Hokies show no fear, down Terps MATT JONES sports reporter
COURTESY OF MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK
The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team traveled into a hostile environment Thursday night against Maryland, never trailing en route to a 74-57 victory. The Hokies, led by a career-high 24 points from Erick Green, were able to control the tempo for most of the game, forcing the Terrapins into an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers. The first half was highlighted by the play of Green, as the sophomore scored a team-high 14 points and sparked Tech as it took a 12-0 lead to start the game. The Hokies went into
halftime up 40-29. Coach Seth Greenberg and the Hokies appeared to have a significant disadvantage in the frontcourt. The Hokies employed a 2-3 zone for much of the night, capitalizing on the Terrapins’ lackluster three-point shooting. The Terrapins, who entered the game sixth nationally in rebounds per game, were limited on the glass to only 28 rebounds. The Hokies’ zone baited the Terrapins into a paltry six-of-20 from behind the arc. The Hokies weathered a second half spurt by Maryland, who got a strong performance from senior swingman Cliff Tucker. Tucker paced the Terrapins with 13 points, but it wasn’t enough.
On the night of his mother’s birthday, Tech senior guard Malcolm Delaney came home to his native Maryland and silenced the raucous crowd. Delaney had numerous spectacular passes, breaking the spirit of the Maryland fans. The win, which pushes the Hokies to 3-2 in ACC play, will be important come NCAA Tournament selection time. With very few opportunities to gain quality road wins, the Hokies can hang their hat on this performance. Up next, the Hokies head back to Cassell Coliseum for a non-conference battle against Longwood. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
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Women underrepresented in science, engineering SARAH WATSON news reporter Virginia Tech is struggling to maintain female and underrepresented minority enrollment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors on its campus of nearly 30,000 students. Tech, which was ranked fifth in the country for both its engineering and computer science programs by the Wall Street Journal in 2010, fails to reach the national average for females and minorities in most STEM degree programs. According to the American Society for Engineering Education, 15.8 percent of Tech graduates receiving a degree in engineering are female, lower than the national average of 17.8 percent. Within the College of Science, the discrepancy between males and females reverses, with females obtaining 535 degrees in 2010, compared to males obtaining 468 degrees. However, only 28 percent of females went on to gain a master’s degree, compared to 51 percent of males, according to Tech’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. Furthermore, the gaps between the achievements of underrepresented minorities and Caucasians are vast.
According to the OIRE, only 61 underrepresented minority students gained a bachelor’s degree in 2010, while 942 Caucasians students obtained the same degree. These numbers differ within the College of Engineering, according to OIRE data. Females received only 180 degrees, while males received 1,002 degrees. The deficit was even larger with minority groups and those not part of a minority: Underrepresented minorities achieved 68 degrees, while Caucasians received 1,114 degrees in 2010. Beate Schmittmann, physics department head at Tech, sees this problem reflected within her own department, in which only about 22 percent of bachelor’s degrees go to females. Greg Adel, department head for mining and minerals engineering at Tech, faces the same problems. Tech has the largest mining engineering program in the country, with 25 percent of all mining engineers nationwide graduating from Tech. However, females represent only 14 percent of the department, he says. Despite small numbers, Adel has had luck with female enrollment in the past. In 2003, female enrollment increased from approximately 12 percent to 20 percent, but fell to 12 percent again in late 2006. Adel is unsure of the cause for this increase, but is eager for a repeat and confident it will happen again with the addition of female faculty members. William Lewis, vice president for diversity at Tech, believes the lack of diversity in these majors can be traced back to pre-college education. “Underrepresentation in STEM disciplines comes from students that have not been encouraged to go into those majors in secondary school,” Lewis said, “especially in low-performing school systems.” Schmittmann said the exact
51 percent of male graduates and 28 percent of females sought a master’s degree. VICTORIA ZIGADLO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
cause of this problem is difficult to pinpoint, but she said she believes the lack of role models in the major and in the field is one issue. “It is true that not having a lot of women to look to, if you’re thinking about the major, makes a difference,” Schmittmann said. Scott Midkiff, electrical and computer engineering department head at Tech, agreed with Schmittmann’s observations. “Young women can’t look to older women in their neighborhood or in their churches that are engineers,” Midkiff said. Schmittmann added that, generally, females like to believe they are making a difference in the world. However, women often have a difficult time relating this concept to the STEM majors. “Physics can explain how people can make a difference,” Schmittmann said, “like developing medical technology that helps on a much larger scale.” Stacy Branham, a Ph.D. candidate for computer science at Tech, believes there are a variety of issues that lead to a lack of females in STEM degree programs. “It is a very complex issue, so we can’t point to one certain thing,” Branham said. One issue, Branham said, is the culture created by professors. In her experience, Branham has found that males are encouraged to teach themselves informally by “tinkering” with technology. Females, on the other hand, often only have a more formal introduction much later in the classroom. Branham also believes that female role models are valuable assets in computer science. She pointed out that her own role model, though, was her father, who is a computer engineer. “If you don’t see women performing at the highest levels in your field, you think of it as a man’s job subconsciously,” Branham said. She said if someone asked her to draw a picture of a successful scientist, she would probably draw a man. Another issue with women in STEM majors is the presence of gender roles. These roles begin when a child is young and continue throughout adulthood. “Girls are socialized to not enjoy or be good at math,” Branham said. She believes teachers, parents and peers do not expect girls to excel at mathematics. Bev Watford, director of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering
Election officials accused of incompetence CLAIRE SANDERSON news reporter Following mistakes at Montgomery County polls during the last election, county voting officials must now travel to Richmond to answer to the State Board of Elections. “If you can’t trust the process, you can’t trust the outcome,” said Christiansburg local Terry Ellen Carter, who made the complaints that have resulted in the Richmond meeting. Montgomery County Registrar Randy Wertz and the three members of the county’s electoral board, Cynthia Chappelka, Helen Young and Dean Dowdy, have been asked to attend a meeting with the SBE on Jan. 31. In her second letter of complaint to the SBE, Carter requested that the board members be dismissed and that Wertz be fired “for their collective and individual incompetence.” Problems with the polls began early on the morning of Nov. 2, 2010, when the electronic poll books malfunctioned at several polling locations in the county. The 2010 election was to be the first year Montgomery County would use entirely electronic poll books. These simply allow workers to check whether people who show up to vote are actually registered for that precinct. However, in the seven precincts where the electronic poll books failed, workers allowed voters to cast electronic ballots without checking whether they were actually registered for that precinct. In her letter, Carter stated that “at least 655 votes, equal to 2.9 percent of votes cast in Montgomery County, were compromised,” and she requested that these votes be thrown out. According to Carter, several reasons were given to why the electronic poll books failed to work. “There were different reasons coming from different places, and that’s when you know that there’s something else going on — that the problem is coming from the top down,” Carter said.
On the morning of Election Day, in response to questions about the polling problems, Wertz told the Collegiate Times that many volunteers who worked the polls were elderly and unsure of how to correctly use the new technology. “The average age is anywhere from 65 to 72,” Wertz said on Nov. 2. “A lot of these individuals have never been around a laptop, and even though we had 15 or so training sessions, some were still not comfortable with the new technology.” Poor training was one the reasons Carter cited in her letter for the mistakes made at the polls. She also said that many of the volunteers were working with incomplete sets of instructions. “The original instructions were quite lengthy, so Mr. Wertz took the liberty of making that more concise, and left out a step,” Carter said. “If you’re doing something brand new, you need a back up plan.” Carter argued that Wertz should have ordered the use of provisional ballots, which are backup ballots that can be used if there are no paper or electronic poll books available. They can be set aside after they are cast and sorted through at a later time to see if they were cast in the correct precinct. After becoming aware of the polling problems, Carter had both written and spoken with the Montgomery County Electoral Board before contacting the SBE. She said she made several complaints about Wertz, including that he should have used provisional ballots, but “they just told me he’s doing a great job,” she said. “I felt that they listened to me, but I felt like they just didn’t care.” Carter said she does not know what to expect from the Jan. 31 meeting, but that she is grateful to see something being done. According to Electoral Board member Chappelka, the board has decided not to talk with the press until after the Jan. 31 meeting. Wertz was also unavailable for comment.
PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
Ph.D. candidate Stacy Branham was inspired to go into computer engineering by her father, an engineer. Diversity at Tech, sees gender roles playing a major part in the lack of diversity in engineering. “Historically, girls are given dolls and boys are given trucks,” Watford said, adding that females need to learn about engineering at age five or six, not at age 17 and older. At that point, it is too late to change an individual’s mind, she said. Thomas Ratliff, Ph.D. candidate and sociology instructor at Tech, also believes that gender roles influence educational and career paths adding, “women are socialized to be certain things in society, whether or not these roles are sexist is up for empirical examination.” Ratliff added that there are structural inequalities built into the education system that often hinder women and other minority groups. He said this isn’t the fault of the women or minorities, nor is it the fault of the departments or institutions. “Well-meaning people can go along with the general patterns of hiring and education that reproduce the same patterns,” Ratliff said. However, Ratliff believes these patterns are perpetuated and require
programs that assist minority groups, including equal opportunity, affirmative action and scholarship programs targeted at these groups. “I believe a woman can do anything she sets her mind to,” Ratliff said. Branham has also found there is a culture of “I know how to do this” among males in the department that has created a problem for females. She constantly felt as though she was not as intelligent or capable as the males in her classes because she did not express as much confidence or “boast” about her work. “The funny thing was, I was smarter than those dudes,” Branham said. Branham recalled one instance when she was asked a question in class and was afraid to answer the question and be mocked for being a female. Her hands were sweating and her heart was pounding, but she answered the question correctly. She remembered thinking, “if I answer this wrong, (the professor) will think I’m just a dumb girl.” While problems still exist, department heads and industry leaders are beginning to value diversity in the workplace because of the value of dif-
ferent human perspectives. Lewis said the benefit of a diverse student body is developing a stronger product or method of doing something. Students from a variety of backgrounds and lifestyles are able to offer different ideas, opinions and methods. Ultimately, this improves the quality of the product, Lewis said. “The richness of the design process comes from diverse backgrounds,” Midkiff said. Midkiff is attempting to reach out to the “full spectrum” of high school students to obtain a successful group of engineers for Tech. “To provide quality of life, national security, leadership and technology, you need a well-educated STEM workforce,” Midkiff said. To achieve that, the mining and minerals engineering department relies on females to recruit high school students and college freshmen. “Some of the best spokespeople tend to be women,” Adel said. Adel recognizes that the industry needs to alter its mentality of assuming women are inferior to men, if women see DIVERSITY / page six
Tech faculty, staff to receive first salary bonus since 2007 MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news reporter Virginia Tech’s salaried faculty and staff received a one-time three percent bonus in December, the first increase in compensation since 2007. The General Assembly passed a motion in early 2010 to allow state employees, which includes all of Tech’s employees, to receive the bonus if the state met certain budget cutting and revenue increasing goals. “It was an action by the governor to recognize that employees had not received any change in compensation,” said Dwight Shelton, Tech’s vice president of finance. “If the state generated enough money to pay for it, he allowed for that one-time bonus.” Fall bonuses were typically given to state employees in years past, but the state debt made it harder for the General Assembly to justify the past three years. Although appreciative, employees are frustrated by the freeze in base pay. “Certainly it’s nice to get the bonus, and we all appreciated the bonus and are pleased to get it, but all of us, particularly the lower paid employees, would certainly benefit from a higher salary,” said Hal Irvin, Tech’s associate vice president of human resources. “It’s been a long time since we got an increase and it’s been a really difficult
thing for everybody,” he said. “You still have the bills to pay and your living expenses and they’re just not getting the salary increases.” The General Assembly has proposed another bonus if the state meets more budget goals this year in addition to a salary increase, according to Irvin. The proposal will give salaried employees a two percent raise beginning in July. Howe ver, there is another proposal for state employees to start paying into the Virginia Retirement System, used by approximately one-third, or 1,000, of Tech’s faculty. Currently the state pays both the “employer” and “employee” shares of the pension payments. If both measures pass, some faculty and staff may see a net loss in their paychecks, according to Mike Ellerbrock, faculty senate president. “The Faculty Senate’s
attitude is that philosophically the state is reneging on its commitment to state employees and faculty,” he said. “We commit our lives and careers here and they’re robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Ellerbrock said. “They’re giving us a bonus at the same time (they might) force us to pay more into our retirement accounts.”
DANIELLE BUYNAK / COLLEGIATE TIMES
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news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
january 21, 2010
COLLEGIATETIMES
On Tech Police timely warning e-mails: Amanda>> People never seem to be satisfied with alerts- whether it is TOO MUCH or NOT ENOUGH, someone always finds a way to complain. Personally, I would rather take 15 seconds out of my life to quickly read a local police report that alerts me to what is going on in the neighborhood and could very well affect me.
On winter break in Blacksburg: Wow.>> Chris, you sound like a bitter Townie. Yes, it’s nice when the students leave but if all of this bothers you enough to write a piece about it, why do you live here? And as far as Kroger is concerned, you should try checking out the South Main mega Kroger. They’re guaranteed to have your beloved frozen pizza and Ben & Jerry’s any day of the year. One more thing: I’m not anti-Santa, but I find it hard to believe that parents taking their kids to see a fictitious character they are lying about the existence of promotes honesty and builds trust as you say. It’s a fun tradition but not one that does those two things. Get over yourself, and go back to not watching TV.
Anon >> LMAO!
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what’s funny is that all of this is true. Being a student, I’ve lived here for 5 years and spent one winter break here and 2 summers here. Blacksburg really empties out during summers and winter breaks. It’s actually pretty peaceful and I like it that way. Perhaps Blacksburg is starting to get too small for it’s growing student population.
JUSTIN GRAVES -public editor -sociology/leadership & social change -junior
In “Tech preps new enrichment program for senior citizens,” (CT - Jan. 20), the program runs six consecutive Tuesdays beginning in March. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.
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nation Wal-Mart to make food healthier, cheaper NEW YORK — Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc., urged by first lady Michelle Obama, said it plans to reformulate thousands of food products to make them healthier and more affordable in a bid to boost its largest business by revenue. Wal-Mart said it plans to reduce sodium by 25 percent and added sugar by 10 percent by 2015 in both its Great Value private label and national-branded products. It also plans to remove indus-
try-produced trans fat and partially hydrogenated oil in the meantime. The company said it plans to lower prices on healthier food items and plans to build stores in what it described as “food deserts.” Obama’s fight against childhood obesity served as a catalyst that led to the company’s “collaborative” effort with the first lady’s office, said Leslie Dach, executive vice president of corporate affairs. “It affects products suppliers sell in stores all over the country,” Obama
said. “They are changing how the entire food industry does business.” The initiative also may help WalMart in its push to build stores in urban markets such as New York, analysts said. “We hope this will provide greater reason and opportunity for customers to come to our stores,” Dach said. “We are very eager to bring Wal-Mart to food deserts.” -andria cheng, mcclatchy newspapers
Google’s Page to replace Schmidt as CEO SAN JOSE, Calif. — Google cofounder Larry Page will take charge of the company’s day-to-day operations as chief executive officer, replacing current CEO Eric Schmidt, who will focus on strategic projects and, in particular, new products. “We’ve been talking about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making for a long time,” Schmidt said in a statement released by Google. “By clarifying our individual roles, we’ll create clearer responsibility and accountability at the top of the company.” Internally, Schmidt will continue to act as an adviser to Page and Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who will also focus on strategic projects and new products. “Eric has clearly done an outstanding job leading Google for the last decade,” Page said in a written statement. “The results speak for
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themselves. His advice and efforts will be invaluable to me as I start in this new role. Google still has such incredible opportunity — we are only at the beginning, and I can’t wait to get started.” The changes takes effect April 4. Google on Thursday reported fourth-quarter revenues of $8.44 billion, an increase of 26 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2009 — topping analysts’ expectations. Google in 2010 embarked on an ambitious strategic agenda, spending well over $2 billion as it scooped up more than 30 small startups and larger established companies starting in the fall of 2009, and adding 3,500 people to its global workforce. But Google was rebuffed on what would have been its biggest purchase — a reported $6 billion bid for discount broker Groupon. Investors were unmoved by that strategic focus: Google stock under-
performed the market in 2010, rising about 9 percent over the past year. In recent days, Google has taken a back seat in the news to rivals like Apple and Facebook. But Google stock has climbed 6 percent over the past month, getting another jump on Tuesday following news that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was going on an indefinite medical leave. The stock has also been rising based on speculation that Google ad revenue would benefit from a strong holiday season. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S had predicted that Google would report net revenue of $6.06 billion for the fourth quarter, up roughly 10 percent from the previous quarter, and 22 percent year on year. -mike swift, mcclatchy newspapers
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editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
january 21, 2011
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Our Views [staff editorial]
Positive efforts now encouraging women to enter STEM fields Most young women of the Millennial generation, at some point during their secondary education, were encouraged to embrace and enter the science, technology, engineering and mathematics educational field. Whether it be through summer camps, after-school programs or talks by female professionals, there has been an increased interest in the STEM professions and by STEM educators for middle and high school girls and minorities to become involved in the sciences. Not all of these programs are directed at girls, but many of them are specifically targeting girls to get involved. With the recent data that has come out about women in STEM programs at Virginia Tech — with the graduation rate of women in engineering below the national average and less than 30 percent of female graduates in the College of Science going on to earn a master’s degree
— this push for women to enter STEM professions should only continue and proliferate. It should be recognized that the direction of someone’s education starts long before college. It is important for schools to push girls as early as possible to enter STEM professions and encourage a diversity of perspectives in the STEM job landscape. The efforts currently being made by Tech departments and organizations in the STEM field to foster the growth of women and minorities are certainly making strides to reduce the gender gap currently present at this school. And these efforts should continue with as much energy as possible, with the ultimate goal of a more balanced STEM community at Tech and other institutions. -the editorial board is composed of peter velz, scott masselli and gabi seltzer
Connect to the Virginia Tech community through pilot volunteer database Did you know there are more than 50 service organizations registered with Student Affairs that host their own projects each semester? I am sure that some of you are in the meetings or organizing the projects for these clubs and are sometimes frustrated by the disconnect between your powerful, innovative ideas and the resources that can make the ideas reality. Most of the campus knows about Relay for Life, held in April on the Drillfield. Thousands gather for the night of walking, games and support for everyone touched by cancer. Shirts appear on the bookstore shelves as part of the fundraising efforts. Bake sales outside D2 or downtown boost the efforts as well. Many of you will register to walk that night with little to no problem finding others to work with you. Major events such as Fall Day of Service, Hokies for the Hungry and The Big Event offer opportunities for students, faculty and community members to embrace and “live” our motto, Ut Prosim, which translates into, “That I may serve.” But how many of you participate in smaller events throughout the year, in October or February? How many of you know where to find out about these events, when to register, how to help or who to contact? How many of you see the university motto of Virginia Tech, Ut Prosim, in the campus community year round? I am also sure many of you didn’t know about the number of opportunities or organizations that exist where you can make a difference. You may be interested in helping others, but you don’t have the time to organize the events or attend the meetings. Instead, you are searching for a way to find out about the opportunities that fit your schedule and your interests. Now, the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships is experimenting with a way to connect people who are interested in volunteering with the people, organizations, and events who need help. NRV-VT Community Connections is an online database that connects volunteers and projects in need of them, so the right people are in the right place at the right time with the right information. Because this database is just starting to operate, we are looking for individuals to register as potential volunteers and organizations to register their projects. All in all, this is one big experiment
with the power to change volunteering for the better by offering everyone a singular communication device. What we need is participation and feedback. Step 1: Visit Web.volunteer2. com, and search for “Blacksburg” under the “Looking for Ways to Volunteer?” section. Step 2: Click the “Register Now” button to enter your information in the database. This is the same process for both individuals and organizations. The information differs slightly, but registration is easy and painless for both parties. Step 3: Browse the database for events or register your event. If you do not see exactly what you are looking for, or your schedule is jammed this week, feel free to return at your leisure for information. Step 4: Reap the benefits of connectivity. Enjoy the rapid response and the improved communication between volunteers, project coordinators and organizations. Step 5: Tell CSECP about your experience. Remember, this is an experiment for us. We’re looking to see what works and what doesn’t. Post on our Facebook page (Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships, Virginia Tech) or comment on our blog (csecpatvt.wordpress.com) about what works and what does not with this program. Imagine not having to scramble for volunteers; imagine finding organizations whose interests match your own; imagine having an easy, quick and accurate way to access service projects that interest you and affect the local community in a real and meaningful way. This tool will be only as effective as the people who use it. Without feedback, we cannot improve. Without creative ideas, we miss out on smart ways to use resources within the community. Finally, there is an opportunity to connect. Take advantage of a simple, free, convenient resource for all of the service-minded students, faculty, organizations and community members. Explore to see what NRV-VT Community Connections has to offer you. Interested in finding out more? Visit us online at www.vtserves. vt.edu or stop by the CSECP offices on the first floor of LittonReaves to chat with us in person.
DIANA CAMPBELL -guest columnist
MCT CAMPUS
Freedom of speech vital for American success Nearly 200 years following the passage of Great Britain’s Bill of Rights, which established the right of members of Parliament to freely speak, the drafters of the United States Bill of Rights extended this freedom to all American citizens. Since its drafting in 1791, the First Amendment has stood as one of the most highly debated, attacked, misinterpreted and defended portions of our Constitution. The drafters of our Constitution and those who assisted in fighting for American independence recognized freedom of speech was not only a right which was inalienably possessed by every living person, it is a concept that can most easily be seen as producing national and social progress. It is therefore interesting to consider that only seven years following the imposition of legal protection for free expression, the Adams Administration and the U.S. Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts stripping Americans of this sacred right. Since 1798, the right of free expression has been under continual attack by those protecting their own political or social power, or those who are unable to retain principles when it becomes inconvenient or dangerous to do so. During World War I, the Wilson Administration and Congress passed the Espionage Act, which, though it was used for different means than intended, was used to prosecute nearly 2,000 Americans for practicing their right to free speech.
From 1919 to 1921, Attorney General Mitchell Palmer ordered his infamous “Palmer Raids,” in which Justice Department workers ransacked union offices and Communist or Socialist headquarters without warning or warrants. And this past week, while our nation still mourned the tragedy in Tucson, those who would wish to use grief for the progress of power voiced their belief that talk radio and the Tea Party were to blame for this inhumane act. I have never been able to comprehend how in the same voice people are so quick to sing about the “home of the free” and also demonize those who exercise their enshrined right. Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “those who would sacrifice essential liberty in order to purchase temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety,” is so often ignored by those who claim to respect his genius in the process of our national founding. In our post-Sept. 11 world, Franklin’s quote appears truer than ever as the American people self-flagellated themselves and their national identity as the Bush Administration and its congressional minions took Wite-Out to our Constitution. The terrible crimes in Tucson last week serve as an unfortunate reminder of the dangerous world we all inhabit. It is unpleasant to think that a member of Congress is unable to speak to her constituents without fear of assassination just as it is unfortunate to know that our airplanes can be used against
us as weapons. These along with others serve as clear and distinct reminders that our world is dangerous, and we are not always safe. Reminders such as these can be used to increase our commitment to the freedoms we have fought for throughout the history of our nation, or they can be used as a means for dismantling all that serves to identify this nation from others. The truth is we do live in a dangerous world. There are people who would seek to bring about pain and suffering to their fellow men. This fact is as true now as it was in 1798, during World War I, and in the era of McCarthyism. Perhaps, however, instead of removing the freedoms that make our nation distinct and our people who they are, we should unify behind them and vow to not allow thugs and tyrants to push us around. Perhaps we can act like adults instead of children and not beg our government to protect us with tyranny. Perhaps instead of singing about the “land of the free and the home of the brave,” we should act like it. And perhaps instead of walking through life in fear like cowards, we should be proud of ourselves that the freedoms we have managed to ensure have not always been national standards.
JASON CAMPBELL -regular columnist -philosophy major -sophomore
US higher education in danger From the halls of state legislatures to the streets of Europe, higher education is in crisis. For years, American colleges and universities have been the envy of the world, but in the past four decades, this situation has deteriorated significantly and is quickly approaching the tipping point. Radical changes are needed, but, unfortunately, many administrators and most faculty members refuse to acknowledge the magnitude of the problems and are unwilling to consider constructive alternatives. To appreciate the complexity of the issues, it is important to understand the diversity of American higher education. Community colleges, public and private colleges, research universities, and forprofit institutions face significantly different problems. While one solution will not fit all, it is essential to recognize that the problems are systemic and, therefore, each institution must be considered in relation to all others. We must also realize that the post-secondary student body is as diverse as the institutions where they are educated. Socalled traditional college students — i.e., those 18 to 22 years old, constitute only between 15 percent and 18 percent of the total student population. People of all ages are seeking higher education, and their demands differ significantly. The current system of higher education is unsustainable financially, curricularly and institutionally. Parents and students as well as colleges and universities are facing unprecedented financial difficulties. The cost of college is skyrocketing at the precise moment that advanced education is more important than ever. The numbers speak for themselves — by 2020 four years at a top-tier school will cost $328,000, by 2028 $589,000, and by 2035 a college education will cost an astonishing $788,000. Parents and students are already taking on considerable debt to finance education. Indeed, last June, student debt surpassed credit card debt for the first time. This situation is unsustainable. The financial challenges are no less daunting for colleges and universities. Assets are down, liabilities are up (many schools have taken on significant debt to finance building projects, many of which are unrelated to their academic mission), income is down (endow-
ments still have not recovered from the 2008 collapse, and state revenues are not keeping pace), and costs are either fixed or rising. These financial pressures will make it impossible for most colleges and universities to offer sufficient financial aid to offset escalating costs. As the cost continues to rise, more and more students and parents are beginning to wonder whether college is worth the investment. A New York Times article (Dec. 13, 2010) argues, “A college education is better than no college education and correlates with higher pay.” While this might be true, with the continuing recession and stubborn unemployment and underemployment, it is unclear how long this argument will continue to be persuasive. These problems are compounded by the fact that in far too many cases, college is not preparing students for life and work in the 21st century. A growing emphasis on research rather than teaching has led to over-specialized courses that often represent the interests of faculty rather than the needs of students. The curriculum needs to be thoroughly restructured in ways that break down barriers now separating departments, disciplines, and programs. In addition, all courses — even those in the liberal arts and humanities — should engage real-world problems. Knowledge for knowledge’s sake is a luxury we can no longer afford. To insist that the curriculum should have a practical orientation is not, however, to claim that education should become narrowly vocational: Liberal-arts education has never been more important than in today’s globalized world. Finally, the current institutional structure — both intra- and inter-institutional — of higher education is unsustainable. Within colleges and universities, departments, divisions, and programs all too often operate independently in ways that do not serve common institutional goals. To make matters worse, educational institutions compete with each other for scarce resources, students and faculty. The pernicious rating systems encourage wasteful competition that makes cooperative ventures all but impossible. Rather than reinforcing walls that separate, we should be building webs and
networks that connect faculty and students from the local to the global level. It will be impossible to provide the quality of education a growing number of students need without an informed and effective use of new media and communications technologies. While some administrators and faculty members are beginning to realize the pedagogical potential of these technologies, most resist innovation and insist on teaching as they always have done. It is, of course, necessary for students to learn to read critically and write well, but this is no longer sufficient. They must also cultivate literacy in the technologies they will use in their personal and professional lives. These technologies already make it possible for colleges and universities to cooperate on a global scale. Through the use of telepresence, institutions can share faculty and students can take courses with professors anywhere in the world. Increasingly sophisticated online education provides enhanced educational opportunities that will scale effectively and thereby alleviate some of the financial burdens institutions are facing. From elite private colleges to large state universities, an increasing number of students cannot get into the classes they need to complete their education, and often, when they are admitted, they find themselves in classes with 300 to 1,000 students. A responsible deployment of technology will enable schools to provide a better education for more students. In coming years, there will be a significant shift from place-based education to online education at the secondary as well as the post-secondary level. A recent report predicts that by 2019, 50 percent of the courses high-school students take will be online. If the problems are so pressing, why is change so slow? Colleges and universities are notoriously conservative but are gradually beginning to realize that change is necessary. As I have insisted, the problems facing higher education are systemic and cannot be addressed by acting independently of one another.
MARK C. TAYLOR -mcclatchy newspapers
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4 sports
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january 21, 2011
Upsets loom in NFL conference championship games This Sunday’s NFL conference championship games will take place in two of the most feared locations this league has to offer; Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and Soldier Field in Chicago. And while I am a firm believer in the idea of home-field advantage, my predictions this week say otherwise. The AFC Championship game pits the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) against the No. 6-seed New York Jets (13-5). The Jets come in to this game fresh off a 28-21 upset of rival New England in last week’s Divisional Round. This came only one week after kicker Nick Folk’s last second field goal knocked the Indianapolis Colts out of the playoffs. So what’s next for New York? Well, they’ve already beaten two of the three most dominant teams in the AFC
over the past decade, and I believe they’ll take care of number three on Sunday. Now, before the mass conglomerate of Steelers fans on this campus declare war on me (Seriously, am I the only one who’s noticed the ridiculous number of Steelers fans at Tech? Even though there are three NFL teams located geographically closer to Blacksburg?), allow me to explain myself. While the Steelers seem to have the edge in almost every phase of the game (better quarterback, better offensive line, better defense), I’m not one to put my faith in statistics. But I do believe in hot streaks. The Steelers aren’t playing their best football when they need to be. Last Saturday’s 31-24 win against the Ravens would not have happened if Baltimore didn’t
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and will probably come down to which defense comes up with more big plays down the stretch. My Pick: Jets 24, Steelers 17. In the NFC Championship game, the No. 2-seed Chicago Bears (12-5) will play host to the No. 6-seed Green Bay Packers (12-6). This NFC North rivalry dates all the way back to 1921, making it the longest in professional football. The two teams split their regular season matchups, with the Bears winning 20-17 on Sept. 27, and the Packers taking the Jan. 2 game, 10-3. The Bears are coming off a 35-24 victory over the NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks. But let’s be honest: That really doesn’t mean too much. You have to give Chicago credit for playing better than the other three teams who enjoyed first-round bye weeks (see Atlanta, New England and
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turn the ball over on three straight possessions inside their own 40-yard line in the third quarter. The Jets, however, are on fire. The key matchup in this game will be the Jets passing attack versus the Steelers secondary. Mark Sanchez has yet to prove himself as an elite quarterback, but he could do so Sunday against a team that tied for fifth in the league with 21 interceptions. If the Steelers can force Sanchez into some mistakes early on, they could very easily make my prediction look pretty dumb. And let’s not forget about the Steelers’ playoff experience. Ben Roethlisberger has led them to two Super Bowls in the past five years and they’ve played in the AFC Championship game four times in the last decade. This will definitely be a close game,
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ACROSS 1 A whale has a long one 4 Shor t penci l 8 Sign of milita ry respec t 14 Tokyo-bor n ar tist 15 Lak e Titicaca is par tly in it 16 Pre viousl y, previousl y 17 Pure 19 Nurser y rocker 20 Naughty object of Beetho ven’s affections?
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DOWN 1 Ro cker Bon __ 2 Lively, to Beetho ven: Abbr. 3 Low life? 4 High point ? 5 High-r ise occupant 6 River through souther n Russia 7 Soc ket inser t 8 Novus ordo __: Great Seal phrase 9 Cupid’ s missile 10 Li ke trees in summe r 11 Sign of stress? 12 Squealed 13 She used to be a lambkin 18 Began to win a lot 21 En vironmental subgroup 24 Toque wearers 25 Hear t line 26 Pro vocatio n potential, as of a Howard Ster n segment 59 : : : 60 Parker and Roosevelt 61 “CBS Ev ening News” anchor 62 Naughty—and with 63-Across , composer Beetho ven? (bor n 12/16/1770) 63 Toupee 64 Anxiet y 65 Dieter’ s triumph 66 Booz er
28 Passed, as tim e 29 Busybodies’ active organs? 31 Three-card con 32 Watch, secret agent-style 34 Transgression 36 Steam y resort 39 Come together 40 Scar y contract hirees 45 State border ing Arizona 47 Tendons 50 Longtime civil rights leader Roy 52 A plethor a 53 Timely benefit 54 Pocket vibrator, at times 55 Dairy bar 56 Garden lines 57 Beetho ven’s “Archduke,” for one 58 High-ranking NCO 59 Hosp . heart ward
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1/20/11
Pittsburgh) but beating the first team with a losing record to win its division isn’t exactly something to be proud of. Green Bay, on the other hand, has knocked off two teams that many believed would meet for the NFC Championship Game — Philadelphia and Atlanta. Last weekend, the Packers absolutely manhandled the Falcons in every phase of the game — scoring on all but two possessions. Greg Jennings fumbled on the third play from scrimmage, and Mason Crosby missed a 50-yard field goal toward the end of the third quarter. Punter Tim Masthay didn’t touch the field. Whether the Bears will be able to stay in this game will depend on their historically stout defense. Chicago ranked second in rushing defense and ninth in total defense over the course of the regular season. Unfortunately
for this year’s squad, it ranked 20th in pass defense. The Packers aren’t going to try to run the ball on them early (only 12 attempts in the first half last week against Atlanta), and Aaron Rodgers is playing out of his mind right now (78 percent completion percentage, six touchdowns, no turnovers in two playoff games). Again, I’m going with the team that’s hot right now. Green Bay looked unstoppable last week, and if it can match that performance again on Sunday, Chicago doesn’t stand a chance. My Pick: Packers 38, Bears 17.
ZACH MARINER -sports staff writer -freshman -communication major
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editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
he she
january 21, 2011
SAID
He said: Last semester’s failures bring stress and negative attitudes
She said: Back to school means responsibility We face a whole new year folks, and whether you’ve noticed it or not, our lives have drastically changed in the past month. Last year was filled with a few last minute surprises. But even Lindsay Lohan getting out of rehab wasn’t as unexpected or as exciting as watching the Yankees learn that all their money can’t buy Cliff Lee. However, the most unexpected event of all was the announcement that “Home Alone” was officially 20 years old. Where did the time go? I had never felt so old. However, don’t fret — the Year of the Rabbit has exciting, new adventures awaiting us. And how can we not be enthusiastic when the new year brings the return of Snooki and the “Jersey Shore” cast? As we return to Blacksburg, we must face the truth and acknowledge that Hokie football season is officially over. We still have the Super Bowl, and my personal favorite, March Madness, but nothing can compare to the atmosphere of a game day in Blacksburg. As I stepped outside, the welcoming wind chill of 15 below zero in Blacksburg let me know that I was home. Returning to your apartment after a long winter break can be a rude awakening. As I anxiously unlocked the door, I was not prepared to face reality. You open the fridge — it’s empty. You look at your laundry basket — it’s full. No matter how long it takes, we must concede and realize we don’t have our parents to make us dinner or clean our clothes anymore. Welcome to adulthood — again. They say be careful what you wish for. We all
begged our parents for independence at one point, but look where that got us. As this new year begins, I’m prepared to face the first three overwhelming weeks on campus. Thanks to the usual mass of new year’s resolutions, the buses will be filled, we will all be sardines in the dining halls and the gyms will be crammed with students who plan on getting in shape. While I personally don’t believe in new year’s resolutions, my return to Blacksburg did lead to a new experiment. I attempted to improve my cooking skills. Then again, it was either get productive or starve to death. Apparently, returning a week early without the convenience of dining halls leaves you with few options. Feeling like Julia Child, I walked around Kroger as if I owned the place. I had planned to follow the usual grocery list with the exception of the ingredients for my mom’s chicken parmesan recipe. As I scanned my Kroger card, I felt accomplished and determined I could easily prepare meals like my own mom. However, it was fun unpacking my groceries and finding all of the chicken parmesan ingredients with the exception of one item — chicken. I ended up at the grocery store three times in two days. At this point in my life I think it’s time to give in and accept that I’m no Julia Child. And maybe I am a terrible chef, but I’d be lying if I said watching myself fail wasn’t mildly entertaining. They say, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” All I know is that it felt like Christmas morning all over again as I walked through the doors of West End.
5
It’s funny how many jokes are made about women and how they should stay in the kitchen. But I wonder — are they even true anymore? I live with three other women, and together we can only make sandwiches, microwave meals and cereal. I would not consider myself a feminist, but it seems to me as if the definition of a woman has drastically changed. At this point it’s time to take advantage of the dining halls as much as possible. It’s hard to believe it, but sooner or later we won’t be swiping our Hokie Passports for London Broil. As we enter a new decade, we will still hold onto our youth. What else can we do when we have been told that zodiac signs have changed and that 2012 will be the end of the world? Whether that is the case, it’s time to live life to the fullest. According to the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rabbit will be a nice break after a vicious Year of the Tiger. This year we will be carefree and ignore unpleasant realities by pushing off tasks until the last minute. That being said, I’m more than ready to follow the traditions of this year. I’ll remain carefree by ignoring my 8 a.m. and using Facebook to procrastinate. It may be a new year, but hey — things never really do change.
CHELSEA GUNTER -features reporter -sophomore -communicaton major
Dreary January weather isn’t the only reason Blacksburg feels so subdued. Some of the life left this party the day grades were posted online. Winter break is filled with unrelenting parental harassment, which has created a palpable sense of urgency on campus, and for good reason — underachievement is putting Mardis Gras spring break plans at risk. Grandiose visions of academic triumph are gone, replaced with a feeling more like starting the second half down two touchdowns. The only way to get out of this GPA hell is to climb one inch at a time and take the fight to school. And unlike, say, the Baltimore Ravens, school isn’t going to lie down and serve you its dignity on a silver platter. Of course, college students are nothing if not blind optimists. Even a schedule full of early upper level classes — naturally viewed for the first time the night before their first day — is met with enough blase machismo to humble Charlie Sheen. “Sure, I didn’t do so hot with those tough classes last year,” your friend explains, referring to his near-failing marks in introductory theater and glorified pre-calculus, “but this semester is different. I’m really going to apply myself this time.” Untold variations of this mantra will be uttered as classes begin, choirs of rededicated scholars sending “for real this time, bro” hymns wafting out of dorms and fraternity houses into the skeptical winter breeze. Self-delusion is an integral part of the college experience. Imagine if every freshman slacker knew that lackadaisical work ethic results in a hopelessly doomed GPA — dorm life would be deprived of the comforts provided by its most endearingly ambitionless residents. In the 21st century, any hall without a reliable 3 a.m. Netflix room might as well be the barracks at VMI. Luckily, blissful ignorance allows snooze buttons to be pressed with the utmost confidence that skipping the morning class won’t carry any repercussions. And for seven glorious days in the beginning of each semester, this is true. Syllabus week assuages fears over the previous semester’s failings, instilling each slacker with confidence that they will finally make dean’s list and earn sanctuary from parental criticism. That this story will almost certainly end with the aforementioned friend barging into your room shocked — shocked — to have failed a one-credit online course is irrelevant. Hope springs eternal as long as the calendar is on January. The perpetual slacker isn’t alone in making academic resolutions for the new semester. Mr. Complacency shows the flipside of the underachieving coin. First semester success, likely artificially generated by conquering lower level freebies, led to a winter break full of coddling and affection. Like feeding a dog scraps
off the table, bad habits were cemented and warped internal logic developed a plan based on the assumption that the same behavior will work in any environment. An age-appropriate class schedule teaches the same painful lesson in judgment as Grandpa’s boot at Christmas dinner. Ironically, this semester non-resolution will lead to a similar GPA as the perpetual slacker but worse standing with parents thanks to heightened expectations. Mr. Complacency will learn the error of his ways and never again exceed mediocrity during his collegiate career. The engineer is free from the pitfalls of early semester hope as a result of never actually having any to begin with. Still, misery loves company; friends feel an icy chill as this student swoops in to suck happiness from the conversation. Before hearing yet another list of soul-crushing aerospace courses, please remind these morose folk that relinquishing happiness is the price they agreed to pay for near-guaranteed employment. In other words, cram it Tesla — those of us watching our future industry swan dive into irrelevance aren’t particularly concerned. Not everyone needs goals. The Curve-Killing Princess — or Curve-Crushing Princess under the semantic instruction of new Speaker of the House John Boehner — will once again blaze an effortless trail of class average destruction through Pamplin Hall. And just like the third man from the U.S. presidency, the Princess won’t hesitate to blubber like a pulled-over teenage girl if it helps achieve her goals. Lying on the opposite end of the motivation spectrum are Spicolis, a breed of mellow cats who take nonchalance to a questionable extreme. They were totally prepared to make some goals before they forgot, man; something like improving grades or finishing the second season of “Flight of the Conchords.” Signing up for classes should probably be this student’s priority, but really, any sign of motivation is a small triumph. No semester plan, however, tops that of Hokie golden boy Malcolm Delaney, who recently announced via Twitter that his hard work and foresight had paid off in the form of one class each week. Well played, sir. Navigate the ACC schedule that well and we might earn one of those three new tournament seeds added to stabilize coach Seth Greenberg’s blood pressure.
ANDREW REILLY -features staff writer -junior -communication major
january 21, 2011
page 6
Diversity: Tech women’s engineering enrollment below national average from page one
and minorities are to ever play a major role in engineering. “There are more younger people working their way up the ladder that are used to being in classes with females and minorities,” Adel said. However, many females are still unable to reach upper management positions because they want to start a family, said Adel. He believes the industry needs to adapt to the needs of these females. “The industry needs us to do better and the industry needs to do better for us,” Adel said. There are currently a variety of initiatives through individual departments and colleges to increase the percentage of females and minorities obtaining degrees. Emily Sarver, for example, recently hired to work in mining and minerals engineering, initiated the student chapter of Women in Mining at Tech in 2003. The organization, made up of approximately 25 women, focuses on outreach. Women in Mining presents lessons about minerals to elementary and middle school classes, and participates in social activities. Schmittmann and the physics department are working to include more females with a similar initiative. The department’s organization, the Ladies of Robeson, acts as a support group. The Ladies of Robeson meet several times a semester to network within the department. “The climate is very supportive,” Schmittmann said. Schmittmann is working to combat the “dire shortage” of physics teachers in the state of Virginia by writing a proposal to increase the number of physics teachers in the country. She is also part of the Physics Teacher Education Coalition, an organization that sets aside funding to train physics teachers. In order to combat this issue, Midkiff believes that students must be targeted during middle school. “Around middle school, math becomes less interesting to girls,” Midkiff said. Midkiff views the United States’ education system as a cause of fewer female and minority engineers. According to Midkiff, China and India have a “fairly high” percentage of female engineers. The percentage of female engineers in France is approaching 50 percent, according to Midkiff. “Part of it is the education system, the other part is that (engineering) is viewed as an economic opportunity (for women),” Midkiff said. Susan Arnold-Christian, assistant director for CEED, believes the lack of diversity in engineering is caused, in part, by pre-college instructor education. “We’re producing teachers in classrooms who don’t know what engineering is,” Arnold-Christian said. CEED has made some of the largest steps on the Tech campus to combat these issues and increase diversity in STEM majors. The CEED office tar-
gets high school and college-aged students, with a special emphasis on minority groups. The Pre-College Initiative is designed as a weekend visit on the Tech campus, specifically for African-American high school students. Another program, Computers and Technology at Tech, is a two-week summer camp created for high school-aged girls. CEED also offers a five-week summer program with a rigorous academic course load to all incoming engi-
neering students. Along with these pre-college programs, CEED offers a variety of freshman mentoring programs specifically for Hispanics, African-Americans and females, as well as a theme housing option designed for female engineers exclusively, Hypatia. “These programs are designed from the perspective that women are attracted to engineering because they can make a difference,” Watford said. There are approximately 800 students
currently enrolled in programs offered by the CEED office, not just women or minority students, Watford said. “We do things that will target (women and minorities), but is open to everybody,” Arnold-Christian said. The office recently received the Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity given to educational units, individuals, associations and firms that have achieved success in diversity. Finally, the Council for the Advancement of Minority Engineering
Organizations is an umbrella organization for many other groups at Tech. Within CAMEO is the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Association of Women in Computing and the Society of Women Engineers. Branham found her place in computer science, made close friends and decided to go to graduate school through AWC after joining her junior year. “I didn’t even realize the odds were
DANIELLE BUYNAK / COLLEGIATE TIMES
against me until my junior year,” Branham said. Many women never realize the barriers that stand in their way, Branham said. Tech instated a university-wide initiative for improving diversity almost two decades ago, according to Lewis. “The institution made a commitment to not only recruit, but retain and graduate underrepresented minorities and women,” Lewis said.
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