Technician
thursday march
15 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
City proposes bike lanes for Hillsborough Street In a committee meeting, councilmen and residents discussed revamping Hillsborough Street.
tim o’brien/Technician
Speaking as one of the 2012 Distinguished Professors, Robert Bruck, professor in plant pathology and forestry, talks about global climate change in Stewart Theatre Wednesday March 14.
Student Government honors professors Tuesday night, students gave their top three favorite professors the opportunity to depart their wisdom onto others during Student Government’s second annual distinguished professor night. Jessie Halpern Deputy News Editor
Kelly Hook, last year’s Student Body President, came up with the idea to have students nominate professors who have impacted their lives and invite them to give a “last lecture” for any students interested in attending. This year, students voted to hear Robert Bruck, professor of plant pathology, David Jones, professor of agricultural and Robert Patterson, professor of crop science, speak. “The event gives them a platform to speak on a topic of their choice. It’s going to be an annual event and we’re hoping it becomes an N.C. State tradition,” John O’Daniel, junior in political science and academics commission chair for Student Government, said. During this “last lecture,” the professors were given a 20-minute time tim o’brien/Technician restriction. Aside from that, they were Robert Patterson, professor in crop science, who was one of three free to speak on any topic of their professors honored and asked to lecture on a topic of their choice, spoke choosing. about family and its importance in our lives. “We wanted to give them the ability to speak without the restraints of a lesson plan or preparing a class for a awards before, he had never been audience. “There are really two separate test, their topic didn’t even have to do recognized by his students, and for him, that was an experience with a purposes to the event,” Joe Murray, with their field,” O’Daniel said. chair of the academics committee Last year, however, Rupert Nacoste very significant meaning. “I had been teaching 23 years at that and senior in mathematics, said. decided to stick to what he knows. point, and then out “First, we wanted to honor profes“From the time I of nowhere, I was se- sors who have done a good job. We got the email saying lected directly from actually give them an award in adI was selected, I was students- that had a dition to inviting them to speak. like, really? It was very special quality Second, we wanted to give the unbelievable,” Naprofessors a broader audience so to it,” Nacoste said. coste said. For his topic, Na- they can spread their inspiration Nacoste, who is coste decided to use to students in other majors.” well known on camWhile this year’s turnout was the theme “life as a pus for his empowjourney,” using his slightly less than last year’s 100 ering speeches and background in social students, the energy in the room his study of social psychology to tell his was just as high. psychology, was one Rupert Nacoste “Most awards that professors get history of starting of last year’s three out in the Bayou and are from faculty members, this one chosen professors. “It was a very humbling experi- ending up speaking in front of around means something else because its from their students,” O’Daniel ence,” Nacoste said. “That evening was 100 students. At this year’s event, professors gave said. amazing, it was quite extraordinary.” Though Nacoste has won several equally riveting speeches to an excited
“It was a very humbling experience... That evening was amazing...”
lanes and some plans with sharrows, directed pathways that don’t give bikers exclusive access to a lane. The bike lanes are larger than sharrow (lanes that are shared by both vehicles and bikes), but allow for more safety, and nearly every speaker encouraged the Will Brooks use of lanes. Unfortunately, HillsborDeputy News Editor ough St. is not large enough to accomResidents gathered in downtown modate to every vehicle. “If we want to add bike lanes, we are Raleigh for a city committee meeting Wednesday night to discuss re- going to have to widen the street by structuring Hillsborough Street past about two to three feet. That is just the Pullen Road. Though a final plan was reality of it,” Lamb said. Committee not officially decided, residents and members were kind to the idea of two city workers gave testimony to the lanes, but held concern that buses may city committee and prepared their slow operation on single lane roads. case for a renovation plan that suited “The goals are to reduce the [automobile] speeds and their wants. increase on-street Eric Lamb, city pa rk i ng ,” L a mb pla nni ng a nd said. development Other proposimanager, spoke tions including the f irst and had relocation of several sorted through crosswalks, particueight different larly in moving the plans that aided crosswa lk across the road’s use for Thomas Crowder, City Council from The Velvet bikers, pedestriCloa k Inn to in ans and patrons of local businesses. “One thing that front of the local YMCA. Lamb said we all were able to agree on is that we all of the changes are aimed at helpwant to change it from a five-lane to ing travelers in the University area. City Council member of Southwest a three-lane road,” Lamb said. Lamb said the road had too many Raleigh, Thomas Crowder, said the lanes for cars and not enough space problem has persisted for years, and for bicyclists on the road. As a direct it is time for a change. “[Pedestrian route from campus to downtown, it accommodation] has been a major could prove advantageous for stu- concern of the stake-holders upon dents who choose not to drive. “There the street,” Crowder said. Crowder said in front of traffic flow is actually a fair amount of pedestrian activity in this area,” Lamb said. “I and residential issues, safety came was out [on Hillsborough] for a half first. “The number one [issue is] pedesan hour and there were a half a dozen trian safety, because if you don’t slow cyclists.” Lamb proposed repaving roads and down, the chicken won’t make it to making them into three lanes with ad- the other side of the road,” Crowder ditional bike lanes, while other plans said. As Southwest Raleigh and the played off of a similar scheme. All University become more intertwined plans also included new street-parking spaces. Some plans involved bike street continued page 8
“We’re turning Hillsborough Street away from being a major thoroughfare.”
Virginia Tech found negligent in ‘07 shooting After almost four years, VT has been found guilty of negligence in a wrongful death suit. Jessie Halpern Deputy News Editor
In a wrongful death suit brought forth by the parents of two victims of the 2007 shooting on Virginia Tech’s campus, the University has been found guilty. As the parents of Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde stated for an NBC press release, “If Virginia Tech police and administrators warned the campus of two shootings in a dorm 2 and a half hours before Seung-Hui Cho ended his killing spree and killed himself,” they might be alive. The attorney for the parents stated in this same press release he doesn’t believe Virginia Tech actually did all they could have. Jurors were asked to decide whether the University’s police could have foreseen a danger to the entire campus after two isolated dorm shootings occurred earlier that day. After only three and a half hours of
juror deliberation, each of the families was awarded $4 million, a number that, according to NBC, the state immediately filed to reduce. Suzanne Grimes, parent of a shooting victim, told CNN, “Vindication has finally come. This is about them being accountable.” CNN continued to report a written statement from Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski. “We are disappointed with today’s decision and stand by our long-held position that the administration and law enforcement at Virginia Tech did their absolute best with the information available on April 16, 2007. We do not believe that evidence presented at trial relative to the murders in West Ambler Johnston created an increased danger to the campus that day. We will discuss this matter with the attorney general, carefully review the case and explore all of the options available,” Owczarski said. The shooting on Virginia Tech’s campus occurred April 16, 2007. Killing 32 and wounding 25, it stands as the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in our nation’s history.
insidetechnician viewpoint features classifieds sports
University gives dog a bone marrow transplant.
Doggie bone marrow transplants revolutionize veterinary medicine on campus. See page 3.
Snowboarding gaming soars to new heights.
SSX returns with the best snowboarding game of this generation. See page 6.
An accepting faith: Hindu students share culture.
The collection of practices diversifies Hinduism, making it an open religion to practice and learn. See page 5.
6 5, 7, 8 9 10
How far can the Pack go?
Why Mark Gottfriend’s gang is primed for an NCAA tournament run. See page 10.
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Located at Atrium Food Court