Eugenia Hannon ’10 Gains Youtube Following from Smoking Videos
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Tribe player SWAS a distraction SEE from the real issues W&M’s smoking BACK PAGE goes pro SEE PAGE 4 Youtube sensation SEE PAGE 5 The twice-weekly student newspaper of the College of William and Mary — Est. 1911 VOL.98, NO.30 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009 FLATHATNEWS.COM 316TH ANNUAL CHARTER DAY THE Three-person RULE Students chosen for task force Webb honors College’s legacy Focus group also made By JORDAN SLICK up of city residents The Flat Hat By IAN BRICKEY U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) addressed the Flat Hat Staff Writer College of William and Mary community Satur- day at the Charter Day ceremony. His speech Williamsburg Mayor Jeanne Zeidler appointed mem- emphasized not only the College’s rich history, bers of a focus group that will be tasked with consider- but also its continued importance in the nation, ing possible changes to the controversial three-person especially in light of the current economic down- rule Friday. turn. Currently, the city prohibits more than three un- “As someone who has spent much of my ca- related people from living together in a Williamsburg reer as a writer and writing about and promoting residence. the study of American history, I applaud you for In addition to several city residents and officials, Zei- staying so closely connected to the past,” Webb dler appointed College of William and Mary students said at the annual ceremony in Phi Beta Kappa Nick Fitzgerald ’09 and David Witkowski ’11 to the Hall. “The early commitment to education by the group. Fitzgerald, the editor-in-chief of the online edi- colonists who founded this institution has been tion of the Virginia Informer, a conservative campus furthered, in the grandest tradition of true intel- newspaper, also serves on the Student Assembly Ex- lectual and philosophical growth, at a pace that ecutive Appropriations Committee. Witkowsky is the has kept it at the very forefront of the evolution SA Secretary of Public Affairs. The appointment of an of our country itself.” additional student is pending. In addition to his praise of the College, Webb “I selected people with suggestions from others,” Zei- emphasized the gravity of the current economic dler said. “I wanted to keep it a relatively small group so climate, citing the expanding income gap as the people could have their voices heard, [and] I wanted to root of the problem and its reversal as paramount have students represented by more than one student.” to eventual financial stability. Zeidler chose Fitzgerald and Witkowsky via recom- “The middle class of this country, our historic mendation of SA President Valerie Hopkins ’09. backbone, our best hope for a strong future, has “I think the mayor intended for it to have a broad rep- been steadily losing its place at the table,” Webb resentation of neighborhoods and positions on the city said. ordinance,” Hopkins said. “She asked me for several The senior senator from Virginia later student recommendations, however, and for the most stressed the role the College would play in end- part, trusted my opinion.” ing this crisis. The 12-member panel will investigate residents’ con- “As a public institution, formed in order to cerns regarding students living off-campus, student ob- benefit what the British crown in your charter jections to the three-person rule, and will explore pos- called its ‘well-beloved and trusty subjects,’ Wil- sible revisions of the city’s housing statutes. liam and Mary is certainly well-positioned to play The panel’s focus will be the future of zoning and a leading role in the important work of restoring housing in Williamsburg. economic fairness and opportunity in our coun- “Clearly the three-person rule is the biggest issue,” try,” he said. Fitzgerald said. “But hopefully we can find a compro- Webb has served in the Senate since 2007, mise and some middle ground and reach an equitable during which time he most notably spearheaded solution for all parties.” the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, greatly expanding the According to Witkowsky, the community dialogue benefits granted to those in the armed services PHOTOS BY John Quinn — THE FLAT HAT could bring progress to an issue that has divided resi- within the original G.I. Bill, instituted in 1944. [TOP : FROM LE ft T O RIGH T ] French professor Katherine Kulick, who received the Thomas Jefferson award, is dents and students in Williamsburg for years. At the ceremony, Webb was awarded an pictured with BOV Rector Michael Powell. College President Taylor Reveley is pictured with Muscarelle Museum “The goal is to discuss issues [including] occupancy founder Gene Lowry. Devin Oller ’09 received the James Monroe Prize in Civic Leadership. [ABOVE ] Sen. Jim Webb See WEBB page 3 addresses the audience as the keynote speaker at the Charter Day ceremonies. See FOCUS page 3 College utilizes SAT O’Connor teaches politics to activists By MEGAN KEELING change on campus and in the community. action, assuring the audience that “it is Flat Hat Staff Writer The event was sponsored by Virginia possible to get people of different views reporting service 21, a coalition of over 45,000 members with together to solve the issues.” Chancellor of the College of William 45 chapters at colleges and universities O’Connor then asked the students about By ADAM LERNER times, which I think is excessive,” and Mary Sandra Day O’Connor spoke at across the state. Virginia 21 advocates the issues currently confronting the College. Flat Hat Staff Writer Dean of Admission Henry Broaddus the Alumni House Sunday morning to a issues that affect college voters in Virginia, Due to recent concerns, the first ques- said. group of students and activists from across such as the price of tuition and textbooks. tion addressed the housing restrictions The College of William and Mary Even though Score Choice itself the state of Virginia. The former Supreme Court justice first in campus communities, particularly the will accept Score Choice, the new is free, some officials fear it will grant O’Connor took questions from stu- addressed the importance of bipartisan- three-person law in Williamsburg, which score-reporting service offered by Col- an unfair advantage to wealthier stu- dents about the best ways to effect political ship and persistence in taking political limits the number of unrelated people who legeBoard, which will allow students to dents who can afford to take the test can live in one house. send colleges only their best cumula- multiple times. O’Connor advised students to use tive SAT examination score. Other officials, including Broad- strength in numbers to back a compromise While Score Choice, according to dus, think Score Choice solves a with city governments. CollegeBoard’s website, is “designed nonexistent problem, since their “You have the clout,” she said. “If you to reduce student stress and improve universities already combine the top come up with some kind of solution, you the test-day experience,” some top uni- section scores for a student across might be heard.” versities have already said that they different test-dates. She also asked whether or not the Col- will reject the option. Admissions of- “We have always been looking lege has ever supported a student-friendly ficials from universities such as Yale at the highest possible composite candidate to run for city government, and University, Cornell University and the score. We’re comfortable combining some of the crowd brought up the Matt University of Pennsylvania say that critical reading from one date and Beato campaign from the spring of last Score Choice may have negative effects math from another date,” Broaddus year. including encouraging students to take said. “We were never averaging, we “He was a student? Uh-uh,” O’Connor the test more times than necessary. were never holding against a stu- said, wagging her finger at the audience. “The fear, of course, is that once you dent the fact that he or she took the “You need to get someone, maybe a friend- take away the sense that how many test on multiple occasions, or that ly aunt or uncle [to run],” she said, noting times you’ve taken it is seen, you’re one seemed significantly lower of the importance of having a candidate who going to contribute to the unbridled a score than others. So creating a could relate to a broader demographic of frenzy of folks that think already that CAITLIN FAIRChild — THE FLAT HAT they should take the test three or more See SAT page 2 O’Connor spoke to students and activists about taking political action on a local level. See O’CONNOR page 3 Page 2 Tuesday, February 10, 2009 News Editor Alex Guillén News Editor Miles Hilder NEWS INSIGHT [email protected] STREET BEAT How do you feel about Juicy Campus shutting down? ‘Stabilitas et Fides’ 25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. 23185 Newsroom (757) 221-3281 — Advertising Dept. (757) 221-3283 — Fax (757) 221-3242 THE FLAT HAT — [email protected] NEWS — [email protected] VARIETY — [email protected] Sports — [email protected] OPINIONS — [email protected] ADVERTISING — [email protected] Austin Wright, Editor-in-Chief Jeff Dooley, Managing Editor — Alice Hahn, Executive Editor Brian Mahoney, Online Editor Alex Guillén, News Editor Taylor Martindale, Copy Chief “I don’t think it needed to be “Maybe I’ll stop writing about “Maybe I’ll stop wondering who “They opened up a new website Miles Hilder, News Editor Vanessa VanLandingham, Copy Chief shut down, but I don’t really Robby Greene so much.” keeps writing about me.” for that kind of stuff so it doesn’t Ashley Morgan, Variety Editor Caitlin Fairchild, Photo Editor Andrew Pike, Sports Editor Maral Noori, Photo Editor care either way.” make much of a difference Russ Zerbo, Opinions Editor Alexander Ely, Chief Staff Writer anyway.” Kelsey Weissgold, Business Manager Tom MacWright, Web Director Connie Kelly ’12 Brian Kirst ’11 Robby Greene ’12 Caitlin Kenney ’12 Mike Crump, Assoc.