Friday, April 19, 2013 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

Friday April 19, 2013

COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 104

News, page 2

People & Clubs, page 5

Opinions, page 3

Classifieds, page 4

Robo jellyfish testing continues Insurance co. swindles Tech MAX LUONG news staff writer

The College of Engineering is taking to the seas with an innovative robotic jellyfish, lifelike in size and natural in appearance. Funded by the U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center, “Cyro” — as it is informally known — is an ongoing project to observe and track the ocean environment. It can map the ocean floors and currents to detect aquatic life migration and chemical levels in the water. The military, which has granted $5 million to Virginia Tech and four other national universities for the project, will also use Cyro’s surveillance monitors for reconnaissance purposes. Alex Villanueva, a doctoral graduate student in the mechanical engineering program, said Tech also played a significant role in Cyro’s development. “I learned a lot about the designing process and skills in my classes,” Villanueva said. “We also called on a lot of high-quality undergrad-level students to pitch in.” Students in interior design contributed over the past couple years to plan the lifelike, 5-foot-7-inch, 170pound machine. Villanueva

LESLIE MCCREA news reporter

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS Graduate and undergraduate members of the College of Engineering have been working on “Cyro” for over one year.

and the rest of the team are in charge of constructing the model and integrating mechanics. The team of students held a live demonstration of Cyro Wednesday morning

at War Memorial pool for local CNN affiliates. The students manually lifted the robot into the pool and guided it to the bottom, but, as expected, had to first work out

a problem of water entering the main control panel. Once submerged, the jellyfish swam wirelessly and successfully. “Cyro is at a relatively

GM-Southwest Inc., a student insurance contractor for Virginia Tech between 2003 and 2011, allegedly overstated Tech’s undergraduate and graduate student health claims, to defraud the university of over $9 million. After a university audit done two years ago, Tech followed up on suspected fraud by seeking $32 million in damages from the company this past January. The audit showed that there might have been upwards of $20 million involved in the fraudulent activities, according to university spokesperson Mark Owczarski. “We as a client felt that we had been wronged, felt that we had been overcharged, and sought to recover those damages through a civil litigation,” Owczarski said. The university fi led this with the State Attorney General’s office, which then took the case to the

federal level and are now seeking criminal charges against the company, saying that they engaged in fraudulent activities. Th is scheme allegedly began in 2005, using a claims modifier program to increase premiums charged to students. The 57-count indictment charges John Paul Gutschlag Sr., the owner of the company, with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and others. According to the indictment, during October 2010 Tech received “claims numbers that had been inf lated…devised and implemented with the knowledge of John Paul Gutschlag Sr.” “We are grateful for the federal criminal charges because it underscores our belief that we were civilly wronged,” Owczarski added. The overstated numbers not only affected undergraduate students who pay their insurance, but also see SWINDLE / page two

see ROBO / page two

Local smoke shop gears up for big sales this weekend ANDREW KULAK news reporter

Smoke Zone Smoke Shop’s new manager, Blacksburg native Cody Lovern, is eager to meet Hokie tobacco enthusiasts at his 116 N. Main St. store in the coming days. He has been busy this week preparing for an especially eventful weekend. “We’re going to have a nice sale going on,” said Lovern. “I really want people from the register out the door, man — all the way to the post office.” Lovern said that his niche

tobacco shop generally experiences a surge in business around this time every year. He sells specialty items including rolling papers, one-of-a-kind glass pipes and vaporizers. On Saturday, many of these items will be marked down — some up to 50 percent off. While the additional shoppers can be hectic, for Lovern it is a labor of love. He enjoys working with customers, meeting new people and sharing his passion for unique smoking products. He was a tobacco enthusiast for years before finding himself on

the other side of Smoke Zone’s glass cases working in the industry he loves. “I’ve always been a connoisseur, I dropped a lot of money in here,” Lovern said. “I just came in one day and talked to the owner about working with him.” Adam Cook, originally from California, opened Smoke Zone in 2009. He had been looking for a local resident to manage the shop, so he could return to the west coast. Late last year, Cook told Lovern he was planning to move to Colorado. “About six months into it he

“

We’re trying to get ourselves established in Blacksburg. We all love the Hokies, we’re all about the college town.” Cody Lovern Smoke Zone manager

was like look man, you’re doing a great job,” Lovern said. “I’m gonna toss the shop over to you.”

Campus campaign recognized nationally staying positive Party Positive recently surveyed students on their drinking habits. Here’s what they learned.

56% of students choose to drink less than once a week or not at all

Outgoing and gregarious, Lovern jumped at the opportunity to be the new face of Smoke Zone. Since then, he has been working with locals to promote the store and to get involved with the Blacksburg community. “We’re trying to get the local crowd in man,” Lovern said. “We’re trying to get ourselves established in Blacksburg. We all love the Hokies, we’re all about the college town.” Lovern hopes that many will take the time this weekend to stop by and explore the shop under his new management. He

has been stocking products that have been especially popular recently, like Phire glass water pipes and portable vaporizers. Lovern said that “vapes” have been flying off his shelves, snapped up by students and older smokers alike. Vaporizers may carry fewer health risks than traditional smoking methods, reduce odor and conserve tobacco. Lovern added that he is more than willing to work with students to find something to fit their limited budget. see SMOKE / page two

CT Weather Watch

BY JAMES MORROW | news weather reporter Spring has ﬁnally sprung here in Blacksburg and 73% of students who drink choose not to ride with someone who has been drinking

67% of students who drink, eat before and/or while drinking

89% of students who drink, hydrate before and/or while drinking

60% of students pace their consumption while drinking alcohol

to the dismay of 6,000+ Hokies, its timing could put a damper on Relay for Life. A strong cold front

ANDREA LEDESMA/ COLLEGIATE TIMES

will be pushing its way into our region Friday afterMATT JOHNSON news staff writer

Party Positive was recently recognized as one of the top programs to prevent alcohol abuse and educate students on the benefits of low alcohol consumption. “Being recognized for this award supports and validates all of the incredible work of students to redefine the drinking culture at Virginia Tech,” said Dr. Steven Clarke, Director for the Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center. The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators congratulated Tech and Party Positive in designing a comprehensive program that supports social, academic and personal development of college students by curtailing and preventing poten-

tially harmful social habits. NASPA is a lead organization for student affairs globally, and recognized Tech in the “Student Health, Wellness, Counseling, and related” category, as well as the NASPA Grand Bronze Medal for being one of the top three programs. “We were given recognition in a national conference because we have an innovative and leading edge peer-education program,” said Rhyner. The mission of Party Positive and the Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center is to create and support an environment free from high-risk drinking and alcohol-related negative outcomes. They aim to accomplish this by fostering positive decision-making, accountability, resiliency and by guiding the students toward healthy and productive lifestyles.

“The fact that we discuss lowrisk drinking instead of abstaining is paramount. Most other schools just have a program that says don’t — and it’s not very effective,” said Jarret Rhyner, a peer educator for Party Positive. “We want people to have fun but not suffer,” said Mary Hastings, a peer educator for Party Positive. To accomplish this mission, Party Positive has six campaigns: Eat, Pace, Track, Hydrate, Choose and Designate. They encourage people to consume food, pace their beverage consumption, track how much they have been drinking, hydrate with water , choose when, what and where they drink, and to designate a nondrinking driver. Party Positive also focuses on bystander intervention that encourages students to inter-

vene when they witness someone who has had too much to drink. “We just want to encourage people to look out for their fellow Hokies,” said Hastings. “It can just take one second for something bad to happen, but it only takes one person to help prevent it.” By working closely with Greek Life, Housing and Residential Life, Virginia Tech police and Student Centers and Activities, Party Positive covers a wide variety of student activities and hopes to reach many stu dents. A concern of some faculty and administrators is that the Party Positive campaign encourages students to drink, but according to surveys conducted, this claim is not substantiated. “We’re a groundbreaking, leading program in alcohol see PARTY / page two

noon. Rain showers and thunderstorms are very likely as the front passes through western Virginia. The main threats with this event include 50 mileper-hour winds, heavy rain and frequent lightning. Showers and storms will enter our area just before the event starts at 5 p.m. and will last until dusk. On a bright note, the passing of the front will be pretty rapid. By nightfall, the front should be well oﬀ to the east, leaving only a few showers and cooler temperatures in its wake. Keep your eye to the sky, and pack a waterproof jacket before gathering around the Drillﬁeld tonight.

news

april 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES

editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Swindle: Robo: More tests to come Tech sues for $32m from page one

the university, which pays some graduate premiums. The hundreds of students possibly affected by this may seek reimbursements in the future. “We, as a service to students, will offer health insurance to those who don’t have it so that they can be full-time students, get their degree, and not have to worry about it,” Owczarski said. Many students remain covered by their family insurance during their undergraduate careers, but GM-Southwest Inc. provides for many graduates as well as all international students, causing it to still be largely utilized across campus on a regular basis. In a report by Courthouse News Service, this case includes up to $151.6 million in civil penalties. In a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, it is stated that if Gutschlag is convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison on each count, as well as fines from $250,000$500,000 on each count. Virginia Tech is now covered by Aetna, a student insurance program that works with over 200 colleges and universities. According to the Virginia Tech student medicaliInsurance website, Tech is “pleased that Aetna Student Health has joined with the University to ensure that our current Student Health Insurance Plan cost accurately reflects the program.” “We’re doing this for our students so that we can continue to provide coverage for those who need it,” Owczarksi said. Follow the writer on Twitter: @lesliemccrea

upcoming events Friday, Apr. 19

Relay for Life: This year’s Virginia Tech Relay for Life, the largest collegiate Relay in the nation since 2009, will be held from 5 p.m.- 5 a.m. across April 19 and 20. Relay will have food provided by a variety of eateries from around town, including Dominoes, Block and Bridle BBQ, Jimmy Johns, Campus Cookies, and Frosty Parrot. Musical entertainment will be showcased from acts including Left Layne, Dr. Patty Perillo, DJ Rhetorik, MamaDear featuring Parker Bradway, The Voice of the Hokies, Low Techs, Naturally Sharp and Mixed Emotions. The Mixed Emotions concert, titled “Memo for Relay”, will be at 7:30 p.m. in the GLC Auditorium, with $5 admission. Family Weekend Events: A Taste of Virginia Tech, First Floor Turner Place, 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Men’s Rugby v. Wake Forest, South Rec Area Fields, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Apr. 20 BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

The main goals for the current prototype are for energy efﬁciency and stealthy underwater movements. from page one

fundamental stage as of now,” said Tyler Michael, an engineering masters student on the team. “We made it so we can understand and communicate the principles of nature, but we’re constantly improving it.” The robot wields a central, waterproof shell linked to eight mechanically segmented “arms” covered by a stretch of pliable silicone, allowing the arms to flex the sheet and emulate a real jellyfish’s movements. The 70-100 pound silicone skin must be manually spread over the machine in the buoyancy of the water to avoid crushing the frame. While the prototype model is not advanced enough to swim alongside

real jellyfish, Villanueva said the main goals for making it sea-worthy are energy efficiency and

Michael said he is unsure when the robot will be fit for ocean excursion. The research and product tweaking process is ongoing, though the funding contract by the Office of We called on a lot of Naval Research ends in six months after five years of high-quality underfinancial aid. Villanueva grad level students to says the team will keep looking for funding to furpitch in.” ther the project afterward. Alex Villanueva Meanwhile, the multiDoctoral grad student university project, in partnership with Stanford and UCLA, has made national headlines in Time magastealth. The rechargeable, zine and Popular Science. nickel metal hydride batWhile there is a chance tery can only support the the military may take over machine for four hours. and finalize the project, Only when Cyro can mimic the team will be dedicated the intricate propulsions to the progress of Cyro in of natural animals on its the future. own will it leave the testing pools at War Memorial Follow the writer on Twitter: @MaxLuongCT gym.

“

Blacksburg Farmer's Market: Market Square Park (intersection of Roanoke and Draper), 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Showcase of Student Projects; around campus,

10:30 a.m. - noon

Family Weekend Tailgate: McComas patio, noon

- 2 p.m.

Softball v. Fla. State: Tech softball park, noon - 2

p.m.

Lacrosse v. Maryland: Thompson Field, noon HokieBird Spring Festival: Rector Field House, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

Spring Game: Lane Stadium, gates open at 2 p.m., game from 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Mixed Emotions Spring Concert: GLC auditorium, 7 p.m. $5

Sunday, Apr. 21

Home Sweet Home brunch, D2, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Softball v. Fla. State, Tech Softball Park, 1 p.m. - 3

p.m.

Dino Petting Zoo, Henderson Lawn, 3 p.m.

Fork and Cork hits Blacksburg Smoke: Attitudes shifting MICHAELA REARDON news staff writer

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The Blacksburg Partnership will be kicking off its fifth annual Fork and Cork festival on Saturday, April 27 with “Taste the Town,” a series of unique events occurring throughout the entire week leading up to the festival. Over the past few years, the festival has grown in popularity and size. Last year, over 4,000 people attended Fork and Cork, and this year they expect 4,0005,000 people to attend. “A lot of people come from the New River Valley,” said Diane Akers, president of the Blacksburg Partnership, the organization putting on the festival. “We are drawing people in from across the state and from different states. Companies and businesses benefit from the increased traffic in the area on the day of the festival, and hopefully people come back after that.”

During the week, wineries, specialty grocery stores, the Farmers Market and much more have events and tasting in store for people of all ages. “It’s a great quality of life event and a great way to get the community involved,” said Tracy Collins, Outreach and Events Coordinator for the Blacksburg Partnership. Events include “A Taste of the Market” with the Blacksburg Farmers Market, “Curious Chef: Kids in the Kitchen” with Annie Kay’s and a “Chocolate and Wine Pairing” at the Beliveau Estate Winery. This year, there will also be a cookoff between the Attimo Winery and the River Company using wine and beer. “There wasn’t a food, wine and arts festival in Blacksburg, so we decided to offer that to the community and bring people in who normally didn’t come to the area. We wanted to showcase Blacksburg, and that’s how it started,” said Akers. On the day of the Fork and

Cork festival, there will be many featured chefs, including “Chef 2 Chef” Showcases where two chefs cook together and incorporate their unique style into similar recipes. The headliner of this year’s events will be with celebrity chef and food personality Rahm Fama. Chef Fama is the host of the Food Network show “Meat & Potatoes” and travels across the country looking for the best cuts of meat. There will also be an “Everyday Gourmet” section where attendees can watch local chefs create masterpieces out of everyday ingredients. “I think it’s a great day. It’s wonderful to have Virginia Wineries, great local art and food demonstrations all in one location on one day,” Akers said. For more information, go to www.blacksburgforkandcork. com Follow the writer on Twitter: @MReardonCT

Party: Org. encourages low-risk drinking from page one

prevention because we focus on talking about how to use alcohol in a low-risk way instead of abstention,” Rhyner said. Party Positive’s definition of “low-risk” encourages students to keep a blood alcohol content of 0.06 or less, which equals one to two drinks. This is when studies show consumers reach their “peak euphoria,” according

to Hastings. The organization also offers three types of classes that are taught by the peer educators, and focus on educating students as opposed to chastising their drinking habits. “The method of teaching we use in the classes is specifically developed to foster longitudinal learning,” Rhyner said. “We set students up and give them information that they not only

will remember for a long period of time, but also far into their future.” Party Positive recruits peer educators who are committed to promoting this positive lifestyle. “I do it because I believe in what the program is doing,” said Sydney Topp, a peer educator for Party Positive. “I think what we do is really important for the Virginia Tech community.”

from page one

“I know you guys have books and everything to buy, I’m more than willing to help out,” Lovern said. “We sell a little bit of everything from $5 hand pipes all the way up to $1000 pieces. I’ve got something for everybody’s budget.” Lovern has seen attitudes toward smokers improve in recent years, especially those using new smokeless alternatives. In the future, if that trend continues, he would like to open a larger shop in Blacksburg. “Right now, the market’s taking off,” Lovern said. “Since I’ve been working here, vapes and e-cigs and stuff are really taking off. People love it. I see more open-mindedness, man.” Until then, Lovern hopes that his store’s local spirit and professional atmosphere will continue to attract both students and locals to the current N. Main location. “We’re professional — no disrespect to certain shops, but it’s strictly tobacco products and we stick to what we sell,” Lovern said. “That’s how we exist: by keeping it professional.” Follow the writer on Twitter: @KulakCT

editors: josh higgins, shawn ghuman opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

opinions

april 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff

MCT CAMPUS

what you’re saying On former Radford student holding a 3.2 remembrance run in Cincinnati Anonymous: This story does not completely and accurately depict the events surrounding this “vigil” and the way that the controversy around it unfolded. Though she may deny it now, this “spontaneous” event was always intended to promote gun control efforts - however, knowing that this type of rally was not permissible,especially at the memorial, it was promoted under the guise of a vigil to get around those stated guidelines. When those who desired to attend a remembrance vigil began to ask questions about the entire scope of the event, Ms. Koebel Stromberg did finally (to her credit) explicitly - and repeatedly - state her desire for this to be a call to action regarding gun violence. Despite the attempts of many to dissuade her, she persisted and caused more division and pain on this day than was ever necessary.MANY people shared a desire to hold an independent vigil for remembrance - something Ms. Koebel Stromberg openly scoffed at when attempts were made to discuss it with her, suggesting that type of remembrance was essentially worthless without associated political action and that those of us who grieve in such a way are not honoring the victims. Don’t take my word for it - all of this is demonstrated in her own words on the event page (Event Name- April 16th: We Have Not Forgotten) Anonymous: Catherine Koebel Stromberg also repeatedly suggested that she spoke for all of the victims families - something she has no right to do. And something she was eventually called out on publicly by family members on the page who did not, in fact, agree with her approach to this event. One of the most appalling things was her statement that she knew “enough” of the families to “generalize” the feelings of the group. Later in the conversation she had the nerve to call others “presumptuous”... which, given her completely presumptuous efforts and statements, made me wonder if she even knew the meaning of the word.To be clear, she has EVERY right to advocate for her positions and her passion and inclination for advocacy are commendable. It doesn’t take an investigative journalist to see that she is heavily engaged in political advocacy related to gun issues on a regular basis. Is that a problem? no. Is hijacking a space and time that has been a reverent and important part of our community’s healing process a problem? YES. I want to say that I also believe that Ms. Koebel Stromberg cares deeply about this community and has good intentions. But she needs to OPEN HER EARS AND HEART to those who feel that politics of ANY kind should not be a part of a remembrance event on this day at our memorial. It is sacred space - and she does not speak for all victims of this tragedy.

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 Ghuman 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

US society undervalues teachers

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

merican public education is facing a crisis. A nation boasting some of the top universities in the world falls short when it comes to the quality of education at the public school level. One of the leading causes of this problem reverts to one thing: teachers. We don’t stress the importance of good teachers like we should. According to The New York Times, American public school teachers come from the bottom 60 percent of college graduates. Th is is a problem, and our shortsightedness keeps us from seeing that. Many colleges offer a curriculum in “education,” and most have dismally low acceptance standards for their programs. For example, a university in Michigan called Ferris State University admits students into their “Early Childhood Education” program with only a 2.25 high school GPA. How do we

expect children to receive a good education when the teachers weren’t good students themselves? This should be a startling statistic to most. Instead of colleges offering a vague “education” major, they should offer a concentrated subject instead, like any other college degree. Instead of offering this vague curriculum, students who want to teach history, math or biology should study their own fields in depth, and upon graduation, undergo training to become teachers. In doing so, this would afford students to learn under a master of the subject, rather than a generalist. However, Americans do not value teachers like other countries. Japan, for instance, only recruits the best students in certain fields to teach. There, the profession is highly respected, and the children are not there to get an education, but to learn practical social skills and civic engagement.

Perhaps this is what sets them apart from us. In Japan, education is the backbone of their society, and teachers play an integral role in that philosophy. Quality is highly sought after. Moreover, American teachers are not as good as they should be largely due to the relatively low salaries that remain unattractive to many indebted college graduates. According to CBS, Japanese teachers make $11,000 more than the average American schoolteacher. A good student can find a job with a substantially higher salary, so where is the incentive to teach? A study made by McKinsey & Company found that in New York City in 1970, the difference between an attorney’s salary versus a teacher’s was only $2,000. Now, that disparity has grown to a staggering $115,000. Perhaps the reason teachers are continually paid so little is because of

this mentality that drives the notion of education solely as a means to an end — the end being a job — which I do not see as a problem. Th is mindset, however, becomes a problem once other crucial subjects — reading, writing, math, science and history are neglected in favor of more “practical” skills or vocations. The classic trivium of grammar, rhetoric and logic would provide a firm basis on which to build on other subjects: math, reading and writing — subjects with which American schoolchildren continually struggle. Unfortunately, a classical education is highly criticized for its perceived lack of practicality and elitism. Someday, America will learn — I hope. RYAN PFEIFLE -regular columnist -freshman -university studies

NC religious legislation lacks logic M uch to the chagrin of some religious fundamentalists, the separation of church and state has been a tenant of the American government since its inception. However, that may change if some Republican representatives get their way. Far from a prank, on April 1, 2013, Representative Carl Ford (R-N.C.) and Representative Harr y Warren (R-N.C.) sponsored the Rowan County Defense of Religion Act of 2013 in the North Carolina house. The bill was also backed by nine other North Carolina Republicans. The bill comes as a response to a lawsuit filed against Rowan County which argued against county commissioners opening government meetings with Christian prayer, according to wral.com. The bill, which can be read in its entirety on the North Carolina General Assembly website, argues that the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause does not apply to the states. Therefore, states are allowed to promote a particular religion in ways the Federal government cannot. The bill also argues that the 10th Amendment

protects the states from Federal courts. On April 4, however, the Republican Speaker of the North Carolina House, Thom Tillis, announced the bill would not receive a vote in the full house, effectively killing it. Even though it’s dead for now, the bill brings up the much larger issue of whether or not an official religion, federal or state, should be chosen. Religion is often a topic to avoid at dinner parties because everyone has their own opinion. According to a poll published by Gallup on December 4 of last year, 40 percent of Americans identify themselves as “very religious,” 29 percent identify as “moderately religious” and the other 31 percent identify as “non religious.” This data shows religion is alive and well in America, but that does not necessarily mean that government and religion should mix. Besides the audacity of the bill, the first thing you may think is, “What religion would they choose?” It’s a seemingly innocuous choice but one that has many consequences. From the same poll, Gallup found that 77 percent of religious adults in

America in 2012 identify with a Christian religion. Going by the majority, North Carolina would most likely choose a Christian religion as its official religion, but which sect within Christianity?

“

This is America, a country founded on the ideals that no man, woman or child should be persecuted based on their personal religious beliefs.”

Imagine the sheer chaos as different sects within the Christian community fought over which one gets to be official, not to mention the citizens who do not identify with a Christian religion or the people who are not religious at all — what about them? Why is religion going to be imposed on them? This is America, a country founded on the ideals that no man, woman or child should be persecuted based on their personal religious beliefs. With an official religion on the

books, lawmakers, store owners, school districts, etc. could look to extend their power and try to deny service to people who don’t identify with the “official religion.” Since there is no legal precedent for an official religion, there could be mandatory religious meetings for state citizens, taxes could wind up going to support the church instead of schools or roads or a myriad of other commandments that could undermine the authority of the Federal government. If the government, even at the state level, institutes an official religion, what they’re basically saying is this “one religion” is right and all others are wrong, which can’t be proven — or disproven. It seems to me the Rowan County Defense of Religion Act of 2013 has more cons than pros. America hasn’t even decided on an official language, so how are we going to choose an official religion? If it does pass, though, fingers crossed they choose Scientology. MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -junior -economics

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april 19, 2013

Regular Edition

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XKDC by Randell Monroe Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Take advantage of financial power for the first half of the year by saving despite temptation to spend new income. That energy moves to relationships, and you’ll discover a social whirl. Opportunities flourish with friends, relations and your community. Grow partnerships, and network with purposeful groups.

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66 Prepare for more printing 67 Radar’s favorite pop 68 Vaulted recess 69 Supplement 70 Privy to

Week ending April 19, 2013

Hot New Songs MoneyGrabber • Fitz and the Tantrums Mirrors • Justin Timberlake My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark • Fallout Boy

Knights of Shame • AWOLNATION Bad feat. Tiara Thomas • Wale

By Donna S. Levin

ACROSS 1 Powder for Junior 5 Cyberzines 10 Sudden show of energy 14 Ho-hum 15 Prepare for a road trip 16 Barbra’s “Funny Girl” co-star 17 Crisp cylindrical appetizer 19 Iditarod destination 20 Brazil discoverer Cabral 21 Season to be jolly 22 At liberty 23 Founding father?

4/19/13 25 Superlatively spooky 27 Tango necessity 31 Collegiate climber 32 Fury 33 Country with a five-sided flag 37 Strive 38 Jaunt that might get straw in your hair 41 Samuel Adams Summer __ 42 Words on a fictional cake 44 Article in Le Monde?

45 1988 Ryan/Quaid remake 46 Pleasure craft 51 Collapsed 54 Not domestic, as a flight: Abbr. 55 Available, as a job 56 Give __: okay 58 Keebler staff 62 Suds, so to speak 63 State of excitement (generated by the starts of 17-, 27-, 38- and 46Across?) 65 Auctioned auto

Aries (March 21-April 19) You’re about to discover something new and exciting. Find inspiration in the experience, and apply it to improve your relationships. Do good work and get paid well this month. Remember to say “thank you.” Taurus (April 20-May 20) You’re making a great impression. You’re in your element this month, with the sun in your sign. When stuck, get inspired by travel or exploration. Getting lost can begin a wonderful relationship.

DOWN 1 1/2 fl. oz. 2 Mont Blanc, par exemple 3 Pie baker’s shortening 4 Sarkozy’s predecessor 5 Food in a shell 6 Echoic nursery rhyme opening 7 Not worth __: valueless 8 Esophagus 9 It might be vented 10 Homecoming tradition 11 Love, in Livorno 12 Proper nouns 13 Welcome 18 Junction point 24 Samoa’s largest city 26 Philosopher Descartes 27 Greasy spoon 28 Nike rival 29 Russian refusal 30 Summer tube fare 34 Paw bottoms 35 Soothing succulent 36 Shakespearean father of three 38 Leader 39 Occurrence 40 Hollywood’s Laura or Bruce

43 Bad boy of 1970s-’80s tennis 47 1960s African famine site 48 Lacking 49 Sch. near the Rio Grande 50 “Fighting” Big Ten team 51 Lethal snake 52 “Not __ out of you!”: “Shh!”

53 Senate tie breakers, briefly 57 “Metamorphoses” poet 59 Former Formula One car engine 60 Reverberate 61 Commonly bruised bone 64 “Citizen Kane” studio

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Advance in your career. You’re very persuasive. Make a permanent decision. Long distance communication clari ies. You have more than expected. Make a promise you’ll enjoy keeping. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Finishing old projects brings in extra cash for your family. False assumptions could test you. For the next month travel beckons, but don’t go yet. The answer could come in a dream.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Don’t give up on love, even when it seems dif icult. Friends provide a boost, but you must be willing to receive it. Finish up old business and shop carefully.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Take inventory of your assets over the next month. Work interferes with travel plans. New evidence threatens complacency. Romance infuses the air, and it gets magical. You can’t help but lirt.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Wait a bit longer to make an important decision, or at least be sure you have all the right information. Let a partner make distant contacts for you. Think globally, act locally. And think big.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) A home situation improves. You’ll ind it easier to explain dif icult concepts now, too. Sti le your rebellious tendencies and discover another treasure. The next four weeks are good for long-term relationships. There’s more work coming in.

4/18/13

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Change occurs. Do what you promised. Your work suits you for the next month. This requires adaptation (a little glamour doesn’t hurt). Let your faith empower you. Send and receive interesting mail. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Use creativity at work. Your quick thinking improves traf ic low. Gather info. Not everyone agrees ... listen to feedback and acknowledge participation. Reconnect with an old friend. Don’t buy toys yet. Scout for best price. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Cultivate compassion for yourself. Choose who you are newly, and inspire with your vision. Optimism increases. For four weeks, invest in your home. Don’t dip into savings to make a good impression. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Love is the name of today’s game. Imagine and dream. Enjoy the spotlight. Take care of business irst. Practical discussions mark the next few weeks. Gently convince a female holdout. Plot your ascent.

editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

he she

people & clubs

SAID

april 19, 20113 COLLEGIATETIMES

E ND OF SEM EST E R

She said: Anticipation for summer break is overrated

ummer is the best. Until, you know, about June 1. Then I start my annual countdown of days till I get to go back to Blacksburg. But those first two weeks — man, are those great. Putting on all the shorts you left at home last summer only to realize they won’t button from all the pizza and beer you guzzled during exam week is the best way to start. Oh, and then you get to check your unhealthily small bank account to see just how broke you’ll be for the first month before you start your internship. And then getting those left-over bills from your apartment back at school and realizing that you’ll be even more broke. And then come the real memory-makers — when you ask your mom to take you shopping for the new summer clothes you can’t afford, and come home with three sets of scratchy expensive sets of pant suits so you can look “modest and professional” for the internship that’s not starting for another two weeks. And then showing up to that internship to find out that the dress code is casual. And then meeting up with your friends from back home for the first time in a year, only to have them tell you in great detail how excited they are to tour Europe all summer and leave you by yourself, or calling your friends from school just to remind yourself that they’re all from out of state. Oh, that’s right — I really hate

summer vacation. You all might think that the semester is three weeks too long. But I’m going to guess that you’re also the type of people who post tanned, drunken pictures of yourself all summer long that look like they could’ve been pulled straight off of Tumblr. Or you have some kind of crazy internship in New York or California where they pay you more than $7.25 an hour. Or you have friends who don’t go on vacation all summer and instead you sit in your mom’s basement getting trashed and playing video games till 4 a.m. every night. Either way, your summer vacations must be a hell of a lot better than mine, because I dread leaving school at the end of the year. Sure, exams stink. April is the most stressful month of the year. I want to go and lie outside and never have to think about homework again. But when I think of the alternative — spending June and July overdressed in Ann Taylor dress pants doing mind-numbing data entry in an over air-conditioned office building and then coming home and watching Netflix obsessively — then this time of year really doesn’t seem so bad. VICTORIA ZIGADLO -featured columnist -senior -English

He said: Last stretch of school feels long, useless

f you find yourself thinking at this point in the semester that the academic year is too damn long, let me assure you — from this instructor’s point of view — that the feeling is mutual. Don’t get me wrong: I love going to school. I really do. As an English grad student and teaching assistant, I would have an awfully funny job for someone who wasn’t into the whole higher education thing. It’s certainly not about the money — trust me. Long hours spent under buzzing fluorescent lights in tiny bolted-down desks suck. I know that because not only have I done the whole undergrad thing, but I’ve also been in classes for two years since. And while being on the other side of said bolted-down desks can be bit nicer, it’s still not where I want to be every moment of every day. When the weather is this nice, I just want to play Frisbee and listen to Dave Mathtews Band. I don’t mean to disparage the classroom – the importance of

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education cannot be understated. We learn things from reading and writing and working in a community with our peers, professors and instructors that we can’t learn anywhere else. But, by that same token, we learn things from hiking, playing Frisbee and drinking halfprice hurricanes on the roof of Boudreaux’s that might be just as important. Plus it gives us time to recover and consolidate what we have covered in school. Toward the end of each term, information overload begins to turn our brains into something like lukewarm tapioca pudding. We keep trying to cram more material in, but the end result is dubious at best. And messy. What we really need at the end of the semester is a couple weeks to slow down, unwind, reflect and process. If Newton hadn’t taken a break from his studies to catch a few rays, that storied apple would never have knocked his neurons into the right order to figure out a theory of gravitation. That could have set us back a bit. If Hemingway didn’t

spend some time fishing and pounding beers, we wouldn’t have The Old Man and the Sea. What would we have read in high school English? College asks a lot from students, as far as learning and incorporating new information. But at just the time each semester when we’re really getting overloaded and could use a second to catch our breath, that is the exact moment when every class schedules its most stressful and arduous assignments and assessments. I remember enough from my pedagogical theory course last semester to know that most of the counterintuitive stuff we do in universities should be blamed on historical academic practices that have more to do with tradition than actual proven effectiveness. So, long story short, not only did Harvard screw up everyone’s March Madness bracket, but they also spent hundreds of years in the past propagating ineffective collegiate paradigms on top of it. Research confirms what

anyone laboring in Newman Library right now already knows: it’s tough to retain and process all the information from a rigorous four-month long, 15 credit-hour schedule. When the final weeks of the semester are spent sleepless on caffeine and Adderal, cramming for an arbitrary series of assessments, we aren’t learning so much as attempting to prove that we’ve learned. So while it may look like I’m “just playing Frisbee” this Saturday, I’ll also be reorganizing my brain cells around the several thousand pages I’ve read this year, and the several hundred pages I’ve written. Feel free to join me, if somehow you can find the time in your schedule. Who knows — we might come up with the next great American ANDREW KULAK -news reporter -graduate student -English

april 19, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES

people & clubs

editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Habitat for Humanity to complete two homes in May NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS features editor

Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley hosted a “Blitz Build” in November where volunteers and contractors helped lay the foundation for two homes in one weekend. After months of work, the homes are due to be finished completely in May. Tyler Shawcross, president of the Virginia Tech chapter of Habitat for Humanity, has been responsible for helping coordinate this process.

CT Video Want to see the interview with Shawcross and Gautum? Check out the CT Video at collegiatetimes.com He said the progress on both houses, 517 and 519 Nellie’s Cave Dr., has been going very well. Habitat for Humanity ha s subcont rac tors come in during the week to get the professional work done whi le inviting volunteers to come in during the weekend to speed along the process. “It’s been a good balance of getting those skilled contractors and having our volunteers on the weekend,” Shawcross said. Among the many Habitat for Humanity volunteers are the future residents of both homes, who come consistently to help build their own houses. Anup Gautum, 15, is one of the future residents at 517 Nellie’s Cave Dr. “It’s a great experience because you know that you’re building your own house,” Gautum said. “The fact that people are coming together as a community to help build the house is awesome.” Shawcross echoed Gautum’s thankfulness for the dedicated community of volunteers. “They’re so gracious and happy that we’re doing this for them,” Shawcross said. “Just seeing t he community involvement and the Tech students come out and help these families; they’re so grateful that we are here dedicating our time to helping them.”

more info Interested in volunteering? Contact Catherine Cotrupi for more information: catherine. cotrupi@gmail.com Building usually occurs Saturday & Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS / COLLEGIATE TIMES

(left) Both homes are almost complete. (right) Future resident of 517 Nellie’s Cave Rd. helps supervise.