Wednesday COLLEGIATETIMES 101st Year, No. 11 ▪ Blacksburg, Virginia ▪ Wednesday, September 10, 2003 An independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com Tech, Steger, Rocovich named in complaint ▪ Virginia Tech and six other state policy denying otherwise quali- and John Doe 1 and 2. An associa- A lawsuit filed has colleges and universities has been fied applicants from enrolling tion of illegal immigrant students listed Tech as one of pushed to Friday. because of their perceived immi- called Equal Access Education is Upon information and belief, The Mexican American Legal gration status. also a plaintiff in the case. The five seven schools that Defense and Education Fund and Tech President Charles Steger student plaintiffs are natives of Virginia Tech has adopted an deny enrollment due to attorneys from the Washington and John Rocovich, rector of the Central and South America. admission policy that denies admission to D.C. law firm Arnold & Porter filed board of visitors, were specifi- The hearing Friday will help in students who are not United States citizens immigration status suit last Wednesday against Tech, cally named in the complaint filed determining whether or not the George Mason University, Virginia by MALDEF. The university as plaintiffs will be able to remain or lawful permanent residents, and who are by Eric Beidel Commonwealth University, the no comment on the issue, as the anonymous, said David Orta, believed to have an ‘illegal,’ ‘unlawful’ or News Assistant “ University of Virginia, Northern Attorney General’s office will a partner with Arnold & Porter ‘undocumented’ immigration status but are Virginia Community College, be responding on behalf of all law firm and co-counsel in the A hearing to determine wheth- James Madison University and the universities involved, said Larry lawsuit. otherwise eligible for admission. er illegal immigrant plaintiffs can College of William and Mary. Hincker, university spokesman. “We are allowed to proceed SOURCE: maldef.org; complaint for injunctive and declaratory relief remain anonymous in a suit chal- The lawsuit alleges these insti- Currently the plaintiffs are lenging the admission policies of tutions are applying an admission identified as Jane Doe 1, 2 and 3 See COMPLAINT, page 3 CHRIS HEUBERGER Theta Chi raises” funds for homeless by Tiffany Hoffman went to waste. The fraternity brothers then Managing Editor organized their 76-hour drive. Every night, rain or shine, from Monday A blue couch and two grocery carts con- at 9 a.m. until Thursday at 4 p.m., the broth- taining Easy Mac, clothes and towels are ers will be taking turns sitting on the couch set up on the south side of the Drillfield for on the Drillfield and soliciting to passersby. Theta Chi’s “Hokies Helping the Homeless” Even though there were only three people philanthropy project. to walk by between midnight and 4 a.m. the “We need to raise awareness,” said Paul first night, Heroman said they were going Heroman, a member of Theta Chi and a to continue to be there every hour of every senior political science major. “People think day. that just because we’re in Blacksburg, Va. “We can’t just do it when the weather’s and not in a big city that there aren’t home- nice — the homeless don’t have that option,” less people, but there are.” Heroman said. According to The 2001 Virginia Rural As of Tuesday night, the organization had Homeless Survey conducted by the Center raised more than $300 for the New River for Housing Research, Southwestern Virginia Family Shelter. Non-parishables are being has the highest homeless population in the donated to Montgomery County Assistance state, with an estimated 18,824 people. New Program and the Interfaith Food Pantry in River Valley accounts for 8.4 percent of the Blacksburg. total homeless population in rural Virginia. “This year is a learning year, but so far it Lane Etheridge, the Theta Chi philanthro- has already surpassed our expectations with- ELEANOR HOPSON/SPPS py chair and a junior communication major, in the first two days,” Heroman said. “People said he got the idea for the “Hokies Helping may walk by once and not have a dollar, but Freshman Jeff Fink donates a dollar to the Theta Chi “Hokies Helping the Homeless” philanthropy. the Homeless” project when he was eating they won’t walk by twice and not give us Theta Chi members Steve Belcher, Paul Heroman and B.J. LaCross solicited donations on the Drillfield. on campus and realized how much food something. We’re here 24 hours a day.” Program to encourage Chlamydia rates rising at Tech be determined, the importance as well as the peer education ▪ Schiffert Health of promoting knowledge about program. diversity awareness Center offers safe sex STD testing and prevention is Any campus group can sched- programs to prevent extremely important. ule a “Peer Ed” program where One act on the diverse program bill is the “People always fall into the a group of peer educators give a ▪ Performers will present their Hoorah Cloggers, who will be performing a diseases and pregnancy denial category until it’s too presentation about safe sex and own cultural experiences at dance to the background of traditional music late,” said Ken Thurman, a junior STDs. from the southern Appalachian region. by Sara Zeckoski business information technology They also provide informa- Virginia Tech tonight at the Speeches from organizations like the Staff Writer major. tive tables at many events and annual Celebration of Diversity, Young Democrats will supplement the sing- “They think to themselves ‘that employ a wellness team to ing and dancing of other groups. According to the Center for can’t happen to me, the odds are promote health awareness on held in Burruss Hall Terry McGuire, the Young Democrats Disease Control, there has been too small —that only happens to campus. president and a senior environmental policy a steady rise in the number of bad people.’” Schiffert also offers several by Bryan Nieder and planning major, said his 3-to-5-minute chlamydia cases in both men and There are a variety of programs safe sex programs as well as News Assistant speech will touch on the group’s support for women. on campus to help keep stu- information on its website a diverse school environment. Numbers on the disease here dents informed about the latest about safe sex and STDs. The sixth annual Celebration of Diversity “Virginia Tech is extremely lacking in at Tech, seem to reflect that ways of STD prevention or treat- Information on testing is also will be held tonight at Burruss Hall, high- diversity,” McGuire said. “When you go to increase. ment. available at <www.healthcenter. lighting racial and philosophical diver- a school that does not reflect the real world The statistics of Schiffert Health The Health Education vt.edu>. sity at Virginia Tech as well as fostering it is hard to get a true education.” Center show cases of chlamydia Department on campus offers Testing for most STDs at the diversity awareness goal Some of the organizations have nearly doubled between many safe sex information pro- Schiffert is free or inexpensive of the Student Government participating will not even the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 grams, including contraception and testing is completely confi- Association. be performing, but rather school years, rising from 36 to 66 classes and “safer sex family feud,” dential. The student-organized Virginia Tech is will show their support in cases. and performed event will “extremely lacking in different ways. In the most recent survey be broken into three main The Residence Hall conducted by the CDC in 2001, parts: a portion devoted to diversity. When you Federation, though not 450 out of every 100,000 women displaying facts about differ- go to a school that putting on an exhibition, and 100 of every 100,000 men ent cultures and diversity at does not reflect the is strongly encourag- have been infected with chla- Tech, and a section allowing ing its staff to attend the mydia. performers to express their real world it is hard event, said RHF board However, according to Board personal cultural experi- to get a true member Toby Quaranta, a Certified Registered Nurse ences at Tech. education.” sophomore political science Jeannie Baker of Schiffert Health Organizational and indi- major. Center, determining the number vidual performances will RHF President Kelly of STDs on campus is extremely round out the event. Thirty Terry McGuire Williams, a junior manage- difficult. organizations and indi- president, Young Democrats ment major, said the event “A lot of students go off cam- vidual participants will be will also call more attention pus because they feel uneasy, participating in the evening to the recent diversity initia- even though everything is confi- activity. tive planned by the SGA. dential and medical and student The one-and-a-half hour show will “I think this year it will be better sup- records are kept separate,” she intermingle the three sections to keep the ported because it was better advertised,” said. audience attentive, said Program Director Williams said. She believes many students for Multicultural Awareness Programs Brogdon said this year is a little differ- prefer to go to inconspicu- Laurie Brogdon, a senior communication ent because the event has more faculty ous local doctors about per- major. support. sonal issues such as STDs, “There’s diversity in the program because She said MAPS hopes for 3,100 people because they feel uncom- all of the acts contacted us,” Brogdon to attend the event and has already con- fortable being in a place on said. firmed some Tech officials like Tech’s campus with their peers and She said the affair is not only focusing on president, Charles Steger, and Provost Mark faculty.