Recent Posts

Resident advisor tribute

Editorials March 6, 2013 at 2:54 pm Comments are Disabled

After weeks of devising what combination of sophomores and seniors would be most beneficial, and a few stressful minutes online choosing your home for the next year, housing selection has finally come to an end. And, with this closing, comes an influx of conversations about housing. Residents will start listing their grievances with the area desks, housing staff, and finally, their own RAs. And this last part is personal to me, because, as an RA, I always find it disheartening to hear of residents who have had negative experiences with their RA. Last October was my first semester, and I was sweating bullets. All of the RAs were rounded up in Dewberry Hall two weeks before school started, and we played about a thousand icebreakers during that period. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the camaraderie among the staff and enjoyed every minute of that fleeting time. What had me scared was my own, empty hall. I found myself cutting out butterfly patterns and frantically making door decorations to get my mind off of the fact that I was petrified of the coming weeks. In a short time, my floor would be filled with 40 residents and it was my responsibility […]
Does college education stand for intelligence or financial stability?

Editorials March 6, 2013 at 2:51 pm Comments are Disabled

When deciding to go to college, one does not go based on the expectation of simply learning more. Students go to college in order to graduate with a degree in a field of their interest, so that they can obtain a financially stable job. Many students come to Mason to take advantage of its location and so that after they graduate they can find a job in the metro area. Of course students will learn more despite their intentions. However, the attitude toward many classes shows that students don’t really want to be there, but instead that they are only there in order to fill that requirement for their degree so that they can graduate. Even during the first week of each semester, when everyone gets to play those oh-so-fun ice breakers about themselves, teachers will ask about their goals. They will ask you to say your name, major, an interesting fact about yourself and what you want to do with your major. I know when I am asked these questions I always say I’m not sure what I want to do when I receive my Communications degree and that I just want to find a job. I think that many […]
Embracing the diverse beliefs on the political spectrum

Editorials March 6, 2013 at 2:50 pm Comments are Disabled

Mason is filled with hatred. Now it is not the typical kind of hatred such as when a person uses a derogatory word toward another with the intent to offend. The hatred I see has origins in the widely diverse political spectrum of the Mason student body. One of many issues that creates a spark is a reform of the country’s tax system. One student might believe that America should contribute their fair share to help their country bounce out of the recession. This interpretation can apply to many ideals—the first and foremost being higher taxes on the rich. A conservative student grapples with this issue and views fair share as a burden on the moneymakers. These moneymakers earned their money and have the right to retain their income. Now let me ask you: is either side wrong? Based on your perspective you will view one issue as a better solution than the another. So let’s step back on this issue and examine both policies’ outcomes. A vision with “fair share” would increase taxes on the most economically successful Americans to be used as public investment. This would stabilize government-run programs like defense, education and public parks. This creates a […]
Mason reclaiming lost ground internationally

Editorials March 6, 2013 at 2:47 pm Comments are Disabled

Quite possibly it was Mason’s most epic fail. Despite the potential, in spite of the hype, the entity in question became a blemish on the grand story of that once minute college in Northern Virginia. Many undergrads going about the Fairfax, Arlington, Loudon and Prince William campuses may not know this, but there was a time when Mason had a satellite campus far from the shores of North America. I was a freshman when the Ras al Khaimah campus opened up in the United Arab Emirates in 2005. It was a big deal and for someone like me who had just moved away from home to live in the dorms for the first time, I wondered what it would be like to have a semester in the Middle East. During my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree I remember hearing very different stories from people about how good or bad it was over there. In many ways they were semi-autonomous, with their own student government and academic programs. However it did not last long. In early 2009, months before I graduated, Mason’s abroad campus closed down. Due to budgetary problems, the Board of Visitors withdrew their support from the campus before even a […]
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 […]
Development and Maturation at Mason

Editorials, Lifestyle March 6, 2013 at 2:39 pm Comments are Disabled

“I’m really sick and tired of waiting for that building to be finished. How much longer do I have to wait to use it?” says the elderly gentleman wearing a blue blazer walking towards Enterprise, in front of the unfinished Exploratory Hall. His sentiment is one that is common yet quite overused. We get it. Mason has a lot of construction. Mason, where renovation is tradition. But no one seems willing to accept the fact that the waiting may be worth the wait. Mason was founded as an independent university in 1972, which makes our university a mere 41 years old. Compared to the University of Virginia, founded in 1819, and William and Mary, founded in 1693, Mason is a baby. This young age makes Mason susceptible to a lot of weaknesses, one of them being growing pains. A young university will inherently struggle to fill its shoes. Mason does not have the luxury of being a university that has had upwards of 200 years to figure out what it is going to look like. Instead, we are forced to face challenges that other universities skate around using their age. So as we travel on the road to the future, these older universities […]
Fire hazard or health concern? #GMUProblems: Smokers

News March 6, 2013 at 12:12 am 3 comments

What is the problem? Despite a Virginia law and university policy banning smoking within 25 feet or inside of campus buildings, smokers often clog the entranceway to the JC and other highly populated areas around campus. Students with sensitivity toward smoke, ranging from annoyance to severe medical symptoms, are often forced to walk through packs of smokers. Smokers, under Virginia law, retain their right to smoke in designated public areas as a personal freedom. What is the university smoking policy? In accordance with the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act, university policy promotes a healthful and safe work environment for students, faculty and staff while still preserving the right to choose to smoke. Smoking is only permitted in designated areas marked by signs. Hallways, classrooms, restrooms and all public areas are smoke-free. Smoking is permitted outside of buildings not designated as hazardous. The policy was last updated in 2004, but currently a student task force is working on updates. Who enforces the policy? Several administrators are responsible for the enforcement of the smoking policy, including the assistant vice president and chief human resources officer, the associate provost for personnel & budget, and the assistant vice president for university services. Duties include implementing […]
Student government discusses conduct code grievances

News March 6, 2013 at 12:09 am Comments are Disabled

Student government held a round table discussion on the code of conduct on Tuesday, Feb. 26 in which about 30 students shared their opinions, including members of student senate and student body president Alex Williams. “The plan is to compile all of the information into a report. They met beforehand with student conduct administration and said, ‘hey we’ve been hearing some concerns around the code of conduct’,” said Melissa Masone, assistant director for student governance. Members of student government plan to meet with administrators to present themes discussed in the meeting to try and pursue working on those issues. “They gave the impression to some of our members that there might be an opportunity over the summer to implement some changes,” Masone said. Student government believes that because of the new director in the Office of Student Conduct, now is the time to act. Brent E. Ericson, assistant dean/director of office of student conduct, university life and Todd Rose, associate dean of university life, are student government’s two contact points for starting a conversation. “Our overall goal isn’t to go in there and say we need all this change, change change,” said Dilan Wickrema, moderator at the discussion and chairman […]
Mason develops innovation in conservation studies

Multimedia, News February 26, 2013 at 3:13 pm Comments are Disabled

Most college graduates find jobs in familiar places, such as near their homes or some- where surrounding their respective school. Not 2012 Mason graduate Kendall Bilbrey. In a few weeks, she will be participating in her first post-college internship at the Chengdu Panda Base in Chengdu, China. While there, she will be conducting behavioral research on red pandas for four months. Bilbrey attributes this opportunity to her experience at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. “Without my skills and knowledge I received at SMSC, I would not be where I am today,” said Bilbrey, who graduated with a degree in Integrative Studies with concentration in conservation studies from Mason’s New Century College. Mason joined efforts with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology (SCBI) Institute in 2008 to establish the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC). SMSC opened their brand new, eco-friendly facility this past fall. This school is the only one of its kind. This school offers a type of education that regular universities cannot. “This school allows students to be totally immersed in all aspects of education,” said Alonso Aguirre, executive Director of the Smithsonian-Mason school of conservation and associate profes- sor of Environmental Science and Policy. “The school itself provides […]
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 […]