Connect2Mason

Live Coverage of President Obama's healthcare rally at GMU

Aram ZS — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:23:11 +0000

Follow our live coverage of President Obama here at connect2mason. Use the hashtag #obamagmu to be included on the stream and scroll down to join a live dynamic chat.

Watch live streaming video from gmustudentmedia at livestream.com

President Obama at the Patriot Center on Health Reform

Professors Comment on Student Healthcare [The Rally in Context]

Kevin Loker — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:56:39 +0000

President Obama’s plans for college students and recent graduates’ health insurance may be a topic of discussion this Friday. Obama will take the stage at the Patriot Center at 11:30 a.m. to discuss his plans for greater health reform, perhaps providing him with an opportunity to address more publicly how young adults fit into his proposal.

There is a section in Obama’s bill devoted to young adults and the specified time period in which they are permitted to live as dependents under their parents’ insurance plan. Here is the health insurance reform as it appears in the proposed bill:

SEC. 2714. EXTENSION OF DEPENDENT COVERAGE.

(a) In general - A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage that provides dependent coverage of children shall continue to make such coverage available for an adult child (who is not married) until the child turns 26 years of age.

Dr. Dean Taciuch, an honors professor at George Mason University, said, “I think this is needed due to the high cost of health insurance and health care in the U.S. It would be unnecessary if we had a national healthcare program though.”

Some states, such as Connecticut and New Jersey, allow young adults to be dependents beyond graduation from college in certain situations, but this is not the case nationwide. The current law in Virginia “makes dependent status available to any child up to age 19 or who is a dependent up to age 25 who resides with the parent or is a full-time student.”

Therefore, in order to be under the insurance of one’s parents between the ages of 19 and 25 in Virginia, one must either be a full-time student or live at home. Those individuals who have graduated and moved away from home are required to pay for their own insurance. However, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 15 percent of 20- to-24-year-olds were unemployed in September 2009, meaning they would have had no means of paying for their own insurance.

Steve Klein, a professor of journalism at Mason, said, “I believe children should have the option to be covered by their parents until 25 unless they have access to alternative insurance through school or work. The lack of health care limits career choices and robs all of us when people make [less] career choices based on health care limitations.”

Klein said he sees the merits of Obama’s plan and agrees that young adults may need the aid of their parents until around 25 or 26 years old. He believes graduates should be able to make career decisions based on factors other than health care.

“We are talking about our children’s health and the care of their health here,” Klein said. “I would think that parents would want to do right by the children, and that children would act responsibly within their family. Obviously, there will be exceptions. But we are talking about health care, not rent or meal plans.”

Young adults, between the ages of 19 and 29, are the largest growing age group in the U.S. at risk of being uninsured. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, young adults account for 13 million of the 47 million Americans who currently live without health insurance.

A study conducted by the Commonwealth Fund in 2008 reports that about 34 percent of college graduates spend some time uninsured following graduation. That same study found that approximately two-thirds of young adults who spent time uninsured had gone without needed medical care solely because they lacked insurance and could not afford it.

“I was a college grad under those conditions,” Taciuch said. “I went without health insurance from 18 until my late 20s, so I’d want such a law. It would be better not to need it though. I’d rather pay slightly higher taxes for affordable healthcare for everyone.”

Obama’s plan may eliminate the need for young adults to fend for themselves in terms of health care. His federal law would extend the cutoff for individuals to remain as dependents under their parents’ plan to the age of 26, regardless of whether they are full-time students or living at home.

However, some people have argued that this reform would only further encourage young adults to become lazy or to slack off. By remaining under the health care plan of their parents for several years beyond graduation, many predict that some individuals will not feel the need to work as hard because they know they don’t have to worry about paying medical insurance.

Catherine Wright, PhD, a professor of communication at Mason, said, “That statement is ridiculous and definitely unfair to people of all ages. Why would this law make anyone lazier or not lazier? It’s like saying that if you can’t drive a rental car until you’re 25 you won’t be a good driver until then.”

Although Wright does not believe Obama’s plan would make young adults lazier, she does see the proposed reform as a mistake. She believes that if people are on their “own,” regardless of age, they should be able to pay their own costs.

“At some point people need to start being responsible for their own things,” Wright said. “Why 26? Why not 35 or 45? I think supporting one’s child through his or her college years is fine because they are still technically a dependent. At the point that someone is no longer a dependent, they need to be on their own and support themselves.”

According to the Government Accountability Office, between 20 and 30 percent of college students are uninsured even prior to graduation. However, about 30 percent of colleges nationwide require health insurance from its students. Students at these schools are automatically placed under the school’s health care plan unless they provide outside health care. Mason, for example, provides students with a health insurance plan through Aetna. Students, domestic and international alike, are eligible for this plan if they are taking at least six credits.

If between 20 and 30 percent of college students are uninsured and another large percentage are under the insurance provided by the school they attend, most of these individuals will simply go without insurance for several years following graduation unless Obama’s dependency reform passes.

“If I were a college student, I’d have to say ‘yes’ [to the reforms] because if someone’s giving me something for nothing, why not?” Wright said. “As a taxpayer and a parent, I say it’s time to get a job or continue in grad school. As long as you’re a student, you have health care available at a more affordable price through the university or college. If you’re no longer a dependent, then you should not be on your parent’s health care plan.”

With so many young adults finding themselves backed into a corner after graduation, it will be interesting to see if Obama addresses his “extension of dependent coverage” clause during his upcoming health care discussion at the Patriot Center.

Student Media to Foster Online Interactivity with Community During Health Reform Rally

Kevin Loker — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:25:26 +0000

The Patriot Center, a rather empty scene this morning, will likely house thousands coming to hear President Obama speak on health reform tomorrow. (Peter Flint)
-------------------

UPDATED 8:33 p.m. LiveStream Footage to be featured.

The Patriot Center may boast 10,000 seats, but the debate over healthcare reform reaches beyond the building’s doors. President Obama will speak on the topic at this Friday’s rally, presenting his plans for a policy that will impact millions in the general public, whether or not the legislation passes or fails.

George Mason University’s Office of Student Media will open its ‘online doors’ in order to add depth, commentary and discussion to the debate. All are welcome to engage in the topic and the president’s speech in real-time.

Connect2Mason will host a live chat via CoverItLive.com, an online tool released in 2007 that has been used for interactive material by brands and media companies such as ESPN and The Washington Post. Connect2Mason has also used it in the past for coverage of live events.

The chat will tentatively open for use at 8:45 a.m. EST, 15 minutes before doors open to the general public.

For those who tweet, the discussion has already begun. The hashtag, #obamagmu should be used to discuss the event. Twitter users are encouraged to use the hashtag before, during and after the rally. This can be done anywhere—online, in the comfort of one’s home, or via cell phone—including the Patriot Center.

Tweets including the #obamagmu hashtag will be featured in a live feed on Connect2Mason.com. Any with the hashtag #healthcare will also be featured on the site.

The team will also LiveStream video footage from the floor of the Patriot Center event.

-----------------------------------
The following Twitter accounts of and within the Office of Student Media will be tweeting live from the event:

@Connect2Mason, the student media convergence website
@kevinloker, C2M Executive Editor Kevin Loker
@Chronotope, Office of Student Media Technology Manager Aram Zucker-Scharff
@rachaeldickson, Four Years After the Final Four Editor-in-chief Rachael Dickson
@sameoldjostie, C2M Staff Writer Lauren Jost
@Flint_Photo, Student Media Photography Editor Peter Flint
@WGMU, the university’s student-run radio station
@WGMUNews, the radio station’s new news department

Obama to Rally Patriot Center in Final Push for Healthcare

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:27:05 +0000

Barack Obama speaks to students in the Johnson Center in February 2007, before he officially announced his run for the presidency. (Lisa Buzzelli)
-------------------

UPDATED 9:41 p.m.

President Barack Obama will hold a rally at the Patriot Center this Friday in support of the health care bill.

According to whitehouse.gov, doors will open at 9 a.m., with the event kicking off at 11:30 a.m. The speech will be open to the public, with no tickets required. No signs or banners are permitted, and attendees are requested not to bring bags or purses.

Mason Press Officer Dan Walsch said that the university was first notified about the event yesterday.

"[The White House] sent a team down here to check what would be available," Walsch said. "As it turns out the Patriot Center is available at that time of day. They were pleased with that. They also looked at the Field House but they felt the Patriot Center would be most appropriate for this particular event."

The Patriot Center is a 10,000 seat arena that generally hosts Mason basketball games, concerts, and other large events.

"The hope is that the place will be filled," Walsch said, adding that no one knew how many people to expect.

Patriot Center General Manager Barry Geisler said that if more people show up Friday than the Patriot Center can hold, the doors will be closed and no one else allowed in.

Parking and Transportation Director Josh Cantor said the event's parking will be handled much like a normal weeknight Patriot Center event.

"There will be a few little wrinkles here and there," Cantor said. "Some of parking lot A near the Patriot Center will be blocked off Thursday night and Friday morning. We'll also be opening up parking garages that we normally don't."

Cantor is not expecting too much trouble with managing the event, as Friday is a relatively light class load for Mason.

"Since it is open to the public and it is first come, first serve- the question is with two and a half days notice, how much word is going to get out there and how much interest is going to be there," Cantor said.

The university is expected to send out an e-mail with more information on the event to all students and faculty soon.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to take a vote on the health care bill late Friday or early Saturday. A recent CNN article stated that the bill's opponents are only 11 votes away from the 216 needed to defeat the bill. At least 27 Democrats have confirmed their intention to vote against the bill.

--------------------------------------

Rachael Dickson is the editor-in-chief of Four Years After Final Four, a magazine looking at how George Mason University has changed since the Patriots' famed NCAA basketball run in 2006. Four Years After Final Four will come out in mid-April.

University Stands Committed to Nondiscrimination as ‘Sexual Orientation’ Letter Riles Students and Employees

Kevin Loker — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:05:09 +0000

The above picture is a snapshot of the letter from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that sparked massive uproar, online and off, due to its legal opinion that state universities remove language from their nondiscrimination policies that protect 'sexual orientation,' in order to comply with state law as determined by the General Assembly.
------------------------------------------

Students took to the Internet and social networks in a whirlwind of uproar this past week after a recent legal opinion from the state’s attorney general to state university leadership was leaked to local and national press.

The letter, authored under ‘Attorney-Client privileged communication’ by recently elected Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R), advised universities to remove ‘sexual orientation,’ ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ from the language of protected classes in their nondiscrimination policies in order to fit in accordance with Virginia state law.

The inclusion of such language, “absent specific authorization from the General Assembly,” according to Cuccinelli, a George Mason University and Mason Law School alum, is unconstitutional. The opinion comes on the grounds that while state universities have broad authority – particularly within the area of student safety and discipline – a public institution has “no authority greater than that of the body that created it and from whom they derive their expressed and implied authority.”

University officials over the past week have repeatedly reassured students and faculty of their “unwavering commitment,” as stated by Rector Ernst Volgenau, to Mason’s embracement of diversity.

The Context: Legal Debate Over Nondiscrimination Criteria

Current state law as determined by the General Assembly prohibits discrimination because of "race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability," but makes no mention of sexual orientation. The legislature has rejected bills adding the classification to its statutes on more than 25 occasions since 1997, including instances most recently as last Tuesday when a bill was left to die in subcommittee.

Cuccinelli’s legal opinion, as he lays out in the letter, agrees with what he says is the stance of the legislature. He additionally illustrates through the letter that he believes it falls in line with prior opinions of the Attorney General, many of whom were Republican.

Cuccinelli notably cited one Democrat, former Attorney General L. Baliles, who in a 1982 opinion said localities such as Fairfax County could not expand legal protections beyond state discrimination law. Baliles, who now serves as the executive director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, recently issued a legal response stating he believes Cuccinelli erred in his legal interpretation of the powers of state universities by inappropriately assigning the same powers given by the state to localities to those given to Boards of Visitors to govern colleges.

Lambda Legal, “the nation’s oldest and largest legal organization dedicated to achieving the recognition of the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (‘LGBT’) community,” has written a similar legal response.

Before the legal responses to Cuccinelli’s letter went public, Governor Bob McDonnell (R) issued Executive Directive One, directing state employees not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. The directive, however, is only a policy statement from the executive office. It does not hold the legal power of an executive order, and has no bearing as state law.

Va. Students Respond with Vigor

Though some universities, including Mason, are still on their spring breaks, Virginia college students have been anything but silent. More than 1,000 people demonstrated Wednesday at Virginia Commonwealth University in opposition to Cuccinelli’s letter.

A video of demonstration compiled VCU's The Commonwealth Times is posted below.

Much of the uproar, however, has been seen online. Twitter searches returned large results when the press first got wind of the letter, but Facebook has harbored the most intensity and anger.

Negative posts have bombarded Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s fan page, with a seemingly large majority coming from college students.

“Hey, Ken! I go to [Old Dominion University] and our president just sent all of us an email saying the we will never discriminate against our staff and students, no matter what their sexuality,” said one post. “Basically, he was telling us that he took your letter and put it where it belonged...the garbage.”

“…I personally will take notice and provide civil resistance each time you [Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli] attempt to force me into a mold which my lifestyle, my surroundings, and the general state of the country and the world will not allot for,” said another posting.

“You do not have my vote, sir. Nor have you ever had it,” it said.

The attacks don’t stop there. Upwards of 25 groups have additionally been made riling against Cuccinelli and/or his stance, all with names similar to “Students Against Ken Cuccinelli” or “Ken Cuccinelli is Bad for Virginia,” and with membership counts as high the approximately 2,250 of “VCU says ‘NO’ to Ken Cuccinelli's Discriminatory Letter.”

The group targeting Mason students, “George Mason University says ‘No’ to Ken Cuccinelli's Discriminatory Letter,” in comparison to schools of similar size has one of the smallest membership counts, resting at approximately 200.

Employees of the university’s Switchboard, however, claim calls looking for Equity and Diversity Services have been more than steady.

Mason Administration Reacts Amid Uncertainty

While students protest and law officials argue the legal correctness of Cuccinelli’s opinion, legitimate concern has risen as to where this puts the specific nondiscrimination policy at Mason in the future. University Policy (1201) does include sexual orientation as a protected class as part of the univeristy’s “institutional commitment to nondiscrimination.”

Administration support of the policy as it stands seems strong. Rector Volgenau sent a message to all Mason students, faculty and staff earlier this week emphasizing the Board of Visitors’ commitment to the issue and the embracement of diversity “which has become [the university’s] hallmark.” Vice President of University Life Sandra Scherrens sent out a similar message to University Life staff, emphasizing the Core Value “Embrace Our Differences,” and calling for reaffirmation of the office’s core values with its daily interactions with students.

“This is a time to be compassionate,” Scherrens said in the statement. “This is a time to listen; to be sensitive, and most importantly, to be a calming influence in a time of uncertainty.”

According to a joint-statement in response to a Connect2Mason inquiry by Assistant to the President and Director of Equity and Diversity Services Corey Jackson, Provost Peter Stearns and Senior Vice President Maurice Scherrens, the Board of Visitors will be reviewing policies to make sure that they adhere to the current standard of institutional commitment to nondiscrimination.

“George Mason University embraces diversity, and we have a rich history of inclusion supported by our comprehensive policies of nondiscrimination,” the statement additionally said. “The University community, including the LGBTQ community, can be assured of our unwavering commitment to nondiscrimination.”

Associate Director for LGBTQ Resources Richard Chollar says he feels the honest support of university administration, though admits uncertainty with the greater legal situation.

“I am reassured that people of all sexual orientations will continue to be protected from discrimination at Mason,” said Chollar. “…It's much less clear how lawsuits would be handled in courts and/or at the state level.”

“What would happen to lawsuits about sexual orientation?” Chollar said. “It's just not [yet] clear.”

The joint-statement from Jackson, Stearns and Scherrens had a similar conclusion.

“The determination of whether the claimant had the legal grounds for a law suit would be a question that could only be answered by the courts.”

Attorney General Cuccinelli provided Connect2Mason with the following comment, specifically addressed to university students:

“The controversy over my recent statement of Virginia law as it relates to non-discrimination policies at our state institutions of higher learning deserves to be addressed. To be clear: no one should be made to feel like a second-class citizen.

While it is understandable that some are angry or confused about my statement, it is important to recognize it for what it was and remains. My now well-publicized letter simply stated the current state of Virginia law; it did not advocate for any particular legislative position. Should the General Assembly change the law, my advice will be consistent with it.

It is my permanently and long held belief that government should not single out anyone for negative treatment.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Editor's Note] Associate Director for LGBTQ Resources Richard Chollar offered the following advice amid any uncertainty:

For students who wonder where to go, who to seek help from or if they witness or experience discrimination, please know [there are] several options available:

-Filing a Hate/Bias Incident Report, available at many offices including the Office of Diversity Programs and Services (703-993-2700) as well as online;
-Speaking to us at LGBTQ Resources Office (703-993-2702);
and/or
-Contacting Mason's Office of Equity and Diversity Services (703-993-8730), or at http://equity.gmu.edu

The Third Wheel Leads Rams to Victory

Kevin Loker — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:20:06 +0000

The VCU Rams came into the game with junior forward Larry Sanders and junior guard Joey Rodriguez leading the herd. While the top two scored 17 points apiece, the Rams were helped by their third factor, junior guard Brandon Rozzell, as the fifth-seeded Rams topped the fourth-seeded George Mason Patriots men’s basketball team 75-60 in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament quarterfinals at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Richmond.

Mason falls to 17-14 overall and has failed to pick up a conference tournament win since the 2005 season. Improving to 22-8 overall, the Rams advance to the semifinals after defeating the Delaware Blue Hens on Friday and the Patriots on Saturday afternoon.

Sanders continued his dominance against Mason a year after dominating inside in last season’s CAA Tournament championship game. With 17 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday, Sanders recorded his 13th double-double this season and added four blocks. Rodriguez, who scored 24 points with six 3-pointers in last month’s 82-77 overtime loss to Mason in Fairfax, tallied 17 points and a game-high five assists.

But the key player of the game was Rozzell, who was 0-of-2 from the field in the first half. Trailing 35-32 at halftime, the Rams scorched the Mason defense for 43 points in the second half. Rozzell, the team leader with 47 treys coming into the game, went on a second half rampage from behind the arc with four 3-pointers.

“I was looking at the stat sheet for the first time; [Rozzell] had 14 points for the game, whereas it seemed he had 30 because every shot was huge and every shot was where we needed it most, he took the shots at the exact right time,” said Rams Head Coach Shaka Smart.

On the other hand, the Patriots were not able to overcome their worst month of the season. Wrapping up February with a 2-6 record, the Patriots were looking for a fresh start in the postseason.

“I told the team after the game I thought we were really building something very good in January and somehow lost that magic,” said Patriots Head Coach Jim Larranaga. “We were 8-1 [in the conference] at the time, had four or five guys in double figures every night, and played good team defense. As February rolled around, I don’t know if it was fatigue or if we had a young team, or we just lost our focus or shooting touch, or quite frankly, the opponents we played.”

From the get-go, the Patriots established a quick-paced offense as sophomore guard Andre Cornelius drilled a 3-pointer from the perimeter to open the game. Mason shot 48.1 percent from the field in the first half after having battled through the Rams’ full-court pressure. Sophomore forward Ryan Pearson, who had a career day with 22 points, was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field for 13 points. Mason fell behind 13-7 at the 16:29 mark, but used an 8-0 run two minutes later to take its first lead since Cornelius’ 3-pointer at the start.

Freshman forward Luke Hancock was also a major factor as he scored 11 points in the first half. For one half, Mason had held its ground, playing as the home team in the visiting team’s own homecourt.

The last time the two teams met in the CAA Tournament was in the championship last season when VCU routed Mason 71-50. With the teams meeting for the fourth time in the conference tournament, this was the first time the two faced off prior to the championship game. The Rams defeated Mason in 2004, 2007, and last season in the three conference title games and continued their postseason dominance over Mason as VCU exploded on offense in the second half.

The Patriots and Rams battled back-and-forth through the midway point of the second half, but when Rozzell started to fire away 3-pointers, the momentum shifted in favor of the Rams. When Rozzell emerged in the second half, the team started to focus on guarding the perimeter. Nevertheless, Rozzell continually made shots from long distance.

“He had some really tough shots, never had any wide-open looks; he just was able to set up and knock them down,” said Hancock.

Rozzell drained a 3-pointer after Pearson’s dunk tied the game at 48. Down 53-51 with 7:23 left in regulation, junior guard Ed Nixon tied the game with a jumpshot; after freshman guard Sherrod Wright missed a layup, Rozzell pulled up for a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 56-53 lead. Rozzell, who posted all 14 points in the second half, scored nine consecutive points in a span of two minutes, giving the Rams a 62-55 lead; when things could get any worse, Rodriguez got fouled after attempting a 3-pointer.

After Rodriguez made all three free throws, Rozzell attempted another 3-pointer, but his shot rattled in and out, disappointing the hometown crowd, which had rooted for the Richmond native. Towards the end of the game, Rozzell missed a wide-open dunk, but by then, the Rams already held a substantial lead and had all of the momentum.

“I can’t miss another [dunk] like that for the rest of my career at VCU,” said Rozzell.

Even with the missed dunk, VCU shot 59.3 percent from the field in the second half.

Sophomore forward Mike Morrison brought the game back to single-digits at 65-57 on a slam dunk with 3:55 left, but Rodriguez prevented Mason from mounting a comeback with a jumpshot. With the season dwindling for Mason, the Patriots were in desperation mode and came up empty-handed. Mason had its brief tournament come to a close with a last-second dunk from Wright.

While Pearson flourished with a career-high 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, junior guard Cam Long struggled to redeem his late-season collapse with a measly four points on 2-of-12 shooting performance. After having four 20-point games in the second half of January, Long went ice cold thereafter. In the past nine games, Long shot just 21-of-88 and failed to reach double-digits in five of the games.

The Patriots await a decision to whether they will have the opportunity to play in the National Invitational Tournament, while the Rams take on the top-seeded Old Dominion Monarchs, who ran past the Towson Tigers 86-56 earlier in the day, on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Powell's Playbook: The Dagger

Kevin Loker — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:15:37 +0000

I regret saying this, but I called it. The VCU Rams rolled over the George Mason Patriots men’s basketball team in the final few minutes to run away with the 15-point win. Junior guard Cam Long was hot, I mean hot, until February rolled around. He was unable to tally 20 points in a game since Jan. 30.

As goes Cam Long, so goes Mason, I guess. In the two wins of the month, Long scored 19 points against VCU and 14 points against the Delaware Blue Hens.

Other players have stood up to make a name over the time though. Sophomore forward Mike Morrison had 17 points against the Drexel Dragons and 18 points, his career high, against VCU. Redshirt freshman forward Kevin Foster recorded a career-high 22 points against the William & Mary Tribe. Freshman forward Johnny Williams recorded 18 points, another career high, against the College of Charleston Cougars.

The Patriots only lost once this year when Long scored 20 points, showing his importance on the court.

Now I was happy, but a little uncomfortable, when I saw the clock wind down at the end of the first half as Mason had a three-point lead. I remembered the last time Mason played VCU, when Mason rallied from a 15-point deficit for the overtime win.

Between these two teams, leads seem to matter little; anything can happen.

The game was pretty much even for the first 34 minutes, both teams trading leads, big plays, and runs. I will give this to VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart: he is a very good first-year head coach, mostly due to his incredible ability to make second-half adjustments when needed. Freshman forward Luke Hancock was driving down the lane in the first half, but could not get a shot off in the second half. They obviously held Long, the leader of the team, to a mere four points. Sophomore forward Andre Cornelius, who has been a main ball-handler and 3-point shooter, only put up one shot from outside the arc.

On the offensive side, VCU’s shooting percentage raised from 35.5 percent in the first half to 59.3 percent in the second half. Mason shot 48.1 percent in the first half, but was held to only 39.3 percent in the second half.

In the Richmond Coliseum, VCU fans only rose in intensity, while Mason fans’ intensity diminished, especially since VCU gained the six-point lead with six minutes remaining.

I really have no idea what to think anymore. The Green Machine has been great, but they only matter for home games. Mason has floundered playing away from the Patriot Center. In addition, this is the first time in four years that Mason has not gone to the Colonial Athletic Association’s Tournament finals, much less losing in the first round.

The team needs to figure something out. They need to focus on getting Cam Long, who will be their star senior, into the game-changing role or having the second- and third-year players fill a more balanced role. Either way, they cannot try both methods.

Obviously, they cannot keep Long in the game when he has seemingly gone cold, or try do distribute the ball when one player had obviously dominated the game.

The team has usually been strong defensively, but they need to figure out how to shoot more consistently if they want to win games down the stretch.

There you have it, this season is over, and the last dagger has finally been put into the horrible play of the last month-and-a-half.

If I know him at all though, Patriots Head Coach Jim Larranaga will revive his team and lead them into success this time next year.

Freshman Phenoms Play Major Role in Basketball

Kevin Loker — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:42:37 +0000

Luke Hancock, above, goes for the basket in this shot from the recent homecoming game against College of Charleston. Hancock is one of seven freshmen on this year's team. (Photo by Peter Flint)

As the CAA tournament looms for the men’s basketball team, it is time to reflect on the season thus far and to evaluate their potential to make a run in March. Typically, when evaluating a team you first look at the upperclassmen, the leaders of the squad. However, this is no typical team.

Jim Larranaga’s crew consists of seven freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors and one lone senior. The young players look to the older guys, primarily junior Cam Long and senior Louis Birdsong, to serve as role models on and off the court. However, this team’s potential lies in the hands of the seven rookies.

Luke Hancock, a 6’5” guard/forward out of Roanoke has been an impressive performer for the Patriots this season. He is averaging over 22 minutes per game and just under eight points on the season. He played high school basketball for Hidden Valley High School and played one year at Hargrave Military Academy before coming to Mason.

“Coach L started recruiting me from Hargrave when I first got there my post-grad year,” Hancock said. “He made Mason feel like a home and seemed like the type of coach who really wanted me to succeed on and off the court.”

Hancock was recently selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team in honor of his contributions this season. The league’s coaches, sports information directors and members of the media made the selections.

Although he was not highly recruited out of high school and says he actually preferred soccer as a child, he quickly became a major contributor for the Patriots. He was named the CAA Rookie of the Week twice in November. After the first two games of the season, Hancock was averaging 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting just under 60 percent from the field. In the three games following during the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, he averaged 8.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

“I think just being a guy that can do a number of different things and being able to help out in many different areas has earned me a good bit of playing time,” Hancock said.

Johnny Williams, a 6’8” forward from Memphis was the most highly recruited player in this years’ freshman class. He averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as a senior at Briarcrest Christian School. Rivals.com deemed him the top rated power forward recruit in the CAA and the second highest rated recruit for the entire conference out of high school.

“Actually, when I was little, I was just into baseball and I didn’t even think about basketball until the end of eighth grade,” Williams said. “But when I knew I was going to play basketball, I chose Mason because I have family up here and Coach L is just a great coach.”

Although he is only averaging 10 minutes of playing time on the season, he had a breakout game in the loss to College of Charleston on Feb. 20. He contributed a career-high 18 points on an astounding 8 of 10 shooting from the field.

“It was a good experience, but I would have traded it for a win because that win could have helped us make it to the Big Dance,” Williams said. “And I will have multiple opportunities in my career at Mason to have even better games.”

Kevin Foster, a 6’7” redshirt freshman out of Lakeland, Fla., has also made major contributions to team during the latter part of the regular season. He had a breakout game of his own in the loss to William & Mary on Feb. 16 with a career-high 22 points on 11 of 16 shooting. That same week, he registered his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against College of Charleston. He was named the CAA Rookie of the Week thanks to his back-to-back outstanding performances.

“You just got to outwork the next guy and be ready at all times,” Foster said. “It felt good to play like that. It showed everyone that I could play.”

Foster was first team all-state his senior year in high school and was named a McDonald's All-American Honorable Mention. He averaged 19.6 points and nine rebounds his senior year, and was named the CAA’s top forward recruit for the 2008-09 season. After redshirting last season, he is a part of the seven-deep freshman class of 2009-10.

“Playing college basketball always been a goal of mine,” Foster said. “And it makes me feel better knowing I get to play with these guys for four years.”

Sherrod Wright, a 6’4” guard from Mount Vernon, N.Y., has been a steady performer for the Patriots all season. He is averaging 5.4 points in 15.5 minutes per game. Just like this season, Wright averaged just five points per game as a freshman in high school. However, he drastically improved his game each year and averaged 23 points per outing his senior year.

“Coach L started recruiting me at the end of my senior year, and I picked Mason because I felt it was a good fit for me at the moment,” Wright said. “Sometimes I feel like I would have made a different decision because there are so many freshmen. But I like my teammates and we have something special in the making at Mason.”

He had a career-high 24 points against a high-flying VMI team on Dec. 22. As a result, he was named the CAA Rookie of the Week. He also led the team in scoring with 13 points in the loss to Northeastern last weekend. Based on these numbers, he has the potential to have a bright future for the Patriots.

“I want to push myself to become the best player I can be while I'm at Mason and to win a national championship,” Wright said. “And then I want to make it to the NBA.”

As for the other freshmen on the team, Rashad Whack has played in 16 games this season, including one start. However, Paris Bennet and Vertrail Vaughns have seen little action.

The CAA Tournament begins today in Richmond. Mason will be the fourth seed, meaning they have a first round bye. In the second round, they will play the winner of fifth-seeded VCU and 12th-seeded Delaware. With Foster and Williams coming on strong late in the season and Hancock and Wright continuing their steady play, the players say they expect to perform well both in terms of the rest of this season and beyond.

“To finish out this year I want to help the team win the conference tournament and move on to challenge other schools,” Hancock said. “And in years to come I want to continue the type of winning tradition Mason fans have come to know from past teams.”

Many teams with an abundance of young talent such as the Patriots often quarrel for playing time. Yet, this team remains unselfish and even says they relish the opportunity to play with the same guys for four years.

“It’s better that we have so many young players,” Williams said. “I want to have the best four years of my life and do something that Mason has never seen before, and actually win the CAA tournament and the NCAA tournament.”

An NCAA berth this season remains a possibility if the Patriots capture the CAA title.

RAP Offers New Options and Restrictions

Kevin Loker — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:13:07 +0000

Students can no longer lease an apartment on campus year-round. The move comes as a result of declined interest in the option over the past several years.
(Photo by Daniel McEnrue)
---------------------------------------------

With March in swing, spring on the way, and next year's housing on many minds, resident students beginning to plan their living arrangements for the Fall and Summer 2010 semesters may notice a few housing changes as they complete their Room Assignment Process (RAP) application.

The most notable change to the RAP process is removal of the 12-month lease option for students looking to live in an apartment on campus year-round.

Brian Davis, associate director for Housing Services, says that there has been a steady decline in demand from residents for 12-month leases in York River Corner since 2004.

“Offering 12-month leases on campus added a level of complexity to our processes and [an] inconvenience to students that was not supported by the demand for these leases,” said Davis. “After careful consideration — keeping in mind our existing alternatives for summer housing options, lack of demand for the 12-month lease option and inconvenience to students — we decided to discontinue [the option] for the 2010-2011 academic year.”

While resident demand has declined, the number of students attending summer school and taking part in internships has increased. If students are attending summer school, Davis said that there is specific summer housing available in Eastern Shore or on a space-available basis through Potomac Heights.

Students interested in summer school housing should look to apply on the Housing website on April 16. Summer intern students will be able to seek housing in Potomac Heights through the Intern Housing Application process starting on March 1.

“I think it’s pretty lame,” said senior Matt Moody, a summer school student who lived on campus in Northern Neck last summer. “Eastern Shore is nice . . . but I don’t think that just because you are an intern [that] you should have priority and have the benefit of having a kitchen.”

Students, above, walk down the 'alley' sidewalk of Chesapeake. The area, which opened in phases from 2007 to 2008, is one area that will remain largely the same in the RAP process.(Photo by Daniel McEnrue)

But for those students looking to bridge the gap between the end of semester, summer school, interning and fall semester housing dates, Davis says there still are extended stay options.

“If students are interested in continuing their housing from the end of the spring semester to the beginning of Summer School or Intern housing and/or continuing their housing from the end of Summer School or Intern Housing to the beginning of the fall semester, [they] will need to submit gap housing requests,” said Davis. Such requests, he says, can be submitted online via the eLiving website.

In addition to new lease timelines, Davis said that housing has new options for students to consider before they make their selection.

According to Davis, over 400 beds have been added to campus through the newest dorm, Hampton Roads which offers suite-style living and double occupancy rooms.

Davis says the university has recently added more beds to guarantee on-campus housing in order to accommodate the increase in transfer students and accepted incoming freshman.

The deadline for RAP applications and the $300 non-refundable deposit is March 5 at 4 p.m. Students will receive lottery number over spring break, and they may begin selecting rooms through the online “studentweb” system on March 18.

Fallon Talks Conan, Pattinson and Fey

Kevin Loker — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:04:37 +0000

Jimmy Fallon of Saturday Night Live fame has been the host of Conan O'Brien's former show, Late Night, for just over a year.
(Photo by Marieanne O'Leary, under Creative Commons on flickr)
-------------------------------------

Conan O'Brien's former slot may feel a little more comfortable now for NBC Universal's late-night host Jimmy Fallon. Last night, with the help of the show's guest Robert Pattinson, the former Saturday Night Live star turned talk show host celebrated the one-year anniversary of his show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

WGMU Program Director Alex Romano recently had the opportunity to speak with Fallon about his show and the stars he's met on this segment that aired on Tuesday's episode of The Candy Shop, hosted by Richard Everett, Chris Eder and David Houck.