self-destructive behavior
no real relationships
denies any suicidal or homicidal thoughts excerpts from cho’s medical records. read more / page two
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Monday, August 24, 2009
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COLLEGIATETIMES Dull dorm?
Make your dorm your own by creating interesting jewelry holders and other DIY projects / page 7
106th year, issue 71
News, page 2
Miller will not be charged
Features, page 6
Opinions, page 5
Classifieds, page 10
Sports, page 7
Sodoku, page 10
Corps pulls in new recruits
ZACH CRIZER ct nrv news editor Former Cook Counseling Center director Robert Miller will not face criminal charges for removing Seung-Hui Cho’s mental health records from the center. A press release from Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brad Finch said the Virginia State MILLER Police finished its investigation and concluded that Miller “does not appear to have acted with criminal intent in removing the records.” Miller has said in legal statements that he accidentally removed the documents when he was cleaning out his office between Feb. 27 and March 9, 2006. He found the documents at his home while looking for papers that would be relevant in a civil suit filed by the families of April 16 victims Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde. Miller, who is a defendant in the suit, returned the files to the center in July. He worked in Virginia Tech’s human resources department until 2008 following his departure from Cook Counseling Center.
Pritchard hosts green housing KELSEY HEITER ct news reporter Pritchard Hall is hosting a new type of Virginia Tech student this fall with two new coeducational themed housing pilot programs, SERVE and Green. The two new programs extend the total number of themed housing programs on campus to 12, including special interest and academic communities. Pritchard, which now holds female occupants for the first time in its history, did not host any of the university’s themed housing programs last year. SERVE, which stands for Students Engaging and Responding through Volunteer Experiences, is currently housed on the third floor of Pritchard, while Green is located on the second floor. Jacob Grohs, SERVE’s program facilitator, said the program hopes to evolve into a full community by next fall. “The pilot program helps us learn from experience,” Grohs said. “Our main purpose for the program is to help first year students focus on service and leadership.” He said the main goal of the program is finding chances for students to perform community service. “SERVE is offering volunteer opportunities to help students get in contact with the New River Valley community,” Grohs said. “We want to help the students understand the area that is now their home for the next four or five years.” The program has 10 freshman students involved this year who will help to redesign the program for next year. “We are working to try and make an academic portion for the program for next year,” Grohs said. “The program is a blend of service, theory and reflection, offering quality volunteer opportunities for our students to succeed throughout the program.” James Penven, associate director of residence life, said the new themed housing programs are being incorporated this year because of developing interest in new living and learning communities around civic engagement. “SERVE, specifically, is focused on enhancing students understanding of the communities that they live in and are a part of and how do they connect to that community,” Penven said. Green was put in place because of the increasing amount of attention given to sustainability over the last few years. “Our idea for the outcome of Green is that the group of students involved do not have to be convinced as to why this program is important,” Penven said. “Our goal is to enhance their understanding of issues and hopefully provide them with resources and information that they can take and use in other activities that they are involved with.” Kristine Dahm, Green’s program facilitator, said the idea of the housing community began during the 2008 fall semester. “We started tossing around ideas and began doing see PRITCHARD / page four
JAMES CARTY/COLLEGIATETIMES
Corps of Cadets cadres face off in a battle of tug-of-war on the drillfield as part of a field event for training new cadets.
Corps of Cadets experiences historic increase in numbers BY RILEY PRENDERGAST | news reporter t is during the intensive first week of training that
Virginia Tech’s oldest tradition begins weeks before
the bonds are formed in the Virginia Tech Corps
most students leave the beach. A record number of 293
of Cadets. The freshman cadets are forbidden
freshman cadets begin their hardest year of physical
from speaking unless granted permission by the
training and enter their chosen paths as members of the
ever-present and often domineering Cadres, or
corps of cadets.
[
on the web Check out www.collegiatetimes.com under multimedia to watch the cadets talk about why they wanted to join the corps.
]
so much that they too are feeling the pressure of lack of beds. Some residence halls have three cadets in each upperclassmen of the corps.
“My goal all my life has been to be a Marine Corps room.
They are forbidden from keeping clocks in their rooms
pilot,” said freshman cadet Jason Schnitker, a general
to prevent them from knowing what time they are being
engineering major. “I feel Virginia Tech’s Corps of Cadets,
roused from their beds in the often still dark morning.
specifically Raider Company, is the best preparation for
They endure hours of physical training in the blazing
Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.”
There has also been a sharp rise in the number of women in the corps. “There has been about a five percent increase in our female numbers, and I’m really excited about it,” said August sun, and run countless drills over daunting
This year the corps has seen the largest increase in Maj. Rewa Mariger, head of corps recruitment.
obstacle courses.
enrollment since 2002. The number of cadets has grown
see CADETS / page three
Luckett charged with driving offense ZACH CRIZER ct nrv news editor Montgomery County court records show that Virginia Tech football player Zach Luckett, who was suspended for last season, has been charged with driving with a revoked or suspended license. Virginia Tech Police Officer Deriek Crouse stopped the junior linebacker Aug. 6 and a report was filed Aug. 14. Bryan Johnston, associate director for athletics communication, said Saturday that Luckett’s status on the team has not changed as a result of the charge. Luckett was already scheduled to appear in court Sept. 30 for other matters stemming from a March incident. The hearing will determine whether or not Luckett has complied with the Virginia Alcoholic Safety Action Program. He was convicted of driving under the influence in September 2008 as a result of his Aug. 17, 2008, arrest on Draper Road.
He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, but 11 months and 25 days were suspended. His driver’s license was revoked for one year, and he was put in VASAP. A hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 1 in relation to the newest charge, which is considered a misdemeanor. Luckett was reinstated to the football team prior to the beginning of practices. Johnston said the team would wait until after the hearings to make any decisions on Luckett. The walk-on, who switched from wide receiver to linebacker, participated in Saturday’s scrimmage. Luckett played all in all 14 games of the Hokies’ 2007 season, often on special teams. He was fined for public urination in Blacksburg in 2006, and was previously convicted of DUI in New Jersey. CT Sports Editor Joe contributed to this report.
Crandley
FILE/SPPS
Zach Luckett makes a special teams tackle on North Carolina receiver Brandon Tate in a 2007 game at Lane Stadium.
2Cho’news s medical records shed light on shooter’s mental history new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9861
august 24, 2009
COLLEGIATETIMES
ZACH CRIZER & GORDON BLOCK ct news staff Robert Miller, the former Cook Counseling Center director who returned Seung-Hui Cho’s mental health records after locating them in his home, is being pressured for more information after the records were released Wednesday. A press release from Robert Hall,
the attorney for the families of April 16 shooting victims Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde, said the mental health documents are “remarkable for what they don’t contain.” Miller is a defendant in the lawsuit filed April 16, 2009 by the Peterson and Pryde families against Cho’s estate, as well as several university and state officials. Hall sent a request for admissions to Miller’s counsel Thursday. He hopes to gain more information than Miller
released in a public legal response Tuesday. The request for admissions makes 65 assertions in relation to Miller’s knowledge of Cho and gives Miller the chance to respond. It outlines the center’s interaction with Cho, as well as the internal communications of university personnel with Miller detailing Cho’s mental health history. Edward McNelis, Miller’s attorney, responded to a request for admissions Friday in a written statement to the
press. McNelis said the request would not receive the public response Hall asked for in the document. “The requests for admission by Mr. Hall are not facts but merely contentions drafted by an attorney with a vested interest in the outcome of the lawsuit,” McNelis said in the statement. “In contrast, the documents recently filed by Dr. Miller regarding the details of how he inadvertently removed the triage forms were statements of fact
given under oath.” Mental health records for Cho are now public after Virginia Tech received permission to release the information from his family and estate executor. The released records, a combination of records held at Cook Counseling Center and at former director Robert Miller’s home, offers a grim description of the student who would perpetrate the worst school shootings in U.S. history. In one file dated Nov. 30, 2005, Cho describes a “depressed mood” along with panic episodes “when having to talk to people.” Earlier reports had shown that Cho had been diagnosed with selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that made it extremely difficult to speak with others. While his disorder was known among school officials in Fairfax County where Cho had gone to high school, Virginia Tech was not made aware of the diagnosis. Cho declined to talk about relationship problems saying he “does not have any relationships.” Another examination done at the St. Alban’s Behavioral Health Center of the Carilion New River Valley Medical Center on Dec. 14, 2005 describes Cho’s disposition as “non-verbal, very quiet,” often looking at the floor, without blinking, smiling, laughing or crying. The assessment concluded Cho had a mood disorder, recommending extra treatment and counseling. The evaluation took place following a suicidal text message sent on Dec. 13, which led to him being held overnight at the center. Only a few hours after that evaluation, Cho would deny having either suicidal or homicidal thoughts at an appoint-
ment at Cook Counseling Center. A counselor at the center, Sherry Conrad, would give Cho hotline numbers to call after he declined to schedule a followup appointment for the spring 2006 semester. The Dec. 14 meeting was the last time Cho was in contact with the center. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine issued a statement following the release of the records. “The release of Seung-Hui Cho’s records will raise a lot of different feelings for the families devastated by the tragic events of April 16, 2007 and for the broader Virginia Tech community,” Kaine said. “I deeply sympathize with the families and loved ones who have to relive the pain and loss of that terrible day.” He also said he is glad the documents were made public. “However, we remain committed to openness around the events at Virginia Tech and it is important that the public have legal access to these records. I am pleased the Cho family also wanted these records released to the public,” Kaine said. The documents were returned to current Cook Counseling Center Director Christopher Flynn on July 16. Families of April 16 victims were offered the opportunity to submit corrections for the Virginia Tech Governor’s Panel Report earlier in the summer. Information sent to families from the governor’s office said TriData, an independent information systems company, will compile the corrections and complete a revised report by Oct. 31. At that time, a decision will be made on whether or not to reconvene the panel.
august 24, 2009
page 3
Cadets: Program trains freshman pool of diverse recruits “We are trying to show them that from page one
the corps and ROTC are not all-male programs.” One of the new female faces in the corps is Mehta, a freshman in general engineering. “I wanted to be a part of the corps because there is no other way to become a better leader than to join ROTC,” Mehta said. “We learn to work together as a class and learn how to lead our country.” The corps has also established itself as one of the top senior military colleges in the United States, holding the highest scores from leadership development assessment camps that all military colleges attend, according to Mariger. “I think that the word is starting to get out there that we’re one of the best senior military colleges to attend,” Mariger said. “Applications have steadily been rising as we’ve gotten the word out more and more.” While Mariger attributes the steady growth of the program to the achievement of the cadets, Lt. Col. Bill Stringer credits the growth to an increase in active recruitment. Stringer is retired from the Marine Corps, and he serves as a deputy commandant and leads the first battalion. “We’ve been holding at about 250, 252 for the past three or four years. This year we have 293,” Stringer said. “I think the best explanation for the increase is being a lot more aggressive on the recruiting program. We have a recruiter for the first time, an experienced recruiter, and that aggressive recruiting plus a lot more involvement from corps alumni has really helped.” Many students who are involved in the corps can choose what is called the “civilian track,” which entails being a member of the corps, but not the ROTC, and they will not commission after graduation. These students will still hold a minor in leadership and have access to the opportunities offered through the corps’ alumni connections. Scholarships awarded to members of the ROTC, those who are choosing to enter into military service as commissioned officers after gradua-
“
It’s nice knowing that you have a career after you graduate, but it is also a career that teaches you great leadership skills. MAJ. JIMMY WILEY ’97 GRADUATE
tion, are given through their chosen branch of the military. “I was awarded a Marine Corps scholarship and was assigned to my top choice, Virginia Tech,” Schnitker said. “You give them your top five choices and I just happened to get my top choice.” No ROTC scholarships are awarded through Tech. Most of the scholarships received by members of the corps only cover tuition. The only exception to this is the Army program, which often gives full scholarships that include room and board. “The cadets are given a monthly stipend of $200,” Mariger said. “The stipend increases by $50 each year, and so by the time they graduate they have made a fair amount of money.” The civilian corps program, however, does award scholarships to the cadets in the track. JAMES CARTY/COLLEGIATE TIMES “Cadets in the corps are given the opportunity to win an emerg- As part of new cadet week, Corps cadres lead the new recruits through the New Cadet Challenge, a field event where the recruits shuffle ing leader scholarship which between different stations intended to provide various physical and mental tests needed to become stronger leaders and individuals. awards $2,000 for in-state students and $3,000 for out-of-state students,” said Lt. Col. Gary Jackson, associate director of undergraduate admissions for the corps. In these uncertain economic times, students are looking for a guaranteed job — a light at the end of the tunnel after college — and military service is quickly becoming a viable option. Maj. Jimmy Wiley is just one cadet who has chosen a lifelong career in the military. He is currently a student at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. “It is nice knowing that you have a career after you graduate,” Wiley, a ’97 graduate of the corps, said. “But it is also a career that teaches you great leadership skills and can prepare you for leadership roles in the civilian world if you choose not to make it a lifelong career.”
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Pritchard: New Push for tariff provision in climate bill ‘green’ housing opens new doors JIM TANKERSLEY tribune newspapers
from page one
research on what other institutions were doing,” Dahm said. “We decided to start with the pilot and recruited students for this fall.” Despite having only 10 students in the pilot program, Green hopes to begin making a difference on campus this year, Dahm said. “As a group, the students of the pilot program will get together and figure out where they want to take the program and what they want to do with the sustainability initiatives,” Dahm said. “We are really working from the ground up here, saying ‘Okay, here is what is going on around campus and what are we going to do about it.’” Penven said the program is a pilot this year to gauge the interest level on campus. “There are formal proposals that are going to be reviewed by the associate vice president for student affairs,
director of housing, and director of residence life, and various others that will look at implementing the program for a permanent basis,” Penven said. “We would then see the programs expanding but not getting too large for the first few years.” Dahm said the students would provide feedback about the program to help determine what changes need to be made and what aspects need to be improved. “My goal for the program in the next few weeks is that the students will be able to understand all of the sustainability issues on campus and then they will decide what they want to get involved in,” Dahm said. “One of the other goals is for the students to change the name of the community if they want to and help the program develop an identity which in turn will help the students develop their goals for the semester and for the year.”
PERRYSBURG, Ohio — A group of Midwestern Democrats is pushing for tariffs on products from countries that don’t limit greenhouse gas emissions, a controversial step the legislators say is needed to help American manufacturers survive expected emissions restrictions here. The Democrats say the measure would level the playing field for U.S. factories, which will likely face increased energy costs due to global warming legislation backed by the Obama administration. The legislation narrowly passed in the House in June and is now pending in the Senate. The tariff demand has placed a group of often-reliable allies for President Obama — including Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and the newly installed Al Franken of Minnesota — squarely at odds with the president, who has insisted he
doesn’t want to send “protectionist” signals with the climate-change bill. But Brown said shortly before convening a climate summit earlier this month in Perrysburg that the tariff provision “has to be in” to win the votes of factory-state senators. It’s “about jobs, and it’s an opportunity to fix some of our problems in manufacturing, and one of those is the way we’ve conducted trade in this country,” Brown said. The centerpiece of the climate bill is a system, known as “capand-trade,” which sets gradually declining “caps” on emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. Major industries, such as power plants and factories, would need to obtain permits for their emissions, which they could buy and sell on an open market. That basic concept is supported by the bulk of congressional Democrats, along with some Republicans. The conflict comes in the fine print — particularly in efforts to protect state and regional economies from the impact of
higher energy prices due to the cost of reducing emissions. As the tariff debate illustrates, one senator’s idea of “protection” can often be another’s idea of “harm.” A potential tax on imports from countries that do not adopt emissions restrictions would help U.S. factories that have shed jobs in recent decades in the face of lowwage competition, Brown and fellow factory-state Democrats say. The move would protect existing factory jobs, the senators say, and stop companies from outsourcing production to nations, such as China and India, without emissions limits. Brown added the climate change bill with a tariff provision offers the best opportunity in decades to reinvigorate Ohio’s slumping manufacturing sector and overhaul U.S. trade policies. Unions and environmental groups in the Midwest have supported the idea and launched a media blitz Wednesday across the industrial Midwest to tout the economic potential of the climate bill.
If done right — with strong trade protections — the bill would be “the most important piece of job-creating legislation in 20 years,” said David Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance, one of the groups sponsoring the Midwest media campaign. Factory-state senators say the tariff could help them level the scales with foreign competitors as the states try to shift their industries toward high-tech products, such as windturbines,solarpanelsandother alternative energy sources, said Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. “These clean technology jobs, I don’t believe are just some future goal or something in the distance. We’re creating them now,” he said. But a tariff upsets some Senate Republicans who have supported past global warming legislation. “It’s absurd for Democrats to think they’re going to slap a trade tariff on China, when China is buying all our Treasury debt to keep our economy alive right now,” said Mark Helmke, a senior adviser to Indiana Sen. Dick Lugar.
Observers cautious to declare Afghanistan’s presidential election a success JONATHAN LANDAY mcclatchy newspapers KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s second-ever presidential election was marred by voterigging, voter intimidation and low turnout in many areas and should not be declared a success until the full extent of problems is known, election monitors and other experts said Saturday. The warning reflected concern that the United States and its allies, anxious to claim progress after eight years of war, are rushing to endorse a contest that may turn out to be flawed. “We don’t have a sense of the scope of the problem and we don’t have a sense of the scale of problem,” said Glenn Cowan, the head of a monitoring team from U.S.-based Democracy International. “We know as little now as we did on Wednesday (the day before the election), other than some people in some places got to go out and voted.” The campaigns of President Hamid Karzai, who is seeking a second five-
year term, and his nearest challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, have both claimed victory and accused the other of fraud. Karzai is favored to win, but it was not clear if he would gain the 50 percent majority needed to avoid a runoff against the runner-up. There were 37 candidates on the ballot. Retired French Army Gen. Phillipe Morrillon, who led the European Union’s observer mission, told a news conference that the vote was “a victory for the Afghan people” and “largely positive.” His comments followed President Barak Obama’s declaration Friday that the election was “an important step forward in the Afghan people’s effort to take control of their future.” Rachel Reid of Human Rights Watch, however, said that such statements don’t “ring true” for Afghans affected by Election Day attacks or other problems. She called Election Day “one of the most violent days witnessed in Afghanistan in the last eight years.” “There risks being a serious credibility gap which will only serve to
increase disillusionment with the effort to create a democracy,” she said of Western declarations of success. Election observers’ efforts to oversee the vote were hampered by their inability to go to many districts for security reasons, by the remoteness of much of Afghanistan and by the sheer number of polling stations. Moreover, Afghanistan has no lists of registered voters, and millions of fake and duplicate voter registration cards. Afghan and international monitoring teams released preliminary reports that found that the Aug. 20 vote was generally fair, but marred by fraud, intimidation, violence and a low turnout in the war-torn southern and eastern homeland of the Pashtuns, the country’s largest ethnic group. At least 26 Afghan security force members and civilians were killed in Election Day unrest, according to the government. Election observers cautioned against reaching any conclusion about the election until a panel of three foreigners and two Afghans and the Independent Election
Commission finish checking complaints and verifying ballot counts in the 34 provinces. The ballot count was completed on Friday, but preliminary results aren’t due till Tuesday. Turnout appeared to be high in relatively safe northern and western areas of the war-torn country. But attendance was reportedly extremely low — perhaps as low at 5 percent — in some Pashtun-dominated southern and eastern provinces. Monitors detailed a number of incidents they said marred Election Day, including an incident in Kandahar Province, where Taliban fighters cut off two voters’ fingers stained with the ink used to prevent duplicate voting. There were also rocket and mortar attacks on polling stations in a number of provinces and the early closure of some polling stations. Observers also noted that candidates’ representatives were excluded from some polling stations of candidates’ representatives, that polling officials pressured people to vote for particular candidates, and that there were many reports of duplicate and
under-age voting and proxy voting by men for women. Mirwais Yasini, the deputy speaker of Parliament’s lower house and one of the presidential candidates, turned up at the hotel where the observer missions were staying with two plastic bags containing torn ballots marked in his name and embossed with the Independent Election Commission verification stamp. He said the ballots were among some 25,000 cast for him in his home district of Spin Boldak, in Kandahar Province, that Border Police officers emptied from ballot boxes and replaced with fake ballots for Karzai. “These were votes in my favor that were destroyed by Karzai’s people,” he said. “This is a totally rigged election. This is a disaster.” Morillon said he was aware of allegations that despite low turnout, many ballot boxes were being reported full in some areas of Kandahar Province, where the government is controlled by Karzai’s brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai. Afghan and Western officials, however, said that they had no indications
of systematic fraud, and insisted that there were mechanisms in place that could detect serious vote-rigging. A senior Western intelligence source, who requested anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak publicly, said more than 500 incidents of insurgent violence nationwide were recorded on the day before the election and on polling day. But he called the attacks “very, very uncoordinated, unsophisticated and ineffective,” saying that “ninetyfive percent of polling centers were open.” Kenneth Womack, who co-led a U.S.-based National Democratic Institute monitoring mission, said it’s still too early to certify that the vote was a success. “Many of the most serious election-related problems are likely to take place in areas of the country that are the least accessible to observers,” he said. “The full extent of such problems may not be known until the results of the polls are carefully analyzed.”
opinions 5
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9861 COLLEGIATETIMES
august 24, 2009
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Our Views [staff editorial]
Corps as example for other Tech programs P
erhaps one of the most significant benefits of attending Virginia Tech is the almost overwhelming and everexpanding diversity of choices. This applies to everything from course request to dining, but it pertains most to extracurricular activities, which ebb and flow with fluctuations in fads, political elections and current events. The corps of cadets, which was founded with the start of the university in 1872, remains one of the highest regarded entities on campus. And the recent increase in enrollment reflects how popular the option is after all these years. While the vast majority of students choose the civilian route, the growing population of cadets on campus reflects the overall prestige of the program. Although it may not seem pertinent to the lives of civilian students, the corps represents the origins and traditions of our university. Formed 20 years before Tech’s first football game, the close-knit military community can arguably be described as the beginning of what we now call the “Hokie Nation,” and the foundation of the intense school spirit that characterizes Tech. However, the corps has the potential to set another standard as an example of the benefits of recruiting new students to Tech’s plethora of programs. The increased cadet enrollment is a direct result of displaying the advantages of the program offers. By advertising the close community, scholarships and career opportunities the corps provides for students — even those who choose the
corps track without enlisting in the ROTC — it is able to draw interest in not only the program itself, but also the university as a whole. Obviously, this kind of publicity benefits both the students and the program. Following in the example of the corps, showcasing programs outside of those designated for majors could help attract future students looking for more than just a curriculum. Uniting students in a common interest or goal while offering other benefits, such as scholarships and internship opportunities, may be a more valuable approach to attracting students into Tech’s programs than relying on the academic aspect alone. While theme housing offers a community, it is often times based on certain majors or other specific demographics, and thus limits the appeal and practicality. Not every student fits the criteria for the 14 current theme housing options. Expanding contemporary programs, creating new ones and advertising both is a more effective approach to bringing in enthusiastic and ambitious students to the university’s many different opportunities. The corps is both a reflection of our extensive past and an example of the future of Tech. As the campus and its programs continue to grow, the numerous benefits that our university offers will as well. With good planning, advertising and recruitment, we will continue to see an increase in enrollment. The editorial board is comprised of Debra Houchins, Peter Velz and Sara Mitchell
[public editor]
Your input shapes the Collegiate Times R
ight now, you probably just opened the first issue of a redesigned Collegiate Times, or you’re on our Web site. Once again, we’re back on the grind, and with the first few days and weeks of classes comes a lot of pressure, things to do and new people to meet. With new people comes more names to remember, and with that comes even more names to forget. Well, one name that I’d like for you to not forget is mine. My name is Justin Graves, and I am the CT public editor. What does the public editor do exactly? The way I look at it, I’m supposed to help keep everyone happy. Whether it is the reader, the student who doesn’t even read our paper, our staff, our advisers, the community, the faculty or anyone else — basically if you have a problem with our paper, I’m going to be the moderator and help everyone meet somewhere in the middle. The most dreaded part of being public editor is the fact that I’m also responsible for corrections. No, your student newspaper is not perfect. Sometimes we make mistakes and we have to own up to them. I’m responsible for making sure that those corrections run as soon as possible so we can get our readers the most accurate information. The CT runs Tuesday through Friday (with the exception of this first issue). Our paper is put together by a group of roughly 35 extremely dedicated people. Reporters, editors and advisers all come together with the purpose of making this year’s paper the absolute best, and not just another college newspaper. Our editor-in-chief, Sara Mitchell, is the head of all the craziness that you’ll find if you ever come up to 365 Squires. We all follow her lead on a daily basis, spending endless hours in the newsroom with our colleagues. Peter Velz, who you probably received an e-mail from forwarded through your department Listserv, is the managing editor of editorial — he’s generally responsible for the written content of the CT. Bethany Buchanan, the managing editor of design, will talk your ear off about the “glorious” paper that was introduced today, as the redesign project is her pride and joy. She treats it like it’s her baby. It’s a beautiful thing, and it’s even more beautiful in print. Then, we’ve got our sports editors, Joe Crandley and Alex Jackson. The features editors are Topher Forhecz and Teresa Tobat, the opinions editor is
Debra Houchins, our multimedia editor Kevin Anderson, and the news editors for New River Valley news and University news are Zach Crizer and Philipp Kotlaba, respectfully. In addition to that, we have several reporters who make up our staff and complete the family. The general purpose of this column is to give updates on our work as we develop the paper. Whether there is a big issue on something we published, or I just want you guys to know something, this column should be something that our readers look forward to and view as informative. Over the summer, a big purpose of the column is something that I will reiterate now — we want you! The CT always welcomes prospective writers, and maybe someday you can become an editor. But you can’t get there without coming by 365 Squires. For those of you who are extremely busy, you can join our “Collegiate Times Interest Group” on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. Even if you don’t have any questions, we want people to come by the newsroom. We want a transparent process this year, and that starts with you, the reader, showing the interest and caring about what we do in the process of bringing the student body the best quality newspaper there is in Blacksburg. Otherwise, I hope you guys read this column to learn about our newspaper, our staff and to stay informed. The CT, I believe, should be a cross section of the student body, staff, faculty and community, and I believe that all of those voices should be reflected in the paper. As public editor, I will work my hardest to ensure that happens and keep conflict to a minimum. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you in the newsroom when you come visit, and if you see me on campus — I’m hard to miss — make sure to let me know what you thought about today’s issue of the paper, what you’d like to see, and what you wouldn’t like to see. Any questions? E-mail me at publiceditor@collegiatetimes. com.
JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -sophomore
MCT CAMPUS
Commencement speaker advocates war crimes G
en. Lance Smith gave this May’s commencement speech to Virginia Tech graduates as a man proud of his country, “a unique force for good in the world,” having “done more to free people from tyranny and poverty than any other nation on earth.” Now, “Iraq is rid of a vicious dictator and his sons,” although due to “media bias” the public is unaware of “any of the good things we [are] doing in Iraq,” such as building “new schools.” It is true that “we are aggressive actors on the world stage” but “in Asia we have been the foundation of peace and stability for 60 years.” To protect this “unique” freedom, we must be mindful of the encroaching “tyranny of the majority” that will institute socialism, which “destroys true democracy and individual liberty.” We must not confuse “real socialism” with European socialism, which provides “higher levels of welfare spending to maintain peace and quiet in the lower classes.” Let’s examine his claims. Nuremberg Principle VI defines “war crimes” in part as “wanton destruction of cities ... or devastation not justified by military necessity.” In “War Without End,” Michael Schwartz describes the November 2004 invasion of Fallujah: “U.S. forces surrounded the city and barred entry to everyone. Even humanitarian and medical personnel were not allowed to enter for the next two months. The commanders of the siege then invited all women, children and older men to leave through a few of (the) heavily guarded checkpoints. All fighting-age men were prohibited from exiting ... Civilians who stayed in the city during the fighting, estimated to be about 50,000 of the 250,000 residents, found themselves in a killanything-that-moves free-fire zone.” The city was destroyed, has not been rebuilt and probably will not recover in our generation. This great victory was mimicked in Baiji and Ramadi, cities of 200,000 and 500,000, respectively. Does Smith think we should bomb
Richmond in order to “free people from tyranny and poverty”? There are no bounds to “the good things we (are) doing in Iraq,” according to Smith, that cannot possibly be “justified by military necessity,” according to the Nuremberg Principles. The entire war is unjustified by military necessity and therefore is a continuing series of war crimes. Chapter I of the United Nations Charter specifically condemns wars of “aggression,” as does Nuremberg Principle VI. Thus, the Iraq War is a violation of the United Nations Charter and the Nuremberg Principles, created to prevent the crimes characteristic of fascist Germany and Japan. Smith noted Saddam Hussein was a “vicious dictator.” What made him vicious? He was executed for ordering the killings of 148 civilians in 1982, and perpetrated other crimes that killed tens of thousands. The 1990s U.S.-led U.N. sanctions killed (“free(d)”) more than one million, according to UNICEF. If we accept Smith’s logic, we should urge that the last four “vicious” U.S. presidents be hanged. Maybe to Smith this is media bias, because instead of suppressing these stories, the media should be covering “new schools.” Similarly, Smith must laud the objectivity of the North Korean press when it reports on “new schools” while its government is engaged in massive atrocities. Apparently, there is no contradiction in hoping for this sort of truth in coverage of the Iraq War, which was justified with lies about weapons of mass destruction. If not in Iraq, then perhaps in Asia we have laid a “foundation of peace and stability.” Before their economic ascensions, Japan and South Korea were decimated by war (“peace”) and U.S.-installed dictatorships (“stability”). Perhaps Smith is talking about loans from the U.S.-influenced International Monetary Fund, which forces many Asian countries to cut funding for antipoverty programs. This predictably
increased poverty and unemployment throughout Asia, and drove Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia into depressions (see Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine”). Or perhaps our great help to the Asian continent is evident is Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, where American forces killed millions of defenseless peasants. It is a wonder if there is any limit to the war crimes Smith will laud under the façade of “laying the foundation of peace and stability.” Dismayed by a recent poll stating that 33 percent of Americans under 30 support socialism, Smith dedicated about a third of his speech to redbaiting. Presumably he learned to hate socialism when he was receiving his state-sponsored education at Virginia Tech or working for the government for 40 years. Regardless, anyone who has read a newspaper over the past year can ridicule the suggestion that the U.S. has a free market economy. Quoting Alexis de Tocqueville, Smith argued that giving in to the requests of the “tyranny of the majority” more than is necessary “to maintain peace and quiet in the lower classes” is walking down the path to Stalinism. Therefore, the ruling class (“true democracy”) must be strong in the face of democracy (“tyranny”). Indeed, sages could abolish minimum wage and child labor laws if “the lower classes” would just get out of the way. Thus, our last commencement speaker extolled the virtues of war crimes, supported unlimited U.S. economic and military warfare, excoriated the media for being too critical of state power and conflated democracy with totalitarianism.
BURKE THOMAS -regular columnist -international affairs graduate student
Liberal education a necessity in every student’s curriculum A
s a new school year begins, and as I meet the new people I will live and work with for the next nine months, I begin to realize again how strangely rare it is here at Virginia Tech to find someone who is not resistant to getting a liberal education. So when I tell them that I am a philosophy and history double major, and I am not studying to be a teacher, I get stares of amazement and that special look that says, “So what are you going to do with your life then?” And when I speak with my friends who are engineering and science majors, as I am destined to meet them here, I realize that few people at Tech are getting a liberal education. Most students seem to find a way around it, but do engineers really have a choice? A liberal education is defined by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as “an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest.” While Tech does make a strong attempt to widen students’ views of the world by requiring them to take
classes in all seven core areas, we still find a way to get out of the classes that we don’t want to take. These are the hard classes, such as philosophy, history and English; classes that require one to write and state one’s opinion in papers. These are classes that challenge what we believe and enlighten us on the implications of what we do. I find avoiding these classes to be a very unfortunate trend, because getting a liberal education is just as important as doing well in one’s chosen major. One of the most important aspects of getting a liberal education is widening one’s view of the world to dispel ignorance and open our minds to new ideas. They are also meant to broaden understanding the social, political, environmental and other implications of what we do and learn. While Tech requires us to take classes in these areas, such as Area 2 and Area 7, we still try to avoid them. Instead of spending a semester questioning if humans have free will or the ethical consequences of capital punishment, we take Music Theory or Introduction to Acting. We avoid classes that do not interest us or seem difficult, and while these classes may be challenging, they are for our benefit. They open our eyes to new ideas,
traditions and methods of thinking. They are classes that will not necessarily help us learn what we will do at our future jobs, but they are the classes that teach us how to live. These classes make us think long and hard about how what we do matters, as individuals and as a society. They make us search for the truth and then, once we think we have found it, question it. I am not saying that engineering and the sciences are not vitally important to our society, and I do not know what I would do without their benefits. However, many students from these majors do not realize the importance of receiving a liberal education. So, next time you have the option of taking a class that you can clearly blow off or a class that challenges what you believe — try the latter. You never know; you may even enjoy all that time you spend writing papers.
GABBI SELTZER -regular columnist -sophomore -philosophy/history major
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6 features
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9861 COLLEGIATETIMES
Art exhibit communicates the commute DAN WAIDELICH ct features reporter
S
tanding in the Armory Art Gallery and examining the prints lining its walls, an observer might feel a transient sense familiar to anyone who has spent time sitting in an airport terminal or a waiting room. “Transitory Observations: Mobility Through Public Space” is a collection of works by printmaker Elizabeth Ferrill. The exhibit is part of Virginia Tech’s Summer Arts Festival, a fourmonth long series of various artistic activities and events throughout Blacksburg. Ferrill’s prints focus on objects and spaces that people tend to pass by or through. Muted grays and blues surround airports, escalators and city buses in her work. The result of this fusion of familiar locations and understated tones gives the visitors the impression that as they move around the exhibit, they are traveling through a deserted urban sprawl. A lack of any depictions of the human form furthers the mood of an empty and fleeting world. Tech alumnus Heath Ballowe is the exhibit’s curator. Ballowe’s work was featured at the gallery last summer and when he was invited back to oversee a collection of his choosing, he decided to showcase Ferrill’s work. The Collegiate Times sat down with Deborah Sim, director of the gallery, to discuss the exhibit, the artists and the growth of a fine arts scene in Blacksburg. CT: The exhibit features the works of Elizabeth Ferrill, with Heath Ballowe as its curator. How did this arrangement come about? DS: Every summer, two shows go through the Armory Art Gallery as part of the Summer Arts Festival. For the second one of the summer, I got the idea that I could find a way to incorporate recent alumni back into the gallery. The idea of conversations is what started this. Heath had graduated and spent a year being a silkscreen artist near Lynchburg, but had been accepted into the master’s program at the Rhode Island School of Design. He invited his friend Liz Ferrill who just graduated this past May with her Master of Fine Arts in printmaking. CT: Can you describe Ferrill’s work a bit and why Ballowe chose to focus an exhibit on it? DS: Liz is all about commuting. All of these images have to do with her
commute and all these central spaces that we treat as nonessential. The things we pass through, the things we pass by, the things we take no notice of, but which are part of our lives. These pieces are called “pochoir,” which is an old technique of stenciling color into an image. She cuts these very specific stencils. Heath loves process. He likes texture. He loves making stuff. He can sew things. He is into the whole idea of the layering and construction of things. He is drawn to printmakers. Printmakers have to think in this odd, convoluted kind of way. Heath does the same thing. CT: Ballowe has done several exhibits in Blacksburg. Do you feel that artists who return to the Blacksburg area do so because the culture still influences and calls to them? DS: Absolutely. Heath is a Southerner. He embraced being in Rhode Island. He thought he could not wait to get out of the South, but he sat here in this chair and he said, “I am so glad I get to come back.” CT: Ferrill worked on a project called the “Daily Transit,” some pieces of which are here in the exhibit. What was the idea behind that? DS: She did an image a day for 365 days. When I got these I read the instructions and was like, “OK, I get it. Five across and three down. Is there an order?” I look on the back and there’s number 69, number 321, number four. I’m here with a kid who was working for me during the summer trying to come up with something. When I asked her she said, “Oh yeah, there is no order.” CT: This exhibit is the last remaining event of the Summer Arts Festival here at Tech, which strives to provide arts-based entertainment in the community. What are your thoughts on the growth of the arts in Blacksburg and the surrounding area? DS: It’s interesting to watch the rise of that. There is just this movement afoot. We are coming up online at this experiential gallery at Kent. The connection is with the Taubman Museum in Roanoke. We are starting to work with them and trying to think of more ways we can connect. The Armory, the re-opening of Henderson Hall, the new theater — we are starting to really anchor an arts district here. BRIAN CLAY/SPPS The Armory Art Gallery is located at 203 Draper Rd. “Transitory Deborah Sim, director of the Armory Gallery, sits in front of Elizabeth Ferrill’s exhibition titled “Transitory Observations: Mobility Through Observations” is open to the public until Friday, Aug. 28. Admission Public Space.” The exhibit makes the viewer aware of objects that often go unnoticed and is currently being showcased until Aug. 28. is free.
august september 24, 2009 23, 2009
page 73
DIY: Dorm room decorating on a budget D
og-earing the pages of decorating magazines and retail catalogs, I spent a good part of my youth dreaming about dorm décor. I naively fell prey to the IKEA and Pottery Barn promise of color-coordinated bedding, trendy wall art and custom paint jobs. As I began to visit colleges, I was disappointed to discover that dorms are not generally equipped with entertainment centers and walk-in closets, but dingy tile floors, prison-style cinderblock walls, a “no paint, no nails” mantra and a tight budget. Scouring lower-priced retailers, I hoped to find adequate substitutes for the pieces I had been coveting. I came to the conclusion that there is little middle class for dorm décor — if you cannot afford a leather ottoman and an oak armoire for storage space, you might as well be living out of shoeboxes and plastic crates. Frustrated but unwilling to accept defeat, I decided to create a room that utilized my space without resembling a prison cell or draining my wallet. I revamped inexpensive staples collected from thrift stores and discount retailers with simple tricks any student can apply to their own room. Lofty living: Convert a loft into a room of your own Make no mistake — my roommate is a gem, but sometimes it is nice to have some privacy. Rather than suffer through another year of having to test my roommate’s ability to sleep through late night study sessions or sporadic craft projects, I developed a plan to use my loft kit to create a bedroom of my own. By removing the mattress from the top and placing it underneath on the floor, hanging flame retardant fabric around the entire loft and adding a hanging light, you can create a tent-like space to read, write and sleep without worrying about your roommate’s schedule. Classy crates: Turn inexpensive milk crates or file crates into attractive storage space Without a traditionally lofted bed, storage space is scarce — a problem I remedied by placing milk crates on the top of the loft where my mattress once was.
Filled with socks, underwear, accessories, art supplies and anything else imaginable, the crates free up the meager desk, dresser and closet space dorms have to offer. Even those who loft their beds can take advantage of crates by capitalizing on their stackable design, which opens the door for a multitude of arrangements. Although unsightly, you can use an old bed sheet to create covers for the crates by cutting the sheet into panels that fit across the front and sides. Packing tape helps to secure the sheets in the back. Because you only see the front, the gruesomely taped sides and back do not matter. To dress them up even more, tie on some empty, backless picture frames. The frames can also serve a useful purpose by filling them with art or cards that identify the contents of the crate. Book smarts: Use homey accents to enhance your bookshelf An avid reader and music lover, I have acquired a slew of books and records whose handsome pages, colorful covers or antique appeal make them prime candidates for practical decorations. Instead of relying on your bookshelf as only a place to forget about textbooks, make it a statement piece by arranging your books by color, size or subject. Fill in gaps or free space with those knickknacks you have cluttering your dresser. Using removable poster putty, you can decorate the wall above it with lightweight picture frames and real art found at the thrift store — creating a cozier, more home-like feel than the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” or Hokie pride posters found in every other dorm room. Flavor-filled furnishings: Add spice to your room by thinking outside of the (plastic) box
basement and you are likely to find some real treasures. Instead of spending $20 on a rickety set of drawers or bland plastic boxes to store my art supplies and jewelry, I came across a vintage card catalog. Stained a mousy brown and covered in cobwebs, it was unimpressive at first glance, resulting in the low price of free. But with a few coats of shiny red paint, I transformed it into a striking piece far more unique and practical than most furniture, at a fraction of the cost. Rocking your room: Never lose an earring again with a DIY jewelry holder With little room for jewelry boxes, jewelry often gets lost within the heaps of dirty clothes, odd papers and pen caps that clutter the average college student’s dresser. I found that earrings were a particular nuisance. Their daily disappearance has resulted in my decision to never wear matching earrings. However, with a little DIY ingenuity, there is a way to keep those wayward earrings in order. Using a twig I found outside, scrap fabric, and a hot glue gun, I created an earring and pin holder in less than five minutes. After breaking off a straight, foot-long section of a thick twig, cut a section of fabric slightly thinner than the width of the twig and about a foot long. Put hot glue on the twig and wrap the fabric around it once so that it covers the twig. Tie a thin section of fabric to the two ends so that it can be hung and cut any remaining fabric (I used a different color) into thin strips to be tied decoratively to the ends of the twig. Attach earrings and pins through the fabric and hang it from a hook. It can also be hung from a closet door or even the corner of a desk when you need it. When you don’t want it taking it up space, simply roll it up and store it.
Traditional dorm furniture generally includes a bed, a desk, a bookshelf and a nightstand, unless you are really being radical and investing in a desk chair, beanbag or set of plastic drawers. Yet the most efficient and attractive pieces are often those that are not massproduced. Take a look around the thrift store, yard sales or your grandparent’s
MARY ANNE CARTER -ct features reporter -junior -communication major
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Top: By moving the mattress below your bed frame and draping it with a flame retardant fabric, a loft can become a private retreat. Bottom: With a little bit of creativity and easy to find materials, milk crates offer a great storage space with personality.
sports 8
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ telephone number: 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
NASCAR star Denny Hamlin football coach for a day
MIKE RANDSDELL/KANSAS CITY STAR
HAMLIN VISITS WITH THE FOOTBALL TEAM PRIOR TO THE SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE IN BRISTOL, TENN. ED LUPIEN ct sports reporter NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin paid a visit on Thursday to the Virginia Tech football team and tried his hand at coaching. Hamlin, a native of Chesterfield, Va., who grew up a Tech fan, appeared in awe while visiting the team in the practice facility. “I’ve always been a huge Hokies fan, not that other college in Virginia,” Hamlin said. “It’s just Beamer — his ethics and character is what I like.” The 28-year-old stated that his recent success in racing has provided him the long-desired opportunity to see, and now meet, the team he loves. “I didn’t get to go to a whole lot of Tech games growing up,” Hamlin said. “I have been to the last two Orange Bowl games so I got to see the win last year. That was a lot of fun.” Hamlin spent the latter part of the week preparing in Southwest Virginia for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500 race in Bristol, where he placed fifth. With two races to go before NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup commences, Hamlin remains securely in the mix to compete for the championship. He is currently in fourth place in the points standings. Because of his standing, visiting
with the Hokies was not only a treat for Hamlin but also an opportunity to promote his racing team. “It kind of worked out well with me being from Virginia. We’ve got the Race to the Chase and the last race in Richmond coming up,” Hamlin said. “It was good to help promote it through these guys here and let them know that I was going to be there to support them in Atlanta. For me it was really all about coming up here and having some fun.” Before the start of practice, Hamlin addressed the team and was given a custom No. 11 jersey with his name on the back presented by head coach Frank Beamer. Not to be outdone by his host, Hamlin then presented Beamer with one of his personalized racing suits that had been worn during several races this season. Much to his players’ surprise, Beamer attempted and succeeded in putting the suit on as soon as he received the gift. Darryl Slater of The Richmond Times-Dispatch noted that as Beamer squeezed into the suit, he joked, “Where’s my car, by the way? I hope I’m not too big. I lost some weight.” The team erupted with laughter. “It gave us a little break,” quarterbacks coach Mike O’Cain said of the moment. Beamer “is good; he likes to have a little fun every once in a while.” “He keeps this game in perspective pretty well,” O’Cain said. “To have somebody joke around and try to put
that suit on is something the players like. They like to see a coach make fun of himself and not be stoic all the time. All of this kind of gets monotonous. Just a little change of pace is always good.” After the comedic moment settled, it was time to get back to work. As the players ran through their usual warmups, Hamlin stood at Beamer’s side and received a crash course in the team’s offensive playbook. Hamlin soon got his chance to get into the action personally. He rendezvoused with junior quarterback Tyrod Taylor and decided which plays Taylor would carry out against the first-team defense. “I gave a few zoom-zipper-suckers and calls like that,” Hamlin said. “It’s a lot of fun working with these guys and it’s just amazing to watch these guys and see how they prepare.” Hamlin noted that he likes the team’s potential and sees a special campaign on the rise for the Hokies in 2009. “I think they’ve got a great chance to get into a great bowl game,” Hamlin said. “I talked to coach a little bit about these guys and he said that this group has the best team chemistry he’s ever seen. There’s no telling how far they can go.” While briefly meeting with the media after making his coaching debut, Hamlin was asked which was higher on his list: meeting with Beamer or the president of the United States, which Hamlin had done the day before with several other top drivers on the Sprint Cup Series circuit. “That’s actually a toss-up,” Hamlin said.
STEVEN FALK/PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
august 24, 2009
page 9
Women’ s soccer dominates High Point in season opener Women's Soccer Roster Pos. Yr.
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Senior midfielder Emily Jukich celebrates with her teammates Robin Chidester and Kelly Conheeney after scoring Tech’s second goal of the night against High Point.
ON AN EASY ROAD TO VICTORY HOKIES OUTSHOOT PANTHERS 31-2 TO START SEASON OFF RIGHT. ALEX JACKSON ct sports editor The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team defeated the High Point Panthers, 2-0, in the Hokie’s home opener at Thompson Field on Sunday night. Despite being picked to finish seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll, the Hokies have a lot to be optimistic about after Sunday’s performance. Tech controlled the field of play for the duration of the game, rarely allowing the Panthers to cross midfield without a challenge and allowing just two shots, both of which came from far outside the box in the final minutes. Head coach Kelly Cagle said of the performance, “I’m pleased. I think we had a pretty good first showing. I think we had too many pieced, sort of mealed portions that weren’t all tied together that we need to try to attach just to try to play a better, whole 90 minutes.” “But, I think that’s just a testament to — first game, we have some young kids,” she said. “I thought we were very exciting at times, though, and I think that’s so fun.” Freshman midfielder Kelly Conheeney opened the game by receiving a pass from freshman
forward Kelsey Mitchell at the eight minute mark. From there, Conheeney drilled the ball past High Point senior goalkeeper Marisa Abbott to put the Hokies up one. Of Conheeney, Cagle said, “She just brings something to the table that’s really different than what we’ve had coming out of midfield.” “Kelly brings just a totally different dynamic — being able to be a little more mobile,” Cagle said. “You see her, she’s so quick and kind of like a little busy bee, so I think she’s going to be really good.” The Hokies didn’t score again in the first half, but Conheeney’s goal was one of 14 shots in the first half for Tech, five of which were on goal. Conheeney truly impressed in her debut game as a freshman at Tech, scoring once and racking up five shots in the match. In the second half, the Hokies again scored early when senior forward Emily Jukich gained control of the ball in front of the Panthers’ goal and put it through Abbott’s legs just over three minutes into the half for the second goal of the night. Jukich, who had one goal on four shots in the match, enters her senior year after an impressive junior campaign in which she ranked third in the
No.
Player
GK
Jr.
1
Rebekah Brook
D
Jr.
23
Kelsey Billups
D/MF Jr.
6
Kelly Lynch
MF
Fr.
13
Kelly Conheeney
MF
So. 15
Brittany Popko
MF
Jr.
20
Jennifer Harvey
MF/F Fr.
2
Amanda Gerhard
F
Fr.
14
Kelsey Mitchell
F
Sr.
10
Emily Jukich
F
Sr.
17
Robin Chidester
F
Jr.
26
Marika Gray LINDSEY BACHAND/COLLEGIATE TIMES
ACC in goals per game and fourth in the conference in points per game. As the second half rolled on, the Panthers were noticeably exhausted by the Hokie attack and Tech continued to control the ball through the end of the game. “It was a pretty good start to the season,” Jukich said. “I’m happy with everything. I think we could’ve finished more chances than we had ... but, pretty good for the start.” While sophomore goalkeeper Rebekah Brook didn’t mind not seeing a shot come her way all night, a Hokie who did see some welcome action was junior forward Marika Gray. Gray had six shots in the match and barely missed scoring on three occasions. Gray returns this year after missing the final 15 matches of last season due to a knee injury. “We just need to kind of finalize a few things and take the next couple of weeks to continue to get better,” Cagle said. “We talk a lot about being better than we were last year at this time and I feel like we are better than we were last year at this time,” she said. “Although, we lost some really good personality players, I think that we’re even better this year. So, we’re excited.” The team’s next match will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28 at Villanova to kick off the home team’s tournament.
august 24, 2009
page 10
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Travel SKYDIVE! One Day First Jumps! 22-jumper airplane goes to 13,500’ Gift Certificates! w w w. s k y d i v e o r a n g e . c o m 540.943.6587
Equestrian facilities 20 minutes from campus. Professional size riding ring! Self-manage. 540.544.7874
Help Wanted HOOPTIE RIDE The Hoopite Ride is currrently hiring drivers with good driving records. Must be at least 23 years old. Earn $ while having fun! Call Ken @ 540-9985093 hooptieride@verizon.net LAWN/ LANDSCAPE positions available. Must be hard working & self motivated w/ a Valid VA Drivers License. 540.951.8925
Notices Wanted Musical Roommates
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Patrick Henry Living Christiansburg Living
Events THE BIGGEST POSTER SALE. Biggest and Best Selection. Choose from over 2000 different images. FINE ART, MUSIC, MODELS, HUMOR, ANIMALS, PERSONALITIES, LANDSCAPES, MOTIVATIONALS, PHOTOGRAPHY. MOST IMAGES ONLY $7, $8, AND $9 SEE US AT Plaza in Front of Bookstore ON Wednesday August 19th thru Friday August 28th, 2009. THE HOURS ARE 9 A. M. - 6 P. M. THIS SALE IS SPONSORED BY University Bookstore.
Notices !BARTENDING! Make Up to $300/ Day. No Experience Necessary Training Available. 1800-965-6520 EXT210
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august 24, 2009
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august 24, 2009
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