COLLEGIATETIMES
July 8, 2010
what’s inside News .............1 Features ........6 0pinions ........5 Sports .........10 Classifieds ...11 Sudoku ........11 107th year issue 67
Suspect sought in Harrington investigation LIANA BAYNE news editor The Virginia State Police are seeking a suspect in connection with the murder of Morgan Harrington. The suspect, announced Thursday, July 1, was identified in connection with the case through “a forensic connection,” according to a press release from the state police. Harrington, 20, was a student at Virginia Tech. She disappeared from a Metallica concert at the John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville on DANIEL LIN/SPPS Oct. 17, 2009. After a four-month A memorial for Harrington in Charlottesville reminds drivers of the ongoing case. search, her body was discovered on
Anchorage Farm, about 10 minutes from the University of Virginia in Albemarle County. Forensic evidence found during the investigation has linked Harrington’s case with an unsolved 2005 abduction and sexual assault in Northern Virginia. In 2005, a woman was abducted and sexually assaulted in the city of Fairfax. A composite sketch of the assaulter was established after the assault. However, police said the suspect may have changed his appearance in the past five years. The Virginia State Police, UVa Police, Albemarle County Police and
the Charlottesville Police are working with the Fairfax Police in regards to both criminal incidents. Those with information about the man featured in the attached “Wanted Poster” may contact City of Fairfax Police Detective Mike Boone at 703385-7959. Anyone wishing to provide information in the Harrington case is encouraged to call the Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000 or Virginia State Police at 434-352-3467, or e-mail State Police at bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov. A reward of $150,041 is still available for anyone with information that leads to a resolution of the Harrington crime.
Former Learning a lesson in teamwork rector to return to BOV LIANA BAYNE news editor
DANIEL LIN/SPPS
Montgomery County Public Schools School Board Chair Wendell Jones and Board Member Penny Franklin listen as Superintendent Brenda Blackburn presents four different options for accommodating Blacksburg students in the fall.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TO SEND BMS STUDENTS TO OLD CMS IN FALL LIANA BAYNE news editor After nearly five hours of nervefraying debate and a total of 10 separate failed motions in front of a packed, electric audience, the Montgomery County School Board grudgingly hashed out a plan for where Blacksburg High
School students will attend school in the fall on Tuesday night. Ultimately, the board decided to send Blacksburg Middle School students in grades six through eight to the Old Christiansburg Middle School and to keep BHS students at school in the current BMS building. School will begin on Aug. 30 and end on June 10.
The grueling and at times hostile hours of debate covered four different housing options and three different calendar options, leaving both audience and school board members just as frustrated and confused at the end of the meeting as they were at the beginning. “There is no good solution,” Superintendent Brenda Blackburn said, about two hours into the heated discussion. “We don’t have all the answers.” But Blackburn encouraged the
lengthy and sometimes inefficient discourse to continue. “I want to leave here with an identified plan,” she said. “I want to leave here with a calendar I can publicize.” The decision to send BMS students to OCMS was made after six failed motions at 11:20 p.m. The decision to begin the official school year on Aug. 30 was made after four failed motions at 11:55 p.m. see SCHOOL BOARD / page four
Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office announced four new appointees to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors last week. Notably, John Rocovich, a Roanoke lawyer who sat on the board from 1997-2005 and served as rector in the early 2000’s, will be returning to the board. Between Rocovich and his three new counterparts, William Holtzman, Suzanne Obenshain and Michael Quillen, the new appointments represent $116,350 donated to McDonnell’s various campaigns since 1996. While serving on the BOV, Rocovich’s financial influence benefited the university. Two notable projects completed during his 19972005 term were the construction of ICTAS and the Edward Via School of Osteopathic Medicine. He was also involved in the process of Tech’s admission to the Atlantic Coast Conference. In addition to Rocovich’s service to Tech, he also was at the center of a controversy in 2003, while he was rector. Then Attorney General Jerry Kilgore’s office sent a letter to the board, led by then-rector Rocovich, in 2002. The letter suggested that Tech discontinue the use of affirmative action when selecting employees and students and opt for “race-neutral” policies. see BOV / page three
blacksburg, va.
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Sycamore Deli to be displaced Orientation entertainment SARAH WATSON news reporter The Sycamore Deli, along with other Turner Street businesses, is moving from its current location to make room for a $40 million parking garage project. The Virginia Tech Foundation Inc., has plans to construct a parking garage and office building to accommodate a need expressed by the university, according to Ray Smoot, university treasurer and chief operating officer of VTF. Smoot said VTF would be building on approximately five acres of land stretching from Sycamore Deli to Wendy’s on Main Street. VTF is working closely with the town of Blacksburg’s planning department to develop the area. This is just one of many projects the town is currently working on in partnership with Tech, which include the Center for the Arts and the Main Street construction. Town Council and planning commission member Don Langrehr said the development, along with the other neighboring construction, would enhance the downtown area. “It will be a fine wredevelopment for an area that was previously blighted with some sub-standard housing,” Langrehr said. VTF will be working with local developer Bob Pack on this project. The 600-spot parking garage will provide additional parking to a
portion of campus and the Center for the Arts, which is currently under construction. “I think in several ways it will provide (parking) for the Center for the Arts and all those new buildings between Prices Fork (Road) and the upper quad,” Smoot said. The office building will provide additional office space for faculty to accommodate Tech’s growth. Smoot said that he hopes that this space will encourage the university to consolidate some of its offices. In addition to the office space, the first floor will provide retail space for Blacksburg businesses. According to Smoot, this provides students with “direct access” to both retail and food facilities. VTF will lease retail spaces to Bob Pack, who will sublease that space to various retailers. However, Sycamore Deli will not be one of the businesses located in the new retail space. Mike Weber, owner of Sycamore Deli, is prepared for the move. It is looking at three locations in Blacksburg to best suit its needs, according to Weber. “We’d rather not leave, but we’ll see if it works. If not, we’ll talk about moving back,” Weber said. Smoot and VTF hope that Sycamore Deli chooses to relocate within the retail space, while Langrehr supports its decision to move. “I hope that a local business like Sycamore Deli finds another appropriate location downtown,”
Langrehr said. While the town supports the development, it is discouraged with some decisions made by VTF. “We are disappointed that they ignored the direction of our plans,” Langrehr said. Blacksburg’s comprehensive growth management plan and the downtown master plan included a road that would cut through this property and connect Main Street with Turner Street. However, VTF decided not to include the road in its design, according to Langrehr. Smoot said the reason VTF is not including the road in the plans is because it was seen as a hazard for pedestrians. The road would also divide the construction site and take up much of the space designated for the development. He added there would eventually be a road as part of the project, but that architects are still in the process of locking down the final design. Construction is set to begin in the fall and will continue until late 2012. However, Sycamore Deli will remain on Turner Street until December 2010, at the earliest. Langrehr said that initial construction will cause some delays, but urges people to remain patient. “Overall, (the development) is definitely going to improve aesthetic and economic climates of Blacksburg,” Langrehr said.
DANIEL LIN/SPPS
collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
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from page one
Instead of denying Kilgore’s request, the board attempted to comply with it. The board did not address the Kilgore letter until March 2003. Then, without first placing it on the agenda of the March 10, 2003, meeting, Rocovich brought a resolution before the board that moved to create the office of equal opportunity and diversity and implement more race-neutral policies. However, while presenting this resolution, a clause granting protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation was omitted. This policy ended affirmative action, which had been in place at Tech for a number of years. Documentation presented to the BOV shows evidence of race-conscious recruitment of potential students from undergraduate admissions at that time, inviting African-American, Hispanic and American-Indian students to a number of special programs not open to Caucasian applicants. At the end of the nearly four-hour meeting, the changes were overturned by a vote of eight to five. Sexual orientation was added back into the anti-discriminatory language and “narrowly-tailored” race-conscious policies were enacted that essentially reinstated limited, legal affirmative action, in which race could be considered as a factor — just not as one of the main factors — for admissions or hiring. Rocovich was not eligible for reappointment at the end of that term. Additionally, a resolution was passed stating that all items up for discussion would have to be placed on the agenda at least three days in advance of the next BOV meeting. Now, Rocovich will return to the board. This is the first time in the recent history of the BOV that a former member has returned after a period of time off. Earlier on Rocovich and Kilgore were both appointed to serve on a higher-
education committee, which advised McDonnell on new appointments to Boards of Visitors across the state. Rocovich had to step down from that committee after his appointment because he could not serve on both simultaneously. Both have been significant financial supporters of the governor and of the Republican party. According to the Virginia Public Access project, Rocovich contributed a total of $63,000 to McDonnell’s campaigns for attorney general and governor between 1996 and 2009, including $53,000 for travel expenses during both campaigns. There were a potential of four new spots open on Tech’s BOV. Two members had served two consecutive fouryear terms, and it was certain they would have to leave the Board. Two other members had served one fouryear term and were eligible of reappointment. Neither was reappointed. Along with Rocovich, who, according to the Virginia Public Access project, has donated upwards of $263,000 to various Republican candidates and Political Action Committees since 1996, his fellow new board members represent a potential shift in ideology on Tech’s board that is made definite in their significant monetary backing of various Republican state efforts. Holtzman, president of Holtzman Oil Corporation, has donated $290,344 to Republican candidates and PACs since 1996. Obenshain, though moderate in her campaign donations, is the wife of Mark Obenshain, a Republican state senator representing the 26th District. He has personally donated more than $26,000 to Republican candidates and PACs since 1996 while his campaign office donated upwards of $119,000. Quillen, chairman of Alpha Natural Resources, has donated $12,040 to Republican candidates and PACs since 1996, according to the Virginia Public Access project. The next BOV meeting is Aug. 29.
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School Board: Five-hour meeting yields decision
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DANIEL LIN/SPPS
collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
Montgomery County Public Schools Board member Joe Ivers clutches his head in frustration as fatigue from the five-hour long, sometimes hostile meeting begins to affect the school board members.
The meeting opened at 7:30 with more than half an hour of public comment, all of which focused on the three options that were narrowed down during last week’s school board work session. Then, Blackburn gave a comprehensive, detailed presentation on those three options, plus a fourth option that would be “based on the number of portables.” Much of the discussion focused around the topics of student safety and the cost and logistics involved with installing different amounts of portable classrooms at various school sites around the county. The board focused for an hour on the first option, which was presented late in considerations at last week’s work session by board member Joe Ivers. It proposed keeping all students in grades seven through 12 on the BMS campus and utilizing what Blackburn said could be between 36 and 53 portable classrooms while sending sixth graders back to elementary schools, which would also need to have two or three portable classrooms installed per school. This plan would have placed 1,729 students in the BMS building, 144 percent of its capacity. Blackburn said she had reservations about this plan because so many portable classrooms would be required with a cost ranging anywhere from $1.52 million to $2.99 million depending on which vendors the county used. “It is questionable,” she said. “The cost of mobiles is expensive.” Other board members raised concerns about the safety and logistics of that option. Board member Wat Hopkins, also a communication professor at Virginia Tech, raised specific concerns about having to work with the Blacksburg Town Council to obtain permits to quickly install that many portable classrooms. After dwelling on Ivers’s plan for an hour, the board then considered three other plans. One involved sending Blacksburg students in grades nine through 12 to OCMS and leaving Blacksburg students in grades six through eight at BMS. This plan would have involved 29 mobile classrooms and a total cost ranging between $1.99 million and $2.9 million. Many board members were leery of sending any students to OCMS. “This (sending high school students to OCMS) cannot work,” Ivers said. However, he also admitted that “it would be absolutely difficult (for middle school students).” The third option, which was eventually passed in a 4-3 vote after six failed attempts, will send Blacksburg students in grades six through eight to OCMS and allow Blacksburg students in grades nine through 12 to remain at BMS. This option will involve 12 mobile classroom units at OCMS. The total cost has been estimated between $1.52 million and $1.96 million. Some concerns expressed about this
plan involved the up to 75-minute bus ride some students could experience every morning and afternoon, the lack of adequate parking and the forced relocation of staff and extra programs currently at OCMS that include a robotics program and an out of school suspension program. Finally, Blackburn presented a fourth option that was not narrowed by the board at the previous week’s meeting that would send Blacksburg sixth and seventh grade students to CMS and leave those in grades eight through 12 at BMS. Though Blackburn advocated this plan and ultimately recommended it to the board, not many others supported it, citing issues that students might face in losing their identity as school communities if they were to be mixed together. Hopkins said he felt that mixing BMS students with CMS students would cause an “academic community to disappear for three years.” “One school’s going to be invisible and that troubles me,” he said. The board finally began to try to vote on a plan around 10:30 p.m., but could not reach a decision for more than an hour. The tension between the board members began to rise as some demanded an answer before the end of the meeting and others tried to postpone the decision again. “We need to solve this problem tonight,” Ivers said. “The fact that some folks are anxious to make a decision doesn’t mean we have to do it,” Hopkins countered. A sixth motion, to support the plan that was eventually enacted, went to a vote around 11 p.m. and failed 3-4. After another 20 minutes of discussion, Hopkins changed his vote. “The board seems unwilling to do further exploration,” he said. “This is a great disservice to BMS and is based only on numbers. If that board is unwilling to keep looking, that is the least offensive to me.” The plan was put to another vote and passed 4-2, with one abstention, around 11:20 p.m. After a five-minute break, during which much of the full audience went home, the board returned to the meeting to decide on the school year calendar. Blackburn appealed to the board to give her as much time as possible to ready OCMS for Blacksburg’s middle school students. “We need Sept. 7 as the first day of school,” she said. However, after four failed motions, the board decided in a 5-2 vote that the school year will begin on Monday, Aug. 30. Finally, the board passed a unanimous request for funding in the range of $2.5 million from Montgomery County to fund the new arrangement. It is not yet clear exactly where the money will come from. The meeting ended shortly after midnight.
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s we begin the first few days of orientation, a new generation of Hokies is joining this exclusive club, becoming a member of the Virginia Tech community. This group known as the class of 2014 will be a part of our community for hopefully at least four years. Unfortunately, the past indicates that a percentage of this class will not be around for the entire duration. Some will decide to transfer, some will decide to leave school, and some will forced to leave due to academic or judicial issues. This should come as no surprise, as each cohort of students faces the same barriers. However, I argue that the issue of retention will be an important one for this group and those that come after them in light of the current economic climate. We often don’t talk about the importance of retention but rather focus on the needs of recruitment. While recruitment is key in attracting students, retention is much more crucial to ensuring the success of these students. Retention is also indicative of the type of environment that we have at
the institution. If we can’t retain our students, why would students come here for an academic degree? When we talk about environment, some will point to the surroundings of the campus. However, it is much more than that as it encompasses how one feels, how one adapts, how one learns and how one is treated within this setting. This setting could be the residence halls, the dining halls, an academic building, a classroom, etc. For every student that was admitted, there are many that were not accepted; it was certainly a competitive process. Tech made a decision to accept a student, the student and their parents made the decision to accept the offer. This begins the official relationship between the institution and the student, and a commitment to provide an environment that will be conducive for the success of the student and result in an academic degree. As members of the community, we need to ensure that we do not provide excuses or reasons for members of this class of 2014 or any other class to leave the university. While there will be things beyond
the student’s control, we should take a reflective look at how our actions and those of others and can impact members of the community. In an ideal world, we should have as close to a 100 percent retention rate for this class of 2014. Why not set this as a collective goal? Why is it that members of underrepresented populations have lower retention rates than their white counterparts? What is happening to impact this? Can we change this? Why are there certain classes where students have to constantly retake? Are their other factors impacting this? If students can’t be retained, what does this say about our community? Does it say that we were only concerned about the objective of getting them here and that was it? Did we do all that we could to help these members of the community to be successful? And the issue of retention is not just a student issue. While the dynamics may be different, this issue of retention is just as critical for faculty and staff. For example, tenure-track faculty have to deal with the rigors of the
tenure process, administrative and professional faculty have to deal with the annual nature of job contracts, while staff have to deal with the shifting landscape of supervisors, managerial changes, and the ever-present fiscal challenges. As we think about retention, we need to look at those that are just entering the system such as the class of 2014 as well as those that are already here. While each (students, faculty and staff) will have different motivations and contributions, they share the common bond and desire of wanting to be a part of this community. Can we ensure the continued success of all of these groups? Can we, in May 2014, talk with pride about the near 100 percent retention of the class of 2014?
RAY PLAZA -faculty member -study abroad leader
Work ‘Ut Prosim’ into all areas of life L
ast week, Jim Dubinsky’s column urged us all to consider how our motto “Ut Prosim — That I may serve” is, in fact, “an invitation to a way of being, an opportunity to acknowledge that service is a privilege, a gift we receive, not give to others.” With new student orientation in full swing here at Virginia Tech, I am reminded just how quickly August is approaching and how it’s never too early — or too late — to intentionally integrate this Ut Prosim “way of being” into your life. You may find yourself already a bit stressed out by your current fall 2010 schedule – a mix of difficult classes, part-time work, and extracurricular activities or downtime sprinkled in if the schedule allows. But, what we’re talking about here isn’t just another task on the list, but rather a new way of approaching all that you already do. I urge you to reframe your academic, work and social lives so that you might immerse yourself in the community around you, and work towards positive, sustainable change. Here are some examples to get the ball rolling:
ACADEMICS Did you know that there are specific courses offered that are designated “service-learning” courses? In addition to teaching technical knowledge about a specific subject area, service-learning courses have a hands-on project component that pairs you with a local non-profit organization. Ask your adviser about courses with a community outreach component within your department to explore this opportunity more — or contact the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships at utprosim@vt.edu to learn more. WORK If you qualify for federal workstudy, you can specifically search for positions with campus entities doing engagement work or directly with local non-profits. For example, you might research becoming a tutor or site leader in the Community Literacy Corps or just browse the opportunities with service in mind. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Student organizations of all kinds do work that connect students to
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the community and work to create positive, sustainable change. Plan on going to Gobblerfest on Aug. 27, 2010 to learn about different opportunities to get involved, and when you go, ask groups about what kinds of service projects or philanthropy events they have. Groups such as the YMCA at Tech and Student Programs offer ongoing opportunities for after-school programs, tutoring, special events and more. Greek life also has a long tradition of service both on and offcampus. And don’t forget about one of Tech’s largest service events, Relay for Life, which has been recognized as the No. 1 Collegiate Relay in the Nation in 2009 and 2010. Another is the Big Event at Tech involving thousands of student volunteers working throughout the New River Valley community in the second largest event of its kind on college campuses in the U.S. WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS Take advantage of weekend or holiday time to get involved in your community. If you are looking for a fun and meaningful way to spend your Thanksgiving, winter or spring
break, consider one of the service trips offered by organizations such as the YMCA at Tech, Engineers Without Borders, or one of many campus ministry groups. Or take a long weekend trip with the Appalachian Service Project to help as they are “making homes safer, warmer and drier” while also “remembering, serving and learning.” For just a one-day opportunity, you might plan to dedicate your Oct. 2, 2010 to Tech’s first Fall Day of Service and join others on campus in a Stop Hunger Now project packing rice to send to Haiti. These opportunities just represent a few ways for you to explore “Ut Prosim” as a “way of being.” I hope you consider some of them, or brainstorm some of your own. As you plan out or future and begin carving out your own niche in the world, I urge you to consider your role as an active and vibrant member of the community that surrounds you — we are truly all in this together.
JACOB GROHS -assistant director for student engagement programs
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Retention as important as recruitment
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Blacksburg celebrates the fourth
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Wondering what’s going on around the ‘burg? Check out the events of the upcoming week. [Thursday, July 8] What: Music — Chickenwings & Gravy Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free What: College Night w/ DJ Dat Boi Where: Attitudes Bar & Cafe When: 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Cost: Cover Note: Ladies free before 11 p.m.
[Friday, July 9] What: A little House ... a little Electronica ... A lot of Rage Where: Abella Cafe When: 10 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. Cost: $2 for overs, $3 for unders Note: Free until 11 p.m.
REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS
Blacksburg July 4 fireworks show as seen from the municipal park.
What: Friday Night Concert Series - The Celtibilies Where: Henderson Lawn When: 6 - 7:30 p.m. Cost: Free What: Music — Shorefire Where: Attitudes Bar & Cafe When: 8 p.m. Cost: $5 Note: 18 and up with valid ID
[Saturday, July 10] What: Music — Lola Mullen Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free What: Black Dog Wine & Blues Festival Where: Chateau Morrisette, Floyd, Va. When:11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at the gate
[Tuesday, [Tuesday T , July 13] What: Blacksburg NewComers Club Where: Luther Memorial Lutheran Church When: 9 - 11 a.m. Cost: Free
[Wednesday, July 14] What: Music — The Rockridge Brothers Where: The Cellar When: 8 p.m. Cost: Free What: Comedy Club — TTom Simmons & Lucas Bohn Where: Attitudes Bar and Cafe When: 9 p.m. Cost: Cover This week, the Lyric L is showing “Please Give,” a comedy drama from writer and director Nicole Holofcener. Check out TheLyric.com L for showtime information.
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and his L.A. rich kid pals would have been better served by staying in the 1980s. A bottom line: Sometimes a novel doesn’t need to be revisited. This is one of those times. You might also like: The work of Joan Didion, as she is a strong influence on Ellis’s work. Fiction by fellow Brat Pack author Jay McInerney. DVDs of The Hills. Top shelf vodka.
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or those unfamiliar with “Less Than Zero,” think 1980s disaffected, drug-addled Los Angeles rich kids on winter break. Now age them twenty-five years and give them all smartphones, but don’t actually fix any of the problems from their adolescence. In fact, just give them more money and more problems. That’s “Imperial Bedrooms,” sequel to “Less Than Zero,” in its basic elevator pitch form. Clay, one of those disaffected, drugaddled L.A. rich kids and the main protagonist of both novels, is now a successful screenwriter and, amazingly, just as bisexual as he was in college. Back in L.A. ostensibly for a movie project, Clay returns to old habits: drinking in excess, being seen in all the right places, casually hooking up with people he meets in the course of his day. But Ellis’s penchant for horror, subdued but still present in “Less Than Zero,” flares brightly in its sequel. Clay finds himself being followed by black SUVs, receiving threatening text messages from blocked numbers and receiving snuff films via e-mail — all while getting mixed up in a murder mystery involving a film producer. Clay’s old friends Blair, Trent, Rip and Julian are still around, and just like in “Less Than Zero,” their lives are still completely disaffected and drugaddled. Full disclosure: I’m a longtime Bret Easton Ellis fan. His novels (and his 1985 Rolling Stone essay, “Down and Out at Bennington College”) have influenced my own creative work. I’ve moderated a discussion list for his work since 1998. Having said all that, one would think that I would come away from reading “Imperial Bedrooms” quite satisfied with spending time following characters from one of my favorite novels as they navigate life in the present day. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this case, I do not think the existence of Imperial Bedrooms is warranted. The fact that Clay and Blair’s relationship continues to be dysfunctional is depressing at best and bordering on cliché at worst. Disappointingly, the characters interact on a deeper emotional level through text messages than in person. And Julian well, let’s not say what happens to Julian, though as I read the book I could picture Robert Downey, Jr., whose work as Julian in the 1987 adaptation of Less Than Zero stands as one of his best pre-sobriety acting performances, completely owning this role in the novel’s screen adaptation. From a technical standpoint, Ellis’s writing is still in top form. He is the master of the meandering sentence that doesn’t say anything and says everything all at once. But from my standpoint as a careful reader of Ellis’s work, I felt Clay
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‘Imperial Bedrooms’ lacks power of its famous predecessor
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Exchange students say goodbye to refugees T
his past week was our last in Blacksburg. Myself and the six other exchange students from México had to say our goodbyes to Virginia Tech and to the refugee community in Roanoke that had become our home for more than a month. Beginnings are always easier than goodbyes. Between final exams and putting finishing touches on our particular projects, the week went by in a blink and there was still a lot to do to complete our work with the Somali Bantu community.
collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
NON PROFIT STATUS The Somali Bantu community in Roanoke is working very hard to establish itself as a non-profit. A nonprofit status would allow it to apply for grants, fund projects and eventually be able to grow. Under the Convention and Protocol established by the UN in 1976, the Office for Refugees in the United States provides some economic support for refugees as soon as they set foot on American soil. Nevertheless, this support is meant to be temporary. Refugees are expected to find work in three months after their arrival and keep their community up and running. But there are great needs to be met. The community wants sports programs, arts programs, programs for teens, ESL classes, citizenship classes, translation support and even basic home economics class. Although most of these are available through foundation work and university ser-
LAURA GARCIA/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Left: Two-year old Adida, is the promise of the future, new generations of Somali Bantu born in the U.S. Right: Group picture for the Virginia Tech students part of the Community Service and Volunteerism class that led them to be involved with the Somali Bantu Community in Roanoke. vice programs there is still need for more. There are religious organizations that help out, as well as museums and government agencies that cover some of these necessities. Tech is coordinating a student volunteer force to do homework help and mentoring with the incoming families. The Somali Bantu are not self-sufficient ... yet. COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP The Somali Bantu have organized
a Board of Directors to start heading different projects for their community. This board is made up of a very diverse group. Young men in their 30s — Mahamudi Mahdi, Jeylani Aden and Yussuf Musa — with families to take care off are the tip of the spear. Older more experienced men and women join in to offer guidance and counseling, like Mahammudi Mganga. There are also younger men, like Hassan Jumale and Ali Mahammed, to bring in the newer
generation’s opinion. With the help of volunteers and Tech’s guidance, they established a mission for the board to help focus all of their efforts, and it all boils down to one word: self-sufficiency. “The mission of the Somali Bantu Community in Roanoke is to facilitate the resettlement of the Somali Bantu community in the United States, especially in Roanoke, VA, by providing programs for education, culture and economic opportunity in order to promote self-sufficiency within the community.” WEBSITE With this in mind, we set out to create a logo for the Somali Bantu community and a webpage to formalize their organization. We hoped that a clean, well-designed webpage could help legitimize the institution. The chosen logo incorporates maize corn as a symbol of their Somalian heritage. Maize is a basic ingredient in their food and is very common in the Juba River region, which most of the Somali Bantu recognize as home. Creating a web page was a little bit more complicated. Web pages, like books, tell a story. People can chose to read and engage in that story or not. We tried our best to tell the story of the community’s issues and history, as well as the services and new programs it has been developing. After a few issues with server space and domain name registration the web page for the community came to life at www. somalibantuinroanoke.com. The page, now up and running, is designed with a Word Press template so that it is easy to edit and change. The idea was to give them a sustainable site that they could update themselves, without having to depend on a web designer. Like the board, the web site strives for the community’s self-sufficiency. WHERE IM FROM
Exhausted and under slept, we had our last class at Virginia Tech on Thursday. Our teacher, Michele James-Deramo, made us write a “Where I’m from” poem. This type of poem is a template available online that is based on the poem “Where I’m from” by George Ella Lyon. Lyon’s poem talks about his experiences as a child and the sights and smells from home that make up his history and his past. We all wrote about home, about Mexico. We wrote about tortillas, tlacoyos (fried tortillas used like small plates), enfrojladas (tacos drowned in refried black beans) and every other thing that reminded us of home and where we come from. Remembering home made us all a little bit home sick. With a melancholy air, we all felt ready to return home. I write now from my desk in Monterrey, Mexico. After being 5 weeks in the United States and meeting people from a continent away, I have learnt more about where I am from that I thought I would. I am from my family, my culture, my food and my values. I am from a mixture of Mexican and American culture, fed to me by television programs that I devour and movies that I watch as soon as they are premiered at theaters. I am from photos, diaries and notes scribbled in napkins. I am from stubborn and loud and obnoxious Christmases with twenty people crammed into a single house. I am from what I do and how I think. I am me, and that is good enough, at least for now.
LAURA GARCIA -features writer -senior -Mexican exchange student
Cartoon adaptation fails to impress critics, fans ire, Air, Water and Earth. These are the elements that should have created a compelling story instead of a bombastic failure comprised of dilapidated scripting, misused post-production 3D and ill-gotten special effects. Writer, director and producer M. Night Shyamalan turns “The Last Airbender” into something of a twisted creation that he probably devised in the span of a night, rather than smartly building on what had already been established in the children’s series on Nickelodeon that the movie is based on. The film follows Aang (Noah Ringer), a young boy who has been frozen for an undetermined amount of time in the South near the Southern Water Tribe. During his deep freeze, most societies — named by the elements that their members control (Air Nomads, Water Nation, and Earth Nation) — have been all but destroyed or enslaved by the powerful Fire Nation. How this relates to Aang is slightly important, since he is the last remaining Airbender. After being found by Waterbender Katara (Nicola Peltz) and her protector brotherSokka (Jackson
Rathbone), they immediately get roped into a game of cat-and-mouse with Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) of the Fire Nation, who just happened to be off the coast of the frozen wasteland searching for the lost and missing Avatar — the single person who could master all the elements — so that he could return to the Fire Nation. Zuko tries to capture Aang, causing a domino effect that leads the trio to help A a n g master all of t he
COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES
elements besides his native Air. If at any point you feel lost: don’t panic. The story is placed in a way that you begin to question what you already understand, even if you are familiar with the actual origins of the plot. Understanding that Aang is an Airbender doesn’t help explain the needless flips or spins he does to make a ridiculous twister. It doesn’t help you understand why some people can manipulate water or fire with just a thought while others have to make large and obscene gestures. All of the motions and movements are disconnected and out of context, leaving you wondering, especially if you are one of the few that come into the film knowing nothing about the franchise. This persistent failure to follow the already-laid-out gridwork will be the films downfall. With dry and underdeveloped acting, you can’t feel anything for the characters. When Shyamalan superimposes an idea of playful humor it is few and far between. Aang’s necessity to understand his adventure, though understandable, is wasted when you bring in a random and arbitrary battle
scene with flashy CGI. While the world has been fully caught up in 3D-itis, this film being done in post-production does nothing but cause headaches and watery eyes. Even when watching it in a 2D playing field, the frame rate of the normal reel causes you to miss what little action exists in the film, and takes away from what semblance of plot has been conceived. If the movie had been shot in 3D from the beginning it could have been a good idea, though the lack thereof in the beginning does nothing to soothe the ache in your temples. Yet what the film truly lacks is simple execution. Where Shyamalan has done well in putting together the appropriate ingredients - a pre-built story, characters, and actors – he cannot properly introduce them to a mainstream audience. Using rack shots when nothing is moving or close-ups to create a
sense of suspense where nothing can be considered “suspenseful”; all of it separates the viewer from the film. This is a film that is set up for the creation and development of a straightforward story. It could be that Shyamalan’s creative ideals simply didn’t fit with a story that had its own personal start and end. Regardless, “The Last Airbender” will hopefully be the last that he does and the last that will be seen. It’s always a shame to say that about a film with such potential, yet when the air-bison is lame you have to put it out to pasture.
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WILLIAM CASE -features staff writer -senior -English and theatre arts major
collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
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collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
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Despite slow start, Beamer reeling in recruits ALEX JACKSON sports editor Halfway through the month of June, the Virginia Tech football team was well behind its normal pace on the recruiting trail, and Hokies fans were getting antsy. Recruiting is an important business for every college football program, but it’s a life-or-death business for programs attempting to maintain a top-25 status. So for the fifth-ranked Hokies, when mid-June rolled around and the program had received just two verbal commitments for the class of 2011 — when last year it had received eight by that time -- the pressure was
on. In February, Tech kicked off its recruiting rush with a bang, receiving its first commitment from fourstar prospect Ronny Vandyke out of South County Secondary School in Lorton. Vandyke, an athletic safety standing at 6 feet 3 inches, is expected to have all the tools to play the Hokies’ “whip” position, which is a strong safety-outside linebacker hybrid role in defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s scheme. AttheHokies’juniordayonFebruary 27, Vandyke chose Tech over scholarship offers from Maryland, Boston College, Syracuse, West Virginia, East Carolina and Rutgers. It was a solid start for coach Frank
DT Kris Harley
DT Corey Marshall
CB Adeboye Aromire
4-star Warren Central HS Indianapolis, Ind.
4-star Dinwiddie County HS Dinwiddie, Va.
3-star Woodson HS Washington, D.C.
Beamer and company, who will be in need of safety help with senior rover Davon Morgan leaving after this season. After a quiet March, Tech picked up another four-star recruit, receiving its second commitment from defen-
sive tackle prospect Kris Harley, out of Indianapolis, Ind. Harley chose Tech over nearly 15 other schools he had received offers from, including top programs such as Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan and USC.
Widely regarded for his exceptional athletic ability, Harley flashed his junior year, finishing his third season with 91 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and five sacks at Warren Central High School in Indy. Scott Kennedy of Scout.com says the 6-foot-2-inch, 260-pound tackle is a “nose guard type,” who will be limited by his size, “but his effort level and awareness get him in on a lot of plays moving away from him.” Kennedy calls Harley “a disrupter across the line of scrimmage, because of his quickness and high motor.” Like Vandyke’s, Harley’s commitment addressed a dire need on the Hokies’ roster as well. Other than redshirt senior John Graves, the Hokies have few battle-tested tackles. Redshirt junior Kwamaine Battle and redshirt sophomore Antoine Hopkins have both rotated in-and-out of the defensive front, but have never started a game, and the rest of Tech’s anchors on the line are as ripe as can be. Then, came the aforementioned lull. With just over a month remaining before the current Tech squad hit the practice fields, Hokies fans began to fret, wondering who would commit as the summer wore on. As it turns out, though, there was no need to worry. On June 15, three-star tight end Christian Reeves was the first high school prospect to commit to Tech in over two months. Reeves, of McDonough, Ga., ranks 39th among the nation’s tight ends, according to Scout.com, and also plays at the outside linebacker position, standing at 6 feet 3 inches, 194 pounds. As if the Hokies had told a group of players to give it some time and wait until “around mid-June” to decide where they would go — after Reeves, the commitments kept rolling in. Three days after Reeves’ announcement, the Hokies got another talent, receiving another verbal agreement — this time from highly praised threestar cornerback Adeboye Aromire, out of Woodson High School in Washington, D.C. Aromire is an accomplished track performer and chose Tech over offers from Illinois, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. He was also a teammate of 2010 Tech signee and quarterback recruit Ricardo Young, and at 6-feet, 192-pounds, runs a 4.47 40-yard dash. Three days later, again, the Hokies see RECRUITS/ page 12
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Recruits: Class of ’11 proving athletic, versatile
JACK HOWELL/SPPS
Head coach Frank Beamer speaks to his players at spring practice.
collegiatetimes.com July 8, 2010
from page 10
made the news, receiving another commitment from a local product. On June 21, two-star quarterback Chris Hall, from Dinwiddie County High School, announced he would be coming to Blacksburg. Hall won’t be playing quarterback as a Hokie, though. Instead, at 6 feet 4 inches, 220 pounds, he’ll attempt to make the transition to tight end, a la former Hokie Greg Boone. Considering his transition, Hall will certainly be labeled a project by many Hokies fans. After his commitment, some may of questioned whether or not it’s worth using a roster-space on a project like such. However, 24 hours later, most Hokies fans were probably happy to have him, as highly touted four-star defensive tackle Corey Marshall, Hall’s teammate at Dinwiddie, announced his commitment to the Hokies. As the nation’s 17th ranked tackle, Marshall’s strengths are very much like those of Harley, who committed from the class in April. Both Marshall and Harley are undersized, with Marshall standing in at 6 feet 1 inch, 250-pounds, but both have the explosiveness to make up for it. Marshall runs a 4.9 40-yard dash and according to Kennedy at Scout. com, “gets a great push off the line of scrimmage and can bull rush or speed rush an offensive lineman.” His skills allow for him to play inside or outside
on the line, at defensive end. Rounding out its recruiting class thus far, Tech added one more player to its list a day later, receiving its fifth commitment in just over a week. On June 23, two-star defensive end Matt Roth committed to the Hokies, becoming the third highly-recruited defensive lineman to commit to Tech. His commitment solidifies the Hokies’ youth-movement along the defensive line and adds a proven pass-rusher to the mix. Roth, from St. Augustine, Fla., is 6 feet 4 inches, 225 pounds and totaled 88 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 14 sacks in his junior year at Nease High School. He chose the Hokies over scholarship offers from Air Force, Cincinnati, Illinois, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Utah. If there was any doubt halfway through June, Hokies fans need to worry no longer. In just eight days, Tech’s recruitment status went from red alert to cool and collected. Better yet, the Hokies addressed serious needs in the process, solidifying the future of its defensive line with athletes, and adding versatile players elsewhere. Now, with seven players committed to donning the maroon and orange from the class of 2011, Beamer and Hokies fans can enter summer practices breathing a little easier.