January 31, 2020•Volume 105, Issue 19•nique.
net
technique
News 2
EVALUATING SGA PROGRESS WITH POOJA JUVEKAR p3
NEWS
Top L: Photo courtesy of Corey Beasley; Top R: Photo courtesy of The Academy Facebook; Above: Photo courtesy of Connor Awald
Behind the preseason with Tech baseball stars
KENDALL JABALEY
SPORTS EDITOR
After three straight top 25
rankings, the Jackets are eager to
enter the 2020 season. The team
has now earned recognition from
D1Baseball as No. 19, Baseball
America as No. 21, and most re-
cently USA Today as No. 22 in
the country.
Last year’s stand-out season
sure has some big shoes to fill
in 2020. Not only that, but also
with five of eight position return-
ers there will be a heavy learning
LIFE
. .
TECHstyle community p9 Academy falls short
Opinions 5
curve as 19 freshmen get acclimat-
ed to the program’s expectations.
The Technique sat down with
four of the baseball stars them-
selves to get a look into preseason
practices and look ahead into the
season ahead.
Senior pitcher, Andy Archer,
was out for the entirety of the 2019
season due to injury. While some
may see an injury as a setback,
Archer shares, “Missing so much
time reignited my passion for the
game. I can’t wait to get back out
on the field and win games with
my teammates that supported me
so well when I was injured.”
Life 9
SPORTS
Although Archer’s tenure on
the team is longer than most, he
explains that it doesn’t make pre-
season practices any less stressful.
In fact he talks about a decent lev-
el of healthy competition as team-
mates work for their starting roles.
Archer says, “We always say
that ‘competition breeds success,’
and I believe that when there is
playing time on the line, we have
the players that will rise to meet
the occasion.”
Junior infielder, Luke Wad-
dell, scored 58 appearances last
season- starting in all of them. In
See BASEBALL, page 18
19•nique.net
ENTERTAINMENT
p13
Entertainment 13 Sports 20
POLLY OUELLETTE
STAFF WRITER
The Technique sat down with the
undergraduate Student Body President
Pooja Juvekar, fourth-year IE, to reflect
about the challenges and accomplish-
ments of the Fall 2019 semester.
The Student Government Associa-
tion had a lot of change to weather in
the fall semester, including a new in-
stitute president and other administra-
tion turnover. The semester also came
with its usual number of challenges:
coaching students through changes to
the community farmer’s market, advo-
cating for the rights of undocumented
college students, defending the campus
from protesters who upsetted passers-
by and fielding complaint after com-
plaint about the ever-vilified parking
and dining services.
In addition, with the unexpected
challenges that had to be tackled when
they arose, each member of SGA was
working on projects they felt would
better the Tech campus community.
SGA recently released an executive re-
view that summarized the work of each
committee and board throughout the
semester.
“It’s a good way for us to kind of
pulse check during the middle of the
year,” said Juvekar. “What did we say
we were going to do, and how have we
gotten there? If we haven’t gotten there,
what are the projections for the spring?
It’s something that I think is beneficial
to give to the next administration.”
One of Juvekar’s chief concerns
last semester was ensuring that all stu-
dents remain informed and involved
in SGA’s activities. The Information
Technology Board began live stream-
ing the Undergraduate House of Rep-
resentative meetings, which take place
on Tuesday nights, launched a new
See SGA, page 3
Photo by Taylor Gray Student Publications
Junior Luke Waddell (above) held the Yellow Jackets’ lon-
gest hitting streak with 34 hits during the season last year.
News
Mental health initiatives technique
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR:
Jonathan Pennie Healthy Minds, CARE Center, QPR and Voice
are working together on campus45 Friday,
2
news@nique.net January 31, 2020

IAC dean finalists announced Grad fees update

JOSH BOWLING
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, Vice Pro-
vost for Graduate Education and
Faculty Development Dr. Bonnie
Ferri announced that the search
committee for finding the Ivan
Allen College of Liberal Arts’
next dean had condensed their
pool to the four best candidates:
Dr. Cameron Thies of Arizona
State University (ASU), Dr. Caro-
lyn Thomas of the University of
California (UC), Davis, Dr. Kate
Drowne of Missouri University of
Science and Technology (S&T)
and Georgia Tech’s own Dr. Kaye
Husbands Fealing.
As of Jan. 27, Dr. Carolyn To-
mas, Vice Provost and Dean of
Undergraduate Education at UC
Davis and professor of American
Studies chose to withdraw from
the selection process. The remain-
ing three will qualify for the posi-
tion as planned.
According to Dr. Ferri’s email,
in the last week of January and
the first two weeks of February,
the three candidates will each
host “an open seminar addressing
their broad vision for the humani-
ties and social sciences at Tech.
The hour-long seminars are open
to all students, faculty and staff.
Interested individuals can attend
in person, watch real-time via
livestream or watch a post-event
video of each candidate presenta-
tion.” All three seminars will be
in CULC 152 at 12:15 p.m. on
their respective dates, included
below. Readers can view these
livestreams, as well as individual
candidate profiles, at https://pro-
vost.gatech.edu/ivan-allen-col-
lege-liberal-arts-dean-search.
The surveys will be available until
Feb. 14 at midnight.
Dr. Cameron Thies is currently
a professor and the director of the
School of Politics and Global Stud-
ies at ASU. He holds a Ph.D. in
Political Science from ASU and a
M.A. in Political Science from the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
According to his ASU faculty bio,
his research is in “statebuilding in
the developing world, interstate
and civil conflict, international
trade, and international relations
theory.” He is also on the edito-
rial board for the journal Foreign
Policy Analysis. His seminar took
place on Monday, Jan. 27.
Dr. Kate Drowne is currently
the interim dean of Missouri
S&T’s College of Arts, Sciences,
and Business, as well as the direc-
tor of the university’s Center for
Science, Technology, and Society
in addition to being a professor
of English. She holds a Ph.D. in
American Literature from the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill and a M.A. in English
from the University of Connecti-
cut. According to her Missouri
S&T faculty bio, her research is in
the “intersection of literature and
popular culture in the American
1920s and beyond.” Her seminar
will take place on Feb. 10.
Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech Office of the Provost
The finalists for the Ivan Allen dean search are Dr. Cameron
Thies, Dr. Kaye Husbands Fealing and Dr. Carolyn Tomas.
Dr. Kaye Husbands Fealing
is a professor and the chair of
Georgia Tech’s School of Public
Policy. She holds a Ph.D. in Eco-
nomics from Harvard University
and a B.A. in Mathematics and
Economics from the University
of Pennsylvania. According to
her faculty bio, her specialties are
“science and innovation policy,
the public value of research ex-
penditures, and the underrepre-
sentation of underserved groups
in STEM fields and workforce.”
She received the 2017 Trailblazer
Award from the National Medi-
cal Association Council on Con-
cerns of Women Physicians, and
she once served as an economics
program director at the National
Science Foundation. Her seminar
will take place on Feb. 3.
The search for a new Ivan Allen
College dean began in Septem-
ber of 2019 when Dr. Jacqueline
Royster stepped down from the
position after having occupied the
office since 2010. Dr. John Tone
currently serves as interim dean in
the meantime.
MASON FAVRO
STAFF WRITER
The graduate community at
Tech, numbering just over a thou-
sand individuals, work long hours
to complete their coursework and
research. This is enough of a bur-
den; however, their education is
also expensive as extra fees add up.
One fee specifically, the Special
Institutional Fee (SIF), is espe-
cially difficult, and graduate stu-
dents are lobbying the University
System of Georgia (USG) through
the Institute’s administration in
an attempt to change the $344 a
semester fee.
This adds up to $1032 per year
for a graduate student, and it is
not covered by Graduate Teaching
Assistantships (GTA) or Graduate
Research Assistantships (GRA)
like graduate tuition is. This
means that the SIF is typically
paid for out of the stipends that
graduate students receive, and in
effect, lowering their income.
The fee is used to pay “for all
functions that support students,
including instruction, facilities
operations and maintenance,
student services, and administra-
tion.”
The SIF was first introduced
in 2009 by the USG “to ensure
continued academic excellence
during times of reduction in state
funding.” This was in response to
the financial crisis and the corre-
sponding decrease in state fund-
ing to public higher education.
The original fee was a temporary
one time fee of $100 per student,
which was increased to $200 in
the spring of 2010 and contin-
ued increasing until it hit $544 in
2015.
The fee was then intended to
be phased out through a series
of cuts, however it was only de-
creased twice, with the final cut
in 2017 lowering the graduate
SIF to $344.
The issue of the SIF and man-
datory student fees has also been
covered by the Atlanta Journal
Constitution, which published an
editorial in March of 2019, writ-
ten by Joshua Weitz, a professor
of biological sciences at the Insti-
tute. According to Weitz, gradu-
ate stipends have “decreased when
accounting for inflation,” which
echoes the concerns of the gradu-
ate Student Government Associa-
tion (SGA) concerning urban liv-
ability.
According to a webpage pub-
lished by the graduate SGA, the
fees paid by graduate students
amounted to approximately 8.5
percent of their pre-tax stipend
income. SGA has promised that
they “will continue to push for
a return to the original decrease
schedule,” which would see the
SIF reduced by $100 annually un-
til it disappears completely.
In a letter dated Jan. 10th of
this year, the graduate students
addressed President Cabrera, for-
mer Provost Bras and Vice Presi-
dent Fortner to lay out their griev-
ances against the SIF as well as
mandatory Institute specific fees
which are not always utilized by
graduate students.
The letter highlights the issues
that fees present for the Institute
itself, including a “powerful signal
about the Institute’s level of sup-
port for its graduate students” and
a “strong financial disincentive to
attend”. The letter also addresses
issues that the SIF presents to cur-
rent graduate students, especially
as it relates to the rising cost of liv-
ing in Atlanta and the significant
loss of income the fees represent.
In addition, the graduate stu-
dents’ letter calls on the adminis-
tration to “minimize other man-
datory fees charged to graduate
students,” including things such
as the SIF, the athletics fee and the
transportation fee. As of publica-
tion, a direct response has yet to
have been made.

sliver // your thoughts

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Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the
l ă ś ý l ì ENTERTAINMENT
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EDITOR
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// NEWS
SGA FROM PAGE 1
website and solicited student feed-
back on the Course Critique web-
site.
The Communications Board
launched the “What is SGA?”
program, which connected with
five organizations on how they
can collaborate with student gov-
ernment. The Communications
Board stepped up engagement
on social media platforms such as
Reddit and rebranded a monthly
external newsletter.
SGA Chief of Staff Alice Fran-
cis, sixth-year ME, ensured that
the student body stayed informed
and involved in the various search
committees and strategic plan-
ning sessions that took place last
year. They participated in a search
committee for the Executive Vice
President of Administration and
Finance, and led an External Ad-
Vice President of Information Technologies Sidartha Rakuram speaks to the Undergraduate House of Representatives (UHR) about his work of
implementing new IT resources for Tech students. Vice President of Student Life Genny Kennedy presents new initiatives for diversity at Tech.
visory pilot program, which aims
to ensure collaboration between
students and Tech administration.
“We’ve really tried to prioritize
as much as we can letting people
know what SGA is doing,” said
Juvekar. “Obviously there is great
improvement we can have in what
those communication metrics are
and making sure that they are
actually the most effective, but I
think I’m proud of us for prioritiz-
ing that.”
Another of Juvekar’s concerns
is that it is difficult to track the
progress and impact of the numer-
ous task forces, action teams and
committees that are formed and
dissolved in the attempt to better
campus life. One of her goals be-
fore she graduates in December is
to see the creation of some effort
to track the progress of these or-
ganizations over the medium and
long term.
Some of the most visible recent
changes to campus life include
several developments from the
Board of Academic affairs. This
team, led by third-year BME Bri-
elle Lonsberry, oversaw the imple-
mentation of the minimester pro-
gram, which included 14 courses
and engaged 199 students. In ad-
dition, the board worked to iden-
tify the need to add mental health
curriculum to the GT 1000 and
GT 2000 classes.
The Student Life Board, led by
Vice President Genny Kennedy,
fourth-year INTA, also enacted
many changes that can be spotted
around campus. October saw the
launching of the Menstrual Prod-
uct Program, and dispensers for
these products have been installed
in several locations on campus.
The Board created an Arts Com-
mittee to identify artistic op-
portunities and advocate for the
necessity of the arts on campus.
The Board designated meditation
corners at different spots around
campus, gauged student interest
in electric buses and held several
other discussions regarding cam-
pus concerns.
The Campus Services Board,
led by Kathryn Otte, third-year
IE, became the home of several
new advisory boards. The Cam-
pus Safety Advisory Board, co-led
by Juvekar, ensures the channels
of communication between stu-
dents, SGA, administration and
the GTPD stay open and that any
issues get addressed quickly. In
addition, the Student Center Ad-
visory Board has been communi-
cating student opinions regarding
the construction on the Student
Center building.
Juvekar, who has now been stu-
dent body president for just over
half a year, reflected on her experi-
technique • January 31, 2020• 3
ence as president and said that it
has been the best year of her life,
despite the challenges it posed.
Mainly, she says, she has attempt-
ed to keep a finger on the pulse of
the student body and fight hard to
make their voices heard.
“Speaking up for what you
think is right and vocalizing your
concerns is super pivotal. Students
being informed of who their ad-
ministrators are is pivotal. I think
students being involved in the
processes that govern Georgia
Tech is pivotal,” said Juvekar. “I
think there’s a level of civic en-
gagement that I’ve learned in this
role. I’m not a Public Policy major,
but you don’t have to be to care
about what’s going on in a policy
sense around you.”
For more information about
the work of these and other execu-
tive boards, visit https://tinyurl.
com/udmz2n2.
Photos by Zoie Konneker Student Publications
4 • January 31, 2020 • technique
A busy Cabrera Mental health work continues
JOURNEY SHERMAN
STAFF WRITER
In the past one-hundred days
since Ángel Cabrera was invested
as Georgia Tech’s 12th president,
he has been involved with nu-
merous breakthroughs and ad-
vancements on campus. Back in
October of last year, Cabrera of-
ficially became the first Spanish-
born president of any American
university.
One of the first things on Ca-
brera’s agenda was to fully im-
merse himself within the student
body and the various organiza-
tions on campus. In his first few
weeks as President, he met with
the Student Government Associa-
tion and the Society of Black En-
gineers. He got to know student
leaders and discuss different issues
that afflict the student body.
In September, he addressed
guests at Georgia Tech’s 11th An-
nual Diversity Symposium. The
symposium panel featured the
first three African American stu-
dents and first graduate of this
university. At the conclusion of
the ceremony, a sculpture of the
three students was unveiled in
order to commemorate the great
strides the institution has made to
increase diversity since then.
In his first few months, Presi-
dent Cabrera also traveled to New
President Angel Cabrera waves along with cheerleaders from
the backseat of the Reck prior to a football game kick-off.
York City to be involved in a meet-
ing regarding Sustainable Devel-
opment Goals. These goals cover
an array of problems plaguing the
human race like climate change,
poverty, hunger and gender equal-
ity. Seventeen goals are advocated
by the United Nations General
Assembly with the intention of
being completed by the year
2030. After this meeting, Cabrera
brought back numerous ideas and
concepts to Georgia Tech and in
turn made the student body aware
of the UN’s biggest concerns.
This past November, President
Cabrera was also responsible for
hosting the Association of Univer-
sity Research Parks for its annual
international conference. This or-
ganization provides a platform for
districts across the continent to
take part in research and techno-
logical innovation.
One of Cabrera’s main focuses
since being invested has been to
keep the Institute moving for-
ward in all aspects. One example
of doing this was the idea of hav-
ing “Visioning Sessions” which
would be conducted by the Stra-
tegic Consulting department and
allow students to give their opin-
ions as to how Georgia Tech can
improve in the next ten years.
These “Visioning Sessions” will be
conducted via iPads and carried
out in order to increase efficiency
within the administration.
Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik GTAA
MASON FAVRO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mental health has been one
of the central focuses of campus
debate for the last few years, both
in the administration as well as
among the student body. In the
wake of the death of Scout Schultz
in 2017, the Institute shifted its fo-
cus towards improving the mental
health services offered on campus.
This was done in a number of
ways, such as taking input from
student advisory groups and at-
tempting new solutions as a
mental health initiative. This has
resulted in changes such as the
creation of the CARE center as
the single entrance point to the
Institute’s mental health care net-
work, as well as an increase in the
number of mental health profes-
sionals employed on campus and
the offering of trainings such as
QPR and VOICE peer advocacy.
Many of these steps were part
of the Path Forward Initiative,
which was one of the response
plans formulated by campus ad-
ministrators and student leaders
to address the perceived lack of
mental health infrastructure pro-
vided by the Institute.
The Student Mental Health ac-
tion team, created as part of the
initiative, published a report in
the fall of 2017 chronicling the
progressive worsening of mental
health indicators at the Institute.
Examples included an increase in
the percentage of students who
had previously attempted suicide
from 5.9% in 2014 to 9.5% in
2017.
These reform and improve-
ment efforts have been informed
by a series of surveys conducted
on Tech’s campus, such as the
Healthy Minds survey, which is
being conducted again this year
with a sample of 8,000 undergrad-
uate members of the student body.
The survey is used to determine
the sentiments and mental health
histories of the student popula-
tion, in order to determine the
conditions of the campus commu-
nity. It is also used as a barometer
for what changes could be made
to the Institute’s mental health
services.
The mental health network
on campus consists of the CARE
center, the counseling center and
Stamps Health Services. The three
organizations work together to
provide mental health resources
to the campus community. In the
past year, the Institute has hired
10 additional mental health pro-
fessionals, increasing their num-
bers from 31 to 41.
The CARE center was in-
troduced in the fall of 2019 to
serve as the entrance point for
the Institute’s mental health in-
frastructure. It provides initial
consultations and referrals to the
counseling center, as well as a ses-
sion with a licensed therapist fol-
lowing the completion of the in-
take paperwork.
Questions still abound about
the effectiveness of the Path For-
ward Initiative and what effect it
has had on the overall environ-
ment at the Institute. The answer
The Center for Assessment, Referral and Education is located
on the first floor of the Smithgall Student Services Building.
// NEWS
is that we don’t entirely know as
of yet what the effectiveness has
been, as the CARE Center will be
assessed by the ongoing Healthy
Minds survey, and the previous
Healthy Minds survey that was
conducted in the spring of 2018
did not give sufficient time for the
changes and programs that were
initiated in the fall of 2017 to af-
fect the campus population as a
whole.
The 2018 survey did yield
recommendations; however, the
main point of the recommenda-
tions was that the mental health
environment on campus had
been steadily declining from the
previous Healthy Minds survey
in 2016, and that further surveys
should be conducted, complete
with comparisons to peer institu-
tions as a barometer.
The current Healthy Minds
survey, upon completion, should
provide a better look at how the
efforts of the administrations and
student leaders have affected how
the Institute addresses mental
health concerns, as well as how
the student body’s condition has
changed.
Photo by Allie Ghisson Student Publications
Opinions
OUR VIEWS | Consensus Opinion
Limitations to learning
Assessing the amount of instructional days at
rigorous universities like Tech
Over the past ten years, Tech has con-
sistently had about 150 instructional days
a year. According to a study conducted
using data from 2008–2009, this is the
most of any of the “Top 100” United States
schools in the Times Higher Education
Ranking.
Currently, Tech still has 150 instruc-
tional days, excluding the summer se-
mester, finals week, reading periods and
holidays. It is difficult not to compare this
number to schools similar to Tech, such
as Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
which has around 130 instructional days
in a year and California Institute of Tech-
nology, which has around 120 instruction-
al days a year.
In the spring term, we only get one
break which is typically a week in March.
Students barely feel like there is room to
breathe between the summer term and
fall, and our winter break is only compara-
ble to other, similarly ranked institutions.
According to the Academic Calendar, Fall
Break next semester will only be one day
instead of the usual two, further cutting
out valuable time outside the classroom.
Tech has a reputation of academic rigor
and strenuous course loads, and reducing
the amount of instructional days could
be one way to improve morale. In general,
students with long breaks at other institu-
tions do seem happier, and making this
change could contribute positively to the
mental health initiatives on campus. Fur-
thermore, rising tuition costs means more
students have to work their way through
college, which is made nearly impossible
without an adequate amount of breaks.
However, even though less instruc-
tional days sounds like a good thing on the
surface, making this change may present
some difficulties. It already feels like Tech
students do not have enough time to soak
in material properly — reducing instruc-
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
Zoie Konneker EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Will Finch MANAGING EDITOR
Jannat Batra HEAD COPY EDITOR
Jamiee Francis LIFE EDITOR
Allie Ghisson PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Jahziel Villasena-Espinoza WEB DEVELOPER
OPINIONS EDITOR: Avni Shridhar
“ 5
You work hard enough ... our dreams
”
won’t come true, something greater will.
tion time might disallow students the op-
portunity to learn critical curriculum for
their major.
So if extending the amount of holidays
is not the right option, what is? Well, Tech
can make some changes to help students
better compartmentalize education and
break-time.
First, Tech can enforce a syllabus week
where there would be no assignments due.
Some students do not even add the class
until later in the Add/Drop week, and too
often students end up being penalized for
not doing an assignment due during the
first week of class. This, coupled with a
“dead-week,” a week where there are no
classes or assignments due before exams
instead of just one or two reading days
would better ease students in and out of
the semester.
Next, there should be a consensus about
what students have the ability and mental
capacity to accomplish. Professors should
receive guidelines about what constitutes
a reasonable amount of work. There are al-
ready rules in place about how many finals
students can take on one day, but there
should be a similar set of rules pertaining
to major assignments, like midterms.
Most importantly, Tech needs to make
sure that breaks are actually a break from
school. We should not have to spend our
breaks studying for a midterm or final that
is right after it, and we should certainly not
have assignments due during those breaks.
Maybe it is true that we need more in-
structional days to accomplish the type
of innovative and in-depth learning that a
Tech degree is indicative of, but it is also
true that Tech students deserve a break.
Ultimately, making some of these
changes would be instrumental to sever-
ing the value of our education from how
many hours we spend pushing ourselves
too hard.
Avni Shridhar OPINIONS EDITOR
Jack Cronin ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Baylee Friedman ONLINE EDITOR
Kendall Jabaley SPORTS EDITOR
— Kobe Bryant
Examining the flaws
of career fairs
should make the student feel
welcome, not like they have
something to prove or like
they are somehow inferior.”
While I have been going to
Tech career fairs for about five
years now, there is always a feel-
ing of apprehension as I walk out
to talk with recruiters. The career
fair on Friday had more than the
usual share of jitters. Impressive
venue notwithstanding, there was
a good reason to feel nervous. I
am graduating soon, and I knew
that this career fair could have
a big impact on my future job
prospects. After visiting several
booths, I took a look around for
any other companies that I want-
ed to check out. One in particu-
lar caught my eye. I had noticed
them earlier in the day, but the
line was so long that I had passed
them over. Now, the line had
dwindled to nothing, so I decided
to try my luck. I chose one of the
three available recruiters, walked
over, and introduced myself. Im-
mediately, the afternoon began to
go terribly wrong. I proceeded to
have possibly the worst interaction
I have ever had with a recruiter, an
interaction so bad that I will most
likely never seek employment at
that company again.
Whether or not he knew it,
this guy gave the master class
on how to drive potential talent
away from a company. How could
he have done a better job? Two
things: encouragement and self-
awareness. At all the other compa-
nies I visited, I never once felt like
I was under attack for something I
did not know. This recruiter start-
ed grilling me on C++, a language
that I do not even have listed on
my resume as one of my skills.
He attempted to conduct a small
technical interview, right in front
of everyone at the career fair. Ask-
ing attacking questions that the
student obviously does not know
the answer to only serve to alien-
ate them, not to encourage them.
As far as self-awareness goes, this
guy had little to none of it.
Write to us:
opinions@nique.net
Got something to say? Then let
your voice be heard with the Tech-
nique. Sliver at Nique.net, tweet us
@the_nique or check us out on Face-
book at facebook.com/thenique. We
want to hear your opinion and want
to make it known to all of campus.
We also welcome your letters in
response to Technique content as well
as topics relevant to campus. We will
print letters on a timely and space-
available basis.
Each week we look for letters that
technique
Friday,
January 31, 2020
“ ... the recruiter
JAHZIEL VILLASENA-ESPINOZA
WEB DEVELOPER
Whether he was tired, in a bad
mood or just plain mean, simply
responding with lifeless “uh-huh”s
is beyond unprofessional. Not
only is it unprofessional, it is de-
meaning to the student. These are
some of the best computer science
students in the world, and they
deserve more than to be treated
like bores that will not go away.
Instead of acting bored, recruiters
should be curious about the stu-
dent. Ask good questions, inquire
about their background and why
they care about computing. Make
them feel like a person, not just
another resume. In addition to
verbal feedback, non-verbal cues
are just as important to commu-
nicating interest in the student.
Facial expressions can make or
break a conversation.
This recruiter had a smug
smirk on pretty much the whole
time that we were speaking. There
was never any genuine interest or
friendliness in his face. Humans
are wired to respond to non-ver-
bal cues, so making sure that you
have a grip on your expressions
and stance is key. In essence, the
recruiter should make the student
feel welcome, not like they have
something to prove or like they
are somehow inferior. Grilling me
with technical questions before
flexing how famous and success-
ful the company was made me feel
like I was not good enough. If I
had been really looking forward
to talking with this company, I
would have been crushed to be
treated this way. Making students
feel like they do not belong in the
industry does not help anyone. It
hurts both parties by pushing tal-
ent away, and by making students
less confident in their abilities.
Even though it might not seem
like it, recruiters have power to
shape students’ careers. Do not
waste that chance to have a posi-
tive impact!
are responses to or commentaries on
content found within the pages of the
Technique. Along with these letters,
we are open to receiving letters that
focus on relevant issues that currently
affect Georgia Tech as a university, in-
cluding its campus and student body.
When submitting letters we ask
that you include your full name, year
(1st, 2nd, etc.) and major. We ask that
letters be thought provoking, well
written and in good taste. We reserve
the right to both reject or edit letters
for length and style.
For questions, comments or con-
cern, contact the Opinions Editor at
opinions@nique.net.
6 • January 31, 2020 • technique // OPINIONS

The impact of media coverage on the

outcome of elections
Understanding the impact of traditional news on voters and the
United States’ democratic process
we engage with sources that mary vote, essentially by- scored top percentages in
SOPHIA TONE do not challenge our po- WILL MARCHANT passing public opinion. VISHVA NATARAJAN total media coverage so far.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER litical views. This encourage STAFF WRITER Media gatekeeping is CONTRIBUTING WRITER The media also tends to
the media to box in for each often harmful. Conven- highlight a candidate’s best
Media coverage of presi- candidate: Bernie is too old The propensity of media tional media, until recently, A popular question in and worst qualities. What
dential candidates is dis- and too socialist, Biden is coverage of an individual gave the ascendent Senator media, and predictably so, will set these frontrunners
missive and biased. It is not too dried up and Marianne candidate has a great effect Sanders no chance of win- is whether Trump is likely apart is their perceived
bipartisan, independent or Williamson is insane. This on me. ning the primary. to be re-elected. Accord- electability.
even truth-seeking. prevents actual policy from I have the privilege to Media coverage per- ing to a Pew Research poll, Sanders, a candidate
The press tends to elevate being covered. read varied coverage of the sistently portrays Senator Democrats most frequently known for his consistency,
candidates that are already- The reason the lesser- candidates to form my opin- Warren as unelectable, a cited electability, or the has also been a target of
famous to the forefront known candidates were eas- ions, but constant coverage metric of voter sexism or bi- ability for a candidate to Trump’s campaign team —
of the race. ily dismissed of a candidate ases with which beat Trump, as a pattern that
This renders from the race forces one the media can the most im- has strength-
it impossible “The press tends to is also an eco- to focus on “The media attack more portant decid- “A candidate’s ened the idea
for the Book-
ers and the
elevate candidates nomic one:
news agencies
them.
The aver-
gatekeeps by diverse
dates.
candi- ing factor for
their vote in
success can of him being
electable.
O’Rourkes of that are already- get paid when age citizen only recognizing In 2016, the 2020 elec- therefore be Biden on
the race to last
long enough famous to the their viewers
watch. Their
will not even
know a presi-
and covering the much of the
news surround-
tion.
A candi-
predicted by his or the other hand
has not shown
to make it to forefront of the viewers will dential can- handful that stand ing Hillary date’s success her demonstrated any more signs
the primaries.
Because race.” only
they
watch if
recog-
didate exists
if the media
any chance ...” negative. was
Clinton can be pre-
dicted by their electability.” of electabil-
ity other than
we have rapid nize them and does not cov- Even out- demonstrated what his cur-
access to the internet, we agree with the commentary. er them. lets thought of as left-lean- electability. rent supporters think. This
no longer need traditional Because we do not see B- According to Ballotpe- ing, like CNN, ran hours The amount of coverage has led to Sander’s recent
news for facts. This means list candidates through the dia, 306 people are filed to of coverage on worn-out a candidate receives gives spike in the polls, while
that media organizations media, we tend to dismiss run as Democrats. Benghazi and email server us insight into a candidate’s Biden has dropped slightly.
have had to shift toward them without investigating The media gatekeeps by narratives. popularity. I predict this pattern
biased analysis rather than their politics. only recognizing and cover- We can not allow our The frontrunners for the will continue given the
the straightforward report- This cycle is self-perpet- ing the handful that stand media and its influence on democratic nomination as current trend of news as-
ing. It is also true that we uating and is always more any chance to receive even our communities to force a per current polls are Sand- sociated with the two
prefer selective exposure — about money than truth. a negligible share of the pri- repeat of 2016. ers and Biden, and both also frontrunners.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL

Showcase, Present, and Inspire

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH @ GT

gttower.org
// OPINIONS
Superbowl Someday
On Sunday, Feb. 2, the
49ers play the Chiefs in Super-
bowl LIV. For people who are
not fans of either team, this is
mainly exciting because of Su-
perbowl ads. You can also root
for one former Tech player,
Harrison Butker, who will be
playing as the Chiefs’ starting
kicker. At the very least, ev-
eryone can be happy that the
Patriots are not playing.
Take CARE
Residence Hall Associa-
tion is piloting a student-led
program to develop small
“CARE” packages. These
packages will contain tan-
gible sensory items like stress
balls, eye-masks, gum and
earplugs to help students that
go through anxiety. Stop by
Flag Building and the Student
Center at the end of February
to check it out!
technique
Technique
Flags Bldg 137 Writers, •Designers, Photographers
Reddit goes Viral
On Jan. 2, one user posted
on the Tech reddit page posted
a rumor that a student from
Tech had been transferred to
the Emory University Hospital
coronavirus symptoms. This
post started a panic amongst
Tech students. The adminis-
tration sent out an email de-
nying those rumors, and the
reddit post has since been re-
moved.
McCamish Bag Ban
This year, the Spring 2019
All-Majors Career Fair will
be held from 9:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. on Feb. 4-6 in Mc-
Camish Pavilion. Sadly, stu-
dents will not be able to bring
their backpacks to this venue
at all. The backpacks also can-
not be on the premises or any-
where around the premises.
Seriously, please do not bring
your backpack.
The culture of “getting out”
“... students are forced
to make decisions between
mental and physical well-being
and academic success.”
ALLIE GHISSON
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
I Got In. And I cannot wait workload, tests designed to fail
to get out. you, imposter syndrome and how
“#IGotIn.” The first of the tra- many times we wanted to drop
ditions you come to know and out already. It hit me at that mo-
love from Georgia Tech. Scouring ment that Tech is not the normal
through the hashtag you find stu- collegiate experience. Most people
dents just like you that are soon here just want to graduate and
going to make up the new fresh- never look back.
men class of Tech. The desire to “get out” is preva-
It starts immediately after lent in many standard aspects of
committing: you find digital a Tech education. Students jump
friends, future roommates and be- at the opportunity to take courses
gin looking into student organiza- at community colleges. They are
tions to join. (Hi, popping in to constantly searching for intern-
say you should join the Technique ships and co-ops in order to get a
if you are one of these students break from Tech. Many people are
and are reading this). just pursuing a built in escape pro-
The honeymoon phase of the gram known as studying abroad.
“I Got In” sentiment ends quickly Then the final goal is graduating
after traditions night. The stress and pursuing careers in other cit-
and workload begin to pile up, and ies and states.
without realizing it, you think for This is not to say that there are
the first time “I can’t wait to say, not people that enjoy their time at
‘I got out.’” Going home for break Tech, because a lot do. But, when
is both a blessing and a curse, the it comes down to it, many at Tech
relaxation and recharging that are are only interested in the destina-
way overdue is the most blissful tion: a good job and a hefty pay-
feeling. However, meeting with check as severance from the stress
friends who went to other schools of the programs here.
turns out to be a challenge. I can appreciate Tech and all
I went home for Thanksgiving that it has to offer. I have some
break and met up with my group amazing friends who make strug-
from high school. They shared gling together a little less painful.
stories about the lifestyle changes, Some great organizations are a
the parties, the late nights and all good distraction from the day to
the fun they were having. While a day hustle of courses. But at the
friend and I who go to more rigor- end of the day, there are some
ous schools grimaced in the cor- changes that could be made in
ner bonding over the impossible search of a healthier and happier
Join the
technique • January 31, 2020• 7
environment. It begins with the
faculty. Weed out courses are a
necessary evil, but overworking
students to a point of no return is
not the way to do it.
Many times, it feels as if stu-
dents are forced to make decisions
between mental and physical well-
being and academic success. Tech
offers academic resources for stu-
dents struggling with their cours-
es but often times these resources
such as office hours can make stu-
dents feel inadequate and guilty
for asking questions which result
in students not returning when
they need it most.
However, I would be remiss to
not mention the student culture.
Students breed the stress culture
at Tech, it is the quickest way to
fit in with the masses. It is a toxic
cycle of feeling stressed out, put-
ting that stress into the world via
Reddit or the GT Memes Face-
book page, stressing others out.
This is not healthy; it does not
breed a growth mindset or a cul-
ture of success.
I like Tech; what it has to of-
fer students academically is un-
matched and the job potential
is incredible. For Tech to really
“Create the Next” there needs to
be a continual development of
the support system for academics
beyond what is currently offered
(more 1-on-1 tutoring, less for-
mal office hours, etc.) and push-
ing for deeper involvement in the
non-technical extracurriculars is
vital to produce a well-rounded
student body who wants to return
and make donations to their alma
mater.
I like Tech, but I do not love
it. And I hope that one day maybe
I will. In the meantime, I will be
dreaming of the day I get to say
with pride “I got out!”
8 • January 31, 2020 • technique // OPINIONS

Just stop juuling First generation pressures

JONATHAN PENNIE
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Alright, for those of you that
have the lung capacity, take a
deep breath. On Dec. 20, 2019,
an amendment was made to the
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic
Act, raising the age for purchas-
ing tobacco and vape products to
21 years old. This amendment in-
cludes the trendiest source of lung
disease, the Juul, which gained
its mainstream popularity in
highschool bathrooms all across
America.
Even today, tobacco stands as
the number one cause of prevent-
able death in the United States of
America. By increasing the age re-
quirement to buy tobacco, hope-
fully, fewer younger people will be
exposed to the dangers of tobacco
products. There have been many
aggressive campaigns in the past
few decades to ensure that smok-
ing has a negative connotation
among younger generations. The
actions of groups like the Truth
campaign could not have foreseen
the popularity of juuling. While
its target audience was those seek-
ing to quit smoking, it found
appeal in the eyes of underaged
teens.
Once seen on social media,
it spread like wildfire, primarily
through memes. The goal of most
of the memes was to make fun of
those who used Juuls, but it only
served to help further the number
of people using them.
Even as it stands, tobacco
products are still relatively easily
accessible. Another issue in the
fight against underage tobacco
use is while the ads do manage to
reach their target audience, they
fail to resonate. I do not know if I
was the only one, but while grow-
ing up, tobacco ads felt like they
were all made by an out of touch
elderly white man. While the ads
have gotten more modern, they
still fail to reach the target.
Teenagers are predisposed to
risky behavior and making choic-
es that help them feel more in con-
trol of their lives. Many ads argue
their message with a “you can’t do
that!” attitude. A better solution
is to propose a different option. If
you consider using tobacco prod-
ucts as an act of rebellion, it would
be far easier to offer a less danger-
ous and addictive act of defiance
rather than shutting it down alto-
gether. Put something else on the
table that will satiate the desire.
Raising the age for tobacco
use is an excellent idea, but it is
not enough. I have already heard
from some peers under the age of
21 that they are preparing to deal
with it in various ways like “stock-
ing up.”
When you are losing a fight,
sometimes you need to change the
tactics you are using, and I think
those fighting against big tobacco
should consider it.
MAYA FLORES
ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
One thing that I did not expect
to have such an impact on my col-
lege career was my parents’ lack of
college careers.
I am considered a first-gen-
eration college student. Though
both my mom and dad completed
high school, neither of them, nor
anyone else in my family has com-
pleted a college degree.
This is not out of the ordinary
for my hometown. I am from a
small town of less than 15,000
people in southern New Hamp-
shire. A former manufacturing
economy, my town has seen eco-
nomic decline, though many are
still employed by factories. My
parents are actually both factory
workers, an occupation that cer-
tainly does not require a college
education.
I knew from very early on that
my path would be different than
theirs.
Since I was in kindergarten
and showed distinction in the ar-
eas of counting and reading pic-
ture books, everyone in my fam-
ily made it clear that I would be
going to college. My grandmother
started a college fund, something
that older generations had never
had the luxury of. It was always a
given that I would attend higher
education through any means
necessary.
That is why it was a family-wide
accomplishment when I got my
Tech acceptance letter. Though
I really do value my entire fam-
ily’s support, it has made me feel
like the pressure to graduate from
Tech and to get a well-paying job
in the tech-industry is enormous.
I am my family’s investment, and
most likely their only retirement
plan.
Though Tech does not publish
the numbers, US News reports
that 15% of Tech undergrads are
first-gen. This is relatively low
when compared to other public
universities with similar programs:
25% of University of Illinois, 26%
of MIT, and 35% of University of
California Berkeley undergradu-
ate students are the first in their
family to attend college.
This low density of people
with similar backgrounds can be
alienating at times. I do not know
anyone else with similar experi-
ences to mine. My friends can call
up their parents to ask for advice
about what or how many classes
to take, career advice or even how
to balance their social life. Being
a first generation college student
means not being able to fully re-
late to your peers, but no longer
being able to relate to or ask for
help from your parents.
In addition to that, while Tech
offers great programs like the
Georgia First Pathway Program
to help first-gen Georgia residents
get admitted, there is little extra
support once they arrive to cam-
pus. There is a lot more to college
than simply going to lectures and
taking exams, something I did
not truly realize before I started at
Tech. Since my first day of classes,
I have pretty much been figuring
it out as I go.
Things like navigating the how
to pay for the momentus cost of
higher education is one of the
best examples of this. Since nei-
ther of my parents went to col-
lege, they have no idea how to go
about applying for financial aid
and scholarships or how to fill out
the FAFSA. Every single year I
struggle through my parents’ tax
documents, finding the relevant
information to fill out the neces-
sary forms. Reaching out to the
Georgia Tech’s Financial Aid Of-
fice for help and advice is rarely
successful.
I know I am extremely lucky to
have been accepted to this school,
to have the opportunity to study
here and to go to college at all. My
transition into college was rockier
than many of my peers, but I have
been figuring it out. I can not be
the only one.
In a study, UCLA’s Higher
Education Research Institute
found that first generation col-
lege students are 14.7% less likely
to graduate than other students.
I would like to see Georgia Tech
provide more support for its first
generation students since going to
school here is stressful enough.

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Life
LIFE EDITOR: technique
Jaimee Francis Alumnus Spotlight
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR:
Lane Elder
The Technique talks to a former Tech graduate for academ- 9
Friday,
ic advice as well as professional insight. 412
life@nique.net January 31, 2020

Brittain Fellows collaborate on TECHStyle

HOPE WILLIAMS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
There are few experiences all
Tech students share, but one that
most — if not all — have in com-
mon is completing the ENGL
1101 and 1102 courses. Although
these are graduation require-
ments, there is more at work in
these classes than simply teaching
students communication skills.
Many of the professors teach-
ing these writing and communi-
cation classes participate in the
Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral
Fellowship and use these classes
as a chance to conduct research.
One such fellow, Dr. Nick Sturm
pointed out the unique character-
istics of the fellowship.
“The purpose of those classes
that the fellows teach isn’t neces-
sarily about any of our specific
subject expertise, but we are en-
couraged to use our subject ex-
pertise in these classes as a vehicle
for teaching this pedagogy,” said
Strum.
“It’s really neat to see a fellow-
ship at a university like Georgia
Tech that’s encouraging a mul-
tidisciplinary humanities-based
approach to teaching communi-
cation.”
The Fellowship treats the
teaching experience as an oppor-
tunity for the fellows to further
their research in various topics.
“One of the things that’s most
important for us as faculty is that
we’re encouraged to merge our
research and our teaching com-
pletely,” said Strum.
This research can be either
pedagogical research or research
on the topic the fellows special-
ized in for their doctorate. Sturm,
who holds degrees in history, po-
etry and creative writing, now
teaches classes at Tech focused on
poetry, painting and film. He is But TECHStyle’s reach is not Sturm also emphasized that “It’s a way to publish your work
able to use these topics for more limited to just the Tech commu- for the Brittain Fellows, TECH- in a way that’s really friendly.”
than just teaching his students nity. Style is a friendly community On TECHStyle, both written
about the surface content. “The blog is also really useful where academic writing can first articles and other forms of media,
“We can see students as pure as a tool for instructors at other be published, before moving on to such as podcasts, are published.
researchers in our work, said institutions who are looking to in- another platform. “If we’re teaching multimodal-
Sturm. “My students contribute novate with their pedagogy,” said “Academic publishing can be ity, we want to show our students
to my research and often are creat- Sturm. “We’re providing all sorts pretty intimidating. There’s a lot that we’re working in these modes
ing projects that contribute to my of examples of how our students of gate-keeping,” said Sturm, ad- as well,” said Sturm.
field of study.” use multimodality to create re- vocating the welcoming environ- “We’re also not interested and
As a way of documenting the ally interesting research-based hu- ment of TECHStyle as an alterna- invested in.”
work done by the Brittain Fellows, manities work.” tive. See TECHSTYLE. PAGE 12
the online forum TECHStyle was
created in 2011 for sharing ar-
ticles fellows write on a variety of
topics related to communication
and writing pedagogy. Currently,
Sturm acts as the head editor of
TECHStyle.
“It is a place for us as Brittain
Fellows to formalize for ourselves
in writing the way that our re-
search and our teaching is recipro-
cal,” said Sturm, who sees TECH-
Style as having become similar
to an academic journal in recent
years.
Additionally, TECHStyle pro-
vides a record of ways in which
education is constantly changing
over time.
“We’re framing all that work in
a really public facing way to show
that the pedagogy is not mechani-
cal,” said Strum. “It’s absolutely
the way that we’re thinking and
it’s helping us innovate in our
work and we want to show that
through TECHStyle.”
Sturm sees this process of in-
novative education over time as
a way of proving to students the
power of multimodal communi-
cation.
“My students come in, and
they know nothing about po-
etry, painting, or they think they
don’t,” said Sturm. “Fifteen weeks
later, they produce incredible, in- Photo courtesy of Nick Strum
novative, multimodal work that is TECHStyle editor Nick Strum aspires for Brittain Fellows to share teaching exercises, such as
contributing to the field of study.” discussing the changing nature of art at Atlanta’s High Museum, on TECHStyle’s online forum.

A glimpse into the life of an on campus RA

LANE ELDER
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR
Ask an RA why they chose to
work in a residence hall and they
may just say, “free housing!” with
a laugh, as did fourth-year BA
Megan Koh. Jokes aside, the com-
munity that these staff members
strive to create for their residents
is worth far more than the cost of
housing.
“Community is a place that
just feels like home,” shared
fourth-year ME Corey Beasley.
“It’s not foreign to you. When
you come back, you feel like you
have something there and you feel
comfortable living in this space.
“It shouldn’t feel like, ‘Oh I’m
going to a building with a bunch
of people I don’t know.’ It should
be like, ‘I’m going back to some
place where I have people who
I have some sort of connection
with, where I have a level of com-
fort established in that place.’”
The Department of Housing
Photo courtesy of Megan Koh employs over 200 students to cre-
Responsibilities of all SSMs include hall decorations, inven- ate communities in residence halls
tory checks, fire safety checks, staff meetings and more. across campus. Freshman-specific
student staff members (SSMs)
are called Peer Leaders, or PLs
for short. Upperclassmen hous-
ing hosts are RAs, resident advi-
sors. Occasionally, students end
up working as both during their
time at Tech. The two positions
are similar in responsibilities but
different in the independence lev-
els of residents.
“I feel like the freshman really
looked toward you to guide them
through their first year of uni-
versity, but when you work with
upperclassmen they know what’s
going on a little bit more,” said
Beasley. “They have their friend
groups, their lives together a little
bit more. They have their sched-
ules, so they’re a lot more hands
off.”
In order to connect with their
residents, SSMs hold the respon-
sibility for planning events that
cater to their specific needs, which
can greatly differ from one student
group to the next. Beasley spoke of
hosting a soccer event while work-
ing as a PL on east campus that
drew 20 students, but estimated
that only one or two people would
show up if he held one in his cur-
rent placement at the Graduate
Living Center.
Koh, who works with up-
perclassmen residents of Eighth
Street East, agreed that a student
staff member must be flexible in
catering events to serve residents.
“If you’re an extrovert and
you’re going out all the time and
you’re happy and not involved on
your floor, that’s okay,” said Koh.
“Residents should be able to do
that without being pressured to
come to floor events, and RAs and
PLs should know this about their
residents and have the judicious-
ness to reach out to people who
are not yet connected and connect
them. But it shouldn’t be ‘we must
do six events a semester with x
amount of creativity.’”
One of Koh’s most successful
events as an RA has been making
homemade boba tea for her entire
building.
Another RA, Alex Flack, first-
year INTA grad, also draws out
residents with the tempting allure
of food.
See RA PAGE 10
10 • January 31, 2020 • technique
RA FROM PAGE 9
It is not just food Flack offers,
but an avenue for discussion as
well. “Donuts for Diversity” and
“Taco Bout Sex” have been popu-
lar and useful to residents.
“I always like doing those
types of events,” shared Flack.
“We’ve got international students,
students from all around the US,
people of different ethnicities, rac-
es, religions and this could be the
first time they spend time near or
around people of wildly different
life stories. If I can play a part in
making that a positive experience,
then I think it’s a success.”
Flack has also worked as a PL
in the first-year Honors dorms of
Hefner-Armstrong, where he cre-
ated a non-food-related incentive
to build community on the hall.
He set up a slow-motion monop-
oly game, where a different prop-
erty was velcroed to each door
across the hall. Residents received
“money” to start and got one roll
a day to travel and buy property.
“In theory, it got people to
move around the hall at least once
a day. We encouraged them to
knock on the door they landed on
and say hello,” said Flack. “It was
designed for community develop-
ment.”
But what about all the respon-
sibilities besides hall events? SSMs
are in charge of hall decorations,
taking inventory of the furniture
in dorms and apartments, fire
safety checks, weekly staff meet-
ings and rigorous training.
To become an RA or PL, SSMs
must arrive on campus two weeks
before the fall semester begins and
again a few days before spring se-
mester for a training program.
“It’s a brutal week of informa-
tion,” remembered Flack.
They receive information not
just on hall protocol but also on
diversity, health and well-being,
active shooter training and men-
tal health resources. All staff go
through QPR training, a suicide
prevention certification that fol-
lows the “question, persuade,
respond format.” RAs can then
choose to supplement with other
courses and presentations during
the training week. For example,
Flack elected to get Safe Space
Trained for LGTBQIA support
while Koh led presentations for
her peers on bulletin board design
and psychological safety in deal-
ing with managers.
According to Koh, the latter
presentation is necessary, since
Many events SSMs plan revolve around food, as demonstrated by a Waffle House meal
PL Alex Flack catered to his freshmen residents during the week of finals exams.
working in Housing is “not as
chipper as it seems.” The Depart-
ment is currently overseen by
interim assistant director Sheree
Gibson, with layers of managers
underneath that trickle down to
the RAs.
Koh has experienced many
roadblocks to serving her resi-
dents, such as getting chastised
for having too many food-themed
events even though she was fol-
lowing the request of her residents.
“A lot of it is very policy-driv-
en. You get robbed of your creativ-
ity and autonomy. There’s a lot of
micromanaging and lack of trust.
That’s the biggest challenge …
empowering RAs and PLs to do
what’s actually best,” shared Koh.
Politics aside, the leadership
role among peers as an RA or
PL lends the job a certain gravi-
tas. RAs and PLs are required to
hold themselves to a high stan-
dard (“There’s a saying you live
in a fishbowl as an RA” laughed
Flack). They also have to be ready
to deal with challenging situa-
tions, sometimes into late hours
of the night for those who are “on
duty.”
“It can be straining sometimes
to have to support thirty-some-
Photo courtesy of Alex Flack
// LIFE
thing students, especially for some
floors that get more of those emo-
tionally-deeper concerning crises,
so having each other to support
each other is really important,”
said Flack, giving a nod to his co-
student staff members.
“Housing attracts some of
Tech’s best because it’s a job that
requires a lot of social interaction,
a lot of expression and you really
have to care about people,” said
Koh.
“The first year I applied, the
suicide rate was really bad … I
wanted to be involved in some ca-
pacity because our mental health
[at Tech] was so bad and we need-
ed someone on the front line who
cared. It was an effort I wanted to
be a part of.”
Beasley’s involvement with
Housing was inspired by his fresh-
man year PL who he admired. He
also recognized difficult situations
and wanted to help incoming
freshman.
“I like mentoring people. If
you’ve been through something
and you can help people not fall
for the same mistakes, that’s
amazing,” he said.
Flack has worked in housing
for two and a half years, and while
he admits to challenges, he truly
sees value in helping people.
“RAs and PLs are doing this
because they really want to help,”
Flack said. “One of the most re-
warding things as an RA is to see
and hear the impact you’re hav-
ing, even though you don’t do it
for the recognition.
“[The RA] will be there for you
when things get hard. It’s their job
yes, but they’re there because they
fundamentally care about you.”
“My residents are my pride and
joy. I love them so much,” shared
Koh. “I love seeing them go out
and succeed. ... We are all here for
our residents.”
// LIFE technique • January 31, 2020• 11

THE TIME IS NOW

2020 - 21 Housing Sign-up

Application Open Jan. 28 - Feb. 23

“ For me, the best part is the

friendships and memories “
I’ve made along the way

- John Huang
Res Life Student Staff
3rd Year M.E. Major

housing.gatech.edu
12 • January 31, 2020 • technique
Tech alum shares insight on data engineering industry
to make a big change. This big
change took Teke across the coun-
try to Burbank, California where
he worked as a lead manager
in data warehousing at Warner
Brothers.
Teke’s advice on re-establish-
ing himself in a new city with a
new job?
“Waste no time rebuilding
professional and personal connec-
tions,” Teke advised.
Developing a platform at a
company as widespread as Warner
Brothers allowed Teke to refine
MIA PENDERGAST new areas of his expertise such as
CONTRIBUTING WRITER storage system design, database
optimization and overall system
At Tech, Nezir Teke, CS ‘00, health and performance.
was given the foundation of data Teke also involved himself
engineering principles that he in the mentorship and training
would build upon throughout his of his team members, aiding in
career — a career which has fea- the progression of his career as
tured working for top companies he managed and oversaw the de-
such as Delta Airlines, Coca-Co- velopment of the entire Teradata
la, Warner Brothers, Loot Crate Warehouse.
and Google. Despite the success he encoun-
Upon graduating, Teke tered at Warner Brothers, Teke
launched his professional career at decided to make yet another big
Delta Airlines as a data warehous- career change after more than ten
ing developer. As a fresh graduate, years with the company. In con-
Teke was exposed to the broader trast to his earlier positions with
industry where he gained his first large-scale prominent companies,
look at how his classroom studies Teke began to work for the small-
applied in the data warehousing er startup Loot Crate.
space. Transitioning from established
At Delta’s data warehouse, corporations to an unexplored en-
Teke worked with customer data trepreneurial space was exciting
and implemented data pipelines and rewarding for Teke. As the
using technologies such as Terada- director of business intelligence,
ta. Although he enjoyed oversee- Teke was responsible for building
ing the development of the ware- the analytical space and data ware-
house, Teke wanted to refocus his house from scratch, transforming
efforts toward other aspects of his the company infrastructure from
technical skillset. Excel spreadsheets and CSV files
After one year of working at to a robust environment running
Delta, Teke accepted a senior de- on Amazon Web Services.
veloper position at another Atlan- In the spirit of developing his
ta-based powerhouse, the Coca- technical aptitude, Teke decided
Cola Enterprises. to take it to the next level by re-
After almost three years at turning to Tech for an Online
Coca-Cola Teke took a step back Masters Degree in Computer Sci-
ence — a triumph he conquered
all while working a full-time job.
“Although an Online Masters
Degree Program is a less tradi-
tional route, it was more conve-
nient and gave me flexibility with
my professional career,” said Teke.
“A master’s degree in a techni-
cal field is a great way to expand
your knowledge on topics you’re
actually interested in.”
Having to learn how to bal-
ance the stresses of both a profes-
sional and school life, Teke offered
advice to other students who are
considering a similar path.
“In order to avoid burning out,
I only took one class at a time be-
cause I wanted to enjoy the experi-
ence,” said Teke.
Tech alumnus, CS ‘00, offers an inside look into his work
experience at competitive companies across the nation.
During the three years it took
him to complete his Master’s de-
gree, Teke ended his journey with
Loot Crate, served as a Business
Intelligence Manager at Google
for a year and a half and then re-
turned to Warner Brothers Enter-
tainment to work as a data engi-
neering architect.
“Having multiple career shifts
while pursuing a technical post-
graduate degree is not recom-
mended, but made me more dis-
ciplined,” Teke explained.
Teke currently still works for
Warner Brothers, where he con-
tinues to progress their data space
while applying the wisdom he has
learned throughout his academic
and professional careers.
Photo courtesy of Nezir Teke
// LIFE
TECHSTYLE FROM PAGE 9
Sturm’s favorite article he has
edited and published, thus far, is
“16 Brittain Fellows Write About
the Archives They Love,” which
includes short anecdotes about
archives that the Brittain Fellows
have used in their research.
“I love that piece because I
wanted to emphasize the way
that primary source research en-
ters into all the Brittain Fellows’
thinking,” said Sturm.
“Highlighting some of these
really funny, interesting, unique
stories about the archives would
be a really great way of just mod-
eling the way that the Brittain
Fellowship is unique in itself.”
Although Sturm’s time as edi-
tor will be coming to an end this
semester, he still has a vision for
TECHStyle’s future.
“My idea for it is that it just
stays a lively place for conversa-
tion,” said Sturm. “It needs to be
alive and it needs to be a place
where ideas are in progress, not
where things are defined and set
in stone.
“I think that’s the whole
point of blogs in general is that
they are these active places where
people are participating.”
Sturm pointed out that there
are many individuals who con-
tribute to the continued success
of TECHStyle, including Dr.
Rebecca Burnett, the Director
of the Writing and Communi-
cation Program at Tech. The ar-
ticles published cover a vast array
of topics related to the fellows’
teaching and topics.
He also reiterated that the
uniqueness of the Brittain Fel-
lowship allows for not only the
fellows to benefit, but also the
students, as they are able to ac-
tively apply the skills they learn in
English classes at Tech.
“Posting my students’ work on
TECHStyle in a different context
shows them that their work has
public facing value,” said Strum.

Entertainment
Oscars nominees fail to reflect diversity, progress
JACK CRONIN
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
On Jan. 13, the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Scienc-
es revealed the field of nominees
for February’s upcoming Oscars
ceremony. As per usual, some of
the nominees and omissions were
surprising and even disappoint-
ing. Awards are unrepresentative
in any industry, but the Academy
Awards are even more-so. For
example, cinema and art are so
much more subjective than sports
championships. So why is there
so much annual hysteria over the
Oscars?
One reason is that the Acad-
emy calls the public’s attention
to a number of terrific works and
achievements through their cer-
emony. Each year, scores of mov-
iegoers rush to theaters to see the
Best Picture nominees, and are
introduced to new stories, per-
spectives and artistic expressions.
While the actual nominees and
winners often fail to coincide with
the year’s finest, the reality is that
the Oscars provide a living his-
tory of movies. All the attention
a nomination brings has the po-
tential to elevate or promote the
careers of its participants.
This is what makes this year’s
field so complicated. On one
hand, most of the movies nomi-
Costa warns viewers with ‘Edge of Democracy’
FILM
The Edge of Democracy
GENRE: Documentary
STARRING: Dilma Rousseff,
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
DIRECTOR: Petra Costa
RATING: TV-14
RELEASE DATE: June 19th
OUR TAKE: ««««
«««««
« forgotten outside of their U.S.
WILL FINCH
MANAGING EDITOR
Nominees for the Academy
Awards should capture the year’s
zeitgeist. And this year, it feels as
though nothing has occupied the
news cycle more than President
Trump’s impeachment process.
But as the democratic process is
put to the test in America, direc-
tor Petra Costa presents audi-
ences with a warning from Brazil
and its similar experiences in her
new documentary, “The Edge of
Democracy.”
Costa’s film is an intimate
history of Brazillian democracy,
told from the perspective of a
woman who has grown alongside
her country. From its revolution
against a military dictatorship to
its adoption of democracy to its
gravitation towards authoritar-
ian leadership again, Brazil and
its people are the main character
of this story, personified through
the director and her perception
one of the country’s most promi-
nent leaders, President Luiz Iná-
cio Lula da Silva.
technique
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Jack Cronin
ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Maya Flores Friday,
13
entertainment@nique.net January 31, 2020
nated are pretty good. On the
other, the homogenous collection
of nominees fails to reflect the ex-
cellent diversity that was available
in theaters in 2019. This oversight
is even more disappointing given
the Academy’s recent efforts to
diversify their membership. In a
similar vein, many of the catego-
ries are filled with the usual sus-
pects.
“Once Upon a Time … in
Hollywood” garnered recognition
for director Quentin Tarantino
(“Pulp Fiction”) and actors Brad
Pitt (“Moneyball”) and Leonardo
DiCaprio (“Titanic”). Likewise,
director Martin Scorsese (“Taxi
Driver”) earned a nomination for
“The Irishman,” which brought
acting nods for Joe Pesci (“Good-
fellas”) and Al Pacino (“The God-
father”). The best actress fields are
similarly populated by recurring
Oscars participants Laura Dern
(“Marriage Story”), Renee Zellwe-
ger (“Judy”) and Scarlett Johans- Photo courtesy of DreamWorks
son (“Jojo Rabbit” and “Marriage Out of the five films nominated for Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards, Sam
Story”), the last of whom actually Mendes’ ‘1917’ is the front runner, though Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Parasite’ is a close second.
received two acting nominations.
While each of these listed nom- (“Parasite”) is the only director of In addition to a general lack (“Booksmart”) and Lorene Sca-
inees put forward superb work, color to be honored this year. No of equality, what makes this so faria (“Hustlers”) each created
perhaps the most notable quality women were nominated for Best alarming is the volume of con- beautiful, critically acclaimed
that they share is their whiteness. Director, leaving Greta Gerwig tributions from diverse filmmak- works of art. In front of the cam-
Of the 20 acting nominations, (“Lady Bird”) as the only woman ers and actors in 2019. Directors era, “Waves,” “Parasite,” “The
only one is filled by a nonwhite ac- to receive that the Academy’s rec- Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”), Farewell” and “The Last Black
tor — Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”). ognition for the entire decade in Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”), Jor- Man in San Francisco” featured
In a similar vein, Bong Joon Ho that category. dan Peele (“Us”), Olivia Wilde See OSCARS PAGE 15
The film is presented chrono-
logically with Costa walking us
through her country every step
of the way. The innocence of
youth juxtaposes a country ex-
cited about representation and
the system that upholds it. Over
the course of the two-hour run-
time, audiences experience all of
the highs and lows of a country
rediscovering itself — a process
that Americans have long since
History textbooks. The director
does well in depicting the sort
of identity crisis that Brazilians
experienced when transitioning
from dictatorship to democracy.
It compels reflection.
Costa also does not restrain
from communicating her own
opinions. “Edge of Democracy”
is as much a memoir as it as a
history of Brazil that she knows.
And the hero of her story? Lula.
The director’s presentation for-
mat is again able to capture the
maturity that comes with age. As
times change, so does her opinion Photo courtesy of Netflix
of Lula and his relationship with Petra Costa’s political documentary explores the current state of Brazil’s government. Two
the rest of Brazil. former presidents, Dimla Rousseff and Luiz da Silva’s removal from office are covered.
Beginning as a steelworkers’
union leader, Lula’s part in co- the most popular in the world. To that make up the country’s de- When Costa depicts that
founding Brazil’s “Worker’s Par- Costa, Brazilians and the world, mocracy. There are not as many gradual slipping back away from
ty” in 1980 earned him the trust it seemed as though the country interviews as there are observa- progress, she is careful not to
of the public. For the next 20 had achieved the political stabil- tions of the individuals behind make her narrative critical of
years, he would advocate for dras- ity it had long sought after — a movements, both good and bad. people. Her outrage is directed
tic social changes in support of sentiment that strengthens the And its intimate close-in style of at the wealthy industrialists and
the Brazillian working class, and dramatic irony only time and ret- shooting brings out how personal members of the country’s right-
he would run for president three rospection can give. of an issue this is to the direc- leaning parties — who Costa
times before finally winning in As Costa continues through tor. Altogether, the camera work would likely argue are one and
2002. Over the course of his two- her story — ending with Brazil masterfully displays Costa’s abil- the same. Likewise, as the Work-
term presidency, Costa explains electing Jair Bolsanaro, a politi- ity to keep an audience’s focus on er’s Party grew, it also lost touch
how Lula not only became one cian perpetuating populism with the people most hurt when cracks with what originally made it the
of the most popular politicians incendiary rhetoric, as president start growing in the foundation common man’s representation.
in the history of Brazil but one of — she focuses on the individuals of democracy. See BRAZIL PAGE 15
14 • January 31, 2020 • technique
‘Outmatched’ offers neither humor, relatability
TELEVISION
Outmatched
NETWORK: Fox
WHEN: Thursdays at 8:30 PM
STARRING: Jason Biggs,
Maggie Lawson
OUR TAKE: «««««
JOSH TREBUCHON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fox introduced its latest mul-
tiple camera sitcom on Jan. 23
when it premiered Lon Zimmet’s
(“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
new series “Outmatched.”
The show stars Jason Biggs
(“American Pie”) and Maggie
Lawson (“Psych”) as Mike and
Kay, the ordinary working-class
South Jersey parents of three ge-
nius kids — and, for comedic ef-
fect, one ordinary one. Mike and
Kay struggle to parent their hyper-
competitive and precocious chil-
dren — pre-teens Nicole (Ashley
Boettcher, “Alone Together”) and
Brian (Connor Kalopsis, “Days of
Our Lives”) and the much young-
er Marc (Jack Stanton, “Copi and
Cami Ask the World”).
Thanks to the gimmicky prem-
ise and unknown cast, the critical
expectations for the series were
low. Still, critical expectations are
not the yardstick against which a
sitcom is measured; virtually all
successful multiple camera sit-
coms — “Friends,” “That ‘70s
Show,” “The Big Bang Theory” —
had similarly humble beginnings.
Where “Outmatched” really
comes up short is in its comedy.
Despite Zimmet’s attempt at cre-
ating a premise that does all the
work for the writers, the show
is just not funny. The tone is set
early, when the pilot opens with
a conversation between Mike and
Kay which is packed full of at-
// ENTERTAINMENT
tempted jokes that fall completely
flat. It would be difficult to even
determine what the writers intend
the audience to find funny if it
were not for the rehearsed laugh-
ter of the live studio audience.
This continues throughout the
pilot. There are a few jokes which
prompt reserved chuckling, but
the episode is almost entirely de-
void of jokes that work at all, let
alone ones that elicit gut-busting
laughter. For many of the jokes,
it is not an issue with the writ-
ing. Rather, the show suffers from
chronic poor delivery and bad act-
ing.
The blame for these poor per-
formances should not fall on
the actors. Excellent sitcom per-
formances are not about being
convincing, conveying genuine
emotions or even perfect comedic
delivery. While “Friends” found
success with a more emotional and
dramatic performance style, “That
‘70 Show” kept audiences engaged
by not taking itself too seriously
and “The Big Bang Theory” pre-
sented outlandish caricatures
of familiar characters with an
equally outlandish delivery style. Photo courtesy of Fox
The acting on these two less seri- Jason Biggs (‘American Pie’) and Maggie Lawson (‘Psych’) star in Fox’s lastest multiple
ous sitcoms is not superior to that camera sitcom as working-class parents raising a trio of trouble-causing geniuses.
in “Outmatched;” these shows
simply had a clear direction and be a great sitcom. Still, there are geeky scientists living in ex- telligent than them on paper, but
identity for the actors to structure plenty of not-great sitcoms that tremely unusual circumstances, in the everyday experience of rais-
their performance around, while have survived long enough to but each character is an extreme ing those kids the viewer would
“Outmatched” does not. make several moderately success- version of a stereotype that view- not feel the same frustrations and
Some of the jokes are delivered ful seasons. “Outmatched” is un- ers are familiar with. For all of encounter the same challenges
in a realistic tone, as though they likely even to reach that level, for its critical flaws — and there are that the characters do.
are actual jokes told between real another reason entirely. many — “The Big Bang Theory” It is one thing to place charac-
human beings, a la the “Friends” Sitcoms often stick around not relates to audiences. ters in wacky situations for come-
style. Some are delivered in an un- because they are funny, but be- The premise of “Outmatched” dic effect, but it is another thing
realistic, performative tone, as in cause viewers find them relatable lacks that kernel of truth at its entirely for the show’s premise to
the almost fourth wall-breaking and comforting. Most reasonably center that keeps the show fa- be built around a conflict which
style of “That ‘70s Show.” The re- successful shows depict relatable miliar for the viewer. As people, feels foreign and unfamiliar to
sult is the feeling that the actors characters encountering relatable Mike and Kay are relatable char- the viewer. The poor quality of
do not know exactly what they challenges. This does not mean acters, but their circumstances the comedy does not help, but
are supposed to be doing, a feel- that a show cannot have an un- are not reflective of a reality that this flaw is ultimately why “Out-
ing that is uncomfortable for the usual premise, but there must be any viewers are likely to have lived matched” will struggle to draw
audience and certainly not funny. a kernel of realistic truth at the through. Sure, there may be view- viewers. Fox’s new sitcom is the
The show’s un-funniness and center. “The Big Bang Theory” ers who have raised or are raising rare one that is neither funny nor
lack of identity is why it will never features a group of brilliant and children who are much more in- relatable.
// ENTERTAINMENT technique • January 31, 2020• 15

OSCARS FROM PAGE 13

With the field set, prognostica- felt like a particularly ripe year to BRAZIL FROM PAGE 13
from rallies calling for Lula’s ar-
tors are beginning to settle on fa- break the perpetuation of the cer- rest is much more tragic within
exceptional performances from vorites for various categories. Brad emony’s inequality, yet the Acad- The fall of the party, it seems, is the context of his role as a hero.
nonwhite actors; Lupita Nyong’o Pitt, Laura Dern, Joaquin Phoenix emy’s selections failed to do so. rooted in campaign finance and There is a reason that “The
(“Us”) put forward one of the best (“Joker”) and Renee Zellweger are Still, this year’s nominees have the reality that reelection is often Edge of Democracy,” is up for an
acting jobs in a thriller in recent expected to win for their respec- merits of their own. While many a matter of who and how many Academy Award. Its sharp criti-
memory, yet received no nomina- tive acting categories. Meanwhile, of the nominations have certainly donors one has. So when mem- cism of her government is a nec-
tion. the Best Director and Best Picture proven surprising or disappoint- bers of Lula’s party are caught in essary enlightenment for all that
Despite their excellence, none competitions appear to be a two- ing, the Academy still has the a web of corruption in the large value representation. It is hard
of the aforementioned artists were horse race between Bong Joon ability to right the ship in some scale investigation, “Operation not to empathize with the heart-
nominated, with the exception of Ho’s “Parasite” and Sam Mendes’ regards. They can find ways to call Car Wash,” it left what was once break imbued into every frame.
Greta Gerwig’s writing nomina- “1917.” attention to and celebrate the art- a beacon of democracy vulner- Furthermore, in personalizing
tion. Many of the movies they At the end of the day, the ists and craftsmen who made 2019 able to public frustration with the history of her country, Costa
represent were totally absent from Oscars might be a meaningless a truly special year for movies. the establishment. As such, one has crafted a love letter to the
the entire field of categories alto- awards show. That does not, how- The 92nd Academy Awards of the most powerful messages in Brazil she believes in while warn-
gether. In twenty years, maybe ever, make their continued white- ceremony takes place on the eve- the film comes from the contrast ing her audiences of the Brazil
one of them will win their overdue ness any less frustrating. 2019 ning of Feb. 9 on ABC. in its bookends. Seeing footage that she sees today.
Oscar, like Spike Lee (“BlacK-
kKlansman”) did last year; most
may never have that opportunity,
though.
Inequalities aside, some sur-
prises and snubs exist. Adam
Sandler, best known nowadays for
his trashy Netflix comedies, was
overlooked for his transcendent
role in “Uncut Gems.” Converse-
ly, “Joker” received an astound-
ing eleven nominations, implying
that the Academy’s response to
the film is much warmer than that
of the critical consensus. How-
ever, not all of the shocks were as
disappointing.
Newcomer Florence Pugh
(“Little Women”) garnered her
first Oscar nomination after a
stellar year of work. Antonio Ban-
deras earned one for “Pain and
Glory.” Cinematographer Jarin
Blanschke squeaked in for his ter-
rific work on “The Lighthouse.”
Rian Johnson scored a screenplay
recognition for “Knives Out.”
Surprisingly, “Parasite” received Photo courtesy of Neon Photo courtesy of Netflix
six nods — a hefty amount for a ‘Parasite,’ a South Korean film from Bong Joon Ho, earned six Dilma Rousseff (left) accepts the presidency from Luiz Inacio
foreign-language production. nominations, including ones for Best Picture and Best Director. Lula da Silva (right), one of the most popular presidents in history.
16 • January 31, 2020 • technique // COMICS

SARAH’S SCRIBBLES BY SARAH ANDERSEN PENNEY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS BY LOGAN PENNEY

IN THE BLEACHERS BY STEVE MOORE

SMBC BY ZACH WEINERSMITH

// COMICS technique • January 31, 2020• 17

LUNARBABOON BY CHRISTOPHER GRADY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE BY STEPHEN PASTIS

www.alberichcrosswords.com

SUDOKU PUZZLE

XKCD BY RANDALL MUNROE

18 • January 31, 2020 • technique
TIMEOUT
FROM PAGE 20
a song about a beverage that is
prohibited? It could be time to
reevaluate whether allowing
alcohol sales at Georgia Tech
sporting events is worthwhile.
Our campus beverage policy
states that “the sale of alcoholic
beverages on-campus is gener-
ally not permitted. Exceptions
may be approved by the Office of
the President where the sale is by
a vendor with a proper alcohol
license in accordance with state
and local law.” There are no state
laws against this. Therefore, the
power of this decision rests with
the Institute.
A study from the University
of Northern Colorado about
how beer sales affect attendance
at football games was performed
in 2018 by a group of students.
Although they found that foot-
ball programs that had beer
available tended to have poorer
attendance figures, they also de-
scribe a “honeymoon effect.”
In the following few years af-
ter allowing beer sales, a school
could theoretically show an im-
pressive increase in attendance
before returning to a baseline.
While not a long term solu-
tion, perhaps this is the stimu-
lus package needed to boost
attendance until Geoff Collins
fully brings us together. In addi-
tion, this strategy could apply to
many other Georgia Tech sports
with the same potential results.
Much like the stock market,
a vibrant fan section could cause
a positive feedback loop. Fans
are drawn in initially by the beer
sales. The sports team playing
sees the support they have and
are more successful throughout
the season. This brings in more
fans who want to see all the hype
which creates more success in
the sports team and ultimately
to the revenue derived from
ticket sales.
// SPORTS
However, this would un- “To Hell with Georgia” that gets defense’ [when fielders work on
doubtedly come with a few
BASEBALL FROM PAGE 1
more than just the Tech baseball bunts, cuts and relays]. After that,
drawbacks. 2019 alone, Waddell was ex- fans going. Last year’s game in we have batting practice and often
In addition, safety might tremely decorated with titles SunTrust had, “The largest at- play an intrasquad game.”
be something to be concerned including 2018–2019 ACC Aca- tendance at any regular season Finally, freshman Jake Holland
about. For example, the Cleve- demic Honor Roll, 2019 All-ACC college baseball game in 2019,” shares his experience and mindset
land Indians were experienc- Academic Team and 2019 Brooks according to another junior in- as he jumps onto the roster with
ing low attendance in the 70’s. Wallace Shortstop of the Year Fi- fielder, Michael Guldberg. Guld- 18 other freshmen Jackets. Hol-
They promoted a 10-cent beer nalist. If that isn’t enough, he av- berg is another teammate who is land says, “I’m looking forward
night on June 4, 1974. The fans’ eraged 10.6 at-bats per strikeout extremely eager for the big battle to learning from our older guys.
frustrations with the job mar- earned him recognition as third in of the state against the Dawgs this They’ve been through things they
ket in Cleveland translated into the ACC and 45th in the country. season. can pass onto me that will help us
a full blown riot during a Ma- This upcoming season Waddell Guldberg led the Jackets in be an even better team this year.”
jor League Baseball game. The shares he is most excited about the hitting to land second in the ACC With the team’s goal of being
game was cancelled, multiple matchup against UGA, after their with .355 last year. Preseason for “best team in the state, the ACC
people were arrested and many game at SunTrust Park last season, him this year means excitement and the country,” according to Ar-
baseball players had minor inju- because, “we had all of our fans and lots of hard work. cher, there is potential in store for
ries. Beer undoubtedly played a there and we won the series that Guldberg says, “Preseason this star roster of athletes. Archer,
role in this. What is to say that day and overall it was just a great practice is a really exciting time. Waddell, Guldberg, Holland and
the students and other attendees win for our program.” There’s We start with position specific de- team look to see Russ Chandler
don’t have frustrations of their just something about the saying fensive drills, then go into ‘team packed for their Feb. 14 opener.
own that they might take out to
the field?
In contrast, a policy like this
may prevent binge drinking be-
fore sporting events. It’s not an
uncommon sight at a football
game to see someone being car-
ried away too drunk to stand ei-
ther by police or by their friends.
We asked a few people about
how the tailgate culture with
the current rules stands. Fourth
year student at Tech, Peter Dy-
son, was in charge of a fraternity
tailgate for three years. He says
that, “the most dangerous part
about binge drinking is with li-
quor. At tailgates people binge
drink right before they leave be-
cause they know they don’t have
access to anything at a game.
Beer is a lot safer than liquor,
and if they sold it at games, I’m
sure everyone would be safer and
happier”.
Ultimately, a lot of variables
are present that could swing this
decision. But with declining col-
lege football ticket rates around
the country, it may be necessary
so that collegiate sporting events
can begin to compete with their Photo courtesy of Jonathan Pennie Student Publications
rapidly improving digital coun- After 69 home runs for the Jackets’ offense during the 2019 season, the team
terpart. looks to make another strong effort at big offensive plays in the upcoming season.
// SPORTS
UNITED FROM PAGE 20
their shape, providing further op-
portunities up the center.
While the tactical losses will
hurt the squad’s performance,
the club has already made several
moves to replace the lost produc-
tion. It is unlikely that the new ad-
ditions will make up for the losses,
but with Josef Martinez, Ezequiel
Barco and Pity Martinez heading
up the attack and a solid defen-
sive core there is little doubt that
United will remain competitive.
Continued improvement from
Pity and Barco might even make
the team better than last season.
The greatest loss from the
off-season changes will be an in-
tangible one. Pirez, Gressel and
Parkhurst have been a central part
of the club’s identity since the
very beginning in 2017, and their
role in the history and the culture
of the club cannot be replaced.
Change is inevitable in any sport,
especially in soccer, but in letting
these key figures slip away the
front office is gambling with the
club’s identity and sense of unity.
While fans should expect a
host of new faces in the absence
of a few old ones, there are plenty
of reasons to be excited about the
2020 season. If nothing else, this
year will be a pivotal one for the
young club as it finds its long-term
place in the league. If they play
their cards right, this may be the
season when fans learn whether
the Five Stripes have it in them to
be a perennial powerhouse.
technique • January 31, 2020• 19
Tech topples NC State for ACC win
the game against NC State. The Tech was able to secure the vic- make his return Saturday against
GRAHAM LEWIS previous March, he made an and- tory without their leading scorer Notre Dame.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER one in the final seconds against — Michael Devoe. Saturday was also marked by
NC State to get the win. Devoe’s absence was caused by an impressive turnout of 6,794
This past week, Tech upset NC This Louisville victory means a sore foot. Seeing that playing people. While a strong turnout for
State in men’s basketball with an that the Jackets have swept the would risk further aggravation, Tech, it still lags far behind that of
impressive 26-point performance Wolfpack this season, a notable the last-minute decision forced the average attendance of 18,321
by star guard Jose Alvarado. With achievement for a team in one of Khalid Moore into his role. The fans for crowds in the ACC last
little time on the clock, Alvarado the strongest conferences in all of forward, who is known for his de- year. That being said, it is still over
had two huge steals to help seal NCAA college basketball. An- fense, contributed five points for 800 people more than last year’s
the game. He ended the game other noteworthy takeaway is that the offense. Devoe is looking to average attendance.
with a school-record nine steals.
James Banks also helped in more
intense moments of the game, tip-
ping in two shots in the final min-
utes. This win felt good for the
team after a narrow loss to top-ten
team, Louisville. The Jackets were
able to hang on throughout the
entirety of the Louisville matchup
game but wound up losing 64-68.
The Jackets, currently sitting at
9-11, have found themselves in the
midst of a struggling season. In a
conference with national pow-
erhouses, the Jackets have found
themselves in the lower-middle of
the fray, ultimately finding some
trouble in competing against top
tier opponents.
In particular, the Jackets have
found themselves struggling to
close out games. Saturday’s game
was a glimpse into a gritty Jackets
team that was able to make plays
when it counted. Banks is no
stranger to making clutch plays Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik SAA
when they count. Last November, Jose Alvarado made Jackets history during the NC State game with his record nine steals. The
he made strong free throws to seal last time this record was met by any ACC player was 2010, by Florida State’s Chris Singleton.
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR: Alvarado makes history technique
Kendall Jabaley
Jose Alvarado's impressive 26-point
point performance was one of many
20
Friday,
highlights from their NC State win419
sports@nique.net January 31, 2020

ATL United gears up for 2020 kickoff

JOSH TREBUCHON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Atlanta United opens MLS

play on Feb. 29 on the road against
the league’s newest club, Nashville
SC. Fans will get their first look
at this year’s team in competitive
play eleven days before opening
day when the Five Stripes take on
the Honduran side FC Motagua
in CONCACAF Champions
League play on Feb. 18.
For casual followers of the
club, this year’s side will likely
look somewhat unfamiliar. Unit-
ed’s roster has been in a constant
state of flux this off-season, with
some of the club’s most recogniz-
able players departing and fresh
faces arriving in their place.
The change began before last
season even ended when defender
Michael Parkhurst, a near-con-
stant presence on the pitch and
frequent captain since Atlanta
United began play in 2017, an-
nounced that he would retire at
the conclusion of the club’s MLS
Cup campaign. Parkhurst’s retire-
ment was followed by midfielder
Darlington Nagbe’s November
departure, and eventually by de-
fender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez’s
Jan. 10 transfer to Mexican side
Club Tijuana. Still, by far the
most significant change of the
off-season came on Jan. 21 when
Julian Gressel was dealt to fellow
MLS side DC United.
Moving into the 2020 season, United seems to have several fresh faces to acclimate to the
rest of the roster. The team will need to “unite” quickly in order to work as a successful unit.
The departure of all these key
pieces has left several significant
tactical voids in United’s ros-
ter. Parkhurst was an invaluable
leader on the pitch, keeping the
defense organized and bringing
experience to the roster as a whole.
Nagbe’s departure will most likely
do the most tactical damage, as
the team currently lacks a central
midfielder who can serve in the
same type of box-to-box role that
Nagbe did. Nagbe was also one
of the surest dribblers on the ros-
ter and his presence on the pitch
was a huge asset in the possession
battle.
There is little doubt that the
club will make an acquisition to
try to fill the void, but Nagbe is
one of the best central midfielders
in the league and it will be all but
impossible to find a like-for-like
replacement.
Pirez’s departure deprives the
club of a hard-tackling, tough
defender with a fiery presence on
the pitch. The Argentine center
Photo by Allie Ghisson Student Publications
back was the perfect compliment
to the platoon of Miles Robinson
and Michael Parkhurst, balancing
their more reserved playing-style
with his intensity and his willing-
ness to bring the ball forward.
Gressel’s departure might do
the most tactical damage to the
squad. The utility man was one
of the club’s leading playmakers,
providing dynamism down the
right side of the pitch and forcing
opposing defenders to maintain
see UNITED, page 19
BEN RADAK
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“When you’ve said Budweiser
... you’ve said it all!” This is the
iconic line from one of our most
valued traditions. Where were
you the first time you heard this
song? The sun is beaming down
on your sweat-beaded skin. Your
younger self is sold on the idea
that attendance at all the foot-
ball games and sporting events
is paramount. The quarter ends
and you are ready to take a
sunscreen break — and luckily
you’ve snuck some in your rat
cap. You look around at the half
empty stands. What is the band
doing? Why is everyone bend-
ing their knees and bobbing up
and down? For most of us, this
is how our first time went. We
were nervous and scared at first
but quickly learned to love it. A
few things stand out to me. Why
were those stands half empty,
and why were you dancing to
see TIMEOUT, page 18