F URTH ESTATE April 23, 2018 Volume 5 Issue 21
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
@ivestate | gmufourthestate.com
GOVERNOR NORTHAM SPEAKS ON VIRGINIA’S OPIOID CRISIS
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How Mason’s status as a research school could help solve an epidemic
LIFESTYLE
SPORTS
What do teachers really think about their students? Teachers confess their biggest pet peeves
Spring sports seasons come to a close with major wins and tough losses
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LIFESTYLE
OPINIONS Liberals and conservatives are constantly butting heads on climate change. How can we reach a middle ground? page 13
Eco-friendly tiny houses make for sustainable homes for two residents in the DMV area
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We are always recruiting volunteers for: - PR TEAM - LIFESTYLE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS
For all inquiries, please email a resume and two clips (or visual samples) to: masonfourthestate@gmail.com AND apply online at http://c2ms.info/osmapply
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Fareeha Rehman Sosan Malik Co-Editors-in-Chief
Katya Beisel Copy Chief
Michael Eberhart News Editor
Alex Shedd News Assistant Editor
Dinanda Pramesti Lifestyle Editor
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Co-Editor-in-Chief Sosan Malik
Co-Editor-in-Chief Fareeha Rehman
It was 1 a.m., a normal hour for most college students to be up and working on that final essay with a looming deadline. I was in the middle of writing an APA citation when it occurred to me that I needed to be up in a few hours for Fourth Estate’s production day. I needed to push through this essay but did not want to do a sloppy job, so I took a break. I knew one person that would be up at this odd hour, so I texted her. As usual, I poured my late night situational concerns to her via text and she responded. A few vacuous texts were exchanged until one of us began reflecting that we are almost done with our time Mason. Time surely does fly. I joined this team in August of 2016 and in a blink of an eye, here I am in my senior year.
News Editor Michael Eberhart
News Asst. Editor Alex Shedd
Lifestyle Editor Dinanda Pramesti
I would like to backtrack to the loyal responder I mentioned earlier in this letter. She and I have shared very similar experiences for the past two years and have always seen eye to eye. Her ability to stay calm and consistent when situations arise and ability to pick up on things I may have missed have benefited all Fourth Estate readers. If you haven’t caught on to who I am referring to, it’s Fareeha Rehman, my exceptional Co-Editor-in-Chief ! We have worked tirelessly on countless Fridays knowing that for the extent of our semesters we would no longer have a free Friday night. However, we loved every moment of it.
Lifestyle Asst. Editor Basma Humadi
Opinions Editor Jamie Beliveau
Copy Chief Katya Beisel
This will be my last letter from the editor and I wanted to dedicate it to my Co-Editor-in-Chief. I would also like to acknowledge everyone else on my team that has supported and brought the paper back to life. When I first began working with Fourth Estate, we struggled with a 12-page paper count and now I can proudly say we have reached 20 pages and are well on our way to progressing our student news outlet! I encourage students to apply to become the next generation of the Fourth Estate team. For those interested, you may apply at https://studentmedia. gmu.edu/.Don’t forget to tweet us @IVEstate and follow us on Instagram @ivestate.
Art Director Billy Ferguson
Photo Editor Allie Thompson
George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950
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Sosan Malik Co-Editor-in-Chief
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.
Basma Humadi Lifestyle Assistant Editor
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COVER PHOTO CREDITS Fourth Estate/Allie Thompson Masthead Earth Fourth Estate/Mary Jane DeCarlo Sports Lacrosse Photo courtesy of Craig Bisacre/Creative Services Lifestyle Pet peeves Fourth Estat/Allie Thompson Opinions Climate change Photo courtesy of Alexis Glenn/Creative Services Lifestyle Tiny house Photo courtesy of Enerel Orgil
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FINAL LEGISLATION OF THE SEMESTER
Second session of the 38th Student Senate comes to an end TISHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER
Mason’s student senate met for the twelfth and final time this semester on April 19 in Merten Hall. The student government adopted old and new bills, resolutions, and invited members of the university’s Board of Visitors (BOV) to discuss tuition prices for the following year.
“This development is going to abolish the Jewish student center [Chabad at GMU],” said Genoese-Zerbi, the author of the resolution. He explained that the Government and Community Relations committee does not support this development “that will have an adverse effect on student life.”
Speaking to the BOV, Senator Davide Genoese-Zerbi, chairman of Government and Community Relations asked, “If [Mason] doesn’t get more money from the state, at what point do you consider slowing growth… taking in a smaller increase of students, in order to try and keep tuition low for the students that are already here?”
“I’ve been one of the students struck by a vehicle while crossing this intersection,” said Senator McKenna Bates, speaking before the vote. She added that other Mason students are frequently struck by vehicles traveling along Roberts Road as well. Resolution #25 was then unanimously adopted by the senate.
“We just don’t know what those price points [would be],” said Rector Tom Davis, but “we’d like to get to that point where we’re maximizing income, without having to spend more money.”
Both Sullivan and Clerk Eric Nielsen then thanked all the senators for their participation throughout the Second Session of the 38th Student Senate, but it was Speaker Caitlin Lively who gave a closing speech. “I commend those of you who really put in the effort this year to learn what they’re doing,” said Lively, who thanked the senators but also offered advice before the final meeting came to a close. “If you’re not going to put in the effort, don’t be here.” The first meeting of the newly-elected 39th Student Senate will take place on April 26, at 4:30 p.m. in Merten Hall room 1201.
FOURTH ESTATE/TISHA HERRERA
Speaking to the senate before the vote, Speaker Pro Tempore Brendan Sullivan said that the people getting hit or nearly struck by traffic makes it not just a Mason issue, but an issue that impacts the entire local community. Sullivan referenced an account of an
Two other pieces of legislation were also adopted: Bill #33- A Bill to Allocate Funds for Operation Legacy, and Bill #35- A Bill to Allocate Funds for Destress Fest.
FOURTH ESTATE/TISHA HERRERA
Speaker Caitlin Lively then moved on to the first order of old business, Resolution #25 - A Resolution to Oppose the Planned Development Along Roberts Road.
This resolution tied into new business, Resolution #28 - A Resolution to Urge the Construction of a Traffic Light Along Roberts Road.
entire family that was nearly killed while attempting to cross Roberts Road on their way to church. Thereafter, Resolution #25 was adopted.
MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG
Monday, April 16, 2018 - Piedmont Hall, 12:27 a.m.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 (Reported) - Fairfax Campus, 2:46 p.m.
Drug/Narcotic Violations/Liquor Law Violations: Subject (GMU) was issued a releasable summons for possessing illegal drugs and alcohol while under age 21. A second Subject (GMU) was issued a releasable summons for possessing illegal drugs. A third Subject (GMU) was referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for the same offense.
Stalking/Hate Crime: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted electronic messages from two unknown Subjects on multiple occasions. The messages were motivated by anti-African American bias. Due to confidentiality of reporting, limited information is available regarding this incident. CSA Report #041718 - Information Only.
Case 2018-003779 - Cleared by Summons/Referred to OSC.
Photo courtesy of GEORGE MASON POLICE
Monday, April 16, 2018 (Reported) - Fairfax Campus, 4:15 p.m. Stalking: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from a former intimate partner (Non-GMU) on multiple occasions. Case 2018-003801 - Referred to Title IX. Tuesday, April 17, 2018 - Lot R, 2:56 a.m.
Thursday, April 19, 2018 - Outside of Ike’s, 1:03 a.m. Drug/Narcotic Violations: Subject (Non-GMU) was arrested and transported to Fairfax County Adult Detention Center for possessing illegal drugs. Case 2018-003910 - Cleared by Arrest. Thursday, April 19, 2018 (Reported) - Fairfax Campus, 3:00 p.m.
Weapon Law Violations: Subject (GMU) was issued a releasable summons for possessing an illegally concealed weapon.
Stalking: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from a known Subject (GMU) on multiple occasions. Due to confidentiality of reporting, limited information is available regarding this incident.
Case 2018-003817 - Cleared by Summons.
CSA Report #041918 - Information Only.
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Photo courtesy of RON AIRA/CREATIVE SERVICES
WOMEN IN SPORTS PANEL Discussion focused on issues for female coaches ISABELLA LAMAGDELEINE STAFF WRITER
Mason’s Division of Sport, Recreation and Tourism hosted the “Breaking Gender Roles: Women Coaching Men” symposium with a panel of women’s coaches in Merten Hall on Wednesday, April 18. The focus of the meeting was principally on why there are so few female coaches within American sports, what can be done to fix this issue, and the experiences of the women there in dealing with prejudice and discrimination. “If you don’t see a lot of people that look like you, you don’t think you can do it,” said Victoria Sun, director of George Washington University men’s basketball operations. “Maybe they’re not thinking it’s a viable option for them.” Other panelists included Kate Dunn, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for being the first woman to host a college football game; Natalie Randolph, senior women’s administrator and Title IX coordinator for the D.C. Office of the state superintendent of education; and Sarana Hyatt, assistant track and field coach for Mason. “I believe it just takes women doing this more in order to break the stereotype,” said Randolph. Also included in the panel was Jared Lewis, a senior business management student who has run track and field for the four years he has been at Mason. Lewis described the apprehension he held when he first heard that he would be coached by a woman, and how his apprehension soon turned into awe when he saw what Hyatt could do. ”My biggest piece of advice is to come in with an open mind,” Lewis
said. “I think if people come in with a completely open mind, they’ll be amazed.” Moderating the event for the second year in a row was Jacqueline McDowell, assistant professor of sport management within the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism. The opening of the discussion centered around why there are so few female coaches in a job that is starting to become less male-dominated. “I see a lot of female coaches leaving, not because they want a normal life, but because they want to be respected and valued,” said Hyatt. “Knowing what I’ve accomplished is enough for me, and I don’t feel like I have to prove it.” The women also discussed how they cope with being trailblazers in a field where they are decidedly not the majority. One reason that there might not be more women coaches is that they are not treated respectfully in a male-dominated field. “It’s important to remember that that it’s not your job to change the opinion of women in general,” Dunn said. “It’s your job to make them change their opinion of you.” The panelists also spoke about how they have given advice and mentored their athletes, both male and female. “You just put one foot in front of the other, and you just got to show up, no matter the blood, sweat, and tears,” said Randolph. “You just keep on going.” Thinking ahead toward the future, Dunn said, “With more girls playing nowadays, you’re sure to see more girls coaching in the future.”
A PREVIEW OF MASON DAY 2018
Food trucks, an obstacle course and singer Daniel Caesar are coming to the 53rd annual campus celebration TISHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER
The 53rd annual Mason Day celebration is coming up on Friday, April 27, 2018.
Patriot Activities Council and the planning process begins months in advance.
The main attraction at this year’s event is a concert by musical guest Daniel Caesar, a two-time Grammynominated R&B singer. The celebration will also feature carnival rides, activities, games and a selection of food trucks providing guests a variety of dining options.
“We have this one big event that everybody works collectively on to end the year, so we start planning back in the fall,” said Long. “It takes almost a year to just get [everything] settled.”
“Student Involvement really wants to make sure the diversity is going to be represented at Mason Day this year,” said Lauren Long, executive director for Student Involvement. The annual event is hosted by the Mason Office of Student Involvement, where the organizing is divided between staff and members of the
The celebrations for Mason Day have continued to grow every year, and new attractions for 2018 will include a Ferris wheel, mechanical bull and a mobile obstacle course similar to the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show to challenge students and other guests. “I love the things our staff does through Student Involvement, but there is just something about 6-7,000 of our community members coming together with Mason spirit, to have a fantastic
time at the end of the year,” explained Long. “I love when we can make our students’ day, and this is a place where faculty, staff, Mason students, family members, and community members come together to just have a great experience.” Mason Day 2018 will go from 2-8 p.m., and will be located in Lot L. The first group to get early admission will also receive a free snack, although other food items will be available for purchase with tickets or from the food trucks directly. The event is free to all Mason students, faculty and staff with a valid university ID. Admission costs $20 for the general public, and will be available for purchase at the event with cash only.
Photo courtesy of ALEXIS GLENN/CREATIVE SERVICES
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FOURTH ESTATE/MICHAEL EBERHART
PATRIOT PANTRY HOSTS END-OF-YEAR DONATION DRIVE
But the program’s future is uncertain as leaders prepare to graduate MICHAEL EBERHART NEWS EDITOR
Professor Michael Galvin and graduate student Yara Mowafy created the Mason Pantry program to help low-income students in December, 2014. “[Based on] the Patriot Success Survey, students felt like they weren’t meeting their nutritional needs or their housing needs,” said student director Noah Shoates. Shoates and his co-director, Gary Hooker, took over operations of the pantry in the fall of 2015 and have been running it ever since as a part of Mason’s Student Support and Advocacy Office. They also receive support from the office of Social Action and Integrative Learning (SAIL) to connect student in poverty with resources both on campus and in their community.
“We dig deep to the root cause of why these things happen, why we’re seeing this on campus,” said SAIL Director Patty Mathison. “Students might be experiencing food insecurity, and making the decision between whether to buy books or pay for their food, or medicine or whatever they may need.” Many colleges have partnered with local charities and non-profit organizations to create support networks across the country. Mason’s own food bank program is a member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance, which includes more than 500 other student food pantries. University food banks are now operating on more than 1-in-10 U.S. college campuses. “It’s working with students to have a little bit of a deeper understanding -- empathy, but also an awareness that this could happen to anybody at any time,” explained Mathison. Patriot Pantry provides qualified
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE IS EDUCATION JUSTICE Student Power educates students on inequalities in virginia schools DANA NICKEL STAFF WRITER
Student Power, a grassroots student organization on campus, worked with an organization called Reproaction to organize and host an event, “Reproductive Justice is Education Justice,” at Mason on Wednesday, April 18. “Reproductive Justice is Education Justice” is a panel featuring representatives from organizations in the Northern Virginia area that work with students and workers facing issues with reproductive justice. The panelists came from Tenants and Workers United, Virginia Latina Advocacy Network and the Fairfax NAACP to discuss discrimination and gender and racial inequalities with Mason students. Sara Deiso, a Mason student and member of Student Power, moderated the discussion by asking several
questions focusing on the issue of reproductive freedom in Virginia’s education system. The panelists began by explaining what Title IX does and provides for American citizens, primarily its function in schools and on college campuses, as well as explaining and defining reproductive justice. The panelists explained reproductive justice in three parts: the right to have a child, the right to not have a child, and the right to raise a child in a safe and healthy environment. Any violations of these principles are an example of a reproductive justice issue. The panel also discussed another violation of reproductive justice on college campuses: sexual assault. “Ninety-three percent of sexual assault survivors don’t report,” said Sarah Shannon, a representative from the
students with up to 25.2 pounds of supplies per week, ranging from canned goods to complete meals, laundry supplies and toiletries, as well as personal hygiene items. Shoates explained that the pantry has about 80 students use its services so far in the 2017-2018 academic year -- a number that is rising with each new semester. “Most live off campus,” said Shoates. “The on-campus students that we have, they don’t have meal plans or else they wouldn’t need it.” The program relies on a network of more than 70 donors and volunteers to serve students and organize the pantry on an informal basis. Shoates and Hooker have also experimented with distributing prepaid cards from retailers like Giant and Wal Mart, allowing students to buy their own supplies without relying on the pantry’s shelves alone.
For the final weeks of the 2018 spring semester, the program partnered with the Office of Sustainability’s Patriot Pack-Out program, where “Patriot Pack-Out” bins will be set up in residence halls. “That is the event that happens over the last two weeks of the semester where there will be big boxes in all the residence halls, where students can put all their non-perishable food items, school supplies, and small appliances that they no longer want,” explained Shoates. But Shoates and his co-director are both seniors looking forward to graduation this May, and it is unclear who will take over the pantry from them before the fall semester.
“We were trained for three months before we started working,” explained Shoates, “but we may not even be here to train the people who are coming in after us.” With no one being trained to take over operations, it is an open question of how the Patriot Pantry will continue to meet the needs of students struggling with food-insecurity at Mason. “We wanted to support them in any way that we could,” said Mathison, who taught both Pantry co-directors Hooker and Shoates as freshmen volunteers. “Gary and Noah mean a lot to me personally, and we’ll continue to work with them and partner with them for the future.”
Virginia Latina Advocacy Network. Each panelist expressed concern for victims of sexual assault not feeling safe or comfortable coming forward to get the justice they deserve. “If the school isn’t actively supporting a woman’s right to have a safe education, it sets the example to other institutions to treat women wrongly,” said Linda Shealey Cook, a representative from the Fairfax NAACP. “It begs the question [of] who is then able and who is empowered to come forward,” Shannon said during the panel’s discussion about undocumented women that are victims of sexual assault, a focus of a large portion of the Virginia Latina Advocacy Network’s work. Ingris Moran, a panelist from Tenants and Workers United, went on to describe that these reproductive injustices do not just occur in the professional world and on college campuses, they also occur at the middle and high school level where Moran’s work is primarily focused. Additionally, Moran mentioned that victims of injustice within the Virginia education system are mostly women of color. The panelists also discussed the
FOURTH ESTATE/DANA NICKEL
Financial difficulties and food insecurity can be a major worry for Mason students, but the student-run Patriot Pantry program is available to help.
difficulties women face in the United States when it comes to actually getting an abortion. According to the panel 78 percent of counties in Virginia do not have abortion clinics, and many private insurance companies do not cover abortion procedures, so many women are forced to pay out of pocket. Panelists also mentioned that there is an additional risk of “crisis pregnancy centers,” private organizations that are marketed to appear as if they offer abortion procedures, but exist only to convince women to not terminate a pregnancy. Another point was the issue of schools allocating more money for student resource officers (SROs) instead of using that money to fund better healthcare plans in schools. They each explained that expanding reproductive
healthcare, as well as general health and wellness services to all college and school campuses, would eliminate the struggles of undocumented immigrants and people without driver’s licenses to have access to healthcare without a car. New health centers would be able to accept the school IDs of the students, making healthcare accessible to any student attending the institution. “Healthcare and reproductive healthcare is a basic human right,” said Shannon. The panelists stated that they hoped the discussion provided the listeners with an understanding that many of these issues within reproductive justice and the education system are intersecting issues. “That is how we will create change,” said Moran. She went on to explain, “Any oppression is oppression.”
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RECYCLING AT MASON STEPHANIE GOMEZ CONTRIBUTOR
“We need to reduce our trash and increase recycling. That’s the direction we want to go,” says Kevin Brim, the manager of Recycling and Waste Management. He further explains, “People think of recycling as costly, but [students] only realize how much we spend in trash is far more than recycle.”
NORTHAM’S POPULATION STRATEGY Eradicating the Opioid Crisis in Northern Virginia OLIVIA VERMANE STAFF WRITER
Governor Ralph Northam and Northern Virginia leaders spoke at Mason on April 19 regarding the opioid crisis currently threatening the nation. As the largest public research university in Virginia, Mason has the resources available to make an impact in battling the opioid crisis both nationally and regionally, according to university provost and executive vice president David Wu. Northern Virginia leaders have begun working with Mason to enact a multidisciplinary initiative that will address a plethora of issues caused by the opioid crisis, as well as other drug abuses and problems. Kicking off the conference, Gov. Northam opened by addressing the opioid crisis as the largest challenge in the commonwealth of Virginia. “We lost 1,207 virginias to opioid overdose in 2017,” said Northam. A former neurologist himself, Northam discussed the issue of patients becoming addicted to narcotics within a span of five or six days due to an injury that initially requires an opioid painkiller. The early use of these narcotics can easily lead to the abuse of heavier and more damaging drugs such as heroin. The governor presented the idea of finding more innovative ways of dealing with acute and chronic pain instead of use of narcotics, which is where universities like Mason come in. Mason is well-equipped to conduct further research and development in terms of finding an alternative to narcotics that can be used to alleviate physical pain. Through its collective expertise in fields such as public health, neuroscience, law enforcement and economics, the university presents a range of opportunities for education that can be used to further combat the opioid crisis.
Northam emphasized the budget the Virginia state legislature is currently working on, noting the stark difference between the House of Delegates and the Senate. Unlike the Senate, the House budget includes an expansion of healthcare and Medicaid, with a total difference of about $400 million between the budgets. “Let’s put excuses aside and do what’s best for the Commonwealth of Virginia,” Northam said. “If we put our minds together, and our efforts together, we can overcome it.” Northern Virginia leaders from a range of perspectives and disciplines also joined the panel to detail the statistics and impacts of the opioid crisis right here in Virginia. According to a recent Fairfax County Opioid Task Force report, in Virginia alone there was a total of 803 deaths due to fentanyl and/ or heroin in 2016, as well as 465 deaths from prescription opioids. Panelists emphasized that the underlying problem is not simply the overdose or accident itself, but the long term addiction that precedes it. Ending addiction is not likely to be achieved in one entity or program— it requires extensive treatment, prevention, and management, as outlined by Northam. He emphasized education in public schools from a young age, and creating an awareness of narcotics issues before they are a threat to our youth. Mason has the potential to make a true impact in fighting the opioid epidemic according to the panel, and efforts are already underway to solve the crisis, whether it be through the collective gathering of regional partners, identifying of sufficient funding to aid treatment or research programs, or conducting research or workshops that find more direct solutions to the issue. “This is not the end, this is just the beginning,” said Provost David Wu.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, recycling plastic and other materials magnifies the amount of energy saved to reduce carbon footprint. Brim’s team and the Office of Sustainability collaborate to monitor and increase diversion rates with the use of a new ReTrack system, which categorizes all recycling produced by the Mason community for all the campuses. Brim mentions that his team recognizes the recycling confusion within the community and want to make it easier for students, staff, and faculty to pinpoint the differences between recyclable materials and disposable waste. The Recycling and Waste Management team plan on using photographs and adding more noticeable recycling stations. Mary Liang, the recycling analyst for the Office of Sustainability, also works closely with Brim. Liang explains that her department is aware of the confusion regarding recycling and are coming up with resolutions to work around the Mason community’s needs. Further adding, “Is it [recycling] an infrastructure question? Education question? We are moving towards increasing our efforts.” The Sustainability office continues in search for the bridge between students, faculty, and staff, to better understand the needs between these three channels of communication. Both Brim and Liang oversee the single and three-stream system provided for every campus. Single-stream is the centralized recycling stations known as the Big Bins located outside campus buildings and around common walkway areas. Centralized single-stream is handled two or three times per week by Recycling and Waste
Management crew and remove waste in the morning before classes begin. The three-stream system contains two-blue and one-grey Slim Jim Bins, placed in designated areas inside each building. Another form of three-stream recycling on campus is the large wooden containers that showcase and categorize trash, plastic, white and colored paper. Liang mentions that Mason generates revenue from white paper and three-stream ensures that it does not get contaminated with other waste or recycled materials. She encourages students and faculty to recycle, she adds, “It’s the students that drive the change on campus. One of Mason’s values is that students come first.” The Patriot Green Fund (PGF), sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, encourages students to take initiative on an approved research project to explore how to better Mason’s environment. John Recktenwald, a sophomore mechanical engineering major and president of Beta Theta Tau Robotics and Automation, along with nine club members, created a project that proposes 3-D filament made out of recycled plastic. “Our project is both feasible for the university and economically beneficial for the university,” explains Recktenwald. The project is undergoing its prototype stage. The purpose of the project is to reuse recycled plastic bottles, shred them, and turn the final product into 3-D filament for people at Mason to use. Recktenwald adds, “I just like to build things and I found other people who wanted to build things.” The projects process is divided into three teams and phases. The lead group is the extrusion team which oversees the design, known as the beginning phase. The shredding team will be the second phase that contains the fabricating process of breaking down the plastic. The purification team handles the final stage of the process. These members will be in charge of removing sticky residue from plastic water bottles and washing and drying the plastic shred. Members within our community continue to make Mason greener. To learn more about Recycling and Waste at Mason or the Office of Sustainability and other PGF student projects, visit green.gmu.edu.
FOURTH ESTATE/STEPHANIE GOMEZ
FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON
Mason’s Recycling and Waste Management team, Office of Sustainability and student researchers funded by the Patriot Green Fund (PGF) are creating and managing ways to adopt recycling routines for students, staff and faculty.
SPORTS
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MEN’S VOLLEYBALL SEASON ENDS IN EIVA TOURNAMENT
The loss was the third time this season that the Patriots played Princeton, and Mason won both of the previous two matches. The Patriots were 13-1 in the EIVA conference coming into the tournament, but suffered only their second conference loss on Thursday.
MASON SPORTS ENDS 2017-2018 SEASON NATALIE HEAVREN STAFF WRITER
As the semester comes to a close, so do the spring sports seasons. Mason baseball has been up and down this season. The team started off with eight consecutive losses before rattling off four wins in a row. On April 18, the Patriots snapped a five game losing streak by beating James Madison 7-1. Mason got 11 of their 15 wins at home and were led this season by pitcher Zach Mort. Mort has twice been named Atlantic 10 Conference Pitcher of the Week and is tied for first in the conference for most strikeouts this season. Mason’s regular season does not conclude until May 19 when the Patriots face off against La Salle, and the A-10 Baseball Championship runs May 23-26. Mason’s men’s golf team had a successful season. One of their best finishes was in the 2018 Mission Inn Spring Spectacular in Howie-In-TheHills, Fla. One of the best individual performances this season was Ellis Messian’s 13th place finish in the USF Invitational. After finishing 15th in their last regular season tournament, Mason will play in the A-10 Championship in Orlando, Fla. on April 27-29. Men’s tennis has struggled this season, especially in conference play. After winning their first two matches of the season, the Patriots lost their next seven. One of the team’s best performances was on April 11 when they swept Hampton 7-0. They finished
their regular season with a win against Saint Joseph’s and then will move on to the A-10 Championship April 26-29 in Orlando.
After they finish out the regular season on Saturday, Mason will head down to Richmond for the A-10 Women’s Lacrosse Championship May 3-6.
Both Mason men’s and women’s track and field teams continued their success as they transitioned into the outdoor season after both came in second in the the A-10 Indoor Championships. The men’s team came in first at the Mason Spring Invitational and had two of the top five runners in the men’s 3000meter steeplechase, while the women came in fourth and had multiple athletes qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships.
After wrapping up their regular season on April 22 at home, the women’s rowing team will compete in the A-10 Championship in Camden, New Jersey on May 5 and the Dad Vail Championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 11-12.
Throughout the season, Patriots have been given weekly conference honors, including most recently Blaine Lacey and John Seals, who were named A-10 Men’s Track Performer of the Week and Men’s Field Performer of the Week, as well as the Women’s Co-Rookie of the Week. Mason finishes up their regular season April 26-28 at the Penn Relays, and will then host the A-10 Outdoor Championships on May 5-6. Mason’s women’s lacrosse team has played well this season with a 9-5 record so far, and one regular season game left against Virginia Commonwealth University. Two players have caught the attention of the A-10 Conference this season, including two-time A-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week Melissa Semkiw, and three-time A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week Donaghue.
Mason’s softball team has struggled at times this season, though four conference wins in the last week have helped the Patriots climb to 9-8 after sweeping La Salle last weekend. The Patriots finish their regular season schedule at the University of Massachusetts on May 6, and may play in the A-10 Championship May 9-11 depending on their final seeding. Mason’s women’s tennis team has struggled at times this season, winning two or three matches at a time but also taking multiple consecutive losses. One win that stands out was a hard fought battle against Rhode Island on April 8. Both teams were short handed, but Mason was able to come out with a 5-2 win. After wrapping up the season at Howard University on Sunday, the team will play in the A-10 Championship April 25-29. Men’s volleyball had another historic season, hosting the EIVA Tournament for the first time since 2000, when the regular season champion began hosting the tournament.
The Patriots struggled as a team, with 32 attacking errors compared to the Tigers’ 16 attacking errors. Both teams had exactly 51 kills and 48 assists throughout the four sets. Princeton had more blocks than the Patriots, recording 28 compared to Mason’s 21. “We brought everything we had and... they had our number,” Coach Jay Hosack said in the post-game press conference. “The beauty is that even though we put in all that hard work, it still didn’t come easy to get to this point, and we didn’t win tonight…. If I recruited the right guys, this is going to sting a little bit, and it should, it should mean something.” Mason will also have to prepare for three of their biggest playmakers, Johnny Gomez, Christian Malias and Brian Negron, graduating before the next season. Coach Hosack stated that even though the seniors were disappointed, they had left the program in great hands with the younger players on the team. “They lead by example, they didn’t beat their chests, they showed the young guys what it takes to be successful here,” Hosack said when asked how
the seniors have made an impact on the underclassmen in the program. “There are a lot of teams in the country that wish they had an opportunity like us tonight,” , Hosack said when asked how he would overcome this loss. “I’m bummed, don’t get me wrong, I’m a coach, I want to win everytime, but you can’t win every game, you can’t win every match, and you can’t win every set, you’re not going to win any sets 25-0.” Hosack later added when talking about how he would push the program into a positive direction, “I had a one, a three, and a five year goal, when I took the job here.” According to Hosack, all that is left to do is his last goal. “In my fifth year, I said that we were going to win a national title. That’s 2020.” Senior Christian Malias lead the team with 13 kills throughout the match, but struggled with a hitting percentage of .129. Though he had a decent offensive performance, he still held himself accountable for the crucial plays he failed to execute successfully. “I hope I’ll be remembered as someone who went all out and didn’t take no for an answer, and fought to the last swing,” said Malias, when asked how he would want the underclassmen to remember him. “I went through some struggles, but I kept focusing and I had fun but also did what I needed to do…. and I always put the team first, that’s how I’ll want to be remembered.” Malias recalled the last play of the match saying, “We always talked about the three seniors leaving here with no regrets, and I mean I missed that last overpass, and I hit it in the net….but I swung” The Patriots’ loss to Princeton ended their season, But they leave with hopes to make it back to the tournament again next season.
FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON
The Patriots’ men’s volleyball team entered the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Tournament on Thursday, April 19, as the number one seed, looking to win and earn a NCAA bid on Saturday in the championship game. Unfortunately, the Patriots struggled to overcome the Princeton Tigers and lost 3-1 in four sets.
Photo courtesy of MASON ATHLETICS
Photo courtesy of MASON ATHLETICS
Photo courtesy of CRAIG BISACRE/CREATIVE SERVICES
DOMENIC ALLEGRA STAFF WRITER
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LIFESTYLE
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
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 Mason alumni Yves Beneche, Mason instructor/graduate student Melvin Parada, and Mason student Monique Le. 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 BASMA HUMADI
YVES BENECHE, ALUMNI
You were a part of Delta Chi and Mason Ambassadors - what made you want to join these clubs and what was your favorite thing about them?
Photo courtesy of YVES BENECHE
I joined Delta Chi because upon coming to GMU, I was told that if I didn’t join a fraternity I wouldn’t have much of a social life. As a party hungry 18-year-old straight out of high school, I wanted to have the full “college experience”. I found that in Delta Chi. I found a group of people that I connected with. It was more than just partying, it was the brotherhood and the camaraderie that I found. I never felt lonely during college, and I had a solid group of brothers that always had my back, and I had theirs. We held each other accountable for our academics even when we lost motivation at the end of the semester. They became my best friends and people that I know I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life. I also gained leadership experience while in Delta Chi, becoming Vice President my sophomore year and getting elected President my junior year. Delta Chi gave me a well-rounded college experience. I had been offered the opportunity to interview to be a Mason Ambassador right after I graduated high school. I interviewed my first week at GMU and got selected. I truly enjoyed my two years as an Ambassador. I made great friends and learned more about my school by giving tours and working open houses. It made me love and be proud of being at GMU even more than I already was. I was also able to meet some cool guys that I introduced to Delta Chi, and who eventually joined and became my brothers. What made you want to attend Mason? I visited Mason in 8th grade and immediately fell in love with the campus. I knew that that was the school I wanted
to go to. I liked how all the buildings were modern and that it was only 20 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. Since I came from Long Island outside of New York City, it was important for me to be near a big city. How did you know you wanted to pursue a degree in Cinematography and Film and Video Production while you were there? Growing up I was a child actor for 6 years. I had a small but memorable role in National Treasure, appeared on Law and Order and national commercials, as well as starring roles in Knights of the South Bronx with Ted Dansen and Keke Palmer. During my time on set, I was enamored by the filmmaking process behind the camera. I wanted to be one of the people telling the stories and using my voice to entertain audiences. I decided not to renew my contract with my agents, and wanted to dedicate my time to telling stories from behind the camera. I’ve stayed committed to this passion ever since. Can you tell us more about your upcoming comedy web series “Fre Yo” about two estranged HaitianAmerican brothers? I decided to create “Fre Yo” after meeting another Haitian actor here in LA. My character dropped out of med school to move to LA and pursue his career as an actor. As a result, his strict Haitian immigrant parents disowned him. His older brother did everything his parents wanted him to do. He went to law school and became a lawyer. But after getting disbarred, their parents also disowned him. Now, these two brothers must reunite after they learn that they’re all they have left. It’s comedic with dramatic elements, and is an honest portrayal of the first generation HaitianAmerican experience. I serve as the showrunner (the term used in the television industry for the head writer and executive producer of a series) and as
the star. It is slated to premiere during the fall of 2018. What inspires/influences your work? I like to tell stories about topics that are important to me. My stories range from coming of age comedies to dramas revolving around social justice issues in American society. For example, my latest film, The Acquittal, tells the story of a white police officer who has been acquitted of killing an unarmed black teen during a traffic stop. The guilt of killing an innocent teenager eats him alive, and as a result he goes down a dark path of self-destruction. I was inspired to write and direct this film during the summer of 2016 when both Alton Sterling and Philando Castille were murdered by police on camera a day after each other. Also, I am currently working on a TV show based on the reckless adventures of my friends and I during high school. I’m also influenced by the classic psychological thriller director Alfred Hitchcock. The Acquittal was heavily influenced by Hitchcock’s approach to thrillers. What advice do you have for Mason students? My advice to Mason students is to work hard and have fun. Make sure you have a balance of being a productive member of society and any organization you’re apart of. And always follow your dreams. No dream is too far or too unattainable. People always told me that being a filmmaker would be too hard and USC is too hard to get into, but I didn’t let it stop me, and now I’m in LA graduating from the best film school in the world, because I believed in myself and followed my dreams.
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A NOT SO TINY MOVEMENT NANCY NYAMAA CONTRIBUTOR
The demand for eco-friendly tiny houses is on the rise due to the lifestyle’s affordability, as demonstrated by shows such as “Tiny House Hunters” on HGTV.
Photo courtesy of ENEREL ORGIL
Tiny houses are typically 80 to 600 square-feet and are equipped with the amenities of the average 2,600 square-foot American home, according to Jenna Spesard of “Tiny House, Giant Journey”, a popular “tiny lifestyle” blog. The houses are often built with lofted beds, full kitchens and bathrooms, and tiny house investors feel they get what they want out of their homes without going into debt. On average, homeowners build their dream “tiny” home within a budget of $35 thousand to $100 thousand, according to Spesard. The living option is considered to be more sustainable, eco-friendly and minimalist compared to the financial and energy costs of conventional American homes. While the financial aspect of “tiny living” may be enticing on its own, the “green” factor is another interest. NASA’s reports on climate change show that due to the increase in man-made carbon emissions, the Earth’s surface temperature has risen by two degrees Fahrenheit since the end of the nineteenth century. This temperature rise indicates sea-level rises by eight inches in the last century, with the numbers steadily increasing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, according to NASA, also concluded that there is a 95 percent probability that man-made gases such as carbon dioxide emissions and methane are responsible for the harmful changes. As awareness of these climate changes increases, people are investing in the tiny house movement, in which it is possible to live comfortably and consciously of their carbon footprint. One of the important aspects in making a tiny house sustainable is using recycled materials, in addition to using composting toilets and well water. Dillon Ginley, an owner of a tiny house in Fairfax, constructed his home with recycled materials. “I aggressively sought recycled materials, and I estimate about 15 percent of my materials were recycled,” said Ginley, “It cost me roughly $14,696 in materials to build my tiny house, and 606 hours of labor at a rate of $50 an hour.”
Photo courtesy of DILLON GINLEY
When asked about whether tiny houses save energy, Ginley said, “My tiny house averaged 209 kilowatt hours of usage over six months. We now use an average of 533 kilowatt hours of electricity in the big house, but the average American household uses about 897 hours a month.” Ginley feels this is a drastic difference that proves how living tiny cuts back on the “man-made” climate change problem. As efficient and “green” as living in a tiny house may seem however, and as much as Ginley would like for more people to adopt the lifestyle, he believes more people need to change their views on the comforts of their conventional homes. “My experience as a builder and seller of this one tiny house has led me to believe that tiny houses will not be any more than a miniscule part of the climate change solution until there is a major cultural change
about their acceptability in our communities,” said Ginley. Enerel Orgil of Rockville, MD, believes in the sustainability of tiny living. The Mongolian native grew fond of the lifestyle because he believes the development of modern tiny-house styles have taken inspiration from the “gers”, or yurt-style homes, of nomadic Mongolians. Mongolian gers are small structures that can easily be packed up, as the families who inhabit them are nomadic, following the weather patterns and livestock in rural Mongolia. The way of living was passed down from the days before Genghis Khan and the nomadic herders of the country continue the living tradition today. “Our tiny house has electricity since it was on a farm, otherwise, it used a composting toilet and well water or water collected from the rain,” Orgil said, “the house was also constructed out of repurposed wood from an old barn, which I thought was pretty smart. It was tiny enough to be hauled away, even by a small car.” Because living in a tiny house calls for residents to minimize their possessions and lifestyle, the question of whether living in a tiny house is worth it seems to linger on for many. In some areas, it is hard to find zones that are tiny house-friendly, which makes it difficult for owners to live in their houses. Marielle Walter, a resident of Washington, DC, was pleased to hear about the tiny house accessibility in her neighborhood. “Even here in Washington, there are tiny house enthusiasts with tiny homes in their parking spots! Our neighborhood has even been zoned for ‘adjacent dwelling units’ (a term for tiny houses in this case), so our home lots can now have an additional unity on them,” said Walter, “I think it shows that even politically, the tides are turning to be more accepting of the tiny house concept, lifestyle, and demand.” Walter, like Ginley, also believes lifestyle changes come with living in a tiny house. “In general, the tiny house lifestyle is one of minimalism…less consumption. Almost all products require resources in the processing so the less we are consuming, the more sustainable we are being with resources, and the less impact we are having on our Earth—particularly on our climate” she said. Researchers at Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication estimate that humans will reach their carbon budget by 2035, should humans continue producing the high rates of waste and emissions. Going “tiny” in a 400 square-foot home constructed with recycled materials may be a step in the right direction to combatting the growing problems linked to climate change. The lifestyle may not be for all, but it certainly was the preferred decision for hundreds of tiny home-owners like Ginley and Walter.
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I N S T R U C T O R / G R A D U A T E STUDENT, MELVIN PARADA
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATES THE DIVERSITY OF ASIAN AMERICANS Asian American students led a discussion on the challenges and stereotypes they face DIANA NADIRA CONTRIBUTOR
What was your time at Mason like? My time at Mason can be categorized in chapters. I did my undergrad here, I later worked as classified staff, I am now finishing my graduate degree and currently serve as an adjunct professor. I have experienced first hand it’s growth and am proud to play a part in the university’s continued success. What have you been doing post-graduation? I will be graduating this May, officially. Leading up to this, I have spent most of my time hunkered down in the School of Art’s studios working on my exhibition pieces, researching my thesis in Fenwick Library, and in the classroom teaching. What’s something interesting about you and why is this important? This past summer I returned from a year abroad in Germany. I attended Hfg Offenbach Art & Design located in Frankfurt. The year spent in Europe gave me immense perspective as to the direction I intend to take as an artist/designer, while giving me global context to the design industry abroad. My travels to numerous other European cities, museums, and art fairs has strengthened my knowledge base as an educator and aided in my personal growth as an artist.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Northern Virginia, attending schools in Arlington and Prince William County. What would you like to see yourself doing ideally/what’s your vision for your future? I see myself continuing to serve as a professor of graphic design. In addition, I intend to start my own studio practice, specializing in graphic art & design, printmaking, alongside chair design. Yes that’s right, chair design :)
Asian Pacific American (APA) is a term used to signify both Asian American - people in the USA who have Asian decent - and Pacific Islanders - people who have ancestry among native people in Oceania. They are the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S, but perhaps the least understood in terms of history, immigration and social, racial and economic justice. According to the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) the total number of Asian undocumented people in the United States ranges from 1.46 million to 1.74 million and has tripled within the last 15 years. The complex immigration status holds back undocumented adolescents from achieving better opportunities.
What’s something/someone that’s shaped you and why?
“In Virginia if you are undocumented you can’t get a driver’s license. Nowadays most of the jobs require a driver’s license,” said Dr. Shelley Wong, Mason associate professor in Multilingual Multicultural Education. “Undocumented students are not eligible for any federally funded student aid. They have to pay the school tuitions out of state which is so much higher than the in-state fees. These are just two challenges among a number of them.”
Owning my own business in my early to mid twenties, I would say, had the most impact on me in regards to overall growth and perspective as a professional. Navigating through the financial and personal responsibilities that come with entrepreneurship, helped prepare me later in life with the realities that come with success, failure, change, and ultimately purpose.
The situations of undocumented students improved when President Obama launched DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) programs. It helped them to achieve a degree of stability and reach more possibilities. According to Migration Policy Unit (MPI) 728,000 people who came to the United States as children - known as “Dreamers”- received a
W hat is your achievement?
proudest
My proudest achievement, next to getting married, will be my first solo exhibition which will be held in the School of Art’s Fine Arts Gallery which opens on April 28, as well as earning my MFA.
chance to reprieve their deportation for two-years, work legally for a temporary period and get a driver’s license in the United States. However, DACA’s future is now uncertain after under Trump the administration. “DACA is like an emergency patch which can sort of heal the wound. It allows student to go to school. It allows to work and drive. Those are the living necessities that we need,” said Sumi Yi, NAKASEC Virginia Community Organizer. “Still DACA is a temporary remedy. The renewal is only for two years. Although DACA is immediately needed, what we actually want as a permanent solution is citizenship for everyone and that’s where we are heading right now,” Yi said. Ted Gong, the executive director of 1882 Foundation, transitioned his discussion by pointing out the challenges of bringing a single Asian Pacific
American platform. “The diversity of APA community is so large, and their needs are diversified as well,” Gong said. “I don’t think we are there to have a single APA platform since the immigration situations, economic background and political perspectives are very different. But one thing is clear that what we need is an Asian Pacific American coalition. We have to address the civil rights issues together.” “In colleges when APA students come across challenges regarding with immigration and policy changing or even day to day stresses they don’t reach out any organization, especially if there is not an established one. So, having more events like this show them that there are communities here on campus that care about them and want to make more connections which will build a strong supporting network,” said Elisabeth Chan, president of MMMESIG.
FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON
Photo courtesy of MELVIN PARADA
As a part of GMU ODIME’s Asian Pacific American Heritage (APAH) month celebration, a panel discussion on “Dreams, possibilities and challenges for APA students” was held. The event was sponsored by Multilingual Multicultural Education Student Interest Group (MMESIG) and MME Division of GMU College of Education and Human Development on Thursday, April 19.
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4.23.2018
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THE MENTAL AFTERMATH OF HURRICANES Mason student reflects on the hardships after Irma and Maria hit her home LAUREN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Melting ice caps and disappearing forests are common visualizations of climate change, but mental health issues can be a direct cause of climate change as well.
VISION BOARD PARTY CAT TONG STAFF WRITER
As the end of the semester approaches, students may lack determination to follow through with their goals. The Omicron Rho Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority hosted a Vision Board Party on Wednesday, April 18, an event open to all Mason students to help them remember their goals and stay on task as well as raise awareness for alcohol consumption. Elizabeth Bostic, current Mason senior and the president of the sorority, stated, “we know it’s the end of the semester and students get stressed and we want to bring everyone together to refocus and think about goals.” A sister of Omicron Rho, Deja, says the main ideas of the event are to “bring awareness to alcohol safety through ‘do’s and don’ts’, allow a space to decompress, realign goals and refocus during this hectic time of the semester.” The main event of the night is the assembly of the vision board. Each table had plain white paper boards with plenty of crafting materials such as scissors, paper, glitter, glue and writing utensils in the center of the table. Ways to plan and achieve goals included the use of the S.M.A.R.T goals. This is a self-assessment that includes being specific, making sure the goals are measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. Writing down your goals is important, as Olivia Johnson,
another sister of Omicron Rho, says, “if you have no way to track your goals, then they become only a vision.” Each attendee listed their short term and long-term goals, and steps they will take to reach them. Later, as each person finished their piece, everyone had a chance to share and explain their vision board. Some goals that attendees had were as simple as “get fit,” “eat healthy,” “pass a class,” or even “buy a Range Rover,” which were short term goals. Long term goals included “get a Range Rover,” “start a nonprofit organization,” or “get into law school.” “We just want to inspire everyone here to reach for their goals and take steps to accomplish them,” Bostic says. In addition to the construction of the vision boards, the ladies of Omicron Rho Chapter, also prepared the mocktail version of Sugar Factoryinspired drinks. These non-alcoholic drinks also come with candies such as gummy bears, gummy worms, other toppings, and are a great way to relax and have fun while raising awareness for alcohol consumption. This is the Omicron Rho Chapter’s first event this year, as they have plans to organize many more events throughout the year.
According to 4C, “Many people exposed to the worst extreme weather events experience stress and serious mental-health consequences including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and increases in suicidal thoughts and behavior.” Increases in hurricane frequency and intensity began in the 1980s, according to the National Climate Assessment. The increase is linked to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gas and pollution, which warms the Earth and raises the sea-surface level. Increased ocean-surface temperatures allow hurricanes to form more quickly, move through the ocean more easily and increase their intensity. Hurricane Harvey caused extensive damage along the east coast of Texas in August 2017, while Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands from August to October of 2017.
“The hardest part was knowing that my family was split up into different areas on the island and not being able to call and see if everyone was okay,” said Rey, “It was hard to see all the videos on Facebook of all the people struggling, losing their homes and being put in dangerous situations, especially since I didn’t know how my family was doing.” Irma and Maria hit at the beginning of Rey’s senior year, as well as during her 21 birthday. “I felt helpless and it was hard trying to concentrate on other things like school, my job and my birthday when I had no idea if my family was safe or not,” said Rey. Rey waited anxiously in Virginia for good news while her family experienced the physical impacts of the hurricane. Her elderly grandma was alone in her apartment when the eye of the storm hit. While her doors and windows broke in and caused debris to fly, her grandma barricaded herself in her bathroom and held the door closed with her own strength. “Knowing my grandma can’t really walk that well I was surprised she was able to hold the door closed with her body,” said Rey. Irma and Maria destroyed homes and left the island without electricity – both Rey’s family home and her grandma’s apartment became unlivable due to debris and flooding. Rey and her family
still feel the emotional impact of the storms today. “When I go home, I think back to what home used to look and feel like and now it feels so unfamiliar since the storm,” said Rey, “I also can’t go back for job opportunities because they are so limited now.” A common reality for those impacted by storms is losing the feeling of “home” and having no job opportunities. These feelings lead to the increases in mental-health disorders like 4C found. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found similar increases in mental-health disorders, saying, “extreme weather events can create increased anxiety and emotional stress about the future, with the most severe impacts being felt by individuals who were already disadvantaged prior to the event.” Daniela Vianna, a visiting researcher for 4C, said, “If countries do not lower their output of carbon emissions, we will reach our budget by 2030 and that will cause even more natural disasters.” According to Vianna, the only way to stop the onset of more natural disasters is to lessen the amount of carbon all countries release to below 40 gigatonnes of carbon per year. “It is happening now, here and with us,” Vianna said, “We can change the course of our ecological Titanic.”
These storms destroyed towns, displaced families and caused many businesses to close. Mason senior Shernelle Rey knows the trauma and mental-health impacts hurricanes cause well. Rey’s family lives in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Hurricane Irma and then Hurricane Maria hit back-toback. “The locals nicknamed the storm ‘Hurricane IrMaria,’” said Rey. She returned to Mason before the hurricanes hit, but she felt the negative impacts even in Virginia. “This storm was so hard for me because I wasn’t able to be in contact with my family,” said Rey, “I had a lot of anxiety and was extremely emotional.” The intense rain and strong wind destroyed the island and Rey had no way to
Photo courtesy of SHERNELLE REY
FOURTH ESTATE/CAT TONG
The Center for Climate Change Communication, or 4C, partners with doctors as part of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health to publish information packets with the top ways climate change threatens Americans health. One is mental health and wellbeing.
contact her family.
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HOW CLIMATE AFFECTS VIRGINIA’S WINE Northern Virginia’s past wine-making ventures make growers adaptable to foreseeable changes in the industry Attempts to grow wine in Virginia date back to the settlers of Jamestown, whose numerous attempts failed as a result of disease and poor growing conditions. Four hundred years later, the now booming industry within the Commonwealth, Virginia’s modern wine history consisting of colonial and Antebellum culture, is a contemporary narrative of the state’s trials in growing vinifera, but with a more successful outcome and palatable taste. Due to recent weather phenomena of extreme droughts and heavy rainfall, the topic of climate change filters into the everyday concerns of those who already face significant challenges in growing a persnickety plant whose quality is dependent upon a healthy, well-balanced environment. “The scientific community and the world at large is witnessing the damaging impacts of climate change and how the environmental phenomena is affecting people’s health, agriculture and the well-being of the planet,” says Daniella Vianna, visiting postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Climate Change at George Mason University.
FOURTH ESTATE/LAURYN CANTRELL
Studies suggest such challenges are hardly theoretical. Climate change is threatening the world’s luxurious commodities, including coffee and cacao supplies, and rising
temperatures around the globe could jeopardize major winemaking regions by 2050 when the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts the earth’s average temperature will rise by another 2.5 degrees’ Fahrenheit. A 2013 study by Conservation International and Environmental Defense Fund reported that lands suitable for growing wines will decline by 25 percent in Chile and 73 percent in Australia. That same investigation suggests the world-wine growing regions will shift, forcing growers to adapt new strategies to still participate in an industry that for Virginia, employs over 4,753 people and contributes more than $747 million to the state’s economy. For The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville the young vineyard and winery adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield relies on the history of winemaking in the state to create a unique terroir – the indefinable combination of land, soil, and climate that characterizes a vineyard’s wine – to manage the strains all grape growers face when growing the crop.
The Hickox family-owned winery sits adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park where the first Civil War battles at Manassas and Bull Run were fought in 1861. The winery prides itself on maintaining the historical remnants of ‘Olde Virginia’ within the urbanized Northern Virginia community that is suitable for growing wine. Northern Virginia sits within the Mid-Atlantic region at 30 to 50 degrees’ latitude, ideal for growing wine. “Virginia has very much the same growing degree days and longitude as Burgundy, France so we’re in a really good spot here,” says Wayne Mills, vigneron for The Winery at Bull Run. Though the winery acknowledges the impact climate change has on the global wine industry, it is too soon to tell whether or not climate change is specifically impacting Northern Virginia wineries, says Mills. “Weather is variable. You don’t have a long enough history in the area here to say climate change is really changing the way you grow the grapes. What I observe is big variations in the weather.” adds Mills.
Established in 2013, The Winery at Bull Run located in Centreville - 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C. - dedicates its 225-acre property to preserving the past by producing old
A controversial issue, climate change can sometimes be helpful to vineyards, says Peter Dimmick, wine education and program manager, certified wine specialist for The Winery at Bull Run.
world wines on new world terrain.
“The downside of climate change
is during the particular periods and the grape maturation you don’t want changes,” Dimmick adds. “It’s very damaging potentially.” For the winemakers, Virginia’s booming wine industry is rooted in continually acclimating to the environment. “It’s constant monitoring,” says Mills. His team of workers pours its energy into searching for changes in the vines, acting quickly upon the sight of drastic changes observed in the crops’ health. And while growers are proactive in taking preventative measures to avert damages to the wine grapes, their efforts are not always certain. “This goes in hand with historical preservation of the land. We are on historically protected battlefields, and our practices are designed to not to interfere with it,” says Dimmick.
killed colonist’s chances of producing consumable wine. Vines are also elevated and stretched along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, creating a natural irrigation system and allowing for cooler temperatures to reach the crops. The continuing changes predicted by scientists advocates vintners continue to integrate old-world wines in the new-world terrain. For growers within the Old Dominion, such practices are not as daunting because the state is best suited for growing European varietals that yield longer harvesting periods and are adaptable to temperature fluctuations. The challenges Virginia wine makers face is a rather creative challenge that individuals in the industry accept, according to Dimmick.
The vineyard’s growers combine traditional methods and technological advances in viticulture that are environmentally friendly, preserve the land’s history of Virginia wine and sustain the crop by nurturing them in an area traditionally used for agriculture.
“I believe it should be an impetus to us in the industry to get creative [and] to do as many different things as possible. We, the winemakers, are in a rut of growing varieties because people prefer them. We have to ask ourselves, ‘If it doesn’t work well, why are we doing it?” says Dimmick.
“When this area was first settled in the last half of the 1700s, it was all farmland. Tobacco was a major cash crop, but it depleted the soils. By the time of the Civil War, there were a lot of smaller farms in addition to the large plantations,” says James Burgess, historian for the Manassas National Battlefield.
Wine making serves as an agricultural archive of history documenting the seasonal and palatable changes of a region. Virginia has a history matching the richness of the old-world varieties containing properties from both vintage and en vogue styles, making them a higher quality commodity found only in the Commonwealth, says Dimmick.
The practices of the vineyard solely rely on the natural terrain and the abilities of the land, while incorporating innovations in modern viticulture. European varietals such as Bordeaux and Petit Verdot are grafted in disease-resistant American rootstock to combat the very ailments that
Dimmick adds, “that is the story of Virginia wine making. At the end of the day, what we have done to produce Cabernet Franc and other Bordeaux varietals, and Viogniers has made them leading varietals we market at the winery that are distinctly and uniquely ours.”
FOURTH ESTATE/LAURYN CANTRELL
LAURYN CANTRELL STAFF WRITER
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
LIFESTYLE
4.23.2018
13
YES, YOUR PROFESSORS DO KNOW YOU’RE ON FACEBOOK HAILEY BULLIS STAFF WRITER
If you’ve ever wondered if your professors realize whether or not you’re on your phone or not reading your assigned reading chapters, the answer is yes they do. They also realize when you don’t show up to class or when you think you’re getting away with something.
FOURTH ESTATE/MARY JANE DECARLO
For religion 100 professor Todd Brown, one of his biggest pet peeves is when students do not do their reading. His other pet peeve is when students don’t participate in class. “Students not discussing or contributing in class because they’re either embarrassed or they think they don’t know the material when in fact once they do start to speak up and engage, they really know what they’re talking about,” said Brown.
NIC’S FLICKS NIC MACOTTO STAFF WRITER
“Ready Player One” is a love letter to pop culture. Director Steven Spielberg absorbs us into an entirely new world and makes us feel that we are part of it.Tye Sheridan’s portrayal of Wade is rather nostalgic in a sense, as this film makes various pop culture references, and brings the virtual world of the OASIS to life, although his character leaves something to be desired and could have been more poignant. The film makes references to genre classics such as “The Shining” (1980), “Child’s Play” (1988), “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) and “Alien” (1979) to invoke both fright and humor. Although “Ready Player One” may fall short of Spielberg’s usual sense of wonder, it is still undeniably visually impressive, thanks to the gorgeous work of cinematographer Janus Kaminski. “Ready Player One” reminds the audience how film is a medium for escapism, and tells us that sometimes escape from the real world is impossible. (Star Rating: 3.5/4)
KEY 4 = Great; 3 = Good; 2 = Fair; 1 = Poor; 0 = Ooh, let’s not go there
In comparison, Alfred Carter, who teaches Spanish 210, follows the “flipped classroom” approach to learning in their foreign language classes. This requires students to learn the material outside of class, so they can master it while in class. Carter said his biggest pet peeve was when students do not complete their homework before coming to class. “In following kind of a flipped classroom design and where people are supposed to do their homework in preparation before class and then come to class ready to go, when they haven’t done the homework they’re not ready to go,” said Carter. This leads to the dilemma of whether to backtrack and teach the material to those who haven’t completed the homework or ignore them and teach the students who have. And yes, professors do notice when students do not show up to class regularly, “Even if I don’t take
FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON
On syllabus day, professors outline their expectations and requirements of their students. This often includes no cell phone usage and their attendance policies. They also expect that students show up to lectures and take notes. However, these requirements are not always met, and it leads to professors having some very understandable pet peeves. These pet peeves include, not showing up to class, not completing assignments on time, not paying attention, and not being prepared for class. attendance, after the course of the semester you can tell who’s there, who’s not, who’s trying and who’s not. So, yeah, I can tell exactly who’s there, who shows up consistently, and who shows up very sporadically,” said Brown when asked if he notices when students are absent. For Rutledge Dennis, a sociology 101 professor, his pet peeve is students missing class “Missing class is, I think, is the biggest pet peeve I have. I have a large class, I’ve taught a large class for many years and I think I’m a pretty good lecturer and I’m very consciousness about preparing my lectures so that they make sense, so that they form a coherent whole. So I’m annoyed that students don’t come to class as regularly as they should,” said Dennis. When asked the same question, Carter shared that he did notice attendance as well, “Unbeknownst to the students, once I know them all, right after class or if they’re doing an activity in class, then I take out a sheet and I write out who’s not there,” said Carter. Another big problem in the classroom is cell phone usage or the use of electronics for purposes other than taking notes, “When they’re watching porn or TV Shows on their laptops while I’m lecturing or when they’re chatting with each other on their phones it’s obvious but it’s also not my responsibility to moderate the behavior of children. If they choose to do that, they choose to do that,” said Susan Schulze, a history
professor. Professors also realize when students try to get things past their professors. “Students often think they’re getting away with not being prepared. When it’s pretty easy to see when you see other students performing and this one doesn’t. Or they think when there’s a homework handout, that as a teacher, I can’t see that your page is blank,” said Carter. Brown also highlighted that he once got an email from a student giving an excuse as to why they weren’t in class and how he later saw that student on campus that same day. “A lot of things students think they’re getting away with they’re not really getting away with. We just choose not to comment because it’s just an expenditure of energy that’s a waste of time. I guess if I did have a pet peeve, the pet peeve would be the perception of a student who’s gotten away with something who thinks that they’ve actually gotten away with it because no one has commented upon it. When in fact we really just don’t want to have to bother with it. That sense of perverse accomplishment on the part of the student, that would be a pet peeve for me,” said Schulze. “It’s a good thing that memory is not always a permanent thing so you can forget from semester to semester some of the stuff that people have done in the past and not hold it against future students,” said Carter.
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that my orthodontist gave to me. What is guacamomole and what inspired you to create it?
S T U D E N T, M O N I Q U E L E
I like to incorporate my name when making usernames. My nickname is Momo and my last name is Le, and it helps that I like guacamole, so guacamomole = guaca + momo + le!
Photo courtesy of MONIQUE LE
When did you start making your own art and why?
Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia! Why did you choose to go to Mason? I chose Mason because the campus is
near home, and I still enjoy the comfort of my bed and mom’s cooking. What are you majoring in and why? I am a biology major pursuing orthodontics, because I want to give the same amount of confidence to those
Growing up, I always made art. I sold them for a few bucks to my classmates since they wanted them. I suppose that’s when the little businesswoman in me began to show. However, I always held off the idea of opening up an art shop despite everyone encouraging me to do it. It just seemed like a huge investment and I lacked confidence in my abilities. Time, money, and self-esteem were not at my disposal in middle school/high school. But, last year I saw all my creative friends launch their own sites, which had me thinking, “Why not? Why not do it now?”. I had the time, funds, and finally enough confidence in my skills to support myself, so why not finally open up shop?
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
What influences/informs your art and why do you think that is? Ideas for my art pop up at random. I am influenced by everything that surrounds me so I have to quickly jot down concepts the moment they come in my head while I’m out of the house. These concepts usually have something to do with puns or from my own experiences that I think would be entertaining to share. Can you tell us more about Modern HERstory and how you grew to be a part of it? Modern HERstory is a book that celebrates dozens of women, girls, and nonbinary folk, and their contributions to changing the world. In 2016, I did the #StyleChallenge on Twitter with the objective of drawing myself in multitudes of styles. That’s how Blair Imani found me. We followed each other and by the end of the year, she asked if I was interested in illustrating a few notable women and femmes for the Women and Femmes History Month. I was all in for it. My work debuted in March, and I thought that was going to be the end of it. However, Blair had
something else in store. After finals were over, she proposed we develop what we had so far in to a book. And well, the rest is history. Or in this case, *HERstory. How is representation important to you? Representation, especially at this time, is imperative. We need an environment that accepts and appreciates all groups because for too long, we have only seen one standard for everything in media and it has discouraged minority groups who do not and will never fit into that niche. Brilliance does not belong to one group but media continues to act like it does, and this lack of minority representation silences an innumerable amount of people from pursuing their dreams because they feel like they do not belong and that they are unwanted. In reality, we need them. These people have stories to tell, perspectives to share, and their talents to put to work. They need to know that they are capable of being the main lead of their own story, and not just as a supporting role in someone else’s narrative.
A HELPING HAND MAP’s clinic helps underprivileged communities navigate through health resources AHMED FARID STAFF WRITER
Lewis and Anderson are both Mason students in the Art Department. They received an email from Nikki BrugnoliWhipkey in the Art Department asking for volunteers to help decorate the Mason and Partners’ (MAP) clinic. MAP’s interprofessional clinics was founded by Drs. Rebecca and Carrie Sutter. Their aim is to provide health services to uninsured and underprivileged people who live in Fairfax County and Prince William County. MAP clinics follow the Bridge Care model, meaning that they not only care for the patients but also help them find the resources they may need in the future. The clinics are also a place where students in the health department can get some training, as the clinics operate through academic community partnerships.
“There are now seven MAP Clinics and together they have seen over 10,000 unique patients from over 100 different countries,” said Jaclyn Dunn, a sophomore at Mason who has been an intern at the clinic since last fall.
That’s when Lewis and Anderson volunteered to decorate the MAP clinic. When they heard what MAP does they were eager to help, especially because they had the talent that MAP was looking for.
When asked why she volunteered to intern at the MAP clinics, Dunn said, “I was immediately drawn to its mission and commitment to providing services to the underserved in our communities… People have the right to adequate healthcare, shelter, food and services regardless of who they are or where they are from. This is what the MAP clinic does every day, helps advance fundamental human rights,” said Dunn.
“I hear volunteering and helping people is a good thing to do in college. I figured it would be a fun thing to add to my routine. And when I heard more about MAPS and what it was about, I thought it was the type of thing I want to help out with,” said Lewis.
Jaclyn enjoyed her experience so far at the MAP clinics with helping clients access resources and helping the clinic with organization and screenings. Yet, one day she noticed that the Manassas clinic had too much white space. After consulting with her supervisor, Dr. Molly Davis, she decided to change that and collaborate with the Art Department to make the clinic more welcoming.
“I’m interested in murals. I didn’t know anything about the clinic at the time but I love what it stands for,” said Anderson. Even if you are not interested in murals like Anderson, there is still many ways to support the MAP clinics. The clinics accept donations to help them continue providing excellent care for their patients. If you are inspired by their mission and would like to help, you can donate at https://chhs. gmu.edu/give. Click on the give link and select Mason and Partners Clinics Fund.
Photo courtesy of JACLYN DUNN
Being able to help people in our community is something all of us want. To do this, you sometimes need to get creative and seek out opportunities to offer your help. This is what Mason freshman students Moe Lewis and Annabelle Anderson did.
OPINIONS
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4.23.2018
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15
GOING POSTAL DOMINIC PINO COLUMNIST
Donald Trump stubbornly refuses to let himself be categorized. This is maddening to political scientists and pundits, people who make a living categorizing politicians. Nobody seems to know what to do with this guy.
Submissions Guidelines The Fourth Estate Opinions section is always looking for new op-ed pieces to publish in our paper! Please see the guidelines below for submission consideration. • Submissions must be no longer than 500-600 words
• Strong submissions will be timely and have topics relevant to the GMU student population and the local Fairfax area, but all opinionated pieces will be considered • All submissions must be original works written by the person submitting it • Submissions must be completed articles
A strong submission will include a brief description of you as a writer, including any background you may have that gives you more credibility to write about your subject. For example, a government major would have more credibility when writing an article about government. Editors reserve the right to edit articles and headlines at their discretion. We are a weekly publication. If accepted, edits must be addressed by the Wednesday after acceptance to be considered for the next issue. Editors reserve the right to rescind acceptance. Email submissions to jbelive2@masonlive.gmu.edu for consideration.
jbelive2@masonlive.gmu.edu
Take this very simple example. Let’s say that I plan to eat lunch at Southside everyday, but do not tell anyone. Based on that plan, I would walk to Southside at around noon everyday. If you observed that pattern, you would categorize me as a “Southside eater” as opposed to an “Ike’s eater.” Note two things about that example: 1) I did not declare myself a Southside eater, and 2) you did not know that I planned to eat lunch at Southside everyday. You put me in that category as a description of a pattern of behavior that you observed.
The most recent example of Trump not being populist are his tweeted jabs at Amazon. Apparently, they are evil because they use the Post Office as their “delivery boy,” which is why the Post Office exists. We generally use the adult term “mailman” but “delivery boy” means the same thing, so what’s the rub here? Plus, the “common man” loves Amazon: anyone with the internet can buy nearly anything on the planet at low prices without having to leave the couch. So, if Trump isn’t a conservative, a liberal or a populist, what is he? We
can’t seem to find an observable pattern in his policy or rhetoric. What if there isn’t one at all? There is much conceit on the left and the right about this. On the left, some are convinced Trump has an evil master plan to collude with Russia and ruin America. On the right, some are convinced that Trump has a good master plan and that his apparent cluelessness and ineptitude are all just clever ploys to usher in the triumphal return of American greatness. Both sides miss the point: there is not a master plan. Trump is hard to categorize because his actions don’t show a pattern and aren’t undergirded by a plan. He went after Amazon and the Post Office because he felt like it, not because there was some overarching ideology -- which has political pundits going postal indeed.
It works much the same way for politicians. Rarely will a politician say, “My agenda is based on social democratic liberalism,” or, “I am implementing a hawkish conservative platform.” On the contrary, people observe patterns in policy, legislation, and rhetoric, and then they label politicians accordingly. So when a new politician comes along, it is a bit like when someone gets a new puppy. The owner is always asked: “What breed?” Well, if Donald Trump were the puppy, his owner would be the one to shrug at your query and say, “I have no idea, some kind of mutt I guess.” He certainly doesn’t fit the usual American liberal-conservative framework. This is something that pundits have taken for granted since Trump burst onto the scene by calling out the “rapists” and “drug dealers” crossing the border -- something no liberal or conservative would ever do. That means he is something new: a populist? But that also doesn’t work. Mostly because if he were a populist, he wouldn’t be so unpopular. Let’s think about patterns of behavior again. Would a populist attack the NFL? Populists seek to latch on to popular
FOURTH ESTATE/ALLY MCALPINE
OPINIONS
The primary cause of this inability to categorize Trump comes from the assumption that undergirds the task: that the politician in question has a plan. Plans lend themselves to patterns and patterns lend themselves to categories.
and patriotic things and ride their ascendancy. There is nothing more popular and patriotic -- nothing more #MAGA -- than the NFL: the most watched sports league in the country where manly men run around and tackle each other. No populist president would consider attacking that.
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OPINIONS
4.23.2018
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to jbelive2@gmu.edu
LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES CAN FIND COMMON GROUND ON CLIMATE CHANGE
GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK KIM BARTENFELDER CONTRIBUTOR
The idyllic model that a majority of college students are versed in the literature and implementation of environmental matters is heavily dramaticized. While not entirely our fault, we as students live by a one-day acknowledgment and instant gratification. Our global and local environments only matter on one day - Earth Day. On any other day of the year, students are wrapped up in the bind of mundane routines, disallowing themselves the opportunity to take an active part in the environment that surrounds them. Here at Mason, students and faculty take pride in the scholarships, internships, departments, programs and student run organizations that hone in on ongoing environmental controversies. However, students whose majors do not revolve around sustainability, health, conservation and management fall extremely flat in replicating this energy and practice. According to University Policy 1406, all individuals of the Mason community are to be held responsible for their academic involvement with the natural world so that they do no harm but rather positively impact one another and the environment. “In addition to personal conduct, it is expected that individuals will familiarize themselves with the relevant environmental health and safety policies and procedures related to their work or activities on campus” (Environmental Health and Safety | University Policy | George Mason University). In theory, this policy exudes perfection. However, in practice, many students fall short of this expectation. On Sunday, Monday and Thursday mornings I walk to my on-campus job way before daybreak. Despite the low lighting, I see my university in direct contradiction of the environmental
policies it supports. One specific area that goes overlooked is the bridge between the student apartments and the RAC. Discarded materials like styrofoam cups, beer cans, trash bags and random items strewn about advertise this practical shortcoming. Maybe an easy fix would be to hire more staff as campus clean up, but what about pushing for living greener and putting that into practice rather than just talk? Knowledge is power may be a cliche, but it rings true regardless. According to the Sierra Club, a Cool School is determined by a set of specified criteria including co-curricular, energy, investments, food, innovation, academics, planning, purchasing, transport, waste, and water. Each college or university receives points for their success in each of these categories. Mason is rated as the 96th Cool School out of 227 colleges and universities during 2017. To compare within the D.C metro area, George Washington University is ranked 18th and American University is ranked 36th in the same calendar year, indicating that even universities within proximity of each other do not level up. However, this approach targets the information that the university provides from their organized projects and not the general student body, who drastically account for land misuse and abuse. Being a tree hugger, an environmental activist or someone who simply appreciates the environment tends to have a negative connotation among students. The day we acknowledge that caring for the global, national, and local environments is much broader than one poster board sign, one march, or one button to add to a bookbag, real change ensues and we create the sustainable and progressive environment we think we need.
When responding to a changing climate, mitigation and adaptation are not one and the same. Across media and public discourse, conversations about climate change are often framed in terms of mitigation, leaving adaptation efforts overshadowed. With so much disagreement between right-leaning and left-leaning audiences, I believe that understanding how adaptation differs from mitigation can help activists cultivate more support from conservative individuals. Mitigation efforts seek to reduce the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For example, riding your bike or carpooling to work both reflect mitigation practices. Carpooling reduces the total amount of carbon emissions from car exhaust because one car is used instead of multiple cars. Similarly, riding a bike does not require burning fossil fuels at all. People who consistently bike as their primary form of transportation are reducing the extent to which they personally contribute to greenhouse gas buildup. Adaptation efforts on the other hand, prepare humans for the inevitable effects that current climate change patterns will bring in the future. Adaptation accepts that climate change is occurring and seeks to make humans more resilient to future impacts like natural disasters. An example of adaptation is strengthening infrastructure, such as creating storm surge barriers or seawalls. Such barriers prevent excessive flooding, preparing coastal communities for currently unavoidable climate change impacts like strong hurricane storm surges. Mitigation considers the causes of climate change, while adaptation seeks to reduce the inevitable. However, I feel that it is important to understand that adaptation does not imply complacency or giving up. I practice mitigation daily, and I believe it is as important as adaptation. I assert that adaptation can bridge the gap between liberal and conservative perspectives on climate change. Although conservatives and liberals disagree on the causes of climate change, nearly all individuals agree that the climate is changing. I believe this is where adaptation comes to the rescue. Scientists and left-leaning individuals assert that our warming climate
is primarily human-caused, whereas right-leaning individuals contend that the observed climate fluctuations occur by natural means. I think liberals like myself have the power to engage conservatives with climate issues by starting with adaptation. Essentially, adaptation can ease right-leaning individuals into the climate change conversation because it suggests climate change action without necessarily relying on causes. While mitigation efforts are centered around reducing carbon footprint, adaptation efforts seek to improve resilience regardless of climate change causes. In other words, mitigation efforts assume that climate change is human-caused, whereas adaptation does not require acceptance of humancaused climate warming. I have noticed through my conversations with right-leaning individuals that framing climate change in terms of mitigation can discourage conservatives from engaging with climate issues. Mitigation appears to decreasing conservatives’ willingness to pursue any kind of environmental action. However, framing climate change from the perspective of adaptation has been shown to more effectively reach conservative audiences. In 2015, a study entitled “Coverage and framing of climate change adaptation in the media: A review of influential North American newspapers during 1993–2013,” assessed trends among climate change related articles published between Jan. 1, 1993 and Dec. 31, 2013 across popular news outlets, including the New York Times
and the Washington Post. The researchers found that mitigation dominated the climate change conversation, with adaptation receiving significantly less coverage. When adaptation was covered, narratives were centered on the need to adapt, rather than discussing actual examples I believe these findings present problems in how adaptation is framed in media and public discourse. Failure to discuss adaptation can lead to gaps in public understanding of adaptation as a viable response strategy. If the public doesn’t understand adaptation, how can we expect policymakers to implement solutions that resiliently prepare us for the inevitable effects of a changing climate? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for mitigation. I recycle, I carpool, I drink from a reusable water bottle, I limit my showers to five minutes. Anyone who knows me understands I am passionate about mobilizing others to take sustainable action and reduce their carbon footprint. But as a liberal climate change activist, I am constantly seeking new ways to effectively engage my conservative peers with climate issues. Right or left, most of us agree that climate change is happening, regardless of cause. The media – and individual activists – need to capitalize on this by framing climate change in ways that garner support from all audiences. We each play a role in telling the story of climate change. Telling these stories through the lens of adaptation is often a smart place to start.
Photo courtesy of ALEXIS GLENN/CREATIVE SERVICES
FOURTH ESTATE/MARY JANE DECARLO
JIMMY O’HARA CONTRIBUTOR
OPINIONS
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4.23.2018
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17
THE WASHINGTON ZOO IN SPRING ALEXANDER KENNY COLUMNIST
Disappointed with suburban animals, I visited the Smithsonian National Zoo to reignite my love for animals. The late semester homework avalanche fades when you see elephants kicking pumpkins. An elephant standing just fifty feet away takes your breath away like no television footage can. You’re not supposed to feed the animals, but he who flings Cracker Jack earns the most elephant attention and trumpeting. First, let me clear up the major complaint about zoos. Animals aren’t jailed for our entertainment. A zoo functions primarily as a giant veterinary hospital and learning center. They promote interest in science and
The Zoo houses seven elephants, seals, otters, alligators, zebras, leopards, cheetahs, lions, tigers, and everybody’s perplexing favorite: giant pandas. The Washington panda craze began April 20, 1972 with the arrival of pandas Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing. There are 24-hour panda cams if you like watching black and white fur snooze all day. The pandas won’t mate, so biologists regularly inseminate Mei Xiang whether she wants to be a momma or not. Mei Xiang’s situation resembles “The Handmaid’s Panda” and it troubles me more than species captivity. However, option B is a pandaless world. Artificially inseminating pandas in captivity is more effective than dosing males with panda Viagra (a real thing). According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), fewer than 2,000 giant pandas are left; 300 of them in captivity. In 2006, 30 pandas were born in China zoos from artificial insemination, beginning a panda
YOU CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS— BUT YOU CAN ADOPT IT SUSAN-KATHERINE CORKRAN COLUMNIST
My mother allowed me to volunteer for a day with the SPCA on a Girl Scout outing on the condition that we were not going to be bringing home a new dog. We already had a family poodle, and she firmly, repeatedly warned me that there wasn’t going to be a second dog as a result of this day playing with puppies. Then we met Ollie. He was a six-month-old scrap of fur with terrified brown eyes. I didn’t know why I was so drawn to his face, but something about his gaze held me beside him. Slowly, over the course of the day, he went from curling up at my feet to resting in my arms. I held him with as much joy as if I were holding a baby, and he nuzzled his face against me as he relaxed for the first time. I never wanted to let him go. Adopting a dog is a connection between the family and the animal, not a one-way decision. We chose Ollie but
Ollie also chose us. The first time my father took him for a walk, he slipped out of the leash. Ollie was so scared at having done so that he bolted away. We all frantically looked for him for several hours, and I can’t describe how heartbroken I was. Later that night, I sat on the front step of my house calling his name softly, because I had lost my voice from shouting and sobbing. Calmed by the quiet, when he realized that I was the only one there, Ollie emerged from behind a thick patch of bushes and came running up to me. In utter disbelief, I started weeping with joy instead of sadness the second I scooped him up into my arms and pressed him against my heart. He’s never left us since. It’s the ten year anniversary of Ollie’s adoption. It amazes me how quickly the time has passed, and how much we have both grown up since our lives
FOURTH ESTATE/CLINTON CARLSON
conservation. Under zoo care, species increase in number. The lounging, fattened tigers would surely prefer the wild to their comparatively tiny “habitats,” but in a zoo, their cubs will live instead of being eaten by other tigers. FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON
population recovery that hasn’t slowed. Today, giant pandas are poster animals for the vulnerability of all species. They are vegetarian bears, so docile they poke at a flopping salmon as if it was an old tire. I dislike pandas for the opposite reason I dislike geese. Geese are unnecessarily aggressive and pandas are pathetically passive. I prefer the cuddly panda, a buoyant vegetarian capable of destruction who has not once hassled me for bread or tipped over my canoe. The Washington Zoo no longer houses two favorites, hippo and giraffe, but there are plenty new attractions. The vultures at the Bird House will show off when visitors approach by spreading seven-foot wings. Alligators lurk like ancient monsters and snakes coil and taste the air at the Reptile House.
A Zoo date will melt anyone with a weakness for critters. Consider this option for Date #2 after you’ve made it past the requisite horrifying coffee date. Consider the metro (Woodley Park-Zoo station on the Red Line) because D.C. traffic is ghastly. You’ll need six hours to see everything, so wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes because you will walk over ten miles between habitats. Skip the boring conversation about yourselves and have fun seeing creatures. Conversation is somehow easier when there is an elephant in the room. If the animals have sex right in front you (and they will), squeeze out of the date awkwardness with “that’s not how I would do it at all.” Say the same thing when the animals defecate during your date. Zoo admission is free, but pack a picnic lunch. Any opportunity to make food for one another demonstrates
nurturing. Plus, it’s uncomfortable buying $18 chicken tenders next door to the ornithological observatory.
Instead of supporting a puppy mill, look into the adoption organizations trying to find families for pups like Ollie to save them from euthanasia or a lifetime of loneliness. There are so many good dogs just waiting for a chance to be
loved and to give their love in return. Saving a dog’s life is never a choice you will regret. While love is not available for purchase, it is very much available for adoption.
Back at Mason, a quiet goose couple (I’ve named them Ross and Rachel) greets me on the field outside Panda Express. I’ve watched them alight on this field three Springs in a row and they have never hassled me. They let me snap a few close-ups and ignore me and I see an odd connection between us. Unrepresentative of their species, they prefer each other’s company to the honking flock at the duck pond. I now enter campus via the north side because the greeting is much friendlier. I’ll return to the south entrance and the Mason pond when our hippopotamus returns. I hear the hungry hungry ones like watermelon.
came together. I was a twelve-yearold child when we met that day at the SPCA. We were each feeling alone and scared in our own ways—perhaps that’s what drew us together. Yet we also learned how to be brave in the decade since then, and the difference that a loving family can make to a dog in need is just breathtaking. Ollie has taught me patience, perseverance, responsibility, and the importance of never giving up on causes that seem lost to others. The next time an adorable dog catches your eyes on campus and you start to wonder if you want to make the commitment of becoming a dog owner, don’t search for that companion in a puppy mill. Don’t buy a dog who has been inbred from caged dogs treated like puppy machines for the sake of a profit. The Humane Society’s research shows that 3 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters every year in the US. While hundreds of thousands of dogs are mistreated and forced to bred to make profitable purebreds, millions of mutts like Ollie are being ending their days alone-- given poison in a sharp syringe.
Photo courtesy of EVAN CANTWELL/CREATIVE SERVICES
The Mason pond seems like a serene lunch spot. The ducks are polite, they quack sparingly, and they usually defer right of way when we cross paths. They are grateful when I skip wheat slices towards them. Conversely, the Mason geese perpetually honk like the loudmouth student from Workshop class. Geese approach in gangs, lunge for your sandwich, and peck your knees. There is no Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey for geese because life with geese is thankless.
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4.23.2018
ETC.
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
Recipe of the Week Chrissy Teigan Coleslaw Ingredients for 6 (2/3 cup) Servings: • 1 cup mayonnaise • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 tablespoons vinegar • 2 teaspoons Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt • 1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s® Seasoned Pepper • 1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
Obtained from mccormick.com 1. Mix mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, seasoned salt and seasoned pepper in large bowl. Add coleslaw mix; toss to coat well. Cover. 2. Refrigerate 2 hours or until ready to serve. Stir before serving.
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LAST ISSUE’S MAGIC MAZE
4.23.2018
COMICS FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON
LAST ISSUE’S SUDOKU FOURTH ESTATE/JAY TOPSHE
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FIND US AT MASON DAY FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 | 2 PM | LOT L STUDENT MEDIA is the voice of the student body at Mason and publishes exclusive content in print, online, and over the air through our student-run newspaper, television, and radio platforms. Joining Student Media is one of the most rewarding ways to get involved at Mason! Reporter, designer, DJ, photographer, and news anchor are just a few of the roles you can explore by joining Student Media in one of our paid, work-study, volunteer, freelance, or for-credit positions.
STUDENT GROUPS: Fourth Estate (Print & Online) WGMU Radio Mason Cable Network George Mason Review Volition Hispanic Culture Review Phoebe So to Speak Freshman Focus Society of Professional Journalists
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