COLLEGIATETIMES
thursday january 29, 2009 blacksburg, va.
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news ZHU MET WITH COOK COUNSELING Haiyang Zhu, the man accused of killing a Virginia Tech student last week in the Au Bon Pain cafe of the Graduate Life Center, received treatment from Cook Counseling Center sometime after arriving at school in August, according to a report by the Roanoke Times. The Times reported that a search warrant affidavit revealed officers found business cards and a resource packet of psychological brochures from Cook during a search of Zhu’s apartment. Tech officials had originally stated that Zhu had no prior contact with police and that his mental health was not in question.
sports
Tech opens $500,000 in emergency financial aid SARA MITCHELL
ct university editor Virginia Tech’s office of financial aid has created a $500,000 emergency fund for students whose families undergo financially crippling situations. According to university spokesman Larry Hincker, President Charles Steger began to formulate the concept of the fund, called Horizons Programs, within the past month. “The economy is pretty tough for
a lot of families who are going to be in tough positions,” Hincker said. Steger “just wanted to assure that there was some help out there” from the university. Only undergraduate students who are dependents are eligible for aid from the emergency pool, which Hincker said is derived from unallocated university funds. According to Barry Simmons, director of scholarships and aid, the budget office will make the final decisions as to the specific source of funds. The budget office was not avail-
able to comment. There aren’t concrete guidelines for what qualifies as a significant family financial change, but generally if one or both parents of a student lose their job, or the student loses his job, he should be eligible. To apply, students must have filled out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. After filling out the FAFSA, the student then needs to fill out a Financial Aid Income Reconsideration Appeal, which can be found on Tech’s financial aid Web site.
The emergency fund is the only one of its kind among Virginia universities, and to Hincker’s knowledge, the only one in the nation. There are no concrete details about the interest rates or loan options, but the university plans to be as generous and flexible as possible, Hincker said. Simmons said that money should be available to eligible students within weeks, and that this availability will be accelerated for students this Monday who were unable to pay tuition for the spring semester,
ct news staff
TECH WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GETS FIRST ACC WIN
PARTLY CLOUDY high 41, low 26
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coming up TOMORROW’S CT See how the result of tonight’s match-up against Clemson impacts the men’s basketball team’s future hopes and NCAA bid.
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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year • issue 1
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MICHAEL SAGE
The Tech women’s tennis team began its dual season Wednesday afternoon with a 7-0 home victory over Elon. Four Hokie freshmen — Shannon Betts, Martha Blakely, Courtney Rauscher and Katie Blow — notched singles wins. In addition, Tech went unblemished in three doubles matches.
tomorrow’s weather
ON THE WEB
Town Council approves Black house revamp
Robotic snakes slither toward safer future
WOMEN’S TENNIS VICTORIOUS
Holding the Clemson Tigers scoreless over the final 2:24, the Tech women’s basketball team won its first conference game of the season, 65-61, on Wednesday night. Shanel Harrison’s lay-up with less than two minutes remaining gave the Hokies a lead they wouldn’t surrender. Utahya Drye led the team with 17 points, one of four Tech players who posted double figures.
as long as they have the FAFSA and FAIRA finished. “A half million dollars is only going to go so far but that’s where we’re starting with,” Hincker said. The financial aid office is now taking applications.
STAFF/SPPS
Gabriel Goldman, left, MS/PhD candidate in mechanical engineering; Rob Nguyen, center, MS candidate in mechanical engineering and Dennis W. Hong, right, director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory, pose with their creeping creation.
TRIO OF ROBOTIC SNAKES WILL MAKE CONSTRUCTION A SAFER ENDEAVOR RYAN TRAPP
ct news staff writer A student-led design team facilitated by Virginia Tech’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory Director Dennis Hong has created a lifesaving robotic invention that has thrust the university into the forefront of robotics research and education. Students Gabriel Goldman and Nick Thayer developed a trio of serpentine robots that can be used to climb support beams or poles on a construction site. The robots can then inspect scaffoldings, inspect the beams themselves, or accomplish other tasks that would otherwise put humans in harm’s way. “Each year approximately 1,200 people die in construction-related accidents in the U.S. alone,” said Thomas Mills, an associate professor of building construction at Tech. “That’s about four or five people every day.” The research and development of these robots has been going on for two years. “I wanted to use my senior design project to put people out of harm’s way,” Goldman said. “I brought the idea to Professor Hong, and we were able to figure out a way to use his serpentine application in construction safety.” The robots operate as a series of joints that can move freely and wrap around various objects as they swivel up and down, creating
a snake-like motion. The use of this kind of technology in the world of construction has been a revolutionary experience for the world of robotics. “There really is no construction equipment used for climbing structures effectively,” Hong said. “There are some mechanisms that can climb using tracks, but they are unable to adapt to any kinds of obstacles. This robot can change course, adapt to impediments, or even branch off onto other beams.” The team designed a total of three robots: the HyDRAS and the HyDRAS II, which operate on electric motors, and the CIRCA, which operates with the use of a compressed air muscle. “The uses for these robots are very diverse and provide cost-efficiency as well as safety,” Thayer said. “For example, you could pay a diver $80,000 a year to inspect the support beams under a bridge, or you could manufacture the CIRCA for around $1,000 and also take the injury risk out of the equation.” The trio of robots has seen a great deal of success internationally. The robots have garnered awards at the 2008 International Capstone Design Fair in South Korea, 2008 ASME Student Safety Engineering Design Competition, and were granted the CAGI Innovation Award by the Compressed Air and Gas Institute. “These robots have given Virginia Tech and
our department a lot of publicity,” Goldman said. “It brings Tech to the grand stage in the robotics industry and may even help attract future students to our university.” Those future students may have the opportunity to expand upon these machines too. Hong and his team are not looking to stop the development of these machines, but rather are beginning to look into the next generation of these robots. “Think of a robotic-type tube the size of a piece of licorice,” Hong said. “Something small that moves in a continuous manner through Whole Skin Locomotion (WSL) and needs no mechanical parts. We’re developing a robot like this that can be put to a variety of uses, even medical ones.” The HyDRAS and CIRCA programs are only two of several projects that Hong has seen success in. Hong led a team of students to a third-place finish in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, and he also headed the only team from the United States ever to qualify for the RoboCup competition. The success Hong and the university’s robotics have seen in these international competitions has established Virginia Tech as a leader in the robotics education field. “The advancements we’ve seen in robotics are incredible,” Mills said. “We’re still in the infancy stages of robotics development, but any chance we get to replace humans in dangerous situations is a huge step forward.”
The Blacksburg Town Council voted unanimously in favor of adopting the Capital Improvement Program at Tuesday night’s meeting. Resolution 1-H-09 aims to provide nearly $5 million in town improvements through the fiscal year of 2014 and was approved by all six council members in attendance. The story of the night, though, was clearly the CIP’s investment in the renovation of the Black house, possibly indicating that one of Blacksburg’s sacred monuments is still valued by the town’s residents and leaders. Renovation of the Alexander Black house in the historic district is slated to require $2.5 million of the project’s total general fund, which stands at $4,899,687. The Victorian Black house was built by Samuel Black, a direct descendant of the family who established the village of Blacksburg in 1798. The house provides strong sentimental and historic value for locals and visitors alike. The house was relocated from Main Street to its current location on Draper Road as a result of a 2002 council decision to allow for development of the Kent Square complex. The town purchased the Black house one month after that decision. The proposed $2.5 million investment in the house’s renovation will require multiple funding sources. “We have committed $1 million in general funds to the Alexander Black house,” said Mayor Ron Rordam. “In addition, we will have to raise another $1.5 million either through tax credits or from outside.” Council Member Susan Anderson added that “outside” funding could be provided with the issuance of bonds. “For example, you want to maintain a bond rating of no less than ‘A3’ from Moody’s Investors,” Anderson said. “If we take on too much debt, our bond rating goes down and that obviously makes it more difficult to be issued bond money.” Perhaps helping to alleviate that debt possibility will be the infrastructural town improvements included in the CIP. The plan provides $119,000 for parks and recreation improvements (half of which will be devoted to a swimming facility), $400,000 between street and sidewalk improvements, $75,000 in support of the Police Department, and $250,000 in support of Market Square Park and the Farmer’s Market. In addition, $1 million will be used for public works improvements, including a $400,000 municipal building renovation. The Consent Agenda included several smaller measures and authorized Rordam to accept a Greenway easement from Obenshain Oaknoll Farm, which is owned by Beth Obenshain. “This easement would allow one to bike or walk all the way from the shopping mall to the (Jefferson) National Forest,” Council Member Don Langrehr said. Town Attorney Larry Spencer said that the easement would be a “significant portion of the trail and thus would be a big step forward in the extension process.” Langrehr added that Parks and Recreation Director Dean Crane had been working on the Huckleberry Trail project for nearly two years.
Tech works with ASL to build law program KELSEY HEITER
ct staff writer Virginia Tech is joining forces with the Appalachian School of Law to create a graduate program in natural resources law that will provide classes to graduate students on both campuses via teleconference. The project began when ASL came to Tech looking for a way to connect its students to different programs offered through the College of Natural Resources. Dean Wes Shinn, the chief operating officer of ASL, had approached Tech seeking a solution. “The students came to us looking for a program like this to be something that they could have access to on campus,” Shinn said. “Our goal is to develop the program over the next four to five years, and we hope to eventually start a multi-level marketing master’s of law program at ASL.” The program will operate by using 25 percent of the Booth Center, a teleconference-capable space owned by the community college in Grundy, Va. This, however, will not be the only area of access to the new graduate program. “We own a building about a block away from campus that we hope to convert to the new
graduate center for natural resources,” Shinn said. “It is a three-story building with classrooms and seminar rooms, which would work very well for the new program.” ASL’s decision to partner with Tech originated from the fact that Tech’s Northern Virginia campus currently offers a Natural Resources Law master’s program.
“Our goal is to develop the program over the next four to five years, and we hope to eventually start a multi-level marking master’s of law program at ASL.” - WES SHINN DEAN, APPALACHIAN SCHOOL OF LAW The campus is already underway with the new program, offering two classes in natural resources this semester with approximately 80 students enrolled. While ASL is also offering a three-credit course this semester, the Blacksburg campus will begin its classes this coming fall, offering three, three-credit courses in natural law from Tech and one from ASL.
Students will earn a total of 12 hours through the program, receiving a joint degree from Tech and ASL. In order to receive a master’s degree, students must complete a written thesis and a total of 35 credit hours, a mere 23-hour addition to the undergraduate degree. Professor Stewart Harris, associate professor of law at ASL, has high hopes for the new program. “We only have a few students in the course we are offering this semester, but we hope over time that we will continue to see more students become interested in the program and that it will be a major part of our focus on natural resources law,” Harris said. ASL’s new program aims to prepare graduate students to deal with natural resource issues in the future economy. Upon completion of a master’s degree, students will be able to find employment with energy companies that deal with coal, oil and gas, or they will be able to do hands-on work in a renewable energy field. Harris feels that this is becoming an increasingly important area of employment as people are unsure about the future of these renewable resources. “This is a huge, new area of development in
our economy, and there are few lawyers out there that know how to deal with the issues that are facing us today,” Harris said. Bob Bush, associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Natural Resources, also believes that natural resources are going to be a big issue in the future. “Subjects like water rights are going to become far more important,” Bush said. “We will need professionals who have a background in law to be able to work through the issues on global climate change.” Students who enroll in the new graduate program will have an opportunity to excel in this area, learning how the integration of natural resources and law will play an important role in the upcoming years in this economy. Michael Mortimer, director of the Master of Natural Resources program in Northern Virginia, agrees that this program will help merge two important subjects. “Students should earn a graduate degree in natural resources law so then they will be prepared to get jobs with natural resources management companies and any legal aspects that go on in non-governmental organizations,” Mortimer said.
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2 features
editor: bethany buchanan email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., f 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
january 29, 2009
DIY: Turn that old-fashioned maxi Lecture tonight to discuss dress into cute, modern jumper CREATE A ONE-OF-A-KIND COZY, YET SOPHISTICATED JUMPER PERFECT FOR LAYERING ON BITTER JANUARY DAYS. MARYANNE CARTER features staff writer
JONATHAN YI
A
s temperatures plummet below freezing, I find myself abashedly yearning for the days where shapeless, sack-like maxi dresses dominated the fashion scene, allowing women everywhere to escape from the cold in a tent-like confection that ensured the warmth and practicality of a
sleeping bag. Unfortunately, since the demise of Laura Ingles Wilder and Laura Partridge, such garments have been purged from any respectable wardrobe and left to collect dust in thrift stores everywhere. While the maxi dress may no longer grace the cover of “Vogue,” give it an update and turn it into a more modern jumper.
Editor’s note: Look for this column in every Wednesday edition of the CT
WANT TO GIVE THIS A TRY? THEN YOU’LL NEED...
^^STEP ONE: Take a trip to the thrift store, raid your grandmother’s closet or dig through your old Halloween costumes to find a sleeved maxi dress. I chose one with an offbeat turtleneck, but almost any neckline will do — the flexibility of clothing reconstruction is what makes it unique and fun.
MATERIALS: -One sleeved maxi dress -Sewing pins -Needle and thread or sewing machine -Scissors TIME: About one hour COST: $3 to $5, depending on the price of the dress
^^STEP TWO: Place the dress on a flat surface and cut off the sleeves to create a sleeveless dress. You should leave about an inch of extra fabric from where you want the seams to be to allow enough room to fold and hem these.
^^STEP THREE: Cut off the bottom of ^^STEP FOUR: Fold under the raw ^^STEP FIVE: Using either a sewing the dress just below the knee. Again, edges you just cut to desired length and machine or needle and thread, hem leave about an inch of extra fabric to pin in place. along the line of pins to complete the hem. transformation from dowdy maxi dress to hip jumper. Style Tip: Pair the dress with opaque tights or leggings, a basic long-sleeved shirt and boots for warmth. Alternatively, on warmer days it can be paired with a basic tank and flats.
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ct features reporter Professor Patricia Aufderheide, one of American University’s Scholar-Teachers, is a critic and scholar of communications policy issues in the public interest and independent media with a focus on documentary film. Her work on fair use in documentary films has changed industry practices today. She founded the Center for Social Media in 2001, which showcases media for democracy, civil society and social justice. Professor Aufderheide AUFDERHEIDE was asked by Professor of Communication Stephen Prince to come speak at Virginia Tech. She will be presenting “Copyright Meets Remixers: How and why copyright law and policy are adapting to changing video culture’ tonight at 7: 30 p.m. in Torgersen 2150.
CT: The American University’s Center of Social Media investigates and sets standards for socially engaged m e d i a Q&A making, especially the new front of video culture. Is this research that has always been significant? PA: This is the most exciting research I’ve ever done. It’s about the next phase of culture and how people are going to shape it. We’re basically returning to an earlier era of creativity, collaboration and sharing. Until recently, copying has become plagiarism, and there’s this new notion that anything that isn’t new is original. These new remixes and mash-ups we’re seeing are available due to digital capacity, and we are simply demonstrating vitality and collaboration. In this lecture I will explain the copyright law, fair use, and the need for people to build on existing culture to create new ones. CT: Where does your policy work mostly lie? PA: My policy work deals with copyrights – how people can legally copyright material without getting in trouble. I care because the future of culture is in remixes and mash-ups. If we do not have a clear understanding of this concept, our freedom of expression becomes limited. CT: So obviously we’re seeing a lot of these limitations brewing on the corporate front. PA: Well, large media corporations are the primary opponents of the idea of fair use. Fair use is the right, in some circumstances, to quote copyrighted material without asking permission or paying for it. Fair use enables the creation of new culture and keeps current copyright holders from being private censors. These corporations, like Disney and NBC Universal, are opposed to this idea because they own most of their content, although most of it is made of mash-ups itself. For example, take Snow White as a mash-up of another form—originally collected by the Brothers Grimm and German folklore and then distributed and collaborated by Disney. The notion
that Snow White should be the last time someone mashes up a story is an idea that came in with a business model based off controlling the actual copy. If someone took a South Park episode to make a mash-up, that is a legal example of fair use.
PATRICIA AUFDERHEIDE WHEN: Tonight at 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Torgersen 2150 TOPIC: “Copyright Meets Remixers: How and why copyright law and policy are adapting to changing video culture” FOR MORE INFORMATION: Check the Center for Social Media’s website at http://www.centerforsoci almedia.org
CT: I’ve definitely seen this concept transfer over to the music industry. Where does fair use begin and end there? PA: If it contributes more to society than it harms the original owner, are you stepping on that person’s market? Or have you put that material to new use? Look at The Rolling Stone’s “Satisfaction.” Whenever people see it on a website or used in a video it’s probably not fair use as some would see it as stealing. But let’s say you make a video of someone covering the song or (you) play it in Rock Band; it’s not the original recording. CT: So as long as it’s not the original recording? PA: That’s not the issue. Today’s cover of “Satisfaction” is way different than the original. If you use a section of the song and juxtapose it to a video with political references, to perhaps infer a frustrated politician it would be fair use because it’s not being used for its original purpose and not affecting the original market. You see it in media every day. However, the news that you have available has not spread as widely due to the fact that corporations want to get across that point that it’s their copyrighted content and that people should pay for it. These companies have convinced people that any use of their material has been stealing, and it’s not true. It’s perfectly fair use. CT: Through the Internet, casual communication, personal stories and opinion, homegrown news and amateur cultural works can be made easily available to large audiences. How do you feel (about) having personal culture entering the area of public culture changes the way people communicate themselves? Is it better this way? PA: I think it is exhilarating and a wonderful time. During the Obama campaign, everyone used social networking to include themselves with the political process. However, I think that the part where people share private information is a shortlived phenomenon. We are going to see both better ways corporations harvest people and use it. Then see people protect themselves from the corporate grip. CT: You really believe that companies would take advantage of these people? PA: I believe every corporate marketer is figuring out how to social-
market more effectively. The naïve belief of sharing personal information with the world won’t last very long. It leaves people too vulnerable in the long run. Marketers are moving faster than anyone else to take advantage of social networking to create communities.
CT: Okay, so I have to bring up YouTube. It is reported in 2007 YouTube consumed as much bandwidth as the entire Internet in 2000. In March 2008, YouTube’s bandwidth costs were estimated at approximately $1 million a day. Isn’t this a nightmare for policy and copyright lawmakers? Having to adapt to this exponential growth in video sharing? PA: That’s why I’m so interested in the fair use aspect. Fair use is absolutely critical in understanding how YouTube will grow, because presently, large corporations are telling Google that they need better control over what people post. YouTube has been criticized frequently for failing to ensure that its online content adheres to the law of copyright. One of the ways that Google and other video sites are dealing with the challenge is having automated searches for copyrighted footage. It says that YouTube has taken down your work, and if it’s wrong, then let them know. People’s rights have become limited. CT: We all see those YouTube videos being taken down. Organizations like Viacom are issuing lawsuits against Google under the terms of the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). Are the lines drawn down as clearly as they used to be? We can’t be labeled criminals because of this. PA: People make new material out of existing material; that’s what people do. It’s very evident that it’s digital copying, but it doesn’t make it wrong or legal. Clearly Viacom, Disney, and other copyright holders speak out because their business models are in the toilet. They can no longer base their business models by owning the original copies. They do not have the right to tell us we’re criminals by reusing their material. CT: We’re not seeing these corporations loosening their grip on their own material. Do access control technologies like digital rights management (DRM) have us by the nose? PA: DRM is dying, but the problem is that legally the DMCA criminalizes any breaking of encryption, even if you have legal reason to do it. You can’t claim fair use since the DMCA overrides it. Copyright holders say it won’t be a problem because they just want to watch it, not reuse; legislators thought they were doing the right thing. CT: Regardless of legislature, do you see video culture expanding in 15 to 20 years? PA: People are consistently storming in the DMCA asking for exceptions… Enough people claim they can’t do their work and create new outlets for culture if companies are pushing to criminalize this legal behavior. I think what YouTube is showing us is that there is not going be a distinction between culture and video culture. We will see a merging of all these forms. I don’t know if we’ll call it video anymore.
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opinions 3
editor: laurel colella, david mcilroy email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
january 29, 2009
EDITORIAL
Bill would allow for greater student registration turnout Local house of delegates member Jim Shuler is attempting to clear up the controversy surrounding voter registration that occurred on campus last fall, as a record number of students registered to vote in preparation for the Nov. 4 presidential elections. The dispute arose when students began registering to vote in Blacksburg, citing their local addresses as their permanent addresses., a move that generated controversy when local registrars raised questions of the legality of the move. House Bill 1630 redefines voter registration residence requirements for students. The bill, “Provides that a person who has established a physical presence and a place of abode in Virginia and who is enrolled as a full-time student in a degree or certificate program at an accredited public or private institution of higher education physically located in the Commonwealth shall be presumed to have established a domicile at that place of abode.” This bill goes on to declare does not affect whether or not a student is eligible to receive in-state tuition. This bill makes total sense in that it defines a standard in the state of Virginia. If individual
registrars have a problem with it, they can take it up with their individual constituencies, but at least now the controversy surrounding student eligibility to register in the town at which they attend school, is cleared up. Making it easier for students to register while away at college will encourage more students to do so. If this bill is passed, it will not solve all the problems surrounding getting young people to vote, however. It’s one thing for students to register to vote, but another to actually follow through with doing so. The location of polling stations matters just as much (if not more) as being able to register to vote at one’s campus address. If the location is far away, students will not go vote. While a variety of local groups did a great job of making up for sub-par polling locations last November, college-towns across the state of Virginia need to evaluate where polling locations are to encourage more younger students to go out and vote. The editorial board is composed of David Grant, Laurel Colella and David Harries.
Smoking regulations would best serve Tech community CHAD VAN ALSTIN regular columnist My lungs were assaulted yesterday by a terrible puff of secondhand smoke. The assailant was a white male about twenty years of age. He was last seen wearing a maroon VT T-shirt. If you see this man, please do not make any attempt to apprehend him yourself; he clearly has no consideration for the health of others. Although he appears to be very polite — don’t be fooled! Anyone who smokes cannot possibly be a good person. If they were good people, wouldn’t they just stop forcing us all to breathe in cancer? I am writing today in hopes that the Virginia Tech students and administrative staff will act with haste in safekeeping the lungs and freedoms of the non-smoking Virginia Tech community. I know that there are a lot of smokers here at Tech. However, as with all free and democratic societies, the majority is allowed to actively oppress the minority. Because we non-smokers outnumber the smoking community, we have the duty to decide what the smokers can and cannot do. While at home in the great state of New York over winter break, I had the privilege of visiting some of New York’s best college campuses. Many of these places have completely banned smoking altogether. In fact, smokers are only allowed to smoke in their cars or in hidden areas where the eyes of the people with the ticket books cannot spot them. Although this certainly should be the end goal here at Tech, I think our first step in oppressing the smoking community should be one that is far easier to spin with a happy face. My proposal is this: create designated smoking areas.
The topic of designated smoking areas is one that has come up at Virginia Tech more than once. I think it’s time we bring the topic back into regulatory focus. It’s the perfect middle ground: A designated smoking area would assure a non-smoker of his or her right to healthy lungs, but it also grants smokers the privilege to continue their unsophisticated habit. I understand that the smokers pay the same taxes and tuition as everyone else here at Tech. Therefore, we cannot alienate them completely, as we do surely need their money. That is why my flawless plan of smoker oppression also carries with it some revenue creation. As with any new regulatory measure, the purpose is always to control people and make money. You don’t actually believe that smoking regulations are because bureaucrats care about people’s health, do you? Imagine if you will a team of the finest men and women — a task force — whose primary purpose is to pass out arbitrary fines to any smoker who refuses to go to the areas assigned to them. We can take this a step further and levy an air pollution tax on every smoker. The sky is the limit to how much money we can pull from these people. I imagine we can charge them $100 per violation if we want. If they refuse to pay, the school can then place holds on their accounts and freeze their class registration process. In a free nation, it’s perfectly ethical to use fines and punishment as a tool to force people to do what it is we want them to do. The smoking community is gutless and refuses to fight back as their privileges are slowly taken away by the democratic process. Therefore, I propose we take this even a step further: a wall around the smoking areas.
Imagine a wall that will keep all that second hand smoke from polluting the open skies of Virginia Tech. Also, a wall would assure that any children who walk by are shielded from having to watch people smoke — there will be “no monkey see, monkey do” at Virginia Tech. Well, I admit that my wall idea is perhaps a little too much. However, I still strongly believe in the idea of designated smoking areas. I understand the apprehension some people have of sending smokers to a specific area. However, it’s not as if we’re sending people of various ethnic or religious backgrounds to specific areas. America has made that mistake once before in our dark past, but we‘ve since evolved to understand how unethical our actions were. When it comes to people who make the life choice to smoke, it’s perfectly OK if we isolate and segregate them from the rest of the community. After all, they pose a danger to our healthy way of life. I speak for the entire anti-smoking crowd when I say that we do not hate smokers. We also firmly believe in a freedom of choice. Please understand that I strongly believe that every smoker has a right to choose to smoke if he or she wishes. That being said, I just feel that smokers need to jump through any and all hoops the nonsmoking community places in front of them. If they really wish to continue to smoke, then they should be willing to pay an extra tax and smoke where we tell them. All of this means more money for us non-smokers to spend in bureaucracies as we see fit. Oh, and it makes everyone more healthy to breathe clean air. Smoking regulations are better for everyone; which is why no regulation should ever be viewed as a joke.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR April 16 should be university day of rememberance I would like to respond to the article “Class will be in session on April 16, 2009” (CT, Jan. 26). First, I would like to address the comments made by university spokesman Mark Owczarski. His argument for not canceling classes is that the academic calendar is set five years in advance, so making changes is difficult. As this article points out, in spring 2008 those changes were made, and I don’t believe it took a major effort to do so. The fact of the matter is that the spring 2008 schedule was made even earlier than the spring 2009 schedule, and if the university really wanted to set aside a day of remembrance, it could be done. It is clear the university administration wants to do whatever they can to try to pretend the events of April 16 never happened. At the commencement exercises in spring 2007, I stood to cheer and applaud President Steger for how much he appeared to be doing to help the Hokie community through this tragedy. As more details have emerged, and I have read the independent panel report (which new details have shown was even biased in favor of the university) and heard from several families of the victims since the tragedy, I am ashamed of Virginia Tech’s response. The families and friends of the victims had to fight the university to get a small ribbon to reappear on the university homepage. As much information as could legally be hidden has remained hidden. Communication channels have only marginally improved — it still takes over 45 minutes to an hour to warn anyone in the event of an incident, and even then a good set of instructions and information are not present. I dare anyone reading this letter to closely examine the Tech panel report and not conclude that Cho was dangerous for years and yet was allowed to remain on our campus each semester. Yet not so much as a simple apology for any failure of judgment has ever been issued from the university. As a university community, we have been through a lot in the last two years, not the least of which was a murder one week ago in the Graduate Life Center. The university administration has gone through a phase of wishing to remember April 16 at every opportunity to a time when forgetting might be the easiest approach. If you were at Tech during the 2007-2008 school year, you will recall a year filled with dedications, ceremonies, a commemorative baseball game, a concert, banners and ribbons everywhere you looked. Our athletics program, which once
sewed orange ribbon patches on every team uniform and adorned playing surfaces with appropriate tributes, has put away every memento. For a while, it was impossible to turn on a Tech sports game on television without a reminder from the media of the violence that struck our campus on April 16, 2007. Our university has packed up box after box of cards, banners and letters of condolence. Practically all that physically remains are doors without handles and 32 stones, dimly lit at night because proper lighting was never installed for them, next to the visitor parking spaces where President Steger parks his Mercedes every day. Even the pamphlet boxes at the memorial are empty so visitors can’t get information on the memorial. How can we go from a university so desperate to remember to a university so in need of forgetting? It’s not a matter of remembering the violence. It’s not a matter of coming together for a massive pity party. It’s not a matter of protesting a failed administration. It’s a matter of celebrating life. We take for granted our safety. We students, most of whom are in our late teens and early twenties, think we have a long time on this earth. April 16 should be a day to remember that a long life is not promised. It is a day to realize that we are promised today, and if thousands of other todays happen to follow it, then excellent, but if not, we know we need to live today in the best way we possibly can. Look no further than the events of last Wednesday night to see why we need this day of celebration of life. Ricky Castles Ph.D. Candidate Electrical and Computer Engineering
Classes should be canceled out of respect for students With respect to the editorial, “Out of respect, classes should be canceled on April 16,” (CT, Jan 27) I agree entirely. I was a freshman with plans to transfer to a smaller school in another part of the state on April 16, 2007. The next year, I skipped two days of classes to come back and remember this tragedy with the same friends with whom I had witnessed the event a year prior. There isn’t a day that goes by that this event isn’t in my mind, and I’ll never forget the thoughtfulness and community strength that I experienced on that day. The shootings are what brought me back to this school, and I don’t
plan on attending classes on April 16, 2009, whether they are canceled or not. Brian Fults Junior, Computer Science
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Obama should honor platform of change promised in campaign ERIKA ENCINAS regular columnist Now that the hoopla surrounding the inauguration of Barack Obama has finally, finally died down, it’s time for the President to focus on trying to keep some of the promises he made to the American people. Of course, not all of us were so easily persuaded by President Obama’s glittery prose and sparkling plans for tomorrow, but nonetheless, he managed to convince enough poor souls as to make it into the Oval Office. I don’t envy him; once it’s clear that he can’t physically do some of the things voters believed he could actually achieve (like paying off their mortgage…um, hello?), he will have plenty of upset and disillusioned folks demanding he keep his word, even when they have taken those promises out of context. Good luck, Mr. President. Having taken off my right-wing T-shirt for just a few moments, I will admit it would be wonderful if Obama could in fact accomplish half of the platforms he campaigned on. I would like to focus just for a few minutes on Obama’s lofty education goals and international diplomacy policy for the United States during his four-year term. On his Web site, barackobama.com, Obama outlines several points he wants to address as Chief Executive. With regards to education, Obama wants to rectify the
dropout crisis in high schools, emphasize the importance of math and science and support college credit initiatives, such as AP classes for students preparing for college. When it comes to foreign policy, Obama is adamant that United States diplomats expand our presence throughout the world, talk with leaders whom we may not like, and seek new partnerships with countries we haven’t given a lot of time to, such as those in Latin America and Asia. I would propose that Obama is going to fail in the long term in his plan to have American diplomats reach out and interact positively with other countries because his part of the plan for education reform is flawed. Stay with me here. Obama desires a push for more emphasis on math and science. Does he mention the social sciences? Where is the push for political science, philosophy, and history? Obama seemingly wants to educate an entire generation with the majority of their teachings centered on math and science. I’m not denying that math and science are important because they do in fact provide much of the basis for the concrete physical world we live in. But does a diplomat to the Dominican Republic need a heavy concentration in math? Wouldn’t he be better served by having a full working knowledge of the United States’ history of relations with the
Dominican Republic? Just take a look at yourself or your roommates perhaps. How much of world history do you really know? Unless you are a history major, you likely haven’t studied much history since graduating high school, and my guess is you didn’t learn much of anything about the United States and its relationship to countries outside of Europe. Are any of us ready to be good citizens of the world without knowledge of events such as the U.S.’ attempt to annex the Dominican Republic or the U.S. backing of the brutal government regime during the civil war in El Salvador? Our generation has not been raised with a thorough knowledge of modern world history, especially when that history shows the United States in an unflattering light or when the history concerns countries we’ve traditionally viewed as less important. We are poised to enter the global world with half the story, and President Obama seems intent to raise another generation on even lesser amounts of historical knowledge. History is often said to offer insights into past mistakes and help prevent similar situations from reoccurring, and if Obama wants to truly increase the power of American diplomacy and the well-being of foreign relations, he would be wise to reconsider what is being taught in our nation’s public schools.
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From Tide to Tech: Davis making smooth transition to new team RAY NIMMO
ct sports reporter There is a Japanese proverb that states, “When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there.” Sophomore guard Nikki Davis is beginning that second half of her college journey at Virginia Tech. Davis is a transfer student from the University of Alabama, and in the small number of games she has played so far, she is making quite the impact — averaging 8.5 points per game, which is good enough for third on the team. Coming out of Lexington Catholic High School in Kentucky, Davis, who competed in four state cham-
pionships, decided to head south to Tuscaloosa and play for the Crimson Tide. “I knew I wanted to get out of Kentucky,” Davis said. “I took a couple visits there (Alabama) and liked the facilities, players, weather and the fact it is a big SEC school. I think the conference really drove me there.” Things didn’t turn out as planned and Davis decided to look elsewhere for a place to play. “There were a number of things,” that made her decided to transfer, said Davis, who played in all 30 games and started 19 for Alabama in her freshman season, of deciding to transfer. “Honestly, life’s too short not to be happy. I wanted to get closer to home and see my family a little more.”
With Ty Evans — an assistant coach at Alabama — knowing a coach here at Tech, Davis saw the Hokies as a real possibility. “We got a release, which if you are a recruit you send a release to any school you are interested in,” said head coach Beth Dunkenberger of the transfer process. “We got her on the phone, invited her to come for a visit. She came and liked it.” “During my visit, I went out with the girls and had fun,” Davis said. “I liked the ACC conference, which I think is the most competitive in the country. I had an opportunity to play and help build a team.” The only thing standing in Davis’ way of playing was the NCAA rule of sitting out one year after transfer-
ring. Dunkenberger thinks the rule is a good idea. “It makes kids think long and hard about making the decision,” Dunkenberger said. “It prevents the situation where, if you have a bad day at practice, you can transfer and play right away. It also prevents other schools from tampering and talking kids into transferring.” Knowing she had more than a year to wait for playing time (Davis left the team three months before transferring), Davis looked at the year as an opportunity. “At first, I wasn’t too excited about it, but I understand why it is in place,”
see DAVIS page six
JOSH MILLER/SPPS
New Tech guard Nikki Davis looks to pass to a teammate. A transfer from Alabama, Davis is averaging 8.5 points per game with the Hokies.
Soon in Canton, Smith brought rush of popularity to Hokie football A couple of years ago a friend and I were lolling about in a Pritchard dorm room talking Tech football history. The topics were mindnumbingly customary – the Vick ED brothers and the LUPIEN 2000 Sugar Bowl. I sports then mentioned the reporter name ‘Bruce Smith’ in an attempt to broaden the topic of conversation and, in return, received a blank stare. He then warily asked: “Who’s Bruce Smith?” I was astounded. Here I was, having a discussion about Tech football with someone who apparently knew nothing about it. Bruce Smith is Tech football. The number one pick overall in the 1985 NFL Draft. Sack records, in the NFL and at Tech, that still stand today. The countless television shots of the man roaming the sidelines during Hokie games. The banner in the north end zone of Lane that commemorates Smith’s retired number 78. Was he really oblivious to all of it? I have this unsettling notion that it was the anticipation of an apartment complex opening that brought Bruce Smith into light for many students who believe the university began funding a football program ten years ago.
Yet in the opinion of many, mainly middle-aged, Tech fans, it was Smith, not Frank Beamer or Michael Vick, who first put Virginia Tech’s football program on the map. The country began to take notice in 1983 when he amassed 22 sacks during his junior
BRUCE SMITH Arguably the greatest defensive player in Tech football history, Bruce Smith also had a tremendous impact in the NFL. Smith, who played most of his professional years with the Buffalo Bills, still is No. 1 all-time in career sacks. Games played: 279 Sacks: 200 Tackles: 1078 Fumbles forced: 43 Pro Bowls: 11 year alone, which led to first-team AllAmerican honors. Proving it was not a fluke, his 16 sacks and 52 tackles during his senior season in 1984 earned Smith consensus first-team All-American honors and the Outland Trophy, an annual award given to the top lineman in the country. But his collegiate career is always overshadowed by his professional days, dur-
ing which he played 19 seasons for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins. This summer, Smith will undoubtedly be the first Virginia Tech player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The announcement of that class will be made on Saturday. The clear and vibrant chants of “BRUUUUCE” that occurred whenever the defensive end would make a stop filled Lane Stadium for the latter part of Smith’s collegiate career and carried on to Rich Stadium in Buffalo, where Smith was treated like some sort of mortal god for over a decade. With both my parents attending Tech during the same time as Smith and most of my family being from either the Buffalo or D.C. areas, I grew up watching Bruce Smith play football when he was in his prime. Over time, my eyes became glued to him during every play for which he was on the field. Seeing the man momentarily lock up with an offensive lineman before breaking loose and barreling toward an unsuspecting quarterback in what seemed like a blink of an eye was thrilling. Very few players in the history of the game have been able to pass rush like Bruce Smith. On one play in an October game against the Jets in 1995, the Bills’ defensive end blew past the opposing tackle, Everett McIver, before the offensive lineman could even get out of his stance. The end result that occurred less than three seconds later was Jets’
BOB BREIDENBACH/MCT
Former Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe at Rich Stadium on Nov. 15, 1998. quarterback Boomer Esiason hitting the dirt. Along with 1,224 tackles, Smith finished his career with an even 200 sacks, an NFL record that still stands today. Once inducted, he will go in as one of the most honored defensive players of all-time. Two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 11 Pro Bowl selections, eight First-Team All-Pro selections. The list of accomplishments never seems to end. Simply put, he made the Bills’ defense noticeably better. In conjunction with
a bodacious offense that featured quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, and wide receiver Andre Reed was a Buffalo defense anchored by Smith that was feared by every opposing offense in the former part of the ‘90s. He helped an organization that was consistently one of the worst in the league in the mid-‘80s to four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990 to 1993. During his time in the NFL, Smith was not only a great player but a superb role model and representative of Tech.
Although he was ferocious on the field, he was well-mannered and charitable off of it. There were no sex scandals, no gambling, and no advocating of dog fights. Aside from a 1983 incident that saw Virginia Tech placed on probation for violations including illegal benefits given to some of their more high-profile players, one of whom being No. 78, Smith’s record is clean. He has continued to keep a high profile since retiring from the game following the 2003 season. He founded Bruce Smith Enterprise, LLC, a real estate firm that specializes in the development of properties in the Blacksburg and Hampton Roads areas. One of the firm’s projects, Smith’s Landing, an apartment complex located in Blacksburg, opened in the fall of last year. This summer in Canton, Smith’s football achievements will be celebrated one final time. His bust will sit next to former teammates like Kelly and Thomas and the greatest defensive players to ever play the game like Reggie White and Deacon Jones. Although there cannot be a more gratifying accomplishment for Mr. Smith in terms of his football career, Virginia Tech should also receive an acknowledgement for shaping such a successful player and human being. Through several contributions to the university and area, it is apparent that Smith holds his alma mater in high regard. It is, after all, where the prelude to an unbelievable NFL career was written.
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editor: thomas emerick, brian wright email: sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.; t 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
january 29, 2009
Against Tigers, trying to earn
“Oglesby is a gym rat,” Purnell said. “He’s got pretty decent size, a sturdy
JUSTIN LONG
ct sports reporter Virginia Tech (14-5, 4-1 ACC) will tangle with the No. 12 Clemson Tigers (17-2, 3-2 ACC) tonight at 7 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies seek their fifth straight Atlantic Coast Conference win, fresh off two critical road victories against Miami and then-No. 1 Wake Forest. “We played two outstanding teams in a league of them, and we found a way to get enough stops and make enough stops to win,” said Tech head coach Seth Greenberg. “Obviously we’re pleased with what we accomplished last week, but the reality is … we’re going to have to deal with this 12 or 13 more times. We’ve got to use what we learned from last week and move on.” The series between Tech and the Tigers has produced riveting results in recent years, with five of the last six decisions being decided by two points or fewer. In their last meeting, Clemson clipped Tech by a 70-69 count in the regular season finale on March 9. “All those games have come down to the wire,” said Clemson head coach Oliver Purnell. “You could say we match up well with them, but they also match up well with us … most of those recent one- or two-point ball games — obviously they could have easily gone the other way. You’ve got to keep your poise up in Cassell Coliseum. It’s one of the toughest venues to play in, and it will be loud.” “They’ve been great games,” Greenberg said. “Oliver and I talked — the team that leads with 30 seconds to go has no chance of winning.” The Hokies, who have lost the past three decisions to the Tigers, will attempt to end that streak and add another win, which would surely boost their NCAA tournament resume with 10 more league games left before the ACC Tournament begins.
“All those games have come down to the wire.” - OLIVER PURNELL CLEMSON HEAD COACH “The last few years we kind of had a problem with Clemson, but I think with the way that we’re playing right now, it should be a good game,” said guard Malcolm Delaney. “Virginia Tech and Duke are probably the two hottest teams in our league right now,” Purnell said. “They’re playing with a lot of confi-
their stripes up and better understand ourselves, or we’ve improved defensively to an
Projected starting lineups: Virginia Tech
#23 Malcolm Delaney 17.6 ppg #40 A.D. Vassallo 18.4 ppg #33 J.T. Thompson 4.8 ppg #0 Jeff Allen 14.1 ppg #14 Victor Davila 14.3 ppg Clemson
#2 Demontez Stitt 8.2 ppg #22 Terrence Oglesby 13.7 ppg #1 K.C. Rivers 14.8 ppg #35 Trevor Booker 14.4 ppg #12 Raymond Sykes 8.3 ppg dence. Virginia Tech is just an excellent defensive basketball team.” Tech’s defense will have to tame Trevor Booker in the post, who is averaging 14.4 points per game and hauling in nearly nine rebounds per game. “We have to guard Booker on picks, pops and post ups,” Greenberg said. The media was quick to criticize Jeff Allen after cutting weight, with some claiming he’s now soft in the post. “He’s not getting pushed around,” Greenberg said. “He’s got to hold his block outs longer.” The second defensive task for the Hokie defense will be defending the perimeter. Guards K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby are each averaging nearly 14 points per game, with Oglesby making 40 percent of his attempts behind the arc. “We can’t let Oglesby get open for threes,” Greenberg said. “We’ve got to defend the jump shooters and the dribble drive.”
MICHAEL SHROYER/SPPS
Tech guard Malcolm Delaney drives the lane against Clemson guard Josh Oglesby during a meeting on March 9, 2008. The visiting Hokies fell to the Tigers, 70-69. This season, Tech sits second in the conference stadings at 4-1. Clemson is 3-2 in ACC play after defeating Georgia Tech on Sunday. body. He plays the game with a confidence and a swagger.” Perhaps the more impressive story of late has been the tale of Tech’s timely defense, which seems to be able to buckle down come crunch time, making it difficult for their opponent to score at the end of the game. “I think we’re a little bit tougher right now than we were earlier in the season,” Greenberg said. “Whether that’s because J.T. Thompson’s been back, or because we’ve kind of grown
extent of doing a better job challenging shots … there’s a lot of reasons.” The Hokies will also look to continue their recent offensive success, averaging nearly 81 points in their last four ACC contests. Malcolm Delaney, the ACC Player of the Week, figures to be a large contributor in the Hokie offensive effort. “We’ve gotten Malcolm a ton of freedom, and all we’ve asked of him is just don’t abuse it,” Greenberg said. “He’s got deceptive quickness… and
Davis: A welcome newcomer to Hokie women’s hoops from page five
Davis said. “I got in the gym, got a lot of practice and worked on things I needed to get better at. It was hard in the beginning because I was conditioning, running, weightlifting and not getting to play (in games) … “I learned a lot basketball-wise, though, and how to see the game from a coaching perspective. I appreciate the game more, now.” Besides learning about the game and constantly practicing, Davis was able to attend home games and cheer on the team. “She always sat with the team on the bench,” said Dunkenberger. “She was one of our loudest people on the bench. She has a very energetic and spunky personality, and it is very contagious. She gets her teammates and fans excited. I love her enthusiasm for the game.” “I wanted to be there for my teammates and encourage them as much as I could,” Davis said. Davis’ first game was in Texas for
h e ’ s learning
the South Padre Island Shootout. Her first action was against Southern Methodist on Dec. 20. In the 13 minutes she played, Davis scored 10 points, had one assist, four turnovers and five personal fouls. “Obviously I was a little rusty and nervous,” Davis said with a chuckle. “But I was super-excited to play. After
“I don’t know if it’s my best, but is my favorite. I love pushing the ball, making decisions, attacking and setting someone up.” - NIKKI DAVIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GUARD about three games I was OK.” “I think it’s taken her a little time — which is normal — to get in the flow of things with everyone else,” Dunkenberger said. “It’s certainly different when you are practicing from
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when there are people in the stands and the lights are on. I think she has progressed nicely.” Davis is certainly an asset to the team. Davis and Dunkenberger agree that her speed is her best attribute. “She has another gear with the ball in her hands,” said Dunkenberger. “She is very quick, and that helps break presses and find seams in the defense.” “I think transition (is my best attribute on the court),” Davis said. “I don’t know if it’s my best, but it is my favorite. I love pushing the ball, making decisions, attacking and setting someone up.” Fellow guard Lindsay Biggs is pleased by Davis’ presence as an extra asset at the point and a significant addition of energy. “Nikki’s been a real spark,” Biggs said. “She’s real aggressive out there. She probably drives to the basket harder than anyone else on the team.” The team has stepped its game up in ACC play, and even though it hasn’t
won one of them yet, the games have been extremely close. “In ACC play, we have picked it up tremendously,” Davis said. “We don’t take moral victories. We played Duke and Maryland close. All of these teams we have played close, but we want to win. Point-blank. Period … “We’re never satisfied. We feel strong enough as a team that on any given night we can pull off some upsets or knock off top-ranked teams.” Davis sees a great future for the team as well, not limited to this year. “One of our favorite mottos is ‘climbing up ladders and cutting down nets.’ Our goal is to make it to the post-season and tournament. Once we have our foot in the door, it is all about being able to go out, play and bring home championships.” The first half of her journey is complete. The second part is just beginning. “I am able to have fun, get hyped before games, love doing what I am doing, and love being a Hokie.”
how to change direction a little bit better.” The Hokies will also be forced with the challenging task of solving the full-court press Clemson loves to spring on opponents. “We’ve just got to attack it,” senior A.D. Vassallo said. “If we can get one pass in and try to throw over the top of their defense, we should be able to go two-on-one most of the time against their big guys. We should be able to attack it and get a good open
shot. On the other side of it, we’ve got to knock the shot down. If we’re going to take a shot, we’ve got to make sure that it’s a good, wide-open shot.” Thanks to its recent run of success in ACC play, Tech may now be shifting to the role of the hunted instead of the hunter. However, especially for Thursday’s contest, the Hokies’ head coach doesn’t see it that way. “Both teams are hunted because you’re just trying to survive and win a game,” Greenberg said.
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