Aug. 26, 2011

Technique Friday, August 26, 2011 • Volume 97, Issue 6 • nique.net

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Vivá la Revolución

Square Enix's Deus Ex: Human Revolution transcends the FPS genre.414

Freshmen change campus dynamic

Incoming class includes more women, out-of-staters

Ga. college students protest state immigration policy

By Emily Cardin Staff Writer

of Georgia, 30 percent are out-of-state domestic students, while nine percent are international students.

“In Georgia, we are getting about the same number [of applications]. The real growth is from outside of Georgia. The biggest notables regions are the Northeast, California and China,” Clark said.

According to Clark, Tech’s undergraduate class size is expected to be kept relatively constant in the foreseeable future, with the same relative ratio between residents, out of state domestics and international students. Thus, this trend of increasing selectivity is expected to continue as the number of applica-

Georgia was dealt with many new developments in the ongoing immigrations debate on Tuesday, as high school students gathered at the University of Georgia (UGA) to protest immigration policies while authorities began releasing several undocumented immigrants from federal custody farther south.

High school students from around the state met at the Arch on UGA’s campus to protest the newly implemented immigration policies regarding the documentation of students’ immigration status.

Over 200 students, mainly from the Athens area, identifying themselves as the Georgia Undocumented Youth Alliance (GUYA), staged a mock graduation at the Arch. Many of the protesters then traveled around the northern part of the campus, yelling chants against deportation and ending outside the admission offices.

“This is a heated and hotly contested political issue,” says Vicki Birchfield, Associate Professor of INTA. According to GUYA’s website, the protest was in response to the decision by the Board of Regents (BoR) in Oct. to effectively ban students without correct legal documentation from attending five universities in Georgia, starting Fall 2011.

Students who cannot prove that they are legal residents or U.S. citizens cannot be admitted to UGA, Georgia State University, Georgia College and State University, Tech and the Georgia Health Sciences University as in-state students, according to the new BoR policy. Undocumented students can still attend these universities, but they must pay the more expensive out-of-state tuition.

“I think this is a very complex issue,” said Jordan Lockwood, a second-year BA major. “Education is key to fostering social equity, although tax payers may be unfairly denied the services they de-

See Freshmen, page 4

See Protest, page 4

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

The incoming freshman class for the Fall 2011 semester is comprised of approximately 38 percent women. Despite this marked increase in women, the overall male-to-female ratio on campus is relatively unaffected at about 7:3.

By Henry Duong Staff Writer

One word used to describe broad groups of college students that evokes the most vivid images and memories is the word “freshman.” This week, Tech welcomed its newest freshman class, the class of 2015, onto campus.

The Office of Undergraduate Admission released a statistical profile of the class of 2015 based on the information of accepted students who have mailed in their deposit. The total number of applicants this year was 14,226, a five percent increase from last year and a new record, with Tech accepting 7207 students and receiving 2749 acceptance

deposits. The average high school GPA of the entering class is 3.88, and the average combined SAT score is 2030.

Regarding the increasingly competitive admission for undergraduate studies at Tech, the acceptance rate this year was 51.5 percent versus 63 percent just four years ago.

“More students are graduating from high schools, and students are applying to more schools these days, but we have seen a bigger growth at Tech than some of our competitors. The bottom line is, [that] it’s a lot harder to get in now,” said Rick Clark, the Director of Undergraduate Admissions.

Approximately 60 percent of the class of 2015 are residents of the state

Sorority recruitment experiences record participation

By Kamna Bohra Managing Editor

Due to an overall increase in the percentage of women in the incoming freshman class, a record number of 400 girls went through sorority recruitment this past week, and with each girl who filled out a preference card receiving a bid, 315 girls ultimately accepted bids from sororities, according to Armina Khwaja, the Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC) President and a fifthyear BA major.

Tech hosts nine chapters of sororities, seven of which are national and undergo formal recruitment and two of which are associate members who go through informal recruitment.

With chapter totals now at an average of 130 members per sorority at Tech, Khwaja does not expect a new chapter to appear on campus for another five to ten years, despite the increase in women.

The establishment of new chapters requires more houses and land space. Furthermore,

not all girls who go through the recruitment process ultimately accept a bid, due to realizations that Greek life is not an appropriate fit or financial stresses.

One difference in the recruitment process for this year was to reduce the decorations in each house “to make it more about the conversation, the bonding and the sisterhood,” Khwaja said.

Due to the unexpected increase in girls interested in recruitment, CPC made recruitment days longer to accommodate all potential new members.

In addition to these changes in sorority recruitment processes, members of sororities are no longer allowed to attend fraternity rush, due to a unanimous vote by 26 delegates to the National Panhellenic Conference.

The reasoning behind this change to the Greek rush and recruitment process is that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 reserves fraternities’ and sororities’

rights to be single-sex organizations, so a mix of genders at Greek rush and recruitment forfeits those rights to stay single-sex organizations, according to Khwaja.

“I think it helped put the focus of recruitment on the sororities themselves and allowed girls to make decisions based on what each sorority represents, and not so much on who they associate with,” said Judy Bau, Vice President of Member Recruitment at Alpha Phi and a fifth-year ISyE major.

While this was a culture change and adjustment for Tech students, members of Greek life at Auburn, Clemson, UGA and Emory did not experience much change, as it is not part of their campus cultures for students to attend rush or recruitment for groups of the opposite gender.

CPC asked chapter presidents to hold their respective members accountable for this policy change, but if multiple offenses occur, CPC would take over with its own judicial processes.

Photo by Virginia Lin / Student Publications

Of 400 girls who participated in Greek recruitment, 315 accepted bids. Run for the Roses then allows girls to meet each other and fraternity members.

NEWS

2 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

Technique

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique publishes on Fridays weekly during the fall and spring and biweekly during the summer.

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News Editor: Kamna Bohra / news@nique.net Opinions Editor: Chris Russell / opinions@nique.net Focus Editor: Siddharth Gurnani / focus@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng / entertainment@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani / sports@nique.net

Follow us online: http://nique.net Twitter: @the_nique Copyright © 2011, Vijai Narayanan, Editor-in-Chief, and by the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the Editor-in-Chief or from the Board of Student Publications. The ideas expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Student Publications, the students, staff, or faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology or the University System of Georgia.

First copy free—for additional copies call (404) 894-2830

From the files of the GTPD...

Campus Crime

By Vijai Narayanan Editor-in-Chief Drunken punch

An officer observed a group of four students—one male and three females—who appeared to be ill at the Curran Street Parking Deck in West Campus during the early morning hours of Aug. 21.

The male student was lying face down on the ground and appeared to be asleep. One of the female students was lying on her side and was unresponsive. A second female student was sitting with her head on her hands. The third female student was trying to get the other two to stand up.

Grady EMS arrived and tried to give the male student shots to

restore consciousness. The student became responsive soon after.

When a paramedic attempted to start an IV, the student punched the paramedic’s jaw. The paramedic chose not to prosecute.

The female who had been found lying on her side became responsive after some time but was unable to walk. Officers sat her down and monitored her until paramedics arrived.

The male and two females were transported to Grady Hospital.

Ex-boyfriend trouble

A female student called GTPD the afternoon of Aug. 22 to report

her ex-boyfriend for physically harming her. She stated that she had invited her ex-boyfriend to her room when he began talking about their past, which she did not want to do. According to her, he started to kick her out of anger. The female student was left with a mark below her knee and a cracked toenail. The responding officer found the male student in the ULC lobby, where the incident occurred. The situation was then turned over to investigators who arrived on the scene.

Stolen chair

A young white male was stopped while carrying a chair on Techwood Drive at 3 a.m. on Aug. 17. The male stated that a friend gave him the chair. Upon questioning, the male student admitted he had stolen the chair from the Kappa Alpha Fraternity front porch. Charges were not pressed.

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What did you think of the First Day Lecture?

Tell us at nique.net

NEWS

First Day Lecture adopted

By Nishant Prasadh Development Editor

The First Day Lecture, an initiative that debuted under a pilot program in the Ivan Allen College (IAC) last spring, was introduced to the rest of the campus during the first week of this semester’s classes. As part of the program, professors in all majors were encouraged—but not required—to take time during the first lecture of the semester to discuss their academic backgrounds and research interests with their students.

The initiative emerged as the result of a joint effort among the Student Advisory Board for Undergraduate Research (SABUR), the IAC Student Advisory Board (IAC SAB) and SGA’s Academic Affairs Committee.

“The two primary goals of this effort were to facilitate better communication between faculty and students and to encourage more undergraduate research,” said Executive Vice President Austen Edwards, who served as SGA’s Executive Director of Academic Affairs last year.

Conceptualization of the First Day Lecture began in discussions among SABUR and the IAC SAB about how to increase student involvement in undergrad research. “[Former IAC SAB President Alex Henke] wanted to just start out by having [IAC] professors talk about their research to students, and I was really excited about the idea because I had also been thinking about doing something like that campus-wide. So

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 3

Breaking

Bubble the

A

lot of things went on outside the bubble of Tech in the past week. Here are a few important events taking place throughout the nation and the world.

Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple

Photo by Will Folsom / Student Publications

The First Day Lecture initiative seeks to improve student-faculty relationships and to increase undergrad research participation. we figured we should team up,” said Katy Hammersmith, SABUR President and a fourth-year BME major.

SGA’s Academic Affairs Committee, which worked to establish the Student-Faculty Expectations Agreement last year to improve student-faculty relations, became involved with the discussions late last fall and worked alongside SABUR and the IAC SAB to develop the initiative. With help from IAC Associate Dean John Tone, the students were able to set up a meeting with the Associate Deans from various colleges at Tech and quickly gained their support for the initiative.

“Major [credit] should be given

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to Dr. Tone. When he heard the idea, he got really passionate behind it, and when he introduced it to the other Associate Deans of the university, his drive for it really convinced them,” said Elena Petrakieva, IAC SAB President and a fourth-year ECON/INTA major.

Since the First Day Lecture debuted across all of the Institute’s colleges, professors have generally been receptive to the idea and have taken up the opportunity to discuss their backgrounds.

“You’re asking professors to talk about their research, and that’s what they are really passionate about too,” Hammersmith said.

Apple announced on Wednesday that its long-time CEO Steve Jobs would be stepping down from the post effective immediately. Jobs, 56, had been on his third medical leave to fight cancer prior to his resignation. He has, however, appeared in public recently to launch Apple products.

“I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role,” Jobs said in his letter of resignation.

Jobs will be replaced by COO Tim Cook, who is currently serving as interim CEO. At his own request, Jobs was elected Chairman of the Apple Board.

“Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights,

creativity and inspiration,” said Art Levinson on behalf of Apple’s Board in a press release.

This is the second time Jobs has left Apple, the first being in 1985 when he left after internal strife within the company caused him to leave and pursue several independent business ventures, including Pixar. Jobs returned to Apple in 1996, overseeing the introduction of the iPod and several other initiatives which vaulted Apple to widespread success.

Quake rocks East Coast States from Maine to Georgia experienced one of the strongest earthquakes in the century on Tuesday, startling an area not known for frequent geological activity, but causing relatively few injuries.

As reported in the Washington Post, insurance consulting firm EQECAT preliminarily priced damage between $200 and $300 million. The firm estimated less than $100 million to be insured.

Many federal buildings were evacuated in Washington, D.C., 80 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter near Mineral, Va. Several national landmarks were damaged, including the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral.

NEWS

4 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

Protest

from page 1

serve. I don’t think that there exists a blanket solution; sensitivity is important.”

The new policy came in the wake of the controversial admissions case of Kennesaw University student, Jessica Colotl, in May 2011. The policy was instituted because of recommendations made by the Residency Verifica-

tion Committee, which was created to address the issues of undocumented students’ residency and tuition.

So far only one student in the state of Georgia has been barred from enrolling at one of the five affected institutions. Georgia State University denied one undocumented student enrollment, according to a statement by university spokeswoman Andrea

Jones.

All admitted Tech students for the Fall semester have met all the necessary enrollment criteria specified by the BoR, but admissions officers canceled three applications after the students were found to be undocumented. According to Institute spokesperson Matt Nagel, these students were directed to other universities.

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

The incoming freshman class includes about 38 percent women, which represents a marked difference from previous classes.

Freshmen

Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications

The most recent immigration policy in the state of Ga. denies in-state status to students at five major universities and colleges in the state for students who cannot prove that they are legal residents.

from page 1

tions increases further.

Perhaps the most obvious and most discussed demographic issue at Tech is the gender ratio. Traditionally, Tech has enrolled freshman classes with approximately 28 percent women each year, but this year, almost 38 percent of the freshman class are women.

One of Tech’s stated goals is to be a top producer of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, and the Office of Undergraduate Admission has undertaken a number of efforts to increase interest and awareness of Tech in female high school students, such as FUTURES, a visitation program for high school females, as well as programs for admitted female applicants.

However, there are still long

standing challenges in addressing the gender ratio at Tech.

The male-to-female ratio for the freshman class itself could be misleading because transfer students are predominantly male, and male students also take longer than female students to graduate.

These factors result in an overall male-to-female ratio of approximately 7:3 on campus.

“One of the challenges in recruiting women to Tech is the perception that all we have are STEM majors. However, we have done a good job in communicating that we also have programs outside of STEM, for instance, for young women who are business minded, who want to be entrepreneurs, but who may not be aware of our programs in the College of Management,” said Amy Clines, Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission.

Opinions

Opinions Editor: Chris Russell Life is a disease: sexually transmitted, and invariably fatal.

“ ”

OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion

Classroom Communication

Relationships with faculty require work from students To foster a warmer relationship between students and professors this semester, faculty were encouraged to spend a few minutes on the first day of class discussing themselves, their work and their current research interests. While this is a step in the right direction and will help expose students to research opportunities, it does not eradicate an issue that has plagued Tech for years: poor communication between students and faculty. In this year’s Princeton Review, Tech was rated as having the “third least approachable” professors in the country.

A major contributor to this is Tech’s high student to faculty ratio, which sits at 22:1. Obviously, students won’t be able to build a strong relationship with a professor in a class with over a hundred students, other options need to be explored. During these financially tight times, it is unlikely that enough new faculty can be hired to correct this, so departments should explore new ways of using TA’s to give

students support in large classes.

Student organizations like the SGA Academic Affairs Board and Student Advisory Boards in the various colleges also can improve this by realizing that working with faculty, particularly the Faculty Senate, will often result in unenforceable, weak resolutions, as the faculty will, by default, resist any changes that require more work of them. Instead, they should focus on working with upper administration, particularly on reporting consistent issues with professors and courses, and analyzing course feedback.

However, blame does not lie solely with the faculty. Students must realize that it is up to them to make contact with faculty.

Professors are sometimes more concerned with their research than their classes, and are often jaded from years of students trying to game the system, so it is up to the student to make it clear that they are earnest in their studies, thereby ensuring they are not dismissed or ignored.

The Consensus Opinion reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of the Technique, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.

Technique Editorial Board Vijai Narayanan, Editor-in-Chief Kamna Bohra, Managing Editor Mike Donohue, Business Manager

Vivian Fan, Outreach Editor Siddharth Gurnani, Focus Editor Nishant Prasadh, Development Editor Chris Russell, Opinions Editor

Matt Schrichte, Advertising Manager Alex Sohani, Sports Editor Basheer Tome, Photo Editor Zheng Zheng, Entertainment Editor

EDITORIAL CARTOON By Casey Tisdel

—Neil Gaiman

Technique

8

Friday, August 26, 2011

Open discussion needed in sex education

by Tim Schrag Kansas State Collegian, KSU

Americans are fickle people when it comes to the subject of sexual intercourse.

We love to hear about who is sleeping with whom and who is not getting any. Sex comes up in popular culture every day on TV, in movies and in songs, but it is taboo in our culture to bring up topics like sexually transmitted diseases. We have built a society that treats sex like a glamorous secret act but refuses to acknowledge its consequences.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s current strategic prevention plan, nearly 19 million new STD infections occur each year in America alone. Of that 19 million, the CDC estimates half of these infections occur among younger Americans from ages 15 to 24.

The Census Bureau estimates that there are more than 311 million people in the U.S., so if 16 percent of a nation’s population is being infected each year it’s time to start removing the taboo and fix the problem.

Nancy Muturi, associate professor of public relations at Kansas State University, suggests that a general lack of education and interest may feed the taboo that surrounds STDs. “Often people talk about it after the fact, which is sometimes too late, especially for women who might not know they are infected until months later,” Muturi said.

“STDs are not considered sexy enough to have readers or viewers.”

Muturi is an expert in risk communication involving HIV and AIDS. She has worked with men and women in Africa researching how information about HIV/AIDS infection risks are spread among people 65 and older. Muturi said she is researching how younger adults make the decision to use a condom or not when they engage in sex, specifically if alcohol is involved.

By not talking about this problem, we are only prolonging the number of people who might suffer from the diseases. We are keeping people from seeking out knowledge or help because of fear of embarrassment.

The National Center for Health Statistics reported in a 2010 study that more than 90 percent of teenagers receive formal sex education before the age of 18. If that’s the case, why are STD rates so high?

Again, signs point to a lack of proper education.

“K-State students are oftentimes woefully lacking in basic knowledge about sex and their sexuality, but so are the majority of college students in this country,” said Kelly Welch, assistant professor of family studies and human services at KSU. “Today’s young adults are in desperate need of reality sex education.”

Welch said most college students lack understanding of their own sexual development, in ad-

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dition to misunderstanding and misinformation about the human body and how it functions sexually as well as inadequate knowledge about sexually transmitted infections and how to protect themselves.

Welch said she recommends sexual education classes begin in kindergarten and to do so, our culture must move beyond having sex and onto having healthy relationships.

“Sex is not just about body parts and penis in vagina equals sexual intercourse,” Welch said.

“Why can’t we begin in kindergarten to teach children about respect? About communication?

About caring? About empathy?

About understanding? All of these relationship characteristics are foundational to a healthy sex life. Yet because so many people, one, teach that sex is nothing more than penis/vagina, and two, assume that ALL aspects of sex involve eroticism or are dirty/ naughty, we miss out on educating our young children.”

The current primary focus of sex education for many schools in the U.S. is abstinence-only education, which involves promoting abstinence and uses STDs and HIV as reasons to abstain from sex. Unlike abstinence-only education, comprehensive sexual education offers information about condom and contraceptive use, as well as holds discussions about abortion, STDs and HIV. In a 2002 study done by the AIDS Research Institute at the University of California, San Francisco researchers advocated for the teaching of comprehensive sexual education on the grounds that it better addresses the risk of adolescents’ likeliness to participate in sexual acts.

“Like it or not, sexual activity is a reality for teens in America, and it is hard to imagine a schoolbased intervention, which will magically undo the media pressures and natural hormonal urges that young people experience,” the researchers wrote. “Facing up to this reality means implementing responsible programming that truly meets the test of science and the real world needs of the young.”

In short, if we are going to make any progress and move past this cultural taboo, we need to start talking about sex, its consequences and everything in between.

OPINIONS

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 7

Find, embrace cultural differences abroad It’s just the first week of school and I can’t sleep. I’m having a seriously difficult time trying to go to sleep before 2 a.m., and I can’t wake up before noon. This may sound incredibly normal to some of you upperclassmen, but I can assure that this is not the norm for me. I have odd sleeping habits now because I spent the past summer in Spain.

After debating internships, taking classes or even a possible summer job, I finally decided that I wanted to leave campus. So I did —in a pretty big way.

This summer I participated in the Spain LBAT programs, one in Cádiz — a small peninsula in the south of Spain and the other in Madrid—the industrial and political capital of the country. My summer was a whirlwind of travel, beach time and cultural immersion.

I wandered the narrow, winding cobblestones in Toledo, picnicked along the banks of the River Guadalquivir in Sevilla, visited some of Hemingway’s old haunts in Madrid and watched the sun set over Gaudi’s Park Güell in Barcelona. I drank Spanish wine, ate authentic paella and salsa-danced on the beach.

The entire summer was simply a dream.

The best part of all of this was that I occasionally had to go to class, but I finished the summer with a minor in Span-

“Blend in as often as possible...Truly experience your new environment. I did, and I loved it.”

Emily Cardin Columnist

ish and a stronger grasp of both a language and the culture from which it came.

However, there were a couple of things I really would have loved to know before even stepping on the plane for the ten hour flight to Madrid.

In order to truly savor the richness of the pieces of culture that you will be experiencing, one word is key: research.

That is my one regret from this summer. I honestly did not always understand what I was seeing when looking at a piece of architecture, or the history behind it.

The following is a list of things of which every student who travels abroad, in Spain or otherwise, should be aware.

First is indoor air-conditioning. It does not exist anywhere in Spain. This is not new technology. Seriously, I looked it up. In all of the old palaces and cathedrals we visited, there are often tall ceilings, open entryways and even fountains to help deal with the ever-burdening heat that spans Spanish

summers. For whatever reason, this style of architecture was lost between the time of the Arab occupation in Spain and modern day, because no such thing exists in the modern Spanish household. I’m originally from the South, and thus I can usually deal with heat. But I often found myself lingering in doorways of banks and supermarkets when walking home from the school just to get a respite from the high temperatures.

Second is public restrooms.

They don’t exist there. And if there is one, there isn’t toilet paper….which often leads to creative and ingenious methods of using the facilities.

Third, breakfast. My favorite meal of the day. Apparently, no one eats breakfast in Spain.

When we were in Cádiz, my host parents thought my roommate and I were crazy when we wanted more than just a piece of bread. In our hostel in Madrid, we paid almost ten Euros a day for a cup of café con leche and prepackaged bread.

(I do have to concede that a regular cup of Spanish coffee is superior to anything I’ve ever had at Starbucks).

Fourth, sleep. No one sleeps. Everyone stays up late.

Really late. On the weekends, the dance clubs that are incredibly popular with the under-twenty age demographic don’t even open until after 3 a.m. Also, siestas are a myth.

Our Spanish professors just used them as incentives to get us to stay awake in class, but then we had to come back in the afternoons (during siesta time) for our classes with our American professors, because they follow an American schedule.

The most important piece of advice I could give to any student interested in traveling abroad, however, would be to blend in as often as possible.

I truly felt like I was absorbing the Spanish culture when cashiers and waiters asked me to pay in Spanish, instead of assuming I was American and asking in English. Eat local cuisine, read up on the current political climate of where you are headed and travel whenever possible. Talk to locals and listen to the music that is popular wherever you are. Read some newspapers and try to go to see a movie in a new language.

Truly experience your new environment. I did, and I loved it.

Miami scandal threatens ACC reputation Recently, the NCAA has cracked down on several college football programs such as USC, Ohio State, LSU, North Carolina and recently Tech. Some fans of the game might argue that the amount of recent allegations are ruining the game. However, none of the allegations from any of these schools matches up to the recent reported offenses committed by the University of Miami. I don’t even think if you added up the other school’s allegations on this list, they would match up to the alleged NCAA violations committed in South Beach.

There’s only one word to describe these allegations: sleazy.

According to a report by Yahoo! Sports, a booster named Nevin Shapiro was involved in providing at least 72 University of Miami athletes impermissible benefits from 200210. Along with players, at least seven coaches were also having fun with the players receiving what Shapiro estimated to be millions of dollars in benefits.

Millions of dollars going to things like prostitutes, yacht trips, strip clubs, restaurant trips and in one case an abortion. Compare that to Tech losing their ACC title over $312, and who knows what will happen to Miami.

What’s insane about this whole situation is that college players usually get illegally paid when they’re actually good on the field, and Miami

on their schedule.

“Miami receiving the ‘death In addition, the perception penalty’ would affect pretty of the conference is already in shambles as three ACC Coastmuch everyone in the ACC.” al Division teams have been or are being investigated. The bad press is almost certainly affecting recruiting for the schools, Alex Sohani and making prospective athSports Editor letes reconsider whether or not they want to play in the conference. If SMU is any indicahas not been above average NCAA. For those who don’t tion of history, just one season at football since 2004, and a know what it means, the of not playing football could pretty mediocre team the last “death penalty” in college kill the Miami program. The four years. For all that college sports is when the NCAA bans verbal commitments would alfootball fans know, the players a certain collegiate program most certainly decommit and might have been out partying from participating in playing we would probably see a lot of too hard on a Friday night and a sport for at least one season. transfers out of the school into choked when they were finally The only school to ever re- other programs. Miami was in the spotlight. ceive the penalty is Southern brought into the ACC to be Nobody has been affected Methodist University in 1987. a consistent contender for the more than Miami’s new head The penalty essentially killed national title, and could wind coach Al Golden. Miami ap- their football program, which up making a weak ACC even parently “forgot” to mention used to be a powerhouse in weaker. that they knew Shapiro was the Southwest conference. If While these claimed ininvolved in some suspicious you ask most college football fractions are shocking at first, behavior with players while fans if they think that SMU is it might be best to take a step interviewing him and eventu- a significant football program back and realize that Shapiro ally hiring him for the vacant now, they’ll probably laugh is currently incarcerated for head coaching job. Fifteen of and simply say, “Nope.” being involved in a $930 milthe players that he inherited Miami receiving the “death lion Ponzi scheme and was inare now being investigated and penalty” would affect pretty terviewed by Yahoo! while sitprobably won’t get to play for much everyone in the ACC ting in his jail cell. Miami has at least a portion of the season. but mostly the teams in the to be shaking in their boots, I would not blame Golden Coastal division. Anyone play- though, considering this inif he decided to quit, as he ing Miami during the season vestigation is being taken seriearned his way to a high pro- (or, possibly, seasons) would be ously by the NCAA and some file job and deserves to know banned and have to find a new of the claims must have some he could possibly be inheriting opponent to play. It would be truth to them. We’ll see what an awful situation. hard to settle things, because the future brings, but with the There is a lot of talk from some teams in the ACC would public out crying for a severe fans and media outlets alike still be playing eight confer- punishment, it will be hard for about Miami receiving the ence games and some would the NCAA not to crack down “death penalty” from the be stuck with only seven teams on The U.

BUZZ

Around Campus

With all the new dining options, what’s your favorite food on campus?

Scott Sheppard Second-year AE

“I’m going to go with Waffle House.”

Kyle Cianchette Fourth-year CS

“It’s too early to make a decision.”

Hope Brown Second-year ChemE

“My favorite place to eat is still Tin Drum.”

Caroline Lu Second-year Bio

“Ray’s is good.”

Photos by Chris Russell / Student Publications

OPINIONS

8 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

OUR VIEWS Hot or Not

HOT– or –NOT Smilin’ Sororities

Rush ended earlier this week, marking, among other things, a sudden lack of free meals for freshman. Sorority recruitment ended after over 400 girls took part in the process. What’s more, the bid process went particularly well this year, with every girl who filled out a preference card receiving a bid from a sorority. Of the girls who took part, 315 accepted bids.

Clough Coolness

The start of classes meant that the Clough Commons was finally opened for general use by the student body. Students got to explore the Hogwarts-like atrium, the myriad open-air study areas and the eye-catching breakout rooms — one of which is covered in AstroTurf. What’s more, students can appreciate the changes by watching the sunset from the rooftop garden.

Shut the door!

While students seem to approve of the new North Ave Dining Hall, residents of the complex have spotted a design flaw. Lines for the dining hall often stretch out the door and down the stairs. This becomes a problem for residents and diners alike, as if the students in line leave the door open for more than a few minutes, a loud alarm sounds deeper in the dining hall until it is shut.

Hat trick traffic

Move-in day traffic is notoriously awful, but move-in weekend this year was particularly nasty due to a three-fold layer of problems. The already heavier-than-normal traffic was augmented by traffic from the freeway backing up onto North Ave. Couple this with bottlenecks from construction along North Ave, and the southern and eastern borders of campus were choked.

Center for Academic Success helps students survive, thrive on campus In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, one of the habits is to “begin with the end in mind.” The author, Stephen R. Covey, explains, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” As you begin your freshman year, take a few moments to think ahead four or five years to your graduation day. Imagine you are walking across the stage and about to shake President Peterson’s hand. You begin to reflect back over your years at Tech. What will you be thinking about? What will you have accomplished? Did you give back to your community through one of our many service opportunities? Did you participate in, lead or found a student organization? Did you develop meaningful friendships?

It may seem counter-intuitive to think about graduation in your first week as a freshman and slightly overwhelming to consider the answers to the questions asked above, but I want to remind you that there are many resources available to support you as you begin your journey.

First, I hope you are participating in at least one of two programs specifically for freshmen: the Freshman Experience (FE) program and the GT 1000 Freshman Seminar course. Both have a single, overarching goal: to help freshmen succeed. One of the most powerful aspects about both GT 1000 and FE, though, is the student leaders who work with these programs. Whether they are

“As you begin your freshman year, take a few moments to think ahead four or five years to your graduation day.”

Steven Girardot Director, Center for Academic Success

Peer Leaders in the FE program or Team Leaders in the GT 1000 sections, these upper-class students offer an enormous amount of insight, advice, and mentorship. They are giving their time and energy to you- so take advantage of the wisdom they offer.

Second, get to know your professors. They are here to provide you the opportunity to learn new knowledge, succeed in your classes, support your educational needs and share their perspectives on career and graduate school opportunities in their disciplines.

Visit your professors during office hours and find ways to interact with them through programs like undergraduate research and study abroad. Later this semester, the Student Center will host an event called “Take a Prof to Lunch” where you can invite a professor (or TA) to lunch at a reduced price.

Third, utilize the many campus resources available to you.

Beyond academic resources, Career Services and the Division of Professional Practice offer programs to help you decide on a major and career and obtain work experience, and our Division of Student Affairs houses numerous departments such as Student Involvement, The Ferst Center for the Arts, Community Service, the Campus Recreation Center

(CRC), the Counseling Center, Women’s Resource Center, Leadership programs and New Student and Sophomore Programs (to name a few)—all designed to enhance your educational experience and extend your learning beyond the classroom.

Fourth, take time to understand the academic standards that are expected of a university student. Manage your time- both in and out of class. Get a planner and map out your entire semester, noting exam dates, homework due dates, research paper or lab report deadlines, and other key dates. Attend class — every class.

And, when you attend class, come prepared to be engaged. Do the readings before class, take notes, ask questions and pay attention to the professor during class. Learn how to study smarter, not harder.

Finally, meet with your academic advisor whenever you have questions. Advisors know the “big picture” when it comes to your education and campus resources and should be your primary point of assistance.

I wish each and every one of you a successful first semester.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know how I can be supportive during your time at Tech, and I can’t wait to see you at graduation in just a few short years. It will be here sooner than you think!

Interested in photography?

Come to the Technique’s weekly photo staff meetings. Thursdays at 6 p.m.

Flag building, room 137 photo@nique.net

Focus

focus@nique.net Focus Editor: Siddharth Gurnani Assistant Focus Editor: Alex Kessler

Technique

9

@gtsga: Come to “Freshman Elections” Friday, September 2 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Freshman Elections Packets are due in... http://fb.me/te5pDZ1e

Friday, August 26, 2011

Sodexo revamps menus, adds healthier options Dining on campus will undergo a healthy upgrade this semester as Sodexo, Tech’s food and dining service provider, adds Mediterranean cuisine to their regular menus.

Over the next year GT Dining will implement the changes at the Woodruff, Brittain and North Avenue dining halls.

“During September and October we will feature a Spanish [dish] once per week, and during November and December we will feature Italian menu items,” said GT Dining Marketing Manager Andrea Preringer.

“We will also feature Brazilian, Cuban, Puerto Rican and Mexican [dishes] once per week from September 15th to October 15th in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. During the month of November, in honor of Native American Indian Heritage Month, we will feature special menu items as well,” Preringer said.

This promotion is taking place at 650 campuses in the country,

all of which are sponsored entirely

by Sodexo.

Sodexo’s decision to start this upgrade is a result of food trends research conducted by the company. According to the company’s press release earlier this month, this year’s research discovered that college students are demanding healthier food options, including Mediterranean cuisines and healthier versions of common food items.

The Mediterranean countries’ diets vary as much as any other region; however, data indicates that most people from the region demonstrate a lower incidence of heart disease and death rate than residents of the U.S. Compared to the average diet in the U.S., people following this style of diet on average consume less saturated fat and more monounsaturated fat.

Fresher foods and seafood also factor in heavily to these diets. At Tech, several of the menu additions will be vegan and vegetarian-friendly, and seafood will be purchased locally whenever possible.

wiring have been replaced in several areas, most notably on Freshman Hill.

Old infrastructure and buildings have been updated to meet standards and replace “I think the updates to existing buildings were necessary,” said Julia Lundrigan, a fifth-year AE major. “But if they raise statewide tuition they should not have decreased HOPE.” HOPE no longer offers a book award for purchasing textbooks.

This book award used to give up to $150 in addition to the scholarship.

To compensate for an increased cost of attendance, students are looking towards alternatives elsewhere to save when possible.

“I did not buy a meal plan this year. It was too expensive. Instead I buy groceries and cook all my own food,” said Andrew Varghese, a second-year BME major.

Off-campus and Greek housing are comparably cheaper compared to on-campus apartments, and their meal plans often cost less as well.

However, there are some stu-

With higher tuition rates and harder to get scholarships, students are having to cut quite a few corners to complete their degrees.

By Andrew Nelson Contributing Writer

Photo by Andrew Saulters / Student Publications

Sodexo, Tech’s food and dining service provider, is adding Mediterranean cuisine to its menus across all dining halls this fall.

Another feature of Sodexo’s health promotion is a tie-in with food education via the Global Chef program.

Global Chef connects the multinational company’s executive chefs around the world with staff and students.

The program will also host special events at several campuses when possible.

Tech has been chosen to be a destination for Sodexo’s Student Board of Directors (SBOD) Program which is open to all students interested.

“We actually had a student from Georgia Tech take part in this program,” said Preringer.

“Every Spring semester we advertise around campus in hopes that another student will take part in this great opportunity.”

Sodexo interacts with students’ opinions and concerns quite often through regular communication with some student organizations on campus, including the Student Government Association and Students Organizing for SustainabilSee Sodexo,page 10

Students learn to cope with increased tuition rates, fees

By Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor

As the world turns the United States eclipses into the shadow of an economic recession. Times are tough for government and industry, but what does this mean for students at Tech?

The falling budgets of the state juxtapose the rising cost of school.

Earlier this year financial reforms split the HOPE Scholarship into two. The Zell Miller Scholarship, requiring a GPA of at least 3.3, pays 100 percent of tuition while the HOPE Scholarship, requiring a GPA between 3.0 and 3.3, covers slightly less than 90 percent of tuition.

Meanwhile, tuition itself has increased and the Special Institution Fee has increased by $350 per semester.

Along with increases in tuition, mandatory student fees have been increasing steadily over the past three years. At the present time, the average in-state Tech undergrad is paying 25% more for a technology-based degree than in 2009.

In light of the ongoing reces-

sion, how have Tech students been affected?

“I am twenty credits away from graduating but I had to take a year off to become an in-state resident because of costs,” said David Wu, a fifth-year ME major.

Almost 60 percent of Tech students are in-state and rely on the HOPE scholarship to continue their education, and currently over 11,000 students get financial assistance from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA).

The state legislature made cuts to HOPE in response to an increasing lack of funds from the state lottery. Both Tech and the state of Georgia had to make compromises in response to this situation.

Though Tech has not officially cancelled any event because of lack of funding, a majority of departments have less money overall, restricting the amount of activities, events and resources available for students.

However, the most visible expenditure of funds has been on construction. Recently steam lines, water pipes, and electrical

Campus Calendar Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011

Monday, Aug. 29, 2011

WHAT: 6th Annual ACS India Run for Hope WHO: American Cancer Society WHERE: Instructional Center TIME: 7:30 a.m.

Come support the American Cancer Society and participate in a 5k run to raise money for a good cause on Saturday morning. The proceeds will benefit cancer research in India.

WHAT: Career Services Open House WHO: WST, Women’s resource center, ADVANCE WHERE: Burger Bowl TIME: 2:30-4:00 p.m.

Women in Science and Technology is holding a reception to welcome new faculty and staff to celebrate WST Mentors and WST Learning Community residents and student leaders.

Photo by Ben Keyserling / Student Publications

See Tuition, page 10

Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011

WHAT: Technique General Meeting WHO: Technique WHERE: Flag Building, Room 137 TIME: 7:00 p.m.

Come meet the Technique staff over free pizza. Sign up to write stories or take photographs and become a part of the publication. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011

WHAT: Tech football season opener WHO: Georgia Tech vs. Western Carolina WHERE: Bobby Dodd Stadium TIME: 7:30 p.m.

Head Coach Paul Johnson’s fourth season on the Flats kicks off as the Jackets look to rebound in 2011 by facing FCS opponent Western Carolina.

Quarterback Tevin Washington looks to pitch the ball.

Washington will lead Tech in its season opener on Thursday.

FOCUS

10 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

Diversity easily embraced in record setting freshman class

By Lauren Townsend Contributing Writer

When Tech’s 2,575 freshmen started fall semester Monday they represented Tech’s most diverse class. The Fall 2011 class includes more Latino and African-American students and 1,039 women.

That is a record for female freshmen and represents an eight percent increase from three years ago.

Tech is a world-renowned university and it reflects in the wide array of students from different cultures, ethnicities, political affiliations and even financial backgrounds.

It is not only the students that come from diverse backgrounds.

The faculty members also represent a myriad of countries, cultures and backgrounds.

“When you have a professor that’s from another cultural background, it really benefits you in the long run,” said Sydney Tolbert, a third-year STAC major.

“Sometimes it’s a challenge to understand the different nuances in cultures, but after overcoming the barriers, it’s a great experience because not only do you learn about the subject they are teaching, but you also learn how to present yourself in a professional manner to people who are from different parts of the world.”

Statistics published by Tech

Tuition

from page 9

Sodexo

from page 9

dents who are not too bothered by the changes.

“As an out-of-state student, an extra hundred dollars or so in fees does not mean much in comparison to what I already pay,” said Ian Keith, a fourth-year ME major.

Though the cost of attendance will continue to rise, Tech will continue to grow and invest in the future. Institute President G.P. “Bud” Peterson’s Strategic Plan is still underway and the Institute can look forward to continued construction projects in the near future.

At the present time, there are no current plans to stop any major financial initiatives or projects on campus.

ity.

SBOD, in particular, is an organized group that allows students to provide feedback to Sodexo on meal plans, sustainability, technology use, dining experiences and various individual Sodexo initiatives.

Preringer invites all interested students to apply to the program and find more information on their website ForStudentsByStudents.com.

The new menu items will be featured weekly with announcements on-site and via Dining’s website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Now only time will tell if Tech students embrace the new additions to the dining menus.

By Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor

$300 a month, which comes out to about one-third of the cost.

Unlike Tech housing, finding a place to live in Atlanta requires a lot of time and effort. Before even looking at properties to rent or own, would-be tenants need to consider their own lifestyles and budget to narrow down a search pattern. House or apartment?

Suburb or city? Roommate or individual?

The more time spent planning, the easier the apartment or house

Tech is a global university and it reflects in the array of students from different cultures, ethnicities, and financial backgrounds.

How to find an offcampus apartment

show that the largest ethnic background in the freshman class is Caucasian at 58.1 percent, followed by Asians at 24.9 percent and Hispanics at 6.80 percent.

The rest of the student population is spread pretty evenly between African American and Multiracial ethnicities. There is also significant geographic diversity with 30.6 percent of the freshman class from outside Georgia and 9.6 percent of the class comprised of international students. Overall,

Why do students look for offcampus housing as an alternative to life within Tech’s boundaries?

Living away from the school offers a variety of both financial and social options that are not possible on campus.

One of the main reasons people choose to live off campus is because of the cost. A North Avenue apartment is almost $900 a month, whereas renting a house on Tenth Street can be as little as

Photo by Grace Stephens / Student Publications

the students that make up the 2011 freshman class represent 48 U.S. states and 38 countries.

In comparison to other schools in Georgia the demographic statistics for Tech display greater diversity but do the students perceive it that way? Is Tech truly as diverse as the statistics suggest? Is campus culture as inclusive an inviting of the diverse demographics as it is to locals or does it discourSee Diversity, page 11

See Apartment, page 11

FOCUS

Diversity

from page 10

age diversity?

“Every year we have different events such as the international food festival that allow students to learn and experience other cultures,” said Aaren Fowler, a fourth-year BA major.

There are programs at Tech to help students from different backgrounds.

The Office of Minority Education and Development’s Educational Services is the unit charged

by Tech with the retention, devel-

opment and performance of the complete student learner within groups that are traditionally underrepresented, including African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans.

The ADVANCE Program takes institutional approaches to increase the representation, full participation, and advancement of women in academic careers in science, technology, and engineering, thus contributing to a more diverse workforce, locally and nationally.

There are also programs and

scholarships for Hispanics, women in Engineering and African American engineers.

“Clubs such as India Club and others not only allow students who are of that ethnic background to participate and feel welcome but the clubs also encourage other students to learn about these different cultures. I really enjoy this campus because of its diversity. Every type of person is welcome here,” said Njeri Chasseau, a third-year BA major.

Tech students perceive this diversity in their everyday lives.

Photo by Austin Foote / Student Publications

There are plenty of different housing options around Atlanta, and answering some basic questions like House or Apartment and Suburb or City are important to the beginning of any housing search.

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 11

“I had a Nicaraguan roommate, Indian roommate, Venezuelan roommate, Egyptian roommate and a Chinese roommate.

Hanging out with people from different cultures every day, I learnt how to challenge my beliefs and be accepting of varied opinions,” said Kelly Hefelfinger, a fifth-year ME major.

“Soccer is my favorite sport and I met people from all over the world playing at the SAC fields while at Tech,” said Rohan Muthanna, IE ‘11.

The diversity of Tech’s campus

offers great benefits to students and professors alike.

Students get to learn about different cultures and understand the nuances of interacting with people from backgrounds different than theirs. Professors get to teach students with very different thought processes and ideas, thereby making the student-professor exchange more interesting and productive.

Tech’s diverse culture is very tangible and is perceived and experienced by students, faculty and administrators on a daily basis.

Apartment

However, it has been plagued with crime in recent years. Midtown, on the other hand, is constantly alive and beckons a more active lifestyle. Downtown is noisier and more business oriented, while Decatur, Vinings and Buckhead are family-oriented suburbs with lesser activity.

When visiting potential new homes, a priority should be the availability of basic but important amenities such as a dishwasher, washing machine, stove, climate control, good lighting, clean water and grounded electrical outlets. Sometimes it is worth paying a professional to inspect the house for leaks, insects and general defects.

Once an apartment has been selected, it is critical to review the contract several times over before signing. The contract or lease is the only legal binding between the tenants and the landlord; failure to adhere to the document can result in the premature termination of the renting process.

from page 10

hunting will be. Making a list of ranked priorities grants insight and eases decision making.

Apartments are generally good for groups of college students who want to rent out living space for cheap. A landlord will provide assistance when needed and cover repair costs.

Houses also can have landlords, but most neighborhoods have a Homeowners’ Association (HOA) which requires an extra fee and sometimes community standards like paint color and yard appearance.

Location matters a great deal as well. Some parts of town are valued higher than others because of proximity to hot spots like office buildings or malls. The atmosphere of each neighborhood is unique as well.

Home Park, the neighborhood area north of Tech before Atlantic Station, is usually quieter and maintains a calmer lifestyle.

COLOR

entertainment@nique.net

Entertainment

Technique

13

Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng

Friday, August 26, 2011

Assistant Entertainment Editor: Hank Whitson

Glee Galore

Photo by

Basheer

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Image C

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Film Corp

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Glee Club shows off Concert obtains little through preview show through added effects EVENTS

The Georgia Tech Glee Club PERFORMER: The Georgia Tech Glee Club LOCATION: Lyman Hall DATE: Aug. 22

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Yameen Huq Contributing Writer

The Georgia Tech Glee Club held a preview concert of some of its upcoming shows this past Monday, Aug. 22, giving attendees a chance to observe the organization’s creative process in action.

They played a medley of some old classics as well as new standards that they will perform in upcoming shows. The concert was informal and casual, giving listeners a chance to hear the rehearsal process and stochastic nature of musical evolution

and improvement.

The general idea of this concert was to showcase and give a taste of the club’s upcoming performances. It also was an opportunity for viewers to experience the Glee Club culture and witness a backstage look at their rehearsal and fine-tuning process.

The Club started off with such songs as “King of the Road” by Roger Miller and “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum. Throughout these songs, the instructor, Dr. Jerry Ulrich, showed the audience some of the various key components of the songs and had a section of performers repeating key phrases on their own.

During “Spirit in the Sky,” each section, starting with basses and baritones, would perform their portion of a counterpoint one at a time. As a result, one could hear the gradual formation and pieces of the popular song as they came together.

The performers also showed some of See Club, page 14

FILM

Glee: The 3D Concert GENRE: Musical STARRING: Cory Montieth, Lea Michele DIRECTOR: Kevan Tancharoen RATING: PG RELEASE DATE: Aug. 12

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Patricia Uceda Staff Writer

Despite Glee’s cult-like following, their concert special Glee: The 3D Concert Movie opened this past weekend to surprisingly dismal numbers. Ultimately, the mostly amazing live performances, dance numbers and funny backstage banter with the characters we have grown to love were no match for the high cost

of admission caused by unnecessary 3D effects.

The film consisted of a blending of concert footage, fan interviews and stories, and fake behind-the-scene interviews.

The cast remained in character the whole time, allowing for plenty of funny backstage banter involving everything from Rachel’s humorous intensity to Brittany’s lovable ditziness. Even Artie stayed in his wheelchair the whole time, although he did get up to dance for the day-dream sequence “Safety Dance” straight from the show. Interesting to note was that although almost every character got at least some personal backstage time with the camera, Dianna Agron and Chord Overstreet were not spoken to once.

The fan commentary got a little repetitive, but they were used by the producers to segue smoothly into 3 mini side stories about regular “Gleeks” and how Glee had affected their lives. Meant to be inspiring and emotional, these side stories fulfilled See Concert, page 15

The Rip Tide delivers concise, fulfilling melodies MUSIC

Beirut The Rip Tide LABEL: Pompeii Records GENRE: Indie Pop TRACK PICKS: “A Candle’s Fire,” “Santa Fe,” “East Harlem.”

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Matthew Cohen Contributing Writer

After five years of creative progress, Zach Condon, the front man and brainchild of Beirut, is finally beginning to create music that, frankly, sounds somewhat

American.

When writing new music, bands often find great inspiration in their cultural settings. This has been clearly evident throughout the career of the band Beirut, an American indie group heavily inspired by Eastern European and Balkan music. Condon opted out of the life of a Santa Fe high school student to spend his later teenage years travelling Europe and immersing himself in a lifestyle that brought him into contact with extravagant music and instruments foreign to modern Western music.

Beirut has taken a step away from the European influences with their third album, The Rip Tide, which takes a more simplistic approach, producing a form of

orchestral pop less dependent on other cultural traditions and more dependent on Condon’s masterful melodies. The final product is a somewhat less intriguing yet completely fulfilling listen. The territory is more familiar, the chord progressions more tame, but the vocal melodies and full instrumentation portray a bright new voice for the already accomplished group.

The album’s opening track, “A Candle’s Fire,” is structured more similarly to previous Beirut tracks than the rest of the album. An opening accordion line leads into a majestic fanfare, followed by a verse concentrated on Condon’s enchanting vocal melody and light ukulele strumming. By the

end, the emergence of the band’s entire instrumental repertoire provides a full, gorgeous close to a fitting opening track for a Beirut album.

From here, though, the tracks begin to veer away from traditional Beirut song structures.

“Santa Fe” is driven by bright, giddy keyboards and is one of the catchier, pop-esque tracks on the album. “East Harlem,” a song containing one of Condon’s first melodies written as a teenager, exhibits a musical maturity rarely achieved by a musician. It’s a musical jigsaw puzzle, initially containing a seemingly excessive amount of pieces, that carefully fit together to produce a breathtakingly elegant landscape. The

Image courtesy of Pompeii Records

arrangement is more natural and less melodically foreign, yet the full arrangement displays its own form of complexity. The song is well calculated, flawlessly delivSee Beirut, page 14

ENTERTAINMENT

14 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

Deus Ex augments the FPS GAMES

Deus Ex: Human Revolution CONSOLE: PS3, Xbox 360, PC GENRE: First-Person Shooter DEVELOPER: Eidos Montreal RATING: M RELEASED: Aug. 23

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Andrew Akker Contributing Writer

The world of first-person shooters (FPS) has been pretty plain over the years. The player goes into them expecting the regular old shoot ‘em up style with a generic story line. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is nothing like that.

Human Revolution, however, takes place in the year 2027, approximately 25 years before the first Deus Ex game. While preparing to give a speech about human cybernetic augmentation, Doctor Megan Reed and ex-SWATturned-private-securit y-agent Adam Jensen wonder how Doctor Reed’s research will come into play in helping those who have cybernetic augmentation. However, they are abruptly attacked by unknown assailants.

The last thing player sees is a gun pointed to his face with the trigger being pulled. Six months later, Adam Jensen awakens in a reconstructed body armed with amazing cybernetic augmentations. This is where the conspiracy begins.

The first few missions of the game involve getting to know the controls and various skills you will need to be successful in the game.

The game may seem like your standard FPS, but once the tuto-

Club

from page 13

their entertaining, improvised portions of their interpretation.

Some of the members mimicked guitar sounds while “air-playing” to portions of the song, while others used a combination of improvisation and verbal percussion.

It was an interesting way to see how seemingly “silly” ideas can be built into a cohesive, intricate piece of music.

“Brown Eyed Lion,” another of their songs, was particularly memorable. A combination of “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Evening Birds, the songs segued well together and the synonymously fun, light melodies allowed for an easy transition.

Another of their more unique portmanteaus was a combination of Pachelbel’s “Canon” and “Basket Case” by Green Day. While

Beirut Image courtesy of Eidos Montreal

rial area is completed, the player is taken to an open world area where the player can travel around as he or she pleases. The player will also be able to complete side missions in addition to the story line missions. While optional, they offer more insight into the story of the game and its universe.

The game has role-playing elements as well. Completing main and side quests will earn the player experience. When enough experience is accumulated, the player will gain a Praxis Point which they can then use to upgrade or obtain new augmentations for use in future missions. There are also many possible interactions while talking to other characters and how the player chooses to answer questions will affect how the other characters view the player.

There is more to missions than combat. The player will need to be stealthy in order to complete

objectives such as sneaking into a police station or hacking the open code to a certain door undetected.

Sometimes, the player will need to be quite creative in order to complete objectives undetected.

Of course, if the player wishes to, he or she can mount a full frontal assault.

Without multiplayer, the game does lose a bit of replay value, but it is made up in the idea that the game can be replayed building your character differently than how it was done the first playthrough in terms of reputation.

The main campaign is also long enough to keep someone entertained for quite some time.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution brings first-person shooters to a completely different level. The added stealth and role-playing aspects make this game so impressive. It is definitely something to check out.

Is President Obama

COURTING DISASTER? ARE WE SAFER TODAY THAN WE WERE 10 YEARS AGO?

Georgia Tech College Republicans presents

MARC THIESSEN

from page 13

ered, and brilliantly displays how Beirut’s stylistic deviation has not decreased the quality of the overall product.

“Vagabond,” one of the most joyful tracks Beirut has written to date, borders more on Condon’s electronic writing and loses no ground melodically. Condon presents yet another stunning vocal melody that soars over the half-time drum part splendidly.

The song’s lyrical content is like most of Condon’s, with a repeated verse rich with understated poetic wordplay and a compressed chorus meant to provide a harmonious shift from the verse’s structure. His minimalistic lyrical approach has always managed to convey a great deal of emotional content through a keen choice of words and a graceful interplay of these words with the vocal melodies.

The album closes with “Port of Call,” an apologetic, inspective

the original version of “Basket Case” was already based on “Canon,” the Glee Club did a great job of bringing out the energy and joy found in both songs. The soothing melody of the “Canon” melted perfectly into the frantic and manic sounds of “Basket Case.”

The group ended with a performance of “Ramblin’ Wreck” with a level of energy and power to rival an entire stadium.

Overall the performance was an entertaining perspective into how the musical process works.

Anyone looking for insight into the creative process and how musical systems are designed can learn from concerts like this one.

The Glee Club will continue to perform around campus in the coming year in both private and campus events. Check their website at www.gleeclub.gatech.edu for updated schedules of their performances. waltz containing an admittance of instability, a need to simply “drift a while.” As Condon sings of dancing around one’s hopes in him, the instruments hone in on a progression befitting a light, releasing sway, providing a musical reflection of his meditations. The song provides a sincere, cathartic close to the album.

The Rip Tide is seemingly short-lived, barely clocking in at over thirty minutes. While more tracks would have been great, and warmly welcomed by fans, the group was able to capture the right melodies and emotions on the concise album, omitting any unnecessary additions that could have weighed down on the overall product. The final result is a strong yet simplistic collection of highly enjoyable tracks and another great piece of music to add to Beirut’s already exceptional discography.

At only 25 years of age, Zach Condon is well on his way to solidifying Beirut as one of the prominent modern indie acts.

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EMPLOYMENT/JOBS (FULL TIME)

ROCKSTAR MOBILE APP DEVELOPER Nead Werx is currently accepting applications for Rockstar Mobile Application Developers! Posting Job Description Qualifications: Experience building mobile applications and mobile web sites for iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry is required. Experience with a largescale web site is a plus. Expertise in Objective C and Java for Android, HTML, JavaScript and CSS is required. Experience with phone camera, GPS, compass and accelerometer is preferred.

Candidates must provide samples of work. Students currently working towards a college degree and recent graduates are welcome to apply. Candidates must show an aptitude for detail. They should display leadership skills such as taking proper responsibility, pursuing solutions to problems, displaying resourcefulness towards accomplishing given task or goals. They must exhibit an ability to focus on mundane functions of their job, as well as being self-motivated to learn new skills in order to accomplish new tasks. Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and a sample of your work to Suzanne@neadwerx.com.

Author of “Courting Disaster” Chief Speech Writer to President George W. Bush 9/11 Pentagon Surivor

SERVERS & BARTNDERS NEEDED Dantanna’s Downtown is looking for experienced servers & bartenders. Min 2yrs fine dine exp, knowledge beer/wine/liq, positive attitude req. Apply Mon-Fri 2-5pm

Thursday, September 8 at 6:30pm LeCraw Auditorium (MGT 100)

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ENTERTAINMENT

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 15

Night prevails through superb casting FILM

Fright Night GENRE: Horror, Comedy STARRING: Anton Yelcin, Colin Farrell DIRECTOR: Craig Gillespie RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Aug. 19

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Patricia Uceda Staff Writer

Lately Hollywood has been obsessed with remakes of classic films, churning them out at an alarming rate. Many assumed Fright Night, a remake of a 1985 horror film, would be just another unnecessary remake, but it actually is a cleverly done horror film that improves upon the original and successfully straddles the line between comedy and horror.

Directed by Craig Gillespie, Fright Night stars Anton Yelchin as Charlie, a reformed nerd who has somehow captured the heart of resident cool-girl Amy, played

by Imogen Poots. As a result of his new and improved social status, Charlie no longer has any time for his nerdy childhood friends, including his former best friend Ed, played by Christopher MintzPlasse from Superbad.

Ed starts bugging Charlie about how one of their friends has been missing school and he thinks something bad might have happened. Charlie reluctantly agrees to investigate with Ed who believes his new neighbor Jerry, played by Colin Farrell, is a vampire. He has been spying on Jerry for some time now, and that is the reason he believes their missing friend was targeted by Jerry. Char-

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures

lie is skeptical at first, but after Ed himself goes missing, Charlie starts to pay more attention to his mysterious neighbor.

Of course, Jerry is in fact a vampire, and he inevitably realizes that Charlie is on to him. As a result, the second half of the film is filled with scary action sequences as he attempts to hunt Charlie down and kill his girlfriend Amy. Charlie seeks help from Peter Vincent, played by David Tennant, a vampire expert and magician who headlines a gothic show.

A self-loathing alcoholic, Peter is not willing at first to leave his comfortable apartment filled with supernatural artifacts for a real vampire, but he soon realizes he has no choice.

Yelchin does a great job as the slightly nerdy but endearing Charlie, forced by supernatural circumstances to overcome his fears and doubts in order to defeat the blood-thirsty vampires and

sliver

www.nique.net

Oh South, how I missed your manners and sweet tea, but not your heat and rednecks.

Five guys opened on Peachtree this summer. This is not good for my cholesterol. alex s, this one’s for you! :D I find the lack of fences in central campus disturbing.

RHA all the way!!!

All Dudes!

Ramadan... piece of cake! mmmmm cake. ptait, we’ll be latvian lovers forever!!!!!!!! no relationship is perfect. any tech guy who expects one needs to get a grip and wake up omg!! i thought he was bald but he just shaved his head... how he get it to be so shiny? dear fraternities, its not “cool” to throw beer bottles across the street to try to hit the pole. you’re piling broken glass everywhere please please tell me the north ave dining hall is gonna be a thousand times better than the others... is there anyone on earth who actually sees how stupid and unoriginal dubstep is? please, jump off that bandwagon already housing should create a separate dorm building that allows pets like dogs and cats- it could really help boost student mental health, seriously MBA is the only way I havnt bought any toilet paper yet... taco bell will have to wait TOKYO SANDBLASTER!!!!

Congrats to SB and PS on tying the knot this weekend Did we ever decide on an official nickname for the G-Spot?

That’s probably the only G-Spot most guys at Tech will ever find How is ‘getting a sliver published’ not one of the 99 things to do before you graduate?

So, how do I ask girls out?

I took a tour of the G-Spot after I moved in. It’s very nice. when will the technique print archive be up?

Hey, Technique editors, it’s CmpE. Not CompE. Get it right.

-disgruntled 4th year CmpE Barellhouse: Worst excuse for a college bar

become a man.

Colin Farrell is entrancing as the suave vampire Jerry, skillfully wooing all of the women with his hypnotic gaze. He skillfully encompasses the masculinity and bloodthirstiness of a vampire, proving that character roles are a real strength of his.

The film boasts a strong supporting cast, most notably Tennant, who really steals the show.

His Peter Vincent character is a mix between Jack Sparrow and Russell Brand, and he provides a lot of the comic relief with his hilarious one-liners.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse plays the nerd well, and Imogen Poots does a commendable job as the out-of-league girlfriend. Toni Collette rounds out the strong supporting cast as Charlie’s single and desperate mother.

Craig Gillespie, who is best known for Lars and the Real Girl, really proves himself as a good

horror director with this film.

The mixture between comedy and horror is just right, with even the scariest action sequences being punctuated with moments of hilarity.

Being a vampire, he cannot enter a house unless invited, but Charlie refuses to invite him in, and the tension in that scene as Jerry tries to garner an invitation is packed with suspense.

Unlike most movies where the 3D animation seems almost an afterthought, Gillespie made use of the technology with objects flying towards the screen such as blood spatters or arrows. However, he was also careful not to overdo it, and therefore it was worth the extra money for a 3D ticket. The CGI animation used to distort the vampire faces is also skillfully done.

Overall, this film is a great movie and a highly recommended choice for the summer.

Concert

from page 13

their purpose for the most part, although it did feel like the show’s producers were being a little selfcongratulatory. Fans understand how amazing and revolutionary Glee has been in terms of accepting people as they are, and it was unnecessary to keep emphasizing that point throughout the movie.

All of the numbers in the film were performed on the show first, but in a concert setting they took on a life of their own. Lea Michele performed the Barbara Streisand classic “Don’t Rain on My Parade” with all the enthusiasm and intensity we would expect from Rachel.

Heather Morris channeled the legendary Britney Spears with her high-energy take on “I’m a Slave 4 U,” although it was pretty evident that she was lip-synching.

Even Naya Rivera got her time in the spotlight, with her rendition of “Valerie” which paid homage to the late Amy Winehouse.

Gwenyth Paltrow reprised her role as Holly Holiday with her cover of “Forget You.” Darren Criss and The Warblers were on hand and they did not disappoint.

There were plenty of ensemble performances as well. The movie opened with the classic “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and while it may be cliché, it still set a great tone for the movie. The cast also performed “Empire State of Mind,” “Born this Way,” and the Glee original “Loser like Me.” While the movie was fairly enjoyable overall, the 3D special effects were wholly unnecessary. You almost forget they were there until the end when confetti rains on the audience and the cast throws slushies at the screen.

Overall, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie is an enjoyable film, and fans of Glee will love it. However, the paltry 3D effects are not worth the high ticket price, so definitely wait for the DVD release.

16 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

ENTERTAINMENT

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CITY SCENE

Photo by Chris Gooley / Student Publications

Cirque du Soleil: Dralion at the Philips Arena Dralion, a combination of “dragon” and “lion,” is a new Cirque du Soleil show playing in Atlanta until Aug. 28. Even the name itself is a fusion of the East (“dragon”) and West (“lion”), which is the heart of the acrobatic show. Playing at Phillips Arena, Dralion tells the story of achieving a balance between man and nature, East and West, gravity and flight and wonder and awe. The multidisciplinary spectacle features Air, Earth, Water and Fire in acrobatic prowess. Like every Cirque du Soleil show, the sets, costumes and acrobatics are inspired from around the world. The Montreal-based group “places creativity at the core of all its endeavors to ensure limitless possibilities.”

Maroon 5 storms Verizon On Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Maroon 5 will invade the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Alpharetta. The band will make the Atlanta-area stop on their summer tour, which stops throughout the US, Canada, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Train and artist Matt Nathanson will open the show for the American leg of their international tour, including the Alpharetta rock-out. The soulful rock act is currently promoting their latest album, Hands All Over and especially the newest single, “Moves Like Jagger.” The Amphitheater is just over twenty miles north of Tech and can be reached by a combination of train and buses.

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT/JOBS (FULL TIME)

WORKING RIGHT AT CUMMINS INC Cummins is a team of dependable, innovative thinkers, who are empowered to generate and deliver solutions for customers, community and environment, and who expect to develop their careers through the challenges only a diverse, Global innovator, can promise. No, this isn’t one of those ordinary jobs. Every day, people depend on Cummins to do some extraordinary things in some unusual places. Sometimes we’re under the hood of a truck. Other times we’re using generator exhaust to heat a swimming pool in China.

This is a work environment where doing something exceptional and thinking beyond your desk is more than part of the job. It is the job. If you think you’ve never seen a company like Cummins before, just imagine what it’s like to work here. As a member of our world-class Engineering team, if you are determined to attain the highest levels of professional excellence, Cummins can provide you with the career path and extensive development opportunities you need to achieve your goals. Your career with Cummins can start in any of these areas: Applied Mechanics, Controls, Design, Electronics Hardware, Manufacturing, Mechanical/ Performance Development, Power Systems. Please visit careers.cummins.com to learn more about Cummins and apply for opportunities based on your degree program Cummins Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer dedicated to diversity in the workplace.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 17

Theme Crossword: Geometry 101

By James Barrick United Features Syndicate ACROSS 1. Gourd 5. Brolin or Elliott 9. Condescend 14. Like a storied piper 18. Sea in Asia 19. Poem division 20. “-- -- Grows in Brooklyn” 21. Gaelic 22. Country music enthusiast: 2 wds.

24. Song-and-dance group: 2 wds.

26. Big Easy suburb 27. Pale 29. Colossus of -30. Turner and Hentoff 31. Plagiarize 32. Catcall 33. Be slow 36. Arab VIP 37. Injured party 41. Great name in tennis

42. Borrower’s limit: 3 wds.

46. -- Jima 47. Old monarch: var 48. “Harper Valley ---” 49. Angers 50. Indigo dye 51. Take in 52. Race of Norse gods 54. Inclinations 55. Speckle 56. Medical condition 58. Raw materials 59. “Seven -- for Seven Brothers” 60. “Auntie --” 61. Fugitive 64. Sound loudly 65. Wright Brothers’ town 67. Spreads to dry 68. Mizzen cousin 72. More skilled 73. First name in etiquette 75. Stupefy 76. Twisted

77. Film -78. Insignificant 79. -- poetica 80. Supporting structure 81. Pewter ingredient 82. Jumping-off place: 2 wds.

86. English queen 87. Galvanizing 89. Oka river city 90. Combines 92. Fishes caught 93. Genus of dogs 95. Salamander 96. Roasts anagram 99. French composer 100. Sinusoid: 2 wds.

104. Scabs’ barrier: 2 wds.

106. Diamond events: 2 wds.

108. -- vera 109. Downy creature 110. Blore and Burdon 111. Colorize 112. Breaks down 113. Exploits 114. Be worthy 115. Kind of crime

DOWN 1. Something sometimes read 2. Toledo’s lake 3. Gasp 4. Desert plant 5. Ian or Joplin 6. In olden days 7. Jeanne d’Arc, e.g 8. Friend of Hamlet 9. Russian country house 10. A Barrymore 11. Press 12. Eurozone mem.

13. Concern of Freud 14. Jai alai ball 15. Rainbow: prefix 16. Bondman 17. Letters 19. A kind of business alliance 23. Watch part 25. Call 28. Slave 31. Coat with grease 32. Underworld god 33. Old hat 34. Very, in music

35. Old game show: 3 wds.

36. Complete 37. Prehistoric tool 38. Simple picture: 2 wds.

39. Doubly 40. Omelet fixings 43. -- dixit 44. Fearful feeling 45. Wash 50. Rap sheet entry 52. Protective gear 53. Paradise 54. Sitcom family name

55. Fore 57. Horse opera 58. Eyelike spots 59. Verve 62. Bird with long legs 63. TV chef 65. “Divine Comedy” poet 66. Seething 69. Org. relative 70. Peace goddess 71. Old instruments 73. Letter’s successor

74. Cider press residue 75. Bundles 78. Swaggered 80. Give up: 2 wds.

82. Unmoving gaze 83. Bar -84. Barbecue VIP 85. Corrects a text 88. Throttles 91. Old tableware item 93. Flogged

94. Declares 95. Sibling’s child 96. On -- -- (equivalent) 97. Storage structure 98. Highlander 99. Midway attraction 100. Bad mood 101. Sneakers brand 102. Express 103. Punta del -105. Fiction 107. Nest egg letters

18 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham

Crossword Solution from page 17

COMICS

Non Sequitur by Wiley

COMICS

Non Sequitur by Wiley

DILBERT ® by Scott Adams

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 19

20 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

SPORTS

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Isaiah Johnson records his first interception against Middle Tennessee State. Johnson had three starts as a freshman in 2010.

Secondary

from page 24 been attributed for keeping up the intensity during camp while helping the younger players step into their roles.

“Mike Peterson and Rashaad Reid are some leaders in the secondary. Those older guys have stepped up and set a good example for us young guys to follow suit and make us compete more in practice like a brotherhood,” said sophomore cornerback Louis Young.

At the cornerback position junior Rod Sweeting will be starting alongside Young. Sweeting saw significant playing time during the 2010 season, recording 38 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery as a backup.

Young’s lone interception during

that season came during a Thursday night game at then-No. 22 Virginia Tech.

Young played in 12 games as a freshman, primarily as a special teams player as well as a backup corner. Young posted 10 tackles as a reserve with a career-high three tackles against Middle Tennessee State last season.

Both players were recruited heavily out of high school and have the speed that the coaching staff is looking for. Their speed will be key in order to close the gap on the one-on-one matchups they will encounter during some of the new blitz schemes that Groh will implement for the first time in 2011.

All four players are confident in their athletic ability, but growing pains are expected early in the sea-

son. Tech will have time to build the players experience in the first three games of the season, games the Jackets should be favored in.

“I feel like it’s going to a be a process. We want to just build off each game. Each game is going to be a stepping stone and we just want to learn from everything.

I feel like we’re feeling confident heading into the season,” Young said.

Athletic ability is not limited to the starters though, with redshirt sophomore Jemea Thomas coming in as a versatile player who can play at both cornerback and safety. He could play an important role in nickel packages but will be expected to contribute as a rover type of player.

While the team has some depth in the two deep, the secondary took a hard hit when cornerback Ryan Ayers elected to transfer from Tech to Liberty University.

Ayers was a strong candidate as a backup to either Young or Sweeting as a redshirt freshman.

The youth of the defense seems like a concern initially on paper, but Tech’s strength on the defensive line may be enough to pick up the inexperienced secondary until they have a better grasp of their role in the scheme.

With all three starters returning on the line, their ability to pressure the opposing team in the backfield could result in more miscues by opposing offenses.

Those miscues will be key in getting moreß interceptions, something Tech’s teams have struggled with the past two seasons.

“We have a lot of leadership on

the line, a lot of guys with years under their belt. They have that experience, I think it’s going to be a good experience this year,” Young said.

Young’s speed has been a hot topic coming from coaches and teammates alike, and his ability to close the gap could be useful.

It would not be surprising to see Young baiting a few quarterbacks into throwing the ball deep so that he can make a play.

The youth at cornerback may cause Tech fans anxiety at first,

but the experience they will gain in 2011 will translate onto the field in the subsequent two or three seasons. With strong role players at other positions, the secondary hopes to gain confidence early in the season and eventually become one of the strongest points of the entire team.

The Jackets open up the 2011 season on Sept. 1 against Western Carolina at 7:30 PM in Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Jackets will look to start strong after a disappointing 6-7 finish in 2010.

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Jason Peters lines up in a three-point stance. The strong defensive line is expected to help the secondary ease into their new roles.

22 • August 26, 2011 • Technique

SPORTS

Western Carolina enters the 2011 season in hopes of improving upon its 2-9 record from last year. With 14 returning starters, including nine of offense, the Catamounts have a good chance of winning more than two games this season. The Catamounts will open up against an ACC foe for the second straight season after losing to NC State 48-3 last year. The Catamounts will have to do at least three things if they want to start the season in the win column.

First, Western Carolina will have to run the ball efficiently in order to knock off the Jackets. The Catamounts return their leading rusher from a year ago in Michael Johnson, who ran for 677 yards on 151 carries last season. Western Carolina also has the luxury of returning its second leading rusher in Nate Harris who averaged 4.6 yards per carry last season. Both Johnson and Harris should benefit from another year in Western Carolina’s pistol offense, but Western Carolina will have to do better than its 107 rushing yards per game last season.

The Catamounts will also have to get better production from quarterback Zac Brindside if they are to succeed in this game. Brindside threw for 1405 yards last season after splitting playing time, but managed to complete over 55 percent of his passes. However, Brindside threw nine interceptions on the year compared to just seven touchdowns. Brindside performed well in Western Carolina’s opener last season versus NC State, completing 10 of 18 passes for a touchdown and zero interceptions. The Catamounts will need a game like that in the season opener, instead of the four other games where quarterbacks threw at least three interceptions.

Finally, the Catamounts will have to shore up its front seven for the game against a Tech offense that led the ACC in rushing last season.

Western Carolina allowed opponents to rush for over 200 yards per game last season. This might be a tough task for the defense as only four starters return to the group and the top two tacklers from a year ago have graduated. One bright spot for the Catamount defense is the return of cornerback Torez Jones who had seven interceptions and was fourth on the team in tackles last season.

VS.

JACKETS

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

By Alex Mitchell, Senior Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of the Western Carolina Athletics Department

CATAMOUNTS

WESTERN CAROLINA at TECH - SEPT. 1 (7:30 p.m.)

Head Coach Paul Johnson leads the Jackets into their first game of the 2011 season against his alma mater, Western Carolina. Johnson is 5-0 against the Catamounts in his career. Combine that record with the fact that Tech is 4-0 in its last four season openers, and things start to look favorable for the Jackets in this non-conference game. However, Western Carolina is no pushover and Tech will need to accomplish three things in order secure its first victory of the season.

First and foremost, the Jackets will have to do a better job of securing the football than they did last season. Tech fumbled 37 times last season, and only recovered 17 of them. Most of Tech’s fumbles came in the opponent’s territory, which reduced chances for the offense to score points. Tech quarterbacks also threw seven interceptions in only 166 attempts. The fumbles and interceptions translated to a minussix turnover spread last season, the lowest for the Jackets since 2004’s -13.

The second key for a Tech win will be the effectiveness of the passing game. Tech ranked No. 119 out of 120 teams in passing last season.

The Jackets do not need to throw 40 times a game due to their option attack, but better passing efficiency will help open things up for Tech running backs. Starting redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington looks a little bit better at passing than his predecessor, but Washington could miss Tech’s two top receivers from a year ago due to injuries.

Lastly, Tech will have to get production from its inexperienced secondary in order to make easy work of the Catamounts. Tech only returns one starter at cornerback, senior Rashaad Reid who only played nickel back last season. Tech will rely on two first year starters, sophomore Isaiah Johnson and sophomore Louis Young, to fill the other two corner spots. Young has especially looked good in practice, but he and Ayers will join sophomore free safety Isaiah Johnson to form one of the youngest secondaries in the nation.

PREDICTION: Tech 41, WCU 17

SPORTS

Volleyball

from page 24

every game for the Jackets last season and Tech needed her in every game. Stawicka was the leading blocker on the team, and had 20 more blocks than junior middle blocker Alexis Woodson, who was second on the team.

“One of our goals for the team is to be more consistent during the game, to finish strong and just to execute the little things. Now that I’m a senior I still want to improve and get better as a player, but also to be a leader of the team,” Stawicka said.

Execution will be critical for the Jackets early on, as the team’s first conference match in the loaded ACC is just three weeks away, when the team travels to S.C. to face the rival Clemson Tigers on Sept. 16.

Tech’s last tournament appearance was 2009, where they lost in the first round.

“If we could make it and [advance] a couple of rounds, that’d be awesome,” Mead said.

This year Tech will face stiff competition with its ACC schedule, playing against talented teams

from Duke, North Carolina and Florida State, who are all likely to be ranked at the start of the season. As expected, though, Tech’s biggest game of the year will come against the Georgia Bulldogs.

UGA will travel down to Atlanta on Sept. 9 for the Georgia Tech Regency Suites Invitational.

Though the game will be at the forefront of the fans’ minds, the team is focused on taking the season one game at a time.

“Every game counts and you can’t chyose which one is the best one,” Stawicka said.

Head Coach Tonya Johnson will also try to improve her record at Tech. Hired in January 2009, Johnson immediately brought in top talent not only from the state of Georgia, but from around the world, and took Tech to the NCAA Tournament in her first season.

Replacing important players at setter and libero will be difficult, but Johnson has shown she can build a competitive team. Johnson will also look to get the most out of her team, who are highly motivated both as a team and individually.

Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications

Head Coach Tonya Johnson talks to her team during a match against UGA. Johnson has compiled a 39-24 career record at Tech.

Technique • August 26, 2011 • 23

Sports

sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani

Game On

Technique

Check out a preview of Tech football’s 2011 season opener against Western Carolina.422

Friday, August 26, 2011

Volleyball prepares for 2011 season

By Kyle Gifford Contributing Writer

After a tough 18-14 season last year, the Tech volleyball team looks to improve in their 2011 campaign, which opens up this Friday with the Georgia Tech Courtyard Classic.

The tournament will be held on campus at the O’Keefe Gymnasium and will feature teams from Louisville, Tennessee Tech and Kansas State.

The Jackets’ first match will pit them against the Wildcats of Kansas State at 7 p.m.

With a host of new talent competing for or entering the starting lineup, Tech will have some adjustments to make early in the season. Not long after the end of last season former Tech leaders Mary Ashley Tippins and Jordan McCullers graduated, leaving big holes in the lineup.

Replacing McCullers will not be extremely difficult for the Jackets this season, as they have two upperclassmen who could fill the libero role this season. Susan Carlson started 29 games last season as a defensive specialist, and the junior from Calif. managed to rack up 31 assists and 222 digs. Junior Nicki Meyer could be another option for the Jackets at libero, but she has not started a game in her Tech career.

Unlike McCullers, Tippins may be harder to replace, as Tech will have to rely on younger players to take over at setter. Last season Tippins led the team in assists with 1302, but Tech should be in good hands with sophomore setter Kaleigh Colson. Although Colson did not start a game last season, she was a four-year letter winner at Westwood

24

shorts

Molder, Teixeira among five named to Tech Hall of Fame

Photo by Thien Huynh / Student Publications

Nicki Meyer makes a dig against UVA in 2010. Meyer is a defensive specialist expected to contribute at the libero position her junior season, replacing standout Jordan McCullers.

High School, and led them to a district championship in 2009. Another potential option for Tech setter this season is true freshman Ali Santi, who came all the way to Tech from Hawaii.

The duo of McCullers and Tippins will be missed, but with talented playmakers like junior rightside hitter Monique Mead and senior middle blocker Asia Stawicka, the challenges ahead should not

hinder the Jackets’ chances at making a run at an ACC title and an NCAA tournament berth.

“I would love to make it to the NCAA Tournament and see how far we can go,” Mead said.

Mead was in many regards the most valuable player for the Jackets last season and she was an instrumental part in the Jackets winning 18 games last year. As a sophomore, Mead

recorded a team-high 515 kills and averaged 4.29 kills per set.

Along with her killing skills, Mead also proved she was an all-around player by being third on the team in both digs and blocks with 246 and 102 respectively.

Although Mead led the team in kills, Stawicka led the team in attacking percentage at .337. Stawicka also started

By Alex Sohani Sports Editor

Head Coach Paul Johnson.

Seven of the eight players in the secondary’s two-deep were recruited by Johnson.

Not everything about the secondary will be completely new, as the four players have 20 starts combined. Of those 20 starts, 15 come from senior safety Rashaad Reid. The majority of Reid’s starts came early in his career as a freshman where he learned alongside former Tech standouts such as Morgan Burnett, Mario Butler and Jerrard Tarrant. Three starts came last season from sophomore safety Isaiah Johnson, who also earned his starts as a true freshman.

Reid has been thrust into a leadership role, along with redshirt senior cornerback Michael Peterson, a key backup and prominent special teams member. Both players have

See Volleyball, page 23

Untested defenders aim to lead team

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Rashaad Reid makes an interception against Miami. Reid is the most experienced member in Tech’s young secondary.

Heading into the 2011 football season, only five starters are returning to the defense from the 2010 squad. All four starters from last year’s secondary will be replaced by new faces in the second year of defensive coordinator Al Groh’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

While the team will miss the experience of the 107 combined starts lost from last year’s secondary, the team is still expecting improvement defending the passing game with the young talent present.

The team feels optimistic about the secondary’s ability to make plays, along with the depth at the position. The competition for a starting job in the secondary went on throughout spring and summer practice and their work ethic resulted in praise from

See Secondary, page 20

Former Tech standouts Bryce Molder, Mark Teixeira, Benjamin Cassaigne, Harvey Middleton and Rodney Williams were all named as the 2011 class of the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. The former Tech players will be inducted on Nov. 9 along with being honored during Tech’s football game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 10.

Molder played for the Jackets’ golf team and led two teams to the runner-up position at the NCAA Championship in 1998 and 2001.

Teixeira was a leader on the baseball team between 1999 and 2001 and helped the Jackets host their first NCAA Super Regional in 2000 after winning 50 games and an ACC Championship.

Cassaigne was a standout on the men’s tennis team from 1996-99. Cassaigne won 67 matches in his three seasons, and holds the seventh-best single season singles record in Tech history.

Middleton broke Tech’s record and became the all-time career leading receiver while leading Tech in receiving from 199597. In his career he had 165 receptions while posting 2291 total receving yards.

Williams earned first team All-ACC honors punting for the Tech football time in 1997 and 1998. Williams holds the record for season punting average and punting yards, and earned third team All-American honors in 1997.

Conor Pollock named new assistant men’s tennis coach Former Texas A&M standout Conor Pollock was named the men’s tennis assistant coach on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Pollock steps into the position after Aljosa Piric left Tech in June to become head men’s tennis coach at Old Dominion.

Pollock earned All-American honors three times in his career at A&M from 2007-09 while earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2006. Pollock guided his team to the NCAA Tournament each of his four seasons and will bring some young experience to the coaching staff.

Two volleyball players given preseason AllACC honors Senior Bailey Hunter and junior Monique Mead were named as preseason AllACC volleyball players on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

Mead and Hunter finished the 2010 season with All-ACC honors.

Mead is expected to contribute heavily to the 2011 team after leading the 2010 team with 515 kills. Hunter started all 32 games on the 2010 season contributing 366 kills and 86 digs.

The Jackets were also picked to finish the season 5th overall in the ACC’s preseason poll behind Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Miami. Tech kicks off the volleyball season against Kansas State on Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.