U.S. Postage Paid at Williamsburg, Va. REVIEWS: Matt Damon takes a weird and wild romp through fairy tale land, page 11 SPORTS: VARIETY: Women’s soccer makes a pact They came, they saw, they with blue devils, page 13 threw sausage, page 7 SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 VOL.95, NO.28 THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY SINCE 1911 http://flathat.wm.edu College opens doors to students Old Campus dorms evacuated twice displaced by Hurricane Katrina during past week BY MICHAEL J. SCHOBEL “As a college visited not too how many students will ultimately Sadler said that the College has FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR long ago by a like-minded storm,” seek assistance from the College, already identified 20 open spots, Nichol wrote in an e-mail to the but he predicts the Collegeʼs offer primarily in upperclassmen hous- Residents of Old Dominion sent to President Gene Nichol an- student body, “we empathize with will largely be answered by fresh- ing. Sadler said that if those spaces nounced yesterday that the Col- our fellows hit so hard by Katrina men and some sophomores and ju- prove insufficient, the College may Sunken Gardens after grenade scare lege will open its doors to qualified in Louisiana and Mississippi and niors. There are over 30 colleges in ask the Williamsburg community Virginia residents studying in the Alabama. We want to do some- the New Orleans metropolitan cen- to open its doors to students. Gulf states who were displaced by thing — anything — to help.” ter alone, Sadler said. According The stranded students will be Hurricane Katrina. In the evening, Any individuals taken in by the to Nicholʼs e-mail, the College has responsible for the Collegeʼs tu- Vice President for Student Affairs College will be enrolled as visiting already received over 30 calls from ition and fees, but ways of accom- Sam Sadler led a meeting to help non-degree-seeking students. At the students seeking information. modating those who qualify for student groups coordinate their re- student meeting last night, Sadler Despite the Collegeʼs housing See HURRICANE ✦ page 4 lief efforts. said that there is no way to know occupancy rate of 101 percent, NEVER ARGUE WITH SOMEONE WHO THROWS SAUSAGES CHRISTIAN AMONSON ✦ THE FLAT HAT Police and fire personnel rushed to Old Dominion Hall Tuesday night after a dummy grenade was found in a third-floor study lounge. BY RACHEL COLLINS Sullivan, a resident of the dorm, THE FLAT HAT “a consistent and unpleasant tone” sounded at approximately 8:30 A dummy hand grenade was p.m. Sullivan added, however, found in an Old Dominion Hall that the noise was not especially study lounge Tuesday night, ac- loud and lasted for approximately cording to Director of University one minute. Few if any residents Relations Bill Walker. The en- left the building during this ini- tire building was evacuated for tial alarm. Shortly afterward the approximately two hours while fire alarm sounded and residents emergency personnel investigated quickly left the dorm. Residents the scene. See GRENADE ✦ page 3 According to senior Shawn Sewage backup forces out Bryan Hall basement residents for hours BY WILLIAM ANGLEY one inch before contractors ar- THE FLAT HAT rived in the afternoon to repair the plumbing. After repairs were This past Sunday, the basement made, it took until 6 p.m. for the of Bryan Hall flooded when drains area to be successfully disinfect- on both ends of the hall backed up. ed. The incident, which does not Several students noticed puddles of appear to be related to the renova- water around floor drains at about tions that took place in Bryan Hall 10 a.m. that morning, and the water over the summer, was caused by a KAYLA FELLER ✦ THE FLAT HAT levels continued to rise throughout blockage in the lateral sewer line Students watch in awe as basketball player senior Hawley Smith attempts to break the world record in pudding plunking this past Monday in the Sunken the day. See BRYAN ✦ page 4 Gardens. The sausage-hurling competition was filmed for the MTV show “Call to Greatness,” in which people try to break world records. The water level reached about College launches Nichol discusses his plans as president BY ERIN GRADY whose parents make $40,000 or less THE FLAT HAT per year. Gateway initiative Nichol said that the program is College President Gene Nichol essential to the Collegeʼs mission. BY BEN LOCHER been at the core of the mission of addressed the challenges he is fac- “It is important for public univer- FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER this university.” ing in his early presidency as well sities to be visibly open as training If the program were in place as his future vision for the Col- grounds for tomorrowʼs leaders,” A major new initiative an- today, approximately 300 cur- lege Wednesday. Nichol identified he said. “I think that the entire com- nounced by President Gene rent students would be quali- Gateway William & Mary, a new munity benefits from having a more Nichol last Friday will enable fied, though the program will “free tuition” initiative, as a major diverse population, and that includes low- and moderate-income ap- only apply to students enter- concern and also discussed future diversity as to economic resources plicants to attend the College ing next year. Current students fundraisers following Campaign and status.” without accumulating debt. who fall in the income bracket for William & Mary and the re- The estimated cost of the program Beginning next year, Gateway under $40,000 will have 100 cent controversy over the Collegeʼs is $4 million per year, beginning William & Mary will be avail- percent of their need met, “Tribe” nickname. with the class of 2010. According to able to all new freshman or though those packages may According to Nichol, Gateway Nichol, this figure assumes that the transfer students whose family still include loans. William & Mary is a program de- enrollment of students from the low income is $40,000 per year or Through this program, Nichol signed to allow low-income students income level will be double the cur- less. For such students, the pro- hopes to double the number of JONATHAN SEIDEN ✦ THE FLAT HAT to graduate from the College debt- rent level. The bulk of the funding is gram would meet 100 percent low income students on campus Nichol hopes to reaffirm the Collegeʼs commitment to affordable edu- free. Nichol has championed the See NICHOL ✦ page 3 of financial need with grants by 2012. Should the program cation with new fundraising projects after the Campaign for W&M. initiative, which benefits students and work-study but would not reaches that goal, it would cost burden them with loans that the College roughly $4 million would need to be repaid. per year. New Town development project moves ahead “This program is designed to “This is an ambitious pro- open the doors of opportunity for gram that is definitely not cheap,” BY CAITLIN WEBER rants and residential areas. types of businesses will seek space chantʼs Square is largely geared all segments of society,” Nichol Nichol said. “[Gateway] will be FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER According to New Town Asso- in New Town, Stettinius said. towards tourism,” Stettinius said. said. “It will assist students who funded by college, by private and ciates, LLC Director of Marketing According to the Aug. 19 on- “New Town should function as a could not otherwise afford at- hopefully by government fund- The New Town building devel- Joe Stettinius, work on the com- line edition of the Daily Press, downtown for the Williamsburg tending William and Mary.” ing. We will need to undertake opment on Monticello Road will plex began in 1997 and is sched- several corporate offices and community.” He added that there For a family of four, $40,000 substantial fundraising.” soon put the finishing touches on uled to be completed by 2017. banks recently decided to become is a large economic gap between is approximately twice the fed- For those who are enrolled, the first businesses opening there. This October, a 12-screen movie part of New Town, which the press the upper and lower classes in eral poverty level. The Gateway Gateway will not guarantee a The area is described on its web- theater will open along with sev- called a future “major financial Williamsburg and that New program, however, does not take free ride, as the Aug. 27 edition site, www.newtownwilliamsburg. eral restaurants and office build- hub of James City County.” The Townʼs planned residential area into account the size of a stu- of The Virginian-Pilot errone- com, as “a 365-acre mixed-use ings. report also lists two dermatology and affordable shopping “should dentʼs family. ously reported. The program ʻNew Urbanismʼ community,” Due to the long time frame of practices, a dentistʼs office, The fill out the dip in the graph.” The announcement of the will only match 100 percent and upon completion will in- the project, many of the planned Corner Pocket restaurant and a One part of catering to other Gateway program marks the first of a studentʼs financial need, clude a variety of shops, restau- shops and offices have not yet Quiznoʼs as some of the business- demographics in Williamsburg is major initiative by Nichol since as determined by the College been built; therefore company of- es that have already signed on. providing services for students at he assumed Timothy J. Sullivanʼs formula based on student-sub- ficials do not know exactly which “Williamsburg does not really the College. position as president of the Col- mitted data from the Free Ap- have a downtown because Mer- “Hopefully it will be a good lege in July.