February 22, 2022

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February 22, 2022

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News

PAGE 2 February 22, 2022

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Blacksburg Transit addresses recent staffing problems

Staffing shortages and high bus traffic have resulted in daily changes to routes and schedules.

GWYNDOLYN MILES news writer

Blacksburg Transit (BT) acts as an important element in residents’ schedules all throughout the community but has dealt with unexpected challenges within the last year. For students both on and off campus, as well as Blacksburg residents, BT has been a dependable method of getting around for almost 40 years since its launch in 1983.

Recently, staffing issues and high bus traffic have resulted in route changes, bus cancellations and students being unable to board buses due to full capacity.

“If there’s no driver, they’ve been canceling routes. To me, I understand that. But the customer has no idea, CCS (Communication and Customer Service) may not have put it out yet,” said Brian Parkhurst, a BT operator. “So when I show up here and the bus stop is full, it’s just people doing what they’re supposed to, the bus never showed up.”

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, BT lost a large portion of its student employees and some chose to stay home for health reasons. This resulted in a reduction of both hours of service and active staff by approximately 25% of the pre-pandemic bus service, according to BT customer communications. When classes resumed in person last fall, BT was at full capacity again with significantly reduced

staff. It was a challenge to replace operators fast enough, especially since employees must first receive a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) from the DMV. BT has been in cooperation with local businesses and the town of Blacksburg for a compensation study. By surveying managers and employees in town, BT hopes to eventually implement changes that encourage competitive pay by comparing other areas and their systems.

“Are we paying competitively compared to other transit agencies or other places that would have similar positions? You know, if you’re in our public works department, are we paying competitively compared to the kind of work that they do in other places?” said Lincoln Sklar, the communications and customer support coordinator for BT. “So that study is being conducted now. I’ll hopefully have the results from it here within the next couple of months and then hopefully, they’ll have good findings and the town will be able to implement some of [them].”

Student employment is highly encouraged within BT, and its part-time position requires nine hours a week in three-hour increments.

“It’s a resume builder; in a lot of ways to be a bus driver is a lot of responsibility,” Sklar said. “And that shows future employers that you … can stick to a schedule, you can manage multiple tasks at once, and that you can be responsible for getting people from point A to point B safely.”

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Blacksburg Transit bus, Oct. 31, 2021.

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There are ways that students can help with BT’s system as commuters, and following proper bus etiquette is a main factor. When boarding a full bus, filling in the back row seats and standing room assists others getting on at later stops. Entering and exiting through the proper bus doors also ensures drivers know bus capacity, regulating the space in the bus.

Most of the bus traffic occurs in the 15-minute intervals before class times, resulting in students being left behind at stops. This issue can be resolved on a commuter level by planning to take an earlier route, which could mean arriving on campus earlier but would significantly reduce traffic.

“Say thank you to your bus drivers.

They’re working very hard, so extending a little bit of grace (goes a long way),” Sklar said. “If the bus is running slightly behind

or it’s jam packed, it’s because they’re working hard to transport as many people as possible.”

BT has many outlets for public input — patrons can send direct messages to BT social media (Instagram, Twitter) and their communications team will explain which bus stop and bus route makes sense with your schedule. Additionally, BT puts out public input surveys in the spring and fall for the community to give feedback on its website.

“We’ve all been there,” Sklar said.

“There’s no shame in reaching out to us.

There are no stupid or silly questions, we want to help.”

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February 22, 2022 PAGE 3

It’s time to take a stand against gun violence

T

As students affected by gun violence, it is our responsibility to advocate for safer gun laws.

wo weeks ago, I spent the first half of a Friday night dow nt ow n c eleb r at i ng a friend’s birthday and the rest of the night texting friends to make sure everyone was safe from a shooting.

A f t er m id n ig ht on Sat u rd ay morning, students received an email notifying us that shots were fired at an intersection near campus. We got four more emails throughout that night about the shooting, only adding to the confusion about what was happening and whether we were still in danger.

What there wasn’t confusion or surprise about was that a shooting was happening – – after all, Gen Z has been deemed by activists as the school shooting generation. We took time out of our high school classes for memorials of peers across the country who would never graduate or join us in college.

On that Friday, I texted my dad to let him know I was safe while I sat on the floor and called my friend who was sitting in a dark apartment because, starting at age 6, we were learning how to read, write and lockdown from an active shooter: turn off the lights and sit on the floor.

So we did, because in that moment, it was all we knew how to do. There is no evidence that these lockdown drills protect anyone, but there is evidence that they cause students and teachers lasting emotional and physical harm.

These drills are nothing more than security theater and an attempt to do something to make up for the fact that

the adults who should have protected us never delivered on safer gun laws. We sat quietly in the dark and hoped the lockdowns would only ever be drills.

On Saturday morning, rumors faded and the truth of what happened became clear. People went about their day— everyone except Isiah Robinson, an 18-year-old high school student who will never get to go to college.

The rest of us still had assignments due while the four surviving victims were in the hospital; their lives changed forever.

A nd wh ile we’re disg usti ngly desensitized to these horrific events, spending our whole lives surrounded by gun violence has changed us all too.

I spent last summer inter ning at Brady, a nonprofit gun violence prevention organization, where I had the chance to work with gun violence survivors. It was there I learned that this “survivor” label is not just for those who had experienced a shooting firsthand but also for all those whose lives have been scarred forever by gun violence.

In that way, for the second time in as many decades, all of Virginia Tech and Blacksburg are survivors of gun violence. In that way, our whole generation are survivors. Our youth has been marred by guns.

But we aren’t kids anymore. We can do more than the adults that let us down. We can move past empty reactions and 24-hour news cycles. We can give more than thoughts and prayers

Live with up to 7 roommates in our 5 bedroom!

and lockdown drills.

We can fight for safer gun laws, like universal background checks.

Polling from Gallup shows that they’re supported by 96% of Americans, and one of the easiest ways to keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them.

We can demand Congress hold the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) accountable.

The ATF should be regulating bad actors in the gun industry, yet around 90% of guns used in crimes come from 5% of arms dealers according to last available information collected from ATF gun trace data.

We can get involved with organizations like Team ENOUGH’s youth lobbying collective to lead the fight for lifesaving legislation.

And if your representatives don’t listen to your demands, use your voice and your vote to find someone who will.

Sarah Brady, one of Brady’s namesakes and founders, once said, “If you can’t change the laws, change the lawmakers.”

In November 2022, 34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats are up for election. According to The Economist, young people are the largest voting bloc in the country, so we can decide what our legislature will look like. We can ensure they know that gun violence prevention is a major voting issue.

Isiah Robinson was the captain of his football team, getting ready to play

KARA SMITH / COLLEGIATE TIMES Front door of the Melody Hookah Lounge, Feb. 20, 2022.

college ball next year. He was a son and a friend. He was a kid, not even out of high school. He won’t get to go downtown for a friend’s birthday. He was let down, but the rest of us, the ones taught to sit on the floor and turn out the lights, can fight not to let anyone else down.

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Lifestyles

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February 22, 2022 PAGE 5

‘Burg on a budget: How to manage your own rent Personal finance professor Alex White, Ph.D., dives into the financial expectations of college housing.

SAM TULLY lifestyles staff writer

With countless options and some hefty price tags, navigating the off-campus housing market can be daunting. For financially independent Hokies, the process of finding and maintaining housing can be doubly terrifying.

Enter Alex White, Ph.D., also known as “Doc White”: the dairy science professor who also teaches personal financial planning. Given that part of White’s day job involves saving Virginia Tech’s students from financial ruin through education, I consulted him to get the best tips.

White knows a thing or two about budgeting. For those unfamiliar with accommodating to a budget, he recommends prioritizing rent payments and planning ahead for additional expenses.

“First thing, your rent payment: You want to keep that less than one week’s worth of salary,” White said. “If you’re paying more than that for rent, it’s going to be expensive to meet your other needs. You need to do your monthly

budget and put that in as one of your top expenses, because you know you have to pay it before the fifth of every month in most cases. (For utilities,) do a little research. See what the previous tenants were paying if you can. You might be able to get the records from either the rental office or the utility company.”

White also noted that students should keep in mind that some bills will be more expensive depending on the season.

“See how much it’s going to vary throughout the year,” White said. “For my house, in the summertime, my electric bill is $15 to $30 a month; in the wintertime it’s $300. So you need to be ready for the change in seasons and know what that change is going to be.”

In terms of housing contracts and leases, reading contracts thoroughly and looking out for any nefarious wording can save students a lot of trouble.

“First, read the contract in full before you sign it,” White said. “Take your time and read it; understand what it is. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. A lot of people are going to sign it without even reading it, and it’s going

BENJAMIN JUDELSON / COLLEGIATE TIMES Leasing office at The Edge Apartment Homes, Sept. 21, 2018.

to say they can’t sublease, (and have) no pets or noise violations. The main things I’d look for in a housing contract are clearly stating what the rent is, when it’s due and what’s the late penalty.”

Beyond those major points, White noted additional factors to look for in leases that students may not know about or understand before they sign.

“If you’re a day or so late, most people give you a five-day grace period, but if you’re past that, what’s it going to cost?”

White said. “Other things I would look for in the contract would be the escape clause. If you get a job, can you buy your way out of the lease? Can you break the lease with an extra month’s payment?

What do you do if you and your roommate can’t get along? Can anyone leave? Can you find somebody to replace you on the lease or are you stuck making that payment?”

When asked for any good signs to look for “green flags” in leases, White recommended looking beyond the contracts themselves.

“My idea of the perfect lease is (that) the initial lease is a one-year contract and then it’s month-to-month after that,” White said. “That gives you the flexibility of leaving when you want to.

I’ve had some leases like that; I haven’t heard of any down here. Most leases are going to say what you can do and what you can’t do, how to break the lease or what happens if you leave, how much it’s going to cost you, noise violations, what they can do to kick you out or involve the police … and if there’s excessive wear and tear, if they can take more than your security deposit.”

Beyond the content in your lease, White added a couple of other indicators from potential landlords that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

“What I would look at more than the lease itself is the honesty, reputation and communication with the leasing agent,” White said. “Are they nice? Do they have a good reputation in town? Do they

have any marks against them with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce?”

Regarding utilities and security deposits, saving money could prove to be tricky at some apartment complexes.

“With some leases, electric is going to be included in the rent payment, so you don’t even have to sign up with the electric company,” White said. “If electric is not included, one of the roommates is going to have to open an account with the electric company. Water (and) waste is going to be different for every apartment complex. The main thing to be thinking about is how much security deposit you need to put down and what’s the chance of getting that security deposit back. (With) pet deposits, you’re not going to get that money back — pure and simple. If the apartment complex provides Wi-Fi and you were to get your own Wi-Fi, now you’re paying for it twice.”

White’s best piece of advice for students trying to find housing in Blacksburg is to not go at it alone.

“Find roommates if you can trust them,” White said. “It’s one of those deals that single housing is just too expensive for most people. So, I would try and find roommates. Try and sublease if you can or be on the lookout for those little loft apartments or one-bedroom places in town. They tend to be much more reasonable than the one-bedroom places at the apartment complexes.”

While finding a good place to live in Blacksburg is still a monster of a task, advice from those who’ve experienced the hardships of finding housing and self-advocacy can go a long way in helping Hokies find a place to call home for the next year or so.

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Student Legal Services’ tips for untangling off-campus housing contracts Apartment hunting can get confusing –– SLS can help students navigate contract jargon, security deposits and more.

JAKE WALSH lifestyles staff writer

For many students, the most intimidating part about going to university isn’t class or meeting people; it’s having to live on your own for the first time in your life. Signing your first lease can be scary, especially if you’re living off-campus.

You may not know what to do or what all the specific clauses and fees in your contract mean; however, Virginia Tech provides resources, strategies and legal tips for students who are navigating their first off-campus housing experiences.

Diana Miller, an attorney for Student Legal Services at Virginia Tech (SLS), provided useful information for students who are looking to live off campus and sign their first lease.

When asked about what the most important piece of advice a student should have before signing their first lease, Miller said that students should be certain they have fully understood the document.

“Signing the lease creates a binding legal contract between you and the landlord of that property, there is no going back, and you are responsible for payment of rent,” Miller said.

If you don’t understand something before signing, reach out to some sort of legal counsel to discuss everything written in the document. If you are a current student at Virginia Tech, you will have access to free legal advice via Student Legal Services, which can be a great resource to help go through your lease and make sure you know the ins and outs of what you are signing up for.

Another thing that is important to keep in mind when you sign your first lease is your security deposit. Security deposits can be expensive, and if you want to get any of that money returned to you at the end of your lease, there are a few steps you should follow.

The first thing Miller recommended doing to help your chances of retaining your security deposit involves inspecting your apartment before you move in.

“Complete a move-in inspection report when you first move in, take lots of photos, turn the move-in inspection report to the landlord within the required time (in the lease), and keep a copy of it

for your records,” Miller said.

Whether it’s a carpet stain or a dent in the wall, take pictures of everything; you can never be too cautious. The last thing you would want is to be blamed for something that was already a problem before you moved in.

Another tip Miller noted that can save you legal troubles when moving out is being at your own move-out inspection.

“Request in writing to be present at the move-out inspection, work with the landlord to schedule the move-out inspection, and be present at the move-out inspection,” Miller said.

Miller explained that when you do this, you will be able to see exactly what you are being charged for and have the power to potentially refute it.

“Follow precisely the required cleaning and move-out steps required by the lease/ vacating addendum/move-out policies/ policy handbook /etc.,” Miller said.

“Remove all of your belongings and thoroughly clean the property as per the requirements. Take lots of photos after

you have removed your belongings and after you’ve cleaned the property. Provide the landlord with your forwarding address in writing.”

It is important to follow the exact guidelines given to you for cleaning up and moving out because if you miss anything noted by your landlord, you are more likely to get less money back on your deposit. Once you’ve cleared out all your belongings and are ready to move out, be sure to take more pictures because they can act as proof of what your living space looked like at the time of moving out.

Once you have signed a lease, there is not much you can do to get out of it.

When asked about this, Miller gave this piece of advice.

“The best thing to do is to carefully read the lease, any addenda to the lease, policy handbooks, etc.,” Miller said. “All the information about application fees, rent, security deposit, pet deposit, utilities, late fees, return check fees, fines, sublease fees, processing fees, and so on, is listed there.”

The Chasewood Downs apartment complex, Sept. 26, 2019.

If you feel you are being unfairly treated or have been hit with fees that were not agreed on in your contract, it is best to meet with a legal adviser like the SLS and discuss your options. However, you can still avoid this step by being extra careful before signing your lease, and reading through your landlord’s or leasing company’s online reviews left from previous tenants. Contacting prior residents about their experiences to see if the place is a good fit for you is a great option too.

Living off campus for the first time can be stressful, but as long as you are smart and use all of the resources at your disposal, you should be alright. After all that is done, it’s finally time to enjoy living stress-free on your own or with some friends in your cozy new apartment.

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February 22, 2022 PAGE 7

Sports

PAGE 8 February 22, 2022

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UNC snaps Virginia Tech’s winning streak Poor shooting leads to a tough loss for the Hokies against UNC.

RIDGE WILSON sports staff writer

In what was the biggest game of the season up to this point, Virginia Tech men’s basketball dealt with major shooting woes at the worst possible time, as North Carolina ended the Hokies’ six-game winning streak with a 65–57 win at Cassell Coliseum.

UNC (19–8, 11–5 ACC) bounced back from an uninspiring home loss to Pittsburgh and played perhaps its best game of the season.

Caleb Love had 21 points and seven assists and Armando Bacot finished with 12 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. The Tar Heels, needing a win to move off of the NCAA Tournament bubble, constantly exploited size mismatches and hit timely shots to beat the Hokies for the fourth straight time.

Virginia Tech (16–11, 8–8 ACC) was in the “Next Four Out” for many NCAA Tournament predictions, so the loss at home, plus 5-of-26

shooting from the 3-point line, proved very costly. Keve Aluma had 16 points and nine rebounds and Justyn Mutts chipped in with 10 points, but no one else reached double figures for the Hokies. After the Hokies took a 22–16 lead in front of a sellout crowd, the Tar Heels ended the first half on a 22–8 run, as RJ Davis and Love caught fire from behind the arc and Bacot and Brady Manek used their physicality and size advantage to dominate the paint on both ends of the floor. The Hokies would get no closer than five points in the second half.

Given that Virginia Tech had all the momentum going into this game, the outcome was deflating. The Hokies will likely need to win their next four games, all of which are favorable matchups, starting Wednesday night at Georgia Tech, if they want to give themselves a shot at the NCAA Tournament. @CTSportsTalk

COURTESY OF HOKIESPORTS

Track and field finishes off regular season on high note The Hokies are now first in the ACC. GLEN RORIE sports staff writer

The Virginia Tech track and field team competed in the Virginia Tech Challenge and the JDL DMR Invitational to conclude its regular season meets. The two DMR teams headlined the weekend meets as both shattered the JDL Fast Track facility records.

Day One

The women’s distance medley relay team composed of Leigha Torino, Star Price, Hannah Ballowe and Lindsey Butler clocked in at 11:00.20, breaking the previous record of 11:04.23. After such a strong performance, the Hokies moved to first in the ACC, second in the NCAA and third in Virginia Tech history.

The men’s distance medley relay, made up of Ben Fleming, Tyreke Sapp, Seb Anthony and

Antonio Lopez Segura, ran an unconverted time of 9:34.24, breaking JDL Fast Track’s facility record. The men’s relay team now holds the top spot in the ACC and the sixth spot in the NCAA. In the Virginia Tech Challenge, Kahleje “KJ” Tillmon ran his personal best of 47.65 in the men’s 400-meter and earned himself a victory as well. Tillmon stepped up at the right time as he moved to 10th in the ACC right before the ACC Championships.

Freshman Layla Anderson also had herself a day running 8.48 in the women’s 60m hurdles.

Anderson finished second and moved up to ninth place in the ACC. On the flip side, Sam McLendon also had a personal best in the men’s 60m hurdles of 7.85.

In the 800m events, on the women’s side, Grace Boone had her season-best of 2:08.89 to win the race. While on the men’s side, Tyler

Leeser and Eldon Phillips had lifetime bests with Leeser running 1:50.94 and Phillips running 1:51.21.

Khalil Bedoui won the men’s weight throw with his career best throw of 21.89m.

Day Two

After an eventful day one of multiple personal bests, the Hokies concluded their indoor season at Rector Field House celebrating the senior runners and field competitors.

Rachel Baxter continued her win streak this season, clearing 4.45m to win the women’s pole vault. The five-time All-American and three-time ACC Champion looks to add championship No. 4 to conclude her season.

Freshman Torrence Walker and Anderson won both their first collegiate events in the 200m. Walker won the men’s event with a 21.20 and now ranks seventh among ACC sprinters.

In the women’s 200m, Anderson won with a time of 24.40.

Virginia Tech also had a guest appearance from Olympic silver medalist Sandi Morris.

Morris won the women’s pole vault elite event after clearing 4.65m. Virginia Tech’s own volunteer assistant pole vault coach Bridget Williams placed second in the event. Williams took two attempts to clear the same height.

After another successful regular season full of record-breaking distances and times, the Virginia Tech track and field team will stay in Blacksburg, Virginia, to host the 2022 ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships, starting on Feb. 24.

@CTSportsTalk