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Student Newspaper

Is A for average?

February 2014

Swimming Update
Page 2

Voyage To Utopia
Page 4

ELLIe SeNNeTT
Staff Writer

Photo by Amanda Ghobadi

Recent grade analyses revealed that more than three quarters of Marymount University students earn As and Bs. The overall average GPA rests at 3.137; undergraduate students with a mean of 2.98 and graduates with a 3.725. These statistics parallel a national trend in grade inflation, yet still pose questions about the academic rigor at Marymount. This issue has permeated throughout universities across the United States. An analysis published in the

Teachers College Record reported that 43 percent of college students earn an A grade, a 28 percent increase since 1960. Private universities especially tend to struggle with grade inflation, according to the report. The annual study at Marymount began analyzing grade trends over the past few years, tracking average GPAs by school, level, faculty status and discipline. The most recent numbers represent the grades from the 2012-2013 school year, where Marymount grades have peaked after a steady increase since

2009. We need to make rigor a daily part of our conversation, says Provost Dr. Sherri Hughes. Im not looking for a lot of Ds and Fs, we want our students to be successful. But I also want people to be mindful of what that success really means.

We need to make rigor a daily part of our conversation,

-Provost Sherri Hughes

Hughes says that the solution cannot be found in a one size fits all approach. She argues that individual departments should evaluate how they approach their own curriculums. When you look at these figures in their entirety, it seems quite alarming. But when you start delving into disciplines, it becomes less so, said Associate Vice President of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Michael Schuchert. He argues that upper level undergraduate and graduate students can be expected to

maintain high GPAs. At the graduate level especially, where a C is considered a failing grade. While this explains upper level grade inflation, both Schuchert and Hughes agree that there is room to enhance the rigor of courses at Marymount. Hopefully [in the next few years], there is more variation in grades, says Hughes. But I wouldnt look at varied grades and just assume weve solved the problem. There are a lot of other indicators of whether or not were successful.

Has the new shuttle schedule improved life for students?

MADIsON HeRBeRT
Staff Writer

Marymount Universitys Department of Transportation recently implemented several changes to their schedule for the Spring 2014 semester. The Commuter Activities Board actively advocated for the improvement of the schedule after receiving feedback from the student body. According to CAB, among many of the criticisms were complications concerning accuracy, efficiency, and overcrowding. CAB advisor and coordinator of Commuter and Graduate Student Services, Sarah Burnett, said, The shuttle schedule was the same for forever and I often received complaints...a conversation about efficiency was the main topic. The buses need to be on time.
The Marymount Loop picking up students. Photo by Logan Edington

In response to student concerns, the Department of Transportation collaborated with CAB in addressing the raised issues with the shuttle system. Robert McCoy, manager of the department, oversaw the changes of schedule. Weve always had an excessive number of students needing to be transferred from Ballston Center to main campus. We realized we needed to put another bus on route or change the route entirely, he reported. Since the schedule change and change in the frequency that the buses run... weve eliminated a lot of the overcrowd and the need to put additional buses out, McCoy said. Problems with students having to wait long periods of time have also dramatically improved. McCoy added that some more changes were made as well. We discovered that we were not allowing enough time between stopping

points, he said. As a result, departure times were recalculated to increase overall efficiency. To enhance precision even further, McCoy said that several students were hired as spotters to verify that buses are functioning on time and to report any obstacles which could disrupt the schedule. In addition, the four different bus routes are now color coded to make the identification of shuttle paths easier. Burnett said the simple revision allowed the routes to be labeled more clearly, improve readability and increase advertising. Burnett reported, I see the changes as very positive and, from what Ive heard, students are responding well. McCoy agreed, Complaints have significantly gone down to practically zero. We still get crowded buses at times, but thats mainly due to student preference.

BANNER Va Attorney General challenges same sex marriage ban

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ELLIe SeNNeTT
Staff Writer

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced that the states ban on samesex marriage was unconstitutional. Herrings statement adds Virginia to a long list of states challenging marriage inequality since the overturn of the Defense of Marriage Act in June of last year. The Attorney General said he hopes to reverse his states historical track record of opposing Supreme Court civil rights decisions. The likes of which include school desegregation in 1954, interracial marriage in 1967 and allowing women to enter the Virginia Military Institute in 1996. Its time for the commonwealth to be on the right side of history and the right side of the law, said Herring, a democrat who took office in January.

Herrings predecessor, Ken Cuccinelli, was an adamant opponent of same-sex marriage. Herring himself voted against the issue during his time as a Virginia senator. He stated that his views changed after seeing how his vote harmed many Virginians.

Its time for the commonwealth to be on the right side of history and the right side of the law
According to the Catholic Sentinel, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde and Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo vowed to defend traditional marriage following Herrings announcement. No politician should be able to reverse the peoples

-Attorney General Mark Herring

Signs vs laundry
SABA HAshemI
Staff Writer

The laundry room on the third floor of Rowley Hall was overcrowded with people and clothing at eye-level, and soaking with water at floorlevel. Amidst the groups of complaining female freshmen and rustle of the washing machines lay two notes on one of the dryers. One of them read, Please dont take out my clothes again! The other one read, I didnt do it, why did you move mine? Although some fights were breaking out, some students were also cordial. I took out my laundry half damp to give other people a turn, one student said, Im an only child whos not used to sharing, but I care more about my neighbors then my clothes. Meanwhile, tuition is increasing brand new signs have been put up across campus. One student, a member of the SGA, said that the signs are worth thousands of dollars. There are needlessly too many of them, one student says, I dont need a sign to tell me where Im going every 12 feet. Another student disagrees. I like these signs! Theyre great for when you have a new class somewhere far off, and for people who are visitors to Marymount.

decision. We call on the attorney general to do the job he was elected to perform, which is to defend the state laws he agrees with, as well as those state laws with which he personally disagrees, Bishops Loverde and DiLorenzo said in their joint statement. I think people can change their minds, said freshman Teresa Wright. Either way, its preferable for my political views. Polls show that this year is the first for support of gay marriage in Virginia to be poJames Gibbons 17 dives for the final home freestyle event. litically favorable. According Photo by Bob Brown to a study from Quinnipiac University, 43 percent of Virginians oppose its legalization, compared to 56 percent in 2006. Herrings transition further reflects an ideological shift in the state that has recently leaned more demoDeNNIs DABBRAccIO teams in the Capital Athletic cratic. Staff Writer Conference have had a good recruiting class this year, the Mens and womens swim- scores should be very close ming have their conference this year. meet next week Feb. 21, 22 Womens swimming and 23. has always had a relatively The past five months the good-sized team, helping to team has been training and achieve wins and to score now will see if all that hard well in the conference meet. training will pay off over the This year the mens team has stretch of three days. I am had arguably the best recruitexcited for the competition, ing class in school history junior Joseph Garnder said, with a surplus of freshmen I think both teams can score and transfer students. There a lot of points and place have already been records well. broken in December by MatThe women placed 3rd in thew Essig in the 500 Freelast years conference, as the style, with Colin Chartier men placed 5th in the conferhaving a close 2nd in the 1650 ence meet. As most of the Freestyle.

CAC swimming action

Student leaders plan for the future

ROsemARIe OCONNOR
Staff Writer

Why am I a leader? This question was posed by Anne Aichele, the Assistant Director of Leadership Development at Marymount, to a lecture hall full of student leaders Jan. 25. The Office of Campus Programs and Leadership Development, or CPLD, hosted a conference to discuss last semester, then look to the future. The students who attended the day-long event were those who are members of the Association for Campus Events, Co-Curricular Council, and Student Government Association. The day began with Aichele and Clare DiNuzzo, the Assitant Director of Campus Programs, began by reviewing events from the fall semester and gave a

presentation about budgets. The presentation was about how to combat the necessary evil of budgets. DiNuzzo made a spreadsheet that makes balancing a budget a five minute activity. The spread sheet does all the calculations needed to keep track of the funds that the university allocates for these groups. Next, Vincent Stovall, the Director of the CPLD, spoke about how best to brand an on campus club. Stovall discussed creating logos and mission statements. From there, Aichele wrapped up with a discussion on how to evaluate and assess the programs that ACE, CCC, and SGA work to implement. Aichele consulted with other offices to continually move forward with on campus programming.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sofie Scarlett ART DIRECTOR Bob Brown WEBMASTER Travis Miller STAFF WRITERS

Shannon Bisselink Dennis DAbbracicio Hope Davis Saba Hashemi

Madison Herbert Rosemarie OConnor Ellie Sennett

STAFF ADVISER Mr. Joe Benton STAFF DESIGN ADVISER Mr. Barry Erdeljon Please contact us at Banner@Marymount.edu with any story ideas, questions, or comments. The Banner is a student publication of Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia 2014 Marymount University, All rights reserved.

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SABA HAshemI
Staff Writer

Nearly 300,000 people in nine counties in West Virginia are unable to bathe, do laundry, or even drink the water that comes out of their faucet. Many West Virginians have gone a week without proper hygiene, and in some cases, dehydration. The rest of the nation may find it hard to relate to those in crisis. This can be undone by imagining what it would be like to live through a power outage. Student Maya Hosseini said, I was actually in Charleston, West Virginia when the chemical spill happened. It

happened during my last few days of winter break. I remember getting a glass of water for my mom, then I checked twitter on my phone and saw almost everyone on my timeline saying Dont drink the tap water! The situation is even worse for those who work in the food industry. Without access to clean water, many culinary establishments have been forced to close their doors. For the owners, it means a tremendous loss in revenue. For servers, it means living on less than minimum wage, and in some cases, being unable to feed their children.

West Virginia chemical spill impacts 300,000

I remember getting a glass of water for my mom, then I checked twitter on my phone and saw almost everyone on my timeline saying Dont drink the tap water!
vomiting. Whatever vegetation and animal life was thriving in the river before then floated lifelessly to the surface. The chemical is 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol, or MCHM, sold by Freedom Industries for cleaning and washing impurities out of the coal before being let out into the market. For taking away the freedom of West Virginians and wildlife alike to nourish in clean water, Freedom Industries did not apologize, nor did they make substantial effort to decontaminate the river. Dr. Chad Rector said, It can be difficult for local elected officials to tighten

- Maya Hosseini

On Jan. 9, the Elk River in Charleston, W. Va. began to flow with 10,000 gallons of toxic industrial chemicals. People began showing up in hospitals with severe cases of nausea, eye infections and

regulations on an industry in which local firms compete against firms outside the area, especially when those local firms are politically well-connected.Any accountability for this particularspillis therefore more likely to come from the federal government, since at that level WV firms will have less of an advantage over national interest groups and national Democratic voters.

help raise a miracle

MaryTHON:

SABA HAshemI
Staff Writer

Students brave the cold during the March for Life

to life, regardless of the circumstances. She was one of many Marymount students to attend the march on Jan. 22 following the 10:30 a.m. Mass. The capital was frigid, but the cold didnt stop the universitys pro-life community from contributing to the assembly. According to the Catholic News Agency, college students made up a majority of the march, continuing the decades long trend of strong presence. Im strongly Pro-Choice, and believe maternity should be an individual choice, said one student, but Im also truly proud of my Marymount brothers and sisters for fighting for what they believe in. When asked why she felt that way, the student recited a quote by Voltaire: I do not agree with what you have to say, but Ill defend to the death your right to say it. One Respect Life member was asked how she felt about her Pro-Choice counterparts. She smiled and said she has plenty of friends who hold differing beliefs. We know there is more to a person then a single belief they hold. When asked how she and her friends get along on a day-to-day basis, the student suggested keeping debates short and sweet. We dont talk about it beyond declaring our stance. It helps to avoid arguing, she said.

March 29 will be a busy day for the Marymount University community when Marymounts first Dance Marathon will be held. The Dance Marathon, called MaryTHON, will raise money for Childrens National Medical Center. The event will be 12 hours long. Arts and crafts, games, and raffles will also be held throughout the MaryTHON. This event is to help students get involved with a local organization. Participating students make a $20 donation and can create or join a team or go solo. For their $20 donation, they receive a t-shirt, three meals, a snack, and other items. Clubs can get involved as well by making teams and hosting other activities within the event. For more information please visit www.marymount. edu/marython

Someone I love once had an abortion, said one Marymount student. So when I saw the flyers for the annual March for Life in D.C., my first reaction was anger. The Marymount University Respect Life Club had a different opinion. I am passionate about standing up for the rights of the unborn, said one member of the club. I believe absolutely everyone has the right

Big Changes at WOW

HOPe DAVIs
Staff Writer

Attendees at the annual March for Life (Photo: Kristin Gogel)

There are new additions to the menu at WOW caf and it is causing quite the health craze. The restaurant, which opened last semester, has added green veggies and other side options to the list of items available for a meal swipe. Broccoli and side salads are now on the starting line up for side dishes. This has added a new interest in the restaurant. Along with these side dishes, new sandwiches have been added. These sandwiches include the Italian Wrap. The wrap is included on the list of items that charge a meal swipe and two Bernies Bucks. Other new additions are the

Southwest Rice Bowl and an Asian rice bowl. Many students are pleased to see that there are healthier options on the menu. Before when I went to Bernies, I felt like I was forced to get something fatty and greasy. Now Im not. Student Alyssa Gurley said. Students are taking the new items, and coming up with creative ways to incorporate the healthier food with the rest of their meals. Chopping their chicken strips up to put on their side salad, dipping the grilled cheese in the rice and beans, and putting the broccoli in their quesadillas are all different variations of how students are playing with their food. The new sides make it really easy to be healthy, and sort

of change up what you eat explained student Julie Connole. The C-store, which is the store inside of WOW, also takes meal swipes. For one meal swipe, students can get a salad, a bag of chips, and a drink to go. I think it would be especially helpful for commuters, as well as students who only have a few minutes between classes or labs, like me! Student Lauren Coaxum said when asked if she ever went in. These changes come to Marymount at a time when being healthy is on a lot of peoples minds and it accommodates those thought perfectly.

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ShANNON BIsseLINK
Staff Writer

Students dressed to impress and filed over to the Rose Bente Lee Center for the highly anticipated annual Charity Fashion Show, Voyage to Utopia on Saturday, Feb. 15. The event, hosted by The African Caribbean Student Association and Co-Sponsored by the Black Student Alliance, was an hour-long presentation of a local Metropolitan designer. It revealed months of hard work. The Voyage to Utopia show centers precedence on

its two-part mission statement. The first part of the statement aims to bring together the Marymount University community and people from the greater Washington, DC region to celebrate ethnic and cultural diversity through fashion This goal was certainly achieved as the show brought high-energy in runway struts and the electric beats of DJ, Jimmy Gallahan. Models showcased nine collections, working the four-part innovative runway to its full potential. The second part of the mission statement focuses on Marymounts commitment to service. The Voyage to Utopia show aims to give back and to raise awareness and funds for designated charities. Profits from ticket sales were split between two deserving cause: The Kakenya

Voyage to Utopia
Center for Excellence and the Marymount Presidential Assistance Fund. The Kakyenya Center for Excellence was founded by one of CNNs Heroes of 2013, Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya. This non-profit organization is focused on serving the most underprivileged girls in Kenya and offering them a chance of success at a school developed for academic excellence, female empowerment and leadership. Locally, the show also donated to the Presidential Assistance Fund, established by President, Dr. Matthew Shank. This fund helps students who encounter unexpected financial hardships remain studying at Marymount. The fashion show demonstrated Marymounts attention to global perspective and service to others while simultaneously delivering spellbinding entertainment. Shining a spotlight on Washington, D.C. designers, Voyage to Utopia naturally received collections with

manifold and innovative fashion. The show opened strongly with designer Theresa O. Frimmpomas Nsaa House of Design collection. This set the stage high for remaining scenes, though they certainly delivered. A crowd favorite appeared to come at scene four with Alex Kings California Fridays collections. These infamous tee shirts have been seen around campus and were modeled a variety of stylish and distinctive ways on the runway. Closing, the final scene Alek Risimic Coutures Differentology, left the audience longing for more. Post-show buzz following was extremely high. Voyage to Utopia uniquely shined as a collective show. The diversity of the collections proved just as successful as the models and coordinators themselves. The range of culture and

ideas sparked continuous interest throughout the hour, truly captivating the audience. Most impressively, this show came together as a complete production by the hard work and dedication of students alone. We will certainly be excited to see what next year has to offer this show will certainly be a hard one to top!

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am very glad to use this opportunity to catch everyone up on the important projects SGA has completed and those that we will be tackling in the coming months. To the former, I am pleased to announced that the raise in the Student Activity Fee, backed by a majority of voting students, has passed and will start to take effect in the coming 20142015 school year. I am also excited to report that students are being represented on an increasing number of committees and task forces to better the university. SGA has representation on the VP for Student Development Search Committee, the Service Quality Task Force, and with other key groups on campus. There is still work to be done though, and we are eager to get the semester underway. SGA, along with the Commuter Activities Board and with our administration partners, will help in opening a new student space on campus! It will double as student relaxation and study space as well as reservable programming space. Further, SGA will also be creating some new social events that will hopefully become part of the culture here at MU that future students can look forward to. Be on the lookout for posters and emails in March for our next Town Hall where we all can talk about some of these ideas and more. I wish all of you the best of luck as we begin a new semester and look forward to updating you again in the coming weeks! Thank you, Chris Macomber President Student Government Association Dear Editor, I grew up on the garden island of Kauai. Full of natural beauty, Kauai is the jewel of the state of Hawaii. With a history of natural farming it is no surprise that many in my state oppose the idea of GMO [genetically modified organisms] foods. I am currently working on a campaign with [United States Public Interest Research Group] to label GMO foods. Large [agricultural] businesses such as Monsanto and DuPont have monopolized strains of crops and have bastardized the natural integrity of the environment. Over the last ten years Monsanto alone has spent over half a billion dollars lobbying congress to kill proposals for labeling laws in congress. I propose more individual action on part of the consumers whether its joining an organization such as US PIRG here in Washington DC, writing a letter to your congressmen, or even something as simple as boycotting GMO foods in your life. Whether you support the environment or not we all got to live in it, or in this case eat it. Luke Kohm Letter from the Editor Its a new year and a new semester here at Marymount. I hope everyone was able to spend quality time with their families while braving the cold temperatures. I understand we are having record temperatures this month. Unfortunately, the cold isnt letting up anytime soon. According to Punxsutawney Phil, we will have six more weeks of winter. Whether or not you believe in the furry weather forecaster, its clear we are in for more cold days. I advise everyone to dress warm and limit you time in the cold. If you have to stay in the cold for long periods of time, keep moving! No matter how cold it is I wish everyone a good semester. Sofie Scarlett Editor-in-Chief

Please note, Letters to the Editor submissions do not represent the views of The Banner and are subject to editing.