Thursday, September 30, 2010
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April 16 families start VT Alert system to be charitable foundation activated in test today ZACH CRIZER managing editor Families affected by the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech shootings are starting a foundation to benefit survivors and prevent future campus violence. Lu Ann McNabb was previously involved in starting the Angel Fund in memory of Reema Samaha, who was killed during the shootings in Norris Hall. Now, McNabb is the executive director of the VTV (Virginia Tech Victims) Family Outreach Foundation, a project she said has been long in the making. “A few months after the Virginia Tech tragedy, a group of the families got together and they decided they wanted to do something in memory of those who died, and they also wanted to make sure the survivors would be OK for the rest of their lives,” McNabb said. The foundation has appointed McNabb and a 12-member board of
directors. McNabb and the board will meet Oct. 9 in Northern Virginia to begin developing the foundation’s strategic plan. “Part of its mission is to take care of the families of those who survived, including the immediate family and the families of the deceased,” McNabb said. “The second mission is to help the process of improving security and safety on campuses.” Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members and wounded 17 more in the shootings before killing himself. In preparation for the meeting, McNabb has been traveling to meet with survivors and families of the deceased. “The majority of the families are interested in doing more hands-on things, and in particular the issues that really concern them are mental health and bullying,” McNabb said. McNabb said the foundation would work to serve charitable purposes and also advance legislative causes many
families have pursued in the years since the shootings. “Last year, they were very influential in getting a bill passed that requires state universities to know their emergency management plans and have exercise drills every year,” McNabb said. “I think what they’ve done is look at the tragedy and break it down into different issues, and addressed it one issue at a time, legislatively.” Some foundation projects are being planned in collaboration with university groups. McNabb said the foundation is considering collaborations with the Center for Peace Studies and Tech’s Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships. The funding to start the foundation is coming from a provision in the settlement most affected families signed with the state following the shootings. The foundation is registered in the name of Joseph Samaha, Reema Samaha’s father. Several parents of deceased victims will serve on the board, as will survivor Elilta Habtu.
LIANA BAYNE associate news editor The VT Alerts system will be tested today at some point between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to a university press release. When VT Alerts activates, warning messages are broadcast on the Virginia Tech website and electronic message boards in classrooms. Emails are sent to all @vt.edu accounts, and out-
door sirens on campus are activated. Phone text message alerts and desktop alerts are also activated. VT Alerts is Tech’s system of emergency notifications sent to subscribing students and faculty. It is maintained by the Office of University Relations. The system was put into place following the April 16, 2007, campus shootings and criticism that on-campus residents were not notified quickly enough of the danger.
Celebrating cultures
Graduate students to lobby for fee decrease
JOSH SON / COLLEGIATE TIMES
FEES FOR IN-, OUT-OF-STATE, UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE STUDENTS CONTINUING TO ESCALATE MORGAN CHAPMAN news staff writer The Graduate Student Assembly is raising objections to rising student fees. Over the past couple of years, student fees, especially those for graduate, international and out-of-state students,
have begun to build up. Because of this, GSA members are campaigning for assistance from Virginia Tech to lower those fees. “The GSA aims to educate graduate students about fees,” said Alireza Salmanzadeh, the co-chair of the GSA’s fees committee. The GSA’s presentation of its research
provided information about fees. GSA members wished to emphasize “the fees are not only applied to graduate students but also undergraduate students, especially undergraduate international and out-of-state students and graduate international and out-of statestudents,” the presentation said. The fees include academic, technology and comprehensive ones covering services such as health and athletic
Omara Matamoros, who came from Nicaragua to participate in a dance tour, performed a Nicaraguan folkloric dance in the Graduate Life Center Auditorium Tuesday night. photo by maziar fahandezh
see FEES / page two
Local Food, Global Hunger: Learning, Sharing, Serving schedule
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
WHAT: Sustainable Agriculture for the Common Good WHEN: noon - 4 p.m. WHERE: Drillfield PRICE: free
WHAT: Strengthening NRV Local Food and Hunger Relief WHEN: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. WHERE: NRV Competitiveness Center, 6580 Valley Center Drive, Suite 302, Radford, VA PRICE: free
WHAT: Stop Hunger Now for Haiti WHEN: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. WHERE: Squires Student Center PRICE: free
WHAT: Jen Chapin Trio WHEN: 7:30 p.m. WHERE: the Lyric PRICE: $10 students, $20 non-students
2 news
university editor: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
september 30, 2010
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nrv headlines
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Pulaski County to use iPads in schools Next month, a history teacher at Pulaski Middle School will receive training on Apple’s iPad and software to integrate its use in his lessons. Lincoln Whittaker, who instructs seventh grade history at the school, is one of three teachers whose students are being asked to trade textbooks for electronic devices to pilot the state’s newest technology plan, “Beyond Textbooks.” The Virginia Department of Education announced the program Wednesday, but two math teachers at the middle school have been using the iPod Touch and laptops already to “hook students into math,” said Principal Michael Perry. Beyond Textbooks is designed to explore the potential of wireless technology and digital textbooks to enhance teaching and learning, according to a news release from the VDOE. It’s part of a larger program called Learning without Boundaries that already has put Apple hand-helds and GPS devices in school children’s hands. Perry said he hopes the history component will give students “a broader exposure to the resources that are available, and hopefully having students do more of the searching for them on their own, rather than teacher presenting them on their own.” The teachers welcome the new, nontraditional route. “Students are more engaged when you put technology in front of them,” said seventhgrade math teacher Georgeanne Lavery. -anna mallory, mcclatchy newspapers
CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
COLLEGIATETIMES
Fees: GSA hosting forum discussion tonight from page one
fees, and special programs such as engineering and architecture. One fee in particular that was stressed in the presentation was the comprehensive fee. “The rate of increase in comprehensive fees has always been higher than that of graduate students’ salaries,” Salmanzadeh said. The GSA is already seeking a solution for the escalation of student fees. Salmanzadeh said the GSA has surveyed about 300 Tech graduate students about the issue and held meetings with university Budget Director Tim Hodge, Tech President Charles
Steger, Provost Mark McNamee and Graduate School Dean Karen DePauw. GSA members later prepared a report about the results of those surveys and meetings. Salmanzadeh said the survey showed 72 percent of students were not satisfied with the current fees, and 27 percent of students were somewhat satisfied. Only one person was completely satisfied with fees. Salmanzadeh also provided two examples of fees being paid by an on-campus graduate student resident and an off-campus graduate student resident. The examples showed that both students received $1,797 per month. After fees, taxes and other
related expenses, the students had little left over to live on. The on-campus resident had $48.19 left and the offcampus resident had only $38.26. In the research, the GSA committee also compared Tech to other universities in Virginia. “Virginia Tech pays the highest amount of fees in Virginia out of all schools in Virginia,” said Sonal Mazumder, committee co-chair. Tech cannot control a portion of fees paid by students, as they are regulated by the state budget. The recent economy has drawn fees to students’ attention. “A lot of students have come up with valid questions,” said Michelle
McLeese, GSA president. The GSA is sponsoring a discussion forum about graduate student fees tonight in the Graduate Life Center Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The forum is open to students and non-students. University officials will be present to address questions. “The administration will help students see a clearer picture,” McLeese said. Mazumder said it is the best chance for students to address their problems with the fees. “The forum is a good opportunity for students to talk about issues,” Mazumder said. “Students should take advantage of this opportunity.”
University of Texas alert system praised ERIN MULVANEY mcclatchy newspapers AUSTIN, Texas — University of Texas junior Eric Gladstone was sitting in his 500-student organic chemistry class Tuesday morning when his cell phone buzzed with a text message — an urgent warning that a gunman was loose on campus. Looking around, he noticed others glancing at their cell phones and registering the same worry he was feeling. The warning sent throughout campus by administrators was prompted by reports that a young man, clad in black, wearing a ski mask and wielding an AK-47 semi-automatic, had fired shots as he entered the southern edge of campus. The gunman, 19-year-old UT student Colton Tooley, fatally shot himself after police chased him into a library. No one else was injured. Within 15 minutes of the first police calls, sirens, e-mails, the UT web site and public address systems blared the warnings, telling more than 55,000 students, faculty and staff members that the campus was in lockdown and urging everyone to stay behind locked doors. Meanwhile, law enforcement from the university, city and state swarmed to the site. UT’s efficient alarm system — practiced and coordinated by law enforcement only weeks before — was credited by local and national experts with probably sparing the campus from injuries and death. The incident began at 8:10 a.m. when witnesses said they saw a man walk down the street about 100 yards south of the UT Tower and begin
shooting bursts of gunfire, first in the air and then toward the Tower. Terrified students notified police, who quickly responded. Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said students pointed city and university police toward the man, who was chased into the Perry-Castaneda Library about two blocks east of the initial gunfire. Tooley, a sophomore from Austin majoring in math and actuarial studies, ran to the sixth floor and shot himself, police said. Officers didn’t speculate on Tooley’s motive. The campuswide alert was sounded at 8:25 a.m. Tooley shot himself at 8:50 on a campus where hardly anyone but police were evident. The incident was in stark contrast with the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech, where the university did not notify students of a gunman on the loose for more than two hours and 32 students were killed. That rampage prompted colleges nationwide to reassess their emergency response systems. UT President William Powers credited preparation and coordination among police departments with Tuesday’s quick response. “We have a crisis management team in constant communication with the police chiefs,” Powers said. “We were monitoring calls and emails within minutes. We spread the word through social media very quickly to warn our students. This helped tremendously in securing their safety.” A review of events showed that after the initial warning, updates hit classrooms and dorms within minutes. Police SWAT teams sealed off campus streets and blaring loudspeakers urged students and others
to remain indoors. Even before Tooley was declared dead, the outdoor crime scene had been sealed off and people had been ushered into buildings for safety. The campus appeared deserted. A campuswide sweep checked for another potential suspect and to protect against bombs or hidden booby-traps. It was determined Tooley acted alone. Jonathan Kassa, executive director of Security On Campus, a nonprofit organization that promotes improved emergency responses, said using multiple media and other methods of communication was the perfect way to handle such a situation. “I think of this as a textbook case,” Kassa said. “UT (officials) took absolutely all the right steps and measures. They didn’t assume it was an isolated incident. They obviously spread the word to other parts of campus.” Security On Campus prompted the U.S. Department of Education to review events at Virginia Tech and issue findings about the emergency response. The ensuing 2009 Campus Security Guidelines study by the U.S. Department of Justice found that local and campus law enforcement agencies should have defined roles to coordinate responses among themselves, the campus and the media. Kassa said he was also impressed with the communication between local law enforcement and university police. In August, The University of Texas Police Department, the Department of Public Safety and the Austin Police Department participated in training
to make sure they can respond and talk to one another to coordinate in such a situation. “There is no doubt that training paid off in this situation,” UT Police Chief Robert Dahlstrom said. Acevedo said this incident emphasizes the importance of being prepared. He said that when he arrived on campus at 8:20 a.m., he could tell, “the communication seemed seamless and as a result lives were saved.” At times, it didn’t feel seamless to students on campus. Senior Daniel Aranda, who was taking an 8 a.m. art class, received the text message. Then the sirens in his building went off, causing mass confusion. Students searched their Twitter messages and text messages, which clarified they were to stay in their building and wait it out. For hours, they listened to the radio — the oldest form of communication in the building — to learn what was happening. “I feel like in any situation like this, they shouldn’t restrain from taking the most caution,” Aranda said. For those in the library where Tooley ran, the warnings and danger produced some panic. “I was in the back of the library, and I see these cops run in and start screaming, ‘Get the hell out, get the hell out,’ “ said UT junior Tim Cabaza. Other witnesses reported that a public address system ordered students to evacuate the library within seconds of the gunman entering. At 11:42, UT campus was cleared and the police said that a safety alert had been issued. Campus activity, including classes will continue today, Powers said.
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Bill to keep heat on Arlington officials WASHINGTON — A group of senators took steps Tuesday to make sure that the Army answers Congress’ concerns about the scandal over improperly marked graves at Arlington National Cemetery. Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Scott Brown, R-Mass.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Connecticut independent Joe Liebermanintroduced legislation that would require the secretary of the Army to regularly report to lawmakers on progress fixing a host of problems. The scandal has created embarrassment for the nation’s premier military cemetery, as well as grief and anxiety among people with family members buried there. “I’m confident that the Army and the cemetery are both taking this very seriously,” McCaskill said, “but this legislation will help hold the folks at Arlingtonaccountable for their progress in identifying and fixing any errors in the burial records, changing the way they manage contracts, and for their efforts to reach out to families who are suffering from this unnecessary heartbreak.” An Army inspector general’s report in June found a slew of problems at the cemetery and revealed that officials weren’t sure who was buried where in many cases. More than 200 graves were improperly marked. Some gravesites without headstones were labeled as occupied on cemetery maps. Five years before, burial urns with unidentified cremated remains turned up in a cemetery landfill. Last month, cemetery officials discovered that two people were buried in the wrong plots. A Senate report this summer noted that the cemetery had spent 10 years and several million dollars to digitize recordkeeping, but the cemetery still relied heavily on index cards to identify graves. “The more we investigate the gross negligence at Arlington National Cemetery, the more we understand the extent of the mismanagement,” Collins said. -david goldstein, mcclatchy newspapers
opınıons 3
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
september 30, 2010
Explore various cultures to understand your own wanted to write about the topic of this column for a very Ilonghave time. It has always fascinated me and provoked various questions from within. Before I reveal the topic, I want to start off by asking — what’s on your bucket list? Getting a good job, having a happy family, owning the expensive car you have always drooled over or doing something adventurous? Among these, another strong contender may be going on a world tour. Although it might slip to the bottom of your list as you grow up and see the world more realistically — rationalizing it’s almost impossible to achieve — at some point in life, you know you’ve wanted to go on a world tour. I know I have and would still love to. I’ve always wanted to go to Finland to visit Moomin land. Or to Tanzania just because it sounds like a European country to me, when it is really an African nation. I want to go to the Bahamas to see the pink sandy beaches and Thailand to praise the architecture of pagodastyled temples. I can go on with my list but that’s not the focus of my column. Where I am trying to go with this example of world tours, is that we are ignoring something that’s readily available to us, yet we are craving to go after something that requires great effort to achieve. We brag about having been to this place and that, act knowledgeable about different cultures, but how come we can’t be respectful and kind to the people from the very countries we once spent a marvelous time in? Yes, I am talking about racism. We love to spend a weeklong vacation in a famous resort in Mexico, but we can’t break away from the stereotypical definition of Mexicans when we run into one in America. I wanted to write this article soon after I got e-mails last year regarding racism against minorities and how they were forced to transfer to colleges back in their hometowns. As explained by my sociology professor Bill Snizek, we Americans tend to be ethnocentric when it comes down to cultural or ethnic diversity. As he was giving a lecture on culture and social structure, he mentioned that we Americans tend to judge behavior of other cultures by the standard of our culture. I can’t agree more with him. We start judging people just by their color, race, ethnicity, culture and accent before even getting to know them. Just because other cultures do things differently, we tend to look down upon them. When someone’s culture doesn’t match with our “American culture” we automatically crinkle our nose and our “judgmental radar” goes off. Why is it that the most diverse nation in the world, regarded as the “melting pot” and the most democratic nation on Earth, is still twined in social issues like racism when we are supposed to unite together
to fight against the national threat — terrorism? Why is it that the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” applies during times of emergency but goes back to status quo afterward? By this I mean back to the stereotypical mentality of differences in ethnicities. Why can’t we let go of our biases for once and accept each other despite the difference in color and race? After all, the same blood flows through all of our veins and everyone’s body is made with the same basic components like any other. We are different only when it comes to our opinions and personality, but in the end everyone is the same typical human being. In my opinion, the cultural and ethnic diversity in today’s American society is like the icing on a cake; it adds that extra charm to an already beautiful place to live. However, it makes me sad to realize there are people who aren’t glad the cake has an icing on it. Instead, they are critical of it. Even a garden with just one type of flower will be an eyesore. I asked a few people if they want to go on a world tour before I started writing this column and almost everyone started blurting out a list of places they wanted to visit during their lifetime. I couldn’t help but chuckle and recall an old Nepali saying, “Nazik ko tirtha hela,” which means “you value the temple less just because it’s near to you.” I know it’s a nice sight to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Great Wall of China, but if you really consider the reason you are trying to visit such places, it is to taste a bit of their culture. So why even spend thousands of dollars to visit those places when you can experience the same in your neighbor’s home or in the culture groups here at Tech? You can stop by the second floor of Newman Hall any time, which is world theme housing, to get a virtual tour of the world. Although it does not have representatives from every country throughout world, it is still a good example of diversity close to home. The boys’ resident advisor, TJ Medina, was kind enough to show me around and introduce me to the foreign students and I had a great time learning about their cultures. There are also numerous international groups on Virginia Tech’s campus, which can give you a great taste of foreign cultures right here in Blacksburg. So my humble request to all of us is this: Let’s try to change our perception for once and accept one another for who we are and spread harmony, since — after all, America is about diversity.
NAMRATA SHRESTHA -regular columnist -sophomore -biochemistry major
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Latino community at Tech growing in size, influence ith fall semester in full swing, we find ourselves in the midst W of the Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month celebrations that began on Sept. 15 and run through Oct. 16. As we celebrate, there are a wide range of activities that focus on the Hispanic/ Latino culture and help educate the rest of the community. As we think about Hispanic/Latino Heritage month, it raises a question: What does it mean to be a Hispanic/ Latino Hokie? It means one is a part of the fastest growing under-represented population at Virginia Tech. Unfortunately, it also means that sometimes issues affecting the Hispanic/ Latino community are not taken as seriously compared to other groups. I am a Hispanic/Latino Hokie, born in the United States from Puerto Rican parents, and sí, hablo español. I am proud of my background and heritage. I suspect most are unaware this fall saw the largest number of Hispanic/ Latino freshmen to ever enroll at Tech, as well as continued growth in the numbers of Hispanic/Latino undergraduate students. There has been continued growth among the Hispanic/Latino community for the last 10 years and it is not expected to stop any time soon. So what is there for Hispanic/Latino students, faculty and staff? There are already a number of Hispanic/Latino related organizations within our school’s community. There is the Latino Association for Student Organizations. LASO serves as the umbrella group for Hispanic/ Latino organizations. It represents the interests of Hispanic/Latino students as a University Chartered Organization and has a seat on the Commission on Student Affairs. There are two affiliated Greek organizations — one is Hermanded de Sigma Iota Alpha, or SIA, a Latina-based sorority. The other is Lambda Sigma Upsilon or LSU, a Latino-based fraternity. Both groups are part of the United Council of Fraternities and Sororities as, unfortunately, neither was accepted into the traditional Interfraternity Council
or National Panhellenic Conference. There is also an interest group for a second Latino fraternity on the campus, known as La Unidad Latina — Lambda Upsilon Lambda. There is Latin Link, which provides social and educational programs within the community. And LAIGSA — the Latin American Iberic Graduate Student Association, which has historically been the home for Hispanic/Latino graduate students and our international Hispanic/Latinos from Spain, Portugal, Central and South America and the Caribbean. There is SHPE or the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. It is based within the College of Engineering, and provides a professional and academic network for students in engineering and other science, technology and math fields. Sigma Delta Pi is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, and it is the premier Spanish language honor society in the United States. It also coordinates the annual Hispanic/ Latino achievement ceremony, which recognizes Hispanic/Latino students who are about to graduate each year. The Tech chapter is one of the most recognized in the entire country. There is Salsa Tech, which serves as the main Salsa dance club. It does educational lessons on salsa and other Spanish dances and coordinates socials and other activities. You will often find members at Abella Cafe on Wednesday nights conducting lessons and socials. Under LASO, you also have Students Helping Honduras, a service organization focused on projects in Honduras. In addition, there are smaller groups geared toward some of the different countries, but those listed above are the major organizations. For faculty and staff and graduate students, there is the Hispanic Caucus. Formed in 2002, the Hispanic Caucus has become the voice for the Hispanic/ Latino faculty and staff. Through its role, the Hispanic Caucus has a seat on the Commission on Equal Opportunity and Diversity and works with issues
affecting the community. As the Hispanic/Latino community has grown in numbers, so has the role of these organizations. These organizations provide a conduit and an opportunity for students, faculty and staff. It is important to realize these organizations are not mutually exclusive to just Hispanic/Latinos, as they also provide the opportunity for others to share in the celebration of Hispanic/Latino culture and get involved. I would encourage any member of the Tech community to participate in any of these activities. I share this information about the Hispanic/Latino community as a way to make everyone, including fellow Hispanic/Latinos, aware of the opportunities that exist. The sad thing is many within our community are not aware of these efforts and they often don’t find out about these activities until it is too late. Unfortunately, if you have been following the news, the whole issue of immigration has revved up sentiment against the Hispanic/Latino community. It often seems people feel if you speak Spanish you must be undocumented or an “illegal.” This gross generalization affects all of us and our Hispanic/Latino community. While we often tend to merely focus on numbers of students within our community, the other issue is what services Tech provides for Hispanic/Latino students. What opportunities are there for Hispanic/Latino faculty and staff? I leave those questions for another discussion. Tech is a better place because of its growing Hispanic/Latino community, and I am proud to call myself a Hispanic/Latino Hokie.
RAY PLAZA -regular columnist -graduate student -curriculum and instruction
Find funds and faculty support through new CSECP program y head throbbed after colliding with my teammate. My knees M were bleeding, and I found myself sitting in manure — but all I could do was laugh. I was having the time of my life during the summer of 2008 on a cow-pasture soccer field in El Porvenir, Honduras, playing soccer with my new Honduran friends. I went to El Porvenir to practice speaking Spanish and volunteer in 2008, but upon my return to campus, my volunteer experience turned into something bigger than just a one-time trip. I ended up creating a studentrun, credit-bearing, university-funded experiential learning class that is working in partnership with community groups in El Porvenir to build capacity in Honduran social programs. The class has given numerous Virginia Tech students the opportunity to learn about international development related to their field of study and reinforce this learning through on-theground work with El Porvenir community partners. You might be wondering how I was able to create a university academic program from a cool summer experience. Or perhaps you are pondering how I was able to make a student idea grow enough to deserve university support. Both answers stem from the four aspects of my project that were able to bind Tech’s motto of “Ut Prosim” with Tech’s tagline of “Invent the Future.” This union was made possible by my personal drive and determination, help-
ful and supportive faculty mentors, an institutional setting to connect service to academic work and the availability of seed funding to get started. You might be reading this and saying to yourself, “Hey! I’ve got the ‘dedicated and driven’ thing down! I know of an issue or have an idea that could possibly turn into a phenomenal research or service project that would give back to my community, university or world. How do I go about getting faculty support and mentors, finding a universitysponsored way to connect service and academic work and finding funding to actually get my idea rolling?“ Well, I’ve got answers for you. First, if you are looking for some funding opportunities, you should check out the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships website (vtserves.vt.edu). We are in the process of putting information up about our social entrepreneurship grant application, due Oct. 30 and also about other funding opportunities. However, the most exciting and comprehensive answer I have for you is a new program that the CSECP is looking to pilot next semester. This program, which I call the “The ‘Ut Prosim’ International Scholars Program,” will be a curricular program for driven and dedicated students. During this spring semester, students will learn about social justice and international development related to their field of study. They will also plan an international research or experiential learning program.
In the summer, students will pursue their program at an exciting international location they choose. When students return to campus in the fall, they will reflect on their experience and bring it back to the Tech community through conference presentations and publications, the creation of new student groups on campus, awareness events, etc. This three-course sequence will give students the academic, institutional and financial support to make their innovative, service-related ideas become university-supported, academic, tangible projects. Also, it will give communities and non-profits abroad a way to benefit from a connection with Tech. Additionally, it will be a way for students to bring international learning experiences back to the Tech community. Finally, the Ut Prosim International Scholars program will be an attempt to bridge the gap between service and innovative undergraduate research. Would you like to become involved in this program or other CSECP initiatives? Feel free to e-mail me at emilybar@vt.edu or check the CSECP website for information about other innovative programs we facilitate.
EMILY BARRY -guest columnist -graduate student -public and international affairs
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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
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ACROSS 1 Symbol of concentration 12 Water potential symbol 15 Noted pier site 16 Org. offering the Canine Good Citizen program 17 Rap sheet notes? 18 Manhattan liquor 19 Vexation-plus 20 Irish __ 21 Make potable, in a way 23 Some phones 25 Emit coherent light 28 “Sexy” Beatles woman 29 Folded parts 31 The south of France 33 __ fide 34 Milk sources 36 Stumblebums 38 Clearance level 40 Pocono and others 43 Virginie et Floride 46 Out of control 47 Sound heard very close to your ear 49 Mexican waters 51 Spoke Abyssinian? 53 “Don’t __ word!” 55 -an counterpart 56 Hoped 58 Polish, say 60 Memorable time 61 Respectful title 62 Stock, usually 66 Cologne conjunction 67 Calcium oxide 68 Orgs. with chiefs 69 Accepting personal responsibility DOWN 1 Item for a camp project 2 Buzz, e.g. 3 Good way to go 4 High degree 5 Mr. Big’s org. on “Get Smart” 6 Press forward 7 Polite turndown 8 Savanna sighting
By Barry C. Silk
9 USSR successor 10 Biting 11 Shows impatience, in a way 12 Seeming contradiction 13 View when landing, perhaps 14 Summer refreshers 22 Spy’s doing 24 Old-fashioned tightening tool 26 Historical Oder River region 27 Cabinet dept. 30 Store 32 2002 Literature Nobelist Kertész 35 Places for sweaters? 37 Physics leader? 39 Fine and dandy: Abbr. 40 Increases sharply 41 Portmanteau word for a certain native 42 Each of them is “one who, in a perilous emergency, thinks with his legs”: Bierce
9/30/10 Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
44 Receives on the radio 45 Italian Riviera resort 48 Fool’s gold 50 Two-__: tandem 52 Car battery ignition system pioneer 54 Q5 and Q7
9/4/10
57 Anthropologist Fossey 59 “The WellTempered Clavier” composer 63 Locus in __: the place in which (Lat.) 64 SEAL’s org. 65 Pitch preceder
september 30, 2010
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
weekend
COLLEGIATETIMES
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Wondering what’s going on around the ‘burg? Check out the events of the upcoming week. [Thursday, September 30] What: Music: James Arthur Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free
[Sunday, October 3] What: Harvest Festival cont. Where: Historic Smithfield When: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $8 adults, $5 students, $4 children 5-12, under 5 are free
What: Performance: Persephone (runs through Oct. 3, 5) Where: Squires Haymarket Theater When: 7:30 p.m. Cost: $8 students, $10 public What: Local Foods, Global Hunger Where: Drillfield When: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: Free (3 day event) What: Music: Jen Chapin Trio Where: The Lyric When: 8 p.m. Cost: $10 students, $20 public
[Friday, October 1] What: Music: The Malah Where: Attitudes When: 8 p.m. - 2 p.m. Cost: $7, 18+ What: Music: The Groove Where: Gillie’s When: 9:30 p.m. Cost: Free
[Saturday, October 2]
[Monday, October 4] What: American Cultures Where: Jamestown room, Squires Student Center When: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Cost: Free
[Tuesday, October 5] What: Wood carving class with Bill Mashburn Where: Smithfield Plantation Pavillion When: 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Cost: $15 What: Class of 2012 Ring Premier and fireworks Where: Burruss Hall Auditorium When: 7 p.m. Cost: free
[Wednesday, October 6]
What: Harvest Festival Where: Historic Smithfield When: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $8 adults, $5 students, $4 children 5-12, under 5 are free
What: Fall Focus Career Fair Where: Cassell Coliseum When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: The Black Twigs and Ember Schrag Where: Gillie’s When: 9:30 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Music: Kronos Quartet Where: The Lyric When: 8 p.m. Cost: $15 students
5
Artist paints unique picture of Blacksburg and campus GORDON BLOCK associate news editor George Wills is a Blacksburg-based artist whose work focuses on local landmarks such as Lane Stadium, downtown buildings and several restaurants. A former student at Virginia Tech who grew up in Blacksburg, Wills briefly contributed his writing and drawing talents to the syndicated comic Shoe. Wills took time to speak with the Collegiate Times on College Avenue, across the street from the Lyric. COLLEGIATE TIMES: Tell me a bit about your artwork. A lot of what you do focuses on Blacksburg landmarks. GEORGE WILLS: I recognized that these were landmark establishments that people had memories of and that therefore they would sell. For practical reasons, I could draw a building, and I know I could sell prints to the scores of people who have memories of being there. And no one else was picking the downtown area. The downtown area, particularly for students who are here for four years, it’s a unique way of carrying a memory away with them. CT: You’ve done a lot of art based around Blacksburg, what makes Blacksburg stick out in your mind? WILLS: Most importantly they’re homegrown landmarks. Like The Cellar, 40 years, no other Cellars, it’s unique to the corner there. Same with Gillie’s — started in 1970. If you came out for breakfast in downtown Blacksburg, that’s where you’d go. If they were franchises, I wouldn’t do them, because they just somehow wouldn’t have the same effect. I can’t imagine. Like, I wouldn’t do Moe’s. CT: So someone says, ‘The first date I went on with my future wife happened at the McDonald’s up the road here.” WILLS: I’d probably decline. CT: Really? WILLS: Well, because that would be a special order where I would just do it once. I’d just, I shouldn’t say I’d decline it. If I needed the money… (laughing). CT: So is this about artistic principle? WILLS: This is really about, well, that’s a little colliding there. I want it to be unique to the town, and I don’t see McDonald’s as unique to the town. I don’t think anyone would ever say ‘I had my first meal at McDonald’s, and I’d
Mom wants you to be in the yearbook.
Do it for Mom.
Reason #37 to buy your 2011 Virginia Tech Bugle Yearbook
Because campus won’t look the same for long.
COURTESY OF GEORGE WILLS
Two of Wills’ prints commemorate Hokie House and Top of the Stairs. like a picture of it. CT: So you’re hoping that request does not come through? WILLS: Yes. But that would be a challenge though. I would have to make the McDonald’s look unique. CT: How do you see the relationship between the expansion of Virginia Tech and the expansion of the town of Blacksburg, is that something you see as hand-in-hand? WILLS: Oh, definitely. Town businesses couldn’t survive without the university. It’d look a lot like Christiansburg. Blacksburg is here because of the university. I can’t imagine it being any bigger than Christiansburg had it not been for the university. CT: Does this get old for you? Coming back to these same structures over and over again. How do you keep it fresh? WILLS: Artistically? Well, I’ll change the views, perhaps even change the colors. These prints are, when I say art, it’s not like they’re fine art, they’re art made for market. But if people keep coming back and buying, they keep it fresh, because they’re the new buyers. They tell the new stories. It’s like ‘Wow I just made this couple happy.’ I may have sold this print four years ago, before they knew about the town, but they’ve been here four years, and they have a nice memory of it. So it might not be the art that’s fresh, it’s the people who buy it.
CT: Have you created any works that were in that period surrounding (April 16)? WILLS: No, I just don’t feel my style or — it’s a difficult subject, and I haven’t thought about tackling it. CT: How would you characterize your style as an artist? WILLS: I guess I’ll have to defer to cartoonist, because that’s what I grew up doing after school. My only problem with being specific about it is I do more. I do paintings, I do technical drawings. I’m all over the place as far as what I can do. Because I did grow up as a hands-on artist. So I learned the old way, the traditional way, before I started doing these prints, which I do in Photoshop. CT: I guess my final question is what keeps you here in Blacksburg? Why stay in town? WILLS: Opportunities haven’t arisen elsewhere, and there is a community here that I’ve known all my life. Even though students are transitory, people I’ve made friends with, connections with, they’re still here. If you’re going to live in a small town, it’s ideal. You still have the advantages of being in a big university with a small town feel as opposed to say other schools. Most universities are situated in cities. And my family’s here. My dad still lives on Preston Avenue. I don’t have any comparison to make. I’ve visited elsewhere, obviously. Just that, I’ve made it. I’ve been able to do it here.
6 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
september 30, 2010
ACC play kicks into gear this weekend No. 16 Miami at Clemson (Noon, ESPN2/ESPN3) This game represents the conference opener for two teams with a lot of questions remaining. Miami is coming off a dominating 31-3 Thursday night victory over Pittsburgh. That road victory was a big rebound for the Canes after losing at Ohio State in their previous game. However, quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown six interceptions over his past two games. Clemson has only beaten North Texas and Presbyterian. Predicted winner: Miami Florida State at Virginia (Noon, ACC Network) The Seminoles (3-1, 1-0) enter this game coming off a 31-0 blasting of Wake Forest. However, they still have a lot to prove after their 47-17 week two loss at Oklahoma. And with all of the excitement about UVa’s turnaround with new coach Mike London, let’s remember it still has not posted a victory over an FBS school. Don’t be surprised if the Cavaliers get embarrassed in front of their home crowd. Predicted winner: Florida State Virginia Tech at No. 23 North Carolina State (3:30 p.m., ABC) Is North Carolina State, the lone undefeated ACC team, really that good? Its offense, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, has been dominant. Wilson has 11 touchdowns on the season with just a single interception. Yet, the Wolfpack was just 5-7 last year and the Hokies dispatched of it 38-10. Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor is the 15th most efficient passer in the nation but is leading an offense kicking way too many field goals. If the Hokies are going to win this game, they are going to have to get the ball into the endzone. Predicted winner: Virginia Tech East Carolina at North Carolina (3:30 p.m., ESPN3) An embattled North Carolina team, still without 12 players and seven starters, found a way to come back from a 10-0 first quarter deficit and beat Rutgers last Saturday. Its 17-13 victory, if nothing else, helped the ACC’s cause in its battle with the Big East to avoid being the worst BCS conference.
Youth aids men’s soccer success COURTNEY LOFGREN sports reporter
MCT CAMPUS
Former Clemson tight end Michael Palmer gets his helmet dislodged in last year’s contest with Miami. The Tigers won 40-37 in OT and will look to quarterback Kyle Parker to lead them to another victory. East Carolina lost to Virginia Tech 49-27 in its last game. This matchup should be a shootout with ECU and North Carolina allowing 41.7 points per game and 24.3 points per game, respectively. Predicted winner: East Carolina Duke at Maryland (6 p.m., ESPN3) What a compelling matchup. You have a 1-3 Duke team that couldn’t stop a high school team from scoring touchdowns and a 3-1 Maryland squad that has already eclipsed its two victories of 2009. I really don’t know what else to say about this one. Predicted winner: Maryland Georgia Tech at Wake Forest (7 p.m., ESPNU) The Yellow Jackets have been nothing but mediocre this season, and they certainly don’t look like defending conference champs. I know they are missing some early departures to the NFL but still are not the preseason No. 16 team. Although their running game has been fantastic, to say quarterback Joshua Nesbitt has been ineffective while throwing the ball would be an understatement. He is averaging 79
yards per game, completing just 32.6 percent of his passes. However, Wake Forest has been a disaster on defense and hasn’t even kept it close with the two respectable teams it has played this year. The Demon Deacons lost 68-24 to thenNo. 19 Stanford and 31-0 to Florida State. Predicted winner: Georgia Tech Notre Dame at Boston College (8 p.m., ABC) Brian Kelly has had far from a storybook beginning to his career with the Fighting Irish. His 1-3 team has got to be craving a win and a little bit of respect after a 3714 loss to then-No. 16 Stanford. After losing quarterback Jimmy Clausen, passing hasn’t even been an issue for the Fighting Irish. Junior Dayne Crist has filled the role nicely, completing 59.3 percent of his passes for 1,155 yards so far. Boston College wishes it could have half the consistency at the quarterback position. After benching starter Dave Shinskie in the second half against Virginia Tech, the Eagles are still undecided about who will start for them this week. There is an ongoing competition between sophomore Mike
ACC Standings Atlantic North Carolina State Florida State Wake Forest Maryland Clemson Boston College Coastal Virginia Tech Georgia Tech Miami (FL) Virginia North Carolina Duke
Conf 1-0 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-1 Conf 1-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-1
Overall 4-0 3-1 2-2 3-1 2-1 2-1 Overall 2-2 2-2 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-3
Marscovetra and freshman Chase Rettig. Watching the Eagles get shutout at home when the Hokies came to visit does not make a victory over Notre Dame seem likely. Predicted winner: Notre Dame
GARRETT RIPA -sports editor -sophomore -mining engineering major
A youth movement is taking over the pitch at Thompson Field. When the season began, Virginia Tech men’s soccer head coach Mike Brizendine had 12 freshmen on his roster. To skeptics, a team filled with 15 newcomers, including 12 freshmen, could be a bad thing. Brizendine, however, believed in his young team and knew it would play competitively throughout the season. The outstanding play of two freshmen, midfielder/forward Mikey Minutillo and goalkeeper Kyle Renfro, helped the Hokies improve their record to 3-4-1 after defeating American University, 1-0 on Tuesday. It was the second consecutive win for Tech after defeating North Carolina State last weekend, 2-1, and the first time the Hokies had back-to-back wins since 2007. Minutillo’s only goal of the game and second goal of the season proved to be the difference-maker in the 54th minute of the game. The shutout was also the first of the season for Tech. “Kyle Renfro is doing a fantastic job for us this season, and I’m so proud of him,” Brizendine said. “We could throw him in with wolves and he would be making stops, that’s how confident we are in this kid.” Renfro’s hard work in practice has translated well for him in live-game action. “The whole team has been working hard to get a shutout,” Renfro said. “We’ve been working as a cohesive unit.” Overall Tech took 14 shots on goal and nine corner kicks on the night. Defensively, Renfro made six saves to continue his stellar performance this season. The Hokies were finally able to capitalize off on their sixth corner kick of the night when Minutillo scored. Minutillo’s mother traveled all the way from San Jose, Calif., to see him play and witnessed her son score his first home goal of the season. “It was a good feeling,” Minutillo
said. “I saw my mom in the corner of the stadium, and I went and gave her a kiss. Her and my dad split each game (traveling) so they come to every game.” The players were determined to keep the game scoreless following the goal and not let up defensively like they had in previous contests this season. “After we scored we all got together and said we needed to stay strong going forward and not let them score and that’s exactly what we did,” Renfro said. After Minutillo’s goal, Brizendine made adjustments especially in the last 10 minutes of the game trying to keep the players fresh. “We wanted to stay all over them,” Brizendine said. “If you let up even a little bit with American, they’ll make you pay for it and we weren’t going to let that happen.” The Hokies looked like they were in for another tough game following a scoreless first half. Tech had seven shots on goal while playing tremendous defense against an American squad that had won four of its seven games played thus far. “There were a few times in the first half where we should have scored,” Brizendine said. “Fortunately for us, we were able to score in the second half. It could have been more, and maybe should have, but I don’t want to take away anything from American’s goalie.” The team hopes the momentum from the last two wins will travel with them to Winston-Salem when the Hokies face off against Wake Forest. “(The win) couldn’t have come at a better time,” Renfro said. “Going into Wake Forest with all this momentum.” Minutillo echoed Renfro’s thoughts. “We just want to put this game behind us, knowing that we can play with Wake Forest and beat them,” Minutillo said. The Hokies will face off against the Demon Deacons this Friday. Wake is 2-0 in the ACC this season, with its victories coming against Clemson and Virginia.