who is officer Geof Allen? find out in our special section about the movers and shakers of Blacksburg in tomorrow’s paper.
CHRISTINA NESTOR/SPPS
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Thursday, January 21, 2010
www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES ‘I have family I have lost’
107th year, issue 3
News, page 2
Features, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 4
Sudoku, page 4
Exchange students recall losses in Haitian earthquake’s aftermath BY LIANA BAYNE | news reporter hen Virginia Tech student Mario Calixte heard that an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale had leveled his hometown of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he spent the night trying to call his family. The phone lines were down. “Everything had collapsed,” he said. Two long days later, on Jan. 14, his sister was finally able to call him. “She said, ‘Brother, we are all alive.’ I said, ‘Thank God.’ I was so relieved,” he said. “Then she said, ‘The house we grew up in is gone.’” Calixte is one of five Haitian exchange students currently enrolled at Tech and sponsored by the IT in International Education program. Patrick Guilbaud is the program director of IT in International Education. He works with the Haitian students who came to Blacksburg from their Port-au-Prince university, Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haìti, which the earthquake completely destroyed. Although the director of the university is safe, Guilbaud said that as many as 40 students may have died when the building collapsed on Jan. 12. The IT in International Education program works with universities all over the world to help create and support various IT support curricula. The program’s two biggest projects at this time are partnerships with universities in Haiti and Oman. Another of the exchange students, Bernadel Benoit, said that his university contacted the United States Agency for International Development to see if there were opportunities for college students in Haiti to connect with colleges in the United States. “They always partner with high schools and even elementary schools, but never colleges,” Benoit said. Students at Ecole Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haìti participated in a selection process involving essay writing and interviews. Ultimately, five computer science majors of sophomore standing were selected to finish their undergraduate degrees at Tech. “I didn’t choose Tech,” Calixte said. “It chose me.” Tech’s partnership with the university is funded by a two-year, $552,000 grant from USAID. In addition to hosting the five exchange students — two women and three men — Tech faculty members have traveled to Haiti to work with faculty there. Additionally, four faculty members from the Haitian university came to Tech for a month in 2008 to learn tips about how they could better help their students. “The partnership is working to help students,” Guilbaud said. The students started out in the second summer session of 2008. Guilbaud initially met with the students once a week to help them make the transition both to the United States and Tech. He said that his Haitian-American heritage has helped him connect with the students. At first, Calixte said, the transition was a difficult, mainly because of language barriers and culture differences. In Haiti, Haitian Creole and French are the two official spoken languages. Textbooks are written in French. Calixte said that English grammar is studied in school, but not spoken extensively. “We’d go to bed at four in the morning because it took us a lot of time to understand the homework at first,” he said. After two years of living in Blacksburg, Calixte has learned to appreciate the diversity and range of activities offered to students at Tech. “Now,” Guilbaud said, “they are true Hokies.” Jennifer Francois, another of the exchange students, said that being in school in the United States is “really different.” “In Haiti, the department just gives you the courses,” she said, “so you don’t get to choose them like you can here.” Benoit said at their university in Haiti, textbooks were not always available. Francois also said that she has appreciated
help for
HAITI her professors’ office hours and willingness to connect with their students. In Haiti, Francois said, many of the teachers hold other jobs or teach at multiple schools, and don’t have time to build relationships with students outside of class. Here, Francois, Beniot, Calixte and their fellow students are able to study a broader array of classes in their computer science majors. They’ve also taken away some crucial skills that will help them go forward in life. “We have learned how to take things and make them better,” Calixte said. “We have learned how to question the status quo and go into the community and make a difference.” Guilbaud said that the intent of the program is “to get them trained and back to Haiti, to help the country in both the public and private sectors.” After the earthquake, however, it seems that it may be harder to return the students to Port-au-Prince after their graduation in May. Their Haitian university destroyed, Guilbaud said, “they have nothing to go back to.” Guilbaud said that since the earthquake has affected many international connections, “we have to help them and give them additional time to transition back to Haiti. Faculty is interested in having them continue on to become graduate students.” He said he wants to “really help them as much as possible to have a wonderful experience so they can be very helpful to strengthen their own country when they are able to return.” Although the original plan was for the students to return directly to Haiti after completing their undergraduate work, those plans are now uncertain. Guilbaud and his department are now trying to help the students not only deal with the everyday pressures of school, but with the emotional shock waves spread worldwide by the earthquake. “All Haitians have been touched,” Guilbaud said. “I have family that I have lost.” Beniot said that one of his sisters and a cousin both died in the earthquake. Another of his cousins is still missing. His family’s house in Port-au-Prince, like many others, completely collapsed. His family was able to take refuge with relatives in the country, outside of Portau-Prince. Calixte’s family was safe. They traveled to the southern region of the country to stay with relatives. Francois also learned that her family was safe. “It was a relief to see their e-mail,” she said. Guilbaud and the exchange students are only a few of those in Blacksburg personally affected by the tragedy. Junior Katherine Vernet, a political science and sociology major, is the first person from her Haitian family to be born in the United States. Although she is Haitian-American, she lived in Haiti for 14 years of her life, through elementary and high school. Her father and all of his family are still in Haiti along with half of her mother’s side of the family. Vernet said that she learned that the primary and secondary school she attended collapsed during the earthquake. Her family’s house in Port-au-Prince is still standing, but one wall collapsed. Although some of her immediate family members on her father’s side of the family, staying in the house at the time of the earthquake, suffered minor injuries, there were no deaths. “It was very scary for me to hear about the earthquake because I have a lot of family there.,” Vernet said. “There were seven losses on my mother’s side. The first thing I thought was, I’m going to drop everything and go there, to find my father.” see HAITI / page two
73,000
So far, people have been found dead after the earthquake in Haiti.
Port-auPrince
In other words, that's:
Lane Stadium capacity =
66,233 people SARA SPANGLER/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Chipotle construction gains steam GORDON BLOCK news reporter After facing lengthy construction delays, the Blacksburg opening of popular restaurant chain Chipotle is back on track. Victor Dritselis, a spokesman for Southview Development, which owns and manages the building that will house Chipotle, said he hopes the restaurant will open between April and June. The restaurant will take up three storefronts of the building lining the 300 block of North Main Street, situating the franchise between downtown restaurants Hokie House and The Cellar Restaurant, and within earshot of rival Tex-Mex eatery Moe’s Southwest Grill. Delays for the restaurant’s opening came in renovating the building’s architecture to meet the franchise’s design preferences and the town building code. The structure was originally built in the 1940s. “Once we submitted the plans to the town, they had a few issues they wanted us to revise,” Dritselis said. Dritselis said some of the problems were lowering the height of the building’s ground floor and creating appropriate entrances and exits. The complications pushed the restaurant’s opening back from its intended debut in late 2009. One of the first tasks for construction crews was combining the three storefronts into one space. “They demolished just about everything inside up to the walls,” said Cathy Cook, building offi-
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Construction for the Chipotle chain continues adjacent to the building along North Main. cial for the town of Blacksburg’s planning and building office. Currently, work is being done to improve the building’s foundation. Brandy Stanfill, a barber at neighboring Modern Barber Shop, said she hopes the new business will bring customers to her shop. “We’d never heard about (Chipotle) until they talked about it coming here,” Stanfill said. “It should generate more business for us.” Despite her enthusiasm, Stanfill admitted parking could become a problem. “Everybody’s going to be fighting over parking,” Stanfill said. “Thank goodness we have our own parking places.” In addition to the Chipotle restaurant, the building will house three upscale apartments, along with another commercial space
on the building’s ground level. The back of the building will feature a patio space for the lower commercial space underneath a balcony that will be used by Chipotle. The new Chipotle and the subsequent renovations have given new life to a building known as “the hobby shop building.” “They’ll basically have a brand new building when they’re done,” Cook said. “It’s a perfect example of rehabbing a building and bringing it back to life.” Ted Koebel, program chair and professor in the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, said that older buildings create a “sense of place” for communities, and repurposing these older buildings for modern use is critical to community growth. “They (older buildings) need to be reprogrammed, they need to be brought back to some con-
temporary function,” Koebel said. Cook said these upgrades are necessary to draw new tenants and businesses. “It keeps the downtown flowing,” Cook said. “We don’t want our buildings to be ghost towns.” Sue Drzal, administrative director of merchant association Downtown Blacksburg Inc., said the new business could bring increased foot traffic to its neighbors. “Any time people come down to check out a new restaurant, they might also go and check out some of the other retail options,” Drzal said. “When you have a new business it’ll bring benefits to the businesses around them.” Dritselis said he looked forward to getting the Chipotle ready. “It should be a well received business in downtown Blacksburg,” Dritselis said.
2 news january 21, 2010
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Haiti: Students ponder new future from page one
She couldn’t get in touch with her father for four days. She said she was extremely worried about him but hoped he would contact her as soon as he could. Many power and telephone lines went down after the earthquake struck. “Finally, he called my sister, who lives in France,” Vernet said. “For some reason, calls from the U.S. could not get through to Haiti, but those from France could.” Vernet’s sister then made a threeway call that connected both daughters with their father. Vernet said that she then started doing everything she could to help in the relief efforts. She had already been working on a service project that provided hygiene products to homeless shelters in the area. After learning about the earthquake, she diverted all of her efforts toward helping those in her country. “I want to send the items to people who need them back home,” Vernet said. Vernet is also working to try to find a group of students to travel to Haiti with her this summer to participate in relief efforts. “It’s my country,” she said. “It’s going to be a long semester, but I have to be patient. I need to get with aid groups and do all I can.” Tech and the IT in International Education program are also seeking to re-establish their connections with the university in Port-au-Prince. “They don’t have anything,” Guilbaud said. “We need to see how we can help them, and help the students.” If becoming graduate students is not a possibility for the Haitian exchange students currently working towards finishing their last year at Tech, Guilbaud said that his program wanted to help them make long-term transitions after graduation to internships or jobs. “A lot of folks are willing to make a commitment and help,” he said. “They’ve been working closely on both the personal level and the universitywide level. It’s going to take the support of the people who care about Haiti to help.” Francois said that she finds it “very important” that Tech and its student body continue to support her country and her university in Port-au-Prince. “Our school is completely destroyed,” she said. “Our friends cannot go to school, and I think it is something we need to help with.” Beniot and Calixte have both become involved with Hokies United, a specialized student group that comes together to provide a university-wide response to tragedy. “In Haiti, everyone is a victim, but the youth and the students are hit hardest,” Benoit said. “It could be us. We need to help.” Benoit volunteers at a local hospital in Haiti. Calixte said that he supports all humanitarian efforts, from Hokies United and Partners in Health as well as other aid groups. “It is important to help people in trouble, no matter who they are,” he said. Benoit remains hopeful for Haiti’s rebuilding. “There’s a hope now that they could start over fresh,” he said. Vernet said she is proud to represent her country to her fellow students at Tech, especially in the face of tragedy. “I’m a true Haitian,” she said. “I always hold my head high and represent.”
opınıons 3
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
january 21, 2010
Dim and Wit
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
[
check it out
Look for Dim and Wit in next Thursday’s paper.
]
Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries
STORY BY ROHIT ELWADHI, ART BY MINA NOORBAKHSH
Our Views [staff editorial]
Know where your donations are going T
he tragedy in Haiti is overwhelming, as is the generosity of regular people worldwide who have donated and continue to donate to those currently in need after the disaster. Unfortunately, it’s not highly publicized just where that dollar or donation goes. As you start — or continue — to add to the efforts for Haiti, protect yourself and make sure that as much of your donation as possible is going directly to the cause. Plan your donation in advance. Look through Web sites, consider what kind of aid you’d like to give, and donate to the ones you trust most. If you want to make sure most of your money is actually going to the people rather than to executives, it’s essential to look before you give. Also, keep the records of how much you’re donating and to what organization for tax purposes later. Look for well-established charities. While it’s not necessary to give to the major organizations, do your homework thoroughly before giving money to any organization, especially obscure or new ones. It’s very hard to get a new charity off the ground, and disaster relief takes a lot of organization, people and resources that smaller charities may not have available yet. Also, remember that scammers may contact you pretending to be a smaller, lesser-known organization. Do your research. The Web site C h a r i t y N a v i g a t o r. o r g reviews more than 5,000 different charities and you can check those that you give to regularly. You can see how much each charity donates annually, the annual income of their executives, and even how much of the
dollar goes to those in need. Partners in Health, the organization working with Virginia Tech, gives 94.8 cents to aid for every dollar. The American Red Cross uses 90.1 cents per dollar for aid. It’s a small difference, but one worth noting when deciding where to give your money. Avoid telemarketers. Instead, focus on looking online or working directly with a charity. Ignore e-mails unless they are from an organization you already give to. Never open attachments from any organization you are unfamiliar with. AccordingtoCharityNavigator. org, it’s safer to give money instead of supplies. While it does feel much better to pack up clothes, buy bottled water and make care packages to send than to write a check or type your credit number, it’s just not as efficient. Money for the shipment of these supplies can be better spent giving directly to organizations already established in Haiti. Even though there are organizations that take and distribute care packages, giving money to larger groups that get essentials distributed en masse is more efficient overall and will reach more people quicker. We’re not saying the donations just support scams. It’s encouraging to see how many students are getting involved with Hokies United and channeling support to Haiti, and how quickly efforts were organized. But don’t sacrifice a smarter effort for a rapid one. The editorial board is comprised of Debra Houchins, Sara Mitchell, Peter Velz and Bethany Buchanan
Amount of Your Donation that Goes Toward Aid 1 2
3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10
11
12 shaded portion not used for aid and goes toward expenses incurred by charities
Number of Cents per Dollar donated* 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
98.7 - Americares 98.2 - Hope for Haiti 94.8 - Partners in Health 92.8 - Project Hope 90.6 - World Help 90.5 - U.S. Funds for UNICEF 90.3 - CARE 90.1 - American Red Cross 89.2 - Action Against Hunger 87.3 - Doctors Without Borders 86.7 - World Vision 81.9 - World Relief *approximated figures
information from charitynavigator.org
A life education is just as important as classes taken A
s the semester begins and we start new classes and activities, we should all think ahead to what we are all going to be doing this semester. We are pretty sure of the classes we are going to take, or at least the ones we hope to take, but what else can we do? My suggestion is to get involved in something other than class, friends and fun. Because Virginia Tech is a major university, it offers much more than just a multitude of different and interesting classes. We, as students, are also given the opportunity to join any number of varying organizations that range from service to social to athletics. There are the organizations that one typically thinks of when he thinks “college extracurricular activities” such as fraternities, sororities, sports teams, political groups or service organizations. These are a great way of meeting people with whom one shares a similar interest, and may give one a different perspective on life. They encourage us to get to know many of our peers and make it very enjoyable at the same time. But there are also very specialized groups on campus that give people who may not be athletic or outgoing a chance to find people who are similar minded. For instance, at Tech there is the American Ceramics Society, the Microbiology Club or
the Sailing Club. These groups can be easily found on the Tech Web site and can be searched by type or by name. Some people ask, “Why should I bother?” I have better things to do like hang out with my friends, play video games, or if totally necessary, homework. But the fact of the matter is, it is very important to join groups and organizations during your college career. Why? There is the typical reason, just as it was in high school. Getting involved looks good on a graduate school or job application. Getting involved demonstrates to potential employers or admissions officers that you can manage your time well, you are a good leader, or you are at least passionate about something. The reason that you get involved isn’t really important, what really matters is that you do it. However, beyond applications and resumes, getting involved during college is important just to meet new and different people. Most of us in high school knew the same people throughout our entire school careers. We may or may not still be friends with these people, but we do know them well. But once we get to college we are surrounded by people we have never met before and that come from different places and backgrounds than ourselves. It is really important for us to get
to know new people and experience new things in college. We need to open our minds to new views and ways of life in order to be better, educated people. Getting an education is not just about learning new information — it is also about getting a life education. It’s learning about new customs, about new places in the U.S., and about new ways of thinking. It is likely that we will meet people who do no think the same way we do, so we need to take the great opportunity that going to school at Tech gives us to get to know these people. Even if we pick a very specific group to join with a common interest, we can almost be guaranteed that there will be people there who are nothing like us. So think about getting more involved this semester. Find a group that you didn’t even know existed here, or join one that you have considered in the past. The rewards you will see will be much greater than you expected.
GABI SELTZER -regular columnist -philosophy major -sophomore
Tell ’em off: Conan says what we wish we could to our superiors A
ny working stiff watching the temper tantrum “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien threw on national television last week must be feeling something besides a tickle in the ribs. Catharsis. After just seven months in the job he waited years for, O’Brien woke up one morning to find that his employers wanted to push him deeper into the night to make room for Jay Leno. He not only refused to go, he pushed back. Unlike the rest of the American work force, most of which has found itself badly used by its employers of late, O’Brien got to rip into the NBC suits in front of a national television audience. He said he was going to “leave television altogether and work in a classier business with better people, like hard-core porn.” And the jokes just kept coming. “Welcome to NBC, where our new slogan is, ‘Not just screwing up prime-time,’” he pronounced. Late night hasn’t been this much fun since David Letterman confessed to having an affair for which he was being blackmailed, and an incredulous audience giggled nervously while waiting for the punch line All of this has gotta feel good to anybody who has been downsized, marginalized, dissed or dismissed by a Simon Legree boss or a greedy conglomerate.
Lagging ratings for “The Tonight Show,” which was the network’s excuse for the move, went up immediately — another irony. Let the help de-pants you, and everybody will tune in. But it wasn’t just a curious TV viewership waiting to see where next this drama would go. I’m guessing it was beaten-down workers cheering for the one guy among them who had the guts to spit on the boss’ shoes. Even Leno, who looks to be the winner here despite having his new show canceled, poked NBC in the eye with a stick: “I left prime time the way I found it ... a complete disaster.” Isn’t it wonderful to see somebody ridicule an employer in front of millions and get promoted in the bargain? Who better to speak for all of us than a comedian with a microphone, backed by a room full of smart-aleck writers and with a chance to do it again every night of the week? O’Brien upped the ante by playing video that suggested that President Barack Obama and a bunch of other world leaders were in his corner, and in another of his skits, NBC was described as a pimp misusing and abusing its stable of “hos.” If you’ve ever felt like someone who gave their all to a job only to be told that it wasn’t enough, you have to be loving this. If you ever got shoved aside for the boss’ favorite, this has to
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Sara Mitchell Managing Editors: Peter Velz, Bethany Buchanan Production Manager: Thandiwe Ogbonna Public Editor: Justin Graves News Editors: Zach Crizer, Philipp Kotlaba News Reporters: Liana Bayne, Gordon Block News Staff Writers: Hope Miles, Katie Robidoux, Allison Sanders, Claire Sanderson, Priya Saxena Features Editors: Teresa Tobat, Topher Forhecz Features Reporters: Ryan Arnold, Liz Norment, Dan Waidelich Opinions Editor: Debra Houchins Sports Editors: Joe Crandley, Alex Jackson Sports Reporters: Ed Lupien, Ray Nimmo, Ryan Trapp, Melanie Wadden, Thomas Emerick Sports Staff Writers: Garrett Busic, Hattie Francis Copy Editors: Kelsey Heiter, Dishu Maheshwari, Mika Rivera Layout Designers: Kelly Harrigan, Josh Son, Sara Spangler, Cecilia Lam Illustrators: Mina Noorbakhsh, Jamie Martyn Multimedia Editor: Kevin Anderson Multimedia Reporters: James Carty, Riley Prendergast Online Director: Jamie Chung
salve some of the pain. When O’Brien repeated the news that NBC was expected to lose $200 million on the Olympics, and said “Folks, is it just me or is that story hilarious,” you could see his vengeful glee. O’Brien is ripping them, and NBC bosses are writing fresh pages. O’Brien is as hot as his hair is red, it shows, and that is of great comfort to anybody who has ever fallen asleep watching “The Tonight Show” and dreading the next day at the office. This isn’t how everybody sees this, of course. To many, it looks like rich men behaving badly, like a couple of comedians acting as if they were out to save the world instead of just entertaining insomniacs. But at the bottom of the pile is a guy who waited six years for the job of his dreams and was unceremoniously jerked aside, and he’s mad as hell. The difference is, he got to tell the boss off in one of those scenes you’ve written in your own head, and he got to do it on national television. And that’s what makes this so much fun to watch.
SUSAN REIMER -mcclatchy newspapers
College Media Solutions Advertising Director: Tyler Ervin Asst Ad Director: Kendall Kapetanakis Account Executives: Nik Bando, Brandon Collins, Lee Eliav, Wade Stephenson, Kelly Burleson Inside Sales Manager: Judi Glass Office Manager: Kaelynn Kurtz Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Diane Revalski, Spencer Martin Creative Director: Sara Ford Asst Production Manager: Chloe Skibba Creative Services Staff: Jenn DiMarco, Kara Noble, Jennifer Le, Laiken Jacobs Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Luke Mason Lab Manager: Mark Umansky Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. By submitting a letter, you hereby agree to not engage in online discussion through comments on the Collegiate Times Web site. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is comprised of the opinions editor, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Student Media Phone Numbers Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, e-mail spps@vt.edu. The Collegiate Times is located in 365 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, VA, 24061. (540) 231-9865. Fax (540) 2319151. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 academic year. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2009. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
january 21, 2010
page 4
Policies:
Place An Ad Today
CLASSIFIEDS WWW.COLLEGIATETIMES.COM 540.961.9860
Visit our business office at 618 N. Main St. 9am–5pm 9am 5pm Monday–Friday Monday Friday,, or place an ad online at collegiatetimes.com.
Deadline: Three business days prior to publication by 3PM.
Rates: Rates as low as 32¢ per word, contingent on the number of days to run. Prepaid. 15 word minimum. Cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.
FREE CLASSIFIEDS FOR VT STUDENTS! students must come to 618 N Main ST to place the ad Sub-Lease Travel Rides Campus
Childcare Tickets for Sale Tickets Wanted Volunteers
Textbooks for Sale Textbooks Wanted Lost & Found Help Wanted
For Sale Events Health & Fitness Automotive
Notices Wanted Musical Roommates
Greek Notes For Rent Personals Furniture for Sale
Sub-Lease
Help Wanted
For Sale
For Rent
A PHEASANT RUN SUB-LEASE Rooms available for rent Spring and Summer 2010 at Pheasant Run Townhomes. Rent is $300/ month. Contact cnk87@vt.edu for interest in renting one or multiple rooms.
TWITTER|DRUPAL|WORDPRESS FiLife.com seeking 2 students for social media and PHP projects. Technical experience with Wordpress, Drupal, Facebook, and Twitter are a must. 5-10hrs a week. Work from home. Rate of pay based on experience. Email Resume to: jobs@filife.com
PHEASANT RUN TOWNHOME FOR SALE
FOR RENT UNIVERSITY TERRACE
Travel GETTING COLD TIME to Plan your Spring Break 2010 Get Away! Learn how to travel to beautiful locations like Jamaica, Acapulco and the Bahamas on a party cruise. Find out what other Virginia Tech Hokies are headed to your destination. -Adrian Email: Awhite@Studentcity.com for more information SKYDIVE! One Day First Jumps! 22jumper airplane goes to 13,500’ Gift Certificates! www.skydiveorange.com 540.943.6587
4bedroom/2.5 bath, washer/dryer, plus more! GREAT condition! Call Tony for more details. 304.281.0006
Notices COLLEGE MEDIA SOLUTIONS
The advertising agency for student media at Virginia Tech has immediate openings for the following positions: Assisant Account Executive, Creative Services Production Manager, Creative Services Assistant Production Manager and Creative Services Staff. Interested? Log on to www.collegemedia.com/join to apply!
*****BARTENDING***** MAKE UP TO $300/ DAY. No Experience Necessary. Training Available. 1-800-965-6520 EXT210
Wanted FRANK BEAMER JERSEY WANTED: New Frank Beamer Jersey Size XL oubliette123@yahoo.com
4 Bdr. 2 bath condo. 1yr. lease available Aug.1st. 20010. 280.00/mo. per student. Call 540-230-2964. leave message.
Downtown Living South Main Living North Main Living Prices Fork Living
Personals ADOPTION
Pediatrician and hubby in northern Virginia wish to adopt newborn. Approved by licensed child-placing agency. Med/legal expenses. Loving home! Contact us toll free 1-866581-5494 www. EdandMargaretB. freehomepage.com
NAGS HEAD 4 month Student Summer Rentals May to August, $450/ mo/ person, seabreezerealty.com 252.255.6328 252.255.6328
need some
PHEASANT RUN TOWNHOME FOR RENT For 2010-2011 school year. 4 bdrm. 2.5 baths. Upgraded. Last one. www.techtownhomes.com
a new slice of life. listen now.
find it at...
In the CollegiateTimes Classifieds you can...
www.collegiate
times .c o m
sell your toucan or anything else you are ready to let go of
The Collegiate Times reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement it deems objectionable, at any time. No refunds are available. The advertiser assumes full responsibility for his or her advertisements and agrees to hold the Collegiate Times harmless for the content of all advertisements authorized for publication and any claims that made may be against the Collegiate Times. Any questions concerning ads, please call the Better Business Bureau at 1.800.533.5501. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at 1.800.669.9777.
Patrick Henry Living Christiansburg Living
features 5
editor: topher forhecz featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865
january 21, 2010
COLLEGIATETIMES
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
COURTESY OF VICTOR VALENZUELA
Jeff Coyne and Dan Phipps (far right) survey the area of land where they plan to build a community center in the village of Zoranger, Haiti. The plans originated in 2007 and the four alumni are currently raising funds.
Going Wilder: Auditions are the first step in putting on any production V
irginia Tech’s Department of Theatre Arts and Cinema will be kicking off the main stage theater season at the end of February with Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth.” I’m letting you know so you can mark your calendar and come to the show. I’ll wave to you from the stage. My name is Dan Waidelich and I am in a play. I also happen to be a features reporter for the Collegiate Times and if you are a regular reader you might associate my name with articles about theater, music and the fine arts. When I told my editor about my involvement in the production back in November, the idea of a weekly “inside man” column came up. The concept is that I will write a column every week through the end of February, detailing the rehearsal and production process of “The Skin of Our Teeth.” I hope you’re ready for the adventure. “The Skin of Our Teeth” was first performed in 1942 and Wilder, already a beloved American playwright, won a Pulitzer Prize for coming up with the crazy, darkly comedic story. “Skin,” as we affectionately call it, focuses on the Antrobus family, who Wilder created to be the symbolic representatives for all of humankind. As the play begins, audiences find the family trying to escape an encroaching ice age by pulling close to the living room fire. The rest of the play thrusts the Antrobus family forward through time as they struggle with the darker parts of human history. If that sounds confusing, that’s OK. The play is an allegory. I received an e-mail about auditions for the show in early November and immediately knew I wanted to try and nab a spot in the cast. I haven’t acted since my drama club days in high school and I would dearly love to replace some of those awkward
“Glee”-like memories with some new ones. With only two weeks to prepare, it was time for the nerve-destroying audition process. Prospective cast members were asked to prepare a monologue from an American Realism play. At the time, I had no idea what that meant since I’m only a theatre minor and I only take the fun classes. Just kidding. Kind of. Anyway, after thorough research I found my piece and immediately set about memorizing it. The audition rolled around, and I knew I was ready.
“the skin of our teeth” by Thorton Wilder Feb. 18-21 at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. Feb. 23-27 at 7:30 p.m. Squires Studio Theatre Almost anyone who has auditioned for a show will tell you how utterly terrifying it is to go into a room and perform, knowing full well that you are being judged the entire time you are there. It’s a similar sensation to discovering your mom showing your naked baby pictures to a girl you have only been on one date with. Greg Justice is the show’s director. I knew him from a class he taught last spring and I get along well with him, and yet, walking into the audition room was like showing him that awkward picture where I’m splashing around in my kiddy pool with only a cowboy hat on. I suppose it’s better to have those butterflies in November instead of on opening night in front of a packed Squires Studio Theatre. I remember finishing my monologue and feeling good about it. Then 20 seconds later, Greg asked for a
going
e r d l i W
favor. “Can you do it again for me? But this time, do it like a complete psychopath,” he said. I’d like you to imagine just how utterly loony I must have acted to get that part. After three days of nerve-wracking anticipation, I found out that I was cast alongside 16 other people in Wilder’s surreal show. Am I the lead actor? No, but I do play the Greek poet and philosopher Homer. That is, if he was a dirty, blind, old bluesman. I am about to embark upon my own adventure into the crazy world of “Skin,” a world with fortunetellers, drunken revelers and nuclear war. My friend Ray plays a dinosaur. Clearly, we have a lot of work to do to get this thing to seem tight and well assembled. As an actor, I promise to do everything I can to deliver. As a writer, I promise to keep you, our most excellent readers, engaged with the show in a way that has never been available in our community. Check your CT every Thursday for my “Skin of Our Teeth” updates. Next week, I’ll be back to talk about the rehearsal process. Join me and we’ll take a walk on the Wilder side.
DAN WAIDELICH -features staff writer -senior -communication major
TECH ALUMNI PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HAITIAN COMMUNITY CENTER, INFRASTRUCTURE LIZ NORMENT features reporter In the wake of the recent earthquake in Haiti, millions of lives have been affected. For four Virginia Tech alumni, this tragedy struck close because of the time they had spent experiencing the country. “It was upsetting that something this devastating happened in a nation that was already facing an uphill battle from an economic and infrastructure stand point,” said Jeff Coyne, who graduated last spring with a degree in environmental engineering. Afterhisinitialshockovertheimmense devastation in the already exhausted country, Coyne immediately thought of friends and contacts he has in the country. Coyne and two of his friends, Victor Valenzuela and Dan Phipps, who are also Tech alumni, had been in Haiti less than a month before the 7.0 earthquake struck the country. Coyne spoke to Phipps and Valenzuela that evening, and the three began emailing connections they had made in Haiti. “It was especially disturbing since we have developed relationships with people who live in Port-au-Prince, where the center of the earthquake was,” Coyne said. Though he endured a restless night, there was some relief waiting for him the next morning. “First time we heard from folks in Haiti was the morning after it happened by e-mail,” Coyne said. Coyne, Phipps and Valenzuela got involved in Haiti through another Tech contact, colleague and fellow civil engineer Tim Moore. Moore had been working on projects in Haiti and traveling often to the impoverished nation for about two years before he called on Coyne, Phipps and Valenzuela to assist him with a very personal project: building an orphanage. Having made multiple trips to Haiti, Moore formed a bond with the people. “They’re the most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life, so giving, caring and kind,” Moore said. “It’s easy to fall in love with the culture and the Haitians as a people.” On one trip Moore met Rosa Mona Gedeon, a local woman who works with Partners in Health to bring healthcare to Haitian communities.
“I was helping them develop some clinical organizations and design medical clinics,” Moore said. After working with her to build clinics and bring medical services to villages, the two decided to partner in designing and building an orphanage in Zoranger, an area just north of Portau-Prince. In 2007, the project became very personal for Moore. After spending time with Gedeon, who is the caretaker of several orphans, he and his wife decided to adopt one of the baby girls. The orphanage would serve as an extension of this outreach to Haitian children, a project that has become more urgent after the earthquake.
help for
HAITI
When Moore contacted Coyne, Valenzuela and Phipps to travel down to Haiti and survey the land, the three quickly agreed. “I knew that they would want to help because we were all in the civil engineering department,” Moore said, “and we all had an interest in providing construction in developing countries so we tended to gravitate toward each other.” Surveying the land is the first step in building a strong infrastructure. “Once we surveyed the land,” Coyne said, “Tim said Mona could start to figure out what buildings to design and where to put them.” Coyne, Phipps and Valenzuela had all done work in developing countries before but were deeply affected by their trip to Haiti. “We’d all seen poverty before,” Coyne said, “but Haiti was a whole other level.” While they were surveying, the three noticed Haitians from the local village walking by with buckets. “We followed them one day to what was their cleanest water source,” said Valenzuela. “A few miles away they were collecting water from a contaminated low-flowing stream with animal feces in it.” Because Zoranger is a farming community, the men of the town spend
their days tending the land, leaving the women and children the task of retrieving water each day. “It was amazing to see how something as simple as getting water to drink was so inhibiting on their daily lives,” Coyne said. “Instead of going to school, the children were out collecting water that wasn’t even fit to drink.” After this experience, Coyne, Phipps and Valenzuela became more involved with Moore’s project by helping to raise funds and gain support. Project Zoranger has now become a plan to create more of a community center with an orphanage, clinic, school and agriculture program. With these additions, Moore feels the Haitians in the community will no longer need to depend on others for basic needs. He wanted to avoid spending time on any goals that would ultimately be too nearsighted. “We’re in it for the long haul to create a stable economy and infrastructure,” Moore said. “Overall, we want to create a more sustainable environment.” The Tech alumni are taking a multifaceted approach to raising the $16,000 needed to build two wells. Community efforts are being made both in Blacksburg as well as in Richmond, where the three split their time. Richmond restaurant Home Team Grill contributed a portion of its sales over the holidays, and a benefit concert by Richmond band The Sharp Comfort is being planned. In Blacksburg, the group Oxfam at Tech has helped with fundraising by holding bake sales and auctions for the cause.In addition, Valenzuela plans to jar his coveted homemade salsa to be sold to help the cause. “I’ve always made salsa,” he said, “and I feel like that’s something we can do to help reach out and gain support.” Other than that, the group is writing letters to friends and family as well as working on writing grants for the project. The added urgency because of the earthquake has helped motivate each to work while juggling full-time jobs, but more than anything else, their motivation is from the people they have connected with in Haiti. “What really surprised me is their ability to give whatever they have despite the fact that the majority of the population lives below the poverty line,” Valenzuela said. “Their generosity has inspired all of us.”
6 sports
editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
january 21, 2010
Soft spoken Davila a low-post threat RAY NIMMO sports reporter
With a nickname like “VMoney,” you might expect sophomore forward Victor Davila to be another selfish, cocky athlete. That couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Davila’s coaches and teammates praise him for his caring, friendly nature. “He’s probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach,” said men’s basketball head coach Seth Greenberg. Indeed, it would be difficult to have a problem with Davila. He’s a person who says very little. “Victor’s a man of few words,” Greenberg said. “Are you interviewing him? Good luck.” There wasn’t much luck needed, though. Davila, while soft-spoken, wasn’t too shy about his past, present and future. Davila hails from Puerto Rico and is very proud of his heritage. “Life is pretty good there,” Davila said. “I love my country. I wouldn’t change it for anything. It might be a little rough, but other places are too.” From his childhood on, Davila wanted to play basketball, and his journey led him to another family. “(My childhood) was really good,” Davila said. “I played sports and went KUMAR VEETRAG/SPPS to school. There was violence, but I never paid attention to that. I was Tech forward Victor Davila makes a low post move to get past the NC 14 when I came over (to the United Central defense during the Hokies 72-30 win on Monday night. States). I was in Miami for one year,
and I didn’t like it. They basically talked more Spanish than English where I was. Davila ended up in North Carolina where he went to high school. His guardians have been his family away from home while in America, and they are extremely important to him. “They’re good,” Davila said. “They treat me like family. They treat me like I’m their own child. It was hard leaving my family (in Puerto Rico), coming over here and meeting new people. It was tough, but after a year I got used to it, and we were like family.” “We developed a close relationship with his guardians,” Greenberg said. “We recruited him for three years. He’d been up to campus a number of times. I think he wanted to be close to home, and it was just a good fit.” Davila travels back to Puerto Rico every summer to see his family. He also talks to former Hokies basketball starter A.D. Vassallo, who is from Puerto Rico as well. “I talked to him a lot of times on Facebook,” Davila said. Before Vassallo graduated, he helped Davila with the transition to college. “(Vassallo) put his arm around him and helped him,” Greenberg said. Davila also had the opportunity to play for the Puerto Rico Junior National Team — an experience he won’t soon forget. “It was a great experience,” Davila said. “Our first tournament was in Dominican Republic, and we got the gold medal. Then I got hurt and
had surgery on my cheekbone, so I couldn’t go to the next tournament. I would definitely do it again.” During his time at Virginia Tech, Davila has seen increased playing time as a low-post scorer. This year he’s started all 17 games, averaging 24.3 minutes, 6.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. “I think he understands the speed of the game now,” Greenberg said. “He understands how hard he has to play. His greatest strength is his greatest weakness. He’s such a nice person that sometimes he’s just got to grit his teeth and get after people, and that’s not personally. It takes a lot to get him to really compete at the level that he needs to compete at. He has the potential to be a very special player.” With some improvements made so far, new expectations arise. “We expect a lot out of Victor,” Greenberg said. “He’s a legitimate low-post scorer. He has a very good feel for the game, and he’s a good passer. My greatest concern is that he’s not going to rebound the ball. My biggest challenge for Victor is to keep him aggressive, demand the basketball and have a mindset that he can make a difference because he sure can make a difference. But he must play post defense, and he must rebound the ball.” Davila understands what he needs to do, but takes a different approach to accomplishing it. “Rebounding definitely,” Davila
said when asked what he needs to improve upon. “I just let the flow of the game come to me. I don’t look for it. I just go out and play hard.” Speaking of playing hard, Davila likes to joke around with his teammates. However, it’s usually junior guard/forward Terrell Bell who does the joking. “Every day I’m beating Victor up because he’s soft,” Bell said sarcastically with a laugh. “Actually, Victor’s my guy. On our bus trips he sits right behind me. He really can’t speak English good, so I mess with him about that — me and Manny (Atkins). We’re always trying to copy him and talk like him. He calls himself ‘V-Money,’ but he can’t say the ‘V’ good so it sounds like ‘B-Money.’” Davila mentioned his accent as a unique attribute. “People laugh at it,” Davila said. Of course it’s all in good fun. “He’s a good guy, and he works hard on the court,” Bell said. While he currently majors in sociology, that may soon change. “I’m going to try to get more into psychology and see what happens,” Davila said. Education is the top priority for Davila, as he placed getting a degree first on his long-term goals list, just ahead of making the NCAA tournament. So don’t be quick to judge “VMoney.” As Greenberg put it, “If you can’t get along with Victor Davila, that’s your problem.”
NFL playoffs: The storylines you missed and what to look forward to this weekend A
s the NFL playoffs began, each team had its own personal stories to deal with. The Dallas Cowboys entered the postseason in search of their first playoff win in 13 years. A win would secure head coach Wade Phillips’ job, while a loss would undoubtedly lead to Phillips’ firing and yet another regime change in D-Town. Their opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, had to deal with making the daunting trip back to Cowboy Stadium after they were embarrassed 24-0 the week before. In the other NFC wild card game, the Arizona Cardinals hosted the Green Bay Packers — a repeat matchup from week 17 as well. The week before, the Cardinals were thrashed by the Packers 33-7, and the defending NFC champions weren’t happy. In the AFC, the storylines were even more riveting.
The Cincinnati Bengals, just weeks after the passing of former wide receiver Chris Henry, had to face the New York Jets one week after a demoralizing 37-0 loss to New York. As for the Jets, head coach Rex Ryan had to make sure his team did not get too conceited after the past week’s victory and stayed focused throughout the week’s practice. In game two of AFC play, the Baltimore Ravens had to prepare to play in the hostile environment of Gillette Stadium against one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady. When it comes to the Patriots, they had to try their best to recover from a season-ending loss to the Houston Texans and the loss of wide receiver Wes Welker, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the final week. Each team had its personal struggles, but only certain teams could overcome them.
In the Eagles-Cowboys matchup, the Cowboys used the momentum they gained from the previous week’s win over the Eagles to end the Eagles season for good with a dominating 34-14 win. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo silenced critics with an outstanding game. Romo completed 23 of 35 passes against the Eagles and racked up 244 yards along with two touchdowns. Also, running back Felix Jones carried the ball 16 times for 148 yards and a score. The Cardinals and Packers competed in arguably the most exciting game of the weekend. In what could be described as nothing but a shootout, the two teams combined for 96 points — the most ever in an NFL playoff game. Surprisingly, however, defense won the game for the Cardinals when linebacker Karlos Dansby forced a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown to give Arizona a 51-45 win in overtime. Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner added to his incredible playoff resume by completing 29 of 33 passes for 379 yards and five touchdowns. Warner’s counterpart, Aaron Rodgers, wasn’t too shabby himself. Rodgers completed 28 of 42 passes on the game for 423 yards and four scores. In AFC play, the Bengals promised that the outcome of their wild card game would not resemble the previous week’s loss to the Jets. However, Jets rookie running back Shonn Greene thought otherwise. After defeating the Bengals in week 17, the Jets rode Greene’s running to a
24-14 win in round one. Greene ended the game with 135 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown to boot. Maybe the most surprising outcome of the weekend, though, was the Ravens’ 33-14 victory over the Patriots. The Ravens used a stingy defense and career day from running back Ray Rice to end the Patriots season. Rice carried the ball 22 times for 159 yards and two scores and his long touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for a game that would soon be out of reach for the Patriots. When round one was all said and done, there was a lot to talk about. Yet round two was possibly more intriguing. Many critics believe a week off can have a negative effect on the play of those teams that receive bye weeks for their superb play in the regular season. Many critics believe teams lose rhythm, lose focus and in doing so, lose performance in their first game back from a bye. In the divisional round of the playoffs, that was hardly the case. The NFC’s first-seeded New Orleans Saints scored 35 points in the first half to take control and eventually go on to beat the Cardinals 45-14 in round two. The second-seeded team in the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings, which also received a bye week, came out on top as well. Against the Cowboys, Minnesota jumped ahead early and never looked back as it cruised to a 343 win. The ageless Vikings quarterback Brett Favre threw four touchdowns in the game, three of which were to wide
receiver Sidney Rice. In the AFC, the top-seeded Colts took care of business as well. The Colts were just as dominating as the NFC’s best in their 20-3 win over the Ravens. Many believed the Colts offense would be a little rusty, but their defense looked in top form. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning also had a solid game as he went 30 of 44 for 246 yards and two scores. The one game that was different from the others, though, took place in San Diego. The AFC’s second-seeded Chargers hosted the Jets and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez in what many expected to be an easy San Diego win. Sanchez and the Jets didn’t believe so, however. New York scored 14 points in the final quarter and used a crafty defensive attack to upset the Chargers 17-14. Chargers pro bowl kicker Nate Kaeding missed three field goals in the game which would have undoubtedly changed the outcome of the game. Once again, the Chargers let their fans down in the playoffs and once again, the Jets’ Greene had another good day as he rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown. And then there were four. The matchups for conference championship weekend are set as in the NFC, the Saints will host the Vikings and the in the AFC, the Colts will host the Jets. It is the first time since 2002 that the two top seeds in the NFC, the Saints and Vikings, will be facing each other in the championship game. In the AFC, the Jets enter their game
with Indianapolis with a target on their backs, as they were the ones who ended the Colts’ perfect season in week 16 by beating them 29-15. It will be interesting to see how the Saints offensive line handles the pass rush of the Vikings and what will be even more interesting is how the Vikings defense as a whole, plans on containing the electric Reggie Bush. A known dual-threat, Bush ran for 84 yards on just five carries last weekend and scored once on the ground while hauling in four passes for 24 yards. In the AFC championship game, the matchup between Jets shut down corner Darrelle Revis and Colts all-pro receiver Reggie Wayne will also be one to keep an eye on. Revis has helped the Jets achieve a top-ranked defense this season and has shut down nearly every wide receiver he’s faced. For the Colts to win, they will absolutely have to pass and Revis could make that a hard job. This Sunday, the Super Bowl will have its teams and two teams will go home. The Jets and Colts start things off Sunday at 3 p.m. on CBS, and the Saints and Vikings have the nightcap at 6:40 p.m. on Fox.
GEORGE TILLERSON -staff writer -freshman -communication major
......radio for
everyone