We’re playing Boise State Labor Day Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 10
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Rebuilding Haiti
CHUCK LIDDY/MCT CAMPUS
A young Haitian girl eats a high calorie cookie provided by the United States military as part of relief efforts in the island nation devasted by a Jan. 12 earthquake just outside of Port-au-Prince, the capital city.
Hokies United to continue Haiti relief fund campaign LIANA BAYNE news reporter Hokies United and the Virginia Tech community are working toward an ambitious goal of sending at least $100,000 to aid rebuilding efforts in Haiti. All funds raised through Hokies United are sent to Partners in Health, the most well known aid organization in Haiti. PIH has been working in Haiti since 1985 and has worked with Tech groups in the past.
State universities to lose millions BUDGET AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY KAINE COULD DRAW $9 MILLION FROM STUDENTS LIANA BAYNE news reporter A budget amendment proposed by former Virginia governor Tim Kaine would transfer $19 million of projected funds from public universities to the state if it passes. Kaine included as an amendment to his 2010-12 budget a proposal that would move money from student fees in the higher education
auxiliary fund, which supports public universities, to the general fund, which supports the state’s various needs. The proposed reduction would take about $600,000 from Virginia Tech. Nearly 60 percent of the proposed transfer of funds would primarily impact the University of Virginia, James Madison University, George Mason University and Radford University.
Tech copyright help infringers face HAITI strict penalties
In the overview section of the budget, Kaine’s office said “tuition (for public universities) will likely rise in this biennium” because of this transfer. SGA president Brandon Carroll said the transfer of money would be “like a reverse tax on students.” The amendment, set down on Jan. 11, “includes a proposed transfer of $18.8 million in fiscal year 2011 which represents 5 percent of higher education auxiliary enterprise balances (dorm, dining hall and related operations).” Carroll intends to lobby strong-
ly against Gov. Bob McDonnell’s acceptance of the amendment. “The state has a $4 billion deficit and they refused to cut taxes,” he said. “So they’re taxing students.” More than 50 Tech students will be in Richmond today for “Hokie Day,” a lobbying day sponsored by Virginia21, a non-profit lobbying organization that works in the General Assembly on behalf of higher education. This day allows students to connect with state lawmakers and initiate conversations about policies relevant to higher
education. Carroll hopes to be able to converse with lawmakers about the proposed amendment, in order to take it out of the budget. Carroll said he hopes McDonnell takes the tax out of the budget and leaves the money for student use. “The state makes $1.39 on the dollar for every dollar they invest in higher education,” Carroll said. “That’s a 39 percent return on their investment for every student. If that’s not an incentive for higher education, I don’t know what is.” A finalized budget should be available some time in June 2010.
Chivalry lives
for
PIH, along with other aid groups operating in the country, still desperately need aid, even two weeks after the Jan. 12 earthquake that measured a 7.0 on the Richter scale. The Haitian government recently announced an official body count of 150,000, with an estimated 200,000 dead. Various groups working under the Hokies United umbrella have currently raised over $12,000, according to the Hokies United Web site. There have also been other collections and events for which total funds raised have not been reported to Hokies United. It is hard to say exactly how much money the Tech community has donated to relief efforts altogether. In a Hokies United meeting Tuesday night, SGA president and Hokies United chairman Brandon Carroll said if student groups are sponsoring donation jars they need to make sure to secure their funds with Hokies United. The Hokies United Web site also lists upcoming events and businesses that have partnered with Hokies United as official sponsors of donation jars. All this week, the Pamplin Business School is sponsoring a collection jar in the Pamplin Atrium. Shane McCarty, a representative from the broad-based funding subcommittee of Hokies United, said the monetary goal of the group from Pamplin is $5,000. Many downtown Blacksburg businesses are sponsoring collections and special events. Several special events this weekend will focus on raising money for Hokies United. During the Thursday night men’s basketball game against North Carolina, Student Athletic Advisory Council and Hokies United will be running a donation booth while fans enter the game. On Friday, Feb. 5, there will be a pie auction at 5 p.m. in the Hancock Atrium, sponsored by the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity. On Saturday, Feb. 6, a Mardi Gras for Haiti Ball will be hosted by the University Club at 7 p.m. A $10 admission fee includes food and a cash bar. Other events are also in the works for continuing the mission of Hokies United into the future. Kristina Hartman, undergraduate representative to the Board of Visitors has been working closely with Hokies United. She and the public education subcommittee are working together with Phi Beta Delta to host an open forum to educate the community. see HAITI / page two
news staff Virginia Tech officials are working to handle student copyright infringement taking place on online file-sharing networks while avoiding a ban of peer-to-peer protocols. Jeff Kidd, spokesman for Tech’s Communication Network Services, said that his office receives between 60 and 200 complaints a month during the course of a regular school year. “Some days you get three or four, other days you get 15 to 20,” Kidd says. “There’s not necessarily any specific pattern.” Kidd said the complaints came from record companies, along with hired content tracking companies such as BayTSP. As a result of both university policy and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Tech is responsible to pass on complaint notices to students. “As an internet service provider, and as equipment operators, we are obliged to handle copyright infringements at the source,” Kidd said. Complaints to the CNS office are forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct. Byron Hughes, said that first time offenders are often issued a formal warning along with an educational assignment, in the form a class titled “Assessing Decisions for A Positive Transition.” Hughes, who handles copyright infringement cases for the Office of Student Conduct, said that 300 students completed the ADAPT class for the 2008-09 school year. Students taking the class are charged $50 for
administrative fees. Additional violations can lead to further discipline, including the loss of network privileges. Kidd said his office “doing them (students) a favor” in passing them to the Office of Student Conduct, rather than having copyright infringement handled through the legal system. “This is handled in a pretty constructive manner,” Kidd said. The infringing media comes in all forms, from music to movies and even audiobooks. “It’s pretty much anything you would consider a creative work in a digital format,” Kidd noted many of the complaints come through the use of peer-to-peer software such as Gnutella and LimeWire. File uploads, rather than downloads, frequently catch the attention of authorities. “That seems to be the ‘gotcha’ that trips most people,” Kidd said. Hughes said many peer to peer software programs can scan a user’s computer for additional files to upload. “More often than not they’re not aware the capability of these file sharing sites for uploading and downloading material,” Hughes said. The university also has pursued cases of copyright infringement done through student-owned wireless routers inside residence halls. “Time and again we get students who get infringement notices from downloads done through their wireless routers,” Kidd said. “The deal is, if it traces to their ethernet, they’re responsible for it.
A female student hitches a ride across the street from a friend. A wintery mix created icy conditions across campus Tuesday as classes continued. Photo by luke mason/spps
see COPYRIGHT / page two
University system monitors applications for accuracy LISA M. KRIEGER mcclatchy newspapers SAN JOSE, Calif. — Did you donate the profits from your violin recital to support a homeless shelter? Were you part of a deer rescue squad during a major forest fire? Was that you who donated gallons of blood to the Red Cross? Well, if you said so on your University of California application, you better be ready to prove it. Like no other higher education system in the nation, the University of
California has a quiet team of vigilant auditors that review the accuracy of randomly selected applications — and may yank ones shined up by too much balderdash, big-talk or bull. “We expect integrity,” said Han Mi Yoon-Wu, admissions coordinator for the 10-campus university system. Although falsification is not a major problem, she said, “students need to know that they might be selected, and they should make sure that everything on the application is accurate.” Run out of a modest office park in Concord, the UC investigation team
aims to prevent an arms race of fictional accomplishments among those seeking a seat at the most competitive UC campuses, such as Berkeley and Los Angeles. The vast majority of applicants will escape challenge; only 1 percent of its 134,000 applicants are pulled for review. But those who bump up the baloney in claims on their application forms do so at their own peril. While all American universities seek official verification of grades and test scores, most others rely on the honor system for more personal assertions. “The system in California is quite
unique,” said David Hawkins of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. “Colleges have always kept an eye out for suspiciouslooking essays that might have been plagiarized, but few bother to actually check.” In January UC sent letters to 1,000 applicants for the 2010 freshman class asking them for evidence to support claims made in their “personal statements” and lists of accomplishment. The application cops do not target suspects; rather they employ a vast, random but high-stakes process designed
to keep students honest. Their biggest weapon: the fear factor they may pick yours. The office gets daily deliveries of a wide and colorful array of evidence from those who have been challenged. There are photos, certificates and DVDs, theatre playbills, pay stubs and newspaper articles. The verification program was created in 2003 after UC’s shift to a so-called “comprehensive review” of students’ applications — in which students are measured not just by academic success but out-ofthe-classroom accomplishments.
2 news
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
february 3, 2010
COLLEGIATETIMES
Violation Notice A sample letter sent to Virginia Tech students suspected of violating the university’s copyright sharing regulations.
Haiti: Tech community raises more than $12,000 from page one
John Doe, We have received a DMCA violation notice that informs us that you may be sharing copyrighted material on the Virginia Tech network. Movie Name ...has (have) been found available on the Internet via the Virginia Tech network at approximately Sun Jan 31 18:19:01 EST 2010. The university has received a notice from the copyright owner or the copyright owner's agent stating this file is not authorized for uploading or sharing from this location. Unauthorized use of Virginia Tech communications facilities and disregard for intellectual and artistic property rights are violations of Virginia Tech's Policies: #7000: Acceptable Use and Administration of Computer and Communication Systems. You should be aware that this activity may also be in violation of federal and/or state copyright laws, potentially subjecting the implicated person to criminal and civil legal charges. To resolve this matter, please get more details and respond by going to http://icic.vt.edu no later than 5:00 p.m. on Feb 3, 2010. Your university network access is subject to deactivation if your response is not received on or before this time.
Copyright: Tech to crack down on illegal file sharers from page one
Despite the outside complaints of copyright infringement, Kidd said the university does not plan on prohibiting the use of peer-topeer software. “The university does not monitor content,” Kidd said. “The notices are a result of specific complaints. Matt Brown is a sopho-
more business information technology major and treasurer of Free Culture at Tech, an open-source advocacy group. He said that Tech had “a very good approach” in dealing with peer-to-peer software. “Some have banned file sharing protocols outright,” Brown said. “Instead they wait and see
for a response from an organization. In all, they’re doing a good job.” Kidd said while the university does not actively pursue cases, the university holds a “great concern for copyright infringement.” “We have a healthy respect for copyright ownership,” Kidd said.
“We’ll have panelists who are really knowledgeable about the history of the country and why the earthquake had such a huge impact on the country,” Hartman said. Currently slated to appear on the panel are Patrick Guilbaud, the program director for an exchange student program that has sponsored Hatian students studying at Tech since 2008; Laura Zanotti, a political science professor; Chris Strock, a doctoral candidate who was working in Haiti at the time of the earthquake and Inesse Semeah, a representative from the office of equity and inclusion. “We’d like to encourage everyone to attend,” Hartman said. The panel will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Graduate Life Center auditorium. McCarty also said that T-shirts would be sold in the Tech bookstore for $10. “The T-shirt is pretty good looking,” McCarty said. Looking further ahead into the future, Hokies United representative Anne MacKimmie said the special events area of Hokies United is focusing on two major events. One will be an event hosted in conjunction with the Blacksburg Farmers’ Market. MacKimmie said a date has yet to be set, but the event will take place sometime after spring break. Chris Cook, another Hokies United representative, is organizing a highprofile event that will tentatively take place on April 24, the day of Tech’s spring football game. Cook said this event is designed to bring a celebratory close to the Hokies United group’s efforts. Hokies United is a student group that only becomes functional when a major tragedy affects Tech. One point of its mission statement indicates that it does not wish to be active for long periods of time. “We don’t want to advertise that the effort to help Haiti is over, but the
Provided By: Jeff Kidd, public relations manager for Communication Network Services
......radio for
everyone
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We’ve got to get people energized and keep going to make sure we have a sustainable impact. BRANDON CARROLL SGA PRESIDENT
thing we need to discuss is not letting Hokies United continue on too long,” Cook said. “Obviously the key is to have a sustainable plan, but as far as Hokies United is concerned, we need to end.” The event will be family-oriented and will hopefully feature a benefit concert, a clothing sale, and a keynote speaker, among other functions. Cook said he hopes the event will be highly attended. “There’d be a lot of alumni in town and a lot of focus on the campus already,” he said. “Alumni would be a great resource.” With 30,000 in attendance at the spring football game last year, Cook hopes for a similar turnout at this event. “There’s been talk about trying to make April a month of Ut Prosim,” he said, referencing the Big Event that will be held the weekend before, on April 17. “It could possibly create a refreshing annual tradition for Virginia Tech.” Hokies United is not currently planning on sponsoring an aid trip to Haiti. The Red Cross has asked anyone interested in going to Haiti within the next six months to a year to complete a rigorous six-month training program. The overall goal of Hokies United remains to make an impact on the relief efforts in Haiti during a defined amount of time. “We’ve got to get people energized and keep going and make sure we have a sustainable impact,” Carroll said. “There’s still a lot of passion from people who want to help and that’s great.”
features 3
editor: topher forhecz featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
february 3, 2010
COLLEGIATETIMES
Adjunct architecture professors reinvent local aging home
COURTESY OF ONSITE LLC
The nearly 200-year-old house in Covington, Va., that is owned by the Arritt family was renovated in 2007 with help from two adjunct Virginia Tech architecture professors, an assitant and two Virginia Tech students.
WHEN A FAMILY DECIDED TO RENOVATE AN OLD FARM HOUSE, IT RESULTED IN AN AWARD WINNING FINISH RYAN ARNOLD features reporter Adjunct Virginia Tech architecture professors Marie and Keith Zawistowski designed and built a ghost. Rising in the rural landscape just south of Covington, Va., a twisted three-story tower with translucent walls glows like a hovering spirit. Fitting, for it illuminates the rich history of the adjacent Arritt Farm House, a nearly 200-year-old abode almost forgotten, had Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski not intervened. Judy Saunders said her great-greatgrandfather John Arritt built the house in the mid-1830s along Potts Creek. Arritt also erected a nearby mill and general store. Around this time the area was vibrant, hosting whomever went through the town, including boaters and stagecoaches. The farmhouse remained in the family for more than 100 years, Saunders said, before another family bought the residence. When it resurfaced on the market in the early 1990s, Saunders, along with her sister Rebecca Miller and brother Robert McNeal, reclaimed their ancestry. But since the siblings lived throughout the East Coast, Saunders said the property remained mostly stagnant, continuing its already severe deterioration. “I finally talked to my sister about, you know, let’s make it nice for us,” Saunders said. “Let’s renovate it and enjoy it and have it as a family home.” And they had specific designers in mind. Mr. Zawistowski, a 2003 Tech architecture alumnus, was friends with Saunders’ son. Saunders said Mr. Zawistowski kept her up to date on his school endeavors, which includ-
ed an outreach project in Alabama where he met and worked alongside Mrs. Zawistowski, a France native. The pair formed a two-person design firm whose work Saunders and Miller enjoyed. “They called us while we were living in France,” Mr. Zawistowski said, “and asked if we would move there to design and build that project for them.” A bold request, but Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski said such a migration is at the center of their design philosophy. “We actually call our practice OnSite,” Mr. Zawistowski said, “and the idea is that we’re moving from place to place, realizing the work.” Before France, they called New Mexico home while completing a private residence. They ultimately agreed to renovate the two-story Arritt Farm House and trekked to the states in the summer of 2005. They didn’t want to simply replicate the structure, though. “The approach we took to the project was that we were going to breathe a new life into it,” Mrs. Zawistowski said. Their lungs were surely tested, for the poor state of the 1,500-square-foot house required a major disassembly. “At one point we just had the skeleton of the house left,” Mrs. Zawistowski said. Resilient, however, Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski successfully modified the timber-frame house with only the help of one full-time assistant and two third-year Tech architecture students who joined after OnSite lectured on the Tech campus. “We transformed the (floor) plan of the house inside,” Mrs. Zawistowski said. “We kept the exterior shell and we adapted the (floor) plan to
modern living, because we don’t go through one room to go to the next anymore.” They reapplied salvaged materials such as heart pinewood — previously the attic floor — as kitchen cabinetry. The Tech students introduced elements made of concrete including kitchen counter-tops and a bar table. Yet after more than a year of exhaustive reconstruction, Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski had to fulfill another prompt. Saunders and Miller envisioned an addition that would cater to their hobbies, although the details of their request were sparse. “My sister and I like to quilt, my husband likes to paint,” Saunders said. “So I wanted something with a lot of sun, a lot of bright, natural light and a large area.” Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski embraced their artistic freedom, looking to an old slave kitchen detached from the farmhouse for inspiration. “Our idea was that we could build the new piece that they wanted on the footprint of that existing building,” Mr. Zawistowski said. The kitchen remains were twisted and on the verge of collapse, a weary state mimicked in the very tower that emerged in its place. Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski created a winding structure by tilting the four corner columns at very slight angles. “It still has the spirit of the old building,” Mrs. Zawistowski said. The skeleton, like that of the farmhouse, is entirely wood. Translucent polycarbonate panels wrap the exterior, allowing ample light to enter during the day and radiate at night. Numerous windows frame specific views of the water and mountains beyond. The 1,500-square-foot tower took a slim four months to complete with the same five-person crew, thanks largely in part to advanced software. “By making a 3-D model of the building prior to its construction,”
“
The approach we took to the project was that we were going to breathe new life into it. MARIE ZAWISTOWSKI ADJUNCT ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR
Mr. Zawistowski said, “we were able to create a shop drawing for every member of the building and code all those parts.” They used only a crane and forklift to piece together the puzzle. “Pretty much like what’s going on across the street right now at a smaller scale,” Mrs. Zawistowski said, referring to the construction on the Prices Fork Lot parking garage. Saunders said the first floor of the addition is now a family favorite for
congregating. The younger generation, she said, loves exploring all three levels. However, the optical illusion of leaning sometimes dizzies older visitors as they climb the stairs. “We call it the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ addition,” Saunders said. With the Arritt name properly restored by January 2007, OnSite had to consider its next destination. “There’s always this kind of strange moment at the end when it’s like ‘It’s time to leave,’” Mr. Zawistowski said. “And in this case, because the property beside it came up for sale, we realized we could stay.” The College of Architecture and Urban Studies invited Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski to co-teach a thirdyear architecture studio in 2008, which they’ve continued this academic year. “Third year is really kind of an
amazing year in architecture because it’s the year that’s really about architecture.” Mr. Zawistowski said. “It’s sort of learning to put a building together.” And considering their familiarity with the nuts and bolts, Mr. and Mrs. Zawistowski can impart great know-how to their students. The Virginia Society American Institute of Architects recognized the duo’s value with an Award for Excellence in Design for the Arritt Farm House. OnSite projects demand holistic thought, and its owners hope their students adopt that extra dimension. “In addition to the poetry of the architecture,” Mr. Zawistowski began while sitting with his wife. But before he could finish, Mrs. Zawistowski completed the query for him. “How do you make it happen?” she asked.
february 3, 2010
page 4
Beyond Coal campaign kicks off efforts for a coal free campus within the next decade SARAH HANSKNECHT features staff writer In a campus community where coal-mining towns speckle the surrounding Appalachian area and talk of diminishing energy resources is increasingly gracing the radar of many young minds, the Beyond Coal group at Virginia Tech has been campaigning for a cleaner, more renewable future without the use of coal. As part of this effort, the group is trying to raise more awareness around campus by hosting events. The first of these events is on Feb. 4 in Squires Student Center to talk about what it takes to really go beyond coal toward more efficient, renewable resources on campus. Kara Dodson, the Student Project Coordinator for the campaign, said the focus of the event is to educate students and get them interested in the campaign. “At the Kick-Off Party,” Dodson said, “we will be focusing on major goals of the Beyond Coal campaign and brainstorming new possible goals with the help of student involvement.” The Beyond Coal campaign’s goal is to end coal use by 2020 and work
JOSHUA MILLER/SPPS
Part of the Beyond Coal campaign’s goal is to end Tech’s use of coal by 2020, which would require a change in methods currently employed by Tech’s power plant. toward pursuing alternative renewable energy sources. Persuading President Steger and the rest of the Tech administration into committing is necessary in order to make serious progress
in the Beyond Coal campaign. Last spring, the university signed on to the Climate Action Commitment and Sustainability Plan, in which they agreed to completely end coal use on campus between 2025 and 2050.
“This initiative taken by the administration is a definite stepping stone in our campaign,” Dodson said, whose group regularly meets with the administration in order to keep them updated. “As the Beyond Coal
coalition, we are just trying to hold them to their promise, but with a better deadline 10 years from now. That way, we can actually lead and not just follow other universities.” Cornell University actually had a
recent victory in the coal movement as its president fully committed to the proposed 2020 deadline of ending coal use on campus. “They’re a leading research facility, just as we are, so what is stopping us in achieving our goals?” Dodson asked.
check it out
[ ] Beyond Coal campaign kickoff Date: Feb. 4 Place: Squires, Brush Mountain B Time: 8 p.m. Price: Free
In addition to encouraging more intensive research for renewable energy sources, the Beyond Coal group aims to make leeway with coalition building and media outreach. Grassroots campaigning, which chiefly entails handing out postcards that support the 2020 deadline to the Tech community, plays a significant role in Beyond Coal’s efforts. Michelle Gabe, a freshman communication major who interns for the campaign, spends up to 10 hours every week raising awareness for Beyond Coal by striking up conversations with people all over the campus about the campaign and a cleaner future. “I’m from a coal-mining town, so this campaign really does hit home for me,” Gabe said. “This experience as an intern allows me to gain professional experience in an environment where I truly understand what the campaign involves.” Dodson enjoys this particular aspect of campaigning because she is able to teach people about the campaign and learn from them at the same time. “It’s very interesting and enlightening because you meet some people that vehemently support coal and you end up having really good conversations with them,” Dodson said. Indeed, controversy is a significant obstacle in the path to success for the campaign, as Blacksburg lies in an area where the coal industry had provided many jobs. “Many question ‘What is going to keep the lights on without the use of coal in energy production?’” said Dodson. “We’re not going to fight business or fight what’s feasible, but if we don’t continue to talk about it and make the issues known, nothing will get done.” In the face of the environmentally friendly craze, the Beyond Coal group pushes for equal efforts away from coal and for renewable energy. “If we don’t solve this problem now, we’ll be paying for it for a very long time,” Dodson said. “We encourage students and faculty to come together at the kick-off party and see what we’re all really about.”
Black Eyed Peas face lawsuit for recent single CLIFFORD WARD mcclatchy newspapers CHICAGO — Modern music fans know the Black Eyed Peas as a hugely successful, Grammy-winning hip-hop recording group. But an online music magazine posed that very question last year when comparisons first surfaced between a Chicago rapper’s song, “Boom Dynamite,” and the Peas’ hit “Boom Boom Pow.” The combustible question has blown up into a federal lawsuit filed last week by Chicago singer Ebony Latrice Batts, also known as Phoenix Phenom, and her manager/producer, Manfred Mohr of Aurora. The pair say the Peas stole their “Boom.” “The hook portions of the song are so strikingly similar that there can be no other reasonable explanation but that the Black Eyed Peas copied Phoenix’s song,” according to the lawsuit. Ira Gould, the attorney for the pair, said Batts was unaware of the Peas’ tune until several Chicago DJs called her to point out the similarities. When Batts finally heard “Boom Boom Pow,” Gould said, she started crying. “She was devastated by it,” he said.
opınıons 5
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
february 3, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letters to the editor]
A chance for better quality
T
his September, Virginia Tech Dining Services adopted a new guiding principle of “promoting healthy eaters, ecological stewardship, waste reduction and diversion, the local economy, social justice, and animal welfare.” If dining services is to live up to that standard, it needs to add a local, grass-fed burger option to its permanent menu. According to studies outlined by Michael Pollan, grass-fed beef has less fat and cholesterol and more vitamins and Omega3’s than feedlot beef. In addition, as the Virginia Cooperative Extension reports, 60 percent of Virginia’s farms operate at a loss; a local burger would generate
much-needed income for farms in our New River Valley. The menu addition would be relatively simple. We already buy meat from Grayson Natural Foods, but by charging a little more for quality, adding a grassfed option would not increase costs. We would not be the first — three nearby schools: Duke, UNC and Emory & Henry College already offer this option to students. Elena Dulys, the Southeast Real Food Challenge Coordinator, points out that in a Duke study, students chose the grass-fed burger at a 2-1 ratio over the traditional burger. Dining Services needs to give Tech students that choice.
Jarred Farris sophomore agriculture & applied economics major MCT CAMPUS
Don’t go silent when politicians go astray A
s most of us realize, the partisan political climate in Washington is not favorable to our interests or action on the part of the House of Representatives or the Senate. We all know that the healthcare bill is stuck in Congress, waiting for reconciliation, while millions of Americans still go uninsured. And then there is the economy, which is still in shambles after its collapse, and for the millions that are unemployed, it does not seem to be getting any better. Most people give the fault of most of these problems to President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress, even many Democrats themselves. And to a certain extent, they have every right to do so. Obama has not carried out many of his original campaign promises in order to concentrate on the passing of the healthcare bill, which for many, does not look effective or is not what they originally wanted. However, it is very upsetting to me that because of one year of mistakes and not getting what we wanted, many Democrats are giving up all together on the party, claiming that they will vote as independents, until they get what they want again from the Democratic Party. To me, this “quitting until you get what you want” business is ridiculous. This equates to being close friends with someone and getting into a rough patch where you may be fighting a lot and upset with them, and then deciding to stop being friends with that person until they give you what you want. Doesn’t that sound selfish and unreasonable? When I’m upset with friends, I tell them that. I let them know that I am upset with whatever they are doing, rather than ignoring their texts or unfriending them on Facebook. We need to do the same thing with our elected officials. We need to call, e-mail, and even Facebook them to let them know that we are not happy with what they are doing right now. If we never say anything, and then vote independent or not at all in the next elections, how are they going to know that we are displeased? Call your senators and representatives and let them know what you want changed or how you want them to vote on a certain bill. There is a number that you can call for every elected official in Washington. You may not be able to speak to them personally, but if enough people call, then you may be able to sway how they vote. Also, as many of us learned in high school civics, the American two-party system is unlike most political parties in the world. In other countries, there are as many as five or six parties represented in the legislature, and in some cases two parties have to form a coalition and share power in the executive branch. This would never happen in the U.S. because of the way our government is outlined in the Constitution. However, the way government works has caused a two-party system in our country. This means that most people are going to identify with one of these two parties, with the exception of a very small minority, that — let’s face it — is never really going to be able to gain much power in Congress. So, our political parties are umbrellas for many different, and sometimes competing interests, and at times other interests have to be served other than our own.
What upsets me the most, however, is that most people who are quitting are well educated and are aware of this fact and are still deciding not to stick with what they believe in, even though they may not agree right now. Just because the Democrats are not giving most of us what we want right now does not mean it is going to be like this forever. And we cannot just drop our affiliation like bad news, because then it becomes even less likely that anything will change. Not to be cliche, but I think there is hope from Obama’s State of the Union address that change is possible. Obama outlined numerous policies in his address that Democrats have historically supported. These include the repealing of the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy within the military, an increase in Pell Grants (free money from the government for college) along with more money in general for education, more loans to small businesses, a tougher and more active stance on clean energy and expanding and concentrating further on the middle class. If he can get many of the policies outlined in the address passed in Congress, then our country will be far better off and many Democrats should be pleased. But there are a few things that we should remember. First is that while the President may try to get policies implemented and may ask Congress to pass legislation accordingly, this is unlikely to happen with the current state of the Senate. The Republicans in the Senate are more or less requiring a super majority of 60 votes to get anything done that they even slightly disagree with. And with the election of a Republican to the seat Ted Kennedy once held from Massachusetts, it is likely that most of this won’t get passed in the Senate. Obama can ask or tell the Senate to pass a bill until he’s blue in the face, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen and there is not a lot any of us can do about that — except for get involved. Second, we need to remember that Obama, as he reminded us in his State of the Union, inherited a deeply troubled country, one that had been long before he was elected. There was a multi-trillion dollar deficit, the housing market had been in shambles for months and the banking and auto industries had been failing already. He took action in the best manner he knew how, and now that the American people are back on their feet, he has proposed fees on the banks that now seem to be able to give out multi-million dollar bonuses. It has only been slightly more than a year since he was inaugorated, and while he has made mistakes there are three more years to come. So, democrats, don’t quit just because you are not getting what you want, stick with your party even when the going gets rough. It won’t be like this forever, and we need to support what we believe in to make change happen, not quit just when our party needs it the most.
GABI SELTZER -regular columnist -sophomore -philosophy major
Desperate need should not be exploited by self-interest W
e’re going to take a break and role-play for just a moment. I want you to imagine yourself as a small child who is much too small to fend for yourself. An earthquake has just left you homeless. Your family is missing, and although you can’t quite understand the concept, it is assumed that they are dead. You wander along the street, remembering what your parents told you about the dangers of child trafficking and talking to strangers. You’re starving. Ahead you see a group of smiling people handing out bottles of water and fresh cooked food. A woman who fulfills your psychological need for a mother even offers you a place to live. What do you do? Well, I’d assume you’d go for it — and why not? You have needs, and these people will fulfill them. After weeks of hardship, you find yourself clothed and fed for the very first time. What could be better? For the purpose of our little role play we will call the organization who has given you this new life the “Christian Rescue Crusaders.” They’re all seemingly good natured people who value helping others. Yet, like all people, these charitable folks are ruled by self-interest. Still, you’re too young to understand the concept of self-interest. These people have to be the greatest people in the world — they’ve given you all you need. Everything they have done for you so far is truly a wonderful thing. After a night’s rest in a crowded room with many other children, you’re ready to start your first day of school. This will begin right after morning prayers. A lovely young woman, Melissa, tells you about a man named Jesus and his evil counterpart. You were raised in another religion (perhaps no religion at all); however, the woman is speaking in such way where her faith in this person called “God” is an objective truth. Perhaps it was Satan who took your home and killed your family. You’re told that you can earn a right to see your mother again as long as you follow the teaching of Melissa and this man named Jesus Christ. Failure to do so will result in never seeing your
family again. How would a child react to such a message? I would react using only a single finger. However, it is unlikely that a small child would do the same thing. This is especially true for a small child who has lost everything. We were role-playing a little. However, the character we’re discussing is quite real. And organizations like the fictional Christian Rescue Crusaders exist in reality, and come by many names. After the horrible earthquake that struck Haiti, charity groups all over the world jumped to help those in need — I’m very thankful that the human spirit is capable of such compassion. I just wish the compassion came without the recruitment of desperate souls. I received a phone call last week from a familiar young lady asking me to donate to her church group. She informed me that they were sending people to Haiti on a mission to set up a school and housing for orphaned children. Like many of you, I am a broke college student. However, I agreed to give a small donation on one condition: keep religion out of it. The young woman on the phone was shocked at my conditional reply. “Why would we not teach them about Truth and Jesus Christ?” she asked me, as if I wished to pull wool over children’s eyes and deny them some grandiose enlightenment. I informed her that I didn’t like the idea of religious organizations using the plight of these orphans as a way of recruiting for religion. I admired the idea of setting up housing and schools, but I just wanted an assurance that these kids would be left to think for themselves. After several attempts to get my point across, I gave up and was forced to end the conversation. I will give the young woman’s organization the benefit of the doubt that they will help even children who choose not to accept Jesus Christ. However, it’s difficult to imagine many children refusing when they’re being fed, housed, and told they will be rewarded eternally if they just follow certain teachings. I spent a large portion of the evening Googling various religious organiza-
tions giving aid to Haiti, and I didn’t find a single group that didn’t have an undertone of missionary work as one of their primary objectives. It honestly made me quite sad. Tyrannical governments recruit soldiers by entering desolate areas and feeding and educating the youth. The children would grow up associating “good” with those who were feeding them, and would end up serving the ruling government. I can’t help but think that religious charities are guilty of the same vicious coercion. I’m not the type of person who takes anything very seriously. In fact, I debated with myself as to whether I should write this very column as a satirical piece. However, I chose a serious tone in hopes of making it clear that I separate the need for voluntary aid from the unfortunate reality of religious entities preying upon the weak. I can’t imagine anyone going to Haiti on a mission to clothe, feed and tell children there is no God. As cruelly humorous as the final goal may sound, actually doing it would be a real jerk move. Somehow this same line of reasoning does not seem to apply to religious organizations. If you enter Haiti on a mission to house, feed and teach children about personal religious values in a positive way, somehow this is OK in the minds of people working for these religious organizations. After all, they’re just trying to save children from an eternal hellfire. When people have had their lives destroyed, they need help. Real help. The sad reality of the situation in Haiti is that religious organizations are there to recruit — and help. Anyone who wants to help those in need is best advised to donate to any non-government, secular humanist, charity. There is never a God required when it comes to good deeds.
CHAD VAN ALSTIN -regular columnist -senior -communication major
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february 3, 2010
Harrison sets new school record, strives for NCAA title
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Tech seniors Queen Harrison (right center) and Kristi Castlin (left center) run the 60-meter hurdles at the Hokie Invitational on Jan. 22. The two finished first and second, respectively, in the event.
HARRISON HOPES TO STAY HEALTHY AND CONTINUE IMPROVEMENT BEFORE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN JUNE COURTNEY LOFGREN sports staff writer Senior Queen Harrison broke Virginia Tech’s record for the women’s 400-meter with a time of 53.64 seconds, earning herself a trip to the NCAA Championship in just the first meet of the indoor season. Her sprints coach Charles Foster is not surprised by the record. “She knows that if she can run her fastest time the first time she hits the track, the sky’s HARRISON the limit for her,” Foster said. “I’m not surprised in her first competition that she was able to run as well as she did,” said Dave Cianelli, the Tech director
of track and field. “It’s certainly exciting because it shows she’s in very good shape, but that she’s (also) going to run faster. It’s just a matter of her staying healthy for her to do that.” Even Harrison did not seem all that surprised with the results. “I want to say it was a surprise, but I also feel like I’m running a whole lot faster this season,” she said. When it comes to events, Harrison runs several that vary from indoor season (60meter hurdles, the 400-meter and 4x4 relay) to the spring outdoor season (100meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles and 4x4 relay). Harrison, one of the most talented track athletes to ever come through Tech’s program, has been a key contributor to the team since her freshman season when she first earned the All-American title.
She was a member of Team USA in the 2008 Olympics following her sophomore year and competed in the 400meter hurdles where she reached the semifinals. “Even though she made the Olympic team in the 400-meter hurdles, I’m not convinced that’s her best event, because she hasn’t really maximized her potential in the 100-meter hurdles,” Cianelli said. Cianelli believes Harrison’s contributions to the program have extended well beyond the track. He looks to her to be a leader for others on the team. “She’s a really tremendous leader in addition to being a very talented athlete,” Cianelli said. “That has really helped our younger athletes on the team. To be able to get the leadership and direction from someone who’s been as successful as her really means a lot. When you have someone of her ability and background speak up, people typically listen. She’s very team oriented and very interested in the team doing well as a whole.”
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Harrison learned how important it was to be a leader from the senior class during her freshman year and knows how important it is to serve as a mentor for the underclassmen. “I love my teammates looking up to me and being a leader, that’s something I pride myself on more than anytime I run,” Harrison said. Harrison’s ultimate goal for the remainder of this season and the upcoming one is to stay healthy. Last year, she was limited to just two meets after having multiple hamstring injuries. “I’m really striving to be a national champion, but the NCAA title is something I really want to capture both indoor and outdoor,” she said. Following graduation she looks to turn professional in order to continue her career. “I’m just going to continue training,” Harrison said. “Luckily, I’ve been blessed with enough time so I can hopefully run professionally.”
Queen of the track 2008 Olympian Three-time All American - 60m hurdles (2008), 400-meter hurdles & 100m hurdles (2007) No. 1 ranked Junior 400-meter hurdler in the world in 2007 (55.81) No. 2 ranked Junior 100-meter hurdler in the world in 2007 (12.98) Gold medal winner at the 2007 Pan Am Junior Championships 400meter hurdles Silver medal winner at the 2007 Pan Am Junior Championships 100-meter hurdles in both 2004 and 2005, 0.02 in 2006 and 0.28 in 2007
february 3, 2010
page 8
Ward brings valuable experience to Tech arsenal HATTIE FRANCIS sports staff writer The Virginia Tech Hokies have added an additional pitcher to their arsenal for the 2010 season. Ashton Ward, a junior, was pulled straight from the heart of the Southeastern Conference as she left the Lady Vols of Tennessee to join head coach Scot Thomas and the Hokies this spring. “I decided to leave Tennessee last summer,” said the junior pitcher from Charlotte, N.C. “I knew coach Thomas from high school, from being WARD recruited in high school. “After I got permission to contact other schools, I talked to him, and I always liked Tech, even in high school,” she continued, “great people, great school, no specific reason why I never came in the first place, and when he was still interested in talking to me, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.” For Thomas, Ward’s decision to transfer was a second chance to add her to the team after missing out on her as a prized recruit coming out of
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high school. “We had recruited her really heavily out of high school, and it came down between us and Tennessee the first time,” Thomas said. “I knew through the grapevine that she wasn’t happy and there was some possibility she was going to look to move, and I felt like because of our relationship before we had a pretty good chance of her coming here.” As a freshman at the University of Tennessee, the pitcher led the program with a 27-5 record. In addition to the impressive record, she boasted an ERA of 1.88 and tallied 187 strikeouts in a little more than 200 innings. “Ashton has really good movement on her pitches, and in softball it’s really important,” said freshman catcher Courtney Liddle. “You know, in baseball it’s a lot on speed, but Ashton really focuses on where she puts the ball. She’s really precise and really specific on where she puts the ball and that’s really important.”
In February 2008, Ward was honored by USA Softball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association as the National Collegiate Player of the Week. She was also recognized by the SEC as its Pitcher and Freshman of the Week. “For a pitcher, you always want to have that solid rock,” Liddle added. “I think she has really good experience from being at another good program and then coming here. “Also, her leadership ... she’s leading by example,” Liddle said. “On the mound, she’s always really focused and has a really good attitude, and especially for a lot of younger girls who are feeding off that energy, that’s perfect.” While she did not experience the high numbers of her freshman year in the 2009 season, only appearing in 24 games as a pitcher and compiling just a 3-2 record on 59.2 innings pitched, head coach Scot Thomas feels that she will contribute in multiple ways this season. “Basically, what she is doing is really helping us from a depth standpoint at the pitching spot, and I think one of the things that we’re going to utilize her at is hitting,” Thomas said. “She can hit the ball, and she’s actually going to probably be a three or
four hitter for us,” Thomas said. “I don’t think she’s necessarily replacing anything, she’s just an addition to what we have, and obviously a solid one at that.” As for fitting in with her new teammates, Ward was nothing but smiles. “It’s been wonderful,” Ward said. “It was all a very fast process and it was great. It was all very relieving, very fast. “Honestly, I’ve played on many teams my whole life,” Ward said. “This team was so welcoming and so nice to me. Everyone is a big family, it really is. It makes it a lot more fun. I haven’t enjoyed playing like I have here in a while. This is a different atmosphere that I really enjoy and the coaches are great to everyone. So, I can’t say one thing negative about this place — it’s great.” As for playing time, the junior will be able to compete this year and her senior year before her eligibility is complete. “We need her to do well in the circle and be a major contributor offensively,” Thomas said. “We definitely have been talking a lot about winning the ACC,” Ward said. “I think we have the talent to do that. I think that’s kind of one thing we’re all focusing on right now.”
Ward’s Career Stats Position: Pitcher Class: Junior University of Tennessee 2009 3-2, 2.93 ERA, 42 strikeouts in 59.2 innings 2008 27-5, 3 saves, 1.88 ERA, 187 strikeouts in 204.1 innings Butler High School Named to the 2006 and 2007 EA Sports AllAmerican Softball teams
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2007 Louisville Slugger/ National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School All-American Went 58-1 with ERAs of 0.00 in both 2004 and 2005, 0.02 in 2006 and 0.28 in 2007
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