Articles by: news

 

• Goats!

  News1 May 3, 2010 at 1:06 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Pras Gustanto, Staff Writer Goats have been given negative associations in most of Western culture. The Greeks envisioned their half-man half-goat nature god Pan as a lecherous deity. Christianity also considered goats to be a symbol of evil, with people in the Middle Ages believing that goats whispered dirty sentiments into the ears of saints. For modern-day Ugandan women, however, goats are a source of life that provides sustenance for families. The utilities the goats provide enable women to form their own small businesses and allow them to save enough money to send their children to school. This past Wednesday, George Mason University’s Women and Gender Studies Center invited a family of farmers to bring their goats to North Plaza to raise money and awareness for the socio-economic plights of low-income Ugandan women. It is all part of an awareness-raising joint effort with the Women’s Center for Job Creation (WCFJC), a non-governmental organization based in Minnesota and Uganda. David Keller and Melanie Thatcher, a farming family from Nokesville, Va., provided the goats. Students and passersby participated by donating money into the effort’s money collection jar. It takes $50 to sponsor a goat to Ugandan women. “What happens is that […]

   

• Golfers fight against cancer: Tournament raises funds for leukemia and lymphoma research

  News1 May 3, 2010 at 1:04 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Beverly Scholnick, Broadside Correspondent The Students Against Leukemia and Lymphoma (SALL) organization will host its annual golf tournament at Fairfax National Golf Club in Centreville on Monday, May 17, beginning at 7 a.m. Over 70 people are expected to attend. SALL is a nonstock corporation founded by George Mason University foreign languages major James Nance. Nance hopes to spread SALL to other universities in the D.C. metro area. The drive behind his dedication to charity is simple. “If I didn’t, no one else would,” Nance says. “I didn’t want to go through college not having done anything to give back to the community or better, the world around me.” All the proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to support cancer research. In addition to conducting research, the LLS also teaches newly diagnosed patients how to work effectively with their doctors, provides prescription drug assistance, connects patients with financial resources and provides many other vital services. But the tournament is not only about good will. “Aside from the fact that 100 percent of the profits will be donated to charity and finding a cure for cancer,” says Nance, “the following are included: […]

   

• Take the stress off exams: Spring Finals Madness helps students relax

  Lifestyle May 3, 2010 at 1:02 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Jason Hasnat, Broadside Correspondent In the midst of final presentations and exams, George Mason University will be holding its Spring Finals Madness event from 10 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday in Dewberry Hall. There will be plenty of free food, games, giveaways and live performances for students to enjoy before they settle in for the long haul of studying for their exams. Exams this year begin on Saturday, May 8 and end on Wednesday, May 12 due to the almost week-long class cancellations from “Snowpocalypse.” “It’s a good way to release stress,” said sophomore communication major Diana Pham. “It’s perfect timing for finals week.” The event, hosted by Student Centers in conjunction with Mason Dining and Alphi Phi Alpha’s Iota Alpha chapter, was created to give students an opportunity to have fun and blow off some steam before finals really kick off next week. One of the major draws of the event is the free swag, which many students are looking forward to getting. According to Mecca Marsh, associate director of Training and Programs for Student Centers, there will also be scantrons and blue books available for students to take. Spring Finals Madness is a continuation of Fall Finals […]

   

• Mason Ecosphere: Environmental action group collects over 100 pounds of trash

  News1 May 3, 2010 at 1:00 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Jason Von Kundra, EAG Co-Chair On Saturday morning, April 15, members of the Environmental Action Group participated in the inaugural Mason Beautification Day. According to Environmental Action Group member and history major Anthony Murray, “Cleaning our campus is an important thing do; the trash that we collected would otherwise likely end up in the Chesapeake Bay, polluting our water and endangering the wildlife that live there.” According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, more than 16 million people live in the Bay’s watershed. “I think a lot of people take it for granted,” said Murray. “Many people don’t realize how important it really is, but the Bay truly is an integral part of Virginia’s economy and its very identity. Without the Bay, Virginia would be a very different, and [a] much less wonderful state.” According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the Bay, the destruction that has been wreaked on the Bay has been staggering. “Since colonial times, the Bay has lost half of its forested shorelines, over half of its wetlands, nearly 90 percent of its underwater grasses and more than 98 percent of its oysters.” Emily Miles, co-chair of the Environmental Action […]

   

• Student allegedly sexually assaulted: Alleged attack occurs in Presidents Park’s Madison Hall

  News1 May 3, 2010 at 12:44 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Yasmin Tadjdeh, News Editor A George Mason University student was allegedly sexually assaulted on the second floor of Madison Hall, a freshmen co-ed dormitory in Presidents Park, in the early morning hours on Sunday, April 25. According to police records, the alleged victim reported being sexually assaulted by an acquaintance in her dorm room. According to Mason’s Press Secretary Dan Walsch, the incident involved a young couple who were together from late Saturday night into Sunday morning. During the course of the stay, “behavior occurred that was unwanted by the female,” said Walsch. The alleged victim then contacted the Mason Police Department. Currently no one has been charged with any crime involving the incident. “If we do make an arrest — I’m not saying that one will be [made] — it will be [included in the] blotter,” said Assistant Chief of the Mason Police Department George Ginovsky. According to Ginovsky, the case is still under investigation. Both the Mason Police Department and the university have been in contact with both parties involved in the incident, according to Walsch. Students were not notified of the alleged sexual assault via the Mason Alert System. Ginovsky maintains that the case did not […]

   

• Sodexo workers explain grievances to Student Government: Employees reiterate concerns regarding pay and unsafe working conditions

  News1 May 3, 2010 at 12:42 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Ethan Vaughan, Asst. News Editor Four Sodexo workers, accompanied by Service Employees International Union organizers and about 10 student supporters, appeared at a Student Government Senate meeting Thursday to further express objections regarding dining services, repeating assertions that management has engaged in “intimidation and discrimination.” The student lawmakers heard testimonies from Southside employees Angelica Hernandez, Francisca Gomez and Elizabet Blas Falcon. Union organizer Amaya Henry translated their remarks from Spanish, which focused on payment and injuries sustained on the job. Addressing a room of about 40 to 50 students, Falcon said that she was denied immediate medical attention following a grease burn. “You can get hurt and they won’t call an ambulance,” Falcon told Student Media after speaking to the Student Senate. “After an hour and a half of being interrogated by a supervisor, I was finally taken to the hospital. I was treated like an animal.” Falcon was not the only one alleging misconduct. Two workers, Gomez and Angelica Hernandez, additionally told Student Media that Sodexo offered inadequate pay and sometimes reduced pay without providing explanation. “I’ve been working here for 24 years,” said Gomez. “My problem is that I was making $11.67 [per hour], and after a […]

   

• Mason Ecosphere

  News1 April 26, 2010 at 12:58 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Environmental Action Group Just in time for Earth Day, Mason’s Office of Sustainability received word that they had been awarded a $5,000 grant for their Student Training for Environmental Protection program. For a week this summer, college students from all over the United States and Puerto Rico will be coming together at Prince William Forest to learn how to turn their passion for the environment into action. Colin Bennett, outreach coordinator for the Office of Sustainability and director of the program, submitted the program to the Brighter Planet Project Fund competition at the beginning of April. The program had to compete against seven other environmental projects to see which one could receive the most votes during the 15-day voting period. Through the efforts of people across Mason reaching out to their friends and family to encourage them to vote, the resulting 2,233 votes won the program $5,000. This money will help greatly with aiding the students who will require scholarships in order to attend. This year marks the second Student Training for Environmental Protection program organized by the Office of Sustainability. According to Bennett, “This program teaches students how to become successful environmental advocates; students will leave this program […]

   

• GMU sets gaze on East: Mason explores partnership with South Korea

  News1 April 26, 2010 at 12:57 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Rashad Mulla, Staff Writer George Mason University is seeking to build relationships beyond its established boundaries. Within the last four years, Mason officials have contacted a number of universities in South Korea to explore the possibilities of setting up partnerships there. Already, Mason has recruited a number of Korean undergraduate students through admissions trips. And in October 2009, the School of Art hosted a delegation from Kyonggi University, based in Suwon. According to Provost Peter Stearns, the big project — still in its exploration stages — is a potential international education center in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, directly west of Seoul. Mason officials are exploring whether such a plan is feasible, Stearns said. “We have funded a formal feasibility study to see if conditions will allow us to set up operation[s] there,” he said. “This is a strong interest, but it is not yet a commitment. Lots of questions still need to be answered, but we’d love to do this if the conditions warrant it.” In January, Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen (D-34th) introduced Senate Bill No. 712, which authorizes the exploration of the Incheon process. “This partnership will establish a long-term alliance between GMU and South Korea, […]

   

• So you think you can Cook? TAP residents face off in cooking competition

  News1 April 26, 2010 at 12:50 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Kristin Conklin, Broadside Correspondent Last Saturday, George Mason University hosted the third TAP Chef Cooking on a Budget event, as part of TAP’s (which stands for Townhouses, Apartments) annual, campus-wide Young, Broke and Fabulous program. “Participants are required to cook a budget-friendly meal, under $10, in 30 to 45 minutes,” said Malissa Brennan, the TAP residence director. One contestant, Kelley Towne, a junior and Communication major showed up with groceries in hand, ready to show off her cooking skills. “I like to cook and it seemed like fun,” Towne said. “Plus, these events need support.” On the menu was chicken stir-fry. With just five ingredients, Towne cooked up a simple meal, fit for any college student on a budget. Towne brought with her chicken, white rice, canned crushed pineapple, frozen vegetables and soy sauce. Towne first heated the chicken in a pan along with the frozen vegetables and cooked until tender. She then added the crushed pineapple and cooked for a few minutes more. She then added salt to taste and served it all atop white rice. This event is part of the TAP’s Young, Broke and Fabulous program, which included seven events in total. With the program in […]

   

• Get the scoop on the budget: Provost Stearns and Vice President Scherrens host meeting with students at Ike’s

  News1 April 26, 2010 at 12:40 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Yuri Svjagintsev, Broadside Correspondent George Mason University will undergo a drastic budget cut and a tuition raise in the fall semester as a response to the global credit crunch and the Virginia General Assembly slashing part of its state subsidy to Mason. Last Monday, Provost Peter Stearns and Senior Vice President of the University Maurice Scherrens hosted a town hall meeting at Ike’s with complimentary sundaes and giveaways. The idea behind the event was to inform students about what would be behind the cut, what would be cut and when it would be cut. The meeting also gave students the opportunity to discuss the budget directly with two of the senior decision-makers who influenced these new university-wide decisions. Out-of-state students will be particularly affected. Already, many out-of-state students pay double the tuition their Virginia peers pay. With housing and living expenses included, out of state students can expect to pay more than $33,388 for an academic year as tuition is raised by $1,730. In-state students will be looking at a tuition increase of $950 or a rise of 6 percent from this year. The tuition increases and budget cuts have been the trend for the last few years, but […]