Monday, August 27, 2012 Print Edition

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Monday, August 27, 2012 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 1 News, page 2

Features, page 3

Opinions, page 4

Sports, page 7

Study Break, page 6

Turner Place starts off on the cutting edge BY MALLORY NOE-PAYNE | news editor

D

ining Services lobbied to change Virginia’s health code so chefs could

make gelato on-site for Dolce, one of eight new food venues in Turner Place at Lavery Hall. From the recipes for gelato and pizza, to the logo design of self-branded venues, no detail was left to chance in the development of Virginia Tech’s latest dining hall. The $35.7 million facility opens for the first time today to students, faculty and staff. “When we open the doors Monday it will be, in earnest, seven hard years of a tremendous team effort,” said Ted Faulkner, Virginia Tech’s director of dining services. “A part of it will be a little bit of anticipation and worries, but a lot of it is going to be MALLORY NOE-PAYNE / SPPS

adrenaline and

Student staff sit around a hibachi grill in Origami, one of several restaurants in Turner Place at Lavery Hall, which will take reservations.

FRESHMEN

1 5 TIPS

see LAVERY HALL / page two

Stadium woods remains firmly rooted behind Lane for now

By Nick Smirniotopoulos

No, this isn’t the dreaded freshman 15 that results from excessive snacking, unhealthy diets and first encounters with binge drinking. This is a list of 15 tips for incoming freshmen to take advantage of for their first year at Virginia Tech. While many freshmen may think they are prepared to encounter the complexities of college life, there is a lot of information that goes unsaid. By approaching this life transition period with an open mind, and by being equipped with sound, informative advice, freshmen can alleviate stress of the unknown and embrace their first-year experience. 1. Be outgoing and meet people, because most people will form their lasting friendships and social groups in the first couple of weeks. 2. Go to mixers and social gatherings with your hall. They may not be interesting to you, but swallow your pride because they are great ways to interact with your hall mates. 3. Acquaint yourself with the library early on because it is a great resource; unless you know your way around, it can be very overwhelming. 4. Take advantage of the free Rosetta Stone Software available on the second floor of the library. Don’t let that Spanish from high school go to waste, or get adventurous and learn Chinese. 5. Look at the intramural sports offered for the fall at www.recsports.vt.edu and choose one to participate in. Join a random team or form one with your hall mates. 6. Take advantage of free fitness classes at War Memorial Hall and McComas during the first week of the semester. Find the schedule at www.recsports.vt.edu. 7. Go to www.hokietickets.com and make sure to note when the student lottery opens for football games. The lottery for each home game will only be open for a few days, so you won’t want to miss it. (FYI, the lottery for the first home game against Georgia Tech closes tonight at midnight.) 8. Make note of Tech athletics’ schedules at www.hokiesports.com. All athletic events, apart from men's basketball and football games, are free for all students, providing an opportunity for you to show your newfound Hokie pride.

9. Go to your professors’ office hours and get to know them. You may think that in a lecture with 400 students they will never get to know you, but they do and they will appreciate your initiative. 10. Go to www.btransit.org and acquaint yourself with the Blacksburg Transit bus routes and schedules. This is useful for navigating the town without a car and planning weekend activities. 11. Go to www.vt.edu/student_life, look at the clubs and choose one you are interested in. Go to a meeting — even if you don’t join, it is a good way to meet people and narrow your interests. 12. Meet with your academic advisor. They can tell you about cool classes nobody knows about, good academic resources and interesting professors. 13. Blacksburg may not be a bustling urban area, so take advantage of the great outdoors. Go tubing on the New River, or take a hike at the Cascades. Find out more information at the Venture Out office in Squires Student Center. 14. Spend some time at Breakzone in Squires. With bowling, ping pong, billiards and video games, there are plenty of activities that allow you to be social and meet new people. 15. Finally, embrace the warm weather while you can. In case you haven’t heard, Blacksburg is freezing in the winter. Do stuff outdoors, embrace the sunlight and keep your winter coat hidden from sight — you'll be tired of looking at it in a few months.

ANDREA LEDESMA / COLLEGIATE TIMES

CJ YUNGER/SPPS

After two reccomendations, University President Steger rules on contraversial facility placement MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news editor

Stadium Woods is no longer on the chopping block. Virginia Tech President Charles Steger announced Stadium Woods will not be considered as a location for the planned football practice facility last Tuesday, following a recommendation from Sherwood Wilson, the vice president for administrative services. The a nnouncement marks the end of a nearly nine-month controversy regarding the future of the 14-acre old-growth forest. The woods contain as many as 59 white oaks estimated to be older than 300 years. Wilson’s recommendation that the university consider other possible locations came after an official report was released by the Athletic Practice Facility Site Evaluation Committee at the end of May. The committee was formed by President Steger in January and tasked with helping to decide whether to build the proposed 2.1 acre practice

long-term protection. “While this might the prudent action to take today,” facility in Stadium Woods. Wilson wrote in the memo, Kyle Gardiner was “these designations are perthe SGA’s Director of manent and we do not want Sustainability during much to restrict the ability of of the debate surrounding future leaders to manage the Stadium Woods last year. physical campus 100 years from now.” Fr ie nd s of Stadium Woods, a “It’s fantastic. I think the group that played pivotal role in critical thing for the moment amobilizing the is they’re saved.” Blacksburg and Kyle Gardiner Virginia Tech comEx-SGA Director of Sustainability munities in support of the forest, expressed a sense He first found out the news of muted victory in a statevia Twitter, where a friend ment it released after the had shared the story. announcement. The state“It’s fantastic. I think ment added that the group the critical thing for the would continue to “advocate moment is they’re saved,” for the permanent preservaGardiner said, “But we have tion” of the woods and that to remember (Sherwood the university was tarnishWilson) didn’t provide any ing its “green reputation.” recommendation to preSarah Gugercin is a research serve stadium woods for all associate in the Horticulture time.” Departmentand became Wilson’s memo to Steger active in the group last strongly supported the find- spring. ings of the committee, with “I know there are a lot of one exception: it did not options for protecting areas recommend designating and some may be more or the woods as an old growth less favorable to the uni reserve or another form of see WOODS / page eight


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