymakers have had on democratic governance, expressed bemusement at the idea of donor agreements not carrying with them any burdens upon the school.
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SPORTS
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AN UNEXPECTED LEADER
Two time Co-Rookie of the Week brings a breath of fresh air to the women’s volleyball program. KARL PANTON STAFF WRITER
that [she is] still contributing, and doing practice. what [she’s] supposed to be doing.” Five minutes into the first practice of When head coach Aylene Ilkson the year, Ehmke went into anaphylacmentioned teams possibly giving her tic shock because of a nut allergy. The more attention in games, Ehmke next day however, she was back, ready responded, “[It] only makes me want to compete and get better. to work harder.” Ilkson believes toughness sets the tone
Ehmke, a freshman from San Clemente, No stranger to high levels of competiCalifornia, plays middle blocker. tion, Ehmke played in older age groups “I started playing volleyball about the for her club volleyball team. In her 3rd grade and…ever since then I just senior year at Santa Margarita High loved the game and everything about School, she led her team to the Division I State Championship. it,” she said. When she was 14, Ehmke decided she wanted to play volleyball at the collegiate level, and she has yet to disappoint. Currently leading the team in kills, Ehmke was named Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week twice. These honors are not the reason she plays, but rather she looks at them with appreciation and admits that “they remind her
FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA
It’s been a long journey for Mason Women’s Volleyball— for the 2017-2018 season, they had six wins. More than half way through this season, they have already matched this total. This can be attributed to freshman standout, Peyton Ehmke.
for the rest of the team.
“She brings competitiveness every day to practice and that helps raise the level of competitiveness in the gym entirely,” Volleyball. Ilkson commented on the said Ilkson. level of meticulous preparation the When asked about being a leader as Ilkson saw that same competitive nature a freshman, Ehmke dismissed any girls bring week to week, stating that the “freshman class is the next level of in Ehmke during her transition into challenges. Volleyball IQ.” college. “I’ve always been big on leadership,” “She’s gritty, she’s tough” said Ilkson. she said.“I gravitate to that role and like Ehmke added, “Our freshman class definitely got a lot of potential for the “We could yell at her all we want to set the example.” future.” Building on that she discussed and she wouldn’t crumble under the pressure, and would still rise to the Both Ehmke and Ilkson believe that the importance of “showing the their 2018 freshman class is helping incoming freshman for the next couple occasion.” change the culture for Mason Women’s of years how we do things here and how This became clear as early as their first
competitive we want to be.” Both Ilkson and Ehmke have a goal of making the Atlantic 10 Championship this year and their goal for the future is to win it. Ehmke and the Patriots will next play at home on Nov. 2 against Davidson for Senior Night. *All statistics are final as of Saturday Oct. 13
THOSE WHO TACKLE TOGETHER STAY TOGETHER Women’s rugby is the place for camaraderie and confidence ALLY MCALPINE ART DIRECTOR
“Hey what’s up, you want to play rugby?”
more fit and I have an amazing group of friends and I really have never been Many students will recognize the this confident I feel like aside from the common call of a friendly woman, brutal practices, confidence is what it holding an oblong ball, to people gives me the most.” passing by the JC kiosks. The Mason The team practices Monday from women’s rugby team is always looking seven to nine at night, and Tuesday and for more members to join the ranks. Thursday from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. on “It boosted my confidence more than field four.
Photo courtesy of MASON RECREATION FLICKR
I ever thought it would,” said senior Lizzie Gomes. “I mean, now I feel like I’m more outgoing, I’m definitely
Corey Payne. “You know what you’re doing when you go on the field so any new people get a good background before they’re thrown in or they ever really experience a game.”
Coach Matt Estes conducts the practices, which involve plenty of fitness, specific techniques such as tackling, and practicing actual gameplay “Our coach is really big on safety and to keep players sharp and ready for their teaching you the proper techniques and next game. so it’s a safe game,” said sophomore “We have a really good group of people who really love the sport, and I think that’s what makes it different than other teams,” said Payne. “We’re really passionate about the sport we have people who genuinely care, not just about rugby but about your teammates on and off the field and I think that’s why I like playing with them.”
tackle is “getting low” then going “low to high.” She also says the key to a good In rugby, each player’s number corre- player is tacking “because you can only sponds to a specific position on each run so far, but if you can’t stop someone whose running then that’s their person team. For example, the number two who is going to make the first try.” refers to the hooker position. In rugby, a try is the act of carrying the “I am tighthead,” said Payne. “I’m in the scrum, the big pile of people ball across the opposing team’s goal line pushing against each other, I’m one of to score a total of five points. a really great social setting as well as an athletic setting.”
the people in the front row and we’re pushing holding the scrum up and together and so that the person in the middle, the hooker, can get the ball and so we can win the scrum and keep possession of the ball.”
“I get so much pent-up aggression from throughout the week, mostly from stress of school, and I can just take it out on somebody on the field and not get in trouble for it because that’s the game,” said Gomes.
Gomes plays the position of a hooker on the team and is responsible for being inside the scrum and hooking the ball inside the scrum to push it over to her team’s possession.
Any student interested in joining women’s rugby should email masonwomensrugbyclub@gmail.com, or look out for their next tabling event at a JC kiosk.
“I’m a lock,” junior Maribeth Howser said. “Lock is the second row in the scrum, the ones that push the scrum against the opposing team’s scrum. “You will have a support system for as They also are responsible in the long as you could ever want it,” said forwards for making tackles and things junior Maribeth Howser. “It will follow like that.” you into the future, you’ll find people Howser says the key to making a good like Mason alum will be there, which is
“Honestly, rugby will change your life,” said Payne. “It’s similar to football and soccer but its genuinely so different. Especially for women. You’re told, ‘oh, be careful don’t do that,’ but this is a sport where you can really let your aggression out in a safe fun environment that’s really isn’t provided anywhere else.”
Trust is a key component to any athletic team, and chemistry off the field can be just as important, if not more so, than technical skills.
SPORTS
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
10.15.2018
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STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ABOUT INTRAMURAL SPORTS Photo courtesy of MASON RECREATION FLICKR
Rules regarding gender in sports lead to player concerns SAMANTHA HADLEY CONTRIBUTOR
Intramural sports have always been an easy and accessible way for students to remain active and compete in college. However, some of the rules in co-ed intramural sports may not be all fun and games.
(one of which is the goalkeeper),” according to the Mason Recreation website for soccer. A team may start with a minimum of 5 players. There must be at least 2 females and 3 males within that 5. The team must have The rules for these games are typically a minimum of 2 females in the field very similar to the traditional rules of of play at all times. A female goalie the sport being played. Examples of does not count towards the minimum intramural sports at Mason are 7 v requirement.” 7 soccer, 5 v 5 basketball, slow pitch This is a disadvantage since teams that softball and 7 v 7 flag football. But when cannot provide this ratio of players are men and women are on the field at the required to forfeit. According to the same time, some of these rules change. Mason Recreation website, these rules To start, there are rules about how exist for every co-ed sport. many players of each gender can be on the field at a time.
This alternating order leads to additional co-ed specific rules.
For example, if a male walks, then the female player that bats after him can choose to hit or walk. Regardless of whether or not the woman chooses to the idea that Sally cannot hit the ball as hit, the man at that point will advance well as John, so Sally doesn’t need to try. to second base. Another important style of rules This does not work in reverse though. throughout intramural co-ed sports is Suppose John walks. Sally can then a “bonus point”. The 5 v 5 basketball choose to hit or to walk, and even if she rules on the Mason Recreation website hits, John will go to second base. But in state, “Female scores will be awarded an reverse, the rules change. Suppose Sally additional bonus point (any basket made inside the arc will be worth 3 points and Mason Recreation also says that in walks. John does not have the option to any basket made outside of the arc will hit or walk, and Sally does not get to softball men and women must also be worth 4 points).” Similarly, in soccer, alternate in the batting order. This advance to second base regardless of if a goal is scored by a woman it is means there cannot be back-to-back his decision. This walking rule presents worth two points instead of one point.
semester. When intramural soccer player, Lauren Tlapa, was asked about how these rules affected her as a player, she said, “It makes me feel less important, and I know that that’s kinda contradictory, because you would think that it would make you feel more important because you get to score more points … It looks at you less as a competitor and more as a means to an end.”
These rules are not a problem of Mason in particular. According to Paul Last spring, Mason Recreation changed J. Bazzano III Assistant Director of the rules for the “bonus point” awarded Competitive Sports, the rules stem from to female players in 5 v 5 basketball. National Intramural Recreation Sports “We made the change to become more Association (NIRSA) and National inclusive and not have any gender Federation of State High School differences when it comes to how the Associations. game was played,” said Drew Devore Yet, just because these rules are not just Coordinator of Flag Football and Mason-specific, it does not mean that Basketball. they cannot be changed. According to Although the rules are changing to Bazzano, schools are allowed to make better reflect gender equality on the amendments to these rules.
Photo courtesy of MASON RECREATION FLICKR
“A regulation team consists of 7 players
women or back-to-back men at-bat.
field, some rules still have yet to be As of right now, no visible progress has reviewed. Co-ed soccer still has a rule been made in amending the intramural about the “bonus point” as of this rules.
SPORTS IN BRIEF NATALIE HEAVREN SPORTS EDITOR
Men’s soccer 10/10 Men’s Soccer improved to 4-5 and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 on Wednesday night after their 3-0 victory at La Salle, who dropped to 2-9-1 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play. This is Mason’s third shutout in the last five games.
the year, and first conference road win since Oct. 31, 2015. Women’s soccer 10/12
Women’s soccer improved to 10-5-0 overall and 5-2-0 in Atlantic 10 play with an early Friday afternoon win against Duquesne, who fell to 5-8-1 Juniors Daniel Damiani, Grant overall and 1-5-1 in conference play. Robinson and Ryan Mingachos all This was the first time Mason has contributed a goal while redshirt senior defeated Duquesne University, losing the first four meetings all by a single Tolu Ibikunle added two assists. goal. This win was Mason’s first road win of
The team didn’t let the wind bother them, scoring their first two goals midway through the first half. The Patriots scored the first goal of the game for the tenth straight match.
Friday night in Richmond to the defending Atlantic 10 Champions, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Freshman Emma van der Vorst scored her fourth game-winner of the season with seniors Nia Elbeck and Emily Littell each contributing a goal of their own.
Bailey Williams and Peyton Ehmke led the team with 10 kills, Catie Espinoza and Bailey Williams led the team with 8 digs and Emily Konchan led the team with 28 assists.
Women’s Volleyball 10/12
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
Women’s volleyball lost in three sets
In conference play, Mason drops to 4-2 while VCU remains undefeated.
Cross country competed in the Princeton Invitational on Friday where the women placed fourth ahead of nationally ranked Princeton, as well as Power Five conference opponents Maryland and South Carolina. The men finished seventh, ahead of eight regionally ranked teams. The Patriots were led by freshman Siobhra O’Flaherty and graduate student Trent Lancaster for the second straight race.
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10.15.2018
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
A DUTCH DREAM Women’s soccer freshman soars to to the top of the leaderboards
NATALIE HEAVREN SPORTS EDITOR FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA
helped her become faster and stronger. Van der Vorst also played on the Dutch National youth teams at the U15, U16 and U17 levels ,an experience she reflected on saying, “It was awesome, it’s an awesome experience. It really helped me grow. Just at a high level competing at a high level, and I really enjoyed it.”
Soccer has been a part of van der She believed playing on the National Vorst’s life almost as long as she’s been teams helped her transition to playing at in school. the collegiate level saying, “I’m used to “It started on the schoolyard, just my a little pressure and I think if you really friends playing and I wanted to play want to make it you have to get used with them,” she said. “I just liked it.” to it because you always have pressure. She took to the game quickly and And it really helped me coming here.”
FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA
started playing on a club when she was
played in, that helps her as a player,” I came here I played at the Euros with the under 19s so I was getting fitter he said. again and it felt really good, I felt really The most difficult part of her transition strong, but I never expected to continue to college was not anything on the field, it here.” but rather the language. Prior to coming When asked what surprised him the to Mason, van der Vorst had only been Head women’s soccer coach Todd taught English one day a week for an most about how van der Vorst’s season hour, since she was ten or eleven. The started, Bramble responded “Just what classes consisted of grammar, writing a true student of the game she is, you and listening, but rarely speaking the know you can tell she watches a lot of soccer, she really understands the tactics, language. she asks a lot of questions and she does Van der Vorst has been set on continua lot of extra work on her own.” ing her soccer career since she was in her early teens but knew she wanted He continued saying, “There’s very to continue her education at the same few days where practice ends and the rest of the team is heading up to take time. a shower and she’s not staying behind “[The Netherlands is] not like here with a bag of balls to continue to work where the soccer team is part of the on her game. And I think that says a lot university, it’s separate there. So they about her as a player.” don’t really make a schedule because of your soccer practices, it’s just this is As of Friday night, van der Vorst had your school schedule, this is your soccer scored eleven goals, tied for twelth in schedule, figure out how to deal with it,” the country. she said. Van der Vorst has already set a program
“In the beginning I didn’t know what the record was but then I saw it on the Mason site and I heard my teammates say it and, well, it’s awesome to break a record,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to do that, I was just trying to score to win games and to help the team. I couldn’t have scored those goals without the help of my teammates and without the assists.”
record in her short time at Mason, having scored a goal in eight consecutive games.
Van der Vorst and the Patriots return home Oct. 21 to take on University of Rhode Island.
However, this is not van der Vorst’s first experience spending time away from home.
six. However, teams for girls didn’t exist Bramble believed that the level of play at the time in the Netherlands, so she of the National team helped van der played on a boys team until she was 13. Vorst as she began her collegiate career. Playing on a team with boys was something that she found helpful. “If you really want to get to the highest level it’s better to play with boys because the level of girls isn’t that high,” she said. Van der Vorst added that before last summer she also played against boys on the Under 19 (U19) Dutch National team— something that she believed
“Those games, training with those teams, I would say to be fair is probably a higher level the college game here so if you find yourself playing games against Germany, England, France big European countries against their National teams then we’re you come here and you’re playing in the toughest college games that our team plays, then it’s not the toughest game she’s ever
At the age of 14 she moved an hour away from her home to Amsterdam to play for CTO Amsterdam. She lived there for five days a week and came home every weekend. In some ways, she believed it prepared her for going to college so far from home, but she did acknowledge how different it is when to not go home every weekend, but instead only over winter break. Her strong start was something that no one expected, not even her or coach Bramble. Van der Vorst said, “No, definitely not. Last season I was injured on my knee so I came back from an injury. And before
Her high level of play has not gone unnoticed, as van der Vorst has been named A-10 Rookie of the Week four times so far this season. Van der Vorst had a hard time picking a favorite moment this season saying, “Maybe when I broke the record… Well there have been a lot, like every goal is a great moment… I think every time we win is a highlight.” Her goals for the future are simple, “Just to get better and eventually I want to play professionally. I just want to keep developing.”
FOURTH ESTATE DOMENIC ALLEGRA
Elf doelen. Eleven goals. More than each of her teammates, more than anyone else in the conference, and more than all other freshman soccer players in the nation. Eleven goals, the number that freshman women’s soccer star Emma van der Vorst has scored this season.
CULTURE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
10.15.2018
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DEAR IVY, This week, Ivy gives advice to someone dealing with a bad roommate
FOURTH ESTATE ANGELIQUE ARINTOK
PATRIOTS FOR CHOICE ROLLS OUT NEW CAMPUS INITIATIVE
Student group brings access and comfort to reproductive dialogue on campus ANGELIQUE ARINTOK STAFF WRITER
With just a few clicks on SUB 1’s Vengo machine, anyone on campus now has access to My Way morning-after pill emergency contraceptives. After a year-long battle to get the pills on Mason’s campus that included back-and-forth conversation with campus officials and filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, students with Patriots for Choice were able to roll out the initiative in October. “It was a lot of work [Preethi Srikanthan and I] had to follow through, but we finally got it in this semester,” said Kristin Gleichauf, president of Patriots for Choice. The price for the emergency contraceptive is available every day from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The price is currently set at $30. No ID or third party is necessary for the Vengo purchase. However, it is critical for users to educate themselves on what the product is and what it is not. According to a Patriots for Choice “myth buster” flyer, the pill “helps prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex or
birth control failure.” As opposed to common misconceptions, the contraceptive “is not an abortion pill,” and “will not work if [the user] is already pregnant.” The organization warns students that the pill “should not be a primary form of contraception.” Providing students with discreet access to this product was key for the organization and its mission. “We’re open to diverse views of what being pro-choice means, because we want to have an inclusive environment where that conversation can be fostered in a productive way,” Gleichauf said. Members of Patriots for Choice understand the stigma behind abortion and the mere discussion of reproductive rights. Leading this movement on a college campus encourages free and open dialogue for all students. “People are coming to college with all different kinds of backgrounds,” said Caroline Simpson, historian of Patriots for Choice. “Some people haven’t talked about sex at all—some people, they’re very comfortable with it.”
If sales in SUB 1 do well, the organization hopes to implement the morning-after pill in academic buildings around campus for 24/7 access to the product. Considering the launch of emergency contraceptive pills on campus, Jul Delaune, vice president of Patriots for Choice said, “It’s nice to feel like you can make a difference in a world that is kind of going backward.” “Going backward,” Delaune said, in part refers specifically to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s recent confirmation—an event she considers a threat to reproductive rights for Americans. Aside from the vending machine initiative, Patriots for Choice aims to continue their reach and influence by hosting more events and activities. On Oct. 25, they are screening a documentary called “No Más Bebés [No More Babies]” to showcase the intersectionality of immigration and reproductive issues.
I can’t take this s--- anymore. SAVE ME! Please, Fed up
Dear Fed Up,
ideas as well.
Everyone living on campus is expected basic rights, such as the right to a clean environment, reasonable quietness and privacy. If your roommate does not respect that, then there has been a disconnect on how to respectfully share a space with another person.
If, after sitting down with them, they continue to disrespect your half of the dorm, then this is time to bring in your RAs. They have been trained as mediators and should be able to guide the conversation and create a better living agreement between the two of you. RAs should be able to help create a more comfortable space for you to share your feelings with one another. I suggest using the living agreement sheets on the Mason Housing website to start the discussion, and you can even add some more of your concerns if they aren’t covered on the sheet.
I would suggest setting a time where you can sit down with your roommate and have an honest conversation with them. You should try to talk to them yourself before you ask an RA to mediate. Write down some of the things you would like to say to them before you speak, such as how treating your shared private space with disrespect makes you feel. Listen to them when they talk and see where they are coming from. Helping validate certain points they may say can diffuse some dissension. Positive feedback can help the other person know you really want the best for the both of you. Everyone is coming from somewhere different in life. College can feel like the time to be carefree now that you are living apart from your parents. Roommates still need to keep in mind you live there too and that most of the decisions they make regarding the dorm impacts you as well. Understand that most disagreements can be solved by compromise. Don’t make this talk with them entirely one-sided and take in some of their
If they still haven’t changed their ways after having a discussion, you will need to think about talking to your Resident Director (RD) about a room change. Your RD should be listed on the Mason H o u s i n g website. If you feel that this is a matter that will heavily impact your academic success and your feeling of safety and goes against your rights as an on-campus student, then they should be able to find you a much more suitable place to live. I hope you will be able to come to a comfortable agreement with your roommate. But if not, I believe you’ll be much happier after being assigned a new room. -Ivy
Send in letters to mechols@gmu.edu
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Dear Ivy, My roommate is a freaking slob. He leaves USED toilet paper on the bathroom floor. He only showers three times a week. He even bangs random chicks while I’m in the room.
CULTURE FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty or alumni, and organizations every week. This week we take a close look at student Alex James, alumna Andrea Granetto and organization L-Team. If you know of a Mason student, faculty member, alumnus or alumna or organization that would like to be featured on FACES OF MASON please submit your request via: https://goo.gl/HZ4SMd INTERVIEWS BY HAILEY BULLIS
S TSUTDUEDNET, N T, A NADLREEXAJ A GM A RE C SI A What is your favorite memory? One really good memory that I have is of my parents and [I, when I] was a baby, like maybe three or four. We were driving down the road and the windows are down and we were eating pistachios … and my dad eats one and they’re playing the song … “Drift Away” [by Dobie Gray] and that was my favorite childhood song. So we’re driving and he throws the [shell] out the window, and it comes back and hits him in the eye … and that was probably the funniest thing I had seen at that age. What is your favorite food?
Photo courtesy of ALEX JAMES
My favorite food is macaroni and cheese because it’s good. It’s creamy and cheesy, but not in a gross cheesy way. I don’t like a lot of cheeses, but macaroni and cheese has this way of making gross cheeses taste good and you can eat it with a lot of things … Macaroni and cheese is great. I’ll eat it with almost everything. What is your biggest dream in life? How do you want to achieve those dreams? To be a singer and an actress and a writer and a philanthropist … So far as film, I would love for the projects that I do to take off. For acting, I would love to act on Broadway. I would love to get into plays and stuff. Singing, I just want to find people who can make good music that I can work with. Writing, I honestly have always had this
dream that someone is going to find all of my journals—I have millions of journals—and just put it together and be like “Look at this work of art” when it’s really just a bunch of scribbles and craziness. But that would be really cool if someone just published my book. What kind of stuff do you write about? Everything. I really only write when I’m sad, but that’s just because it’s a way of letting things go, I guess. It’s therapy. I write about my relationship with God a lot and how I deal with being in the world and try my best not to be of the world. I also write a lot about my struggle with confidence, because I’m a very confident person but throughout my life, but I’ve been told that my confidence in myself is misplaced. I’ve been told that I’m either too arrogant or that I’m too out there, and so having the confidence to be myself and be confident with myself—I like myself a lot— but I’ve been conditioned to think liking yourself too much is a bad thing. What is something that you’ve wanted to try that you were too scared to but then ended up doing? Doing spoken word. It’s like poetry … but slam poetry, so normally free-verse poems that people stand up and recite like their acting. Usually it will be a monologue that tells a story. I finally did it, and it wasn’t that great, but my friends really supported me. I thought that was cool.
PRO A FL E USMSNOAR, , AENDDWRAERADGW. RAN MEATI TBOA C H What did you do at Mason?
graduate?
What didn’t I do? So, I worked for the radio station, I was the production director and I went to school. Getting my major and that’s it.
Live life. Life is too short, you’re never going to find the right job that pays you enough money, you’re going to be hopping 24/7, it’s life, you will be fine. I’ve survived Northern Virginia for 37 years [and I am a] single mom of an eight-year-old, so trust me, you will always find a job. And just live life—and get drunk a little.
What did you do as production director? Back then I was doing commercials, editing them, editing all commercials that came through my path, and I was doing all the live-man interviews that would come into [the] “old” Johnson Center station, which is still there, but it looks nice. Then I would also record concerts over at Patriot Center, so I got to meet a lot of the big-rigs and that was pretty much it.
Mexico City. That’s where I was born and raised. What would you say is important for students to focus on academics or extracurriculars?
I’m a recruiter—IT recruiter. I recruit for technical positions with different companies.
I would say both. And it depends on where they’re at, if that makes sense. So, yeah academics, but curriculars shape you more. It’s more fun. Academics you can learn anywhere, whether you have a degree or not.
As a recruiter what is the main thing you are looking for when you’re hiring?
What was your most important experience at Mason?
Good quality candidates, and I like the spunky ones. I don’t like your typical, professional A-manner type. I like the cocky ones, the ones that see way past the regular line if that makes sense and see outside the box.
Working for the radio station. It … I got to meet so many awesome people, including Rodger, I met my first husband here, because of my first husband I had my daughter. I got to work for “Elliot In The Morning.” I was the intern, I got to meet famous people 24/7—I got to meet famous people here.
What do you do now?
FOURTH ESTATE ALLIE THOMPSON
What was your favorite place?
What advice do you have from students once they
CULTURE PEER STUDENT SUCCESS COACH Start College With Someone In Your Corner
Photo courtesy of HAMPTON VOLUNTEERS
O R G A N I Z AT I O N , L - T E A M
What does your organization do? L-Team helps students by enhancing their leadership skills and [helping them] learn new skills. We believe everyone has the potential to be a leader. We provide volunteer opportunity to students that attend our meetings. We hope to transform their leadership theories into practical experiences. What events is your organization holding? The Hampton Middle School leadership workshops are led by George Mason students, and we are working with the school’s athletic program. The purpose of these workshops is to meet the students where they are and engage them in activities that relate to their growth and development as leaders. We are also holding the Alumni Leadership Speaker Series on Nov. 13. This year’s series will focus on the Successful Skills and Competencies Needed Before Graduation: Choose Your Path at the Alumni Leadership Speaker Series. Our alumni will be sharing their college experiences and personal growth that led them
to where they are today. We will also be hosting our Brown Bag Lunch Series focusing on Mindfulness and Leadership on Nov. 14. The Brown Bag Lunch Series is designed to empower and inspire students to make positive change, challenge the systems of oppression that exist and encourage students to lead more effectively and ethically. What is your favorite part of being apart of this organization? My favorite part is seeing people grow in their leadership roles. At L-TEAM, people become very comfortable with who they are. Everyone has a voice in this organization. Everyone’s opinion matters. We also work with the Mason LIFE program. Our Leadership Consultants, along with members from our L-TEAM, help to facilitate workshops for students focusing on team building, communication, problem solving, goal setting and leadership development. How do you hope to see your organization grow this year? I hope to see more people
attend our events. We offer some really amazing programs and educational opportunities geared towards our students, and we would love to see more students engage with our programs. How is your organization unique? It is important because leadership is needed in every professional field. While in class, students may indirectly learn leadership through group projects and academic work. By participating in our programs, they can directly work to become better leaders. We provide a safe environment in which people can challenge themselves and learn more about themselves as well. Additionally, several of our programs often lead to the development of impactful friendships. One of the things that is really unique about our office is that our program offerings are very diverse, and we have something to offer for any student, regardless of major. We also allow for a lot of introspection and personal development in a supportive environment.
Mason’s Peer Student Success Coaching program pairs current undergrads with brand new incoming freshmen. Our coaches work closely with their coachees to help them learn the ropes at Mason.
PEERtoSTUDENT SUCCESS COAC You and your coach act as partners form a Start College With Someone In Your Corner powerful problem-solving team. Your coach will: • respond to your questions and concerns right away, • check in with you, • motivate you, and • help you stay accountable to your own goals and aspirations.
To learn more visit studentsuccess.gmu.edu
You and your coach act as partner powerful problem-solving team.Y
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GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
CATCHIN’ TOADS SWIMS UP MUSIC STREAMS
High school band takes college by storm Most high school bands don’t manage to survive past graduation, but Catchin’ Toads has beat the odds.
dad, and asked if I wanted to be in a band. I was like, ‘Yeah, dad, that sounds cool.’”
The group, which started in 2013, includes siblings Kamron Rose on bass guitar and vocals and Julia Rose on baritone saxophone, Zach Schwartz on guitar and vocals and Jeremy Nachison on drums. Since releasing their debut album “Thinkin’ About Space” in August and playing at multiple venues in the area, they have become one of Mason’s most wellknown student bands.
First formed in a music camp through Reston Music, the members found themselves having a great time playing covers in the store after hours. Now, the band has focused on having a great time together while still growing their music.
Three of the founding members, Schwartz and the Roses, are still members of the band today.
“I [don’t] play drums so people would be like, ‘Wow, what a great drummer,’” Nachison said. “I just play drums so the music sounds good and feels good.”
Nachison was added in 2016, when their old drummer left due to creative differences. At the time, Nachison was about to enter eighth grade.
The band is mainly a blues and rock band, influenced by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughan. However, they do not feel constrained to making music that are in just those genres.
“They didn’t even call me,” Nachison said about him joining. “I didn’t even have a phone yet … They called my
“Though we get inspiration from them … over time, it’s become how we can take inspiration from these people and
kind of make it our own,” Julia said. Nachison added, “We all come from different places musically, so it doesn’t really make sense for us to converge on this one genre when we can just be ourselves.” The diversity of sounds can be seen on “Thinkin’ About Space,” where the 10-track album bounces from the soulful tune “Summer’s Gone” to the jazzy bop “Gamble.” The album was recorded at Bias Studios, where artists such as the Dave Matthews Band recorded their award-winning albums. “It was super easy to record it there,” Nachison said. “Everybody there
Photo courtesy of CATCHING TOADS FACEBOOK
IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY EDITOR
knew what they were doing … We were satisfied.” No member of the band has sole control in creating their music and lyrics. Each member has a part. “It’s just we all find our own spot, and we all give our own input, and [are] like ‘What about this? Try that, don’t do that,’” Julia said about writing their music. She continued, “We’re just gonna keep making music and kinda
go from there.” In the future, the band hopes to have more people hear and enjoy their sound. Julia said, “The dream is to be in everyone’s iTunes libraries … and they like us.” “Thinkin’ About Space” is available now on Spotify, iTunes and wherever else music is digitally sold.
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT SHINES IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Ariana Grande has become an inspiring activist for women through music KIM BARTENFELDER STAFF WRITER
Visually, the music video enables viewers to gain a more well-rounded approach to the female experience. Offering a critical perspective upon the music video is Associate Director of Women and Gender Studies, Nancy Xiong. Throughout her analysis of the video and lyrics, Xiong concluded that both “give a sense of claiming and reclaiming” of women’s identities. Within the context of female empowerment, Xiong believes that God can be seen in many forms, including women, and not just the binary system of male/ female that Western religions operate on. A key concept that stood out to Xiong was the word “choice” in the song. She
describes it as a major theme throughout both the video and the lyrics, aiding Grande’s message that it is okay to embrace one’s bare body, intellect and influence.
birth children, we raise children and then we get back
Grande tackles female sexuality through the song’s chorus by explicitly referring to physical attraction and acts of intimacy in terms of magnetism rather than vulgarity. The power of female sexuality is represented as a driving force for women to use all the means o f strength t h e y possess—body and mind. Courtney Burchett, president of Chase Dreams Not Boys (CDNB) said that God is a Woman “brings it back to how [women] do a lot here too. We
t
o
business.” Independence is a major indirect theme that runs through the song. Burchett said that she feels that “God is a Woman” accurately portrays how expectations are thrown out the window because “we do not get into relationships to teach men how to be men.” For Grande
t o assert female agency, “that’s bold. I think the boldness really brought people out. Women listening to the song know we’re more than just bada---, we do so much and we don’t
get enough recognition,” Burchett said. A recurring theme and lyric of the song is “it’s all in me”. This is in reference to the power, inspiration, aspiration and force that is needed for women to thrive. Throughout the music video, it is implied that by claiming one’s femininity and sexuality, women can respect and value their bodies and their actions. Burchett referenced a Maya Angelou quote that says, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” She believes that Grande does the same thing as one of the many faces for social change in the music industry. “Women [are] there to lead or support,” Burchett said. “We must support each other and music like this, and women like [Grande] show us that we can lead by any path.”
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Since the release of “God is a Woman” by Ariana Grande in July 2018, the song has served as a lyrical and visual representation of women’s empowerment, sexuality and struggles in popular culture.
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FREEDOM & LEARNING FORUM FOURTH ESTATE ALLIE THOMPSON
JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS
RESOURCES FOR MASON’S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY
Learn more about Mason’s Safe Zone and other resources available to students BROOKE LEWITAS STAFF WRITER Join President Ángel Cabrera and Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, as they engage in dialogue around the human rights of immigrants.
Author of:
DEAR AMERICA Available at the bookstore!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20TH HUB BALLROOM 6:00-7:30pm Hosted by: Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education + LGBTQ Resources, Honors College, Housing and Residence Life, the LEAD Office, New Student and Family Programs, Parents Fund, Office of the President, Social Action and Integrative Learning, Student Involvement, University Life, and the University Life Programming Committee
RSVP: lead.gmu.edu/freedom
Actress and trans rights activist Laverne Cox once said, “I’ve never been interested in being invisible and erased.” However, incidents of invisibility, erasure and discrimination are intertwined with the history of LGBTQ+ populations. This raises the question—what resources are available on campus to these students at Mason? This past month, the website, Affordable Colleges Online, ranked Mason as a top college for LGBTQ+ students based on a rubric of inclusive policies, support in housing, counseling and health and other factors. Campus support for LGBTQ+ students can be found in LGBTQ Resources, which is part of Mason’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education (ODIME). You can contact LGBTQ Resources by calling 703-9932702, or by visiting the Student Union Building (SUB 1). Another resource is the Safe Zone program, developed to foster the most supportive environment possible for these students. According to a survey on LGBTQ+ Resources’ website, conducted by the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, LGBTQ+ students were five times more likely to have attempted suicide. To combat this, Mason has established the Safe Zone program so a more inclusive and positive environment could be created within Mason’s community. The program is an effort to lessen the effects of the various stressors these students are facing, with training focusing on awareness of their identities, genders within the community and ally skills. Training consists of attending two three-hour courses that educate participants on issues within the community. After it, participants receive a button or sticker which
designates them as visible, active supporters of the community, showing that they support the LGBTQ+ community and understand more of the issues the community endures. In addition to this program, there are several student organizations for the LGBTQ+ community. One of them is the Pride Alliance. “[Life] can feel very isolating if you don’t know any [LGBTQ+] people,” Evelyn Bright, president of Pride Alliance, said. “If you’re gay and everyone you know is straight, it can be isolating.” It has been difficult for her to find any professionals and psychologists that have been trained in LGBTQ+ issues, especially within Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). “They seemed intimidated to have me there,” Bright said. “Some people have had good experiences, but it’s very luck of the draw. [One problem students have is that] they often tried to push people out and try to find a provider outside of CAPS, but when they do it they don’t usually consider how difficult and intimidating it can be to [know] whether [that outside provider will] be accepting of you.” If you are an LGBTQ+ student and looking for campus support, the good news is that there are so many campus offices that are actively supportive of LGBTQ+ students, including the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC), Office of Equity and Diversity Services, and Women and Gender Studies. Mason also employs a CAPS liaison for LGBTQ+ related topics. With all of these resources, the LGBTQ+ community can feel safer and better represented on campus—a high achievement for Mason’s community.
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EGYPTIAN FILMMAKER TALKS ABOUT HIS LATEST DOCUMENTARY Tamer El Said’s “In The Last Days of the City” captures a memory of Egypt BASMA HUMADI MANAGING EDITOR
The event was sponsored by Film and Media Studies (FAMS), Film and Video Studies (FAVS), Global Affairs, Middle East Studies, Modern and Classical Languages and Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies. Tamer El Said’s “In The Last Days of the City” tells the fragmented story of a 35-year-old filmmaker, Khalid, who is simultaneously impacted by both the tenderness and uncertainty of living in downtown Cairo. Khalid’s friends living in Beirut, Baghdad and Berlin send him video footage of their lives to help Khalid as he continues searching for self-discovery and answers within himself. Filmed from 2008 to 2010, El Said’s part-documentary, part-fictional memoir is almost an unintentional prelude to the Egyptian revolution of 2011, in which former President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down. “The film was about trying to capture a city in a moment when we feel that there is a huge change,” El Said said. “The whole production happened
with a kind of foresight.” “We [Khalid and I] both have this feeling that we want to capture something of a world that will collapse very soon, and we want to keep a memory of it.“ El Said said. “[Khalid] has this urgency of documenting things. Because he feels they will not last. And very soon they will not exist.” Upon release of the film, the Egyptian government banned it from being screened in Egypt, citing that it had not received proper permission to be shown.
Photo courtesy of CYNTHIA FUCHS
Award-winning filmmaker Tamer El Said stopped by Mason on Wednesday, Oct. 10 for a film screening of “In The Last Days of the City,” followed by a Q&A portion with the audience.
“I said when my film [was] banned, I said it’s an honor that I cannot claim,” El Said said. “I wish that my film [would be] very annoying to this regime, but in fact it wasn’t.” El Said noted how banning the film brought more attention to it, which is something he questions. “It happened that my film was well-received,” El Said said. “It happened that my film was banned in my country. Then, it was invited everywhere. I never knew, is it because it was a good film or because it was banned? I still don’t know.” El Said’s film took him 10 years to put together and he noted how at the time there was high demand
for informative films explaining the Egyptian Revolution.
very multilayered and complex and you cannot brief it.”
“There was a market that was created because there was a demand of people who live thousands of miles away from Cairo [who wanted] to know what’s going on there,” El Said said. “And they don’t have time to follow the news [in Egypt] every day but they want a film that gives them the Egyptian Revolution in 90 minutes. But the revolution cannot be squeezed in 90 minutes. It’s a whole context that’s
The film’s tone of ambiguity in relation to Khalid’s life and the political situation captures the mood of Cairo during that time period. “In The Last Days of the City” concentrates focus on an area in downtown Cairo. “The special thing about this neighborhood is that it’s where everybody meets and it’s also a negotiation area,” El Said said. “It’s where everyone has
a different interest, and it’s interesting how you build this tension inside [the city].” Throughout it all, El Said is conscientious of the role he has as a filmmaker to create something groundbreaking and the responsibility he carries to make sure he serves his films and not vice versa. “It’s actually beautiful, because this moment of facing yourself gives you strength,” he says.
HIDDEN HANGOUTS: THE SWISS BAKERY
Grüezi wilkomme! Bring a book and enjoy some “me” time at The Swiss Bakery
FOURTH ESTATE KATHYA MENDEZ
KATHYA MENDEZ STAFF WRITER
For many college students, an ideal morning starts with a nice cup of coffee before class. If you ever get tired of the same places that surround you on campus, why not choose a place with a delightful atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy a morning breakfast while studying for class and writing essays? The Swiss Bakery is a retail bakery that specializes in Swiss and German products. Their recipes are authentic, while their food is made with the freshest ingredients. It is located in Springfield, VA, making it very convenient to visit and hang out with a few friends.
They provide not just coffee, but tea of all kinds, hot chocolate and a variety of bread, pastries, ice cream, European wines, lunch offerings and more. One of the strongest features of this bakery is their dessert menu, which includes apple and cherry strudels, fruit tarts, almond Danishes, cheese Danishes, almond pretzels and thumbprint cookies. Some seasonal treats include the pecan tart and the pumpkin tart traditional. As fall season arrives, the outdoor tables are an excellent option to use and enjoy these warm beverage and delicious desserts. There is a little of everything to take advantage of, including their online
service, where people can order featured items that they have seen in the store. For example, a lot of customers enjoy Swiss chocolates. You can purchase them in large quantities, blend or whole bean of coffee bags for businesses, or Biberfladen, which is a traditional Swiss gingerbread with almond paste. Although the pricing may vary depending on the item, there is an overall agreement that the quality and service is worth it. The next time you are thinking of grabbing a cup of coffee and want to try something new besides Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, visit The Swiss Bakery.
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PAGE-ING ALL BOOKWORMS
Fall for the Book Festival opens dialogue about different cultures and ideas D’ANDREA BRADY AND NAYOMI SANTOS STAFF WRITERS
Last week, Mason held the annual Fall for the Book Festival in which 150 authors visited and discussed their different literary work. The festival kicked off on Wednesday, Oct. 10 and concluded on Saturday, Oct. 13. During this time, students were able to attend book discussions and participate in lively discussion concerning literature. ECO-JUSTICE AND HIP HOP: POETRY FOR THE TIMES On Oct. 10, George’s in the Johnson Center (JC) hosted poets Melissa Tuckey and Nate Marshall. Having their own distinct styles of poetry, each displayed work.
FOURTH ESTATE GRANT SMITH
The poems Tuckey read to a private audience were based on a collection of poetry from the book, “Ghost Fishing: A Eco-Justice Poetry Anthology,” which she edited and wrote several pieces for. Tuckey worked in the environmental justice field before finding her way to poetry. She talked about how citizens need to be politically involved and conscious with what is going on in society. She stated how poetry can be an outlet for those in need of expressing oneself and how
it benefits others to tell their story through poems. Marshall hails from the south side of Chicago. His book, “The BreakBeat Poet,” which he co-edited, explains how hip-hop has played a major part in modern-day poetry. “People, in general, continue to progress, transgress and persevere through the larger, politic evil that try to insult their humanity,” Marshall said. “Poetry is, in part, important because it makes people feel connected to themselves and other people.” “The BreakBeat Poet” and “Ghost Fishing” are available now on Amazon. INJUSTICE IN POLICING BLACK WOMEN’S BODIES On Wednesday, Oct. 10, Dr. Angela Hattery and Dr. Earl Smith held an event in George’s in the JC about the book they co-authored, “Policing Black Bodies: How Black Bodies are Surveilled and How to Work for Change,” which focuses on the policing of black women’s bodies. During their discussion, Hattery and Smith introduced topics that will be
added to the book’s second edition that will be released, such as including the policing of black bodies in sports. Hattery spoke to a great extent about the injustice of African-American women face in U.S. prisons. She noted that Black women have experienced all kinds of abuse and “don’t need incarceration, they need intervention.” For most of the discussion, both Hattery and Smith outlined the many injustices that African-Americans face in all aspects of life, most notably as pregnant women and mothers. Black women experience the highest infant mortality rate out of all populations of women not just in the United States, but in most of the Western Hemisphere. Hattery also talked about laws “that appear race-neutral but are not,” and how these laws harm hundreds of thousands of AfricanAmerican women everyday. Hattery also spoke about ways that people can help make change. “Speak their names,” Hattery said, “and if you don’t know about it, find out about it. Figure out why you don’t know about it.” Dr. Hattery and Dr. Smith’s book, “Policing Black Bodies: How Black
Bodies Are Surveilled and How to Work for Change” is available on Amazon. LITERATURE OF THE CHINESE-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE On Thursday, Oct. 11, two critically acclaimed authors, Vanessa Hua and Yang Huang, held a “chat with friends” in Dewberry Hall. Hua discussed her novel, called “River of Stars”, about a pregnant Chinese woman who travels to America in order to begin her life anew, while Huang talked about her short story collection,“My Old Faithful” which chronicles the life of a close-knit Chinese family. Both authors spoke about the inspiration for their work. Huang’s book is based on her family and others she grew up around. Writing it, she said, “gave [her] perspective about growing up.” She was born in China and said that writing her stories was a “healing process” for her to deal with the political turmoil that has rocked China. Hua described the maternity hotels in California, where pregnant Chinese women stay during the last months of their pregnancy so their children are born in America. Each author spoke about the reasons they write and and how family plays an important role in their work. Both want to write stories that everyone can relate to, no matter their background because, as Hua put it, “fiction has the capacity to move people to empathy.” Their thoughtful discussion of their work and inspiration gave an insight into what it is like writing about the ChineseAmerican experience. Both Vanessa Hua’s “The River of Stars” and Yang Huang’s “My Old Faithful” are available for purchase on Amazon.
OTHER EVENTS AT FALL FOR THE BOOK Wednesday, Oct. 10 Letters from the boys: Wisconsin World War I Soldiers write home by Carrie A Meyer Sexualities, Intimacies, and Queer Migration with Eithne Luibhéid An American Marriage: evening with Tayari Jones
An
Conspiracy Theories, Captivity, and UFOs by Susan Leselter
Thursday, Oct. 11 Laugh Out Loud Reads by Inman Majors and Jill Orr Understanding Racism in America by Ibram X. Kendi Hotel Scarface: Mutiny & Mobsters in Miami by Roben Farzad When You Gotta Go: How Public Toilets Fail Our Private Needs by Lezlie Lowe
Friday, Oct. 12 Women of Color in Islam by Sylvia Chan-Malik A Man & His Dog: A Couple of Heroes by Craig Grossi Haint So: A Staged Reading of An Original Play presented by Shoestring Theatre Company Getting Published: The Editor’s Perspective
Saturday, Oct. 13 Stick Out Your Tongues by Maria Gianferrari Mail Delivery: The Black Hand Secret Society by Victoria Bruce and William Oldfield Secrets & Regrets in Paris & Ireland by Jane Delury and Molly McCloskey Romance in the DMV by Lindsay Detwiler and Tracey Livesy
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THE UPHILL JOURNEY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Adjusting to life at Mason come with its own challenges for international students SARA ANWAR STAFF WRITER
Social and cultural differences are major factors for international students when it comes to adjusting in a new country. It is not an easy path for anyone to assimilate into an entirely new culture. Leaving behind your family members and childhood friends is also a tough experience for many. “Leaving my family and friends behind was very tough and an emotional challenge for me, but I overcame this challenge by involving myself in various organizations and associations of George Mason,” Arjun Rangarajan, a sophomore business management major from Bahrain, said. Struggling with all these aspects while keeping the focus on education is a challenging and daunting task.
Generally, the first semester is very hard on international students in Mason. They h av e to adjust to the new social and cultural n o r m s while also settling in a new education system as well. To respond to these challenges, Mason has a lot of student services available, including Counselling a n d
Psychological Services, which provides emotional support to international students and assists them in dealing with the complex socio-cultural issues. The language barrier is also another
factor that international students might have to cope with. In order to survive in an entirely different
Nidhi Kathapalli, an international student from India who recently graduated from Mason, struggled with the language barrier at first. Overtime, adjusting to a new language became easier. FOURTH ESTATE ALLY MCALPINE
Even though immigration has been a common habit of human civilization since the ancient ages, leaving one’s homeland is never easy. Thousands of international students come to Mason each year to fulfill their dreams of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in this land of opportunity. However, they may face several challenges in trying to settle in their new home.
society, it is essential to build language skills necessary to move in that society. Lack of native language skills can potentially shatter someone’s confidence which can be especially detrimental in case of a student.
“The biggest barrier would have been my accent or the way I pronounced certain words. But in my case that was not a huge deal as Mason’s student population is very diverse and most, if not all, cultural barriers can be overcome by getting involved on campus in various events organized by different student bodies,” Kathapalli said. Mason also provides English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and various certification programs
for international students. Learning English gives them both the ability to be successful in their educational endeavors and equipped with a skill which affords them an opportunity to make new friends in a new society. International students can also face financial challenges. With the high cost of tuition in the U.S., it is not possible for all international students to bring money from their country to pay college tuition. “Everything is very costly especially when I convert dollar to my currency, although my parents are financially supporting me, but I would like to find a job on campus to bear some of my expenses,” said Priyanka, a freshman engineering major from India. To help these international students, Mason has a work-study program, and offers students plenty of jobs on campus, which can help students with their expenses. The life of a new international student is an uphill journey, at least the first few years. Despite all these challenges, international students thrive and enhance the Mason community.
MASON CELEBRATES INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY A tribute to the original inhabitants of America AHMED FARID STAFF WRITER
That’s why, on Oct. 8, Mason students held an event to honor Native Americans and celebrate their culture. The event was a collaboration between Native American and Indigenous Alliance (NAIA), Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME), LGTBQ Resources, University Life, Social Action and Interactive Learning (SAIL) and the School of Integrative Studies. Held outside of Merten Hall, the event went on from 2 to 6 p.m. It featured intertribal drum group, Uptown Boyz, who played throughout most of the event and encouraged people to participate in the ritual dance. In addition,
students took part of sage bundling, a ritual performed by Native Americans in order to cleanse one's soul. Student were also given a chance to test their knowledge of ancient American tribes through a series of fact-or-fiction cards. These cards contained facts that ranged from what kind of food Native American tribes ate to what areas different tribes lived in. The Kinwaw and Pistacaway Conoy tribes occupied the land Mason is built on. Noah Black, one of the organizers of the event, had been planning for Indigenous People’s Day with his colleagues for nearly two months. Black felt that it is important Mason students take part in and know more about Native Americans, who were indigenous to this land long before the settlers came and became known as the U.S. or referred to as the “New World”.
NAIA previously submitted a petition to the university to recognize Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day, to honor the indigenous who occupied this land before Columbus came. “To Native Americans, this land is not Virginia or the US,” Black said. “They were here before that.” This event will not be the last to honor Native American culture and traditions. In November, more events will be held throughout the month to celebrate indigenous people. “We will be honoring indigenous people all over the world,” Lucas Rodriguez, an organizers of the event and NAIA member said. Rodriguez hopes to expose Mason students to indigenous cultures from the Americas, Africa and Palestine.
FOURTH ESTATE ALLIE THOMPSON
With students from nearly 130 countries, it is safe to say that Mason has a diverse campus. Learning about different cultures is something all Mason Patriots enjoy doing.
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Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to jbelive2@gmu.edu
WE MUST KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS *** Warning: This piece includes content regarding sexual assault. As I sat there on the plane, with my hands folded in front of me, I could not help but to feel a rush of unease come over me. Perhaps this feeling was from the turbulence, or maybe the fact I was hundreds of feet in the air, but to this day, I feel as if my body was warning me of what was yet to come. No one ever prepares you for the realities of these kinds of situations: the types of situations that leave you speechless and voiceless for years to come. In the winter of my junior year of high school, I was raped in Boulder, Colorado. I was there to see the college and to see the city, but instead all I saw was a man on top of me--insisting that I stayed. As a 16 year-old, I didn’t know much about sexual assault or, to be frank, that it could happen to someone like me: a man. However, I understand now that it can happen to anyone, in any place. And the last few weeks, survivors like myself have sat with our arms wrapped around each other. Together, we’ve watched as brave women like Dr. Blasey Ford relive their experiences in front of entirety of the world. We’ve seen our own stories
and voices amplified through others, if not through ourselves. However, we’ve also seen a once-heavy drinker and presumed predator sitting in front of America’s senators, denying allegations and doing much to stay in his position, going even further into what many see as lies. I can tell you that this right here, this supposed fair process of law and justice has been made a mockery of. Dr. Ford, as well as survivors and empathizers across this country, have called upon our American judiciary system and federal law enforcement to do the work for the sanctity of the Supreme Court. However, we’ve seen politicians like President Trump who have so viciously stood up for the accused but not allowed for a secured, independent FBI investigation. We’ve seen conservatives become so fuzzed by their partisan lines that they no longer live and vote by their supposed “family values.” But within all of this negativity, we have seen hundreds of survivors and empathizers come together for a common cause: justice. I sit here, writing and inspired, as I watch fellow survivors come forward with their stories. It’s brought about a rise of passion in many, including
Photo courtesy of GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
BY: ELIJAH NICHOLS STAFF WRITER
myself, to speak out and help the world to understand that the issue of sexual assault is something that we can not ignore now--or ever. When listening to the stories of survivors it is something that we all should feel somewhat connected to. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average one in three woman and one in six men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. To know that when we look at our siblings, our mothers, our friends, and even ourselves, we see those either
directly or indirectly affected by sexual assault and it leaves me appalled. That statistic, the stories of other survivors, and especially the strength of Dr. Blasey Ford has lead me towards the path of recovery. So, I guess to end this, I must leave with a message of gratitude: To Dr. Blasey Ford, and the many survivors who have come forward with their stories recently, thank you. My life is forever changed, and my heart can finally heal.
*** If you know someone who has been sexually assaulted on campus, or you yourself have been, please reach out to Mason PD (703) 993-2810). If you’re in immediate danger, please call 911 and/or go to an emergency room right away. If you are in need of psychological services, please reach out to Mason’s Counseling and Psychological Services at (703) 993-2380 and/or https://caps.gmu. edu/about-us/contact-us/. Your safety and rights are more important than anything at this point.
WHO ARE WE TO LOOK UP TO? Photo courtesy of SAMUEL CORUM/NEWYORKER.COM
BY: CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT STAFF WRITER
Who is the future of America to look up to? Is it those who hold the highest positions of power and influence in our government, is it celebrities and superstars who fill our social media feed or is it those who fight for a cause? Brett Kavanaugh was recently appointed and confirmed to the
highest court of the Nation, but he is not a role-model for the future of this country, nor is he alone in this assembly line of disreputable characters. When I was younger, I wanted to be a lot of things: a doctor, a lawyer, a police officer—typical careers any young person would want to pursue at some
point. My parents spoke of politics through the Bush administration and into the Obama administration as a cordial affair, a process and positions that are to be respected and admired. I grew up looking up to those at the positions in the highest levels of our government: justices, secretaries, congressmen and women, and presidents. Regardless of my fickle and often shifting career aspirations as a young person, these positions and people were always at the forefront of authority and influence. These days the news is overwhelmed with scandal stemming from those who have undertaken these potions of trust and influence. Brett Kavanaugh is one of many people who have tried, or even succeeded in, becoming one of the Nation’s most talked about leaders and influencers. This is dangerous to the future of the country. When a young person sees the president mock a sexual assault survivor’s testimony,
or sees a governor declare people of color are the enemies of his state, are they supposed to look up to these actions and characters? Having such controversial, bigoted, and meanspirited leaders is detrimental to our youth because these are positions that many young people look up to. The youth who look up to these positions of power will see characters like Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump and many others who have been allowed to enter the most sacred positions despite allegations of sexual misconduct, despite xenophobic remarks, despite a plethora of actions typically unbecoming of good role-models and leaders. No leader or person of influence is or ever has been perfect, but the bar for what is appropriate and expected of a leader has been set so low that it is infringing upon the vitality of these positions and their informal status as role-models. These leaders’ actions are setting precedent for these young people by showing that
their actions, that hurt so many, have no effect on their standing or bare no consequence. To allow and support racists, bullies, and those who turn a blind eye to it all into positions of influence is shortsighted and ignorant. I want our leaders to be people of high morale character, integrity, and respect regardless of political leaning. This is an issue that goes beyond red and blue, it is an issue that extends to the young future of America. An America who is blind to politics and sees only these sacred positions and those that hold them–much like I did when I was a child. There are many outstanding patriots on either side of the political spectrum and in leadership positions in all facets of government that are role-model worthy. But there are still a few key players who steal the spotlight to highlight traits that no young American should ever emulate or look up to.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, The recent Fourth Estate article focusing on CAPS services (Oct. 1 edition) highlighted the importance of supporting the mental health of Mason’s students. However, it painted a skewed and incomplete picture. I want to share information and important points that were not included or emphasized in the article. The “Troubles” in CAPS are Not Unique: Each year, the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) produces a report that describes data-based trends in college student mental health. What the Fourth Estate identified as struggles associated with CAPS at Mason are actually problems that the
CCMH reports show as universal to college counseling centers across the country. CCMH director Dr. Ben Locke has described the combination of growing demand for clinical services, greater numbers of students who are more likely to endorse what he describes as “threat to self ” characteristics and the fact that students who are at higher risk are provided with nearly 30 percent more services as the “perfect storm” for universities: a storm that is not just centered over Mason. CAPS and the Mason Community are Working Hard to Address the Issues. The article highlights staff shortages, but did not mention the efforts that CAPS has made to cover
these shortages, with significant support from the university. This summer, we brought on three new full-time clinical staff members and hired four part-time clinicians to cover the remaining two openings. We also brought on three full-time doctoral interns in psychology and six part-time graduate student therapists (supervised by licensed clinicians), again with funding from the university. CAPS more than tripled the size of its clinical training program this summer in order to be able to offer more services to students. We Continue to Value Feedback from Mason Students: Our partnership with the Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB) has yielded
valuable student feedback that has shaped how we provide services. Based on the feedback reported, we made significant changes in our services this year, that were not highlighted in the article in order to better meet student needs. For example, we introduced several new initiatives designed to reach more students including our new walk-in clinic for students who are experiencing non-urgent concerns, online psychoeducational support through TAO Connect (found at www.caps.gmu.edu), daily drop-in coping skills workshops and online scheduling for our relaxation space (the MindSpa). We continue to explore innovative solutions and invite feedback from students and
campus partners. We welcome the opportunity to work proactively with the Mason community to address the swiftly growing need for mental health services. Sincerely, Rachel Wernicke, Ph.D. Executive Director, Counseling and Psychological Services
NERVOSA
BY: SUSAN KATHERINE CORKRAN STAFF WRITER
To be frank, that fear has diminished but not vanished. It’s a depressing thing to realize that I will carry around fragments of that pain forever. My world is still warped by fun-house mirrors waiting to show me how fat I’ve gotten no matter what my actual shape is. Deep down, there is a lingering, ugly conviction that I do not deserve to eat, I do not deserve to feel full, and I do not deserve to take up space in the world. Recovery is never a straight line. There are ups and downs, twists and turns, and setbacks waiting to diminish every accomplishment. Anorexia nervosa has a high rate of relapse, usually with
devastating consequences on physical, mental, and emotional health. I’ve seen plenty of cliched drawings of the “road to recovery” as a squiggle of lines eventually inching towards a sunny horizon; I get sick of it. After so much time, I don’t want to just be “better than I was before.” I want to be better. Period. End of the journey. I want to shake off the hateful effects of this disease that I never asked for and do not deserve. I want to just be done with it already. If a little girl came up to me and said, “I’m fat. I don’t deserve to eat, and I won’t ever eat again because I have to be thin,” I would be horrified. I would scoop her up in my arms, hold her tight, and do anything possible to keep her from starving. Why can I treat a stranger’s body with love and kindness while denying my body those same things? What do I do now? I’m starting to realize, as I challenge the remnants of my eating disorder each day, that I need to go back to my grandmother’s advice. I have spent two years or more focusing on only half of the problem. I never wanted to admit, much less battle, the fear that lies at the heart of anorexia nervosa. It’s the nervosa half
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Shortly after I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, my grandmother told me that it was a mistake for people to refer to the disease only by the first half of its name. Nervosa was a critical word in the condition and she was right in remembering that even as I tried to make myself forget. There was fear, true fear, coursing through me constantly. I was terrified of eating, terrified of being fat, and terrified of seeing my own shrinking body in the mirror because I knew that my starving mind would twist it into a false shape.
that I need to recover from now. There are all kinds of fears inside of my mind that will stand in the way of the bright dreams I’ve dreamed for myself— the fear of not being good enough, the fear of failure, and the fear of disappointing myself and others. All of those fears are self-fulfilling prophecies
tied up in my eating disorder, because if I do relapse, then I surely will fail, disappoint, and not be good enough all at once. Recovery is a wandering, incoherent, and convoluted mess—but I’m hoping that it doesn’t have to be. Fear distorts things, but if I can manage to let go
of it, then I will not have to make that difficult journey while blindfolded. Perhaps recovery still won’t be a straight line, but it will at least be free of the years of nightmares lining the road. That’s a journey I can make with more hope.
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