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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Thursday, October 11, 2012
108th year, issue 27 News, page 2
Weekend, page 10
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 8
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Study Break, page 7
CLAHS course is work in progress
Making the cut
ARIANA MOLLERS news staff writer
MARK UMANSKY / SPPS
A Tech student sleeps in the special graduate students’ lounge on the fourth floor of Newman Library. It is one of several reserved locations for graduate study.
As international applications, education costs start to rise, graduate applicants find admission and enrollment difficult JUSTIN GRAVES news reporter
In the 12 months from Fall 2010 to Fall 2011, the number of applications to graduate programs in the United States increased, while the overall number of new enrollments decreased. The study, completed by the Council of Graduate Schools, is a part of a decade-long study. The survey was sent to almost 800 schools, more than 600 of which responded. The survey is the sole collector of data on first-time and total graduate enrollment by field. The council, based in Washington D.C., serves to advance graduate education and promote competition amongst U.S. schools and those abroad. The vice president and dean of Virginia Tech Graduate Education, Karen DePauw, said that rising international competition for students is a good thing, and could be a factor in the fact that national enrollment numbers are decreasing even though application numbers have risen. “Overall, our applications increased and our internation-
al enrollment increased, too. In contrast to the larger numbers, our overall enrollment increased, as well,” DePauw said. “What happened with us is that our decrease in domestic students wasn’t overcome by in the increase in international students.” Tech’s graduate student body consists of 26 percent international students. “Of research universities, we tend to be on the lower side, but not by much, and part of that can be due to location,” DePauw said. “It’s a good ratio, a good mix in my opinion, in the light that we have over 100 different countries represented. It’s worth noting that international enrollment increased at the undergrad level, also.” This trend also likely reflects an increase in students graduating from a master’s program and going straight into another, such as a Ph.D or other higher, terminal degree. “When economic times are not good, people tend to go back to school. That’s proven,” DePauw said. “But, now what is happening, I think, is more undergrads are going into graduate school than into the work place right after graduation. Also, you have students
who are going from one higher degree to another, or going to work and not coming back to school.” Debra Stewart, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, says that this new trend may be related to financial stress, both on states and on individual students. “The school systems especially are in financial stress. Teachers are no longer being provided time off to get graduate degrees, and schools are no longer funding principals to go back and get principal certificates,” Stewart said. DePauw, also a member of the Council of Graduate Schools, agrees. “The financial stress can also extend to students who have families. Other factors go into these statistics as well, such as funding options like assistantships,” DePauw said. There is also a looming elimination of the federal loan subsidy for graduate students, and the financial impact is anticipated to put a strain on some students who do not receive large amounts of financial aid. Some higher education professionals believe these numbers may be the result of a loss of prestige of the Ph.D. “I think the Ph.D. still has a
features staff writer
Whether you are coming out or not, there are ways to talk about it. Today is National Coming Out Day, which happens to be part of Virginia Tech’s Multicultural Programs and Services’ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month. Multicultural Programs and Services houses the LGBT Alliance, an undergraduate group, and the Queer Grads and Allies group, and the LGBT Caucus, which is for faculty and staff. There are events scheduled throughout October to raise awareness about these organizations’ aspirations. Chris Hickey, the QG&A vice president and biological systems engineering student, said many people on campus are supportive of the LGBT community but do not actually show their support, which makes
the organization seem invisible. “I think a lot of people on this campus are willing to do that, but it’s not necessarily happening at the rate that it’s happening at other universities and in other cities,” Hickey said. The LGBT groups are sponsoring and partnering with their allies to invite new members and promote public forums to gauge public opinion.
Gauging public opinion The QG&A will have a booth set up outside of the Graduate Life Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. The group’s slogan for this year’s table is “ask about being out.” Hickey said this event exists to allow people to approach the members and ask anything about coming out at Tech, network with other student groups and discuss opinions of related topics. “I prefer a public forum
AT A GLANCE
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aspect, because it creates this discourse between people and you learn their opinions,” Hickey said. “Then, what happens when you start talking about these words that define people is you start breaking down the walls of stereotypes. The more you discuss it, the less fearful you’re going to be of it. It’s like facing the fear.” The LGBT coordinator, Catherine Cotrupi, founded the QG&A when she was a graduate student at Tech. She said that after researching what other universities were accomplishing with their programs for these groups, she proposed something similar to be established on her own campus. Cotrupi said that the LGBT community needs more visibility and support in every aspect of university life. “People need to be aware of this community,” she see LGBT / page ten
OF GRAD STUDENTS AT TECH ARE
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
CURRENTLY
TECH DOES
NOT PROVIDE ON-CAMPUS
FAMILY
OR
HOUSING
FAMILY ASSISTANCE
see GRADS / page seven
Coming Out Day starts talk CHELSEA GILES
GRAD SCHOOL
TO ITS
GRAD STUDENTS
1.88 MILLION
STUDENTS APPLIED FOR
ADMISSION MOST POPULAR GRADUATE PROGRAMS
ENGINEERING
BUSINESS BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES
SGA takes over with makeover PRISCILLA ALVEREZ news reporter
Homecoming week may be over by Monday, but the buzz asking for student participants around campus won’t be. In a span of three days, Student Outreach, a branch of the SGA, will be asking students to fill out surveys about changes they would like to see. They will be in front of Owens and at the Library Plaza from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. These quick surveys will give Student Outreach an insight on student concerns and “makeover” those issues with change. “It’s a very short survey, but what we can use in that 60-second of a survey is so much more important. Take that one minute of your day to give us that significant data,” said Roy Abernathy, codirector of Student Outreach and a sophomore majoring in applied economic management. The first round of surveys gives a general overview of student opinion on topics, such as dining and transpor-
tation. Following that round, another set of surveys are conducted, but instead, they are sent out to a limited student pool that is randomly selected. To encourage students to participate in the makeover, Student Outreach will be giving away free sunglasses and a shot at winning at iPad. Last year, about 2,300 undergraduates filled out the first part of the survey and the number is expected to grow this year, according to Abernathy. This makeover goes beyond the aesthetics and touches on issues concerning the student body. Three years ago, feedback from these surveys led to the 24/7 operation hours at Torgersen Bridge. Since then, the survey has been edited to ensure the best results. “Last year, it became a lot stronger. We have a good foundation to build upon, as in last year, the questions were made statistically reputable, so our questions have a lot greater worth,” Abernathy said. In addition, Student Outreach spoke to department see SURVEY/ page seven
Freshmen in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences may not be on the same page as the administration behind the development and importance of their required Into to Research course. The course is designed to introduce Liberal Arts and Human Sciences majors to methods of undergraduate research, specifically in respect to their majors. It is taught through three weekly meetings: a large Monday lecture, a department-focused Wednesday class, and a Friday small group that collectively works on a research project for a final grade. Last year, there was little focus on the department: it was not added until this year. Students wanted to see how research could be applied to their own individual major. On the other side of the spectrum, the administration firmly believes the program is effective for students. The three weekly classes are meant to connect, but a noticeable complaint is that the course is too repetitive between the three meetings. Some students do not support the program, such as theatre and psychology major Katie Conner. “For me, I think this is a rehash class and there’s no new information that I’m getting at this point,” Conner said. “For me, it’s basically a dummy’s guide to college research.” Director of Student Development in Undergraduate Academic Affairs Diana Ridgwell said that she understands why students like Connor feel frustrated with the course, but “they will have such a better understanding of what research is in their field,” as a result. “For me, the Wednesday class is the only one I’m getting anything out of — and that’s your department meeting,” Conner said. “For example, I know some people in communication or political science feel like they aren’t getting anything out of their Wednesday meetings because they are such huge groups. I feel like if you could separate groups out of these larger majors, it would be better.” “For another class I’m in, I have to write a 10-page essay for next week, so it’s kind of helping, but I already understand what we’re doing — it’s a little redundant,” said Emily Hurley, political science and economics major. Ridgwell said the more students hear a topic, they more likely they are to retain it. “I would say that research indicates for first-year students it is important to reiterate the concepts repeatedly,” Ridgwell said. According to Ridgwell, the course has been implemented since 2008 and was once available to students of any year, not just freshmen. After the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) came out, the college combined the First Year Experience program (FYE) with research to produce this required LAHS class, and it has been evolving ever since. “I can see where a lot of freshmen think that they don’t have to do another science research project because they’re an English major,” Hurley said. “But there actually is research to do. Because it is a research university, it’s teaching research.” The course also relies on student feedback for growth and development. Ridgwell explained that unlike see RESEARCH / page seven