October 19, 2018•Volume 104, Issue 11•nique.
net
technique
News 2
JACKETS SHOW PRIDE COLORS p10
ENTERTAINMENT
Top L: Photo by Katherine Shambaugh Student Publications; Top R: Photo courtesy of Senator Perdue; Above: Photo by Izabela Hadula Student Publications
Tech pre-health helps students get their white coats
BOBBY GUILD
STAFF WRITER
In the medical field, donning
the white coat is a lifelong dream
and symbolic of a great deal of re-
spect and knowledge. However,
it is no secret that achieving this
dream requires years of dedicated
study, hard work and intense fo-
cus, and one might wonder why
someone would choose such a dif-
ficult path, one that is especially
so at Tech. For almost everyone,
it is the chance to make someone’s
life better.
ENTERTAINMENT
. .
High Museum Exhibit p12 Sen. Perdue at Tech
Opinions 5
Able to offer unique insight
into this are Pre-Health Peer
Advisors Sirwoo Kim and Rocio
Zaragoza. Both are fourth-year
BME majors on the pre-health
track, and these two know what
it is like to balance the rigors of
Tech’s curriculum with the re-
quirements of applying to medi-
cal school. In their roles, they
regularly work with students who
are interested in the pre-health
program or who are already on
the track. Students from majors
across campus, from liberal arts
to chemistry, choose to pursue a
career in the medical field. Kim
Life 8
LIFE
and Zaragoza have a unique un-
derstanding of why people choose
to pursue pre-health at Tech.
“I think students are drawn
to healthcare fields because they
want to help people and change
someone’s life. Everyone has their
personal path and reasoning, but
it still comes down to their pas-
sion to building patient relation-
ships and bring them back to opti-
mal health,” Zaragoza said.
For third-year BME Omar
Ahmed, this statement rings
true. Ahmed, who hopes to be-
come a cardiothoracic surgeon,
See HEALTH, page 9
NEWS
p4
Entertainment 12 Sports 20
SPORTS
Basketball
may turn to
‘small ball’
JOSH FORBES
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Tech hoops in the “Pastnerball” era
has been arguably the most popular
team on campus, if for no other reason
than the two-year period’s alignment
with some of CPJ’s worst seasons in his
tenure at Tech. Josh Pastner, named
ACC Coach of the Year in his inaugu-
ral season, is a branch off the old Lute
Olson coaching tree at the University
of Arizona that has flourished since his
arrival in 2016. Pastner’s first year sur-
prised many as the Jackets wildly over-
performed in comparison to the pre-
season projections that had Tech going
winless in ACC play — with an upset
over No. 5 UNC in his first conference
game, Pastner’s squad racked up four
top 25 wins over the course of the year,
ending 8-10 in ACC play.
Pastner’s second season came with
some seriously readjusted expecta-
tions for what a “successful” season
meant. While going from a 21-16 to
13-19 overall record was far from what
was anticipated going into the year,
the combination of stymieing losses
to clearly inferior opponents — like
Grambling State, Wofford and Wright
State — and the extended absences
of key contributors, including then-
freshman guard Jose Alvarado, senior
guard Tadric Jackson and sophomore
forward Josh Okogie was enough to
derail a promising young team’s season
from the start.
This third year sets up an opportu-
nity for Pastner to truly begin imple-
menting his system with the players
he recruited as opposed to the ones he
was handed when taking the coach-
See HOOPS, page 19
Photo by Casey Gomez Student Publications
The pre-health advising office is located in the Bill Moore Student
Success Center, and helps students interested in healthcare.
News
NEWS EDITOR:
Jonathan Jeffrey
news@nique.net
hewed to close to the definition,
and that it could be interpreted
to be a retreat. Others defended
the group, arguing that the pur-
pose of the event was to improve
the group skills. In that case, the
event should be treated as a work-
shop instead of a retreat, they said.
One representative pointed out
that during the fiscal year 2018,
SGA had given $1500 per mem-
ber to Taal Tadka, and pointed
out that although traveling per-
Tackling Depression Together technique
The Mental Health Student Coalition is
inviting colleges representatives across the Friday,
2
country to confer on mental health 44 October 19, 2018
The group currently has 36 mem- responded to a call from a Peer
bers and they participate com- Leader at Glenn Residence Hall.
petitively in regional and national Upon his arrival, the officer
competitions. was led to a student who was
The first bill that the UHR saw passed out in the floor of the dorm
was a request for SGA to cover bathroom.
travel costs and registration fees The officer requested an ambu-
for the national competition that lance, and the student was trans-
they attend, where they send five ported to a hospital in midtown.
players to compete in Washing- Once the student gained con-
ton, D.C. sciousness in the hospital, she ad-
The second was to cover the mitted to having consumed three
cost of more practice and compe- cups of an unknown alcoholic

E
ach week , this sec tion of
News will include coverage
of different aspects of bills
and resolutions that have passed
through Student Government. This
will include the Undergraduate
House of Representatives, Graduate
Student Senate and the Executive
Branch of both government bodies.
MASON FAVRO
STAFF WRITER
TAAL TADKA PASSES EMPTY
The Taal Tadka A Cappella
group approached the Student
Government Association (SGA)
with a petition for funding to
cover travel to and registration for
the Betsy A Cappella Festival in
Miami, Florida.
It appeared as though the
bill would glide through with-
out debate in the Undergraduate
House of Representatives (UHR).
However, when the Joint Finance
Committee (JFC) Vice President
gave his report, he pointed out
that JFC had specific delibera-
tions over whether the event was
a retreat or not. Ultimately, JFC
had determined they believed the
event was not a retreat.
SGA policy is not to provide
funding for retreats, and thus the
question of whether or not the
Betsy A Cappella event met that
definition would determine if
SGA should allow the bill to pass.
This prompted UHR mem-
bers to launch into a discussion
on what the definition of a retreat
was under SGA policy guidelines.
Various representatives ex-
pressed concern that the festival
formance groups such as singing tition balls.
and dancing groups comprised a The bill incited mild question-
relatively small percentage of stu- ing from the representatives as to
dent organizations, they received the difference between the two
a relatively outsized percentage of kinds of balls; the answer came
SGA funding. down to the quality and sourcing
The debate continued over of the materials.
whether the festival qualified as a The third bill that was pro-
retreat or not, until a representa- posed was to pay for registration
tive moved to strike the line items in a regional conference in Atlan-
containing the requests for funds. ta that would be able to provide
This motion passed, rendering the some of the group’s members with
bill empty. rankings from the national colle-
Despite being completely emp- giate table tennis body.
ty, the bill was passed 19-17-2, and The fourth and final bill of the
will now be sent to be heard by the session contained requests for new
GSS, who had not heard it earlier uniforms; the team had received
in the day due to time constraints. uniforms four years ago, however
The result of the bill passing they had become frayed, torn, and
with no line items means that if stretched from use.
GSS passes the bill with the origi- The Table Tennis Association
nal funding request intact, then also requested funds to pay for a
the bill will be sent to conference “ball picker,” which is a device to
between GSS and UHR, where aid with picking up table tennis
Taal Tadka will have the chance balls. The JFC Vice President de-
to receive a portion of the origi- scribed the tool as being similar to
nally requested funding. “a jellyfish.”
Ultimately, all four of the bills
FOUR BILLS FOR BALLS presented were passed with lim-
The Table Tennis Association ited dissent from the representa-
presented four bills to UHR, ask- tives present. It had not yet been
ing for funding for a variety of seen by the GSS due to time con-
materials and activities that the straints, so the bills are to be voted
growing program participates in. upon by GSS.
BILL SUMMARY
BILL AMOUNT GSS UHR
Team Buzz Day of Service Funding* $3,441.00 30-0-0 33-0-0
Hytech Racing Fall 2018 $21,020.43 30-0-0 34-0-0
Spaceport America Cup Team $11,378.20 27-3-0 35-0-0
NSBE Regional Conference 2018 $6,720.00 11-3-0 32-0-3
Solar Racing Team Aerobody $10,552.87 30-0-0 33-0-0
* Bill line items amended in conference between GSS and UHR
JESSICA BARBER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
WHEN CHAIRS FLY
On Oct. 11 at approximately
10:30 p.m., a Georgia Tech Po-
lice Department (GTPD) officer
received a call regarding a student
who was being disruptive at a fra-
ternity house.
Upon his arrival, the officer
confronted the student, who was
evidently under the influence of
alcohol.
The student later admitted
to having thrown a chair down
a flight of stairs and towards the
street.
No injuries other than perhaps
a minor dent to the student’s ego
were reported. The student re-
ceived a Student Code of Conduct
violation and was later contacted
by the Dean of Students.
LOOKING FOR A SIGN
On Oct. 5 around 3:00 a.m.,
a GTPD officer was dispatched to
the intersection of Fowler Street
and Bobby Dodd Way.
Here a student was seen to be
carrying a street sign, and upon
investigation, the student bragged
about having attended multiple
parties and stealing the sign. The
student was issued a Student Code
of Conduct violation.
The street sign was confiscated
by the officer and was safely re-
turned to its home on the corner
of Fourth Street and Williams
Street.
STUDY HARD, SLEEP HARDER
On the night of Oct. 12, a few
minutes after 2 a.m., an officer
beverage.
The Dean of Students was no-
tified of underage alcohol con-
sumption, and the student was
issued a student code of conduct
violation for underage drinking.
ISN’T THIS TECH
A GTPD officer was assist-
ing a motorist near the Chevron
gas station on Northside Drive at
about 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 11 when
a pedestrian violently approached
the doors of the gas station and
demanded to be let in.
The clerk on duty advised the
subject to leave the premises, but
the subject refused and began try-
ing to forcibly open the door. The
subject’s yells and curses drew the
officer’s attention to the scuffle.
The officer approached the
scene and asked the subject to re-
lease the door.
The subject then attempted to
walk away from the officer, and
when he was ordered to stop, the
subject attempted to argue to try
to justify his disobedience.
“This isn’t Georgia Tech’s cam-
pus,” he matter-of-factly informed
the officer, expecting this to end
the ordeal.
The subject continued ignoring
the officer’s verbal orders, all the
while with one of his hands con-
cealed in his pocket.
With the aim of trying prevent
a life-threatening situation, the of-
ficer called for backup.
After three additional GTPD
officers arrived at the scene, the
subject finally complied and re-
moved his hand from his pocket.
The subject was temporarily
detained, questioned and then re-
leased from custody.

sliver // your thoughts

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NEWS EDITOR
Jonathan Jeffrey
“tRiPlE oPtiOn OfFeNsEs ArE viAbLe iN 2018” OPINIONS EDITOR
F*****ck facebook and it’s control over my mom who only ever Samira Bandaru EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jon Long
f*cking posts f*cking memories and happy friendiversary. god
damn f*cking social media. can i get a rt? Casey Miles MANAGING EDITOR LIFE EDITOR
Polly Ouellette
i just want friends, but not like tech friends everyone here is W
ACK ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the
It’s good to know that this exists! Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of
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It’s just chicken hitta eat it wit cho hands the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique
Josh Trebuchon
SAE can lick my nuts publishes on Fridays, weekly in the fall and spring and biweekly in SPORTS EDITOR
I took an upper decker in the culc bathroom the summer. Harsha Sridhar
Penis breath
SAE buttchugs limearitas ADVERTISING: Information can be found online at nique.net/ PHOTO EDITOR
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Hi, I was just dropping in a quick line to know, if I could send Copyright © 2018, Samira Bandaru, Editor-in-Chief, and the Zoie Konneker
some great article ideas your way for a guest post at your website ? Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. No part of this pa-
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If you like my suggested ideas, I can then provide you high- per may be reproduced in any manner without written permission
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+big tiddy b*tches+ thors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Elizabeth Sit
Student Publications, the students, staff or faculty of the Georgia
dear futr self, b brave and leev ur dorm rooom Institute of Technology or the University System of Georgia. First
Pithy Poets Print Platitudes Pleading Poor Persons Pack Plentiful copy free; for additional copies call 404-894-2830.
Potatoes
// NEWS
Town halls discuss hunt for new Dean
of Sciences and Dean of Computing
JEFFREY LUO
STAFF WRITER
On Tuesday, Oct. 2, and Tues-
day, Oct. 16, the Office of the
Provost hosted two town halls
to discuss the ongoing search for
deans for the College of Comput-
ing and the College of Sciences.
These efforts follow the recent
departure of Paul Goldbart, for-
mer dean of the College of Sci-
ences, and the announcement this
past summer that Zvi Galil, cur-
rent dean of the College of Com-
puting, would be stepping down
from his post in June 2019.
In the wake of Goldbart’s de-
parture, David Collard has as-
sumed the role of interim dean of
the College of Science, and will
remain in the position until a new
dean is found.
Rafael L. Bras, provost and ex-
ecutive vice president for Academ-
ic Affairs, detailed the timeline for
these searches. The process began
in Aug. 2018 with the creation of
two separate search committees.
Up until November, a pool of
candidates will be steadily devel-
oped and vetted for recruitment,
out of which a group of finalists
will be selected to visit campus
in March 2019. A final decision
and announcement regarding the
naming of the new deans will be
made in May 2019.
The College of Computing and
College of Sciences search com-
mittees are chaired by Raheem
Beyah and Pinar Keskinocak, re-
spectively. Jennifer Herazy, associ-
ate provost for Operations, serves
on both committees as the search
director.
“We wanted to make sure there
was representation across all of the
schools,” Beyah said. “We wanted
to make sure that staff were rep-
resented, and that students were
represented.”
This process of switching
deans has allowed both colleges to
reflect on which initiatives should
be prioritized under new leader-
ship in upcoming years.
Bras shared several initiatives
that both colleges may hope to
pursue, including constructing
new libraries and working with
the Commission on Creating the
Next in Education, a group begun
in 2015 that focuses on exploring
alternative education models.
As noted by Bras, these dean
searches will be conducted inter-
nally and will not involve an out-
side search firm.
“To succeed, the committees
are going to have to work very
hard. These committees are not
going to be passive groups react-
ing to information given to them,”
Bras said. “They will have to be
proactive in seeking out and con-
vincing candidates that we want
them.”
Those who may know individ-
uals interested in these positions
The search for a new dean for the College of Computing has
begun. Current dean, Zvi Galil, is stepping down in June 2019.
are encouraged to forward nomi-
nations of possible candidates to
committee members.
Names of any candidates will
not be released until finalists are
announced next March.
“Many of the people we are
pursuing are very good at what
they [do],” said Herazy. “We
would like to make sure that
throughout this process, every-
thing remains confidential about
their interest in the position,
about their candidacy in the posi-
tion, and [about] why they chose
to apply.”
In addition to the College of
Computing and College of Sci-
ences, administration has also
organized search committees to
identify candidates for several
administrative roles vacated due
to ethics scandals that surfaced in
the summer.
Among these openings are the
executive vice president for Ad-
ministration and Finance and the
vice president of Institute Com-
munications, as well as the senior
vice president and director of the
Georgia Tech Research Institute.
Photo courtesy of Institute Communications
Sen. Perdue snatches
phone at Kemp event
JONATHAN JEFFREY
NEWS EDITOR
In the final weeks before the
November midterm elections,
where the seat for Georgia gov-
ernor is on the ballot major party
candidates are reaching out to col-
lege campuses to attract support.
On Saturday, Oct. 13, Brian
Kemp, Georgia secretary of state
and Republican nominee for gov-
ernor, along with his running
mate Geoff Duncan and Senator
David Perdue, were welcomed
onto campus for a tailgate by the
Georgia Association of College
Republicans.
While meant to help drum up
support for Kemp’s campaign, the
tailgate event resulted in a storm
of unpleasant press for Kemp
when Perdue grabbed the phone
of a student who tried to ask the
senator a question on video.
The student, a member of the
Tech chapter of the Young Demo-
cratic Society of America (YDSA),
let the organization post the video
onto its Facebook page, where it
garnered over 27,000 views; on
Twitter, a copy of the video has
over 225,000 views.
The video shows Perdue’s bel-
ligerent response to the student
asking how he could support
Kemp for governor.
“No, I’m not doing that, I’m
not doing that,” Perdue said, pull-
ing the phone from the student’s
hand. The video cuts to black.
According to a YDSA state-
ment released on Oct. 13 after
the event, the “video cuts briefly
for a few seconds when Perdue ac-
cidentally stopped and started the
recording.”
When the video starts again,
Perdue is cradling the phone in his
technique • October 19, 2018• 3
hand, and the student repeatedly
ask for his phone back.
“You’ve stolen my property,
you’ve stolen my property,” the
student can be heard saying. “Give
me my phone back, Senator.”
Perdue, on his part, played off
the phone grab as attempt to take
a selfie, asking “You wanted a pic-
ture?” multiple times before retur-
ing the phone to the student.
Afterward, the student fol-
lowed Perdue for some seconds as
the senator tried to leave on foot.
“He’s trying to leave,” the stu-
dent said. “He’s trying to leave
because he won’t answer why he’s
endorsing a candidate who’s try-
ing to purge people from voting
on the basis of their race.”
The student’s comments refer
to recent reports that Kemp’s of-
fice has placed 53,000 voter regis-
trations on hold, many flagged be-
cause of small typos that violated
the state’s requirement of an “ex-
act match” with state documents.
Nearly 70 percent of withheld
applications are from African
Americans, which has raised con-
cerns of racial discrimination.
Upon hearing the reports,
Stacey Abrams, the Democratic
nominee for governor, has repeat-
ed earlier calls made for Kemp to
step down from his role as secre-
tary of state in order to avoid a
conflict of interest with his candi-
dacy for governor.
A spokesperson for Perdue
speaking to WXIA reiterated their
claim that Perdue misread the sit-
uation as a selfie offer.
“It is our belief, and the belief
of the student, that Perdue com-
mitted the Georgia crimes of
Theft by taking and Robbery,” the
YDSA statement continues. “The
student is considering filing a po-
lice report with campus police.”`
4 • October 19, 2018• technique
Uniting colleges to talk about mental health
MASON FAVRO
STAFF WRITER
From Feb. 15 to 17, the Schell-
er College of Business will host
the Intercollegiate Mental Health
Conference (IMHC), an event
intended to improve how col-
leges across the United States ad-
dress the mental health needs of
their student bodies. Representa-
tives from schools such as UGA,
Emory, GSU, UNC and Stanford,
among others, have been invited
to share best practices, to listen to
keynote speakers and to network
among each other in order to “de-
velop solutions to relevant issues,”
according to the IMHC website.
The Joint Allocations Com-
mittee (JAC) is contributing
$60,000 worth of funding for the
conference. The JAC, created by
the Student Government Asso-
ciation (SGA) in the wake of the
shooting death of Scout Schultz,
is in charge of determining how
$1 million of funds will be used
for the improvement of mental
health and related services across
campus. Half of the JAC’s fund-
ing is provided by the SGA, and
half comes from a matching con-
tribution from administration.
The IMHC is one of six grants
that the JAC has approved thus
far. Other grants include efforts
such as the Georgia Tech Coun-
seling Center service expansion
and the installation of swing set
on campus.
// NEWS
The IMHC is an effort of the The best practices gathered schools to showcase the technolo- a keynote speaker who will speak
Mental Health Student Coali- from the conference will be gies that have enabled them to im- on different pertinent issues.
tion (MHSC), a group dedicated grouped into three factors — pub- prove treatment of mental health The conference has been con-
to improving mental health re- lic resources, mental health policy on their campus. structed so that it will be easy to
sources on Tech’s campus. The and technology — that each im- “A big part of this conference replicate in the future.
MHSC formed in 2013 following pact six at-risk student groups: ... is actually establishing those “[We have] had conversations
the publication of a white paper LGBT, international, graduate, connections and then utilizing with the administration, and it’s
regarding student mental health transfer, low-income and disabled them,” Spencer said. definitely something that they
and “Tech’s depressogenic envi- students. The MHSC is working with want to see happen again,” Spen-
ronment” by a mental health ac- There will be four keynote outside sponsors to help the con- cer said. “We will have the entire
tion team of SGA, according to speeches during the conference, as ference go smoothly. The Nation- process already set up by the time
the IMHC website. well as a number of breakout ses- al Alliance on Mental Illness and we have hosted the first time, so
The Mental Health Student sions where the attendees can dis- the Georgia Department of Be- in the future all anyone has to do
Coalition (MHSC), has asked cuss the questions at hand. There havioral Health and Developmen- is pick a different set of topics and
individual institutions to send will also be opportunities for the tal Disabilities have each provided do it again.”
at least seven attendees, three of
whom would be “undergraduate
students involved in mental health
and student leadership” according
to the IMHC website. The other
four slots would be filled by grad-
uate students and non-students,
such as faculty mental health pro-
fessionals.
“The question came: Why are
we trying to come up with new
programs and policies when they
already exist at other schools, and
perhaps they’ve existed for such
a long time that there’s an exten-
sive amount of qualitative and
quantitative feedback on ... their
effectiveness? That’s the idea that
led to the conference,” said Collin
Spencer, third year BIO and the
director of MHSC. “It was just
a logical progression of thought.”
According to the IMHC web-
site, the goal of the conference will
be to “gather the best practices on Photo courtesy of Mental Health Student Coalition
mental health from college cam- Members of the Mental Health Student Coalition (MSHC) gather for a photo. Collin Spencer,
puses across the nation.” top and center, is the director of MSHC and is leading the effort for next year’s conference.
Opinions
OPINIONS EDITOR: Jon Long technique

“
”
Without free will, there is no
difference between submission and
rebellion. — Hideo Kojima
October 19, 2018
5
Friday,

OUR VIEWS | Consensus Opinion

Importance of the UN Climate Report

The causes, the effects and what we can do to curb a global disaster
Earlier this month, the United
Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC) re-
leased a special report detailing the
effects that temperatures 1.5 de-
grees Celsius above pre-Industrial
averages would have on the Earth.
If the current trajectory contin-
ues, the IPCC projects that we will
reach that level before 2052.
The environmental and eco-
nomic impact of such a change
is both well-researched and well-
documented by a wide range of
scientific bodies; the general con-
sensus is that the effects will be
devastating. What has not been
agreed upon, however, is if the phe-
nomenon of climate change is even
valid.
Issues regarding climate change
form a contentious part of most po-
litical platforms, though these are
often afterthoughts behind poli-
cies regarding such things as taxa-
tion and immigration. The divide
is highly partisan: Republicans
tend to deny climate change, while
Democrats recognize the issue and
often champion legislation aimed
at mitigating its effects. Due to this
divide, the idea of climate change
and its validity has unfortunately
become less cut-and-dry than most
other matters of scientific fact.
As Tech students, we gener-
ally approach topics with a critical
mind and an openness to factual,
evidence-based rhetoric. If we are
to approach the topic of climate
change the same way, it is clear
that the claims of the IPCC report
are both valid and significant. It
echoes the claims made by several
studies before it, lending more cre-
dence to its status as fact.
This partisan divide, then, can
only stem from intentional dis-
information borne of bad faith.
Right-leaning media and the poli-
ticians they endorse — President
Trump included — all clutch
desperately at the few studies and
figures that support their denial.
These figures, conveniently, can
all be traced back to entities with
a financial stake in climate change
regulation.
With the release of the IPCC re-
port, we now have a clearer picture
of what is at stake if we continue
to allow politicians and outlets
that espouse ‘healthy skepticism’
to taint public opinion about an
issue that should not even be con-
tested given the wealth of evidence
pointing towards the same conclu-
sion. Our President does not just
cut environmental regulations; he
actively pats himself on the back
for doing so, treating them as an
undue burden foisted onto pollut-
ing corporations by the left. If one
takes even the smallest amount of
time to look at the money trail, it
becomes evident that these politi-
cians aren’t denying the validity
of climate change out of genuine
skepticism. They are working in
their own best interests and the in-
terests of companies that perpetu-
ate the practices that are actively
destroying the planet.
As such, the issue of climate
change should be treated as a litmus
test to determine whether or not a
politician is acting in good faith. If
they deny the scientific consensus
behind climate change, they are
doing so to line their pockets at the
expense of you, your children and
every generation thereafter. There
is simply no other reason to deny
climate change at this point.
The only way to mitigate the is-
sue of climate change is to make a
concerted effort towards educating
yourself and putting environmen-
tal issues higher on your list of con-
cerns in the voting booth. Even the
most apathetic of citizens should
recognize the dangers of allowing
climate change to continue un-
checked. If any issue is important
enough to force you to cast a ballot,
this is the one.
Our government is designed to
represent the will of its citizens.
Only informed representatives
acting in good faith can help us be-
gin to mitigate climate change be-
fore it’s too late. If it becomes clear
that this issue dictates our political
discourse at large, our leaders will
have no choice but to cater to our
will or be voted out. Without the
U.S., efforts to curb the coming
disaster will almost certainly fall
flat. So the onus is on us, the driv-
ing force behind our democracy,
to educate ourselves, to promote
scientific literacy and good-faith
political practices and, ultimately,
foster a culture change that could

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

UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT BY LAUREN DOUGLAS technique editorial board

Samira Bandaru EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Casey Miles MANAGING EDITOR
Jonathan Jeffrey NEWS EDITOR
Polly Ouellette LIFE EDITOR
Harsha Sridhar SPORTS EDITOR
Elizabeth Sit HEAD COPY EDITOR
Jon Long OPINIONS EDITOR
Josh Trebuchon ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Lauren Douglas DESIGN EDITOR
Tristen Allen WEB DEVELOPER
Casey Gomez PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Write to us: are responses to or commentaries on

opinions@nique.net
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your voice be heard with the Tech-
nique. Sliver at Nique.net, tweet us
@the_nique or check us out on Face-
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want to hear your opinion and want
to make it known to all of campus.
We also welcome your letters in
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as topics relevant to campus. We will
print letters on a timely and space-
available basis.
Each week we look for letters that
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
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For questions, comments or con-
cern, contact the Opinions Editor at
opinions@nique.net.
6 • October 19, 2018• technique // OPINIONS

Tech communication
under the weather
Tech is often slow to act upon personnel on campus, but still “Regarding whether classes will
reports of inclement weather that expected its academic members be cancelled or business opera-
may impact campus operations. to arrive and leave campus during tions altered, we are not anticipat-
Historically, the school will not the inclement weather. ing making that recommendation
announce closings — or the lack Earlier in the same semester, based on the current threat. Any
thereof — until Tech announced changes will be communicated
the day before, “Tech . . . should a campus closure via GTENS and official Institute
often in the after-
noon. This poor improve its process during Hurricane
Irma. In this case,
social media.”
This announcement is exactly Puff Puff Passed YouTube Down
c om mu n ic at ion by making updates Tech sent out the what Tech should strive for in Canada became the second YouTube experienced an
can cause several outage Tuesday that crippled
issues for both stu- more visible to the athe nnouncement
night before
all emergency weather situations:
make it clear to the community
nation in the world to legal-
ize recreational marijuana, the site for around an hour. At
dents and instruc- community.” the first day of the what the current expectations signaling a potential global the time of writing, no reason
tors. Students who campus shutdown. are and provide information on culture shift in dealing with for the outage has been given
commute may TRISTEN ALLEN Even though this where and why any changes to the controversial drug. With but issues with any company
need to have more WEB DEVELOPER was still very short the current decision would be an- the United States still mired as large and ubiquitous as
advance warning notice, it allowed nounced. in the fruitless War on Drugs Google — YouTube’s parent
of campus closures, while instruc- campus members to adapt their The next step for Tech is to it remains to be seen if we will company — should be alarm-
tors often need to reschedule of- plans for the next two days and make these communications more change our attitude, but Cana- ing to anyone that uses the
fice hours, change the covered did not force anyone into a poten- widespread. Currently, the bulk da’s decision could easily begin internet or even any kind of
material or even move test dates. tially unsafe situation by having of updates on hazardous weather a domino effect of worldwide technology. Hopefully the is-
Because emergency cancella- them remain on campus. come from the official OEP Twit- decriminalization. sue was just a fluke.
tions have such a large impact on A large part of the problem ter account. These announce-
the campus community, it is im- with these situations is that cam- ments are often extremely help-
portant that Tech communicates pus members often hear about in- ful for informing the community
with the campus in a timely man- clement weather before Tech has about Tech’s current status dur-
ner when these events arise. In the a chance to make any announce- ing these events. It would greatly
past, Tech’s slow response speed ments on the situation. This leads benefit both Tech and the campus
and lack of effective communi- to a large period of ambiguity community if this account was
cation has led to students and as to whether or not Tech will made more visible or even if some
instructors being left in the dark remain open during the event, of the updates were summarized
about campus closures until the largely due to Tech’s historical in a daily email.
last possible minute. tendency to announce closures Because Tech has had histori- Spring Courses Pete & Ariana
During the fall semester of at the last minute. Tech needs to cal problems with communication Tech’s spring course sched- News surfaced over the
2017, an unexpected amount of be more responsive during these during inclement weather events, ule has been uploaded to weekend that American pow-
snowfall caused Tech to send hazardous weather conditions and it needs to prove to the communi- Coursicle, allowing students to er couple Pete Davidson — a
home all non-essential personnel actively communicate to the com- ty that it is making improvements plan out their course load for young comedian famous for
during a day of final exams. Since munity as they arrive at the deci- in its process. Tech has shown a the coming semester. While it his work on Saturday Night
Tech announced this closure on sion to keep the campus open or strong first step with their han- is certainly good news, upper- Live — and Ariana Grande
the day of those exams, both stu- to shut it down. dling of Hurricane Michael but classmen will certainly view — one of the biggest names in
dents and instructors were still Tech did a fairly good job at should improve its process by it with a more jaded attitude; pop music right now — have
expected to attend the regularly communicating during Hurri- making updates more visible to after a few years of hectic reg- split. Davidson’s recent mate-
scheduled exams. Not only was cane Michael. As the hurricane the community. This would lead istrations, you learn that plans rial has focused heavily on the
the cancellation late, it was incon- was touching down, the official to a safer community and to more can easily come to mean little relationship, so one can only
siderate: Tech considered it too Office of Emergency Preparedness reliable information on campus when all is said and done. assume he will take it poorly.
dangerous to keep non-essential (OEP) Twitter account has posted: cancellations.
// OPINIONS
The importance of
embracing loneliness
“ The idea of being alone
became something that I
found comfort in rather than
one I feared. ”
DAVID LE
ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR
Earlier this fall as I was do- people were quick to hear me,
ing a routine scroll through my comfort me and advise me. One
social media and emails — when of the suggestions was to reach
I should have been doing some- out to a counselor, therapist or
thing more productive — I real- psychiatrist.
ized that it was World Mental I went into an appointment
Health day. Seeing Facebook with a psychiatrist thinking that
events and emails about this day my lack of concentration through-
had me begin to look back on my out the semester was because of
experiences with my own mental ADD, but I soon came to an un-
health and how those experiences derstanding that it was because of
shape the way I go through life my depression; there was an im-
today. balance of chemicals in my brain
Two years ago in the fall semes- that affected my life negatively.
ter of my sophomore year, I was From there, I chose to start tak-
faced with one of my most men- ing antidepressants to help with
tally and academically challenging my illness and dropped my lead-
semesters. I was taking 15 hours ership positions so that I could
in an attempt to regain my HOPE focus more on myself and my re-
scholarship as quickly as possible, covery. As a result, the effects in
I was taking on leadership roles in the following semester were great:
a few organizations and I was try- I was going to the gym routinely,
ing to maintain my relationships I wouldn’t get triggered into a de-
and a healthy social life. All of the pressive episode as easily and I was
effort and stress that came along socializing more with my peers.
with doing those things became However, as time passed
overwhelming for me and put me through a summer semester
in a state of depression and anxi- abroad into the fall of 2018, I
ety where I would spend most of started to notice that the effects
my days either asleep or in my bed of my medication were weaken-
constantly thinking about how I ing. I would spiral into a depres-
was failing on all fronts in my at- sive train of thought including
tempts at a well-rounded life. thoughts of suicide and anxieties
After a tough semester where I about my social life. After doing
failed my first class and attempt- some research about my situation,
ed to hurt myself in front of my I found that this was such a nor-
friends, I gathered the courage I mal occurrence that there were
had and went to a psychiatrist. I names for it: tachyphylaxis, also
had made a post on Reddit dump- known as “Prozac Poop-out”. Af-
ing my feelings and thoughts ter hours of Googling suggestions
about my situation and so many and anecdotes on similar situa-
tions, I chose to quit my medica-
tion because I personally did not
want to be dependant on the drug
to live a happy and fulfilling life.
The semester then became a jour-
ney in which I learned how to em-
brace my own company and enjoy
being alone.
I spent a majority of my time
in the fall 2017 semester alone in
my apartment with my thoughts.
Though I underwent symptoms
of quitting antidepressants — in-
cluding relapse of depressive epi-
sodes — I also began to become
more comfortable spending time
alone while not feeling lonely.
The idea of being alone became
something that I found comfort
in rather than one I feared. It’s
freeing: I found ways to confront
and process whatever thoughts go
on in my head and enjoy the time
I had with myself as a method of
self-help. From meditation and
exercise to going to the movie
theaters alone, treating myself has
definitely proven helpful in recov-
ery from my depression. Don’t get
me wrong, I also enjoy spending
time with others. I just learned
how to enjoy spending time with
myself as well.
Being at Tech is hard. We have
to balance our social lives, our
academics and our career paths.
Juggling all of these aspects of
our lives leaves little time for us
to check up on our mental well
being. But don’t settle for the “it
really do be like that sometimes”
solution. Find ways to cope with
your thoughts whether it be
through exercise, meditating or
doing whatever it is that you feel
like doing.
Figuring out which self help
techniques works for you is a jour-
ney and can be trying at times,
but it is worth it. Let World Men-
tal Health Day and this editorial
be a reminder to be aware and
mindful of your own — and oth-
ers’ — mental health.
technique • October 19, 2018• 7
YOUR VIEWS
Letter to the Editor
The moral quandary of
animal drug testing
Should human testing be al- Even from a utilitarian per-
lowed? Should we be allowed to spective, animal testing is not that
test drugs on the defenseless or the useful. About 95% of all the drugs
weak or the useless or the criminal that are safe and effective in ani-
sections of the so- mals fail in human
ciety? If not, then clinical trials be-
what makes ani- “Animal testing is cause they are too
mals different? dangerous or don’t
Speciesism is ineffective, cruel, work. For exam-
the idea that being inhumane and should ple, Vioxx, a drug
human is a good used to treat ar-
enough reason for be banned.” thritis, was found
human animals to to be safe when
have greater moral ANISHI MEHTA tested in monkeys
rights than non- M.S. CS — and five other
human animals. animal species
Giving human — but has been
beings greater rights than non- estimated to have caused around
human animals is as arbitrary — 320,000 heart attacks and strokes
and as morally wrong — as giving and 140,000 deaths worldwide.
white people greater rights than On the flipside, a lot of things
non-white people or giving men that are harmful to animals are
more rights than women. These completely safe for humans. In
animals also feel pain and are such a case, animal testing might
similar to humans in any way that actually prevent some drugs from
counts. ever coming into circulation. We
Another justification that most are harming a lot of animals for
proponents of animal testing give the sake of drugs that are most
for speciesism is that it is natural. likely never going to see the light
They talk about how natural se- of the day. Also, research on ani-
lection means that as humans we mals that are endangered leads to
have a right to exploit weaker spe- severe ecological imbalances that
cies. However, this idea is wrongly will be detrimental to our envi-
understood. By that logic, we ronment at large.
should also be allowed to exploit Alternatives to animal testing
all humans who are not as ad- do exist. They include in-vitro cell
vanced as we are. Evolution guar- cultures, in-silico computer simu-
antees that characteristics that lations, micro-dosing, etc. There
help in the survival of a particular exist ways to continue medical re-
species will be selected over those search without it.
that don’t, and to survive or flour- Lastly, the proponents of ani-
ish we need compassion, kindness mal testing have a contradiction
nd respect for all lifeforms. If we in their reasoning. They say that
don’t have these, we are likely to animals are like us so we can ex-
reach a stage of mutually assured periment on them and they also
destruction. Humans, as the supe- say that it is morally okay to ex-
rior species, have the onus to care ploit them because they are not
for and protect the rights of other like us. Animal testing is ineffec-
animals as they are defenseless in tive, cruel, inhumane and should
front of us. be banned.
Life
LIFE EDITOR:
Polly Ouellette
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR:
Rosemary Pitrone
CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller visits Tech to discuss
Hurricane Michael and Atlanta’s unseasonably warm
life@nique.net
Yellow Jacket royalty crowned at Homecoming
Mr. Georgia Tech: James Ni
“It’s kind of surreal, it all happened so quickly,” said James Ni, fourth-year
BA. Last weekend, Ni received the coveted title of Mr. Georgia Tech at the
Homecoming football game. Candidates for the honor undergo an extensive
application process and are ultimately selected by Tech faculty and students.
“I’m just extremely honored, I don’t know if I can say the word ‘honored’
enough,” he said, “just because there are so many awesome people on this cam-
pus and being representative of them as Mr. Georgia Tech is just crazy.”
Ni is originally from Tifton, Georgia. Growing up in the South around
University of Georgia fans, Ni initially planned on going to college in Athens.
However, after applying to Tech and being admitted, he decided to reconsider.
“I did my research and found out that Tech was on the up-and-coming,
especially in the business school,” he said. “I chose Georgia Tech because of the
rigor and because of the clout it had, and now that I’m three years down the
road, it’s definitely evident that I made the right decision.”
Ni was nominated for the role of Mr. Georgia Tech by his fraternity Sigma
Phi Epsilon. In addition to his involvement in Greek life, he has also served as a
FASET leader and as a Scheller Business Ambassador. Ni is also the director of
marketing for the For The Kids chapter at Georgia Tech.
Ni is also passionate about serving the Tech community. This year for the
first time the application process for Mr. and Ms. Georgia Tech called for can-
didates to create a plan to address an issue that exists on campus. Ni decided
that his service project would be confronting issues of food insecurity by pro-
posing a series of food drives to benefit the campus food pantry Klemis Kitchen
“My idea was to bring all the philanthropies together for this one cause —
making sure we’re invested in our students, and eventually our faculty and staff
as well,” Ni said. His plan would call for different philanthropic organizations
at Tech to hold food drives at their events to collect goods that would stock
Klemis Kitchen.
“For example, For the Kids has a yearly event called Dance Marathon in the
spring. Registration for the event is usually around 20 dollars, and for example
we could say, ‘Bring five canned goods and you will get a five dollar discount.’
Just little things like that throughout the year would make sure our canned
food pantry is stocked.”
This issue is so meaningful to Ni because of the supportive community he
has grown to be a part of at Tech.
“The relationships that I’ve built on this campus with the students and with
the faculty and staff, I can honestly, 100 percent say you won’t find it anywhere
else,” he said. “I just want to say thank you to the students, my friends and
the faculty and staff that have supported me throughout this whole process
and throughout the three years that I’ve been here. I couldn’t have gotten here
without them.”
technique
Weather Woes
8
Friday,
weather. 411 October 19, 2018
Ms. Georgia Tech: Hannah Todd
For Hannah Todd, fifth-year BA, last weekend was a whirlwind of emo-
tions. Todd has been a member of the Ramblin’ Reck Club since her freshman
year. As the current driver of the Reck, she was responsible for kicking off three
treasured Homecoming traditions: the Mini 500, the Freshman Cake Race and
the Wreck Parade.
“All three of those were really surreal moments,” she said. “I’m still replaying
those moments in my head because it was just so much fun.”
Todd’s Homecoming weekend ended with another emotional moment when
she was named Ms. Georgia Tech. Todd was nominated for the position by the
Ramblin’ Reck Club, which she considers her “second family.”
“Getting to bring my mom and sister on the field with me, and even just
being a candidate was such a cool experience,” she said. “And then getting my
name called and getting to ride in the back of the Reck was such a surreal mo-
ment. I’m so attached to the Reck, because it’s been my life for the past year.”
After the announcement, Todd was driven around the field by a former Reck
driver, Hillary Degenkolb, who was the third woman to be Reck driver. As the
fourth woman to drive the Reck, Todd was grateful to share the moment with
her.
“It’s just a really neat experience to have someone who I looked up to so
much and who was such a role model for me drive us around the field,” Todd
said.
Women’s empowerment is an issue that is close to Todd’s heart, and during
the application process she proposed an initiative on campus to address gender
inequality and impact the Atlanta community.
“As Reck driver, I’ve definitely had my eyes opened to some of those issues
that exist; I’m the fourth female out of [I don’t know] how many male drivers,”
she said. “But, I’ve also been in a lot of positions where I’ve been able to really
encourage younger girls at football games and different sporting events.”
Pairing her passion for women’s empowerment with the importance of edu-
cation, Todd came up with a proposal called “Dress Her in White and Gold.”
“It would basically be a club on campus that has bi-weekly meetings, and
during those they can talk about issues that women are facing, create action
plans to combat those and discuss what community involvement they want to
have,” Todd said.
Todd is also a member of Alpha Chi Omega, a FASET leader, a Scheller
Business Ambassador and a Tech the Halls mentor. She is also preparing for a
milestone this December.
“I’m graduating in two months so [being Ms. Georgia Tech] is kind of the
cherry on top,” she said. “I want to give a shout out to my friends and family,
and definitely to Reck Club. It’s both an honor and just humbling to be repre-
sentative of such a student body.”
Story by Rosemary Pitrone Assistant Life Editor Photo by Allie Ghisson Student Publications
// LIFE
HEALTH FROM PAGE 1
has dreamed of becoming a doc-
tor since he was young and is now
making strides toward this goal
along the pre-health track here at
Tech.
“While there are many noble
professions, I’ve always felt a par-
ticularly strong calling toward the
field of medicine and I cannot
imagine doing anything else. For
me, the idea that I can directly
improve the lives of those who are
suffering sounds extremely fulfill-
ing and is what continues to drive
me to pursue this path,” Ahmed
said.
While this motivation is pow-
erful for those who wish to pursue
fields in health, it is but one piece
of the puzzle. Motivation, along
with perseverance, leadership,
humility and time management
are required in order to reach the
end goal. Without these, balanc-
ing the many late nights, tests
and extracurriculars, along with
professional development and the
many other parts that make up a
successful application to medical
school, is simply not possible. At
least in the opinions of the pre-
health advisors.
“Perseverance and humility are
the top two characteristics that
help people succeed in pre-health.
They should persevere in that they
shouldn’t be afraid of failure, and
they shouldn’t be afraid to keep
going. And I think a dash of hu-
mility usually fuels this as students
are less likely to overestimate their
success and, consequently, be-
come discouraged from continu-
ing to try,” Kim explained.
technique • October 19, 2018• 9
Furthermore, one must be of future medical professionals,” for them. For Kim, it boils down for one who might be struggling,
wary of the common struggles Ahmed explained. to the “why?” Zaragoza offers the following
that can knock one off track and Furthermore, opportunities “If someone were to come to advice: “Keep your head up and
cause a loss of focus. As Zaragoza for research, proximity to hospi- me unsure of what to do, I would stay focused on the end goal. So
explains, a narrow focus on grades tals and the rigorous curriculum give them all the information that many times I would start to lose
simply will not suffice. motivate people to study at Tech. I know of. I would tell them the track of why I was doing so much.
“It sometimes takes getting a “Tech is home to a variety of struggles that I’ve faced, but also All it takes is to take a step back
B or C to realize that everything research, shadowing and volun- the positive aspects of being pre- from academia and go volunteer
will be fine and to keep push- teering opportunities. We’re close health and let them decide for or shadow at a clinic. Interacting
ing forward. Pre-health students to many hospitals for students to themselves. I’d ask why they’re with patients reminded me of why
overcome failure by learning from get hands on clinical experience. pre-health - is it for them? Is it for I want to become a dentist and
their mistakes, and doing better We also have a rigorous science their parents? Is it for their pride? why I’m striving to be the best
the next semester,” Zaragoza said. program that helps prepare our Who is it really for?” she said. that I can be,” she shared.
However, this narrow focus is students very well for standard- Once the answer to this ques- For students interested in the
not just limited to grades. Having ized tests and their transition to tion is set, the rest can fall in place pre-health track, visit prehealth.
a narrow focus in life can lead to professional school,” Ahmed said. even if there is some wavering. gatech.edu for more information,
mismanaging time and losing the Despite all this, some students Struggling is not uncommon for or to schedule an appointment
balance that is key to finding suc- might still wonder if it is the path those on the pre-health track, but with an advisor.
cess and enjoyment along the way.
“Students initially struggle
with time management, since they
have a newfound freedom due to
being away from home. Trying to
balance a life by getting the ap-
propriate amount of sleep, feed-
ing and caring for yourself and
also having enough time to study
and socialize with friends poses a
struggle for some,” Kim said.
Given all the traits and skills
that one must have to pursue
pre-health, why would someone
choose to further challenge them-
selves by attending Tech? For
many, it is this very challenge that
draws them.
“I knew that coming to Tech
would provide me with an edu-
cation that would go beyond the
regular pre-medical education
that I would have received else-
where. Tech teaches you how to
think about and solve complex
medical problems in applied situ- Photo courtesy of Rocio Zaragoza
ations, which goes to enhance Pre-health peer advisors are students who guide their classmates through the process of work-
the versatility and effectiveness ing towards a medical degree. These students leave Tech to treat patients around the world.
10 • October 19, 2018• technique // LIFE

Tech community celebrates OUT week by marching in the city-wide At- pride decorations — faithfully The Big Gay Brunch conclud- the midst of recovering, and ev-
JESSICA BARBER lanta Pride Parade on Oct. 14. followed students down the pa- ed OUT Week on Oct. 18, and erything that we’re doing right
CONTRIBUTING WRITER Parading students were greeted rade route. LGBTQIA+ faculty and allies now is to show what it means to
warmly by onlookers as they saw “It’s important to focus on served students in order to estab- be part of the community in a
Over the course of the past the two Tech flags that signaled the issues and things that [the lish familiarity and recognition positive sense.”
week, the students of the Institute the arrival of the Institute’s Pride LGBTQIA+ community has] to across campus. Students were able Though OUT Week has now
held their annual celebration Alliance. Cheers were then aug- deal with, but also, it’s a matter to meet allies and dine with other concluded, the LGBTQIA Re-
of OUT Week, a series of mented as the crowd saw the stu- of celebration,” said Pride Alli- students of similar experiences source Center still holds biweekly
LGBTQIA+ focused activities dents’ sexuality and gender iden- ance President Genny Kennedy. and backgrounds. Q Chats, which are student-led
and events that coincided with tity-specific flags and morale was “That’s why we’re called Pride The progressed as many felt a discussion groups. Those interest-
National Coming Out Day on further increased as the fight song Alliance — to have pride in our distinct motivation to show that ed in getting involved in the com-
Oct. 11. was sung with a special touch of identity.” the Pride Alliance and the Insti- munity or learning about being an
The Pride Alliance hosted an pride. After a rest day on Monday tute’s LGBTQIA+ community are ally are welcome to attend.
array of gatherings for members The classic “helluva engineer” and an activism-themed lecture continuing to pour their hearts The Pride Alliance continues
and allies alike of the LGBTQIA+ lyric was switched to “helluva on Tuesday, Queer Campfire Sto- into demonstrating acceptance to reach out to all students despite
community. flaming queer,” and the crowd’s ries was held on Oct. 17. Mem- for all. any difference in race, sexual ori-
On Friday, Oct. 12, students cheers of support marked great bers, allies and supporters of the In relation to last year’s con- entation or gender identity; every-
walking past the Campanile were appreciation. Meanwhile, none LGBTQIA+ community met to troversial events and shattering one is encouraged and welcomed
drawn to Pride Fest given its up- other than the Tech Trolley — share their coming out stories and loss of Pride Alliance leader Scout to participate in its recognition of
beat music and colorful decora- complete with its own bounty of experiences at Under the Couch. Schultz, Kennedy said “we’re in all.
tions. At the festival, “Y’all Means
All” t-shirts were handed out, and
attendees had popsicles beneath
the fittingly rainbow-colored
King of Pops umbrella.
Organizations such as the
LGBTQIA Resource Center,
Women’s Resource Center and
the Asian American Student As-
sociation showed their dedica-
tion to serving students in their
daily lives by offering information
about their own resources to at-
tendees as well.
Throughout the week, the
Pride Alliance showed its love and
acceptance of all students. Mem-
ber Ollie Shinn noted this effect
on students’ daily lives on cam-
pus, especially for those in their
first year at the Institute.
“Coming to Tech and not hav-
ing that [LGBTQIA+] kind of
connection with people was really
difficult,” Shinn said. “I went to
the Pride Alliance meetings and it
was so comforting to see that the
kinds of people I was used to be-
ing around — the kinds of people
who I can relate to — are still
here. They’re still visible.” Photo by Izabela Hadula Student Publications
Over the weekend, the Pride Tech students joined thousands of fellow Atlantans on the streets of Midtown in the annual Pride Parade. Members of the
Alliance continued its celebration Georgia Tech Pride Alliance commemorated OUT Week with several events celebrating the LGBT+ community on campus.
// LIFE
CNN’s Brandon Miller talks hurricanes and Atlanta
JAIMEE FRANCIS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Earlier this year, the School
of Earth and Atmospheric Sci-
ence launched the C.L. Chandler
Weather Chat Series. It invites
students on campus to explore
weather events with guest meteo-
rology presenters. Last week the
program featured Tech alumnus
Brandon Miller, meteorologist
and supervising weather producer
of CNN International.
Miller expected to discuss what
he calls “Atlanta’s Never Ending
Summer” but the dramatic events
of the weather that unfolded this
past week prompted him instead
to focus his presentation on Hur-
ricane Michael.
Miller began his presentation
with some impressive statistics on
Hurricane Michael, revealing the
true intensity of the storm. His
data collection indicates that this
destructive storm was the stron-
gest storm to make landfall in the
continental US since 1992 with
155 mph winds. The hurricane
also holds the title of the third
lowest pressure ever recorded in a
US hurricane.
Miller added that the rapid in-
tensification of the hurricane, evi-
denced by its wind speed intensi-
fying 45 mph in the last 24 hours
leading up to landfall, contributed
to the storm’s record-breaking
storm surge.
Miller explained the increas-
ingly intense hurricane seasons
that have recently struck the U.S.
in terms of climate change. He
technique • October 19, 2018• 11
noted that climate change is also the walls because we are trying to satellite during the storm. Meteo- teorology, but also shared insight
what has been responsible for At- position our team in the best plac- rologists must also keep up with into careers related to the topic.
lanta’s unusually long summer. es. So they want to know where is their live blog that features live By the end of presentation,
Statistics reveal that this very the storm, where is it going to be updates on the storm, as well as listeners grasped how impactful
year our last sub-60 degree Far- the worst, where is the eye going coordinate with the news-gather- climate change can be and gained
enheit day of spring occurred the to hit.” ing efforts of CNN. Miller noted appreciation for the sources that
earliest it ever has in 149 years, That is not the end of the hard that hurricane season is his busi- provide a platform to share this
while our first 60 degree Faren- work of the meteorologist. More est season, followed by blizzard information. For students inter-
heit day of autumn occurred the responsibilities include ensuring season. ested in meteorology, the Weather
latest it ever has. that the team remains safe and Miller’s presentation not only Chat Series offers weekly seminars
Miller noted that although that reporters have access to a provided information on me- at 11 a.m. every Friday.
hurricanes are less indicative of
climate change than are the rari-
ties we are experiencing in tem-
perature, hurricanes are what
make the stories in the headlines.
“Climate models point to an
earlier spring and a later fall. And
even though this type of story
would not resonate in the media
at all — no one is dying because
of the temperature,” Miller said,
“these statistics on temperature
are a sign that really is connected
to climate change a lot more than
a storm. But a storm is what makes
the headline. It is what resonates
with people.”
Miller explained how CNN
covers stories, as the planning and
logistics of storm coverage are ex-
tremely challenging. He included
behind-the-scenes pictures that
reveal the work that must occur
in order for the media to cover an
event like Hurricane Michael.
“This is what we call the war
room, and it really is like a war
room,” Miller said, showing a
photo of a workroom plastered
with maps and post-it notes.
“We have the world’s largest
sticky notes: they are the cool- Photo by Kirsten Reynolds Student Publications
est thing and we use them all the CNN International supervising weather producer and meteorologist Brandon Miller
time … We put these big maps on speaks at the C.L. Chandler Weather Chat series hosted at Tech last Friday, Oct 12.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL
Showcase, Present, and Inspire
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH @ GT
gttower.org

Entertainment
“With Drawn Arms” examines sports activisim
ANNIE SON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After winning a gold medal in
the 1968 Olympic Games in Mex-
ico City, black American sprinter
Tommie Smith was kicked off
the U.S. team and received death
threats when he went back home.
When standing on the podium,
Smith raised a fist skyward in a
silent protest over human rights
for black people in America and
around the world.
Although regarded as a hero
by some at the time, Smith was
considered a “disaffected black
athlete” by many. It was not until
decades later when Smith received
more widespread praise for his
courageous act as current athletes
are protesting police brutality and
racism in America. Smith was rec-
ognized in the White House for
the first time in 2016 by President
Obama, and is now showcasing
Photos by Katherine Shambaugh Student Publications
a collaborative exhibition, “With
Draw Arms,” with contemporary
artist Glenn Kaino at the High
Museum of Art.
The showcase revolves around
Smith’s political protest to elicit
more conversation around Amer-
ica’s current relationship with
social and racial injustice. In the
two-floor exhibit, the first floor
sets the groundwork by inform-
ing and reminding the viewer
that outrage over political protest
continues as in NFL quarter-
back Colin Kaepernick’s protest
of police brutality against and
racial profiling of black Ameri-
cans by taking a knee during the
national anthem.
After Smith’s win in 1968, he
was called “the angry black ath-
lete” on the cover of Newsweek,
which Glenn Kaino took multiple
copies of to smudge out different
imagery and words. By blurring
out a select word, such as “black”
or “athlete,” the cover’s tone in-
technique
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Josh Trebuchon
ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Eli Hendler
12
Friday,
entertainment@nique.net October 19, 2018
stantly changes, showing how
easy it is to manipulate public
opinion on an individual and his
reputation. On the second floor,
Tommie Smith shines in both
a literal and figurative sense as a
100-foot-long sculpture of 150
metallic gold casts of his iconic
gesture suspend from the ceiling
in a wave-like form. The work is
easily the most profound and im-
pressive piece at the exhibit, me-
morializing Smith’s action while
also calling to the viewer to take
his own.
The High took a bold stance
in making “With Drawn Arms” a
reality that will forever be etched
into the institution’s history, espe-
cially given that it includes divi-
sive elements (whether or not its
creators intended to). Although
long overdue, the art exhibit suc-
cessfully honors Tommie Smith
by contextualizing a moment in
history that may have been forgot-
ten by younger generations.
// ENTERTAINMENT
‘Free Solo’ documentary brings daring climb to life
FILM
Free Solo
GENRE: Documentary
STARRING: Alex Honnold
DIRECTOR: Jimmy Chin,
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
RATING: PG-13
RELEASE DATE: Oct. 12
OUR TAKE: «««««
POLLY OUELLETTE
LIFE EDITOR
On June 3, 2017, Alex Hon-
nold climbed 3,000 feet above the
floor of Yosemite National Park
without the protection of ropes
to secure him to the natural stone
wall he was climbing. He became
the first person to dangerously
“free solo” the famous El Capitan
wall, meaning he didn’t have any
gear except climbing shoes and a
chalk bag tied around his waist.
Over a year later, Free Solo, a
National Geographic documen-
tary about Honnold’s journey,
was released and captivated both
the climbing and non-climbing
worlds. The film chronicles more
than a year of Honnold’s life pre-
ceding the famous ascent, reveal-
ing a great deal about his motiva-
tions, personal relationships and
complex emotions surrounding
the ascent. Impressively, the film
has kept audiences gripped with
anticipation for all 97 minutes of
its run time, even with most view-
ers knowing how it will end.
“Free Solo” was featured at the
Toronto International Film Fes-
tival, Telluride Film Festival and
the LA Film Festival earlier this
year. It premiered in Atlanta at
AMC Phipps Plaza and the Mid-
town Arts Center on Oct. 12.
technique • October 19, 2018• 13
The film was created by Jimmy
Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasar-
helyi, two filmmakers known for
their stunning work in adventure
and climbing documentaries. The
filmmakers themselves were nec-
essary characters in the documen-
tary. Many scenes featured them
discussing the very real possibility
that Honnold would fall to his
death while they recorded, power-
less to help.
Other scenes focus on Hon-
nold and his girlfriend, Sanni
McCandless, sitting in a van out-
fitted as a kitchen, bedroom and
workout space. They discuss Mc-
Candless’s fears and Honnold’s
stubborn tenacity. These scenes
highlight Honnold’s mindset,
which is so foreign to most of the
film’s viewers; he chooses to climb
without protection and at great
heights because it makes him feel
most alive, and no emotional rela-
tionship will hold him back.
On all sides, “Free Solo” skill-
fully shows the complex emotion
involved in the attempt of such
a formidable feat. It is not just a
movie about an athletic endeavor;
it is about the tangled threads of
athleticism, artistic desire and
personal relationships involved in
doing something that has never
been done before.
Paired with these emotional Photo courtesy of National Geographic
scenes were sequences of Hon- Climber Alex Honnold free-solos the face of Yosemite National Park’s famous El Capitan. Honnold’s
nold’s training, which involved daring attempt is the subject of the new National Geographic documentary titled ‘Free Solo.’
endless repetition of moves on
the route. The audience sees him the route as Honnold’s voiceover laughs with relief and cheers when completes certain tough sequenc-
fall over and over, even when se- shows that he can recite each and he finishes a move that had given es. A collective exhale shudders
cured by a rope. Tension builds every move from memory. him trouble before. Beautiful through the entire theater as Hon-
with each fall during training, The last twenty minutes of the shots of Honnold, climbing utter- nold finally, finally steps onto level
as everyone watching knows that film take viewers through Hon- ly alone with tree tops thousands ground at the top of the daunting,
any such slip will be catastrophic nold’s actual ascent of Free Rider, of feet below, take the audience’s sheer face, his task done.
when Honnold climbs the route the route that winds its way up the breath away. It is a mark of Chin and Va-
without protection. El Capitan wall. There is palpable The anxiety of the audience is sarhelyi’s excellence as filmmakers
There was considerable mental tension in the air of the theater, mirrored in the scenes which fol- that “Free Solo” is able to entirely
preparation on Honnold’s end as as everyone watches Honnold low the filmmakers themselves, envelop an audience full of people
well. A visualization takes viewers execute moves he has practiced some of whom have to physically who already know how the movie
through the different sections of hundreds of times. The audience turn away from Honnold as he will end.
14 • October 19, 2018• technique
‘Big Mouth’ avoids growing pains with new season
TELEVISION
Big Mouth
NETWORK: Netflix
WHEN: Oct. 5
STARRING: Nick Kroll
OUR TAKE: «««««
JON LONG
OPINIONS EDITOR
Conventional television wis-
dom would have never allowed a
series like Netflix’s “Big Mouth”
out of the writer’s room. Although
adult animation has become a
staple of America’s television diet
— see the 22 seasons of “South
Park”, the rabid fanbase of “Rick
and Morty” or Seth MacFarlane’s
entire career — few shows in the
genre dare broach the topics that
make up the foundation of the
comedy in “Big Mouth”.
The show centers around a
group of seventh graders that, due
to their raging hormones, find
themselves both tremendously
confused and perpetually aroused.
Nick (Nick Kroll), Andrew (John
Mulaney) and Jessi (Jessi Klein)
make up the show’s core cast.
Each character brings various
facets of the pubescent experience
to the show: Nick is a late bloomer
who deals with the crushing pres-
sure of fitting in with peers fraught
with growth spurts and unfa-
miliar urges; Andrew is a newly-
minted teen — cracking voice,
moustache and all — navigating
the labyrinth of puberty with
the help of his hormone monster
Maurice; Jessi, the show’s female
lead, struggles to find her identity
while dealing with the pettiness of
her peers and the myriad effects of
her parents’ divorce.
The first season tackled the
controversial topic of budding sex-
uality with an astounding level of
Nick Kroll’s animated Netflix show ‘Big Mouth’ follows a group of middle schoolers as they
enter puberty, exploring the challenges that come with their changing bodies and new urges.
tactful candor. Artists in the posi-
tion of Kroll and Andrew Gold-
berg — the show’s creators — find
themselves toeing a line between
crude sexualization of teenagers
and a frank expression of the hu-
man experience, and “Big Mouth”
ultimately leverages that to create
what could be the most refreshing
portrayal of puberty to ever find
its way to the small screen.
The prospect of a second sea-
son, however, predictably elicited
questions from viewers. Could
Kroll and Goldberg possibly hit
the nail on the head once again?
Would they unnecessarily attempt
to push boundaries further and
ruin the legacy of the first season?
Was there even a worthy story left
to be told?
The creators did not just navi-
gate this minefield successfully;
Kroll, Goldberg and the rest of the
writing room tap danced their way
to safety. Their follow-up perfectly
captured the charm of the original
season while expanding both the
plot and the scope to encompass
such topics as divorce, drug use,
depression and the rampant slut-
shaming which is ubiquitous in
grade-school hallways.
The lucidity present in the
show’s representation of the com-
plex issues of adolescence creates
a universally relatable narrative in
the most unlikely of genres, but it
is Kroll and Goldberg’s mastery
of the medium that manages to
make its topics more real than
anything else on TV.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Complex aspects of puberty
are boiled down into physical rep-
resentations; hormone monsters
follow the children around, serv-
ing as a sort of ‘devil on the shoul-
der’ by guiding them through
their everyday lives. A new addi-
tion this season, the Shame Wiz-
ard — voiced by David Thewlis of
“Harry Potter” fame — personi-
fies the guilt that often stems from
pubescent feelings. This unique
cast of characters allows “Big
Mouth” to tackle subjects that
would otherwise weigh a show
down and cause it to completely
miss the mark.
While several other aspects of
the season deserve attention, few
of the topics the show tackles are
presented as masterfully as the
// ENTERTAINMENT
idea of homosexuality. Season one
introduced the character of Mat-
thew, a seemingly one-dimension-
al gay teen. Catty, flamboyant and
drama-obsessed, Matthew an-
chored the show’s representation
of homosexuality in a static and
uninteresting location far from
the forefront.
Season two, however, delves
deeper into the mindset of the
gay teen and lays his fears and
insecurities bare for the audience
to see. His anxiety about his posi-
tion in ‘limbo’ between his male
and female peers becomes a major
plot point and ultimately subverts
the gay archetype established in
season one. More than anything
else, this plotline demonstrates
the maturity of the writers in
tackling controversial and often-
overlooked issues.
But behind all of this, “Big
Mouth” ultimately succeeds due
to its humor. This is one of the
funniest shows on TV, due in
no small part to the voice acting
of big-name comedians like John
Mulaney (“Saturday Night Live”),
Jason Mantzoukas (“The Dicta-
tor”), Jessi Klein (“Inside Amy
Schumer”) and Maya Rudolph
(“Bridesmaids”). The potentially-
awkward subject matter is made
palatable by an irreverent, cere-
bral and ultimately hilarious sense
of humor that permeates every as-
pect of the show.
Season two of “Big Mouth”
was tasked with expanding on
the show’s critically-acclaimed
pastiche of teen life, and through
clever writing, bold direction and
top-shelf humor the show has
managed to deliver in a big way.
The season finale makes it clear
that “Big Mouth” plans to return
with yet another slew of episodes,
but, unlike last year, viewers can
now weather the period between
seasons with confidence that the
show’s creators will know how to
follow up.
// ENTERTAINMENT technique • October 19, 2018• 15

‘Apostle’ brings unconventional horror to Netflix

FILM
Apostle
GENRE: Horror
STARRING: Dan Stevens,
Richard Elfyn
DIRECTOR: Gareth Evans
RATING: TV-MA
RELEASE DATE: Oct. 12
OUR TAKE: «««««

JEREMY BENSON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

From Gareth Evans, director

of the “Raid” film series, comes
“Apostle,” the bloody tale of an
early 20th century man traveling
to a remote island in search of his
sister, who is being held for ran-
som by a religious cult.
Dan Stevens (“Downton Ab-
bey”) plays the lead role of Thom-
as Richardson, a broken man with
a dark past who cares deeply about
his kidnapped sister. He is forced
to remain undercover in the reli-
gious cult until he can locate his
sister, thereby exposing him to
the overall creepiness of the vil-
lage’s inhabitants and leading him Photo courtesy of Netflix
to believe that something is very Director Gareth Evans’ new Netflix horror film follows an early 1900s man as he attempts to rescue his sister from a religious
wrong with the island. cult. He is forced to go under-cover in the group and steadily discovers its bizzare and creepy practices and ideology.
“Apostle” is a departure for
the traditionally action-focused viewer with something loud, this leading role in the FX show “Le- ferent. Without giving too much Overall, Apostle is a very fun
director Gareth Evans. His most film creates genuinely terrifying gion,” gives a magnificent per- away, Apostle becomes more of a watch for any horror fan. Netflix
famous work is the “Raid” series, imagery combined with an unset- formance as a cynical, broken gory thriller and loses the sense of is taking a step in the right direc-
which is well known for its excep- tling score to deliver real scares man with a single goal in mind. dread that permeates throughout tion by hiring directors like Evans
tional stunt work and fight chore- that can stick with the viewer long Michael Sheen is also fantastic the first half. It’s still exciting and and actors like Stevens for their
ography. Whereas those films are after watching. Fortunately, this as the cult leader. He has an aura enjoyable to watch, but the film original movies, which have been
fast-paced and put the viewer im- trend is on the rise with horror of mystery and darkness, always may have benefitted from a con- lacking for the most part. Other
mediately in the action, “Apostle” movies such as “The Witch” and keeping the viewer on edge. The tinuation of those horror elements big-name directors such as Alfon-
takes its time building up a sense more recently “Hereditary,” both cinematography is beautiful, and that were executed so well. The so Cuarón and the Coen brothers
of unease and dread. It’s not the of which employ these tactics the score is perfectly unnerving. plot reveals towards the end are have Netflix originals coming out
typical Hollywood horror movie masterfully to good effect. While the first two acts of the slightly underwhelming, although later this year, which is a fantastic
with unnecessary jump scares Dan Stevens, known for his film are filled with tension and there are some thought-provoking step in the right direction for the
that deflate tension; where those portrayal of the Beast in 2016’s creepy scenes, the third act turns messages about religion and the popular streaming service as it at-
films rely merely on surprising the “Beauty and the Beast” and his into something completely dif- environment. tempts to improve its content.
16 • October 19, 2018• technique // COMICS

SARAH’S SCRIBBLES BY SARAH ANDERSEN SMBC BY ZACH WEINERSMITH

IN THE BLEACHERS BY STEVE MOORE

XKCD BY RANDALL MUNROE

// COMICS technique • October 19, 2018• 17

LUNARBABOON BY CHRISTOPHER GRADY PEARLS BEFORE SWINE BY STEPHEN PASTIS

LIO BY MARK TATULLI

CUL DE SAC BY RICHARD THOMPSON

CHANNELATE BY RYAN HUDSON

SUDOKU PUZZLE

BY SUDOKUCOLLECTION.COM
18 • October 19, 2018• technique
Swimming prepares for key meet at McAuley
EMILY DYKSTRA
STAFF WRITER
Following notable conference
victories over Pitt and Florida
State, Tech’s swimming and div-
ing squad turned right back
around during fall break to pre-
pare for competition again con-
ference rivals Miami and Notre
Dame. The meet resulted in soph-
omore Caio Pumputis being rec-
ognized as ACC Swimmer of the
Week amidst 13 first place finishes
by himself and other teammates.
Junior Emily Ilgenfritz was tabbed
the female performer of the meet.
Meanwhile, sophomore Christian
Ferraro posted the fastest time in
the country this season in the 200
butterfly among the NCAA. Al-
though the season is just getting
started, multiple members of the
team have achieved the qualifi-
cations for the NCAA national
competition in March. This Fri-
day, the Jackets will race Miami,
SCAD and FGCU at 3 p.m. be-
fore facing Notre Dame and Mi-
ami at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The University of Miami com-
peted at the SMU Classic this past
weekend in Dallas, Texas and se-
cured a fifth place finish among
brutal competition. The meet
opened with the 200-yard medley
relay, where the women finished
fifth in 1:43.70. In comparison,
the Tech women placed third at
their past meet in the same event
with a time of 1:43.00. Although
0.70 seconds does not appear to
be significant, in swimming it
can comprise the difference be-
tween first and ninth place in
some events. The Hurricanes do
not have a men’s swim team but
do have three divers that did not
travel to Dallas with the wom-
en. Those three divers will have
heavy competition at Tech against
Three fumbles too much for Tech to overcome
JOHN EDWARDS
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
“There’s a small margin of er-
ror. We can’t win games where we
turn the ball over three times,”
mused Paul Johnson postgame.
For a Tech team that has felt frus-
tratingly close to the edge of con-
tention time and time again, this
season has been all about the mar-
gins. No place was that distinction
more evident than at Bobby Dodd
Stadium on Saturday, as Tech lost
a winnable game against a Duke
team on the fringes of the AP Top
25 rankings, falling 28-14.
It was the same song as when
Tech lost to Clemson earlier this
season — ball handling. Tech
fumbled the ball eight times
against the Tigers and recorded
six against Duke on Saturday.
Three of those fumbles against
Duke occurred on consecutive
drives, were recovered by the Blue
Devils and each of the subsequent
drives resulted in touchdowns. It
was a highlight to the main culprit
of Tech’s season to date: fumbles.
In FBS play, the Jackets lead
the nation in fumbles per game
at 3.3, according to TeamRank-
ings.com. The difference between
Tech and no. 2 — Oregon State at
2.8 per game— is as large as the
difference between no. 2 and no. 8
NCAA qualifier and senior Matt
Casillas, along with the rest of the
diving teams represented.
Highlights from the SMU
Classic included freshman Maria
Artigas Fernandez’s performance
in the 500-yard freestyle (4:59.92)
and freshman Zorry Mason in the
200-yard breaststroke (2:18.33).
Senior Roxanne Yu tied for a
fourth-place finish in the 200-yard
backstroke with a time of 1:59.11,
while junior Manon Viguier took
fourth in the 100-yard freestyle
in 49.85 seconds. The meet ended
with the 200-yard freestyle relay
in which the Hurricanes captured
fifth place yet again with a time of
1:34.07. The SMU Classic was a
quick meet, featuring competition
from teams with Olympic-caliber
athletes, such as the University of
Louisville, University of Southern
California, and University of Vir-
ginia.
The SCAD Bees came away
from the 2017-2018 season with
a national championship under
their belt on the women’s side,
as well as 25 recognized CSCAA
Scholar All-Americans, the larg-
est number of athletes to achieve
this in the NAIA last year. Last
week, freshman Kaylen Hou was
named Bee of the Week at SCAD,
a title that is awarded to the ath-
lete of each gender with the most
notable performance of the week.
The Bees competed against the
Georgia Southern Eagles last Fri-
day, losing 181-81. Hou set the
100-yard IM school record with a
time of 1:01.62, but she will not
find herself chasing a new best
time this weekend, as the event
is not typically performed at dual
meets. The Bees will bring their
best to the Tech pool, but there is
a nearly uncontestable chance that
the Jackets will win handily.
Another conference rival,
Notre Dame, finished up their last
— Nebraska and Alabama State,
each with 2.3 fumbles per game.
So Tech has been far and away the
single worst team in all of college
football with regards to fumbling.
Tech QB TaQuon Marshall leads
the nation in fumbles at nine on
the season. The difference be-
tween him and second place is as
large as the difference between no.
2 and no. 28. Four players from
Tech — Marshall, QB Tobias Oli-
ver, AB Qua Searcy, and BB Jor-
dan Mason — rank in the top 100
of fumbles this season.
Succinctly, there is a fumble
epidemic of unprecedented pro-
portion ongoing at Tech. Not
since 2006 has a team recorded as
many fumbles per game as Tech.
Option teams, who run the ball
on almost every play, are expected
to fumble the ball frequently —
Tech and Army have frequently
ranked among the worst teams in
the country in terms of fumbles
— but not to the degree that Tech
has struggled thus far this season.
Tech’s problems are not nec-
essarily that they are losing these
fumbles — Tech is tied for No. 12
in FBS play for most fumbles lost
per game, which is bad to be sure,
but not damaged — it is the sheer
volume of these lost fumbles.
Consider that Tech loses 3.3 fum-
bles per game, 1.0 of them are lost
to the other team as turnovers,
// SPORTS
meet with the women taking away mores leading the Irish are a bit their respective careers. The team
wins over Kentucky, Missouri and faster than what the Jackets have won the TYR Classic, led by Red-
Indiana, while the men’s team lost seen this year thus far, so there ding, who participated in both
to the same teams. The women’s will be good competition for first the 400-yard medley relay and
performances were highlighted by place in each race. 200-yard medley relay along with
seven first-place finishes from ju- SCAD competitors find them- her own individual events. Wake-
nior Abbie Dolan (100 and 200- selves up against another set of field secured a score of 234.80 for
yard freestyles), sophomore Lind- Eagles after their meet against second place on the 3-meter dive,
say Stone (1000-yard freestyle), Georgia Southern. The FGCU while sophomore Petra Halmai
freshman Luciana Thomas (200- Eagles solely consist of a women’s scored for the Eagles in the 200-
yard butterfly) and freshman Bay- team, of which two members yard breaststroke with a time of
ley Stewart (200-yard backstroke). swept the CCSA Swimmer and 2:19.18.
The men were led by sophomore Diver of the Week awards during The Jackets will continue to
Zach Yeadon, who claimed first- last week’s TYR Classic against chase NCAA qualifying stan-
place in both the 500 and 1000- FIU, TCU, George Washington, dards while aiming for first-place
yard freestyles. The Irish are quite Grand Canyon, Army, FAU and finishes and an overall victory
a young team this year, but it will Old Dominion. Senior Gracie during this two day whirlwind
allow the team significant growth Redding and sophomore Megan of competition that lies ahead;
over the next few years. The times Wakefield captured these awards the opponents are strong, but the
by those freshmen and sopho- for the second and third times of Jackets are prepared.
Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik
Tech swimmers jump into the water at McAuley Aquatic Center during an intrasquad scrimmage.
The Jackets’ swim and dive team will face teams from five schools over the coming weekend.
and 2.3 are recovered, generally
for a loss of yardage and a waste
of a down. Georgia Tech already
gives up an average amount of
tackles for loss; factoring in their
self-inflicted wounds by fumbling
and jumping on the ball for a loss
lays bare Tech’s offensive struggles
for all to see.
Tech’s defense, despite a rocky
start, has been quite good. Duke
had allowed just three turnovers
all season going into the game,
but Tech spotted the Blue Dev-
ils three on Saturday. Defensive
coordinator Nate Woody’s 3-4
scheme has done its job and kept
Tech in games.
But Tech’s fumbles put un-
necessary pressure on its defense
Saturday, and aside from the
blowouts against Louisville and
Bowling Green State, the offense
has not been up to par with its
expectations entering the season.
Johnson knows that Tech needs
to handle the ball better, he said
as much after the Clemson game,
and he repeated those sentiments
after the Duke loss. Photo by Allie Ghisson Student Publications
But at some point, Tech must Clinton Lynch falls to the ground with the football. Tech’s
see some improvements. Talk is ball security issues cost the team a game against Duke.
cheap, and Tech has yet to trans-
late these results from the paper running in practice; the execution get the team to show any signs of
to the field. Not from Johnson’s simply has not improved as the improvement with regard to ball
closer coaching of the quarterback season has worn on. handling down the stretch, he will
and certainly not from any ball Maybe this is a lost season for lose a whole lot more than a single
security drills the team may be the Jackets, but if Johnson doesn’t season, perhaps even his job.
// SPORTS
HOOPS FROM PAGE 1
-ing position, and when looking
at the trio of freshmen infused to
the team this offseason, the first
thing that sticks out is just how
small they are. Granted, most
people wouldn’t describe the 6’8,
200-pound freshman forward
Kristian Sjolund as a diminutive
figure. But when comparing him
in a unit along with the other
true freshmen 6’6 forward Kha-
lid Moore and 6’3 guard Michael
Devoe to the graduating front-
court presence of 6’10” graduat-
ing center Ben Lammers and the
6’5” first-round athletic phenom
Okogie, there’s a clear drop in the
average height of the roster, which
indicates a shifting offensive phi-
losophy in the upcoming season.
Tech finished in the bottom 15
in the NCAA for three-pointers
attempted the past two seasons,
an unsurprising statistic given
the “grit and grind” slow-paced
offense Tech had utilized with
moderate success that led to lower
possession counts while primarily
scoring through high-percentage
Lammers shots. This year, how-
ever, Lammers is gone, and with
no true “big body” inside to fill
his shoes and pound the boards
on both sides of the floor, the
guard-heavy Jackets roster will
likely find themselves in small-
ball lineups for the majority of
their games, using junior Abdou-
laye Gueye as a stretch-five starter
to space the floor alongside more
polished shooters.
While Tech’s new freshmen re-
cruits may not have the physicality
of their predecessors, the offensive
tools each of them brings to the
table unlocks a world of poten-
tial in an era of spacing. Devoe,
the four-star recruit headlining
the recruiting class, shot 42 per-
cent from deep last season at the
elite Montverde Academy. Devoe
ran the American Athletic Union
(AAU) scene impressively, leading
his high school team in scoring
en route to the national champi-
onship. Sjolund, an international
prospect slightly undersized for
the three, has an offensive tool-
box that allows him to carve up
defenders, and with Moore acting
as a defensive anchor with a freak-
ishly long wingspan, it is not un-
reasonable to believe that all three
freshmen will see significant play-
ing time together.
A potential lineup is Devoe
and Sjolund or Moore starting
alongside floor general Alvarado,
rim protector Gueye and a fully
healed 3-point assassin sopho-
more Curtis Haywood. While
that unit would give up plenty in
Abdoulaye Gueye goes up for a layup during a home game against Clemson. Gueye will likely
be a member of Tech’s 2018-19 starting lineup, projected to be a physically small unit.
size, the hope is that it would be
able to compensate for its diminu-
tive nature with athleticism and
scoring, the latter of which has
been something of a challenge for
Tech basketball.
With a lineup of Alvarado, De-
voe, Haywood, Sjolund or Moore
and Gueye, Tech would be doing
a full pivot from the defensive in-
tensity that has been the backbone
the program’s success for the past
decade. Alvarado’s high motor
leads to a healthy amount of steals
and Gueye has been a serviceable
interior presence in years past, but
to expect the freshmen to come
in and be immediately prepared
Photo by Katherine Shambaugh Student Publications
technique • October 19, 2018• 19
to defend at the next level with
an increased net athleticism level
and pace would be foolish. The
effort may be there, but it is un-
likely that their inexperience will
do them any favors on the defen-
sive end, particularly against freak
athletes and grizzled veterans in
conference play.
That being said, the pieces are
in place for Pastner to finally be-
gin molding the Jackets in the im-
age of his old Memphis teams that
ran a high-scoring offense that
carried the team to 4 NCAA tour-
nament berths in his 7 years as JOHN EDWARDS
head coach. Change will not hap- ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
pen overnight, but it begins here.
TOP PROSPECTS
Last Wednesday, D1Baseball.
com named two Tech pitchers
among its top ten draft-eligible
hurlers. Tech lefty Connor Thom-
as topped the list, which identi-
fied pitchers based on their ana-
lytic rankings in the categories of
Zone Control, Pitch Ability, and
Durability, which measure how
effective a pitcher is at working for
strikes, how effective they are at
recording outs, and how long they
can throw for, respectively.
Thomas had a breakout season
for Tech last year, pitching to a
3.34 ERA and throwing 97 in-
nings last season. Among pitchers
with at least 90 innings thrown,
Thomas finished No. 5 in ERA
and lead the ACC in Strikeouts
per Walk with a 10.6:1 ratio.
Thomas earned All-ACC first
team honors and enters his junior
season as Tech’s ace.
Also making the top ten was
RHP Xzavion Curry, who took
big strides from a rocky freshman
season last year, cutting down on
control issues and limiting hits
against him. Curry and Thomas
both pitched in Tech’s fall scrim-
mage earlier this month against
South Carolina, and both will
likely see reps on Oct. 27 in a
friendly against Chattahoochee
Valley Community College.
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR: Making a Splash technique
Harsha Sridhar
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR:
John Edwards
It is early in the season, but many
Tech swimmers have achieved a lot
20
Friday,
heading into the weekend’s meet.418
sports@nique.net October 19, 2018

Battle of the
Techs
enrollment enrollment
26,839 32,304

academic progress academic progress

rating rating
980/1000 960/1000

fy17 athletic budget fy17 athletic budget

$84.3M
One of the biggest storylines entering the
game is Tech’s turnover problem — although
the Jackets have a positive turnover margin
on the season at plus-four, they have lost
the ball repeatedly at pivotal moments.
Tech’s game against Duke was emblematic
of Tech’s struggles this season; three
consecutive fumbles in the second half of
the game handed Duke an easy victory.
During last year’s matchup, the Jackets
relied heavily on B-back KirVonte Benson
and a pair of deep passes from TaQuon
Marshall. With Benson out, the other backs
and Marshall must be at their best to rack
up points against a quality Virginia Tech
squad and pull off an upset.
$90.7M
Last week, VT’s offense got off to a
slow start against North Carolina, but
quarterback Willis turned on the jets in the
second half and ended up throwing the
last-second game-winning touchdown. The
Hokies are never out of it.
VT has struggled in its running attack in
the past few weeks, including a meager
66 rushing-yard performance against the
porous Tar Heel defense, not counting Willis’
rushes. But VT’s run defense has been as
good as their rushing offense has been bad,
ranking no. 25 among FBS teams nationally.
Tech has averaged 245 rushing yards versus
VT in their last four outings; the Hokies must
do better this time. Story by Rohan Kansara
Design by Harsha Sridhar Student Publications