Broadside News

By Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor

A one-time George Mason University student studying accounting, Umar Farooq Chaudhry was one of the five Northern Virginian men charged by Pakistani authorities on accounts of terrorism-related crimes last Wednesday. The five men were arrested in Pakistan in December according to the Associated Press.

Chaudhry, born in 1985 in Sargodha, Pakistan, was reported by the university to not have been taking classes at Mason at the time of his arrest.

“He was not a student here taking classes at the time this thing happened,” said Dan Walsch, the university press secretary.
Walsch explained that the university did not have prior knowledge of Chaudhry’s arrest.

Chaudhry and the four other men, all Muslim between the ages of 18 and 24, pleaded “not-guilty” to five counts of terrorism-related crimes, which included planning attacks on Afghan and United States territory, according to the Associated Press.

Prosecutors and the Pakistani police describe these men as “hardened jihadists” whereas the defense portrays them as humanitarians who traveled to Afghanistan to aid the Muslims who had been displaced by the war.

The trial is scheduled for March 31 in Sargodha, the birthplace of Chaudhry, before a judge, as Pakistan does not have jury trials.
The men are still detained in Pakistani prison awaiting their trial.

By Sonya Hudson, Managing Editor

Always forgetting to ask for your sandwich without that tomato? Well, now you don’t have to. Tomatoes at dining facilities across campus will now be available only upon request.

During the prolonged January cold snap, Florida farmers, the main source for fresh winter tomatoes for almost the entire country, lost about 70 percent of their crop.
According to a Feb. 25 United States Department of Agriculture report, about two-thirds of the tomato crop in the major southwestern production region was destroyed.

This means an increase on the prices of tomatoes nationwide. A year ago, the average wholesale price for a 25-pound box of tomatoes was $6.50 compared to today’s price of $30.

Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Grower’s Exchange, a tomato farmer cooperative in Maitland, Fla., told The Associated Press that normally Florida’s growers would ship about 25 million pounds of tomatoes a week, but now they are only shipping about a quarter of that.

In an effort to save money George Mason University has chosen to offer tomatoes upon request only.

“We’re not going to just put tomatoes on every sandwich,” said Denise Ammaccapane, resident district manager of Mason dining.
Ammaccapane emphasized that tomatoes are available upon request with no charge, but in an effort to save money, The Mason Rathskeller and Southside will be holding the tomatoes.

Many restaurants beyond Mason’s campus are also making tomatoes available only by request, while others are coping with the increased prices by not offering the fruit or by looking outside the United States for sources.

By Yasmin Tadjdeh, News Editor

Students looking to help Haiti will soon have the opportunity. On Wednesday, the Resident Student Association at George Mason University will be hosting the Haiti Awareness Talent Show, where students will be encouraged to text donations to the disaster-stricken country.

Taking place in Dewberry Hall in the Johnson Center from 9 to 11 p.m., the event has been in the works since late January.

“Initially we were trying to find an event to put on [but] after the earthquake [in Haiti, it gave us the idea to put it on for them],” said Rufaro Mandizvidza, a sophomore economics major and representative of the RSA. “I personally had a couple of friends there, and it inspired me. I could have lost some friends, and they had so many experiences [that needed to be shared]. I wanted to use the resources I had and the resources RSA had and the influence to raise awareness.”

At the show, attendants will be able to watch students make use of their various talents. Singers, dancers and poets will share the stage, according to Neal Landers, a sophomore biology major and member of the RSA. The event will also feature an iPod door prize.

In between performances, students will hear first-hand accounts from the Mason students who were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. According to Mandizvidza, one of the biggest reasons that Haiti was chosen for the benefit show was its connection to Mason.

“We had nine Patriots in Haiti, and they brought back their experiences and what they saw,” said Mandizvidza. “[The students] gave us a connection.”
The primary goal of the event is to promote awareness of the issue. Although it has been over two months since the 7.0 earthquake hit 10 miles west from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, country is still struggling.

“Awareness breeds activism,” said Landers. “Tragedies and disasters bring people together to help.”
At the event, the RSA will encourage students to donate money to Haiti via text messaging. The RSA will be promoting the use of the Red Cross and the United Nations Way charities, but students can donate in whatever way they choose.

“[Texting donations] is safe and easy, so even if [a student] doesn’t have the money right then and there, they can go back later and donate,” said Landers.
Students on campus were interested in the event.

“I’m the secretary of the Caribbean Student Association, so [the Haiti Awareness Talent Show] would be something I would be interested in going to,” said Travina Parker, a sophomore elementary education major.

Parker was also interested in hearing the testimonies from students who were there when the earthquake hit.

“I haven’t heard a story from anyone who was down there, so it would help people understand how horrible it was,” she said.

By Matthew Harrison, Broadside Correspondent

President Barack Obama’s Friday visit to the George Mason University Patriot Center injected new fire into the health care debate on campus.
With the spotlight on health care issues, Mason’s Economics Society said it hopes to answer some of the questions faculty and students have regarding the reform process.

The society will host a debate on the role of government in health care on Wed., March 24 in Room 80 of Enterprise Hall.
Dr. Bryan Caplan, a Mason faculty member, will debate against economist Dr. David Balan on the issue. Professor Robert Hanson, a Mason economist with expertise in health care, will serve as moderator.

“We would like the students to hear both sides of the arguments presented by professionals,” said Liya Palagashvili, vice president of the Economics Society.
Debates and town hall meetings on the controversial topic have been heated. With members from both political parties presenting different and sometimes contradictory ideas, some feel that finding objective and balanced information has been difficult.

The Economics Society said it hopes that this week’s debate will provide the in-depth discussion that is allegedly lacking in the media.
“We want to get more of an academic view instead of a polemic [one],” said Mike Ostrowski, president of the society. “It’s a tradition for Caplan to debate each year. [The debaters] are professionals. They would be good at evaluating certain policies.”

The debaters hope to offer students a better inside look at health care reform by answering questions that the Economics Society said generally went ignored.
“The Economics Society is trying to [cover] interesting and popular issues that affect students while also encouraging questions and interaction about the debate,” said Palagashvili.

George Washington University, Georgetown University and American University were also invited to the event. Students from all colleges will have a time slot to ask questions at the end of the debate.

“Health care is playing a major role in news media today, and it’s important that both sides are presented fairly,” said Sam Fleming, a sophomore neuroscience major.
“These debates are very important because health care is playing a major role in mass media and it’s important to understand the debates [themselves],” said Corwin Stoney, an undeclared sophomore.

The debate organizers aim to give students a chance to hear both sides of the polarizing issue, which they believe is especially relevant in light of President Barack Obama’s recent visit to Mason to discuss health care reform. They want to offer students the opportunity to better understand health care policies that directly affect them.

By Emily Sharrer, Editor-in-Chief

Sodexo workers at George Mason University are in the process of gathering testimonies and signing a petition to demand more affordable healthcare options, better working standards and the right to form a union — an entitlement, which a group of employees alleges has led to hostile working conditions and harassment on the job.

“The reason why we are doing this is because we know that a lot of things that are being done by the company is against the rights of the workers,” said Andres Ujueta, who works in Southside. “There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of.”

Since last fall, workers for Sodexo across the nation have been petitioning to combat low wages, discrimination and other grievances against management at their respective working locations, and several weeks ago Mason Sodexo employees decided to join in the fight.

According to Fabricio Herrera, a lead organizer at the Arlington branch of the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, Mason Sodexo workers have been discouraged by employers from joining a union, though the National Labor Relations Act guarantees workers the right to join unions without fear of backlash from employers.

According to charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board, across the U.S., Sodexo has illegally fired, surveilled and interrogated workers for wanting to form a union.

“What Sodexo workers across the country are looking for is a fair process to form a union,” said Matt Painter, a spokesperson for the SEIU. “They’re looking to form a union without harassment and without intimidation and a lot of times workers do have to protest and do petitions.”

In January, the university renewed their contract with Sodexo, signing on with the company for five more years.

Though workers at Mason only started signing petitions several weeks ago, at a gathering on Thursday, eight Mason Sodexo workers claimed they have been dealing with unfair working conditions for years.

“They try to intimidate us, telling us if we go and work for any union we could get fired or we will have to pay a huge amount of money to the union when we know that is not true,” said Ujueta.

The main complaints of Mason Sodexo workers include cutting hours, harassment, discrimination and expensive health insurance options, which workers say eat up a significant amount of their weekly paycheck.

“A lot of people make $8.50 an hour, if they pay out for health insurance they end up making a couple of dollars an hour,” said Herrera.
Denise Ammaccapane, Sodexo’s resident district manager at Mason, however, says the claims of the workers are unfounded.

According to Ammaccapane, the average hourly rate of Mason’s 400 plus Sodexo workers is $10.73 an hour.
“As far as wages, we pay competitively,” said Ammaccapane. “We don’t usually start anybody out above $8.50 an hour and we pay as high as $17-18 an hour. We definitely don’t pay minimum wage.”

Ammaccapane, who has been with Sodexo for 18 years, says benefits and services available to Sodexo employees is up to par.

“I personally think the benefit package offered to us is top of the line,” said Ammaccapane. “Nobody’s forced to do anything [and] there are different options.”
According to Ujueta, however, his paycheck does not match his workload.

“They are not focusing on the people that work in the stations, they are more worried about hiring supervisors to be in control of the people that work in the line; harassing them and pushing them and making us actually do the job of three people,” said Ujueta.

According to Ammaccapane, the company has an adequate amount of employees.

“I would say at this point we are fully staffed,” said Ammaccapane. “Are there days when several employees call out sick and people have to cover the slack? Yes. They are asked to do adequately what they need to do for their jobs.”

While no protests are planned, Herrera says the group’s next action will depend on how the petition is received by Mason’s Sodexo management.
“Everyday we are getting more and more workers [to sign the petition],” said Herrera.

Ammaccapane stands by her open door policy as well as the right of Mason’s Sodexo workers to unionize.

“Anything is open to anybody,” Ammaccapane said of workers being able to join a union. “Nobody would threaten anybody.

“We were just rated number one company to work for as far as diversity out of 450 companies. That doesn’t happen because we have bad practices. We do things by the book. I believe Sodexo is a great company and I have no issues.”

By Ethan Vaughan, Asst. News Editor

aIt was a close one, but the United States House of Representatives made history Sunday evening when the chamber narrowly passed President Barack Obama’s health care reform bill.

The piece of legislation, which cleared the Senate late last year, squeaked through the lower house as Democratic leaders, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, rallied support among lawmakers to attain the 216 votes needed for passage of the controversial measure.

The bill, which has an initial cost of $940 billion, is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to reduce the national deficit by $143 billion over the course of ten years.

Opponents of the landmark legislation have dubbed it a government takeover of the American health care system and claimed that it will fundamentally restructure one sixth of the U.S. economy.

When President Obama appeared on the campus of George Mason University last Friday to speak at the Patriot Center, however, he was quick to dismiss such notions.
“You’ve heard that this is a government takeover,” Obama said to the crowd of more than 8,000. “You’ve heard we’re going to kill granny. You’ve heard that most of this will benefit illegal immigrants. Those are crazy ideas. The fact of the matter is that this is common sense reform.”

The president brought attention to some of the parts of the legislation that would directly affect young individuals, including a provision allowing even non-dependents to remain on their parents’ health insurance until the age of 26.

“As you start your lives and careers, the last thing you should worry about is going broke or your parents going broke because you got sick,” Obama said. “[This bill] will allow you to stay on your parents’ plan until you’re 26.”

Another bill, one that the president did not mention in his speech, would end government subsidies for the student loan.

If enacted, the measure, which The Washington Post called “the biggest change in college assistance programs since Congress created them in the 1960s,” will lead to school loans being distributed directly from the state to the students instead of going through intermediaries.

It is estimated that the bill will save $67 billion between 2011 and 2020. The student aid issue was included with the hope of attracting more votes from the House of Representatives.

At Mason, President Obama said that the health reform proposal would make three basic changes to the system: health insurance companies would be subject to more regulation, those who could not afford insurance would be permitted to engage in collective bargaining and, the president said, costs would be lowered.

“We will end the worst practices of the insurance companies,” Obama said. “This is a patient’s bill of rights on steroids. [If the legislation passes], thousands of uninsured people will be able to purchase health insurance. The insurance companies will be banned forever from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions and banned from dropping your coverage when you get sick.”

Other tenets of the legislation included credits — which President Obama called “the largest middle class tax cut for healthcare in American history” — for families of four making up to $88,000, a ceiling on out-of-pocket expenses, increased taxes on more expensive insurance plans, as well as taxes on investment income for individuals making more than $200,000 a year ($250,000 for families) and a mandate that almost all Americans purchase health insurance.

The president derided what he called traditional Washington politics and cast the debate in terms of a moral decision.

“Reporting in Washington is like watching SportsCenter,” the president joked. “Who’s up, who’s down, who’s going at who. There’s been so much misinformation out there and the environment has been so toxic. I don’t know if the polls are going to go down or go up, but I know that this bill will be enormously important for America’s future. In just a few days, a century-long struggle will culminate in a historic vote.”

Obama made reference to presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson, and compared the current struggle to pass health care reform to past efforts at founding Social Security and ensuring civil rights for all Americans during the 1960s.

By Evan Benton, Staff Writer

The George Mason University Forensics team traveled to Germany last week to take part in the International Forensic Association tournament, held at the Park Iron Hotel in downtown Berlin.

In addition to winning the team sweepstakes award (effectively the championship) for the second straight year, Mason also had five world champions: Samantha Sapienza for Informative Speaking, Katie Miller for Poetry, Jen Torres and Tyler Dailey for Duo Interpretation, Danielle Ohrenberger for Prose and Mickey Cox for After Dinner Speaking.

The IFA promotes the diversity of forensic competition in countries around the world, where up to 35 colleges and universities attend and compete.

Last year’s IFA tournament was held in Montreal, where the Mason team brought home their first Championship trophy since entering the tournament for the first time in 2008. Basically, this means that the team has swept the only two years they’ve been in the tournament.

For Mason Forensics, this represents one more victory for a team that has produced 35 national champions since 1975, and has a trophy case of more than 14,000 trophies.

“Well the university just continues to be so proud of the forensics group and the job they’re doing representing us as an institution,” said University Press Secretary Dan Walsch. “We’re extremely happy and pleased for them and share in their well deserved joy.”

Following this impressive IFA win in Berlin, the team now prepares for the American Forensics Association’s national tournament next Sunday, where it will compete in the National Individual Events tournament in Eau Clair, Wisconsin against nearly 80 different national colleges.

National champions in 1979 and runners-up in last year’s event in Akron, Ohio (losing to repeat champions Western Kentucky University), Mason seeks to continue its legacy of excellence.

“[The IFA tournament] was like the Olympics — a great opportunity for us to experience different cultures while we competed,” said co-captain Quincey Smith, junior and three-year Forensics veteran.

“But [the AFA] Nationals, to me, are the most competitive, the most important,” he said.

Statistically, the Forensics team is the most successful competitive enterprise in George Mason University’s history, and many find it surprising that more coverage isn’t given, considering its staggering win percentage.

“It doesn’t bother us as a team,” said Katie Miller, junior anthropology major and team secretary. “We feel very connected to the school [and] appreciated.”
Miller was the IFA champion for poetry interpretation, a ten-minute performance combining several themes set around a dramatic structure. The majority of her performance centered around slam poetry.

The team will host its annual “Night of Stars” event on Tues., March 23.

The event will show highlights from six performances and will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Dewberry Hall.

By Kevn Loker, C2M Executive Editor

When an elected official — or any other successful public figure — returns upon invitation to his or her alma mater, they usually receive a warm welcome.
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s situation is a bit more complicated.

A potential 200 Mason students, faculty, alumni and community members will be on site to protest Cuccinelli’s law school visit slated for 5 p.m. Tuesday evening, according to Robert Pilaud, past president of the George Mason University School of Law (GMUSL) Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Law Association (GALLA) and current secretary of the Lambda Alumni Chapter of the George Mason University Alumni Association.

The protest comes over two weeks after a letter the attorney general wrote to Virginia universities was leaked to the public.
In the letter, Cuccinelli gave a legal opinion advising the state institutions to remove ‘sexual orientation,’ ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ from the language of their nondiscrimination policies on the basis of current Virginia state law as determined by the General Assembly. [An op-ed written by the attorney general defending his position can be found in today’s Opinion section.]

The letter sparked an onslaught of outrage across the state, with online social media websites Twitter and Facebook harboring the most intensity and anger. Ken Cuccinelli’s fan page in particular was bombarded with personal attacks and messages; some said that he lacked the people’s support, others called him homophobic and others said that the AG’s letter belonged “in the garbage.”

But the protest at Mason won’t be the state’s first. Earlier this month, more than 1,000 people demonstrated at Virginia Commonwealth University in opposition to Cuccinelli’s letter, marching their protest to the steps of the capitol in Richmond.

“We found out mid-Spring Break that [Cuccinelli] was going to be on campus,” said Cathryn “Kate” Oakley, the current president of GALLA who has taken the lead in organizing Tuesday’s protest.

“We’re not in any position to march on the capitol ourselves . . . [but] we have a unique opportunity to make our voice heard.

Cuccinelli, an alum of both Mason’s graduate program and the university’s law school, was invited to speak at his alma mater shortly after being elected attorney general last fall and long before recent uproar. According to Assistant Dean for Management and Planning Rich Kelsey, reaching out to Viginia’s attorney general is tradition, and logical.

“We try to get every AG we can,” said Kelsey, referencing the educational significance of having an attorney general speak at a law school. “[The position is] the top legal office in Virginia.” The last four attorney generals have all spoken at the law school, including the state’s current governor, Bob McDonnell.

And Cuccinelli’s status is further special to the greater university — he’s also the highest elected state public official to have graduated from Mason.

“It’s important in our protest that we’re respectful of Cuccinelli’s role and legal opinion,” said Oakley, emphasizing her hope that protesters remain positive in their signs and chants, while still admitting that the AG’s opinion, right or wrong, does hold power in the state of Virginia. “As a Mason alum, he has some sort of sense of what he’s doing.”

“He has excellent training,” she said.

A Greater Goal of the Demonstration?
Though the flier for the protest says the demonstration and rally is in response to the attorney general’s appearance and specifically in response to Cuccinelli’s letter, Oakley said she also hopes their efforts make a point to university administration.

Shortly after the letter went public, Rector Ernst Volgenau sent a message to all Mason students, faculty and staff emphasizing the Board of Visitors’ commitment to the issue and the embracement of diversity “which has become [the university’s] hallmark.” Vice President of University Life Sandra Hubler Scherrens sent out a similar message to University Life staff, emphasizing the Core Value “Embrace Our Differences,” and calling for reaffirmation of the office’s core values with its daily interactions with students.

Another joint-statement in response to Connect2Mason inquiry by Assistant to the President and Director of Equity and Diversity Services Corey Jackson, Provost Peter Stearns and Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens, echoed similar language, saying that “the university community, including the LGBTQ community, can be assured of our unwavering commitment to nondiscrimination.”

Oakley says she thinks the response is missing something.

“I felt that the response that Mason sent out didn’t really go far enough in standing up for the LGBTQ community,” said Oakley. “I felt that [it] was pretty wishy-washy. I didn’t think that was really ‘standing up.’ It doesn’t show a real commitment.”

Protest organizers are additionally circulating a petition in hopes of receiving more concrete support from university administration. The petition, which will be circulated at Tuesday’s protest as well as online, calls for “the president and Board of Visitors of George Mason University [to] defend vigorously the current nondiscrimination policy of the university and change it only if ordered to do so by a court of last resort.”

Current university policy (1201) does include sexual orientation as a protected class as part of the university’s “institutional commitment to nondiscrimination.” In light of Cuccinelli’s letter, however, the policy’s legality within state law is more than fuzzy.

The Board of Visitors’ agenda for March 24, the day after the protest, includes an executive session for consultation with legal counsel. The number one and two items are ‘Pending Litigation’ and ‘Attorney General Advice.’ The Board of Visitors were not available for comment when Broadside went to press.

Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens did confirm, however, that the university may receive further correspondence from the AG’s office in the near future regarding the legality of the current policy. He also commented on legal collaboration with other state universities.

“Since all Virginia state colleges and universities have similar non-discrimination policies, I do expect that the schools will get together and discuss what response, if any, is most appropriate,” Scherrens said. “I think it would be a most powerful response to have a unanimous position taken by all institutions, but that is a decision that every institution will need to make.”

Event Details: Protest and Law School Event
The protest, which has largely been organized through a Facebook event, is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., an hour before the law school event, and will be accompanied by a rally. Virginia Delegate Adam Ebbin, Arlington County Chairman Jay Fisette, Former Virginia Delegate Steve Shannon, the university’s Associate Director for LGBTQ Resources Richard Chollar and Mason student and alumni leaders have been confirmed as speakers.

According to Oakley, the protest and rally will occur despite possible rainfall.

“It’s a rain or shine sort of thing,” said Oakley. “We’re there because the Attorney General is there.”
The law school event is closed to Mason Law School students and faculty with a valid ID. Oakley said she encourages any interested law school students to attend the attorney general’s speech and, if they so wish, to ask questions regarding the nondiscrimination policy.

As of Friday, Cuccinelli said he had no plans for his speech to directly address nondiscrimination policy and/or his now well-publicized letter at Tuesday’s event.
“Someone may have a question,” he said. “I have a nasty habit of frequently answering questions asked of me.”

Sandra Evans, Broadside Correspondent

Spring Break is a time for some fun in the sun amid a hectic, energy-draining spring semester; however, the special occasion has a bad reputation, with some college students making not-so-great decisions that can sometimes have very serious consequences.

The Office of Alcohol, Drug & Health Education (OADHE) will set up its Safe Spring Break kiosk today through Wednesday before the start of break. It will be held at the Johnson Center Kiosk A from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“[Our goal] is just to let people know about the resources on campus . . . and [for people to know] the high-risk behaviors they may be exposed to and try to minimize that,” said Health Promoter Coordinator for OADHE Megan Grant.

The kiosks will have information on safe and healthy decision making and how to have an enjoyable Spring Break while staying out of harm’s way.

Topics that will be discussed include what behaviors are considered high-risk, how to plan a safe trip and what factors into good decision making.

Many are skeptical about whether or not Safe Spring Break can have a posititive impact on certain college students who are already determined to fully enjoy their break without worrying about the possible costs.
Brandi Hilliard, a sophomore undeclared major, believes “responsible people are already going to be responsible, while irresponsible people are set on making bad decisions anyways.”

Free items will also be handed out such as healthy hook-up kits and bags filled with sunscreen, sanitizers, first-aid kits and more.

The open atmosphere for discussion and goodie bags are a way to casually let people feel comfortable talking about the serious issues that could arise during spring break while teaching people the facts in a fun yet educational manner.

The event aims to discuss ways of reducing the harmful risks connected to alcohol, sex and personal safety, but other matters will be touched on.

Some students think the Safe Spring Break kiosks will be very beneficial, believing that important matters should be freely discussed.

Tanner Allshouse, a junior global affairs major, urges fellow Mason students to “be safe over spring break and exercise caution.”

OADHE is also having their annual Safe Spring Break Bash in Eisenhower Hall on Tuesday March 2 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. This event will include different activities to make students more aware of alcohol-related safety.

George Mason University is holding its spring break this year from Sunday, March 7 to Sunday, March 14.
More information on having a Safe Spring Break can be found at the Office of Alcohol, Drug & Health Education’s website www.adhe.gmu.edu.