Inside the Democratic National Convention - Page 8 Case closed on BOV campus vandalism - Page 2 Volume 4 An independent The Virginia publication at the College Issue 1 of William and Mary. September 17, 2008 Informer The common sense paper Established 2005 of record on campus. www.VAInformer.com Student groups unite to commemorate 9/11 CRs, YDs and MSA plant flags to honor victims; Queen’s Guard pays tribute Steven Nelson all remember that our entire country was News Editor attacked on September 11, 2001, without regard to race, ethnicity or religion, and On the night of September 10, it is critical that we remember that in amidst light rain, a diverse cross-section our commemorations.” He was pleased of the student body paced the Sunken that three co-sponsoring organizations Garden. The hundred or so students were taking part, along with many other were planting three thousand American volunteers. fl a gs to commemorate the lives lost in Adeela Tajdar (’09), president of the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Muslim Student Association and 2001. secretary of the Student Assembly’s For the fi rst year, three groups took Diversity Initiatives department, said, part in this annual fl ag display: the College “It was wonderful to see the three Kristin Coyner Republicans, the Young Democrats, organizations come together, when we Rapid Rise: Interim President Taylor Reveley was sworn in as the College’s 27th president. and the Muslim Student Association. so often see the two political parties on Additional volunteers unaffi liated with opposing sides of issues.” the groups also helped with the set up. Ms. Tajdar noted that the Muslim Reveley assumes presidency At the Wren-side opening of the Student Association has previously Sunken Garden, uniformed members conducted a vigil for those who died Inside the appointment process of the Queen’s Guard stood at attention in the attacks, and all killed in the Iraq throughout the day on the 11th, keeping and Afghanistan wars. “I think it is Alex Mayer Law W. Taylor Reveley to serve as interim watch over a memorial wreath purchased also important to remember the many Executive Editor president “until a permanent leader is by the Class of 2009. who have died recently and throughout found.” Student Assembly President Valerie history due to terrorism and the brutality When former Interim President W. In an interview just three days after Hopkins (’09) sent an e-mail to the it evokes. [We are] standing together in Taylor Reveley III was appointed the Nichol’s resignation, Mr. Powell reiterated student body on the anniversary, sharing an effort to end such targeted hatred 27th president of the College of William that the search for a new president “[has] that the Wren building’s bell was to toll worldwide,” she said. and Mary on September 5, 2008, very essentially begun. We will not waste one at the times when few people in the College community second in beginning to organize it….It will the four planes understood the complex series of events take as long as it takes to get a powerful crashed on that that led up to the Board of Visitors’ and important leader for this school….” morning seven decision. In the midst of the controversy, turmoil years earlier. The presidential transition process and heated emotion that followed in The historic offi cially began immediately following the the wake of Mr. Nichol’s resignation, Wren chapel was abrupt resignation of former President the BOV sought to defuse the situation closed to the Gene Nichol on February 12, 2008, after by promising that the careful search for public for the day, he was privately notifi ed by the BOV the next president would be an open, and opened for that his contract would not be renewed. transparent process that would take into students to quietly In Rector Michael Powell’s e-mail to consideration the input and opinions of pray and refl ect. students explaining the board’s decision, all members of the College community. Scott Morris he concluded with the promise that “the Yet no presidential search began (’10), chair of College will begin a search for a new during the spring semester -- the Board the College president immediately.” Mr. Powell also Republicans, Alec McKinley explained that the board had selected REVELEY ASSUMES PRESIDENCY commented, “It is Flags for the fallen: CRs, YDs and MSA placed 3,000 Dean of the Marshall-Wythe School of continued on page ten important that we American fl ags in the Sunken Gardens. Newport News / Williamsburg Airport to continue expansion Jennifer Souers currently has two existing runways, and is in Business Editor the process of building a third. The proposed runway would be about 11,000 feet long and is The Newport News / Williamsburg hoped to be completed by 2012, although the International Airport is currently undergoing date may be extended due to environmental and extensive construction and development to other regulations. expand the size and capabilities of the airport. The bid for the expansion project was The expansion began with the construction awarded to WM Jordan construction firm at of a new parking garage about a year ago, which the June commission meeting. The company is contains parking spaces for 727 vehicles, with still in the preconstruction phases of designing the first floor servicing rental cars. The airport and evaluating the plans for expansion. WM also constructed a new, state-of-the-art, $14 Jordan is also responsible for many well-known million air traffic control tower. The new parking projects at William and Mary, including the Lake garage and air traffic control tower will both be Matoaka Amphitheater renovation, additions and celebrating their one-year anniversary this year, renovations at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law as part of the larger, on-going expansion project. and law library and the Laycock Football Center. Newort News Airport A second parking garage, to mirror the first, New horizons: Newport News / Williamsburg International will be constructed in the next year or two to NEWPORT NEWS EXPANDS AIRPORT Airport to expand and add new concourse. support increased passenger traffic. The airport continued on page ten CONTENTS Want to get every issue of The Informer in the mail? News................................ 2 E-mail [email protected] with your name and Features............................ 5 Snakes in a Dell? address, and we will send you an order form and your fi rst Page 6 issue FREE! Arts & Culture.................. 11 Opinion............................ 14 Virginia Page 2 InformerThe September 17, 2008 News BOV graffi t i investigation closed, no charges fi led Steven Nelson At the station, the student was placed News Editor in a room equipped with a two-sided mirror and sound recording devices, In the spring of 2008, a campus police where she was left to wait for what investigation was launched to uncover was presumed to be a short follow-up the identity of those responsible for interview. The student soon learned that widespread and connected vandalism this interview was not regarding the past that occurred following the non- minor incident, and told The Informer, renewal of President Nichol’s contract “The offi cer’s fi r st question regarded my by the Board of Visitors (BOV) and involvement with the vandalizing graffi ti Mr. Nichol’s subsequent resignation. on campus.” It is estimated in February that the The student refl ected, “Surprised and incident cost the College around $500. slightly offended, I assured the offi cer The Wren building, the Tyler Garden, that I had nothing to do with the graffi ti, Swem Library and buildings throughout and that I had absolutely no idea who old campus were spray painted with was responsible.” Unconvinced, the “BOV Visit This: [middle fi nger]” and offi cer proceeded to question the recent other comments, including “Board of transfer about her experiences with Dictators!” According to police Chief painting and her feelings towards the Don Challis, the case was never solved college administration. The interrogation and has recently been closed. The Informer lasted for about one hour. A recent has been in contact with two sources alumnus shared a quite similar story. that have provided an inside look into Both were students at the time the investigation. File Photo and active in groups which operated Not long after the vandalism occurred, Cold case: William and Mary Police have not fi led charges for last spring’s vandalism following the Board of Visitor’s decision some students that were engaged in incident following Board of Visitors ruling on Nichol contract. not to renew Gene Nichol’s contract. campus activism were summoned to The current student is adamant that the the police station. The routine was conducted properly. The current student, this was about. I had witnessed a minor interrogation was unwarranted, “I have reported to The Informer by a current who has asked not to be publicly named, incident the semester before, and I student and recent alum, who feel that had her dorm room visited by a police began to think it might be a follow up GRAFFITI CASE CLOSED the investigation may not have been offi cer. “I had absolutely no idea what interview.” continued on page four Southwest Virginia Walk of Fame is inspired by the and excitement for working with Mr. Holden and Briefly... Virginia Legends Walk in Virginia Beach, and includes for the opportunity to create this project around other notable members Daniel Boone and George C. the College and Williamsburg. Compiled by Jennifer Souers, Business Editor Scott. High school counselors highly William and Mary professor and recommending the College Chemistry professor named student directing / acting in In part of the annual “America’s Best Colleges inaugural member of Virginia feature fi lm honor 2009” by US News & World Report, a new ranking Professor Martin Fusi and student Jack Stuart shows William and Mary in the 25 national universities, William and Mary Emeritus Professor of Chemistry (’09) have been working on an independent film according to high school counselors.