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Thursday, March 15, 2012 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 30

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Weekend, page 7

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 8

Study Break, page 4

April 16 families win suits BY ZACH CRIZER | editor-in-chief

Jury ﬁnds Tech’s warning of shootings inadequate, case could change precedent in Virginia

LEGAL MATTERS

CASE BACKGROUND The Pryde and Peterson families filed identical civil suits in April 2009. The original suits named numerous university officials as individual defendants and sought $10 million per family. Many officials were eliminated or dropped from the suits after preliminary hearings in December 2009, and Tech President Charles Steger was dropped from the suits in a technicality earlier this year. While a separate proceeding saw the U.S. Department of Education deem Virginia Tech’s warning inadequate by federal standards established in the Clery Act, the results of that report were inadmissible in the civil suits. Judge William Alexander was specially appointed to preside over the case after Montgomery County judges recused themselves because of potential perceptions of bias toward the university.

AP POOL

William Grafton Peterson, whose daughter Erin died in Norris Hall, cries as the jury announces the verdict.

Police in West Ambler-Johnston Hall had a theory on the morning of April 16, 2007. The group of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg officers investigating the shootings of Emily Hilscher and resident adviser Ryan Clark believed the violence in room 4040 resulted from a domestic incident. They believed the shooter had fled campus after committing a targeted crime. But, almost two-and-a-half hours later, shootings erupted in Norris Hall just minutes after university officials had sent an email to the campus community announcing there had been “a shooting incident” in West AJ that morning. The theory was wrong. Seung-Hui Cho killed Hilscher and Clark and then killed 30 people in Norris Hall later that morning. The families of Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde — two victims killed in Norris Hall — filed matching civil suits against Tech alleging that university officials should have provided the campus with an earlier and more detailed notice of the West AJ shooting. They pointed out that the university never knew the identity or whereabouts of the shooter before Cho was found in Norris Hall. Their suits — filed almost three years ago — argued that the university’s negligence led to their daughters’ deaths. In Montgomery County Circuit Court Wednesday, a jury agreed.

• State objected to use of phrase “reasonable foreseeability of harm” as the threshold for issuing a warning to the campus community. The university’s legal team claimed a warning is necessary when an “imminent probability of harm” exists. • State objected to the instructions that an ofﬁcial could be negligent if he did not issue a warning based on information he could have or should have known. • State claimed there was no evidence establishing that a warning would have changed the outcome for Pryde and Peterson on April 16, 2007.

see VERDICT / page six

AP POOL

Robert Hall, an attorney for the plaintiffs, presents his closing arguments Wednesday. His argument demanded warnings for reasonably foreseeable danger.

New dining center set to open this fall GINA PATTERSON news staff writer The wait for the new dining hall — which will be located on the academic side of campus — is expected to end next semester. Turner Place, the newest 35,000-square-foot dining area, is slated to open this fall, with multiple restaurants and services. In 2005, Dining Services collaborated with Virginia Tech officials to determine a location for Turner Place. Initially, Johnston Student Center was considered. “The infrastructure just wasn’t large enough for the scope of the student population and the availability of the use of meal plans,” said Ted Faulkner, director of Dining Services. Porter Khouw Consulting, Inc. — a national foodservice management consulting and design firm — was hired in 2007 to interview students and

solicit information from them so Dining Services could gather ideas regarding the building for Turner Place. “Out of that survey, students said they would love something on the academic side, which confirmed our thoughts,” Faulkner said. Kurban Hakimov, a sophomore computer science major, shares the overall student sentiment. “It works out better for me because that’s where I get off of the bus,” Hakimov said. John Barrett, the assistant director of Turner Place, is also pleased with the location of the dining hall. “It will be great for the students because they won’t have to come across the Drillfield,” he said. “After they have a class, they can roll through and get a meal to go.” Dining Services chose eight restaurants for Turner Place. see TURNER / page two

Snow consumes Drillﬁeld PRISCILLA ALVAREZ news staff writer

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Atomic Pizzeria is one of eight dining options to be in Turner Place.

The pleasant weather has shown hopeful signs of spring, but the snow is far from gone. Today, the VT Snow Freestyle Team will be hosting a snowboarding and skiing performance event, formally known as SnowJam 2012. Thirty-five tons of snow will be piled in the middle of the Drillfield for snowboarders and skiers from across the United States to perform stunts and demonstrate their skills to the public. The first heat is set to begin at 5 p.m. The team has been working since June 2011 to make the event possible. “This type of event has been done before on West Coast campuses, but no one has ever raised the money independently like we have,” said Nick Gagianas, the team’s marketing manager. “We

have raised more than $30,000 in corporate sponsorship money.” Among the event’s sponsors are Nike, Ski Dazzle and Walmart. However, this is not the only “first” the team accomplished, as the event has never been brought to the East Coast until now. Snow Jam 2012 is part of the Campus Rail Jam Tour, a snow sport movement that assists amateur snowboarders and skiers around the nation. The organization has brought freestyle arenas to several campuses to promote the snow sport scene. “Campus Rail Jam Tour has been incredible in fronting money and letting us pay it back as we earn it,” Gagianas said. In addition, Galvanic Design, a production company that works with Campus Rail Jam Tour, helped make the event happen. see SNOWJAM / page two

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march 15, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Turner: Tech dining expands from page one

Atomic Pizzeria, Jamba Juice and 1872 Fire Grill will be on the building’s first floor. The university created the premise for 1872 Fire Grill — the year represents when Tech was established. “We are going to do a 5-foot char grill that’s totally wood sourced,” Faulkner said Dining Services has teamed up with the Forestry Club, which agreed to cut the wood for the grill. “To our knowledge, there is no other university in the United States that has that, so it will be a first,” Faulkner said. “We are really excited about that.” Atomic Pizza will offer personal pizzas, casserole dishes and pasta. “We felt that it would lend itself very well if students had a class to go to or they were going to go find a nook to study, that an individual pizza is pretty portable,” Faulkner said. The second floor will house a Qdoba, Origami, Bruegger’s Bagels, Soup Garden and Dolci E Caffe. Origami, a steakhouse providing diners Teppanyaki — a style of Japanese cuisine — experience, will also offer sushi. “There will be a Teppanyaki grill, Teppanyaki being where the chef is out front and cooking the food before you,” Faulkner said. “That too will be the first at a university.” The interior design of Origami Grill was made special to resemble an actual folded piece of Japanese art. “Our hood system that sucks the exhaust and the smoke out of the cooking tables is going to be clad in ... these yellow glowing glass figures that

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

what you’re saying On parties needing to make decisions:

Brady: “The inefficient and counterproductive entitlement programs need to be cut to allow for more efficient uses of federal expenditures. At the same time, an increase in federal funds via higher taxes would also be a major way to reduce deficits.”Wasn’t that pretty much what the Democrats brought to the table during the recent budget negociations? Entitlement cuts in exchange for more tax revenue? On the battle over the April 16 trial:

Philip: Basically, the VT admins faced the

Kobayashi Maru scenario, without being aware it was unfolding. The timeline they have spent several days reviewing in court, happened in two real hours.I challenge anyone to make better decisions given the same information and timeframe, without knowledge of the future.

On families winning suits in April 16 trial :

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Turner Place will be a two-story dining center, with restaurants including Qdoba and Bruegger’s Bagels. look like origami.” Faulkner said. “It’s going to be truly spectacular.” Bruegger’s Bagels has a unique ordering process — instead of entering the building to order, students can order at a walkup, to-go window outside the building. The soup and salad area is going to serve diners handtossed salads with hot protein options.

“We wanted to be able to grill poultry items, beef items and maybe some seafood items,” Faulkner said. On the second floor, there will also be open-air merchandisers that will sell prepackaged sandwiches and wraps, as well as freshly made gelatos and crepes. Dining services is very excited for the opening of Turner Place and to see student’s

reactions. The dining hall will have 833 seats indoors and 244 patio seats outdoors. The building’s final construction cost will be about $35.7 million. The building also received a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification because it was built using strategies to improve energy savings.

Anonymous: Most of the University community agrees with this verdict, even if its leadership may not.We hope this will end the “we didn’t do anything wrong, nothing could have been done differently” litany that was already rejected by the Department of Education (which found Tech guilty of violating the Cleary Act), and now by a jury of peers. Anonymous (in response): Thanks for

speaking on behalf of most of the University community. Because you are its spokesperson, please explain why most of the University community didn’t prevent these killings. Because after all, isn’t the University community responsible for itself?

On technology to perform jobs:

Anonymous: 3D printers are NOT good at is

SnowJam: Event brings slopes to Blacksburg from page one

Locally, the Blacksburg Boarders Club was the first group to pledge time and money to the event, Gagianas said. “We pulled resources, advice and help from so many organizations,” said Nate Slemp, the team’s president. “The most tremendous help has been from Blacksburg Boarders Club, our sister club, and the Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Club, which has given us great advice.” The team — with help from other organizations — is bringing 70 tons of snow to Tech from Massanutten Mountain, located in the Shenandoah

Valley of Virginia, today. However, 30 percent of it is expected to melt along the way, Gagianas said. When the snow arrives, it will be sprayed with a salt compound intended to preserve the ice for about six hours in up to 80-degree weather. The snow will be placed on a 60-foot tall scaffolding hill that was shipped from Portland, Ore. Snowboarders and skiers from different colleges applied to participate in the event. Riders were required to fill out a form, and send in photos and video to demonstrate their skills. The tour then picked the competitors.

“We tried to pick local people more so over people coming in,” Gagianas said. Riders from schools in the Collegiate Freestyle Alliance — including Tech, Liberty University, University of Maryland, North Carolina State University, Radford University and Duke University — received priority and will be participating. Twenty-eight riders are preapproved — accepted to perform and compete at the event — but numbers are expected to increase a little more, Slemp said. “The biggest goal for this event is to give back to Tech,” Slemp said, “We really want to

provide an event that everyone will love and want to be a part of. We also hope to build further opportunities for our team (and our riders) to expand.” Students on campus are looking forward to seeing what the spectacle will look like. “I’m looking forward to it because you don’t generally see the Drillfield filled up with snow” said Marcus Confino, a sophomore architecture major. Currently, the team has 25 competitive and active members. The long-term plan for the team is to unite the extreme sporting community on campus, Gagianas said.

crimeblotter

assembling pieces into finished products, even if these pieces were made by a 3D printer. The laptop example the author goes back to is like the #1 thing that 3D printers cannot do, because a laptop has many different components and those components are made of many different materials. A home 3D printer may, within 5-10 years, be able to print out your motherboard, or the outer casing, etc, but it would still be up to you, the user, to put it all the pieces together (which, by the way, you could have done in like 1998 by ordering parts online).

On faculty defend Zenobia Hikes:

Anonymous: To those extremely brave souls who published this letter, my family would like to personally thank you for your extreme courage and love for Ms. Hikes. We will always honor and remember her for who she really was, and not a convenient excuse to avoid responsibility. The risks you have taken are great, and hopefully that type of environment that causes your concerns will strengthen others to demand the changes needed so that your concerns will not exist in the future. God Bless,Family of Mike Pohle Jr. - killed April 16, 2007

date

time

offense

location

status

arrestees

3/13/2012

9:00 a.m.

Vandalism / Destruction of property (light pole)

B-Lot Parking

Inactive

N/A

opinions

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

march 15, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

MCT CAMPUS

Ausan Al-Eryani featured columnist, junior, political science major

Unions ought to alter strategies As

multinational corporations like McDonalds and Microsoft continue their global economic dominance, labor unions have lost their relevance within American politics. Richard Trumka, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations — or AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor union — provides some interesting insight into the underlying tensions between American labor unions and their most likely supporter: the Democratic Party. In a recent statement, Trumka endorsed President Barack Obama for a second term, stating, “With our endorsement today, we affirm our faith in him.” However, just last year, Trumka criticized the president and his fellow Democrats for their willingness to supposedly sacrifice the unions’ agenda during last summer’s debt ceiling debacle. The union leader went on to say, “History will judge (Obama), and I think working people will judge him.” But neither Obama nor the Democratic Party is to blame for the labor movement’s woes. In fact, the unions themselves have dug themselves into their current mess. The issue is not that the political power of the movement has waned, per say. If anything, unions retain tremendous leeway over the federal government — comparable to those the chokehold corporations have on Congress. Instead, it‘s what the labor movement of the 21st century stands for that is unclear. Here, the movement has lost its way through foolish investments and unrealistic proposals. First, consider the support for the Detroit bailout. According to various government agencies and outside groups, the bailout cost American taxpayers $14 billion. A clear payout to Detroit’s Big

Three auto companies, and more importantly, the United Auto Workers Union, the tab continues to leave a bad taste in the mouths of average Americans. Instead of directing their resources to encourage more worker retraining programs, the union movement managed to tangle itself with the inefficiencies that led to Detroit’s near collapse. What was lost among the American public was the realization that the problem wasn’t necessarily organized workers themselves, but more that America’s car industry has only itself to blame for its lack of competitiveness against companies like Honda and Toyota. Detroit’s car companies worked harder than they should have to raise tariffs and restrictions on foreign cars. When their plans backfired as more Americans continued to buy more from Japan and South Korea and less from the United States, the flaws of this strategy were exposed. Subsequently, union disapproval of most free trade agreements is unproductive. From their opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, to the support for the 2011 Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act intended to punish China — the world’s second largest economy — for currency manipulation, these tactics simply do not work in the long run. Instead of seeking to hang on to America’s old manufacturing sector through tariffs, labor unions should have realized that they do not counter foreign competition through protectionism. Rather, they pursue higher prosperity by becoming more competitive. America’s manufacturing isn’t doomed, but it has changed. The U.S. will no longer

be the destination for the production of lower valued goods, but it can become a leader in creating “green technology,” among other sectors. Consequently, though the recent Occupy movements have certainly given the labor movement a much needed morality boost, Occupy also showcased the hypocrisy of some of its participants and labor’s blind support of it. Walk down Occupy Wall Street or Occupy Oakland and you see an endless array of citizens denouncing the evils of America’s corporations — all on their Apple iPads and iPhones. This is hardly an undisputed win for the labor movement.

$6 billion in its second quarter last year. The number matters less than the fact that a lot of that profit was made overseas. Unions should accept that they will — for the foreseeable future — have to compete with workers everywhere from Mexico to Vietnam. Granted, workers may be cheaper in Asia and even South America, but American workers live in the wealthiest and most prosperous nation in the world. Even in today’s fiscal atmosphere, we have more than enough resources to pour into making U.S. labor more specialized, skilled and ultimately, worthwhile in the economic sphere. Next, for far too long, the American labor movement has promised its allegiance to one politiThe issue is not that the po- cal party at the expense alienating middle-oflitical power of the move- of the road constituents and ment has waned, per say ... even vocal populists loyal the Republican Party. Instead, it’s what the labor to Instead of focusing on the movement of the 21st centu- American left, the labor message should seek ry stands for that is unclear.” to include anyone and everyone who believes we do not have to sacrifice individual prosperThis is not to say America’s ity for higher corporate profits. labor movement is insignificant, This is true for autoworkers as or worse, unneeded. On the con- well as the modern-day farmtrary, if it were not for unions, er, whose future lies more with working conditions (to this day) Tyson than his own agricultural would almost certainly be much capabilities. worse. In fact, the minimum American labor certainly has wage would have probably stag- a place in the nation’s political nated and much of the benefits arena, but it ought not entrench that organized workers achieve its legacy on past accomplishthrough unions — such as a col- ments. The challenge for unions lective voice that enables them is to step back and take notice to make their demands heard — of what it means to be a union would be lost. The labor move- in a world where specialization ment still matters, but it needs to and efficiency are rewarded on redefine itself. a global, not just a national level, First, unions ought to globalize, and protectionism and stagnajust as multinational corporations tion are pushed aside. That may have. For instance, Microsoft not be the easiest task, but it is made a net profit of more than the reality.

“

Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Zach Crizer Managing Editor: Lindsey Brookbank Design Editors: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadlo Public Editor: Justin Graves Web Editor: Sarah Watson News Editors: Nick Cafferky, Michelle Sutherland News Reporters: Josh Higgins, Cody Owens, Erin Chapman News Staff Writers: Priscila Alvarez, Abby Harris, Gina Paterson, Ashley Seagar Features Editors: Chelsea Gunter, Patrick Murphy Features Reporters: Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Courtney Baker, Torie Deible, Dane Harrington, Kevin McAleese, Andrew Reily Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Sean Simons Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Sports Reporters: Michael Bealey, Josh Parcell Sports Staff Writers: Eric Avassi, Zander Baylis, Alyssa Bedrosian, Cody Elliott, Taylor Hay, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Brian Marcolini Photo Editor: Daniel Lin Enterprise Team Editor: Liana Bayne Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Chief: Spenser Snarr Copy Editors: Nora McGann, Luther Shell Layout Designers: Bethany Melson, Alicia Tillman, Tanja Vogel Online Director: Alex Rhea Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Philipp Kotlaba Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Paul Kurlak Lab Manager: Austen Meredith College Media Solutions Ad Director: Brandon Collins Asst Ad Director: Matt Freedman Account Executives: Johnson Bray, Kevin Jadali, Alyssa Brown, Brian Dickson, Janssen Claudio Inside Sales Manager: Mario Gazzola Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Adam Shata Office Manager: Kayley Greenday Assistant Account Executives: Alex Perry, Kacie Nolan, Jordan Peugh Creative Director: Casey Stoneman Asst Production Manager: Colleen Hill Creative Services Staff: Danielle Bushrow, Michael Craighead, Alyssa Morrison, Molly Vinson

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Social media communications transform politics T

his year will be filled with political change throughout the entire world. With elections in France and the United States, the transitioning of power in China and North Korea, and the onset of revolution in the Middle East, it is a time for influx of new political thought. However, even with an election in the near future, it seems America is lagging behind in political reform. Supposedly, Congress is an expression of the people’s will. However, the polls, media and even politicians express that people are sick and tired of American political stagnation, especially in Congress. The budget is out of control, special interests surround politicians and the electoral system is flawed. It seemingly does not matter what party wins the presidential election — neither will be able to fix the problems that permeate Congress and bureaucratic institutions.

If the political system in the U.S. was an economic industry, it would be an oligopoly with the two parties controlling the market and purposefully barring entry of new ideas through high costs, campaign financing and uncompetitive elections generated by practices like gerrymandering and seniority. In neo-capitalistic economic theory, the solution to an oligopoly is the government’s ability to remove all barriers to entry and increase competitiveness. In the case of the political industry in the present U.S., legitimate legislative actions could be, such as complete campaign-finance reforms or termlimit legislation. Unfortunately, right now, these ideas seem far too radical. Consequently, it is up to the citizens to create change they want to see. Although the barriers of entry are high in the political field, the Internet and social media foster a more egalitarian market. Therefore,

it must be the setting for an American political revolution. College students are at the forefront of political debate, and the way they express their sentiments toward government can form a foundation that may forever impact the way Americans perceive bureaucracy and its policies. The technology that has invaded people’s lives has transformed the way they exchange ideas and beliefs. Information is literally at people’s fingertips — their minds and opinions are capable of reaching audiences vastly larger than those from the past could imagine. Not to be cliche, but these capabilities have forced great power on people, and with great power comes great responsibility. People can no longer resort to excuses like “our politicians don’t listen” or “we can’t express our ideas to them.” They must also eliminate the perception of young Americans that political “ignorance is bliss.” Instead,

people ought to take matters into their own hands, or smartphones, and make it imperative for those politically inclined to find new ways to express their thoughts and opinions. So the question is: How do we use the Internet to get these views in the open and in politicians’ eyes? The Washington Post took a look at a new website, Ruck.us, which is reaching out to get the politically independent a place to share their thoughts. Ruck. us has a mission to help users “discover politically like-minded people, organize around the issues you care about and take action together.” The site matches users with others who share their beliefs and allows discussion to take place on its forums. It is evident that Facebook, Twitter and blogs have paved the way for free-flowing political thought. People have seen political actions created domestically, the Tea Party movement

and internationally, the 99 percent movement — all were started through grassroots campaigning but evolved through mass social media use. The time has come for the college-aged generation to define itself and take a step toward reform in the entrenched, outdated political system people often don’t trust or believe in. November is coming, and political debate is nowhere near its conclusion. Therefore, take the time to develop an opinion and use the vehicles technology has provided to make it an impression felt by all. Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Little did he know that the Internet could make that change much more manageable.

SHAWN GHUMAN -regular columnist -senior -political science major

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march 15, 2012

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Week ending Feb. 18, 2012

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

We are Young (Feat. Janelle Moneae) • Fun

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Glad You Came • The Wanted

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Set Fire to the Rain • Adele

Somebody That I Used to Know • Gotye

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WORDSEARCH: St. Patrick’s Day Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. L

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WORD BANK 1Green 2 Four Leaf Clover 3 Beer 4 Drinking 5 March 6 Leprechaun 7 Gold 8 Seventeenth 9 Pub 10 Irish 11 Ireland 12 Parade 13 Saint 14 Patrick 15 Shamrock 16 Feast Day 17 Festival 18 Catholic

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Girls gone child: Spring break and the devolution of the American college student

he scene was straight out of a bad ’80s comedy: Bikini-clad coeds bounced around a barside pool as employees poured shots in their mouths. And screams of “spring break!” carried throughout the tourist trap tackiness of the Cozumel, Mexico Senor Frogs. As I observed the debauchery while slurping down $14 worth of Mexican sugar, two thoughts of varying sobriety entered my head. “This is proof of the existence of a kind and loving God,” thought the rum as yet another girl began to lose whatever minimal coverage her top was providing. Then, because my scumbag brain couldn’t let me enjoy the scenery in peace, I had a more depressing realization: “Ah yeah, this is why the world hates Americans.” This was day six of our Caribbean cruise on the Norwegian Pearl, and the euphoric feeling had begun to fade. The journalistic instincts I had thus far shut off with fierce determination — and the occasional stiff drink — were starting to rear their ugly head. These instincts were not as enamored with the riotous atmosphere as my frontal Bacardi lobe had been. The balloon penis adorning my friend’s head, hilarious only minutes earlier, now struck me as rather crude and childish. “No!” I thought, but it was too late. The beast had been released from its cage and was immediately filtering the scene through that annoying lens known as a conscience, or, in Newt Gingrich’s case, a nothing. As I sat on the edge of the Senor

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mind that this convenience would later help my friend build an $800 bar tab — at the time it seemed like we’d been given a key to the world’s best playground. In this honeymoon phase, with the crew doing a commendable job hiding their utter loathing of us, it was easy to overlook the fact that the college crowd was already earning quite a reputation. Rumors of extreme behavior began to trickle throughout the boat. “Did you hear about the kid who blacked out and woke up in the middle of a $180 spa treatment?” “That’s nothing, apparently some guys destroyed a woman’s wheelchair and are getting kicked off the boat at the next stop.” It was nearly impossible to Spring break is about tell fact from fiction, but it adults on the verge of became clear the Hokies were making a name for themselves, entering the real world, albeit not in the most flatmanner. Nonetheless, shrinking responsibility tering everyone was in high spirand decorum to act like its when we disembarked at (no pun intended) for children one last time.” Jamaica our first port stop. The first time leaving the ship is a kind of revelation I sure as heck wasn’t going to after spending days in a strange miss my last opportunity to find bubble of affluence — even the out. When the first weekend of fake tourist towns presented a March finally arrived, a group of stark juxtaposition between friends and I booked it to Miami cruise world and reality. to join more than 100 other What didn’t change were the Hokies on what I could only attitudes of the spring breakers, imagine would be our Sodom which can best be described as and Gomorrah of the sea. a LMFAO song come to life. The first few days of That buffoonish revelry coexScandinavian hospitality were a isted uncomfortably with the real blur of freedom and excitement, life socioeconomic conditions, due in part to our ability to pay but it wasn’t until Cozumel that I for drinks with a thoughtless bothered to notice. swipe of the room card. Never Sitting at the pool full of rowdy

“

party goers, I attempted to look back and judge our behavior from a sober distance. The verdict wasn’t exactly glowing. Some antics that seemed innocuous and fun at the time appeared obnoxious in retrospect. But others were never defensible, including our boisterous shouting and lewd jokes at dinners filled with families. And let’s not forget the girl who could afford to go on a luxury cruise, but complained her way out of the $12 a day service charge for employees. Patronizing cries of “spring break oh twelve!” to employees who may never even be able to afford a vacation. I’m not condemning spring break — many students work hard to save up for trips, and the commerce supports tourism economies — but let’s drop the bull and call it what it really is. Spring break is about adults on the verge of entering the real world, shrinking responsibility and decorum to act like children one last time. There’s nothing truly wrong with that, and I personally don’t regret my decision to go for a second. Truth be told, it was one of the best weeks of my life. But I think back to our Cozumel cab driver wearily responding “fiesta, fiesta” as my friend kept pressing him to translate dirty phrases into Spanish, and it makes me kind of glad I’ll never do it again.

ANDREW REILLY -featured columnist -senior -communication major -@wrylyreilly

Lifestyle & Community have a big announcement, selling things, need help? Free for VT students! Place an ad or announcement at collegiatetimes.com, visit our business office at 618 N. Main St. 9 am- 5pm Monday-Friday, or call (540) 961-9860. Students can come into 618 N. Main St. to place a free ad. Rates as low as 32 cents per word, contengent on the number of days to run. Prepaid. 15 word minimum. Cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Deadline: 3 pm 3 business days prior to publication.

word

couple

OF THE

week

UNSCRAMBLER

Frogs pool watching a drunk student yell crude requests at the balloon lady, I took inventory of our week aboard the Pearl and came to a discouraging conclusion: Spring break consists of a bunch of adults acting like children. It might be appropriate to provide some context before putting a cherished American institution like spring break under a less-than-flattering microscope. Due to various circumstances, I’ve managed to miss the annual collegiate ritual until this year. Every March I’d hear tales of raucous partying and could only wonder what really occurs when college students invade paradise in search of boozy good times.

solutions: “Baseball Terms” 1) Glove 2) Bat 3) Pitcher 4) Base 5) Home run 6) Short stop 7) Outfield 8) Batter

BRIAN WRIGHT

Keep me logged in

www.collegiatetimes.com

& CAITLYN BERRY

dating since: October 16th, 2009

become a fan of the COLLEGIATETIMES on facebook!

he says:

She is a beautiful and intelligent woman who can make any day of mine better.

she says:

He is a caring, hard working guy who brings out the best in me.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Your social life is about to get very busy. Add alarms to your schedule, or some appointments may fall through the cracks. Avoid upsets by staying in communication.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Get your hands on the controls of your inances today. The more careful you are with the details, the better you look. Verify intuition with facts.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) And now you turn to thoughts of love; inject it into your projects, and sprinkle it onto your social life. A coming change is for the beter. Stay on plan.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Budget planning comes easier the next couple of days. Make necessary revisions and rake in dough. Money is coming in, but also going out. Find a balance.

Aries (March 21-April 19) You’re competing for new responsibilities over the next few days, an practice is key. Keep a respectful attitude. Discover hidden resources. Replenish reserves.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) You don’t mind waiting in your shell, but you know how to bring folks together for a solution. Partnership arises around you. Share your dreams.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Manners help us all get along. The next two days are good for changes at home. Perfect your environment. Add subtle art elements. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Usually it’s impossible to be in more than two places at once, but give your talents, you may actually pull it off. You’re getting more popular, too.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) All the world’s a stage, and all your friends and community are players. Deliver an award-winning perfomance for a standing ovation. Break a leg!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Put off procrastinating until the weekend. Now is the time to focus and slowly grind at the projects that need completion. You’re building something of value.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) An older dream could be possible now. Imagine which actions to take, and schedule them. Plan a trip. Take advantage to visit someone, and save. Find unexpected bounty.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) It’s getting busy, and you’re putting on the steam. Make the next 12 hours count! Stick to your high ideals. Avoid excessive spending. Dream up a new source of income.

for the the it’s

how they met: We met while both living in Peddrew-Yates, the Residential Leadership Community, freshman year. He would help me study for Trivedi’s Chemistry class, because I was terrible at Chemistry. After spending time together studying, I got a B on the test and we’ve been dating ever since. Have a couple you want to nominate for ‘Couple of the Week?’ Email your nominations to studybreak@collegemedia.com with the title ‘Couple of the Week.’

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland

march 15, 2012

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

COLLEGIATE TIMES

Verdict: Tech likely to challenge case from page one

On the seventh day of proceedings, the jury received instructions and heard final arguments before beginning deliberations shortly after 11:35 a.m. yesterday. Less than four hours later, they returned to the courtroom and delivered a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. Celeste Peterson, Erin Peterson’s mother, burst into tears and buried her head in her hands. The verdict marked the culmination of a process that started on the second anniversary of the shootings, when the suits were filed. As the fifth anniversary approaches, the two families who refused a state settlement reached their goal: Extracting truth from officials they felt were not forthright about the events of the day their daughters died. “I was thinking about Erin, and I was thinking about how she was a person who wanted to tell the truth even when she got caught,” Celeste Peterson said of the moment she heard the verdict. Several other victims’ family members were in the courtroom to hear the case’s outcome and support the plaintiffs. Karen Pryde, Julia Pryde’s mother, was wearing her daughter’s class ring from Tech — a lasting reminder she said she never takes off. For her family, the suits offered the opportunity to dig deeper into what happened that morning, and she hopes the other victims’ families gained some comfort from the victory. “We kind of felt like this was really for all of the families, all of the victims and the survivors,” Karen Pryde said. “It was a small victory for them to know that the truth got out there.” The jury awarded each family $4

million in damages, but state law caps the damages the state must pay at $100,000 per suit in this type of case. But the families insisted the case was never about money and that they still hold fond feelings for Tech. “My daughter loved Virginia Tech so much. She really, really loved that school,” Celeste Peterson said. “It wasn’t about the school at all. It was about truth. We wanted accountability, and that’s what we got. We were sorry it had to be forced.” The families indicated they simply wanted their daughters to have a chance to make an informed choice for their own safety that morning. “That warning should have gone out,” Karen Pryde said. “There was no reason it didn’t go out.” — Yesterday’s proceedings went quickly, in stark contrast to Tuesday’s strung-out legal negotiations. The jury’s instructions — which lay out the issues of the case and what the jury must find to side with the plaintiffs — were a major point of contention. Tuesday was consumed by private meetings of the opposing legal teams in the judge’s chambers spent crafting the jury’s guidelines. One phrase played a major role in the closing arguments — and drew a standing objection from the attorneys defending Tech — after the instructions were decided upon. The instructions stipulated that not sending an alert to the campus community would be considered negligent if a Tech employee who had the authority to issue such an alert could have or should have “reasonably foreseen” a risk to students’ safety.

AP POOL

Judge William Alexander reviews a document Wednesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court. The judge presided over a trial that involved lengthy, complicated private negotiations over the legal instructions given to the jury that ultimately drew strong objections from the state. State attorneys representing the university voiced their objection to the phrase repeatedly for the record Tuesday evening — a point they could use to appeal the case. They argued the standard in Virginia only requires an alert if there is an “imminent probability” of a thirdparty committing a crime against a student. Robert Hall, one of the attorneys representing the victims’ fami-

AP POOL

Defense attorneys Bill Broaddus and Peter Messitt present a map of West Ambler-Johnston Hall in an attempt to show the jury that Seung-Hui Cho’s ﬁrst shootings were isolated and appeared to be targeted. lies, said he argued for the phrase by insisting that students have a special relationship to their universities, while the defense argued that concept does not exist in Virginia.

Hall told the Collegiate Times he provided the judge with readings about the concept, which is recognized in many states. The special relationship concept, which Judge William Alexander included in the instructions, means universities have a duty to issue warnings in less urgent circumstances than a different type of land owner would be expected to give in a similar situation where a third-party could commit a crime. The words “foreseeable risk” drove yesterday’s closing arguments, with Hall arguing for the plaintiffs that the university’s theory did not mean all risk was eliminated, while Peter Messitt argued for the university that Tech officials were acting reasonably based on the information available to them. Hall spoke first, emphasizing that students likely expected a warning if there was a risk of danger on campus because of events that occurred in the days and months leading up to April 16. When convict William Morva killed two people during an August 2006 prison escape, he was sighted near the Tech campus and a warning was sent. Days before April 16, two bomb threats led to campus lockdowns. A gunman who had been on campus and was unidentified, Hall argued, was a similarly dangerous threat. “As the danger rises, the duty to warn is enhanced,” he said. But, throughout the defense’s arguments, it claimed the university officials making decisions that morning — the policy group — believed the suspect had left campus. First responders found Hilscher and Clark in Hilscher’s dorm room — on the fourth floor of West AJ near the elevator and a janitorial closet. Clark wasn’t wearing pants other than his boxer shorts. Combining his attire with the seemingly isolated room where the

incident occurred, multiple investigating officers testified they felt confident it had been a domestic incident. Blacksburg Police Chief Kim Crannis said several expert witnesses said the most logical theory of the West AJ crime painted it as an isolated domestic incident. When Hall cross-examined Kay Heidbreder, the university’s general counsel and a policy group member, she said Tech President Charles Steger and other officials who assembled in Burruss Hall that morning were following advice of police who said suspects in that type of crime “generally” flee the area. Police further embraced the theory when Hilscher’s roommate, Heather Hall returned to her dorm and was interviewed. She told detectives Hilscher had been with her boyfriend, Karl Thornhill, that weekend. She also showed the investigators social media photos of Thornhill handling weapons. The trial also contained lengthy discussions and testimony about the timeline of events surrounding the lead to Thornhill. University statements and the original Governor’s Report on Tech said investigators had a lead in the case at 7:30 a.m., less than 15 minutes after first responders arrived. The report was later corrected to show that Heather Hall did not arrive at West AJ until 8:16 a.m., a fact acknowledged by the detective who interviewed her. Throughout the trial, Hall — the plaintiffs’ attorney — questioned witnesses about their knowledge of the false time printed in the report. Yesterday, Hall’s closing argument asserted that the theory was not strong enough to eliminate the possibility of a threat on campus, acknowledging the expert testimony pointing to the domestic incident theory as the most likely explanation of the West AJ crime. “One of the issues that plagued this case was how a probability transitioned to certainty,” he said. He went on to label the officials’ thought process a “fatal leap,” and recalled from testimony that certain things were known that morning that weakened the theory. Ed Spencer, currently Tech’s vice president for student affairs, went to West AJ that morning just before 8 a.m. He was then the assistant vice president for student affairs and intended to assist investigators with anything they needed in the residence hall. His testimony revealed that he knew Clark — the resident adviser who was killed in Hilscher’s room in his boxer shorts. Spencer praised Clark as one of the best RAs on campus at the time. He also testified that he informed Flinchum that Clark was “active in the gay community” — a piece of information that never reached the policy group. Heidbreder’s testimony indicated that Steger took Flinchum’s word that it was likely domestic and did not pose a threat to the campus. Hall’s argument posited that the policy group failed to protect the campus because it accepted the theory as the likely explanation instead of viewing it as one option. “They took one of the possibilities and said ‘that’s it,’” Hall said during his closing argument. “The blinders went on.” Messitt, in his closing argument for the university, countered that the policy group made a reasonable decision by taking advice from the investigating officers. “Highly trained and highly experienced investigators thought there was no further threat,” he said. In a previously unstated piece of evidence, Messitt’s closing argument revealed Flinchum advised Zenobia Hikes — then the vice president for student affairs — to not reveal

details of the shooting in an alert. Previously, it had just been stated that Hikes opposed releasing the information that one student was dead and another wounded in the initial alert. According to testimony, this was the major debate in deciding the contents of the initial campus notice, which was sent nearly twoand-a-half hours after the West AJ shootings. Larry Hincker, the university spokesman and a policy group member, had drafted a notice prior to the meeting that included information on the severity of the shootings. But Flinchum’s advice relayed through Hikes was heeded, and the information was removed. That first notice only referenced “a shooting incident” in West AJ and promised more information later. Messitt proceeded to argue that there was no reason to doubt the police theory at the time. He showed jurors a map of West AJ and wondered aloud how a shooter would pick that location randomly. He repeatedly referred to the defense’s witnesses’ testimony that the crime appeared “isolated” and “targeted.” Recalling expert testimony that the suspect had likely fled, he said Cho’s Norris Hall shootings were unforeseeable to the policy group following police advice — the key point in his appeal to jurors and their instructions. But in his rebuttal, Hall apparently got the last word in the jurors’ minds. “It’s not required that they predict Norris,” he argued. “It’s the reasonable foreseeability that someone on campus with a gun who has already killed two might put a bullet in someone else.” — After hearing the verdict, Bill Broaddus — an attorney representing the university who was formerly Virginia’s Attorney General — expressed his sympathy for the victims’ families but disagreed with the logic behind the case’s outcome. “We feel we proved beyond question that the rampage Cho went on after the West AJ murders was unforeseen and unforeseeable,” he said. “The jury, using 20/20 hindsight, second-guessed the judgment of police and university officials.” University spokesman Mark Owczarski released a statement revealing Tech’s intention to fight the verdict. “We do not believe that evidence presented at trial relative to the murders in West Ambler-Johnston created an increased danger to the campus that day,” the statement said. “We will discuss this matter with the attorney general, carefully review the case and explore all of the options available.” The state’s numerous objections to the use of the term “reasonable foreseeability of harm” and its related usages could be grounds for appeal. It held a related objection to the concept of a university having a special relationship with its students. It also claimed the plaintiffs failed to prove the state’s negligence actually caused the harm to Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde, because no evidence was presented to identify where the students were or what they were doing that morning. As a matter of legal standard, it is assumed they would have acted with “ordinary care,” upon receiving an alert. Even with a verdict, the case still has some loose ends. The plaintiffs are expected to write a memorandum asking the judge to waive the cap on damages, and state attorneys intend to file written objections to the verdict. An appeal of the case, if pursued, would go to the Virginia Supreme Court.

editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

weekend

march 15, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Big Event gets bigger

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Lindsay Hamilton (left), a member of The Big Event executive committee, hands out “dirt” pudding at “Get Dirty with The Big Event” in D2 yesterday. Students could also sign up to volunteer for the event.

The Big Event will take place on Saturday, March 31, but sign-ups close tomorrow. Volunteers will be entered in a raffle for a Beamersigned football and a Tyrod Taylor bobblehead doll, among others. There is still one more large fundraiser before The Big Event. On Wednesday, March 21, Moe’s will have a sponsorship night where it will share some of its profits with the event’s team.

Event organizers aim higher EMMA GODDARD features reporter

With The Big Event right around the corner, Ut Prosim is on the minds of Neil Allerton and Anuj Bagai — this year’s co-directors. This is a day that aims to bring the university’s student population together to help out the surrounding community on a grand scale. Allerton, a senior economics major, and Bagai, a senior finance major, have been involved with the event since their freshman years. “I like that Virginia Tech has a tradition of Ut Prosim,” said Bagai, a senior finance major. “The appreciation we get from the community is rewarding, and we get to serve the people who live right next to us.” The Big Event was originally started at Texas A&M University 30 years ago and was brought to Tech in 2002. Since then, thousands of students have joined the cause, making Tech’s event the second largest in the nation. In recent years, the number of participants has increased. Last year, The Big Event celebrated its 10th anniversary, with a grand total of 6,731 participants. On Saturday, March 31 — the day of this year’s event — the organizers expect a larger turnout. With these numbers, it is no surprise that many know of The Big Event prior to coming to Tech. Calling northern Virginia his hometown, Bagai first heard of Tech through his brother, who attended the university. Before coming to Blacksburg, Bagai learned of The Big Event and appreciated Tech’s philanthropic efforts. Allerton shares Bagai’s respect for helping others, so when his peers encouraged him to apply for the event’s co-director position, he jumped at the opportunity.

“(My first year) I went to an elderly couple’s house in Christiansburg, and helped clear the leaves and weeds that were all over the yard,” Allerton said. “Just being able to think back to the projects we did and realizing the impact we made is rewarding.” Although the two men have seen three years of service, they will be doing behind-the-scene work at The Big Event this year, while other students take on community projects. With 12 executive members, 50 regular committee members and 50 staff members, the event’s team has volunteered its time and dedication since the day after last year’s event.

ers focus on promoting the event to students and the community. “We try to have a presence on campus and through social media,” Bagai said. “We also (reach) freshmen who don’t know about it through their RAs.” On Tuesday, a sponsorship night took place at Jimmy John’s as a means of raising money and profit sharing. And yesterday, the event’s team held “Get Dirty with The Big Event” for the first time at D2 and Shultz dining centers. Meghan Canter, The Big Event’s marketing director, created the new fundraiser, and the Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center contributed its time and effort. the fundraiser, cups of ediThe community appreciates bleAt“dirt” pudding were offered everything we do, and it’s a to students while they dined. Students were also able to sign good way to build relation- up as volunteers for The Big Event. ships.” The last event is planned for Neil Allerton Wednesday, March 21 — a The Big Event co-director sponsorship night at Moe’s. On the day of The Big Event, Allerton and Bagai have spent the student groups will take on four-hour majority of their time as co-directors projects, such as doing yard work, planning how to attract sponsors and painting and cleaning. grab the attention of more students. The day will start on the Drillfield, Their goal is to have at least 7,000 where teams will gather to collect tools volunteers complete 1,000 community and find out the location of their projservice projects. ect. Businesses such as Ace Hardware, This year’s event also comes with Capital One, Hensel Phelps some changes. Construction Co., the SGA and Terrace With help from a production comView Apartments are sponsoring the pany, the organizers have produced event. their first marketing video. And a large However, Allerton and Bagai agree tent and screen will also be located on that finding people who will help the Drillfield. the event is not an easy task. They But Allerton and Bagai said they send people out to ask if compa- hope their peers will continue to show nies want be promoted and request undeniable support for the cause. grants. The Big Event’s budget is “The community appreciates every$40,000, and Capital One and the thing we do, and it’s a good way to SGA give it more than $20,000 of their build relationships,” Allerton said. funds. The deadline to sign up for The Big After finding sponsors, the organiz- Event is tomorrow.

“

sports 8 Pinder’s big night powers Hokie win

editors: matt jones, zach mariner

march 15, 2012

sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

COLLEGIATETIMES

MATT JONES sports editor Last night, Virginia Tech baseball coach Pete Hughes talked about the need to treat every game with the same importance. The Hokies responded with vengeance, as they defeated the Wagner Seahawks 14-2. The win — the Hokies’ 14th of the season — gives Tech momentum heading into a critical weekend series against Georgia Tech. “Hopefully we can win a series, at least two games,” said freshman catcher Mark Zagunis. “Get a couple timely hits, and our pitchers have been throwing well all year, so hopefully they can continue that. Just get a couple big hits and win a couple games.” Tech wasted no time getting on the board, as the team used a Zagunis leadoff single and a Tyler Horan double to go up 1-0. The Hokies ultimately scored three first-inning runs on five hits. Against Radford Tuesday, the Hokies sputtered out of the gates, eventually pulling away late in the game. Hughes was happy to see his team jump out early. “I thought we came out good the way I wanted, right from the get-go,” Hughes said. “Sometimes if you give a team a chance to breathe and get a little bit of confidence, it changes the whole complexion of the game. I thought we started really good and responded to my challenge pregame.” Starting pitcher Colin O’Keefe was not exceptionally sharp throughout his five innings of work, as he walked three batters and balked twice. O’Keefe’s lone run allowed came courtesy of a Chris Smith home run. “I was happy to see Colin come out and have a really good start,” Hughes said. “That’s a quality arm that hasn’t had success in his last two outings, and he’s really good. We want to keep building his confidence.” Tanner McIntrye, Devin Burke and Jake Joyce each saw time in relief of O’Keefe.

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Virginia Tech pitcher Colin O’Keefe gives up just two hits and one run in ﬁve innings in the Hokies’ 14-2 victory over the Wagner Seahawks, improving Tech’s record to 14-4. “(McIntyre) was pitching in a tie game, that’s what I saw,” Hughes said. “His body language, his focus … he’s trying to get innings and increase his role in our program. He was locked in and not one pitch was above the knee.” In the second through sixth innings, the Hokies scored 11 runs, including two four-run innings. In total, Tech finished with 20 hits on the night. This season, the Hokies have gotten extremely strong play from the middle of their lineup. The combination of Johnny

Morales, Chad Pinder and Jake Atwell is batting .351 on the season. “(Pinder) is a tremendous player with a great work ethic, who has grown as a baseball player,” Hughes said. “I always see the biggest productivity wise in college baseball from the freshman to sophomore year.” Pinder leads the nation in doubles with 13 after he went 4-for-5 at the plate with two doubles Wednesday night. “I’m just swinging, and it’s just finding the barrel every once

and a while,” Pinder said. “It’s very surprising because it’s not something you think about. You just go up every at-bat and try to do your best, and luckily, I’ve been doing well.” A sophomore from Poquoson, Va., Pinder started 27 games as a freshman. This year, he has become an important part in the middle of Hughes’ lineup. Through 18 games, Pinder is in the top three on the team in batting average among players who have started at least 14 games. Although he missed four games against Yale with a tweaked hip

flexor, he is having a great sophomore season. “I just came in with expectations of hopefully helping the team and be able to be a part of this,” Pinder said. “Gladly I’ve been able to do that.” The Hokies used 14 position players in the win, as Hughes allowed some players to get some work they might not usually get. Andrew Rash played catcher in the ninth, getting some work in should an emergency situation arise. Freshman outfielder Carson Helms also saw action

for just the seventh time this season. At 1-2 in the ACC, Tech has a chance to gain quality wins this weekend against No. 15 Georgia Tech. Hughes was pleased with the effort heading into the weekend. “We came out tonight and played at an ACC speed, which is what I wanted going into Georgia Tech,” Hughes said. The Hokies travel to Atlanta this weekend for a three-game series against the Yellow Jackets. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.