Oct. 3, 2016 by The Collegiate Times

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112th YEAR, ISSUE 183

October 3, 2016

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COLLEGIATETIMES An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community commun niitt y ssi since inc nce 1903

Back in business For the ﬁrst time since defeating Ohio State in 2014, the Virginia Tech football team is ranked, this time at No. 25. Virginia Tech offensive lineman Augie Conte (72) lifts Cam Philips (5) after his 55-yard touchdown catch during the second quarter against Boston College to bring the score to 0–37, Sept. 17, 2016.

Sands shares his vision In his ﬁrst State of the University Address, President Timothy Sands outlined the future of Virginia Tech. university, from its place as a military college in the late 1800s to its expansion into a comprehensive institution in the 1960s. The nature of Virginia Tech, Sands said, demands the willingness to adapt. “Over the years,” Sands said, “Virginia Tech’s future has been invented and re-invented, led by those who had the vision and the courage to take advantage of a fleeting opportunity to take a big step — one that would

change the trajectory of the institution to better serve our news editor enduring mission in the context President Timothy Sands of a new era.” delivered his first State of the The goal for Sands and University Address Friday, his administration has been laying out a vision intended to to position Virginia Tech ensure Virginia Tech’s place as as an institution that offers an innovator and leader within “Destination Areas.” These higher education. areas refer to five fields of study In a speech in Moss Arts the university has identified. Center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Through Destination Areas, Theatre, Sands highlighted students will be able to explore the evolving nature of the a cross-disciplinary approach to education. “The disciplinary expertise of our faculty is being connected across the disciplines into Destination Areas to address complex problems that are rooted in the human condition,” Sands said. “This is breaking down this dichotomy that we’ve created between STEM and non-STEM. Every degree has a STEM component, every STEM degree has a human approach to the problem solving. That combination, I think, is where we’re headed as a university.” Destination Areas are intended to attract future potential partners, including other universities and international corporations. “Unless you bring something to the table, they don’t want a part,” Sands said. “This is the window of opportunity that is open for us today, but only for a short time.” Sands detailed multiple LIVI DE VALLE / COLLEGIATE TIMES initiatives the university has already put into motion to Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands gives his State of develop the Destination Areas. the University Address, Sept. 30, 2016. In his speech, he The projects include the $67.7 emphasized the importance of “VT-shaped students” and million expansion of the the goals of the university. Virginia Tech Carillon Health

RICHARD CHUMNEY

Sciences and Technology campus and the planned $75 million investment into the Intelligent Infrastr ucture for the Human-Centered Communities, which according to Sands, “Comprises smart design and constr uction, smart energy, and autonomous vehicles across land, air and water.” The new $225 million Global Business and Analytics Complex — which will be the new home of the Pamplin College of Business and two new living-learning residence halls — and the Creativity and Innovation District in Blacksburg represent other current initiatives to develop Destination Areas. Sands said he wants to increase the percentage of on-campus students who live in living-learning communities from 35 percent to 60 percent. T he ef for t to bui ld Destination Areas extends beyond the Blacksburg campus and to the National Capital Region (NCR), the area in and around Washington, D.C. The NCR, Sands said, is essential, “In exploring 21st-Century integrated security, including cybersecurity, physical security, human behavior and policy.” “As a diverse metropolitan region,” Sands said, “the NCR serves as a living laboratory for basic and translational research, unique graduate education and broadly scoped experiential learning.” Destination Areas will be see SANDS / page 6

Hunger strike ends after ﬁve days Ryan Martin, who began a hunger strike last Monday to protest Virginia Tech’s prohibition of carrying concealed ﬁrearms on campus, ended his protest without being granted a meeting with Sands. LAUREN FARRAR news reporter

Ryan Martin’s week in the national spotlight has ended. Despite hunger striking last week to advocate for the concealed carry of firearms on campus, the fifth-year senior reached Friday without a meeting with Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands. “A hunger strike is a drastic measure, and I really wanted to get the attention going for this issue,” Martin said. “I think it’s done what I wanted it to do.” Martin believes that the university should allow students to carry concealed firearms on campus with a valid permit. He has been trying to discuss the issue with Sands since January of 2016. “As I started doing more research and started educating myself on the topic, I thought it was pertinent that we talk about it,” Martin said. “This semester I started it back up because I didn’t get the conversation started as much as I wanted to. I wanted to light that fire. I just thought it was time to talk about it.” Martin did not eat any food

from Monday, Sept. 26 to Friday, Sept. 30. Throughout the week Martin took time to stand in front of Burruss Hall to speak with people walking by. Additionally, he read the Constitution aloud. According to Martin, reactions were both positive and negative. “A few people were wondering why I was on hunger strike,” Martin said. “I had a sign that said, ‘Come ask me why I’m on hunger strike.’ It was cool and we had a conversation. One girl said, ‘Stupid stupid stupid.’ When I told her to have a good day and asked if her if she wanted to talk about it, she just walked away. One girl flipped me off. There’s always going to be a variety with an issue as sensitive as this.” “He’s exercising his constitutional rights and his free speech,” said U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia. “It sounds like he’s doing it in a proper way. He’s not blocking anything, he’s not preventing people from getting in and out of the office. He’s saying, ‘Here I am, and I would like somebody to talk to,’ and that’s following his constitutional

rights. That’s the reason we have them. He’s drawing attention to the issue.” Griffith, who represents Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, has pushed for legislation that would allow more freedom to licensed gun owners. He introduced a bill, House Resolution 131, that would provide federal

protection to citizens lawfully traveling across states with firearms. Components of the bill are in the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act, sponsored by U.S. Representative Robert Wittman, R-Virginia. The SHARE Act has see GUNS / page 3

TAYO OLADELE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Senior Ryan Martin stands outside of Burruss Hall on the ﬁrst day of his hunger strike, Sept. 26, 2016.

HOMECOMING KING AND QUEEN

BUSINESS COLLEGE TO RELOCATE

Read more to ﬁnd out what they said in their Q&A.

Pamplin will move to new $225 million complex.

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Blacksburg is pumped for pumpkinspice season KATELYN MEADE lifestyles staff writer

It’s that time of year again. Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing and everyone is surrounded by pumpkins everywhere they go — forget fall and Halloween, it’s pumpkin-spice season. Blacksburg is home to many places to get your caffeine fix, with each one sporting its own version of the staple pumpkin-spice drink. Here are some to check out: Idego Nestled in the alley next to Champ’s, Idego is a small space with a very distinct atmosphere — typically, it’s a quiet place with a comfortable vibe and a friendly staff. The shop’s pumpkin flavoring is made from real pumpkin, mixed with spices and strained into a unique, authentic syrup. The espresso in this latte is bold and smooth. To top things off, the staff is especially see COFFEE / page 5

Last-minute goal forces 2–2 tie with Clemson MATT CRISAFI sports staff writer

On Saturday night, Virginia Tech women’s soccer rallied to force a tie at home against the No. 13 Clemson Tigers. For the Hokies, the draw ends a three-game losing streak, all coming against ranked ACC opponents. Despite its recent struggles, Virginia Tech still stands with an 8–4–1 record. If you love constant pressure and scoring opportunities, Saturday’s matchup was your cup of tea. The Hokies’ nail-biter against the Tigers saw a total of 41 shots accounted for, including 15 on goal. Despite the 2–2 ending score, arguably the most impressive player for each team could be found in the nets. Virginia Tech’s Mandy McGlynn and Clemson’s Kailen Sheridan saw plenty of action in front of a packed Thompson Field crowd. Each goalie was able to hold their own in the two 10-minute overtime periods, sending the game to a tie after 110 minutes of play. The first half of play was very evenly matched. Clemson was able to register three more shots than the Hokies in the first 45 minutes of play, but the possession was very neutral. The first point on the board took place in the 21st minute, courtesy of senior Candace Cephers. The Hokies’ star midfielder was able to head in a corner kick from defender Marie Johnston and register the first goal of the game. Cepher’s score was the first for the Hokies since their matchup against Longwood on Sept. 13. Coach “Chugger” Adair was pleased with how the team was able to start the game on Saturday. “The first 20–25 minutes went particularly well. We were organized defensively and stuck to the game plan, and when we had possession we were able to take advantage of some scoring chances … definitely happy with how we came out,” Adair said. Entering the second half with a 1–0 deficit, Clemson took the field with a new energy and fire that caught Virginia Tech off guard. Following a controversial call on the Hokies toward the left see SOCCER / page 6

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PAGE 2 October 3, 2016

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Discriminatory stop-andfrisk did little to stop crime The ﬁrst debate featured comments on stop-and-frisk’s relationship to New York City’s lower crime rates, but in actuality they are unrelated.

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your views [letter to the editor]

Students would be safer if drinking age lowered

I took a straw poll of Virginia Tech students, asking if the drinking age should be 18 or 21, I think I know what the responses would be. There are many arguments to make for lowering the drinking age, with which you are probably familiar. Adults should be able to make adult decisions. If you can fight for your country, you should be able to drink a beer. Stuffy bureaucrats should not get to decide who has fun. On the other hand, safety is the primary reason many (typically older people) would prefer to keep the drinking age at 21. But, does prohibiting teens from legally buying alcohol actually make them safer? Many countries have a drinking age of 18 and are generally more relaxed about their drinking cultures. In Europe, it is common to drink a casual glass of wine with lunch as a teenager. Because young people are exposed to alcohol in a safe environment, they will rarely binge and abuse alcohol as much when they attend university. However, in America, young individuals are strictly prohibited from such an exposure. When they arrive in college, they feel the need to rebel, and because they cannot safely purchase alcohol, they will engage in risky behavior to get it. The first weekend a freshman steps foot on campus, he or she will often want to go out. But, because they don’t know if they will find a party or if they will have a safe place to have fun, they decide to get as drunk as possible before going out. They will chug

whatever cheap liquor they can get their hands on before leaving their dorms. Too often, these nights end in hospital visits or drunk-in-public charges. Perhaps these young individuals would be safer if they could order drinks at a bar, where a server can cut them off or a bouncer can settle any trouble. One of the most pressing safety issues for college students is sexual assault. This offense is inextricably tied to the party culture of many colleges. I do not like to make blanket statements about the safety of these parties (there are many fraternities that strongly emphasize safety), but what is a safer drinking environment for an 18-yearold? A basement lit by black lights, where the only drink on the menu is a six-liquor mix of jungle juice? Or is it a bar? Or the safety of his or her own residence? If college students are allowed to legally buy alcohol, safer options will exist for a good time. Of course, the rigorous thinker should not take my word for it. There is a large body of research that analyzes whether a higher drinking age affects binge drinking, drunk driving and substance abuse. Whichever way you interpret the data, it is clear that there should at least be greater public discourse about the drinking age. When a law claims to make us safer, there is no guarantee it actually will.

SEBASTIAN WELLFORD

the first debate between Tr u m p a n d Clinton, an important and racially charged subject was brought up: stopand-frisk policies. Trump stated that stop-and-frisk was an effective way for “law and order” to be reinforced, and he specifically cited New York’s old stop-and-frisk policies as effective in reducing crime. Clinton shot back saying that stop-and-frisk was ineffective in lowering crime and that it “doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.” L et’s become fact checkers. Who was saying the accurate facts, Trump or Clinton? Were the old stop-and-frisk policies in New York effective in putting down crime? If they were, were they discriminatory and did they pass the strict scrutiny test of discrimination in court? Trump was correct in a certain sense. New York City’s rates for assaults were down 13 percent, robberies went down 27 percent and rape declined 35 percent. But, crime was already declining at the same rate as before the policies, so it is hard to tell if the stop-andfrisk policies were the main reason for making the difference. Even the number of homicides, 587 in 2002 to 515 in 2011, stayed pretty much the same in the city, and the small change is insignificant compared to the

incredible increase in stops from 97,296 in 2002 to 685,724 in 2011. Supporters of the policy look to gun crimes to show the evidence of its effectiveness, as the policies find illegal and unregistered guns on criminals. In 5 million stops over 2002 to 2013, guns were only found in 0.2 percent of cases. Even after the policies were disbanded, 2016 saw the fewest

“

With the facts out, it is safe to say that stop-and-frisk was an ineffective policy that only heightened racial tensions.”

shootings during the first six months of the year in decades. Many people believed that after the stop-andfr isk policies ended, crime would dramatically increase in New York City. However, besides a small uptick in 2015, crime rates have followed their trends of decline and violent crime has been the lowest it has ever been in the city. Was it discriminatory? Over 75 percent of targets for stop-and-frisk were Latinos and blacks, with over 50 percent being black individuals.

In the New York stopand-frisk case, evidence of recorded police conversations came up in which superior officers told their employees to target young black and Latino populations. A federal judge used a strict scrutiny test for discrimination in Floyd v. City of New York, which protects people’s fundamental rights. It found the stop-and-frisk policies to be in violation of Section 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code, the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments od the United States Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Constitution of the State of New York. With the facts out, it is safe to say that stopand-frisk was an ineffective policy that only heightened racial tensions in New York City. It only harassed and discriminated against minorities while creating insignificant decreases in the overall crime rate, which was already trending downward. If we are to make new police policies, let’s make sure they are constitutional and protect all Americans. The last thing we need is another policy to widen the racial gap in this diverse and culturally rich nation.

JIN KIM • regular columnist • senior/political science

• Young Americans for Liberty, Treasurer • junior/microbiology

column

There are no bad breeds, only bad dog owners

ontreal recently enacted a bylaw that will go into effect on Oct. 3 and will, “Outlaw the acquisition of any pit bull-type dogs … and impose strict and costly regulations on current owners of roughly 7,000 dogs.” The law established new licensing regulations and fines that make it more difficult to keep your animal and not being able to pay could result in the animal being euthanized. Growing up with a father who is a veterinarian, I was exposed to animals from a very young age. I cannot imagine having grown up without pets and without the love that animals can bring into a family. My family has had many pets throughout the years, some of which have been the sweetest animals that would never hurt a fly, while others were a little feistier. That did not make us love them any less; they just required a little more training, and each dog we had was a different breed. My father has always been passionate about adopting dogs from shelters or rescuing dogs that had been brought into his office without a home, and he passed that on to both me and my brothers. The thought of hundreds of animals being euthanized because of their breed makes me sick to my stomach, along with the thought of all of the animals who are put down as a result of a shortage of loving homes.

There are troublesome animals, not troublesome breeds. The number of dogs that are very loosely labeled pit bull that could be affected by this is heartbreaking. I have met numerous veterinarians and pet owners alike who have all said pit bulls are some of the most loving animals that they have seen. What about all of those animals that have never hurt a fly, but just have not been able to find a good home? What happens to them? It is always possible to have multiple bad apples, as some would say, within a breed, but that is no reason to ban them all together. There are bad apples within every single dog breed. It happens. There is just this stigma attached to pit bulls, so many are unable to look beyond that and see how they may not be all that bad. The case of 55-year-old Christiane Vadnais, whose death from a pit bull pushed lawmakers in Montreal to make this decision, is truly a tragedy. However, as horrible as her death was, and how understandable it is for her family to be wanting some type of closure, this is not the answer. A bill that places fines and regulations on current pit bull owners, which some are arguing many won’t be able to afford, that leave the pit bulls already in shelters essentially just left for dead is not the answer. There are so many animals that have never and would never hurt a soul that are being left to die in Montreal without ever

having had a loving family. I know that thousands of people across both Canada and the United States have made it known how much they disapprove of this law. Most of these animals are kind, loving and just need good families. They cannot fight for themselves, so someone has to do it. These lawmakers should not be using this tragic incident to make a statement. Hundreds of innocent, sweet dogs could die due to this decision. Luc Ferrandez, the leader of the opposition party Projet Montreal, said that, “The city should target dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners, as opposed to breeds … banning a breed will only spur bad owners to get a different type of intimidating animal.” Often these animals are aggressive because they are forced to be. There is no reason to ban a breed when less extreme options like targeting individual animals and owners has not been attempted. It has been uplifting to see the response this law has gotten on social media; so many people have been sending around petitions and condemning Montreal for this action. Now it is just time to wait and see if they choose to respond to the outrage that has spread across North America.

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International studies splits into four different majors PAULINA FARLEY-KUZIMA news staff writer

COURTESY OF VT NEWS

A rendering of buildings that will comprise the planned Global Business Analytics Complex. Construction is estimated to begin in 2020 and ﬁnish in 2023.

College of Business to say goodbye to Pamplin Hall The Global Business Analytics Complex, slated to be ﬁnished in 2023, will include two new academic halls and two new residential halls. LEWIS MILLHOLLAND managing editor

About a year and a half ago, students and faculty packed into the Pamplin Atrium to learn about Pamplin’s latest secret project which had been tantalizingly teased on social media with the ha sht ag # BL C Revea l. Pamplin revealed the “Busi ness L ea r ning Community,” (BLC) a complex of residential and academic buildings that would revolutionize the Pamplin College of Business. And that was the last we heard of it. Now, Pa mpl i n ha s broken the silence and announced the Global Business and Analytics Complex (G -BAC), a $225 million project that includes the construction of two academic buildings and two new residence halls just to the south of the Inn at Virginia Tech. Pamplin Dean Robert Sumichrast estimates that construction will break ground in 2020 and be finished in 2023. “In the initial idea, BLC, we were looking for something that was home for the business school,” Sumichrast said. “Even from the start, we had ideas of collaboration with other units … We were going to potentially reserve about half the spaces for nonPamplin students.” It’s little surprise then that the G-BAC (which is planned to house roughly 700 students) will be made up of 50 percent Pamplin students and 50 percent students of other majors. Any major whose curriculum uses data analysis — which Sumichrast emphasizes is not, “Just about the technology or the raw data or the algorithms to manipulate that data,” but the related management practices and privacy and ethical concerns — may find its home in the G-BAC. The new residence halls will also introduce two new living-learning communities (LLC) to Virginia Tech that focus on globalization, business a nd analytics. Pamplin already has one LLC, Innovate, made up of half business majors and half other majors, which focuses on encou ragi ng ent repreneurial growth through an energetic, cross-disciplinary environment. In total, Virginia Tech is home to 14 LLCs — Susan Arnold-Christian coordinates two of them, Galileo and Hypatia. These two communities, alongside the Curie and Da Vinci LLCs, form the inVenTs

Residential Community in Lee Hall, one of the largest living-learning spaces on campus. Arnold-Christian offered insight on the unique advantages LLCs offer to students. “(Students in LLCs are) going through a similar experience together with similar transitions. And just having each other to lean on, to ask questions and maybe get a loving kick in the seat of the pants,” A r nold- Ch r istian said, laughing. “They can kind of be a family to each other and help hold each other to be accountable and support each other when times are challenging and when times are great. And I think that’s the strength of it, is that the students get that support from each other.” In its original design, Galileo and Hypatia were designed for underclassmen excl u s ive ly. A r noldChristian told a story about how one year a group of students approached Bevlee Watford, the associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Engineering, and said, “‘We really like living in this community and we don’t want to leave.’”

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Pamplin Hall will always be Pamplin Hall. There’s a promise made to the Pamplin family.” Robert Sumichrast Dean of the Pamplin College of Business

According to ArnoldChristian, Watford, “Didn’t say no, she didn’t say yes, she said, ‘You come back to me with a plan and you tell me what that would look like.’” This mentality of hearing the student voice and empowering them to work through challenges themselves has been critical for Galileo and Hypatia. That tradition hasn’t flagged, either — those original students returned as upperclassman mentors to new Galileo and Hypatia members, and every few years, the new upperclassmen reinvent what these roles mean. C u r rent ly, I n novat e operates with a similar ma nt ra. St udents a re empowered to lead rather than to be lead by their advisors. It remains to be seen how the studentfaculty relationships will manifest in the two new LLCs, but given recent trends, Pamplin will most likely adopt a similar

model of giving students the power to pursue their own initiatives. As well as introducing the two new living-learning communities, G-BAC will be comprised of 25–30 p e r c ent i nt e r n a t ion a l students. “I feel like we’re not really engaging international students all the time. That’s a shame for their experience here in the U.S., but that’s also a shame for the U.S. students who don’t get to learn about the other cultures as much as they could,” Sumichrast said. Pamplin has started to shift its thinking of international business to creating sustainable global prosper ity. Sum ich rast adm itted inter national business, “Is kind of flat,” but with this new focus and a consolidated mass of intercultural knowledge in the new residence halls, he believes the topic can become more engaging and dynamic. “(International students have) a firsthand p e r sp e c t ive on how business fits into the culture of their country. They may not know explicitly all the laws that regulate business, or even the tax code or something like that. But they will know how people of their culture think about business. “Is it a force for good? Is it something that is controlled by external forces that are not necessarily part of the community? Is it the way for people to move themselves up the socioe conom ic sp e ct r u m? ” Sumichrast said. Because of the new educational capabilities the new academic spaces will offer, Sumichrast expects that the college of business will fully move out of Pamplin Hall when the new project is complete. The building was originally named Commerce Hall in 1957, and 12 years later took on its new name in honor of the Pamplin family (similar to how the Signature Engineer ing Building became Goodwin Hall). “Pamplin Hall will always be Pamplin Hall,” Sumichrast said. “There’s a promise made to the Pamplin family that this building would be Pamplin Hall, and there’s a promise made to the Pamplin family that the college of business at Virginia Tech would be the Pamplin College of Business. But there’s no reason that those two entities can’t be physically separated.”

@WithTheFancyGuy

Starting this academic school year, the international studies program will now offer three new majors: national security and foreign affairs, international public policy, and international relations. Previously, the only international-related major offered was international studies, but with required concentrations in one of five different areas: environmental affairs, global development, business, security and foreign policy, and world politics and policy. “There will be a major difference between the current international studies major and the three new majors,” said the director of the international studies program, Yannis Stivachtis. “The international studies major will maintain its interdisciplinary character, therefore all of the elective courses will come from outside the department. For the three new majors, all of the option electives will come from within the department only.” The newer, more specific majors were designed to expand upon the concepts in the concentrations. For example, the security and foreign policy concentration translates into the national security and foreign affairs major, the world politics and policy concentration turns into the international relations major, and the global development and environmental affairs concentration merge together to make the international public policy major. “We usually respond to certain information we get from students, prospective or existing,” Stivachtis said. “One of the things we learned was that students wanted to be able to have a major that had all courses come from the

political science department.” The Class of 2020 was the last year that will admit students under the international studies major with concentrations; the goal is to eventually phase out the concentration aspect of this particular major. Students taking the First Year Experience course for international studies and political science will have the opportunity to discuss new major options with their academic advisors and make the switch over to a new major if they choose to do so. “Rumors travel fast, but don’t represent reality. We’ve done our part; if students don’t ask questions, they can’t go very far.” “I love that there are a lot of options, but I looked into the required courses for my current concentration and found those courses to be most interesting and I thought they matched better with the minor I wanted to take, which is economics,” said Gillian Betz, international studies major with a concentration in global development. “It’s important to consider what someone wants to do with an international studies major because if they want to work in the CIA they should probably do national security and foreign affairs, or if they want to become a diplomat they should probably do international relations.” Any student graduating in 2018 or after will have the ability to switch from international studies with a concentration to any of the three new majors because the core degree requirements for the current and new majors are the same, along with the Curriculum for Liberal Arts Education requirements. Stivachtis estimates that students in the international studies program should decide what major they want

to pursue by the time they have completed 45 credit hours. “After the few classes where we talked about the new majors, I felt like the new majors were more specific than the international studies concentrations,” said freshman international studies major Jared Kutrieb. Kutrieb is considering switching to the national security and foreign affairs major. Students graduating before 2018 will not be able to switch and must graduate under the single international studies major they were admitted as. Similarly, there are some other complications regarding the ability to minor or double major within the international studies program. “I feel like they’ve done a good job giving out general information but there are a few things that they could clear up, but I feel like I could ask these questions during my course planning meeting,” Kutrieb said. Degrees in the three new majors can be received in any combination of majors and minors, however the old international studies major with the concentration cannot be combined with any of the new majors. Since the international studies program and the political science program are under the same department of political science, international studies majors also cannot be paired with a political science major. “The most important thing is how to communicate with students to address any questions or concerns they have,” Stivachtis said. “Rumors travel fast, but don’t represent reality. We’ve done our part; if students don’t ask questions, they can’t go very far.”

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Major Williams Hall, home to the Department of Political Science, Sept. 28, 2016.

GUNS: Rep. Grifﬁth: BOV ‘ought to take notice’ from page 1

Griffith, who represents Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, has pushed for legislation that would allow more freedom to licensed gun owners. He introduced a bill, House Resolution 131, that would provide federal protection to citizens lawfully traveling across states with firearms. Components of the bill are in the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act, sponsored by U.S. Represent ative Rober t Wittman, R-Virginia. The SHARE Act has passed the House of Representatives and is currently under review by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in the Senate. “As long as you have reasonable people who are getting concealed weapon permits and they’re not using them except in cases when they feel that they themselves have been threatened, then it’s

appropriate,” Griffith said. “By and large, in most situations, though, there’s always the exception, it makes folks safer.” Griffith acknowledges that Sands does not have the authority to allow concealed firearms on campus. Only the Board of Visitors would be able to amend Virginia Tech’s current policy. “I’m not there right now, and knowing that it’s not actually President Sands’ decision, I have a hard time second-guessing President Sands,” Griffith said. “I’m really not in a position to second-guess what he’s doing, but I do think that bringing this matter to the attention of the public so that folks understand what’s going on may be significant, and (the Board of Visitors) ought to take notice.” The university, though not taking a stand on the issue, also affirms Martin’s right to protest in front of Burruss. “Virginia Tech certainly respects any student’s right

to civil protest, provided that person abides by our Principles of Community and incurs no harm to self or others,” wrote Assistant Vice President for University Relations Mark Owczarski in an email to the Collegiate Times. The Virginia Tech Police Department declined to comment on the issue. Martin’s week concluded with a meal at Outback Steakhouse. Though the strike has ended, Martin said, he plans to continue seeking university action. “Long term, (the goal is) to have that meeting with President Sands or anybody from the Board of Visitors and really get the question answered, ‘Why can’t I protect myself on this campus that has 30,000-plus students?’” Martin said.

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October 3, 2016 PAGE 5

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Review: Masterminds BRADY TICKLE movie columnist

Director Jared Hess, also known as the mastermind behind the 2004 comedy gem “Napoleon Dynamite,” has a penchant for weird, out-there humor. Whether it is the title character of “Napoleon Dynamite” or the spandex-clad, Spanishspeaking luchador Jack Black in “Nacho Libre,” his strength is his ability to find the hero amid the awkward group of social outcasts. Hess does the same in his newest film, “Masterminds,” based on the true story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo bank robbery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hess’ out-there protagonist of the movie is David Ghantt, a driver for Loomis Fargo who is sick and tired of his boring job making money deliveries. He had expected an action-packed life, but instead he wound up with a trailer-park bride and a dead-end career. This all changes, however, when Kelly Campbell comes into town and begins to work with him, acting

as his co-pilot on armored vehicle rides. Kelly is kind, outgoing, beautiful and incredibly flirtatious with the engaged David; David likes the excitement that seems to pervade from her very being. After a bad day, Kelly yells at their boss, resulting in her getting fired from the company. Bitter and without a good job, she soon finds herself lured into a plot created by her former high school acquaintance, Steve Chambers, to rob Loomis Fargo of $17 million. Kelly is able to use David’s obvious attraction to her to lure him into the plot as well, providing a way into the money vault. The rest of the story is too wild (and surprisingly true) to spoil. So, is the movie funny? With the comedic pedigree of the cast, including Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis and Owen Wilson, it would be kind of hard for it not to be amusing. However, your enjoyment of the film may depend on your exposure to southern culture; as a guy who grew

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

up in the South, I find this movie’s depiction of southern people to be hilariously accurate. If you have not been exposed to the South all that much, you may find these caricatures more grating than they are humorous. All around, though, the cast does an excellent job. Zach Galifianakis is perfect as David Ghantt, bringing just the right amount of weird and heart to the role. He channels his character from “The Campaign” here, which is never a bad thing. Kristen Wiig is also great as Kelly, getting more than a few moments to shine (although her random singing is more forced than funny, just like it was in “Sausage Party”). It’s also nice to see Owen Wilson in something not terrible, and he does a fantastic job as the nefarious Steve Chambers. Jason Sudeikis is easily one of the best parts of the movie as Mike McKinney, a hit-man hired by Steve to take down David so Steve can keep a bigger share of the money. Finally, Kate McKinnon is sur prisingly hysterical as Jandice, David’s trailer-park bride; their engagement photo shoot and a scene revolving around her use of a feminine hygiene product are some of the movie’s highlights. I do not really understand why this movie is receiving such poor reviews; sure, it’s no masterpiece, but it’s still a hilarious look at southern culture with an oddly large amount of heart. While the movie was supposed to come out a year ago (the original producing company, Relativity Media, went under, projecting the film into a state of limbo), I personally thought it was worth the wait. I give “Masterminds” four out of five stars. @BradyTickle

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAT PIPER & EMILY MCCAUL

Four pumpkin spice lattes from local coffee shops: Mill Mountain Coffee, Next Door Bake Shop, Idego Coffee and the university-owned Starbucks.

COFFEE: Spicing up the fall with pumpkin coffee from page 1

careful when topping the drinks with extra doses of creamy, frothed milk, creating Idego’s distinct latte art. The shop’s latte carries the taste of real pumpkin, with a unique blend of spices that perfectly complement the pumpkin without an overpowering sweetness. One sip and you will find yourself drinking in the fall spirit. Overall rating: 5/5 stars Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea Located on the corner of North Main Street and Giles Road, Mill Mountain is a cozy coffee shop with a rustic vibe. It has an extensive menu full of freshly made items, but the pumpkin spice latte is not its specialty. While the company’s lattes are pleasant, they lack the pumpkin taste that one craves in a pumpkin spice latte. The absent pumpkin taste was replaced with the faint taste of cinnamon, which was the only thing that this pumpkin spice latte had over any other run-of-the-mill latte. Overall rating: 2/5 stars Next Door Bake Shop Right off Prices Fork, Next Door Bake Shop fosters a welcoming atmosphere. With many comfortable chairs, a comfy couch and bright colors, it would

be difficult to not feel at home here. The store offers a large menu with many unique items, including Ghirardelli hot chocolate, a lavender latte (surprisingly delicious) and sun-dried tomato cream cheese that will knock your socks off. Next Door Bake Shop’s pumpkin spice latte is spicier than the others I tried, packing a lot of cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg. However, this one is not as creamy as the others. Overall rating: 3/5 stars Starbucks Starbucks is the home of the original pumpkin spice latte — or at least the makers of the most successful branding. Blacksburg is home to four Starbucks stores — University City Boulevard, Kent Square, Turner Street and South Main, which just opened recently at First & Main. The coffee shop’s pumpkin spice latte is bright orange and extra creamy. While this drink is the most expensive of the bunch (just over four dollars for a tall, 12-ounce drink), this latte is topped with cinnamon and creates a great balance of cinnamon and pumpkin. Overall rating: 3.5/5 stars

@CollegiateTimes

Getting to know your Homecoming King and Queen Senior Homecoming King and Queen, Pat Finn and Becky Oswalt, share their thoughts on running, giving back and their sweet victories. ASHLEY WILLS multimedia editor

Virginia Tech has a new king and queen. After weeks of planning, and a week of campaigning, Pat Finn and Becky Oswalt finally heard their names called on the Drillfield during the Homecoming Ga me. Sponsored by the G.E.R.M.A.N. Club, Finn, a senior majoring in marketing, ran on the platform “Finding Hope with Pat Finn.” T he platform, aimed at bringing mental health awareness to the campus, is working with Active Minds. Oswalt, a senior majoring in human development and Spanish, was sponsored by CRU and ran on the platform “Branch Out in Service: Support the Giving Food Pantry.” Oswalt hopes to use the Giving Food Pantry as a way to get students more involved in volunteering with the local community. C T: What made you decide to run for Homecoming? PF: I felt representative of the G.E.R.M.A.N. club, and we have a long-standing tradition of running for Homecoming, so I knew that we would have some kind of candidate. When we talked about it, they decided I was probably the best representative. Then we found that, you know, we were going to do a community outreach platform, and mental health

awareness is something that I am very passionate about. I knew it was something my organization could get passionate about. So going forward with that, we rallied around each other, and here we are. BO: I was sponsored by CRU, which is my campus ministry. We have had a candidate before, but it’s been a really long time, so it’s kind of a cool way to just let people know about CRU, what it is and things like that. I think that my biggest motivator was that last spring I started volunteering at the Giving Tree, which is the nonprofit in Christiansburg that I worked with for Homecoming, and I just loved them. They are such an incredible group of people that just welcome people in with open arms and do all kinds of programs to help break the cycle of poverty in southwestern Virginia. So I thought that if we were to connect Virginia Tech students, and their skill sets, with people who really need it in our own community, then we could really do a lot to benefit the local community. CT: How are you planning to start doing your platforms now? PF: I am helping out Active Minds. Active Minds is a mental health awareness group on campus that showcases an event called Finals Extravaganza

in the spring — right before finals week. Finals Extravaganza is essentially a Gobblerfest, but pertaining to mental health resources on campus. So, you’ve got organizations like Cook Counseling Center, Actively Caring for People, Hokie Wellness, Paws T herapy Dogs, Nationa l A l l ia nce of Mental Illness — and they’re all rolling out to the Drillfield for this awesome event, and just kind of trying to relieve the stress that is going to come — or hopefully doesn’t come — before finals week. We were allocated $1,000, and we are going to use that for any food we need, because we are going to have a

cookout after and a speaker series as well. BO: I would like to start several new programs to help connect Virginia Tech students to people in our area who need those skills, so anything as simple as budgeting personal finance stuff to job interview skills to resume skills, things like that, and just bringing the things that students know to the local community to kind of break out of the cycle of poverty. In addition to that, with the thousa nd dolla rs, because the Giving Tree is primarily a food pantry, we are going to have a whole food assembly event where we put together meals. The food pantry is great right

now, and we have lots of different donations, but sometimes they lack the more nutritious food. So we are going to try to do things to encourage more of that, and also write personal letters for people. I think for me, what I was really drawn to about the Giving Tree, was that (its) service philosophy was so personal. (The volunteers) really want to build relationships with people and let them know that they care, which I think is huge when there is such a stigma against people who are homeless, people who are in need a lot of the times in our community. CT: What was the feeling like when you

heard your name called? PF: It was definitely a whirlwind experience to say the least, just hearing my name called. I didn’t really have a reaction, I just grabbed my mom and hugged her. From there I was just like a robot, walking up to get the crown and say my few words and then walk off. It was truly awesome just to hear that because I know we worked really hard throughout the week. Just to bring awareness to such an important topic on campus, mental health, and also bringing the crown to an organization that I’m so passionate about, has given so much to me over my time here at Tech. It was just really heartwarming and felt so good. I’m just happy that everything worked out. BO: I was surprised and really excited because the pastor of Field Stone ministries, which is the church that the Giving Tree nonprofit was run out of, was there. So it was just kind of a cool moment because I knew that they were enjoying it with me. They have been so excited about what we have been doing with our campaign and all of our different ideas. To be able to share that moment with them, and with the Virginia Tech community, was really, really cool.

ANNA FRIESEN / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Homecoming Queen and King, Becky Oswalt and Pat Finn, in Squires Student Center, Sept. 30, 2016.

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Tech cross country shows out in Louisville Classic Both the men’s and women’s teams finished in the top five in the Lousville Classic, with the men taking third and the women fifth. NATHAN LOPRETE sports staff writer

CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Kristina Diana (21) kicks the ball away from the Clemson defense, Oct. 1, 2016.

SOCCER: Hokies snap losing streak with draw from page 1

corner of the field, Clemson’s Jenna Weston was able to capitalize on a free kick from senior defender Claire Wagner, heading in a cross. The goal by Weston did not shock Adair. “They came out aggressive and crashed the net. Coming into the game, Clemson had scored seven goals in conference and five of them were on set pieces. We knew they were going to come out aggressive,” Adair said. The Tigers were able to register another goal just 12 minutes later in the 64th minute. After a perfectly placed pass from the Tigers’ Catrina Atanda, freshman midfielder Julie Mackin was able to beat Virginia Tech’s backfield for a break-away goal. Virginia Tech was able to register 11 shots in the

second half of play, several coming after Clemson’s second goal. The Hokies’ attack saw several scoring opportunities, all the way up to the final minute of play. In the 89th minute, Cephers rocketed a shot that hit off the top bar. Shortly after, junior Alani Johnson had a well-placed shot saved by Clemsons’ Kailen Sheridan. The deflected shot, however, earned the Hokies a corner kick in the final seconds of play. In front of a howling home crowd, Virginia Tech was able to find the back of the net following an own-goal by the Tigers, forcing overtime. Each 10-minute half of extra time was evenly played by the ACC foes. Clemson was able to create three shots to the Hokies’ five shots in overtime, but none of the opportunities found the back of the net. After 110 minutes

of this hard-fought, divisional clash, the game concluded on a 2–2 tie, the Hokies’ first draw of the season. Adair had a positive outlook for the Hokies moving forward in the division. “We’ll continue to stay motivated … this team still has a lot to play for. We just have to make sure that we stay possession- and attackoriented and I think we’ll be just fine,” Adair said. The tie against a ranked ACC rival is a positive for the Hokies, that have struggled against elite matchups within the conference this year. Virginia Tech will attempt to earn its first divisional win this Thursday in a matchup with the Syracuse Orange.

@CTSportsTalk

The Virginia Tech cross country team traveled to Louisville for the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic on Sat u rday. Featuring 125 teams, this was the biggest race of the year so far for Tech. The Hokies have run two races in Blacksburg before this weekend. Both teams were ranked fourth in the region from the latest national poll prior to Saturday. Led by Andrew Gaiser and Katie Kennedy, the teams placed in the top five. The men took third while the women held on for fifth. Gaiser finished 12th out of 312 runners while running the 8K with a time of 24:17.69. Peter Seufer came in 16th with a time of 24:23.90. Diego Zarate and Daniel Jaskowak finished 23rd and 24th respectively. Zarate’s time was 24:35.63 a nd Ja skowa k’s wa s 24:36.32. Jack Joyce and Vincent Ciattei provided additional depth for the Hokies. The two finished 31st and 34th. Joyce, a redshirt freshman from Briar Woods, had an impressive time of 24:42.40. Daniel Rau was the seventh runner to score for Tech. The redshirt junior placed 67th. The men’s teams finished with 102 points, giving

them the third place spot. Grand Valley State took the top spot with 82 points and Middle Tennessee State finished second with 100 points. Edwin Kibichiy won the men’s 8K in 23:34.80. Jacob Choge from Middle Tennessee State took second with a time of 23:37.23.

“

The men got off to an aggressive start, which I wanted to see, but we struggled a bit in the middle of the race. We closed pretty well though.” Ben Thomas head coach

Head coach Ben Thomas was pleased with the way the team started and finished the race, but he talked about where the team could improve. “The men got off to an aggressive start, which I wanted to see, but we struggled a bit in the middle of the race. We closed pretty well, though,” Thomas said to hokiesports.com. The wo m e n’s 5K belonged to Michigan who finished with 58 points. Tech finished with 216, which earned it the fifth place spot. Tech was paced by

Kennedy who finished 16th out of 368 runners. She finished with a time of 17:15. Hanna Green came in 38th with a time of 17:35.10. Abigail Motley finished 43rd and Lauren Berman came in 61st place. Three freshmen performed well for Thomas’ team. Laurie Barton, Sarah Edwards and Sara Freix finished in the top 75. Placing 63rd, 67th and 74th the youngsters showed that Tech has solid potential developing. Thomas talked about the team needing to find depth on the women’s side. “Our women had a very efficient race, with just a 40-second spread between runners No. 1–7. Katie ran very well and if we get two more girls right there with her, we’ll be in business,” he said to hokiesports.com. Virginia Tech will have two weeks to find that depth before traveling to Pennsylvania for the Penn State National Open. Tech is starting to get into the middle part of its season and while both teams have performed impressive times so far, it will be interesting to see how they compete in tougher races in the latter part of their seasons.

@natejloprete

Montgomery County students get involved in water quality research ALY DE ANGELUS news staff writer

Virginia Tech’s Learning Enhancement Watershed Assessment System (LEWAS) is embracing new opportunities to promote communal awareness of water sustainability in Blacksburg. Serena Emanuel, a junior biological systems engineering major who does calibration maintenance and educational research for the lab, has proposed new outreach programs for elementary, middle and high school students residing in the Stroubles Creek watershed. “Our goal is to teach people how they are involved in the water cycle and don’t even know it,” Emanuel said. “I think that it’s something we remove ourselves from because we go to a faucet and don’t think about where that water is coming from.” Emanuel plans on holding various activities for students to learn about the effects of infiltration and basic causes of water contamination such as a week-long module accompanied by tutorials on how to collect data accurately. Disposable sensors will be supplied for students to take home. The students are then asked to take water quality measurements of nearby bodies of water, from which the information will be uploaded as a map on a website. “I think if (the measurements are taken) from Stroubles Creek then that could help with some of our case studies,” Emanuel said. “More importantly, it’s them feeling like they have a role in research because when you are involved and have a connection with something then you feel motivated to do something about it. “ Emanuel’s water sensor project adheres to the principles of bottom-up and top-down learning, believing that children have the power to educate their parents and hopefully continue to value

eco-friendly precautions as adults. Test modules are expected to go out to Montgomery County schools by the end of this semester. The project will also be further discussed at the Virginia Tech Science Festival on Oct. 8 in the Moss Arts Center. In addition to Emanuel’s ambitions, Vinod Lohani, Director of LEWAS Lab, emphasizes a “hands on, minds on” approach with his students in the laboratory as well. Along with conducting measurements of water parameters such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity and pH, Lohani explains that the creation of case studies in the last three years has helped enormously in gaining public appeal. Cur rently, an illicit discharge event which occurred on Sept. 20 is under investigation. It will eventually transform into case study material for future researchers once the problem has been resolved. Emanuel recalls her immediate reaction when she received news of stagnant pollutants in LEWAS’s field site after the event. “All of a sudden in the middle of the day at 2 p.m. the pH was 11.25, and a healthy range for a stream is 6-9. The crawfish were freaking out, and even in our video on the website you could see the little red crawfish trying to figure out what to do,” Emanuel said. “You can see the stream of milky white coming down, and the crazy thing is that it’s going into Duck Pond.” Recent evidence leads investigators to believe that a pipe in the watershed may have been discharging some man-made product into Stroubles Creek and the Duck Pond. This year, LEWAS lab intends to direct its focus on developing international networks with universities all over the world such as India and Australia. These schools, along with other community

colleges and universities in Virginia have already begun adopting research to apply concepts in their institutions. “It’s kind of a learn anytime, anywhere philosophy. It’s not just constrained to the four walls of the classroom,” Lohani said. “As long as you have access to the internet or smartphone, whatever, you can pull (the website) up.” Despite continual success with the LEWAS lab, troubleshooting of sensors has presented difficulties in data acquisition from time to time. Lohani says that students have even gone out in the middle of the night to fix malfunctioning sensors. He says that students’ level of dedication to the research sometimes leads to problems, such as when police are called on students working with sensors in the middle of the night. “I wake up in the morning almost every day to check my system and I know my students do the same thing,” Lohani said. Lohani is hoping for additional equipment in the coming years to assure steady progression of their studies such as high-quality sensors for other compounds like nitrate or phosphorus. Unfortunately, the estimated cost of one sensor is around $20,000. In comparison, the data processing hardware and software that LEWAS uses to display measurements, individual Raspberry Pis, range from $20 to $35. The LEWAS lab originally gained funding through Virginia Tech’s Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), which is leading a research “thrust” centered around sustainable water resources. Marc Edwards, Charles P. Lunsford professor of civil and environmental engineering and leader of the ICTAS thrust, cites his involvement with one of Virginia Tech’s first life-changing discoveries involving water quality as motivation for this type of

work. Edwards says that research like this proves that Virginia Tech’s research has been protecting the Blacksburg community’s water supply using forward-thinking technology. “We tested lead in all of the schools in Montgomery County and found a few problematic taps that were fixed,” Edwards said. “Looking at the news right now, they are finding lead in schools all around the country and thinking how they are going to fix these problems. It was a great collaboration between Montgomery County schools and Virginia Tech to make sure that every tap got tested, so that’s an example of something that was like 10 years ahead of its time when it seems like it was just good common sense.” Although Edwards is referred to as a hero for his recent work in Flint, Michigan, he believes his work is nothing out of the ordinary. “I don’t really feel like I am a hero,” Edwards said. “I don’t feel like I am a role model, I don’t even honestly like myself that much, but at the same time I am not one who is going to stand around and watch as injustice occurs that I might be able to stop as long as I’m living and breathing.” As projects such as LEWAS continue to appear at Virginia Tech, Edwards asks the public to embrace the campus motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve) wholeheartedly. “We live in an interesting time full of opportunities, but the fate of humanity depends as never before on trustworthy, altruistically minded scientists and engineers,” Edwards said. “I’m really fearful of what’s going to happen if this generation of millennials does not bend the arch of history towards justice.”

@CollegiateTimes

LIVI DEL VALLE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Audience members clap along to the Virginia Tech ﬁght song before President Timothy Sands’ State of the University Address, Sept. 30, 2016.

SANDS: Initiatives set to draw talent to Virginia Tech from page 1

considered successful after they have demonst r at e d t hei r abi l it y to attract top talent to Virginia Tech. According to Sands, he anticipates that some initiatives will be completed before others while some programs will fail before they succeed. “It was nice to hear his plans laid out so clearly because I think that’s one thing students always struggle with, is having an opportunity to hear directly from the president.” “This is the window of opportunity that is open for us today, but only for a short time,” Sands said. “If we don’t take advantage of these opportunities now, someone else will. Other universities are quickly advancing, and we’ll find ourselves watching others lead the nation and the world in areas that used to be our signature strengths.” Sands’ administration will also expand focus on four segments of university life: Experiential Learning, Cross-Sector Partnerships, Inclusion and Diversity, and Philanthropy. To increase Virginia

Tech’s philanthropic intake, Sands announced the goal of increasing the amount of money that alumni donate from 9 percent to 22 percent by 2022. “We just have to bring our alums into the fold so that they feel that its not only about mentoring and about going to football games,” Sands said, “but there’s some extra dimension and that is sustaining the university and making a great future.” Multiple members of the university’s Student Government Association attended Friday’s address, including Vice President Rex Willis. “It was nice to hear his plans laid out so clearly because I think that’s one thing students always struggle with, is having an opportunity to hear directly from the president,” Willis said. “I’m very excited with his efforts with diversity and inclusion, I think we’ve made great strides in those areas already, but I’m excited that he’s so focused on continuing that.”

@RichChumney