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Site offers free, legal music for students

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Ruckus Network, a company that boasts a collection of more than 2.5 million digital music files, began offering free and unlimited downloads to anyone with a “.edu” e-mail address Jan. 22, 2007. The service can be accessed at www.ruckusnetwork.com.

p. According to a Feb. 1 article on Podtech.net, major record labels such as Jive Records have authorized Ruckus to offer their music in order to reach college students. The record labels hope this preemptive action will reduce the music piracy that runs rampant on many college campuses.

p. Ruckus acquires its music collection from record labels and distributors. Each time a track is played, Ruckus pays the record label, making downloading legal according to the Ruckus website. Ruckus supports itself through paid advertisements.

p. Students are able to download full-length tracks and albums to their computers. To gain access, students have to register on the website and download the Ruckus Player.

p. Once registered, students can create and post playlists, see which songs are most popular on their campuses and comment on albums through the Ruckus login page.

p. The downloaded media, whether visual or audio, is not permanent and cannot be copied onto a CD or MP3 player without a paid membership.

p. According to the Jan. 31 online edition of the Arkansas Traveler, Ruckus contains a variety of movies, television shows and music videos. The site offers a “Ruckus-To-Go” option for $20 a semester, and a deal for unlimited movie access, “Video-On-Demand,” for $15 per semester.

p. One complaint commonly noted in articles on Ruckus is its incompatibility with iTunes and iPods. This is because Ruckus does not have a contractual agreement with Apple and the existing software does not support the security features that Ruckus requires, according to the official Ruckus Blog.
Ruckus also became the center of an advertising scandal on the social networking site Facebook.com last fall.

p. According to an Oct. 7, 2006 article in the Washington Post, a Ruckus marketing employee allegedly used the fake persona “Brody Ruckus” to create the group “If this group reaches 100,000 my girlfriend will have a threesome” as a ploy to create the largest group on Facebook.com. After 100,000 students had joined the group, “Brody Ruckus” added a new promise to post pictures of the encounter if 300,000 people joined.

p. The Washington Post reported that at the group’s peak, before Facebook.com shut the group down, Ruckus had access to the e-mail addresses of the more than 300,000 students who had joined the group. Potentially, the group could have served as a platform for the company to advertise itself to hundreds of thousands of students. Ruckus has declined to comment on the alleged incident.

Sec. of Education wants college students to face standardized tests

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The U.S. Department of Education recently discussed the possibility of standardized testing for undergraduate college students as a new measurment system for evaluating students
at different colleges.

p. The plan was proposed by the Commission of the Future of Higher Education as a way of increasing institutions’ accountability and measuring what students learn over the course of their university education. Carl Strikwerda, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences, said that universities already are subject to tests and standards by accrediting groups, professional associations and state agencies.

p. “A national, standardized test would almost inevitably be a lowest common denominator that would have little value for most parents, students and the general public,” Strikwerda said.

p. The Spellings Commission, named for the Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, Commission would not help the public and would burden colleges and universities with wasteful bureaucracy.”

p. There has been much controversy among the administrative community about the commission’s proposals. Barbara Brittingham of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ Commission on Institutions of Higher Education said that the organization wants schools to have the right to self-determination.

p. Brittingham, who has testified for the Spellings Commission twice, said that the accreditation agency wants a system by which schools can state their own goals, measure student learning and success and use that information to make informed decisions about improving their curricula and procedures. Dean Strikwerda said that the strength of American higher education is its diversity, including technical colleges, broad liberal arts schools, large state universities and private religious colleges. Strikwerda added that standardized testing would only hinder the growth of such diversity and deter foreign students.

p. “U.S. higher education, with all of its faults, is universally recognized as the best in the world, as evidenced by the millions of citizens of other countries who would like to study here,” Strikwerda said.

p. “We should continue to fund higher education as best we can and let us do our work of educating the next generation.”

College branches out to Asia

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Colleges are increasingly welcoming students from Asia into their freshman classes as the continent becomes more important politically and economically. According to the Office of Institutional Research, about 130 students at the College are from Asia.

p. Junior Nydia Ngiow cited her curiosity about American culture as the reason for her decision to come to the College from the East Asian country of Singapore. “You see so much of the U.S. on TV, and I wanted the chance to experience the college lifestyle, which is entirely different from what college is like in Singapore,” she said.

p. The National University of Singapore is one of several Asian university participants in the College’s Tuition Exchange Program.
A financial award from NUS helped Ngiow cover the costs of studying overseas. Coordinator of Global Education Programs and Services at the Reves Center for International Studies Nicole Cloeren believes the expenses of international study and a general dearth of funds from stateside sources account for the sprinkling of undergraduate international students.

p. “Unfortunately, William and Mary doesn’t have funds for recruiting international students,” Cloeren said.

p. Despite the lack of official funds from the College and the slim possibility of winning a scholarship as an in-state student, Ngiow took advantage of the undergraduate exchange program with assistance from the NUS.

p. By contrast, international graduate students compose 62.9 percent of all international students, which can be attributed to the well-endowed graduate programs at the College.

p. For junior Priyanka Khosla, a veteran of the International Schools system — structured after the American education system — Khosla found college in the U.S. a logical next step.

p. “The transition is easier to go to an American college, rather than having to adjust to a British education system and finding it hard to get used to their college requirements,” she said. The College’s suburban setting and Williamsburg’s function as an historical site attracted Khosla when she visited her brother, now an alum.

p. “I liked that the campus was small, cozy and friendly. Especially for a newcomer to the States, you don’t really want to be in an environment swarming with students,” Khosla said, adding that she had wanted to avoid such an overwhelming situation.

p. In addition to relying on word-of-mouth to hopefully increase attendance by international students at the College, the Reves Center also “mail[s] out letters to advertise William and Mary to other schools,” Global Education Office Services Assistant Sally Lavendar said.

p. Senior Jenny Cheng also did her homework before beginning her four years at the College, by completing her last two years of high school in Pennsylvania. “I wanted to experience the American culture through living with an American Christian host-family and going to school here,” Cheng said.

p. Once international students arrive, Cloeren, Lavender and others at the Reves Center serve students’ logistical needs and organize programs that aim to provide insight into American culture, reducing the potentially negative effects of culture shock.

p. Ngiow, Khosla and Cheng and believe their time as international students in America will equip them with the knowledge and skills to help them succeed in the future. Khosla praised the cultural organizations on campus as a way for American students to expand their own horizons.

p. “I feel that Americans need to know more about the world, and through these clubs they get a taste of different parts of the world, which makes them appreciate it more,” Khosla said.
Continuing their education in America also presented a new challenge.

p. “I wanted to take myself out of the comfort zone and see how I would cope in the U.S.,” Ngiow said.

p. Cheng encourages everyone to study abroad. “Cross-cultural experiences will definitely enrich your life and take you even further in life beyond W&M,” she said.

Let’s do the twist

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Spencer Atkinson, The Flat Hat. Students took advantage of free food while playing Twister and other games in Lodge 1 Feb. 24.

The road to Richmond

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In an intense match-up Saturday, the Tribe fell 57-62 to the Old Dominion University Monarchs (23-7, 15-3 CAA), who brought their winning streak to 11 games. The loss leaves the College at 15-14 overall and 8-10 in the CAA heading into the CAA tournament, where the Tribe will be the eighth seed. ODU’s victory secured the second seed and a first-round bye.

p. “It was a very physical game,” Head Coach Tony Shaver said. “I think they are the most physical team in the league. I thought we went toe-to-toe with them.”

p. The physical play in the paint made it tough for either team to score inside the three-point line. The two teams combined for just 14 two-point field goals, but both erupted from long range with ODU making 12 three-pointers and the Tribe making 11. The even shooting performances from each team kept the game close.
Five lead changes and five ties resulted in neither team distancing itself from the opposition. The largest lead of the game came with two minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the first half after a 16-4 Tribe run gave the College a 7-point lead at 33-26.

p. Down three at halftime, the Monarchs quickly took the lead back at the beginning of the second half. A Drew Williamson three — one of his six in the game — and a three-point play from Brandon Johnson (13 points, seven assists) gave ODU the lead just 34 seconds into the second half. Williamson’s four second-half three-pointers brought the senior to a career-high 20 points and kept the Monarchs in the game.

p. “He’s clearly one of the best guards in the league,” Shaver said of Williamson’s performance.

p. ODU led for much of the second half until a three-pointer from freshman David Schneider gave the Tribe the lead at 51-50 with 5:11 left. Williamson answered with a three of his own at the 3:40 mark to give the Monarchs a 53-51 advantage. Two free throws from sophomore Alex Smith, who came off the bench to grab seven rebounds and score four points, tied the game at 53-53, but ODU reeled off five straight points with a three-pointer from Johnson and a layup from Valdas Vasylius.

p. Trailing by five with 1:56 remaining, the College climbed to within two with a three-pointer from junior Nathan Mann (11 points), but the Tribe would get no closer. Vasylius hit two free throws and at the other end, senior Adam Payton made one of two at the line, leaving the College down three with 45 seconds left. The Tribe defense forced a missed three-pointer from Vasylius, but ODU’s Brian Henderson grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws to secure the victory.

p. The eighth-seeded Tribe travels to Richmond Friday to face the ninth-seeded Georgia State University Panthers in the first round of the CAA tournament. The Tribe defeated the Panthers twice this season, winning 57-43 on the road and 81-65 at home. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. at the Richmond Coliseum.

Women come back to beat Patriots

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The women’s basketball team came from behind in the second half against George Mason University Sunday afternoon to secure its 17th win of the season in a 65-56 victory. With an overall record of 17-11 (9-8 CAA), this marks the team’s second-best season in its Division I history. Additionally, this was the Tribe’s first victory over the Patriots on the road in Head Coach Debbie Taylor’s tenure at the College.

p. Junior forward Kyra Kaylor led the Tribe with 26 points and seven rebounds, hitting 15 of her 16 free throws down the stretch. Senior guard Sarah Stroh also added 12 points. The Tribe out-shot George Mason 37 percent to 33 percent from the floor and held a slight 41-39 rebounding advantage.

p. The first half started out slowly as the Patriots only led the Tribe 4-2 at the first timeout. With eight minutes and 27 seconds on the clock, the College held a slight 17-13 advantage after an eight-point run. There was back and forth scoring for the remainder of the half as the lead changed hands several times. At halftime, George Mason possessed a 25-23 advantage.

p. The Tribe implemented a half-court trap and match-up zone defense in the second half to limit Patriot shooting. Freshman Tiffany Benson came up big for the College in the second half, scoring six consecutive points down the stretch. With seven minutes and 40 seconds left on the clock, the score was tied at 44-44. It was then that the Tribe held the Patriots scoreless for five minutes and went on a 10-0 run.

p. Although George Mason fought back, the Tribe played exceptionally well defensively and secured a nine-point victory. With the win, the College is now tied for fifth place in the conference with Virginia Commonwealth University.

p. The Tribe will host its regular season finale Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kaplan Arena against VCU. The game is pivotal for seeding in the upcoming CAA tournament.

p. In their last match-up against VCU, the Tribe fell to the Rams 54-68 in Richmond. The College will have to play solid defense and get the job done on the boards to defeat the Rams.

p. “We had a poor showing during the first half the last time we played VCU,” Taylor said. “As long as we can handle the pressure, and take the ball to the hoop, it will be a good game. There is a lot at stake and we just need to play well.”

Pitching lifts Tribe past UMBC

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This past weekend, the Tribe faced off against the University of Maryland- Baltimore County Retrievers at Plumeri Park. After dominating in Friday’s game 8-2, the Tribe won both games Saturday (9-1, 5-4) to sweep the three-game series.

p. “It feels really good, finally putting together a three-game winning streak. It’s certainly something that’s a great positive for us,” Head Coach Frank Leoni said. “But we also realize that we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves, that we still have a lot of work to do to accomplish our long term goals for the season.”

p. The College opened the series with a decisive 8-2 victory over UMBC, recording 14 hits to UMBC’s four. Junior designated hitter Tim Park, sophomore rightfielder Ben Guez and junior center fielder Paul Juliano each totaled two RBI and junior leftfielder Greg Maliniak and sophomore shortstop Lanny Stanfield each recorded one.

p. Senior second baseman Brent McWhorter led the offense with three hits and two runs, while sophomore catcher Jeff Wera and Guez both had two runs, and sophomore first baseman Mike Sheridan had one. The Tribe began the game with a bang in the first, as Guez singled to send Park and McWhorter to home plate. Junior pitcher Sean Grieve (2-1) took the win, totaling six strikeouts and allowing only two hits in five innings. Freshman Max Axelrod, senior Warrik Staines and junior Pete Vernon offered relief to shut out UMBC through the remainder of the game.

p. The two teams faced off again in a doubleheader Saturday, as Sunday’s game was rescheduled due to expected bad weather. The Tribe took both games, the first 9-1 and the second 5-4, grabbing the three-game series sweep, the first under Coach Leoni.

p. In game one of the day, the Tribe controlled the contest, not allowing UMBC to reach the board until the top of the seventh. Sheridan led the Tribe with three hits, and Park, Juliano, and sophomore leftfielder Robbie Nickle each pounded out two. The Tribe scored big in the earlier innings, as McWhorter, Maliniak, Sexton, Guez, and Nickle scored one and both Park and Juliano scored two. Tribe freshman starting pitcher Kevin Landry (1-1) walked away with his first win, totaling eight strikeouts and not allowing any runs. Junior Jimmy Drury and freshman John Lawlor provided relief.

p. The second of the day, designated a seven-inning contest, turned out to be an intense game between the Tribe and the Retrievers, as the two teams traded the lead back and forth. The Tribe first made the board in the bottom of the fourth, after Sexton tripled and Sheridan singled up the middle to send Sexton home.

p. UMBC scored three in the top of the fifth to take the lead, but the Tribe tied it after scoring two more. After scoring another in the sixth, UMBC led 4-3, but the College ended with the 5-4 victory, as the team totaled two in the bottom of the seventh. McWhorter, Maliniak, Sexton, Sheridan, Stanfield, and Wera all recorded hits. Junior pitcher Pat Kantakevich started for the Tribe and relief pitcher Pete Vernon (1-0) earned the win.

p. “Our pitching as a whole the entire weekend was outstanding. We got three quality starts from Sean Grieve, Kevin Landry, and Pat Kantakevich, and our bullpen did a great job as well. This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Coach Leoni said.

No. 19 Broncos serve up defeat

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The men’s tennis team faced off against no. 19 Boise State University Sunday in Williamsburg. Currently ranked no. 75 in the nation, the Tribe put up a good fight but lost 2-5 to the visiting Broncos.

p. Junior Alex Cojanu and freshman Keziel Juneau were the only Tribe doubles team to win their set, coming out on top with an 8-2 final score. Boise State won the other doubles set, giving them the 1-0 cushion in the match. Tribe freshman Richard Wardell was the first to lose his sets in singles play, 4-6, 1-6.

p. Sophomore Alex Zuck followed up defeating his Boise State opponent with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 score. Another victory went to Boise State over sophomore Marwan Ramadan, but Juneau followed up with a three-set match ending in a 7-6, 2-6, 6-1 defeat of his opponent. Both Cojanu and senior Colin O’Brien lost both of their singles matches, giving Boise State the overall win.

p. Two matches were scheduled for Sunday, but the second, against CAA foe George Mason University, was postponed. The nationally-ranked Tribe team, with O’Brien ranked no. 75 in singles and O’Brien and Cojanu ranked no. 34 in doubles play, will return to action against the University of Maryland this Saturday to take on the Terrapins.

Sports in brief

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No. 2 Duke University knocked off the Tribe 15-3 in Durham, N.C., Sunday at the Koskinen Stadium. The College had to contend not only with the highly-ranked Blue Devils, but also with the weather, as rain poured down throughout the match. Duke jumped out to an early lead, tallying five goals within the first 10 minutes of the game. The Tribe had several chances to score but could not get past the fearsome Blue Devil defense. Junior midfielder Jaime Sellers, senior midfielder Kara Parker and senior midfielder Emily Vitrano each scored for the Tribe.

CAA Playoff Bracket

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