Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech Postdoctoral Association and Graduate Student Assembly are sponsoring a career workshop about finding unadvertised science and engineering jobs in Brush Mountain in Squires this Saturday.

Dave Jensen, a writer of a popular career column, will be the speaker at this 11:00 a.m. event, which will stress core “success factors” and networking skills relevant to all job-seekers.

One-on-one counseling sessions will be available from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m the same day.  Reservations should be directed to Michelle McCleese (mmcleese@vt.edu) for students and Dr. Imran Akhtar (akhtar@vt.edu) for postdocs. Pk

In what is billed as its first major effort to reach out to supportive, heterosexual members of the campus community, Tech’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance will hold ‘Queer 101: The Straight Survival Guide to the Next Civil Rights Movement’ in Haymarket Theatre on Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

The event will serve as an introduction to LGBTQ culture for the average person.  The agenda includes such activities as debunking stereotypes and inviting the audience to play “Guess Who’s Gay,” a game in which strangers will get on-stage and give the audience a chance to guess at his/her sexual orientation. Pk

Graduating seniors or graduate students completing their degrees in 2009-2010 will be able to register themselves for Career Services-sponsored job search clubs until Friday, Oct. 2.

These clubs will discuss job search techniques in group settings in six weekly, 90-minute meetings from early Oct. to early Nov.  More information can be found at http://www.career.vt.edu/Student/JobSearchClubs.html. Pk

A 19-year-old Virginia Tech student has been hospitalized and is in critical condition after being diagnosed with what may be a meningococcal infection, according to a VT News e-mail distributed to the student body.

There are no other known cases in the New River Health District, according to Jody Hershey, director of the New River Health District.

Meningococcal infections are difficult to spread, but do so through intimate, generally prolonged, and personal contact between two individuals.

Although up to 10 percent of the population carries the bacteria without risk of illness, infection can cause conditions such as meningitis, a potentially deadly swelling of the brain tissue. About one in 100,000 persons in the United States are affected.

More information can be found on the Virginia Department of Health’s information page at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/factsheets/Meningococcal.htm. Pk

Saturday’s game against Miami is designated as a “Maroon Effect” game, for which students can purchase Maroon Effect shirts for $6 or $12 for both the Maroon and Orange Effect shirts.

Proceeds will benefit Relay for Life, the Big Event, the Cassell Guard, Popsicles on the Drillfield, Campus Green Initiatives, and on-campus concerts.

The Orange Effect game is on Oct. 29, a Thursday night game against UNC. Pk

A reward for information that would lead to an arrest and conviction of the murderer of Heidi Childs and David Metzler has grown to $50,000.

Virginia Tech put up $10,000, whereas Dr. Chad Hoyt, a Lynchburg doctor and friend of David Metzler’s father, managed to raise $40,000 in addition.  His goal is to raise the reward to $100,000. Pk

Schiffert Health Center will offer students the seasonal flu vaccine at the following locations and dates:

• Tuesday, Oct. 27: Commonwealth Ballroom in Squires from 11am to 7pm.
• Monday, Nov. 16: McComas Hall Gym from 11am to 7pm.
• Wednesday, Dec. 2: Old Dominion Ballroom in Squires from 11am to 6pm.

Should the novel H1N1 (“swine flu”) vaccine be available, it will also be administered at the above sessions.  The seasonal flu vaccine costs $25; the H1N1 vaccine cost will only be revealed once the vaccine itself becomes available.

Students are encouraged to regularly check the university’s flu portal at http://www.vt.edu/fluinfo/ for up-to-date information. Pk

International Student Volunteers, an organization that enables student groups to travel abroad for cultural tours and volunteer projects, will be holding an information session for interested parties on Sept. 17 in the Cardinal Room at Squires Student Center.

One session at the top of each hour will be held from 9am to 5pm.  ISV’s destinations include Australia, New Zealand, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Thailand, and Eastern Europe.  Trip durations can last from two weeks to three months. Pk

An e-mail to Virginia Tech residents Tuesday announced new Saturday hours of operation for Hokie Grill.

The dining facility, which is typically open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, has been operating from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Now, the facility will open and close one hour later on Saturdays, opening at noon and closing at 8 p.m.

Hokie Grill was closed on Saturdays and Sundays at the beginning of the 2008-2009 fall semester, but began operating on Saturdays in the middle of the semester due to high demand from students. Zc

One polling place that experienced overcrowding issues during last November’s election has been moved to a new location.

As the release below explains, voters who are assigned to vote at St. Michael’s Church on Merrimac Road are now being asked to vote at Kipps Elementary School on Prices Fork Road. The entire release can be viewed below.

This is a message from Blacksburg Alert, a public notification service of the Town of Blacksburg.

Blacksburg E-1 Precinct to Change for Elections and Voter Information

The Montgomery County Voter Registrar’s office would like to advise Blacksburg voters of a temporary precinct change and remind all voters to update their registration.

The E-1 Precinct at St. Michael’s Church on Merrimac Road will be temporarily moved to Kipps Elementary at 2801 Price’s Fork Road due to parking and convenience concerns. Voting will take place in the school cafeteria, which may be entered from the parking area.

New residents and others who have moved since the previous November election must notify the Registrar’s office to receive a new voter card and precinct information. This will save time and allow for easier access to polling places.

Residents may go to the library or post office to obtain a voter registration application or stop by the Voter Registrar’s office, <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=755+Roanoke+Street,+Christiansburg&sll=37.229303,-80.487471&sspn=0.046881,0.077162&ie=UTF8&ll=37.131342,-80.393078&spn=0.012163,0.01929&z=16&iwloc=A>755 Roanoke Street, Christiansburg, Suite 1F, to fill out a change of address form. The forms may also be available at voter registration drives on college campuses.

The ballots will contain candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General. Depending on residence, voters will also cast ballots for Blacksburg Town Council, Blacksburg Mayor, House of Delegates (12th or 7th District), Board of Supervisors and Montgomery County School Board.

Town of Christiansburg voters will have a question regarding a change of town elections from May to November. As with all constitutional voting, there will be a space for write-ins.

The last day to register or update your registration is October 5. If you are not able to vote in person, you may vote absentee. Absentee ballot applications are available on the Virginia State Board of Elections website (<http://www.sbe.virginia.gov) or can be picked up at the Voter Registrar’s office. If mailed to the Registrar, the absentee ballot must be received by October 27. In-person absentee voting will begin September 21 and will be available at the Registrar’s office until October 31.

To find polling places, candidate information, election results and more, visit <http://www.montgomerycountyva.gov/vote>www.MontgomeryCountyVA.gov/vote. For more information, please contact the Registrar’s office at 540-382-5741.

That will be something to pay attention to in November, as Blacksburg elects four town council spots and the state elects a governor. Zc