COLLEGIATETIMES
tuesday march 18, 2009 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
news AREA MAN STRUCK IN HIT AND RUN A Christiansburg resident was injured during a hit and run early Tuesday morning. Timothy W. Hall, a 20-year-old Blacksburg resident, hit Stuart M. Baker Jr., 28, with his car in the parking lot of Prices Chevron on North Main Street. Hall was driving in circles when he hit Baker, who was standing in the parking lot. Baker was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Hall fled the scene but was located shortly after. The Blacksburg police arrested Hall, who was charged with hit and run, driving under the influence, maiming another while DUI and driving on a suspended l icense. Hall’s arraignment is set for today at 8:30 a.m. in the General District Court of Blacksburg.
corrections Hokie House bar manager Brian Palmer was incorrectly identified in “Blacksburg’s PALMER drink o’ the Irish” (CT, March 17). Special thanks to all the bars that participated.
index News.....................1 Features................2 0pinions................3
Classifieds..............5 Sports....................4 Sudoku..................5
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 106th year • issue 30
Students look to Center promotes alumni for jobs alcohol-free events SCOTT MASSELLI RILEY PRENDERGAST
ct news reporter Taking a cue from the daunting outlook of the job market awaiting them, students have begun to take advantage of networking opportunities offered by Virginia Tech. Career Services offer numerous job fairs and networking options for students currently at Tech looking to get in touch with alumni for possible career and interning advice. But few know of the programs that are available to them once they leave the confines of the university and venture into the work force. “Networking with alumni is the number one way that students find their jobs, according to post graduate reports that we conduct,” said Debbie Wilson, career services coordinator for the College of Science. “I have not seen an increase in terms of undergraduates coming to network, but there has been a very large increase in the number of students coming back.” Students coming back to the university have usually seen layoffs or simply could not find employment after graduation, Wilson said. The programs have been beneficial to undergraduates who have braved the job market during their summer breaks. Nicole Aylor, a sophomore accounting and information systems major, used the programs available to secure herself a job over the summer. “I feel like alumni are really willing to help people from their alma mater,” Aylor said. “I got my job last summer through that system with alumni from Tech. I always tell my friends to get in touch with the alumni chapters in their area.” Students facing trouble looking for career possibilities after graduation, however, may not have been so lucky with their networking while still at Tech. With some of the highest layoff rates being reported in the past 50 years, graduates are looking to their alumni programs for help. “We have different programs set up to help with graduates,” said Judith Araman, recruitment and career coordinator for the College of Natural Resources. “We are mainly set up to help current undergraduates, but with the number of students coming back, we have needed to set up new programs.” At the most recent career fair held in Squires Student Center on Tuesday, Araman noticed a
disturbing trend. “I have helped at least 15 alumni returning to network at our career fairs just this morning,” Araman said. “We encourage them to go through alumni services because we are mainly set up to help current students.” Some of the largest alumni chapters in Virginia are feeling the pressure from students looking for work in the northern Virginia area. The National Capital Region consists of the Washington, D.C., area, Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington and Falls Church and is by far one of the largest and most contacted alumni chapters. “I have definitely noticed a large increase in the amount of students looking to network with us,” said Marvin Boyd, spokesman for the chapter. “We actually just held a job fair on campus that over 1,500 candidates attended. That was a huge number compared to recent years.” Social networking groups just for Tech students and alumni are also on the horizon. Tom Tillar, Vice President for Alumni Relations, announced that a new “Hokie Nation Network” has been slated to begin operating at the end of the month. “This will allow students to post their resumes and for alumni to post job opportunities,” Tillar said. “It will be like Facebook and allow for social networking, but it will be password protected so only members of the Virginia Tech community can access it.” This new network will be sponsored by the Alumni Association and has been created in an attempt to further encourage alumni to offer positions to current students. “I feel that alumni should sympathize a little more with current students, simply because the current job market is much harsher than the one that they entered,” Tillar said. “The job situation is the worst it has been in decades and the state of the economy is scaring people off from creating new positions because of the cost risk.” Tillar stressed that the Alumni Association is willing to do anything possible to facilitate the connection between alumni and students. This new network promises to alleviate some of the fear associated with entering the current job market. With the major increase of students past and present struggling to find their way in the work force, alumni are becoming an even greater source of hopeful job prospects.
School tells students to graduate already DOUG HOAGLAND
mcclatchy newspapers FRESNO, Calif. — It’s not quite as humiliating as having a romantic relationship ended by e-mail, but Fresno City College in California is using the medium to tell longtime students it’s time to move on. In other words, hurry up and finish your education — and then go pursue other opportunities. The school last month e-mailed nearly 5,000 students who are close to meeting graduation requirements with an upbeat but direct message: “The key is completion. Graduate from college. Earn more money!” College officials say clearing out perennial students would create more room for hundreds of new students flocking to City College for retraining or improving job skills during the economic crisis. City College’s enrollment this semester is up 12 percent over last year. “That’s absolutely huge,” said City College President Cynthia Azari. The increase from 2007 to 2008 was almost 7 percent. However, the move-on message faces resistance. Reasons range from students getting too comfortable on campus to needing more time to master basic skills, officials said. City College might be the first of the state’s 110 community colleges to use an e-mail blast urging students to transfer to four-year schools or get jobs, officials said. The e-mails invited students to a drop-in event on campus where they could meet with counselors and other staff to plan for the future. Only about 100 students came, but City College officials said it was a good start and that they’ll probably do it again. Community colleges by law can’t turn away eligible students or force them to leave unless they violate rules. And there’s no evidence that longtime students who have been on campus for three, four or more years are hogging classes that new students want, Azari said. However, the mix of old and new students has swelled enrollment to more than 22,000 — and has created problems. Students go on waiting lists for overcrowded classes, and sometimes never get in. Some can get classes only at times that conflict with jobs and family responsibilities. Some choose online courses because traditional ones are filled or offered at inconvenient times. “We have made every effort to accommodate everyone,” Azari said. Graduating from community college with a 60-unit associate’s degree traditionally takes two years of full-time study. But many students stay longer. “Colleges can’t accommodate all the new students coming in,” said Steven Bruckman, executive vice chancellor for operations and
general counsel in the state community college system. With enrollment statewide approaching 3 million this school year, community colleges estimate the state shorted them money to teach and support about 100,000 of those students. Because colleges can’t hire more teachers, students have trouble getting classes, which delays graduation, Bruckman said. Other factors contribute to students staying longer at City College, officials said. More than half of the students who come from high schools in the region lack the English or math skills to do college-level work and must take remedial classes, said John Cummings, vice president for admission and records in the State Center Community College District, which includes City College. Other students become comfortable in the “welcoming environment” of City College and feel apprehensive about leaving, said Dennis Adkins, learning assistance coordinator and co-chairman of the campus commencement committee. “We welcome all students with open arms, but they need to set goals for themselves and move forward and up with their lives,” Adkins said. Older students and those going after specific careers such as nursing or auto mechanics generally are serious about their studies and focused on their future careers, said City College counselor Fred “Skydog” Emerling. “They don’t tend to linger,” he said. However, other students have “a sense of entitlement,” so they don’t study and then have to repeat courses, Emerling said. “They should go work and find out how sucky it is with no skills,” he added. City College student Brenda Alvarez — who started at City College in the fall of 2004 — got the e-mail and attended the counseling meeting. Alvarez, 24, of Fresno said she originally planned to spend two years at City College, but family tragedy and a divorce interfered with her studies. Alvarez plans to graduate in May and attend California State University, Fresno. “I was excited to get the e-mail,” she said, explaining that she needed more information about graduation. Another student, 55-year-old John Munsinger of Fresno, also is scheduled to graduate in May after starting in 2004. Surgery and changing majors delayed his graduation. Munsinger said he didn’t feel that City College was pressuring him to leave. “I want to move on,” he said, although he might return next fall to take additional classes that would look good on his resume. Said Munsinger: “The more education I have, the better chance I’m going to have to get a higher-paying job.”
ct news staff writer The Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center runs a program that aims to show students that drinking isn’t the only thing to do on weekends. Three years ago, the center created its Event Promotion Assistance program, which helps create awareness of alcohol-free Virginia Tech student activities. The center does this by enhancing the publicity of events for different clubs, many of which have tight advertising budgets. In providing their services free of charge — excluding A-frame wooden displays, which cost $32 — the center puts up many of the billboards found on the Drillfield and table cards in the dining halls. Steven Clarke, the director of the CAAPC, acknowledged that the program may not “deter” drinking. However, he also says 20 percent of Tech students do not drink, and that is the target group of the Event Promotion program. The specific goal of the program is more limited in scope than the overall goal of the center. Clarke said the advertising campaign is designed to make students who choose not to drink aware of alternatives. One of the biggest challenges in operating the program, Clarke said, is getting clubs and organizations to hold their events later in the evening — when drinking hours are at a peak. To achieve this, the center has criteria that organizations must meet before the center prints their fliers. Events must occur on weekend days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday), on “drinking” holidays, such as St. Patrick’s Day or before football games, or be a multicultural event. The center also asks that events not end before 11:30 p.m. Receiving between 12 and 15 requests each year, the center has worked with the German Club, the Swing Dance Club and the Ballroom Dancing Club among others to market their activities. Kevin Ayoub, an event planner with University Unions and Student Activities, works closely with Clarke to schedule alter-
native events on campus. “It goes hand-in-hand,” Ayoub said. “Dr. Clarke is trying to make sure late-night programming on campus is available, and we make the reservations.” Ayoub’s office provides reservations for all events taking place in the student center but does not promote the events it plans. However, it does work with student organizations to market them. While the center has offered this service for the past few years, Clarke says it’s only recently begun to get its name out to campus clubs on a broad scale.
Any student organization or club wishing to take advantage of the center’s services can contact it at (540) 231-2233. Ingrid Ngai, president of the Council of International Student Organizations, first discovered the center last year before its Street Fair event. When the weather forecast forced the evening indoors to Squires Student Center, Clarke volunteered to help get the word out about the change in location. Ngai said the advertising help provided a significant boost in attendance. One of the added benefits for CISO was that the publicity came at no cost to them. “Our publicity has a fixed monetary amount decided upon by the Budget Board, and they are very specific to what we can and cannot do,” said Nihar Samal, a CISO representative. “When (Anuja Agnihotri, also a CISO representative) and I think of other ideas that might benefit our organization, we go talk to CAAPC.” He also pointed out that the center’s staff knows the campus and which locations will have the most eyes on it. “They have a lot of experience on campus, and this helps us to refine our ideas and gain a bigger audience at our events,” Samal said. Created in the summer of 2001 in response to the Attorney General’s report on college drinking, the center is charged with the duty of fighting underage drinking and educating Tech students on how to drink responsibly.
Compost project begun in dining halls KELSEY HEITER
ct news staff writer Virginia Tech dining services hopes to extend a preliminary composting program into the dining halls so that the campus can help reduce the amount of waste that is sent to the local landfill every week. Sustainability Director Andy Sarjahani initiated the composting program in January that captures approximately 2.5 tons of pre-consumer food scraps and paper waste each week, with the help of Poplar Manor Enterprises. Chris Gustin, editor for public relations and information technology, said that PME composting is working on a pilot program to initiate the idea of sustainability. “PME contacted several universities to ask them to test out their new composting program, and Tech was one school that agreed to try it,” Gustin said. “They already have all of the storage facilities at PME, so Southgate, the food processing center on campus, will set up containers in prep areas, and when the containers are full, they will be moved to the cold storage area at PME.” Gustin noted Dining Services’ push for the implantation of sustainability projects. “Dining Services has been looking into a lot of sustainability projects, and this was an easy way to cut back on the food waste that ends up in the landfill each week,” Gustin said. Gustin said that every week the Southgate Food Processing Center saves all compostable pre-consumer waste, including chopped vegetables, peelings and cores in 48-gallon containers provided by PME. At the end of the week, PME staff members come to empty and clean the containers and leave them to be filled again. All of the waste food that is collected is taken to the PME facility in Riner, Va., where it embarks on a six-month journey to be converted into compost. Dining services plans to implement the program in the dining halls themselves, once it smoothes the kinks of behind-the-scenes composting. There isn’t a concrete date for this yet. Gregory Evanylo, professor and extension specialist in the department of crop soil environmental sciences at Tech, said that Tech has the potential to greatly alter the compost process for the better if students understand the process that compost goes through. “Anything that is organic or made of carbon, such as food scraps from the dining halls, grass clippings and paper, can all be composted,” Evanylo said. “It is a process that when you combine materials in the right recipe, microbes are given the appropriate balance of carbon and nitrogen nutrients, and they start to break down the organic matter from items we recognize, such as bananas or paper, to compost material, which is a dark brown, coffee-looking color.”
COURTESY OF SOUTHGATE FOOD PROCESSING CENTER
Steve Garnett, the unit manager for the Southgate Food Processing Center, stands next to a 48-gallon container used to collect food waste. Evanylo said the composting process is vital to ensuring that all matter is broken down successfully so there are no unused scraps remaining. “What microbes do in compost is sort of the same way we eat food,” Evanylo said. “They convert organic food scraps to bug bodies. The temperature changes as the microbes chew on food because they respire, which produces heat and increases the temperature in the pile, and as it increases from outdoor temperatures to high zone temperatures, the types of organisms change.” The new sustainability initiatives that Tech is taking part in will have a good change on the compost pile, Evanylo said. “Compost does its best work when it is between 130 and 140 degrees,” Evanylo said. “The microbes are able to feed on the decomposing food and change the composition of the food itself. In a managed compost pile, like the one PME has, as the temperature increases, the oxygen in the pile is replaced by carbon dioxide, so the workers in charge of the pile have to do things like turn the pile to mix the material, which releases the heat from the pile, keeping it at its optimum operating zone.” Evanylo said that turning the pile on a fairly
regular basis helps the material to change its nature from items that we recognize to compost. Steve Garnett, unit manager of Southgate warehouse on campus, said that exploring sustainable alternatives for our dining program is a wonderful concept. “I am excited that our department has seen the benefit and has made the commitment of hiring a sustainability coordinator to help with this initiative,” Garnett said. “Andy Sarjahani, in this position, is working vigorously to catalyze this important paradigm shift.” Evanylo said that the success of this initiative would depend on how well the university sets up its food collections. “It depends on how well the students separate their compostable food from the noncompostable food,” Evanylo said. Garnett said that as a community, students should be active in changing the way that the general public thinks and acts with regards to sustainability. “I have no doubts that with the help of an award-winning dining program, and strong leadership such as ours, that we can make a positive impact on the Virginia Tech campus and beyond,” Garnett said.
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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.
march 18, 2009
Former ‘ER’ actress to speak about AIDS, diversity, women TERESA TOBAT
ct features reporter Actress, singer and activist Gloria Reuben is best known for her work as an actor, but activism has taken a front and center role in her life. Her portrayal of an HIV positive doctor in “ER” sparked Reuben’s interest in HIV/ AIDS outreach and she hasn’t stopped since. When she is not acting, she is raising awareness about HIV/AIDS. Reuben will present on diversity, women and HIV in Old Dominion Ballroom in Squires Student Center on March 18 at 7 p.m. Reuben spoke with the Collegiate Times over the phone from New York Friday afternoon.
CT: Is this your first time in Virginia? GR: I’ve been on the outskirts of D.C. a few times, so yes, this will be my first time in Virginia. CT: Why did you decide to speak at Virginia Tech? GR: They (the Black Student Alliance) approached me and whenever I can, I try to speak at colleges.
CT: What are you going to talk about? GR: The changing face of HIV. HIV/ AIDS has become a real problem in the U.S. In the past five or six years, there’s been less information and it
hasn’t been in the mass media. I felt very strongly about this and raised my voice. For a few years I could with my role in “ER”; through that storyline I overheard lots of discussion. Thankfully we have a new president. HIV/AIDS is a pandemic, but there are other issues, especially the economy, but in time there will be a National AIDS Strategy.
CT: What should the average person know about HIV? GR: That it’s still alive and well in the United States. They need to know their status. You can know in a few minutes … HIV is the number one killer of black women. If you’re dying of AIDS when you’re 25, you’ve had for a long time and just found out too late. I’m trying to eradicate the stigma around the disease and let everyone know that the disease is 100 percent preventable. No one gets HIV from blood transfusions anymore. In the future hopefully I won’t be speaking about the changing face of AIDS — hopefully there won’t be one at all.
CT: Do you consider landing your role on “ER” to be the first time when “you made it?” GR: I just kind of hung on for the ride. “ER” has a huge following around the world. It has a very real kind of hallmark of success. It served me as an actor and activist in trying to deal
with the issue of HIV. I wonder if the role chose me. CT: I just have to ask this — what was George Clooney like during his “ER” days?
GR: I knew you were going to ask this … He’s great. He’s everything one can perceive he would be. He’s smart, intelligent, fun, sexy. It’s not right that all that stuff can exist in one person … but we’re glad that it does. CT: You’ve worked with some very famous people, George Clooney included. Have any of them made a strong impression on you? Which one was your favorite to work with? GR: I did a play called “Stuff Happens” with David Hare — he wrote the screenplay for “The Hours.” I spent a few weeks with him in rehearsal and everything he did was great. I loved working with Johnny Depp. We both have the same birthday of June 9, so he got a cake and I got a cake. It was fun sharing a mutual birthday cake with Johnny Depp. Working with Steven Bochco (producer of Reuben’s TNT show “Raising the Bar”) who is a highly successful television producer has been great. So I’ve got one playwright, one actor and one producer. CT: I know you made an album. Have you always been interested in music? GR: Music was my first love and
continues to be. I’ve played piano since I was five. I’ve been singing my whole life. I prefer live music to recorded music. When I record a set, sometimes the producer or whoever wants to polish and that’s OK, but I prefer it left alone … if I see you at a party and you’re asked to sing, everyone will get nervous. Singing is very intimate, but you get that little bit of unzippedness.
CT: Your career has been multi-faceted. Do you consider yourself to be an actress or a musician first? GR: I know this is going to sound strange, but I really don’t like to label myself in that way. Today, in my life, I’m an actress definitely. I’m most known career-wise for doing that. When I’m not doing that, I am consistently trying to speak about HIV … I know a lot of people who cling to the definition of what they do. The first one for me is activist. Then it all kinds of feeds off each other. CT: Anything you’d like to add before I let you go? GR: I’d like to add one brief thing that is actually a separate issue. I’m part of Waterkeeper Alliance (an organization dedicated to protecting communities, ecosystems and water quality) and we started thedirtylie.com and the message is that clean coal doesn’t exist. Clean coal is a dirty lie. So check out thedirtylie.com.
COURTESY OF FRANCIS HILLS
MSTRKRFT: Here ‘to make you dance’ is hiring ALL editorial positions!
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ct features reporter They have sweet mustaches, aviators and are put here for one single purpose — to make you dance. Hailing from “The Beaches” of Toronto, MSTRKRFT was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler, formerly of Death from Above 1979, and AI-P (Alex Peodziukas) from the electro-pop group Girlsareshort. While Keeler and AI-P have been playing venues around the world sharing their remixes for the past two years, the rest of us have been craving a follow-up to the not-nearly-satisfying album, “The Looks.” Recently, the duo replaced SebastiAn during the Toronto Virgin Music Fest and by the reception, it seems like there’s a bright future ahead somewhere between the dance floor and the flashing lights. MSTRKRFT’s much anticipated full-length follow up album, “Fist of God” debuts this week on Last Gang Records. And although dance music hasn’t necessarily been the vanguard of innovation, one must always put the genre in perspective — its principle is to get you partying. Either way, you are welcome to ignore my belief that elec-
tronica (not techno) is the future. Album opener “It Ain’t Love” featuring Lil’ Mo is a synth-driven power punch that reproduces vibrant soul we’ve seen with Basement Jaxx and Lisa Kekaula’s “Good Luck.” The distortion has been cranked and the authenticity of the drum machine sound of the Roland SH101 combined with Digidesign Pro Tool software offers squeaky-clean production value. But keep in mind that the grunge of the synth presents a very chaotic tone sketched by electro-pop. “You don’t know what love is baby and you’re running my heart with lies,” sings Lil’ Mo. “Click Click” featuring E-40 and “Word Up” featuring Ghost Killah are proof that electronica is an exceptionally flexible negotiator of genres. While these tracks certainly aren’t the strong points of the record, it’s exciting to see the blend. Collaborations like these may have been unheard of years ago but are now the forefront of pop music. Hints of digital melodies are seeping their way in and the beauty of electronica is its ability to take artists of different genres into new directions. But let us note that the misuse and mislabeling of electronica music hap-
Grade: B Recommended: Daft Punk - Homework Justice - † (Cross) Danger - 09/14 2007 Boys Noize – Oi Oi Oi Fischerspooner - #1 pen frequently. But the featured guests only have listeners thirsting for better ones. While “Fist of God” may unify some of genres, it opens a gateway of potential that mirrors a chilling reminder of how much house music has yet to accomplish. “Fist of God” makes sure to
present an extremely cohesive record that intermingles the end of one track’s synth line to the beginning of another. However, some filler tracks — like the tone-buffed up “Heartbreaker” featuring John Legend — offer a wadding interlude that doesn’t extend the excitement of the record. Perhaps it’s best for MSTRKRFT to stick with the dirtier bouquet. While they may not emulate the polish of Daft Punk, MSTRKRFT are onboard a moving trend toward an aggressive, industrial-esque sound we’re seeing with The Crookers, Kavinsky and Justice. The evolution of electronica births an international conflict; the western hemisphere must answer back to the pioneers on the other side of the globe. However, it seems after hearing the first three tracks, the rest don’t stand out. As for such an anticipated release, the 38-minute, salaciously-packaged presentation doesn’t meet its even more glittering expectations. While the MSTRKRFT experience seems a little hollow, if it gets your friends moving around the room, I suppose it passes the test. It will undoubtedly provide some new beats to raise us out of this winter slump.
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opinions 3
editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
march 18, 2009
EDITORIAL
Students should be taking faculty evaluations seriously The University Committee on Evaluation of Teaching recently released a status report on the evaluation of teaching system at Virginia Tech. The committee, formed in March 2007, met monthly through January 2009. The results of its study focused on myths surrounding teacher evaluations, faculty perceptions of the current system, and recommendations for the future of evaluating teaching at Tech. Part of the reason the study took place was because in the past, many people have expressed concerns about the effectiveness of teacher evaluations. According to the Provost’s Web site, the current system, specifically the process of gathering student input, has been around for more than 30 years, and many people are concerned that the system no longer offers a beneficial evaluation. According to the report, “The evidence to date suggests that students can rate their instructors with a reasonable degree of reliability.” However, the study also suggests that student ratings are reliant on other ways of measuring teacher effectiveness. These variables include grading leniency, instructor age, gender, race and personality, among others, and are addressed in the report. The study suggests that when collected, analyzed, and done correctly, student ratings are useful for the purposes of faculty evaluations and personnel decisions. Given our current system, student evaluations should not be used with the greatest confidence. Many students rush through evaluations with the hopes of getting out of class early. Convinced the evaluations don’t really matter, many opt to not waste their time, and quickly mark the appropriate bubbles on their op scans. When perusing the evaluations later on, department heads have no idea whether students thoughtfully filled out their evaluations, hoping to offer helpful feedback, or simply rushed through them. An op scan doesn’t document attention to detail. The current system is out of date. Some of the questions asked on the evaluation don’t even apply to the classes offered. Students
just end up putting N/A, which really can’t be all that telling on an evaluation form. In order to get students to take their evaluations seriously, the purpose and reason for requiring feedback needs to be clearly emphasized. Many students know that their op scan responses will inevitably be read for feedback, but few understand that a thoughtful response truly can affect tenure hearings and department advancements. Upon the completion of the study, the committee offered 18 recommendations, some of which stand out as helpful in improving the quality of evaluation from teacher critiques. The report recommends that “Virginia Tech should reaffirm the importance of collecting and using student perceptions data as one key component of the teaching evaluation system.” Of 480 faculty members who responded to the survey, 80 percent agreed that student feedback is important for improving. This recommendation emphasizes the idea of proper implementation. Course evaluations can be effective if updated to reflect the changes in education and classroom requirements that have occurred over time. The report also emphasized the importance of creating and implementing a peer review process to help offer faculty more feedback. “Based on the committee’s research, we might well hazard a guess that no one believes the process currently in place is legitimately evaluative in nature or rigorous in implementation.” This study is a comprehensive evaluation of the system we have been employing to evaluate our professors and instructors. It is important that we take the recommendations seriously and look to improving the current system. Student evaluations are only one part of the process, and until we take these critiques seriously, the system will continue to suffer.
Evolution offers explanation fordeveloping life over time JAME SPENCER regular columnist Proposing the concept of irreducible complexity and citing the incompleteness of the fossil record in an attempt to refute the theory of evolution simply does nothing of the sort. Anyone who adheres to these two items and supports them as evidence of flaws within Darwin’s theory have not committed themselves to an objective review of current scientific literature, nor have they immersed themselves in an adequate investigation of what is known about the natural world. Below is a response to the column, “Clarifications of misconceptions about creationism and evolution. (CT, Feb. 25). To refresh our memory, “irreducible complexity” is a concept often supported by creationists and proponents of Intelligent Design to describe anything that possesses such a degree of intricacy that it seemingly could not have come about by natural means. Blood-clotting cascades in the human body are often cited as an example of this concept, along with a bacterium’s flagellum, which incorporates many different kinds of proteins that operate cooperatively to allow for bacterial movement. On first glance, it would seem to require the painstaking labor of the brightest engineer to construct such biological complexities, and at first it is overwhelming. However, understanding the way DNA functions helps to put these incredulous feats of natural engineering in perspective. Every cell in our body contains DNA, and, through processes called transcription and translation, DNA acts as a blueprint for synthesizing proteins, including those that power flagella. Occasionally, and randomly, a small change in a functional unit of DNA called a mutation can cause a discrepancy in its original message.
Mutations are frequently regarded as harmful, as they can be, but other times the resulting changes may benefit an organism and increase its chances of survival and reproduction. In this way, mutations can be passed on to offspring and eventually become more popular throughout a population over very long periods of time. Let us take a giant step back into the past, when life, regardless of how or why it appeared on Earth, originated. The first living thing was likely very small and primitive and must have arisen a long time ago, sometime in the neighborhood of 3.5 billion years ago. This is an approximate age derived from some of the oldest fossils yet discovered and has been substantiated through numerous methods of analyzing the radioactive decay of certain elements. Through the accumulation of successive mutations in DNA, passed on to offspring because of the survival and reproductive advantages they confer, new proteins begin to arrive on the scene. Granted, it would take a very, very long time (3.5 billion years), but eventually, evolution would favor the inevitable interactions of these proteins, and the ones that get along together and work well for the organism are passed on to subsequent generations. Such processes have been extensively corroborated by modern science and show how the production of complex biological systems through billions of years of evolution can be quite possible. It is also well known, and acknowledged by scientists, that significant gaps in the fossil record exist. Many creationists view this as a weakness in Darwin’s idea that life evolves slowly over time. The authors of the Feb. 25 article ponder the location of the supposed “intermediate” fossils that some claim are essential to confirm evolutionary theory and establish a
lineage between preexisting life forms and their descendant species. Simply put, these transitional species are often hard to come by because fossilization is inherently quite rare, and certain environmental conditions must be met before the process can occur in the first place. Many species don’t even fossilize well to begin with, as body structures with a high mineral content, such as bones, are usually the most likely to fossilize. Inevitably, many species will disappear from the fossil record as their remains are destroyed through extensive weathering and erosion. Despite their rarity, we have uncovered the fossils of a large number of transitional species. On top of this, scientists are now able to use DNA sequencing technologies to predict the existence of species without any fossil evidence. Since mutations usually occur at somewhat predictable rates, it is possible to analyze the shared mutations among species and establish phylogenic relationships between them, often predicting their shared, common ancestor whose fossils have yet to be found. Many people naively assume that the term “theory” carries a connotation that implies mere speculation or guessing. However, it is important to bear in mind that scientific theories, including that of evolution, effectively combine both testable facts and empirical observations into a unified explanation of natural phenomena. It is also important to remember that evolution offers no insight into the realm of the supernatural, the existence of God, or the question of why we are here. Instead, evolution serves only as an explanation for how life progresses over time to give rise to new species, and neither the concept of irreducible complexity nor the incompleteness of the fossil record offers enough evidence to successfully challenge the validity of its principles.
It is hard to believe it has been almost two years since that freezing cold Monday morning here in Blacksburg. But in fact, it has. And much to my dismay, the past two days, I have turned on the TV or read online about more violence around the United States and abroad. While we will never fully know the true emotions that fueled each of these tragic and violent attacks, we have faces and names and legacies to carry on. There have been so many stories to take away from April 16 — stories of love, heroism and loyalty. Even in the hours after the attack near Stuttgart, Germany, these same stories have come to the surface. Those lives that were taken undoubtedly too soon in Blacksburg, Germany, Alabama and elsewhere will always be remembered.
Sara Musick senior, English and religious studies
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In my heart, though I don’t know all of them, the victims can have the face of the one that was like a big brother to me — Brian Bluhm. His face will forever be engraved in my mind to mourn the loss of these amazing lives. And so, though as I write this we are on spring break, know that the hostility and brutality has not ended. We are still enjoying our lives, and we must live them to the fullest, for ourselves and for those that were taken from us. I hope that the outpouring of love that we were shown in the days after April 16 will not go unnoticed. We, as a university, must show our love and support for these families and communities. It is to show that we will prevail, and so will they — and as the Class of 2009 motto says, “fortitudine vincimus”(by endurance, we conquer).
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We should work toward sending more US college students abroad ANDREW OPPENHEIMER guest columnist Here is a plan that could do wonders to increase U.S. competitiveness in global markets and improve long-term ties with Latin America — send one million U.S. college students a year to study abroad, especially in developing countries. The idea is contained in a bill presented last week in Congress by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., which went almost unnoticed by the media amid the legislative debate over the Obama administration’s budget request. Under the bill, the U.S. government would give grants to U.S. universities to make it easier for students to spend part of their college years studying abroad. While much of the world’s population growth and economic expansion in coming decades will take place in China, India and Latin America, only a tiny fraction of U.S. college students are getting a global education. What’s more, most of them are going to Great Britain, Italy and Spain, supporters of the bill say. If the United States wants to remain competitive, and secure, this has to change, they say. “I’m afraid we are far behind,” Durbin told me in a telephone interview. “More and more students from areas like Asia are coming to the United States. Sadly, very few U.S. students are moving in the other direction.” According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), only 0.3 percent of U.S. college students study abroad. Comparatively, 6.2 percent of Norwegian college students, 2.5 percent of French students and 2 percent
of Chinese students study abroad, the UNESCO figures show. “Americans are notoriously uninformed about the rest of the world, compared to people in many other countries,” says Victor C. Johnson, a senior advisor to the Association of International Educators (NAFSA). “We believe that it’s crucial for American students in a global age to have had international experience as part of their education.” Indeed, global affairs are not among Americans’ strongest points. A 2006 National Geographic/Roper survey found that 63 percent of young Americans aged 18-24 couldn’t locate Iraq on a map of the Middle East, 70 percent could not find Israel, and 54 percent were unaware that Sudan is in Africa. Under the bill, the United States would quadruple the number of college students who study abroad over the next 10 years. The U.S. government would create a Study Abroad Foundation, which would give international study grants to universities that comply with certain conditions. Among them: expanding the ethnic scope of U.S. students who study abroad so that it mirrors the demographics of the U.S. student population, and making sure that more U.S. college students go to Latin America, Asia and Africa. Today, while 57 percent of U.S. college students who study abroad choose Western European destinations, only 15 percent go to Latin America, 10 percent to Asia and 4 percent to Africa, according to the New York-based Institute of International Education. The proposed Study Abroad Foundation would steer larger numbers of U.S. students to developing countries by giving more grants to universities
that set up study abroad programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America. “The biggest barrier to study abroad by American college students is the rigidity in universities’ curricula,” said Johnson. That’s why the key to getting more students to nontraditional destinations will be not giving money directly to the students, but instead providing incentives to universities to diversify their study abroad programs, he said. “Will the bill pass?” I asked Durbin. He said a similar bill passed the House last year, but died in the Senate. “Now that we have a large (Democratic) majority in the Senate, the chances are better,” he said. My opinion: I like this plan. It would be good for the United States — and even better if it contemplated allowing U.S. college students to lower their tuition costs, since studying in almost any Latin American university is cheaper than in U.S. colleges. And it would also be great for Latin America. While Latin American countries are among the leading U.S. trading partners, and a major destination of U.S. investments, only 4.2 percent of U.S. college students spend some time studying in Mexico, 2.4 percent in Costa Rica, 1.6 in Argentina and 1.3 in Chile and Ecuador. That’s a sad situation because people’s experiences in college often mark their own and their country’s future. It’s OK to have U.S. students going to London or Rome, but it’s increasingly important to get them to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Islamabad or Johannesburg. Andres Oppenheimer is a Latin America correspondent for the Miami Herald.
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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.
march 18, 2009
Tech duels with Dukes to open NIT How to cope with the BRIAN WRIGHT
ct sports editor Once again, Virginia Tech fell short of making the NCAA tournament’s field of 65. Instead, the Hokies are a No. 2 seed in the National Invitational Tournament, hosting their opening round contest against seventh-seeded Duquesne on Wednesday evening. Nevertheless, Tech head coach Seth Greenberg sees no shame in being part of the NIT for the second year in a row. “It’s hard to make the NCAA tournament,” he said. “Playing in the NIT is not an embarrassment.” Even though most of the Hokies were resigned to the fact that they wouldn’t be selected to take part in the NCAAs after their narrow defeat against North Carolina in the ACC tournament quarterfinals, they can take solace in the fact that they are one of the few teams in Division I basketball to take part in postseason competition. “We’re still playing,” guard Malcolm Delaney said. “That’s the best thing about it. We’re playing in the postseason. A lot of teams don’t get a chance to play. We’re just going to take it as that and try to get some
momentum for next year.” To establish that momentum, they’ll have to beat quality competition. The NIT field features a wealth of 20-plus win teams, former national champions and recent Final Four participants. “There are no easy games,” Greenberg said. “Every single game is absolutely brutal. There isn’t a single team in this field that couldn’t match up well with any team in the NCAA tournament. … We’re in good company.” A team that meets one of the above criteria is the Dukes. Duquesne (21-12) captured its first 20-win campaign since 1971 and features a roster that includes seven scholarship freshmen and just one scholarship upperclassman. Still, this youthful group nearly reached the Big Dance when it reached the finals of the Atlantic 10 tournament. The Dukes dethroned Rhode Island before knocking off the Dayton Flyers, a No. 11 seed in the NCAA tourney, by a score of 77-66. Then, they hung tough with Temple before being defeated by five points — nearly capturing an automatic bid. The head coach who has guided this inexperienced bunch is a
KYLE MAXEY/SPPS
A.D. Vassallo prepares to receive a pass in the lane against Miami.
Duquesne at Virginia Tech Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPNU Cassell Coliseum
#23: G,18.2Malcolm Delaney ppg #5: G,.792Dorenzo Hudson ft percentage #40: G/F, A.D. Vassallo 18.8 ppg #0: F,8.5JeffrpgAllen #34: C,4.2Cheick Diakite rpg
#13: G,.402Jason Duty 3-pt percentage #1: G,18.5 Aaron Jackson ppg #30: F,.500Billfield Clark goal percentage #25: F,7.6Damian Sanders rpg #23: F,F4.3Melquan Bolding rpg SARA SPANGLER/COLLEGIATE TIMES
man who knows Tech basketball extremely well. Ron Everhart played for the Hokies in the mid-1980s, part of three NIT teams and as a captain on the 1984-85 squad that reached the NCAA tournament. “I wouldn’t trade my education at Tech for the world and wouldn’t trade my experiences basketballwise for the world, either,” Everhart said. “They were great. We played at a very highly competitive level. You can’t erase some of those memories. They were unbelievable.” In order to win in Everhart’s homecoming, Duquesne will likely need continued production from guard and leading scorer Aaron Jackson, who averages 18.5 points per contest, dishes out an average of nearly six assists and makes field goals at a 55 percent clip. He led his team with 24 in the win over Dayton and 20 versus the Owls. Jackson typifies the Dukes’ lineup — quick, undersized and sharpshooting. “They play extremely fast,” said Greenberg, who feels their style of play is similar to Maryland. “They’re extremely athletic.” Duquesne also features 6’7” forward Damian Saunders, the teams leading rebounder, as well as 6’1” junior guard Jason Duty — one of five Dukes who regularly average over 34 percent from three-point territory. As a team, they are second in the A-10 in terms of field goal shooting percentage and scoring offense. Defensively, Tech understands its priorities for Wednesday evening. “We’ve just got to guard the ball,” Delaney said. “We have to get some stops. They shoot a lot of threepointers. So, we’ve got to contest all of those shots and not let them get anything easy.”
Everhart has slowly rebuilt the Duquesne program. He inherited a team that was coming off a schoolworst 3-24 mark in 2005-06. In addition, five of his players were shot outside a campus dance in September 2006. But just last year, Everhart led the Dukes to their first winning record in 14 seasons when they went 17-13. Now, Duquesne — a club that shared membership in the Atlantic 10 with the Hokies from 1999-2000 — makes its first appearance in a postseason tournament since participating in the 1994 NIT. Tech’s NIT history doesn’t go back very far. The Hokies, making their 10th appearance, were winners in 1973 and 1995. Last year, they were a No. 1 seed, ultimately losing in the quarterfinals at home to Mississippi. That defeat left them one win shy of making it to Madison Square Garden. Despite many who felt in the preseason that this version of Tech basketball would break through and reach the NCAA tournament, the Hokies can improve on last year’s performance and land in New York City. And with the likes of Florida, Kentucky and Georgetown in the mix, Tech won’t take this consolation event lightly. “We’re going into this tournament like it’s the NCAA tournament,” guard Hank Thorns said. “We didn’t get what we wanted, but we’re still playing. We have to be happy about that.” Tech’s match-up with Duquesne will tip-off at 7 p.m. Wednesday and will be televised by ESPNU. The winner then faces the victor of the game between the Baylor Bears and Georgetown Hoyas in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday at 9 p.m.
stages of madness Filling out a bracket seems like all fun and games right now. It’s the rage for the next two days. Friends compare brackets, discuss their sleepers and glow with excitement THOMAS over whether March EMERICK Madness will unfold in their favor. ct sports For about 95 percent editor of them it won’t. Practically all of us will see our bracket wither over time, eliminated from contention by cruel mathematics. How long can hope remain part of the equation for winning the pool? How long will you have a shot at holding bragging rights over all your friends? Most will go through the stages of madness, which usually end with ripping up our brackets in the shower while crying, stumbling out of the Cafe at Champs crying or watching the CBS Sports.com Webcast during class and try to avoid curling up in the fetal position.
Stage One: Elation Take last year, for example. After 10 consecutive hours spent locked in my room with The Washington Post and laptop at my disposal, I was invincible. A kaleidoscope of Web pages featuring college basketball statistics dominated my computer screen. Two cups of coffee electrified my psyche. A clean, finished bracket validated my effort. I finished last place in my own pool. Each spring my emotional wellbeing will rely on this sheet of paper, and I invest all the time and creative thought necessary to play genius for a month. During this stage it’s impossible to tell whether you’re experiencing bracket myopia, as the No. 1 and 2 seeds that are supposed to fall early haven’t disappointed yet.
Stage Two: Glass Half Full So what if you lost a Sweet 16 team or two on the first day? You’ve still got your sleeper Final Four pick, say Purdue, waiting in the bullpen. You’ll let the painful first-round exits go without a sweat because you’re still hanging in striking distance of your pool’s leader. Perhaps you picked the upset that wasn’t. Chris Lofton’s fall-away three-pointer to beat Winthrop three years ago hurt if you had No. 2 Tennessee collapsing in the first round. Ohio State guard Ron Lewis’ deep bomb to tie Xavier in 2007 may’ve ruined
your No. 8 over No. 1 upset, but it’s only a bump in the road. As long as you make it out of the first weekend without half of your bracket’s Final Four demolished, consider yourself in decent shape and with plenty of room for a rally.
Stage Three: Denial Maybe Butler wasn’t the Elite Eight team you thought it was. Unfortunately, this realization came after several missed layups in overtime annihilated a coveted No. 7 over No. 2 pick. What separates this from the “Glass Half-Full” stage is that it all starts to pile up. Last year, Butler and Georgetown went kablammy on my Final Four late Sunday afternoon, rushing me from stage two to three in the span of 15 minutes. You might utter phrases to yourself such as, “No way my bracket’s gonna fail.” You might yell at random strangers, “I spent way too much time on this bracket to lose now.” To distract the mind, you might even study.
Stage Four: Shock and Bitterness This part usually ends with the “bracketologist” leaving the living room to cry in the shower after a key Final Four or championship pick falls. Upon seeing the plummeting point potential I — errrr — “the bracketologist” could be seen ripping a sheet of paper to shreds on the corner of Roanoke Street and Main yelling, “Why bracket, why?” He’ll be fine; he just needs some time. If you’re his friend, keep him away from SportsCenter for at least a day. Some people remain in this stage well into the next March, as evidenced by involuntary cringing at the mention of “Davidson,” “Curry,” “Wacky headlines” or “Unconscious.” They may say things such as, “I wasted 10 hours of my life.” When they no longer really mean it they’ve advanced to …
Stage Five: Acceptance “Next year will be better, I’ll spend a whole 72 hours on it.” Now that’s the spirit. You’re ready to enjoy March Madness again. Hopefully most of you have experienced this feeling by earlier this week, or you’ve run out of time to capitalize on the art of research. Join the legions clamoring together to slow Google’s server, make fun of your friend’s failures and brag right until the bitter end.
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march 18, 2009
In Midwest, Cardinals soar above the competition FIRST ROUND UPSET: NO. 12 ARIZONA OVER NO. 5 UTAH The Wildcats have shown that CHAD when playing to MOSESSO their potential they can beat high sports level competition. writer Although they have experienced more than a few bad losses — including five of their last six — 'Zona has beaten Gonzaga, Kansas, Washington, Southern California and UCLA. They have virtually no pressure after being one of the last teams selected to the tournament. In addition, they started this year with lowered expectations after the untimely departure of long-time head coach Lute Olsen. Yet the Wildcats have some extra motivation to play for interim head coach Russ Pennell who is unlikely to retain the job next season. The team boasts a pair of junior forwards who are among the toughest players to guard in the country. Power forward Jordan Hill leads the way with 18.5 points per game and 11 rebounds a game. The 6-foot-10-inch, 235-pounder is as strong as he is athletic and shoots almost 55 percent a game from the field. Another potential NBA first round pick that is playing at small forward is super freak Chase Budinger. The nationally renowned volleyball player with a 40-plus inch vertical leap tallies almost 18 points per game while grabbing over six boards and dishing out 3.5 assists. The two March veterans have been to the dance in each of their first seasons, but after a couple of early round exits, the pair will be desperately trying to advance in what is likely their final collegiate season.
SLEEPER: WEST VIRGINIA The Mountaineers are a typical BobHuggins-coached team. They play good defense, rebound, protect the basketball, drain free throws and play a physical brand of basketball. They have shown tremendous consistency the entire year. Of their eight conference losses this season, only one was against a team not in the Big Dance — a four-point road loss to Cincinnati. Of their seven other conference losses, an astounding five were against No. 1 seeds. The last time they lost to an unranked opponent other than Cincinnati was on Dec. 9. WVU, however, has proven they can beat top-tier opponents. This was evident when they smacked Villanova by 21 points less than a month ago and more recently when they beat Pitt in the Big East tournament. If 6-foot7-inch junior forward Da'Sean Butler can catch fire, which he did in lighting up Villanova for 43 points, then West Virginia has the ability to make a run in the tournament.
IMPACT PLAYER: TERRENCE WILLIAMS The versatile forward has the unique ability of being a leader while also filling up the scorecard. This makes him an irreplaceable part of Louisville's success. Whether it's passing, rebounding, scoring or defending, Williams can do it all. At 6 feet 6-inches, Williams is built like a forward yet has the vision and unselfishness of a true point guard. This special combination is why head coach Rick Pitino runs the offense through him in what many call his "point forward" position. It's a position Williams has thrived in, best typified in his 2.15-to-1 assistto-turnover ratio. His ability to make his teammates better is what sets him apart from other players. To witness Williams’ influence on the game, look no further
than the box score, where he puts up impressive numbers in almost every category. Per game, Williams averages 12.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals. Although he doesn't average a jaw-dropping number of points, there is no doubt he is a dangerous scorer. He has scored over 20 points in eight games this season with six of them in Big East play.
BEST POTENTIAL MATCH-UP: LOUISVILLE-WAKE FOREST Many would argue that Wake Forest is the most talented team not only in this region, but maybe even the country. After a sizzling start and a No. 1 ranking due to wins against Duke, UNC and Clemson, the young Demon Deacons fell off the map, losing four of their next seven, including losses to Georgia Tech and NC State. But if their four straight wins to close out the regular season are any indication that they're back on track, it could spell trouble for everyone else in the region. With Jeff Teague, Al-Farouq Aminu and James Johnson on the roster, Wake has the size and athleticism to create an epic Sweet 16 game against Louisville. The Deacons’ fast-paced offense would be an interesting matchup against Louisville's pressure defense. Aminu could be a worthy challenger to irritate Williams while Louisville could struggle to shut down Teague. If Wake is somehow able to re-discover that January magic and realize its potential, then this game could be played at a Final Four level.
WINNER: LOUISVILLE They have a stifling defense, depth, loads of experience with an unrivaled passion — but most of all, they have one of the best coaches in tournament
MARK CORNELISON/MCT
Louisville forward Terrence Williams (1) encourages his teammates. The Cardinals, a team that won the Big East regular season championship and tournament title, are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. history. In a super-coach region featuring Tom Izzo, Bob Huggins, Bill Self and Thad Matta, Rick Pitino may be the best of the bunch. Of the four teams he has coached to a No. 1 seed, all but one has made it to the Final Four. Louisville has two other stellar offensive options to go along with
Williams, who isn't even the team's leading scorer. Because of his height and athleticism, 6-foot-9 forward Earl Clark can be a nightmare for opponents to guard. Freshman Samardo Samuel has scored over 15 points in 11 games and can dominate any smaller opponent inside by using his 6’9”, 260-pound
body. And even when a team can hang around for a while, Louisville manages to wear them down with their depth. Eight players average more than 10 minutes a game. The Cardinals have looked too dominant for too long — there’s no reason to believe the team will slip up now.
Mighty Pitt will show why they’re beasts of the East FIRST ROUND UPSET: NO. 11 VCU OVER NO. 6 UCLA
ETHAN HYMAN/MCT
Florida State’s Toney Douglas shoots over Georgia Tech’s Lewis Clinch in the quarterfinal round of the ACC tournament on Friday.
Star VCU point guard Eric Maynor (22.4 ppg, 6.2 apg) JOE knows about giantCRANDLEY killing. In 2007, Maynor racked up sports 22 points and eight reporter assists to defeat Duke in the first round. This year, Maynor’s play won’t surprise anyone, but he will have another shot at taking down a traditional powerhouse in UCLA. Aided by impressive sophomore forward Larry Sanders (11.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg) inside, the Rams have the guards to keep up with UCLA and the ability to clean up on the boards. Senior Bruins guard Darren Collison (14.5 ppg, 4.9 apg) and freshman guard Jrue Holiday (8.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) could potentially cause problems for Maynor and Rams sharpshooter Joey Rodriguez (9.4 ppg, 2.5 apg), but the presence of Sanders down low should relieve some of that pressure. Despite Maynor’s NCAA success, don’t discount Collison, either, who has appeared in three Final Fours since becoming a Bruin. Both are future NBA guards and should provide one of the more compelling match-ups of the first round. As if drawing the Rams wasn’t bad enough for the Bruins, UCLA must fly across the country to Philadelphia and will be up against a likely proVCU crowd. In the end, expect the Rams to beat UCLA with a balanced inside-out game that will be too much to handle.
SLEEPER TEAM: FLORIDA STATE After defeating North Carolina to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament finals, Florida State solidified themselves as a top-tier team. As a five seed, the Seminoles have a chance to cause some trouble for the top seeds in the East bracket. The 5 vs. 12 game always proves to be unpredictable, but FSU has the players to defend the Wisconsin swing offense. When the Hokies played the Badgers in December, they took advantage of Virginia Tech’s inability to guard the 3-point shot from their big men. Unlike Tech, the Noles have enough athletic post players that can guard on the perimeter as well as down low in the post. In the second round, likely against Xavier, the ’Noles have standout guards Toney Douglas and Derwin Kitchen to contend with the Musketeers’ guards and the excellent post defense to shut down their front line. If they get to the round of 16, FSU has the perfect team to give the Pitt Panthers serious trouble. Both teams play tough, physical defense and are led by senior guards with plenty of experience running their teams. The ’Noles feature the size and depth down low to bang with Panthers forward DeJuan Blair and the athletic ability to move away from the basket to defend Sam Young. Also keep in mind that even though Pittsburgh continues to develop its basketball tradition with its eight straight NCAA tournament appearances, the Panthers have struggled to advance far. Pittsburgh received three No. 3 seeds, a No. 2 and a No. 4 seed in that time and could not get beyond
the Sweet 16. Knowing that, the Seminoles appear to be in prime position to continue Pittsburgh’s string of underwhelming tournament performances.
IMPACT PLAYER: TONEY DOUGLAS Douglas (21.3 ppg, 2.9 apg) finished second in the ACC Player of the Year voting and also ended up second in scoring to propel FSU to a fourth place finish despite being picked to end up 10th in preseason polls. In addition to proving his scoring prowess, he also locked down opposing guards, earning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year honor. He possesses the rare ability to put a team on his back with his scoring talent and lockdown defense, something he put on display in his games against Tech. Since FSU relies on excellent defense and only averages 68.6 points per game, the Seminoles will depend on Douglas during the tournament — just as they have all season.
BEST POTENTIAL MATCH-UP: DUKE-VILLANOVA Regardless of one’s feelings toward Duke, fans of the ACC must admit they play an exciting brand of basketball: up-tempo, high scoring and guard-oriented with tough defense. Well, Villanova brings the same style to the table, and if the two teams happen to get together in a Sweet 16, the resulting game will be something to see. Dante Cunningham (16.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg) provides the Wildcats with an advantage inside, but the Blue Devils have dealt with big men all season
without much trouble in the ACC. This game will ultimately come down to guard play and three-point shooting: With these two teams, there will be plenty of both. Scottie Reynolds (15.5 ppg, 3.6 apg) and Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) lead the way for ’Nova, and they will be countered by a host of Duke’s former McDonald’s All-Americans, which may prove to be the deciding factor.
WINNER: PITTSBURGH Despite the recent postseason struggles, Pittsburgh simply has a complete team that nobody else in the East can measure up to. With an incredible 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio, senior point guard Levance Fields runs an efficient offense that protects the ball and eliminates easy buckets for opposing teams. Their frontcourt goes unmatched with Blair and Young pushing around smaller, less-physical post players. Pittsburgh received an excellent draw for their bracket, as the rest of the teams depend on superior guard play to win without much of a post threat. That deficiency will be apparent when the Panthers play against undersized teams. Pitt led the Big East in rebounding margin, an impressive feat considering how brutal the low post play is in their conference. Whether or not the officials allow them to continue their physicality in the interior will be vital to their success, but if they are allowed to play the way they have all season, the Panthers will take the East, with the only potential upset coming against Florida State.