Wednesday, March 31, 2010
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 38
News, page 2
Features, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 4
Obama adds to Pell Grant funding BILL SIGNED TUESDAY INCREASES MAXIMUM PELL GRANT LOAN BY IMPROVING EFFICIENCY IN FINANCIAL AID PROCESS news staff writer A higher education overhaul that allows for an increase in Pell Grant funding at universities has been signed by President Barack Obama as a part of the health care reform bill. Students will now receive federal financial aid directly through the government instead of working through middleman lending agencies. Obama contends this stipulation will make an extra $68 billion available over the next decade, much of which will be funneled into Pell Grant funding. The bill was signed Tuesday morning after passing the House and Senate, despite Republican opposition to the health care package. Virginia Tech representatives are contemplating the effects that the funding increase could have on the university. According to Mildred Johnson, director of the undergraduate admissions department, Pell Grants could affect an institution’s enrollment and the applicant’s choice to apply. “I would certainly think that students would
University lobbyist to serve state education
Obama signs bill to streamline financial aid
choose to apply more based on the amount of funds given to them, but that’s no guarantee,” Johnson said. A student’s decision to go to a college depends largely on factors such as the reputation that a school has earned or the opinions of current students, said Johnson. However, in some cases, a student’s financial background could play a role in the selection of an institution in situations such as the availability of financial aid and the cost of tuition, particularly for students from lower income families. During the 2008-09 academic year, 2,752 Tech students received a more than $8.9 million in Pell Grants, according to Barry Simmons, director of scholarships and financial aid. For the current school year, the maximum grant is $5,350. Obama expects the maximum grant to rise to $5,975 by 2017. “We want to have students to be able to afford to come here, but I do believe they would rather elect to go to other places if we don’t put forth competitive financial aid awards,” Johnson said. On the other hand, Simmons does not believe that the Pell grant increase would make a sig-
Federal student aid will be loaned directly.
CLAY COLLIN/COLLEGIATE TIMES
ANNE CAREY
Eliminating the middleman
A new bill eliminates the role of lending agencies
Pell grants funding maximums have been increased
Obama plans to save $68 billion in the next decade, much of which will be funneled to Pell Grant funds
nificant difference in a prospective student’s decision. “I don’t think the scale of the change will be enough to influence student behavior positively or negatively,” Simmons said. “It’s not that we don’t appreciate the increase. It’s just that increase in itself will help students, but that’s not going to make or break any of their decisions.” “I chose to come here because I wanted to
come here, but money wasn’t the main issue,” said Christien Byun, a Tech student who receives Pell Grant funding. “I didn’t make my decision based on the cost of the school,” Byun said. The reform also lowered monthly payments for Pell Grant recipients from 15 percent of discretionary income to 10 percent of discretionary income.
Fair weather ferret
ZACH CRIZER & GORDON BLOCK A man died Tuesday afternoon after a small plane crashed into a building located near the Roanoke Regional Airport. Allison Buth, spokesperson for Carilion’s Roanoke Memorial Hospital, confirmed that Peter Sheeran died as a result of the crash and John Whitmer is in serious condition. Both men were inside the plane. No one was injured on the ground. Amanda DeHaven, a spokesperson with the airport, said the private plane crashed into the UPS freight facility on Peters Creek Road. According to a press release sent by the airport, the Piper PA46 aircraft attempted to take off at approximately 12:50 p.m. After calling for emergency assistance from the air traffic control tower, the plane crashed into the building. The airfield was shut down for about ten minutes following the crash, and investigators are processing the scene.
Canadians firm on leaving Afghanistan
news staff writer
PAUL RICHTER mcclatchy newspapers
Yes, this happened — and it was featured in the Collegiate Times 10 years ago this month. The CT staff selected this memorable photo of a ferret flying a kite to kick off “Way Back Wednesday” on the Exposure photo blog at www.collegiatetimes.com. photo by jason hunter.
Alleged militia members accused of plotting police attack BEN SCHMITT, NIRAJ WARIKOO & TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA mcclatchy newspapers DETROIT — Six Michigan residents, two Ohio residents and an Indiana resident have been indicted on charges of attempted use of weapons of mass destruction in connection with their membership in a Lenawee County, Mich., Christian militia group. Members of the Hutaree — including a Michigan couple and their two sons — conspired to oppose by force the authority of the U.S. government, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit. The indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court Monday claims that the Hutaree planned to kill an unidentified member of local law enforcement and then attack the law enforcement officers who gather in Michigan for the funeral. According to the plan, the Hutaree would attack law enforcement vehicles during the funeral procession with improvised explosive devices rigged with projectiles, which constitute weapons of mass destruction, according to the announcement by U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. “Because the Hutaree had planned a covert reconnaissance operation for April which had
Man loses life after Roanoke plane crash news staff
CLAIRE SANDERSON Virginia Tech lobbyist Laura Fornash has accepted an appointment by Gov. Bob McDonnell to serve as Virginia’s deputy secretary of education. Fornash has been the director of state government relations at Tech since 2006. She has been working with the university since she earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the college. “I am very excited by the opportunity to serve as a part of the governor’s administration,” Fornash said. The governor’s appointment was made on Friday, March 26. In her newly appointed office, she will be responsible for working closely with McDonnell’s Commission on Education McDONNELL Higher Reform, Innovation and Investment. McDonnell recently created this commission through Executive Order No. 9. Fornash and the commission seek to accomplish the education goals of the McDonnell administration. Those goals include increasing the number of high school graduates to gain a college degree and the number of graduates in the fields of science, technology and engineering. Another of the commission’s goals is to increase the number of undergraduate degrees by 100,000 in the next 15 years. Fornash is still uncertain about the exact date that she will be leaving Tech for the new appointment. “We are still working on that transition,” Fornash said. It is unclear when her replacement will be named. Fornash will serve under Gerard Robinson, McDonnell’s secretary of education.
Sudoku, page 4
MICHAEL TERCHA/MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
Authorities check a home in Whiting, Ind., in connection with the weekend FBI arrest. the potential of placing an unsuspecting member of the public at risk, the safety of the public and of the law enforcement community demanded intervention at this time,” McQuade said in the announcement. “Hutaree members view local, state, and federal law enforcement as the ‘brotherhood,’ their enemy, and have been preparing to engage them in armed conflict.” Alleged Hutaree members indicted are David Brian Stone, 45; his wife, Tina Stone, 44; his son,
Joshua Matthew Stone, 21, of Clayton, Mich.; and his other son, David Brian Stone, Jr., 19, of Adrian, Mich.; Joshua Clough, 28, of Blissfield, Mich.; Michael Meeks, 40 of Manchester, Mich.; Thomas Piatek, 46, of Whiting, Ind.; Kristopher Sickles, 27, of Sandusky, Ohio; and Jacob Ward, 33, of Huron, Ohio. Joshua Stone is the only alleged Hutaree not in custody. Seven of the nine militia members appeared
Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit and were ordered held without bond until hearings later this week. U.S. District Magistrate Judge Donald Scheer set 1 p.m. Wednesday bond hearings for the seven defendants in court Monday morning. Each is charged with seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. They face up to life in prison if convicted. David Brian Stone, 45, the alleged leader of the group, appeared in U.S. District Court Monday and was ordered held without bail pending a Wednesday bond hearing. Stone’s ex-wife, Donna Stone, 44, of Adrian, Mich., said David Stone’s growing fascination with the Hutaree group caused her to leave the marriage. She said he went from teaching people how to use handguns to talking about the end of the world. “It started out as a Christian thing,” Donna Stone said. “You go to church. You pray. You take care of your family. I think David started to take it a little too far. He dragged a lot of people with him. When he got carried away, when he went from handguns to big guns, I was done.” see MILITIA / page two
WASHINGTON — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday rebuffed an American suggestion that he keep some of his country’s troops in Afghanistan following a scheduled pullout next year, reasserting that only civilians would continue in the mission. Harper reiterated his stand during a 20minute meeting in Ottawa with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Harper made clear that “Canada will remain engaged, but this is going to be a civilian-based mission,” said Dimitri Soudas, his press secretary. The war in Afghanistan also was on the agenda Tuesday at a White House meeting between President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. White House officials said Obama did not press Sarkozy to add troops to the nearly 4,000 already there. But Sarkozy endorsed Obama’s approach, saying, “We support President Obama’s strategy.” The meetings Tuesday with the two leading members of the international alliance took place amid a U.S. escalation that will add 30,000 troops to the U.S. force this year. U.S. officials have often praised the efforts of Canada’s 2,800 troops, which have overseen Afghanistan’s dangerous Kandahar province. But Canadian forces have suffered 140 deaths, and domestic pressure has risen for the military to return home. Clinton did not ask Harper in the meeting for Canadian troops to stay, a State Department official said. But in a nationally broadcast interview with Canadian Television on Monday, she outlined a Canadian role for training mission or military logistics. “There’s all kinds of things that are possible,” said Clinton, who was in Canada for other international meetings. “We would obviously like to see some form of support continue, because the Canadian forces have a great reputation.” There are about 87,000 U.S. troops now in Afghanistan. In addition, 42 other countries have a combined force of about 44,000 troops stationed there. Obama predicted that the United States and its European allies will be able to secure a fourth round of sanctions against Iran “within weeks” to try to discourage it from pressing ahead with its nuclear program. But he acknowledged that the group does not yet have unanimity at the United Nations. “That’s something we still have to work on. ... It’s still difficult,” he said. Iran is an oil producer, and many countries “are thinking that their commercial interests are more important to them” than global security issues, Obama said. Sarkozy said that “the time has come to make decisions” on Iran. He said world powers “don’t wish to punish Iran. ... It deserves better than what it has by way of leadership today.” The French president also voiced support for Obama’s efforts to halt Israeli construction in Jerusalem and the West Bank. “I wish to express my solidarity ... in condemning the settlement process,” he said. “The absence of peace in the Middle East is a problem for all of us.”
2 news
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865
march 31, 2010
[
blacksburg headlines
]
COLLEGIATETIMES
Tech strikes out VMI
[
Last week’s poll question was: Will you vote in the SGA elections? There is only one official ticket in the SGA elections, which ends tonight at midnight. And you answered: -Yes, and everyone should exercise their voting rights- 22 percent (7 votes) -Yes, but I’ll probably do a write-in. 6 percent (2 votes) -There’s only one ticket, so why bother? 41 percent (13 votes) -I usually don’t vote, and won’t this time, either. 31 percent (10 votes)
-I can’t wait to see the results. It should really add to the feel of the downtown area. -It is going to hurt business more than it helps. -I like nice sidewalks, but the traffic changes will be a problem for me. -This is an essential project for pedestrians in Blacksburg, no matter the inconvenience. Go to www.collegiatetimes. com to submit your answer to this week’s poll question.
CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
]
Google searches appear to be blocked in China
Poll results from collegiatetimes.com
This week’s poll question is: How do you feel about Blacksburg’s upcoming roadwork? Traffic will be restricted on Main Street this summer from College Avenue to Kabrich Street as sidewalks are renovated and a roundabout is installed at the intersection of Main Street and Prices Fork Road.
nation & world headlines
Virginia Tech outfielder Sean Ryan dives back to first base after a VMI pickoff attempt during the Hokies’ 11-3 win over the Keydets. photo by niels goran blume. Go to www.collegiatetimes.com for more coverage last night’s game.
Militia: Raids halt extremist group from page one
“I just couldn’t go along with what he believed in,” Donna Stone said. She said her biological son David Brian Stone Jr., who is David Sr.’s adopted son, was brainwashed by David Sr. Monday’s developments come after a series of raids Saturday night and Sunday near Adrian and in Ohio and Indiana. “This is an example of radical and extremist fringe groups which can be found throughout our society,” the FBI’s Detroit Special Agent In Charge Andrew Arena said announcing the indictments. “The FBI takes such extremist groups seriously, especially those who would target innocent citizens and the law enforcement officers who protect the citizens of the United States.” The Hutaree’s message boards contained messages from people talking about the raids, but none confirmed
that the group had been raided. The group’s Web site says that it is “preparing for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive.” The group’s logo is a cross with the initials CCR, which stand for Colonial Christian Republic. In one of its videos, a group of men in military gear take down a burning United Nations flag and replace it with their flag, which displays a cross. On its Web site, the Michigan Militia denied involvement in the raids. “HIGANMILITIA.COM nor the SMVM (Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia) have been raided by the FBI. We do nothing illegal,” reads a statement on michiganmilitia.com. Michael Lackomar, a spokesman for the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia, said one of his team leaders got a frantic phone call Saturday evening from members of Hutaree,
who said their property in southwest Michigan was being raided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “They said they were under attack by the ATF and wanted a place to hide,” Lackomar said. “My team leader said, ‘No thanks.’ The team leader was cooperating with the FBI on Sunday, Lackomar said. He said SMVM wasn’t affiliated with Hutaree. Police swarmed a rural, wooded property around 7 p.m. Saturday outside Adrian, about 70 miles southwest of Detroit, said Evelyn Reitz, who lives about a half-mile away. She said several police cars, with lights flashing, were still there Sunday evening and 15 to 20 officers were stationed in the area. Neighbor Jane Cattell said she came home from the movies Saturday night and a helicopter was circling above, its spotlight illuminating
her house. She and her sister, Sarah Holtz, wouldn’t say who lived in the home but said they knew them from riding their horses past their house. “They’re your average, nice neighbors,” Holtz said.
There were rumors about ties to a militia, but Holtz she knew nothing of that from her interaction with them. One of the raids in Ohio occurred at Bayshore Estates, a trailer park in Sandusky, a small city on Lake Erie between Toledo and Cleveland, park manager Terry Mills said. Authorities blocked off the street for about an hour Saturday night, he said. “Needless to say, this has everyone talking,” said Mills, 62. “We have a lot of retirees here who don’t want all this commotion.” Mills said he didn’t know the identity of the person arrested.
BEIJING — Across China, all searches on Google’s main search engine appeared to have been blocked starting Tuesday afternoon. Searches for seemingly innocuous terms such as “Beijing” and “China” returned error messages. Twitter users across the country reported outages of the search engine starting at around 5 p.m. It’s unclear whether the blockage was ordered by the Chinese government, which has been angered by Google’s decision to shutter its China-based site March 22 and reroute users to its uncensored site in Hong Kong. Google officials did not respond to requests for comment. The company’s other services, such as e-mail and maps, were still working by late Tuesday evening in Beijing. Internet users conducting searches using the “advanced search” option or with Google embedded in their Web browser also did not encounter problems. Ordinarily, sensitive terms such as “Tiananmen massacre” or “Tibetan independence” are blocked by China’s content filters, better known as the Great Firewall But the firewall can be unpredictable. Words that don’t appear to be overtly subversive often get caught in the dragnet. Recently, “carrot” was a banned term because, in Chinese, it sounds similar to President Hu Jintao. On Tuesday, the error messages were returned uniformly for any search. Curiously, each rejected search contained the letters “rfa” toward the end of its Web address or URL. The letters are known to be a censored term in China because they abbreviate the banned Radio Free Asia. It’s unclear whether the letters were put there by Google or not, but Chinese Internet users speculated Tuesday that the addition was triggering the error messages. by david pierson, mcclatchy newspapers
opınıons 3
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
march 31, 2010
The problem with easy listening, iTunes W
hen I first encountered iTunes, the wildly popular music app that allows fans to compile their own collections and digital library, I was agog. After 20 years of amassing music, I had more than 4,000 albums, most of them stacked precariously in my basement. The more I used iTunes, the more slavish my devotion grew. If I wanted to play a particular song, I no longer had to go hunting through those stacks. I just clicked a button. If I wanted to make a mixed CD — a process that had taken me hours, particularly in the cassette era — I had only to create a new playlist. And if I heard a killer song at a party or on the radio, there was a handy online store where I could instantly download that track for a buck. Not only was my musical archive more organized, it was portable too. Thanks to the wonders of the evershrinking iPod, I could carry thousands of songs with me wherever I went, on a device barely larger than a postage stamp. (If you had presented me with this gadget even a decade ago, I’m pretty sure I would have proclaimed you the Messiah.) But for all the joys of such wizardry, I’ve been experiencing a creeping sense of dread recently when it comes to iTunes, a dark hunch that technology has impoverished the actual experience of listening to music. See, back when I was a kid in the ‘70s, the way I listened to music was pretty simple. I put an LP on the turntable, dropped the needle, then sat on the living room rug and listened to every single note. If I liked the record a lot, I would listen to it two or three times in a row, usually with the album cover on my lap, so I could study the lyrics and artwork. In other words, I considered listening to an album an activity in and of itself. It was not something I did while working on homework, let alone while checking e-mail or thumbing out text messages. If I listened carefully enough, in fact, the songs allowed me to tap into certain volatile emotions that felt otherwise out of reach. When I closed my eyes and immersed myself in Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke,” for instance, I was overcome by a rare and all-encompassing optimism. AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds
Done Dirt Cheap” filled me with the intoxicating power of my own aggression. “Can’t Stand Losing You” by the Police allowed me to accept my own romantic woe as entirely justified and maybe even somewhat comic. I really miss the fact that listening to music used to be a concerted sonic and emotional event, rather than the backing track to some flashing screen. It was more inconvenient, to be sure. But for me, this inconvenience was part of the whole point. I liked that I could only listen to my albums on a turntable in the living room. I liked yearning for my favorite records. I can still remember spending the entire day at school counting the minutes until I could get home to listen to the transcendent power chords of Styx’s “Paradise Theater.” I even liked that there was a whole process involved before you got to the songs. You had to thumb through your collection, put the record on the turntable and then set the needle down with the utmost care. Listening to the opening notes of my favorite songs sent shivers down my spine. I felt the same way about listening to them on the radio. I used to lie in bed for hours, waiting for KFRC in the Bay Area to play Alan O’Day’s wonderfully cheesy single, “Undercover Angel.” The song, when the DJ finally played it, felt like a gift fate had bestowed specifically on me. Look, there’s no question that technology has made music cheaper and more accessible. But I wonder if it hasn’t been made less sacred. The ease with which we can hear any song at any moment we want no matter where we are (and often for free) has diluted the very act of listening, rendering it just another channel on our ever-expanding dial of distractions. I’m sure if I tried to explain this line of reasoning to a teenager, it would sound like a lame and predictable celebration of the olden days. Then again, chances are today’s teenagers will look back on iTunes with the same misty nostalgia I reserve for my LPs and CDs.
STEVE ALMOND -mcclatchy newspaper
Pope Benedict has a new set of issues T
his has been a tough Lent for the Roman Catholic Church. Its seemingly endless sexual abuse scandal finally has seeped into the papal apartments, and the Vatican’s response to this week’s revelations suggests that far too little has been learned from this squalid affair. Until now, Pope Benedict XVI had seemed to be taking a far more forthright approach to the problem than his predecessor, John Paul II, most recently in a blistering “pastoral letter” to the entire Irish church. Last week, however, the New York Times published a pair of stories suggesting that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger — the future Pope Benedict — participated in precisely the sort of secrecy and administrative negligence that has been at the root of this scandal. Documents produced over the church’s objections in an American lawsuit show that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which Ratzinger headed from 1981 to 2005, declined to defrock Father Lawrence C. Murphy, even though he molested at least 200 boys at a Wisconsin school for the deaf. In 1996, then-Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland twice wrote directly to Ratzinger requesting a trial aimed at defrocking Murphy, whose crimes were known to three successive Milwaukee prelates. Ultimately, Ratzinger’s deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, authorized a trial, then halted it after Murphy — by then aging and in ill health — wrote to Ratzinger appealing for leniency. As pope, Benedict has appointed Bertone to the Vatican’s two highest offices, secretary of State and Camerlengo. The last Italian cardinal to hold both posts simultaneously was Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII. On Friday, the New York Times reported that, as archbishop of Munich, Ratzinger presided over a meeting that approved the return to parish work of an admitted pedophile, who went on to molest more children. A memo from that period also seems to show that the cardinal was “kept informed about the priest’s assignment.” The Holy See’s reaction to both stories has been swift. An unsigned editorial last week in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano attacked the New York Times by name, accusing the paper of willfully ignoring the “truth” of Ratzinger/Benedict’s record and of attempting “to instrumentalize, without any foundation in fact, horrible episodes and sorrowful
events uncovered in some cases from decades ago.” The media, it continued, showed a “despicable intent of attacking, at whatever cost, Benedict XVI and his closest collaborators.” Earlier in the week, New York’s archbishop, Timothy Dolan, used his blog to dismiss the New York Times’ reports and defend the pontiff’s record by arguing that authorities outside the church also are culpable. Stories about sexual abuse by priests were “fair” if “unending,” he wrote. But he condemned the media for portraying child sexual abuse “as a tragedy unique to the church alone. That, of course, is malarkey.” Sadly, this latest everybody-isresponsible-so-nobody-is-to-blame defense is of a piece with a littlenoticed section of Benedict’s letter to the Irish church in which he seemed to blame the crisis, in part, on “new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularization of Irish society.” So what happens now? In all likelihood, nothing. Even if further revelations show that Benedict was malfeasantly negligent as a cardinal, there is no canonical mechanism that could force him to step down. The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415, and he acted to heal a schism that had produced three claimants to the Throne of Peter. What now seems likely is that the pontiff, who turns 83 next month, will spend the rest of his papacy dealing with the fallout of an everwidening scandal. His situation will be precisely the one over which he assailed the Irish bishops in his recent letter: “It cannot be denied that some of you and your predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse. ... I recognize how difficult it was to grasp the extent and complexity of the problem, to obtain reliable information and to make the right decisions in the light of conflicting expert advice. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that grave errors of judgment were made and failures of leadership occurred. All this has seriously undermined your credibility and effectiveness.”
TIM RUTTEN -mcclatchy newspaper
Students bring concerns to VP of student relations
JAM IE M ART YN/ COL LEG IATE TIM ES
L
ast week we held “The VP Is In” sessions and various students came by to talk about their concerns, issues and suggestions. As I have been doing with the previous sessions, let me give you a cryptic look at what was on the minds of the students who stopped by. 1. There was continuing interest in a 24-hour study facility other than the Math Emporium. (We’re working on this with the SGA for a pilot project in Torgersen Hall.) 2. Discussion came up of a letter that came in to the university from an individual who reported observing and filming “disgusting” behavior of some Tech students during a spring break cruise. (Students were very concerned, and letters of apology have gone out from Brandon Carroll, SGA president and Tom Brown, dean of students.) 3. One student had some confusion between what constitutes the university’s alcohol policy and what is entailed in state law about alcohol. 4. Great concern and disappointment over the planned April 9 visit of Westboro Baptist Church protestors. I was pleased to hear on that afternoon and since about the positive ways in which students are planning to react. 5. Much concern over the condition of some of our aging academic buildings and some of their specific classrooms. Although our classroom renovation program is continuing, students present felt there is a need for better lighting and seating and
more outlets in these “nominated” buildings and classrooms: Randolph, McBryde, Litton Reaves, Davidson 3, Engel 223, Robeson 210 and the GLC Auditorium. 6. Anxiety about our budget cuts and courses being dropped or changed to online. One student was specifically concerned about why Spanish 2114 was being cancelled. (We checked with the Spanish Program office afterward and found that although there is a very high demand for Spanish courses, they have not had enough funding to be able to offer 2114 “in years.”) One student suggested that as courses are changed in format, the CRN listing should provide “full information and full disclosure” about the nature of the course. 7. Students were concerned about the possibility (at the time of our meeting) of our losing men’s basketball head coach Seth Greenberg. Fortunately, news of his agreeing to a new contract came in over the weekend. 8. We talked about the Boise State Game on Labor Day evening at FedEx Field. Some wondered if we might have spirit buses and special shirts and if classes might be cancelled on that Monday or Tuesday. I shared that although buses and shirts seemed like a great idea, it was unlikely that classes would be cancelled on either day. We simply need to keep in mind that the academic calendar is just that: an academic calendar. It would set a terrible precedent if we began making
ast week, I asked U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., the pro-life Democrat whose crucial remarks on the floor of the House were interrupted by the “baby killer!” shout, what’s driving the lack of decorum now plaguing our politics. “I think the polarization of the two parties,” he answered. “It’s becoming acceptable.” True. But he gave me a symptom, not a cause. That there is such a lack of decorum and absence of civility cannot be denied. Fourteen months into a new presidency, and one week after the health-care overhaul, the country finds itself in a dangerously uncivil mood. Members of Congress are fielding death threats. Some office windows are shattered by bricks bearing messages like “No to Obama.” The brother of U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va., came home to a severed propane gas line and a threatening letter. Objection to Missouri Rep. Russ Carnahan’s support for the health-care bill took the form of a coffin on his lawn on Wednesday. Just a few days earlier, protesters reportedly shouted the N-word as a civil rights hero passed. Others were said to have hurled anti-homosexual epithets. U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., said he was spit upon as he walked to the Capitol. Not that the House floor would have offered any reprieve. There, House Republicans sought to stir up protesters, not settle them down. They applauded as one protester had to be removed by security. U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, who owned up to the “baby killer!” shout, headlined the raucous performance. All of which leaves me wondering
about what’s driving the exceedingly vitriolic climate and when it all began. There have been past spurts of incivility in the country’s history, but nothing in modern times matches today’s vicious frenzy. Ken Gormley, a constitutional law professor at Duquesne University, just published a book whose title is a comment on the climate: “The Death of American Virtue.” The 800-page tome is the definitive history of the independent-counsel investigation into President Bill Clinton. Gormley places the funeral sometime between the launch of the Whitewater investigation and the president’s impeachment. “This was not a shining moment for America in terms of its political battles,” Gormley said in an interview. “It is a sobering reminder that it is not a good thing when we just lose our perspective and just fight to the death among each other.” It occurs to me that something else was gaining momentum during that era: the rise of talk radio, cable news and the Internet. And the convergence of the three against the backdrop of Monica Lewinsky and the impeachment proceedings gave rise to what we see today. Today, that three-headed monster facilitates an artificial view of America — one in which every issue boils down to a left/right, liberal/conservative, Republican/Democratic standoff. Americans are now conditioned to choose a side and stick with it. Elected officials and candidates, all too eager to play the media game, emulate that behavior. The lack of decorum carries over from the split screen to the House floor. The cameras and microphones, of course, capture it all. And the cycle starts all over again.
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 Editor: Topher Forhecz Features Reporters: Ryan Arnold, Liz Norment Opinions Editor: Debra Houchins Sports Editors: Joe Crandley, Alex Jackson Sports Reporters: Thomas Emerick, Ed Lupien, Ray Nimmo, Garrett Ripa, Melanie Wadden Sports Staff Writers: Garrett Busic, Hattie Francis Copy Editors: Taylor Chakurda, Erin Corbey, Kelsey Heiter, Dishu Maheshwari Layout Designers: Kelly Harrigan, Josh Son, Sara Spangler Illustrators: Mina Noorbakhsh, Jamie Martyn Multimedia Editor: James Carty Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries
changes in the academic calendar for athletic reasons. 9. Turning to the corps of cadets, we talked about how its numbers appear to be increasing again for next year, the reasons for its “corps only” program and the impact of its “Spend the Night” recruitment program. Interestingly, research on those who drop out of the corps shows that it is very rare for anyone who spent the night with the corps to later drop out of the corps (a good example of the importance of trying things out and making sure you understand your future environment). 10. Finally, we talked about the past, present, and future of the remembrances of April 16, 2007 and how individual expectations and reactions differ so much. In brief, these are the topics we talked about last week and it gives us a “pulse check” on student issues and concerns. I invite you to share other questions and concerns with me by e-mail at espencer@vt.edu or by coming to the next “The VP is In” session in the SGA Office in Squires at 3 p.m., on Wednesday, April 21. See you around the campus.
EDWARD F. D. SPENCER -guest columnist -vice president for student affairs
Overhaul of health care shows a movement toward incivility L
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Those who stoke the fires get rewarded with higher ratings fueled by the allegiance of a small but monolithic band of listeners or viewers. Concurrently, elected representatives who parrot what they hear and see experience a parallel growth in campaign contributions. In the days immediately after his “You lie!” outburst, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., was flooded with more than $1 million in contributions. U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., meanwhile, raised $850,000 in the final quarter of 2009 alone after his “die quickly” characterization of the GOP health-care proposal. In short, the common sense of the majority is engulfed by the fervor of a minority fringe. Any sober, substantive messages are cast as weak and unprincipled, and are drowned out by those who insist upon casting each political conflict in revolutionary terms. That’s the real damage done when people with a microphone at their lips or on their lapels whip the knuckleheads into a frenzy. There’s less time for temperance. Critical thinking is diminished. The actions of a manic few are recorded, projected, and whispered down the lane for anyone with a radio, television, or Internet connection. The debate is cheapened, and, ultimately, the safety of our elected officials is threatened. To quote the vice president, this is a big deal.
MICHAEL SMERCONISH mcclatchy newspapers
College Media Solutions Asst Ad Director: Kendall Kapetanakis Account Executives: Nik Bando, Brandon Collins, David Goerge, Wade Stephenson, Kelly Burleson Inside Sales Manager: Judi Glass Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Diane Revalski Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Kaelynn Kurtz Rachel Lombardo, Erin Shuba Creative Director: Sarah Ford Asst Production Manager: Chloe Skibba Creative Services Staff: 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, 2010. 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.
march 31, 2010
page 4
Policies: The Collegiate Times reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement it deems objectionable, at any time. No refunds are available.
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.
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.
Deadline: Three business days prior to publication by 3PM.
Rates:
Any questions concerning ads, please call the Better Business Bureau at 1.800.533.5501.
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.
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.
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
Legal LEGAL TROUBLES Free Consultation with attorney. Assault, Traffic, Alcohol and Drug Charges, VT Student Conduct Review. Joel S. Jackson, PC. 9615297, joeljacksonpc.com.
EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL CHARGE
Have you had an alcohol charge dismissed because of compliance with VASAP? Your record may still show a criminal charge. Contact Attorney Joel Jackson for free consultation. Joel S. Jackson PC. 540-961-5297. joeljacksonpc.com NUTRITION COUNSELING FREE one-onone sessions with a senior HNFE nutrition student. -Nutrition and Exercise -Dining Hall Education -Improving Food Choices -Weight Management -And others... To sign up: www.hnfe.vt.edu Click on Nutrition Counseling
Textbooks for Sale Textbooks Wanted Lost & Found Help Wanted
FOR SALE 2003-38 Jayco Designer FifthWheel Travel Trailer, 3-Slides On private rented lot, minutes from VA Tech or Radford in country setting. Deluxe model- kitchen/ Living Area/ Bedroom, double-door refrigerator, microwave, range/ oven, washer/ dryer combo., deck, storage shed, etc. Excellent Condition. Priced at $29,500/ (540) 968-1318 or (540) 969-9012
Sub-Lease STUDENT ROOM FOR SUMMER Student Room For Summer- 1 bedroom available in 4 bedroom with 2 baths apartment in Hunter’s Ridge on Patrick Henry. Right behind Food Lion on time check for bus route. Lots of parking, and the kitchen and common room fully furnished. Only $265-without utilities, lease starting end of exams in May till July 9, 2010. Call 757848-3895. VT STUDENTS-ROOM FOR RENT 1 bdrm available in a 3 bdrm condo off S. Main St., Blacksburg. On bus route. Good parking.2 full baths. Common area complete w/ furnishings, kitchen fully equipped, only bedroom furniture needed. $400/ mo including cable, ethernet, electric and water. 703-915-2315
For Sale Events Health & Fitness Automotive
Notices Wanted Musical Roommates
Greek Notes For Rent Personals Furniture for Sale
Downtown Living South Main Living North Main Living Prices Fork Living
Textbooks for Sale
For Sale
Roommates
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDERGRADS! Need money for college? The Navy BDCP program offers financial relief that allows you to focus on your studies w/ o summer training or ROTC involvement. Earn up to $3200 p/ month, paid directly to you each year during your last 3 years (up to 36 months) - totaling over $100,000 to help cover student loans. Call 1.800.533.1657 or www.vanavyofficerprograms.com
SUMMER SUBLEASE AVAILABLE Pheasant Run apartment room available in a 4 bdrm/2.5 bath on Pheasant Run Court in Blacksburg. On bus route. Good parking. Fully furnished. $400/ mo including cable, ethernet, electric and water. Open May 15 - Aug. 15. 703-309-7969.
ROOMATE NEEDED 3rd Floor 2BR Condo. Close to VT on BT. 1 Roommate needed. $470/ mo includes utilities, cable, internet. Inquire at 804-337-2291 or djohn89@vt.edu
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
Automotive 2006 DODGE RAM 2500 Laramie 5.9 Cummins Diesel, Crew cab, Leather, Heated Seats, low miles, Asking $4800, contact: tnu76er@msn.com/ 757-2570297.
Notices *****BARTENDING***** MAKE UP TO $300/ DAY. No Experience Necessary. Training Available. 1-800-965-6520 EXT210 VMRCVM DOG WASH April 10 8am-3pm At the Vet School off of Duckpond Dr. $10 Bath, $5 Nail Trim/Ear Cleaning Presented by the Class of 2013
Patrick Henry Living Christiansburg Living
Personals
Help Wanted
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
SUMMER JOB Live and work on the Outer Banks (Nags Head area) or Virginia Beach. Now hiring drivers and office workers. Visit www.mworth.com for more information.
For Rent FOR RENT UNIVERSITY TERRACE
4 Bdr. 2 bath condo. 1yr. lease available Aug.1st. 20010. 280.00/mo. per student. Call 540-230-2964. leave message. NAGS HEAD 4 month Student Summer Rentals May to August, $450/ mo/ person, seabreezerealty.com 252.255.6328 252.255.6328
Wednesdays
Early July move-in for
FREE! (Lease starts in August)
Sturbridge Square
Application fee waived. First month of water for
FREE. (July or August) And if any of your referrals get approved, you get $175 off your 2nd months rent.
Call Sturbridge Square today!
540-951-9252 1001 University City Blvd., Blacksburg, VA 24060 www.SturbridgeSquare.com
Brin g and in thi you s ad ’ll g et:
editor: topher forhecz featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com /540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
features 5 march 31, 2010
Rising dance crew share their passion for the rhythm JOYCE KIM features staff writer To a handful of Virginia Tech students, dancing is their drug. This explains why “Dop,” the name of a student-run hip-hop dance crew at Virginia Tech, is pronounced like the slang for drugs “dope.” Senior political science major Andrew Ton, junior industrial design major Matt Manganti and junior psychology major Edlene Fronteras are the three founding members of Dop, which stands for “dance’s our poison.” What began as just the three of them free-styling and sharing choreography with one another quickly turned into a far greater project. The crew became official in May 2009 with Fronteras joining right as they had their first performance at the college graduation party for Manganti’s older sister for close family and friends. Over the past year, news slowly ROY HIGASHI/SPPS spread about Dop among friends of Dop hosts free dance lessons at New Tech Fitness every Thursday. the group. “Our friends were really supportive of what we were doing, they started talking about it a lot because they thought it was cool,” Manganti said. “It’s not something we pushed for, but we just ran with it.” Since its inception, Dop has had the opportunity to travel around Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C., which has allowed them to further integrate themselves into the local dance community. Though the dance culture in Blacksburg is certainly not as prevalent as those in New York City or L.A., Ton said it has allowed everyone to be that much more supportive toward one another and become close-knit. They’ve also taken classes from well-known crews such as Jabbawockeez, So Real Crew and Boogie Bots. “People were hesitant at first to dance with us because we were not well recognized, but now after having much more support, it’s good,” Fronteras said.
“
Everyone can move. It’s all about humbling yourself, closing your eyes and going for it. MATT MANGANTI JUNIOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGN MAJOR
Dop’s viral effect grew as it held auditions in February where at least 30 people came out to the audition workshop and five new members were added to the crew. Dop has only performed two times this past month and Ton said a lot of their credibility and success as a group has been based on word of mouth and people preaching its message. Dop’s second performance was at the 2009 Asian American Student Union’s Got Talent where, by vote from the audience, it won first place. “I feel real blessed, especially for the new kids (in the crew) to come in and get first place,” Ton said. “It was a test of how good our support base is.” March Madness does not allude just to basketball anymore as this past weekend, Dop invited many different groups together within the dance community to a March Madness of dance workshops. Dop invited a wide range of groups from contemporary crews to the salsa club and hoped to show those coming from other schools that although it is small, the Tech dance community does exist. Unlike many other crews, Dop’s main priority for this workshop was developing a sense of community by bringing everyone together to dance. “Even though we host classes, we’re first called to be students and as students we teach to share, to show what we’ve learned and pass this on to others,” Ton said. Every Thursday at New Tech Fitness, Dop holds a free dance workshop at 9 p.m. for anyone who has the desire to dance — even those who might not be as intense about it as the members. “If you’re not in a crew, it doesn’t mean you can’t dance,” Fronteras said. “We want to give everyone an opportunity. ... We didn’t have regular workshops last year.” Manganti specifically mentioned Zharlyn Garcia, a senior biology major who has been the group’s “team mom” by consistently coming out to every practice. She said that Garcia is proof that you don’t have to be a dancer to appreciate dance. In terms of thinking up choreography, Ton said that he listens to every kind of music, but every once in a while he will come across a song that he can’t seem to get out of his head. He sits on it, and after a while, the choreography physically manifests itself. Manganti said he and Ton think alike so they’re able to bounce ideas off one another and see what looks good. Though Dop has reached a certain level of accomplishment, Manganti believes that anyone can become a great dancer as long as they — just as in dance — take the first step. “Everyone can move. It’s all about humbling yourself, closing your eyes and going for it,” Manganti said.
ROY HIGASHI/SPPS
Officially started in May 2009, the hip-hop dance crew Dop has since risen in popularity and members have taken classes with famous dance crews such as So Real Crew and Boogie Bots.
sports 6
editor: alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com /540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
march 31, 2010
Women’s, men’s swimmers close stellar season COURTNEY LOFGREN sports staff writer The H2Okies completed its season with a trip to the NCAA Championship meets over the past two weeks. The women traveled to Indiana to compete from March 18-20, while the men traveled to Ohio to finish their competition this past weekend. The women came in 24th place with 26 overall points. “When you’re in the top 25, we like to think that puts us as an elite program,” women’s head coach Ned Skinner said. Sophomore Erika Hajnal concluded her dominant season with a 30th place finish in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 16:25:00. Hajnal also swam the 400 individual medley, finishing eighth and earning All-American honors. Skinner believes Hajnal’s contributions to the team have been a blessing. “Erika Hajnal is a coach’s dream,” Skinner said. “She’s incredibly talented and fast. She scores a lot of points ... and is a lot of fun to work with. When she puts her Virginia Tech stuff on, she’s really there to represent our school.” Junior Lauren Ritter also competed in the 1650 free, finishing in 35th place with a time of 16:34.29. While Ritter swam her personal best in the event, she stressed that the ACC championship was more important
FILE/SPPS
H2Okies’ senior diver Mikey McDonald executes a dive in a competition at War Memorial Pool two years ago during his sophomore year. because it’s a team event, rather then an individual one like the NCAA’s. “It’s hard to go a best time only a month after conference meet, which is obviously the biggest focus for the team,” Ritter said. Freshman Katarina Filova competed in the 100 freestyle and finished in 39th place with a time of 49.80. “I wanted to do better but I’m happy with the way I finished. I was just a little pissed off that I missed
the finals by one-tenth of a second.” Even though Filova may have been a little disappointed with her swim, the time was good enough to set a new school record. Filova also swam in the 200-meter freestyle, finishing 16th overall. Hajnal, Ritter and Filova also teamed up with senior Kelly deMarrais in the 800-meter freestyle relay during the championships. The quartet finished tenth, the highest in program history,
and earned an honorable mention AllAmerican accolade. Going into the last turn of the event, the girls were tied with four other teams. That’s where Ritter swam the fastest she ever had, almost a second faster then her best time according to Skinner. “She could have faded and ended up 15th,” Skinner said. “Instead, she persevered and pushed through and ended up tenth.” The girls have a method of getting pumped before the race that is rather unorthodox to say the least. “Every time before a relay we try to get hyper and cheer each other on,” Filova said. “Kelly and I usually slap each other in the face before the race to get hyper. It actually helps a lot.” Ritter shared more light into their preswim ritual. “We like to do a team scream before the relay to get pumped up,” Ritter said. “It’s fun because we’re the only ones from our team there so right before we get in a huddle and were like, ‘All right
scream on three,’ and we just screamed as loud as we could and then everyone just started staring at us.” “It’s good to see that all four of us were having fun,” Filova said. “The most important thing is to have fun with everything.” The race earned the women 14 points toward their team total of 26 points. All of the team’s representatives except for Hajnal experienced their first NCAA championship meet. On the men’s side, the team sent one swimmer, sophomore Charlie Higgins, and two divers, senior Mikey McDonald and freshman Logan Shinholser to represent the team. Higgins, McDonald and Shinholser had to wait an extra day for their events. The start of the men’s championships was delayed by one day after multiple members of different teams contracted the norovirus on the flight into Ohio. “Texas, Stanford and Arizona had the same flight in out of Dallas,” Higgins said.
“I guess someone on their flight had the norovirus; 18 swimmers started out with it. They thought it was just airborne illness that wasn’t really contagious. On Wednesday, we had open pool time to practice and then two coaches and four other swimmers got sick,” he said. “The swimmers ended up going to the hospital to help their recovery time and they weren’t allowed to swim until they got better.” Skinner believed he and his fellow coaches were more affected than the competitors themselves. “It probably hurt the coaches more,” Skinner said. “You had the team geared up, ready to go and then they said ‘wait.’ We just woke up on Thursday and did Wednesday all over again.” “The NCAA decided that the norovirus was too risky for the student athletes so we had to just deal with it,” he said. When the competition finally got underway, Higgins broke his own school record in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:43.72 during the preliminary round of competition on Friday. Higgins set the previous record in 2009. “I was definitely happy with that swim after I didn’t do so well at ACC’s,” Higgins said. Higgins also finished 25th in the 100-meter backstroke. McDonald and Shinholser finished 24th and 25th, respectively, in the diving events. McDonald ended with 267.60 points while Shinholser completed competition with 245.05 points. McDonald also finished 18th while Shinholser finished 33rd in the onemeter platform event on Friday. None of the men made it to the final round of competition. Still, head coach Ned Skinner was still impressed. “We were disappointed we didn’t score points but were real proud of the way they performed,” Skinner said.
Men’s tennis team dominates Florida State, Miami GARRETT RIPA sports reporter The Virginia Tech men’s tennis team, ranked 20th in the nation, picked up a pair of 5-2 wins this weekend, downing No. 22 Florida State Friday and beating No. 49 Miami Sunday in the Burrows/Burleson Tennis Center. The victory over Florida State was the first time that Tech (103, 4-1 ACC) has ever beaten the Seminoles during head coach Jim Thompson’s 12-year tenure with the program. “They’ve got a great coach and a great program,” said Thompson. “We’ve just been catching up with them slowly but surely and we finally got them.” “It’s really big. ... I mean, they’re a really good team,” added sophomore Corrado Tocci. “Florida State has a really good tradition.” After losing the doubles point to a pair of nationally ranked Seminole doubles teams, the Hokies turned it around in singles. Nationally ranked No. 51 Yoann Re picked up the biggest win for Tech by defeating No. 22 Jean-Yves Aubone 6-3, 4-2 (ret.). “It was a great win for me because
C H A M P S
JACK HOWELL/SPPS
Tech junior Will Beck attempts a return against Virginia on Feb. 23. he was ranked high, so my ranking is going to go up,” Re said. In addition, No. 67 Luka Somen prevailed 6-3, 6-2 against No. 48 Vahaid Mirzadeth.
come and join us for
b u l C e Cigaesrvdaeyrynighmt Karaok every ne 7pm-9p Wed
Wednesday night 9pm-close
GOOD FOOD, GREAT DRINKS, GOOD TIMES!
&
at blacksburg’s BEST sports bar! 111 N Main St, Blacksburg, Va • (540) 951-2222
These huge upsets along with victories by No. 107 Sebastian Jacques, Patrick Daciek and Will Beck propelled the Hokies to victory. With momentum gained from the victory over Florida State, the Hokies came out strong on Sunday and quickly clinched the match against Miami. After winning the doubles point, Beck, Tocci and Re coasted through their singles matches to give Tech a 4-0 lead, sealing the victory. The remaining courts kept playing gritty tennis even though the match was already decided. Jacques and Daciek went on to lose tough three-set matches while Somen squeaked out a 6-7 (5), 7-5, 1-0 (6) victory. The Hokies will have little time to rest as they battle No. 24 Duke on Friday and No. 18 North Carolina on Sunday. The weekend victories have the Hokies sitting in fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings with Duke (third) and North Carolina (second) just ahead of them. “We got our work cut out for us,” Thompson said. “These next two are huge matches.”