Recent Posts

• The final homestand: Panthers continue to dominate Mason with sweep

  Sports April 26, 2010 at 2:38 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor Alumni/Senior Weekend did not get off on the right foot for the George Mason University softball team as the Patriots dropped both games on Saturday against the Georgia State Panthers, falling in a tougher position as they fight for a spot in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. The Panthers won the first game 3-0 and cruised in the second game, 6-0. Falling to 15-22 overall and 4-8 in conference play, Mason was shut out for the first time since April 3. The Panthers, on the other hand, continued to create separation from the rest of the conference, improving to 31-14 on the year and 10-4 in the conference. Georgia State is second to the Hofstra Pride in the CAA standings. Freshman right fielder Whitney Phillips started the Panthers’ scoring in the first inning with her third homerun of the season. The solo blast came with two outs. The Panthers scored two more runs in the third inning on a two-run triple from freshman center fielder Audrey Mason. Mason scattered four hits in the seven innings while senior starting pitcher Becky Anderson limited the Panthers to five hits and three runs in her complete game. […]

   

• Rogers and Kvidahl push Mason to semifinals: Sophomore named First Team EIVA All-East

  Sports April 26, 2010 at 2:36 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Brian T. Chan, Sports Editor Named to the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association All-East first team, sophomore middle blocker Lance Rogers defended his recognition with a solid performance on Saturday as the George Mason University men’s volleyball team swept the Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders 30-19, 30-28, 30-23 in the quarterfinal round of the EIVA Tournament. Mason will head to University Park, Pa. next week as they meet the Princeton Tigers in the semifinals on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Penn State University’s Rec Hall. “Last few weeks we’ve been playing better and better,” said Head Coach Fred Chao. “I think this is one of the best representations so far. Last week against Penn State was really good for us for a stretch, but I think the timing is good since we’re playing better.” The Patriots improved to 8-18 while the Scarlet Raiders, the Hay division’s top team, fell to 13-13. Mason, the third seed, hosted the first ever tournament match at the RAC; in front of 223 fans, the Patriots’ offense ignited from the get-go. Chao acknowledged the team’s early start to help them stave off the late Scarlet Raiders rally. “It’s extremely important because Rutgers is a great team and […]

   

• Lab science requirements are too much

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:33 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Martin Lemaitre University and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) lab science requirements drive students senselessly far away from their interests. As we all know, it is crucial that we get a diverse education during our college careers, meaning that we get some insight into all kinds of different courses that might be useful tools at some point in our lives. That is why every university and college has a set of general education requirements for the students to take no matter what their major may be. I happen to be a student in the CHSS, where those requirements are naturally present in the curriculum. However, when I transferred to George Mason University last fall, there was something specific within this curriculum that caught my attention — the eight credits of Laboratory Sciences. I completely understand that every student should take one lab science course in college (four credits) to gain some general knowledge, but eight credits? Are those really necessary? The university alone requires seven credits for all students, which is still a lot for people who do not plan to major in science-related fields. As a communication major who aspires to one day work in […]

   

• ‘You don’t represent me’

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:30 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Robert W Gehl Dear Student Government Administrative Subcommittee on Dining Services, In your recent letter “April Sodexo strike,” which can be found on connect2mason.com, you close by stating, “We, the representatives of the George Mason University student body, strongly condemn the false claims and accusations leveled against Sodexo and Mason Dining by the SEIU [Service Employees International Union].” You don’t represent me. I am willing to bet that you don’t represent many students. You see, the impositions you endured, where you lost your “ability to have [our] regularly provided services,” pales in comparison to the actual struggle of workers trying to live on low wages in one of the most expensive regions in the country. You speak of rights: “When we (the Taco Bell-deprived) are paying thousands of dollars a year for a meal plan, it is our right to have these regular services provided to us.” You speak of suffering: “When that right is infringed upon, someone must look out for the students, because ultimately we are the ones who suffer.” Take a deep breath and count the ways in which your lack of Jazzman’s coffee for a few hours on a weekday compares to a family’s lack […]

   

• ‘This is about unfair labor practices’

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:28 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Kenny Reyna I am writing today in support of the Sodexo workers who have been mobilizing on campus and had a strike last week in response to unfair labor practices at George Mason University. The letter that the Dining Services Committee of Student Government released claims that workers are lying about what has happened to them. How can you sleep with yourself making such bold, unsubstantiated remarks? That letter is an obvious response from a subcommittee that is not interested in representing students. Instead they have taken a clear stance, without speaking to students or workers, in support of Sodexo management. By going against workers and representing the company of Sodexo, they are taking an administrative stance, and not one for students. Anti-union fliers have also been given to workers, which is clearly nothing but an obvious attempt to manipulate Sodexo workers and the public, to thus deviate and discredit the claims, efforts and stories that employees came forth with. After examining the letter, one can tell that panic and alarm were the driving forces to this childish response and that it is not a letter of valid concern over the well-being of their workers. It is up to […]

   

• The workers’ union must be stopped: Unions are ‘employing scare tactics and intimidation’

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:25 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Alan Moore, Staff Writer The casual observer can see that the campus is currently embroiled in a labor dispute between Sodexo and its employees. At its heart is a disgraceful and thuggish attempt by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to expand its membership by any means necessary. It is time that these disgruntled employees need to quit their jobs or get back to work, thumbing the eye of this brutish union. The Administrative Subcommittee on Dining Services recently made a statement on the situation: “These protests have disrupted the peace of George Mason University with noise that has affected the academic setting. In addition, several dining employees and SEIU officials left students feeling uneasy entering Southside when these protesters illegally marched into the building, employing scare tactics and intimidation.” Last week, Mason spokesman Dan Walsch told the Washington Business Journal, “George Mason University is monitoring the current dispute between Sodexo and members of its workforce. Mason views this as an internal matter for Sodexo. The university hopes the points of disagreement within Sodexo are resolved quickly and in a manner that is beneficial to all concerned. Presently, the dispute has not resulted in any disruption of services to […]

   

• College Dems support workers: ‘Workers went on strike to send a message to Sodexo’

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:24 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Pakiza Nasher and Frank Anderson, Co-Presidents, Kenton Ngo, Vice President The George Mason University College Democrats are disappointed with the irresponsible statements made by the Student Government’s Dining Committee against our food service workers. It is unfortunate that these members have chosen to make claims about the working conditions of our food service workers without even speaking with them. We have spoken with the workers. They want nothing more than a decent wage, affordable health insurance and justice in the workplace. They love George Mason University, its faculty and its students. Their complaint is with the upper management of Sodexo Corporation and its unfair working conditions. These conditions are not imaginary. One employee suffered a severe burn on her arm. She asked her manager if she could go to the hospital, but was told that if she wanted to go, she could walk. Another elderly worker was injured in a fall while unplugging an oven. Payment for her back brace was taken out of her vacation pay. These conditions are unacceptable, even before considering the low wages. The Dining Committee states that wages of $8.50 per hour are “competitive” because they are higher than the Virginia minimum wage. That […]

   

• Social media vs. social responsibility: Are we agents of change?

  Editorials April 26, 2010 at 2:22 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Dr. Peter Stearns, Provost, Dr. Sandy Scherrens, Vice President University Life, Corey Jackson, Assistant to the President/Director of Office of Equity & Diversity Services It is no secret that George Mason University benefits from our tremendous diversity within the student body. Although diversity is often characterized in terms of the legally protected categories — gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, age, national origin and religion — the diversity of thought that exists is also an important and essential component to our educational success. However, not everyone appreciates the diversity that exists at Mason. Recently, there were some anonymous racist blog postings on a non-university website submitted by members of the Mason community as well as some homophobic graffiti scribbled on a wall in Thompson Hall. In a multicultural society, we can all expect to be offended at some point by the language and deeds of others. That fact, along with broad First Amendment protections within the U.S. Constitution, does not mean that our university should excuse or condone the anonymous rants solely intended to degrade a person or group of people. Our community is smarter than that. Our community is stronger than that. It would be easy to condemn the […]

   

• In My Own Words . . .

  Lifestyle April 26, 2010 at 2:16 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Erin Thompson, Broadside Correspondent Hi, my name is Erin Thompson. I am a senior at the Mason LIFE Program. I would like to share my residential dorm life experiences. Mason LIFE Program has a residential program as a component that continues to build upon the foundation fostered in the independent living and community access classes as taught in the academic program. While one-third of the Mason LIFE students commute to the university, at least two-thirds are residential students who live on campus. But I am actually enjoying myself in the dorms. The reason I decided to live on campus is because I always wanted to be independent and hopefully to move out of my parents’ house. My parents always taught me how to be independent, like taking my own responsibility, doing my chores (including homework) and making sure that I take my medication ever morning. Also, making sure that I get to bed on time. In the Mason LIFE Program, we have a 102-dorm class that involves friendship, roommates and residential assistance. We usually meet every Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. This class will help us learn more and be very independent in our dorm room. We have […]

   

• In Bed with Billy: Oral sex and communication: What closed mouths are missing

  Lifestyle April 26, 2010 at 2:12 pm Comments are Disabled

  By Billy Curtis, Sex Columnist Throughout the decades, it has been given many names: giving head, eating out, going down, carpet munching and, of course, the blow job — just to name a few. Whatever you may call it, oral sex is one of the most pleasurable experiences out there; why do you think it’s considered such a great preamble to intercourse? Foreplay and oral sex can be the best way to get your blood pumping in all the right places for longer nights of bliss, and an even better way to get off while not worrying about pregnancy. Personally, oral sex, whether as foreplay or just the act itself, is definitely an enlightening activity, and certainly an act I enjoy thoroughly — with the right person. But not everyone is good at giving head, and like any other skill attained in this world, to become proficient in this art form one simply needs guidance and practice. Like most first sexual experiences, oral sex can be a little intimidating, but the best way to solve this problem is with communication or even getting a critique of your performance. The only way to get this information is by asking your partner, […]