Broadside News

Sebastian Flores, Broadside Correspondent

In the many brochures and flyers handed out by George Mason University’s fraternities, organizations and event sponsors throughout campus, one small fact on an information card the size of a postcard stood out among the rest.

In the lower right-hand corner of this card, there was a little red box, and in white letters it stated, “ONE in 20 adults in D.C. has HIV. It’s time to put your foot down.”

Some students at Mason are aware of the gravity of this situation and have taken it upon themselves to do something to change it.

On Oct. 3, Washington, D.C. is hosting their annual AIDS walk to support the fight against AIDS. The five-kilometer walk is a fundraiser, focused on collecting donations for the Whitman-Walker clinic in D.C. The mission of the clinic is to serve D.C.’s diverse community, with special expertise in HIV care.

In honor of the AIDS walk, Mason has put together multiple “teams” to participate in the walk. Aside from the major team called “George Mason University,” a number of different fraternities and sororities have felt a need to give back to their community by forming teams of their own to raise funds for the walk.

“Can’t help the world if you can’t help your community,” said Chauncey Brisco, a junior and information technology major. Brisco is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity who is putting together a team, along with Alpha Kappa Alpha, for the AIDS walk.

Brisco and other fraternity members of Kappa Sigma, crowded around a small kiosk in the Johnson Center stopping students and talking to them about the importance of the AIDS walk. They stressed the severity of AIDS in our community and how they could help by donating, or by joining their team and participating in the AIDS walk.

Freshman and psychology major May Fakhriyazdi said she agreed with their cause and added, “I’m glad they are doing this. It’s a really big issue not only in the world, but in our community, so I am happy to see that Mason is doing something about it.”

Students stopped walking to their destinations to hear about Kappa Sigma’s cause.

“It’s a great cause,” said freshman and graphic design major Chris Amador.

The walk begins at 9 a.m. To register for one of Mason’s teams, just walk through the JC and locate the Kappa Sigma kiosk, or go to the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education in Student Union Building I for more detailed information.

To register a personal team or as an individual, visit http://www.aidswalkwashington.org.

Katherine Morgenegg, Broadside Correspondent

As the vacant Nov. 16 fall concert approaches George Mason University, the Student Activities Office invited students to participate in an online survey on Surveymonkey.com to vote for which bands or artists they would like to see perform.

Surveymonkey, a relatively new piece of technology at Mason, is in its second year of use, but has been growing in popularity at other colleges.

Surveymonkey has been used not only for surveys but for registrations and other online forms at Mason over the past two years.

The link to the survey for the fall concert was posted on the Welcome Week Facebook group where students answered one question: who they wanted to see perform.

The choices consisted of The Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson and Drake, Drake and Kid Cudi, The All-American Rejects and Taking Back Sunday, and David Cook and Keri Hilson.

Based on the results, Student Activities chose the most popular pairing to pursue in signing a contract.
Although the results of the survey are in, they cannot be released yet as the contract has not been completed.

“Hopefully, we will be able to release that [information] within the next two weeks,” said Dennis Hicks, Assistant Director at Student Activities.

Surveymonkey was used to see what musicians students were interested in for the fall concert in 2008, but the feedback was not extensive as the technology was new to the school.

“This year, we got a big response,” said Hicks. “Almost 1,000 students responded.”

Musicians were listed on the survey based on their availability for the time of the event as well as other factors such as the pricing of the tickets.

“We want to sell tickets to students for around $10,” said Hicks. Therefore, the original ticket price has to be taken into account when considering musicians.

There was also a wide variety of genres among the choices on the survey, which helped show what genre of music was most interesting to students.

For more information, visit the Student Activities website at sa.gmu.edu or visit the Student Activites office, located in Student Union Building I, Room 101.

Emily Sharrer, Editor-in-Chief

About 100 members of the George Mason University Faculty Senate gathered in Harris Theater last Wednesday to hear Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens and Provost Peter Stearns discuss the ways the university is dealing with the newest $17.6 million budget cut for the 2010 fiscal year.

The university’s operating budget currently stands at $887,117,600.

Slightly higher class size numbers and a lack of money to be put toward student services are two of the main ways students will be affected by the cut, according to Scherrens.

“I think the major impact is that there are going to be slightly more students in classes,” said Scherrens. Stearns also addressed this point during the meeting, claiming that average class size has recently risen from 26 to 28 students due to increased enrollment.

Since 2008, $45.3 million has been cut from the university’s budget. Most schools across the state have seen similar budget cuts according to Scherrens.

“It’s not much different for other schools,” said Scherrens during the meeting, “everybody’s going to show the same general [rate of decrease].”

Stearns and Scherrens outlined the main parts of the university which will take cuts to offset the 15 percent budget cut. Instruction will be reduced by $2.92 million, utilities will be cut by $.7 million and academic support will take a $.67 million cut. Other areas affected include administration and university relations. The total reductions equal $6.1 million.

“Nobody‘s happy, but I think we have made budget reductions that are equitable,” said Scherrens.

Mason faculty were also told to expect a one day mandatory furlough in addition to all other budget cuts.  The state hopes to save an additional $1 million by mandating that all “state employees” stay home without pay for one day.

One Faculty Senate member suggested making the furlough day very public by not teaching classes and spending the week informing students about the state of the financial crisis in Virginia.  By not letting the furloughs happen unnoticed, this professor hoped to show Virginia taxpayers how the budget crisis affects them.

Lema Baha, Broadside Correspondent

The number of swine flu cases is rapidly rising on college campuses throughout the country.

According to the American College Health Association, of the 236 reporting institutions there have been 4,974 new cases of the H1N1 virus for the week of Aug. 29 to Sept. 4.

So far ABC News has reported that there have been three deaths among college students due to complications related to the virus.

George Mason University has not reported any cases of swine flu this semester, but neighboring schools have not been as fortunate.

The University of Virginia has had 151 swine flu cases so far this fall, and has even set up a tally on their student health services website to report new cases of the virus on campus.

Sandy Murray, director of nursing at UVA, said the tally is updated every day and sometimes several times a day to keep up with the rising number of infected students.

UVA has been following the Centers for Disease Control’s suggestions on how to contain and respond to cases of swine flu.

The university has encouraged self-isolation of diagnosed students until 24 hours after their fever has passed and sick students have been given masks to wear.

The university has also been using a 24-hour phone triage service to respond to sick students’ needs and concerns, said its website.

Murray said that infected students have not been relocated from their dorms because the swine flu can be contagious for two days before a person begins exhibiting symptoms, so roommates and friends usually have already been exposed to the virus.

The University of Maryland has also had a high number of cases, with 557 suspected cases of H1N1 virus, which according to The Baltimore Sun, places it as having the most suspected cases in the region.

UMD has stepped up its educational campaign on the virus by using posters and slogans to encourage students to practice better hygiene in order to prevent the spread of the virus, and hand sanitizer pumps have been placed throughout the school, according to an article in The Baltimore Sun.

ABC News has attributed the disproportionately high number of college age students affected by the virus to factors including the many social events that mark the beginning of the school year, the tight living arrangements in dormitories, back-to-school parties and carelessness among college students—all of which allow the faster spread of germs.

Wagida Abdallah, executive director of Student Health Services at Mason, said  that the high number of cases is not surprising, “Any time there is an illness that affects a lot of people it’s alarming, but it was expected that when schools and universities open there would be more cases of H1N1 flu cases in addition to seasonal flu.”

Student Health Services at Mason has also been taking precautions against the virus by posting instructions for parents, students and resident advisors on their website.

Students are being encouraged by Student Health Services to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu, which is being offered on all three campuses, and to be wary of the virus.

Abdallah says that if there is an outbreak of the H1N1 virus on campus the Student Health Services is planning on following CDC, local and state health department recommendations depending on the severity of the cases.

This would include plans to use distance learning methods such as internet-based lessons, telecommuting and the possible cancellation of campus events to prevent spread of the virus.

While most of the H1N1 cases at universities have been mild, students have been warned not to let down their guards and continue practicing caution.

“The real question is what happens when the regular flu comes in early winter,” said Murray. With two types of infectious illnesses on college campuses, there can be no good predictions on whether we have seen the worst.”

Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor

This year, 1,500 more students than expected enrolled into George Mason University. According to Dan Walsch, Mason’s press secretary, this means basically nothing will change for students on a day to day basis in the short term.

“Students will continue attending classes and living their lives as normal,” said Walsch. “What this could mean down the road is an increase in class sizes.” Walsch also noted that the recent budget cuts will contribute to fewer offered sections of classes and an increase in class size.

“The university can physically accommodate these students,” says Walsch, “but what the university is focusing on is maintaining a quality education for all these students.”

According to Walsch, the university surpassing its enrollment target means that the university has a good name, as many students are transferring to Mason, many more are deciding to attend as freshmen and the retention rate is higher than last year.

Walsch speculated that some of this stems from the bad economy, which is encouraging people to stay in school, take more courses and go back to school to increase credentials for better paying jobs. Students returning to Mason speaks to the quality of education they are receiving. Of course, Walsch explained these reasons are purely speculative as there is no hard and fast reason to an increase in enrollment this fall.

“George Mason University’s higher-than-anticipated enrollment increase is reflective, in many ways, of a growing appreciation of the connection between a quality education and one’s ability to obtain viable employment in today’s economy,” said President Alan Merten.

“This reality is seen in the upswing in students in a number of our academic areas such as teaching, engineering, the health professions and information technology. The enrollment increase in those fields, particularly among in-state students, also reflects the increased recognition of the quality of Mason’s programs in these and other academic areas,” said Merten.

Brenda Shepard, Broadside Correspondent

Gunston’s Go-Bus continues its service to George Mason University students this semester, allowing them to travel off campus to places including Fair Oaks Mall, Fair Lakes Center, Fairfax Corner and University Mall with the use of their Mason ID. The shuttle service makes a stop every half-hour at the Sandy Creek bus stop to pick up and drop off students.

The new shuttle began last spring with a trial program when the Department of Parking and Transportation partnered with Student Government. During this test period, the Go-Bus only ran Thursday through Sunday. It now runs seven days a week, with late night service on Friday and Saturday nights for students who want to head out on the town.

“Last spring we spent about $30,000 . . . we had a few hundred users each week. For the 2009-10 academic year, our forecasted budget is $187,000—nearly 3,000 hours of service,” said Josh Cantor, director of Parking and Transportation.

Though the buses look similar to other shuttles that exist at Mason, their logo is the key indicator for patrons to look for. The Go-Buses have signs in their windows with the Go-Bus logo. All stops are marked with a Gunston Go-Bus logo on them also.

As far as promotion for the new bus system, there has been a good deal of advertising put into the new route.

“We have listed it in almost every communication [and] have posted the schedules at all stops on campus to cross market it,” said Cantor.

Cantor also commented on future promotional plans for the Go-Bus.

“We plan on working with the shopping centers on helping promote it more as well as working with the Mason Money office now that Mason Money is expanding to many locations in the Fairfax area,” said Cantor.

Many students have reacted positively to the Go-Bus.

“It’s a great idea. Getting to the mall via CUE bus was a nightmare that once found me on the curb of Germantown at 11 p.m.,” said sophomore global affairs major Olivia Fivek.

Students also like the Go-Bus because it ensures a safe ride on weekends.

“I love it! For the night ride to Old Town Fairfax, it was even more enjoyable because we met people we knew on the way . . . The Go-Bus brings people together and ensures the safety of Mason students,” said Alison Jones, a senior marketing major.

Guston’s Go-Bus will undoubtedly take some time to become a mainstay for students, but with service running to several hot spots, it is expected to become a more popular service. According to an e-mail from Bob Tennant, Transportation Coordinator of Parking and Transportation at Mason, Guston’s Go-Bus carried 811 passengers during the first week of classes alone.

“It is a good use of money so far. Like any new program, it takes time to build it up through constant marketing and word of mouth. We look at it in the long-term, offering options to students so they don’t have to drive in the region—and for resident students to perhaps lessen the need to have a car,” said Cantor.

Amanda Cheek, News Editor

The seasonal flu has not left the minds of many students and faculty at George Mason University this semester. Despite the recent H1N1 epidemic, students and faculty lined up at the first clinic on campus where the flu shot was offered by the School of Nursing on Sept. 15.

Dr. Charlene Douglas, coordinator of Community Health Nursing, said that she was concerned that people were so caught up with the H1N1 virus that they would not come out for the seasonal flu shot.

Douglas also said that the seasonal flu kills about 36,000 people every year and that is just another reason people should get the flu shot.

Jenna David, a geography major and freshman at Mason, said she has never had the flu shot before but chose to get it this year because she was living in the dorms.

“Now that I live on campus, there are a lot of kids [and] a lot of germs. I feel I’m more likely to get it here than just living at home with my family,” said David.

The flu shot clinic offers the seasonal flu shot to students for $15 and to faculty for $20. A shot for pneumonia is also offered at $50 per person.

Informational flyers were  handed out as students and faculty received their shots that were approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The flyer for the seasonal flu shot lists the mild side effects that could be caused by getting the flu shot, which included soreness, redness or swelling near the injection site; hoarseness; sore, red or itchy eyes; coughing, fever and aches.

Marci Jerome, assistant professor of Special Education at Mason, has been working here for 10 years and said she has gotten the flu shot every year since she had children.

“I have two children, and with the whole family, I wanted to get my shot early. I thought they might run out, and with the kids in school, I don’t want to get [sick] from them,” said Jerome.

Jerome said she did not know if there was any connection between the H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu, but she did not want to take the chance.

Douglas said that now is a great time to get the seasonal flu shot. The H1N1 vaccine will not be released until mid-October, which she said means it would not be available to the public until around late October.

Receiving the shot now will give students and faculty the time to let the seasonal flu vaccine go through their system and body, so they will have processed the first vaccine completely and be ready for the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available, said Douglas.

Douglas believes we should not lose sight of the seasonal flu shot’s importance as a preparation against the seasonal flu, even with our knowledge of the H1N1 virus.

“[We should] prevent what we know [now] even as we prepare for what is new,” said Douglas.

The first flu clinic hosted at Mason took place in Patriot’s Lounge in Student Union Building I on Sept. 15, but there are many others that will be going on at Mason’s Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William Campuses until Nov. 12.

For a full schedule of times the flu shot will be offered at Mason, visit shs.gmu.edu.

Amanda Cheek, News Editor

On a campus that understands commuting all too well, a parking permit can easily become one of the bare necessities to students at George Mason University. That being said, it comes as no surprise that students are concerned that the prices of that bare necessity are going up.

“I know that prices go up, I just don’t understand why. I’d like to know why every year,” said junior Brittany Rouse, a communication major.

Director of Parking and Transportation at Mason, Josh Cantor shed some light on this subject in an e-mail interview with Broadside.

“Parking [and] Transportation is a self-funded auxiliary, meaning it receives no tuition dollars or general funds from the state budget. Thus, it has to generate revenue to cover all its expenses,” said Cantor.

Cantor explained that Parking and Transportation’s expenses include $2.6 million in operations and $4 million to $5 million in debt on deck construction projects. Cantor said that there is also $2 million to $3 million annually in transportation expenses, which include a subsidy to the City of Fairfax so that Mason students and employees can ride the CUE bus for free, and over $2 million in shuttle expenses.

“ . . . What we basically do each year is lay out all our known expenses, what we need to budget for lot repairs and added shuttle service. Figure out how many permits we expect to sell and then calculate what is the lowest amount we can set our permit fee and expect to break-even as an operation,” said Cantor.

Senior Cragin Winkler a recreation, health and tourism major, said that the permit prices are just too high.

“They are taking millions from us,” said Winkler, “Mason Parking is robbing us. The prices are very unreasonable for students.”

Winkler has a Lot R permit and lives in the Potomac building.

“I understand that I have to deal with the prices,” she said, “but it makes me angry to pay for a parking permit when I live on campus, and I still don’t have a guaranteed parking space.”

Cantor said that the national trends show that universities charge resident students more than commuters. Cantor said the thought process behind this idea is that a commuter is usually only on campus about four to six hours per day, and their spaces can be used by two or three students per day, versus residents students who are less likely to move their car as often.

“UM-College Park charges their resident students twice the commuter fee with this mindset,” said Canton. “We have tried to offer as many options [as possible].”

The general lot price this year was set at $225 annually, which is cheaper than if you bought two separate semester permits at $125 each. This is still a $25 increase from last year’s fee. The deck permit increased from $400 to $450 annually, as well.

Cantor said that Mason Parking and Transportation remains aware of other schools’ prices both regionally and nationally.

“Each year, our fees are always in the middle of the pack,” said Cantor.

Cantor also mentioned that  the proximity of parking areas are considered when comparing prices.

“Whereas our last 10 percent of students have to park at the Field House, for many schools such as UVA, UM-College Park, Virginia Tech and Penn State, the Field House is about as close as most of their students can park,” said Cantor.

One concern junior Brittany Rouse had this semester with her permit was that she did not get her money’s worth.

“I scheduled my classes early on Tuesdays and Thursdays to make sure I got spaces,” said Rouse, who is commuting for the first time this semester. “I don’t have much of a problem now, but I regret not just getting the general parking permit every time I pass the new Rappahannock Parking Deck and see the sign that says how many spaces are open.”

Rouse commutes from Arlington and has classes every day. She said that it takes 40 minutes in the morning and 15 to 20 minutes in the afternoon to find a spot.

“I don’t think it was clear how many general spaces were in the new deck,” said Rouse. “I think that Parking Services has done better in past years with letting everyone know the new options, but could do more.”

Richard Friedman, a junior chemistry major, commutes 25 minutes from Woodbridge to make it to classes. Friedman said he was impartial to the permit prices increase because he knows prices rise on most things.

Friedman also said he felt that it was very clear what the options were for parking permits and that he has the best permit for his needs.

“I read the paper the gentleman gave me when I bought my permit, and he explained everything,” said Friedman. “He was pretty thorough.”

Cantor said that several e-mails have been sent to students throughout the summer and as the semester has started with information on permits and prices. He also said that Parking and Transportation has upped their numbers of personnel on campus to help students understand how the new parking areas work.

“We had personnel at some lot entrances to direct cars, and we had them at every access point to the new Rappahannock River Deck to help direct people, as well as in the Student Union Building II ballroom during in-person permit sales [and] online permit pick-up,” said Cantor. “We probably talked to thousands last week just in the ballroom, giving out information and answering questions.”

Cantor also mentioned that there are Facebook and Twitter accounts that exist to promote awareness to students on parking, and that he updates them often.

Yasmin Tadjdeh, Assistant News Editor

The new Rappahannock River Parking Deck, which opened this fall, provides the Fairfax campus with an additional 2,650 parking spaces over its 789,000 square foot facility, accordng to George Mason University’s Office of Facilities’ website.

However, the deck that was constructed to help alleviate crowded parking lots has opened to lackluster interest.

“Personally, I think sales are a little below expectations,” said Josh Cantor, Director of Parking and Transportation at Mason, “but [we] also realize that it will take some time to reach capacity as students re-adjust to campus and as resident students get into new patterns. We have seen some [people] that initially purchased general lot passes come in and upgrade as they were willing to pay the difference for the guarantee and peace of mind of not having to worry about where to look for parking.”

According to Cantor, as of the morning of Sept. 8, only 475 reserved student permits and 50 faculty and staff reserved permits had been purchased.

“I expect [permit sales] to pick up a bit as the new Police Headquarters opens and the new Admin Building, to be named University Hall, opens in January 2011. [It] is being built on the site of Lot G, which will close in mid November to begin construction,” said Cantor.

One unique feature to the deck is that level one and two are open to general lot permit holders, however, according to Cantor, these spots are not being taken advantage of.

“I would say . . . the general lot spaces . . . are being underutilized. Last week, we had 950 spaces available, despite signs at the large surface lots, like Lot K, informing people of their availability.

“We sent out an e-mail to all general lot permit holders . . . reminding them that we have the spaces in [the] open area of the deck, and we even have signs outside to tell them how many spaces we have available,” said Cantor.

Yet, students have yet to fill up the levels.

“As some of our staffing demand eases, we will be placing staff over by Lot K at times, probably Tuesday [and] Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to keep people from circling that lot and direct them over to the deck,” said Cantor.

Freshman applied computer science major Scott Doughton said, “I typically park in [the] general lots, mainly A or L . . . I learned [today] that I could park at Rappahannock . . . however, it is quite [far] from my classes, thus I will probably only park there Tuesday and Thursday when it is hard to find parking in the general lots.”

In comparison with the other decks, some students have opted for the more familiar Sandy Creek Parking Deck pass.

Junior business major Eileen Ciliberto said, “I have the Sandy Creek evening pass. I thought about getting the Rappahannock pass, but the price was way too expensive and it’s too far away from my classes.

Sandy Creek is very close to my classes [which are in the evening], so it’s also for safety reasons.”

Members of the commuter community at Mason may still find crowded lots when pulling into Mason, however, once properly utilized, the Rappahannock River Parking Deck should help clear cluttered lots.

“It’s often very tough to get people to break their old habits as they circle lots that fill early and learn to look elsewhere—and preferably not waste time in the first place looking when it’s been advised that the lot will fill,” said Cantor.

This interview was conducted via e-mail with Executive Director of George Mason University’s Student Health Services and University Life, Wagida Abdalla, M.D.

Q:  How do you get swine flu?

A:  The 2009 H1N1 flu virus, originally referred to as swine flu,  is spread like other flu viruses mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something—such as a surface or object—with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Q:  What are common symptoms of the virus?

A:  Sudden onset of: fever greater than 100º F, chills, sweats, cough, sore throat, headache and body aches.  These symptoms last about three to seven days.

Q:  What can we do to prevent getting the flu?

A:  Wash hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

•  Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

•  Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.

•  Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

•  Get vaccinated against H1N1 flu and seasonal flu.

Q:  What should you do if you think you have it?

A: Stay home when you are sick. Do not go to classes for 24 hours after your fever resolves without the use of fever-reducing medication. The more rest you get, the sooner you will feel better.

•  Limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them. Wear a face mask if you absolutely have to leave your room.

•  Drink lots of fluids: two to three liters a day. Hot liquids like tea and broth are excellent choices.

•  Keep your fever down. Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen every four to six hours.

•  If you are not feeling better after three to four days or you have shortness of breath or chest pain, seek immediate medical attention.

Q:  Is there a vaccine to prevent swine flu before you get it?

A: A 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and will be ready for the public in the fall. The novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used along-side seasonal flu vaccine.

Q:  Why should or should I not get the vaccine?

A: You should get the vaccine because it will protect you from getting the flu and its complications.  The CDC reported many cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza in young adults 19 through 24 years of age. These  healthy young adults often live, work and study in close proximity, and are a frequently mobile population.

You should not have the vaccine if you have a severe allergy to any component of the vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider.

Q:  How can you get the vaccine?

A: This year’s seasonal influenza virus may cause  illness at the same time as 2009 H1N1. The seasonal flu vaccine is already available now  and it is recommended that people who are at high risk for serious flu-related complications should be vaccinated early. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine will be available mid-October. Seasonal  flu vaccines are available now at Student Health Services. Visit shs.gmu.edu. for flu clinic hours.