Feb. 11 Broadside

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER Feb. 11 2013 Volume 89 Issue 14 BroadsideOnline.com @MasonBroadside

MASON LOBBIES TRAVELS TO RICHMOND

Student Government sends representatives to share the personal side of the Mason community

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Hewitt talks about team successes and failures before they head into the CAA tournament PAGE 21

Cultural and societal perceptions that make women a second-class genderPAGE 18

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Mason alumna directs and produces film about the long-term side effect of eternal lifePAGE 11

BroadsideNews

Mason Officer spearheads new organizational effort to prepare for active shooter situations PAGE 8

(PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN WALDRON)

News Broadside2 Feb. 11, 2013

The approximatenumber of beds available on campus

In the spring of my fresh-man year of high school, there was a pep rally sched-uled on April 17.

Th e bleachers were unusually full for the event, which upperclassmen

students usually skipped out on for an early dismissal.

I sat with the rest of the freshman class under the sun that was too bright and hot and watched as the usually sched-uled programming of the annual pep rally was turned on its head.

Instead of cheering on our team and rallying up school spirit, the student body was mourning.

Th e day before, Seung-Hui Cho had murdered 32 students and injured dozens more at Virginia Tech, tearing a hole in the heart of our community and our nation.

Cho had attended my high school and lived within walking distance of my home. Two of his victims had graduated from the school as well, one an accom-plished athlete, the other a thespian.

I remember fi ling onto the bleachers in a state of shock so unreal it almost felt like a dream.

Our pep rally turned into a memorial

service, and our rival high school came to present us with a drawing of our mascots comforting a tearful Hokie bird.

Trying to stay strong, I spent the entire hour rigid, careful not to let a tear drop.

As soon as I dashed off the bus and through the front doors of my house, I lost my composure and was wracked with emotions so violent I became sick.

At 14 years old, I had no connections to either the victims or the shooter, but the news trucks that sat outside the school for the next month and the fl ood of maroon and orange across our campus made the whole thing real.

It has been nearly six years since the Virginia Tech massacre, but the memo-ries and emotions have not faded.

And the old wounds keep reopening. Th e Sandy Hook shooting on Dec. 14 brought a whole new brand of sorrow.

Th e horror and grief felt around the world was inexplicable, and once again, a call to action against serial shooters rose up.

Obviously, something has to be done. Th ere is a crisis in our country, one that is picking up steam. I hope that those on both sides of the aisle can agree that action of some sort must be taken and soon.

In that light, I am thrilled to hear that Mason’s own Offi cer Brian Higgins is doing something to help.

Higgins is using his military back-ground, extensive research and resources as a university police offi cer to create a fi rst responder program in the horrifying possibility of a serial shooter on campus.

On page 8, read more about Offi cer Higgins’ program to teach people on the scene how to react and his plan to equip buildings across campus with an emer-gency plan.

Th ough the names and faces of the Sandy Hook, Aurora, Virginia Tech and other unspeakable tragedies have faded off the front pages, they are still front and center in the minds and hearts of the nation, and I hope that the Mason Nation can do its part in preventing the next.

-- Coilin Owens, Professor Emeritus and author of several books regard-ing irish literature and language, said to Irish Central about a new ex-hibit in D.C. that portrays The Fight of the Earls as British infl uence rather than ethnic cleansing.

“We are repeatedly told that all of this was conducted in the spirit of humanism, improve-ment, and ennoblement. This despite the preponderance of the historical evidence—excluded from the exhibition—that it was a brutal military conquest. The corner stone of the British Em-pire rests on these bones which, current political necessities aside, will not lie still.”

“I think the most effective way to send a message is to say you’re prepared to do something. I view it as a kind of state-level expression of concern about the uncharted course the Federal Reserve has been on in mone-tary policy.”

“Working at Mason has provided me with the opportunity to not only pursue my own research, but also teach, motivate and propel students to effectively work with diverse and disenfran-chised groups,”

- Dr. Dr. Rita Chi-Ying Chung, profes-sor in the Counseling and Develop-ment department said to Inside-Nova regarding her experience at Mason. Chung was of two Northern Virginia professors to receive the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 2013 Outstanding Fac-ulty Awards.

-- Lawrence White, economics professor, said to MoneyNews com-menting on the possibility of Vir-ginia to accept gold and silver coins instead of traditional currency.

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NewsBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 3

Feb. 4 CorrectionsLast week, Broadside incor-

rectly credited the story “James Buchanan: The Life and Times of a Nobel Laureate” to Niki Papadogiannakis. The story was written by Mariah Sutton.

Also, in the “Mason Makes Careers” interview with Alex Romano, it should have said that he works as Staff Produc-tion Secretary for CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.

Lastly, the front-page photo should have been credited to Carol Persons.

In the story titled “For Have a Heart, kitchen is the heart of the home” incorrect dates and times were listed for the events. The showcase at the workhouse will be open from Feb. 6- March 3. The celebra-tory Art Walk will be held on Feb. 9 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Last year’s Have a Heart Project

featured an empty kitchen that donors filled with food, this year painted lunch bags are being sold for the benefit of Food for Others.

On the Arlington page, the Mason Public Policy Film So-ciety was incorrectly identified as the Masters of Public Policy Film Society. Also, the panel of experts event on Feb. 6 was part of the Pizza and Perspec-tives series.

Center for Public Choice, Wednesday Seminar Series

Branko Milanovic from the World Bank will be speak-ing in Carrow Hall on Wed. Feb. 13 from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Milnovic is known for his essay, “Global Income Inequality in Numbers: in History and Now.”

The seminar is part of the Center for Public Choice’s more than 30-year-old series

that brings a different scholar to campus every Wednesday.

Future speakers include Roy Mill from Stanford University on Feb. 20, Joshua Rosenbloom on Feb. 27 and Andrew Pickering from University of York on March 6.

In the past, the seminars have brought scholars from around the world.

Some of these scholars include Daniel Chen from ETH University in Zurich, Switzerland who spoke about the effects of the death penalty and Melissa Dell from Harvard University about the Mexican drug war and trafficking networks.

Professor recognized by State Council of Higher Education

Dr. Rita Chi-Ying Chung, professor of Counseling and Development, was chosen to receive the 2013 Outstanding

Faculty Awards from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Out of 12 educators who received the award, two were from Northern Virginia, includ-ing Chung.

Chung has studied, worked and taught in several countries around the world, including Brazil, England, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

According to her profile on the College of Education and Human Development’s website, Chung’s focus is on “multicultural, cross-cultural, and social justice issues in counseling, cross cultural disaster counseling, child traf-ficking” among others.

Chung will be presented with the award on Tues. Feb. 12 in Richmond.

Concerts to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.Mason will celebrate Black His-tory Month and Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with “Tribute to the Dream” concerts. The events will take place on Sun. Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. in The Center for the Arts on the Fair-fax campus and Sat. Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. at the Hylton Perform-ing Arts Center on the Prince William campus. The event is a partnership between Mason’s Potomac Arts Academy School of Music and Prince William and Fairfax county churches and schools.

Spiritual songs such as Joseph Scheanter’s “New Morning for the World” will be sung to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

Tickets for the concerts are available through each venue and are free for Mason students, faculty and staff.

News&Notes(PHOTO BY CRAIG BISACRE/CREATIVE SERVICES)

Passion for basketball fuels alumni loveJoe Shannon proposed to his girlfriend Ellen Face during the eight minute media time out at the Feb. 9 men’s basketball game against Delaware. Though Shannon completely surprised Face, he was more than confident he would not be turned down. The couple met through mutual friends 10 years ago as under-grads. They reunited two and a half years ago and began dating, sharing a mutual love for the Mason men’s basketball team. The couple travels to see the team play in conference tournaments each year in Richmond with their mutual friends.

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(STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE)


“Democracy is messy, it’s noisy, it’s complex. But in a very deep way, it’s amazing,” said President Angel Cabrera to a group of Mason students who travelled down to Richmond for Mason’s fi rst lobbying day. “You’re going to be a part of the process today.”

Th e students, who traded in their T-shirts for blazers for the day, spent Feb. 7 talking to Virginia state delegates and sena-tors to off er a personal touch to the statistics lawmakers consider when doling out state funds to universities.

“Th is is the best possible way of telling folks what’s happening at our beloved university,” said delegate David Ramadan (87th district).

Mason Lobbies is a new initiative put together by the student government to allow students, alumni and faculty to share what

they love about Mason.Forty-three current students and 15 alumni,

along with a bevy of faculty from offi ces across campus, showed up to represent the university.

“Today is so important for you to be with legislators and tell them about the experience you’re having at George Mason University,” said Secretary of Education Laura Fornash. “Th ey’re very focused on providing additional funding for higher education - that has been a tremendous priority of the governor. He’s focused on greater access and aff ordability. He wants to make sure that you graduate with a degree that will get you a job and that you’re not going to be in a tremendous amount of debt when you graduate.”

Th ough Mason has sent representatives to lobby in Richmond before, this was the fi rst year registration was open to all.

Students and alumni were divided into groups based loosely on their hometowns to speak to local politicians.

Cabrera, who noted how impressed he was with the well-dressed student lobbyists, started the day with introductory speeches from prolifi c Mason faculty and alumni, many of whom now serve in the state capitol, includ-ing Deputy Chief of Staff Matt Conrad and delegate David Ramadan.

Ramadan, who previously served on the Mason Board of Visitors, was sporting Mason spirit wear that he vowed to wear on the fl oor of the House for the rest of the day.

Ramadan emigrated from Lebanon to the U.S. when he was 19 years old with only $2,000 in his pocket.

He went on to earn two degrees from Mason and become a successful businessman and

politician.“I credit Mason to most and everything I

achieved,” Ramadan said. “[Mason] gave me a base, gave me a home.”

Th e group was joined by Governor Bob McDonnell (R) on the stairs of the capitol for a photo and spoke briefl y about his excitement and pride for Mason.

“Th is is such an exciting opportunity for you and such an exciting opportunity for legisla-tors,” Fornash said. “I think they get tired of

seeing the administrators and the presidents, but they love seeing students; so, it’s really important that you’re here today because you tell the George Mason story best.”

Fornash said she has had a special place in her heart for the university after her grand-mother returned to school late in life and received her degree from Mason.

COLLEEN WILSONEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

(PHOTOS BY ALEXIS GRENN/ CREATIVE SERVICES)

A new student government project led over 50 people down to Richmond to speak with state del-egates and senators about the opportunities and benefi ts a Mason degree and experience offers. The group, made up of current students, alumni and faculty was joined by President Angel Cabrera to lobby on behalf of the university.

I think they get tired of seeing the admin-istrators and presi-dents, but they love seeing students; so, it’s really important that you’re here to-day because you tell the George Mason story bestLaura Fornash, Secretary of Education

Students give a face and story to statistics at first annual Mason Lobbies

NewsBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 5 Concerns about waitlisting #GMUProblems: Housing

Social media provides students a way to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions with the Mason community. The twitter handle and hashtag GMU problems has a pulse on the students and the prob-lem they face on campus each day. Broadside is looking into whether each problem is one specific to Mason and whether any solutions are available.

#YOUR TWEET HEREWant your tweet to be featured in Tweets of the Week? Hashtag your tweet with #gmu

or tweet us @MasonBroadside.

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eek

What is the problem?

After a change in the housing application and placement sys-tem last year, upperclassmen lost seniority in the process. With roughly 6,000 beds avail-able, 2,000 of which are allocated to incoming freshmen, students with more credits are at the bot-tom of the placement totem pole.

Last year, the opening of White Top and Rodgers eased the bur-den, returning the wait-list back to the normal size of about 400 students.

After placing incoming fresh-men, the remaining two-thirds of housing go to sophomores, ju-niors and seniors. Each student or group of students who want to live together are either placed immediately into the selection process or put on a wait-list.

The wait list is comprised of students who have a larger num-ber of credits. No matter how many people are applying for housing together, their average number of credits determine whether or not they are placed on the wait list or given selec-tion. There has been speculation about what this number will be, but it has not been set.

For the past several years, the Office of Residence Life has been phasing out the four-year hous-ing guarantee program as it be-comes an unsustainable model due to priority and growth ex-pectations. No other state uni-versity offers a four-year housing guarantee.

A response from housing

“There is no number,” said Jen Frank, Assistant Director for Housing Services. “There is no way for us to predict where the cutoff for the wait-list is before we get all of the applications.”

Underclassmen with fewer credits have the advantage of choosing housing first because, according to Associate Director for Housing Services Brian Davis, “the younger students are not as equipped to being on a wait-list.” Juniors and seniors have the ability and the resources to con-sider off-campus housing.

“If you stick around on the wait-list, we’re going to keep looking for a space for you, but if you find out you’re on the wait list and you decide ‘given my choices I’d rather go off cam-pus,’ then you have more time to make plans,” Frank said.

Frank is not worried about the potential of not being able to of-fer housing to out of state or long distance students. “We don’t anticipate getting to that,” said Frank. “We do feel good about the size of the wait list.”

Moving forward

On Feb. 15 students will be no-tified whether or not they are on the wait-list. Traditionally, many upperclassmen then remove themselves from the list and begin searching for off-campus housing. In previous experience, summer cancellations have al-lowed for all wait listed students

to be placed in a dorm. However, some cancellations and place-ments don’t come through until as late as August.

“When we look at the data de-velopment process, the junior and senior population tends to use on campus housing as a placehold,” Davis said. “We anticipate being able to place everyone who wants to live on campus.”

In April, housing preferences will be completed. Students will note where on campus they would prefer to live or if they would like to live on campus at all. The wait-list is expected to decrease again at this time.

“Mason, like any other school, is in a housing crunch. There is a higher demand for housing than there is a supply and what we’ve found is that some people placehold. It’s essentially weed-ing students that aren’t serious about living on campus out,” Da-vis said.

Davis notes that some stu-dents have tried to “game” the system by living with someone who has fewer credits to avoid being put on the wait-list. He recommends not trying to ma-nipulate the system because the result will be reverse.

“They can try [to manipu-late the system] but because we don’t know where the cutoff is, you can’t successfully game it,” Frank said.

NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKISNEWS EDITOR


Expanding on-campus dining diversifies options

The availability of anytime dining, the expansion of seating areas, an on-campus pizzeria that delivers and food trucks are just a few of the plans that the university has for dining.

In May, Ike’s will be closing down for renovation into a Denny’s-style, 24-hour restaurant.

It will seat 380 people, which according to Mark Kraner, Executive Director of Campus Retail Operations, is necessary because of the demand for anytime dining and the overcrowding of Southside.

The new Ike’s will also alle-viate some of the lines in the Johnson Center, making it so that off-campus students will be more likely to eat on- campus.

“When [off-campus students] go into the Johnson Center, and [they] look at the line, [they] probably go ‘I don’t want to wait in that line, I can go home,’” Kraner said. “But by asking students to go back to anytime dining we’ll be removing most of those people out so [off-campus students] have easier access into those units, and faculty and staff the same way.”

Manhattan Pizzeria, a local franchise, is set to open in University Hall between this summer and fall.

It will serve pizza, wings and a few sandwich choices and take Mason Money, Freedom and Bonus, but not meal equivalences.

It will also deliver pizza, an element that Kraner notes was key to the agreement.

The Manhattan Pizzeria at University will be the fifth location for the local

franchise. Other locations include Ashburn, Va. and South Riding, Va.

The university is also looking at bringing other local businesses on campus. Cupcakes Actually, a cupcake bakery in Fairfax, will be showcased at Freshens in the Johnson Center on Thursdays. The first date that they will be serving cupcakes is still under negotiations, but it will begin during this semester.

“It’s a monotony breaker,” Kraner said. “We were doing that with Dippin Dots but now we’re switching to this. It’s a change of pace.”

Food trucks will also be present on campus during this semester to provide more variety in dining options as well as closer proximity to classes.

Two food trucks have been given permission by the university to park on campus for the food rush before night classes, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Lemongrass, a D.C.-based food truck with Vietnamese cuisine, and Doug the Food Dude truck, which offers all natural, no preservatives, no MSG wraps, hot dogs and fries.

Lemongrass will be located across from the parking offices at Sandy Creek and Doug the Food Dude will set up across from Starbucks.

“We’re looking at how we can work with these folks and do a little bit of business and have students be able to do business with them,” Kraner said.

When the food trucks decide to be on campus, however, is unpredict-able. Both food trucks will announce their locations

daily on Twitter.“It’s one of those eclectic

parts of food trucks. You don’t know where they’re gonna be; so, we’re in the same boat,” Kraner said. “They make decisions on what they do, but we’ve told them where we’ll have them so when they get here, that’s where they will be.

A large process for dining, at the moment, is negotiating contracts that could poten-tially replace the current food and facilities management company, Sodexo.

With Sodexo’s contract coming to an end, the bid for a new contract with the university is between the current provider and a similar provider, Chartwells.

The decision will be announced in March.

The efforts with the local businesses, Manhattan Pizzeria and Ike’s, however, will move forward despite the contract changes.

Both providers have the same basic idea for the university’s dining.

Both companies presented their ideas to the university in December.

Currently, the legal depart-ment is working on making the contracts being compli-ant with IRS rules before making a recommendation to the board of visitors.

“We’re working on that portion before we make a recommendation because if one says, no, we’ll work with the other company,” Kraner said. “So they’re both in there, we’re just working on the details.”

NIKI PAPADOGIANNAKISNEWS EDITOR

Upcoming dining options include cupcakes, pizzeria, food trucks

Ike’s will be closing for renovations in May to expand for more any-time dining. Other changes this semester include the presence of food trucks on campus, a partnership with Cupcakes Actually and the construction of Manhattan Pizzeria.

(MICHAEL CASHELL/ BROADSIDE)

The number of seats available in the proposed 24-hour dining facility380

ARLINGTON NewsBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 7

Feb. 6 saw the fi rst Pizza & Perspectives event of the semester. Founders Hall was fi lled with students, clinicians and medical profes-sionals interested in the future of health care.

Th e Mason panel of experts included Director of Health Policy Len Nichols and adjunct professor Barry Clendenin.

Each panelist gave his own assessment of the proposed healthcare reform in terms of aff ordability, access, equality and liberty.

Th e purpose of the Patient Privacy and Aff ordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) is to provide access to aff ordable health insur-ance for the 50 million Americans who are currently uninsured.

Without health insurance, the uninsured tend to rely on hospital emergency rooms to receive primary care.

Th e panel discussed the $2.47 trillion ques-tion of how to reduce the United States’ defi cit is infl uenced by the health care reform that rolls out in 2014.

Th e panel discussion focused on health costs. Exercise, balanced diet and balanced lifestyle are key factors to keep health care costs down. Clendenin spoke highly of President Obama’s early speech at Georgetown University that emphasized physical discipline.

Nichols gave the ACA a grade of B to B+ and argued that reform needs to provide more

incentives for health promotion and disease prevention. Th e goal is to address anti-com-petitive forces in the markets, so that plans compete to provide aff ordable care to the uninsured.

Th e panel also discussed keeping insurance rates and premiums down as a way to reduce health care costs.

By opening a new market of customers , the currently uninsured, to health insurers, competition for these new customers will drive down rates and premiums to make health plans attractive.

Nichols looks beyond price to have insurers compete on health promotion activities and services that in turn will help lower health costs.

Both panelists advocated that consumers must become more informed and involved in purchasing health care and insurance plans. Consumers need to demand evidence from plans and providers of the added value they off er as compared to competitors.

Insurance rates are only part of the equation to be evaluated by consumers. Satisfaction with providers, covered benefi ts (especially promotion and prevention) need to be evalu-ated by consumers when purchasing a health plan.

All panelists agreed that paying for value, not volume is key. Getting Americans to take

an active role in promoting their own health helps align self-interests with collective inter-ests of the country to reduce the trillion dollar defi cit and get this right.

Consensus among the panelists was that changing the incentives is an important part of fi xing this ‘broken’ healthcare system but that states and politicians cannot fi ght this Aff ordable Care Act any more.

One question came from a clinician in the audience who openly criticized the Medicaid program and sees it as an enabling entitle-ment program that does not do enough to prevent the addictive and self-destructive habits of patients.

Again the ability to incentivize and empower consumers through health care policies was noted.

Th e takeaway lesson that applies to both health services for old and uninsured is to empower them to make informed choices about plans and care that add value and to incentivize all people to keep themselves healthy.

EVAN STANCILARLINGTON EDITOR

Healthcare implications questioned

Children’s art exhibit

Founders Hall will host a celebration of youth art on Monday, Feb. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Th e George Mason Arts Man-agement Program located at the Arling-ton campus is pleased to host this special event.

Th e Art Gallery will feature the master-pieces of children in grades 6 to 8 from local area middle schools.

Local schools who will be participating are: Gunston, H-B Woodlawn, Kenmore, Rivendell, St. Agnes, St. Anne, St. Char-les, Swanson, Th omas Jeff erson and Wil-liamsburg.

Th is gallery space is dedicated to the visual expression of truth and beauty and is to serve as a laboratory for the profes-sional exercise of arts management by graduate students of the College of Visual & Performing Arts’ Arts Management Program.

Job Fair

Employers will be coming to the Ar-lington campus on Tuesday, Feb. 12.

Th e Graduate Career and Internship Fair is hosted by the School of Public Pol-icy (SPP) and School of Confl ict Analysis & Resolution (S-CAR) from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Th is event is free and open to all George Mason University graduate stu-dents and will be located in Room 126 in (Multi-purpose room) in Founders Hall on the Arlington Campus.

It off ers the opportunity to seek out full-time, part-time, cooperative educa-tion and internship positions, and stra-tegically target employers with the skills and knowledge relevant to students’ needs.

Th e opportunity to network with em-ployers in related fi elds of interests exists. Some spotlighted employers include: Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), FDIC, DC Public Schools Central Offi ce, New York Life, RAND Corporation, SAIC, USAID, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Secret Service.

Arlington Briefs

(EVAN STANCIL/BROADSIDE)

Discussion examines effects to insurance costs through changes in healthcare policies


It is 8 a.m. on a Friday morning and Offi cer Brian Higgins has just completed working the night shift for the Mason Police Department. He sits in one of the department’s meeting rooms looking more awake and attentive than most students do after a full night’s sleep.

“It goes all the way back to the 1800s. I read about it. A little girl got a shotgun for Christmas and when her teacher gave her an F, she went home, got her shotgun, came back and shot her teacher,” Higgins said.

He is talking about one of the fi rst ever recorded school shootings in the history of the U.S. Such incidents date back as early as the 1700s and all bear similar sentiments to the one Higgins describes.

“So it started all the way back then, and since then if you look at how the transgression goes, it used to be like every other year there would be a school shooting or an incident,” Higgins said. “Here recently, as early as ’97, they have started happening once or twice a year, to every month for every year.”

After serving for 23 years in the military as an army ranger, mili-tary police offi cer, and a member of a Special Reaction Team, Higgins’ retirement from the military led him to a position on Mason’s police force. Th at was seven years ago.

Since then, Higgins has taken the lead on several tactical programs at the depart-ment including becom-ing a fi rearms instructor and teaching active shooter training.

His newest endeavor has led him to begin encouraging active shooter training across campus, beginning at the Childcare Development Center (CDC).

“I fi gured that very few people here on the campus, students and teachers, would have any training on how to survive an active shoot-ing situation. So I put together a proposal and sent it up to Chief Tracey, and he gave it his blessing and told me to run with it.”

And run with it he did—Higgins has put together an entire presentation that acts as a culmination of his experience, skills and knowledge that allows him to pass it on to interested groups and individuals.

“Basically what it is—it goes through a quick history of school shootings, all the way up to Sandy Hook, and then I get into the school’s reaction, and their responsibilities during a school shooting and then the police reaction,”

Higgins said. “So it is kind of a hand-in-hand partnership of ‘this is what we do and this is what you do.’”

Higgins fl ips through a binder of printed slides from his extensive presentation, looking at each new page of information with a sense of refreshed vigor for the importance of the material.

As defi ned by the United States Department of Homeland Security, an active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confi ned and populated area.

In his presentation, Higgins covers several diff erent facets for both preparing and dealing with an active shooter situation.

As for preparation, Higgins supports early warning devices like door chimes that can let

you know when someone is coming into your area and the commitment to teaching life-saving and fi rst aid techniques to faculty.

Higgins also has pioneered the creation of active shooter survival kits that have charged cell phones, fi rst aid equip-ment and diff erent colored construction paper that can be used for commu-nication between victims and police offi cials during an active shooter situation.

As Higgins explains all these diff erent sources of preparation, he continually inserts how such resources can be used at the CDC, a building less than fi ve minutes from where he sits now.

“I am always looking for ways to be prepared,” said Dorothea Tyree, lead teacher of the classroom for two year olds at the CDC. Both a girl scout leader and an army wife, Tyree is no newcomer to the need for proper planning.

“I like to be prepared, and as a teacher, you want to be prepared because you have all these little ones that you have to take care of in an emergency and if you’re not prepared, you won’t be able to eff ectively guard them,” Tyree said.

Tyree, in coordination with her supervisors at the CDC and Higgins, have organized two instructional sessions to train the staff on the importance of developing an active shooter plan.

“Th e truth is, the educational staff can do more to mitigate the loss of life than police, due to the fact that they are already on the scene when the shooting starts,” Higgins said.

According to Tyree, the CDC is beginning

to assemble its own active shooter team to discuss a plan for how to handle such events. Once they develop a strategy, they plan to bring Higgins back to get his input on it.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I want to be ready to do everything I can. Run, hide the kids and fi ght if necessary. I want to be the one to take him out if necessary,” Tyree said.

Tyree is referencing one of the biggest plat-forms put forth by Higgins’ proposal. He uses a video made by Huston Texas Homeland Security titled “Run, Hide, and Fight: Surviving an Active Shooter Event.”

Th e video prioritizes running over hiding, hiding over fi ghting and views fi ghting as a last resort.

“One of the things we’ve learned through active shooters is that they are not going to waste their time to break into a door. Th ey know in their minds that they only have a certain amount of time to produce a certain amount of causalities before they are killed, they have to commit suicide, or are captured,” Higgins said.

Ultimately, both Tyree and Higgins echo similar messages — pro-actively learning and planning for the situation is the key to being

able to handle it. “I always tell my kids, ‘I’m Offi cer Tyree,

and my job is to keep you safe and your job is to help me by listening,’” Tyree said. “We never had a plan for situations like Sandy Hook, so this is something that we have to have, and all the teachers are excited to have the opportu-nity to be a part of it.”

For the future, Higgins hopes to expand the active shooter training across Mason’s Fairfax campus. Every building is diff erent which means that there will need to be a strong collective eff ort between the administration, staff and students to create such plans.

“I just get tired of turning on the TV and seeing all this loss of life, and I just felt that I could make a diff erence, and that’s why I’m doing all of this,” Higgins said.

AARON LOCKEMANAGING EDITOR

Offi cer Brian Higgins spoke to teachers at the Childcare Development Center about the history of school shootings, the schools’ reactions and responsibilities. Higgins will be conducting an active shooter training at the Arlington campus on Feb. 15.

(PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT)

Offi cer pioneers emergency preparedness efforts

The truth is, the educational staff can do more to mitigate the loss of life than police, due to the fact that they are already on the scene when the shooting starts

Offi cer Brian Higgins

NewsBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 9

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Hillel hosts German Embassy for Shabbat

Building bridges across cultural and linguistic barriers is a complex and delicate task, yet it yields many worthwhile rewards. George Mason University Hillel, the center for Jewish life on Mason’s campus, attempted to do just that last Friday night during their weekly Shabbat dinner at the Hub, in which they invited the Federal Republic of Germany’s Embassy along with a few young German professionals to promote German-Jewish dialogue.

Hillel director Ross Diamond was aware that it was much easier for people to relate to others with a similar background and language as them, so he actively encouraged the various attendees to get to know each other.

“We’re all humans here,” Diamond said. “We all want to sit with people who we can speak the same language with or who look a little like us, but I’d like it if everyone took the intentionality to sit with people who they may have a keen interest in fi nding out their story.”

Th e evening began with an opportunity for the students to intro-duce themselves to each other, followed by a Shabbat service, which involved the singing of traditional Hebrew prayers, led by Mason students Marissa Arager and Erez Cramer.

“Shabbat is just the day to take a break from the rest of the week. You’re supposed to relax at home, and mingle with other people,” said Marissa Arager, Hillel’s Religious co-chair.

While there were primarily students at the event, there were also various other members of the community, such as Mason professor Th omas Stratmann, who is of German descent, and worked with the Action Reconciliation for Peace organization.

“Events like this are important because they force individuals into relationships that build understanding between diff erent denominations,” Stratmann said.

One of the highlights of the night was a short talk given by Charlotte von Friedeberg, a representative of the German embassy. Her words intrigued many in the audience, as they gave an understanding of the fl our-ishing state of Judaism in Germany today.

“In 1950, there were only 25,000 Jews all over Germany, and very few organized

communities. Today we are proud to have over 110 Jewish communi-ties with over 120,000 registered commu-nity members,” Von Friedberg said.

Th e embassy repre-sentative also addressed the demographics of the Jews in Germany saying that most Jewish communities in Germany used to be Reform or conservative, but following the infl ux of many Jewish immi-grants, more and more Orthodox communities have been forming.

Mason students were very outspoken about the importance of beginning at the grassroots level with dialogues and dinners such as this one.

“Th is is a really good example to set, and not just between Jews and Germans, but any two groups of people that historically may have been at odds with each other,” said freshman Tessa Schwartz. “If

enough events such as this one occur, even small dialogues on a college campus, they may begin to happen on a much larger scale.”

Diamond ended the service with a few more words on the importance of build-ing cross-cultural relationships, which was a topic that had permeated much of the evening’s conversation.

“You may make a friend that’ll let you crash on their couch in Berlin someday,” he told the students.

SUHAIB KAHNSTAFF WRITER

We’re all human here. We all want to sit with people who we can speak the same language with or who look a little like us, but I’d like it if every-one took the inten-tionality to sit with people who they may have a keen interest in � nding our their storyRoss Diamond, director of GMU Hillel


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Forensics team seniors discuss experience

The Forensics Team is striving to be in the nation’s top five for its 25 time this year. Seniors including Brennan Morris and Danielle Ohrenberger would love to see that happen.

“Last year out of 100 schools at the American Forensics Association, we were fourth in the nation,” said Morris.

Over spring break, the team is off to Brussels, Belgium for the International Forensics Association Tournament.

“Forensics offers a friendly and inviting environment. We get to travel and go to differ-ent countries in the world – we went to Rome last year where we ranked first in the IFA.

Following the Spring Break trip, the team is headed to Kansas for the American Forensics Association tournament from April 2-9.

“Kansas isn’t the most exciting place, but it’s great to travel all around the states too,” said Morris.

According to Peter Pober, Director of Forensics, “The team’s had an amazing year so far. They have not finished less than second in any tournament and have been first at 16 or 18 of the 20 competitions we’ve been to.”

These will be the last few competitions of Morris and Ohrenberger’s undergraduate years. They both joined Forensics before college and will continue to use the skills they learned in their careers.

“I started my sophomore year of high school. I guess I was just geeky enough to do it. I was always interested in politics, public policy, and international affairs,” said Morris.

Ohrenberger began in middle school because one of her friends convinced her to join, and she has not regretted her decision since.

“I immediately realized what my friend was talking about and fell in love with the activ-ity. Ten years later, and I’m still in love,” said Ohrenberger.

Morris, a national finalist in extemporary speaking and a sweepstakes speaker, knows Forensics will help him after graduation.

“I’ve always been into politics, and Forensics provides a powerful skill set for developing cogent arguments. It gives you the tools needed to pursue a political career,” said Morris.

Ohrenberger, one of the two team captains, is equally thankful for the opportunities granted by Forensics.

“There are so many great memories over the years. Forensics gives us the opportunity to shed light on topics and arguments that may otherwise go unnoticed. Being on the team has prepared me for the postgraduate world more than I can ever imagine. I would not trade the experiences, friends, and memories I’ve made in the activity for anything,” said Ohrenberger.

Pober has nothing but good words for his seniors and the rest of the Forensics Team.

“Their dedication to their craft and to the team has been outstanding. The topics they choose, the speeches they write, the research they’ve done continues to bring honor to GMU,” said Pober. “I could not be more proud of them.”

The close-knit group continues to be a force to reckon with in the numerous Forensics competitions. The team’s balanced approach to the three Forensics categories and its team effort are what, according to Pober, Morris, and Ohrenberger, keep the team on top.

“With 30 some odd individuals, it’s always a team effort. It’s not about individual accom-plishments. It’s about coming together to best represent GMU, and we have the best coach-ing staff we possibly could,” said Morris.

HANNA KRASSTAFF WRITER

Ohrenberger and Morris credit the team for opportunities and memories

The forensics team has traveled around the world and earned high titles. These experiences have allowed seniors Danielle Ohrenberger and Brennan Morris opportunities that will serve them well in their careers and memories that provided a wholesome college experience.

(PHOTOS BY ALEXIS GLENN/CREATIVE SERVICES)

EntErtainmEntBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 11

Forget “(500) Days of Summer” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” Mason may be more inter-ested in independent film “The Long-Term Side Effect,” which was produced and directed by a Mason alumna and features a number of Mason students and faculty, as well as actors in the D.C. area.

The Mason students and faculty working on the movie make up a good percentage of the cast and production crew, with 10 alumni, one current student, one professor and one staff member.

This is fitting because Dannie Snyder – the producer, director, writer, music composer, and one of the cinematographers and audio mixers for the film – is a Mason graduate of 2010, who studied Theatre Studies, Film and Video Studies and music.

“During my senior year, I directed a studio theater production with the Mason Players called Fuddy Meers, where I met Kathleen Mason who was playing the lead role,” Synder said. “I promised to one day write a film for her, which resulted in ‘The Long-Term Side Effect,’ her debut for the screen.”

And so the indie film was born. “The Long-Term Side Effect” was originally going to be a series of five different short films filmed within four years.

Each short film was going to focus on a different protagonist who would also make appearances in the other films as extras.

“However, as I developed storylines, I was more and more drawn to [character] Lei Kelly’s ache and struggle,” Snyder said. “In Jan. 2011, I asked Kathleen to meet with me

urgently because, not only had I decided to do a feature film about Lei Kelly in five different relationships, but I realized that the summer would be the best time to shoot it. Panic!”

Now, “The Long-Term Side Effect” is one film based upon character Lei Kelly, who is portrayed by Mason alumna Kathleen Mason.

The character is a survivor of pancreatic cancer — at a price. The treatment for Lei’s cancer is experimental and causes a side effect that stops her from aging, making her stay 22 years old when she is actually in her 40s.

“What if someone could live forever? What if it was because of a drug experiment gone wrong? What if the government admits that they have been lying about something? What if there was a huge news report about finding the cure to cancer? These questions led me to Lei Kelly,” Snyder said.

Though the film may seem dramatic and emotionally-intense, a LIV Creations, LLC press release states otherwise, saying it is actu-ally a “quirky, awkward comedy re-imagined.”

The film delves into Lei’s relationship with a new client, who is performed by Mason professor Mary Lechter, SAG; a young man played by Mason alumnus Chris Aldrich; a Feng Shui Consultant (Ian Abadilla); a stranger with pancreatic cancer performed by Mason student Joshua Paul McCreary; and her daughter (Gabriella Lacombe) – five people who each fear the element of time under different situations.

“Lei Kelly is ‘living the dream’ of not aging, of being 22 years old forever,” Snyder said. “I think most people, but young people in

particular, will immediately connect to this conflict. However, audiences will immedi-ately recognize the flaws of such a dream, such as all of your friends and family outliving you.”

Snyder believes we are all affected by time differently, so, we deal with the pressure of time differently — a belief emphasized in the film.

“Yes, we can ‘restart’ our life whenever we want,” Snyder said. “[It] could be as big as getting a new job or as small as rearranging all of the furniture in our house. Making the decision to change is easy; many say the hard part is sticking to it. Kathleen and I believe that the thing that makes ‘sticking to it’ truly hard is our desire for everyone in our life to change with us.”

Mason theater professor and founder of Acting For Young People, Mary Lechter, was drawn to the theme, plot and connection between characters in “The Long-Term Side Effect,” and was touched when Snyder reached out to her to be a part of the film.

“Over the years I’ve been looking to work with former students,” said Lechter, who has been a professional actor since graduat-ing college. “[Dannie] was able to take what [Kathleen] Mason and I did and work with it to create an interesting dynamic between the characters. It’s interesting how, out of all of the characters, Dana is the only character that wasn’t so strongly influenced by Lei.”

But creating this interesting dynamic between characters with a small budget and limited people — a problem many indepen-dent films have to face — is why Snyder took

on so many roles in producing the film. Not only is she responsible for piecing the film together, she is responsible for her own theatre production company, LIV Creations, LLC.

“All of the food for the shoots was paid for and cooked by yours truly,” Snyder said. “While being the producer, director, writer, music producer, and one of the cinematogra-phers and audio mixers, I thought it would be too much to also include ‘craft services’”

“I’ll never forget the day Seth Blaustein, another cinematographer, showed up to his first shoot,” Snyder said. “[He found] just me, ready to set up all of our equipment. The first thing he said was, ‘Where is everyone?’ I embarrassedly replied, ‘Uh... This is it.’”

Snyder and her cast and crew of Mason students, alumni and faculty, are awaiting responses from independent film festivals in the U.S.

“Stay tuned,” Snyder said . “We’ve submit-ted to a handful of festivals and, hope-fully, will soon be announcing our festival premiere.

After we have decided what festival we will be premiering at, we will be able to nail down a touring schedule. Our hope is, after our private screening in March, to come back to the D.C. area in the fall for a public screening.”

RYAN WEISSERENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Alumna creates indie film “The Long-Term Side Effect”

(PHOTO BY TONY ECKERSLEY/THE LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECT) (PHOTO BY JAMES SEGARS/THE LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECT)

(Left) Kathleen Mason and Chris Aldrich on the roof, waiting for the go from James Segars. The house used for the shot belongs to Pat and Allen Snyder, Dannie’s parents. (Right) Danielle Snyder was the producer, director, writer, music composer, and one of the cinematographers and audio mixers for the film.

Mason graduate produces, directs, writes and composes feature film

EntErtainmEnt Broadside12 Feb. 11, 2013

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Homecoming 2013 Schedule

TUESDAYPeace, Love and Can-structionThe HUB Ballroom 12 p.m.- 3 p.m.Annual event in which students compete by building structures out of do-nated cans. After the competition, the cans will be donated to the local food bank.

WEDNESDAYLike, Totally 80s Dance ShowcaseJ.C. Atrium 12 p.m.- 2 p.m.Come see Mason students show off their 80’s talents, incorporated into their modern hip-hop, beat boxing, and break dancing skills.

MONDAYViva la Majesty: Mason Majesty PageantJ.C. Dewberry Hall 8 p.m.- 10 p.m.Mason royalty strut for the Majesty Pageant, showing off formal, casual and swim wear. Come see their talents on the runway.

FRIDAYHomecoming Pep Rally: Reppin’ and Peppin’J.C. Atrium7 p.m.- 9 p.m.Mason students gather and cheer for the homecoming game, pumping up the spirit and cheering for the Mason basketball players. Encourage the team for their game against Georgia State on Saturday.

SATURDAYHomecoming Block PartyParking Lot K 1 p.m.- 4 p.m.Celebrate with Mason Nation at the homecoming block party in Lot K. Repre-sentatives from various organizations, students and alumni are a part of the annual tailgate.

MAKE SURE TO COME OUT TO SUPPORT MEN’S BASKETBALL WHEN THEY PLAY GEORGIA STATE ON SATURDAY AT 4 P.M.

THURSDAYAre you iN’SYNC?J.C. Dewberry Hall 8 p.m.- 10 p.m.A night of blasting back to music artists such as *NSYNC and Britney Spears. Come show off your lip-syncing talents, wearing that stylish 90’s out� t you’ve always wanted to have the excuse to put on.

THROUGHOUT THE WEEK (MONDAY-FRIDAY)Penny WarsOffi ce of Student Involvement 10 a.m.-12 p.m.Teams compete throughout the week to collect pennies. Whoever has the most pennies at the end of the week wins money for their philanthropy.

THROUGHOUT THE WEEK (MONDAY-FRIDAY)Spirit StationsJ.C. Kiosk3 p.m.-5 p.m.Free Mason gear give-aways all week to keep you up to pace with Homecom-ing week. Stop by and they’ll be sure to help you stockpile for the big game.


Keep up while on the move with the Mobile Mason app.Maps, news, sports scores, bus schedules, campus directory, library resources, videos, photos, and emergency data, at your fingertips.

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Whether you’re spending the day smitten or single, there are events and dinners in D.C. and Fairfax, as well as campus festivities, to make the most of your Valentine’s Day.

Mason has two big events that would be perfect for those celebrating Singles Awareness Day, as well as serving as a distrac-tion from the lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day hoopla.

As a part of Homecoming 2013, there will be the “Are You iN’SYNC” lip-syncing event. You’ll get to relive some of your best child-hood memories of singing along to Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, TLC and other 90’s pop bands.

Th e Patriots Activity Council, the orga-nization throwing the event, encourages people to dress up in character and bring your best dance moves to make this night ultra-fabulous.

For couples on campus searching for fun things to do around Mason for Valentine’s festivities, there’s the Be My Fit Valentine event, a couples competition at the RAC on Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Get a head a start and work on toning those quads and biceps because couples will be participating in wheelbarrow races, crab walks and other physical activities that require teamwork and some healthy compe-tition with your honey.

But if you are sick of campus and want to do

something a bit special for your sweetie, head out to Dolce Vita – located in Fairfax – for a Zagat-rated dinner, and then splurge on some cupcakes from Cupcakes Actually.

With reasonable prices for award-winning Italian cuisine, you can’t go wrong with Dolce Vita – especially with the romantic ambiance of the family-owned restaurant. Th ink of split-ting a plate of spaghetti, chicken parmesan or

ricotta-stuff ed shells with your sweetie – very Lady and the Tramp, no?

Cupcakes Actually in Fairfax, Va. prides itself on its sweet confections and friendly service to those who want to give in to their sweet tooth. Two cupcakes stand out as Valentine’s Day worthy: the “Simply Red” red velvet cupcake is the perfect sweet treat to share with your beau or belle, and the “Chocolate-Covered

Strawberry” cupcake exudes decadence.For sweethearts wishing to fi nd refuge

from Fairfax and Mason on V-Day, there are two quaint restaurants in D.C. where you can indulge your taste buds and enjoy a warm atmosphere in this chilly weather.

One spot, located in Georgetown, is a treat for couples looking for a sweet getaway. Café La Ruche is a magical little café, decorated with paper hearts and pink twinkling lights – practically a replication of Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” – complete with couples sharing delec-table napoleons and tarte aux pommes and sipping their hot chocolates or black coff ee.

Th e fi nal spot worth mentioning is not your typical Valentine’s spot. Th ough Pines of Florence, located in Adams Morgan, is an Italian restaurant serving plates meant for two, it is also a small restaurant with mismatched glassware and vintage décor, which comple-ments the authentic Northern Italian cuisine.

You and your loved one can enjoy home-made sauces and pasta, fresh fi sh and tender lamb for a meal that can range anywhere from $20-$50 – scrumptious and inexpensive for those on a budget.


Valentine’s Day is sweet for both singles and couples

Mason students are being given a chance to show employers why they stand out against all other competition.

Th is is the fi rst year Mason’s holding Th e M Factor: What Makes You Awesome contest, hosted by University Career Services. Th e video contest allows Mason students to submit videos to the Career Services Facebook page and show how Mason students stand out.

One fortunate winner will be awarded $100 to go toward a choice student orga-nization or academic department. Also, the winner will be given the chance to bypass the lengthy line at the upcoming career fair.

Second, third, fourth and fi fth runner-ups will also be given the chance to forego the career fair line.

Although the video’s main purpose is to express what makes each student stand out from the crowd, videos that also show why the participant is awesome as a Mason student will get special consideration.

“It’s OK to brag a little when you’re looking for a job. It’s part of your ‘personal pitch,’ which shows the employer why you’re unique and why you could be a good hire,” states the M Factor fl ier.

Th is contest helps students think before the career fair and realize how they can set themselves apart from the

crowd.“Everything professional doesn’t

have to be stuff y,” said Stephen Monroe, a Communications Marketing Coordinator and M Factor Contest Coordinator. “We want students to think of themselves and their career in creative ways.”

All students are encouraged to partic-ipate. Th ere is no age limit or fi eld of study requirement. Th e only catch is that the video must be between 10 and 60 seconds long and submitted to the Career Services Facebook page by Sunday, Feb. 17.

Last Tuesday at noon, a camera was set up on campus to fi lm videos on-lo-cation. Th is was helpful for students who don’t have access to a camera. Also, its prominent place in the Johnson Center drew the attention of many students who had yet to learn about this contest.

Because of the time constraint, with the contest ending merely two days before the career fair starts, the winner will be chosen by the Career Services offi ce staff . However, in the future the judges may change to majority vote through Facebook.

Th is contest promotes individuality and encourages students to synthesize their unique personal traits with a lasting and fulfi lling career.

“Organization skills, leadership and dedication are all universal traits,” Monroe said.

However, not all workplaces are the same; there is no specifi c formula for character traits all businesses want. “It depends on the employer, and it could depend on the culture of the certain offi ce,” Monroe continued.

An interview shows employers how fast one can think on his or her feet, and a resume shows employers a candidate’s accomplishments written on paper. Th e M Factor shows the creative and charis-matic side of an individual.

“If we can help students not just fi nd a job, but fi nd a job and career they actually like, that they feel comfortable doing, and are engaged in, that would be fantastic,” Monroe said.

Th e career fair, held at the Johnson Center in Dewberry Hall, will be on Feb. 20-21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ranging from many diff erent fi elds of study and experience, more than130 potential employers will be in attendance.

To submit a video to the M Factor contest you can go to Career Services’ Facebook page.

DARLENE ALEGRADOSTAFF WRITER

Students showcase talents for employers in online video contest

(JACQUIE HARTMAN/BROADSIDE)


MasonMakes Careers

What were some of your day-to-day responsibilities? Day-to-day responsibilities vary: I’ve edited award ceremonies to be aired on televi-sion; I’ve called members of Congress to help ask for support; I’ve searched contact information for famous actors, CEO’s and politicians; and I will be helping to plan a veterans mental health forum in Chicago.

How do your courses — or involvement in student organizations — at Mason help you with your internship? I’m a sister of Gamma Phi Beta and that has given me the leadership skills needed at EIC, and the knowledge to be proactive in my work. My courses have given me a public health background, so I usually have background knowledge of issues we are discussing.

What’s the most exciting part of your internship? Th e most exciting thing that’s happened is on my very fi rst day, I walked in and they asked if I wanted to join in going to Congress that afternoon. Th e CEO, Brian Dyak, was going to speak at a forum on mental health along with other panelists. Also I’ve edited something to be aired on TV, and that was pretty amazing.

What’s the most challenging part of your internship, and how do you overcome those challenges? Th e most challenging part is that I am one of seven interns in a small offi ce, and we all have diff erent shifts, so miscommunication happens often. To overcome this, I’ve learned to alert all interns on the progress of projects, which seems like overkill, but its necessary.

What advice would you give students applying for internships? To students applying: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, but also be persistent. It’s competitive, so networking helps big time.


Every week, Broadside features a student or alumnus with a great internship or job to highlight the opportunities and potential earning a degree at Mason offers

(PHOTO COURTESY OF KATY IVEY)

NAME: Katy IveyGRADUATION DATE: May 2013DEGREE: Global and Community Health concentrating in global healthINTERNSHIP: Entertainment Indutries Council (EIC) in Reston, Va.

“Do you have a minute for gay rights?”

“We are the Mormon mission-aries. Do you have a moment for

Christ?” Mason is no stranger to the occasional

protester, activist or advocate for a variety of diff erent organizations and opinions that range from denouncement of abortion to promotion of gay rights.

Despite the variety of diff erent opinions represented on our diverse campus, there is at least one similar trait that all groups have in common; they strive to reach as many students as they possibly can, which most often results in uncomfortable confrontations in and around North Plaza.

Th e typical encounter begins when an indi-vidual activist spots me and we engage in brief eye contact.

At this point, they know I’ve seen them, and despite my attempts to fi nd an escape route, normally I have given them enough time to engage in my path and intercept me before I can reach the safety of the Johnson Center, Robinson A or B, or David King Hall.

Give it a few more seconds and they have created a blockade in front of me, making it impossible for me to avoid them without being unnecessarily rude.

I give them up to two minutes to talk to me before I delicately excuse myself to wherever I need to be.

Th e following is a depiction of what I would consider to be both an atypical and an unnec-essarily rude encounter between a student and an activist.

A tall male student made his way through North Plaza, not moving particularly quickly, giving the activist equipped with a clipboard and pens ample time to intercept the student.

“Do you have a moment to discuss—” but the activist doesn’t get to fi nish his question.

Th e situation, ostensibly no diff erent than the previous encounters, escalates quickly when the student responds with an audibly loud and obnoxious response:

“Do I really look like I want to talk to you?”Th e activist looks like he was just kicked in

the face while the student stares at him incred-ulously, not seeing that he has completely mishandled the situation.

Th e student moves his way around the activist and walks into the Johnson Center, leaving the activist to regroup and move on to the next student.

Th e situation, despite being unique in nature, holds some truth in how many students view being approached by such activists.

However, most possess enough social grace not to allow the situation to play out in such an unnecessarily uncivil way.

Incivility is a topic most of us are fairly familiar with. It’s an adjective often used to describe why it seems that Congress cannot get any work done, why discussions over reli-gion and politics are so inherently heated and, potentially, why groups across the U.S.. are reporting declining numbers of student and adult activists.

When the fabric of activism is stained with problems such as growing incivility, it does little to encourage the strengthening of such individual advocates.

When sharing an opinion results in strong criticism of both personal and professional nature, opinions become fewer and farther between and often are of more superfi cial nature.

Th e youth perspective was once one of radi-calism that stimulated change and fortifi ed the desire for it.

Today, it would appear as though delicate boundaries suppress the expansion of such boundaries.

Today, radicalism is condemned as off en-sive, and having an opinion is synonymous with complaining.

An open and civil public dialogue is a crucial resource when it comes to discussing change, let alone making it.

Our societal desire to avoid real opinions on change by confronting it with incivility is a dangerous trend that should not and cannot be continued.

So may I make a suggestion? Th e next time you’re walking through North Plaza and you get caught in the sticky web spun by “just another activist” consider the implications of blowing them off .

If you really do need to bail, try one of the million excuses aff orded to you by being at college like:

“Sorry, I have to run to class.”“I’m late for a meeting, next time.

Aaron LockeManaging Editor

Opposition and Incivility at Mason

OPINIONBROADSIDE Feb. 11 2013 17

In recent years, there has been a nationwide e� ort by celebrities, educators, and parents to deal with bullying.

Like criminal behavior for adults, the act of one youth tormenting another has always been an occurrence in society, driven by the darker wing of the human condition.

Nevertheless, over the past few years a series of well-publicized suicides have led many to seek a myriad of endeavors to curve the malignant practice.

One example of these national e� orts, titled “Love is Louder,” was seen on campus last week. Held at the Liberty Square Lobby last Wednesday, the goal of the event was to kick o� an anti-bully-ing initiative at GMU.

“In partnership with the Love is Louder Anti-Bullying movement, we are starting the campaign here at Mason! Please feel free to join, share the LOVE and post pictures, videos or links that share your own personal bullying story or simply provide hope for others,” reads their Facebook Group page in part.

Some may wonder why the e� orts. We have always had bullies; we have

always had children bullied. What makes

things di� erent? � e answer is the Internet. As a child of the 90s, I hold my share

of not-so-fond elementary school memories of being bullied.

However, I also remember that I had many chronological bastions to protect me against such treatment.

I had the weekend. When the 3:30 p.m. bell rang every Friday, I was free from verbal abuse for the next two days. I also had the summer, where months would go by sparing me the company of those peers who sought to make my life miserable.

I had Christmas Break (yes, even public schools called it that back then) and Spring Break as well.

By the time the Internet came into the lives of tens of millions of American youngsters, I was in high school and the bullying had subsided. Yet for those who have come after me, the story is not so pleasant.

With the Internet present the abuse does not stop with an afternoon bell or warmer months.

It goes on and on. It happens on Facebook and YouTube. It happens on blogs, message boards, and other venues

allowing for the torment to be ongoing. No longer is there an escape, a respite

from the su� ering. Bullying is an old problem, but it has

been given new weapons in the form of social media and other online venues.

As technology improves, human � aws remain the same.

As a result, there needs to be a grand, large-scale counter swing to the increased prominence of bullying in the lives of victims.

Love is Louder is one example, others exist at the legislative and national level.

E� orts to combat bullying like certain legal measures and national awareness groups may have their occasional short-comings, but their ultimate vision is for a better world; a world where the dread and the pain can be countered with compassion and love.

Broadside George Mason University’s Student Newspaper

Colleen Wilson Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Locke Managing Editor

Niki Papadogiannakis News Editor Ryan Weisser Entertainment Editor

Melanie Miles Asst. Entertainment Editor Elise Baker Editorials Editor Bryan Dombrowski Sports Editor

Jennifer Miller Asst. Sports Editor Jenny Krashin Photography Editor Stephen Kline Design Editor Natalie Shapiro Copy Editor

Ashly Mayle Copy Editor

Manuel Alfaro Cartoonist

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Jacques Mouyal Business Manager David Carroll Associate Director

Broadside is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax Community. The editors of Broadside 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 noti� ed at the email listed above.

Broadside is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the

Want to share your opinion? Letters to the Editor are welcome and are printed on the basis of space, quality, and timeliness. All submissions are the property of Broadside and may be edited for clarity, brevity, and grammar. Material containing libel, racist slurs, personal attacks or obscenities may be edited or rejected. The author’s name, class year (and/or title when appropriate), major and daytime phone number must be included for veri� cation of authenticity. The dead-line submission is Thursday by 10 p.m.

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An age-old problem given a horrid new weapon

Michael GryboskiColumnist

I am not good at making decisions. My friends and family know it and so do I. I have gotten better at it over the years but I still have trouble deciding what kind of ice cream to get.

Obviously this a� ected me choosing my major when I came to college.

I put o� deciding a major for as long as I could but spring of Freshman year my advisor encouraged me take a ‘decision making for dummies’ course.

I was not enthusiastic about this class. I remember walking in the � rst day and having to play the many icebreaker games which always highlights my awkwardness. After the � rst day we spent time taking personality quizzes to help identify what our strengths were.

I learned that I have little to no skills in math and science. At least that crossed options o� my long list of possible majors. � en we took more personality tests to pinpoint what type of personality we have.

Mine was more on the creative side and that’s when I started to think about majoring in Communication.

� is course, also known as University 200, really helped me � gure out what my likes and dislikes are.

� ese teachers take the time to work with each student, going through di� erent options that otherwise I would have

never thought about. By taking the personality tests, you get more of an understanding of why your interests are what they are. Also, if you have no idea what your interests are, like I did, this class provides some general insight.

After determining your interests, the course requires you to research certain majors further, so that you have an idea of what credits you have to take.

� is was also helpful because I know that I never wanted to look into major requirements. Since the teachers know how the system works, it was less confusing setting up my plan for what classes to take each year.

Currently I have no idea what I want to do with my life, and I am assuming that many fellow students don’t know either. I would encourage anyone to take University 200, it can only help you make a new decision or just validate that you are in the right major.

Indecisiveness at its � nest

Elise BakerOpinion Editor

OPINION BROADSIDE18 Feb. 11, 2013

It is sad that we inhabit a world that treats women as second class citizens simply by the act of indoc-trinating the youth to understand a

woman’s existence to be for two reasons: 1) for the pleasure of man and 2) to bear child.

To come across a man, who obviously wouldn’t have the audacity to proclaim these beliefs, but to implicitly treat women this way further proves that many men in our society, really are patriarchal.

In their explicit roles in politics and religion, as well as in daily societal structures that we are forced to subconsciously subscribe to.

It is the media that continues exploiting women with burdens of maintaining a sexual appeal and caring for the man’s domestic needs. It is the media that fanatically and fantastically eroticizes the woman beyond a man’s wildest dreams.

It is the media that implicitly teaches a man that the woman is submissive to his sexual desires. � at she is only subject to sexual desires because she is undeserving of any intellectual or spiritual desire.

It is the media that subconsciously indoctrinates men to believe that women are the weaker half and therefore can be dominated not only emotionally, but physically as well.

Even the powerful roles that women hold in � lm and pop culture, starting decades ago, are highly eroticized.

Dr. Laura Mulvey, a feminist � lm theorist would agree, “In � lm women [are] seen as an object [and] not a subject”. Even Wonder Woman had to be half naked in order to gain notability. Her superpower, implicitly of course, was her sexual prowess. Regardless of the fact that she was a heroic icon who promoted women’s equality, she was the only female on the Justice League.

Young boys also grow up with the images of a woman who, even whilst � ghting crime as

an internationally recognized hero, she is also objecti� ed.

Young boys adopt the assumptions that women—no matter how powerful—are still second-class to men, only available for their physical attractions.

What’s even more despicable is that a woman’s body is only considered sexy only if it abides by society’s set guidelines of what “sexy” is. � at is a whole other problem that lies within the context of the media’s portrayal of women (based on their weight and body type, among a myriad of other ‘superior’ characteristics).

� ese images of women feed into a woman’s psyche—she begins to believe that she must have physical standards that meet those that society calls for or she is sub-par as an individual and especially as a woman.

A Yale research study has found that, in certain situations, older female � gures such as professors rate female subjects, who are just as competent as their male counterparts, as less superior. “� e result is due not to intentional marginalization, but to ‘subconscious cultural in� uences.’” writes Kate Baldwin, a writer for � e Hu� ngton Post.

We must knock these � aws down not with our bare hands, but with our minds, with our creative eye and with our written word.

A woman is powerful and beautiful no matter who tells her she is or isn’t She is what she deems herself to be. � at power is only found in freedom. So, free yourself by empowering yourself.

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My interview with Anne Hathaway

A not so wondrous Wonder Woman

Hala NewmanColumnist

With the Academy Awards right around the corner, I managed to snag an interview with nominee Anne Hathaway. Ms. Hathaway was nominated

for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Fantine in Les Miserables, and as a result has been di� cult to get ahold of for an interview.

After being turned away several times by her publicist, I was able to schedule a last- second interview with her in her swanky LA apartment. Enjoy!

Me: Anne! How does it feel to be nominated for best supporting actress?

Anne: WHO ARE YOU?? IT’S 2 A.M.! HOW DID YOU GET IN MY APARTMENT?? GET OUT!

Me: Have you been a fan of musicals your whole life?

At this point, Ms. Hathaway pulled out pepper spray from her bedside dresser, and sprayed me in the face. Some people just don’t know how to treat the press! I took that as my sign to leave.

Surprisingly, I was able to schedule a follow-up interview with her the next day. We met in her car after getting a co� ee at a hip LA co� ee joint.

Me: So how was it singing on camera?Anne: HOW DID YOU GET IN MY

CAR? WHAT THE HELL?!Me: Would you say you are a natural

singer? Anne: WERE YOU WAITING FOR ME

OUTSIDE THE COFFEE SHOP? WHO ARE YOU!?

At this point in the interview, Ms. Hathaway threw her hot co� ee drink into my face. It was scalding hot, and I took it as a sign that the interview was over.

Strangely enough, I was able to secure a third interview with her the next day. She had � own to New York over night, so I met her in her trendy Manhattan penthouse.

Me: Had you seen Les Miserables on Broadway before taking the part in the movie?

Anne: YOU FOLLOWED ME TO NEW YORK? HOW DID YOU FIND ME!?

Me: How was it working with Hugh Jackman?

Anne: THIS IS A POLICE GRADE TASER!!! THAT’S TWENTY THOUSAND VOLTS YOU STALKER FREAK!

At this point Ms. Hathaway tased me, and I awoke in custody of the NYPD eight hours later. I was slapped a major � ne, 50 hours of community service, and a restraining order from Ms. Hathaway.

I guess some people just can’t handle fame. Check back in next week for my interview with Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper!

Paul LaudieroColumnist

OPINIONBROADSIDE Feb. 11, 2013 19

When I was in elementary school reading was my thing. I still remember the struggle of

� nding good books I hadn’t read yet in the library, the cool places I got to go when I did � nd a book, and then that ultimate satisfac-tion of punishing an AR test. If AR points were currency I could of retired in third grade.

And then I stopped caring about books. � e factory of awkwardness that is middle school slowly got me into the stupidity that is video games, and then high school hit me with football and photography. Reading went to the wayside.

Once you’re in college reading is just a huge pain the ass. Every professor has some article or case study or book they want you to read, and you don’t, but that knowledge that you’re supposed to be reading something that you’re only slightly interested in completely kills the experience (just in case one of my professors is reading this, I promise don’t ever skim over articles and read your assignments diligently).

Reading becomes an obligation, not an enjoyable pastime.

� is cripples our society. � e next best alter-native for most people is to watch television, and have you seen what’s on there? � e West Virginia version of Jersey Shore? � e thirty di� erent pawn shop shows? It’s marketing genius, but I feel my brain slowly melting into a puddle of pink mush every time I turn them on. If I had my way, they only channels I’d get are ESPN and the various other sport networks, and that’s only because I like having background noise while I do other things.

I’m not a scientist. I haven’t researched this stu� . But I can tell you that you’ll feel � fty times more intelligent after � nishing a

novel then you will after watching TV. I don’t even care if you’re reading something as basic as Fifty Shade of Grey or Cat in the Hat (yes, they are both on the same plane in my eyes), reading anything will � ex your brain.

Hopefully, after working your way through the Twilight or Hunger Games series, you’ll want to graduate to some big boy books. � is was a slow process for me, I’ll admit it, but it’s something I’ve been working on for the past couple years. I took a completely irrational liking to Twain and decided to set to reading some of his more random books. I’d suggest doing the same thing, pick a famous author that you know writes in a style you’d enjoy and just go to town (for example, Twain or even Vonnegut is good if you like humor, King if you like horror stu� , or Grisham if you like mysteries, and yes that list is geared towards guys because I don’t know what girls read).

Pro-tip: ask your grandma which author you should read. I can almost guarantee that she’ll give you a good recommendation; grandmas are really good at that stu� .

I’m still largely a hypocrite because I’m still trying to get deep into reading, but I’m trying. I’m also sure that because you are reading this you already read other things, so you probably aren’t my target audience. Help me out by punching a whole in your friends TV and throwing a book at them. Together, we can make the world a better place.

My case for picking up a book

Stephen KlineDesign Editor

Last week, skeletal remains excavated from a parking lot in the English city of Leicester were identi� ed as those of 15th century monarch Richard III. Of all the monarchs of Britain to � nd, Richard III is a great one.

Richard III came to the throne in 1453 following the death of his brother, King Edward IV. To get to

his position, Richard then deposed his nephew, the twelve year old Edward V, and his younger brother, another Richard. Both boys were eventually killed in the Tower of London, an act that historians consistently credit to their uncle (debates rage over many other deaths attributed to Richard).

His way clear, Richard succeeded his late nephew, becoming the third of his name to ascend the throne of England. As can very well be imagined, the way the succession took place did not sit very well with many in England.

After two years on the throne, Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field during the third rebellion to his reign (talk about low approval ratings). A distant relative, Henry, Earl of Richmond, took the throne, and established the Tudor dynasty, which would bring one of the most famous monarchs of England: Elizabeth I.

History has a rather sour view of Richard III, mostly because of one man: William Shakespeare. He penned the play � e Tragedy of King Richard III, which portrayed the titular character as a deformed, humpbacked, (Richard su� ered from severe scoliosis), evil, immoral psychopath, with no other goal in mind than to satisfy his burning ambition of the throne of England.

As time progresses, history has a way of popping up again. Well, Richard popped back into all of our lives when he was found in Leister, a dream come true for many, especially the

Richard III Society, which is an organization devoted to revis-iting Richard’s role in history and rehabilitating his image. Perhaps they should borrow the USS Abraham Lincoln’s “Mission Accomplished” banner.

What I’m trying to get at here is the fact that history is very much alive and well. Finding Richard, whose legacy will now be revisited because of his discovery, is just a reminder of the timelessness of history. � ank goodness I can learn more about it here at George Mason University!

Resurrected Richard III Draws Attention

Editorial byDavid Dorsey

Not So Discrete by Manny Alfaro

SportS Broadside20 Feb. 4, 2013

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SportSBroadside Feb. 11, 2013 21

Q: One big thing Mason fans are unsure of is the identity of their point guard, who is it?A: Well right now it’s Corey Edwards. I think putting Bryon Allen into our lineup as a secondary point guard or on the wing has allowed him to play a little more freely.

Q: Is that the offense you drew up from the beginning?A: We came into the year thinking our post players would be the center of our offense, and early in the year they were having trouble finishing.

We had to change things: post up our perim-eter players more inside, make some shots and go to the line. Sherrod, Anali, Jonathan, Bryon. Particularly Sherrod is getting fouled a lot and he brings us some easy baskets.

Q: You mentioned Jonathan Arledge. You originally put him in to replace Johnny Williams in the starting lineup due to his concussion. Is he making his way back to that starting spot?A: It is taking longer than we thought to get him back, our training staff says this sort of thing is common with a concussion, but we are more concerned with getting him healthy and where he needs to be.

We had this same experience last year with Corey and when he came back he was not the same player. Our primary concern is getting him back healthy and doing what is best for him.

Q: Who is our on-court leader?A: We don’t have a lot of personality. I’d have to say Corey or Paris Bennett are some of our more vocal players.

Q: What about Marco? He gets fired up on the sidelines a lot. Do you think he will develop into that sort of emotional leader?A: He could, he’s a freshman and a very emotional player. He is a smart and good player, but sometimes he has those moments. He is very passionate about team play and I’m glad we have him.

Q: How do you make decisions on deciding the lineup and who gets how much play time?A: Performance, practice and obviously in games too, but a lot of that decision comes

from seeing performance in practice.

Q: What do you feel we are doing really well as a team?A: Defense. We’re able to limit and control a lot of the teams we play and play our game.

Q: What about on offense?A: Offense is a fickle thing, it’s about making shots. Sometimes you can run a great offense but the shots won’t go in. We are getting the ball inside, we’ve done that well all season. But now we have guys that are finishing plays getting to the foul line.

Q: What do we need to get down before going into the tournament?A: We got to rebound more.

Q: Would you tie our weakness on the boards to our losses this season?A: I can’t say every single game, but if there is one thread that appears or shows up most often, that is the common factor. It is not the only thing but there are two three games where if we rebounded better we would have definitely won those games.

Q: What about the issues with consistency we are having? Like the Drexel game where we were hot one half and ice cold the next. A: It’s the age old question of coaching: athletic performance. I think it centers around rebounding. We rebounded good in the first half, but in the second they scraped their offense and just went after the ball; we weren’t ready for it.

Teams get emotionally high when they are rebounding, especially on offense. If we don’t rebound the ball we don’t have that confi-dence and emotion.

If we do a good job on the boards, I think we are good enough offensively. When we are in situations where we are letting other teams get that confidence we have not responded well.

Q: What is the plan for the last few games?A: Rebounding and keep getting better, keep things moving and developing on offense. We’ve stumbled along the way but look at John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens. Losing the last couple games of their season. Harbaugh would look at the film from the games and say ‘We are getting better’ and

that’s what I feel we need to do here is just focus on improving.

Q: Rebounds and finishing, what are are you doing to work on that?A: Drills at practice, we have exercises for them, but at this point in the season it’s not so much about practice as it’s about being healthy and ready to play 100 percent.

Sometimes our travel arrangements don’t put us in a good spot to be getting ready for games. Keeping their heads fresh and keeping their legs fresh helps a lot.

Q: Is there anything you want out of Mason fans and students?A: They’re great, I tell people all the time. It’s a really good thing we have here, students and fans come out and we appreciate it. There is nothing more we want from them other than to believe in us and keep supporting us.

Q: You still think we have that sixth man advantage, even with the slip ups along the way?A: That’s on us.

Q: We always seem to be looking back on the Final Four run. Do you think we are close to getting something new for Mason to rally around?A: I think our team is headed in the right

direction, our guys are doing well. Probably not as much as I would like but, when I look at what we are capable of here, guys with good defense and good shooting, we can do some stuff.

Q: How has the young age of our team been an impact?A: As a coach it’s a battle sometimes I need to be reminded about because I keep forgetting about how young we are.

Q: So is this a building year then?A: It’s hard to look at when you’re in it,but no I think we’re in it competitively. It’s the kind of thing you won’t know until we’re out of and looking back on it.

Q: Anything else you have to add or want thrown out there?A: We want everyone out there supporting us with these last few games. This is a very very special place and we appreciate what we have here.

After being at Villanova and Georgia Tech I see it’s something that often gets taken for granted. While you’re here doing it you may not notice it but afterwards it’s something you’re going to miss.

BRYAN DOMBROWSKI SPORTS EDITOR

Coach Hewitt gives insider perspective

With six games left in his second season at Mason, Coach Hewitt has already sur-passed the number of wins former coach Jim Larranaga achieved in his first two seasons.

(STEPHEN KLINE/BROADSIDE)

Men’s basketball team might be going stagnant at a crucial time late in the season

SPORTS BROADSIDE22 Feb. 11, 2013

COLOR PAGE

Not going down without a fi ght

Sighing as she places her bag on the table, Mason women’s basketball head coach Jeri Porter walks into the media room a few short moments after addressing her team post-game in the locker room.

“I think I just yelled what was left of my voice out, but I’ll do my best,” she says, through the hoarse voice of a coach visibly disappointed with yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Old Dominion University, 53-39.

No horde of cameras or microphones in her face -- just two media personnel present to ask seemingly the same questions that come after every game.

“What’s missing?” “How’s team morale?” “What’s next?”

For coach Porter and the team, the message is resounding. Finish strong.

Th e Patriots have found signifi cant trouble in the last six games fi nishing out the game, and more specifi cally, executing in the second half.

Dating back to January 13, Mason has gone into half-time with no larger than a fi ve point spread in either direc-tion, barring Georgia State on the 27th of January, when the Patriots went into half with a nine point lead. Yet, in those same six games, the Patriots have gone 1-5, dropping the game to Georgia State, and getting outscored 207-192 in the second half.

Tuesday night against ODU was a similar story. Mason went into halftime down by eight.

“In all honesty I thought we

played better this second half than we have in some,” said Coach Porter. “I thought we came back out and we battled kind of hard, cut it down to fi ve, and then once again, the mental errors: throwing the

ball away, making poor passes in our off ensive execution.”

ODU outscored Mason by six in the second half, keeping them scoreless for the fi nal 2:52 of the game.

Coach Porter emphasized that not only does the team need to focus on fi nishing individual games, but they must also prepare to fi nish the season strong in order to make the CAA Tournament, which invites the top nine teams of the conference.

As Mason enters the second half of conference play, the team fi nds themselves 1-8 through the fi rst nine games against CAA foes.

Th e good news?Of Mason’s remaining

nine games, six come against

teams in the bottom half of the conference, putting them just below William & Mary for the weakest remaining conference schedule.

Th e bottom fi ve teams are separated by only two games,

and as the season heads toward the home stretch, coach Porter knows that the key is to keep their sights set on securing one of those nine slots.

“As much as you want to win each game, we’ve got to look at the big picture now, what we have left and what is still in front of us,” coach Porter said. “We’ve got enough games in front of us to get into our play-off s. I think the attitude becomes very important now in staying positive and continuing to work hard.”

Although Tuesday’s loss puts Mason streak to four straight, coach Porter is pleased that the players aren’t allowing

negativity to permeate the team atmosphere.

“If you walk into our prac-tices, I think you’d probably be a little surprised at how well our practices have gone, how energetic and positive everyone has been,” she said. “So I think the key for us is to try and lock in to that, and continue to put the work in, and then trust that at some point we’ll get the turnaround.”

Th e team sparked that turn-around on Sunday at home against 7th place William & Mary, draining a 3-pointer in the last seconds to win 57-56.

LINDSEY HOKASONSTAFF WRITER

“As much as you want to win each game, we’ve got to look at the big picture now, what we have left and what is still in front of us.”Coach Jeri Porter

(IAN MOSTROM/BROADSIDE)

The women’s basketball team pulled through in the game against William and Mary on Feb. 10 with a three-point shot in the last seconds of the game.

Women’s basketball team works to improve second half play

SPORTSBROADSIDE Feb. 11 2013 23

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Mason’s ultimate team has been practicing indoors to re� ne their skills for the up coming professional and college seasons this spring. Two of the team’s players recently tried out for the new D.C. Current team.

(PHOTO BY CRAIG BISACRE/CREATIVE SERVICES)

In any sport there is always another level to be striving for and it is no diff erent for the quickly growing sport of ultimate frisbee. Th ree members of Mason’s ultimate frisbee club team had an opportunity to reach that next level by trying out for the D.C. Current, one of eight newly formed elite teams in Major League Ultimate (MLU).

Th e MLU is a new alternative in the realm of professional ultimate. Last year the fi rst professional league of ultimate, the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), formed. Th e MLU spawned after many players were unhappy with how the AUDL was run.

Senior David Berg, sophomore Nathan Slade and the club team’s coach Daniel Kantor all began the long process of trying out for the professional ultimate team two weekends ago,

Th e three have a varied amount of experience. Th ey all found ultimate by looking for a sport that was not main stream and had less politics tied in with it. Slade started playing when he was in middle school while Kantor fi rst started playing in college at Cornell University.

Seeing younger players join is one sign of the growing popularity of ulti-mate frisbee.

“It’s phenomenal how many kids are

now playing in high school and middle school,” Kantor said, “Some of these kids have been playing since they were eight.”

Tryouts have required the three to wake up at 3a.m. to be on time for the 5a.m. starts. Trying out for their fi rst elite team alongside their coach had Berg and Slade nervous.

Not only is Kantor the coach, he also plays for Truck Stop, an elite club ultimate team that has made it to club nationals for the past 5 years after forming in 2005. He also went with Cornell to the National Championships in each of his four years there.

“It was nice to have a couple of famil-iar faces I knew; just knowing a lot of the Truck Stop guys just by their reputation,” Slade said.

Th ere is going to be a lot of change for the guys moving up from college to elite level.

“Th e game is a lot faster. Once you become a smart college player you can learn when to turn it on and when you can relax a little bit,” Berg said,” Playing at this level there is no lag time. It’s 100 percent all the time and you get your breaks on the sideline.”

Th ere will be more of a demand for time, a change of pace in the games and a challenge to match up with some of the

best ultimate frisbee players.“Th ere are no real weaknesses for

any of the players in the professionals. Everyone has great throws and everyone has been playing for awhile,” Slade said, “In college, a lot of people are still within their fi rst year of competitive playing.”

All three hope to continue playing and being involved with ultimate frisbee in their future, whether it is continuing at Mason, with the Current or club teams.

Berg and Slade agree that their fi rst elite tryout was more of a way to learn and better their abilities than hoping to make the team.

“I really have no expectations of making the team. I just wanted to go and get better,” Berg said. “Playing any chance I get at that level will make me a better player for Mason and give me a leg up on other college guys when we all come out after we graduate.”

Second cuts were recently announced and Slade and Kantor had advanced. Hopefully the Washington D.C. Current will feature some familiar faces when they step out for the fi rst time on April 20 against the Philadelphia Spinners.

JENNIFER MILLERASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Formation of new professional ultimate frisbee league brings team to Washington D.C.

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