COLLEGIATETIMES
friday october 26, 2007 blacksburg, va.
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MUDBOWL MELTDOWN
bulletin board COURSE REQUEST FOR SUMMER SESSIONS TO BE AVAILABLE EARLY After reviewing survey results, Provost Mark McNamee has approved altering the schedule for the 2008 Summer Sessions. The display of 2008 Summer Session course offerings will be available in December and course request for Summer Sessions will be open Dec. 7 to 8, 2008. The survey results revealed that more than 50 percent of Virginia Tech students would prefer to have access to a summer session timetable of classes before winter break. The results also indicated that students and parents would prefer to view the timetable earlier to assist with planning their summers. This change will not impact the dates for Fall 2008 course request, which have already been scheduled.
ROY HIGASHI/SPPS
Matt Wright, Tyrod Taylor, Xavier Adibi and Brett Warren sit on the sidelines after watching their 10-point lead slip away in the final moments of the fourth quarter against Boston College.
news CALIFORNIA FIRES CONTINUE TO BURN SAN DIEGO — The death toll from this week’s fires in Southern California grew to seven Thursday with the discovery of two charred bodies in a home in San Diego County and the remains of four individuals in a migrant camp, authorities said. Thursday brought an unsettling mixture of relief, sorrow and ongoing edginess to the region as neighborhoods reopened, shelters cleared out and people returned to their homes — some destroyed, some mercifully standing. -McClatchy Newspapers
WHITE HOUSE DRAWS CRITICISM WASHINGTON — Sen. Barbara Boxer, the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, blasted the White House on Thursday for severely editing a key government witness’ written testimony on the health effects of global warming. A six-page statement had been cut in half by the White House Office of Management and Budget, removing almost all of the concerns she’d been prepared to raise, including her view that the “CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern.” The excised testimony said that climate change is likely to “to have a significant impact on health” because of heat, extreme weather events, increased air pollution, allergies, diseases and mental health problems. -McClatchy Newspapers
weather HEAVY RAIN high 57, low 48
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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 159
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he No.8 Virginia Tech Hokies, the No. 2 Boston College Eagles and the 66,233 fans in attendance Thursday evening at Lane Stadium were all likely stunned by what transpired during the last four minutes of Tech’s 14-10 loss. “That was special,” said Boston College head coach Jeff Jagodzinski. “I told the kids that things like that will happen to them on special years and I think that’s one of those types of years here …
That was something else—probably the best win I’ve ever been around.” The Hokies, while largely holding the Eagles in check for the first 56 minutes of the game appeared unable to stop them during the final four. “You play until the last play of the game,” Jagodzinski said. “The kids did it. They battled, they didn’t give up. For three-and-a-half quarters we didn’t do very much at all … Everything was
going against (us) until the end.” After a Jud Dunlevy pooch punt on what was set up to be a field goal, the Eagles took the field for what would be their first of two touchdown scoring drives in the games final minutes. “I said, ‘We got a chance, we’ve got a chance here,” Jagodzinski said. “I said, ‘This thing ain’t over until the end — until the last final second.’ There wasn’t one bit of panic, with those kids, especially (Matt Ryan) … Everybody at the end
Intramural Sports forced turn students away KERRY O’CONNOR
ct news reporter Intramural sports are the largest non-exclusive activity Virginia Tech offers to students. With an annual participation rate of 13,000, members of the Tech community join in activities ranging from a T-shirt designing contest to nine-on-nine soccer. This fall, the Intramural Sports League was forced to waitlist 192 teams for intramural flag football alone. “Football is definitely our biggest sport in the fall,” said Kyle Warren, the graduate assistant for intramural sports. “There were other sports that had teams on the waiting list, but none as big as the football list.” Warren explained they were forced to waitlist so many teams not because of budget cuts, but because of the unexpected amount of interest in intramural sports this fall. Lack of time, field space and officials prevented the Intramural Sports League from accepting any more than 240 teams into the flag football league. Last year, a four-team round robin system was set up, but it was switched to a three-team round robin system to encourage students to sign up. Warren said there is really no way to account for the number of teams they expect to sign up. Andrew Whelton, a Ph.D civil engineering student, tried to sign up two teams with the Environment and Water Resources Group for civil engineering undergraduates, graduates and
faculty. Members of this group were only a few out of roughly 1,900 participants waitlisted this fall. “I wish there were more spaces available and we were given the opportunity to participate in intramural sports, because we have done so for many years,” Whelton said. “It’s been a morale booster — people coming together in the civil engineering department.” Intramural sports provide participants with an outlet for exercise, bonding, and involvement in the Tech community. Janet Rankin, a human nutrition sports and exercise professor insists these three things are very important. “I think exercising, for students, is essential ERIC CONNOLLY/SPPS FILE PHOTO for multiple reasons,” Rankin said. “It’s going to improve their health, studies show, reducing heart Dozens of teams have been turned away disease as well as other chronic diseases. It will from intramurals due to lack of resources. help them to not gain weight; many students gain weight away from home. And finally, it is a stress his team was told to attend a two-hour mandatory reduction, people are going to mentally feel better.” meeting where they could potentially take the spot The organization currently has no plans to try of another team that did not show up for the meetand mediate the problem. They encourage students ing. They were not informed of the large amount of to sign up as early as possible because registration is teams waitlisted, however, which would have given them a sense of the miniscule chance of participatbased on a first-come, first-served system. “I signed up 14 minutes after sign-ups began, ing in the league. “The biggest sport in the spring is definitely basand all the spots were filled,” Whelton said. “In my past experience, as long as I signed up in one day, ketball,” Warren said. “It’s hard to say whether we I was OK. I had no concept it would be as quick as will have the same problem.” Teams planning to participate in spring intramu14 minutes.” In addition to being denied the opportunity to rals should anticipate a shortage of spots. Spring participate in the flag football league, Whelton said registration begins Monday, Jan. 13 at 8:00 a.m.
Grablife Givelife campaign kicks off TOUCHED BY THE STORY OF PATRICK DAY’S SPINAL CONDITION, DELTA ZETA SORORITY REACHES OUT TO SUPPORT THE BLACKSBURG HIGH STUDENT AND RAISE MONEY FOR HIS RECOVERY PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter In an online competition between philanthropic organizations, one particular cause stands out from the collections of dance-offs and trivia nights. “Play for Patrick” is dedicated to raising money for Blacksburg High student Patrick Day, who is currently suffering from a debilitating condition. The Grablife Givelife online competition, sponsored by Dodge allows students and university-affiliated organizafrom schools around Day tions the country to nominate their own philanthropic cause. Once the nominations are in, anyone with a valid “.edu” e-mail address can register on the site and vote for their philanthropy of choice online. The first group to reach 20,000 votes will be awarded $20,000 for its specific cause. The “Play for Patrick” campaign is attempting to win the competition and earn the reward to help Blacksburg High School junior Patrick Day with his medical expenses. After suffering a rare spinal stroke on the second day of classes, Day was left paralyzed.
His medical expenses are only getting higher as he continues his stay at the Kluge Rehabilitation Center for Children at the University of Virginia. According to Richelle Holland, junior marketing major and member of Delta Zeta sorority, the organization sponsoring “Play for Patrick,” Day’s insurance will not cover much of his treatment. After being contacted by Blacksburg High School, the Delta Zeta sorority spearheaded this attempt to raise money. Holland had recently started an internship at the marketing company that promotes the Grablife Givelife organization, the host of the online competition. “We decided this would be the perfect way to raise money for him,” said Holland. “It was the best way to get him the money he needs for his medical bills.” Each registered person is allowed to vote once every 24 hours, and “Play for Patrick” is currently in first place in the competition, with 7,237 votes as of Thursday afternoon. Other than the first place prize, there are several opportunities for charity organizations to receive money for their cause. Virginia Tech has 12 nominated causes in the competition in addition to the Play for Patrick cause. After only five days of voting, the Play for Patrick cause had received almost 7,000 votes,
beating the next closest cause by 3,000 votes. According to Holland, it is important to get more people informed about the cause in order to reach the 20,000 vote goal. “At the rate it is going right now, I would say that by sometime next week we could have the 20,000 votes,” said Holland. The support from the university itself has been very high as well, with professors also getting involved. Theater professor Susanna Rinehart has been one to encourage students to get online and support not only this cause but the many other worthy charities competing in Grablife Givelife. “When I first saw it, I thought that it was something that faculty and staff and students could do,” said Rinehart. “We’re relying on the support of the Virginia Tech community to help him out by taking a couple minutes out of their day and voting,” said Blacksburg High School teacher Kim Radford. “His family is going to be forever indebted to those people for helping them get that $20,000.” Blacksburg High School also held a fundraiser this past Saturday, during which they raised $7,000 for Day. Unfortunately, because of the extremely high costs of extended medical care, this will make little more than a dent in Day’s medical expenses. Students can register to vote for Day and any of the other causes represented on Grablife Givelife at the Web site www.grablifegivelife.com.
pulled together and made plays.” Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan began to change the game’s outcome by leading a 92yard scoring drive that took all of nine plays and 2:05 off the clock. The touchdown came when Ryan threw a 16 yard pass to Rich Gunnell. “I think we just made plays,” said Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan who finished
see MELTDOWN, page seven
Makeover planned for College Ave. PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter Blacksburg officials are developing a plan to renovate the College Avenue area in downtown Blacksburg, making it a more pedestrian-friendly, public space. The renovation plans come at a time when many are worried that the addition of big businesses such as Wal-Mart will hurt the small-town atmosphere of the downtown area. “We’re trying to make that College Avenue corridor a more high-quality environment,” said town manager Marc Verniel. “A place where people want to be.” According to Verniel, there are several tentative possibilities for renovation, including widening the sidewalk, changing the paving material of the street, making College Ave. a one-way street and removing the fence separating the sidewalk from Henderson Lawn. “We want to have Henderson Lawn become kind of the town green between the university and the town,” Verniel said. If the change is enacted, the town could close off the street and hold outdoor performances and other special events there, Henderson said. Another possible renovation includes the addition of a traffic circle at the intersection of Main Street and the Alumni Mall with a small clock tower to complete the new town square. College Avenue has already seen some changes in the last year, with the recent addition of Moe’s and the Lofts at the Lyric. However, many of the storefronts that line the street have been longstanding businesses in downtown Blacksburg. “Whenever you increase foot traffic you are going to improve your business,” said Hal Bullock, manager of Pee Wee’s Pit Barbecue. The Lyric, a staple of the College Avenue setting since 1930, is one of the businesses that will likely be directly affected during the eightmonth development period for the potential renovations. The Lyric’s executive director, Susan Mattingly, said that despite these initial issues, she believes the renovations will greatly help the businesses downtown. “In the long run, improving the streetscape will enhance our business,” Mattingly said. “I think it’s a great win for us.” The official plans for the newly renovated district have yet to be agreed upon. Town officials will hold several public meetings in which members of the community can voice what they would like to see done to the area. Funding for the project is expected to come from the town of Blacksburg, the state and Virginia Tech. The College Avenue Promenade was one of the main components of Blacksburg’s Master Plan, developed in August 2001. As stated in the plan, its essential goal was to further cement the connection between the town of Blacksburg and the Tech community while at the same time providing a place that offers resources and activities for citizens.
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