Friday, April 27, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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Friday, April 27, 2012

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 56

News, page 3

People & Clubs, page 4

Town, Corps help to welcome veterans

Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 7

Study Break, page 6

Obama speaks on student debt

MCT CAMPUS

With the pending deadline for the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, students face a 3.4 percent jump in interest rates on federal loans, president campaigns for affordability FILE 2011 SPPS

BY PRISCILLA ALVAREZ | news staff writer

The corps celebrates its incoming freshman in Sept.

Corps to march in Blacksburg parade before change of command ceremony KELSEY JO STARR news staff writer For senior regimental commander Amanda McGrath, Sunday will be an emotional day, as she turns over her command to Kareim St. John Oliphant. “I love Virginia Tech,” the history major said. “I’m going to be sad to leave. But at the same time, I’m ready to get out there and start a new career. McGrath, along with all current seniors in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, will pass on her leadership role to a junior cadet, as well as celebrate her graduation at the chain of command parade this Sunday. “At this point, command has passed,” said Carrie Cox, executive officer for the Corps. “The rising juniors are now seniors, and they are in charge of the regiments. From this point forward, until the end of the fall semester, they are in charge.” Cox said command changes every semester as opposed to every year, allowing more students to hold a position of command. The parade will take place at 4 p.m., on the Drillfield, immediately after the town of Blacksburg parade for returning veterans. “The purpose of this parade is to honor our vet-

eran service members and active duty personnel in and around the New River Valley, and just give them an overall welcome home,” said Leanna Craig, veteran resource specialist and the person overseeing the parade for Blacksburg. Craig did not want to hold the parade on a specific holiday that celebrated veterans, because she felt a “welcome home” ceremony warranted its own event. This is the first parade ever held in the New River Valley for this purpose. The grand marshall of the parade will be Col. Wesley Fox, who served as a Marine during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1973, according to the United States Marines. Fox also received the Medal of Honor for his actions of bravery while defending his battalion in 1969. Cox will also be serving in the parade as the official narrator. The Corps will be heavily highlighted in Blacksburg’s parade, after which, all spectators are invited to watch the chain of command parade. The town’s parade will take place at 2 p.m., beginning on Eheart Street. It will then proceed down Main Street, Alumni Mall, Stanger Street and end at a designated location around Burruss Hall.

his past week, President Obama traveled to different universities across the country to push for college affordability. The president is trying to prevent Congress from doubling interest rates on federal student loans on July 1. In 2007, Congress passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which lowered the interest rate on federal subsidized Stafford student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. However, the act was only set to continue through 2012 and the deadline is quickly approaching for its extension. Without the lowered interest rate, nearly 7.5 million students will owe, on average, an additional $1,000 in debt. To promote renewal of the act, President Obama visited the University of North Carolina, University of Colorado Boulder and University of Iowa. In his remarks to these universities, the president emphasized the need to make higher education affordable to all Americans. “Helping more of our young people afford college, that should be at the forefront of America’s agenda,” Obama said. “It shouldn’t be a Republican or a Democratic issue. This is an American issue.” The Obama administration has already passed several reforms in regards to college affordability, including one extending Pell grants to three million more students and expanding the American opportunity tax credit for middle class families, worth up to $10,000, to help cover the cost of tuition. The administration has also worked with states to make sure they are not cutting higher education funds and with college presidents to ensure costs are down and providing value, according to Cecilia Munoz, assistant to the president and director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. “I’ve always believed that we should be doing everything we can to help out higher education within reach for every single American student — because the unemployment rate for Americans with at least a college degree is about half the national average,” Obama said. “And it’s never been more important. Unfortunately, it’s also never been more expensive.” As of 2010, student debt exceeded credit debt in the U.S. The average student graduates with about $25,000 in debt. While people with a college degree still earn twice as much as those who do not have a high school diploma, there is a concern that with the rise of interest rates, college students might choose to forego college to avoid the debt that comes with it. “(Students struggling with debt) is something that we absolutely need to address as part of our economic health and well-being as a society to make sure we can compete in the global economy by making sure that we have the best educated and prepared work force in the country,” Munoz said.

Accomplishing this is a shared responsibility between the federal government, states, colleges, and universities. “The federal government has a role to play and we are making sure that we are playing that role through Pell grants and tax credit,” Munoz said. “The states have a role to play here by making sure that they invest in higher education, and colleges and universities have a role to play here, too.” This past February, President Obama met with state governors to discuss the issue of college affordability and the importance of working together. The administration hopes extending the act will give them time to address the issue of college affordability long term, Munoz said. “We hope to inspire a conversation in Congress around the whole higher education question, which will include a conversation about making sure that we address this permanently,” Munoz said. Freezing the current interest rate will cost taxpayers an additional $6 billion. However, according to Munoz, they are seeking to do this in a way that is fully funded. Despite the politically polarized Congress, the president will continue to push this effort until it is passed and creates a bipartisanship because he sees no alternatives. “We wish we had administrative tools to do it, but, unfortunately, this requires legislative authority to keep the rates low, which is why we’re taking this debate to the Congress,” Munoz said. Aaron Cook, a junior music performance and music technology major, agrees focusing on higher education is important. “Looking at it from the perspective I have, I don’t think it “interest rates” should rise especially with the current economy,” he said. “Ever since President George W. Bush’s ‘No Child Left Behind Act,’ there has been a big push for bettering education, and increasing interest would make that harder.” However, Katie Bisazza, a freshman animal poultry science major, believes if the money were going toward something beneficial or working toward reducing the debt, then raising interest rates would not be a bad idea. “If I see (money from interest) going somewhere, then I’d be okay with it,” Bisazza said. President Obama will continue to travel across the country until legislation is passed to keep interest rates low. “We’ve got to build an economy where everybody is getting a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, everybody is playing by the same set of rules,” he said. “That’s ultimately how the middle class gets stronger. And that’s an economy that’s built to last,” Obama said.

Three Tech Fulbright Scholars extend study abroad MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news editor Virginia Tech will be sending two Fulbright scholars on international trips in the fall. Nicole Faut, a rising senior interdisciplinary studies major, will be studying murals and public arts administration in Bangalore, India. Lily Gonzales, who graduated last spring with a master’s in architecture, will be creating a digital replica of a basilica in Barcelona, Spain. The Fulbright Program grants about 8,000 scholarships to more than 150 countries each year, giving students the option of doing their own research or teaching English. A major focus of the program is to provide a forum for cultural exchange and to break down stereotypes. “Being with kids is fun and it’s mutually beneficial,” said Holly Berkley, a graduate from Tech with a degree in psychology. According to Berkley — who is currently teaching English in Malaysia on a Fulbright scholarship — there are few native English speakers in the eastern part of the country. The program also helps put faces to countries, according to Patrick Seiler, a

graduate student studying technology. He is from Germany and is studying at Tech as a Fulbright scholar. “The understanding is easier if you can relate somehow to someone,” he said. “That’s the whole idea, to enhance a mutual understanding between countries, and I would say it has succeeded in that. It brought some attention to some issues that I wasn’t aware of before” Almost as important as the trip itself is what scholars bring back to their home country. Faut will study an initiative in Bangalore, which is to cover every wall with murals. She hopes to use the knowledge she gains to make murals more prevalent in the U.S. “Murals are this really interesting medium for people to express themselves in a public space,” she said. “You know, other than murals, you really don’t see too much of that. And I’m interested in if the publicness of the art actually helps the community feel a little more cohesive together.” According to Faut, murals help provide a sense of identity in communities. She also said that having art on walls discourages gang members from tagging. Gonzales hopes to use the digital replica of Santa Maria del Mar to educate

students back in the U.S. She would like to see her project featured in the CAVE in Torgersen, which is a box users step into wearing goggles to be in a virtual room. She initially became interested in her program when she was studying abroad as an undergraduate, and she was interested in the Fulbright as soon as she heard about it. “The Fulbright is really great,” she said. “But, not a lot of students seem to be aware of it. It’s a great resource.” Christina McIntyre, the Fulbright coordinator for Tech and associate director for the Honors Program, has also noticed this trend. “More students should be getting scholarships,” she said. “You don’t have to be in Honors.” Each year, one to three students from Tech receive scholarships. About 15 to 20 apply, and McIntyre would like to see that number doubled. Because the program focuses on cultural exchange, GPA is not everything. “There’s a big focus on social skills and outreach in the community,” said Tobias Ecker, a German Fulbright graduate student studying aerospace technology. “The goal is to make it more well-known; more Americans should be applying.”

COURTESY OF HOLLY VERKLEY

Holly Berkley, who is studying in Malaysia on a Fulbright scholarship, poses with students after a 5k.

news

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

april 27, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Stepping out of your comfort zone

Parker: What is wrong with the cap? The

quality of students in engineering has declined if anything since I’ve been here. The stipulation is that students with a 3.0 or above can always get in. This just means if you are that person “who’s wanted to do engineering all your life” you had better work hard at it. Do we really want the students who barely get by and just want a degree to be building our roads or running our factory? We need more engineers, not bad engineers as Dr. Brown so eloquently put it.

PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

Ballroom Dance Club members teach students the technique for the shufﬂe Thursday night in Hillcrest. the footwork. We practiced individually until we mastered the basic steps. When everyone seemed proficient in the steps, we partnered up and tried them out altogether. After a few minutes of swinging around the room, we changed partners. Once in a while, the teachers would split us back up into leaders and followers to add some fancy, complex moves. Throughout the lesson, they taught us an assortment of spins, turns and steps. By the end of the night, I had danced with about five different people, some more than once, and I had actually improved. I also picked up some tips from the regulars. Relaxing is key. I found the

moves came more naturally when I relaxed, which allowed me to really enjoy myself. The ballroom dance members were very friendly and most importantly, patient. I never felt like I was being judged for my lack of dancing skills; they created a comfortable atmosphere for learning. Although the dance lesson is the main event, the Ballroom Dance Club offers much more — a chance to socialize, meet new people and blow off steam. Not to mention the practicality of learning a new skill and getting a good workout. At first, it may be a little awkward, like all new situations, but I would recommend sticking it out because it is definitely worth it. The Ballroom Dance Club

meets every Thursday, but check their Facebook group, “Ballroom Dance @ Virginia Tech,” for the time and location, since it varies weekly. The dance lesson made me laugh out loud, break out of my comfort zone, and learn something new — it definitely made for a fond college memory. I would recommend trying the ballroom dance lessons at least once. What have you got to lose? Branching out is what college is all about.

MADELEINE GORDON -features staff writer -freshman -english major

Tech community to present ‘ideas worth spreading’ ALLIE SIVAK features staff writer

pon the mere mention of Virginia Tech, the slogan “Invent the Future” may come to mind — the university prides itself on inventive thinking, research and a unified work ethic. This year, students and staff are cooperating to showcase Tech’s scholarship and breadth of knowledge by bringing TED talks to the university. TED is a non-profit organization that holds conferences dedicated to the concept of “ideas worth spreading.” Held annually in California, the annual TED conference hosts speakers from a multitude of career paths, interests and backgrounds who speak about various topics, uniting professionals from the sectors of technology, entertainment and design — which represent the acronym TED. Since its creation, TED has expanded to various communities and universities. On November 10, 2012, Tech will host its firstever live TEDx event, which is independently organized, and will feature variety of speakers will address the topic of knowing as a means for stimulating insightful thought and conversation around campus. The live event will exhibit a combination of students, faculty and community members, representing the broad, diverse Hokie community. Edward Watson, director for the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research, serves as the TEDx Virginia Tech Steering Committee Chair. Along with the other steering committee organizers and members, he has worked diligently this year to bring the event to Tech and manage the event’s logistics.

what you’re saying On the engineering major cap:

e’ve all been told that college is the time to try new things and branch out. Some students may roll their eyes at this statement, but where else would you have the opportunity to share hobbies and interests with 30,000 other people? This is why I love Virginia Tech — with more than 600 clubs, a new experience is always within reach. The ballroom dance club at Virginia Tech offers a fun night of dancing and socializing. The club teaches one dance style over the course of three weeks, and the teachers alternate based on the dance being taught. The waltz, tango, cha-cha, and foxtrot are just a few of the dances the club has covered. The club welcomes all levels of dancers, so don’t worry if you do not have any dance experience — I can personally attest to that. Before attending the Ballroom dance lesson, Zumba was the closest I had ever been to an organized dance lesson. Needless to say, I was apprehensive. Prior to the lesson, I found out the club was teaching the hustle, which eased my nerves. As a fan of “That ‘70s Show” and “Saturday Night Fever,” I immediately thought of the 1975 disco, line-dance “Hustle.” I could not have been more wrong. The ballroom dance version of the hustle is a type of swing dance — a quick dance with lots of turns and steps. Upon the first demonstration of the real hustle, I looked back at the friends I had dragged along with an apologetic look. This was not the line-dance I had convinced them it was. The lesson began with a presentation of the hustle by the two teachers. Then, they split the room into leaders and followers — men on one side, and women on the other. Once we were split up, our teacher gave step-by-step directions for

“Our goal is to spread our scholarship,” Watson said. “There are students who are doing fantastic service projects right now. (We want) to highlight that and show the breadth of what Virginia Tech accomplishes is what we really want to get from it.” A trio of Watson; Mauricio Castor, a junior business information technology major; and Mandy Roth, a junior communication major now manage the event details. They also receive the help of approximately 16 other members, including faculty and students from all different academic backgrounds. TEDx first caught Castro’s attention in his senior year of high school, when his teacher showed the class a video of one of the talks. He continued to watch online videos from the conferences around the nation, and this year he decided such an event would be an asset for the Tech campus. “They have a bunch of topics and subjects that will interest anyone,” Castro said. “There wasn’t one here — the closest ones were at NC State, so we thought it would be really cool to bring it to our university.” The initial planning for the TEDx talks began in December. In February, the steering committee organized a TED live simulcast event, where it streamed videos live from the conferences held in California in order to expose students to TED’s mission and scope. The committee is currently working to select speakers and is accepting nominations from students and faculty to select those who will be featured at the talks in November. Voting, which opened Monday, April 23, is aimed at selecting individuals capable of delivering an excelling story or experience involving the central idea of knowing. “We’re looking for great speak-

ers with great ideas. We’re also looking for diversity in topics” Watson said. “If we get 12 great nominees from a specific discipline, we’ll probably just select one or two of those. We want to try to represent as much of the university as possible, so that people in the university can feel some sort of ownership because someone from their discipline or something close to their discipline is being represented.” The event in November will stream live, making the talks available anyone. Watson and the steering committee hope that, similar to other TEDx events, students will form viewing parties and really embrace the stimulated conversation as a way to represent all the community has to offer. “That’s what is cool about the event,” Roth said. “It doesn’t just stop at the event. It keeps (coming

up) in conversation and people keep watching the videos, which go into the archives on TEDx. People can keep learning from the knowledge that’s generated from that conference and spread across it the world.” The steering committee hopes to get students involved in the TEDx talks, encouraging friends and like-minded individuals to get together and watch the talks in order to be a part of this new, intellectually stimulating event at Tech. “It’s not just here; because of the TED platform, it’s worldwide,” Castro said. “A video that shows up from Virginia Tech could end up being seen by someone in Japan or India. I hope people realize the value of making TED talks — they won’t just influence people here, but they can influence someone on the other side of the world too.”

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Anonymous: If walk the engineering halls and look at the photos from years like 1990 and imagine the cap being instated that year, we would never have had the growth that we’ve enjoyed in the past 20 years. The more alumni you produce, the more influence you have in the large companies or governments that give us grants/funding and their willingness to come and recruit. While Benson says that the cap is there to allow departments time to hire more faculty, he never stated that he’s freed up the resources for them to do that. Nor did he say that it was only a short term solution only. So now let’s tackle the “quality” issue. What happens when there is a huge amount of 3.0 or better students that enter a department? They have to be allowed in, but then you still have the high student to faculty ratio and the quality is still low. This “quality” issue is just a gimmick for his real motivation. The whole reason Benson wants the cap is because he didn’t want to invest in the departments. He’d rather limit the amount of students than spend the resources hiring more faculty that are desperately needed or acquiring more space for the departments to grow into. The cap is only going to hurt the funding issue because you’re cutting off a revenue source which then reduces the capacity to hire more teachers which then leads to a need for a larger cap. anon: While I agree that Virginia Tech gets enough of our money that they should keep up with our demand for faculty, I do not think that a legion of 2.0 engineers really forward Virginia Tech’s influence. Anyone in the engineering department has had class with people who have no business being engineers, this cap should just weed those people out. If you work hard, and you’re smart enough to be an engineer, there’s no reason to not get at least a 3.0. Anonymous: This is why the cap policy is stupid, the 3.0 GPA is only for those entering into sophomore year. If you’re really worried about quality, then why not kick kids out once their GPA falls under 3.0 in any of their years? What Benson and most full professors want is to get rid of undergraduates and just focus on research and the grads that support their research. This cap is just a step in that direction

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COLLEGIATETIMES

he she He said: This year has been a surprising adventure

I’m

featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

CHELSEA GUNTER / COLLEGIATE TIMES

sure this week’s “He Said” will receive mixed reviews. I hate to say it, but this is the last installment of my series. I enjoyed spending the last year covering various topics with you, and I wanted to take this last article to both thank you and describe my journey. My journey all started last summer when I received an email outlining the position of the “He Said” writer and explaining the application process. I had read every article last year since Chelsea Gunter, the previous “She Said” writer, was a good friend of mine; her creative and witty articles were a perfect companion to my Friday morning Au Bon Pain tradition. Being an engineer, I never saw myself as a writer, but — as my packed calendar will show — I have trouble saying “no” to opportunities, which obliged me to at least apply. The application was simple: write the first article regarding tips on how to be a freshman. I should have known this would be difficult when that first article — something I know a lot about — took me forever to write. But alas, I sub-

editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy

She said: Writing to you all has been a pleasure

SAID

april 27, 2012

mitted the article and left it up to the hands of the almighty features editors. Somehow, I was chosen for this position and the journey began. My new position surely did not change my social hierarchy, considering few people had even heard of the column. I set out to make it a fun way to learn about writing and make people laugh throughout the school year. If nothing else, at least I learned something. One realization I quickly made was sarcasm is not easily portrayed through text. Many jokes I thought were quite funny due to my sarcastic nature turned out sounding outright offensive in print. Who would have thought not everyone would understand my sense of humor? As the journey continued, some weeks I would have a topic I was very passionate about and I found myself spending hours perfecting each and every line. Other weeks, however, I was so slammed with school work I had to write it in a half-daze between assignments at the Math Emporium. I apologize for the latter situations, but school unfortunately had to come first. I saw the benefits good writ-

ing could have. On the few occasions I was able to put something together people could enjoy reading, I received pats on the back and handshakes from my friends. On other occasions, I realized how something as trivial as a comma splice was enough to be criticized for. The online comments were always the most interesting to read because they were often anonymous. I still laugh at the one reader who referred to our section as the “She Said, She Said.” Touche sir, I commend you. Comments could be at times outright critical with names being called out and accusations thrown. But in the end, I couldn’t be too upset because at least I knew someone was reading my work. The low point of the year was when someone felt so passionately about their opinion they wrote a letter to the editor about how the “He Said, She Said” should be eradicated from the press. As someone new to being in the public eye, this one hurt. This individual clearly did not appreciate my sense of humor. Luckily, I continued to write and I’d like to think I was able to stay

away from controversy. The online comments never ceased, whether negative or positive, but that’s the beauty of America: freedom of speech. I’ve expressed, on multiple occasions, my love for this country — as my obsession with buying USA-related things on eBay will attest to — which is largely due to our ability to say whatever we want, whenever we want. I thank everyone who took time out of their busy days to read my humble opinions on a multitude of topics. I don’t care whether you agree with me or not on these issues because I’m proud of my opinion. Finally, I’d like to thank my friends who were obligated to read this column. Goodbye everyone and thanks for putting up with my quirky sense of humor.

DANE HARRINGTON -featured columnist -junior -industrial & systems engineering major

Pina PG

very Friday of last year, I looked forward to reading one of my sorority sister’s columns in the Collegiate Times. She wrote the “She Said” column and I remember agreeing with her opinion for almost every article she wrote. When approached with the opportunity to follow along in her footsteps, you’re dang right I jumped at it. “This will be so much fun,” I thought. Oh, what a ride it has been. We all have an opinion about topics I’ve written about, so what makes mine special? Fate, destiny, chance — take your pick. Hopefully my advice and insight sparked some curiosity in you, or maybe opened doors for others. I apologize to any readers I may have offended, or to anyone who thought I pushed the envelope a few times. After all, they were meant to be a fun read for students over the weekend. Having the privilege to be the “She Said” writer was probably the only way I made it through this year. These two past semesters were some of the most challenging I have experienced, both in and out of the classroom, and the column was my escape for at least an hour every week. I will always remember the friends I made and the experiences I had, but I owe an enormous thanks to you: the reader. You shared my laughs and tears, my good days and my bad, and, for the most part, accepted my thoughts and feelings as they were. If I learned anything this year, it’s that more people read the column online than I imagined. More than that, the fact people were so enthralled with our articles they felt inclined to comment on them was flattering to say the least. Whether they were positive or negative, your comments have helped me grow. As an individual who loves to view things from others’ perspectives, I thank you.

That being said, the written letter to the editor was probably the hardest thing to see. All I have to form my opinions are my own experiences and morals. The fact someone felt so strongly about getting me removed from the position was semi-heartbreaking. But while it could have been the straw to break the camel’s back, I chose to use it as a learning experience. I’m normally very concerned about how others view me; but in reality, I have realized not everyone is going to like you or agree with how you feel. While the topics we covered were usually about current events on campus, writing the column each week reminded me of all Virginia Tech offers. As a majority, we may never be fans of the towing companies or parking services, but I think we can all agree we have chosen to attend the greatest university in the nation. Maybe that comment is a little biased, but since I know you all agree, let us just let the comment stand with pride. I am officially cutting myself off from all of the sappiness, so I can take a second to thank the loyal readers and wish the next “She Said” writer good luck, whoever she may be. I will never again take a year of my life for granted. The columns showed me how quickly this year flew by, and I hear they only speed by faster. I know you are all depressed you won’t be able to read my columns but try to keep it together. I’ve considered starting a blog once a week to carry on the tradition. The only way to know if that happens is to keep an eye out, Hokies. Thanks for reading.

KELLEY ENGLISH -featured columnist -junior -marketing management major

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opinions

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

april 27, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Zach Crizer Managing Editor: Lindsey Brookbank Design Editors: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadmole 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, Tauhid Chappell, Abby Harris, Sean Hayden, Gina Paterson, Ashley Seagar, Kelsey Jo Starr Features Editors: Chelsea Gunter, Patrick Murphy Features Reporters: Nick Smirniotopoulos, Emma Goddard Features Staff Writers: Courtney Baker, Jenn Bates, Torie Deible, Chelsea Giles, Madeline Gordon, Dane Harrington, Jimmy Hudnall, Kevin McAleese, Andrew Reily, Kara Van Scoyoc, Allie Sivak, Kaila Taylor, Jacob Wilbanks Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Sean Simons Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Sports Reporters: Josh Parcell Sports Staff Writers: Eric Avassi, Zander Baylis, Alyssa Bedrosian, Cody Elliott, Taylor Hay, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Brian Marcolini Enterprise Team Editor: Liana Bayne Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Chief: Spenser Snarr Copy Editors: Nora McGann, Luther Shell, Kristen Gunther, Brittany Kelly, Jordan Davis Layout Designers: Bethany Melson, Alicia Tillman, Tanja Vogel Online Director: Alex Rhea MCT CAMPUS

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

Energy independence needs deep thought As

the nature of global energy changes, the geopolitical — not to mention economic — consequences for the United States and the larger global community are worth noting. First, consider the possibility of a new American economic renaissance. Today, the United States is the fastest-growing oil and gas producer in the world. Moreover, the share of imported energy to the U.S. has fallen from 30 percent to 17 percent since 2006. Here, the encouraging numbers are mainly a result of the United States’ significant oil reserves, as well as its abundant natural gas assets. As American firms capitalize on a rejuvenated energy market, the indirect consequences of such good news are also worth considering. Undoubtedly, with such economic potential, the most ubiquitous word in American political discourse today comes to mind: jobs.

Projections on the possible impact of energy independence include as many as 3.6 million new jobs by 2020. However, at the end of the day, projections are just that and are subject to change. Even more, workers entering the renewed energy industry will surely need to be much more specialized. Add on the fact machines can do many lower-end jobs much more efficiently, and energy jobs may become hard to find. In essence, energy independence may bring economic prosperity, but we ought to be realistic in exactly how much prosperity we are really talking about. After all, though profits gleaned directly from the energy sector and, consequently, from the manufacturing sectors are worth considering, highend technologies remain the foundation of American competitiveness. Losing sight of that advantage may be its own economic “kiss

of death.” Next, as North America as a whole begins to challenge the dominance of energy suppliers in the Middle East, as well as those in Russia, there will be more room for the U.S. to alter its political strategy. Presently, citizens in the Middle East and North Africa are slowly but surely eroding the iron grip of the present regimes. Here, the U.S. has a second chance to finally align its democratic values with its national interests. For a long time, we have championed fundamental democratic rights, but conveniently looked away when the actions of “allies” contradicted our own vales at home. As we become less dependent on oil these countries, we have the opportunity to stand by our proclamations with moral and political ease. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss again.

Energy independence does not mean we can simply reverse our alliances with countries such as Saudi Arabia, though. As flawed of a “friend” as Riyadh may be, it may end up being the lesser of two evils. Subsequently, it is crucial U.S. policymakers and businesses find a balance between utilizing America’s abundant natural resources, and protecting its natural environment. Both environmentalists and corporate decisionmakers must consider economic efficiency, as well as social responsibility in their work. Specifically, it is foolish not to take advantage of America’s energy sources. With so much potential, why not capitalize on our sources? After all, isn’t that what Russia and Venezuela have done? Regardless, although multinational corporations rightfully seek higher levels of profits, environmental degradation should not be

the cost we have to pay in the name of a higher national gross domestic product. American policymakers in particular have an obligation to protect the public interest. They must ensure we have a safe and clean environment for future generations, but also know they can’t ignore important projects such as the Keystone Pipeline. Ultimately, the tantalizing prospect of American energy independence should be grounded in economic and political realities instead of generous projections and geopolitical dreams. The U.S. may indeed find itself freed from its reliance on foreign oil, but that does not mean the world or the American economy itself will undergo a fundamental transformation, as well. The best way forward is to take our considerable assets and the political implications they entail with a grain of salt. Then maybe everything will fall into place.

In some cases, digital media limits conversation As

our generation becomes more accustomed to using new technology, observing the trends for increasing digital media usage highlights some stark realizations about the changes our generation has — and raises questions about our future. Pew Research Center, a non-profit research organization dedicated to quantifying growing population trends, has documented the growing use of digital media communication in a variety of studies. One such study, “Teens and Smartphones,” used telephone interviews and focus groups with teenagers to gauge population trends. According to the study, “texting is the dominant daily mode of communication between teens and all those with whom they communicate.” Sixty-three percent of the teenagers in the study reported exchanging text messages with close friends every day, while only 33 percent communicated face-to-face daily outside of school. The reliance on texting as the primary communication medium alludes to its many benefits, such as ease and simplicity. However, tex-

ting lacks the deep, personal connection of face-to-face conversation. Bart Wojdynski, assistant professor of communication at Tech, focuses his research on the psychological effects of online media use, with particular emphasis on design and technology characteristics. Wojdynski feels digital media is great for some modes of communication, but for others, such as deep emotional connections, face-to-face communication is more appropriate. “(Digital media) is great for many things, but you lose a lot of emotional depth in the interaction, such as the ability to comfort,” Wojdynski said. But while some forms of digital media are not conducive for various qualities of deep interpersonal interactions, the development of technology is providing opportunities for interaction which were not previously available. Wojdynski said several technological advances, such as Skype and Facetime, have actually given access to face-to-face encounters in situations where it was previously impossible “Video was prohibited before, but the speed of data bandwidth

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we have available makes it possible,” Wojdynski said. “Technology will work to provide a more realistic experience, bridging the gap between our offline worlds and our online worlds.” Jessica Groves, a sophomore communication major, is currently working on a research paper addressing the phenomenon of new media technology for her philosophy of technology course. “My argument is that we have so much potential to use new media technology since our generation adapts so quickly,” Groves said. “However, we might not reach the potential because we have a myopic apathy — we don’t seek things out like we used to.” Both Wojdynski and Groves alluded to the effect of current technological advances on the ways in which our generation acquires information. In the past, it was necessary to actively seek out information; however, with the accessibility of the Internet and the advances with social media, information is streamed directly to us. “The biggest change is just getting used to the idea that information is easily accessible from wherever you

are,” Wojdynski said. “There is a way to log into some database wherever you are.” With the wealth of information at our disposal, there is no longer a need for proactive behavior in our relationships. “With social media, you get information about your friends streamed to you,” Wojdynski said. “You no longer have to seek the information out — it is right there on your ‘news feed’.” The ease in which we get this information has made our generation lazy and willing to just accept what is given to us. Simply put, it has taken away our curiousity. “Hyperconnected Lives,” a recent study from Pew Research Center, which gathered descriptive feedback from students, professors and industry professionals, sought to answer this question. The majority of participants in the survey predicted “the impact of networked living on today’s young will drive them to thirst for instant gratification, settle for quick choices, and lack patience.” This conclusion suggests our generation will rely on the easiest forms of communication available — such as texting or social media — even

though it may not be the appropriate medium for desired interaction. Wojdynski feels the potential for neglecting stronger personal ties in exchange for maintaining weaker relationships through digital media is not due to technological advances, but a lack of proper prioritization and time management. “Digital media allows people to stay connected with weaker ties,” Wojdynski said. “Sometimes, I think because you are spending all this time on weak ties, you have less time to focus on the strong ties.” Despite the numerous pro-social outcomes digital media offers, our generation ought to be aware of their limitations. While technology allows us to communicate with ease, sometimes our personal connections are not about simplicity. Sometimes, a text or a tweet is not enough. NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS

-guest columnist -sophomore -communication major

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, Mary Dassira, Alyssa Morrison, Molly Vinson Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Student Media Phone Numbers Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no direct funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints.collegemedia.com. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 fall/spring. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2011. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.

april 27, 2012

Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Your fortune looks set for a steady rise this year, with status and income favored to increase over the summer. It’s been all about work, but relationships and partnerships are moving into the foreground. Treat the world with respect. It goes around.

Poodle Chicken n’ Cheese by Blake Treadway 1 6 3 5 6 8 1 6

5 1

6 8

Complete the grid so that each column, row and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9. For a greater challege see how fast you can complete the puzzle.

2 5

5 9

Time Record:

2 1

6 9 5 7

XKCD by Randell Munroe Grab a partner and another paper and duke it out over the rough Hokie seas. Setup: Each player places their ships on “My Board” by filling in the required number of cells. Ships may not be placed diagonally or on top of each other. Gameplay: Each player takes one shot at a time. If the player calls the coordinates of a space where a ship is located, his opponent tells him so by saying "hit." If he missed, his opponent says "miss." Players mark the shots they take on their "Opponent" grid, a circle for a hit and an ‘x’ for a miss. A ship is sunk when all of its squares have been hit. When this happens, the player whose ship was sunk says, for example, "You sank my battleship." The first person to sink all of their opponent’s ships wins.

My Board Battleship:

Crossword

Carrier:

Submarine:

Destroyer:

My Opponent’s

Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. G

W C

W I

W H

W T

W J

W D

W N

W W Y

W M

WORD BANK 1GraysAnatomy 2SaturdayNight Live 3KeenanAndKel 4 Scooby-Doo 5 Robot Chicken 6 AmericanDad 7 Jersey Shore 8 Teen Mom 9 Family Guy 10 Survivor 11 Bachelorette 12 Next 13Friends 14 Lost 15 House 16 Glee 17 Simpsons 18 ModernFamily

Week ending April 20, 2012 Somebody That I Used to Know Goyte

We are Young (Feat. Janelle Moneae) Fun. Call Me Maybe Carly Rae Jepsen

Boyfriend Justin Bieber

What Makes You Beautiful One Direction

Wild Ones (Feat. Sia) Flo Rida

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ahryr

gaidrh

isrisu

idrecc

ornmeihe

nliveel

nlau

ordca

Unscramble the letters to solve the category “Harry Potter Characters” Have a set of words you want to see in puzzles section? Email your lists to ctadsproduction@gmail.com.

a a u e e

e e a c

Check out tomorrow’s paper on page 5 for the answers!

CONGRATS CLASS OF 2012

sports

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

april 27, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Redskins hit ‘reboot’ by drafting Griffin III A

new era of Redskins football was officially sworn in Thursday night with the drafting of Robert Griffin III. Gone are the days of watching the offense sputter under the reigns of bums like Rex Grossman and the corpse of Donovan McNabb. The 2012-13 season will no doubt be the year the Redskins win the Super— Sorry, I got carried away. It’s hard not to get carried away though when a player like RGIII will soon be the leader of your team. He is has an illuminating personality and seems to have all of the skills of a prototypical quarterback to go along with freakish speed and athleticism.

“

WHILE (GRIFFIN III) IS POTENTIALLY THE MYSTERY PLAYER THAT COULD REINVENT THE POSITION, HE COULD ALSO BE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.”

On his great days, he looks like he could be a once-in-a-lifetime talent. On bad days, he at least makes his offense fun to watch. That last part intrigues me most, as the Redskins offense has been so painful to watch I’ve often considered switched over to ESPN’s Sunday coverage of the Professional Bowlers Association. But in all seriousness, I want to suggest dialing down the excitement level a little bit. Griffin is being touted as a “sure thing,” but you know whom else people said that about? JaMarcus Russell sound familiar? Joey Harrington? Ryan Leaf? Regardless of statistics, leadership, arm strength or accuracy, the idea of a “sure thing” when drafting quarterbacks doesn’t exist. Andrew Luck might be as close to it as we come, but it’s because he is the prototypical quarterback — his best assets are in areas we already know are vital for success in the NFL. Griffin, on the other hand, is different. He has bits and pieces of pure quarterbacks like Phillip Rivers, and a little of Michael Vick in him as well, but we have no prior example to use as evidence in guessing how he will do at the next level. So while he is potentially the mystery player that could reinvent the position, he could also be a catastrophic failure. Even if you disregard my worries because you are a run-of-the-mill Redskins fan who thinks this selection means four straight

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NICK CAFFERKY - news editor - junior - communication major

MCT CAMPUS

If there is one person that could stifﬂe the potential of Robert Grifﬁn III, it’s Washington Redskins’ coach Mike Shanahan.

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Super Bowl titles, be wary of the fact his success could be stifled by others around him. The offensive line still needs serious work, but I’m focusing more on the coaches. To get the best out of him, head coach Mike Shanahan will have to restructure the offense around his new star’s skill set. This is where I have serious concern. I may be in the minority here, but I have absolutely zero faith in Mike Shanahan. Sure, he has two Super Bowl rings. But you know what else he had? John Elway. With Elway, I’d argue any middle schooler who’s played Madden could coach a team to that many rings. Keep in mind: since Elway retired, Shanny has won just one playoff games in 12 seasons. McNabb might have come across as a scorned lover when he said Griffin wouldn’t fit in with the Redskins, but I wouldn’t write him off so quickly. McNabb came into the league with a similar skill set (granted, he wasn’t as talented) and had a coach in Andy Reid that helped put him in a situation where he could best use the talents he had. Though Shanahan’s unwillingness to build around McNabb in 2010 wasn’t the reason the season was such a failure, McNabb is still a pretty reliable source for this based on experiences early in his career. A great coach will build his system around the talent he has and Shanahan will have to do that to keep his job. Make no mistake, if Griffin fails to become a superstar, Shanahan will be tarred and feathered and placed along side names like Steve Spurrier and Jim Zorn. I know I’m coming across as a negative Nancy, but how can I not feel this way? My entire life has revolved around sports — and due to the unfortunate geographic location I was born, that meant growing up watching the Orioles, Nationals, Wizards Capitals and Redskins. In other words, I’ve known nothing but disappointment my life. I could list off 100 different instances where I was built up, only to be let down, but most of you have felt the same pain I have, so I’ll keep my painful memories bottled up like every man should. I want to believe RGIII will be the franchise quarterback for the D.C. area, I really do. But since my life has been nothing but unmet expectations, I won’t get my hopes up.

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Taurus (April 20-May 20) Being interested makes you interesting. Con ide to someone you love. A benefactor appears on the scene. Explore every lead, and publicize inancial gains.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Your earlier thriftiness paid off. Spend a bit extra now for quality. Facilitate creativity in others by sharing your favorite projects and mentors. What you need comes.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Ride today’s roller-coaster like you’ve never ridden it before, with the thrill of anticipation and the reward of accomplishment. Accept a friend’s encouragement.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Don’t spend your earnings before you’ve collected them. You can handle all the work that comes at you and more, even if you have to delegate. Do the math.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Use what you’ve acquired to go further. Discussion expands opportunities. Your partner loves extravagant gestures right about now. Devote some attention to what they want.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You move rapidly through new material. Develop a plan that uses it in a powerful way. Friends ask for your opinion. Give it straight but without gossip or insult.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Money may be tight now. Focus on the abundance rather than the limitations. If a door closes and another one opens, don’t be afraid to step outside.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Do the work with loving support and succeed. Plant a harvest for the future or a tree that will give shade to future generations. Listen to suggestions.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Keep to the highest standards. It makes a difference. Perfection leads to abundance. Let people know what you’re up to, and ind out their passions. Explore.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your self-con idence could take a punch. Get back on the horse and ride into the sunset. Time outdoors recharges your batteries. Plant a tree.

Aries (March 21-April 19) You present a solid case with welldocumented facts by credible sources. Edit for simplicity, almost to minimalism. Get down to basics. Explore after hours.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Cast the net wide. There’s no shortage of information; the more diverse the better. Share that big picture story with others, and infuse it with optimism. It contributes.

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