COLLEGIATETIMES
wednesday october 3, 2007 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
sports FOOTBALL TEAM LOSES SAFETY Backup free safety Mario Edwards is no longer a member of the Virginia Tech football team. The redshirt freshman has played in four games thus far this season and recorded one tackle. The Atlanta native, along with head coach Frank Beamer, decided that it was best for him and the team if they split.
Making waves W
hile many clubs and student organizations on campus focus on academics and future job opportunities, there is one that harbors on something fun and aquatic. The Virginia Tech Waterski and Wakeboard Club, which competed in the Collegiate Wakeboarding Eastern Regional Qualifier last weekend in Pennsylvania, placed third and earning a bid to the Collegiate Wakeboarding Finals in San Diego next spring. Now the club free rides all through out the fall, which many say is the best part. There are no try-outs as of now, and membership is offered at any time. “You can join anytime you want to join or you can come out riding for $10 up to two times,” said Jeff Goldblum, president of Tech’s Waterski and Wakeboard club. The club holds practices at
THE VIRGINIA TECH WATERSKI AND WAKEBOARD CLUB ARE NOT THE TYPICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS
news POLL: GIULIANI LEADS THE PACK FOR NOMINATION WASHINGTON — Rudolph Giuliani leads the race for the GOP presidential nomination, with Republican voters describing him as the field’s strongest leader and most electable candidate in the 2008 general election, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. But the Republican contest remains unsettled just three months before the first votes will be cast, and in comparison to fellow New York politician Hillary Rodham Clinton, Giuliani is a far less solid front-runner. He currently has double the support of his nearest rival, but a majority of those who support him do so only “somewhat.” Giuliani topped the Republican field with 34 percent, with Thompson at 17 percent and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) at 12 percent in the new poll. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was in fourth with 11 percent but has continued to make strong showings in polls testing the crucial early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. — The Washington Post
BAND ALLOWS FANS TO PICK PRICE The great riddle facing the record industry in the digital age has been pricing—Napster and its ilk offered up music for “free,” while major labels largely have clung to an average of $13 for CDs despite plummeting sales and seasons of downsizing. Radiohead is answering that marketplace riddle with a shrug: “It’s up to you,” reads a message on the Web page where fans can pre-order the band’s seventh album and pay whatever they choose, including nothing. The British band will sidestep the conventional industry machinery Oct. 10 by releasing “In Rainbows” as a digital download with no set price. —Los Angeles Times
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index
News.....................2 Features................3 0pinions................5
Sports....................6 Classifieds.............. Sudoku..................7
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 146
see CLUB, page two
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VIRGINIA TECH WATERSKI AND WAKEBOARD CLUB
Brian Benjamin, a member of the Waterski and WakeboardClub, completes a double back roll at a practice earlier this semester.
Fireworks and ring premiere, Tech tradition
Men often victims of sexual assault ASHLEY OLIVER
ct news reporter In a May 2007 study, the Centers for Disease Control found that more than 800,000 males in the United States are raped or physically assaulted by their female partners every year. The National Coalition of Free Men (NCFM) is expressing concern during domestic violence awareness month this October that this study has been unfairly ignored because of the media’s gender stereotyping. The organization looks at the way sex discrimination affects both boys and men and focuses on a number of different issues, including male victims of domestic violence. “The media has been misframing domestic violence for too long and there is just not enough awareness about male victims,” said Marc Angelucci, President of the Los Angeles chapter of NCFM. “The media tends to use unreliable crime data and ignore sociological data which is much more accurate.”
“The media has been misframing domestic violence for too long and there is just not enough awareness about male victims. The media tends to use unreliable crime data and ignore sociological data which is much more accurate.” - MARC ANGELUCCI NATIONAL COALITION OF FREE MEN Because the media has been accused of distorting the general publics’ view of domestic violence, the NCFM is worried that men won’t come forward when they are the victims of violence by their intimate partner. “We need to educate the public that male victims are not alone and are not wimps, and that they need to seek help and report it,” Angelucci said. “They are in more danger than they think.”
see ASSAULT, page two
KERRY O’CONNOR
ct staff writer For a lot of students living on campus, the fireworks show last night came as a surprise. However, the fireworks display is actually a time-honored tradition that followed the premiere of the class of 2009’s ring. The ring premiere gave the class of 2009 a reason to come together as a class to remember the past two years, and look forward to the next two. Virginia Tech’s annual class ring sale is nationally outsold only by Texas A&M and Notre Dame. “We’d like every Tech student to want to get a ring,” said Laura Wedin, Alumni Student Program coordinator and class of 2009 Advisor. “I think (April 16) really made a lot of 2007 graduates say ‘I want that ring’. It’s a little portable piece of Virginia Tech to keep with you.” The 2009 Ring Premiere began at 7 p.m. last night, when students were invited to attend a presentation and revealing ceremony in Burruss Hall. Participants were ushered into Burruss auditorium by formally attired members of the Class of 2009 Committee. Once inside the auditorium, a Class of 2009 picture montage was played to up-beat classics such as “Forever Young” and “Life is a Highway.” At the door, students were given a program containing a door-prize number where they could win ring certificates and other prizes. Suddenly, the auditorium turned dark and the Highty-Tighties marched down the aisles playing
Armed student arrested on St. John’s campus PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter
ROY HIGASHI/SPPS
The 2009 class ring was unveiled last night in Burruss Hall, followed by fireworks on the Drillfield. Tech Triumph to an auditorium filled with excited students clapping and singing along. Following the band, the Class of 2009 Officers and member of the ring design committee were escorted and introduced on stage. Videos and presentations were interspersed with random prize giveaways. Most of the videos starred sentimental Tech grads expressing the importance of their class ring. “I liked hearing from all the old alumni and hearing all their stories,” said Cassie Sheehan, a junior psychology and communications major. One amusing video depicted a scenario where different characters tried to steal the class ring being
safe-guarded in the Tech lunch pail. In the tradition of the Trix rabbit, these “criminals” never succeed in capturing the ring thanks to an alarm system alerting football players who protected the ring. Presentation highlights included various alumni and student speakers, as well as the announcement of the Spring Ring Dance theme, which will be Mediterranean Voyage: A First Class Affair. Finally, the ring designs were premiered by the Hokie Bird amidst cheers and a shower of confetti. The video introducing the ring depicted confetti morphing into the ring design. The video explained that ring design includes images of Lane Stadium, the Hokie Bird, col-
lege names and mottos, and other Tech-isms. In addition, students can also choose to have the motto “We Will Prevail” and the Tech ribbon etched onto their ring. “It was done well,” said Brian Whitesell, a junior communications major. “At first I wasn’t going to go, but it was quick, short, and to the point. Also you got to see the ring, which is amazing, it looks great this year.” After the ceremony, students streamed down the Burruss Hall steps onto the Drillfield to watch the annual fireworks display. Ring sales began immediately following the ceremony, and will be conducted in the Squires Williamsburg room over the course of the next month.
A masked college student carrying a rifle in a black trash bag was arrested last Wednesday at St. John’s University. The situation occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. after students had reported the existence of a suspicious person to the University’s Public Safety Office. The individual was quickly apprehended, in part due to the changes in campus security in response to Tech’s April 16 shootings. In September, St. John’s put into effect its “Text Messaging System” which was established to alert the campus of emergencies. Upon beginning this program, the university stated, “in light of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, St. John’s revisited its procedures and determined that alerting our campus community to an emergency situation as soon as possible is of utmost importance.” Omesh Hiraman, 22, was arraigned on Friday on weapons possession charges. After purchasing the $180 rifle legally in upstate New York, Hiraman allegedly returned to New York City and failed to obtain a possession permit. If convicted of those crimes he could face up to a year in jail. It is unknown why Hiraman allegedly brought the weapon to the Queens, New York
see ST. JOHN’S, page two
Harvard offers free tuition for low income students ANDREA WOODS
ct news reporter Harvard College has announced that families whose income is under $60,000 would be receiving a free education for this school year. On top of that, Harvard will reduce expected contributions for those families who make less than $80,000 a year. Marlyn McGrath, director of admission for Harvard, said that families who make under $60,000 a year will be expected to “contribute nothing as a family.” In 2004, Harvard began a financial aid initiative for low-income and middle-income families. At first, Harvard provided a cost-free education to those families who made under $40,000 a year. The current change was made to $60,000 in part to attract new, qualified students. According to the Harvard Gazette, the reason for raising the income threshold for the financial aid initiative is to meet the needs of families who are trying to balance raised living
expenses and the costs of higher education. When asked if he thought if the change in Harvard financial aid program was a good idea, Virginia Tech adjunct professor of political science, Jong O. Ra said, “No doubt.” There is a university close to Tech providing a similar payment plan. Perhaps one of the most well known, highly acclaimed financial aid programs available is the University of Virginia’s Access UVa, developed in the fall of 2005. Access UVa is designed to limit undergraduate student debt and to keep the cost of higher education affordable for all students,” said Carol Wood, UVa’s spokesperson. The Access UVa program involves four key components. First, UVa provides financial aid that provides 100 percent of needs for undergraduates. Second, they eliminate loans for low-income students whose family income is at 200 percent or less than
Harvard University policy Students whose family incomes are lower than $60,000 receive free tuition
Students whose family incomes are lower than $80,000 receive tuition assistance.
Virginia Tech policy Use the “Funds for Students from the Future Program.” families earning between $30,000 The program and $75,000 protects certain receive support groups of lowincome undergradu- proportional to their income ates from tuition and fees increases.
University of Virginia policy Provides financial aid to 100 percent of its students. Eliminates loans for low-income students whose family incomes are lower than 200 percent or less than federal poverty level; they also receive free tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Offers a financial literacy and debt management program for students and parents. Offers a “middle income gap” that puts a cap on need-based loans for all students at 25 percent of anticipated four year cost of attendance.
see TUITION, page two
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