FOURTH ESTATE Sept. 11, 2017 Volume 5 Issue 2
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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EDUCATION SECRETARY DEVOS GIVES MAJOR TITLE IX SPEECH AT MASON’S ANTONIN SCALIA LAW SCHOOL
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“The era of rule by letter is over,” DeVos announced at Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School. The Education Secretary visited Mason last Thursday to announce changes to campus sexual assault policies. DeVos critiques the current system, and Mason President Cabrera follows the speech with an email the next day. Devos critiqued the current system, and Mason President Cabrera followed the speech with an email the next day.
LIFESTYLE
NEWS President Trump will be only the third President since the 9/11 attacks. How have the past two Presidents memorialized the anniversaries?
“I see it as a unifying moment for the nation.” Students of Mason speak up on their memories of 9/11.
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LIFESTYLE
NEWS
Read on to see how these Mason students utilize social media to express their style.
Post-DACA removal, Mason DREAMers provide support and resources for affected students and allies. Recap of the Next Steps event following the Trump Administration’s decision. page 7
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ON THE COVER PHOTO CREDITS
Fareeha Rehman Sosan Malik
Betsy DeVos Photo courtesy Creative Services/Ron Aria
Co-Editors-In-Chief
Lifestyle 9/11 Photo courtesy of Michel Eberhart
Lauren Davila
Mason DREAMers Photo courtesy Michelle Gardner
Graduate Assistant/Copy Chief
Lifestyle Fashion Photo courtesy Jay-R San Luis
Mimi Albano
CLASSIFIEDS
Art Director
I CLASSIFIEDS
WE ARE HIRING! We are currently looking to fill the following paid editor positions for the Fall - COPY CHIEF
We are always recruiting new members for our staff teams: - NEWS WRITERS - LIFESTYLE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - DESIGNERS - PHOTOGRAPHERS
For all inquiries, please email and
Child Care
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utes from each other. Some exibility is necessary to accommodate occasional pickup Part-time nanny in the morning from home and needed in Old Town Alexandria delivery to school for 5 year old boy and daycare. These occasions and 2 year old will be arranged girl, Monday in advance with Thursday, from your agreement. 3:30 -7:00 p.m. Duties include Additionally, you will prepare simpicking up the ple evening children at school and day- meals for the care and bringing children, bathe them, clean up them to the separate homes after them, read of their parents to them and keep them safe on alternating and comfortable. weeks. Parents Must enjoy carlive approximately ten min- ing for children,
Sitter Wanted - $15 / hr Pleasant (2.5 year old) Spanish speaker seeks company of same Experience with kids preferred Fall hours: Wed / Fri: 12 - 3 pm Falls Church (@ State Theater)
Catherine McKay Online Editor
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have a clean driving record and a safe, reliable vehicle. Excellent references are needed, along with knowledge of CPR. Salary for Monday through Thursday schedule is $210.00 /week. Anything beyond those hours will be paid at an additional $12.00 per hour. Please contact the children's grandmother, Joy Harris, at 828-926-4271 for a preliminary telephone interview.
Michael D. Eberhart Assistant News Editor
Dinanda Pramesti Lifestyle Editor
Mitchell Westall Sports Editor
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Kathryn Mangus Director
David Carroll Associate Director
Jason Hartsel Assistant Director
Lottye Lockhart Communicaion Manager
Jessica Smith Business Office Manager
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SEPTEMBER 11: FROM 2001 TO 2017 The legacy of U.S. Presidents and 9/11 anniversaries Today marks the sixteenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Since the attacks, the White House has held similar schedules for the 9/11 anniversary plans with very limited variations. It is a day used to remember the victims and what occurred sixteen years ago. President Donald J. Trump will be the third president to observe the anniversary. According to New York Magazine’s “September 11 by Numbers” article, nearly 3,000 individuals were killed in the 9/11 attacks, in addition to 6,000 sustaining non-fatal injuries. The attacks perpetrated by terrorist organization al-Qaeda presented the United States with a common enemy and became a rallying cry for unity and patriotism within the nation. After seizing four commercial airplanes, the terrorist hijackers flew two planes into the Twin Towers New York City’s World Trade Center. Another hijacked plane crashed into the U.S. Department of Defense’s headquarters, The Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia. Carrying forty-four people, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a Pennsylvania field, after the passengers attempted to wrestle control from the hijackers. Flight 93 is believed to have
ERIK TRUONG STAFF WRITER
been en route to the United States Capitol, which had both chambers of Congress in session that morning.
first responders for the dire but necessary work they had done, and offered the country’s prayers.
As with natural disasters and other tragic events occurring during a presidential tenure, September 11 provides a unique opportunity for the President to take on the role of “consoler-in-chief,” comforting those affected by the events and bringing about unity. Presidential schedules on 9/11 have remained fairly similar since the first anniversary.
The following year brought a more somber tone of remembrance for President Bush, sharing the confidence and fervent support he had in the victims and first responders of the attacks.
President George W. Bush was at Emma Booker Elementary School in Florida on September 11 when he received word that there had been an attack. President Bush gave a brief statement condemning the terrorist acts against the United States before addressing the nation later that evening. Near the end, Bush remarked, “This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve to justice and peace.” Bush toured the Pentagon the following day before heading to Ground Zero in New York on September 14. Standing on the rubble and glazed in smoke, Bush had a watershed moment in his presidency: exemplifying his voice as a leader during a crucial moment. Grabbing the bullhorn, he praised the firefighters and
“Be confident...our country is strong,” Bush remarked on Ellis Island in New York. “And our cause is even larger than our country...That hope still lights our way. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.” Over the following years, the President and First Lady visited victims and families of the 9/11 attacks. The President issued speeches and observed moments of silence, frequently reassuring those who had suffered. In 2004, President Bush proclaimed the third anniversary and the annual date as Patriot Day, after a Congressional joint resolution passed which designated September 11 of each year as a “National Day of Service and Remembrance.” With the development of the War on Terror, the addresses became more forceful in condemning terrorists abroad, and making sure those who had been slain would be given justice. Politics and partisan confrontations have been generally avoided on the date; rather, the Bush administration made September 11 a memorial for those who had lost their lives. This tradition was passed onto the Obama administration. President Barack Obama memorialized both the ten and fifteen-year anniversaries of the 9/11 attacks during his tenure. Ten years after the initial attacks, President Obama and President Bush—with their respective spouses—stood side-by-side, admiring the cascading water at the Ground Zero memorial fountains at the site of the attack in New York.
Photos Courtesy of PEXELS.COM
Photos Courtesy of Creative Services/EVAN CANTWELL
Months earlier, the Obama administration successfully raided and killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda during the 9/11 attacks, in his compound in Pakistan. While President Bush did not join President Obama at Ground Zero the day after the raid, the two men stood side-by-side for the day itself. While some believe politics may have become more visceral and partisan in recent times, the attacks of September 11 have rarely been politicized for partisan gain. Rather, the day is meant to honor those who were killed during the attacks and unify the whole nation.
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TOM PERRIELLO DISCUSSES BETSY DEVOS’ EDUCATION AGENDA WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ALEXANDERSHEDD
good value for money,” Kamenetz said.
STAFF WRITER
In an official statement on the rollbacks, Betsy DeVos said that the Obama administration’s previous rulemaking “missed an opportunity to get it right. The result is a muddled process that’s unfair to students and schools, and puts taxpayers on the hook for significant costs.”
Tom Perriello, former 2017 Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia and current CEO of WinVirginia, a political action group directed towards supporting Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates in Virginia, held a conference call on Wednesday, August 30. Perriello met with University of Richmond Young Democrats President Shannon Kane, and Norfolk State University Young Democrats President Emeritus Monique Gatling to discuss the higher education agendas of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia Ed Gillespie. The call was publicized by the campaign of Democratic nominee for governor of Virginia Ralph Northam, which claims that “[DeVos] and Gillespie have embraced radical higher-ed policies that will make higher education more expensive, slash funding for our colleges and universities, and allow the for-profit college industries to take advantage of Virginia’s students.” According to a New York Times article by Kevin Carey published on June 30, 2017, one of DeVos’s primary education goals is to “dismantle a set of Obama-era policies devised to protect students and taxpayers from predatory for-profit colleges.” A “for-profit college” refers to a college or university run by a private corporation that seeks to operate like a business; some of the country’s largest include the University of Phoenix and the DeVry Education Group. NPR’s Anya Kamenetz reported on June 17, 2017 that DeVos’s Department of Education would be blocking a rule implemented by the Obama administration which was put in place to “[clarify] how student borrowers can have their loans forgiven if they were defrauded or misled by their college.” The department also rolled back another Obama-era rule known as “gainful employment,” which “[evaluated colleges and universities] based on how many graduates are able to payback their loans.” The logic behind the rule was that “if too many students end up with low incomes and high debt, the program is not offering
Although Ed Gillespie’s campaign website does not invoke the term “for-profit college,” it does demonstrate a dedication to enacting legislation that would assist students in getting a “high quality technical education” through the use of asking “the private sector and partners who require skilled technicians [to] help develop curriculum along with professional educators.” His website statements also include “[working with] local educators, institutions of higher education and businesses to reform and better align our workforce development system with the demands of the marketplace of today and the future.” These statements do not necessarily promote for-profit colleges, but Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello believe that potential legislation from a Gillespie administration that would follow through on these promises may contain protections or promotions of for-profit institutions, which, according to Northam’s campaign website, there are over forty of in the state of Virginia “enrolling [total] more than 60,000 Virginians.” While statements on Ralph Northam’s campaign website also advocate “working with both businesses and community colleges to ensure there is a local training option for available job,” his official statements also include a plan to set up a “watchdog… related to for-profit colleges [including] consumer complaints, annual certification renewals and accreditation reports, loan default rates, graduation rates and average wages for graduates for select years post-graduation.” Gillespie’s statements do not include any similar plan.
YOUR SPACE Faculty and Staff 10:00am – 12:00pm Students 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Every Friday SUB 1, Room 2400 ODIME is an office of University Life
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It is important, now more than ever, to have an ongoing space for discussion, reflection, and healing. While prompted by recent tragic events that occurred over summer, ODIME remains dedicated to supporting faculty, staff, and students who are impacted by local, national, and global events. Please join us…let’s continue this conversation, together. For more information, please visit: odime.gmu.edu/your-space/ODIME_GMU
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VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES ON THE CONFEDERATE STATUE DEBATE An update on the race and how the Confederate statue debate has impacted the election ASHLEY STEWART STAFF WRITER
The political climate in Virginia is heating up as the gubernatorial election inches closer to the November 7 deadline and both party candidates are racing to garner the most political support. With the Confederate statue debate hitting the spotlight in Virginia, the candidates’ opinion on the subject has been observed by voters. Democratic nominee and current Lieutenant Governor, Ralph Northam and Republican nominee, former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie are contending to be Virginia’s next governor. They both were favored during the primaries, as they represent a more moderate view of their respective party ideals. However, in the current political climate of the Trump administration, they have strayed from their moderate pasts and moved farther down the political spectrum. A June 2017 Washington Post article, “Va. governor’s race gets a jump on
Labor Day, stoked by statues and Trump”, by Gregory S. Schneider and Laura Vozzella, noted that Gillespie has changed his focus from comprehensive immigration reform to protecting communities from potentially dangerous undocumented criminals, while Northam is relaxing his famed Southern charm and increasing his amount of statements openly criticizing President Donald Trump. An issue that both candidates have focused on is the ongoing debate over Confederate statues and whether or not they should be removed. This issue was brought to light following the “Unite the Right” rally that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12 that resulted in outbreaks of violence as white supremacist and neo-nazi groups clashed with counter protesters. Ed Gillespie is facing some heavy criticism for his unwavering stance in regard to whether or not Confederate statues should remain on public property. He does not support the removal of the statues, but believes their removal should be the decision
Democratic candidate Ralph Northam has a very different opinion in comparison to his opponent, releasing a statement on his website saying that he believes in the removal of the statues and relocating them to museums.
Photos Courtesy of GRACIE HALL
of local areas, according to an article published Aug. 17 2017 on CNN Politics, “Virginia’s Confederate history also bubbling up in governor race” by Ryan Nobles. His stance and attitude towards the debate can be linked to a recent and controversial hire of a former Trump campaign staffer, Jack Morgan. Morgan was President Trump’s Southwest Virginia field director during the Trump presidential campaign and, during the gubernatorial primary season, worked for Gillespie’s more populist conservative opponent, Corey Stewart. According to Washington Post article “Gillespie hires former Trump field director and sharpens tone on confederate monuments” by Laura Vozzella published on August 29, 2017, Morgan’s background as an evangelical preacher, motivational speaker, and “self-defense entrepreneur” made him appealing to Stewart’s strict conservative platform. One of Stewart’s strongest talking
Photos Courtesy of GRACIE HALL
points involved defending Confederate statutes as a part of American history. He even went to Charlottesville in February to publicly defend the statue of Robert E. Lee. Morgan played this as a major aspect of Stewart’s campaign, also reciting stump speeches that would openly criticize Gillespie for being weak on the issue of Confederate monuments. After Gillespie won the party nomination by a slight 1.2 point margin, he opted to hire Jack Morgan to garner support from the further politically right-leaning sect of Virginia that voted for Trump and again for Stewart. When asked about her views on the Confederate statue debate, UVA student and College Republican member Emily Ord said, “Though personal political beliefs about more issue-specific figures reserve the right to have differing opinions, raising up a Confederate soldier, whose commemoration clearly revolves around their role in fighting a war to maintain their right of slavery, seems blatantly inappropriate.”
When asked about her views on the Confederate statue debate, Mason junior and George Mason Democrats President Danni Gonyo said, “While I believe it’s important to take down the Confederate statues, I don’t believe that they will play a large role politically in this year’s election...The white supremacists that marched in Charlottesville were not Virginians, but the people who are voting in November are. And Virginians care much more about getting rid of actual white supremacists than we do about taking down the marble images of their grandfathers.” According to polling data from realclearpolitics.com, as of Aug. 19 Northam was ahead in the polls by 5.8 points. The race for the governor’s seat will only intensify in the coming months as the November general election draws closer.
Photos Courtesy of GRACIE HALL
Photos Courtesy of GRACIE HALL
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9.11.2017
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
DACA ENDS, DREAMERS CONTINUE ADVOCACY
FAREEHA REHMAN
Post-DACA removal: Mason DREAMers provide support and resources for affected students and allies Hours after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Mason DREAMers hosted an evening of information and a call to action for students and members of the greater Northern Virginia community. Speakers at the event included George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera and Legal Director of the Immigrant Advocacy Program under the Legal Aid Justice Center, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, Cabrera’s message was one of solidarity and encouragement for all DACA beneficiaries at Mason. “This is not just your problem, this affects all of us,” Cabrera said, “DREAMers personify what we hope every Mason student will grow to do… We hope Mason [students] will be engaged citizens.” Cabrera encouraged the Mason community outside of Mason DREAMers to make a difference by contacting Congress. With Mason home to over 30,000 students, Mason students could potentially influence legislation that helps undocumented immigrants long term. Sandoval-Moshenberg provided the legal and technical expertise on taking action, as well as the main points of what this decision means for affected DACA recipients. According to Sandoval-Moshenberg, recipients whose permits expire on or before March 5, 2018, will be able to renew DACA for another two years– as long as their applications are filed by October 5, 2017. This gives eligible recipients less than 30 days to complete the application and submit it with the standard $495 fee per application. Along with an increased risk of deportation, the loss of DACA includes the loss of their driver’s license and qualification for in-state tuition. However, Sandoval-Moshenberg mentioned that the in-state tuition categorization will continue through to at least the Spring 2018 semester. Some scholarships require verification that the applicant is a DACA recipient. For recipients ineligible to renew one more time, he mentioned that there are other ways for undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. For example, proof of asylum and employment-based visas. However, they are not methods that can be used by the
majority of undocumented immigrants needing help after losing DACA. “We need DACA because most won’t be eligible for other relief,” SandovalMoshenberg said.
Rodrigo’s points for state advocacy. “Vote with them in mind,” he said, referring to the thousands of undocumented immigrants that are unable to elect officials that will speak for them.
Proof of asylum means that the person’s homeland is too dangerous to inhabit. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website, immigrants must apply for asylum within one year of the date of their last arrival to the United States.
Due to fees such as the $495 required to submit a DACA renewal application, Rodrigo said that allies can help on a university level by donating to the Mason DREAM scholarship. He also suggested to create institutional resources that meet the financial needs of undocumented students.
The other method of relief, employment-based visas, has limited availability. Specific qualifications are required to file for this visa, with approximately 140,000 visas available every fiscal year according to the U.S. Department of State site. Approximately 800,000 immigrants will be affected by the removal of DACA. Sandoval-Moshenberg’s legal advice was followed by an uplifting message from Jennifer Crewalk, the Assistant Director for the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education. Some Mason DREAMers respectfully referred to Crewalk as their “Fairy Godmother.” She also serves on the Mason DREAMers Advisory Board. Rodrigo, another member of the Mason DREAMers Advisory Board and a Mason alum, continued the uplifting statements and went into detail on how to advocate on the Federal, State, University, and even on a personal level. In reference to the large turnout of their event, Rodrigo mentioned that change starts when advocates show up in this many numbers. Because the DACA program was a 2012 executive order by former President Obama, it was not a permanent form of relief for undocumented immigrants. On Sept. 5, 2017, the same evening DACA was rescinded, President Trump tweeted “Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!”
Rodrigo said that there is a place for allies that may not be extroverted or open to public speaking. Donating to the scholarships, and to non-profit and legal aid services, as well as speaking to a neighbor, friend or family member can all help. “When we lift up undocumented immigrants, we lift up our community,” Rodrigo said. This is a sentiment that David Buvola seemed to agree with. Buvola represents the 37th district (which encompasses Mason) in the Virginia House of Delegates. In an impromptu and brief speech after the officially scheduled presentations were over, Buvola said that in the audience, he sees “our community, and people our community is invested in.” Official statements on the decision to remove DACA have been released by Mason DREAMers and President Cabrera. Mason DREAMers are providing “UndocuAlly” training for those that would like to be trained to be an ally and advocate. (More information and more resources available on masondreamers.org).
THE DREAM ACT OF 2017 - S.1615 Sponsored by Republican senator Lindsey Graham, The Dream Act of 2017 was introduced to the Senate on July 20, 2017. According to the bill, it would cancel plans to remove and would adjust the status of “certain individuals who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children, and for other purposes.” It also allows for a path to permanent resident status on a conditional basis. The conditional basis can eventually be removed as well after certain criteria is followed. THE AMERICAN HOPE ACT - H.R.3591 Eight days later, Democratic Representative Luis Gutierrez introduced the American Hope Act to the House on July 28, 2017. According to the bill, states will be allowed to “extend higher-education benefits to state residents regardless of whether they are lawfully present in the United States.” Similar to the Dream Act, the DHS will have to cancel plans to remove and would have to adjust the status of “certain individuals who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children prior to 2017.” These individuals will be able to petition for permanent status. THE RECOGNIZING AMERICAN CHILDREN ACT - H.R.5533 Sponsored by Republican Representative Carlos Curbelo, this bill was introduced to the House on June 20, 2016. According to the bill, undocumented immigrants that fit a number of criteria, could have their status shifted to “conditional nonimmigrant” for a minimum of five years. People of conditional nonimmigrant status have authorization for employment and military enlistment. The bill also allows the DHS to cancel their removal. The eligible criteria, pulled directly from the bill, includes if the person: was younger than 16 years old when he or she initially entered the United States and who has been physically present in the United States since January 1, 2010; is a person of good moral character; is not inadmissible or deportable on specified grounds under the Immigration and Nationality Act; has not participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion; has not been convicted of certain offenses under federal or state law; is 18 years or older and has earned a high school diploma, general education development certificate, or high school equivalency diploma in the United States, has been admitted to an institution of higher education, or has a valid work authorization; and has never been under a final order of exclusion, deportation, or removal unless the alien has remained in the United States under color of law after such order’s issuance or received the order before attaining the age of 18. BRIDGE ACT - H.R.496 This bill was introduced to the House on January 12, 2017. Sponsored by Republican representative Mike Coffman. BRIDGE stands for Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act
Rodrigo listed four pieces of proposed legislation that everyone can contact their representative about on the federal level: the Dream Act of 2017, the American Hope Act, the Recognizing American Children Act and the BRIDGE Act. See sidebar for more information. The privilege to vote was one of
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
For eligible persons under certain criteria, the bill allows the DHS to grant them a three-year provisional protected presence that keeps them from the risk of removal, unless the protection is rescinded. This also gives the undocumented immigrants authorization of employment. Beneficiaries of the BRIDGE Act will not be considered unlawfully present in the U.S.
Photo Courtesy of MICHELLE GARDER
LIFESTYLE
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9.11.2017
WHAT DOES SEPTEMBER 11 JEWISH STUDENT CENTER MEAN TO MASON STUDENTS? KICKS OFF LABOR DAY IN STYLE MICHAEL EBERHART
TISHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER
What I discovered at a Chabad BBQ
NEWS EDITOR
THEODORE, FRESHMAN MAJORING IN GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS “I learned about it from the 2004 election and the Iraq War.… I feel more strongly about it now since I lived through a terrorist attack when I lived in Bangladesh in 2016. It changed my views in the sense that I have a more personal connection to terrorism. It was done by ISIS and I felt the losses in my community because students in my school were killed. I also went to the 9/11 memorial three months ago in June and I felt it more vividly because of my experience with the [2016] attack.” JOSHUA, SENIOR MAJORING IN COMMUNICATION “I was in my elementary school in Indiana at the time called Lincoln Trail Elementary. I remember the shocked look on my teacher’s face and my understanding as a kid was that some helicopter had hit our school, which seems ridiculous now, but afterward it was explained to us the severity of what had happened. It hasn’t really changed being a dependent of a former Army reservist, it struck me that way that he could have been deployed… I’ve had a lot of friends and family members that have been over to Iraq, and I’ve still got the same sort of feeling toward 9/11 that I have now which is kind of that shock and that anger and that disappointment that I had then.” KRISTINA, SENIOR MAJORING IN PSYCHOLOGY “I remember most of 9/11, I am actually from New York so I was impacted by the Twin Towers. I was in my kindergarten class, I found out about it from a lot of my peers being pulled out of class because their parents were missing. I’m from right outside of Manhattan so a lot of their parents worked for the FDNY or were in that building. I remember feeling scared and kind of unsure of what was happening, and I didn’t learn until later what it actually meant. I’d say that I feel differently [now] because at the time I was very afraid of what was happening, I didn’t understand, but now I feel a lot of respect for the people involved my uncle was with the cleanup so I have a lot of respect for first responders and all that, I see it as a unifying moment for the nation. MARCUS, SENIOR MAJORING IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS “I was in 5th grade classroom and we knew something had happened but our school actually prohibited our teachers from showing us any footage that day so I didn’t know until I got home. Then my parents filled us in on what happened and the importance of it and then the next day obviously at school it was a topic of discussion… I think that as a child and a young adult growing up in a post 9/11 world, going into Afghanistan seemed like the right thing to do and everyone echoed that sentiment - not a whole lot of naysayers at the time and now 16 years later, two deployments for myself, a couple of trillion dollars and thousands of lives lost, it seems like why are we still there? And if there ever was an objective it sure as hell got lost in translation and was definitely never achieved in my opinion.”
THEODORE
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JOSHUA
This past Labor Day, Chabad at George Mason University hosted a BBQ for all the new and returning members. The warm and sunny day was accompanied with a variety of kosher foods, Giant Jenga, Bubble Soccer and friendly company. Though the Chabad at Mason house only recently opened their doors on August 21, the members poured in and warmly greeted each other. Spirits were high at this Jewish “home away from home,” just like how it’s printed on the backs of their free yarmulkes. With everyone so welcoming, I questioned: is it really like this for everyone that wanted to join their Jewish club? Is everyone welcomed at the Chabad house? Dan Kling, a sophomore at Mason, answered my question with a smile. “Absolutely,” Kling said. “No matter what their opinion is.” He wanted the students of Mason to know that their members “are there. Jews are here, and they want to be a part of the Mason community,” to show that Judaism is here “to help and reach out” as he put it. So what really is the Chabad club here at Mason? While the Jewish Student Center has a Facebook page (@chabadGMU), I spoke with the President of the club to get her take on their community. Elana Sokol, a senior at Mason, first explained her reasoning for wanting to join Chabad saying, “the cultural connection to other Jews on campus is really nice…. [The] common
Photos Courtesy of Chabad at GMU
connection is welcoming – being involved with fellow Jews.” When asked if anyone could come who wished to attend, Sokol explained that while some of the events are focused on the Jewish customs and cultural activities, the members are, “pretty welcoming to everyone that wants to know more about Judaism, and to explore more of the cultural aspects of what Judaism means.” She said that Chabad and Hillel share events, because they’re “all one Jewish community.” She also mentioned that more information and upcoming events are posted on their website, such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. Both Kling and Sokol assured me that the club welcomes diversity, but is the club as multicultural as it claims to be? I spoke with Chanel Shirazi, a sophomore at Mason, and a returning Arab-Jewish member to find out. Shirazi, having been to Israel, feels that Mason “is a place for everyone.”
“Mason is full of diverse thought and diverse ethnically, so I don’t see why two people can’t just sit down and talk about it.” Shirazi stated, “I stand up for Israel, because I stand up for the belief that people can have their own opinion about the world, and about their own identity.” With Hebrew music playing in the background, and several engaged in either Bubble Soccer or a tricky move of Giant Jenga, it was a lively and positive environment to be in. At the end of the day, I learned that Chabad is a Jewish house in which Jewish Mason students can call home, speak freely, and speak their faith. Though their members are Jewish, Chabad at George Mason encourages students of every ethnicity and faith to stop by their open house. They’re located at the crossroads of Roberts Road and Shenandoah Lane, down the street from Mason’s Catholic Campus Ministry.
Photos Courtesy of Creative Services/EVAN CANTWELL
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9.11.2017
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
EDUCATION SECRETARY ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO CAMPUS SEXUAL ASSAULT POLICY
GEMMA CARRETTA HENRY CLAY STAFF WRITERS
Secretary of Education DeVos gives major Title IX speech at Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced major changes to campus sexual assault policy while speaking at Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School on Sept. 7. The changes in DeVos’ speech on the Arlington campus were not a surprise; they were foreshadowed in January when she answered that it would be “premature” to state whether the Department of Education would continue to uphold Title IX guidance related to sexual assault on campuses. During her speech, DeVos characterized the Obama administration’s “Dear Colleague” letter as a “good intention,” but claimed that “good intentions alone are not enough.” The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released the 2011 letter to clarify the process of reporting campus sexual assault. The letter made it mandatory for universities to allow those accused to appeal not-guilty findings, sped up the adjudication process to a recommended 60 days, discussed efforts colleges could take to prevent sexual assault, included reporting guidelines for victims and the accused, discouraged the cross-examination of accusers and threatened
to pull public funding from universities that did not take sexual assault or harassment “seriously.” Catherine Lhamon, the head of OCR at the time, defended the decision to publish the “Dear Colleague” letter, saying that it served as a “reminder” to universities about how they must protect students involved in sexual assault cases. Supporters of the letter argue that it has played an essential role in persuading victims of sexual assault to come forward - a special concern because an estimated 63% of sexual assaults are never reported to the police according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Secretary DeVos emphasized that she was not alone in her critique of the current system, claiming the Education Department’s own research and contact with accusers, those accused, and universities had led to her decision. She recounted the stories of severely disillusioned students who felt that the current system not only fails to acknowledge the rights of the accused, but also fails to serve the best interest of those victimized by sexual assault. DeVos added
that “guilt must not be predetermined,” but “survivors must be taken seriously.” While the Secretary made clear her dissatisfaction with the Obama administration’s Title IX policy, she has not yet stated her plan for how the Department of Education will handle sexual assault cases in the future. DeVos did promise that her department “will launch a transparent notice and comment process to incorporate the insights of all parties,” and will continue to “explore all alternatives to help schools enforce Title IX.” However, “the era of rule by letter is over,” DeVos promised. The Friday following DeVos’ speech, President Cabrera emailed a letter to all of Mason. It announced the launch of diversity.gmu.edu/sexual-misconduct, a new site containing information and resources on support, advocacy, and sexual assault prevention.
Photo Courtesy of Creative Services/RON ARIA
Cabrera said in the email that Mason “will be following closely any changes forthcoming in federal regulations, as communicated by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos,” and will offer input during the review process. Photo Courtesy of C-SPAN
CAMPUS UPDATES SARAH WHEELER STAFF WRITER
ITS SUPPORT PERMANENTLY EXTENDS HOURS The Information Technology Services (ITS) at Mason has expanded its hours. They will now be available for assistance every Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Moreover, ITS has added a new location in the Johnson Center (Kiosk H) for walk-up support in addition to Innovation Hall Room 226.
House will now be known as the Roberts House in order to reflect its location on Roberts Road. On the Arlington campus, the Metropolitan Building has now become the Vernon L. Smith Building. Lastly, the garage at the Potomac Science Center on the Prince William campus has now become the Mason Ferry Garage.
Photo Courtsey of Creative Services/ALEXIS GLENN
MASON RENAMES FOUR CAMPUS BUILDINGS Mason has now changed the names of four buildings spread out across several of its campuses. On the Fairfax campus, Mason Hall is now known as James Buchanan Hall, and Buchanan
Photo Courtsey of Fourth Estate/SARAH WHEELER
NEW STEARNS CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING OPENS IN INNOVATION HALL Innovation Hall of Mason’s Fairfax campus received a major update as of August 29. The fourth floor has been transformed into what is now known as the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning. The center is named after Professor Peter Stearns, who was the provost of George Mason University from 2000 to 2014. According to Provost S. David Wu, “Dr. Stearns has been a tireless advocate for excellence in teaching.” The new center serves as a central hub of expertise for what was formerly both the Office of Digital Learning and the Center for Teaching and Faculty Excellence. It is now a collaborative and educational space for faculty and graduate students looking to further develop their teaching skills and keep up to date with the most recent teaching methods and academic discoveries.
MASON PROFESSOR NAMED PRESIDENTIAL FELLOW Jaime Lester, an associate professor of higher education here at Mason, has been named a new Presidential Fellow for the 2017-2018 academic year. Lester will be working with Mason President Ángel Cabrera on projects to improve faculty engagement and promote women and underrepresented faculty in STEM disciplines. Lester was previously Mason’s State Council Rising Star nominee in 2011 and received the Mason Excellence in Teaching Award in 2013.
Photo Courtesy of Creative Services
Photo Courtesy of Creative Services/ALEXIS GLENN
Photo Courtesy of Creative Services
LIFESTYLE
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PASSION FOR FASHION
Four Mason students express their style through social media ANGELIQUE ARINTOK STAFF WRITER
The George Mason campus is home to an incredibly diverse set of individuals, all of whom have their own voices and interests. Students are led to careers in medicine, engineering and politics just to name a few. However, a common thread all students share is perhaps their avid use of modern technology. Living in a tech-savvy world influenced by social media has provided Mason students Amir Rachmat-Jones, Jay-r San Luis, Nicole Gordon and Senya Donkor a creative platform for their fashion and respective artistry. Rachmat-Jones, a Global Affairs major at Mason, started modeling after a dance competition on the Disney Channel—landing small gigs as part of an agency thereafter. Rachmat-Jones attributes his present-day involvement in fashion to his “unequivocal love for fashion and creative expression.” The Mason campus has helped Rachmat-Jones develop another level of love for fashion and modeling, as he and his friends “first bonded through [their] love for fashion.” He said there are additionally “both mainstream and niche photographic locations on Mason’s campus,” including the exterior of Exploratory Hall and the art studios in the Art and Design Building. Rachmat-Jones is often photographed
Photo Courtsey of AMIR RACHMAT-JONES @rafined
with his close friend, Jay-r San Luis, an Engineering major. San Luis does not call his hobby as “modeling,” but rather describes it a way to express fashion: “taking pictures in the clothes and pieces [he] puts together.” Much like Rachmat-Jones, San Luis thinks the Mason campus “gave [him] a lot more opportunity to connect with different people with the same passion.” Additionally, working with photographers on campus is a gratifying experience for Rachmat-Jones and San Luis. They consider working on photoshoots, and collaborating with campus photographers “an on-going cycle of connection with all of these people.” The experience of being able to shoot with certain photographers has allowed them opportunities to not only show their style, but to share their passion for fashion with others.
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Mason. Gordon and San Luis inspire Rachmat-Jones through their style and their confidence in fashion. Gordon is often seen wearing bright colors, glitter, and pops—whether it’d be for her clothing or makeup. Gordon, who grew up a small Virginia town called Suffolk, found her passion for modeling through a hometown consignment shop seeking runway models.
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world” much like the previously mentioned students; it is a mechanism for meeting “creatives such as photographers, designers, stylists, [and] makeup artists.” To Donkor, this craft is beyond surface-level. She ultimately, “want[s] models to be seen though a different light.”
From there, Gordon has considered modeling a strong passion of hers. Over the years, she says she “began expanding [her] social media pages, and came into [her] own style.”
In addition to using fashion modeling as inspiration for others, Gordon wishes to “use modeling as a platform for raising awareness about social injustice and inequality.” Similarly, Donkor desires to “allow for young girls from all parts of the world to be able to pursue an education as models.”
Much like San Luis and RachmatJones, Gordon is thankful to the Mason campus for giving “[her] various
Both students are eager for change and modification to current social structures. Even though they are commonly
Those who do not know San Luis or Rachmat-Jones personally may look at their Instagram photos, and correlate them with a sense of materialism and narcissism. However, these George Mason students see modeling & posing for photos as both a creative and influential tool. San Luis enjoys displaying his fashion as a means to reach the youth, telling them “how to build confidence and to be their own individual.” RachmatJones similarly aims to “inspire others in their creativity and [to] be comfortable in their own skin.” As students, they encourage others of the same age to pursue modeling either as a freelancer or professional. Rachmat-Jones considers San Luis to be a “trendsetter of a creative, multicultural generation” alongside another student and close friend Nicole Gordon, a Communication major at
Photo Courtsey of JAY-R SAN LUIS @jei_arr
opportunities to expand horizons across different photographers.” Gordon has taken up modeling to another scale since last year, being more pertinent about doing shoots in an effort to “establish [her] brand and goals.” Gordon’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts allow her to reach an audience beyond the Mason campus—allowing them an easier and more accessible platform to view her fashion photographs. Nicole Gordon owns a great deal of passion for modeling as much as other George Mason students like Senya Donkor, an Integrative Studies major at Mason. Donkor enjoys the rich diversity of campus life, saying that it has “allowed for [her] to have the perspective of being more a team player and less of an individual.” Through networking as a model, Donkor made her way to the cover of a Mason Student Media publication called Outlier. Donkor considers modeling an “artistic
Photo Courtsey of JAY-R SAN LUIS @jei_arr
labeled as models, their goals reach beyond fashion. Gordon and Donkor, in particular, are interested in fracturing social issues within the beauty industry, education system, and career perceptions. These four Mason students have their own followings on social media & a strong passion for modeling, using it respectively as an outlet to showcase their style and creativity. An underlying hope for Gordon, San Luis, RachmatJones, and Donkor is an ability to use their passions with purpose— a purpose that will break the standards of social norms, inviting the youth to be more expressive and to fully embrace their creative tendencies.
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SPORTS
9.11.2017
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FOURTH ESTATE FANTASY FOCUS RETURNS FOR A THIRD SEASON
MASON CLUB FOOTBALL A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
MITCHELL WESTALL
MATT CARON
STAFF WRITER
This is an introductory article to what I plan on publishing on a weekly basis for the duration of the usual fantasy football season (through week 16 of the NFL season). I base my analysis on the statistics used in NFL.com standard scoring leagues. To be clear, this means no PPR (or points per reception if you’re new to the game). Each week I will highlight players that disappointed fantasy owners, players that surprised, my personal picks to click and picks to sit at each offensive position. New to this year, I will be adding a rookies of the week section since this years NFL draft brought a rather fruitful crop of young fantasy talent to the game. Some drafts have seen up to five rookie running backs being selected in the first 4 rounds. Now on to the good stuff. Since most leagues have already had their drafts, it would be useless to share information about draft strategies since we’re merely hours away from kicking off the NFL season. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t improve your team after your draft to give you an edge going forward. Here are a list of players who have been going early on in drafts that can be traded to improve a potential weakness in your lineup Leonard Fournette- RBJacksonville Jaguars: This one is a very tough call. He sports an early to mid-second round average draft pick (or ADP) but he’s being thrust into one of the worst offenses in football. Last season, Ezekiel Elliott was being drafted in the middle or back end of the first round as a rookie, but he was also one of the top talents drafted at his position in recent years and has the equivalent of the Great Wall of China to block for him. Fournette has something closer to the wall at your local grocery store. Sure it does an okay job, but if someone wanted to knock it down, they could. In less words, the Jaguars had a top half ranked offensive line last season according to Pro Football Focus, but nothing compared to what Dallas has. So, if you took Fournette and have another runner or two that would suffice, I would recommend using his draft status as a trade chip for a receiver or in a package
deal for a more established back. T.Y. Hilton- WR- Indianapolis Colts: This one has nothing to do with the player, but as a wide receiver, he’s only going to do as well as his quarterback. If Andrew Luck had a legitimate time table to return, I might not include Hilton here. Luck is a fantasy machine, but Scott Tolzein isn’t going to light up the score board. I would be very weary of Hilton as a late second or early third round pick. Terrelle Pryor- WR- Washington Redskins: He’s being drafted somewhere around the fourth or fifth round because last season he was a solid player for a horrible team with mediocre quarterback play. This season, he has Kirk Cousins throwing him the ball. It should be noted that Cousins has been a top five quarterback the past two seasons in terms of offensive production and Pryor is going to be his number two target behind Jordan Reed (who could get a concussion at any time). This piece isn’t to say Pryor won’t meet these expectations, but he shouldn’t be drafted over wide receivers like Allen Robinson, Kelvin Benjamin, Devante Adams, Keenan Allen or tight ends like Jordan Reed, Travis Kelce or Greg Olsen. Three More: Devonte Freeman, Jay Ajayi, Marshawn Lynch How about a couple of steals or players you should consider making trades for? Ameer Abdullah- RB- Detroit Lions: Abdullah is set to lead the Lions backfield that is forever in flux. Injuries have delayed him from truly breaking out but for someone who is being selected in the middle of drafts, he is worth the flyer. Martavis Bryant- WR- Pittsburgh Steelers: After serving a season-long suspension, Bryant returns in 2017 to be the threat opposite Antonio Brown in the high-powered Pittsburgh offense. His eighth round ADP is absolutely insane for what he is going to do this season with Big Ben tossing him the rock. Three More: Josh Doctson- WRWashington Redskins, Zay Jones- WRBuffalo Bills, Corey Coleman- WRCleveland Browns
To close this first edition of Fourth Estate Fantasy Focus 2017 out, here’s a few tips for the first time player who wants to contend for a title. 1. Don’t draft a quarterback early. What’s done is done. You drafted Tom Brady in the first round and now you have to deal with it. You missed out on a top running back or wide receiver, but that’s okay. For future reference, if you really want one of the top quarterbacks then just wait until the seventh or eighth round. There are some great ones on the board! 2. Don’t overthink injuries. Sure Demarco Murray, Jordan Reed and Rob Gronkowski are liable to miss a game or 16 a year, but that’s okay! All three of them have fantastic backups who you can plug into your lineup just in case Reed gets a concussion for taking off his Beats improperly or Gronkowki breaks his foot because he was on the field for a kneel down at the end of a 40-point route. Also, Derrick Henry is good enough to actually be drafted, so if you have Murray make sure you have Henry. 3. Stay away from your favorite team. It’s okay to have one or two of them, but if you have too many then the Redskins are liable to disappoint you twice in one week. If your favorite team is going to lose in real life, at least win where it doesn’t really matter (unless there’s money involved). Sure Kirk Cousins, Rob Kelley, Terrelle Pryor, Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed and even Dustin Hopkins are all solid fantasy starters. But, you definitely wont win their bye week and you also get to enjoy two crushing losses in one week, because the Redskins do a fair amount of that.
STAFF WRITER
The Mason club football team hosted its second annual “Intro to American Football for International Students” event on the RAC field on Friday, September 1. The club football team drew a very diverse crowd, including both men and women from as far away as India and as local as Stafford County, Virginia. Those who attended participated in drills designed to teach them more about American Football. “The officers of the club football [team] put on this event in order to give back to the students on campus”, said Wide Receivers coach Virgil Seay. The students who attended had mixed levels of prior knowledge about American Football. To kick off the event, members of the club football team and its coaching staff led the audience through a series of non-contact drills that helped to explain the basics of blocking, passing and other fundamental aspects of the game. The demonstrations were met with enthusiasm from the audience, which resulted in a more in depth explanation of the rules and goals of the game. The event achieved its purpose as the students who attended the event indicated that if they watched an American Football game, they would be able to understand the general goals and rules of the game.
When the staff was asked why football was so popular in the United States, they responded that American Football, like most sports, is a showcase for athleticism and that athleticism is universally appealing and does not require a shared language or culture to understand. The general principles of using your body to throw, catch, kick, and run with a football are universal concepts not cabined by a person’s culture or background. Many of the International students seemed to agree with this principle stating that even though American football is somewhat different than the traditional football with which they are more familiar, that both sports were interesting and shared similar movements. The students acknowledged that while American football has remained relatively a domestic sport, it has the potential to be an international sport. According to Coach Seay, “They would be able to understand parts of [the game].” This is because they obviously can’t teach the entire sport to a group of students in the span of a couple of hours. Many of the students indicated that they would come to see a Mason club football game. Additionally, they indicated that they would have better understanding of what was going on when they watched an NFL or NCAA football game on television.
4. Have a blast. This kind of stuff is supposed to be fun to get fans closer to the game they love. Even if there’s money on the line, have fun. Photo Courtesy of Creative Services
WHICH MLB GENERAL MANAGER IS A GRADUATE OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY? MIKE RIZZO - WASHINGTON NATIONALS DAYTON MOORE- KANSAS CITY ROYALS FARHAN ZAIDI- LOS ANGELES DODGERS THEO EPSTEIN- CHICAGO CUBS SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS TO @IVESTATESPORTS ON TWITTER!
SPORTS
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9.11.2017
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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM STRUGGLES AT GEORGE MASON INVITATIONAL
In the first set against UPenn, Mason showed several problems that became a running theme of the day. In game 1 of Mason’s doubleheader, there were too many undisciplined mistakes and missed opportunities that cost the Patriots dearly.
Mason sports a very young team. Almost half of the Women’s Volleyball team is comprised of Freshman and Sophomores, so the fact that they continued to improve throughout the Invitational shows that they have a solid amount of potential to be very dangerous in the future. It also shows that there is some room for the team to improve as the season progresses. The team’s First Year Head Coach Aylene Ilkson, was still very proud of the way her girls played, saying that, “While we need to work on blocking as a strategy, I feel like we as team need to take more big swings and we need to be more aggressive.” Ilkson cited that Freshman player Emily Konchan was one of the young players that, “Stayed calm and composed
http://gomason.com/schedule. aspx?path=wvball
FREE SPEECH & CIVIC EDUCATION In response to the recent tragedy in Charlottesville, VA, George Mason University seeks to promote opportunities for discussion and dialogue. “YOUR SPACE”
CONSTITUTION DAY:
Offered Every Friday for Fall 2017 Faculty: 10:00am – 12:00pm Students: 1:00pm – 3:00pm SUB 1, Room 2400
Information about “The Bill of Rights” September 18, 2017 *Distributed at various locations
CANDLELIGHT REMEMBRANCE September 12, 2017 | 6:15pm Research Hall, Room 163
DIALOGUE & DIFFERENCE PROJECT: Exploring Issues of Hate, Justice, Fear, & Response • HATE: Charlottesville, September 12 • JUSTICE: Incarceration, September 28 • FEAR: Immigration, October 17 • RESPONSE: November 15 7:30pm – 9:15pm; Refreshments Provided Research Hall, Room 163
COMMMUN I ND
HATE SPEECH, FREE SPEECH AND PROTEST September 28, 2017 | 3:00pm – 4:30pm SUB 1, Room 3311
PIZZA & PERSPECTIVES: Seeking Truth in the Era of Fake News October 4, 2017 | 6:00pm – 7:15pm Arlington Campus, Founders Hall, Room 126
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Understanding Bias Incidents and Free Speech October 17, 2017 | 5:00pm – 7:00pm SUB 1, Room 2400
*Facilitation training offered 6:45 pm-7:15 pm dialogueanddifferenceproject.org
@ODIME_GMU ODIME.GMU.EDU ODIME is an office of University Life
odime.gmu.edu/campus-response-to-current-events
AG ENG EMEN
However, Mason kept the final 2 sets close. They lost big 25-12 in the first round to UPenn, but never trailed by more than 8 points the rest of the way. During the final set, Mason showed that they can be a more complete team. Gone were the abundant mistakes and errors, and instead the fans at the RAC witnessed a final set full of heart and determination of a high scoring shootout that eventually resulted in a 25-21 loss with many positives to take away from the match. As the match progressed, they lost by fewer points in each set.
In game two of the George Mason
Freshman Emily Konchan continued to impress by scoring 38 more assists and added an ace to her scoring line in the match to lead both teams in that
category. Sophomore Bailey Williams led the way with 13 kills.
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Despite the poor showing, Mason did show some signs of life. Mason held onto at least a tie in every set, or managed to put a few runs together to make the Quakers sweat a little bit. The other major problems of the matches were that the Patriots had 7 service errors and 3 rotation penalties, mistakes that can really hurt a team.
The Patriots showed tenacity throughout the match and displayed a fair amount of heart, and hopefully they can find a way to turn this season around.
Invitational on Saturday night against Central Michigan, Mason fell three sets to one.
EARNING IC L A IV
On Saturday September 2nd, the Mason Ladies’ Volleyball team faced off against the University of Pennsylvania Quakers and the Central Michigan Chippewas as they hosted the annual George Mason Invitational tournament. Patriots we unable to muster much strength as they were swept 0-3 against UPenn and later that night won only one set against Central Michigan (1-3). Mason has only mustered one win in seven matches to start the season.
match with two assists.
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STAFF WRITER
throughout the game.” Konchan may not have scored any kills, but with 23 assists, she put a lot of her teammates in position to score frequently, showcasing a very selfless team player. She also led the team in assists by a wide margin over Senior Kelly Schaller, who finished the
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MICHAEL ABLER
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LIFESTYLE
9.11.2017
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
NEW RESTAURANT TAKES ON THE DMV TAYLOR SWIFT’S NEW REPUTATION A Filipino restaurant with a modern flair Taylor Swift Slithers into her New Reputation opens in Arlington, VA 10 time Grammy Award winning songCHRISTINE VIRAY STAFF WRITER
A Filipino restaurant known as Bistro 1521 -- the numbers referencing the year in which Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the Philippines and was shortly killed -opened in late July, replaced Applebee’s a few months after it closed its doors. Situated in the urban setting of Arlington, Virginia, Bistro 1521 treats its customers in a modern environment while serving classic Filipino dishes which include sisig (a pork dish served on a steaming hot plate), bicol express (a sliced pork dish with chili that is served on coconut milk) and jumbo squid -- an ordinary jumbo squid served on a hot plate with vegetables. In addition to the options provided by the main menu, there are also separate beverage and dessert menus available. One unique feature of Bistro 1521’s menu is an icon that is placed next to a dish if it may take a little longer to cook than the other dishes. However, while a dish may be listed on the menu as having to take around 25 minutes to get cooked, it is normal for the cooks to prepare the dish at a quicker rate than the time listed next to the dish. Being a fifteen mile commute from George Mason University, Bistro 1521’s location is easily accessible to parents, students and faculty alike who are willing to broaden their taste buds and get a taste of authentic Filipino cuisine in the DMV area. While Bistro 1521 has outdoor seating arrangements and an expansive interior that is equipped with a bar, it is highly recommended that people who wish to dine at the restaurant should make a reservation prior to their arrival since the restaurant is still new. For example, if people were to arrive at the restaurant without making a reservation and request a booth, then they may have to wait for an hour or more for a booth to be available to them.
Despite the wait, customers will be rewarded with large portions of fresh Filipino food once a table becomes available for them. Another recommendation is that customers should consider arriving to the restaurant at an earlier time if they do not want to miss the mango cupcake and the cassava cake options on the dessert menu—both of which are a favorite among Bistro 1521’s customers and well known to Filipino people. While many stores and restaurants are accessible within a walkable distance in Arlington, customers are recommended to arrive early so that they will not have a difficult time parking near the restaurant. Customers can also find that they can park for free on certain days depending on what is posted on the parking signs. There are certain holidays that Bistro 1521 closes on, but the restaurant can also open on the same day depending on the time, which is normally posted to alert its customers when they can dine. Like the quality of the food served at Bistro 1521, the staff will make it their top priority to do their best to assist their customers so that they can enjoy their dining experience in the best way possible by serving them with a smile. The service is notably quick—if a customer’s glass of water becomes empty, then a waiter or waitress would promptly make sure that the same customer’s glass becomes full once more. If a customer has a question or an issue, if any, then they are free to call a waiter or waitresses to assist them. Like the arrival time of each dish, customers do not have to wait long for anyone to arrive because there will always be a waiter or waitress nearby to assist a customer—people can even expect the bartender to help them even when they are not sitting at the bar area of the restaurant which makes Bistro 1521’s service exceed that of other restaurants in the DMV area.
After a total social media wipe and blackout, Swift announced her new single with posts on Instagram about her upcoming new album, “Reputation,” her 6th record during her career. Stephanie Ruffner, GMU senior, discussed how relieved she was that a new single dropped so suddenly. “Yes it’s different, and I wasn’t expecting it,” Ruffner says. “But I love that Taylor is standing up for herself and showing that you can switch styles if you want.” Swift’s new song, titled “Look What You Made Me Do,” has shocked listeners, as it not only strays from her typical sound, but also seems to call out a number of accusations and criticisms that the media and other celebrities have made towards Swift in recent years. The thing is, this song is not about anyone but Swift and her claiming back her reputation, by saying that she’s not letting the public tell her who she is. The video is dripping with satire, which included the line, “Sorry, the old Taylor Swift can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, ‘Cause she’s dead!” This line is supposedly poking fun at internet trolls who spread the hashtag “#TaylorSwiftisDead” during the Taylor v. Kanye feud back in 2016. Many listeners and fans took this to mean that the “new Taylor” is edgier, less relatable and more distant than past albums. She’s still the same Taylor, but she is not trying to prove that any longer. Roya Aref, a junior at George Mason and fan of Swift, expressed her loyalty to the singer for always speaking the truth.
For years, Swift has been dubbed as the artist who only sings about broken relationships, backstabbing friends, or “playing the victim.” Swift pokes fun at Photo Courtesy of CHRISTINE VIRAY
STAFF WRITER
writer, Taylor Swift, came out of hiding on August 24 to release her much anticipated first single in three years, along with a music video that premiered at the VMAs and is now on youtube.
“It’s awesome that Taylor can have the confidence to put herself out there again and again and write songs about it,” Aref said. “You have to really forget what people think.”
Photo Courtes-tty of CHRISTINE VIRAY
LIZZIE MACKERCHER
many allegations throughout the video. The most notable, is the bathtub scene that features only one dollar, the dollar she sued radio DJ David Mueller for her sexual assault case. The snake scene features snakes holding a cup of tea, referencing Kim Kardashian and other fans calling her “the snake queen.” This is regarding her debacle with Kanye West and his lyrics “I made that bitch famous,” which she claimed he lied about when asking her for permission to use the lyrics. The media criticized Taylor for making a “squad” of skinny model girls that looked “fake and plastic,” and Taylor dedicated a scene to robot plastic models with the words Squad on the screens. In the dancing scene she had eight male dancers that all “fell” for her, she also has eight ex-boyfriends, regarding the ongoing joke that she has dated too many people. The car crash scene shows Taylor holding a Grammy, referencing the fact that the media only cares about her hardships, not her success or positive actions.
In the last scene there are fifteen versions of Taylor throughout the years and eras and there are fifteen songs on her upcoming album Reputation. Almost every joke or dig at Taylor she used in the last scene. Like I stated, the lyrics and video are full of satire, meaning that the overzealous attitude is her mocking the media for the “reputation” they have placed on her. Sophomore Madison Williams makes the point that while you might not like her style, that shaming her for all of the reasons above is illegitimate. “She’s always seemed like a nice person in interviews, and there are other artists who personify a much more selfish and egotistical attitude,” Roberts said. “She probably is at fault for many things, but how many of us aren’t?” There are still 13 more songs to be heard on the album, which means Swift has more to say. In this era, maybe we will be getting a “new” Taylor, but the new Taylor might just be the same all along, but now an unapologetic version who is done being scrutinized for dating, having friends or standing up for herself.
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Bridge the Gap between the Silent Generation and Generation Z
The key differences between the older generation and the younger generation Syllabus week is over, late nights out with friends are normal again, and procrastination already has no shot of being avoided; the semester is truly underway. Upperclassmen and commuter students alike treat their homes more like hotels just to sleep in, and freshmen, may be grasping, for the first time, their independence. All too often this current generation of young adults is paired with millennials, blamed for negative current events or predicted to cause crisis in the future. Whether or not that is true about the millennials, most undergraduate level college students make up the beginning of a different generation, known as Generation Z. Whether a student is commuting or not, wanting to stay away from home as much as possible, trying to find freedom from parents or just to be with friends at college, is completely normal. However, it is also normal to have independence, but have no idea what to do with it. To be specific, from freshman to senior, this “in-between age” is described by psychologist Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, PhD, in a study from 1995 as “emerging adulthood.” Sure, 1995 seems pretty old, but the idea of “emerging adulthood” is just as prevalent today, if not more so. So for Generation Z, we want independence, but also help in the form of occasional advice, some necessities, or budgeting money? Sounds legit to me! And interestingly, wanting to stay close to home sometimes is completely normal. According to an article posted on July 8, 2015 by Generations Expert Amy Lynch, Generation Z is one of the most family oriented generations since the Silent Generation born around World War I. “With Gen Z, we come full circle. Yes, families look different than they did for Silents (The Waltons vs Modern Family), but it’s cool to be tight with Mom and Dad again.”[3] Lynch does not stop her analysis there: she says that Gen Z kids are problem solvers, less likely to seek a mentor, “more about helping themselves.”
movements started by young adults from many different standpoints. The resilient, problem solver mentality absolutely exists, and seems to be going strong. Lynch’s reasoning makes sense. “If we look at history, we find that generations actually cycle.” A passionate generation gives birth to a pessimistic one, who then is followed by a DYI generation. “Passionate Boomers, skeptical Gen X, and practical Millennials. And now grounded, pragmatic Gen Z, a predictable throwback to the Silent generation.”[5] So then, I interviewed four sophomores from geographically and culturally different backgrounds on campus about how they plan to raise their children; in
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anything hurtful towards their parents, they agreed they would learn from their parents mistakes for the health of their children. Letting their kids be themselves and allowing them to simply be the best versions of themselves is their largest goal.
regards to how close they were to their own parents, what rules they may plan on Overall, the Gen Z “emerging adults” using, and what they learned from their I interviewed the gave evidence of what Lynch said, in comparison to the homelife. Silent Generation. A safe space for a The first person I interviewed, Caroline child can open up healthy conversation Higgins, represented the aspect of staying with parents, and while maybe the baby close to family. She loves her parents and boomers may have moved across the U.S. the way she was raised by them, and for work, Gen Z will be family oriented when asked, she said she “probably will raise her kids the same way she was raised.” Billy Stewart did not differ much from the view of Caroline, just making sure to stress that his kids know they live in a safe space, and he wants to be someone his kids can talk to non-superficially.
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first. However, most undergraduates in college probably are not thinking about kids yet, so just keep on living in-between total independence and needing help with every aspect of life. And for any “emerging adults” who have kids, it seems like as a part of Generation Z, you are going to do great. [1] Munsey, Christopher. “Emerging Adults: The in-between Age.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, June 2006, www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/ emerging.aspx. [2] Lynch, Amy. “Gen Z Kids Are Like Their GreatGrandparents. Here’s Why.” Generational Edge, 8, July 2015, http://www.generationaledge.com/blog/posts/ genz-like-grandparents
“OUR COMICS, OURSELVES” EXHIBITION PREVIEW
A new comic exhibition opens up in Fenwick DINANDA PRAMESTI
Lastly, I interviewed Monica Blanchard LIFESTYLE EDITOR Debi Das together, and without saying
A new comic exhibition, “Our Comics, Ourselves” curated by Jan Descartes and Monica McKelvey Johnson from Brooklyn, has opened up in Fenwick from August 21 until October 6th displaying a variety of comic books, graphic novels, and zines that cater to diverse groups. Most of the groups that are expressed in these comics are minority groups whose artistic work and identity are not always represented. For example, the works explore LGBTQ themes, feminism, abortion, racism, cultural identity, immigration,
along with a plethora of other themes. They portray the complex intersections between people’s identities to explain that we do not live single-issue lives. “‘Our Comics, Ourselves’” presents the stories that describe the complexity and diversity of our collective experience,” per the website. The comics and graphic novels were from 1945 up until present day, primarily from the United States. It examines and tackles social issues that developed during those eras. Along with the exhibition, comes plenty of events, lectures, and workshops that is held at Mason and Washington, DC. Such events are:
Our Comics, Ourselves: Curator’s Talk and Opening Reception Friday, September 15, 6-9pm Fenwick Library Reading Room / Fenwick Gallery Our Comics, Ourselves: Comics for Breakfast with Ed Luce Monday, September 18, 10:00am Fenwick Library Reading Room Our Comics, Ourselves: Art World/Comic World with Edie Fake Thursday, September 21, 2:00pm Fenwick Library Reading Room Our Comics, Ourselves: D.I.Y. Comics & Zines Workshop Thursday, September 28, 2-4pm Gateway Library, Johnson Center Fantom Comics: Local Authors Reading Saturday, September 30, 7:00pm
Finally, she ends by mentioning the optimist nature of Gen Z, comparing resiliency to that of the Silents who had seen the Great Depression and major war.
Fantom Comics, 2010 P Street NW, Washington D.C.
Think of all the social and political
The HUB Ballroom, George Mason University
Our Comics, Ourselves: Keynote and Closing Reception with Spike Trotman Tuesday, October 3, time TBA
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SHARE YOUR WELL-BEING STORY! Well-being is more than just a concept, it’s a way of living. Mason wants to know how you are doing on your own human journey toward greater well-being, and is currently seeking student submissions that tell your story in your own words. In 500 words or less, tell us how you’re doing in your quest to live a life of vitality, purpose, resilience, and/or engagement. What strategies have helped you change your life for the better? What happened when you implemented positive changes to improve an area of well-being? Feel free to submit as many stories as you would like about lessons learned and what makes your well-being journey unique. Thank you for your contributions! Learn more and submit your story: wellbeing.gmu.edu/articles/10983
Giant Food and University Life are partnering to promote Well-Being within the Mason community. Join us at University Mall for the Back to School Sample-Fest on 9/16 from 2-5pm.
BACK TO SCHOOL
SAMPLE-FEST Join in-store nutritionist, Marissa, for a FREE store-wide sampling of healthier back-to-school meal and snack ideas. Plus, participate in health screenings, raffles, and a fitness challenge for a chance to win great prizes! University Mall Giant 10653 Braddock Road, Fairfax VA marissa.donovan@giantfood.com
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16 2 –5 PM
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE Experience the pride of serving your country and community while getting money for college - serving part-time in the Air National Guard. Speak with a local recruiter today by calling 240-857-5449.