Wednesday, December 7, 2011 Print Edition

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

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COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 123

News, page 2

Food & Drink, page 9

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 4

Classifieds, page 8

Sudoku, page 8

Virginia Tech James Madison Virginia Average percent of need met: 100% Average indebtedness at graduation: $19,384

Average percent of need met: 43% Average indebtedness at graduation: $20,417

Average percent of need met: 62% Average indebtedness at graduation: $23,100

DEBT

OCCUPIES COLLEGES Virginia’s diverse group of universities searches for fitting ways to remove or lighten economic burden of education for their students

BY MALLORY NOE-PAYNE | news staff writer In a speech at the University of Colorado-Denver, President Barack Obama openly discussed the impact of student debt on his own life.

“We were paying more on our student loans than we were paying on our mortgage each month,” Obama said of he and his wife after they both attended law school.

Obama’s late October talk unveiled a new plan to provide further relief to students paying off loans. The plan, which will go into effect in 2012, changes how much students pay each month and for how long they pay.

Currently, loan payments can be

capped at 15 percent of a graduate’s income and, in some circumstances, remaining debt erased after 25 years of payments. The plan will change those numbers to 10 percent of discretionary income, with remaining debt erased after 20 years.

Obama’s “Pay as you Earn” plan was a response to increasing unrest from students nationwide and sparked a conversation on student debt. However, solutions to how students approach and deal with debt are also starting at the ground up — at the schools themselves.

With more than 75 institutions of higher education in Virginia, the state serves

as a good case study for how schools of various sizes and funding sources approach financial aid for their students.

Shelley Blumenthal, a guidance counselor at Blacksburg High School, points to the differences between higher endowed private colleges and public state schools.

“I think that we have a signifcant number who take advantage of our strong state school options,” Blumenthal said.

“Then students with private schools and the associated higher costs are more likely looking at financial aid packages.”

But when it comes down to the numbers, things can get tricky.

“With college it’s like that old adage, ‘Don’t look at the sticker price,’” Blumenthal said of approaching how much a school costs.

PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES At public and private schools alike, endowments — funds that universities maintain and invest that are largely supported by private giving — are important factors in how much aid students are likely to receive given their need.

Endowments are varied and can be affected by the school’s size, prestige and whether it is public or private.

In addition to the size of a school’s

endowment, the amount of aid given to students also depends on the number of students who require aid — this number is considerably higher at more costly private schools.

Tech’s endowment is currently about $600 million. The recently completed “Campaign for Virginia Tech: Invent the Future” fundraising effort grew the endowment by 81 percent since 2003, according to Tech. The campaign began in 2003 and has created 563 new scholarships. see DEBT / page two

Spencer, Holt to send off Hokies Program could

improve VT Alerts system JOSH HIGGINS news reporter Students have expressed dissatisfaction with VT Alerts, especially since earlier this year a message was sent stating that a robbery occurred near the Math Emporium, which really took place near Mary Jane Circle.

Following the erroneous message, another was sent correcting the error. Grace Wilde, a freshman biology major, was frustrated with the miscommunication.

“VT Alerts left out too much information when there was a robber off campus,” Wilde said.

“When I went to class, I was afraid there could be a gunman on campus.”

But there is a new communication system that could help prevent these mistakes from happening. Text2Them, which Evolve Mobile Communication, Inc. created, allows students to text back to the university, asking about crucial information or reporting activity.

Alvin Butler, the CEO of Evolve Mobile, said Text2Them was initially meant for texting family and friends, not businesses or college campuses.

“However, with the new system, you’d be able to communicate with any department, office or professor on a college campus just as you do now with your friends and family,” Butler said.

According to Larry Hincker, a university spokesman, he has not heard of Text2Them but would be interested in researching it further. In the meantime, he seems to think the current alerts system works well.

“The current system is very robust — it has many communication channels,” said Larry Hincker, a university spokesman.

VT Alerts uses campus sirens, classroom electronic signs, computer alerts, as well as text and voice messaging to issue alerts to students, faculty and

staff, Hincker said. Since its inception in 2007, several modifications and additions of these new communication channels have been made to help get alerts out faster through multiple communication methods.

“You can’t rely on one channel,” Hincker said. “The key to any emergency system is to ensure that in addition to speed, you’ve got redundancy.”

The university, Hincker said, has looked into many different alert system options.

“Tech would certainly consider any improvement in our emergency notification system,” he said.

However, Robert Crowther, a sophomore civil engineering major, said the system works well.

“I do think VT Alerts is a good system,” he said. “We’re alerted well in advance — at least I have been in all of my experiences. So I think it’s working just fine.”

Evolve Mobile’s new system would bridge the communication gap between university officials and students by letting students text back to alerts made on campus or alert officials of a possible problem on or near campus.

“If you needed to initiate a text conversation, you could send a text message to campus security, and it would be received and create a conversation with the administration,” Butler said.

If an alert was made on campus, students could use Text2Them to send important information or updates to university officials. Additionally, if an incident occurred in a residence hall and a student could not make a phone call, that person could send a text to campus security and inform them of the situation — something Tech’s alert system does not have.

However, Crowther isn’t certain this feature is necessary. see Alerts / page two

FILE / SPPS

Tech will host the 2011 fall commencement next weekend. Spencer and Holt will deliver addresses to undergraduate and graduate students.

SPENCER FEELS LIKE HE IS ‘GRADUATING WITH THE CLASS OF 2012,’ AS HE PLANS TO RETIRE IN MAY JENN BATES news staff writer Two familiar faces will present speeches at the fall commencement ceremonies — Ed Spencer, the vice president of student affairs, and Jaan Holt, an architect professor.

For Spencer, his appearance at the undergraduate ceremony is especially important, since he is retiring in May and feels as if he is graduating with the class of 2012 students, as he is their sponsor.

“It is a particular honor when students ask to hear from you,” he said.

Spencer even wears the 2012 class ring he was presented with at Ring Dance every day, calling it his retirement ring.

Students also seem excited about Spencer’s speech, including Corbin DiMeglio, the SGA president and a senior business major.

“Personally, I am honored to have (Spencer) speak at my graduation,” DiMeglio said.

Spencer said the focus of his speech will be getting students to reflect on what they’ve learned at Virginia Tech and applying that knowledge to the working world. “Dr. Spencer has done so much for the university. It is an honor to have him as our class sponsor and I am sad to see him retire,” said Rachel Koons, a human development major and member of the 2012 leadership team.

“Throughout my four years as a stu-

dent at Virginia Tech, I have seen him do so much for our university, and the students and I know that he will leave a great legacy here just like the Class of 2012.” Other students agreed. “I know Dr. Spencer personally, and when I found out he would be speaking at the fall commencement ceremony, I was very pleased. He has a way of relating to the students that does not always come easy for some,” said Matthew Banfield, who is the Ring Dance chair for the class of 2012 and a senior theatre arts and cinema major.

Like Spencer, Holt, who is the director of the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, is also looking forward to speaking at the graduate ceremony.

“I think I have some perceptions to offer, having seen so many graduates embark on their life’s career,” Holt said.

“I think I could be of value to students at that moment.” Holt attended Tech as an architecture student in 1961 and has been a professor in the same department for 40 years. He said he will talk about how students need to view their passage through life — the things that guide them and leave them gratified.

But he plans to keep his speech short — at about 10 minutes.“I think (Spencer and Holt) were chosen because they both have a deep personal connection with Virginia Tech and the students who go here. Many students know them and commemorate them for all they have done for the university,” said Kelly O’Brien, a senior marketing major. Both Spencer and Holt will only speak at the December commencements. Someone external of Tech will give the commencement speeches in May, Spencer said.

THE COLLEGIATE TIMES HAS CEASED PUBLICATION FOR WINTER BREAK. FOLLOW COLLEGIATETIMES.COM FOR UPDATES.

2 news september 23, 2009 december 7, 2011

page B editors: claire sanderson, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

Alerts: Students not Debt: Endowments affect available aid happy with system

There 1984: Agreed, and don’t forget the legions of Hokie faithful that attended the Bowls in ‘81, ‘84, and ‘86 full well knowing that fan attendance factored in future Bowl consideration. This is the sweet payoff. Instead of whining “hey we were overlooked but we’re better”, other schools should take notice and fill whatever stadium bowl they are privileged to play in whenever they have the opportunity.

Bowl invitations are a business, and fan turnout wins.

Hokie and Wolverine fans will descend on New Orleans in force with their dollars like no other, and the selection committee knows it. Personally, I’m looking forward to a great time in one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities on earth...oh yeah, and a great game. Go Hokies!

Bob Hokie: Because Clemson and LSU are not

even close to being on the same level. Until we, as the ACC can consistently beat SEC teams (or any other conference) on a regular basis, the media will continue to fawn over the SEC, and they will be given better bowl games.

FSU has beaten UF two years in a row now. That’s a good thing for the conference. Conversely, GT almost ALWAYS loses to UGA, and Clemson can’t handle USC. We need to stop losing to other conferences as well. We can start with Michigan this year, and we can continue with our bowl game next year (hopefully), then Alabama the following year, and Ohio State the next two years after that.Tech is different because we are in the ACC (which is perceived as a weaker conference - our own doing) and there was a strong argument for about 2 other teams to have gotten a Sugar Bowl invite. You can thank our fanbase for this one - we have established a national reputation for travelling well. I’m grateful for the bid, but we were fortunate. You don’t get thumped in your conference title game and go to a BCS bowl very often.

62%

76%

VCU

Washington & Lee

58%

100%

TECH’S FOCUS

“A little debt is going to be expected from a high-price university,” Blumenthal said.

Washington and Lee is one such private school in Lexington, Va. with

78%

University of 100% Richmond

W&M

However, Virginia Tech has still gone to lengths to demonstrate its commitment to affordability. The Funds for the Future program helps ensure that tuition spikes don’t adversely affect low-income students.

Funds for the Future gives grants that offset yearly tuition hikes to in-state undergraduate students whose families’ yearly incomes are less than $30,000.

Simmons is realistic about financial aid at Tech.

“The situation that Tech is better than some institutions. We have more endowment than some, but certainly there are those who are much richer than we are,” Simmons said. “It’s just a matter of having more resources.”

Josh Higgins and Claire Sanderson contributed to this article.

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES

Roanoke

Access UVA:

UVA

100%

Over the past decade, student borrowing has increased by 57 percent with more than half of undergraduates now graduating in debt. Obama’s plan is one small step toward patching a national crisis that is more than just numbers.

Average indebtedness at graduation 50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

Public Schools

UVA

Hokie football past. I am asking that you research the 1983 season. For those of you who don’t remember, this was the season VT went 9 and 2, including a 48 - 0 pounding of UVa in Scott Stadium to end the season AND WENT NOWHERE. NO BOWL, NO NOTHING. Back then you could coverup a story like this. But, long-time Hokie faithful always knew and still know that karma would come back one day. I would like to see a feature-length article about the 1983 football season and the missing bowl bid, but I know the CT won’t speak up for VT. Don’t worry CT: Even if you have forgotten 1983, I assure you that I have not! GO HOKIES GO!

Private Schools:

Washington & Lee

DAS1988: I send you greetings from the far distant

VT

University of Richmond

On Tech receiving Sugar Bowl Bid:

Public Schools:

Roanoke

what you’re saying

ACCESS U.VA. One trend that Blumenthal sees in financing education is schools trying to eliminate loans as an option or necessity for their students.

U.Va. is taking steps to ensure that more of its large endowment goes to students with financial need through a program called AccessUVa. AccessUVa commits and succeeds in meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need for students, with packages that are loan-free for lowincome students and caps on loans in aid packages for other students.

Loans are replaced with grants.

Barry Simmons, the director of Virginia Tech financial aid, supports the idea but faces the reality of a school with less money.

“We try to limit loans whenever we can,” Simmons said. “UVa has much deeper pockets than we do so they can fund that type of thing much easier than we can. While we would like to have programs like that, there are just no resources there to fund it.”

AccessUVa was started eight years ago, with goals to increase socioeconomic diversity, said Yvonne Hubbard, the director of financial aid at U.Va. She said the program has been successful in strengthening the experience for students who rely on aid, as well as allowing more lowincome students to afford education.

“We want students, families and the community at large to think about the effects of large amounts of debt, the effect on student choices after they graduate on their financial security and on how this debt affects our society as a whole,” Hubbard said.

For the 2011-12 year, AccessUVa will spend $40 million in institutional grants to students, and more than $100 million from federal, state and private sources. In 2010-11, 158 students received more than $555,000 in grant funding rather than loans.

“U.Va. has been able to continue the program due to its commitment and resources,” Hubbard said.

In addition to the much more plentiful resources at its disposal from private funding, U.Va. is also distributing these resources among a smaller amount of students than schools like Tech.

Tech has 23,690 undergraduates, and U.Va. has 15,595. Hubbard also pointed to an upcoming crossroads, saying the school’s Board of Visitors will be evaluating AccessUVa’s financial sustainability given recent economic trends.

“Our goal at Virginia Tech is to give as many students as much financial aid as possible,” Simmons said. “We’d like to do more but it’s just an issue of not having the money to do it. Even if you look at UVa, another public institution, their student body tends to be more affluent than ours. They have more money, less students, less need.”

Average percent of need met

VCU

“I always text back to the university with a ‘yes’ when I get the confirmation texts,” Crowther said. “As far as integrating that into us providing new information to them, I can see the advantages, but at the same time, I feel like it may be a massive overload to the system and the people running it. I don’t know that it would be great, but it is possibly something to look into.”

In addition to college campuses, Evolve Mobile’s systems are being considered on a citywide level.

“When the (East Coast) earthquake hit earlier this year, all the phones (around Virginia and Washington,

D.C.) were jammed,” Butler said. “We could not communicate, but there was a bigger problem; the entire federal government could not communicate, the state of Virginia could not communicate. Every single government agency was down because the lines were jammed.”

The company has proposed a postdisaster communication system to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will create lines of communication through text messaging even if the phone lines become jammed from too much traffic.

The University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Radford University all use one-way text message systems similar to Tech.

W&M

from page one

Of Tech’s endowment, about 46 percent — $233,158,121 — was given as aid to students in 2010, according to the Virginia Tech Foundation’s 2010 annual report.

At Tech, 62 percent of demonstrated student need was met this year, according to College Board data, and the average indebtedness at graduation is $23,100.

Meanwhile, the University of Virginia’s endowment is almost $5.24 billion this year, according to The Daily Progress. These resources allow for innovative financial aid.

an average indebtedness for their graduating class of $23,807. A year at the school costs $41,927.

Like U.Va., Washington and Lee meets 100 percent of its students’ demonstrated financial need.

“Washington and Lee has a strong financial aid endowment, which makes it possible for us to meet the full institutionally determined need of any financial aid applicant,” said James Kaster, the financial aid director at Washington and Lee. The university’s small size and its large, privately-funded endowment allows it to meet its students’ needs though a combination of grants, scholarships and workstudy awards.

Despite the high cost of attendance, the average indebtedness of Washington and Lee graduates is only $700 more than students at Tech.

Kaster explains, however, that the high cost of the school also means that the demonstrated need is most likely higher per student. Need is determined by the overall cost of attending a school minus the expected family contribution. So if the school costs more that difference will be larger.

“Students with grant awards that meet need have less need for loans,” Kaster said. “At many public institutions there may not be grant dollars available to meet need, and need is met with grant, work and loan. Although the overall cost of attendance at Virginia Tech is less, more loan is required to meet those costs.”

VT

from page one

Private Schools

Access UVA NADIA GROOME / COLLEGIATE TIMES

crimeblotter date

time

offense

location

status

arestees

10/14/2011

2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Follow up to Larceny of a Laptop

Squires Student Center

Inactive

N/A

10/22/2011

1:00 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Follow up to Burglary

New Res Hall East

Inactive

N/A

10/25/2011

3:50 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Follow up to Larceny of an Ipad

Brooks Center

Inactive

N/A

10/29/11

9:56 p.m.

Follow up to Appear Intoxicated in Public/ Provide False Identity to Law Enforcement

College Avenue

Previously cleared

by Arrest under false identity

11/27/2011

9: 24 p.m.

Follow up to Possession of Marijuana/ Drug Paraphernalia X2

Barringer Hall

Cleared by Arrest

12/6/2011

Not provided

Distribution of Narcotics X2

Lee Hall

Inactive; Referred to Student Conduct

N/A

4 sports

editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

december 7, 2011

Ranking all 35 games for the 2011-12 bowl season MIKE HUGUEIN mcclatchy newspapers The holidays can be stressful, and once the Christmas “season” hits, free time is precious.

Thus, in the holiday spirit of selflessness, here is our annual rundown of the “attractiveness” of each of the 35 bowls, listed in reverse order, to help you best adjust your calendar around the holidays.

35. Kraft Fight Hunger, Illinois (6-6) vs. UCLA (6-7) Dec. 31: Neither has a coach.

And UCLA had to get a waiver from the NCAA to be allowed to play in the game because it has a losing record. There is one positive: You get to spend New Year’s Eve in San Francisco, so drink a few Anchor Steams and hit all the great Italian restaurants in North Beach.

34. Music City Bowl, Mississippi State (6-6) vs.

Wake Forest (6-6) Dec. 30: Mississippi State was 2-6 in SEC play. Wake is coming in off a 34-point beatdown at the hands of Vanderbilt.

Dec. 17: Wyoming has had a surprisingly good season, and Temple has a strong rushing attack led by TB Bernard Pierce. This is the first bowl of the season, so it moves up a spot because of that.

27. Texas Bowl, Northwestern (6-6) vs. Texas A&M (6-6) Dec. 31: The potential exists for a lot of points. And when 6-6 teams get together, the potential for a lot of points means it might be worth tuning in, if just for a little while.

26. Hawaii Bowl, Nevada (7-5) vs. Southern Miss (11-2) Dec. 24: Southern Miss beat up on Houston in the Conference USA title game, spoiling the Cougars’ BCS hopes and earning a trip to Hawaii to boot. Not bad, huh?

25.

Poinsettia Bowl, Louisiana Tech (8-4) vs. TCU (10-2), Dec. 21: TCU is in the same boat as Boise State — a really good season ends in a minor bowl.

One difference is that TCU’s opponent definitely will show up ready to play.

33. Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Purdue (6-6) vs. Western 24. Famous Idaho Potato Michigan (7-5), Bowl, Ohio (9-4) vs. Utah State (7-5), Dec. 27: Western Michigan certainly can throw the ball around but can’t play defense. Purdue lost to Rice.

32. BBVA Compass Bowl, Pitt (6-6) vs. SMU (7-5) Jan. 7: Will SMU coach June Jones be around to coach the Mustangs? This is the second season in a row Pitt will play in this game, so who, exactly, says bowls are a reward?

31. Beef O’Brady’s Bowl, Florida International (8-4) vs. Marshall (6-6) Dec. 20: FIU WR T.Y. Hilton is a big-time talent and this game is played at Tropicana Field. Other than that …

30. Pinstripe Bowl, Iowa State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (8-4) Dec. 30: A Big 12 also-ran meets a Big East also-ran. One selling point, though: That Big 12 alsoran kept Oklahoma State out of the national title game.

Dec. 17: Ohio lost a heartbreaker to Northern Illinois on a lastplay field goal in the MAC title game. As a result, the Bobcats get shipped to Boise to play on the blue turf. Utah State has a potent offense, and this could be a high-scoring affair. (A side note: Before the game, as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Idaho Potato Commission, a giant fake russet potato will be unveiled. How big is “giant”? The promotional materials say the potato is too large for a standard flatbed trailer. And, yes, we’re serious.)

23. New Orleans Bowl, Louisiana-Lafayette (9-3) vs.

San Diego State (8-4), Dec. 17: ULL might be the nation’s biggest surprise, as the Ragin’ Cajuns were picked to finish last in the nine-team Sun Belt; instead, they finished second.

Will SDSU have any fans in the stands? There should be a goodly number of points.

29. Las Vegas Bowl, Arizona State (6-6) vs. Boise State 22. Liberty Bowl, Cincinnati (11-1) (9-3) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6) Dec. 22: Boise State is an excellent team stuck with an opponent who … how can we say this nicely? . . . didn’t play as hard as it could’ve down the stretch. This will be the final game for Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson.

Will his players ratchet up their intensity in an attempt to send him out a winner, or will it be business as usual?

Dec. 31: As far as we know, this is the only bowl this season in which both participants lost to Tennessee, which is sitting at home for the holidays. Cincy tied for the Big East title and Vandy went 2-6 in the SEC, so there’s a lot on the line for the Big East.

28. New Mexico Bowl, Temple (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-4)

Dec. 26: Both teams underachieved a bit relative to their

21. Independence Bowl, Missouri (7-5) vs. North Carolina (7-5)

talent level, so if each team is motivated, this could be quite entertaining.

20. Holiday Bowl, California (7-5) vs. Texas (7-5) Dec. 28: Both coaches have been at their schools forever, and the loser is going to hear a lot of grief in the offseason. (Actually, considering each team was so inconsistent, the winner is going to get some grief this offseason, too.)

19. Military Bowl, Air Force (7-5) vs. Toledo (8-4) Dec. 28: Neither plays all that much defense, so there should be points aplenty. And if you’re going to be watching a game on a Wednesday afternoon, you want to see points aplenty.

18. Belk Bowl, Louisville (7-5) vs. North Carolina State (7-5), Dec. 27: Louisville tied for the Big East’s regular-season title, while N.C. State was an ACC also-ran. In short, this is another important game for the Big East.

17. Sun Bowl, Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5) Dec. 31: Both teams run well.

Neither throws well. Thus, this could be the only bowl that takes fewer than three hours to finish.

16. Chick-fil-A Bowl, Auburn (7-5) vs. Virginia (8-4) Dec. 31: Auburn is No. 82 in scoring offense, Virginia No. 88.

But both have some top-flight offensive personnel, so this actually could end up being a highscoring game.

15. Gator Bowl, Florida (6-6) vs. Ohio State (6-6) Jan. 2: Two premier programs, but this has a car-wreck quality to it, as in, “Man, these teams aren’t that good — but I can’t turn away.” Florida is trying to avoid its first losing season since 1979; the Buckeyes haven’t had a losing season since 1988.

14. GoDaddy.Com Bowl, Arkansas State (10-2) vs.

Northern Illinois (10-3) Jan. 8: This is the last pre-title game bowl, and there should be a ton of points. Considering the defenses that will be on view the next night in New Orleans, this very well could be your final chance to see a touchdown in a college football game this season.

13. Sugar Bowl, Michigan (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (11-2) Jan. 3: Or, to be more apt, the “Neither Truly Belongs in the BCS Bowl.”

MCT CAMPUS

Keith Price has had a good season, too, with 29 TD passes.

Both secondaries are suspect, so a game in the 30s (or even 40s) is possible.

long time. Can he go out with a flourish?

11. Armed Forces Bowl, BYU 7. Cotton Bowl, Arkansas (10(9-3) vs. Tulsa (8-4) 2) vs. Kansas State (10-2)

Jan. 2: The Big Ten runnerup vs. the SEC runner-up.

Michigan State was smoked by Alabama in last season’s Capital One Bowl. Will the Spartans have a better showing this time around?

Iowa, his alma mater. Instead, he spurned the Hawkeyes and went to Oklahoma. Iowa hired Kirk Ferentz instead. This will be the first time they’ve met.

Dec. 30: Both have good records, but neither really has beaten anyone special. BYU owns one win over a bowl team, and Tulsa has two. So, are the good offensive numbers for both teams legit or a result of beating up on overmatched foes?

10. Champs Sports Bowl, Florida State (8-4) vs. Notre 6. Capital One Bowl, South Dame (8-4) Carolina (10-2) vs. Nebraska (9-3) Dec. 29: Two of the bigger brand names in college football (even if both brands have lost a lot of luster in recent seasons).

12. Insight Bowl, Iowa (7-5) 9. Orange Bowl, Clemson (10vs. Oklahoma (9-3) 3) vs. West Virginia (9-3), Dec. 30: After the 1998 season, both these schools were looking for new coaches. The assumption was that Bob Stoops, Florida’s defensive coordinator at the time, would take over at

Jan. 4: An intriguing meeting of the (offensive) minds between WVU coach Dana Holgorsen and Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris. Each defense has been inconsistent, so there could be a lot of points. A subplot: This is the ACC champ vs. the Big East champ.

8. Alamo Bowl, Baylor (9-3) vs. Washington (7-5) Dec. 29: This likely will be the final game for Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, a junior who seems NFL-bound. Washington QB Gift Certific ates Available!

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Jan. 6: Both teams depend heavily on their quarterbacks. K-State’s Collin Klein can’t throw, but he heads a powerful rushing attack.

Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson leads the SEC in passing. K-State’s pass defense was torched often this season — but the Hogs’ rushing defense hasn’t been that good, either.

Jan. 2: Both teams have been inconsistent on offense and neither wants to have to throw the ball. This is all about defense and the running game. And each coach, Nebraska’s Bo Pelini and South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier, should be good for a dozen or so sideline shots of anguish.

4. Outback Bowl, Georgia (10-3) vs. Michigan State (103)

3. Title game, Alabama (111) vs. LSU (13-0) Jan. 9: Alabama gets its second bite of the apple, this time away from home. Obviously, the defenses will be at the forefront again.

2. Rose Bowl, Oregon (11-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2) Jan. 2: Wisconsin’s brute force likely will work well against the Ducks. Conversely, Oregon’s sheer speed likely will work well against the Badgers. In short, this is a fascinating study of contrasting styles.

1. Fiesta Bowl, Oklahoma 5. TicketCity Bowl, Houston State (11-1) vs. Stanford (111) (12-1) vs. Penn State (9-3) Jan. 2: This will be the final college game for Houston QB Case Keenum, who will graduate with almost every important NCAA passing record. He is 4-4 vs. Big Six opponents in his career. Penn State is the team no bowl wanted (with good reason), but the Nittany Lions’ defense will be the best Keenum has seen in a long,

Jan. 2: Both lost in November to end their national title hopes, and this will be the final game for each team’s stud quarterback.

You have to think that at some point during the game, Stanford QB Andrew Luck will gaze wistfully at the field and wonder what kind of numbers he could put up with Oklahoma State’s wide receivers. At the same time, you have to think Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden will gaze wistfully at the field and wonder what it would be like to play on a team whose defense ranks 25th nationally instead of 107th.

word UNSCRAMBLER

35 BOWL GAMES IN 24 DAYS SHOULD LEAVE NO FOOTBALL FAN WITH A DULL MOMENT THIS MONTH

solutions: “drums” 1) drumworkshop 2) pearl 3) tama 4) yamaha 5) ludwig 6)gretsch

opınıons 5

editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

december 7, 2011

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Need should surpass want in holiday spending this season T

he four-day weekend that centered around “Black Friday” this year grossed nearly $52.4 billion in sales, as a herd of 226 million consumers spent their way toward a “Happy Holiday.”

Robberies, assaults, shootings and a woman who pepper sprayed a group of shoppers at a Walmart in California seemed to be the norm across the country.

The crimes of the weekend were not the most horrifying part of this orgy of consumerism, but rather the images of shoppers camping out in front of malls and stores across the nation while Thanksgiving dinner was occurring at their homes.

I understand times are hard right now for many people, and the sales that stores were offering during the weekend after Thanksgiving allowed many shoppers to get gifts for others they normally would not be able to afford.

Therefore, it is difficult to blame the millions of people who spent Thanksgiving either shopping or waiting for stores to open.

In another sense, it is easy to blame the corporate masters who, like so many puppeteers, pull the strings of American consumers to bring them away from their homes and into stores.

But this blame is not applicable. In a purely pragmatic sense, who can blame the corporations and business owners who saw a sound financial opportunity to attract customers and get free media publicity in the process? If I was in their situation, I would do the same, and I think most other people would too.

We can laugh at the shoppers, feel disgusted by the crimes from that day, or point judgmental fingers at our economic superstructure for letting their stores open on Thanksgiving. If we all look into ourselves, I feel as though we would all admit that getting no presents on Christmas would be a disappointment.

The simplest answer that explains all variables is the best one, according to a philosophy principle called “Occam’s Razor.” While this principle is generally accurate, it can sometimes blind us from the complexity of an issue.

What is driving the current trend of

materialist-consumerism in the modern world is not some apparatus of evil business owners trying to take over the world, or a fall in family values, or a trend of existential angst in the disenchantment of the world — it is the manner in which our economic system has forged the way we think of the world.

The capitalist mode of production is built on technological progression and economic wealth stemming from competition in an open marketplace. Essentially, the strength, wealth and success of a business, product or idea equals the amount of capital it is capable of acquiring.

Although the system has benefited our race with evolution toward modernity, American consumers forget that the Xbox we enjoy playing, the Chanel purse we want, or the iPhone we need are not made at the store. The vast majority of times, these products are made by people who experience more horror and misery in a day than most of us could fathom in a lifetime.

Children working in Apple’s or Nike’s sweatshops in China, or American parents who cannot spend Christmas with their kids because they need to work so they can have food to live another day, are examples of people who remain seductively hidden beneath the veneer that we call the “Season of Good Cheer.”

With the current economic downturn, perhaps all of us should take this time to reflect on the past century or so of the strengthened inculcation we have all experienced to buy more and spend more on “stuff.” Our fetish over “stuff ” and wanting to have more than others has stripped our lives of everything that was once enduring and enchanting about human existence — family, love, art, nature and more.

While an Xbox will easily break and that special purse will go out of style soon, the power of a majestic landscape to move us or the happiness of being in the presence of a loved one will always endure.

JASON CAMPBELL -regular columnist -senior -philosophy major

Participating in consumerism is a choice, not a requirement On

Thanksgiving night, I ventured to my local Walmart for the Black Friday deals. You know, the Black Friday deals that started before Friday.

I had no intention of buying anything that night, but a few friends and I just wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

The store was a complete madhouse, as I found myself struggling to navigate just a single aisle; and I wasn’t even throwing picture frames to try and claim a cheap coffee maker like the showdown that happened in the store that night.

While I think that waiting outside of a Target for six hours in the cold just to save a few bucks is a bit ridiculous, I applaud those Black Friday shoppers who spend days meticulously scanning the Internet and newspapers searching for the best deals.

Why? Because these people are the reason American capitalism is the success story that it is.

That’s right, I’m talking about the American capitalist system that is currently under attack.

It is under attack by those of the left wing, who think mandating that we purchase health insurance is somehow constitutional, rather than letting individuals make their own decisions.

Most notably, as of right now, capitalism is under attack by the Occupy Wall Street crowd that seems to think capitalism sucks; all while they sleep in their fancy camping tents and spend their days Tweeting on their iPads.

My thinking is, if you don’t like capitalism, then don’t go out and buy presents for your family and friends this Christmas season.

Think about it. I don’t agree with the Democratic Party platform, so I don’t vote for Democratic candidates. I don’t like the University of Virginia, so I didn’t apply to that school.

Nobody forced me to do any of those things. Additionally, nobody is forcing anybody to buy goods in this economic system that we have.

Quite frankly, it’s kind of hypocritical to attack capitalism but then go shopping for the latest trends or gadgets.

Capitalism is the reason we have so many goods and services available to us in America, and that is no more apparent than during the holiday shopping season.

People don’t like that corporations are profit-driven because they somehow exploit people.

But what else, besides the ability to make money, drives innovation?

Did Steve Jobs invent the iPod because he feared college students were too bored riding the bus to campus each day without it?

Does Balfour sell class rings on our campus so that the stakeholders can feel all warm inside when Virginia Tech students get their rings at Ring Dance?

Of course not. They do these things because they want to make a profit. But it is because of that profit seeking that we now have iPods and our proud ring tradition.

Corporations are not inherently evil.

However, if you think they are, you can certainly choose not to shop at the likes of Walmart, Target or Best Buy. Capitalism isn’t an unfair system either. What’s unfair is the fact that we have thieves who drive up the cost of goods, and that we have protesters in Zucotti Park who think their ability to count to 99 means they’re true economists.

If you disagree with capitalism, then nobody is making you participate in our consumerist society during the holidays.

I, for one, will be milking the Christmas season for all it’s worth, buying presents for my family and friends.

And that will make me a benefactor of … wait for it … consumer capitalism.

MATHEW HURT -regular columnist -senior -political science major

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december 7, 2011

page 6

Jingle all the way (Left) Shane Barnard of the Shane and Shane band, a Texasbased Christian group, performs a Christmas-themed concert in Burruss Hall. They performed last night.

(Right) Phil Wickham opened for the band, and provided support through the show. photos by Ben Choi, SPPS

Jobless take their grievances to Congress TONY PUGH mcclatchy newspapers WASHINGTON — America’s unemployed workers brought their message of frustration and despair directly to the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday as they filled the congressional offices of dozens of lawmakers and refused to leave until they met with their elected representatives.

The sit-in style confrontations were

the opening salvo of a three-day protest event dubbed “Take Back the Capitol,” which is sponsored by a coalition of progressive organizations.

The groups want Congress to pass President Barack Obama’s jobs bill, extend the federal payrolltax break for working Americans and extend the federal emergency unemployment-insurance benefits that are slated to expire Dec. 31.

While the protests overwhelm-

ingly targeted Republican lawmakers who oppose the Obama jobs plan, the groups also visited with leading congressional Democrats such as Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina and House of Representatives Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

Undaunted by a steady morning drizzle, hundreds of protesters emerged from their “tent city” on the National Mall and trekked to the Capitol, where they made good

on their promise to “swarm the halls” and track down members of Congress to demand commitments on their pet issues.

“If they don’t pass the jobs bill, we will get rid of them,” said Oliver Hendricks, an unemployed ironworker from Boston who was among 250 Massachusetts residents who came to protest.

As the Massachusetts group made its way through the Mall chanting, “We are the 99 percent,” Hendricks said he was anxious to challenge Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown’s opposition to the president’s jobs bill and Brown’s previous vote against extending jobless benefits.

“He has voted against every bill that would help us,” said Hendricks, who hasn’t found work since he lost his job in March 2010.

Hendricks, 56, said he’d lost his home of 16 years to foreclosure recently when the bank backed out of a loan modification plan without notice and then tried to auction off his property.

He remains in the home while he challenges the action in court, but he must pay monthly rent to the bank until his appeal is resolved.

The crisis is testing his mettle. “I’m a Christian and I’m living only by the grace of God,” Hendricks said. “I’m fighting for everything right now. I’m fighting for my life.”

In many of the office meetings with GOP lawmakers, staffers were polite but dismissive, telling protesters that the congressional representatives or senators they sought were out of the office or too busy to meet with them. At that point, most protesters decid-

ed to occupy the offices or camp out until the lawmakers showed up.

Capitol Police arrested at least one protester for unlawful entry at the office of Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. About 40 protesters faced “strong opposition” from staff at California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa’s office before security escorted them away, said protester Rikki Bradley, a California state employee with the Department of Housing and Community Development.

The staff for Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., was much more hospitable, Bradley said.

Lungren emerged from his office after several hours and shook hands with the remaining four or five protesters who’d decided to wait for him.

When pressed on his voting record, Lungren said he’d voted for numerous bills to create jobs in California, Bradley said.

“Then we asked, ‘What about the extension of unemployment benefits?’ to which he turned around and walked out. He made a left out of the office and kept going,” Bradley said. “We were surprised he even talked to us, but we felt like he just heard us. He didn’t listen.”

When 40 people showed up at Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s office, they declined offers to meet with the senator’s senior staff members.

“The staff has always promised us that they’ll get back to us and the senator will eventually meet with us. This has gone on for months.

We want to meet with the senator now,” said Jose Suarez, a spokesman for 1Miami, a coalition of progressive grass-roots organizations.

“One hundred fifty people got on

buses, took time out of their lives, left their families back in Miami for 18 hours to come and do this today, so we’re not going to meet with anyone but the senator,” Suarez said. At 6 p.m. Tuesday, the group was still waiting. Suarez said they’d return Wednesday.

John Reat, 62, from Worthington, Ohio, was among the 40 or so who were camped out outside the office of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, just off the Capitol Rotunda. Since he lost his information technology job in December 2009, Reat has received unemployment insurance benefits.

But they’ll expire next month unless Congress agrees to extend the federal emergency benefits.

Because his wife still works, Reat’s family isn’t in dire financial straits.

But as one of the faceless “99 percenters,” Reat said it was important to come to Washington to make his voice heard.

“I just got up off my couch and said, ‘I’ve got to say something,’ ” Reat said. “I’m part of the 99 percent who play by the rules. We pay taxes. We save f or retirement. But the 1 percent is playing fast and loose with the mortgages, fast and loose with the retirement plans, and fast and loose with the jobs. And this just simply has to stop. It can’t continue this way.”

The protest activities will continue Wednesday, when the group plans to walk to K Street to protest the political influence of corporate lobbyists. On Thursday, it’ll host a national prayer vigil for the unemployed on Capitol Hill.

december 7, 2011B page

page 8 23, 2009 september

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Companies at odds over anti-piracy bills RICHARD VERRIC & JIM PUZZANGHERA mcclatchy newspapers LOS ANGELES — Film director Penelope Spheeris’ new comedy, “Balls to the Wall,” had barely premiered in Europe when bootleg copies started popping up on the Internet, throwing its U.S. release into jeopardy. A Spheeris assistant sent out as many as 30 cease-and-desist notices a day in a desperate, but failed, attempt to halt the piracy.

“It’s like putting out a forest fire with your bare feet,” she said.

That helps explain why Spheeris and other filmmakers are backing tough new legislation making its way through Congress that would give the Justice Department broad powers to shut down websites that host pirated material and would open the door for movie studios, music companies and other copyright holders to seek court injunctions against Internet companies they believe are aiding in copyright theft, which amounts to $58 billion a year.

Internet entrepreneur Gabriel Weinberg just as adamantly opposes the proposed law, fearful it will punish

legitimate search engines that unwittingly link to pirated content and curtail innovation on the Web. Having just raised $3 million for his fledgling search engine DuckDuckGo, “I wouldn’t want to spend it all on legal costs,” said Weinberg, the company’s president.

Spheeris and Weinberg represent opposite camps in a congressional fight that divides California’s two most glamorous and energetic industries: Hollywood and Silicon Valley. On one side are old-media entertainment companies such as Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, which accuse the search companies of acting as fences for private property by collecting advertising revenue from the sites where pirates lurk. On the other are new-media giants such as Google, Yahoo, eBay and Facebook, which say the proposed legislation threatens free speech and will jeopardize the technological stability of the World Wide Web. “This is truly an epic battle between two huge interests that are both very, very important to our national economy,” said Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., who represents Silicon Valley.

The pending bills in the House and Senate would give the Justice

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Industry Association of America.

Because the bills also protect against counterfeit goods and safeguard prescription drug patents, they also have the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the influential pharmaceutical trade group PhRMA. “Some in the tech community believe that even if their website is being used to house stolen copyrighted content, that’s not their problem,” MPAA Chief Executive Christopher J. Dodd, the former senator from Connecticut, said in a recent speech. “The time has come to take a tough stand against the rogue sites and the parasites who profit from the outright theft of our content.”

The bills’ opponents have also been rallying support and spending millions of dollars on their message. A coalition of top Internet companies published full-page ads in major newspapers this month warning of the risks of the proposed laws and urging lawmakers to take a more targeted approach.

“This legislation really is thermonuclear war against the Internet,” said Markham Erickson, executive director of NetCoalition, a trade group that represents Internet and tech firms including Google, Yahoo, Amazon and EBay. Such rhetoric infuriates top studio

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Department power to seek court orders requiring U.S. search engines and Internet sites to block access to foreign websites hawking pirated material. Private companies such as Paramount Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment would also be able to seek court orders preventing such sites from receiving ads and payments services from the U.S. The fight is curiously nonpartisan, with conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats teamed on both sides of the issue. Some of the split is based on which industry is more dominant in a lawmaker’s region. Many Southern California representatives back Hollywood’s position, and most Northern California members side with the Internet companies. But political philosophy also plays a role, leading anti-big-government conservatives to join with liberal civil libertarians in opposition to giving Washington what they fear would be broad censorship power over websites.

In the thick of the fight is the Motion Picture Association of America.

Hollywood’s chief lobbying arm has enlisted support from a broad coalition of industry and labor unions, including the AFL-CIO and the Recording

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executives.

“It is my understanding that the Internet was created to withstand nuclear attack,” said Fox Filmed Entertainment co-Chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos. “So I’m curious to understand how an attorney in the Justice Department bringing a proceeding in a federal court can bring it down.”

“The idea that this is going to kill the Internet feels like a scare tactic,” said Barry Meyer, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The MPAA estimates the U.S. loses more than 300,000 jobs, $16 billion in earnings and $58 billion in economic output each year because of pirated movies, music, software and video games.

“It’s the No. 1 issue for us,” said Scott Harbinson, international representative for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which has 113,000 members in the U.S. and Canada. “If people aren’t investing in motion picture production because of piracy, our guys don’t work.”

But critics in the tech industry view the legislation as dangerous overreach.

Google copyright counsel Katherine Oyama warned that the House bill

“would undermine the legal, commercial and cultural architecture that has propelled the extraordinary growth of Internet commerce,” and says it would impose “harsh and arbitrary sanctions without due process.”

Both sides are bringing money to the fight. Although bill-specific figures are not available, the pharmaceutical industry has spent $182 million on Washington lobbying in 2011, more than any other sector, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. The TV, movie and music industries combined have spent $91.8 million, with the computer and Internet industries right behind at $91.5 million. Google alone is said to have spent $5.9 million.

And, because the pending bills enjoy bipartisan support, they have a good chance of passing next year, although probably with revisions that would narrow their scope.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., one of the key lawmakers behind the legislation, said he is willing to revise his bill to reflect the concerns of technology companies but is committed to cracking down on rogue websites.

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december 7, 2011

page 9

Peppermint Patty

‘Free week’ at gyms featured during finals ALLIE SIVAK features staff writer

JIMMY HUDNALL features staff writer Tis the season, and what better way to kick things off than by treating yourself to a delectable Peppermint Patty? Sweet, creamy and with a hint of chocolate, this drink combines some of the best holiday flavors into a single glass.

This particular recipe makes a sipping drink, but the Peppermint Patty can also be enjoyed as a shooter by simply halving the ingredients.

There are also variations; you can substitute the peppermint Schnapps for Rumple Minze or Goldschlager, although it might be best to save these versions until exams are over, as they pack quite a punch.

The cream makes this snowwhite mixture slightly thick, and the schnapps and creme combine the sweet taste of peppermint and cacao into a blend that starts off sweet and leaves a pleasant chocolate aftertaste.

Ingredients: 1 oz peppermint Schnapps 1 oz dark creme de cacao 2 oz cream

Baked Mac & Cheese

Directions

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

1. Pour the peppermint schnapps, creme de cacao and cream into a cocktail shaker, and shake ingredients.

2. Strain into an old-fashioned glass, and start sipping.

EMMA GODDARD features staff writer

With finals approaching, many students seem to drop off the face of the earth, staying shut behind their doors and glued to their desk chairs.

Students leave their rooms and the library scarcely, if at all, in efforts to face their looming exams. However, failing to take care of oneself during exam week can leave students overworked, unhealthy and fatigued.

This leaves many simply running out of steam. Many students overlook the importance of eating well, getting enough sleep and taking time to relax and have fun amid hours of studying.

According to the National Health Service, studies have shown that those who partake in moderate exercise at least two-and-a-half hours a week are calmer, more refreshed and significantly more alert when it comes to taking tests.

Virginia Tech’s Center for Recreational Sports recognizes the troubling tendency students have to neglect their health during exam week. They combat this by holding a “free week” during final exam season each semester at McComas and War Memorial gyms to provide students an outlet for stress relief and a much-needed study break.

Free week allows students and staff to try out any exercise class they would like without having to pay for a pass, as is protocol during the rest of the semester.

“It’s a good way to come out, exercise and release all your finals stress,” said Michelle Marshall, a senior architecture major who works at War Memorial.

All of the classes that are regularly offered at both gyms are available for a trial run.

The week is often met with a substantial turnout of students wanting to escape their textbooks.

Laura Griffin, a sophomore human nutrition, foods and exercise major, teaches six pilates and Zumba classes each week at War Memorial and finds that during the semester, many regulars come to participate in her classes.

“I really enjoy seeing people come back class after class after class,” Griffin said. “Then you get to know people by name and face. They become friends in a sense.”

However, during free week, new faces flood the gym and lines of people wait to attend classes to see if they would like to add them to their workouts.

The first time Griffin taught Zumba at Virginia Tech was during free week, and she said she had a room full of dancing students who were pumped and

ready to go.

“It was a little nerve-wracking teaching all those people, but there’s so much energy in the room, and it’s so much fun,” Griffin said.

Josh Bostic, a senior HNFE major, said he exercises frequently but has never taken a Zumba class, nor any fitness class at Tech for that matter.

“My friend is teaching one this week, though, and I was thinking about going to try it out,” Bostic said. “I go to the gym a lot because I have a hard time studying or concentrating when I don’t work out. I often go to clear my mind if I’m stressed out or have a lot of work.”

The long lines outside of all the classes show free week’s success in its initial goal of getting students active and trying new things in an otherwise stressful time. That said, students may want to show up at least 10 to 15 minutes before the start of a class to guarantee a spot in the room.

“It gets busy, but it’s really not insanely packed, and it’s worth it,” Griffin said. “I know a lot of people feel they don’t have time especially with exams coming up, but if you go to the gym for an hour, it will do you a lot of good. Everyone needs that break to go and have fun.”

Jimmy Hudnall contributed to this article.

EMMA GODDARD / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Microwaveable food and frozen dinners are some of the typical meals college students consume.

Macaroni and cheese, an easily prepared meal, can be found in many campus residences.

Although this particular rendition requires more time and preparation, it is sure to top similar, store-bought dishes.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 4 oz dry macaroni

2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 1 cup milk salt and pepper to taste 1 cup shredded cheese 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup broccoli, chopped ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions: 1. Cook pasta until tender (about eight minutes). Drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.

3. Add flour, salt and pepper to

melted butter, and whisk together for a minute or two.

4. Gradually add milk, continuing to whisk.

5. Bring to a steady boil, then reduce heat.

6. Sprinkle in cheese. Keep stirring until cheese melts and sauce is very thick.

7. Add macaroni, and stir to coat.

8. Transfer to a casserole dish.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top.

9. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

BENJAMIN CHOI / SPPS

Laura Griffin, a sophomore HNFE major, leads a Zumba exercise class in the War Memorial gym.