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Track senior holds current world record time

Featured, Sports March 6, 2013 at 10:44 pm Comments are Disabled

David Verburg is Mason’s fastest man, and he keeps getting faster. Verburg ran a stunning 45.83 in the 400m, on Feb. 9, at the SPIRE Institute Division I Invitational. Not only was it a personal record indoors, for Verburg but it is the world’s fastest time in the 400m, so far this year. “It feels great. It has never happened to me before. How many people can say that at one point they were ranked number one in the world? It is an honor,” said Verburg, a two-time 400m All-American, outdoors. “I know it will not stay there for long, but it gives me a point where I know I can be at the top. I am just trying to work hard and stay humble and will try to get [the record] back when it disappears.” Verburg, now a senior, started running track during his senior year in high school, finding success and scholarship offers. “I chose Mason because it was a small school and I wanted to make a name for myself. I wanted to build up the program,” Verburg said. “I know a lot of good recruits were coming in with me. I did not want be […]
A case for group work

Editorials, Featured March 6, 2013 at 2:43 pm Comments are Disabled

“And now everyone break up into groups of four or five, these will be your teams for the big project this semester.” These words are inevitably muttered in every class, and what follows ends up being an excruciatingly awkward 10 minutes spent making small talk with perfect strangers. No matter how hard you try to form the “perfect” group, there will always be that one person who holds you back and makes you swear to yourself that you will never trust another living soul with your grade ever again. How the hell are you supposed to decide whom you want to be waiting on to finish their section the day before the project is due? There is no clear-cut answer, but it typically involves praying that you know at least one other person in the class and then pure luck. Side note: Discussing your schedule with your group might be even more awkward than forming the group. No, I have essentially zero free time from now until the end of time unless you want to hang out with me at 11 o’clock tonight. The best you can do is grit your teeth and deal with it. Become numb to the nonchalance with […]
Synchronized swimming hosts Southern Region Zone Championships

Featured, Sports February 26, 2013 at 2:37 pm Comments are Disabled

With tiny sparkly leotards and bright performance makeup, the Mason synchronized swimming team could easily be mistaken for a dance or gymnastics team. In a way, they are, as they flip, turn and propel themselves out of the pool in unison. As one of only 20 competitive college-level teams in the country, Mason’s club team is able to compete at the top-level nationally against varsity. On Feb. 23. the Mason synchronized swimming team hosted the South Zone Region Championships for teams from Texas, Florida and Virginia. The annual competition rotates between host schools each year. Each performance is approximately 4.5 minutes long, half of the time the swimmers are underwater, the other half above water. Judges critique the teams on their artistic impressions, execution, musical interpretation and synchronization. Teams can compete as a group of 8 or in triples, doubles or in solos. The Mason synchronized swimming club was created 8 years ago by a mother-daughter team who have stayed on to coach the current team. While some of the girls on the team have experience with synchronized swimming, a few have never played a sport before. “You have to learn how to be graceful in the water,” said Rebecca […]
Jewish students take sponsored trips to Israel

Featured, Multimedia, News February 25, 2013 at 3:06 pm Comments are Disabled

Ten-day Birthright trip provides once- in-a-lifetime experience and memories College is a time that many use to explore their heritage in the hopes of discovering their identity. For some Jewish students, this may involve the exploration of their religious or cultural roots, for which many look towards Israel. As the world’s only Jewish state, Israel is the cultural and religious center of Jewish heritage, and for this reason, many Jewish students choose to go on 10-day Birthright trips to Israel. “Birthright is an opportunity for Jewish students between the ages of 18-26 who have never travelled to Israel on a peer trip before,” said Mason’s Hillel Director Ross Diamond. “It’s an opportunity for students to travel to a country that’s talked a lot about in the news, and to experience it for themselves.” Diamond stated that while the trips generally differed based on organization, most generally included the holy sites in Jerusalem, Israel’s national cemetery Mount Herzl, the Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem, visiting a Bedouin community, the city of Safed, a night out in Tel Aviv and the famous fortress Masada. Sophomore Carleigh Ladden-Stirling noted that the many hours on the trip that had been spent travelling from one location […]
Freshman named top newcomer

Featured, Sports February 24, 2013 at 7:52 pm Comments are Disabled

Freshman Brandon Gum had one of the most nerve-racking moments of his baseball career when he first stepped onto the field as a member of Mason’s baseball team. Gum, a heralded shortstop in his first colle- giate baseball game, earned a spot in coach Bill Brown’s opening day starting lineup against The Citadel. “Being named a starter right away was a dream come true but also made me very nervous. Before the first game I was extremely nervous, but I felt like I was ready, as our coaches did a great job of preparing me. Once I was in the flow of the game, I was fine,” Gum said. Gum went 2 for 11 from the plate, drawing one walk, scoring a run and striking out a team-high eight times. “I felt a little pressure to contribute right away. But that is because I want to be able to perform and play well personally, but I always want to do what I can to help the team win. I do not want to try and do too much because that just adds unneeded pressure,” Gum said. As with most freshmen collegiate hitters, there is an adjustment period to college pitching […]
Photo of the week: Last second win over William and Mary

Featured, Multimedia, News February 24, 2013 at 6:47 pm Comments are Disabled

A last-second jump shot from Erik Copes won the game for Mason versus William and Mary on Saturday, with a final score of 60-58. Cope’s shot from the free throw line went through the net and left just .5 seconds on the clock. Freshman Patrick Halloway was the leading scorer for Mason with 15 points from a career-high 5 three-pointers.
Mason National Pan-Hellenic Council steps up

Featured, Lifestyle, Multimedia February 24, 2013 at 5:41 pm Comments are Disabled

As Mason’s National Pan-Hellenic Council week came to a close, the winners of their annual step show were crowned on Feb. 22. The week, which was called “Divine Habits,” showcased a different characteristic of black Greek life each day, stretching from Monday’s “Having Fun” to Wednesday’s “Educating,” all topped off with Friday’s “Stepping” and “After-Party.” The step show brought together five Mason sororities and fraternities, as well as four from other universities, to compete. The Mason step teams in the competition were Alpha Kappa Alpha, Zeta Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Phi Beta Sigma and Omega Psi Phi. “I particularly like the event because it promotes Greek unity,” said Amanda Herbert, president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. “I know that regardless of the conflicts that happen within different chapters of organi- zations, we can all come together and have a step show that the entire Mason community enjoys.” Though Herbert was not a part of the actual competition for 2013, it was her first year not stepping, and she was excited to to see the competition from an entirely different “This is what black Greeks are known for — stepping and just really giving people a show that they […]
Photo of the week: Mumford and Sons comes to Mason

Featured, News February 21, 2013 at 4:27 pm Comments are Disabled

Coming off their victory at the Grammys for Album of the Year, Mumford and Sons performed two sold-out shows at the Patriot Center. Acts Haim and Ben Howard opened for the London-native quartet this past Wednesday and Thursday. Broadside was able to get exclusive access to the event and bring you these photos. (Photos by Jenny Krashin/Broadside)
Mason’s Interim Chief works to ensure transparency

Featured, News February 17, 2013 at 6:10 pm Comments are Disabled

The quick change in leadership at the Mason Police Department during the latter half of the Fall 2012 semester put Drew Tracey into the role of Interim Police Chief at the department. In the ten weeks that has served as the leader of the department with 58 sworn officers, Tracey has worked towards making the station more open to the public. Broadside initially approached Tracey on the topic of the police department complaint report system. The Mason Police Department has released reports from 2008, 2009 and 2010 that detail the complaints filed against the department during that specific calendar year. Such complaints range in severity from off-duty assaults to unprofessional conduct. While the released reports have no problems, as of Jan. 1, 2013, the department had yet to released a report for 2011. “We are actually not required to release it,” Tracey said, about the location of the 2011 report, “but why don’t we just do it anyway?” According to standards set by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), departments located on a university are technically not required to release complaint reports publicly. However, that did not sit well with Chief Tracey. “I’m real big on […]
Cabrera outlines his new vision for Mason

Featured, News February 17, 2013 at 6:03 pm Comments are Disabled

Dr. Angel Cabrera had an assignment at hand when the Mason Board of Visitors tasked him with creating a new vision for the university. In only nine months on the job, the time it takes to complete one academic year, President Cabrera was expected to not only become familiar with and understand the largest university in the state, but to redesign its role in the future of higher education for the state, country and world. “There is one component that talks about what shouldn’t change, and then a part that talks about what should change. Both are equally important because what we’re trying to do here is hey, there are some features about this university, values, shared beliefs, that have been essential to bring us to where we are,” Cabrera said. “The second part is that now we are in the 21st century, things are happening around us. The challenges we face are not the same challenges that Dr. Johnson faced 34 years ago or Dr. Merten faced 16 years ago, they’re different, so how do we deal with them?” With the help and input from people from around the Mason community, Cabrera has completed a first draft and is […]