March 13, 2018
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COLLEGIATETIMES
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
NO. 8 HOKIES MAKE NCAA TOURNAMENT Virginia Tech is scheduled to play Alabama on Thursday, March 15 at 9:20 p.m. at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Virginia Tech students open new late-night Board of Visitors coffee and dessert shop on North Main Street looks to increase
Ever craving a late-night coffee and dessert? Our writer reviews Foamo, North Main Street’s new coffee shop, run by Hokies and featuring a refreshingly simple menu. SAMEERA SUNKARA lifestyles staff writer
Coffee, crepes and ice cream: What could be a better combination? Foamo, a new cafe located at 700 North Main St. in Blacksburg, officially opened on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. This cafe pairs classic drinks with delicious desserts and creates an urban coffee house vibe with a picturesque aesthetic. Foamo is an entirely st u d e nt- r u n b u si n e s s owned by Virginia Tech senior Youssef Rhanime. He started developing the concept with his brother Mehdi during Youssef’s junior year. “I opened Foamo in an effort to offer unmatched service and aesthetics in Blacksburg, while at the same time working towards giving back to the community in a very hands on way,” Rhanime said. “We built the place with our own two hands.” Unlike typical cafes, which tend to serve a multitude of pastries and a large variety of drinks, Foamo has a very simple menu. “It’s made up of my favorite foods: crepes, ice cream, coffee, and chai,” Rhanime said. Drinks include several styles of coffee with two flavors: vanilla and caramel; and three options of roasts: Guatemalan light roast, Brazilian medium roast and Indian dark roast. For those
student tuition
The Board of Visitors will consider up to a 4.9 percent tuition increase. MEGHAN PRIESMAN news staff writer
KATELYN MEADE / COLLEGIATE TIMES The outside of Foamo, Blacksburg’s newest coffee shop, March 9, 2018.
who don’t like coffee, there are also several varieties of tea and juice on the menu. In regards to food, Foamo serves mostly desserts. These include popular European favorites like macaroons and tiramisu, as well as a variety of flavored crepes and rolled ice creams. There are seven different crepe flavors, the most popular of which are chocolate, Oreo and vanilla ice cream. The rolled ice cream flavors are divided into three main categories: candy, which consists of popular candy bars such as Snickers, Kit Kats and Twix; cereal, which includes four cereal favorites, including Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Puffs;
HOKIES FALL TO IRISH AT TOURNAMENT The Hokies suffered a tough loss, 71–65.
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and three premium flavors: Ferrero Rocher, Milano and Kinder. The service at Foamo is excellent, and despite the cafe being extremely popular and crowded, the staff makes sure to interact with each and every customer. Food is served in an extremely visually pleasing manner, on a perfectly rectangular slab of wood, with the exception of rolled ice cream, which is served in a paper cup. Crepes are neatly folded and drizzled with the customer’s flavor of choice with whipped cream on the side. One can’t help but take a picture of one’s food. The inside of the restaurant is aesthetically
appealing, modern but not edgy and unique in its own way. Everything from the floors and ceiling to the tables and shelves appear to be different shades of brown, giving the place a simple, woodsy tone. The walls by the entrance are lined with shelves full of succulents, adding to the naturesque look. Unfortunately, Foamo does not offer any delivery or to-go options at this point, but who knows what could be added in the future? The cafe is open from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., perfect for those who want to grab a latenight bite. @CollegiateTimes
EVENTS ON CAMPUS COMING THIS MARCH Check out what to do in Blacksburg this month.
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T he university has provided notice that the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will meet to discuss an increase in tuition as well as Educational and General (E&G) fees for the next school year. For all students — with the exception of doctorate students in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine — the cost of tuition could rise between 2.9 percent to 4.9 percent. All students, including those in the VirginiaMaryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, could also experience between a 2.9 percent to 4.9 percent increase in mandatory non-E&G fees. Both increases apply to incoming and returning students, as well as those in- and out-of-state. For those who are a part of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, tuition and E&G fees could potentially rise between 2.7 percent to 3.9 percent. On Monday, March 26, 2018 in 2100 Torgerson Hall, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors will finalize financial decisions concerning students’ tuition and fees for the 2018–19 academic school year during its regularly quarterly meeting. Voting for a
tuition increase will occur on the second and final day of the meeting, when the entire board meets in open session. Virginia Tech is also p r o p o si ng i n st it ut i ng program-specific fees for both undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in high-demand disciplines “to improve the quality of education.” Only incoming students would be subject to these fees. The cost of the fees has yet to be confirmed, but could be as much as $620 per semester. Only students in the engine er i ng, a rch it e ct u re, business and agriculture disciplines will be impacted by these program-specific fees. The university plans to use this additional revenue to improve all academic aspects and campus life. The board, according to Virginia Tech News, intends for the program-specific fees to “address higher instructional costs, ensure continued academic quality and maintain advanced technology and expand enrollment opportunities.” In addition, the increase in mandatory non-E&G fees focuses on the “increasing demand for counseling and health services, transit service, career services and advanced networking.”
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