OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080331/WLURG39_RTP_20080331_001.2.txt Coming next week: The First Annual Phi bracket ARTS & LIFE / page 77 Se sure to tune ta" as we await ear bracket and ptett the taittest itieaming freahmaa. flail the ieditere today ts piaee year states. heart rates eat ea tires areas at a titetime ‘ epeeetanity. WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY E RING-TUM PH MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2008 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CXI, NUMBER 17 Administration :9 master plan finally complete; incoming class ready to kill fun at W&L By Hadley Burgoyne surr wnnrn They may be prone to bouts of excessive drinking and pos- sible drug use while visiting, but the Washington and Lee Class of 2012 is already making a name for itself. The entering class announced on its Facebook group yesterday that it had successfully created a cure for most common cancers. The project is expected to gen- erate enormous revenue, and the entering class says it plans to use the money to buy Davidson Park and Red Square away from the school and the fratemities. “We think that the Greek sys- tem is outdated,” one member of the incoming class said. “We would instead like to make Red Square a sober activity center where everyone goes home by midnight, so they can get plenty of rest for class the next day.” Plans for Davidson Park are still a bit shaky, but the class will probably demolish the fraternity houses and build a scientific re- search center where the houses once stood. “I mean, what’s the point of Davidson Park anymore?” the student asked. You’ve already got the Kappa Sig house empty, and SAE is going to be empty next year. Building a center for global warming research and let- ting Al Gore move in to Lexing- ton just makes more sense. Come on, we all know that the most im- portant thing here is making lots of money and giving the school another excuse to raise tuition prices again.” Dean of Admissions William Hartog said he was proud of the accomplishments of the incoming class. “As you know, Washington and Lee received a record num- ber of applications, and this is the most competitive class yet. So what I’m basically trying to say is that all the people we’ve let in before are stupid idiots who drink too much and can’t hold a candle to the new class.” When asked for his reaction to Hartog’s comments, history pro- fessor H.P. Porter, Jr. just shook his head and walked away with- This once beautiful fraternity house will be destroyed to make way for a sober activiy location sponsored by the Class of 2012. out saying anything. His actions spoke far louder than words. Greek residents of Davidson Park refused to comment about the hostile takeover, but several fraternities were being surround- tory. There was speculation, however, that the fraternity was already trying to end that streak last month when it hosted a tequi- la party for the 17- and 18-year- old Johnson Scholars who were “We would instead like to make Red Square a sober activity center where everyone goes home by midnight, so they can get plenty of rest for class the next day. ” 4 Member of Class of 201:2 ed by sandbags, signaling that the Class of 2012 may be resisted by force. All members contacted said they wanted to talk but would be kicked out of their fraternity by the school/nationals/the housing corps if they dared to break the vow of silence around the latest hazing investigation. The destruction of Phi Kappa Psi’s Davidson Park house will leave the fraternity, Washington and Lee’s oldest, off campus for the first time in its 152 year his- visiting campus. Faculty members of the Stu- dent Affairs Committee is ecstatic about the new plan. “It’s no secret that we hate the Greek scene,” one faculty mem- ber said. “All you students do is get drunk and go hook up with each other. Then you skip my 9 a.m. class or show up so hung- over that you have to put your head down on the desk or run out every 10 minutes to puke. I’m happy that I’ll finally have stu- dents who are more interested in having deep, philosophical dis- cussions with me.” The SAC has also been busy punishing fraternities, so the end. of the Greek system will relieve their workload. “With Davidson Park out of the way, the only fraternities left are FIJI and Chi Psi,” said SAC chair and Dean of Students Dawn Watkins. “It’s just a matter of time before the FIJIS do some- thing that we can frame them for, and I’m sure we can build a case against Chi Psi by arguing that dancing on the bar at late night is highly dangerous. This should be a piece of cake.” Alumni could not be reached for comment, mainly because all of them dropped dead of a heart attack when they heard the news. A loud humming noise was also heard in the basement of Lee Cha- pel. The source of the noise could not be immediately verified, but paranormal experts think it was probably Robert E. Lee spinning in his grave.‘ wiitaisaffiiiate .- 2.912 iesmarter than yea i—;7§iea_lLwit§h it. . V «altars new mam. hers eta great tie on-e n‘-th9liriVtbest-—- :0 an e Is something in the campus water? Ruscio goes crazy and flees after the Bracket and DT F list make him hate his new job By Dan Thomas Farragut surr wrmzn Two years after Lexington’s water treatment plant failed its annual health inspection, city and university oflicials are worried that the water is un- safe once again. The concerns came after a strange wave of mental prob- lems swept over the Wash- ington and Lee campus this winter. The normal cries of ci- vility, diversity and honorabil- ity have been replaced by the screaming catty girls arguing over who really are Down To F***' Dana Smith, the normally placid director of sorority life, was seen wandering around muttering, “I thought this sort of stuff only happened in fra- ternities. I don’t understand what happened.” It is" currently unknown if the list’s author drank bottled water or had been using the city water supply. Since she has left town, health depart- ment officials are struggling to complete the necessary test- ing. President and chief broad- cast mail writer Ken Ruscio was unavailable for comment. There were unsubstantiated ru- As he left his office, Ruscio had the following statement for a Phi reporter who was on the scene: “I came to Lex- ington to run a college, not a P“**ing middle school. This is absurd.” Provost June Aprille was reported to have fled as well, “I came to Lexington to run a col- lege, not a ]‘***ing middle school. This is absurd ” mors that he had read the list, thrown his hands up in disgust and simply fled for Richmond. Students on the University of Richmond campus report that an unshaven man with a rumpled suit had been seen wandering the campus over the weekend, but it was not immediately clear if this was Ruscio. following Ruscio back to Richmond just nine months after she followed him to Lex- ington. During Ruscio’s absence, the school is under the leader- ship of history professor Jef- ferson Davis Futch. “I think there’s a simple solution to this,” Futch told a group of male history majors. “If we went back to being all male, we could send these lists out about Sweet Briar and H01- lins girls without anyone ever knowing. I’m telling you, all these problems started when we let in those girls.” Phi Kap members said they had been bewildered to receive the list. “I don’t get it,” said one Phi Kap senior. “Did this girl think we were really too stupid to figure out which girls want to hang out with us?” The Geology department reported that there was a 4.2 magnitude earthquake last week. The seismic activity was attributed to the force of 1700 jaws hitting the ground as students read the infamous list. ‘ W&L doctor Jane Horton urged students to use caution until tests of the city’s water supply are finished. “Obviously something is in the water, so please just drink bottled products over the next few days,” Horton said. “We’re very committed to the health and safety of students, so please be assured that we’ll get this bizarre illness figured out. Of course, there is one so- lution to this whole issue. You all could quit being mean ba- bies and learn to get along with one another.” Faced with Horton’s sug- gestion, students shrugged their shoulders. “Why shouldn’t we know who’s DTF,” one junior male asked. “It makes things easier when I go out. Besides, guys like seeing girls fight with each other. It’s fun to watch.” Have you seen this man? he may have fled to Rich- mond after W&L students continued to act like 12-year-olds on a daily basis. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080331/WLURG39_RTP_20080331_002.2.txt --n- u v '-. I-: WASHIMSTON & LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON. VA 24450 ' THE RING-TUM PHI ° MONDAY, MARCH 31,2008 APR 0 1 2008 Baner quits W&L to take job ' as new Lexington police officer By Davld Van Patten STAFF WRITER Tired of having to jump the dead batteries of fancy student cars, long-time Washington and Lee security guard Thomas “Ba- ner” Bane announced yesterday that he is resigning from the W&L security force and taking an immediate job as a patrol officer with the Lexington Police Depart- ment. “The decision was really simple,” Baner said. “As a Lex- ington officer, I can carry a gun, which Mike [Young, Director of Public Safety] would never let me I’m quitting By PauIA|len surr wanna A senior member of the powerful Student Recruitment Committee resigned from the committee Monday, creating a media flurry outside the Admis- sions Office House. The former SRC member, Skip Hockenpayne (R-Ala- bama), cited the recent wave of scandals that have been rocking Washington & Lee as his rea- son for stepping down. “After Bracketgate, I was determined to push on and continue the important job of recruiting students to this ex- tremely prestigious institution,” said a teary-eyed Hockensmith, his Sweet Briar import-girl- friend standing next to him. “But after the recent events of DTFgate, I’ve lost faith in the legitimacy of this commit- tee and being a W&L student in general,” said Hockensmith. “I mean, how can we as SRC members allow ourselves to perpetuate this lie that Wash- ington and Lee is a place of civility? I can’t bring myself to lie to another high school pros- do around campus. I’m going to have a great time firing warning shots when I get a noise complaint down in Red Square.” Baner said he was also excited to stop driving around a silly, grey SUV. “I mean, the security jeeps weren’t terrible, but they don’t have any sirens. How on Earth can I zoom around the parking garage when I don’t even have lights or a siren on top of my W&L security vehicle?” Baner, a long-time student favorite, faces an uncertain re- ception when he comes back onto campus wearing the blue uniforms of Lexington’s (not-so) finest. Some students say they’ll be happy to have a familiar face on the police force, while others worry that he’ll be corrupted by the mean members of the police force. “I don’t know what to think,” one senior said. “On the one hand, it’s hard to see Baner flip- ping out and charging everyone who talks back to him with as- sault on a police officer. But on the other hand, something about the badge and gun in this town makes people go crazy.” Members of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity have such a close re- lationship with Baner that they made him an honorary member several years ago. Now, the fra- ternity is unsure of what to do with the man they thought of as almost a father figure. “He sold out, no question about it,” one Phi Kap told the Phi. “We are just totally blown . away by this move; we never saw it coming.” ' Police Chief Steve Crowder said he was excited by the newest addition to his staff. “Baner has been around this town forever,” Crowder said. “He knows where all the parties are, where all the drugs are hidden on campus. You name it, he knows about it. I’m hoping that this will really help us increase our arrests of students, and that revenue will ' help us get more shiny equipment like the tasers we got to shoot W&L students wit .” The tasers, purchased last year, were given to officers so they could shock drunk and unruly students around town. Crowder told his ofiicers that tasers are preferable to real guns because they “aren’t as messy, and prob- ably lead to fewer lawsuits.” Baner said that even though he’s wearing a new uniform, driv- ing a new car and finally carrying a gun, he’ll be the same security- minded person he always is. “I think I’ll keep my old W&L ticket book,” he said. “That way, if I see you parked in the wrong W&L parking lot, I can give you a city ticket and a W&L ticket at I the same time. And because I’ve got a gun on my hip, students are probably going to argue a lot less with me about the extra charges.” pect, and I won’t.” Hockensmith said that in the wake of his resignation, he in- tends to spend some more time with his family, frat brothers, and keg-a-rator. Hockensmith’s resignation is the only the latest in a recent wave of trouble for Washington & Lee students. In recent months there have been numerous calls for the res- ignations of various students by the pundits and public alike. The student body has also seen its approval ratings plum- met, meanwhile, while only one or two of the scandal-plagued student body members have stepped down. Among the student com- mittees hit the most hard by the wave of scandals are the Trident, fraternities, and so- rorities. There have also been rumblings of an independent counsel investigation into the drinkers, smokers, and tokers. “I think there is definitely a sentiment right now that the student body isn’t being very responsible,” said student Hannah-Elizabeth-Sarah-Jes- sica Albridge (R — Mississippi). “I’ll admit that if you look at what we’ve accomplished this last term, and it’s not very promising.” Albridge cited the recent 100th Mock Convention as the key achievement of the 259th Student Body so far this year. “But even that seemed like a temporary fix to our college’s sliding reputation,” said Al- bridge, pointing out that the student body still hasn’t shown any of the promised leader- ship it gained admission on in the areas of academic achieve- ment, character development, or athletic prowess. “And I think a lot of my peers across the Hill will agree that you don’t want to begin the discussion on how badly we’re doing on the diversity issue,” said Albridge. With sliding approval num- bers for the more senior mem- bers of the Student Body, many analysts are predicting nearly a fourth of the current student body won’t return to the Hill in the fall. “There’s definitely a strong crop of challengers looking to knock the incumbent seniors Student says he can ’t save W&L ’s reputation out of their seats,” said Admis- sions Dean William Hartog. Hartog predicted that only a few of the incumbent seniors ‘would be able to retain their seats going into the new year, but that even these would have little chance of doing much more than serving out the year in obscurity. “It’s a culture of corruption,” said one urmamed-student body insider. - “You hear all the time about people going to the Hill with all these ambitions and dreams. But it doesn’t last. I’d say that almost all of them are into drinking and drugs and God- knows what else by the time they leave.” “I think that’s why you see the public losing faith in the people up on the Hill. When you’ve got so many alcoholics it’s bad enough. But throw in stuff like Bracketgate and DT- F gate? It’s too much.” The latest Gallup poll shows public approval of Student Body behavior is at 23%, with no margin of error. Letter from a member of the class of 2012 Dear Washington and Lee Community, I would like to introduce myself and my class to you the students of our new school. We are very excited to come here and become your best friends. I am sure they we can all hang out together and have a great time and perhaps you all can learn “how to party hard from us. Also I am really excited to rush Phi Kap, I heard those are really good guys who have a strong brotherhood and that I will fit in there the best. When I was here on my cam- pus visit I went to River house one night and a bunch of fun there play- ing beer pong with them. I was not very good, so I am now practicing by myself at home. I really want to impress you guys so you will be ' friends with me. ‘ I think Phi Kap. is also the best place for because I heard a lot of the lacrosse guys join there. I have been playing lacrosse since I was 10 and I have continued to play in high school. Next year I would really like to join the lax team here. All Harvard The urzherail d Washingtona. id Lee Boat Clii'b.io;.C;zhSit;«ates‘ wharnis called this summer I am going to running around my yard with my lax wand. I really am looking forward to the speaking tradition. I hope to be I able to say hi to all of you within my first, days on campus. I want to be friends with everybody. Now I don’t want to brag or any- thing, but I have heard my class is the smartest ever at Washington and Lee. We are really excited to take up that mantel and make this school even better than it was before. Next year we are really going to make this school more competitive, but we are. really going to try to not make you guys feel inferior. I think the honor system is a re- ally great thing. I am going to make sure to report anyone who I know cheated or stole to the Executive Committee. In fact I think I am ‘ ing to take this time to announce my candidacy to the EC. Next year is going to be great! I am so excited to meet everyone. I really hope we will all be friends. Your friend, Patrick Bateman By Craig Mcbermott sun warren This past weekend the members of the Washington and Lee Rowing team traveled for their first duel race in 50 years. Quietly under thecover of night they departed on Friday morning with their dilapidated boat strapped down to their rusting hulk of a truck. The des- tination was Cambridge, Mass. They arrived at‘ the Harvard’s Newell Boat House, late Friday, where two weeks before the coach Harry Parker dis- patched a challenge. Defending National Champion Harvard ranked number one in the na- tion preseason, has already disposed of Princeton, Cal and Wisconsin, this season, presented a huge opponent for the generals. The men of the Washing- ton and Lee team have been practicing constantly on the Maury since early December, in hopes of this being their break out year. ‘ ‘ For Harvard this race was seen as a joke, a tune up before gearing up for a final push to Olympic preparation. Ac- cording to Harvard stroke, Smithe Mos- ingly Doosheington VI, “we wanted to race the little sisters of the poor for once. Occasionally we like to see how the other 99.99% of the nation lives. I expect this will be quite the show, and I will be sitting in my ascot at the Fly Club before they even finish.” The Harvard Coach said, “Occa- sionally I like to just beat up little kids in order to feel superior about myself. That is why Iinvited them this week- end, we just want to beat up on some hillbillies and rednecks." This View was surely not enhanced by Generals puling up to the boathouse in their rusted truck, which promptly died in the parking lot. » Lacking money to stay in a hotel, the W&L menslept on the floor of the boathouse. Yesterday morning the two teams took to the water is what was supposed to be a one sided drubbing. But off the start the Harvard Men were shocked. Over the 2000 meter course,,the. W&L team surged out to an incredible lead. By the halfway point of the race the W&L team held a commanding lead of over 10 boat lengths and a lead of over a minute. Coming into the last 400m of the race the W&L men did not even raise their game for a sprint since they had lostsight of Harvard.*The final margin of victory for the Generals was 2:32 and a margin of 30 lengths, as a desponded Harvard Coach announced was , “the curvature of the earth”. Not even stopping to celebrate of rest the W&L men rowed back to the boathouse and in true W&L fashion changed into their blazers and went down to the dock to greet their oppo- nents. A According to one former Olympian who watched the race, it was “perhaps one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports!” ‘ The team returned to Lexington qui- etly last night to begin preparation for their next big test, the Olympics. Last week the team received notice from the International Olympic Committee that they would not be allowed to represent the Confederate States of America in the next Olympiad. The team is now weighing their option of whether to represent the United States or not. Tri» als are scheduled to begin this Friday. The Harvard crew team (left) entered the competition confident OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080331/WLURG39_RTP_20080331_003.2.txt Wit ese teams, W&lcan’t|ose It's an ambarrasment of riches an the athletic fields this spring as the women’s tennis and lacrosse teams sweep to the top of the rankings. In the pool, senior Alex Sweet closed out his career by setting a 0-!!! record In the 50 in free. Junior track star Stacy Doonbos tallied the best D-Ill heptathalon score of the ysar. Finally, the unhearlded club rugby team went to the elite eight before falling in a 13-9 defeat. SPORTS / page 10 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY ‘ THE RING-TUM PHI. MONDAY, MARCH 31,2008 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME CXI, NUMBER 17 SAC issues frat verdicts Phi Psi and KA placed on critical probation for Johnson Scholar controversy and hazing By Robert Wason STAFF WRITER The Student Affairs Committee recently concluded its investigations of Phi Kappa Psi and Kappa Alpha Order and .sued its verdicts in a hearing last Wednesday. These pun- ishments were handed out in response‘ to hazing violations committed by KA and for the Johnson scholar candidate controversy surrounding Phi Psi. "According to the Washington and Lee University web- site, which enables students to view the final decisions of the SAC, Phi Psi has been placed on “Critical Social Proba- tion” for one calendar year. This is a punishment that nor- mally coincides with “a second offense under the University initiatives of alcohol and other drugs.” Phi Psi has also been asked to provide the SAC with a “revised organization reform proposal” by Thursday. KA, which was recently found guilty of hazing viola- tions, is now on “Critical Probation,” meaning that the fra- ternity will be considered for suspension if any other major violations are committed before the end of the next calendar year. “The proactive responses by KA and fhi Psi leadership exemplifiz the ide- als of student self—governance at W&L. It is an indication that students are willing to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes. ” CHRIS WORNOM, IFC Presldent During this time, KA will be closely monitored by both the Interfratemity Council (IFC) and the SAC to ensure its compliance with the rules and policies of Kappa Alpha Or- der’s National Administrative Officc, the standards of W&L and Virginia state laws. ’ SAC members were unable to divulge further informa- tion concerning the proceedings of their hearing. The university website speaks highly of KA’s coopera- tion, commending it as an ideal model of “collaboration between the national organization, the local chapter, the In- terfratemity Council and the University.” IFC President and SAC member Chris Womom empha- sized the importance of this productive group effort. “The proactive responses by KA and Phi Psi leadership ’xemplify the ideals of student self-govcmance at W&L,” he said. He added, ‘‘It is an indication that students are will- ing to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes.” Phi Psi President Carson Brunoresponded to the SAC decision in an e-mail statement. “The SAC’s decision to uphold the IFC’s recommenda- tion of Critical Social Probation was fair and understand- able,” Bruno said in his e-mail. “This was not what I had expected to have to deal with when I became president, but now, I think this will help us become a stronger house as we make changes.” Dean of Freshman David Leonard also emphasized the ' ' portance of creating a hazing-free model of New Member Education. When asked to comment on the current state of Greek Life, he said that “the ‘beyond-the—classroom’ experi- ence is improving at Washington and Lee.” Although he expressed satisfaction concerning the effi- ciency of student self-govemance that was demonstrated by the SAC trials of Phi Psi and KA, Leonard offered a word of caution to the Greek Community. “Washington and Lee University is very serious about ensuring the health and safety of its students, and when in- dividuals and organizations do things that are not congruent with University standards, they will be held accountable,” he said. By Alllson Chopin ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR As students are finalizing their living arrangements for next year ‘ and, in some cases, lamenting the results of V the lottery for on-cam- pus housing, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the recent changes that have been made to the housing scene. David Leonard, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Dean of Freshmen, explained in detail the specific adjustments students can expect in the coming academic year. He made it clear that while there have been several shifts in the housing plans, there is no rea- son to worry. ‘”l‘here’s not a shortage,” Leon- ard said. “It’s not as if we have to triple [roommates]” or find over- flow housing. - Due to upcoming renovations to buildings on the Colonnade, Baker Hall, currently a freshman residence hall, will be transformed into offices for displaced faculty members. Consequently, the en- tire ground floor of Gaines Hall and some additional space on the second floor will be devoted to first—year student housing. Leonard predicts that about one fifth of next year’s freshman class will live in Gaines. A To combat the stress that these changes could cause in providing housing for upper~division stu- dents, a “small scattering of suites” in Woods Creek East, formerly reserved entirely for law students, has been opened to undergradu- ates. The building will still, how- ever, be predominantly assigned to law students. “Some students had less of a chance to live in their No. 1 choice,” said Leonard, explaining that there has been “a little bit of dissatisfaction” following the re- ...L 1 Baker Dorm ‘to house faculty ofiices, additional housing oflered in“Gaines and Woods Creek East sults of the recent housing lottery. Also to be noted is the fact that several students who would other- wise be living in a fraternity house next year have had to seek housing , elsewhere. Residential life “will be a little more snug this academic year,” said Leonard. He explained that there will be much less opportunity to make room changes after mov- ing in and advised that students will have to solve any roommate problems on their own. “When there’s not a lot of space to {switch rooms], it’s amazing how people learn to get along,” he said. Leonard also shared his opti- mistic plans for greatly improving residential life in other areas, par- ticularly for freshmen. “Twenty to 30 freshmen stu- dents are typically housed in Gaines, and most of them feel rather lonely,” he said. Next year the residence hall will be home to 80-90 freshmen, and this will help to “create more of a first—year com- munity in Gaines.” He noted enthusiastically that plans are being made to renovate Gaines, including the Gatehouse, which will create a refurbished common area for residents and vis- itors. The weight room will also be improved, and Leonard hopes this will become “one of the primary social spaces” for residents. Input for these upcoming projects was sought from the Residential Life staff and the Freshman Leadership Council. Leonard said he would also like to facilitate the creation of better programming and planned activi- ties for all aspects of on-campus housing. This would create a better “feel of community” across resi- dential life, he said. Suspected mumps case isolated Health care professionals urge W&L community to monitor personal health, practice good hygiene By Grace Wang NEWS EDITOR The Student Health Center warned the W&L community Friday by e-mail to be wary of a possible case of mumps after an undergradu- ate began experiencing symptoms. Although the Health Center imme- diately isolated the student, campus physician Jane Horton said they did not test for the disease. She attributes this to the inaccuracy of mumps testing in Lexington. Dr. John Sheridan, a physician in the Emergency Department at Stone- wall Jackson Hospital, said that he has not encountered a mumps case since the 19805. Dr. Horton confirmed that the student has now left campus and no longer poses a threat. She said it is unlikely that additional cases will emerge. According to the Health Center, the student adhered to university policy and was fully vaccinated for mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) prior to experiencing symptoms. However, Dr. Horton said that the MMR vaccination does not always provide full coverage. “There’s something about this strain that has emerged in the past couple years... Two to fivc percent [of those vaccinated] may still be susceptible.” Dr. Sheridan hypothesized that this individual was unable to pro- duce the correct antibodies in re- sponse to the MMR vaccination. Similar mumps cases surfaced about two years ago and resulted in outbreaks lat several colleges, including nearby University of Vir- ginia and the University of Iowa. The Health Center immediately notified close contacts of the symp- tomatic student, advising them to monitor their own health in upcom- ing weeks. Typical symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite. According to Dr. Horton’s e-mail, the infected individual can transmit mumps to an uninfected person from three days before symptoms appear to about five days after symptoms begin. A person who is exposed to the virus may not exhibit symptoms until 16 to 18 days later. However, this incubation time could be as long as three weeks. MMR documentation was then verified for these high-risk individu- als as well as for those lacking both doses of the vaccine. Mumps is a viral infection trans- mitted through shared respiratory secretions. This can occur readily when people share food and drink. Moreover, it is airborne and spread through skin contact, said Dr. Sheri- dan. “The best thing to do is to prac- tice good hand washing,” he said. Dr. Horton also recommends cover- ing coughs and sneezes. The infection is often character- ized by swelling of one or more of the salivary glands, usually of the parotid glands located within the cheek and near the jaw line. This gives infected individuals an ap- pearance of “chipmunk cheeks.” However, one third of infections do not cause apparent salivary gland swelling and appear as respiratory tract infections. Severe complica- tions of the illness are also pos- sible but rare. Dr. Sheridan cited an important example. “Lymphatic involvement can spread over the entire body and cause orchitis, or swollenness of the testes, in young men.” Because mumps is a viral infec- tion, antibiotic treatment is not use- ful. Thus, prevention and good hy- giene are of the utmost importance. Dr. Horton advises individuals experiencing any suspicious symp- toms to seek medical help immedi- ately. Booster shots for the MMR vaccination are available through the Lexington—Rockbridgc Health Department OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080331/WLURG39_RTP_20080331_004.2.txt - THE RING-TUM PHI 0 MONDAY, MARCH 31,2007 ‘Reporting back’ to journa1ism’s roots W&L hosts spring regional Society of Professional Journalists conference By Joel Poelhuls STAFF WRITER Journalists from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington DC. descended on campus Friday and Saturday for the Society of Professional Journal- ists (SPJ) Region II Conference. SPJ was founded at founded at DePauw Univer- sity in 1909. It works to advocate free speech and public information laws as well as to promote dia- logue about relevant issues within the profession. The conference included panel discussions, the Region II Mark of Excellence awards luncheon and a speech by Democracy Now! journalist Amy Goodman. Washington and Lee won two Mark of Excellence Awards, one for the Rockbridge Report website, and one for inGeneral magazine. The theme of the conference was “Report Back,” emphasizing the history of Washington and Lee and journalism. In 1869, Robert E. Lee decided to offer 50 scholarships to students interested in the profes- sion of printing and journalism. This is cited as the first journalism program in higher education in the world. According to junior Melissa Caron, the treasurer for the W&L SPJ chapter, it is unusual for a student chapter to host a regional conference. “We started planning for it about a year ago,” Caron said. At the conference, W&L journalism professor Edward Wasserrnan unveiled OnPoverty.org, a web- site created by students and faculty of the journalism department to provide resources for journalists who cover issues of poverty, class and economic justice. Goodman’s speech, which was open to the pub- lic, covered the failure of mainstream, corporate- ly-owned media to challenge the powers that be. Goodman criticized the major news networks for complicity in the build-up to the war in Iraq. She also related a story from her own past in which she and a colleague were beaten by the Indonesian mili- tary during a protest in East Timor as an example of how journalists are treated in other parts of the world. _ A silent auction held during the conference raised about $450 for the society’s Legal Defense Fund, which provides financial assistance to journalists facing legal action. Shops in town, area media, and the W&L bookstore all donated items to the auc- tron. Next year’s SPJ conference will be organized by the professional chapters of Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Surviving the aftermath of rape ' Two women share emotional stories, discuss resources available for recovery By Vlctorla Taylor smrr wnmzn Two speakers visited Washington and Lee last week to address the topic of sexual assault, specifically rape, and its consequences. Andrea Cooper gave her presen- tation on Tuesday entitled “Kristin’s Story” in which she spoke about her 20-year-old daughter who committed suicide in 1995 after being victimized by acquaintance rape. On Wednesday night, Joyce Mc- Cauley-Benner presented “Victory Over Violence” as part of the Femi- nists for Life College Outreach Pro- gram. McCauley-Benner became pregnant at the age of 20 and, although she did not know whether the unborn child was the result of rape or of her loving relationship, she decided not to have an abortion. Cooper believed that her daughter suffered from childhood depression but said that Kristin was happy dur- ing her teenage years, earning her high school’s performing arts award. She began at Baker University, a liberal arts school in Baldwin City, Kansas with fewer than 1,000 students in the fall of 1994, where she became a a member the sorority Alpha Chi Omega. Kristin once again started showing signs of depression after her boyfriend of about a year broke up with her the following September. According to Cooper, her daughter seemed to be back to normal, “almost euphoric,” > when she came home for Christmas break. She made plans for New Years Eve but when Cooper and her husband returned home at two in the morning, they saw that all of the lights were on and that Kristin’s car was still in the driveway. Once inside, they found their daughter lying on the floor with I a gun in her hand. “I didn’t see any blood,” said Coo- per, “and I thank God for that every day.” It was only after reading her daughter’s diary two weeks later that she learned the cause of her daugh- ter’s suicide: Kristin had been raped by a fellow lifeguard at a party that summer. Upon calling the Alpha Chi house at Baker, she found out that all of Kristin’s sorority sisters knew what had happened, as did her best friend from high school. Because of these circumstances, Cooper stressed the importance of helping friends who are showing signs of depression. “My goal is to get people to go to counseling and get professional help,” said Cooper, who added that “exten- sive grief counseling and [her] faith” are what pulled her through. “Take ad- vantage of the free services at Wash- ington and Lee.” Before she began, Cooper prom- ised the audience that her talk would not be a “total downer.” “I feel that the message I have is the legacy that Kristin left behind,” said Cooper. This was Cooper’s second visit to W&L’s campus. She also spoke four years ago and, according to Assistant Director of Student Activities and Greek Life Dana Smith, she was “well received by the student body.” “It is important for students to hear a different perspective about rape, de- pression and suicide to increase un- derstanding of these complex topics,” said Smith. “These issues affect so many college students directly or in- directly. It is, hopefully, reassuring to know they are not alone in their reac- tions, questions and emotions.” Cooper was a member of Delta Delta Delta at Florida State University andjremains an active member of the Greek community. “Kristin’s Story” was sponsored by SPEAK, One in Four, Kappa Kappa Gamma, the Pan- hellenic Council and the Ofiice of Health Promotions. Students for Life sponsored “Vic- tory Over Violence,” a talk given by Feminists For Life of America’s speaker Joyce McCauley-Benner. At the age of 20, McCauley-Benner was raped by a cook at the restaurant where she was waiting tables. She be- came pregnant, but until the child was born, she would not know whether the I father of the child was her boyfriend or the rapist. Living on her own and trying to support herself through college, she felt helpless. McCauley-Benner made what she called a “desperate phone call home to a friend” who gave Mc- Cauley-Benner the advice that she said helped her make up her mind to keep the baby: “No one emotion will last forever; an abortion will.” “That comment hit me like a ton of bricks,” said McCauley-Benner. “While I didn’t know who the father was, I did know who the mother was. It was me.” She moved back home and gave birth to a baby boy, whom she named Joshua McCauley. He is now eight years old. After sharing her story, McCauley- Benner explained the beliefs of Femi- nists for Life. Contrary to the common belief that all feminists must be pro- choice, FFL is based on the teachings of the “first wave” of feminists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who celebrated “motherhood as womanhood” and were against abortion. She also spoke about the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting I Students Act which would provide on- A _ campus support for pregnant and par- enting students. McCauley-Benner, who is a college graduate, said she had a difficult time going back to school after she gave birth. “People stared at me like ‘why are you putting a damper on the party at- mosphere?”’ she said. She told the audience that they had the power to “revolutionize this cam- pus to empower women” and then take those skills into the work place because that’s what is going to “revo- lutionize America.” She stressed the importance of providing resources to college women who experience an un- planned pregnancy so that they do not have to choose abortion. Sophomore Students for Life sec- retary Sarah Keckler was responsible for organizing the event, which in- cluded contacting FFL and sending out fimdraising letters to local church- es. She said that there were a number of speakers that they could choose. “[McCauley-Benner’s story] was the one that really stood out,” said Ke- ckler, “because sexual assault is such a problem on W&L’s campus. We thought it would really hit home.” P1: DA}... (3.41; I)l'E‘-5 1—.:: R & "HM 'l“0v‘ (.”.‘,.«xf<"-13:: Circle!‘ fram nut‘ (:01n.p-iletc mcntl (Jr .Ir)i:t u.';_fbr one Q/‘our («LL YOU C’.-41V .8»! T .I&‘I4_r,f}’i°:.!.sr." 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