OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_001.2.txt “)7 2. 755‘ fl55L V, // / ,, _ /3: V. Phi Psi waits for hearing on its fate It’s been two weeks since an off-campus Phi Psi party left a high school senior in the hospital. The fraternity has ended pledgeship, initiated its pledges and now must wait until March 19 to find out what punishment, if any, will be handed down by the Student Affairs committee. NEWS / Page 2 ASHINTO D LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING-TUM PHI. MONDAY, MARCH 10, zoos 3 y 1- H E STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 V0 LU M E CXI, ‘The Bracket’ infuriates campus President Ruscio implores editor, authors to step down By Queenie Wong snxrr wmmz Students, faculty and administrators are up in arms over an annual series published Thursday by The Trident, an independent student newspaper, that some readers say is offensive and breaches the community’s trust. The column in The ‘Trident, titled “The Bracket,” la- bels specific students as “Pretentious Sluts,” “Trapped in the Closet,” “Terrible Drunks” and “Overall Suck.” Ac- cording to the column, the point of “The Bracket” is to name the university’s most terrible person. Last Friday, the university president, the student body president and the student judicial council chair sent a let- ter to the college community, asking for a formal apology and the resignation of the column’s editor and authors. “As embarrassing as the article may have been for the individuals involved, this is even more of an embarrass- ment to the university, our values and our traditions,” the e-mail said. But The Trident’s Editor-in-Chief Christina Pratt said that the paper defends its decision to publish the column and will not issue a formal apology. “This article is not meant to offend anyone. It’s just a joke. I think people need to understand that,” she said. Pratt also said that if people are offended by the paper they should just stop reading it. "I believe that doing any such thing and trying to pass it 0/?’ as journalism is wrong and, frankly, it disgusts me. ” a2&___ Senior Tim Livingston, the co-author of the column along with senior Myke Mulhern, said that he stands by everything they wrote. “There’s a lot of ignorance, it seems, between the freshmen to understand that the tradition of the Raging Intellectuals is to write this thing every year. It’s sup- posed to be demeaning. It’s supposed to tell people who’s terrible, and the truth is, Myke and I didn’t mean this to . be insidious,” said Livingston. Livingston also said that with the exception of one joke, everything published in “The Bracket” is true. “There are people who in my four years I’ve seen just do terrible thing after terrible thing that deserve to be on it. I really don’t have any guilt for putting them on,” he said. But sophomore Neville Fogarty disagrees. “It offends me that these two writers think that they are entertaining anyone in the community or providing a service by really talking about things that have no place in print media. . .I believe that doing any such thing and trying to pass it off as journalism is wrong and, frankly, it disgusts me,” said F ogarty. Last Friday, Fogarty and eight students discussed the column with Dean of Freshman David Leonard. At the discussion, Leonard said that he has never seen such a strong student response. Although Leonard called the column “offensive, harmful and immature,” he also urged students to think before they act. “It’s really easy to fly off the handle and make some errors in judgment...I think cooler heads should prevail in terms of what can be done,” he said. But Pratt and Livingston said that they’re not worried about the consequences. “I think a week, two weeks down the road, this is go- ing to fade away,” Livingston said. PHI ARCHIVES The Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity house (above), which commands a central location in Davidson Park, will be empty next year. Placed on critical probation last year for hazing violations, the fraternity has now been convict- ed for the second time and suspended for one year by the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). SAE suspended one year for hazing violations By Jacob Geiger MANAGING EDITOR Davidson Park will be a little quieter next year as Sigma Alpha Epsilon serves a one-year suspension after being found guilty of hazing violations. The decision was handed down by the Student Affairs Committee (SAC), a group of faculty, administrators and students, after the Inter-fraternity Council found SAE guilty of hazing violations. Half of the SAC members are students, and the other half are administrators and faculty. SAE’s dismissal comes nine months after Kappa Sigma’s national office pulled the char- ter of the fratemity’s Washington and Lee’s chapter after a hazing investigation. Kappa Alpha has also been investigated by the IFC and its national office after the fraternity was accused of hazing. IFC President Chris Womom said there were two investigations involving SAE. The first investigation found no substantial evi- dence of hazing. After receiving new com- plaints, however, the IFC launched a new in- vestigation. “We had an investigation based on those complaints, and the IFC found evidence that hazing activities had occurred, so we turned the case over to SAC,” Wornom said. SAE President Jim Tartaglia declined to comment. Womom said the hazing complaints came from several different sources but said he could not reveal who those sources are. SAE was placed on critical ‘probation last year after the IFC and SAC found evidence of hazing violations. The W&L student hand- book states fraternities that violate the uni- versity’s hazing guidelines are automatically considered for suspension or dismissal. The handbook also states that the impact of violations can be lessened if the leadership of a fraternity takes immediate action to address the violations. Womom said the IFC urged SAE to take this sort of action and develop a plan that could be presented to SAC. - Executive Committee President Josh Payne, who is a member of SAC, said that while SAC’s decision was a sound one based on the information presented, he did not sup- port suspending the fraternity. “I think it’s too harsh. I don’t like the idea of kicking a fraternity off that’s moving to- wards progress,” Payne said. “I think this sets us back because they were moving forward.” SAE has 10 days to appeal the suspension to W&L President Ken Ruscio, who said he would work to make a prompt decision if the case is appealed. While declining to discuss the SAE case because of the possibility of appeal, Ruscio discussed hazing and the fraternity system. “The university has certain standards in place. The Greek system has standards in place. Those are meaningless if violations have no consequence,” Ruscio said. Though SAE’s suspension begins im- mediately, Dean of Students and SAC Chair Dawn Watkins said, “as long as nothing goes wrong,” fraternity members will be allowed to live in the house until the end of the year and that upperclassmen will be allowed to contin- ue taking meals at the chapter house. The suspension may also mean that junior Garrett Clark, a member of SAE, loses his seat on the IFC. Clark, who is currently a junior justice on the council and was scheduled to become the council’s senior justice this spring, declined to comment. Womom said the IFC had not discussed Clark’s situation yet, but he did say there was a precedent in the matter after Josh Prell, a member of Kappa Sigma, stepped down after his fraternity was suspended by the national office. According to Wornom, there has been no discussion of taking legal action against the fraternity members. “There is no precedent of legal action be- ing pursued,” Womom said. “Rather, there’s a focus on education and making sure the indi- viduals and organizations understand that haz- ing is wrong and not tolerated by the IFC, the university or the State of Virginia.” NUMBER15 KA under investigation from school, national ’ chapter Fraternity fate to be decided by SAC trial on March I 9 By Queenie Wong STAFF WRITER The Kappa Alpha Order National Administrative Office (NAO) sus- pended some members of the campus chapter after a non-student reported al- legations of hazing, Director of Chapter Services Michael Wilson said in an e- mail Wednesday to The Ring-Tum Phi. “Kappa Alpha Order as an organiza- tion has a zero tolerance for hazing,” Wilson said. After conducting a thorough inves- - tigation, the fratemity’s national office said that it verified the allegations. The period of suspension depends on how involved “each individual was in the hazing, Wilson said. Suspended mem- bers are prohibited from participating in fraternity activities on and off campus. The national office would not com- ment on how many members were sus- pended, when the suspension oflicially occurred or on the type of charges made against the chapter. The chapter’s president, junior Will Porter, and KA members would also not comment. Porter said in an e-mail to The Ring-Tum Phi that members are still in the final stages of the suspension process. “I would say hazing is no more of a focus now than in the past...this year we seem to have many re- ported incidents, so we ’ve had more investigations. ’ CHRIS WORNOM, IFC President V The national office confirmed that chapter members were advised not to comment about the case. Last month, the university’s Interfra- temity Council (IFC) also conducted a separate investigation of KA for similar charges, IFC President Chris Womom said. Womom said that the council’s in- vestigation confirmed that the hazing vi- olations were true. The IF C will make a recommendation for dismissal, suspen- sion or critical probation to the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) March 19. But KA, a fraternity founded at Washington and Lee, is not the only Greek organization at W&L accused of hazing pledges this year. Last week, the SAC suspended the campus chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsi- lon for one year after hazing allegations surfaced. Hazing has always been a concern of the university, Womom said. “I would say hazing is no more of a focus now than in the past. It’s always been considered wrong under the IFC, university and Virginia state law,” Wor- nom said. “This year, we seem to have many reported incidents, so we’ve had more investigations.” Although hazing is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia law—an offense punishable by jail time and a fine up to $2,500—Wornom said that the IFC’s recommendation will not set any legal precedent. The national office and local alumni will begin working more closely with the campus chapter to make sure that the chapter complies with the policies of the university and the Kappa Alpha Order, the national office said Wednes- day. This increased involvement will take many forms including more oversight into the initiation of new members and chapter meetings, KA’s Executive Di- rector Larry Wiese said in an e-mail to The Ring-Tum Phi. “The NAO will continue to work... to create a positive fraternal experience for all members moving forward,” the national office said. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_002.2.txt 5%? l l. 2008 new UINERSITY LIBRARY MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 2 - nu-: RING-TUM PM3HlM3T0N&l.EEUNlVERslTY VT2uW African-American art featured in Chavis series W&L professors ofler their interpretations, explore themes of emancipation and patriarchy Bywes O’DeIl surr wmsn The head of Washington and Lee’s art department, Dr. Pamela Simpson, spoke Wednesday on African-American art. The speech was titled “Breaking the Chains: African American Women and Images of Emancipation.” In her speech, Simpson analyzed sev- eral pieces of African-American art, in- cluding both sculpture and print works. Along the way, she provided historical commentary on the background of each piece and the artist who created it. She frequently invited audience mem- bers—including philosophy professor ‘ James Mahon, history professor Ted DeL- aney and Dean Tammy Futrell—to give their personal “read” on the messages the artwork conveys. Simpson particularly highlighted re- cent works relevant to emancipation, in- cluding those of Mary Edmonia Lewis, a female sculptor of both African-American and Native American descent. Lewis, who studied classical sculpture in Rome, employed the neoclassical style to create her famous “Forever Free,” an 1867 sculpture celebrating the passage of the 13"‘ Amendment, which abolished slavery. “Forever Free” depicts a freed slaved holding up his shackles in triumph while a female companion kneels in prayer at his right. The audience speculated on the figures’ lack of overt African-American features and the position of the male hand on the female’s shoulder. They questioned whether it was mere- ly affectionate or could be seen as oppres- sive. Patriarchal themes were also identified in Washington, D.C.’s “Emancipation” statue, which ‘ depicts Abraham Lincoln reading the Emancipation Proclamation to a kneeling slave. The model for the slave was Archer Al- exander, the last slave captured under the Fugitive Slave Act. Throughout the lecture, Simpson em- phasized the various ways in which eman- cipation art “interacts with the audience.” “Sculpture is a ‘high language’ of cul- ture,” she said. W Above all, the contemporary nature of the works revealed the hopes and dreams of a generation taking its first steps away from a history of oppression and into an uncertain future. Said Simpson: “We get strong ideas of agency. . .of [the subjects] being partici- pants in their emancipation.” The talk was the latest in the Chavis lecture series on African-American stud- ies named after John Chavis, the first Afri- can- American student at W&L. Phi Psi awaits punishment Future Johnson scholars may enjoy a restricted three-day agenda By Jacob Geiger MANAGING eonon Two weeks after a tequila party at a Phi Kappa Psi off-campus house left a Johnson Scholarship candidate in the hospital, the fraternity is waiting to hear the disciplinary consequences it will face from the university. The party occurred Tuesday, Feb. 26, just hours after nearly 160 high school seniors had arrived on campus for the three-day, tvvo-night competi- tion. Erin Hutchinson, the senior assistant director of admissions and the scholar- ship program’s coordinator, said the last scheduled activity for the finalists was a panel discussion with current students that ended at 9 p.m. Inter-fratemity Council President Chris Womom said the council has completed its investigation of the party and handed recommendations on pun- ishment over to the Student Affairs Committee, a group of students, faculty and administrators that hears all frater- nity disciplinary cases that involve the possibility of critical probation, sus- pension or dismissal of a fraternity. Womom would not say what pun- ishment the IFC suggested. The SAC hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19. Phi Psi President Carson Bruno said he would not be able to comment on the case until the SAC hearing has been completed. - The fraternity suspended pledgeship almost immediately after the incident and quickly initiated the freshmen. President Ken Ruscio said he had just arrived in Atlanta for an alumni meeting and Omicron Delta Kappa convention when he got a message from Dean of Students Dawn Watkins about the incident. ‘‘I was on the verge of coming back to Lexington,” Ruscio said. _ “It was very disheartening and disappointing, because it seemed like the action was so clearly out of align- ment with the [scholarship] program’s goals.” Ruscio said the incident may force the university to be more explicit about what activities prospective students and their hosts are allowed to partici- pate in. He said he regretted that additional regulations might be a necessity but noted the importance of the Johnson Scholarship program. “This is destined to be the signature program for W&L in the admissions area,” Ruscio said. The program brought about 160 finalists to campus to compete for 44 scholarships that cover tuition, room and board during a student’s time at W&L. The program, in its first year, was created after alumnus Rupert Johnson donated $100 million to the school last spring. Hutchinson said the Admissions Office has not yet started its annual re- view of the scholarship program. She said the department will begin the review after its spring busy season settles down. Offers of admission are about to go out to all regular decision students on April 1, and March is always a popu- lar month for high school students on spring break to tour the university. Both Ruscio and Hutchinson said they were disappointed that the hospi- talization had overshadowed the other candidates and the otherwise succes. ful weekend. Ruscio said he hopes the incident will help current students address risky or dangerous party behavior. “What this incident did was open our eyes to the risks we sometimes don’t see on a day-to-day basis,” Rus- cio said. “What we accept as routine is some- times based on bad. judgments.” C A note on last week’s article The March 3 article noted that the scholarship candidate was staying with a member of the swim team and offered a confusing ex- planation of the swim team’s re- cruiting policy. The candidate was not on an of- ficial swim team visit. He was staying with a mem- ber of the swim team, because the Admissions Office was short of hosts. . When swimming recruits are on official visits, each one signs a contract that states the recruit will not consume alcohol during the visit. Presents THREE 6' M/4F//4 Featuring Blount Harvey Washington and Lee University Pavilion Wednesday, March 12, 2008 4d Doors Open 8pm Opening act 9pm Show at 10pm Tickets: $10 W&L community; $20 Public Available in the Commons, at the door and online www.GA3.wlu'.edu OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_003.2.txt MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 3 - THE RING-TUM PHI ' By Joel Poelhuls STAFF WRITER This Spring Term, freshmen will be able to explore different disciplines and depart- ments through 12 new seminars offered by the university. Open only to first-year stu- dents, these courses will be “reading and discussion-based with an emphasis on pa- pers, projects, studio work, or hands-on field experience rather than exams,” according to the University Registrar’s website. Most of “Instead of being in a class of 25-3 0, you can be in a class of 15. ” ERIC HAMSCHERI Class of 2011 the classes have a 12-15 student limit, though a philosophy class on the concept of honor currently has 26 students enrolled. Freshman-only seminars were first of- fered last Spring Term and again in the fall of 2007. Sophomore Kimber Wiggs took the first- year seminar Music 180: The Human Voice last spring. She said Professor Gerald Myers mixed lectures with student—taught classes and interactive activities, such as measuring the resonance of students’ voices. “It was easy to do the exercises with a few people in the class,” Wiggs said. Wiggs was interested in taking the course because of her involvement in University Chorus. She said the class focused as much on anatomy as on music, offering an interdis- ciplinary approach to the topic of singing. Professor Allison Bell is offering An- thropology 180: Oral History as a freshman seminar this spring. She said the course grew out of research she has been pursuing into rural communities, and the way their so- _ cial interactions change with modernization. Students in her class will be assigned in pairs to interview a local farmer about the changes through social and agricultural history in Rockbridge and Augusta Counties. Bell, a Washington and Lee alumnus, said she first became interested in Anthropology during an Anthropology course she took spring term of her freshman year. “It was the first time it [the class] took the academic experience outside the class- room.” Bell said upperclassmen interested in the seminar topic could possibly explore it as an independent study or audit, and should speak to the University Registrar or the Dean of the College. Freshman Eric Hamscher plans to take first-year seminars for both of his spring term classes. He voiced his interest in the smaller class size provided by the seminars and increased one-on-one time with the pro- fessors. “Instead of being in a class of 25-30, you can be in a class of 15,” he said. Hamscher said small class size is harder to find in the entry-level classes, which most freshmen take, than in the upper-level class- es later on. r=>rar_=_MruM ROAST lCED ©2008 McDonald’s COFFEE ooono vounsr. Get to know your creamy, cold and delicious new best friend. lt’s an affordable, anytime perk-me-up. ». i’m lovin’it‘’‘' . Spring term options expanded Twelve freshman seminars will encourage reading, discussion with small class size Listof computer some 8 7 Stud a. 19594 P0verty191A Eéckley L 0. L ,irRe1igion 1-so Ive {£_Dieisc.ri‘ptions of tliegoifiuriii fQ"ihttp://registia2f.wii::.e£ii! V _ »v...o REGULAR - HAZELNUT - VANILLA OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_004.2.txt THE RING-TUM PHI -4 MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 opinions Texas, Ohio results topsy-turvy Results, with the chance to end agony, extended most inconclusive primary ever By Cody Beauchamp co LUM msr On March 4, Texas and Ohio had their turn in the national spot- light. A huge win in either state or a pair of small wins and Obama would be destined to be the Dem- ocratic nominee. What did the two states do? They went for Hillary Clinton, and in doing so prolonged what will surely go down as one of the longest, most indecisive primaries ever for the Democrats’ presiden- tial nod. Obama went into the prima- ries (which included primaries in Rhode Island, Vermont and, con- fusingly, a caucus in Texas) on an ll-contest winning streak. But these wins were relatively unimportant; none of them were delegate-rich states. Virginia and Maryland were the big prizes of the collection (200 delegates combined). But even together they barely put more delegates up for grabs than Texas alone (193 delegates). Still, Obama’s wins had chipped away at Clinton’s del- egate lead -- so much so that by the time Ohio and Texas arrived, it was do or die time for Hillary. In Texas and Ohio, where she had previously commanded dou- ble—digit leads in the polls, Clin- ton had to fend off Obama. She did, and the Democratic race remains undecided. So what’s a Democrat to do? It depends. Which candidate are you rooting for? If you actually support Clin- ton, which I suppose is possible, theoretically, you’ve got a few things to hope for. [Disclosurez If it’s not already obvious, the author voted for Obama in the Texas elections.] The first thing to hope for is that the super-delegates don’t jump ship and support Obama in an effort to end the fight quickly. This is an increasing concern for Clinton. The reasoning is that the super-delegates tied to states may decide to vote in step with their states. This might happen because no attractive rationale exists for su- per-delegates deciding whom to vote for. Neither Clinton nor Obama are definitively left of the other. They are both running, whether by design or accident, on ideas about themselves. Obama is the “hope” candi- date; Clinton is the “experienced” candidate. Neither platitude gives a su- per-delegate more than a gut feel- ing to go on, and after eight years wins than Clinton has had in her 15 states. The numbers as they stand now, plus Obama’s ability to at- tract record numbers. of voters in red states, may be all most super- delegates need. Clinton has two more things to hope for. First, a huge win Neither [candidate] gives a super—delgate more than a gut feelilng to go on, and after eight years out of the White House, Democrats are uncomfortable determing their candidate based on gut feelings. out of the White House, Demo- crats are uncomfortable deterrnin- ing their candidate based on gut feelings. Obama can make the argument that if the super-delegates care about what they have said—and keep in mind the Democrats have always been big on listening to the people’s voice—then he is the clear best pick. He has won 28 states and had more double—digit wins in those in Pennsylvania and then North Carolina and Kentucky would be enough to get her back in it. The next contest, Mississippi, is already likely Obama’s, so her best strategy looks a lot like her recent stands in Texas and Ohio. She needs to dig in her heels in the delegate-rich states and chip away at Obama’s lead. If she makes it to the conven- tion like this, then she has as good a chance as ever at winning over the deciding super-delegates. Remember that the Clintons ‘have made a lot of careers in pub- lic life and the Democratic Party. A brokered convention is quickly turning into an ideal sce- nario for Clinton. For Obama, momentum is key. Thanks to the maddening pro- portional allotment scheme the Democratic Party uses to assign delegates, Obama can still lose in upcoming states and be fine. For instance, as long as he doesn’t lose big he can theoreti- cally pick up just as many dele- gates as Hillary in Pennsylvania. He would not have to cam- paign as hard as she for the same number of delegates, something that is a decided advantage for him. Given that she is forced to stand her ground in the must-win states, Obama can expand his lead by picking up a wide majority of delegates in the “less important” contests. He has the luxury. of cam- paigning where he wants. There are other X-factors that could bring a swift end to the nomination battle. The ever fickle super-delegates are certainly one of these. But even more interesting is John Edwards. Edwards has been out of the race for what seems like an eter- nity. And, he has not endorsed a candidate. He never had a shot at winning the nomination. But now, he could determine who does by endorsing either Clinton or Obama. He was a consistently strong third-place finisher. Now, Edwards could be what sways the nomination. As of now, no Democratic leader has a more potent endorse- ment in their pocket than Ed- wards. Welcome to the Democratic nomination fight of 2008——a topsy-turvy world where you can lose but effectively win, where white men don’t have a shot at the White House, where guessing is as good as the facts, and losers could decide the winners. FD isn’t"the only thing that went through the looking glass in 2008. Consequences for what we say Gauge meanness by possiblizy for school punishments such as time outs, spankings By Grace Andrews STAFF WRITER Today’s topic is one that I feel needs to be discussed, and that’s unnecessariness. Let me explain: unnecessariness is the an of do- ing or saying something that is of little importance, based on specu- lations or unnecessary to life and its vital processes. Recently, a bracket containing some mean and hurtful comments was published. Sadly, many peo- ple were named in the article and had their feelings hurt deeply by the information. The administra- tion quickly admonished those responsible and publicly con- demned such behavior. However, I think the entire sit- uation speaks to another issue we‘ have on campus : the lack of com- mon courtesy. What we need is an overhaul of attitudes. I myself don’t live in a dream world full of Teletubbies, rainbows, unicoms or dancing flowers frolicking through a field, but I do believe that being unnecessarily harsh toward others constitutes a gross waste of time and energy. Seriously, we are all supposed- ly adults here and should conduct ourselves as such. The bracket shows to what extent people can and will go to hurt others. This is what I like to call unnecessari- ness. Not only do neither 1 nor the rest of our student body need to read salacious items in the pa- pers or magazines that we cur- rently have, but it misrepresents us to other readers such as par- ents, professors and fellow citi- zens of Lexington. More troubling is the fact that this unnecessariness perpetuates itself into our daily lives. For in- stance is it really necessary to ask people that you do not know well things such as financial status, ra- cial make-up, romantic life, party habits or anything remotely per- sonal? Honestly, we know when our comments do not add to con- versations or help make others feel better, so why say it? Fine, tell your best friend, but why publish something that will make your body language and expres- sions too! For some people reading this, that may require you to super glue your mouth shut and/or put your- self on speech probation for the rest of your natural life. Luckily our lives are not soap operas or an- other episode of Gossip Girl, so don ’t treat it as such. There will be no dress rehearsals or director is cuts; this is real-life. others feel uncomfortable on their own campus? The two golden rules are defi- nitely applicable in every situ- ation: treat others as you would like to be treated, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. That goes for That may be necessary for people to stop partaking in unnec- essariness. I’ve decided after the situation on our campus that life is too short for anyone to keep do- ing so. Luckily, our lives are not soap operas or another episode of Gossip Girl, so don’t treat it Death of traditions By Abel Delgado STAFF WRITER There’s a part of me that wants to defend the right of col- umnists, of anybody really, to write whatever they wish. I strongly believe in freedom of speech and think government or institutional censorship ends up hurting society more than it does it any good. A part of me wants to defend “The Bracket” as an exercise in free, albeit gross and insensitive, protected speech but then I remember where I am. Both the writers of the Tri- dent who came up with the dis- tasteful attempt at comedy and I write for the Washington and Lee community. Last I checked, this was a community where honor and civility still meant something if not everything. President Rus- cio and the heads of the EC and SJC did an exemplary job in the letter to the school explaining I Honor, civility, decency used to mean something here as such. There will be no dress rehearsals or direc_tor’s cuts; this is real-life and there are conse- quences for what we say. Now, I’m not saying don’t vent to your best friend about that archnemesis of yours or complain about who has been ‘bothering you and why, but don’t tell ev- eryone. The entire student body is not your best friend nor are the ‘people on your Facebook list. It’s time people stopped be- littling others and then feigning ignorance. If you have something to say to someone, take them aside and enter into discourse like big boys and girls. This isn’t preschool and you won’t make friends on the playground by talk- ing about their mamas, pulling hair and then pushingathem out of the swing. I may be wrong,‘ but doing that now may just get you assault charges. However, the point of my rant is this: life is short, and you’re not going to love everyone you meet. That’s fine, but don’t be ugly and speak terribly of people you dis- like to everything that breathes; control yourself and watch what you say. Just don’t partake in un- necessariness; if you think that what you are about to do or say is going to hurt the feelings of someone you don’t really know, let it go. I think you should use grade school punishments as the ulti- mate gauge for unnecessariness. For instance, if something you said would result in a) having a time out, b) being spanked by the principal or your parent, or c) being jumped after school by the other kids, then you probably shouldn’t say or do it. Employ these methods, and let’s see if life for everyone, you included, doesn’t improve! that this community deserves and demands better than what this article gave. Sure, things have changed but have they re- ally gotten that bad? Not only was the “The Bracket” blatantly misogynistic and homophobic, it called out members of the community in ways no one really deserves. It was also a lame and lazy attempt of humor, hashing out old gos- sip that had died months ago. I have to question the judg- ment of any editor that would let this appear on his or her newspaper as much as I’d ques- tion the “columnists” who came up with it. A I always considered The Trident more of a tabloid or a gossip magazine than a newspa- per. That’s not to say they don’t serve a necessary, purpose. A lot of their articles are especially entertaining and I always pick one up to read the latest “Lex in the City” or “Best Week Ever.” Entertainment is what The Trident does best, and it’s sad to say a lot of people probably found the “The Brack- et” entertaining. But at what cost? The public humiliation of fellow students in writing and on record that can be used against them years from now (maybe sooner than later, like when they are applying for jobs)? The Raging Intelleetuals usually seem bitter about some- thing, but who knew they were bitter enough to throw slime around the school with no re- gard for the consequences? The article didn’t just cross the line,'it completely ignored the fact that the line exists. I would never equate spreading gossip to an honor violation, but wasn’t it Robert E. Lee who said the sole requirement was to act “gentlemanly”? If that be the case, then I know a couple of guys the former General would have loved to show the door to. No, the writers should not be kicked out or even punished by the school for this. In the end, unless someone sees this as a case of libel, colunmists al- ways have the right to write in poor taste. We as a community, though, have a right and an obli- gation to call them out on it. Everyone has to recognize whoever could come up with this Bracket is a jerk, and I’m censoring myself from using a more fitting word. If they want to add me as a late entry to The Bracket or ridicule me for criticizing them, so be it. It’d be fun to see if the people who hate on everybody can handle a little criticism. A lot has changed in this school the past few years; a lot of old traditions have died. But decency is not something we should ever let go of, not even for a cheap laugh. Timber Ridge Atsto Center runs; \i”a1‘Iey me iLe:s:"ington. VA ;?.£l-*3.:3*I.) {Ear} -c-1r3e-- 1 99“? .s’/«SE91: §€.?§?%E res; ’\JE*;3|£. iM..iaor zinti Pvfzrjar‘ t?1:2git2:.: §~%.e:p.<1£s'_. §3z:::E~:s:ts, Fae? lrzjectéen Ser‘xri.e.e. Tr:rz:‘:.:=;s.ni:;sior: Service, {.30-oEz.111‘t Flush, .l*xl’.ino;f.a:1.ti l\”l213;(i}Tl”lll..ll‘§€1f -~---Laps. We #.‘.£3.l'i pr's3vi<§e §:"actor}»’ 21tztlio2’i;z€:t§ i‘I‘£€li§'tlx;“..‘i‘s’£l3'1{I<‘: w%t§'aoi'zt voiding yc:ainf i'rizr.rn:§a.cita*e”3 W£1I‘?'t§§llfy‘. Oil Exchange & Lube 754 North Lee Hwy. -Across from Tractor Supply 540-463-5020 Save $1.00 — Show W&L ID OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_005.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007 THE RING-TUM PHI ' 5 opinions WASHINGTON AND Lsi: UNIVERSITY T’I‘I171l1“_=.—lRI1\i(3r-'rUili PHI. MANAGING EDITOR ASST. MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR ASST. NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS&L|FE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITORS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING-TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING-TUM PHI is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year. THE RING—TUM PHI is a member of The Media Board, but is otherwise independent. Questions or concerns about the Phi should be addressed to the editors at phi@wlu.edu or to the Media Board at mediaboard@wlu. The Media Board is an independent, student—run editorial oversight committee working with all media outlets on the Washington & Lee campus. All inquiries will remain confidential. THE RING—TUM PHI welcomes all letters. We reserve the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and advertising do not necessarily reflect the opinion of THE RING- TUM PHI staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of libel edu. and obscenity. THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY commons ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540)458-4060 FAX: (540)458-4059 EMAIL: PHl@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 JACOB GEIGER JESSICA SHAW GRACE WANG ALLISON CHOPIN STACEY GRIJALVA SACHA RAAB MICHAEL KEENAN WILL DORRANCE ANDY RUBIN GRACE ANDREWS CODY BEAUCHAMP KEVIN CORN ABEL DELGADO HANK NATHAN WES O’DELL JOEL POELHUIS RUSS WEEMS QUEENIE WONG LARA JORDAN LENORA NUNNLEY CHARLES PERSONS STROCK MOORE Harmful to all Writers abuse First Amendment freedom By Jacob Geiger MANAGING EDITOR By now, many of you are prob- ably tired of reading the denuncia- tions of The Trident and the bracket column written by Tim Livings- ton and Myke Mulhem. But as a newspaper editor who’s dealt with controversial articles before, I wanted to add my thoughts on the _ column, the president’s response and student reaction. College newspapers, of course, are fundamentally different than off-campus houses. Past versions of the bracket have highlighted some of the dou- ble standards that are so common at W&L, providing valuable and necessary social commentary. In this year’s version, however, any useful commentary is lost in a sea of mean, bitter and personal attacks. Tim and Myke turned in an appallingly unethical article. As newspaper columnists, they should remember that we have a duty to avoid unnecessary harm. Q This Spring Sift’ ‘73'mherh‘ne/ S the Beach I the Snow is within Reach / lm - Group Rates Starting at $89 a Night Midweek The packages include skiing, slope.-side bunkhouse lodging and free ski rentals. other lodging available thru 1-800-392-0152. Timberline is an excellent location for spring sorority or fraternity formals in April or May. We offer beautiful slopeside facilities for banquets with nearby lodging. ......""’"\ FOUR SEASONS FIEALTY erfinet wesivirgrnia W/ild and Vi’/rlzrcirngf “Normally, ‘I ’m an ardent defender of free speech, but I can ’t see how publishing those attacks served any real purpose. This wasn’t speech It was an attack on 65 people. ” normal newspapers. We have the opportunity to write about things that would never appear in a regu- lar paper. The Trident, with its slate of columnists, offers some hilarious — but often quite accurate — social commentary about Wash- ington and Lee. Let’s be honest; we’re a school with our share of problems. We’re also a school that likes to sweep those problems — unacceptably high rape rates, hazing, alcohol abuse, sexism and homophobia ~ under the rug. Students would really prefer to pretend that the idealistic academ- ic setting, where everyone works and studies. together, extends into Writing a column that leaves people insulted, upset and offend- ed certainly fails to meet that stan- dard. Writing about someone’s sexual habits or sexuality doesn’t do anything other than expose you as a jerk. This is not the first year the bracket has run. It’s been an an- nual occurrence, and it has often left people upset. . But none of the previous brack- ets have necessitated a letter from the president or special meetings hosted by the dean of freshmen. None of the previous brackets have caused people to threaten a lawsuit against The Trident. Again, it’s possible to provide reditorial readers with humor and social commentary without insulting and denigrating fellow students. That column fails that standard. Normally, I’m an ardent defender of free speech, but I can’t see how publishing those attacks served any real purpose. This wasn’t speech or even really satire; it was an attack on 65 people. The president has called on Tim, Myke and editor Christina Pratt to resign. I don’t think that’s going to give everyone the answers they want. If people in the bracket want their grievances addressed, there are a host of legal options available to them. Use real judges and juries, not the student-faculty hearing board. A W&L-sponsored trial is not going to give anyone a fair shake. This has been a difficult few weeks for W&L. Sadly, this col- umn is yet another situation where nobody comes out looking good. Nobody wins in this situation. The people in the bracket have been ridiculed in front of their peers, not to mention the parents that subscribe to this publication. The other writers in the Trident have seen all of their work — much of it funny and highly relevant — eclipsed by this one issue. And the writers have shown that they enjoy humiliating other people. That’s the real problem here. Good writers don’t humiliate and needlessly embarrass people. ‘We’re supposed to be focused on avoiding harm, but Tim and Myke apparently set out to cause harm rather than avoid it. Where have all Lee’s gentlemen gone? Series taints tradition of honor; destroys morals, values that define the university Where have all the gentlemen gone? General Lee reputedly said that “we have but one rule here, and it is that every student must be a gentleman.” This has stood as the foundation on which ev- erything else at_ this institution is based. The Honor of this school ex- tends far past the classroom and simple academic integrity; it be- comes a part of who we are. There is a culture present here at Wash- ington and Lee that is absent in most other institutions in the na- tion. And that is the unspoken pledge by all members of W&L community to treat each other with respect and dignity. Opening The Trident last Thursday, it would be hard to believe that we are in any way a community or that there is any- thing special about a W&L gradu- ate. The image of Lee’s gentle- man was entirely thrown out the window, and his legacy has been trampled upon. Last week represented the first round of the annual bracket to de- termine who the worst person on this campus is. i The entire concept of holding a “competition” to determine the worst person in our small com- munity is repulsive. But this was far worse than just that. This series of articles has empowered a few very petty people with a bully pulpit from which to make fun of people they simply do not like. Let’s be honest. This is col- lege. We all make mistakes and do things that in retrospect, we wish we never had done. This is the last time in the rest of our lives that we are free from major responsibility. But, there is absolutely no need to humiliate your peers. Some of The idea that something of this nature would be printed in a “newspaper” that at least operates under the pretext of providing news is ridiculous. A list such as the one pub- lished would have been much less out-of-place being passed around by middle school girls then in one of the “newspapers” at one of the finest schools in the country. The students who wrote this “The idea that somehow the series of ar- ticles represented news or any form of an educated opinion is ridiculous Clearly, there was no value to the article, and it had 1 no communal value. ’ the remarks may even have been libelous. The idea that somehow the se- ries of articles represented news or any form of an educated opin- ion is ridiculous. The students who wrote the ar- ticle will surely shield themselves from any fault by claiming free- dom of the press. J oumalists make choices about what is news and what they are free to print. Clearly, there was no value to the article, and it had no commu- nal Value. article represent everything that W&L gentlemen should not do. While they are the faces of this debacle, they are not the only ones guilty. Every editor or writer that con- tributed to it is just as responsible and should be ashamed. . The article may have been tremendously fiinny, if you were not in it. But it was mean. It was two “men” picking on peers they didn’t like. They just did it under the guise of news and with a larger audi- ence. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_006.2.txt MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 THE RING-TUM PHI - 6 opinions Last week’s bracket in The Trident caused lots of readers to write in and share their thoughts To the Phi: This letter states my personal opinion and is not intended to represent anyone else is views. I do not frequently read the student newspapers. However, I saw "The Bracket" article in last week 3 Trident, and] was shaken by nausea and -anger: The aforementioned article so egregiously and inappropriately demeaned so many students that I feel compelled to write. While no member of the W&L community deserves such nasty treatment, this was especially personal to me, because many individuals who were demeaned are my former students, current students, former‘ research group members, advisees, and younger siblings of former advisees. I help teach Chem 111, and the principal joy of the course is getting to know so many extraordinary young people, regardless of their science proficiency. I have had so much support flom so many former studentsfor so long that my debt of gratitude simply cannot be repaid It would be criminal of me not to return that loyalty and support now. Clearly, given the scope of the article and the numerous friends and colleagues of the victims, every member of the W&L community has been adversely impacted. That is simply, totally, and completely unacceptable. Finally, to all of the students who were demeaned (those I know and those I do not) and their friends and families, a heartfelt thank you for contributing so much to our school and for helping make W&L such a special place. Never forget’ that you are truly appreciated and valued. Sincerely, Di: Erich Uffelman To the editor: The Provost and the academic deans of the Law School, Williams School, and the College want to express their outrage at the offen- sive, tasteless, and callous article that targeted individuals by name in this weeks edition of T he Trident. We call on the authors and editors to issue an immediate apology in print to the individuals themselves and to the campus communit_v as a whole. signed: June Apri/le, Provost Robert Danforth, Associate Dean of the Law School Hank Dobin, Dean of the College Janet lkeda, Associate Dean of the College Elizabeth Knapp, Associate Dean of the College Larry Peppers, Dean of the Williams School Rod Smolla, Dean ofthe Law School Rob Straughan, Associate Dean of the Williams School GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES- l\/laste,r’s Degrees Flexible full-time or part—time evening schedules Public Relations Strategic Public Relations I Integrated Marketing I Communications Journalism Cultural I Political/International I Advocacy I Immersion g nce rnpact lives. For more information visit scs.georgetown.edU/mps as cal: 202.687.9100 NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2008 SUMMER AND FALL TERM editor To the editor.‘ As the campus authorities rise up together in outrage at The Trident is “Bracket, ” I ’d like to remind everyone about the First Amendment. Ruscio suggested, in his broadcast e—mail, that The Trident would hide behind the First as a shield, and said they don ’t understand the freedom of the press. I suggest the opposite ~ maybe none of the voices of outcry understand the freedom of the press. Here s how the freedom of the press works: anyone, not only newspaper publishers, can say or print whatever they want. T he forefathers were particular on this point, especially in the criticism of governmental authority. Later, the freedom would be expanded by the Supreme Court. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in a dissenting opinion on a First Amendment case, implied that the purpose of the amendment is to create a marketplace of ideas, in which all ideas are present: ed and then compete for truth. It s Wikipedia, folks. If you read something that is not true, sign in and fix it. If you read something you don ’t like, vote with your feet, or in this case, your eyes. Censorship is never the answer — this isn’t China. It is always The Trident is right to say whatever they want. Its yours to decide whether what they print is okay. To punish The Trident, discredit their ideas in the marketplace. If you disagree with what they wrote, don ’t pick up another is- sue. ' Tell Tim Livingston to his face you don ’t like what he wrote. Its a little ridiculous that, on a campus this small, we're calling for his head via broadcast mail. I heard some fieshmen assembled (in another use of the First Amendment) to demonstrate their anger at The Trident. T hats certainly one way to go about it, but some 20 kids aren ’t going to make a difference in the grand scheme of our values. I We, as a society of W&L students, need to decide together, col- lectively, how we feel about “The Bracket. ” We need to decide what our values are: is it okay for people to be terrible, and not follow the “W&L values, " but not okay for someone else to print it? In 2003, the Dixie Chicks came forward and criticized President Bush just before the invasion of Iraq. What followed is a beauti- ful example of the people is control over the marketplace: people decided they weren ’t interested in Natalie Maines ’opinion in politics and asked their radio stations to stop playing Dixie Chicks songs. Dixie Chicks concerts were poorly attended. Their CDs didn ’t sell. None of this was done through censorship. It was done through the American people collectively deciding what they did and did not want to hear. T hats the American way to deal with the press. If you don ’t like what The Trident dia', tell ‘em. Stop reading it. Write something better. Kat Greene Society of Professional Journalists, student chapter president Faviog Dress 1/wig WC be over, but there's stiLL reason. to dress vqsl stop ba to sol/IeolvcLe a pm otioe interview, review it om. video, and get tips on olress ooole, etiquette, avwl freaiuevvtiij asleeol questions. The perfect wag to prepare gourseif... W'AS}~II°NGTON AND LEF. UNIVERSITY CAREER®SERVICES OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_007.2.txt as» 3 0 Congratulations to the Class of 2008! - GRAD FAIR 3-DAY ANNUAL UG GRAD FAIR Wednesday, March 12"‘ M Friday, March 14*“ 9:00 am. - 5:00 pm. Atrium, Elrod Commons T he time to celebrate the end of your four year joartzeyis fast approttcttittg! From the azoozeat you fit-st stepped on campus, you Iatew you were eateriag a most specie! place. The defiaittg traditions of Washazgtoa and Lee Utlivetisity,‘ aeadeoztc rigor, sttateat seifgoveraaace and tives ateasarert by tmtl: and itrtegrtty Rafi! mark you as hoaoraote area and women and leaders of the fatttrej As your joamey comes to a dose and as you cetebrate your grarltratioa day on Jame 5”‘, enjoy the memories of campus life, ajtemooas spent at Goshett., mites up Home Mottataia, Fancy Dress and the n:aay_/?‘tieadsl1£p5 you have made. Cefebrate with fem it y atzdfl-tends this special day! , ORDERING YOUR CAPS & GOWNS! This is the ONLY opportzmtty to be A F fitted for your caps and gowns! (which one purchases for $40.00} Washington and Lee Uaiyerst'ty Engraved Chairs Ann Chair or Rocker "a lasting memory” 2008 Graduation photos {Each graduate wtt! be ptzotograptzed as they receive tttetr dtpfoata from the Uzziverstty 0 g . . I Pteaitfottl. Photos may be purchased at The C131, C 1353 Rlnfi Pf2otoStore after graduation) Seniors! Quality , lined Order in We ,0 wearfm. gmdMtm_; with a mat embossed with the University narnt: and crest are available at the Grad . Fair and the Washington and Lee i . University Store ’ Photostore photostore.wIu.edu OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_008.2.txt THE RING-TUM PHI ° MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 arts&iife 101/.93/‘t EVOD /L/rate lu/"L/at/‘tcgltaf Students warm up a cold night with music, flavored oxygen and a very large bunny who wandered the crowd entertaining some, terrifying others and pos- ing for pictures with everyone. This year, the com- mittee wanted to change things up with the theme of Through the Looking Glass, as opposed to last COURTESY OF CHI OMEGA Sophomore Kayla Rowe (far left) and junior Melissa Caron (far right), pictured with freshman Kathleen Blackburn, led the year’s chili-cookoff. The event raised over $12,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation. Chi 0’s Chili Cook-ofl will help make a sick child is wish come true- By celeste Cruz-Carandang STA F F W R I T E R year’s traditional black and white gala for the 100th anniversary of Fancy Dress. Popular DJ Duane sent techno vibes through Doremus, while the live band — the Voltage Brothers — jammed In the Warner Center. Drinks were provided by a deck of cards, and students relaxed on psychadelic, tie-dyed toadstools. And ampus eats for good cause The Chi Omega chili cook-off was a spectacular success, raising over $12,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation, an orga- nization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical issues. Consider- ing both the satisfaction of the students and the amount of money raised, the chili cook- off was a_ culinary and altruistic triumph. The event was seemingly effortless. However, the smooth and professional na- ture of the cook-off was the result of weeks of meticulous planning on the part of the sorority. Melissa Caron, one of the event’s planners, spoke about the efforts of Chi Omega. “We have a lot of different girls in our sorority, and it was really a fiill-sorority ef- fort. From decorating to invites, to adver- tisement...all the girls contributed to the success of the cook-off.” Yet, the accomplishment of the affair could not only be measured in epicurean approval. “The goal of it is to raise money for the Make a Wish foundation,” Caron said. “Hopefully we raise a lot of money for them.” The donation was a collection of the teams’ $50. entry fees, the price of admis- sion and the money that went toward drinks and activities such as the amusing cactus throw game. - In a competitive culinary spirit, several teams paid the entrance fee and contributed their take on the classic dish. “We have 17 different teams participat- ing, and I got a few e-mails last night saying that a couple other organizations wanted to enter. The enthusiasm of this community has been incredible,” said Caron. Indeed, several of W&L’s organizations came out to support the event. The philan- thropy chair of Chi Psi remarked, “It’s a wonderful charity event for a great cause. It’s a fun way to raise some money for a very important charity. Chi 0 does a great job with this every year and we got to be a part of it.” Indeed, the experience of the cook-off enriched this small community in a variety of ways. Hila Yashar, a member of Pi Beta Phi, said, “It was a great bonding experi- ence through a cooking extravaganza.” ‘Al- though each organization was somewhat partial to its own chili, they all consented to try the dishes contributed by their com- petitors. Evans Dining Hall was full of mingling students, relaxing as they enjoyed each others’ chili and listened to music. Although the event was philanthrop- ic, the chili was the main attraction. The Kappa Alpha’s pledge chili received rave reviews and had the honor of being one of A The gym transformed into a wonderland, students danced the night away 3 sw ASSISA MAAIG Ei: . JR everywhere you went, the Cheshire Cat was look- ing down at you with his warm - or perhaps creepy — smile. With this year’s ball in the bag, students will no longer have to walk around campus and wonder how the rabbit could possibly have believed six unbe- lievable things before breakfast. the most talked about chilis in Evans. The dish included the obligatory chili and hot sauce, a garnish of shredded cheddar and a side of crumbling cornbread. Knowledge Empowering Women Leaders also included a side dish, but with its own interpietation. Rather than serving a traditional cornbread like their fraternity counterparts. Lauren Sapikowski, a member of KEWL baked 31 delicious banana bread. Pi Beta Phi had a daring and risky, albeit SCI"Lil11['Ili\iLlS. talie on chili. Rather than including more ll'Ll(li - tional ingredients, onions, vegetables and several interesting spices took the place of the time-honored ingredients. Jill Refveni. a Chi O. freshman, insisted that “Chi Psi’s chili warmed the soul...l gave it three at my votes.” Despite Refvem’s compiiniciiza to the fraternity, Stucco, Chi t'.).'s critiy, warranted the greatest number of tlCl(f:l, votes. Despite the atrocious weather, the phil- anthropic success of the cook-off was not compromised. The sisters of (‘iii Omega organized an event which enticed appetites and warmed hearts. Although the tables of food was an amazing sight to behold, the most awe inspiring Vista was the C01Tl1D1l'- nity that formed to support not only this university, but a cause much greater. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_009.2.txt MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008 THE RING-TUM PHI - 9 sports . No. 1 F&Mhaltsperfect 3-0 start Diplomats jump out to an early 5-0 lead, hang on for 7-4 victory on Saturday By Russ Weems STAFF WRITER The women’s lacrosse team got a chance to dominate a conference opponent and then take on the top- ranked team in Division III this weak. After the expected easy win, the Generals couldn’t overcome a slow start against No. 1 Franklin & Marshall. The team started the week by blowing out Hollins University 17- 1. The Generals dominated from start to finish in nearly every statis- tical category. W&L went out to a 4-0 lead in the first 8 minutes and led by a score of 10-1 at half time. The Generals kept the pressure on . in the second half, shutting Hollins out and leaving the score at 17-1. The win moved the Generals to 4- 0, 1-0 in conference coming into the big F &M game. The Generals had a balanced of- fensive attack, which was reflected in the box .score. Ten Generals scored goals, and nine had assists. Freshman midfielder Kate Donnelly led the Generals with three goals and two assists. ‘Meredith Freeman and Megan Slosson both added three goals and an assist. Katie Flippen had two goals. Kelsi Rob- inson led the team with 3 assists. Sarah Tilbor and Katharine Farrar Lax falls in By Micheal Keenan spoons EDITOR The Washington and Lee men’s lacrosse team fought a tough game against the 11th ranked Shore- men of Washington College but came up just short as the Shoremen prevailed 12-11 in overtime. The Generals were led by senior attackman Harry St. John’s four-goal performance while Washington College was led by Chris Read’s five goals and two assists. The Generals jumped out to a three goal lead in the first quarter but saw their lead evaporate as the the Shoremen responded by ending the half on a 4- 0 run to take a 6-5 lead at the break. The second half was close throughout, with neither team gain- ing more than a two goal advantage. The Generals led 10-9 and 11-10 late in the game but Washington College continued to rally. With just under three minutes to play, Read scored an unassisted goal to tie the game at l 1. Neither team was able to score in the extra period until Washington College senior at- tackman Kolyn Kirby found the back of the net with under a minute to play to win the game. The Generals fell to 2-2 on the season and will return to action on Monday when it travels to face Hood College at 4:00 p.m. ' split time in goal, only allowing one goal between them. The Generals had their tough- est test of the season to date as they took on No. 1 ranked Diplomats. F&M quickly jumped out to a 5- 0 lead, looking like they deserved their ranking. The Generals finally got on the board when Kelsi Robin- son scored with 10:19 left, assisted by Emily Matthews. The Diplo- mats then added another score to make the game 6-1 going into the half. After the break, the Generals came out strong. They scored the first three goals of the half. This cut the margin to 6-4. However, the Diplomats scored with 7:29 to play to make the score 7-4. The Generals kept fighting for the rest of the game but couldn’t tally another goal. The game ended 7-4, the General’s first I defeat of the season. The Generals were led by Kelsi Robinson’s one goal and one assist. Megan Slosson, Laura Henson and Christine Bender also had goals. Emily Matthews had an assist. Sarah Tilbor played all 60 minutes in goal for the Generals making six saves. Washington and Lee returns to action on Wednesday as it travels to Roanoke for a 4:00 pm contest. goals I 0 j Juimo Tfla 1. 3.€f°a‘$» GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Sophomore Britten Matthews added a goal but the Generals came up short in the loss to F&M on Saturday. -sapnopaare wisi Keigler - 7 assists 5 IiniOr;IINie’d.Rider - 9 goals ‘ ntlz assists f ..}unvior’E.Tim Skeen - Signals, 6 St, gh‘n -' 9 a.1assis*t. setigrisnmams ...£Oa.|s Zassistsv I , Scpljombr’ t-Deets Hoffman 4 assists CONTINUING STUDIES Master’s Degrees Flexible full-time or part—time evening schedules Public Relations Strategic Public Relations I Integrated Marketing I Communications Journalism Cultural I Political/International I Advocacy I Immersion For more mformatéan visit ’scs.georgetown.edu/mps NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TH <31‘ cati 202.687.9100 E 2008 SUMMER AND FALL TERM T Generals come up short against 1 I th- ranked Washington College I 2-II MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Senior attack man Ned Rider tallied four goals for the Generals, but It was not enough to secure the victory against Washington College. Golf finishes 7th Generals knock 0]?’ several top I 0 teams By Kevin Corn STAFF WRITER The golf team spent Monday and Tuesday away from campus; instead, the team was in Pine Mountain, Georgia, at Callaway Gardens for the Callaway Colle- giate Invitational. Out of a total of sixteen teams, the Generals finished tied for seventh. The team was led by Senior Nathaniel James who shot 76’s both days for a grand total of 152. ‘‘I managed to control the damage on what could have been two pretty bad rounds,” commented James on his perfor- mance. “I know what I need to work on and felt like I’ll be ready to compete at full speed at our next event.” _ Senior Steven Spivey shot a 79 the first day but came back the next day four strokes better with a 75 for a two-day total of 154. Sophomores Matt Langan and Joe Gibson shot a 155 (80 on the first day, 75 on the second), and 161 (83 the first day, 78 on the second), respectively. Fresh- man Tim Gavrich shot a solid 81 “I know what I need to work on and felt like I ’ll be ready to compete at full speed at our next event. ” Senior Nathaniel James, captain ‘ on the first day and an 80 on the second for a total of 161. “No fireworks, but a newcom- er to the team and travel squad Matt Langan stepped it up for us with a great second round,” remarked James. “I look forward to more good stuff out of him.” Overall, the team can be very happy with their performance in southern Georgia. ' “We were up against some really good competition,” said James. “I think five of the top ten teams in the nation were there, as well as plenty more in the top twenty five.” He continued, “Our seventh place finish didn’t hurt us any for the rest of the sea- son as we only lost to one team that was behind us in the rank- ings. Finishing seventh meant we knocked off a couple top 10 teams including the No. 1 team, Oglethorpe.” The Golf team will be back in action March 21st and 22nd when they travel to Jekyll Island, Georgia for the Jekyll Island In- tercollegiate. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080310/WLURG39_RTP_20080310_010.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007 sports 10 ° THE RING-TUM PHI WED Tuuns FRI SAT at Baseball '-V“°"""'g Harrisbur 3:00 P m 12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m ' V5. V5. y3_ M°"" Lynchburg Denison Ma” T°'“‘" 4:00 p.m. 3:00 mm was}. 1:00 p.m. at at V3- Denlson womflrs Roanoke HoIllns/ I Tonnls 4:00 p.m. Lynchburg 4-00 pm- 4:00 p.m. at L V5. womgnvs Bridgewate Mary Wash I-a¢r°85° 4:oo p.m. 2:00 pm- at vs. M on.‘ Hood F&M 4:00 p.m 12:00 pm- Lacrosse Golf arch 21-23 Jekyll island cdleglate at Track NCAA indoors March 20-22 s'”"“"""§ NCAA om meet 32 Years Drake has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference be- fore winning their first conference tournament this year. 4 Goals by senior attackman Ned Rider during the Generals 12-11 over- time loss to the Shoremen of Washington College. 14/16 Points and rebounds for Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O‘Neal in their 94-87 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. 27.2’ The points per game average of VMI senior Reggie Williams, and the highest average in D-I. Wii|iams’sjersey was retired by VMI last week. box “We've been on the other side of that before. Ob- viousIy,.it’s not fun. It’s a big break for us.” Plttsburg Penguins center Sidney Crosby on his being credited with the game winning goal that Washington Capitals center Nlckias Backstrom pushed into the goal in an attempt to clear the puck, courtesy of espn.com “I’m not Brett Favre. And if they're wanting me to be the next Brett Favre, I'm not going to be him. I’m Aaron Rodgers. That’s who I am.” Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a statement released Saturday. Rodgers, drafted three years ago as the heir apparent to recently retired Quarterback Brett Farve, has spent three years toting a clipboard. He has appeared in seven games and thrown just 59 passes, courtesy of sports|llustrated.com. "First thing I said is, ‘He ain't coming back for no coin toss. He’s going to be a ghost. That’s the thing — he has to get away from the game for a little while.” Packers receiver Donald Driver on the possibility of Brett Farve coming back for a ceremonial coin toss. “We thought that maybe by his senior year he could start for us. But I never had any idea he could do this. He’s exceeded all of our expecta- tions, kind of like our team has.” Drake coach Keno Davis on the play of former walk-on and bench warmer Adam Emmenecker who was recently named conference tournament MVP in addition to already winning the regular-season MVP of the Missouri Valley conference. MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Top: First Baseman Hunter Serenbetz goes after a pitch during Wednesday's game against Hampden-Syd- ney. Serenbetz drove in James Madden to win Sunday's game against Virginia Wesleyan in the 16th inning. Bottom: Catcher Will Lewis went 4-5 with 4 RBIs in Wednesday's win over Hampden-Sydney. Team 3-] in ODAC after winning sixteen—inning game By Hank Nathan STAFF WRITER The men’s baseball team won an epic 6-5 battle in 16 innings Sunday afternoon to defeat Virginia Wesleyan, the team picked to finish first in the Old Dominion Athletic Confer- ence this season. The Marlins stonned back to win game two of the doubleheader 11-1. That game was called after eight in- nings due to darkness. The extra innings of game one were filled with back and _ forth action before sophomore First Baseman Hunter Seren- betz drove home senior Right Fielder James Madden with a single to provide the winning run. Serenbetz finished game one 4-7 and was also hit by a pitch. Sophomore Jim Plantholt nailed down the victory by get- ting three outs in the bottom of the 16th. Senior John Parker finished the twelfth inning and pitched innings 13, 14 and 15 to earn the win. The split means that the Generals have won nine of their last ten games as they came into the weekend with an eight-game winning streak. “We’ve won eight in a row just by playing hard and ex-_ pecting to win every time we step on the field,” said captain Steve Marcott before the week- end’s games. “If we keep that attitude this team has a chance to do some things this year. After defeating Southern Vermont College by a combined score of 28-2 in a double-head- er last Sunday, the Generals stepped back, into conference play on Wednesday against the Hampden-Sydney Tigers. In the past three years, the Blue and White are 1-7 against the Tigers, but this year’s baseball team returns a strong nucleus of players and boasted a 9-2 re- cord heading into the game. Hampden-Sydney jumped out to a fast start right from the gate, scoring in the top of the first. The Tigers’ lcadoff hitter, Alnor Rodriguez, reached first vancing the score to 3-1. In the third consecutive in- ning, the Generals notched an- other run. This time though, Ju- nior Byron Peyster hit a shot to left field that cleared the fence for a home run. The long ball was Peyster’s first on the year and also the first homer of his three-year career. While W&L continued to build a lead, the Tigers went cold, failing to score another run until the fifth inning when they cut the lead to 4-2 in favor of the Blue and White. “We ’ve won eight in a row just by playing hard and expecting to win every time we step on the field If we keep that attitude this team has a chance to do some things this year. ” STEVE MARCOTT, senior pitcher and team captain base on an error and eventually came around to score. The Gen- erals responded in the bottom half of the inning on a double by sophomore Will Lewis that drove in two runners and gave the team a 2-1 lead. W&L added to that lead in the second inning on another RBI by Lewis. Sophomore John Ditore led off the inning with a single and scored the run, ad- Hampden-Sydney narrowed the lead to one in the top of the sixth inning when Brendan Clark loaded the bases with no- body out, but the Tigers failed to really capitalize, stranding three runners on base as the Generals got two outs at the plate. The Generals answered in the second half of the frame on back-to—back doubles by Lewis and sophomore Hunter Seren- betz to stretch the lead to 5-3. The Tigers countered with another run in the seventh, but the surge was thwarted by W&L, scoring two runs in the eighth and shutting down Hampden-Sydney the rest of the way. The final score was 7-4. Lewis was 4-5 on the day with four RBIs in the effort. He was complemented by fellow sophomores Ditore and Seren- betz, who combined for six hits and an RBI. Marcott won his first game of the year as the starting pitcher, allowing only one earned run in five innings. The team is now ll-3 overall and 4-1 in conference. Serenbetz, Peyster and Di- tore are part of a Generals in- field that graduated three start- ers from last year’s team and lost returning first baseman Andrew Henderson to a knee injury during the opening road trip to Georgia. Peyster has especially big shoes to fill as he replaces sec- ond baseman David Miller, who during his career established himself as one of the program’s all-time leaders in hits and on- base percentage. Marcott said after the game that the team wants to bring home an ODAC title. “The team’s goals this year are the same as they are every year: Get to the ODAC touma- ment and win it,” said Marcott.