In response to Gene Nichol’s resignation, students take action in support of their beloved president

p. During the 1960s and 1970s, students on college campuses across the country voiced their opinions concerning the Vietnam War in what was to become known as one of the most turbulent periods of protest at such institutions. Although not nearly as controversial or widespread as dissent over Vietnam, the College has experienced varying degrees of unrest in the days following the Board of Visitors’ decision not to renew President Gene Nichol’s contract and his subsequent resignation Tuesday morning.

p. The events began with a rally in the Sunken Garden Tuesday afternoon and a candlelit vigil in front of the president’s house that night and continued through various teach-ins and strikes organized by faculty members and students.

p. “[The student body’s reaction has been] extremely fiery,” Alex Spindel ’11 said. “It has been very motivated and extremely energetic. But I think the BOV has made up its mind, and nothing that happens now is going to change that.”

p. Despite some students’ views that the student activism will not affect the BOV, others remain persistent and continue with petitions and rallies. At a town hall meeting held in the University Center Commonwealth Auditorium Wednesday afternoon, students, staff and faculty members drafted a list of demands from the BOV requiring a more adequate explanation for not renewing Nichol’s contract.

p. “It is my hope that the movements will show the Board of Visitors that any decision they make will need to be account[ed] for, and they can’t assume we will take it without a deeper understanding of why they made that decision,” Mallory Johnson ’10 said. “I hope it will lead to a deeper connection with the administration and the student body as a whole.”

p. Johnson was one of the speakers at the candlelit vigil held outside of Nichol’s house at 10 p.m. Tuesday. After the speeches, one of which was given by Nichol himself, roughly 1,500 students in attendance sang the Alma Mater and cheered for Nichol.
“Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined Tuesday night to be such an amazing turnout,” Johnson said. “It was truly emotional and really showed the true Tribe spirit. At that moment, when I looked out at the people there and saw the emotion, I have never been more proud to be a member of this college.”

p. Various other supporters from the vigil stayed afterward to leave letters and presents on the president’s doorstep.

p. Also among Nichol’s supporters at the vigil was Trevor Albert ’08, who went to the event to support Nichol and observe other students’ reactions. He ended up spending the night in front of Nichol’s house.

p. “I camped out in front of his house, not to protest or demand change, but just to show my support for president Nichol and his family,” Albert said. “I didn’t do it for a particular organization, and I wasn’t asked by anyone to do it. It’s a trying time for him and his family and I just wanted to support them.”

p. A common cry among many of those who have attended the rallies and sit-ins is a unified support of Nichol amongst students and faculty. Although some strongly advocate change in the BOV’s policy, others don’t see it as being radically effective.

p. “I see the different protests as a way to grieve,” Ashley Shuler ’08 said. “Not really sure what it has done or will do, but I do know this campus can be strengthened.”

p. Shuler and two other members of the NAACP campus chapter, Jeanette Snider ’09 and Justin Reid ’09, are behind the “If Nichol isn’t welcome here … Neither am I” T-shirts. Shuler said they have sold almost 300 shirts for $6 each, a price that only covers the production costs.

p. “We wanted to get the message to President Nichol that we love him and are here for him and are behind him,” Shuler said. “We wanted to make it an all-inclusive environment with a united front. We were really hoping for a domino effect, where a diverse group of people come together and can reach out to other students.”
Reid has also been part of a collaboration to start a website, TribeUnited.com.

p. “I hope these recent events will bring renewed interest among all alumni in the affairs of the College,” Reid said. “Now is not the time to become disengaged. Seniors should not be withdrawing their gifts, nor should alumni be saying they’ll no longer donate to the College.”

p. Albert echoed this sentiment by stressing that pulling support from the College, in every form, would only prove detrimental to the community and would also go against what Nichol would have wanted for the College.

p. While the outpouring of support — evident in the number of people attending events, the emergence of various Facebook groups and events and blogs dedicated to discussing the issue — is an inspiration to people hoping for change, many on campus still question whether the student activism will really have an effect.

p. “It was the prerogative of the Board of Visitors to make the decision,” Austin Raynor ’11 said. “The board operates independently of students and is privy to more information and ultimately looks at what the College needs in the long run, not just at the moment. If the students had wanted to affect the decision, their energy would have been better used preventatively, rather than just as a response.”

p. Yet, whether it will entail great change or not, others at the College recognize the student activism as a signal to the outside world as to the true meaning of Tribe Pride and the close-knit community within, according to Johnson. She added that the movement during the last few days has been a positive way to catalyze change and get students’ voices heard.

p. “Instead of lashing out or anything negative, we need to stay strong,” Albert said. “We need to live up to what President Nichol said about making William and Mary the single most engaged university in the nation.”

Tomorrow night, co-ed a cappella group DoubleTake will host the quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.

p. The competition will be held at 7 p.m. in the UC Commonwealth Auditorium. Tickets are $5.

p. The ICCA is an event that seeks out the best of the country’s a cappella groups in a series of regional competitions.

p. Tomorrow’s competition is one of three quarterfinals in the Southern region. It will feature performances by seven groups, including University of Maryland’s Faux Paz, Virginia Tech’s Soulstice and Naturally Sharp, James Madison University’s Note-oriety, Elon University’s Sweet Signatures, Catholic University’s Redline and DoubleTake.

p. According to DoubleTake Director Brittany Bonney ’08, each group will have 12 minutes to perform, which usually allows for three to four songs. After each group has performed, judges will determine which two teams will move on to the semifinals March 9 at Wake Forest University. Judges will also hand out individual awards for the best soloist, best choreography, best arrangement and best vocal percussion.

p. Students in attendance tomorrow can look forward to a rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around Comes Around” by Michael Smith ’08 and Caroline Jackson ’09, “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” by Victoria Ryan ’08 and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Ryan Miller ’09. Another campus a cappella group, Reveille, will provide entertainment during the judges’ deliberations.

__Kappa Delta hosts the largest philanthropy event on campus__

p. Unsuspecting tourists strolling through the Sunken Garden tomorrow run the risk of being knocked unconscious by airborne tennis balls.

p. Tomorrow, the sisters of Kappa Delta will host their annual Campus Golf tournament in which golf balls are replaced with bright yellow tennis balls and big white buckets are used for holes.

p. Teams consist of four players — students, faculty or family — who are encouraged to play in costume. The costume contest is one of the main events that lures participants to the green — or brick. Prizes are awarded to winning teams. Attire ranges from the creative to the extreme.

p. “There was one team that dressed up as ‘The Walk of Shame,’” KD sister Megan Luckey ’08 said. “These girls had eyeliner all over their face and had ‘going-out’ tops with boy’s basketball shorts on. It looked like they walked straight over from a night at the frats,” Lauren Katkish ’08 said.

p. Every sister has her share of memorable moments from the past years. “My favorite was a Super Mario team that dressed up like all of the characters from the video game,” Katkish said. “They carried around a boom box that played the opening song, too.”

p. The tournament is not only about fun and games; it’s about raising money for a worthy cause. In 2006, KD accrued over $12,000 for Avalon, a local shelter for women in abusive relationships. This amount increased in 2007. This year the sorority hopes to raise at least $10,000 for Avalon and Prevent Child Abuse America.

p. “Most people think that sororities are only about friends and hanging out,” said Sarah Bennett ’08, who formerly served as the sorority’s president. “Philanthropies show that we care about giving back to our community. You can really see that by the amount of money our philanthropies raise.”

p. Tee times start at 9 a.m. and continue though out the day.

**A ‘Jefferson’ wedding**
Who says age matters? Gary Coleman, 40, let it slip this week that he’s been secretly married to 22-year-old Shannon Price for months. The couple wed in a small ceremony in August, accompanied by just a minister … and a preacher. Oh right, and a photographer, videographer and the all-important helicopter pilot. Sure sounds like a private affair. We wish the former child star the best in his romance — and hope his parents don’t step in and steal his wife, too.

p. **Under his umbrella, ella, ella**
Jay-Z’s got 99 problems and, this time, a bitch is one. There are always people talking, and this time they claim Jay wants the best of both worlds — money, crack and two hoes: current girlfriend Beyonce and heartbreaker Rihanna. The two shared an awkward moment when she tried to hold his hand at the Grammys, right in front of Beyonce. The big pimpin’ rapper maintains that he’s crazy in love with his current girl and there ain’t no other one.

p. **Lost in translation**
Scarlett Johansson’s beau, Ryan Reynolds, who was previously engaged to Alanis Morissette, plans to propose. According to her, he got the wrong scoop: Though the couple is more than just friends, right now marriage is no more than a maybe for the starlet, who has expressed that she doesn’t believe in monogamy. Could be that she’s just not that into him, but we’ve heard she’d go down on him in a theater.

p. **A farmer’s life for Lenny?**
Always on the run from the paparazzi, Lenny Kravitz nearly dropped it all for a life of simplicity. After spending four months living on a farm in Brazil, he considered making it his permanent home. With seldom a moment to breathe in his high-paced, Grammy-winning American life, the opportunity to fly away held much allure. Still, he ultimately chose the life of a million-dollar-a-gig rock star.

**Friday, February 15**

John Wayne in Williamsburg
2:30 p.m. — 3:00 p.m. Presentations on John Wayne’s film career, local popularity and visits to town.
3:00 p.m. “The Shootist” — 1976 (Paramount Pictures)

King Kong Takes Merchant’s Square!
5:00 p.m. — 6:30 p.m. Reception followed by welcoming remarks by Arthur Knight, director of film studies, College of William and Mary.

p. 6:30 p.m. “King Kong” — 1933 (RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.)

Forget the Movie! Start the Show!
10:30 p.m. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” — 1975 (20th Century Fox)

**Saturday, February 16**

Kids at the Movies and in the Movies
10:30 — 11:30 a.m. Short films from the Little Rascals, Looney Tunes, Three Stooges and excerpts from Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton films.

p. 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Reflections on Shirley Temple and American Kids’ Culture by Professor John Kasson, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, author of “The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression.”

Race Relations in and at the Movies
2:30 — 3:30 p.m. Presentations on black movie-going in Williamsburg led by Professor Arthur Knight, College of William and Mary, author of “Disintegrating the Musical: Black Performance and American Musical Film.”
3:30 p.m. “In the Heat of the Night” — 1967 (MGM)

**Sunday, February 17**

Immigrants, Gangsters and Art Film
1:30 p.m. “Godfather” — 1972 (Paramount Pictures)
7:00 p.m. “Blowup” — 1966 (MGM) (On William and Mary campus)

Simple Plan’s new, self-titled album is a pastiche of every pop-rock cliche from recent years. The Canadian pop-rock band employs producers Dave Fortman (Evanesence) and Max Martin (Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne) to make them sound like an amalgamation of every radio single currently in line for the next “Now That’s What I Call Music!” series.

p. For a band who poses for promo shots with lip rings, black T-shirts and angular haircuts, its decision to employ Nate “Danja” Hills — the producer of “Promiscuous” and “SexyBack” — equates to Carrie Underwood calling up Mastodon to produce her new Wal-Mart single.

p. The album’s first single, “When I’m Gone,” begins with synth tinkering and a hip-hop beat. Despite simplistic, staccato guitar playing and layered “Whoa-ohs,” lead singer Pierre Bouvier sings the smartest lyric of his career: “It’s like we’re goin’ through the motions / Of a scripted destiny.”

p. It is Bouvier’s scripted destiny, then, to Auto-Tune the crap out of his vocals — this transforms his already nasally whine into the voice of a Canadian robot that speaks only in profoundly inane couplets such as, “If these walls could talk / They would have so much to say” (“No Love”).

p. There are three slow ballads that showcase rhymes like “beating” and “bleeding” and “right” and “face” (which, of course, don’t even rhyme). On “Your Love Is a Lie,” the boy-band synthesizer hand-clap resurfaces after years of hiding. Drummer Chuck Comeau includes some inexplicable double bass drum kicks before lead guitarist Jeff Stinco (his real name) cooks up a generic solo.

p. The verses are reminiscent of Oasis’s “Wonderwall,” but Bouvier tries to be edgier when he sings, “And do you think about me when he fucks you?” This line is great, especially since it was written 14 years ago by Alanis Morissette in “You Oughta Know.” The band even pays cute homage to U2 in “Holding On” with echoing guitars and Bono Lite vocals.

p. “Generation,” however, takes the cheesecake. Clearly produced by Danja, it opens with synth trumpets a la the Ying Yang Twins before Bouvier demands that we “Listen.” If one does just that, he finds blue-eyed crunk music blending rap and rock just like the famous ’90s band, Korn Bizkit. Simple Plan is even bold enough to snag two of the most famous rock lyrics in history. Bouvier sings, “It’s just my generation” before guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre and bassist David Desrosiers chime in with “Hey ho / Let’s go!”
If Joey Ramone doesn’t roll over in his six-foot eight-inch grave, I’m going to assume that the lyric actually reads “eh oh” because they’re from Canada.

p. All Simple Plan bashing aside, the album is not entirely the band’s fault. The producers mixed the guitars and drums too loudly. Bouvier has to strain his voice to be heard, hence the Auto-Tune. The producers seem to be the wrong fit for the band. Rave-ups like “Take My Hand” and “What If” would sound better on Avril Lavigne’s next album. The more positive note is that the musicianship is executed efficiently, despite being simplistic and rarely boasting more than three chord progressions.

p. Sadly, efficiency does not earn stars. Simple Plan aims for radio gold on this, their third full-length album. However, the band misses the mark. Next time, rather than taking a step in the hip-hop direction, Simple Plan should find comfort in pop-punk, an altogether more welcoming genre that forgives trite lyrics.