Hokies drop the ball...
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 32 News, page 2
VT Engage kicks off latest event
Arts&Entertainment, page 4
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 10
Study Break, page 6
“Alphabet soup” is on the menu BY CAMERON AUSTIN | news reporter
LESLIE MCCREA news staff writer
Approximately 43 percent of Blacksburg residents are at an income below the poverty level. The Community Learning Collaborative, a part of VT Engage, is working this week to spread awareness of that fact and more about the surrounding community through a “Week of Engagement.” Beginning yesterday and running through the end of this week, there will be daily events and activities held to empower student leadership with a focus on service to Tech’s neighboring communities. Interested students may sign up at the informational booth in Squires throughout the week to be a part of events centered around poverty and hunger in the surrounding areas. According to Wyatt Taylor, event facilitator and AmeriCorps VISTA member, students tend to be unaware of these issues and their proximity to Tech. “At any college it’s easy to find yourself in the ‘college bubble’,” Taylor said. “You’re in the Tech community, so you don’t always pay attention to what is going on outside the bubble. This week is a chance to pop your bubble and give a glimpse of how the rest of the community lives on a day to day basis.” The week’s events include things like the “Bike Blacksburg Challenge” and “Livability Dialogues.” For instance the organized group bike ride around Blacksburg is meant to give each student a sense of the lifestyle of many Blacksburg residents by following a route and profile based off a person who has transportation difficulties in the surrounding area. The “Livability Dialogues” will give participants a sense of others’ communities and a chance to reflect on their own by sharing stories in small groups. Taylor has been working with VT Engage and student leaders for the past eight weeks to put this event together for the first time. Most of those leaders have been engaged with service before, such as Analise Adams, a senior in human development and psychology. “Service is something that really gets me passionate about things and I really love the connection you build through serving with people and for certain causes.” Adams said. “I think its really cool what can happen when you redefine service for yourself and ask ‘what does service mean to me.’ It helps you branch out and learn through what things look like in your own life.” For the leaders involved in “Week of Engagement” service creates student connections, social justice awareness, and most importantly for this program, action. Each day’s activities are geared towards see WEEK / page two
PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
Diners at Gillie’s this week have the choice of choosing a “Dining out for Equality” special from the restaurants menu as part of a week-long LGBT event.
LGBTA strives for a growing presence on Tech’s campus by promoting events in a month-long celebration of LGBT history For the first year ever, Virginia Tech is celebrating October with a series of events in honor of LGBT history month. The month-long celebration includes a variety of events each week, including a special library exhibit in Newman, the presentation of “8” at the Lyric and a coming out day celebration on Oct. 24 One of the main focuses of the month is the “Dining OUT for Equality Restaurant Week” which is taking place from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26. Downtown Blacksburg Inc. and the Multicultural Programs and Services at Virginia Tech have come together to offer specials at nine local restaurants that show their support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. Catherine Cotrupi, the LGBTQ coordinator for the Multicultural Program and Services office, brought the idea to Laureen Blakemore, director of DBI, after hearing of other cities having a
“Dine Out for Equality Week.” “We hope this will get students engaged with Downtown, and get to know some of the restaurants that support them and want their business,” Cotrupi said. By partnering with DBI, the
“
I think that LGBT history month is definitely helping to spread the word across campus and the NRV about LGBT issues. Caroline Saptya President of LGBTA
local restaurants can be promoted while encouraging a sense of community. “It shows that we’re supportive of everybody. We want to include Tech students and people from other towns and cultures in what we’re doing Downtown,”
Blakemore said. “Downtown restaurants will be able to showcase their diverse cuisine, from Thailand to Italy and from vegetarian to sweet treats as well as their acceptance of the LGBT and Ally Community,” she said in a press relsease. Cabo Fish Taco, Gillie’s, Champs and several other restaurants will offer discounts throughout the week on entrees, drinks, appetizers and other special deals Gary Walker, owner of Cabo Fish Taco, was thrilled to have the opportunity to support the LGBT community and personally get involved. “We’ve done the restaurant weeks, just for the simple fact to raise awareness of variety in Downtown. But actually having a cause behind the week is pretty exciting,” Walker said. Walker noted that he’s already had a considerable amount of people coming in and mentioning the deals. Though only discounts are being offered this year, coordinators hope this will become an see LGBT / page two
dining out for equality participating restaurants CHAMP’S SPORTSBAR & CAFE NEXT DOOR BAKE SHOP SOUVLAKI T. FLYNN’S PUB GREEN’S GRILL AND SUSHI BAR GILLIE’S CABO FISH TACO BOLLO’S CAFE DE BANGKOK
DID YOU KNOW? LGBT History Month was founded in 1994
UPCOMING E VENT S
National Coming Out Day October 24
Gay at Gillie’s Dance Party October 26
OUT at Work: An evening with LGBT Professionals November 6
Want to get
involved? Contact Catherine Cotrupi cotrupi@vt.edu
alphabetSOUP Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Que
Virginia Tech Police Dept. sponsors Community Day REBECCA ROBERTSON news staff writer
Th is Sunday, the Virginia Tech Police Department held a Community Day on the Drillfield. The event was free and took place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and was open to the entire Tech community. Command and squad vehicles, as well as various VTPD booths, were on display around the Drillfield with officers available to talk with attendees about what they do on campus. Nicole Viers of the Tech Police Department coordinated the event in the hopes it would help bridge the gap between the VTPD and the Tech community. “Most people in the com-
munity know that we have a police department, but not everyone necessarily knows all the resources that we have available,” Viers said. Viers wanted to make resources and information available and allow Hokies to meet their police officers in order to promote positive interactions between the two communities. Various activities helped accommodate these goals, including the always-popular dunk-a-Cop booth. People could also drive their cars directly onto the Drillfield to get their car VIN-etched by state police, a process that helps reduce the likelihood of motor vehicle theft. A DUI simulation course was another popular activity; participants, accompa-
nied by state troopers, wore drunk goggles and drove a vehicle through a cone course in order to simulate driving while intoxicated. Several demonstrations also occurred during the event, including a helicopter landing on the far end of the Drillfield as well as a K-9 demonstration. Evan Wetsel, a freshman human nutrition, foods, and exercise major who attended the event, said the K-9 demonstration was her favorite part of the afternoon. “I liked them showing the dogs and what they do with them,” Wetsel said. There was also no shortage of free food at the Community Day. In addition to a doughnut eating contest, free pizza and popcorn were available
for everyone to enjoy. Viers was more than happy to see the free food go. “We hope to give all the pizza away,” Viers said. “We’re trying to get the word out enough for people to come by and get some information and really just have a good time.” Jonathan Knight, a senior psychology major who worked at the event with Party Positive, thought the Community Day was a good way to raise awareness about the services offered by VTPD. “It’s really informational about a lot of the police things going on that people don’t really know about,” Knight said. “It’s a good way to get the community involved in what the police are doing.” Follow this writer on Twitter PAUL KURLAK / SPPS @rarobertson93 The Hokie Bird attempts to flee from Officer Jason Hardyman.