March 2009
Two Pride Weeks to Coincide
By Broadside Media Copy Editor Michelle Renaud
Because of a scheduling issue regarding a date for a keynote speaker, George Mason University will be having two Pride Weeks this week.
This year, Pride Week, a series of events designed to increase visibility and raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community on campus, will coincide with the College Republicans’ Conservative Pride Week.
Class Schedules Move Online
By Broadside Staff Writer Ryan Dempsey
Last week, the Office of the Registrar made the public announcement to the student body that the Schedule of Classes will no longer be printed in hard copy and will only be available through PatriotWeb. The proposal for the plan was created by then Senior Associate Registrar Joyce Staulcup last May and outlined five major advantages to an online-only system:
1. More Time in the Production Cycle: By having an online system, the Registrar’s Office would have approximately three additional weeks to make final revisions to include specific staff members for listed classes.
Health and Fitness Expo Promotes Healthy Lifestyles
By Broadside Staff Writer Ryan Dempsey. Photo by Stephanie Knapp.
There was something for everyone at the 13th annual Health and Fitness Expo, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
Over 2,500 attendees stopped by to the largest Health Expo event to date. The Health and Fitness Expo was held in Dewberry Hall last Thursday to gain information on many different health areas.
“Our goal for this event is to connect students, faculty and staff with both on and off campus resources related to healthy living,” said Assistant Director of the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education Danielle Lapierre.
Pride Week 2009
By Broadside Asst. Style Editor Pearson Jones. Photo courtesy of Pride Alliance.
The Pride Alliance is back again for its annual Pride Week.
The week promises to be the most diverse yet, with more than enough events to represent every letter of the LGBTQ.
The festivities are planned to kick off today with a number of gender bending workshops and discussions sharing a common theme of expression and being proud of who you are.
“It’s about diversity, we’re really trying to bring the different letters out of the LGBTQ,” said Ric Chollar, associate director of LGBTQ resources.
To find more information on what Pride Week has planned,check out their website pride.gmu.edu.
Mason Synchro Competes in San Antonio
By Broadside Staff Writer Ryan Dempsey. Photo by Grace Kendall.
It seems apparent that many students do not pay attention to Mason sports other than basketball, but the synchronized swimming club team is making a splash nationally.
Junior nursing major Megan Sturm and junior English major Sabra Hayes founded the synchronized swimming team in 2006. During the team's first season, Mason Synchro earned a trip to collegiate nationals, where they finished 17th in the country after practicing nearly 20 hours a week in the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
Mason Equestrian Club Competes in Richmond
By Broadside Staff Writer Ryan Dempsey. Photo courtesy of Johnnie Lotesta.
This past Sunday, the Equestrian Club participated in regional competition at the University of Richmond, which includes 13 different teams from the Zone Four, Region One. Notable schools in the region included George Washington University, University of Mary Washington and the College of William & Mary.
Each rider must place in the top three during regional competition to continue to Zones next Sunday at Mary Washington. At Zones, the top two riders from each class will advance to Nationals at the University of Tennessee.
Students Sing in the Shower
By Broadside Staff Writer Ryan Dempsey. Photo courtesy of AMP Agency.
Freshman film and video studies major Jake Shapiro was easily able to earn $500 in 60 seconds as he Rickrolled his way into George Mason University history.
Last Thursday, American Idol’s official hair-care sponsor Garnier Fructis partnered with Mason’s Program Board for the “Sing in the Shower Contest,” where students such as Shapiro had the opportunity to pick up a mic for 60 seconds of fame.
A total of 37 student contestants performed for the 1100 people who came out to support the karaoke showdown.
Music-based Fraternity Seeks Charter
By Broadside Correspondent Yasmin Tadjdeh. Photo by Courtney Erland.
Music students looking for a fraternity to rush have reason to be excited. The Virginia Zeta colony, a colony of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, is one of George Mason University’s newest colonies on campus.
A colony is a probationary body for fraternities and sororities. Essentially, a group of people petition to become a colony and if it is fruitful in terms of membership and fulfilling requirements it will be chartered.
The members of the Virginia Zeta colony hope to receive their charter at the end of this semester and become the first Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity chapter at Mason.
Bringing History to Mason: "Looking Back, Looking Forward"
By Broadside Correspondent John Kleeb. Photo by Randy Urick.
Mikhail Gorbachev was greeted to an enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation when Provost Peter Stearns introduced him Tuesday night to a sold-out crowd at the Center for the Arts. The event was organized by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. According to Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Science Jack Censer, the conference came about from professors wanting to do something to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Gorbachev was the last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and he held this position from 1985 to 1992. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. In addition, he started two organizations, the Gorbachev Foundation which promotes democracy around the globe and Green Cross International, which is an environmental group. He is also a greatly respected statesman around the world.
Post Cold War Foreign Policy: Gorbachev Speaks At CFA
By Broadside Staff Writer Jared Trice
Former USSR General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev delivered a keynote address on Tuesday night at the conference, “1989: Looking Back, Looking Forward,” to a sold-out audience gathered in George Mason University’s Center for the Arts.
Gorbachev’s speech focused on the historical implications of the end of the Cold War, and for the remainder of the address, he answered questions from the audience.