Get ready for your
SPRING BREAK ROADTRIP see page 2 Thursday, March 7, 2013
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 84 News, page 2
Unseasonal weather hits interstates
Weekend, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Spring Break, page 2
Study Break, page 4
‘Granny’ Green serves up joy
MALLORY NOE-PAYNE news editor
Even though Blacksburg didn’t see an inch of the promised snowfall yesterday, other areas of Virginia did, including some that could affect student travel back home for the break. Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency yesterday afternoon, and all state offices closed yesterday at 1 p.m., as many parts of the state were hit hard by a late in the season winter storm. According to the National Weather Service, by 5 p.m. yesterday, areas around Richmond had accumulated between one and five inches of snow, and some locations in Northern Virginia saw 10 inches. Travel routes out of Blacksburg for many students heading home for spring break were also heavily hit by the weather. Locations in Albemarle county, outside of Charlottesville and along I-64, got upwards of a foot of snow. Augusta County, outside of Harrisonburg and along I-81 towards Northern Virginia, saw 20 inches of snow. High winds also were a large part of the winter storm, knocking down trees and power-lines, contributing to power losses. According to a statement released by the governor’s office around noon yesterday, approximately 170,000 customers were without power in the state. The snow-fall was unseasonal, even breaking some records. According to the National Weather Service, Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. blew past a previous daily record of .2 inches with a new one of 3.3 inches. A state of emergency authorizes state agencies to position resources for quick response throughout Virginia in case of emergency, such as holding frequent weather conference calls and preparing
more info Students heading home can check road conditions by calling 511 or going to www.511virginia.org
RYAN SUTHERLAND/ SPPS
Aldora Green works at J.P.’s Chop House in West End Market, serving hundreds of students each day with vegetables, starches and the staple, London Broil.
BY SARA LEPLEY | features staff writer
Aldora Green, an 81-year-old Dining Services employee, retired in 1995, yet continues to serve the Tech community at West End Not unlike a typical grandmother, the first thing Aldora Green — known to her friends as “Granny” — did when I met with her was make me a plate of steak and mashed potatoes. The 81-year-old works at West End Market as a Golden Pro: someone who comes back to work after retiring. Unassuming in her collared uniform shirt and knee-length skirt, the tiny woman who works behind the counter of J.P.’s Chop House has made a large impact on campus, touching the lives of everyone she meets. She has had close relationships with each of the presidents during her 67-year tenure at Virginia Tech and Radford, particularly with the Lavery family.
Most importantly, she has opened her home, her wallet and her heart to every student she has met. While "Granny" is a relatively new nickname, given to her by a student who did not have a biological grandmother, she has been called “mama” by coworkers and students for years. Even students who do not know of her history quickly get a sense of her authority. “She just brings an authoritative presence and a presence of experience and professionalism that most student workers in the Chop Shop don’t have,” said Jonathan Neri, a freshman political science major who began working with Green this year. Humility to Honor Green has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Presidential Service Award in 1995; the Heroine Award, an award for perfect attendance; the In the Limelight Award; the Black Caucus' Outstanding Award; and the Ring Dance Appreciation Award. She has also won Radford’s see GRANNY / page six
The Alternative Spring Break: A Time for Service ANUJA DAS news staff writer
Spring break is taking a turn for several students interested in doing something outside of the norm. Instead of going to the beach or sleeping in, they are using the break to serve others. This year, students are travelling to a multitude of places including New Orleans and Los Angeles, and even overseas locations like Ecuador and Spain. The size of the student groups varies from four to 20 students.
“College is supposed to be full of experiences,” said Rachel Adell, a senior humanities, science, and environment major. “Putting yourself in an immersive experience outside your comfort zone for a week has the potential to change your life.” For the second year in a row, Adell will be leading a service trip to New Orleans. A group of 15 students affi liated with the Hillel organization at Virginia Tech will be going. In a partnership with the national organization, Rebuilding
Find these stories at www.collegiatetimes.com
f
Together, they will spend seven days attempting to revitalize the local community in any way they can. From helping people affected by Hurricane Katrina to rejuvenating a parched terrain destroyed by forest fires, students are giving back in so many ways. A group of four students from the Baptist Collegiate Ministry is travelling to a ranch in Fort Collins, Colo. to help the community, which has been attempting to rebuild itself after being hit by a forest fire last summer.
“We’re going out there to do labor for them for a week,” said Chris Cromer, a fi ft h-year architecture student who will be leading the trip. “(We might be) cutting trees, moving logs or doing construction. We’re there to serve them.” The organization Students Engaging and Responding through Volunteer Experiences has a group of approximately 15 students going to the Dominican Republic, though only half of them are members.
COURTESY OF RACHEL ADELL
see SERVICE / page two
Hillel at Virginia Tech partnered with Rebuilding Together last summer in New Orleans.
NEWS Latin Students, director keep the dream DONAL MURPHY
CollegiateTimes
OPINONS
@collegiatetimes
MARCUS WILLIAMS
Curbing student drinking requires mentality change
FEATURES
NOTE
The Collegiate Times will continue publication after Spring Break
2
spring break
march 7, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
Going abroad? Be aware of foreign laws ANDREW KULAK news reporter
While many Virginia Tech students are excited to put down their books, leave the library and set out on exotic vacations, those contemplating cruises and foreign travel might not want to quit researching just yet. Ignorance of relevant international law could quickly put a damper on spring break. “It is intricate and complicated,” said local attorney John Robertson of Neyhart, Robertson and McConnell. “If you are leaving the country, you are subject to the laws of the host country,” Robertson said. “You need to understand that U.S. law may not apply.” According to the State Department, legal protections offered in the U.S. may not be offered in other nations, and laws and their enforcement may vary significantly. For instance, controlled substance, alcohol and firearm regulations all differ in Mexico, a location the U.S. government expects more than 100,000 American spring break travelers to visit, including some Tech students. Checking the State Department website could save you from the hardship and tribulation of dealing with an unfamiliar legal environment, but cannot replace legal advice offered by an attorney that specializes in foreign travel. Robertson does not typically deal in such cases, but did provide one suggestion to travelers regardless of destination. “I would advise people to obtain trip insurance,” Robertson said. Trip insurance may cover changes in itinerary, flight cancelations or certain events that preclude planned travel. As with any legal contract or lease, those who heed Robertson’s advice should make sure they remain cautious and consider their options carefully, rather than make an impulse decision. “Ask the purveyor of the plan to get a copy in writing to see what it covers and excludes and what the limits of coverage are,” Robertson said. “If you are entering a contract, you need to understand that contract.” Follow the writer on Twitter: @KulakCT
Service: The alternative spring break from page one
“We’re going to be talking to young teens from age 14 to 22,” said Rachel Stein, a sophomore in biochemistry who is not a member of SERVE. “We’ll be telling them about health education, sex education, sports medicine and nutrition.” Stein is one of many volunteers who understand the benefits of volunteerism, even during a time as restful as spring break. “It’s kind of like a culture shock,” she said. “I’ve grown up in life without much struggle, and I want to see what other parts of the world are like. It makes you a better person.”
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Top Three Free Apps for Spring Break
[ spring break 2013 ] 152 students completed our spring break survey, find out where your fellow Hokies are going...
where are you going?
who are you going with?
1. textPlus textPlus enables users to text or call any other textPlus app uers in the world, regardless of roaming or international status. Wherever you are, you can text, group-text, and send pictures for free. The app works over WiFi, 3G, and 4G networks. Ideal for international travelling.
2. Trip Splitter
Home/ Blacksburg
Florida
Beach
Family
Solo
Greek life
Alternative Trip
Tropical Vacation
Other
Friends
New People
Other
how much are you spending?
It can be hard to manage shared expenses in a large group during Spring Break trips. That’s where Trip Splitter comes in. It allows users to add as many people as they need and it can keep track of who paid for which expense and whether or not it was a shared expense. Trip Splitter also allows multiple trips to be tracked at once, and can even email involved friends their expenses in a table format.
why are you travelling?
3. GasBuddy
$0-$100
$101-$250
$501-$750
Leisure
Service
$751-$1000
$751$1000
$1001$1500
Other
No Answer
GasBuddy is an extremely helpful app when driving is you rprimary mode of transportation. Users continuously submit gas prices for different locations which enables the app to match users up with the lowest gas prices in their current location. if that wasn’t good enough, users have a chance to win $250 in gas money every week just by updating gas prices at stations they visit.
Business
KATHERYN SUTTLE / COLLEGIATE TIMES
the road to
KITTY SCHAFFERNOTH / COLLEGIATE TIMES
WEST VIRGINIA
SPRING BREAK
West Virginia has the cheapest taxes on liquor and beer.
Your guide for spending less on fuel, booze and cigarettes when travelling between states this spring break.*
VIRGINIA Virginia taxes the least for cigarettes and beer.
NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina has the most expensive liquor tax south of Virginia. Cigarette taxes are moderate.
SOUTH CAROLINA GEORGIA South Carolina has moderate taxes on liquor, beer and cigarettes. Georgia has the cheapest taxes on liquor next to West Virginia, but taxes the most for beer.
AT THE PUMP
Gas prices by the gallon** VIRGINIA Blacksburg, $3.55
NORTH CAROLINA Statesville, $3.78 Charlotte, $3.72
FLORIDA
SOUTH CAROLINA Rockhill, $3.50
Florida charges modest prices for its liquor and beer. Cigarettes are the most expensive in this state.
Columbia, $3.59
GEORGIA Savannah, $3.71 Brunswick, $3.65
FLORIDA Jacksonville, $3.75
*tax rates taken from www.tax-rates.org **city fuel averages taken from AAA Fuel Price Finder
Miami, $3.88 Key West, $4.09
Follow the writer on Twitter: @Anuja_Das ANDREA LEDESMA / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Now Playing! Rust and Bone A struggling single father helps a beautiful whale trainer recover her will to live following a terrible accident that leaves her con ined to a wheelchair. Lonely and destitute, Ali leaves the north of France for his sister's house in Antibes after becoming the sole guardian of his estranged ive-year-old son Sam. When Ali lands a job as a bouncer in a nearby nightclub, things quickly start to look up for the itinerant father and son.
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opinions
editors: josh higgins, shawn ghuman opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
march 7, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
On “Declining value of college degrees makes way for increase in value of internships
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff
Anony: The value of a
degree isn’t declining. Employers still value a degree. They are simply being more demanding. They want you more than just book smart. They are expecting that you get in touch with, and experience the real world before they meet you. This reduces their expense and the time it takes them to deal with the drama too many new hires bring with them due to being
MCT CAMPUS
TSA always oversteps its boundaries I
magine a disabled, wheelchair-bound, three-year-old girl, overly excited to take a family vacation to Disney World. This was little Lucy Forck’s first visit to an airport, and things were going smoothly. Everything happened as planned until they reached the security checkpoint. The security personnel took the family off to the side to screen the disabled three year old. The moment the agents took her stuffed animal away from her to be checked, she bawled her eyes out; it was truly a heartbreaking sight. Lucy’s mother, Annie Forck, recorded the whole incident and uploaded it to YouTube. In the video, agents from the Transportation Security Administration were telling her that recording was not allowed, which is not correct based on the TSA
guidelines. They were also about to pat down the girl because we all know how much of a security risk a wheelchair-bound three year old could possibly be. Thankfully, a pat down was never performed. With public backlash looming, the TSA issued an official apology for the inappropriate incident that took place in Lambert-St. Lewis International Airport. However, this obviously forced apology should not be considered enough to disregard those TSA agents’ actions that day. I attempted to give the TSA the benefit of the doubt, wondering if maybe there happened to be a case regarding acts of terror performed by young children. After extensive research, I have found no actual cases regarding a child below the age of 18 attempting to perform an act of terrorism
against an airport, airplane, or any building inside the United States in general. The closest link I could find that would make Lucy Forck suspicious to the TSA that day was an FBI investigation in 2006. According to an ABC News article, a suspicious man purchased “small propane canisters, Valentine’s Day teddy bears and BB-gun pellets from a Wal-Mart store.” There was no published follow-up released to know what took place during this investigation. Are we truly so afraid for our national security that “teddy bears of terror” and little girls in wheelchairs scare us? I am all for being aware of our surroundings and the fact that security is extremely important, but obviously, the TSA is not doing their job. The TSA was formed on
Nov. 11, 2001, two months after the horrible tragedy that was 9/11. However, one decade later, we are still living in fear for national security, despite the fact the TSA still exists. This solely proves the TSA is not doing what the government intended: to make the country’s citizens feel safer at airports. Maybe it is time to discontinue the TSA and look for a new solution regarding airport security. I am personally disgusted by situations, such as the one involving the Forck family, that have taken place throughout the past decade. They have screwed up so many times that we honestly cannot and should not entrust this government organization with our safety. In a 2010 interview on CBS
political talk show, formerSecretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “I am absolutely confident that our security experts are gonna’ keep tryin’ to get it better and less intrusive and more precise.” Watching the way the TSA treated little Lucy Forck, that optimism for the TSA’s ever changing regulations is certainly misguided. The TSA wants more respect than they are getting, but to gain respect, you must give it first. Lucy had a great time at Disney World, where everyone came together to make her feel special. The TSA also made her feel special but in the most terrible way. RYAN TURK -regular columnist -freshman -BIT
Anonomity is ruining Chavez’s death means nada sincerity on Facebook W
W
hat do VT Confessions, VT Compliments and VT Crushes all have in common? Anonymity. These online pages, created through Facebook, have attracted the attention of thousands of Virginia Tech students, and a new page seems to be pop up every few days. They have also made the jump to Twitter. It appears that these sites are yet another way for students to post about themselves or others online without sacrificing their true identity to the masses. If you comb through the posts on VT Confessions there are definitely examples of cyber bullying that stick out through the digital mix of sex secrets, random thoughts and “actual” confessions. For example, take #522 — “There’s this girl I really REALLY don’t like, but she’s pretty, and I’m not, and I feel insecure because of it. So one day I put her number on a gay chat site.” This person is openly confessing to making another student involved, against her will, with a website. Whoever reads all of the submissions and makes the final call about showing them on the VT Confession Facebook page, which now has 6,534 likes, must take a closer look at what this page is promoting. The sad fact about these pages is that the people who submit confessions, compliments or crushes (before it was deleted) would never say any of these things to a person’s
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face in real life. The turn society is making toward anonymity does not bode well for future generations who are even more into social networking than we are. There are ways to make these pages much more positive, and it starts with taking away the anonymitity. If people know their name and picture will show up next to their post than they will rethink what they are saying. This would make the pages much more social, and students could rally around each other. For example, there was a social network outburst when the announcement was made that there would not be a Thursday night football game next fall. This game is regarded by many students, including me, as the best game of the year because of the spectacle that surrounds it. A post was made on VT Confessions about it, but no one had any way to contact the writer because it was posted anonymously. If the veil of anonymity was lifted, more people would be able to rally around certain ideas that they feel strongly about and contact the person who started the conversation. Virginia Tech’s slogan is “Invent the Future.” How can we do that if our next leaders are hiding their identities?
ADAM ROTH -regular columnist -junior -marketing and management
ith President Hugo Chavez’s passing on Tuesday, one would expect international relations between Venezuela and the United States to mend. But Mr. Chavez’s widespread hand of influence, even in death, should put those expectations to rest. Over the course of his 14 years in office, Chavez routinely denounced the political and cultural influence the U.S. exerts worldwide and ran an aggressive propaganda campaign to limit the influence that would have in Latin America. At every turn, American moves in politics, economics, counter-terrorism and foreign policy had been rejected by Chavez and his thoroughly cultivated anti-American agenda. Former-President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama have had to contend with opposition from the Venezuelan government in some of the most critical foreign policy issues over the last decade, as Chavez had consistently supported tyrannical
regimes in Libya, Syria and Iran. While seeking to capitalize on the passing of the world leader to improve international relations may seem morbid and disrespectful, government goes on. But aside from reestablishing the presence of ambassadors within each other’s borders — the U.S. and Venezuela haven’t had ambassador relationships since 2010 — not much can be done right away. Chavez’s policies, supporters and antiAmerican sentiments are too deeply entrenched in Venezuelan political culture. Consider the iron grip Chavez’s governing party, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, maintains in Venezuelan politics. Chavez had been consistently criticized for carrying out “free but not fair” elections, in which his government used heavy resources to back his campaigns, drowning out opposition. The practice will surely continue in the next month, as Venezuelans prepare to elect their next president.
Former vice president, and current-interim president, Nicolas Maduro is the likely successor to take office, hand chosen by Chavez in December of last year as the man Venezuelans should vote for in the event of his passing (Chavez battled cancer through the end of his life). Chavez would not have so heavily endorsed President Maduro had he not had faith in Maduro’s commitment to his policies, both domestic and abroad. Mending a sour relationship is difficult enough for nations sparring in policy and ideology. A transfer of power typically offers a small window of opportunity to begin repairing a poor relationship, but that window shuts when the next leader basks in the shadow of his predecessor. President Maduro will be Hugo Chavez 2.0, and nothing between the U.S. and Venezuela will change. ERIC JONES -regular columnist -senior -pyschology
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Editor in Chief: Michelle Sutherland Managing Editor: Nick Cafferky Design Editors: Andrea Ledesma, Alicia Tillman Special Section Design Edtitor: Danielle Buynak Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter Senior News Editor: Mallory NoePayne Associate News Editors: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal News Blog Editor: Cameron Austin News Reporters: Leslie McCrea, Justin Graves, Andrew Kulak, Donal Murphy News Staff Writers: Alex Gomez, Sean Hayden, Max Luong, Cody Owens, Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Senior Opinions Editor: Josh Higgins Associate Opinions Editor: Shawn Guhman Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editor: Chelsea Giles Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Kristin Gunther, Mackenzie Fallon, Alexis Livingston, Kayleigh McKenzie Photo Editor: Kevin Dickel Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: James Dean Seal Circulation Manager: Keith Bardsley Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Brad Klodowski Lab Manager: Trevor White College Media Solutions Assistant Ad Director: Carla Craft Account Executives: Robert Alberti, Taylor Moran Inside Sales Manager: Amanda Gawne Assistant Account Executives: Catie Stockdale Jordan Williams, Elizabeth Dam, Emily Daugherty Creative Director: Diana Bayless Assistant Creative Director: Nik Aliye Creative Staff: Mariah Jones, Samantha Keck
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 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. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2012. 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.
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march 7, 2013
The Madness is near...
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Home life keeps you joyfully grounded for the first half of the year, with positive changes like new space or an addition to the family. Stick to the budget as you indulge your playful side. Learning, travel, friends, creativity and fun are regular themes. Explore.
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63 With 67-Across, innovative or experimental artists’ group 64 Birthday serving 66 Envelope abbr. 67 See 63-Across 68 Way out 69 Give guff to 70 Shakespearean king 71 Chip enhancers
Travel GETTING COLD TIME to Plan your Spring Break 2010 Get Away! Learn how to travel to beautiful locations like Jamaica, Acapulco and the Bahamas on a party cruise. Find out what other Virginia Tech Hokies are headed to your destination. -Adrian Email: Awhite@Studentcity. com for more information
For Rent APARTMENT ROOM Seeking male students two rooms available $415 mo. Split
utilities call 4343902202 more info TOMS CREEK TERRACE 2BR, 2BA Suites or 4BR, 2BA apartment, Water, Sewer, Trash Removal included, $925/ mo., Avail. NOW, Visit Renttnt.com or Call TNT Prop. Mgt. 540-951-1075
Patrick Henry Living FOR RENT, 2013/2014, Pheasant Run Crossing, more info at 1417christinecourt.com
By Jeff Chen
ACROSS 1 Baby bovine 5 At the drop of __ 9 Ice cream brand that’s “Grand” 13 Ice cream-andcookies brand 14 “The Thinker” sculptor 16 Fat unit 17 Tailless cat 18 Steak option 19 Hereditary code carrier 20 Ted Williams had a .344 lifetime one 23 Stat start 24 Fishing pole
3/7/13
25 Agreeable to doing 28 Site of many a shady transaction 34 More or less 36 Cacophony 37 __ Linda, California 38 Chef’s recipe words 39 Boo-boo protector 42 “Bad Moon Rising” pop gp. 43 Go ape 45 Go bad
46 Attached to the bulletin board 48 Bullet-proof vest, e.g. 51 Pries (into) 52 P&L column 53 Visibility impaire r 55 Common college degree, whose abbreviation a is hint to 20-, 28-, 39- and 48Across 62 Japaneser golfe Aoki
DOWN 1 Dot-__ 2 Man from Oman, often 3 Actress Olin 4 Dance that precedes “golf” in the NATO phonetic alphabet 5 Wheelchair guy on “Glee” 6 Schmooze, as with the A-list 7 Work like __ 8 Fey of “30 Rock” 9 Asian menu appetizer 10 Rasta’s hairdo 11 Yin’s counterpart 12 Hook’s sidekick 15 St. for gamblers 21 Go pitapat 22 Disco __ 25 Vandenberg or Edwards: Abbr. 26 Chico’s chicken 27 Chickens, to kids 29 Build up, as a collection 30 Hush-hush fed. org. 31 Make booties, e.g.
32 Game show host 33 36-inch units 35 Jamie of “M*A*S*H” 40 __ de plume 41 Tony of 60-Down 44 Constricting snakes 47 Compelled via force 49 Suffix with lemon 50 “Help Me, __”: Beach Boys hit
54 “... happily ever __” 55 Skewed view 56 “The Thin Man” canine 57 Fall behind 58 Roundish shape 59 Steak order 60 Sitcom set in a garage 61 Not attend 65 “Men in Black” baddies, briefly
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
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Get your NCAA Bracket inside the CT on March 19th.
3/6/13
weekend
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
SPRING BREAK
march 7, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
5
Assuming money is no great obstacle, students from all over the world come together and mingle in different societies. Whether it’s on a trip to Belgium, Beirut or the Bahamas, the sharing of cultures, food and entertainment make spring break an experience that needs no translation. BY JESSICA GROVES
A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
NORTH
EUROPE
Toronto and other northern cities with great ski resorts are popular picks for those who don’t mind the cold weather. While tanning might not be an option, indoor museums, art galleries and zoos offer tourists entertainment in lieu of sunshine. Also the drinking age is 18.
MEXICO Students also travel from the colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere in spring. For many, a visit to the Yucatan Peninsula or the numerous caves in Mexico is just as appealing as the sandy beaches in Cancun. They experience base-jumping, free falling, hiking and more.
Some of Europe’s biggest cities are also popular spring break sites. Many countries are small enough to fit within Virginia’s borders — unlike the U.S., where a traveler can drive for four hours and stay in the same state. Spring breakers staying in London use the Eurostar train line to travel to Paris.
EAST COAST
ASIA
Students on the East Coast tend to stick to the same spring break destinations — Myrtle Beach, S.C., Daytona Beach, Fla. and Miami consistently hit the top of the list. When it comes to the rest of the world, though, college students tend to go beyond the beach for spring break travel.
One of the most overlooked spring break regions in the world is Asia. The continent has approximately 50 countries with a variety of climates. Student travelers have the opportunity to visit jungles, cities and beaches on the eastern half of the world and many European students take the chance.
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE In the Southern Hemisphere, college students celebrate spring break in between September and early November. Many popular tourist locations experience colder weather around that time, so travelers head for the city. Australians often choose to cross the equator for the same reason.
ANDREA LEDESMA / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Blacksburg Transit Now hiring 25 operators before March 29th. • Paid Training • Starting at $9.25/hour • • Flexible hours can fit many class schedules •
Don’t delay, apply today! All applicants are subject to CDL drug testing guidelines.
AN EEO Employer M/F/D/V You must be at least 19 years old and have an excellent driving record. To apply, pick up an application at the Blacksburg Municipal Building, 300 S. Main Street, or visit blacksburg.gov. For more information, call (540) 981-1185.
Keep the law
101
on your side.
Lesson: Bike Cops Question: I noticed a lot of police bike patrols on campus during the weekends, what's up with that?
ANSWER:
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) What would you love to learn next? You can afford to take on future expenses now. In a delightful turn of events, there’s more creative work coming in, and a bonus. Invest in your business.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) In a lucky break, a crazy idea works. Collect as much as you can. Listen more than speaking. Your discipline’s admirable; use it to increase ef iciency. Quiet meditation lifts your spirits.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Make longrange plans to improve your living conditions. Ask family to help, and get pleasantly obsessed with details. Insist upon what works best for you. Romance enters the picture unbidden.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You’re irresistible, and they love you. Make a plan for the future that includes your partner’s dream. A secret tip leads to pro its. Call the shot, and sign on the dotted line.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Let your partner take the lead. Push your crew to participate. Affection grows in a dif icult situation. Women offer their help, including some startling insights. Listen with intention. Distant communications bring positive news.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) There’s a lucky surprise. Still, more study is required. True love plays by the rules. Press your agenda verbally. By now, your choice should be obvious. Invest in your business.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Personal magnetism works in your favor. Gather information, and share it. Let your partner take the lead; your team has faith in your success. You love the people you meet now. Romance beckons.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Pleasant memories abound. Gather practical data. Your dedication to service is commendable. Reveal your ideas in private. Accept encouragement, then go ahead and make a commitment for those you love.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)Give thanks for a windfall. Invest in your own success irst. You can afford it. Creative planning resolves a practical issue. Speak healing words. Complete a home project. Provide excellent service and support.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) There’s more work coming in. Make sure it works for your family. Look for clues behind the scenes. Visit an in luential female. Keep your team on track, and upgrade equipment. Add love and creativity.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Discover a treasure you didn’t know you had. You can borrow the money you need; keep track of spending. Get into action. Acknowledgement comes from far away. Invitations ly between friends and family.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Get a sexy new out it, and be prepared for some good news. Discuss the potential privately. Keep your resources con idential. Share a moment of sweet nostalgia with someone who was there.
Answer: VT and Blacksburg police are doing joint bike patrols as part of Operations Undergrad, a program by Virginia ABC. Throughout the spring semester, on Thursday thru Friday nights, there will be targeted enforcement of Virginia's Alcohol Laws on the VT campus, focusing on D2 Express and residence hall areas.
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march 7, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Granny: West End worker witnesses Tech’s transformation from page one
President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Black Caucus’ Outstanding Award. Of the plaques and framed awards that ornament Green’s walls, a high school diploma is surprisingly not one of them. In fact, Green has not received formal education, with the exception of three years at Christiansburg Institute. Everything she knows she has taught herself. “It’s not what you learn in a book; it’s what you can teach yourself,” Green said. “The most important thing in life is having confidence in yourself and good common sense. Common sense will carry you quicker than a book will carry you. You have to let it guide you. That’s what has guided me.” Green came from a humble background, but she never speaks of her family’s lack of money as a limitation. Instead, at an early age, she taught herself how to mold simple objects into something beautiful. As a child, she turned orange crates into coffee tables using wallpaper, cut glass and cloth. “It looked like furniture,” Green said. “It all came natural to me. I just started fiddling with stuff, and I liked to do it.” Creative Catering Her passion for aesthetically pleasing presentations catapulted her to the top tier of catering at Tech when she was only 14 years old. One night, the Board of Business arrived at Dr. Dedman’s house for a dinner bearing a bushel of oysters. It was Green’s first year working at Tech, but she had already moved up from a dishwasher, to a salad girl and to a bakery worker. Of all the directors and supervisors at the party, not a single one of them knew how to shuck an oyster. Perplexed, Dedman went back into the kitchen and asked Green for help. “I had never shucked an oyster before in my life,” Green said. “I looked at (Dedman) and said ‘No, you don’t eat them in the shell.’ When I got through with those oysters and laid the ice out, opened them up and put the lemons around, they couldn’t believe it.” From that point forward, Green was in charge of catering. This entailed menu selection, food preparation, floral arrangement and decorations. Today, a staff of four or five people carries out these roles, but back then, Green handled everything. At night, when she returned home from work — she held about four or five jobs at a time — she would lie in bed and envision how she would arrange each event. “It’s almost like being an architect,” Green said. “Well, I don’t draw — I think. I lie in my bed at night, and if I’m going to do a design, I’m going to think about what I’m going to do. And I go ahead and I work with it (and) it works.” "The Good Days" In 1960, Green took her catering skills to Radford, which was an all-girls school at the time. It was not until 1982, when William Lavery was the university’s president at the time, that she returned to Tech. Impressed by Green’s work, Peggy Lavery asked Green to not only cater for the university’s special events, but all of the Lavery’s personal events as well. Thus started what Green refers to as "the good days." “I did all the decorations, the flower arrangements, the dinners and everything to help Mrs. Lavery,” Green said. “We didn’t have chefs, so she and I did the whole nine yards. You’d work from morning to night and nobody worried about it. You went home with a smile on your face and a good "thank you.’” Green catered all of the breakfasts, football games and dances. Her proudest achievement, however, was the decorations she created for her daughter’s wedding. Her eyes lit up as she described the fruit montage she sculpted that stood “as tall as the ceiling.” It had cascades of grapes
COURTESY OF DENISE HOUSTON
(1) (left to right) Connie, Aldora, Denise and Joyce Ann gather in front of Burruss Hall to celebrate Aldora’s retirement in 1995; she currently works as a Golden Pro. (2) Green set up a table through her catering company at University Club special event. (3) Green treks through a tropical rain forest in the Bahamas during a family vacation many years ago. and strawberries flowing from the hidden boxes that held the structure. On either side, she propped up chocolate fondue fountains for guests to dip the fruit in. As she recalls, one of her proteges, Brian Grove, didn’t initially believe that she could make it happen. “After I angled the boxes and the fruit, he said ‘I would never believe it, and I would never, ever doubt you again,’” Green said. Impacting Lives Grove now serves as the associate director of Dining Services, overseeing Owen’s Food Court, Hokie Grill, the food court at Squires Student Center and Personal Touch Catering. When he was still a student at Tech, however, he trained under Green. Yet, he learned more than just skills in catering and management from her. “The impact (she had) was really on our lives,” Grove said.
“If you took the time to really get to know her and learn from her, she taught you life lessons.” While working together, Green would always remind Grove to call his mom and made sure to get to know him as a person. When Grove got married, Green even attended his wedding. Grove refers to Green as his Blacksburg mother. She developed a deep connection like this with many of the students she worked with. She still exchanges Christmas cards with many students and loves when they return to visit her. Sometimes, she actually pays for an extra meal card just in case a student in line is a few cents short and cannot afford his or her meal. Additionally, Green opens up her home to students who need a place to stay. A few years ago, Leslie Sherman and two of her friends were taking summer classes and were
planning to camp out. Green knew Sherman from work and refused to let her live in a tent for the duration of the summer. Instead, Green allowed the girls to stay with her for three summers in a row, always free of charge. “I told them to come to my house and stay, and when they left, my house was as clean as a pin and a big bouquet of flowers was on the table,” Green said. Racial Tension While Sherman and her friends stand out in Green’s memory, she extended hospitability to anyone who needed it, making a point to include international students of all ethnicities. Unfortunately, Tech has not always shared her belief in viewing all races equally. Green worked during the heat of Jim Crow laws and the Civil Rights Movement, and found that Tech was not
immune to the racial prejudice that inflicted the nation. For years, black students could not live on campus, take the buses or attend Ring Dance. Like many towns, signs dictating “white” and “colored” segregated Blacksburg. When Green worked at Radford, she had to use a different bathroom than her white coworkers, and when she had her children, she had to give birth in her home because the hospitals would not admit black americans. Despite such inequalities, Green never let anyone else derail her happiness or her perception of herself. “Me, I don’t let nothing worry me and nobody bother me,” Green said. “When I walk through the door, I don’t give a darn how much money you got, and I don’t care how good you are. I feel that I am just as good as you are. You gotta’ love your-
self in order to say that.” Green brings this self-confidence with her every day to work, where she truly enjoys working with the students and making others happy. While she has mentioned working at Tech until she reaches 100, her biggest plans for the future include a motorcycle. “I’m going to get one that has four wheels in the back and one in the front,” Green said. “Zoom. I’m going to be too hot to trot.” Until that day comes, students can find Green preparing dishes at J.P.’s Chop House, where she invites people to come and get to know her. In her 67 years of working, she has loved every minute she has spent at Tech and at Radford. “Life has been very good to me,” Green said. “I’ve enjoyed every moment of life, and I enjoy what I do now.”