Friday,NEWS April 20, 2007 Technique • Friday, April 20, 2007 • 1 “The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper” Students take Volume 92, Issue 30 a break 36 pages to enjoy ONLINE www.nique.net art, page 19 TECHNIQUEServing Georgia Tech since 1911 Relay for Life raises $130,000 Memorial service honors Va. Tech Relay for Life, which took place last weekend on the Roe Campus comes together to remember those lost in campus shooting Stamps Fields, included more than 700 participants and raised $65,000 to benefi t the American Cancer Society. In addition, Bill Todd, Tech alumnus and CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition, pledged to match the funds raised by Relay, and thus an additional $65,000 will be donated towards cancer research conducted at Tech. Th is is the fi rst year that money raised at Tech’s Relay will directly fund cancer research that occurs on campus . TBD celebrates 10th anniversary Th e 10th annual Tech Beau- tifi cation Day takes place on campus tomorrow, Saturday, April 21. Events kick off with breakfast starting at 8 a.m., and work on projects will run from 9 a.m. until noon. Th e day concludes with a Celebration of Full story, page 2 Service in Yellow Jacket Park. By Michael Skinner / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS More information is available at www.techbeautifi cationday.org. Obama, Gore SGA Election Coverage 2007 Sting Break starts speeches draw Parvatiyar, Peeples win runoff tonight at 8 p.m. T.I., the self-proclaimed “King of the South,” will play in large crowds Yellow Jacket Park as part of the By Craig Tabita annual Sting Break celebration Assistant News Editor beginning at 8 p.m. tonight. Th e concert will be hosted by Th e middle of campus is typically tranquil local comedian Louis Ramey and during weekend mornings, but it was a very dif- the opening band will be local ferent site this past Saturday when Democratic Battle of the Bands winner Just presidential candidate Barack Obama held an Over Broke. Students will need Atlanta rally for his campaign at Yellow Jacket their BuzzCards for admission. Park. Obama’s visit was not the only political ac- tor on campus this week as former Vice President Al Gore spoke at the Ferst Center on Wednesday Atheists present a night. Both events drew large crowds from the Tech community. divine comedy An estimated total of 20,000 people came to listen to the senator from Illinois. Th e event was Tech Atheists are hosting a coordinated by the College Democrats and the comedy show at Under the Couch African American Student Union in conjunction tonight at 7 p.m. Th e event called with the Obama campaign and emceed by Jessie Sidesplitting Sacriledge, will take Brenton, a fourth year Public Policy major and place just before Sting Break, Obama campaign volunteer. so students can attend both. Although he was originally scheduled to speak By Jon Drews / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS at 11 a.m., it wasn’t until noon that Obama fi nally Anu Parvatiyar (right) and Matt Peeples (left) won the runoff elections this week. Parvatiyar made took the stage following an invocation by the Rev. up a 700 vote defi cit from the general election to overcome Youngblood by 500 votes. Inside Joseph Lowery and the singing of the national anthem by Alexandra Jackson, daughter of former By Craig Tabita last week’s executive elections be- ing past Ray with 1643 votes to Graduate Student Elections Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson. Th e Clark Atlanta Assistant News Editor cause no candidate had received 1549 votes for Ray. Page 4 University pep band was on hand to entertain a majority of the vote. Parvatiyar said she was the crowd during the delay, but they were clearly Th e Student Government As- Th e victory by Parvatiyar was “shocked” by the results but Student Activity Policy fails growing restless in their impatience until Obama sociaton (SGA) runoff elections a reversal of the fi nish between the at the same time eager to get to go into eff ect fi nally appeared to thundering cheers. for the positions of undergraduate two candidates last week, where started. Full Story, Page 4 Obama began by speaking about his back- student body president and ex- Youngblood had 1792 votes to “I had told people this SGA Meetings , Page 5 ground and early life. Born to a Kenyan father ecutive vice president ended with Parvatiyar’s 1117. With two fewer wouldn’t really change what I and a mother from Kansas, he graduated from Anu Parvatiyar convincingly candidates in the race for voters planned to do for the next year, Honor’s students examine, Columbia University and worked as a community defeating Mark Youngblood to choose from, Parvatiyar was it just changes the way in which invest in their program organizer before enrolling at Harvard Law School. for the presidency, but less than able to raise her vote total to 1944 I’m going to do it. I’m excited Page 9 He then practiced as a civil rights lawyer and taught a hundred votes putting Matt while Youngblood’s total actually for the work to start and that constitutional law at the University of Chicago Peeples past George Ray in the fell to 1410. the campaign is over fi nally,” Collegiate Panhellenic Council before his election to the Illinois State Senate in vice presidential election. Peeples was able to maintain Parvatiyar said. fails bylaws amendment Th e runoff s were held between the advantage over Ray that he Page 9 See Politics, page 3 the top two candidates in each of held in last week’s election, edg- See Runoff , page 7 2 • Friday, April 20, 2007 • Technique NEWS Campus mourns Va. Tech tragedy at ceremony By Randy Darnowsky of Virginia Tech and my family lived nection with the Virginia Tech friends that I can’t imagine what to use the opportunities that we Contributing Writer in Blacksburg during that time,” community. they must be feeling right now,” have to make life better for other Clough said. “Having grown up in Roanoke, Graab said. people. And even with the tragedies Under a clear blue afternoon sky, Clough was dean of the College Virginia and watching many of my Graab went on to say that she of Virginia Tech to remind us that students, faculty and administrators of Engineering at Virginia Tech. high school friends go on to Virginia knows that all of our hearts go out our lives are precious, they should gathered around the Campanile While he was there, his offi ce was in to those at Virginia Tech, but none also teach us that the years that we Tuesday to commemorate those Norris Hall, the scene of the worst “It’s so of us can imagine what they must be have left should be spent with a life who lost their lives in the shooting of the shootings. going through at this time. well spent,” Clough said. at Virginia Tech Monday. Hundreds “My offi ce was located on the incomprehensible “I know that all of the students Th e words of both Clough and of students gathered to hear what third fl oor of Norris Hall, just one how so many here have them in their hearts and are Graab rang clear because they had Institute President Wayne Clough fl oor above where yesterday, unbe- thinking of them constantly. When such a close connection with those and Alison Graab, the undergradu- lievably, 30 people were killed in a innocent people we leave here today, I think the most directly involved in the tragedy at ate student body president, had to classroom. I remember Norris Hall lost their lives doing important thing is to remember Virginia Tech. Th ey spoke of their say on the issue, as well as to pay as a place of learning, where talented those who lost their lives yesterday, personal relationships with those their respects to the students of a students and faculty met to share what comes so their friends, family and loved ones aff ected by the events. One example sister school in the Atlantic Coast their joy for their teachers and for naturally.” and also, as we walk around campus of how they were directly aff ected Conference. learning. It’s so incomprehensible tomorrow, not take for granted the was Clough speaking about him “Our prayers go out to the families how so many innocent people lost Wayne Clough relationships we have and things we hiring one of the professors who was of those who lost their loved ones their lives doing what comes so have here,” Graab said. killed during the shootings. in the events of yesterday. Many naturally on a college campus, to Institute President Clough encouraged the crowd to The shootings also struck a of us have friends at Virginia Tech fulfi ll a mission and purpose for learn from the tragedy to embrace chord with Georgia Tech students and have heard from them through which universities like Virginia Tech and having seen how impor- life. “For those who lost their lives because of the similarities between emails and phone calls, and my fam- Tech or Georgia Tech was created,” tant Virginia Tech is to Roanoke, yesterday and for their friends and Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. ily and I are very close to Virginia Clough said. Blacksburg and all the surrounding family, we must know that there Tech since I was a faculty member Graab also had a direct con- areas, I want to say on behalf of my is no other better to be privileged See Memorial, page 6 sliver www.nique.net/sliver where are we what the hell is going on? its funny how people start acting like they actually care about sga when they get the opportunity to talk ish about candidates you go to meetings if you are so informed about the correct way sga should be run Hmm...how to be cryptic...