Broadside News

May Fakhriyazdi, Staff Writer

As Halloween draws closer, organizations at George Mason University have begun to create new and creative ways of celebrating the holiday.

For the fifth year in a row, the American Institute of Graphic Arts is holding their annual “Extreme Pumpkin Makeover” event.

In years past, the event has been limited to art and visual technology major students only. This year, for the first time, the event is open to all students, staff and faculty members at Mason.

“Anyone who wants [to] can participate,” said Lindsey Smith, a junior graphic design major and member of AIGA.

“All you have to do is create a visual art piece. It can be anything from a poster, to a sculpture, to a film. The only requirement is that it include some aspect of a pumpkin, like texture or color,” said Smith.

“It’s really fun, and you can win a lot of cool prizes and have your work presented at the new School of Art Gallery on campus and the Point in Space Gallery in downtown Fairfax,” she said.

The event is being sponsored by companies like Sodexo, as well as the George Mason Bookstore.

By submitting your artwork to the third floor of the School of Art building between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. today through Tuesday your masterpiece will be submitted to a pool of other artwork for a chance to win giveaway prizes.

“Because we are being sponsored by Sodexo, they are giving us gift cards which we will be using as prizes. The Mason bookstore is also giving us cool gifts like Mason sweaters, t-shirts and bags,” said Smith.

To accommodate each artist’s specific talent, the categories have been arranged so that everyone has an equal chance at winning. There will be categories such as “Most Creative” and “Most Visually Appealing” from which artist’s can win prizes.

“It’s nice because the contest is open to everybody. This is the first open call for students’ work and we’re always looking for opportunities to show our art,” said Kannan Cangro, an art education graduate student.
The American Institute of Graphic Arts will be providing food and hosting the band RadioRadio from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday where the winners will be announced at a reception held at 7 p.m. on the second floor of the School of Art building.

Don Starr, an assistant professor and academic advisor for the School of Art, reminds all that “AIGA-GMU has been putting on this contest for a while now and I have a feeling this will be one of the larger collections of artwork. We invite all to participate, faculty included.”

Brenda Shepard, Staff Writer

As Domestic Violence Month draws to a close, the George Mason University community reflects on people in their own lives who have been affected by this sad reality.

Whether it’s a friend, neighbor, roommate or family member, there are no specific boundaries to this issue.

However, there are ways to promote change in people’s attitudes regarding domestic violence, and there is hope.

Karen Bontrager, a junior studying communication, has been a victim of domestic violence.

After being kicked out of her home, Bontrager was left with few options for housing and little money to keep her in school at Mason. Through her experiences she has decided her voice is one thing that can save her.

“These kinds of situations build character,” said Bontrager.

“I fought really hard and I’m going to use my voice, which was oppressed and depressed, to help others at Mason.”

According to their brochure, Mason’s Sexual Assault Services “is committed to providing direct services for anyone impacted by sexual assault, stalking and dating/partner violence.”

They offer support, advocacy and intervention services, to name just a few of their services.

Sexual assault is a general term that defines many different crimes such as rape, sexual battery or indecent exposure.

An act that is committed against your will, with force or intimidation, when you are unable to give consent, or if you are asleep or intoxicated is considered assault.

“What most people don’t understand,” said Connie Kirkland, director of Sexual Assault Services, “is that the majority of these cases occur with people who know each other already. I would say about 85 to 90 percent.”

Domestic violence has been brought to our awareness with the help of Mason policies.

Since most students are not married or living with their partner, Mason has policies regarding “dating violence,” including verbal, emotional and physical abuse.

“There wasn’t affordable housing for me on campus and scholarships weren’t made available to me through Mason,” said Bontrager.

“There needs to be encouragement, but it can’t just be theory. There needs to be tangible results as well. Survivors like me need help and not just counseling,” said Bontrager.

After finding little financial help in Fairfax and none on Mason’s campus, Bontrager found a room for rent in Burke, Va., and must now find ways to travel to Mason each week, without owning a car.

After traveling to a local library for Internet access, she had her books and laptop stolen.

When asked if Mason students take this issue seriously enough, Kirkland replied, “No, they’re not aware of it. The people who are victims take it seriously, but if they are not a victim, they tend to minimize it, saying things like ‘he only touched your breast.’”

To anyone who has been a victim of domestic or dating violence, Bontrager says, “staying silent does not help the problem. When you have the courage to come to the light, you don’t need to feel ashamed because there are other people that are right beside you.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of domestic violence or assault, there is help.
Contact Sexual Assault Services during their office hours or online at sas.gmu.edu. On their website, students can find a 24-hour phone number as well as an e-mail contact.

Matt Loffman, Connect2Mason Podcast Director

The George Mason University Student Senate voted Thursday to approve $12,500 in funds to continue the Gold Rush program this year.

The money will initially come out of the Student Government budget funded by student fees, but Student Government members are working on getting donations from Mason departments and local businesses to cover the cost of the program.

Last year, Student Government approved $17,000 for Gold Rush, but more donations came in, so they made money on the program.

As of the Thursday meeting, $5,000 had been promised from Mason departments to fund the program, and another $5,000 in verbal promises had been made.

“I feel really confident in Secretary [of University Life Krista] Muise with her track record and getting donations, and that it will all be paid for, if not more, and we’ll actually be able to buy more t-shirts,” said Senator Allyson Bowers, a government and international politics major. “I think we don’t have many traditions at Mason, and Gold Rush is one that we have.”

A few changes are being made this year. Along with a new design for the t-shirts, 1,000 fewer shirts are being ordered for a total of 5,000.

The decision came because 400 shirts were remaining from last year.

Student Government members hope that by ordering different sizes this year no shirts will be left over.
In the past, family members, faculty and alumni often received shirts.

This year, only Mason students will be eligible to receive a Gold Rush shirt, and students must swipe their student ID to get one.

Student Senator Michael DeMatteo was the only senator to vote against the bill.

“I opposed it because I thought the business plan was absolutely . . . terrible, DeMatteo said. “We did not get a return on investment. Everybody that I’ve talked to . . . said that they’d be willing to pay for [Gold Rush t-shirts].”

Now in its fourth year, Gold Rush’s goal is to increase school spirit and attendance at sporting events, and most students seem to like the idea of continuing the Gold Rush tradition.

“I think they’re a great symbolic something you take away from your Mason experience,” said Caroline Yost, a junior dance major.

Spending over $12,000 for t-shirts does make some students stop to think.

“I think it’s a cool program,” said Alyssa Chaudoin, a sophomore global affairs major. “And the fact that they do get money back on it is really cool because then they can put that to something else in the future, but I still think that $12,500 is a lot of money to be spending on t-shirts.”

Brenda Shepard, Staff Writer

If you are ever walking around Thompson Hall, you may see students pacing and talking to themselves. No, these students are not confused – they are practicing.

These students are members of the George Mason University’s Forensics Team, one of the most successful and long standing groups on campus.

For almost 40 years, the team has produced numerous trophies, national championships and graduates who go on to even greater accomplishments.

According to their website, www.gmuforensics.org, the team has “produced no less than 35 national champions, and in 2002 we won our 14,000th trophy.”

However, for Peter Pober, communication professor and director of the Mason Forensics team, “It’s much bigger than the trophy.”

The forensics team competes against approximately 400 schools across the country. Larger competitions have seen between 1,200 and 1,400 student entries, with about 100 students in each category.

Mason’s competitors work diligently to prepare for these competitions, mentally preparing to stand and deliver.

When asked if members of the team feel a great deal of pressure, Pober said, “I think they do – mostly from themselves. They have tremendous pride in the legacy of the Mason name.”

But by far the greatest successes as a team is what graduates are doing for others in their communities now.

One example Pober gave was of a former student who graduated and went on to become a major contributor to the HIV/AIDS campaign in Africa.

During reunions, which the team has about every 10 years, former members can come together with current students and are very open about how being on the Forensics Team has helped them in their lives.
The biggest problem the team has faced is that they have nearly doubled in size this year, going from about 22 students to 36.

With all of their recent success, the team was able to bring in a very large and competitive recruiting class.
“It makes it tough to give each student one-on-one time with the coaches, but students have stepped up and have been helping each other even more,” said Pober.

Comprised entirely of Mason students, the team requires each member to audition not only their first year, but every fall as well, to ensure that they are focused and ready for the coming year.

“[Strong competitors] should be dedicated [and] realize that these skills will transfer to other academic areas and have a willingness to submerge themselves into the process,” said Pober.

The work required to be successful can be long and difficult, but students give their all.

Students participate in competitions throughout the year in hopes of gaining entry into three separate final rounds.

In these final rounds, they must have a combined record of no lower than eighth place in order to be invited to the National Tournament at the end of the year.

This year, the National Tournament will be held at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire.
Before then, these students’ speeches go through about 30 drafts.

However, there will be many opportunities for the team to practice their speeches, including their upcoming, competition, in Peoria, Ill., to keep them up to par.

Any student interested in joining the Forensics Team should first check out their website to learn about the team, history and events.

Audition pieces can be a previous speech or performance, or simply five minutes of talking about themselves.

Students should contact Peter Pober at ppober@gmu.edu to set up an audition.

Amanda Cheek, News Editor

The Energy Action Coalition held its Virginia Regional Power Shift 2009 event at George Mason University this past weekend from Friday to Sunday, where 114 students, volunteers and presenters traveled from all across the state to create a dialogue between students and organizers on generating and promoting environmental awareness and clean energy coalitions.

The 3-day conference included 25 workshops on varying green topics relating to environmental economy, social change and environmental legislation among others.

Attendees included students from over 10 colleges and schools across the state, as well as individuals that were not students, but were interested in promoting green ideas and fighting global warming.

Power Shift is held annually across the country by the Energy Action Coalition, and is made up of several regional conferences across the United States which happen simultaneously.

The EAC is made up of 50 youth organizations from all over North America which are dedicated to promoting the student and youth clean and just energy movement, according to its website www.powershift09.org.

“Mason seemed like a great location to have an event and the students from GMU’s Environment Awareness Group were really enthusiastic to help host [the event], so EAC and CCAN [Chesapeake Climate Action Network] were excited to have the event at Mason. So many Mason students put a lot of time into making sure [the] Virginia Power Shift Summit was a success,” said Katherine McEachern, Virginia Campus Organizer for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the Power Shift event.

There were approximately 40 individuals involved in leading the workshops last Saturday and scattered throughout various campus buildings including Innovation, Krug and King David Hall. Attending visitors navigated the campus via maps and the help of Power Shift signs.

“Navigating campus was pretty good with the signs and maps, but at Lynchburg you can see straight across campus. [Mason’s campus] is big, but it got small really quick,” said Amanda D’Arcy, a senior and international relations major at Lynchburg College.

“I thought the workshops were great,” said D’Arcy.” It was great to network with other schools, see what they are doing and relay information.”

When asked what he hoped to get across to students and attendees, workshop leader and policy advocate for Environment Virginia, JR Tolbert said, “It’s all about grassroots [organizations] and getting a body of people to[gether] to speak to policy-makers . . . Students take a large piece . . . students always have been at the forefront of change in society.”

“Students have a stake in this,” said Rohn Hays, a workshop leader and co-founder of Green DMV, a non-profit organization promoting clean energy and green jobs in low-income communities. “Students can move into sustainable careers, [and] have a large opportunity as the country becomes a clean energy nation. [We will] need people who understand these principles.” A large part of the event was participation in the International Day of Climate Action Change. Attendees formed the number 350 in the Patriot’s Lounge in Student Union Building I on campus, symbolizing the number of parts per million of carbon dioxide that the world must stay under to prevent climate changes that are irreversible, according to www.350.org, the global event’s website.

“Worldwide, the turnout could not have been any more impressive,” said Danielle Simms, volunteer and senior environmental science major at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College.

“[On Oct. 24], people in 181 countries came together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history,” she said. “At over 5,200 events around the world, people gathered to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.”

“Young people from all over the state had the ability to meet each other, attend inspiring workshops and plan together how to make the switch to a clean energy economy, which was the goal of the weekend,” said Virginia Campus Organizer Katherine McEachern.

Emily Sharrer, Editor-in-Chief

A Reston Limousine employee is awaiting trial for charges stemming from an Oct. 8 arrest for driving under the influence while operating a George Mason University shuttle.

Frederick Bromm, of Lorton, Va., was driving the Gunston Go-Bus shuttle with no students on board at the time of his arrest according to Josh Cantor, director of parking and transportation for the university.

According to Tony Simon, general manager of Reston Limousine, the Mason Police Department received a call from somebody on the road who noticed the shuttle swerving just before Bromm’s arrest at 8:27 p.m.
Bromm reported for duty around 3 p.m., according to Simon, and had not been drinking when he started his shift and checked in with supervisors from Reston Limousine.

Cantor said that in the five hour time period Bromm was on duty, he made between five and six one-hour loops and there was no clear indication of when Bromm began drinking.

“It’s kind of a mystery as to when he started drinking and how much he drank,” said Cantor. “Procedure wise, I think everything was done appropriately.”

“It’s a very unusual situation,” said Simon. “We’re extremely appreciative to the people who noticed the vehicle having issues and called in. It’s terrible that it happened and we’re thankful nothing bad came of it.”
Bromm had no previous infractions on his record and passed all Department of Transportation requirements according to Simon.

Following his arrest, Bromm was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention center and held on $2,500 bond according to police files.

In accordance with Reston Limousine policy, Bromm was fired immediately following the incident.
“It’s obviously a very unfortunate incident,” said Cantor. “I believe Reston Limousine acted swiftly and appropriately in immediately firing the driver.”

The university’s 5-year contract with Reston Limousine was renewed this semester and is not under evaluation because of the incident according to Cantor. There have been no prior issues with the company.
“[This is] the only incident that we’ve had with Reston Limousine or that driver,” said Cantor. “It’s just as shocking to the university as it is to Reston Limousine, the driver had nothing on his record.”

The chances of this type of event happening again are very slim according to Simon and Cantor.

“There’s constant communication with all the drivers throughout the shift, that’s why it’s shocking,” said Cantor. “If there was any inclination that there were any issues that someone wasn’t well enough to drive safely they would be pulled from the route immediately.”

The university made no comment about the incident.

According to Fairfax County District Court records Bromm is scheduled for a hearing on Dec. 3 for the charges of DWI and refusing a breathalizer.

Rachael Dickson, Broadside Correspondent

An adjunct professor who was arrested for drunkness on the George Mason University campus will no longer be employed by Mason past the month of October.

According to George Mason University Police Logs, Charles “Chip” Hauss was arrested on Oct. 5 at 6:43 p.m. for being Drunk in Public in Enterprise Hall.

The arrest occurred less than 40 minutes before he was supposed to teach his weekly Introduction to International Politics class, according to the class profile and syllabus available on the Department of Public and International Affairs website.

Assistant Chief George Ginovsky of University Police said he was not prepared to give out any more information on the incident than what was available on the blotter.

“At the end of this month he will no longer be on the university payroll,” Mason Press Secretary Dan Walsch said.

A woman who would not identify herself answered repeated calls to Hauss’s phone number and said he would not comment.

As of Oct. 15, Hauss’s profile is not accessible via Mason’s PeopleFinder or the Public and International Affairs website. According to Patriotweb, that Monday night class is now taught by Sonja Taylor.

Since he was hired by Mason in January 1993, Hauss taught classes in various topics including political science, Honors and in Conflict Resolution. Hauss has written eleven books on comparative politics, conflict resolution, and French politics.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he works as a director of policy and research at Search for Common Ground USA. He is listed as a visiting fellow for the Woodrow Wilson Institute. In addition, he is listed as a government liason and a member of the Board of Directors for Alliance for Peace Building.

As personnel records are confidential, further details of Hauss’s departure cannot be discussed by Mason officials. As a public university, Mason operates under the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Human Resource Policy.

According to Policy Number 1.05, pertaining to Alcohol and Other Drugs, the impairment in the workplace from the use of alcohol is a violation that can be punished to the full range of disciplinary actions, including discharge.

The severity of disciplinary action for violations is determined on a case-by-case basis. The policy specificies that within 30 days of receiving notice of a violation of the alcohol and drug policy, management must take appropriate disciplinary action against the employee.

According to Fairfax County District Court records Hauss is scheduled for a hearing on Dec. 14 for the charges of public swearing and intoxication.

Brenda Shepard, Staff Writer

Lives changed on Nov. 9, 1989 when people from East and West Berlin were allowed to meet freely once again. The Berlin Wall was not just concrete and wire, but a representation of constraint—Cold War hatred and inequality. Twenty years later, many still remember images of people tearing apart the concrete and shouting for joy.

In celebration of this event, George Mason University students will have the opportunity to participate in a re-creation of the Berlin Wall.

The project, “Freedom without Walls: Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989-2009,” is being presented with the help of many different facets of the university. The German word “Weltanschauung” means “a world outlook”, which was the guiding idea for the wall between East and West Germany to come down.

A replica of the Berlin Wall will be placed under the clock in the Free Speech Zone and students will have the chance to put their own expressions on it. On the anniversary date, Nov. 9, the replica wall will be torn down at 1 p.m.

“Most of our students, especially freshmen and sophomores, were not even born in 1989. Hence the fall of the wall is a distant and possibly remote historical event,” said Marion Deshmukh, an associate professor of history and art history, “By having multiple ‘hands on’ activities, some of which relive these events, students will have a better sense of how momentous it was – not only for Germans, but worldwide.”

With help from the Art, History and Art History Departments, as well as students and staff, the idea has become a reality. The wall re-creation is being spear-headed by the art department. It will be created in four sections and put together underneath the clock tower, where students will have the chance to do their own graffiti and express their own ideas of freedom. Any student “taggers” are invited to create their own unique designs and stencils, keeping with the way the wall looked while it stood.

“We’ll provide the paint and cans and let the students provide the art,” said Walter Kravitz, a professor in the School of Art at Mason. He went on to explain that creators would try to simulate the concrete feeling that the wall had by painting it gray and giving it some texture.

In addition to the replica of the Berlin Wall, there will be a student gala at the Center for the Arts on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m., where music students will play Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (more commonly known as “Ode to Joy”) which was played at the Berlin Wall in December 1989 by Leonard Bernstein and the Berlin Philharmonic. Dance students will be choreographing a dance and there will be readings and songs.

On Oct. 26, a student in the art history department is curating a photo exhibit of pictures taken in 1961 by Look Magazine showing the wall’s construction. These are photos from the Library of Congress and will be shown in the Johnson Center’s Patriot Corner. From noon to 1 p.m. on Nov. 9, there will be a “Unity” charity walk open to the public, to raise money and collect food items for a food bank.

Deshmukh is also curating an exhibition at the Goethe-Institut, Germany’s cultural institution in Washington, D.C., called, “Iconoclash: Political Imagery from the Berlin Wall to German Unification.” It will be shown from Nov. 4 through Jan. 8 going along with this celebration.

As such an important piece of our world’s history, this celebration can provide insight into the lives of a people reunited. For more information, visit http://chnm.gmu.edu/freedomwithoutwalls.

Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor

President Alan Merten discussed the budget and student enrollment in his State of the University Address delivered on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Dewberry Hall.

Virginia, like most states, is experiencing a revenue downfall, which also falls on higher education institutions.

“At Mason, the result is a reduction of $17.5 million or approximately 15 percent from our operating fund for this fiscal year,” said Merten. “This means in the past year and a half we have had over $45 million taken from our budget – money that will probably not be replaced. And while federal funds ease the pain this year and next, the cuts are still severe and the band aid is temporary.”

Merten explained how this budget cut will impact George Mason University. It means not filling research, staff and faculty positions that are currently available.

Non-personal spending for conferences, travel, equipment and training will be deferred and IT contracts will be reduced.

“Further, it is very likely that all state workers will be furloughed for one day over the next 10 months,” said Merten. “A final determination on this will be made sometime soon.”

Despite these financial difficulties and sacrifices of faculty and staff, Mason has not lost its pride or focus.
“Mason has consistently been among the lowest . . . funded doctoral institutions in Virginia,” said Merten. “Yet in our institution’s young history, one trait we have exhibited time after time is a determination to be a leader in what we do and in how we do it.”

Despite budget reductions, the university’s name continues to draw students to its doors. Student enrollment has increased since last year. Merten explains the break down of these numbers.

“Each year, our enrollment officials determine enrollment targets based upon institutional historical data for new students as well as retention rates for existing students,” said Merten. This time around we enrolled about 1,000 more undergraduate students and 500 more graduate students than targeted.”

This higher enrollment is from a larger freshman class, more transfer students, a greater retention rate and more graduate students. Merten explains the meaning of these higher numbers.

“To begin, it speaks to an increased recognition of the growing overall reputation of our institution,” said Merten. “The outreach efforts of our admissions and university relations teams are paying off in terms of enhancing our institution’s visibility and also promoting the high quality of our numerous academic programs and the outstanding scholars who teach them.”

Though the higher number of students speaks to the quality of education that Mason provides, it also means changes and challenges for all students, faculty and staff.

“The increased numbers also mean more people on our campuses, more cars in our lots, larger classes, more residential students and more students in need of our various services such as counseling, the health clinic, career services, the library, and the guidance of their advisors,” said Merten.

Merten expressed his appreciation to the Mason community as a whole. All faculty, staff and students are making necessary sacrifices as a result of the budget cuts and the president of this “up and coming” university values that.

“I recognize the extra burden this may place on many of you,” said Merten. “I appreciate what you are doing on the institution’s behalf.”

“In carrying out your responsibilities, you are serving the larger calling of Mason: to help meet the educational goals of students and, as a result, play a key role in producing future contributors to the betterment of our region and our world,” said Merten. “The value of what you do, as a collective body, cannot be understated.”

May Fakhriyazdi, Broadside Correspondent

Did you know that in 2009 alone, 269,800 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with some sort of cancer?

Did you also know that 15 percent of those people were more specifically diagnosed with breast cancer? According to the American Cancer Society, about 40,170 of those 15 percent will die from breast cancer this year alone.

Students who attended the 2009 Breastival held at George Mason University on Wednesday, Oct. 15 would have known these not-so-fun, but interesting facts.

This was the third annual Breastival held on the Fairfax campus. Many different organizations, clubs and individuals, (both affiliated and unaffiliated with Mason), worked to put together this event. It was run by exhibitors such as the “American Cancer Society”, “I’m Still Me”, “Young Survivor Coalition” and many more student organizations such as the Student Nurses’ Association and Zeta Tau Alpha.

“This year’s event was different from the years past in many ways. There were more interactive boob-related games, hot give-aways and new vendors, and the Bras Across D.C. campaign,” said Danielle Lapierre, assistant director of the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education, who was on staff for the event.

Brestival, which took place in the Student Union Building I due to rain, was filled with booths and prizes, as well as refreshments. Stands were strategically located on both sides of the hall, encompassing anyone who entered the event to take a piece of the experience with them, no matter what.

Students from the Student Nurses’ Association were promoting early detection and prevention for breast cancer by giving interactive demonstrations on how to give monthly self-exams. Members of Zeta Tau Alpha set up breast- shaped cupcakes and offered them to those passing by.

“I’ve been [to] Breastival every year it has been here at Mason,” said Veronica Vivas, a senior and biology major at Mason. “I knew the director who used to be in charge, so that’s why I came the first time; but after coming once, I decided to come every year. It’s really interesting and a great way to raise awareness.”

Other organizations, like the Mary Kay Foundation, were also there promoting breast health and cancer education.

By simply filling out a survey, individuals were eligible to win a few gift baskets full of lotions, masks and body sprays, while learning that the Mary Kay Foundation gives part of its profits to breast cancer research.
The members of Breastival staff are now in league with radio station HOT 99.5 and the American Cancer Society, to conduct the “Bras Across D.C. Campaign”.

Bras will be donated by people around the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. They will then be strung together and wrapped around the reflecting pool on the National Mall in order to raise breast cancer awareness and promote cancer education.

To take part in Breastival, attend the Breast Health Awareness workshops on Oct. 27 from noon – 1 p.m. in SUB I, Patriots Lounge and Oct. 29 from noon – 1 p.m. in the Johnson Center Gold Room by e-mailing Danielle Lapierre at dlapierr@gmu.edu.