TECHNICIAN
IN BRIEF Several students who were present said a student sprayed Mace at the Bojangles on Western Boulevard Tuesday night around 10 pm, causing about twenty students to be evacuated. Police, fire trucks and ambulances were called out to handle the situation. Evacuees experienced extreme coughing. A Raleigh police spokesperson could not be reaced for comment late Tuesday night.
Solar power expansion pushed by Republicans The Energy Freedom Act will allow independent energy developers to compete with utility monopolies to sell electricity directly to homeowners and businesses. The Republican-led push to expand solar power may end the ban that currently prevents independents from selling. The proposed financial concept will have energy developers leasing private rooftops to install solar panels and sell power directly to the property owner. A report predicted that by 2030, the traditional power grid could supply as little as 25 percent of the nation’s electricity. North Carolina is currently in fourth place nationwide in solar energy development. SOURCE: News & Observer
Robbers targeting pizza delivery drivers, Fayetteville police say
Patterns emerged in the last six weeks as three people delivering pizzas to the Tiffany Pines neighborhood in Fayetteville have been robbed at gunpoint in the last six weeks, though no injuries were reported.
insidetechnician
FEATURES NC State dance crew places 3rd in competition See page 6.
SPORTS NC State continues struggles on the road, blows late lead against Pheonix
2015
Goodnight Scholars to host Fredi Lajvardi, STEM advocate
Mace incident at Bojangles on Western
An unarmed black man was fatally shot eight times in the back by a white police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina. The officer, Michael T. Slager, has been charged with murder after a video of the incident surfaced. The video shows the officer firing at the victim, Walter L. Scott as he fled. North Charleston is the state’s third-largest city with blacks accounting for 46 percent of the residents and whites accounting for 37 percent. The police department in North Charleston is 80 percent white. SOURCE: NY Times
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Raleigh, North Carolina
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White officer charged with murder after shooting unarmed black man
wednesday april
Staff Report
CHRIS RUPERT/TECHNICIAN
Chancellor Randy Woodson speaks outside of Holladay Hall Wednesday, March 25 at a press conference regarding the three-year suspension of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. The fraternity was banned following the discovery of a pledge book, which contained a variety of derogatory comments.
Greek Life review to begin fall of 2015 Colleen Kinen-Ferguson Staff Writer
NC State is planning a review of its Greek Life program, which will include an internal and external review. NC state administration will lead the internal review while a team outside of NC State will lead the external one. However, Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs Mike Mullen said the review is planned to begin in fall 2015, almost five months after the discovery of the little green book containing racist and sexist comments. “The events of the past several months have really hit home with us,” Mullen said. Fraternities across the nation have recently come under scrutiny for a variety of Title IX issues, and NC State’s chapter of Pi Kappa Phi has been disbanded. “I and other NC State leaders have made it clear that our university will absolutely not tolerate sexual assault, intolerance, sub-
stance abuse or other egregious misconduct,” said Chancellor Randy Woodson in a message to the NC State community. The review is still in the planning stages, according to Mullen. “This is not punitive,” Mullen said. “This is an opportunity to improve what we consider to be a strong program.” For the review, Mullen and his staff will work with the Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Association and the Multicultural Greek Council. Students will be critical in the review, Mullen said. Mullen plans to meet with the IFC Friday to discuss how they will begin the review. “We encourage the review,” said John Stewart, president of IFC and a senior studying agricultural education. “We hope the administration can see all of the good things the Greek community does.” The review will consist of an internal “self-study” that NC State administration will lead. Then, an external review will be
REFORM continued page 2
Fredi Lajvardi, the inspiration for the major motion picture “Spare Parts” starring George Lopez, will speak tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Mountains-Piedmont Ballroom in Talley Student Union. The Goodnight Scholars Program is hosting the event and is excited for him to speak because of his science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) credentials and inspiring story, according to Allison Medlin, director of the Goodnight Scholars Program. Lajvardi will present “Improbable to Unstoppable,” a first-hand account of Lajvardi and his students’ journey that brought national attention to STEM education. He was a high school teacher in Phoenix, Arizona and mentored a group of disadvantaged Hispanic teenagers in a robotics team that eventually beat Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) team. Many national news organizations picked up on their story, and it was eventually documented into the book “Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream.” Lajvardi has received numerous awards for his ability as a teacher, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers National Outstanding Educator for 2005, the Arizona Department of Education Leadership Award for 2006 and the City of Phoenix Outstanding Teacher of the Year each year from 2005–2009. The Goodnight Scholars Program is targeted at North Carolina residents from middle-income families who aspire to study STEM or STEM-related education discipline at NC State. NC State alumni Jim Goodnight, founder and CEO of the world’s leading business intelligence software vendor, SAS Institute, and Ann Goodnight, who is the director of community relations at SAS Institute and serves on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, established the Goodnight Scholars Program in 2008. Doors for the event open at 6:45 p.m. and will be open to the public.
NCSU researchers find more efficient way to walk Staff Report
NC State researchers are in the early stages of developing a newly designed exoskeleton that can improve the efficiency of walking by 7 percent and ultimately the life of modern humans. The exoskeleton is a lightweight device that enhances and works in harmony with the user’s calf muscles, off-loading the muscle, thus reducing the energy consumption during the contractions. The exoskeleton uses a mechanical clutch to hold a spring that expands and contracts by the ankle movements, therefore aiding the Achilles tendon and calf muscles. The device does not run off electrical or chemical energy and reduces the metabolic costs for healthy users under normal conditions. The exoskeleton weighs a little more than a pound, and according to their research about the exoskeleton published in Nature, most users got accustomed to it after 20 minutes of use. As of now, the device only works when users are walking. It is a big step toward improving efficiency of walking and walking conditions, whether for a hiker, an elderly person or someone who needs a boost in efficiency to save their energy, according to their research.
ELIZABETH DAVIS/TECHNICIAN
Karen Ives is the new representative for the Peace Corps at NC State. Ives had just returned from a trip when she was offered the position at the end of last year. She has studied abroad with NC State and has volunteered with the Peace Corps in Mongolia.
Peace Corps looking for NC State students Jakob Hjelmquist Correspondent
The Peace Corps is looking for NC State students who are interested in international volunteer work, according to Karen Ives, the NC State Peace Corps recruiter.
Students should be bright, diligent, and dedicated volunteers, she said. Ives volunteered with the Peace Corps in Mongolia from 2012–2014. “Peace Corps was a really good experience for me,” Ives said. “I think it can be a really good experience for students
See page 8.
here at NC State.” Lucas Fautua, a junior studying political science and current president of the political science club believes that the Peace Corps is a beneficial option for NC State students. “The Peace Corps is a good transitional job for people
PEACE continued page 2
Now interviewing for Summer “Internship” Positions
www.work4arm.com