April 25, 2023

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VIRGINIA TECH BOARD OF VISITORS VOTES TO RAISE TUITION AND FEES

bethany hansel | assistant nEWS EDITOR

Despite concerns, the university said it will maintain its commitment to access and affordability.

On Friday, April 21, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors voted unanimously on the resolution to increase tuition and fees in the 20232024 academic year by 4.9%.

According to VTx, the annual in-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $593, while the annual out-of-state undergraduate tuition is to increase by $1,556. Comprehensive fees will increase by $208, and the yearly room and board cost will increase by $990.

This decision was fueled by rising inflation and the state-mandated 5% salary increases for university employees, along with the $19.8 million budget reduction in the 2021 fiscal year. The university has contended that it remains committed to access and affordability for all its students despite its need to increase

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tuition and fees. The Board of Visitors iterated that this is evidenced by the fact that inflation has risen 21% over the past five years, while in-state tuition has only risen by 9%.

Furthermore, the university’s Funds for the Future program provides certain students with complete protection from tuition increases. To be eligible, students’ families must make less than $100,000 a year, have demonstrated financial need and students must be enrolled full-time at the university. First-year students will not be eligible, and those who have received protection from the program for three consecutive years after their first year enrolled will no longer be eligible, either. The program also only applies to tuition and comprehensive fees and does not include protection from rising room and

board charges.

The state has additionally made plans to increase the available funds for student financial aid by $5.6 million, which the university also plans to add to in order to help limit the financial burden on low- and middleincome students.

Despite these attempts by the university to curb the financial burden on students, some have expressed concern about these increases.

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“This decision is frustrating to me. I am already stretching financially to be able to go here, and increasing tuition rates combined with cost of living has led me to consider not returning to Tech next year,” said Christian Szotak, an out-of-state sophomore engineering student. “I alone am paying for my education and I am very conscious about how much debt I am accumulating. I work and take out my own loans to be able to attend VT, pay for my apartment, buy food, and various other costs. This decision will influence me to take up a second job over the summer to try and account for the extra costs.”

In regard to the continuing graduate

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student financial concerns, the Board of Visitors expressed that increasing stipends for graduate students on assistantships is still among their top priorities. In addition to this, those students on assistantships should be subject to the 5% salary increase that will be required by the state. Still, Anna Buhle, the graduate student representative to the Board of Visitors, communicated at the meeting that she had not met a student who was in favor of the tuition increase, and she asserted that the increase would harm the already-vulnerable graduate student population.

In response to these concerns, Mark Owczarski, Virginia Tech’s director of news and information, reiterated the university’s commitment to supporting its students.

“The university and its Board of Visitors is very much aware of the challenges surrounding access and affordability,” Owczarski said. “It is why this is a very difficult decision to make and why so much effort goes into it. Virginia Tech has worked and will continue to do all it can to make a Virginia Tech degree accessible and available to all who continued on page 3

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seek it.”

continued from page 2

The Board of Visitors further noted that this tuition and fees increase is subject to possible change due to the pending state General

Assembly decision regarding university budgets. For now, though, students like Szotak remain apprehensive about how this increase will affect them.

“The Board of Visitors has to understand that

many students are already struggling with their current tuition, especially with how high inflation rates have gotten,” Szotak said. “The increased tuition would be a disservice to the students that are already paying high rates and working hard to

OPINIONS

succeed here.”

GIVE THE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP THE RESPECT IT DESERVES

SARAH

LEBERKNIGHT | OPINIONS CONTRIBUTOR

The Women’s World Cup offers immense talent and excitement that should not be overlooked.

On Dec. 18, 2022, the world gathered to watch as Lionel Messi and Argentina triumphed over France in a World Cup Final that will go down in history. The whole month leading up to that fateful day was filled with soccer games and related festivities — but after the final, it was over. Fans would have to wait another four years to watch the biggest soccer tournament in the world. Except, that’s not exactly true. What so many seem to forget, or ignore, is that there is a Women’s World Cup coming up this summer in Australia and New Zealand. From July 20 to August 20, there will be a plethora of soccer matches that fans should get excited to watch — just because they aren’t men doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. The Women’s World Cup deserves to be watched, appreciated and respected.

In the grand scheme of things, the Women’s World Cup is new. The first was held in China in 1991, and in total there have only been eight tournaments, the ninth coming up this summer. The men, on the other hand, have had 22 total competitions since their tournament began in 1930. So, the men’s World Cup has the upper hand thanks to the fact that it’s been around longer. However, what’s really holding the Women’s World Cup back from being as celebrated and watched isn’t how long they’ve been around — it’s that they’re not men.

Sexism in soccer is prevalent across the globe, and it’s most recently been highlighted by the fight for equal pay by the U.S. Women’s National Team, especially after U.S. Soccer got caught making sexist claims against the team. This perception of women’s soccer being “less than” isn’t uncommon either. Research has found that an overwhelming number of male soccer fans, over 66%, have

derogatory opinions against women’s soccer. The Women’s World Cup, and women’s soccer as a whole, are set up to fail because they can’t escape the sexist prejudice against them from fans, which is both absurd and immensely unfortunate. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and fans should embrace the idea of consuming as much soccer as they possibly can, no matter what gender the players are. The Women’s World Cup doesn’t deserve to be, and shouldn’t be, put down or ignored because the players are women. Women, like their male counterparts, are beyond capable of bringing out the best in the sport, and the USWNT proves it.

The U.S. National Men’s team hasn’t won a single World Cup, but the USWNT can’t say the same. They’ve won half of the world cups ever hosted: 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019. Plus, they were runners-up in 2011 and third place in 1995, 2003 and 2007, meaning they’ve always placed in a World Cup. So to say that they aren’t as skilled, or aren’t worth the time of day, just simply isn’t true because they’ve done what the men’s team cannot. They have some of the biggest names in the women’s soccer world, from senior members Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe to younger players Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson. American soccer fans should be ecstatic that they have a world-class team and should absolutely be looking forward to this upcoming tournament because the U.S. actually has a shot at winning.

The tournament has so much to offer, and it’s time fans stop ignoring it. Previous Women’s World Cup matches have been far from dull with many riveting moments, and if the past is evident of what’s to come, then soccer fans should be excited to watch this tournament. In the previous Women’s World

Cup in 2019, the U.S. National Women’s team broke the record for highest scoring Women’s World Cup game when they beat Thailand 13–0. Other high-scoring games from past tournaments include Germany’s 11–0 to Argentina in 2007, and Germany’s 10–0 win over Ivory Coast in 2015. High scores aren’t everything, either. Carli Lloyd scored the first hat trick (3 goals in one game) for the Women’s World cup final in 2015, leading to a 5–2 win against Japan. In 1995, Sweden was down 0–2 to Germany but had a comeback to beat them 3–2. And in 1999, the USA’s Kristine Lilly used her head to stop what would’ve been a tournament-winning goal from China when even the goalkeeper wasn’t able to prevent it. This enabled the U.S. to take home their second World Cup win after beating China in penalty kicks. No matter the year, the Women’s World Cup has generated many eventful, exciting and even heartbreaking games. Fans should be eager to watch the upcoming tournament because it will surely provide the action fans desire.

While it’s true that the superstars of men’s soccer like Messi and Christiano Ronaldo won’t be gracing the screens in a world cup this summer, that doesn’t mean that the world can’t watch excellent soccer players in the upcoming tournament. The world of women’s soccer has its own roster of legends that hold numerous records and bring life to games. Christine Sinclair, a Canadian player, is currently the all-time scorer for international goals — for both women and men — at 190 goals. She joins Marta Silva, a Brazilian player who currently holds the most World Cup goals (17) ever, as the only two women to have scored in five separate world cups — which they both did before Ronaldo could join that record. Other stars include Australia’s captain

Sam Kerr, a three-time golden boot winner; Wendie Renard, the French captain who’s been included in the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 for the past seven years; Viviane Midema, a Dutch player with the all-time scoring record for the Netherlands’ men’s and women’s teams; and Alexia Putellas of Spain, who’s a two-time Ballon d’Or winner. The list goes on. There are so many talented, eye-catching players in the world of women’s soccer, and they will be at the upcoming tournament, ready to put on a performance that will be as interesting and exciting as the ones seen from the well-known male superstars.

If it’s thrilling competition that viewers are looking for, there is plenty of intensity to go around in the Women’s World Cup, the same intensity as the men’s. The upcoming tournament will feature a slew of feisty teams with a competition level that matches the men’s — they all want to win the trophy and become the world champions, but that’s easier said than done. The USWNT may be the favorite as the reigning champions, but the other international teams will be bringing the heat to take them down. England’s women’s team won the European Championships and went undefeated in 2022 with 16 wins and four ties. However, this unbeaten streak was recently broken by the Matildas, Australia’s national women’s team and the hosts of the upcoming World Cup. Brazil took home the trophy from the most recent Women’s Copa America. Germany is ranked as second best in the world according to FIFA’s rankings, with Sweden not far behind.

With a number of star players and coaches on each and every team, the win won’t come easy to any country, meaning that the tournament is bound to be bursting with as much continued on page 4

competition and excitement as the men’s World Cup. These teams are the best in the world amongst women’s soccer, and they bring just as much to the table as the men. They deserve to be respected and embraced

in the same manner that the men and their tournament have been.

Soccer is the world’s sport, a sport for every player and fan. FIFA’s World Cups are the pinnacle of international soccer and should be a uniting force for lovers of the game, not

something that divides them. The Women’s World Cup has so much to offer for both casual and serious fans. With talented players and exciting matches, it should not be overlooked merely because it’s not a men’s tournament. This summer, everyone should be watching

the Women’s World Cup. continued from page 3

@COLLEGIATETIMES

LIFESTYLES EXPLORING VULNERABILITY ON ‘THE RECORD’ WITH BOYGENIUS

ALEJANDRA CABALLERO | LIFESTYLES CONTRIBUTOR

Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus join forces again on their first full-length record.

What do you think of when you hear the term “boygenius?” Maybe a child prodigy, or a know-it-all. Definitely not an indie-rock pop group made of three strong, empowered queer women that each bring something unique to the table. This power trio happened by a sort of cosmic alignment. Julien Baker was on her first tour as a solo artist, where Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus were her opening acts. Though all three were strong solo artists before, Baker had a feeling they would all click. This spark later turned into an impromptu recording session, where they recorded six songs in one day. In 2018, these six miraculous songs turned into an EP and a supergroup named boygenius, poking fun at the irony of the name while also nodding to male self-absorption and revamping it. After the pandemic, each member felt a new phase coming their way and knew they were in a time where they just needed each other’s backs as friends, which led to the 2023 release of this record, titled “the record,” that’s about a group finding themselves through friendship.

Starting off, we find ourselves immersed in the opener, “With You Without Them,” which is a soft, harmonious sort of hymn that swoons and coos in the listener’s ear as it talks about the people of our past and where we would be without them. Had they not entered our lives, where would we find ourselves without them now? Reminiscing on the impactful figures in our lives, the 1940s vintage harmonies and chords sonically bring us back in time.

Transitioning from a sentimental blast from the past, we transition to modern-day rock band instrumentals. The trio continues with the haunting harmonies that somehow still work under the rhythmic crashing of cymbals and deliberate electric guitar strumming

in their debut single for the album, “$20.” Throughout the track, Baker sings about being reckless, with Dacus harmonizing and Bridgers doing a final scream to release the stress of being free and young with the pent-up tension in the song being beaten out through the band.

Keeping the same theme of rhythmic tension over agonizing lyrics of being young, “Satanist” is a headbanger of a song. In unison, the trio use their harmonizing to balance out the crashing of the band and the smashing instrumentals that just make you want to set something on fire. Bridgers again repeats her ear-shattering wail that should come across as painful, yet the build up and focus on agony make it a euphoric end to the pain. The song transitions into a peaceful outro, accepting that rebellion and youthfulness are temporary.

The willingness to risk being wounded and hurt requires real vulnerability, and boygenius explores this theme through the unique lens of genuine friendship. What makes this ensemble so refreshing is somehow being able to mix modern indie-rock and old rock ‘n’ roll influences like The Cure throughout the track. Bridgers, Baker and Dacus somehow have the rare talent of showcasing what they individually offer while also coming together and sounding like they are one unique voice, being a force of nature with so much more to give.

I give this album an 8/10 for its strong instrumentation, with Bridgers, Baker and Dacus adding their own chapters to a larger story — and I hope the story continues for years to come.

I-81 SOUTH: HISTORICAL TOWNS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

EMELIA DELAPORTE | LIFESTYLES ASSISTANT EDITOR

Travel to Saltville and Abingdon with lifestyles assistant editor Emelia Delaporte.

Of all the unsung beauties of the American interstate system, the reading material might be among the best — signs passing to the left and right, living in a bored passenger’s eye just long enough to pique their interest.

I drove the southern section of Virginia’s longest interstate with a bored passenger from Radford University in March, with the aim of spending a day in Abingdon. A few miles north of Chilhowie, we passed a brown sign that read “Museum Of The Middle Appalachians.” My traveling companion was minoring in Appalachian Studies at Radford University — on account of that academic motivation, our charted course of the day quickly changed. Saltville became our first stop.

Saltville, which is home to the Museum of the Middle Appalachians, is a well-historied but often overlooked town straddling Washington and Smyth Counties. The small town has been home to Civil War battles, the production of the fuel that powered Apollo 11, the Muck Dam Disaster, the country’s first bleaching powder, the world’s largest dry ice plant at the time of its creation and more.

“The museum is one of the main tourist attractions in Saltville, we get people in from all over the United States and all over the world,” said Lauren Rhea, administrative assistant at the museum. “We serve to preserve the history of Saltville, which is extensive and rich. It gets overlooked a lot, especially by people who grew up here — it’s kind of like, if you grew up in Appalachia you see the mountains all the time and you don’t realize how beautiful they are until you come back.”

Rhea, whose family has lived in southwest Virginia for generations, also emphasized the importance of the museum in contributing to the future of the town. The museum, as a tourist attraction, is a chance to bring people in from outside the town and the greater Appalachian region and to show them what came before that is worth keeping.

“A lot of times it kind of seems like a bad thing that everybody knows everybody and everybody’s business, but at the end of the

day there’s nobody who’s gonna look out for you and your family and your kids, if you have them, more so than people you grew up with that you’ve known your entire life,” Rhea said. “You know their grandparents, you know which house is theirs. There’s a kind of nostalgia (in) the idyllic small town America that I think really gets captured in Appalachia.”

Half an hour further into Washington County from Saltville is Abingdon, another small town — in comparison to Saltville’s less than 2,000 inhabitants, though, Abingdon sits large at more than 8,000.

Abingdon plays host to a number of tourist attractions, including the Virginia Creeper Trail, the Martha Washington Inn and the Barter Theatre. The town has a reputation as one of the best small towns in the south.

The Barter Theatre, which has been in operation since 1933, has been a significant

part of that. It serves around 140,000 people a year and is the nation’s longestrunning professional theater, as well as the state theater of Virginia.

“Barter is an Abingdon institution, really a vital organ,” said Amber Fiorini, director of sales and services. “Barter impacts the entire region, not just (southwest Virginia). I mentally picture someone drawing a circle in a three-hour radius around Abingdon, that is our core audience and support. That circle will include Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia and Kentucky.”

Abingdon is home to a thriving arts community, ranging from theater to cuisine to architecture and beyond.

“It’s hard to put into words how this region feels that Barter Theatre belongs to the people of Appalachia,” Fiorini said. “Everything we do and every decision we make is based around doing this for our audience and having a voice for the people

of Appalachia, it’s been this way since day one in 1933.”

The vigor of the arts scene in southwest Virginia and Appalachia as a whole is evident to anyone who takes the time to look. Just another twenty minutes down the road from Abingdon on the outskirts of Washington County is the state-split Bristol, known as the birthplace of country music.

“(Appalachia) is a beautiful place both in its history and its geography and I just wish that more people valued it the way that select people do,” Rhea said. “I wish that we weren’t looked down upon.”

EMELIA DELAPORTE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Isabelle Mohl, Appalachian Studies minor at Radford University, in front of a mural in Bristol.

A GLIMPSE INTO NEWMAN’S DVD COLLECTION

Aidan Mason | lifestyles staff writer

Students may be surprised to learn just how up-to-date Newman Library’s collection is.

Modern day life seems almost impossible to imagine without movies. Most people you’ll ask will have a favorite movie on hand, and there are countless websites and clubs that are specifically designed to talk about movies.

In terms of watching them, there are plenty of choices. There’s the modern advent of 4k discs and streaming services such as Disney+ and HBOMax, alongside the older and somewhat forgotten DVD/Blu-Ray market. However, if you look around the campus, you’ll find that there’s another option that Virginia Tech students have a unique opportunity to take advantage of: the Newman Library’s DVD collection. While streaming services may be convenient, having a physical copy in your hand that can’t be taken down on a streaming service’s website is a treasure. As such, the Newman collection is a remarkable resource that you should check out, and here’s why.

It’s modern ...

With many libraries, the biggest problem with their DVD section is that most of it is out of date. Movies that came out within a year are

often absent, or sometimes even movies from two or three years ago.

With Newman, this isn’t the case. It has a stock of recent movies, including smash hits from last year like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “Top Gun Maverick,” as well as critically acclaimed movies such as “Elvis” and “Nope.”

… yet classic

At the same time, the library doesn’t forget the classics. There are plenty of old movies to enjoy, such as “Alien,” “1917” and countless others that have made their mark on cinema. If you’ve ever wanted to get into movies, this is the perfect place to start.

The convenience

Newman is smack dab on campus, so it’s easy to hop off the bus or your car and head right to Newman before or in-between classes.

For freshmen and students still living in dorms, it’s even easier. With it being a short walk away from the dorms, you can bring it back within the span of 30 minutes, and that’s on the longer end.

The cost

Streaming services are extremely convenient, but there’s one factor that dampens it: the cost. While it may seem small, even $9.99 a month can add up over the period of a year. Additionally, prices are increasing with inflation, with some getting into the double digits or even $20.

Not only that, but if you want most of the newest movies, there are multiple streaming services you’ll have to subscribe to. Often a streaming service will only have a certain selection, meaning you’ll need to pay for multiple services even if you only want certain movies from each site. Also, let’s not forget the simple fact that a streaming service can remove a movie or TV show at any time (such as HBOMax removing “Infinity Train”), so your monthly payment might not even guarantee that you’ll get what you came for.

In the library, however, things are different. Even if it’s checked out, there’s a guarantee that at some point in the very near future, the DVD will be back on the shelves and you can pick it up to watch.

In terms of cost, library usage is part of your tuition, and you have full access to its services.

Because of that, you don’t have to shell out money every month for a subscription.

Other services

It’s easy to think that you cannot enjoy the DVD section without an external device or a DVD player. Thankfully, the library provides yet another option for your predicament.

The library has its own streaming service, which you can access here with your Virginia Tech account. While it may not be as large as the physical media collection, it still has plenty of critically acclaimed titles, such as “All the President’s Men,” “Star Wars” and “Arrival.” Best of all, it’s completely free.

Now of course, that doesn’t mean you should instantly give up your current services. The library does still lag a few months behind in terms of modern releases, and there are plenty of films they don’t have. But, if you want to spend less money on streaming services or just add more options to your collection, Newman Library should definitely be on your radar.

TAHREEN ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Virgil Thornton II, a sophomore civil and environmental engineering major, watches “The Dragon Prince” in Newman Library, Sept. 20, 2018.

SPORTS SOFTBALL SWEPT BY FLORIDA STATE

Sam Mostow | Assistant sports editor

The Hokies have lost three straight games.

No. 22 Virginia Tech softball’s weekend started off poorly and only got worse.

The Hokies (33–15, 12–9 ACC) lost their third consecutive game to No. 5 Florida State (39–8, 16–2 ACC) on Saturday, losing by mercy-rule in the fifth inning. Per NCAA rules, if one team is ahead by eight runs after five innings, the game ends.

Emma Lemley being Tech’s only reliable pitcher in big games is proving to be detrimental. Lemley only pitched 1.2 innings,

allowing seven runs and seven hits, walking one and striking out three. She only faced 14 batters, throwing 49 pitches.

The Seminoles scored the first 12 runs of the game, across the first three innings. Notably, first baseman Mack Leonard hit a home run in the third inning, scoring second baseman Devyn Flaherty and third baseman Kalei Harding.

Tech then scored six consecutive runs in the third, although they trailed by six

runs going into the fourth inning. Second baseman Cameron Fagan reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring shortstop Teagan Thrunk.

Jayme Bailey then hit a three-run shot down the left field line, scoring Fagan and right fielder Addy Greene. Continuing the rally, left fielder Emma Ritter hit a home run, scoring designated player Bre Peck, concluding the six-run inning.

Unfortunately for the Hokies, their luck

ended there. Florida State scored another four runs, finishing off the nine-run win. Tech will look to curb their three-game losing streak on Tuesday against Marshall (37–7, 12–3 Conference USA) at 3 p.m.

@CTSPORTSTALK

MADDY DJURIC / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Virginia Tech third baseman Kelsey Bennett (8) looks to the umpire for a call after making a play against Florida State’s Devyn Flaherty (9), April 22, 2023.

HOKIES LOSE SERIES FINAL IN TALLAHASSEE

Ethan owens | sports staff writer

Tech won two out of three against Florida State.

The Virginia Tech baseball team (23–14, 10–10 ACC) fell in their series finale against Florida State (14–25, 5–16 ACC) on Sunday, 4–3. Despite the loss, the Hokies still took the series, winning the first two games. This series marked the Hokies’ third ACC series victory of the season.

The pitching shined for both teams on Sunday, with no runs being scored in the final five innings. Carson Montgomery started the game for the Seminoles, pitching the first four innings and giving up the three runs to the Hokies. Jamie Arnold, who was awarded the win, and Doug

Kirkland, who picked up the two-inning save, pitched two innings each and gave up no runs.

The Hokies’ pitching staff was solid as well, especially since they were missing one of their starting pitchers this weekend: Griffin Green. Tech started Jonah Hurney, who is typically known for his work out of the bullpen. He threw the first three innings and gave up three runs. Jacob Exum pitched the next three and a third innings and only gave up one run, but he was tagged with the loss since it ended up being the winning run.

Florida State scored the first three runs on Sunday with an RBI single from McGwire Holbrook in the first inning, then a two-run home run from James Tibbs III in the third.

The Hokies caught up quickly, scoring three runs in the fourth inning. RBI singles from Clay Grady and Carson DeMartini tied the game up at three. However, the tie did not last long as DeAmez Ross hit a single to score Nander De Sedas to put the Seminoles up 4–3, which was the final score.

The Hokies are now 10–10 in ACC play,

MADDY DJURIC / COLLEGIATE TIMES

David Bryant (8) hits his first of two home runs, April 16, 2023.

still near the middle of the coastal division. The Hokies will host James Madison on April 25 in their midweek game.