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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Friday, April 5, 2013
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 96 News, page 2
Semper Fi punished for shirtless dance
Features, page 5
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 4
Study Break, page 6
What the heck, Blacksburg?
CAMERON AUSTIN news editor
Social media was abuzz after the scantily dressed men of Semper Fi took the stage at Delta Gamma’s Anchor Splash 2013 and danced shirtless, grinded on women, and incorporated the Marine Corps flag into their dance moves. Despite the popularity of the performance, which took place on February 27, Semper Fi, the social organization associated with the Marines, was suspended from social activities for a month by their superiors. “What they did in participating in Anchor Splash was not in keeping with the military’s standards or conduct,” said Major Michael Little, Semper Fi’s advisor. Little explained that he had seen the past year’s performances, and instructed the group to clean up their act for this year. The guidelines on what was appropriate and what was not were clear, according to Little. He was surprised to find an email waiting in his inbox after the event, bringing to his attention a video of the performance. The video showed the Semper Fi men dancing shirtless, and incorporating the Marine Corps flag into the dance. The group has been suspended for the past month from social activities, and as of April 3 was finally unsuspended. President of Semper Fi Jonathan Thomasen and Vice President Markus
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As far as getting up on stage and taking off our T-shirts and putting baby oil on, that will never happen again Jonathan Thomasen Semper Fi President
Gibson said they were also surprised to find out about the explicit nature of the performance. Neither was actually in the performance, and didn’t hear about it until after the incident had occurred. “We had delegated... a fellow junior member to be in charge and coordinate… We were under the impression that the performance would be similar to previous years where there was provocative dancing, but nothing that crossed the line,” said Thomasen. The Semper Fi student leaders however, take full responsibility for not upholding the standards set by their superiors. “Holding the position of president and vice president, we know when push comes to shove that it is our responsibility on our part to ensure that the rest of the men in the society weren’t disrespectful,” Gibson said. With the military going through a large transition and addressing the issue of see DANCE / page two
BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS
Just as students thought spring had sprung, an unexpeced storm left Blacksburg blanketed in 5 inches of snow, allowing students one last winter adventure.
Big Event reaches out to local community MELISSA DRAUDT news staff writer
It will be an early morning for 6,500 students on Saturday, as they gather to show their support for one of the largest student-run community service events in the country: the 12th annual Big Event at Virginia Tech. Sponsored by Capital One, this year’s Big Event will feature speakers including Christina McClung of Capital One, an alumna and founder of the Big Event. Doug Brainard, senior finance major and director of the Big Event team, calls the event “a big way to say ‘thank you’ to the community.” Students will be assigned service projects such as washing windows, painting or yard work at residential and community locations throughout Blacksburg, Christiansburg and sometimes even as far as Roanoke. “It’s an opportunity for students to embrace the school’s motto ‘Ut Prosim’ (while) rede-
8,000
Volunteers History 2002 - 2010
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1,200
Project History 2002 - 2010
2011 6,731 Volunteers 950 Projects
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2012 6,852 Volunteers 990 Projects
2013 6,500 Volunteers 825 Projects
ALICIA TILLMAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES
fining the typical college student to the skeptical homeowner in the area,” Brainard said. Marcela Roy, a fifth-year senior environmental policy and planning major, who has participated in the event several times, has been assigned to plant gar-
dens and fix a well at an elementary school in Christiansburg. “The students would come out and they would help garden as well, so it connected us in that way,” Roy said. “We saw (how important) it was to the students.”
The event serves to revamp, and in some cases repair, the link between the students and faculty of the university and the residents of the surrounding community. “Overall, I think it increases see EVENT / page two
New legislation opens doors for research Student arrested for hit-and-run felony DEAN SEAL news editor
According to a press release from t he Black sbu rg Police Department, a Virginia Tech student was arrested on Wednesday, April 3, for a felony hit and run. Taylor Denay Starkey, a 20 year-old psychology major, was driving her 2001 Toyota sedan east on U.S. 460 Bypass when, after an abrupt lane change, she struck a 1997 Honda 2-door being driven by 38 yearold Christiansburg resident Kimberly A. Dowdy. Starkey “did not stop and drove away from the scene.”
The release says that Dowdy “sustained injuries as a result of the crash” and was taken to Lewis-Gale MRH for treatment by Blacksburg Rescue to receive treatment. Starkey was not injured. Starkey was arrested the following day and held on a $1,000 secured bond in Montgomery County Jail. Her court date has not been determined.
Follow the writer on Twitter: @JDeanSeal
SEAN HAYDEN news staff writer
The recently proposed Fair Access to Science & Technology Research Act, or FASTR, has the research community buzzing. If passed, the FASTR Act will require federal research agencies like the National Science Foundation, which invests millions of taxpayer dollars in scientific research on an annual basis, to design and implement a plan to facilitate public access to scientific research. “The legislation of the FASTR Act is consistent with the trend in the Federal Government over the last few years with moving toward greater public accessibility of research results,” said Elizabeth Tranter, the chief of staff at the Virginia Tech Office of the Vice President for Research. As Tranter explained, one of the advantages this legislation would provide is it would enable federallyfunded researchers to build
on each other’s work, especially if data is made accessible to the public through creating websites or other publication methods. “As scientists, it is our goal to conduct and publish research that will make the world a better place,” said Timothy E. Long, associate dean for strategic initiatives in Tech’s College of Science. “The passing of the act would help not only the VT community, but the entire country, by enabling more awareness of data and issues using the increased public access to research.” According to Tranter, significantly more guidance of what the government really expects for the data management plans has been provided in recent years. “So many fields are becoming more computationally intensive, so when you look at a data management plan for a project, you must consider the requirement of publishing both the papers and the data sets that cor-
relate with them,” Tranter said. The National Institutes of Health is an example of a federally-funded medical research agency that has been extremely successful since establishing its
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The passing of the act would not only help the VT community, but the entire country
Timothy Long Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, College of Science research public access policy in 2008. “Since the establishment of NIH’s public access policy, other federally-funded agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, have followed suit,” Tranter said The NSF has followed the example of the NIH by setting new research requirements as recently as 2010.
For example, if a researcher makes a project proposal, it is required that the proposal have a data management program, taking into account the factors of the data types being produced, the metadata that could result, and the format in which the data will be presented. Making those kinds of preparations and plans before conducting research would make the computationally-intensive information more comprehendible for the general public. The act may have financial benefits for universities as well. In the past, research subscription prices have been extremely expensive, forcing university libraries to pick and choose between journal subscriptions. As a result, students and citizens have had difficulty accessing information they need. However, passing the act will help this issue. “As a result of the act, there may be increased dialogue see RESEARCH / page two
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news
april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
New app streamlines drink ordering Research: Tech
may see benefits from page one
ing all the new research between agencies about tools and opportunities policies that would available. impact federally-funded “The greatest outresearch and its acces- come of passing the Fair sibility at research Access to Science and universities,” Tranter Technology Research Act said. would be that it can give “In the research office students new hope for at Virginia Tech, we are solutions or cures for in constant communi- medical issues or other cation with the univer- life circumstances they sity library in an effort may be struggling with to help all students and that they may not have faculty comply with been able to discovthese new expectations,” er with limited access he said. to research,” Long The research depart- said. ment at Tech is currently working on an information letter that will be sent Follow the writer on Twitter: @SHayden out to the faculty explain-
COURTESY OF DREW STEGMAIER
Drink up allows students to order drinks by using their smartphone in the hopes of eliminating the frustration of the crowded bar scene.
Two Tech students hope to finish developing an app for the local bar scene by the end of the semester. LESLIE MCCRAE news reporter
In a crowded bar on a Saturday night, around 11 p.m., it can take up to 10 minutes to simply order, wait for, and eventually have a drink in your hand. Two Virginia Tech students are working to fi x this issue through a simplified ordering system app, called Drink Up. Seniors Drew Stegmaier, business manament major, and K. Alnajar, computer science and pshycology major, along with friend Abhi Khanal, started working on Drink Up last semester after their frustrations with ordering drinks at bars continued to grow. “I was in Hokie House in August, and I was pissed off thinking ‘It’s taking forever to get a drink; this is stupid, and there’s a better way,’” Stegmaier said. “I looked into what might be the better way, and nobody was really doing anything about it.” The app is planned to locate the bar, and then allow the user to order a drink with no face-to face interaction at the bar. Once the drink has been prepared, the user gets a notification sent to their phone and can go pick it up. Payment will be automatic through the app. “It will be a free down-
load for a VIP experience; it’s an express lane in a bar,” explained Stegmaier. “All the peasants are going to be waiting five-to-10 minutes, and you’re going to be the hotshot who gets your drink right away. There’s value to that.” The team first worked to find a customer base and payment gateway, and then began laying out the technological foundations and screen processes. “There is so much work that goes into it that cannot be simplified,” Stegmaier said. “It’s hard to appreciate how hard the programming is.” Alnajar agreed, “You would think it would be as easy as pushing a button and paying, but there’s a lot that goes through the system than just that,” he said. “So that was one of the biggest challenges to make it happen.” They hope to have the app working in a few Blacksburg bars by the end of this semester. “We’re starting with bars here because it’s a smaller market and it’s a more focused market,” Alnajar said. “I think it could be more successful than starting in a bigger city and expanding too quickly.” By beginning in Blacksburg, the main market will be college students. “I would absolutely use the app because the bars get ridiculously crowded,” said
junior finance major, Kenny O’Brien. “It has the downfall of not really having the bar interactions, but I think it would be a lot faster than having to wait in line to get one beer.” Junior finance major Patrick Keen agreed with O’Brien when it comes to bar efficiency and the struggle of ordering drinks. However, he had a different point of view on
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It will be a free download for a VIP experience; it’s an express lane in a bar Drew Stegmaier App Developer
the app. “I don’t think I would use it,” Keen said. “It sounds lazy. If I was going to get a drink, it seems like it would take more effort to figure it out on my phone than to just tell a bartender.” According to Stegmaier, it takes on average two minutes for the full order process without the app, and only 30 of those seconds are spent actually making the drink. “The other 90 seconds are a needless waste of time,” he said. If their product does well in bars, their hope would be to eventually shift into ordering food at restaurants. “This would depend on how
smoothly our operating system works, which would open up a whole new field for us,” Alnajar said. If all goes well, the app will also connect to users through Facebook, which would also allow for the collection of user data. This information could be very useful for not only the bars, but also beer and liquor companies. “I don’t think other companies are trying to set up relationships with the distributors like we are,” Stegmaier said. “That’s how you win and scale. We are looking at a highly fragmented industry of businesses that are not chains. We see that as a way to expand, which doesn’t make our product different, but makes our strategy different.” The goal of their team is to create a sustainable long-term company that can continue to grow as the demand grows. After the app is completed, it will be available on the iTunes App Store and ready to demo in bars. “I think this a really cool idea just because it’s definitely a problem you see when you go into bars — not just here, but in all locations,” Alnajar said. “It’s also really powerful because it’s not limited to bars; it can be shifted into all types of businesses. The potential is defi nitely there.”
Dance: Leadership is held responsible from page one
issues that were cause for sexual assault, members concern with the Marine of the corps thought the Corps, and how others performance crossed the perceive them. line, and sent the wrong “We realized that message about the corps our actions, and their and associated military actions, weren’t respectorganizations. ful of future Marine “What might have been Corps officers,” Gibson acceptable in the past said. isn’t acceptable today,” Semper Fi’s mission is Little said. to enhance professional This wasn’t the first time development for past, Semper Fi had put on per- present, and future. The formances in Greek phi- organization will still lanthropy events. Mock participate in Greek phiRock, which is held in lanthropy events that the fall, is another annual promote a positive comactivity that Semper Fi munity environment and participates in. encourage service. But “I had seen them do it Thomasen believes the before at Mock Rock, (so) tone of their dance will it wasn’t as much of a be different in the coming shock to us,” said Carmen years, to avoid another Lodato, a sophomore incident. communication major. “I “As far as getting up was surprised that they on stage and taking off had gotten in trouble our T-shirts and putbecause they had been ting baby oil on, that the same type of thing for will never happen years.” again.” To remedy the issue, Semper Fi participated in an ethics and moral train- Follow the writer on Twitter: @CAustinCT ing session that addressed
Follow the writer on Twitter: @LeslieMccrae
Event: Volunteers dwindle this year from page one
your relationship with the community,” said Roy. “I gained more knowledge of…what was lacking or what could be improved upon.” However, the number of 6,500 volunteers for this year, made up primarily of Virginia Tech students, with help from faculty alumni and a few Blacksburg High School students, is down from last year’s 6,800. Still, there is a general upward trend with projects and volunteers, according to Cody Watson, senior history major and co-director of projects for the Big Event. Although the Big Event at Virginia Tech has been designated the largest event of its kind on the East Coast and second largest in the nation — only behind Texas A&M, where the event orig-
inated — there is still room for improvement. This year, the Big Event team is focused on improving the internal structure by leaving some larger volunteer teams unassigned at first, to account for teams that don’t show up to be assigned projects. “This year, we’re trying to ensure that someone at least sets foot at each project (site),” Watson said. While there aren’t as many volunteers this year, the Big Event team is optimistic that there won’t be as many no-shows. “There’s not much accountability if you take your project to actually show up to your job site, so we do the best we can with volunteers to keep them accountable,” Brainard said. “We’re hoping that we have a higher completion rate of our projects.”
Other improvements this year include the entertainment lineup. The day will feature performances by the Low Techs, a cappella ensembles, and up-and-coming country star Nick Smith will be performing after the event. “(It’s) bigger this year than it has been in the past,” Watson said. However, one of the biggest problems the Big Event team will have to deal with on the day of the event is homeowner-volunteer relations. “Having to...hold peers responsible…to represent the school, to represent the Big Event, is a project,” Watson said. “We’ve been dealing with the homeowners for the entire year, but now... the main interaction they get is with the volunteers, so we have to
make sure…that goes well, or else it’s a bad ref lection on the whole ordeal.” Nevertheless, Brainard assures t hat ever y year, satisfaction with the event among members of the community is very high. “I think if you were to go to most homeowners that were surrounded by a bunch of students, you might hear a lot of horror stories,” Brainard said. “This definitely works toward redefining t hat stereotype to try to make it a positive interaction where we’re not two separate bodies. We’re all residents of Blacksburg.” Follow the writer on Twitter: @MelissaDraudt
crimeblotter date
time
offense
location
status
3/20/2013 7:30am - 12pm Burglary/ Breaking and entering
Merryman Center Active
3/24/2013 12:20am
Underage possession of alcohol
Campbell Hall
Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct
3/27/2013 5pm
Underage possession of alcohol
New Hall West
Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct
arrestees
opinions
editors: josh higgins, shawn ghuman opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
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The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff 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 MCT CAMPUS
Your Views [lettersto the editor]
April 16 comment has inaccuracies
I
n response to the comment printed April 4, 2013, pertaining to the events of April 16, 2007, we find it necessary, once again, to point out and correct inaccuracies and falsehoods. The writer, known to us only as Fred, passionately echoes a rumor perpetuated early on by the Richmond Times Dispatch, when he states “Additionally, some members of the emergency policy group warned their own family members to avoid the campus area due to the uncertain ongoing threat”. In reality, none of the members of “the Policy Group” notified family members. Two administrative assistants, however, during the course of regular telephone conversations with family members reported a shooting on campus. Specifically, one mother called her son to wake him up for class, as she always did on Mondays, and instructed him to go to class. She also mentioned that there had been a shooting on campus. The other administrative assistant received a call from the university while she was dropping her children off with her mother. During the course of conversation, she told her mother she had to leave because there had been a shooting on campus. These two incidences comprise what the Richmond Times Dispatch reported as policy group members notifying family members of the shooting. Fred’s depiction of inaction, indecision, and deception within the morning hours
following the shootings at West Ambler Johnston is far afield from the truth. In reality, the group gathered from non-centralized locations, ascertained the then-known information from the Virginia Tech Police Department, and issued a campus wide notification within 45 minutes of convening. The writer refers to “policy group by-laws” prohibiting from the police chief “the authority to issue a warning or sound the alarm sirens independently.” Neither before nor since April 16, 2007, has this been the case. Police always have had this authority. Over the years following the tragedy, the actions of the police have been reviewed and analyzed many times. The police did what they were supposed to do, investigate a crime and then determine if there was a threat to the campus. Based on the evidence on the ground, no one could have foreseen the Norris Hall shootings to follow later that morning. (The notion of alert systems as we know them today did not exist before the Virginia Tech tragedy.) While I recognize the right of all individuals to voice their opinions, I would suggest that going forward the Collegiate Times identify authors of the opinions it publishes. After all, it is anonymity of authorship that tends to create the rumor mongering that I am trying to correct with this letter. Lawrence G. Hincker Associate Vice President for
Dying bees show problem 2012 was not a good year for bees. A mysterious ailment, coined “Colony Collapse Disorder,” which has plagued bees since 2005, has grown increasingly deadly in the past 12 months. ccording to commercia l beekeepers, CCD has destroyed anywhere from 40 to 50 percent of beehives needed for the agricultural industry this year. Despite being seen as a common nuisance to summer games of cornhole in the backyard, bees have a considerable role in human society. Millions of beehives are kept alive on farms around the country in order to pollinate many of the nation’s crops. According to the Agriculture Department, a large fraction of the American diet depends upon pollination by honeybees. Research in both America and Europe has been ongoing since 2005, with few promising leads. Some blame bee mites, while others blame viruses and drought, but the most promising research into the primary cause of CCD has been on a new class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are derived from nicotine, which we already know has a bad track record with humans, and are considered a “systemic pesticide,” often embedded in the seeds of the plant so that the plant
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itself contains the insectkilling chemical. Many researchers say it isn’t only the neonicotinoids. They suggest that the neonicotinoids often interact with other herbicides and weed killers to cause yet unknown damage to bees and many other organisms. Jay Vroom, president of CropLife America, a group representing more than 90 pesticide producers, responded to the research, saying in a New York Times interview that the current research on neonicotinoids, “supports the notion that the products are safe and are not contributing in any measurable way to pollinator health concerns.” However, he conceded that he supported further research and that he will “let science take the regulation of our products in whatever direction science will guide it.” More importantly, due to the tremendous strain that has been placed on the bees and beekeepers, beehive prices have jumped over 20 percent to $200 per hive — each hive pollinating roughly a halfacre of farmland. This is a problem because farmers generally have more than just a half-acre of land, meaning they need a lot of hives. To combat this, the European Union has already taken steps the United States gove r n m e nt shou ld
consider. A plan has been proposed by European regulators to ban neonicotinoid use on all crops that bees frequent. This plan was proposed after some researchers attributed recent extensive die-offs in France and Germany to neonicotinoid use. A plan like this should be considered only as a stopgap until more research is done. In the United States, the government should continue encouraging more research, particularly on the effects of combining pesticides. This, in tandem with a temporary ban on neonicotinoid, could be an option to start and promote bee growth. Progress is being made, though. The EPA has begun an accelerated review on the effects of neonicotinoids on bees and other wildlife, and the Department of Agriculture is set to issue its own review in May. As one of the world’s leading food producers, the United States needs to take this drastic rise in bee deaths seriously, or else a lot more people will be going to sleep hungry. MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -economics -junior
Entertainment exposes LGBT lifestyle G
ay marriage is a hot topic of debate, especially since it is being discussed in the Supreme Court. There are various sides to the debate. Some arguments are more persuasive than others, but either way, every American has an opinion on the issue. What seems to fall through the cracks of the gay marriage debate is the way gay couples are portrayed in entertainment. It feels like every major television station has a show that incorporates gay relationships as part of the script in every episode. For example, ABC’s hit comedy, “Modern Family,” has two gay main characters. According to Emmys.com, Modern Family
has won dozens of awards, including multiple Emmys for Outstanding Cast for a Comedy Series. It is quite obvious that the public has enjoyed watching “Modern Family” throughout the years, yet it features a gay couple. There are other examples, such as the Academy Awardnominated film “Brokeback Mountain” and NBC’s new television show “The New Normal.” Why can the public stand to watch gay people on television and in movies but can’t deal with them in real life? It appears that Hollywood glorifies gay marriage and gay relationships to a level that makes
those opposed to gay marriage feel more comfortable. Honestly, there is not a factual reason that describes why people should feel uncomfortable around gay people. There are no statistics that prove living down the street from a gay couple decreases your standard of life in any way. Also, society needs to stop referring to gay people as “gay people.” They are normal people. Perhaps it is the entertainment industry that contributes to the stigma of labeling those who choose different ways of life. We all know those characters in films and shows that are labeled to viewers as the “gay” characters.
If equality is a desire for so many, then gay people should not be exploited in television shows and movies. Even if they are only fictional characters, it transitions back to the real world and enhances people’s views of gay men or women in society. The world is changing. Men and women are becoming more open with their emotions than they were just 15 years ago. Past gender stereotypes are falling and are being replaced with more modern and realistic views of men and women. Some of these views may cause society to label a person as “gay” or “homosexual.” These labels
only further promote how ignorant some Americans are regarding another person’s way of life. At the end of the day, if you like a show with “gay” characters in it, then by all means watch it, but do not complain when gay marriage becomes legal. Besides, all the viewers may have had a part in the decision simply by watching the show. ADAM ROTHE -regular columnist -marketing -freshman
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april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Students trade in warm beaches for volunteer work JESSICA GROVES features reporter
Although the weeks that have gone by make spring break seem like a distant past, for some, the memories of spending their vacation to help those in need linger on. The beaches of Miami, Fla., are often a safe haven for many spring break partygoers. However, for children being illegally trafficked across the United States border, Miami is more of a waiting room. Children who get caught crossing the border illegally don’t always make it to the youth centers like the one in Miami-Dade County. Some parents give up entire life savings to have a child taken across the border, only to be cheated in the process. Those children end up waiting to be rescued or sent home. Kathleen Fleming, a junior accounting and information systems major, said that being in school, even temporarily, can place even more of a burden on these children. “Some of them will be depressed because they have no way of telling their parents they are safe,” Fleming said. “They’re not working, and that’s all they think they should be doing.” Fleming was one of several college students accepted to Deloitte’s Maximum Impact Alternative Spring Break with United Way. Edwin Goutier, the manager of Young Adult Engagement at United Way Worldwide, said planning the trip was a yearlong process. “It was pretty grueling,” Goutier said. “I was down there half a week before (the students) got there, and it was an all-hands-on-deck
weekend.” United Way worked with Deloitte, who provided an expenses-paid service trip to college students seeking volunteer experience in Miami. Goutier said the team leaders and staff felt honored to meet students like Fleming and Malewski, who gave up their spring breaks to help. “Every evening (on each trip), we have a town hall session, and the feedback we got was that the students weren’t just volunteering and changing lives of at-risk youth,” Goutier said. “They said their lives had been changed themselves. It’s hard to talk about.” Agencies search for any family members in the U.S. that could take in these children, because otherwise, they get sent home. The week before Fleming’s group arrived at the school, two children attempted to jump the fences and run. The schoolyard was fenced and guarded when they arrived. “Where are they running to?” Fleming asked. “They have don’t have anyone here, they don’t know where they are, and they don’t speak English. It’s scary.” Fleming and 48 other students from several colleges made the trip to MiamiDade County for their spring breaks. There they experienced the living situation of the children they were sent to help. The children attended regular classes in the daytime, but at night they stayed in the school and slept in dorm-like rooms. Goutier said the rooms were made of cinderblock and felt institutional rather than welcoming. One of the first student projects involved decorating five of those dorm rooms.
Originally, only a few of the students’ dorm rooms were going to be decorated, but Fleming and the rest of her team, including fellow junior accounting and information systems major Cameron Malewski, wanted to do more. “The average stay of kids (in that facility) is about 50 days, maybe shorter,” Malewski said. “We made those white walls less boring and gave them a whiteboard so that they can express themselves. Everyone who comes through that school will be impacted.” Malewski, Fleming and their peers submitted a business proposal to the United Way workers to decorate every room. Goutier said there was no way that their proposal could have been denied. “They used every penny perfectly,” Goutier said. Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell gave his insight to the spring break program in Miami, speaking on the positive impact that a good mentor can have in a child’s life. Campbell credited positive CONTRIBUTED BY KATHLEEN FLEMING role models — like his father Students spent their time helping and bonding with illegally trafficked youth this past spring break. and past teachers — with his success and said that his col- er it was English, sports, children grew throughout fun day for them,” Malewski lege education was a gift. whatever.” the week. One was so grateful said. “They had the greatest Campbell also said volNeither Malewski nor for their mentoring, she said, time in the world.” unteering at the local Boys Fleming speaks Spanish flu- that he stood up and gave an Fleming said that the chiland Girls Club at Virginia ently, which presented itself impromptu speech express- dren she met and bonded Tech showed him the pas- as a problem when they tried ing his thanks. Although with in Florida are consion for education and to bond with kids. As it turns they didn’t understand it in stantly on her mind. She service that Tech students out, they found the lan- Spanish, a team translator said they’ve earned a perhave. Malewski said hear- guage barrier easy to cross. helped them to understand. manent place in her heart, ing Campbell’s encourage- Bonding with the children, Because they were just even though their stay in ment in the week was more they said, was as easy as as grateful for their time the U.S. could end at any for the students than for the kicking around a soccer ball. in Miami-Dade County, moment. children. “This kid comes up to me the team of Deloitte offi“The whole thing was “This trip made me real- and we started juggling (the cials, United Way staff called ‘Maximum Impact,’” ize how much we take for ball) together,” Fleming said. and college students put Fleming said, “Not only granted with our educa- “That whole week, I was together one more sur- did we make a maximum tion,” Malewski said. “These always on his team; he was prise for the students: a impact on them, but they kids were pretty eager about always looking out for me.” carnival. made a maximum impact on learning everything, whethFleming’s bond with the “We just had an Olympic us.”
Softball seeks revenge against reigning ACC Champs JULIA CANON sports staff writer
The Virginia Tech softball team will continue its home slate this weekend against Georgia Tech in a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. The Hok ies come into ther series following a sweep of UNC Greensboro on Tuesday, but also having lost their home opener to North Carolina State and dropping two of three games aga inst U NC last weekend. “I think we need to come ready to play next weekend,” said senior pitcher Jasmin Harrell. “We need to have confidence and roll off of our big win against UNCG.” While the Hokies are more than halfway through
their season schedule, this will only be their third series played at home. The team has been plagued by cancelled games, ma i n ly due to weather. Its series against NC State was cut short due to weather, and its game against Kent State on March 26 was also cancelled. “It has been very frustrating having so many games cancelled because I think that you can especially use the midweek home games to keep momentum and things sharp heading into the weekend,” said Scot Thomas, head coach. “Hopefully, we can use our midweek wins against UNCG to keep our momentum into this weekend against Georgia Tech,” he said. The Yellow Jackets are the
reigning ACC Champions and currently have a 4-2 conference record; they are ranked second in the ACC. In last year’s ACC championship game, Georgia Tech beat the Hokies 9-1. While Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech have always been ACC foes, falling to the Yellow Jackets in the championship puts extra emphasis on this game. “We are obviously hungry for a win against Georgia Tech just to prove to ourselves that we can beat them,” said C ourtney Liddle. “Georgia Tech is always a really good team, and we always bring it when we are playing against them.” The Yellow Jackets have a reputation for being a hard-hitting team,
which is something the Hokies will have to look to control by playing stiff defense. Alysha Rudnick, a catcher and third baseman for Georgia Tech, was named ACC player of the week last week for her incredible performance on the plate. She batted .750, going 9-for-12 over four games the previous week. “Georgia Tech can hit the ball well, and they always put runs on the board, so we need to continue playing good defense,” Thomas said. “We just need to do what we are capable of doing and get back to playing with the same grittiness that we were playing with a couple weeks ago.” Virginia Tech’s doubleTREVOR WHITE / SPPS header starts at noon on Pitcher Jasmin Harrell will try to help the Hokies best Georgia Tech. Saturday.
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people & clubs
april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
5
University provides education option for senior scholars HAYDEN ROBERTS & KATRINA SPINNER-WILSON The Inn at Virginia Tech in January of 2011 to recruit features staff writers potential scholars. Almost No matter how old you 90 people came to find out are, you are never too old more about the new proto learn. gram. In 2011, Virginia Tech’s Word Spreads Fast continuing and professionA retired teacher, Mary al education department Elizabeth Lindon, attended introduced a program for Tech but received her degree senior citizens to continue from Radford; she has been their higher education. attending VT CLASS since The Virginia Tech it first started. Creative Learning Academy “I talk (VT CLASS) up for Senior Scholars however, everywhere I go if I can has no tests, no papers and get a listener,” Lindon no grades. said. The program was started Classes began at The Inn in 2010 said Sam Linkous, shortly after the open house program director for VT for the spring of 2011 with CLASS. almost 50 seniors signed “We had a lady come to up. us who was familiar with a Initially, four courses program in Asheville, N.C., were held each week for designed for older adults six weeks. Last fall, howwho wanted to continue ever, they cut the number their learning,” Linkous of classes in half because said. it was “more comfortable How it All Began for most people,” Dennison That woman was Cathee said. Dennison, a retired English Since the university, instructor and former direc- unlike the similar program tor of the Writing Center at at UNC Asheville, does Tech. not fund VT CLASS, it is After moving to Asheville, dependent upon outside N.C., Dennison discovered resources. the University of North “(The program) is totally Carolina at Asheville’s dependent upon two things: Center for Creative the registration fee and Retirement. CCR was estab- (our) great sponsor, Warm lished in 1988 at the request Hearth Village,” Linkous BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS of the university, which still said. Virginia Tech Creative Learning Academy for Senior Scholars allows those 50 and older to continue their education through various classes. partially funds the proWarm Hearth gram. The Warm Hearth Village Hearth to attend because of the Region will meet ask the participants at the sors at Tech. “Through the CCR’s is a retirement sub-divi- there’s a lot of interest- from 10:30 to 11:45 end of each session for recDennison said that by College of Seniors, I took sion with housing for peo- ing people who live out a.m. ommendations. letting the senior citizens several classes and learned ple who live on their own there,” Lindon said. “I have W h i le pa r t icipa nts “A majority of these learn and share their opinthat a number of my fel- or people who need total really enjoyed talking to can attend both ses- (speakers) for the spring ions and stories, the prolow participants lived in care. them.” program were chosen gram is helping them live Asheville, at least in part VT CLASS will be holdSpeakers and Topics through my personal con- longer and stay healthier. because of the CCR,” ing sessions for the first Before each session begins, nections, because I’m an “We’re offering something We’re offering Dennison said. time ever at their recent- Linkous and his colleagues all-time musician,” Linkous that was needed,” Linkous something that was She felt that if this could ly completed community decide on topics and then said. “Most of these musi- said. “We’re filling a niche work in Asheville, it could center. contact qualified potenneeded. We’re fulfilling cal presenters especially are that hasn’t been filled work in Blacksburg, where “(Warm Hearth Village) tial speakers that are willfriends I just called in for before. We try to specificala niche that hasn’t there is a large population is brand new,” Linkous ing to volunteer their favors or who I play music ly do things that don’t comof retirees. said. “As a matter of time. with.” pete to give people more been filled before.” “It makes an already fact, they haven’t even Dennison hopes the proLindon has enjoyed the choices.” attractive communit y had the grand opening gram will build up enough You Are Never Too Young to Sam Linkous speakers Linkous has choa more desirable place to yet. We’ll be the first pro- funds in order to compenLearn Director of VT CLASS sen. live for a broad spectrum gram that takes place sate the presenters. “We’ve had such a variAlthough the program is of individuals,” Dennison there on the April 21. But There are two sets of classety of things, and the vari- technically geared toward said. they’ve been a great partner es covering different topics: sions, Linkous said the ety makes it interesting,” elderly citizens, anyone can Dennison returned to with us ever since the Spring Sampler, which courses attract different Lindon said. “We’ve even participate. Blacksburg soon after we’ve started as a includes presentations rang- crowds. had people from foreign “The website doesn’t and in 2010, met with sponsor.” ing from art to astronomy, “Very seldom, if ever, will countries that have spoken say if you’re 20 you’re Mark Bernhard, direcSince Warm Hearth and the Musical Traditions we have 50 people at one to us.” not going to be able to tor of Continuing and Village is providing the of the Region, which session, but we’re prepared Some of the speakers for register, so it’s open to whoevProfessional Education, to space, it allowed VT CLASS includes singing, banjo for it if we do,” Linkous the spring program are er wants to register,” Linkous discuss a similar program to decrease the price from playing and an autoharp said. from Blacksburg, while oth- said. for Tech. $75 to $50. Fifteen residents demonstration. Since this is the program’s ers will be traveling from The spring program After the idea was present- signed up on the first day Both courses will be held second year, Linkous and other places in Virginia, started March 21, but ed, Linkous and co-work- registration was available on Thursdays for six weeks; his colleagues have learned West Virginia and North people can continue to er Ann Brown created the on-site. Spring Sampler courses will from experience, determin- Carolina. Two of the speak- register online for the same acronym CLASS and held “I hope we can get more meet from 9 to 10:15 a.m., ing who makes good pre- ers, Phil Araman and price and go to the rest of the a publicity open house at of the people out at Warm and Musical Traditions senters. In addition, they Daniel Thorp, are profes- classes.
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Catch h it on the ffly... ... sports on fridays
6
April 5, 2013
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Things are hopping, and the tempo is right. Communication ease facilitates advancement on many levels. Group and community efforts go farther. Your focus is at home. An inheritance or gift could arise. Personal change could include healthier diet and exercise, or career transformation.
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Week ending April 5, 2013
Hot New Songs Harlem Shake • Baauer Suit & Tie • Justin Timberlake Sweet Nothing • Calvin Harris & Florence Welch Just Give Me A Reason • P!nk, Nate Ruess Can’t Hold Us • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
ACROSS 1 Brewpub choices 5 Bottle tops 9 Newly hatched pigeon 14 Lower California, familiarly 15 Mother Goose baddie 16 Hearing-related 17 Downside of reading in poor light 19 Magic wand wielder 20 PC go-to type 21 Use the ballot 23 Mlles., in Spain 24 Drive-thru cleanings
4/5/13 29 Checkpoint “Hold it!” 31 Little-known information 32 Prefix meaning “billion” 36 Harbor landing 38 Bridge positions 39 Range for indoor comfort 42 “Tomorrow” title singer 43 High spirits 44 1974 Sutherland/Gould spoof 45 “Burnt” crayon color 47 Egyptian cross
49 Staunch political group member 51 Montezuma subject 56 Admin. aide 57 Hawkish 58 Not so many 62 Solid baseball hi t 64 African antelope 65 Muscular woe 66 Born and __ 67 Prepares, as cocktails 68 “Little” Dickens girl 69 “Besides that ...” DOWN 1 Helps illegally
Aries (March 21-April 19) Investigate a recurring dream. Changes lead to more changes. Don’t overlook responsibilities. It’s not a good time to gamble. Associates boost your morale. Reaf irm a commitment. Team projects go well. You’re immensely popular. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Get together with the gang. Make sure the others know their assignments. Optimism rules. It’s a very good time for falling in love, despite any awkward moments. A loving commitment energizes you both. Gemini (May 21-June 20) Keep a secret. You may discover all is not as expected. Follow your heart. Put your ideas onstage now. Do it all for home and family. Don’t ask for more money (yet). Savor bliss. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Delegate to perfectionists when the job gets irritating. Do the iling instead. Invest in home improvements. Find what you need nearby. Make time to chat with your associates. Accept encouragement and guidance.
2 Hen, vis-à-vis eggs 3 Kick out 4 Olympic skater Cohen 5 Apple heart 6 Turkish title 7 Doctor’s selfemployment, and a hint to the starts of the five longest across answers 8 Hombre’s title 9 Low-crime section of town 10 Sine __ non: essential 11 Ocean State sch. 12 River to the Rhine 13 Activist Nellie 18 Addams Family nickname 22 Howard Hughes’s airline 24 Scale, as Everest 25 Improvises like Armstrong 26 Welcomes to the penthouse 27 Blog piece 28 Freelance writers’ encls. 30 Zoo swinger 32 Hold tightly 33 Ancient Greek region that was home to Heraclitus 34 One with no hope 35 Make ___: rake it in 37 Sign anew, as a contract 40 Thirty feet 41 Soldier of Seoul 46 Sighs of relief 48 Difficult
50 “The Chronicles of Narnia” lion 52 “___ the Greek” 53 Handle, as a baton 54 Rain gutters run under them 55 System of belief 57 Banana covering 58 Like “la” in Fr. or Sp. 59 Quarterback Manning
60 Like many lifelike museum displays 61 Opposite of WSW 63 Buffalo Sabres’ org.
Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) A secret gamble could pay off. Be willing to adapt. Hide away winnings or pay bills. Ask an older person to help manage your resources, and use your own good judgment. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You’re pushed to take action. It’s appropriate to make a commitment. Buy it, if you come in under budget. Don’t believe everything you read. Get something that travels well. Devise a unique slogan. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Creativity still takes work (and inancial backing). Turn down an expensive invitation. Thank them profusely. Invest in newer technology at home. Don’t bend the rules. Let a partner do the talking. Relax. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Keep a low pro ile. A loved one spurs you on to leap over fences. You gain insight. But don’t take risks or travel just yet. Pad your schedule for the unexpected.
4/4/13
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Start by ixing something at home. Recycle old technology. Don’t discuss inances or bet the rent. Others believe in you. Handle an easy task irst. Accept acknowledgement from a person you admire. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A timely phone call works magic now. Don’t question authority to avoid a painful lesson. Protect your sources. You’re learning fast. Somebody’s testing the limits. Others remark on your brilliance. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Change your routine. Work at home pro its. This is a test: run a reality check. Make a big improvement. Provide team motivation. Accept a recreational offer. Your family history gets very interesting. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Eclectic ideas work better. You accomplish more behind the scenes. Follow up on a stroke of genius. Everything seems possible. You’re admired for your imagination. Get inspired by cool old stuff.
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
he she
people & clubs
SAID
april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
7
: Underwear thefts
She said: Sexualized crimes aren’t a joke, stop laughing Okay guys, I’m going to be blunt. I’ve been writing this column for the better part of the year without doing what I’d classify as a whole lot of soapbox speeches. That ends today, though, because it’s high time that “He said, she said” had some real talk about gender privilege. Earlier this week there was a little article that ran in the Collegiate Times about a recent string of panty thefts from Pritchard Hall laundry rooms. As in, for an undisclosed period of time someone has been going into dorms and taking unsuspecting people’s washed or unwashed underwear to such an extent that there was significant notice. And, okay, I’m willing to admit that there’s some humor in imagining a mustachioed man in black overalls skulking around in campus laundry rooms pulling out old graying thongs from nasty communal lint traps. But that feel is quickly replaced by something much closer to anger. It infuriates me that as a fullygrown, college-educated woman, I should be made to feel uncomfortable for doing something as simple as washing my clothes in my own dorm. It infuriates me that without having to be told the gender of the culprit or the victims, this still feels to me like a sexualized crime. It makes my heart hurt to think of the girls across campus who will count their pairs of panties this week, just in case. It hurts more to think of the belittling comments of boys who will wager over which girls on their hall
are suitably hot enough to have their underwear snatched. It reminds me of how I can’t wear high heels to parties without being called a desperate freshman, or how, when I put on a short skirt to go to class, I invite the demeaning shouts of rowdy cars of boys as they pass me on the Drillfield. It reminds me of my friends who sign up for self-defense classes and carry around pepper spray to protect themselves from the unknown, but can’t find the words to tell the creeps who bother them at parties to go screw themselves. It reminds me of sitting up at night reading and rereading all the comments of people who have called me derogatory names after reading my column, and of not being able to sleep because I was too busy wondering if it was true. So, yeah, maybe the Pritchard “Panty Snatcher” is funny. But I’m over joking about it. We spend way too much time making light of these sinister situations and way too little time confronting the real issues behind them. We have the power to control the dialogue surrounding these situations, especially when they happen in such a closed environment like a college campus. We are better than this. Virginia Tech is better than this. So next time, let’s try and act like it. VICTORIA ZIGADLO - featured columnist - senior - English major
KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS
He said: Take caution when washing your laundry I had hoped the Collegiate Times would engage in some April Fools’ Day shenanigans. I imagined that News would be something like The Onion, Walking the Line would be sensitive and inoffensive, and my column would be completely devoid of sarcasm and actually interesting. It would have been the perfect ruse — no one would see it coming. After a long, mostly humorless day, I thought my dream had come true Monday evening when I read the phrase “underwear larceny” lurking quietly beneath an April 1 dateline. The timing seemed too good to be true; it’s one of those phrases like “yoga orgy” that a journalist could spend an entire career waiting to drop. As it turns out, there really is some creep with nothing better to do than molest women’s laundry, like some tawdry Law & Order: Special Victims Unit plotline with stolen undergarments being marketed online to the sex offenders’ registry. Where are Benson and Stabler when you need them? I know the VTPD is working
hard to get to the bottom of this. They’ve encouraged victims of undergarment heists to report the robberies, but they just don’t have the kind of pervert awareness that Captain Cragen’s team brings to the table Wednesday nights on NBC. Granted, I watch a lot of old episodes of SVU on Netflix. Even though each one leaves me disturbed and ashamed to share a species with the ripped-from-the-headlines antagonist, I really like the characters and their various backstories. Richard Belzer and Ice-T make a hell of a duo. Now, I may be falling into the old “hear hoofbeats, think horses, not sex offenders,” fallacy that doctors warn me about. And by doctors, I mean that House used a similar metaphor and it stuck with me. At any rate, while my SVUaddled mind jumps straight to panty bandit, I suppose it could just as easily have been an honest dryer mix-up. That, or the possibility that someone in Pritchard is tired of paying for his or her lingerie and found a way around such late-
stage capitalistic constructs. No matter the cause of the missing knickers, it’s something that needs to be addressed. What we really need to do is nip this problem in the bud — in the laundry room. Some good suggestions have been floated, like individual key card locks on each washing machine and dryer. Clearly, locking the room isn’t enough in a modern world where everyone’s drawers are at risk. If your Hokie Passport gets stolen, or you turn your back for a moment while folding, your underclothes remain susceptible to mischief. But the real solution is so simple, I’m surprised Mayor Bloomberg hasn’t proposed it already: tag everyone’s undergarments. We do it to animals like cattle and migratory birds, so why not throw some radiofrequency identification chips onto everyone’s undies? Some may say it violates privacy, but to them I ask: Do you really want the underwear thieves of the world to win? This is a national problem, the consequence of which
cannot be underestimated. The American Civil Liberties Union types will object to round-the-clock government panty surveillance. However, they would be wise to remember Ben Franklin’s old adage: “Those who sacrifice liberty for a bit of temporary security will deserve neither but keep their lingerie.” And Franklin knew a thing or two about young ladies’ corsets. Another alternative might be to keep an eye on your laundry. And, if you’re reading this right now and are seriously contemplating going out and stealing underwear from dryers, don’t do it. It’s really weird, creepy and no one appreciates it. Why not just take to Craigslist, like other socially inept fetishists? Either that, or get ready for Stabler to kick your door in. ANDREW KULAK - news reporter - graduate student - English major
8
sports
april 5, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
No. 22 Hokies prepare for Rodon, Wolfpack MATT JONES sports editor
Two months ago, North Carolina State baseball entered the season as the No. 8 team in the country. Led by a sophomore core of Brett Austin, Logan Ratledge, Trea Turner and Carlos Rodon, the Wolfpack figured to be challenging its rival North Carolina for the top spot in the country at this point in the season. But things haven’t gone as smoothly as anticipated for head coach Elliott Avent and his team through the midway point of the season. The Wolfpack are 20-10 through 30 games this season and just 5-7 in ACC play. Pete Hughes and Virginia Tech will hope to ride the momentum of a series win over No. 4 Florida State this past weekend as they head to Raleigh, N.C. to face the Wolfpack. “They’re still a great team,” said Chad Pinder, Tech third baseman. “They’re still going to be regional contenders, and they’re going to play in the postseason, there’s no doubt about that.” In Tech’s most recent outing Tuesday night against VCU, the Hokies slugged their way to an 11-5 win. Pinder hit two home runs, while Tyler Horan chipped in with five RBI, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Pinder and Horan, along with sophomore catcher Mark Zagunis, lead the Hokies with four home runs apiece. “They’re clicking, and hopefully we can get them at that level and just stay,” Hughes said of his middle of the lineup. The Hokies will need all that firepower and then some when they face Rodon Friday night, the ace of the NC State staff. Rodon, the reigning national Freshman of the Year, attacks batters with a vicious, mid-90s fastball from the left side. His slider can be devastating when he’s on, giving him two bigtime out pitches. Through seven starts, he is 3-2 with a 4.12 ERA. Last season, the Hokies played Rodon tough, scratching two runs off the lefty over 7.1 innings. Rodon had 11 strikeouts while allowing five hits as Tech lost 4-2 in 11 innings in Game 1 of a Wolfpack series win. “He’s one of the best in the country,” Hughes said. “I like what we did against him last year, and I think that’ll give our guys some confidence. He’s going to be super tough, but it’s fun playing against those guys because you can gauge how good you are as a team, and I think our guys will respond to it.” Facing Rodon last season, Horan went 1-for-4 with a single and two strikeouts. As the junior prepares for a second shot at Rodon, he’s not putting any added importance on the matchup. “There’s a lot of really good pitchers out there, and he’s a great pitcher, has a lot of strikeouts and everything, but you have to go in like it’s any other game,” Horan said. “We’ve got to go in there with confidence that we can take him down.” On the mound, the Hokies are settled into a weekend rotation of Brad Markey on Friday, Devin Burke on Saturday and Joe Mantiply on Sunday. Through 30 games, the trio has posted a 3.21 ERA. “(The rotation) lines up really nice,” said Pat Mason, pitching coach. “We like matching Brad up against anyone in the country, and we’ll continue to do that. Devin has done a great job, and there’s nobody better to turn to on Sunday than Joe. Against Florida State last weekend, Markey was terrific, tossing nine innings of two-run ball in a 3-2 Hokies win. Friday, he’ll match up with Rodon. “I’ll take (Markey) any day of the week,” Mason said. “A kid who can throw strikes and competes like he does, throw any pitch in any count, absolutely. With our lineup, any day of the week; I love that matchup.” Mantiply also turned in a nice start in game 2 of the doubleheader on Saturday, going 6.2 innings in the win. The only negative over the weekend was
Burke’s start, as he went just one inning and allowed eight runs. “It was just a bad start,” Mason said. “I don’t think he was in sync. He had his good fastball, he just couldn’t locate it. He couldn’t locate his offspeed stuff, and that Florida State lineup won’t swing at bad pitches.” With Tanner McIntyre out for the season from shoulder surgery, the Hokies will rely more and more on their two core relievers, Clark Labitan and Jake Joyce. The two lead the Hokies in appearances this season with 27 combined, which is down from the same point last season. Joyce has struggled with his command this season, evidenced by his 14 walks. That leads all non-starters for Tech. Even with McIntyre done for the season, Mason would like to see most of the innings go to Joyce and Labitan. “We actually haven’t used those guys enough if you look at what we’ve done with those guys in the past,” Mason said. “They’ve thrown more appearances and they’ve thrown more often. We’ve kind of got away from that a bit.” Hughes is still tinkering with his lineup at the midway point of the season. He said Zagunis, who is tied for the team lead in RBI, could see more time in the leadoff spot in an effort to get the middle of the lineup in more RBI situations. “I’m definitely going to think about (moving Zagunis to leadoff ),” Hughes said. “(Andrew) Rash’s strikeouts are down, and he can be a more productive RBI guy. I think Zagunis is our best RBI guy — he doesn’t punch out and he can run. I’m
thinking about getting him in the front of the lineup because I think Rash is going to be a more productive RBI guy.” Rash, whose struggles last year are well documented, has cut his strikeouts down this season (23) from the same point last season (29). The senior has his batting average up to .316 this season as well. Hughes will stick with Brendon Hayden at second base ahead of freshman Matt Dauby. Hayden’s offensive numbers are down — he’s batting just .224 in March — but Hughes is confident he’ll come around. “Hayden is a really good hitter, and that won’t change,” Hughes said. “We’ve just got to get him feeling good, and he will.” As the Hokies prepare for another challenging ACC weekend, players and coaches won’t be taking the series casually. “They’re a great team, and we can’t go out there and take them lightly,” Pinder said. “If we do, they’ll run away with the series. We have to go out there and compete like we did against Florida State, and I think good things can happen from that.” Tech hasn’t played at Doak Field in Raleigh, N.C., since 2009. Hughes hopes the Hokies can seize the chance to win a crucial ACC road series. “I like going to NC State — we haven’t been there in a while,” Hughes said. “They’re a good team, and it’s a good opportunity for our guys to play tough on the road. If you want to go to Omaha, you’ve got to play tough on the road.” First pitch Friday night is set for 6:30 and will be broadcast CHEN JIANG/ SPPS on ESPN3. Jake Joyce pitches in Tuesday’s 11-5 win over VCU. Joyce is tied for the lead in appearances for Tech.