The College of William and Mary prides itself on having nationally ranked undergraduate and graduate academic programs, but can it remain one of the nation’s best small, public liberal arts universities in the 21st century?

A panel of faculty members discussed the future of the College as an elite liberal arts university Thursday in the Sadler Center’s Tidewater Room. The forum was the first in a series of liberal arts university conversations hosted by the College.

College Provost and panel moderator Michael R. Halleran began the forum by saying that the College’s future success stems from balancing its self-identification as a liberal arts university with high levels of research on the graduate level.

“Our strategic plan requires as a total, overarching goal to be a leader among liberal arts universities,” Halleran said. “The first objective of this goal is to conduct a conversation about the future of a liberal arts education. What does it mean for William and Mary to be a liberal arts university?”

Government professor Joel Schwartz said that the College’s main mission as a liberal arts university is to educate well-rounded students.

“The goal [is to] help students prepare to live flourishing lives as humans and citizens, as distinct from preparing them for careers, for professions [or] for positions in the contemporary division of labor,” Schwartz said. “This is why at the College we have general education requirements … this is why we don’t care if history majors necessarily become historians.”

Physic professor Keith Griffioen said that calling the College a liberal arts university lowers its standing and misrepresents its character.

“William and Mary is not a liberal arts university, and we should stop describing ourselves as one,” Griffioen said. “Stanford and Princeton are better roles models for us than Amherst and Swarthmore … Calling us a liberal arts university is the same as calling us a physics university.”

According to Griffioen, emulating universities like Stanford and Princeton would combine great teaching with great research to create a home for the best teacher-scholars.

“If we’re unique, we don’t need to use other people’s titles,” Griffioen said. “The best teacher-scholars will only stay if they can continue to do both well.”

History and American studies professor Leisa Meyer suggested that the College should embrace its reputation as a liberal arts university.

“William and Mary’s reputation is for excellence in teaching, but also for excellence in research,” Meyer said. “Students and faculty are already engaged in learning and discovery … Though we retain our traditional name of ‘college,’ William and Mary is officially recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a high research university.”

Though referring to the College as a liberal arts university might make some uncomfortable, Meyer said that the traditional goal of liberal arts education is to create a community of teachers and scholars by learning the skill of a free person.

“That is a worthy goal,” Meyer said. “I think it is one we can make happen, and one that is already happening.”

Business professor Herrington Bryce said that, while not all universities identify as liberal arts universities, the vast majority have similar curricula. What makes universities unique is how a college community defines where learning takes place.

“We are described as liberal, so we are described as tolerant,” Bryce said. “When we had a transgendered person become queen of homecoming, one may say whatever one wants to say. What it does say is here is a community of people who are tolerant. What else is liberal arts if not what makes you think about things outside your boundaries?”

After the discussion, students, faculty and community members asked questions and made comments on topics ranging from department funding to how the College ranks itself with other universities. Halleran said that what the College is called does not change its character.

“Whatever we call [ourselves], whether it’s liberal arts university, public ivy, whatever the name might be, it’s much more important to reflect the substance behind it,” Halleran said. “[That’s] what makes us special.”

The College of William and Mary may be brimming with 18 to 22-year-olds years away from eligibility for Medicare, but today’s youth still have an important role to play in the issue of Medicare — and Medicaid — reform.

That was the idea behind Wednesday’s Health care Reform 2009: What Does it Mean for Medicare and Medicaid? forum. A panel of four speakers gave short presentations about health care reform is it relates to both senior citizens and generation Y’ers. The forum was held at the Admissions Office Auditorium and sponsored by the Schroeder Center for Health Policy and the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy.

While some students were in the audience, members of the Williamsburg community dominated the crowd.

Although Medicare and Medicaid do not directly affect most college students, panelists stressed that not reforming health care systems could potentially spell disaster.

“Most uninsured adults are students,” Government and Public Policy Professor Chris Howard said. “People in their 20s and 30s are at the healthiest point in their lives — they’re not married and don’t have kids — and it seems like a rational choice to not have health insurance. But if they get cancer or get in a car accident, the costs of health care can be enormous.”

Students could also potentially play an important role in reforming health care.

“If students pay into a system, then those faced with unfortunate health problems will be covered,” Howard said. He added that this increased revenue will also help provide adequate coverage to all Americans.

The point was raised that this may be a case of younger generations being used as the country’s credit card, but Howard countered that argument by warning that we can’t afford to see the cost of health care continue to rise. Without reform, future graduates might be faced with the choice of saving for a mortgage or paying for health insurance.

The rising cost of health care led Panelist John Littel, a Vice President at Medicare and Medicaid insurance provider Amerigroup, to speak about the effects of \ health care reform on senior citizens. Littel suggested that the age of eligibility for Medicare could be lowered from 65 to 55. Employees aged 55 to 64 often feel locked into a job because of their employer-based insurance.

Eligibility for Medicaid could similarly be expanded, Littel said. Medicaid currently insures certain groups like single-parent families, children and low-income families. With health care reform, Medicaid could expand coverage to overlooked groups such as childless adults and raise the qualifying income.

Littel suggested that reform should focus on long-term home care to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. The biggest expenditure for Medicaid in state budgets is long-term care, and at the staggering figure of $76,000 a year, nursing home care is too costly for most states.

Assistant professor of public policy and Director of Community and Health Services Research for the Center for Excellence in Aging and Geriatric Health Dr. Christine Jensen stressed that senior citizens should not be put in nursing homes but given long-term services and support at their homes and clinics.

To effectively serve senior citizens receiving Medicare, the shortage of geriatric doctors and nurses needs to be addressed, Jensen said. Furthermore, physicians accepting new Medicare patients are in short supply. Nationally, 33 percent of physicians are not accepting new Medicare patients. In Williamsburg, 25 percent of physicians have stopped accepting new Medicare patients.

As the elderly population in Williamsburg grows and Medicare and Medicaid expenditures increase, the Virginia budget may also increase. But Grant Programs Director at the Williamsburg Health Foundation Rene Cabral-Daniels pointed out that with Virginia’s $300 million budget shortfall and the current economic downturn, appropriations for Medicare and Medicaid are not looking promising.

“We’re at a saturation point. People won’t opt to participate in Medicare and Medicaid,” Cabral-Daniels said.

Virginia is ranked as the 48th lowest state by Medicaid expenditures and 44th lowest by Medicaid coverage of low-income families.

Many preventable health problems, such as adult asthma, are treated in hospitals. Littel advocated for an adequate network of specialty coverage available to Medicaid patients to diffuse an unhealthy dependence on emergency rooms.

All the panelists agreed that health care reform is needed now.

“There will be debate over cost and states will need a lot of assistance,” Littel said. “A lot of change won’t happen overnight, but reform will happen.”

Kirsten Bertsch ’10 was awarded the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement at Fort Eustis Aug. 29. Bertsch was one of eight ROTC cadets selected from a national pool of 4,700 rising college seniors to receive the award.

The Bronze Cross is awarded to ROTC cadets who embody the values of military, scholastic and civic excellence.

Bertsch joined ROTC as a freshman at the College of William and Mary to help offset the cost of tuition.

“What really drew me to the program, though, was just the Army lifestyle,” Bertsch said. “I [have] lived on and around Army installations my whole life and, as cliche as it sounds, I wanted to give back to my country because it’s already given me so much.”

Army ROTC cadets participate in a leadership curriculum that includes field training exercises and physical training. Additionally, the College also requires cadets to enroll in military science courses.

“It’s made me push myself more than any sport or activity I’ve ever done, so that I’ve grown to be a much stronger person — physically, mentally, emotionally,” she said. “And I really like the camaraderie — I know that if I’m in a bind, any of … my fellow cadets will help me out.”

Depending on the scholarship award amount, ROTC cadets are obligated to serve in the military for six to eight years. They have the option of serving on active or reserve duty.

“It can be a large time commitment, but as with any other activity, you get out what you put in,” she said.
Bertsch, an English major, is also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Not only do cadets receive scholarship money, they are also guaranteed a job immediately after graduation. Graduates of Army ROTC enter the active Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard as second lieutenants. They have a choice of 16 military branches, such as field artillery, armor and the Medical Service Corps, from which to choose a career.

After graduation, Bertsch will be commissioned into the U.S. Army to pursue a career in military intelligence.

“I think I want to stay in for at least 20 years, until I’ve put in enough time to retire,” Bertsch said. “At that point I’ll decide whether I want to take my pension and relax, or stay in.”

The College of William and Mary’s Greek community is under review.

A three-member team from the Coalition Assessment Project arrived at the College Oct. 14 for a two-day visit for the third phase of an assessment of the state of the Greek community. The assessment is a part of the larger movement to evaluate the health of fraternities and sororities nationwide.

“While [the CAP team members] were here, they met with a myriad of campus resource officers and offices, ranging from the Office of the President to Campus Police to Residence Life,” Inter-Sorority Council President Tildi Sharp ’10 said in an e-mail to The Flat Hat.

The team also toured housing facilities and met with representatives from Facilities Management, the Campus Health Center and the Office Student Diversity, in addition to holding forums with Greek and non-Greek students.

Sharp said some of the key issues discussed in the forums were Greek special interest housing, risk management and how the rest of the campus views the Greek community.

“The housing issue is one place where the sorority and fraternity communities have different priorities; generally, the sororities are satisfied with their housing while it is well known that the fraternities are, generally, unsatisfied,” Sharp said in an e-mail. “Students and the administration discussed potential solutions with the CAP team. As far as alcohol policies are concerned, many individuals have issues with the existing policies.”

The CAP team closed with an exit interview with the Blue Ribbon Committee, which is composed of members of the College community. The BRC essentially functions as a liaison between the Coalition Assessment Project and the campus Greek community.

“Some of the wrap-up questions made me feel very aware that they honed in … [such as] ‘What makes [the Greek life experience] relevant for a William and Mary student?’” Associate Director of Student Activities Anne Arseneau ’89 said. “I think what we will learn from this is, here are some things we will do very well, and here are some challenges ahead of us, and here are some things we need to start thinking about.”

Arseneau is one of the members of the BRC. Others include Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06 and faculty representatives.

“We wanted two chapter advisers, one from a fraternity and one from a sorority [in the BRC]. We had younger members we perceived to be emerging leaders. We wanted student representation,” Arseneau said. “We wanted a representative from ResLife. We identified the places where we needed representatives present, and we identified people we thought would be a good fit.”

According to Sharp, CAP is a cohesive effort by the Association of Fraternity Advisors, the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations, the National Panhellenic Conference, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the North-American Interfraternity Conference to evaluate the status of every Greek community in the country within 10 years. The College is participating within the first three years of CAP.

“Our decision to host it was based on the national initiative,” Arseneau said. “The expectation is that we will participate in this at some point. It seemed like the right time. It is an internal opportunity for fraternities and sororities to look at themselves. Overall the health of the national fraternity and sorority experience is [such] that, if we don’t take care of the health of our fraternities and sororities, we are not going to last very long.”

The assessment project is a four-phase process. A university campus first signs a letter of agreement and appoints a BRC. The second phase involves the compilation of information and data about the five focuses of the program: the development of positive interpersonal relationships, the advancement of leadership development, the strengthening of social IQ, the advancement of academic interest and the effective campus interface with and support of the Greek community.

The data needs to be received by CAP before its campus visit, which is the third phase. The fourth phase is to follow up on the final report from CAP. Arseneau expects the College to receive the final report by December, approximately six weeks after the visit.

“The Blue Ribbon Committee is the group that will definitely convene to review the recommendations,” Arseneau said. “I think the ISC and the [Council for Fraternity Affairs] will also have huge responsibilities for reviewing the report and implementing the report. That is all sort of hypothetical until we have the recommendations. We can see what resonates for us and what is important for us to look at.”

CFA President David Cooper ’10 could not be reached for comment.

According to Arseneau, CAP evolved from a meeting five or six years ago from the group Franklin Square.

“It was the original conversation between university presidents worried about the health of the fraternity and sororities residents, which evolved into the Coalition Assessment Program,” Arseneau said.

Arseneau stressed that the College was not involved in the original group.

“Hopefully, the CAP team can provide insight as to how policies might be modified so that students feel they are less oppressive yet the policies still adhere to the law and to national organizations’ policies,” Sharp said in an e-mail. “ The Greek community is constantly striving to put forth an inclusive, productive, and positive image, but it is clear that that is not always the perception of the Greek community.”

The College of William and Mary’s Honor Council voted to reject the Student Assembly’s Honor Council Referendum 18-3 with three abstentions Sunday. Andrew Rudd ’11, John Pothen ’11 and Michael Vereb ’12 voted in favor of the referendum, while Bailey Thomson ’10, Chase Hathaway ’10 and Will Perkins ’11 abstained.

The referendum was voted on in the Oct. 1 campus-wide SA elections and read, “The Honor Council’s Nominating Committee decides each year if a student should be barred from running for the Council. Should the Nominating Committee need to reach a unanimous decision before rejecting a student from running for election?” 69.14 percent of voters believed the Honor Council should reach a unanimous decision. 1,254 students voted.

Currently, candidates may be kept from the Honor Council ballot if four of five nominating committee members vote against them. The council’s nominating committee must approve candidates by a 4 to 5 vote. The nominating committee consists of one administrator, one faculty member, two members of the Honor Council and one student unaffiliated with the council.

Since the Honor Council decided against adopting the referendum, a compromise has been discussed among members of the Honor Council and the SA. Rather than changing the Nominating Committee’s voting policy, the compromise would add an additional student unaffiliated with the council to the committee, bringing its total members up to six and requiring five votes to bar a student from running. A member of the SA is expected to present the compromise to the Rules Committee of the Honor Council sometime this week.

“I think the compromise better serves the at-large student body,” Thomson said.

Some members of the Honor Council took issue with the manner in which certain members of the SA approached the referendum.

“There was a lot of frustration,” Thomson said. “The referendum was approved the day before the vote, and there was inadequate time for the student community to be informed about the referendum … We value the opinion of the student body, but we felt that there had been a skewed representation of the referendum to the student body.”

At Thursday’s SA Policy Committee meeting, Sens. Steven Nelson ’10, Erik Houser ’10, Curt Mills ’13 and Justin Duke ’13 sponsored a bill entitled ‘The Cooperative Honor Council Reform Act,’ which encouraged the Honor Council to adopt the referendum. Although the measure was proposed, it was not voted on by the entire senate.

Prior to the vote, the council expressed concern that adopting the referendum would place too much power into the hands of one person. SA Vice President Ryan Ruzic J.D. ’11 disagreed.

“Is that a realistic concern?” Ruzic said. “Probably not. Most people should be able to run for the Honor Council.”

Some SA members expressed frustration that the council did not adopt the referendum.

“It’s pretty clear that 70 percent voting for the referendum is a mandate to adopt [it],” Nelson said. “I find it bewildering and poor decision-making that they didn’t make the change.”

Houser echoed a similar sentiment.

“I was discouraged by an irresponsible disregard to an overwhelming student opinion,” Houser said. “[The Honor Council] looked at that and said they didn’t care.”

Some parties in both the SA and the Honor Council have said they believe the current debate over the referendum has turned into a battle of a more personal nature.

“When a student goes before the Honor Council, their whole life is in their hands,” Ruzic said. “The disruptive part of this whole process is that some people are taking some very common sense changes and [requests for changes to] the system as a personal attack.”

For Jessee Vasold ’11, the first transgender person elected as a class homecoming queen at the College of William and Mary, the day’s events were not anything too out of the ordinary.

As a member of the court, Vasold attended the pep rally and parade. Vasold was presented at the football game during halftime.

“It was pretty normal,” Vasold said. “The only difference I feel like from anyone else was that after halftime, a reporter wanted to talk to me.”

Vasold’s selection was only the third time that a transgender person has won the title of homecoming king or queen at an institute of higher education in the United States.

“It’s still a new thing and I think that it might surprise people coming from William and Mary,” Vasold said. “I kind of expected that it would be this big … at least on the [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning] news websites and locally.”

Vasold identifies as gender-queer. According to Vasold, gender-queer is a concept that can be adopted by anyone who feels that they do not fit into traditional gender classification, or anyone who sees the gender binary as an oppressive social institution and wishes to protest against it.

“It’s kind of a political identity, while simultaneously being a gender identity,” Vasold said. “And a lot of times you might see the people … just changing from day-to-day. Some people identify as gender-fluid, so what their gender is may depend on how they dress.”

According to Vasold, personal reactions to Vasold’s crown have only been positive. Vasold has received e-mails and Facebook messages from well-wishers all over the country.

Vasold’s selection as junior class homecoming queen has lead many at the College to question what the nature of the position should be.

“That just puts into question what a homecoming queen really is,” Emily Matson ’12 said. “Does a homecoming queen really have to be a girl through and through? Or is it more about having the physical appearance of a girl? … I think it puts a lot of definitions that we’ve traditionally assumed into question.”

The Office of Student Affairs has not heard any positive or negative reactions from alumni or students.

“I have not personally had any reactions at all. Nobody has called our office or anything like that,” Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Mark Constantine said.

Many students are unconcerned with Vasold’s selection as junior class homecoming queen.

“I don’t even think it’s a big deal at all,” Adriana Green ’12 said. “If he was voted, he was elected, so obviously a lot of people know him and like him. I think it should be more about personality anyway.”

Online message boards, however, have become a forum for those both in support of and against Vasold.

“I know that this is probably something new to them, but I think that they maybe need to just stop for a second and think about that they’re talking about a person,” Vasold said.

The election of Vasold as junior class homecoming queen has also gained the attention of national media outlets.

The Huffington Post cited the College’s homecoming election Monday, and Bill O’Reilly of Fox News brought up Vasold in the “Reality Check” segment of “The O’Reilly Factor” Monday night.

While Vasold’s family did not initially agree with Vasold’s acceptance of the junior class homecoming queen crown, Vasold said they have shown love and support.

The family has also been concerned for Vasold’s safety, given the media coverage of the election and angry reactions online.

“My sister has been really upset about the comments, not only on The Flat Hat website, but on other websites,” Vasold said. “She said, ‘They’re really hurtful, because you’re not an it. You’re my brother. You’re not an it.’”