STUDENT DEBT AND OTHER LAST-MINUTE ELECTION ISSUES SEE PAGE 3 Tuesday, October 30, 2012
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 36 News, page 2
Arts & Entertainment, page 8
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 7
5K RACE PAINTS THE TOWN
Study Break, page 6
VA braces for now tropical storm ANDREW KULAK news staff writer
Hurricane Sandy made landfall last night, lashing the Northeast with rain and heavy cloud of pink, green, Utah. The company began winds before being downgradblue, and yellow corn- as a group of friends who ed to a tropical storm. starch covered the decided that running had the Though Blacksburg and Lane Stadium parking lot reputation of being mundane Virginia Tech are outside of on Sunday morning, as more and wanted to change that the storms direct path, the area than 5,000 people ran in the for its cause. The group was has prepared for the worst. first ever Color Me Rad 5k to inspired by the Holi festival Governor Bob McDonnell take place in Blacksburg. has declared a state of emerin Spanish Fork, Utah, which Loud pop music and enthu- is based on a Hindu Spring gency across the commonsiastic volunteers coaxed Celebration where people wealth, activating emergency runners along the trail that throw perfumed colored response teams and increasing wound through rural parts powder in the air. The ideas access to emergency funding of campus, connecting with “naturally melded together” from the state for local govthe Huckleberry Trail, and and created the Color Me ernments responding to the ending near the stadium. storm. Rad 5k. “It looks like everyone had While the Northeast will “We also hope to get a lot a good time and we loved of people involved in fitcontinue to feel the brunt working with the Special ness who maybe otherwise of winds and rain from the Olympics again.” said wouldn’t come out for your storm, the Virginia Governor’s Gretchen Willard, Public typical 5k,” said organizer office issued a press release Relations for Color Me Rad. warning of the potential for Scott Crandall in a press Color Me Rad is a for-profpersistent dangerous weather see COLOR / page four it organization located in conditions in the state, especially in coastal regions. “Due to the track of this storm, and the fact that it will be a hurricane transitioning into a more nor’easter like system, we could see severe weather lasting for 48 hours or more in the state,” McDonnell said in a press release. An executive order from McDonnell related to the storm caused a great deal of confusion amongst Tech students, faculty, and staff Sunday night as the university announced classes would be canceled and offices closed, only to retract the announcement half an hour later. Larry Hincker, Associate Vice President for University Relations, dismissed the bungled announcement as a misinterpretation of McDonnell’s decision to close schools across the state. The governor’s office did not intend the order to be applied to Virginia’s institutions of higher learning, which were to make independent decisions based on local conditions. While Tech was open Monday, colleges in other BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS parts of the state were not. Schools, colleges and universities throughout the state have already been closed, as have federal government offices in Washington, DC. Squires Student Center Monday night was bustling with students who expressed little concern about the worsDONAL MURPHY in charge of the American ening weather conditions outnews reporter Indian Studies program at side. Televisions were tuned to Tech. on-location reports of immaThe clangor of bells and “What we’re trying to do is nent danger in locations close whooping music filled the have an event that happens to the storm center, as students air while Keith Anderson annually. We’re starting ate and worked nearby, paying danced as his people have small and hopefully we’ll little attention. for centuries. be able to do this every year “I don’t think it’s going to be Native@VT hosted its and get it bigger,” said While as bad for us because we are so Native Harvest Festival at not of native descent herfar west,” said junior psycholKentland Farms on Saturday self, McDonough became ogy and human development to celebrate American involved with Native@VT major Cailin Clinton. “I think Indian heritage month. through Cook. the only problem we are going Anderson is a member of McDonough helped to sell to have is maybe ice from the the Red Crooked Sky dance baked goods at the festival precipitation on the ground. troupe, which performed on to raise money for a possible Transportation might be diffiSaturday. powwow in the future. cult, but I think we’ll still have The troupe has previ“I talked to Sam because classes tomorrow.” ously performed for the I wanted to put on a powSenior geography major Ryan Dalai Lama when he visited wow on campus, but we Torino agreed. Charlottesville earlier this need to get funding, and “I think it’s worse further month we need more interest in it, north, we’re at the far southern The festival included edu- and more people involved,” end of it. I’m not too worried cational sessions of how said Davina Campbell, a about it,” Torino said. Native Americans lived, graduate student of pubStudents did wonder about traded and cooked. lic health, who danced the potential of losing power, There were also vendors with the Red Crooked Sky hearing from friends that selling artwork and jewelry troupe. Terrace View and The Village made by the local tribes. Campbell is of Oklahoma had suffered power outages “The theme for this year Choctaw descent. She earlier in the day. Appalachian is preserving cultural rich- worked with Cook to help Power Company reported the ness,” said Sara McDonough, organize the festival. power failure was the result of BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS an equipment issue unrelated a graduate assistant for Sam And while it has been held Cook, a sociology professor see FESTIVAL / page two Dean and Victoria Ferguson educate onlookers about Native American culture and life in the 18th century. see STORM / page two
BY MICHAELA REARDON | news staff writer
A
VT Harvest Festival promotes native heritage