Articles by: skline

Mason Uses Energy-Efficient Heating

News1 February 27, 2012 at 4:17 pm Comments are Disabled

George Mason University is utilizing the latest, most innovative technology to provide students with energy-efficient heating and cooling on campus. “We use a high-temperature hot water system, not steam,” said Jeffrey Counts, assistant superintendent of the heating and cooling plant at Mason. “Steam systems are common. High-temperature hot water systems are not very common. In the future, they probably will be. They are more efficient and require a lot less maintenance.” The hot water system not only provides heating for students in both classrooms and dormitories but also provides domestic hot water, which students use when they shower and brush their teeth. “Our high-temperature hot water goes through a heat exchanger at the location [of the housing facilities] and their heat exchanger converts the hot water to domestic water for the showers,” Counts said. The heating and cooling plant also utilizes a chill-water system that cools about 92 percent of the campus. Though the hot water system requires less maintenance than a steam system, there are still several things that can go wrong. According to Counts, a weld joint may break, expansion joints and the high temperature valves may leak and the slip joints might break or corrode. Slip joints […]
Mason Inn Changes Management

News1 February 27, 2012 at 4:14 pm Comments are Disabled

The Mason Inn is changing management, effective April 1. Crestline Hotel & Resorts will take over for Aramark, which has been in charge of operations since the hotel opened in 2010. The move is due in part to the recent volatility of the economy. The business plan for the Inn was created in the pre-recessionary economic climate, according to George Mason University Senior- Vice President Maurice Scherrens. When the real estate market changed fundamentally, so too did the hotel industry. “All of our original assumptions were no longer the proper foundation for the business partnership,” said Scherrens in an email. The Inn did not meet the occupancy rates that had been projected, and the turnover for managerial positions was high. The Conference Center was off-target from the amount of business that was expected from the local community. However, unlike Aramark, Crestline is based locally in Fairfax. “They understand the Fairfax market and how to serve the Fairfax community,” said Gregg Toney, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Enterprises, which oversees the Mason Inn. He believes that Crestline will bring in more local businesses to the Conference Center. There are also economic advantages to selecting a locally based company. For one, transportation […]
Pi Kappa Phi ‘Push’es Mason

News1 February 27, 2012 at 4:06 pm Comments are Disabled

Pi Kappa Phi’s chapter at George Mason University is raising awareness and money to help the severely handicapped with its Push America program. The fraternity hopes to recapture the success of last year, when it raised roughly $3,000 at its Miss Push America Annual Pageant. According to junior global affairs major William Callahan, historian of the Push America effort on Mason’s campus, Push stands for “promoting the understanding of the severely handicapped.” Push America is a nonprofit organization created in 1977 by members of Pi Kappa Phi to help individuals with severe handicaps. The effort has spread across the nation to different chapters of the fraternity in the years since. Pi Kappa Phi plans on holding the Miss Push America Annual Pageant on April 14. Students are encouraged to attend, and a nominal entrance fee will be donated to Push America. This year, Pi Kappa Phi plans on incorporating more student organizations into the event. “Last year was basically just fraternities and sororities because we had a limited scope and limited time. This year, we’re trying to reach out to all organizations if we can,” said sophomore Nikhil Bali, Push America chair. For last year’s Miss Push America beauty pageant, […]
Blake Shelton Plays Patriot Center

Lifestyle February 27, 2012 at 4:00 pm Comments are Disabled

The Patriot Center was packed Saturday evening for the Blake Shelton concert. Audience members got their money’s worth too, seeing opening acts Justin Moore and “The Voice” contestant Dia Frampton. Each of the acts played several songs and got the crowd excited before Blake Shelton came out. He had quite the entrance, descending from a platform onto the stage while colored lights flashed and the bass shook the whole arena. He kicked off the night singing “Footloose” and “All About Tonight.” Once he secured the attention of the audience, Shelton began telling stories and asking them questions. Shelton is one of the most humble people in show business; he made a point to say multiple times how grateful he was for his fans and how he really is just a regular guy. He held audience members’ hands, threw guitar picks into the crowd and thanked select individuals for the posters they held up. It was evident Shelton really cared about his fans and really paid attention to them. “[Seeing so many people in the Patriot Center] made me a little bit nervous, y’all,” Shelton said. “When I get nervous I tend to drink, all right? I can already tell I […]
Patriots Claim No. 3 Seed in CAA Tournament After Loss to VCU

Sports February 27, 2012 at 3:58 pm Comments are Disabled

RICHMOND – As the Rams lined up to pose for a picture with Bradford Burgess on Senior Night, the Patriots emerged from the tunnel much to the irratation of the sold-out crowd inside the Siegel Center. Their unwanted presence in the background of the Rams’ photo drew a subtle exchange of words between the two rivals. VCU had just been disrespected on their home floor. And they would not soon forget. “We noticed,” said Shaka Smart, VCU coach. “And we fed off of it.” From the opening tip, Mason was a step slower than the active VCU defense. They turned the ball over 14 times in the first half, helping the Rams build a 16-point lead heading into the break. Point guards Bryon Allen and Corey Edwards had more turnovers (6) than the entire Rams’ roster in the first 20 minutes of play. “I’m of the belief that they are the kind of team that is going to have those runs,” Hewitt said. “But if you hang in there, you’re going to give yourselves a chance.” The second half, however, carried a much different tune. Mason outscored their opponents 50-46 in the half, chipping away at a sizeable deficit and […]
Men’s Rugby, Home of the Gang Green

Sports February 27, 2012 at 3:55 pm Comments are Disabled

The George Mason University men’s club rugby team is gearing up for its 47th spring season. Founded in 1965, men’s rugby is the oldest club team on campus. During the fall, the team plays competitively in Division II of the Potomac Rugby Union. Games and practices are held for fun and training purposes during the spring. “We’re all here because we love the game,” said senior civil engineering major Rawaz Mutabchi. “We’ve had matches before where the teams were unevenly matched, so we swapped teammates so that we could keep playing.” There were approximately 40 men on the team last fall, though the players and coaches are always looking to recruit more. “No matter what size you are, we have a position for anybody,” said sophomore photography major Zander Shaw. “When I first started playing, I was scared and had no idea what I was doing. The game is very natural, though. I picked it up very easily,” Head coach Fred Bardot has been playing rugby since he was 6 years old and played professionally in France, Argentina and the United States. For the past 10 years, he’s been coaching at Mason and working for USA Rugby to coach […]
Student Club Promotes Bike Use, Sustainability

News1 February 27, 2012 at 3:53 pm Comments are Disabled

George Mason University’s cycling club is gearing up for another exciting semester on campus. “This is the club’s second semester in existence,” said student liaison officer Patrick Harvey, a senior psychology major. The cycling club has two primary goals: building a cycling community on campus and promoting cycling as a form of sustainable transportation in Northern Virginia. “Now we’re just really trying to get people who enjoy cycling to ride together,” Harvey said. Although the cycling club has no official partnerships, it collaborates with the Mason Transportation Department and the Office of Sustainability. Together, the cycling club and Transportation Department are offering free u-locks this semester, as part of an on-campus bike registration program. “U-locks are a much more secure way of locking up bikes than a cable lock,” Harvey said. Through the registration program, students would provide their serial bike number to the cycling club and Transportation Department. “In the unfortunate event that the bike is stolen, we would use the bike registration to help get the bike back,” Harvey said. “When students register bikes with Mason, they will receive a free u-lock to use on campus.” Harvey also explains that the bike registration program will provide statistical insight […]
I’d Rather Be Eating: Sakoontra

Lifestyle February 27, 2012 at 3:50 pm Comments are Disabled

Sakoontra is a Thai restaurant located in the Costco Shopping Plaza off of West Ox Road in Fairfax. I am very partial to all Asian cuisines, but am especially drawn to Thai restaurants. I heard about Sakoontra from classmates and coworkers, but never tried it out until last week. My friend, Adam, shares my affection for the various dishes offered at most Thai restaurants, so I invited him to join me. We started out with the hoy obb, which is an appetizer of steamed mussels served in a tangy, slightly spicy lemongrass broth. The mussels themselves were very large and juicy. The lemongrass broth contained sliced red onion and whole basil leaves, which also amped up the flavor. The dish is served with a sauce that has a little kick, but doesn’t make or break the taste. Adam ordered the pad phed per my suggestion. I didn’t suggest the dish because I had ever eaten it before, but because I was interested in trying it as well. This dish is prepared by stir-frying bamboo shoot, red and green peppers, fresh chili pepper and basil in a fiery red curry paste. As with most of their entrées, you have the choice […]
Viewing Life Through Tumblr

Lifestyle February 27, 2012 at 3:49 pm Comments are Disabled

The social media and blogging landscapes live and die by the clock. If something is cumbersome enough that it takes more than a few seconds to accomplish, good luck getting anyone to use it. That’s where blogging websites like Tumblr shine: The interface is simple and the commitment is minimal. “I definitely find Tumblr to be addictive,” said freshman Bridget Bush. “I like that it allows you to more or less create a website that endlessly updates with things that you find interesting, since you choose [which blogs] you follow. It is also an outlet for sharing how you feel, what you think and what you like in the world.” While many students find themselves addicted to Tumblr, not all share that sentiment. “I could go the rest of my life without Tumblr, if such a dismal fate were forced upon me,” said freshman government and international politics major Patrick Greenwalt. “Though Tumblr helps emphasize the humanity in us all. I share and express things on Tumblr I otherwise would not, since Tumblr has a sense of anonymity about it.” Tumblr allows its users to create their own personalized blog within a matter of seconds. Everything from the font to […]
Autographed Football and More at Annual GBAY Event

Lifestyle February 27, 2012 at 3:48 pm Comments are Disabled

Luckily, eBay has better things to do than sue George Mason University for stealing its name and logo for the university’s signature GBAY event. GBAY is an auction hosted by Mason students to help raise money for Mason’s scholarship fund. Private donations from local businesses as well as donations from various campus officials will be raffled off to the highest bidder. Items to be auctioned off include: a Barnes & Noble Nook, lunch for you and two friends with President Merten, lunch with coach Paul Hewitt of the Mason men’s basketball team, a signed football from Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, Monster energy drinks, a skiing package for Liberty Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania, a Vera Bradley bag, tickets to Six Flags America, sports memorabilia and much more. “GBAY is a student benefit auction,” said Mark Mansdoerfer, a junior double-majoring in management and accounting. “Everything that is being sold is donated from businesses in the area and from departments within the school. The money earned from the online donations site and the items sold will then be given to the general student scholarship fund. The event is in its third year, where we have raised $10,000 and $15,000, respectively, in […]