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we reveal the results page b1
who won An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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106th year, issue 102
News, page 2
Features, page 3
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 7
Sudoku, page 7
Tech student still missing ZACH CRIZER & GORDON BLOCK news staff The University of Virginia Police Department is looking into the disappearance of a Virginia Tech student near the UVa campus. Morgan Dana Harrington was last seen Saturday, Oct. 17, near the university’s John Paul Jones Arena. She had traveled to the arena that night to see a Metallica concert with friends. State police, in a Monday afternoon HARRINGTON press conference, said Harrington is without a cell phone or any type of identification, but did not elaborate on what items were found during the investigation. Parents Dan and Gil Harrington spoke at the press conference and asked for the safe return of their daughter. Mother Gil Harrington said her daughter would not normally go this long without speaking to her family. “This is not her typical behavior,” Gil Harrington said. “This is a girl who calls home almost every day and asks things like, ‘How do you make maca-
roni and cheese.’ And I tell her to read the box.” Harrington, a 20-year-old interdisciplinary studies major, was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with tan letters that read “Pantera” across the front, a black mini skirt with black tights and knee-high black boots. She has long blond hair and blue eyes. Harrington is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 120 pounds. Amy Melvin traveled to Charlottesville to see the Metallica concert with Harrington, along with two others. Melvin said the group was separated from Harrington before the concert and did not see her during the concert. She said Harrington did not take the automobile they had brought to Charlottesville. Melvin and the two other group members reported Harrington missing. Harrington attended Northside High School in Roanoke before graduating from Lord Botetourt High School. Father Dan Harrington is a psychiatrist at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke. The Virginia State Police and Virginia Tech police are also involved in the investigation. The University of Virginia Police Department is asking for anybody with knowledge of Harrington’s whereabouts to call 434-924-7166.
Jackets buzz past Tech LUKE MASON/SPPS
Virginia Tech fans look on in disbelief at the end of the Hokies’ 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech. With the loss, the Hokies fall to 5-2
AFTER DOMINANT FIRST HALF BY DEFENSE, GEORGIA TECH’S OPTION OVERWHELMS HOKIES ED LUPIEN sports reporter Any hopes to Pasadena were dashed for Virginia Georgia Tech
of booking a trip in early January on Saturday night Tech when the Yellow Jackets nar-
rowly defeated the Hokies 28-23 in Atlanta. “They had great time management, were controlling the ball well and were stopping us early,” redshirt freshman Ryan Williams said of the home team. “We weren’t executing the plays like we were supposed to.
They were the better team tonight.” Possessing a 7-3 lead at the half, Georgia Tech quickly garnered momentum early, beginning the third quarter with a three-minute, 60-yard drive comprised of all rushing plays that concluded with quarterback Josh Nesbitt punching the ball in from the one-yard line for a touchdown. The Yellow Jackets never looked back producing 309 rushing yards
in the contest with all but 37 coming in the second half. Down 14-3 early in the third quarter, the Hokies began trading touchdowns with their opponent, a pattern that would last the entire half. Four minutes after Nesbitt gave his team the two-score lead, Williams answered for the Hokies, scoring see HOKIES / page six
Hokie sophomore survives sudden meningitis bout CLAIRE SANDERSON news staff writer Grateful to be alive after battling meningitis, Scott Riley has returned to Virginia Tech and is well on his way to a full recovery. He can now turn his attention to other matters, like catching up with RILEY many concerned friends and a colossal pile of make-up work. It was the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, when Riley, a sophomore
fisheries major, began to feel the first signs that something was very wrong. “I woke up vomiting, and I was supposed to take a couple of tests that day, but I called those off and went to the emergency room probably around 11,” Riley said. “They just said it was a stomach flu and gave me some medicine. Later I took a nap and woke up around 10 and started vomiting again, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t just a stomach flu, so I went back that night.” Meningitis is particularly dangerous because its early symptoms closely resemble the flu. It is often not recognized until it is too late. Without
early treatment, it is an infection that can worsen very quickly. “In less than 24 hours, Riley went from walking himself into the ER to being carted emergently to LewisGale,” said David Killeen, Riley’s doctor at Lewis-Gale Medical Hospital in Salem. Luckily, his roommate and resident advisor also recognized that something was wrong, and they helped convince Riley to go back to the hospital for the night. By the time he was rushed into Montgomery Regional Hospital around midnight, he was already losing consciousness. Riley was moved to Lewis-Gale on Friday morning, where his parents
Graduate students dissatisfied with health insurance plan SARAH WATSON news staff writer Graduate students at Virginia Tech have concerns about the health insurance plan offered by the university. The main issues students have with the current plan include the cost to cover family members, preventative medicine and prescription coverage according to Laura Freeman, president of the Graduate Student Assembly. GM Southwest provides graduate student health insurance. However, it was the only company that agreed to provide health insurance coverage to graduate students at Tech. “We are stuck with what we got,” Freeman said. In March 2009, Linsey Barker, former graduate student representative to the Board of Visitors acted as the voice for all graduate students. Barker said the plans need to allot more money for preventative medicine and prescription co-pays. Graduate students and their representatives want to become more viable with other universities under the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. These SCHEV schools are seen as peer institutions and should be com-
“
I don’t see any pros or cons. It is out there for students if they choose to use it. FRED WEAVER DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT
parable to Tech. Money is a main concern for students. The current levels of coverage include $50,000, $100,000 and $250,000 levels. “(Graduate students) need an option of up to $500,000 to $1 million to be competitive with our peers,” Barker said. Currently, Tech pays 82.5 percent of a student’s coverage plan at the $50,000 level. However, if a student upgrades to a higher coverage level, the amount the university pays does not change. Also, the university does not pay for spouses and children of graduate students under the plans. By adding families, students have to pay an additional $8,941 to $10,328 annual fee. In addition, yearly physicals, vaccines and immunizations are not covered under the plans. “There are no alternatives,” said Rebecca French, graduate student representative to the BOV. Any full-time graduate student can
receive coverage. Tech is currently in its sixth year of a 10-year plan with GM Southwest. After 10 years, Tech opens bidding up to all insurance companies according to Fred Weaver, director of risk management. “I don’t see any pros or cons,” Weaver said. “It is out there for students if they choose to use it.” Because of complaints about graduate health insurance, a review work group was created to assess the problems. The group created a survey and ranked the concerns of graduate students and changes they would like to see. According to French, there was enough information for the BOV to look into the issue further. The data from the survey “gave quite a bit of information to the administration about issues graduate students have with health care, French said. The Finance and Audit Committee of the BOV created a survey that was sent to graduate students on the Blacksburg campus. About 1,700 responses were received and the committee is compiling the data. The results of the surveys will be presented to the BOV at its meeting in November. The meeting is open to the public.
came to see him, but he remained unconscious for most of the weekend. “I didn’t know how serious it was until I woke up, but at that point I was already recovering,” Riley said. According to Dr. Killeen, there is a 90 percent mortality rate for the infection that Riley contracted. Riley said coming so close to death has definitely changed him. “It’s made me realize more that God has a strong role in life,” Riley said. “He guided me through this.” Riley was in the hospital for 12 days of recovery and physical therapy, but he had visitors to keep him company.
“My church group, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, came to visit me the first night I was in a regular room,” Riley said. Though he was in pain, Riley kept a good attitude. “He was very pleasant, even with the headaches and the pain,” Killeen said. Though he had received the recommended vaccine before coming to Tech, Riley’s case was not viral, but was caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitides. “His case was one that you really hope you don’t see, because he became really ill really quick,” Killeen said.
According to Colleen Farmer, quality insurance coordinator of the Schiffert Health Center, meningitis is a disease that is particularly problematic on college campuses because students live in close quarters and share food and drinks. “It’s spread only from person to person by direct contact with throat and nasal secretions, such as sharing cigarettes or cups, or by kissing,” Farmer said. In response to Riley’s case, anyone who may have had contact with him was treated with a one-time dose of an antibiotic called ciprofloxin, in accordance with CDC guidelines.
An officer’s best friend
HUSSEIN AHMED/SPPS
University and police officials gathered Friday to remember police dogs that have perished in the line of duty. A statue was unveiled on campus, as other police dogs looked on.
october 20, 2009
page 2
Town council candidates debate issues at panel discussion GORDON BLOCK news reporter Student rights and town growth were prominent topics in Monday night’s panel discussion for Blacksburg Town Council candidates. The discussion, hosted by Virginia Tech’s Student Government Association, attracted an audience of fewer than 30 students and town residents to the Haymarket Theatre in Squires Student Center. All nine candidates for the council’s four available seats appeared at the panel. The nine candidates were given two minutes to respond to each of the four questions asked throughout the night, ranging from student and local resident interaction to the expansion of the downtown area. While discussions through the evening were mostly civil, the issue of noise ordinances provided some of the most colorful responses. Many of the candidates took time from answering other questions to talk on the issue. “What I do think that isn’t fair is the fines for noise violations,” said Greg Fansler, who also serves as assistant director for Tech’s Alumni Association. “That’s a significant portion of your tuition.” Fansler cited fines ranging from between $300 to $1,000. Cecile Newcomb stressed the importance of the ordinances in neighborhood relations. “The noise ordinance is crucial for our intown neighborhoods, it’s crucial for all residents, including students,” Newcomb said. “If you guys can’t sleep at night, you’re not going to do well on your exams either.” Also drawing debate was the plan to make changes along College Avenue. Many of the candidates were open to the idea of converting the road to have one lane of traffic, while others
wanted to wait to see traffic reports on the road to determine its effect on overall traffic. Krisha Chachra, a doctoral candidate at Tech and Blacksburg native, spoke on plans to expand the downtown area to be more pedestrianfriendly. “All of us have probably traveled to cool cities, or maybe in Europe or Asia, and we see that a lot of business deals and artists hang out downtown,” Chachra said. “A pedestrian-friendly downtown will bring diversified restaurants and retail because retailers like to be right in the mix.” Alan Raflo, a research associate for Tech’s Water Resources Research Center, said the event helped him decide who to vote for. “I’m still not completely sure who I am going to be voting for, but it helped,” Raflo said. Brittany Anderson, SGA director of government affairs, attributed the lack of student attendance to the large numbers of students registered to vote outside of Blacksburg, combined with inadequate knowledge of the council. “A lot of people don’t understand the town council and what they do,” Anderson said. Karen Hult, a Tech professor of political science who moderated the debate, was excited the candidates made themselves available for the on-campus debate. “It really demonstrates their commitment to this campaign and to local government,” Hult said. However, the lack of attendance for the event frustrated Hult. “That’s a disappointing thing,” Hult said. Despite the lack of attendance, Hult noted that student interaction on the local level came in many forms. “I don’t the think this one forum sets the standard for student interest,” Hult said. “This is one of many possible outlets.”
MARK UMANSKY/SPPS
Moderator Karen Hult poses a question to the nine candidates for Blacksburg Town Council Monday night in Squires Student Center’s Haymarket Theatre. The panel discussion addressed topics including noise violations and economic growth.
[news in brief] Police arrest man for inappropriate photos
Season suspended for rugby squad
A man was arrested last Wednesday and charged with unlawful photographing for taking pictures of women on Blacksburg Transit buses. Robert Allen Hutton, a 34-year-old Blacksburg resident, had allegedly been taking inappropriate pictures of women on his cell phone for over a month. Police began investigating Hutton at the end of September. On Oct. 14, Virginia Tech police arrested Hutton after two undercover detectives saw him take illegal pictures of a woman while riding the BT. Hutton was released on a bond of $2,500, and his disposition hearing date is set for Jan. 20th.
WLSL is reporting that the entire Virginia Tech Club Rugby team’s season has been suspended for the remainder of fall and the entirety of spring. The suspension stems from an incident involving alcohol at an unofficial off-campus party on Aug. 28 held by a member of the Division III team, which competes against other Virginia colleges. Prior to the suspension, the Division I team, which competes in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union, ranked in the top 25 nationally. In all, nearly 90 players were suspended from competition because of decision handed down by the Division of Student Affairs.
by katie robidoux
by joe crandley
[
nation & world headlines
]
AFGHANISTAN
Setbacks weaken al-Qaida’s ability to mount attacks, terrorism officials say WASHINGTON — As al-Qaida is weakened by the loss of leaders, fighters, funds and ideological appeal, the extremist network’s ability to attack targets in the United States and Western Europe has diminished, anti-terrorism officials say. Nonetheless, al-Qaida and allied groups based primarily in Pakistan remain a threat, particularly because of an increasing ability to attract recruits from Central Asia and Turkey to offset the decline in the number of militants from the Arab world and the West. Al-Qaida’s relative strength these days is of crucial importance in the complex debate in Washington over future U.S. troop levels and tactics in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although factions within the Obama administration differ on how best to deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, all agree that the paramount priority is defeating al-Qaida. Unlike the Afghan Taliban, the terrorist network al-Qaida remains committed to a holy war against the West with a goal of matching or surpassing its devastating attacks in 2001. Western intelligence officials say that the group, already under pressure from U.S. drone strikes and
facing a likely Pakistani army assault on its sanctuary, has been further racked by internal division and rifts with tribal groups. “Some pretty experienced individuals have been taken out of the equation,” a senior British anti-terrorism official said in a recent interview. “There is fear, insecurity and paranoia about individuals arriving from outside, worries about spies and infiltration,” said the official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive topic. “There is a sense that it has become a less romantic experience. Which is important because of the impact on al-Qaida the brand, the myth, the idea of the glorious jihadist.” Al-Qaida last spilled blood in the West in July 2005 when bombing attacks on the London transportation system killed 52 people. Global cooperation and aggressive infiltration by Western spy services have thwarted subsequent plots, and a stepped-up campaign of drone strikes has killed many al-Qaida leaders and intensified divisions among extremist groups. sebastian rotella, tribune washington bureau
ENERGY
Report looks at hidden health costs of energy production WASHINGTON — Generating electricity by burning coal is responsible for about half of an estimated $120 billion in yearly costs from early deaths and health damages to thousands of Americans from the use of fossil fuels, a federal advisory group said Monday. A one-year study by the National Research Council looked at many costs of energy production and the use of fossil fuels that aren’t reflected in the price of energy. The $120 billion sum was the cost to human health from U.S. electricity production, transportation and heating in 2005, the latest year with full data. The report also looks at other hidden costs from climate change, hazardous air pollutants such as mercury, harm to ecosystems and risks to national security, but it doesn’t put a dollar value on them. “We would characterize our estimate as an underestimate,” because it didn’t include those other costs, said Jared Cohon, the president of Carnegie Mellon University and the chairman of the committee that produced the report. The report says it’s impossible to put a monetary amount on all the
hidden costs of energy, in some cases because of a lack of information but also because the study had limited time and resources. It focused on the costs of air pollution on health. Coal-fired power and motor-vehicle transportation accounted for roughly 99 percent of those costs. The other approximately 1 percent of the estimate was from heating for homes, buildings and industrial purposes, mostly from natural gas. Electricity production accounted for $63 billion of the damages that weren’t related to climate change. Coal-fired plants, which produce about half of the nation’s electricity, accounted for $62 billion and natural gas, which produces 20 percent, produced less than $1 billion of the damages. The report looks at the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions from 406 coal-fired plants in the Lower 48 states, which produce 95 percent of the nation’s coal-generated electricity. renee schoof, mcclatchy newspapers
PAKISTAN
Pakistan presses offensive, but not against Afgan Taliban DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan _ Thousands of civilians fleeing a military offensive in Pakistan’s rugged South Waziristan are reporting heavy aerial bombardments as the Pakistani army closes in on Pakistani Taliban strongholds. The army said Monday that 78 militants and nine soldiers had been killed since the long-awaited offensive began Saturday, a battle that’s likely to shape Pakistan’s struggle against Islamic extremism and also could have a far-reaching impact on global terrorism. Some have suggested that the 30,000 troops in the offensive are insufficient, but the chief army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, said, “We’re very confident that with these resources, we’ll be able to complete the operation.” The Pakistanis, however, aren’t attacking Taliban and other militants who are attacking U.S., Afghan and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Abbas confirmed that Pakistani authorities have an “understanding” with two Taliban factions based in Waziristan, led by warlords Maulvi Nazir and
Gul Bahadur, who are fighting in Afghanistan, not in Pakistan. “There was an understanding with them that they will not interfere in this war,” Abbas said. “There is always a strategy to isolate your main target.” He added that people “sometimes have to talk to the devil in this regard.” U.S. officials have been pressing the Pakistanis to stop distinguishing between militant groups that are targeting their country and those that are active in Afghanistan, arguing that many of the groups share sources of financing, training and arms, and that militants sometimes move among the groups. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the head of the U.S. Central Command, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met separately Monday in Islamabad with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and with Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, the army chief of staff. saeed shah, mcclatchy newspapers
features 3
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Tech professor’s new novel enchants and enthralls
Astro Boy jets off to American crowds JOHN ANDERSON mcclatchy newspapers Like a lot of kids bordering on adolescence, he feels different. A bit alien, perhaps. His father doesn’t understand him. He wants to be accepted. He wants to be normal. And he has rockets shooting out his legs. Based on the celebrated Japanese manga and anime TV series, the big-budget, 3-D “Astro Boy,” being released Friday in theaters by Summit Entertainment, revisits the iconic ‘60s character, with a topical ‘09 spin: He may be “Peter Pan,” “Pinocchio” and “Oliver Twist” all rolled into one super-powered android, but in his jet wake trails a plume of topical issues, cosmic questions and metaphysical disorientation. If anyone still thinks animation is only for children, this first Astro Boy film will happily disabuse them. Directed by David Bowers (“Flushed Away”), the action-adventure (and comedy) is set in the futuristic Metro City, which floats above an Earth not unlike the one in “WALL-E” used up, polluted and, in this case, inhabited only by a vagabond population scrounging for survival. When the famous Metro City robotics scientist Dr. Tenma (voice of Nicolas Cage) loses his son, he replaces him with a robot boy and then rejects his creation as an unsuitable substitute. Bewildered and wounded, the soon-to-be-dubbed Astro Boy ends up on Earth and has to deal with a culture taught to hate his kind. If anyone wants to read anything into this, be the director’s guest. “If people don’t get it,” Bowers said from London, “that’s OK it still plays as a movie. But if they do get it, that’s great.”
He said at the time he was writing the movie (with “Kindergarten Cop’s” Timothy Harris), the world was slightly different, “and I can’t help but reflect what’s going on in the world in my work. I want people to be stimulated by the movie. You can unplug your brain if you want and you’ll still enjoy it. If you leave it plugged in, you’ll enjoy it more.” Which is not to say “Astro Boy” isn’t an action film with a lovable central character, one to whom museums are dedicated in Japan. But in addition to the epic battles between good and evil and between Astro Boy and some very impressive monster robots there’s a pervasive subtext about the nature of humanity, and a lesson in tolerance. Just for the kids, of course. “If you’re taught to hate someone or something, and then find out they’re not so bad, it’s hard to deal with,” said actress Kristen Bell, who voices Cora, leader of the Dickensian pack of wild children who work for the Faginesque Hamegg (Nathan Lane) and who initially accept Astro Boy as just another human. “She definitely has to struggle with the idea that this kid she likes is a robot.” “I think that it’s nice to have that undercurrent in the film,” said Freddie Highmore, whose face is known to audiences for “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “August Rush” and whose voice has been heard in films such as “Arthur and the Invisibles.” “It’s about things everyone can relate to, the feeling of being slightly different for whatever reason and wanting to be like everyone else. But there are issues you don’t expect to be raised in this film, the biggest one being about rejection and trying to fit into society. Astro Boy thinks he’s the same as everybody else, but he’s a robot, and that’s the obstacle he
has to overcome. Apart from saving the world.” In the original series by “godfather of anime” Osamu Tezuka, Astro Boy was conjured up by a scientist to replace his dead son, but as Bowers points out, Tezuka’s scientist wasn’t as directly responsible for the death as he is in the new film. “Also, in the movie,” said Bowers, “he gives the robot boy his son’s memories, so we get into the question of what is it that makes us human, and what is it that makes a person a person, which aren’t in the original.” The old Astro Boy, he said, “knows he’s a robot from the get-go. He just looks like the man’s son.” Bowers admitted to a certain apprehension about taking on a story and character so beloved, at least in Japan, and about whom the Japanese, not surprisingly, feel a bit proprietary. “At the same time,” he said, “the Tezuka estate encouraged me to expand on the universe of the story and make a movie that would play globally. ‘Astro Boy’ has been very big in Asia and Latin America but hasn’t really made an enormous impact on Europe or the United States. They’re hoping this might be the movie to introduce him. “I think it’s easy to underestimate a family audience,” he added. “Kids are able to deal with a lot more drama than we give them credit for: The classic Disney films like ‘Snow White,’ ‘Bambi’ and ‘Pinocchio’ are pretty devastating at times. But I think kids appreciate drama and with drama here have to be peaks and valleys, so the lower you go, the higher you can climb. And then everything works out happily. And ‘Astro Boy’ does have a very happy ending. He just has to go through a lot to get there.”
I
think there’s something special about you.” These mystifying words and a disconcerting experience with the elderly and mysterious Grant Danko are the catalysts that send Penn State senior Avery Walker into making a life-changing decision. That very decision affects those around her in ways no one ever thought possible and, in turn, uproots chilling histories of violence and abandonment among everyone. Today marks the release of English professor Edward Falco’s latest novel, “Saint John of the Five Boroughs,” and it does anything but disappoint. Falco is the director of the Master of Fine Arts program and it’s no wonder as his chilling, lyrical prose sends readers into an inescapable trance until they read the last sentence. Avery is an art student who is unaware of how exhausted she is with the college experience until she suddenly finds herself en route to Brooklyn on the back of Grant’s motorcycle, with no regrets in mind. In the wake of this spontaneous decision, the novel branches out into the effects it has upon her family, friends, Grant and even Avery herself. Laden with sharp twists and turns, each chapter alternates narrators, delving into each of their violent personal stories and weaving an intricate web of relationships. The novel explores contemporary topics that everyone, especially in our generation, can identify with — including the war in Iraq and the day-to-day experiences of the college student. It also raises some issues that sadly resonate in people’s lives, but aren’t as easily dealt with, like suicide, depression, abandonment and rape. Essentially, Falco’s choice is to illustrate the reason behind the choices people make, whether they are for
[ ] book signing
...... radio for everyone
When: Today at 7 p.m. Cost: Free Where: Volume II Bookstore
you might also like... “The Wrong Mother” Written by Sophie Hannah. Hannah provides readers with the same feeling of psychological suspense with a story about a secret affair that turns shockingly scary as the lives of both families suddenly become endangered.
“The Doomsday Conspiracy” Written by Sidney Sheldon. A thrilling and riveting novel, Robert Bellamy is hired by the NSA to locate several bus passengers who witnessed a top secret UFO experiment collapse in the woods, but one-by-one all the passengers are mysteriously murdered before Robert can reach them.
“A Gate at the Stairs” Written by Lorrie Moore. Moore ties together the consequences of the 9/11 tragedy and the seemingly innocent life of a 20-year-old girl from a small town and morphs it into a poignant, involved story with entangled relationships and consequences that readers will be unable to put down. better or for worse. Every character in the novel has a difficult life-altering decision to make. For Avery, it’s about finding who she is in the world. For Grant, it’s about converting the lost, empty version of himself into a redeemed man despite his overwhelming past. For Lindsey, Avery’s aunt, it is about coming to terms with the devastating consequences of the war overseas. With all of the various intertwined events, readers lose themselves entirely in the plot of the novel much like viewers would in the storyline of a soap opera, sans the cheesy soundtrack and predictable outcomes. As a Blacksburg resident, Falco teaches at Tech in addition to editing
the local online digital writing journal, “The New River.” With this newest edition to his strikingly hard-edged and involved method of creative writing, students are lucky if they have the chance to learn personally from Falco. If not, they can at least take comfort in the remarkable experience that is reading “Saint John of the Five Boroughs.”
SARAH HANSKNECHT -features staff writer -freshman -communication major -has read “The Great Gatsby” nine times
october 20, 2009
page 4
Finance clubs manage millions, segue into future Wall Street jobs “ WALTER VALENCIA features staff writer
Members of two Virginia Tech finance clubs, SEED and BASIS, are faced with a challenge that the average college student probably couldn’t fathom: managing of millions of dollars, all under the watchful eye of the university, of course. SEED, or Student-managed Endowment for Educational Development, and BASIS, or Bond and Securities Investing by Students, are two independent, student-run organizations that have been given the opportunity to make money for the university while developing skills needed for future Wall Street careers. Unlike similar programs at other universities, SEED and BASIS are not part of any academic curriculum and are completely volunteerdriven. SEED began in 1993, when the organization was funded with $1 million after a successful proposal to the Virginia Tech Foundation, a non-profit organization established to receive, manage and disburse private gifts in support of Tech. Former Professor Don M. Chance felt that the campus needed an organization that could train students to manage a fund comprised of stocks in order to learn hands-on skills that would prepare them for jobs at financial firms. “Co-CEOs” Benjamin Klauder, a senior finance major, and William Hudson, a senior finance and international studies major, currently run SEED. “It’s about expanding beyond the classroom and going into the real world,” Klauder said. “It’s a nice middle ground between college and jobs. I think that’s what employers are looking for — a bridge between the two.” Today, SEED runs the nation’s largest student-run investment portfolio, or collection of individual investments, as an extra-curricular activity. The stocks in SEED’s portfolio did so well in the 2008-2009 fiscal year that it posted a profitable gain of 3.92 percent despite a turbulent economy. SEED training also has a secondary benefit — building personal wealth for its members who are still in school. “One of the reasons why 80 percent of the people in SEED have their own portfolios is because, once you learn how to value stocks it builds your confidence to put your own money in the stock market,” Hudson said. “That’s why so many
They’ve given us the money for two reasons. One is to produce competitive returns for the university and use that money towards scholarships and programs. The other is to push education, to take kids’ classroom skills and move them into a more real world setting so when they come out of school, they’re a step ahead of everyone else. ERIC EICHELBERGER BASIS CO-CEO
of us manage our own money now.” BASIS, on the other hand, is the newer of the two organizations. Funded in 2006 with one percent of the Virginia Tech Endowment, or $4.1 million, its goal is to manage a fund consisting only of bonds, which are essentially packaged IOUs sold to the public by businesses and government entities. This distinction has made it only one of seven groups in the nation focused on managing a bond fund. The other six are located at the University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, University of Texas, University of Dayton, Villanova University and Ohio University. Like SEED, BASIS’s portfolio posted a profitable gain of 2.68 percent for the 2008-2009 fiscal year and beat the Merrill Lynch benchmark, a conservative financial standard, which it judges its investing performance against. In December 2008, BASIS’s investing efforts were so successful that it returned $700,000 back to the VTF while maintaining its original fund allocation. “They’ve given us the money for two reasons,” said Eric Eichelberger, BASIS co-CEO and senior engineering major. “One is to produce competitive returns for the university and use that money toward scholarships and programs. The other is to push education, to take kids’ classroom skills and move them into a more real world setting so when they come out of school, they’re a step ahead of everyone else.” Modeled after financial firms, both SEED and BASIS are headed by two co-CEOs and have departments broken down into sectors that are led by managers with an industry specialty.
JONATHAN PIPPIN/SPPS
BASIS co-CEO, Eric Eichelberger, believes the club helps members develop skills that will give them an edge in future Wall Street careers. Below the managers are analysts who conduct the research for future investment buy and sell recommendations. During their information sessions, both organizations stressed the importance of a 20-hour weekly time commitment. Much of this time is spent in meetings discussing the ever-changing economy and financial climate. Occasionally the groups get together to listen to the many Wall Street guests they invite throughout the year. Most importantly, both groups plan trips to New York City regularly to meet with Tech alumni and network, but the bulk of the time commitment is spent by members conducting individual research for assignments. Membership in both clubs is open to all majors and requires both an assigned project and interview. Prospective members are given time to research their given topic and told to present it before a panel. Then they are questioned continuously for further explanation. “You get an e-mail and they assign you a company and tell you
to research that company and do a presentation on whether to buy or sell the stock,” said senior finance student Yoori Cho, SEED analyst and portfolio manager for the financial sector. “The interview has two parts: a technical and behavioral part. They’re both really nerve-wracking, and I’ve never had any serious interviews like that.” Both BASIS and SEED look at a variety of factors when admitting a new incoming class. Students are admitted based on the success of their research and interviews along with the unique experiences they can contribute. High GPAs aren’t the primary reason for inclusion, but having a 3.5 will certainly merit attention since both groups agree that good grades reflect academic seriousness, commitment and discipline. “In SEED and BASIS, I think we have some of the best students in the college,” said Professor George Morgan, a SunTrust professor of finance for the Pamplin College of Business and BASIS faculty coadviser. “Best in terms of academic performance and grades and interac-
tion with the faculty. But also in terms of the drive that they have, the ambition, the willingness to sacrifice other kinds of activities. ... It does count for a lot in terms of getting positions on Wall Street because that’s what the Wall Street people want.” Despite Tech’s No. 42 Pamplin School of Business ranking in this year’s U.S. News and World Report, its students might find it hard to compete with the likes of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business graduates on Wall Street. Still, Tech’s status as a non-target school by the investment firms has made membership in SEED and BASIS that much more valuable. “When you talk about getting a competitive placement at Goldman Sachs in 2009 by a non-target school like Virginia Tech, we wouldn’t have been able to have done that without BASIS or SEED,” said professor Derek Klock, a finance professor and a faculty co-adviser. “It’s something that would not be considered from a nontarget school. They have lots of folks that come in from Wharton, Stern,
MIT, the University of Virginia, and to keep the traction going for Virginia Tech is crucial.” The benefits of the organizations can be measured by the success stories of former members who have graduated. Earlier this month, alumnus Nicholas D’Angelo visited campus to speak as part of the Wachovia Distinguished Speakers Series. A former member of SEED, he rose through the ranks of Wachovia, which was recently bought by Wells Fargo, to become vice president business manager of global fixed income trading at Wells Fargo Securities. D’Angelo addressed the audience on the virtues of Ut Prosim and through a follow-up question and answer session, gave advice to students on where to start when entering the job market. “SEED provided me with real-world experience that gave me an edge over students at other schools who didn’t have such a program,” D’Angelo said. “We all learned similar theory of course, but being able to apply that theory in a real world setting gave me an advantage over my peers.”
opınıons
october 2009 editor: 20, debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 20, 2009
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Unity to prevent domestic abuse
S
tatistics show that in 21 percent of college dating relationships, one partner is being abused. That’s one in every five relationships. Together, we can change that statistic and empower people to find and develop healthy relationships. The Red Flag Campaign, a project of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance that college students helped create, is one project helping to do just that. The goal is to promote public awareness of relationship violence and prevent it by encouraging people to say something and intervene when they see red flags in their friends’ relationships. Could you spot a red flag in a friend’s relationship? Would you know what to say if you did? Possible red flags include coercion, sexual assault, isolation, jealousy, emotional abuse, blaming and stalking. There are many ways you can help a friend. Among them are being honest about your concerns and listening to theirs, guiding them to resources and helping them make a safety plan while focusing on their strengths.
Various organizations on campus are actively working to promote this campaign. S.A.V.E.S, a peer education organization that strives to raise awareness of sexual assault and violence through outreach and education, is taking a lead. What can you do? Join us on Oct. 22 and wear red to promote the Red Flag Campaign. Wear red to show someone in an abusive relationship they are not alone. Wear red to remind people to look for relationship red flags. Wear red to show that Hokies say something when we see red flags in friends’ relationships. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, there are many local resources available including the Women’s Center (540231-7806), Women’s Resource Center of the NRV (540639-1123), Cook Counseling Center (540-231-6557), Schiffert Health Center (540231-6444) and the Virginia Tech Police Department (540231-6411).
Samantha Friedman senior psychology major
Student Orgs [active minds]
Don’t hesitate to seek out treatment
JONATHAN PIPPIN/SPPS
Active Minds displayed 1,100 backpacks on the Drillield to symbolize annual suicides on campuses.
EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT DEPRESSION
Y
page B
ou’re sitting in your room cuddled up with a fuzzy blanket and a box of tissues. You’re not feeling your best and thinking about making a cup of soup. At this point in time, would you go to the doctor’s? A few days later you notice that your fever is spiking and your body is aching. You no longer have any desire to eat and haven’t moved from bed. Would you seek a doctor now? A week and a half later, you have severe pains in your stomach and bags under your eyes, and you are too weak to move around. How about now? Seeking medical attention yet? Five days later your throat feels swollen and you have lost all the color in your face. You can’t think straight and can’t remember the last time you were up walking around. And now? Would you go to the doctor’s? Here’s another situation for you. You notice that you feel blue and have negative thoughts sometimes. Two weeks later you notice your negative thoughts are filling up most of the day, and you don’t want to be around people. You feel like you are never rested even though you are getting plenty of sleep. Would you seek help? Three weeks later you start crying frequently for no apparent reason and no longer enjoy the activities you used to. You have no energy and feel really bad about yourself. You are getting 13 hours of sleep a night and are still falling asleep in class. You have no desire to eat food and have lost some weight. Would you go to the doctor then? Five days later you feel like you can no longer keep up with your life and do not have enough energy to make it though the day. You view your life as meaningless. You no longer care about what you look like and stay in the same clothes and don’t shower. You can’t be around people and feel negative all the time. How
about now? Would you go seek help? I’m assuming when you are feeling sick and are cuddling up in a blanket, you may seek a doctor. By the time you have severe stomach pains and are too weak to move around, most people would go get medical help. However, at what point would you seek out help when you’re feeling down? When you don’t have enough energy to keep up with your life? Or when you are having suicidal thoughts and feel as though your life is meaningless? You would most certainly seek some medical treatment if you were feeling awful, but why wouldn’t you seek help when you are having suicidal thoughts? That question may best be answered when you observe the stigma surrounding mental health. The lack of knowledge the general public has about suicide and depression may be the reason why some people find it hard to ask for help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2006 suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States at about 33,300 deaths. For every one completed suicide, an estimated 12 to 24 suicide attempts occur. Last Tuesday, Active Minds put on a display of 1,100 backpacks representing the number of suicides that occurred on campuses nationwide within the past year. College years are said to be the best years of your life, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t stressful. About half of all college students reported being depressed to the point where they can’t function in the past year. These feelings are common, real and treatable. If you would like more information, you can check out www.activeminds.org.
CANDACE LOHR -Active Minds president -psychology major
MCT CAMPUS
Service returns as priority for all types of businesses I
t can be as simple as the difference between a “Hello, sir. How may I help you?” and a “What do you want?” Both essentially express the same meaning, yet each conveys an entirely different attitude toward the person whose business one hopes to capture. We have all encountered those employees at a business establishment who, quite frankly, do not want to be there and resent the patron who makes them do their job. What has transpired in our economy within the last year has transformed the way businesses are viewing each customer as an individual contributor to its success or failure. It has taken the bankruptcies of many of our largest United States companies to finally arrive at a revelation: The American consumer is both unsatisfied and fed up with the way large corporations have allowed customer service to take a back seat to the bottom line. In recent months, I have noticed a vast change in the way employees treat consumers in any number of business venues. From home improvement stores to small restaurants and even convenience stores, managers and business owners, large or small, have reinvigorated their dedication to providing the customer with friendly and effective service. What small businesses have known all along, that satisfied consumers are returning consumers, has now pervaded the boardroom mentality of larger corporations. Before the recession in America, many larger franchises took the individual shopper for granted and, accurately or
not, propagated the notion that there was little appreciation or importance attached to the customer who ventured into the establishment. As a result of the present economic state of our country, businesses have been forced to change their attitudes and game plans. Many of us loyal consumers feel relieved to be considered important to businesses again, but I am still a bit troubled. Is it not discouraging to the American consumer that a recession of such magnitude would be required to compel businesses to abide by “the customer is always right” rule? Should we not demand a high level of customer satisfaction 100 percent of the time and not simply when our dollars are perhaps fewer and far between? Growing up and learning the rules of small business from my father, I have observed the level at which some people work to satisfy their customers. Conversely, I have also noted the way others tend to disregard the smaller, less influential transactions that maybe do not amount to a high percentage of their revenue, but nonetheless, are significant to the individual client. Undoubtedly, those with less money and thus less power are continually treated in an unfavorable manner, until now. Now all money, large or small, is important money simply because businesses sink or swim based on the loyalty of their consumer base. Waves of new customers alone will not generate sufficient revenue for businesses because of the overall lack of disposable income in our country. There
are just not enough customers to replace the ones you may lose with a less than satisfying transaction. Thus, if a potential long-term consumer determines service to be unacceptable, the loss for the owner numbers not in the hundreds anymore but in the thousands. I have learned from my elders of a bygone era that will probably never return, like the full service gas station that eventually faded in the 1970s or so (except in a few states where mandated by law). Can college-age adults even conceive of an employee that briskly came out to your car, filled your gas tank, cleaned your windshield, checked your fluids and made polite conversation? Nostalgia is nice, but certainly not the answer we seek for the return of focus on the customer. Competition among businesses has now turned the tables in favor of the customer, with everyone benefiting from the more appreciative and enthusiastic attitudes of those who assist us at our local and national franchises. A product of our capitalistic economy, we must continue to demand the best service from those businesses that we entrust with our hard-earned income, no matter how great or how small it may be.
BROOKE LEONARD -regular columnist -sophomore -economics major
Midlife students experience risks in going back to school I
’m old. And, when I think of being in graduate school in my forties, I think of the words to that song from the musical “West Side Story.” If you’ve seen the movie or the play you know that poignant moment when two people cling to one another, overwhelmed by their environment and circumstances, dreaming of a place where their life choices will be celebrated and valued, rather than dramatically opposed. They begin to sing, “There’s a place for us, somewhere a place for us.” When I began my doctorate at Virginia Tech, I sang that song (just to myself) for days, except I wasn’t clinging to a handsome man on a fire escape in one of the boroughs of New York City. I was standing in a long line on campus. The young man in front of me was carrying a skateboard. Is there a place for the mid-career professional/midlife student at Tech? Frankly, the relationship between the university/community and the midlife student seems clumsy at times. So, I do not know the answer to my own question. I do, however, have the following thoughts I wish to share in the hopes that they may motivate
you to reflect on the roles (good or bad) midlife students play in your realm. We are a silent and disorganized army on this campus. The midlife student is a professional warrior who chose to lay down her or his armaments of trade in order to retool. Many of us left jobs where we made a decent living and walked the halls of our organizations with credibility and power — ego comfortably intact. One of my work colleagues put it this way when hearing that I was going back to school full-time: “risky.” Yes, but well worth the risk. Why? Because this innate, constant curiosity and desire to understand is stronger and more compelling than a paycheck or an ego-safe environment. For me, it’s all about the learning, which is sweeter, better and more meaningful than it was 20 years ago. Hopefully, taking this risk will make the last part of my career much more relevant. The midlife student continues to learn through relationships, just as the traditional student, but we are more practiced and humbled by our successes and failures. I am
deeply grateful for the friendships I have developed during my tenure at Tech. Many thanks to my young, hip and cool colleagues who do not see age as a barrier to friendship. You have challenged my beliefs and modernized my perspective on many issues. Finally, the need for a strong sense of place is not exclusive to the midlife student. Of course not. But, it is a valid issue to discuss since we are lost in a sea of traditional students. And, lost along with us are years of life and professional experiences that may be put to better use on behalf of the university. A sense of place is very relevant for us all. And, it is not only the university’s responsibility to provide place, but also our individual responsibility to provide it for one another.
T. LYNN CALDWELL -guest columnist -doctoral student
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sports 6
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ telephone number: 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Hokies: Georgia Tech too much in second half from page one
on a 66-yard breakaway run that was set up by an interception by redshirt senior rover Dorian Porch one play prior. Williams ran for 100 yards while catching two passes for 22 yards and a second touchdown. Amidst the best statistical season of his collegiate career, junior quarterback Tyrod Taylor completed 10 of 14 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown in the game. “You can’t ham him up, man,” Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson said. “I don’t know if you can tag him in a phone booth. He stays alive and ducks in and out. He’s a great player. We got him a few times, but he is a gifted athlete.” Tech head coach Frank Beamer noted that there was no lack of heart from his team in the dreary 48 degree Atlanta weather. “I want to say this about our players — they hung in there, they battled,” Beamer said. “They didn’t always play as well as we needed to, but it wasn’t lack of effort. It wasn’t lack of trying. There were some different things going on, and a lot of it had to do with Georgia Tech. A lot of it had to do with that No. 91 (GT defensive end Derrick Morgan) out there on defense. That’s the way it is.” Morgan, voted Honorable Mention All-ACC last season, recorded five tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss of yardage, a statistical category in which Morgan leads the conference. Amidst the continual exchanges of scores, Virginia Tech came within five points of the Yellow
Jackets twice, but was never able to contain Georgia Tech’s muchheralded and unique triple-option offense. “It’s tough to play against,” redshirt senior linebacker Cody Grimm said. “They’ve got so many options when it comes to what they can do with the ball and their blocking schemes.” Of the 70 offensive plays, 63 were kept on the ground. Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Player of the Year running back Jonathan Dwyer ran the ball 20 times for 82 yards, and quarterback Josh Nesbitt ran the ball 23 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns while completing one pass in the game. “Their offense there at the end, and for most of the day, was just hard to stop,” Beamer said. “Their quarterback was doing a great job, and we got into a little bit of a guessing game. And I give them credit. They deserve credit.” Despite being out of the national championship picture, the Hokies (5-2, 3-1), No. 14 in the first Bowl Championship Series poll, will remain focused on winning the ACC Championship. They will use this upcoming bi-week to step back and adjust for the last five games of the regular season. “We’ve still got to take it one day at a time,” redshirt sophomore linebacker Barquell Rivers said. “We’ll put this game behind us because we know we’re not going to see another offensive formation like that this year. We’ll take the next step this upcoming week in practice and get better for North Carolina.”
Possession breakdown by half
Scoring
VT 1ST
VT 2ND
GT 1ST
GT 2ND
3
20
7
21
Time of Possession 14:06 7:32 15:54 22:28 Total Yar Y ds
115
204
65
273
Jackets’ option offense stings Hokies ED LUPIEN sports reporter There’s an extremely popular Southern hip-hop anthem in Atlanta at the moment, entitled “All The Way Turnt Up” by Travis Porter. The Georgia Tech athletics department is obviously conscious of this and cranked out a video clip featuring rover Morgan Burnett and free safety Dominique Reese jumping up and down to the song while screaming the one-lined chorus (it’s merely the title). The clip must have been played a dozen times on the scoreboard throughout Saturday night’s game — whenever Georgia Tech obtained the slightest bit of momentum — with the Yellow Jacket students in their suits and ties going ballistic every time. By the middle of the fourth quarter, I contemplated searching for something with which to gouge my eardrums so that I could be spared another experience of the Soulja Boyesque chant. Virginia Tech’s defense was fine in the first half of Saturday’s game, limiting the Yellow Jackets to just 37 rushing yards. But once Georgia Tech unleashed a whole new blocking scheme at the start of the third quarter, the capability level of its unique offense really was turned up all the way, and the Hokies’ defense was helpless. “It wasn’t the same thing that we prepared for all week,” redshirt senior rover Dorian Porch said. “We tried to make an adjustment, and it worked for a little bit, and then they switched it up on us again. It was kind of going back and forth like a chess match, and they won.” There’s nothing flashy about Georgia Tech’s style of offense. More times than not, only a handful of yards will be gained on a play. It can be mind numbing at times. Throughout the game, I received multiple texts from friends who joked about how they were going to die from boredom or how they were going to paint a wall so they could watch it dry. The style is also risky, especially when quarterback Josh Nesbitt decides he does want to option. For a moment, he pushed the ball back with a lateral before one of his backs exerted forward. The Jackets fumbled three times with Nesbitt’s option pass bobbled by his intended target. But from little things, big things grow. Georgia Tech ran the ball 63 times on Saturday — yes, 63. That’s more than double the rushing attempts by Virginia Tech in the game, and the Jackets averaged almost a yard fewer per attempt.
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt rushes past Hokie defenders during Tech’s 28-23 loss Saturday. Nesbitt did not complete a single pass in the second half — he only had two attempts. And although Virginia Tech’s defense knew what was coming, the constant change in blocking patterns made it extremely difficult for the Hokies to do much of anything before the offense had advanced six or seven yards. This is how a team gains 270 yards on the ground in a half of football. With the clock continuing to run after every rushing attempt, the ball stayed in the Yellow Jackets’ hands for 22 minutes of the second half. Georgia Tech picked up 15 first downs in the last two quarters. This compared to only four first downs in the first half. Standing in the makeshift visiting team pressroom (Georgia Tech’s weight room) following the game, each Virginia Tech defensive player who fielded questions was asked if he was happy that he did not have to see this style of offense again this season. Each long face immediately perked up with a huge smile piloting the transformation. Most gave the opponent’s offense its due and many decreed that the Jackets were indeed the better team that night. But before each answer was given, you could tell that every player, although tired and beaten, felt that they LUKE MASON/SPPS had experienced something special. You Disappointed Tech football fans at the end of the game Saturday. could see the twinkle in their eyes.
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