COLLEGIATETIMES
tuesday october 28, 2008 blacksburg, va.
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VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS PASSES AWAY
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT MAILS APPLICATIONS The Virginia Tech Athletics Department has mailed ticket applications to football season ticket holders and Hokie Club members for potential Bowl games and the ACC Championship game on Dec. 1. The athletics department will only fill the ticket orders if Tech will participate in the games. Applications must be returned in person to the ticket office before 5 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2008.
FLU SHOTS OFFERED IN SQUIRES TODAY Intravene will be administering flu shots in Squires Student Center today between the hours of 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. No appointment is needed. In addition to flu shots, the company will also offer meningitis and tetanus vaccines. The injections will be handled on a walk-in basis in Commonwealth Ballroom; flu shots cost $25; meningitis, $110.
sports MEN’S BASKETBALL PICKED SIXTH IN CONFERENCE The Tech men’s basketball team was voted sixth in a pre-season media poll. For the second straight year, the North Carolina Tar Heels were unanimously chosen to finish first. The Heels were followed by Duke, Wake Forest, Miami and Clemson.
ANNABELLE OMBAC/SPPS
Vice president for student affairs Zenobia Hikes speaks at the university’s convocation in the aftermath of the April 16 shootings. Hikes died yesterday of complications from heart surgery.
DAVID GRANT & CALEB FLEMING
ct news staff Zenobia Hikes, vice president for student affairs, died yesterday after complications from cardiac surgery she underwent approximately a week and a half prior at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was 53. Hikes was, “always expressing her deep concerns over students. She always wore that on her sleeve,” said Tom Tillar, vice president for alumni relations. Hikes assumed her position as vice
president in August of 2005. Her role included overseeing 15 different university departments at Virginia Tech, including the Corps of Cadets, career services, housing and dining programs, student health and recreational sports. Hikes was responsible for an annual budget of $82 million and 2,000 employees. Student government president and senior human nutrition, foods and exercise major Emily Mashack said that Hikes managed far more at Tech than her three-year tenure might imply. “With what she has accomplished, it’s incredible that she’s been here for only three years. You would think she
had been here for 10. Any student, administrator or faculty person who knew her, loved her. She was absolutely phenomenal,” Mashack said.
IN MEMORIAL Send your stories, your thoughts and your reflections on Zenobia Hikes to memorial@collegiatetimes.com. We will publish a selection of your input in Wednesday’s edition. Among Hikes’ contributions to the quality of student life was the inauguration of “Hokie Camp,” a week-long
summer program organized by Hikes to teach 300 incoming freshmen about tradition, the spirit of Tech and respect for diversity. Hikes launched “SafeWatch” in 2006, a program designed to promote the implementation of the Virginia Tech Principles of Community into the everyday lives and relationships of students and faculty members. Hikes was a member of the president’s cabinet and represented the university on the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia. She was a member of the university policy group that was responsible for managing the Tech campus during the April
16, 2007 shooting. Hikes organized the university’s convocation on April 17, 2007, in Cassell Coliseum. During the time immediately following the shooting, Hikes was an invaluable member of the university’s inner circle. “She really had to be advisory to all of us on how the students would react and the kind of attention that our students needed during that time and I’m not talking about just the victims, I’m talking about the whole university. She’s been the ultimate professional in student affairs and a lot of that shown through following April 16. She truly
see HIKES, page two
Palin, Gilmore pack Salem stadium on ice-cold night
weather SUNSHINE
MARK UMANSKY/SPPS
high 43, low 31
Members of Tech’s Corp of Cadets march across the Drillfield on Saturday during Pass in Review, held in honor of family day.
corrections Wednesday’s “Sports in Brief” (CT, Oct. 22), should have read that Brandon Dillard is out with a torn Achilles tendon. In “Move over, Prius: Avion pushes 110 mpg” (CT, Oct. 22) Bill Green was incorrectly listed in the caption as an associate professor of industrial systems engineering. He is an associate professor of industrial design. The Collegiate Times regrets these errors.
coming up TOMORROW’S CT Take an inside look at Viginia Tech’s own Smart Road.
See a photo gallery of Sarah Palin’s campaign rally in Salem.
index News.....................2 Features................0pinions................5
Classifieds..............7 Sports....................3 Sudoku..................7
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year issue 97
SALLY BULL/SPPS
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets an energetic crowd on a cold night on the field at Salem Stadium Monday.
Pass in Review gives Corps of Cadets chance to shine PHILIP NICHOLS
ZACH CRIZER & CANDACE SIPOS
ct news staff Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin took the stage last night in Salem. It just wasn’t the stage she originally planned on taking. Palin’s rally was moved from the Salem Civic Center to the much larger Salem Stadium because of the number of estimated attendees. Joking that the weather reminded her of her home state of Alaska, the Republican vice presidential candidate delivered a half hour speech to cap the rally. It was her third campaign event of the day. Bob Goodlatte, Virgil Goode, Jim Gilmore and Jerry Kilgore spoke to the crowd in the beginning, but “Greg the Mechanic,” a small business owner from Blacksburg, introduced Palin. Palin defended the recent campaign tactics she and her presidential running mate Sen. John McCain have been using. “It is not negative campaigning, it is in fairness to you, to the voters, so we’re going to call him out,” Palin said. “Senator Obama, he changes daily on the details, kind of flip-flopping around.” She noted that he has cast 94 votes for higher taxes. Palin said Joe the Plumber got a straightforward explanation of tax policy out of Democratic nominee Barack Obama, and went on to give her own view of it. “Somehow, Joe succeeded where the rest of the media has failed,” Palin said.
“Obama calls this ‘spreading the wealth.’ Joe Biden calls higher taxes patriotic. Joe the Plumber — he said to him it sounded like socialism. Now is not the time to experiment with that.” The crowd interrupted with a chant of “U-S-A.” Palin noticed the enthusiasm. “It doesn’t sound to me like many of you are supporting ‘Barack the Wealthspreader,’” Palin said. “That’s because you understand that his plan ultimately punishes hard work. Our opponent’s plan is just for more, bigger government. That is the problem, not the solution.” Jennifer Watt of Salem said she was undecided a short time ago. She attended an Obama rally, as well as Monday’s Palin rally in order to make up her mind. She said Palin’s support of small businesses helped to win her over. “I really am a big believer in small businesses. I believe that is the cornerstone of who we are,” Watt said. Another major reason she has decided to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket centered on charity giving of Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden. “Joe Biden has given $3,700 to charity over nine years,” Watt said. “My husband and I combined don’t make what he makes in one year, and in one year we doubled that. We don’t even make $120,000 and we gave $7,000 last year.” Attendees were encouraged to wear red to support maintaining Republican control in the state. Virginia has not voted for a Democratic Presidential candidate since Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1964. Republican senate candidate Jim Gilmore told the crowd to keep fighting.
“Don’t let anybody tell you this ballgame is over,” Gilmore said. Palin’s husband, Todd, was introduced as a member of the United Steelworkers, and a group of local members was on hand supporting Palin. This is in spite of the national union’s endorsement of Obama. Local members of the Communication Workers of America campaigned for Obama on a road outside the rally. Chuck Simpson, president of the local CWA chapter, said his union favors Obama. “We are in favor of the labor-friendly candidate who we think will put our country back on the right track,” Simpson said. The group inspired much enthusiasm, even outside of the venue. Cars consistently stopped or honked to give their point of view for both sides. The area was overrun with political activity. Intense support for candidates was apparent inside the stadium also. Dick Johnson, a Roanoke minister, voiced opposition to Obama on the basis of his association with Reverend Jeremiah Wright. “I gave nine years of my life for my country, and I won’t vote for that man,” Johnson said. “If he was a Christian, he would drop that Muslim name.” Those attending the rally braved temperatures that dropped to 44 degrees by the end of the night. Multiple local musicians entertained the crowd prior to Palin’s arrival. One even dedicated a song to the Alaskan governor: Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.” She entered and exited to Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five.”
ct news staff writer Virginia Tech’s Corps of Cadets put on a Pass in Review in honor of parents, family and friends this past Saturday on the Drillfield. “This is a great opportunity for family and friends to see the cadets and the results of all of their hard work,” said Capt. Carrie Cox, “Whether it is the family watching the new freshman or the family seeing the senior in one of their last parades, it is meaningful for all and a wonderful event to include the families of all Virginia Tech students in during Family Day.” The Pass in Review is a longstanding military ceremony that allows the commander to review the troops. The cadets begin by marching down to the Drillfield from the Upper Quad and then complete several movements. These include the entire regiment demonstrating its proficiency in rifle drill by doing the manual of arms, which is a series of rifle moves that it does as a group, following commands from the regimental commander. The Highty Tighties are a big part of the review. They “sound off” which is when during the parade they march the length of the parade field playing to demonstrate their skill. The colors are then brought forward and the National Anthem is played, followed by the firing of skipper, the cannon. The final part of the parade involves the entire regiment
marching by the reviewing officer. The commander of each company will salute and give “eyes right” for his company (this is when each cadet looks 45 degrees to the right.) They hold this position for the entire time they march past the reviewing party. After passing the reviewing party, the companies will continue to march in a rectangle around the parade area and ultimately back up to the Upper Quad where they are dismissed. “Parents are a very important part of the university family,” said President Charles Steger, “The Corps of Cadets have done a great job to start off the year, you should all be proud.” More than 500 parents and visitors surrounded the center part of the Drillfield to watch the pass in review. Many chose to stand on top of War Memorial Chapel, just to get a better view of the proceedings. Commandant of the Cadets Jerrold Allen and University President Charles Steger both spoke at the event. “Freshmen parents, you should be especially proud,” Allen said, “The Corps of Cadets will continue to grow.” Allen also talked about the giving back to the community the Corps of Cadets has done the past few years. Over the past eight years the Corp of Cadets has given more than $172,000 to the National D-Day memorial in Bedford, Va. The Corps members also lead many service projects all around the campus and the surrounding area.
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