Members of the College of William and Mary community gathered Monday afternoon for the third and final Campus Conversation meeting to discuss the role of professional programs on campus and their role in a liberal arts community.

Sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Campus Conversation sessions discussed and developed the College’s role as a leading liberal arts university.

The faculty panel that led Monday’s discussion included law professor Alan Meese, business professor and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Business Programs Bill Geary, and education professor Pamela Eddy.
Meese began by saying that, while no professional program can provide a comprehensive liberal education, all such programs can fit comfortably into a liberal arts university, improving the university’s research and teaching.

He also noted that research at professional schools can deal with issues not addressed by an arts and science perspective.

Meese emphasized the usefulness of collaboration between schools and programs, as well as the importance of hiring qualified candidates, potentially with interdisciplinary backgrounds.

He said that although the term “liberal arts university” does not always take into account professional schools, it can be used in an inclusive way.

Geary concluded that the College is actually an umbrella of semi-autonomous learning communities that each contribute to the whole in different ways.

Using this analogy, Geary said the main goal for the College should be that of achieving synergy between these learning communities.

Geary said that, although arts and sciences and professional schools may use different vocabularies, shared core values are more important. He also noted that different communities have different things to offer.

Eddy began by saying that the College is struggling with an identity crisis.

According to Eddy, the College is a public institution that acts like a private, elite institution, and that the current mindset will be unsustainable as the College expands.

“We act like the small-town, home-grown college that we were in colonial times,” Eddy said.

She emphasized that the College must figure out its place for the future, cautioning against describing the
College as a liberal arts university, since applications to liberal arts institutions have declined in recent years.
Eddy also said that the language the College employs is critical.

“Using inclusive language is a key first step,” Eddy said. “We really are in this together.”

College of William and Mary law professor Christie Warren has already been to 38 countries, and by the looks of things, her list is nowhere near complete.

Warren was appointed to serve under the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and Norwegian Refugee Council last week as one of four senior mediation experts for constitutional issues serving a 12-month term.

Though she will remain affiliated with the College during her tenure, her post will require her to be continually on-call, ready to deploy to post-conflict peacekeeping zones at the UN’s request within 72 hours. Her post will require her to remain in the area until mediations are complete, assisting in conflicts with constitutional deadlocks.

“I’m very honored by the assignment and am looking forward to my responsibilities,” Warren said. For the time being, however, Warren has no idea where she will be headed.

“It is up to the United Nations to decide where I am sent,” she said. “It all depends on which countries need constitutional advice during the next twelve months.” This sense of uncertainty, however, does not discourage Warren, who said she looks forward to the challenge of not having one specific area as a focal point.

“I love the comprehensive nature of [the job],” Warren said. “Some people prefer to focus on one area of the world because they have a passion for that area. I’m not one of those people. I believe a comparative approach is most useful in post-conflict reconstruction.”

At the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, Warren specializes in international law, teaching comparative constitutional law, post-conflict justice and Islamic law courses. She also founded and currently serves as director of the Program in Comparative Legal Studies and Post-Conflict Justice.

She has previously worked for the United States State Department and United States Agency for International Development as one of three advisers overseeing the drafting Kosovo’s constitution following its secession from Serbia in 2008.

Warren has also assisted the World Bank in the past.

“[Professor Warren] is a very dynamic person with an incredibly rich experience around the world,” Law School Dean Davison Douglas said. “It did not come as a big surprise that the UN reached out to her.”

Warren said that because conflict-ridden areas frequently do not have sufficient academic resources or access to the internet, issues can arise with realizing historical contexts and precedents. As a result, she said she views her new position as one of restraint.

“I believe very strongly … [that residents of] countries in which conflict has arisen should take the leadership role in post-conflict reconstruction,” she said. “I don’t see my role as directing answers. I believe in the value of facilitating discussions … so people can create solutions that are most appropriate to their own situations.”

Provost Michael Halleran said Warren’s appointment reflected her commitment to others.

“I’m delighted at the appointment,” he said. “The law school has a history of fostering the ‘laywer-citizen.’ [Warren] is a wonderful example of just that.”

Warren, whose job sites have included, among others, Cambodia, East Timor and the Balkans, said that she prefers to travel in developing countries, and that this interest has spread to her family.

“We don’t tend to go to Paris or London for vacation, we go to places like Marrakesh and Nairobi,” Warren said. “Some people just shake their heads when we talk about where we’re going next.”

Warren’s family, however, will remain in Williamsburg during her UN tenure. Despite this separation, she said she is excited for the challenge.

“Each country and geographic area presents a different set of issues, different levels of complexities, different histories and different legal systems,” she said. “The challenges involved in solving problems and addressing issues in each country are unique.”

__Editor’s Note: Kosovo was incorrectly listed as having seceded from Bosnia. This has been corrected to Serbia.__

The Transportation Security Administration recently announced an increase in monitoring procedures in light of the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack. College of William and Mary students traveling through countries of concern were not excluded from these procedures.

Sheetal Kini ’10 has immediate family living in Saudi Arabia. She visited them in January, but returned home by flying through India. As a result, she did not face difficulty passing through airport security.

“I usually fly to the [United States] through Bombay so I can visit the rest of my family,” Kini said. “Either that or I fly through Bahrain… because there’s more familiarity with the Bahrain airport.”

The TSA labeled the following 14 countries as either “state sponsors of terrorism” or “countries of interest” Jan. 3: Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. India and Bahrain are not on this list, making them easier countries for students to visit.

These 14 nations are areas of concern, particularly regarding terrorist group affiliation. The classifications were the result of U.S. State Department collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, in addition to various intelligence agencies.

Galley Saleh ’12, a U.S. citizen of Afghan decent, visits family in Afghanistan by flying to Qatar or Bahrain from the United States. Her family then takes a connecting flight into Pakistan, travels by taxi to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, crosses the border on foot, and catches another taxi into Afghanistan.

“Before, we traveled like this because it’s safe,” Saleh said. “Now we do it because my cousins are living in Pakistan.”

Saleh admitted that she had never experienced notable difficulties at airports prior to the TSA policy changes. Saleh did run into trouble while traveling through the Dominican Republic this month, however, despite the fact that the nation is not on the TSA’s list. She was stopped by security guards and asked to remove her hijab, a head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women.

“I offered to take it off in the bathroom for a female security guard but they wouldn’t let me,” Saleh said. “I noticed nuns behind me who went through the line without having to take off their habits…. I told security if they brought over one of the nuns and asked us both to take off our head coverings that I would gladly take off my hijab for them. They just let me through.”

While many College students who call these countries home have yet to return to their families this school year, they may encounter heightened security measures when traveling later this year due to the new TSA policies.

“I believe that one advantage that I have over many international travelers is the fact that I am a U.S. citizen,” Maleeha Mahmood ’12, who also has family in Saudi Arabia, said. “I do strongly believe if that were not the case, I might be more questioned, or traveling might have been more of a hassle for me, like it is for others.”

Mahmood has not yet traveled since the TSA’s Jan. 3 announcement. He said that he has yet to experience any trouble when traveling to or from the United States.

Despite the extra travel required to increase her chances of returning to the country without hassle, Kini doesn’t see increased security as a problem.

“I knew they were going to implement excess security checks and scanners, but I know that Bahrain is not on that list, so I got lucky that I [didn’t] have to go through any of that trouble,” said Kini. “Security needs to cover everybody. Anyone, for that matter, any color and race and nationality, could be a threat. Terrorists could fly from any country, so I feel security should cover everywhere.”

Of nine houses cited in November’s three-person rule crackdown, only one is appealing.

According to City Zoning Administrator Rodney Rhodes, eight of the nine homes are now in compliance with Williamsburg’s zoning ordinance, which, with few exceptions, prohibits more than three unrelated individuals from sharing a single-family dwelling.

Attorney John Tarley, Jr. filed an appeal Jan. 15 on behalf of Caroline Groom ’10, a resident of 219-A Harrison Ave., to the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals.

“As admitted in the Nov. 20, 2009 letter from the property owner to the Zoning Administrator, four people live at that residence,” Tarley said in his letter to the board. “However, two of the residents are sisters. Consequently, neither the tenants nor the owner believed that the occupancy violated the Williamsburg City Code.”

Groom and the other residents of 219-A Harrison Ave. declined to comment. Tarley did not return requests for comment.

Along with Groom, Sarah Beck ’10, Heather Bryant ’10, Camilla Hill ’11, Adriane Lepore ’10 and Roxanne Lepore ’10 were also cited. It has since been determined that Hill and Bryant do not live at 219-A Harrison
Ave.

In a letter to William J. Busching, Rhodes maintains his opinion that the house is in violation, despite the fact that Adriane and Roxanne Lepore are sisters. Busching is a partner of 219 Harrison Ventures, LLC, the property owner of the residence.

“The zoning administrator definitely thought it was a violation,” Assistant City Attorney Christina Shelton said. “The BZA has to make a determination. The city will determine what action they are going to take at that time.”

The actual wording of the ordinance is unclear regarding situations like the one posed by 219-A Harrison Ave.

According to attorney Andrew M. Condlin of Williams Mullen, an instructor of real estate law at the
Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College, Virginia state law gives zoning administrators wide latitude in interpreting local ordinances.

“Ultimately, the BZA will have to weigh the literal language of the ordinance with the intention behind its passage as well as the policy impacts and precedents in deciding with the City or the residents,” Condlin said in an e-mail. “This definition of family is very common in local ordinances and this particular question is often an issue in localities with colleges and universities. I would be surprised if this is the first time the City has had to interpret this issue.”

Rhodes said the board will likely address Groom’s appeal at the March 2 meeting.

The City of Williamsburg is known for its history and its higher education. Now city leaders are hoping it will be known for its arts as well.

Williamsburg has created a focus group of various city residents and invested $12,500 to explore the possibility of establishing an arts district in the city.

Led by the Economic Development Authority, the Williamsburg City Council has allotted $12,500 for ArtSpace, a non-profit real estate developer specializing in the arts, to conduct a feasibility survey March 2-3. Additionally, a group of 16 city residents will examine the potential of an arts community in Williamsburg.

According to Economic Development Director Michelle DeWitt, the initiative has been under consideration for some time.

“A long time ago, the city council identified a need for more cultural activities here,” DeWitt said. “Arts are a way to diversify the economy and help existing businesses while respecting what’s already here — great cultural sources like the College of William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg.”

DeWitt said the reasoning behind the district was a need to develop a creative economy with more innovative business models.

“There is an economic return to what artists do, and the arts are universally recognized and appreciated,” DeWitt said.

Previous plans for an arts district have focused on zoning issues and availability of real estate space. To establish an arts community, the city would have to create both residential and commercial zones that allow artists to live and work in the same space.

Over the summer, the Virginia General Assembly passed house bill 1735, which grants statewide authority for the creation of arts districts through tax incentives and regulatory flexibilities.

“A lot of communities come to us looking to spur economic development in the area,” ArtSpace Consulting
Director Teri Deaver said. “During our visits, we’re looking for indicators that the right ingredients are in place — artists, community leadership and investors that are interested in making this work.”

ArtSpace also provided guidance in selecting focus group members, advising the city to include artists from multiple disciplines.

“We definitely wanted representatives from William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg, but also people with knowledge about commercial real estate and business,” DeWitt said. “The group is also multi-generational, and includes people from different creative industries.”

The members will meet roughly six times over the next few months.

DeWitt said the most ideal site for an arts district would be the triangular area between Lafayette Road and Richmond Road.

“It is close to the College and blends with student-oriented retail and interests, even possible student living,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt said students and the College will be an important part of the process.

“Students are part of the creative economy, and we would love to know [why] or why not they would stay here after graduation,” she said. “We have had overwhelming positive feedback, but the city can’t do this alone.”

Although the creation of an arts district is still in its early stages, both DeWitt and Williamsburg Mayor Jeanne Zeidler M.A. ’76 say a positive outcome is likely.

“It will attract more visitors and make the city a better and more interesting place to live [in],” Zeidler said.

A public meeting will be held with ArtSpace consultants on March 2 in the Community Building on North Boundary Street to discuss the project’s feasibility and timeline.

The U.S. Department of Education recently granted the College of William and Mary’s School of Education $1.3 million to design a new U.S history curriculum for middle school students across the nation.

The curriculum aims to assist students at risk for underachieving.

The money came from the USE-operated Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program, and focuses on students who are traditionally underrepresented in programs tailored to gifted students. Students who are economically disadvantaged or speak little English are likely to fall into this category. 


By changing the curriculum, School of Education Assistant Professor Dr. Jeremy D. Stoddard, who specializes in secondary education, said he hopes to get students engaged in social studies and curb the drop-out rates in the at-risk schools targeted by the Javits Center.

The new curriculum will focus on topics of interest to adolescents and incorporate technology that will allow students to participate actively in the learning process.

“Classes will have less lectures and will be more discussion and inquiry-based,” Stoddard said. “They will incorporate more perspectives from marginalized groups in American history, such as African-Americans and lower-class whites. It will no longer be based solely on the stories of ‘dead white men.’”

The new curriculum has already received positive attention from schools across the nation. Several middle schools in Alabama, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia have expressed interest in the new U.S. history curriculum.

Stoddard said reactions to the new curriculum have been overwhelmingly positive. Many of the interested schools have worked with the College in the past and are eager to make the switch.

Stoddard believes the program will help underachieving and traditionally underrepresented students improve their overall academic performance, as well as their standardized test scores.

*Four to be honored with Alumni Medallion*

Four alumni of the College of William and Mary will be honored with the Alumni Medallion Feb. 5 at a ceremony held by the Alumni Association. W. Samuel Sadler ’64 M. Ed ’71, Nicholas St. George ’60 J.D. ’65 and Earl “Tubby” Young ’59 will all be recognized. In addition, Waverly Cole ’50 will receive the award posthumously. The medallion is the association’s most prestigious award. The candidates were selected for their professional achievement and exemplary service to the school.

*Law students to write memos for Pentagon staff*

College law professor Linda A. Malone will once again be leading her law students in providing legal research to the government. Malone’s International Litigation in U.S. Courts seminar students will be supplying legal memos to the Pentagon’s Office of Military Commissions, as well as legal support in their case against inmates being held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Malone’s students also provided legal memos to the Iraqi court that tried Saddam Hussein in 2004. Each of the 25 students involved in the class will have to write a 25-30 page research paper for the prosecution of the detainees.

*Alum and former mayor passes away at 91*

John Hodges ’39 died at the age of 91 on Saturday. A native of Williamsburg and a 30-year U.S. Army Veteran veteran who landed in Normandy during World War II, Hodges served as mayor of Williamsburg from 1986 until he retired in 1992. While a member of city council, Hodges oversaw the construction of the municipal building and worked to support Williamsburg tourism while protecting “green space” within the city. Hodges was also a military science professor at the College in the early ’70s.

*VIMS professor named to UN climate panel*

Virginia Institute of Marine Science professor Marjorie Friedrichs will be part of a 20-country panel of 60 experts that will advise the United Nations on the rate of future climate change. The panel will meet in Boulder, Colo. at the end of the month to help create a baseline against which to measure future climate tests. Friedrichs’s knowledge of the relationships between ocean biology and ocean physics and her ability to draw conclusions from different computer models were important factors in her selection to the team, according to David Malmquist of VIMS.

Sunday, Jan. 17 — An individual was arrested for allegedly carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and for driving with a suspended license on the 1400 block of Richmond Rd.

Thursday, Jan. 21 — An individual was arrested for attempted murder and maiming and alleged conspiracy and robbery on the 300 block of Roland St.

Friday, Jan. 22 — An individual was arrested for an attempted vehicle theft, larceny, property damage and being drunk in public on the 800 block of Capitol Landing Rd.

— An individual was arrested for allegedly being drunk in public and for possession of marijuana on the 200 block of Merrimac Trl.

— An individual was arrested for an alleged domestic assault on the 200 block of Merrimac Trl.
Saturday, Jan. 23 — An individual was arrested for alleged disorderly conduct on the 600 block of Prince George St.

— An individual was arrested for an alleged assault on the 600 block of Prince George St.

Monday, Jan. 25 — An individual was arrested for allegedly driving with a suspended license on the 1800 block of Richmond Rd.