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IN THIS ISSUE:

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

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Chase Rice wins S.O.L.O. vote for Spring 2016

By LAUREN HENLEY Beat Reporter For the 2016 spring S.O.L.O. concert, ‘country music maverick’ and the currently nominated ACM New Male Vocalist of the year, Tennessee Tech students voted Chase Rice the No. 1 choice for the country music genre.

The concert will be held at the Hooper Eblen Center April 5 at 7 p.m.

Full-time students with an Eagle Card may collect two tickets beginning March 22 in the Student Government Association office. To attend the concert, guests must be either fulltime students or at least 18 years of age with identification.

Any remaining tickets that are not col-

lected by students will be sold online in a firstcome, first-serve basis.

Bobby Adams, the president of SGA, thinks Chase Rice is going to perform a great show.

Rice’s music is a blend of electronic music, hip-hop and hard rock called “bro-country.”

Other popular artists in the “bro-country” genre are Kenny Chesney, Allan Jackson and Brad Paisley.

“You’re going to be mine and I’m going to be yours for an hour and a half. We’re going to be in each others’ face. If you don’t like that, walk out the door,” said Rice in a statement regarding his music on his website.

Adams said Chase Rice will be paid about $77,000 to perform at Tech for the S.O.L.O. concert.

In the past S.O.L.O. artists have been paid varying amounts to perform at Tech ranging from $45,000 to over $100,000.

Miranda Stoltz, SGA treasurer, said previous concerts have cost as much as $120,000.

Full-time Tech students are charged an SGA fee of $20 as part of tuition fees. Part of this fee is used to pay for the semester’s S.O.L.O. concert. With the deRice crease in Tech’s enrollment, SGA received less funding from student fees than in previous years.

“Sometimes these smaller artists give a better concert because they know they aren’t big yet,” said Stoltz.

For the spring semester, SGA invited an artist with a lower fee because of Tech’s decreased enrollment.

“Enrollment for the university was down around $4 million. We had to come up with a new budget and a new set of artists,” said Stoltz.

While Rice is continuing to gain popularity, some students are already preparing their concert plans.

Sydney Chitwood, a student at Tech is already planning for the concert.

“I really like his music. I am going to get there early to be on the floor because I love him that much,” said Chitwood.

University University unveils unveils Tech Tech wall wall and and new new logo logo On Thursday, Feb. 4, President Oldham and Provost Bahman Ghorashi introduced the new, interactive Tech Wall, located on the ground floor of the Roaden University Center, to students and members of the Cookeville community. During the event, Tech’s new logo was revealed and displayed on various banners around campus.

By KYLE GOSSETT Beat Reporter Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham, Provost Bahman Ghorashi and hundreds of students filled the hallways of the ground floor of the Roaden University Center Thursday, Feb. 4 for the unveiling of the new Tech Wall and logo.

Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton and former Tech President Angelo Volpe also attended the ceremony.

The nine-screen, interactive Tech Wall is designed to be a virtual brochure about programs Tech offers in order to help prospect students and undecided majors learn more about Tech.

“The building of the Tech Wall all goes back to student success. We wanted to make sure our students are successful and that they have chosen the right discipline and will be happy with it.

That was the motivation,” said Ghorashi.

The wall will not only feature undergraduate programs offered here at Tech, but will also provide information about graduate programs, social life on campus, and interviews with alumni.

“We wanted this project to be much more than a bulletin board.

It’s designed to be something that will help in terms of career development for our students and prepare them for while they are here at Tech and life beyond college as well,” said Ghorashi.

The wall has been in the development process for over two

years and was installed by Verizon Communications.

“These are our stories on our campus put together by our people and told by us. That is what this wall is all about. And we have a lot of great stories to tell,” said Oldham during the ceremony.

The project was funded by the Provost’s office, Marc Burnett, vice president of student affairs, and Claire Stinson, vice president for planning and finance.

The project cost over $150,000, including the cost of servers, software and content produced for the wall.

“I think the new Tech Wall is very cool. It’s neat to see all the different things Tech has to offer right here at your fingertips,” said Ayla Jones, a junior human ecology major.

Along with the unveiling of the Tech Wall, a new Tech logo debuted for the first time as well.

“This was not an overnight decision or process to obtain a new logo. During my two and a half years here, various meetings have taken place and a new logo has always been discussed to represent a new day here at Tech,” said Ghorashi.

Although many design firms submitted designs for the new logo, the winning logo was designed by Cookeville business WD Stone & Associates.

“As we embark on the future of Tennessee Tech, we want to have a logo that presents the future. The new logo is embedded with the tradition of our past, the eagle, but designed in a way that is futuristic. It’s a bridge con-

Waverly Hart l The Oracle #TECHWALL - Tech students experiment with the new features the Tech Wall has to offer. Thursday, Feb. 4, the University revealed the newest edition to the Roaden University Center before students and university representatives. necting the past to the future, and the new logo represents that very well” said Ghorashi.

As the Centennial year comes to a close this spring, the message at the unveiling ceremony was

full of excitement for the future.

SGA to create focus committees after receiving results from student vote

By MEGAN WILLIAMSON Beat Reporter

The Student Government Association has created new committees that focus on different areas around campus in hopes to provide better services to students.

SGA already has two committees such as the S.O.L.O. committee and the community service committee. Seven new com-

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mittees were formed from the top 10 focus areas on campus that were voted on by students. The newly added committees include: Buildings and Grounds, Parking and Renovations, Campus Dining and Volpe library, TTU spirit, Campus Safety, Student Affairs and Communications and Residential Life.

“The purpose of the committees is to allow student government senators to focus their bill writing

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on topics that students are most concerned about,” said Bobby Adams, student government president. “That way SGA is being active in the areas that matter most to those we serve, the students.” “ I think that giving students the power of voting on Robertson new com-

mittees that we felt were the most important was a great idea,” said Whitney Robertson, a junior who lives in the residence halls.

“Once bills begin to pass that make our campus better, students will feel more like their voices are being heard. I’m looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish.”

SGA Freshman Senator Elizabeth Webb is most interested in the parking committee.

“I feel that parking spots are one thing that Tech lacks,” said Webb. “I’m excited to get to plan the first parking garage on campus.”

SGA hopes that these committees will allow the senators to write bills that will increase the positive aspects of student life on campus and everyone’s overall experience at Tennessee Tech. Each committee is hoping to accomplish different goals; these goals will be determined at the meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m. in the Tech Pride Room.

Students are encouraged to attend SGA meetings Tuesday nights in the Tech Pride Room to voice their opinions and see what the committees are doing. This spring, SGA will have business meetings only twice a month, while the other two meetings with be focused on creating bills for the new focus areas.

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NEWS & ASA COSTELLO Beat Reporter Jere Whitson Building will be closed until fall 2017 for renovations, which will include the Office of Enrollment Management and Student Success.

According to Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success Robert Hodum, the new building will include undergraduate admissions, the office of the registrar, financial aid, academic services, the scholarship office, retention services and advisement services. Jere Whitson previously housed the Alumni Relations office, now located in the new alumni building on Dixie, and extended programs, now in Southwest Hall.

Sustainability Office Manager DeLayne Miller explained the many future changes to the building and the Backdoor Playhouse.

All the windows will be replaced, a presentation room will be added, and there will be a new mechanical system, floors, roof, and cupola.

According to Miller, the structure of the building will be different including three floors throughout the building and new finishes to maintain the historical character of the interior and

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>> Campus

Backdoor Playhouse and Jere Whitson renovations continue through Fall 2017

By ANNA MCFARLAND Beat Reporter

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

exterior.

The Backdoor Playhouse will also be renovated with new theater seating and will remain in Jere Whitson.

All stagecraft, costumes, equipment, and props from the Backdoor Playhouse have been moved to Foundation Hall.

Foundation Hall will serve as a home for theatre classes, rehearsals, and set designing until the Backdoor Playhouse is fully renovated.

The Talon Theatre Auditorium now serves as a space for students to rehearse for productions, open mic nights, improv night, and future small shows.

The Theatre Department will be permitted to use Cookeville Performing Arts Center, Dogwood Park, and Derryberry Auditorium for this year’s productions.

When asked if the renovations to Jere Whitson will be a positive change for Tech’s campus, Miller responded: “Absolutely. I think it will be like a one-stop shop for the students. We’re very excited about how it’s going to look and how we’re going to be using one of the most historical buildings on campus.”

The renovations will cost $4.3 million, according to Vice President for Planning and Finance Claire Stinson.

The money will be provided by state capital funding and will include the total renovations and finishes.

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Marian Edelman EDELMAN - Center Stage hosted Marian Wright Edelman Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Derryberry Hall Auditorium.

Edelman founded and still works for the Children’s Defense Fund.

Their mission is to “Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life.”

Edelman discussed many issues from what she calls the “cradle to prison pipeline,” to the issue that currently plagues our nation: guns.

Edelman ended with an encouraging message to the audience.

“Even the biggest dog can be moved by small strategic bites. Together we can make them uncomfortable to be moved.”

IT services relocates location in Volpe Library

The Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library underwent changes over winter break regarding the location of the Information Tech desk and the services it provides.

Starting this semester, all IT services including checking out laptops and other technological equipment will be available to students at the circulation desk during regular library hours.

“I think it’s more efficient to have all of the items to be checked out in the same place, as opposed to having the library IT desk behind the front desk like before,” sophomore Emily Wiedemann said.

Also new to the Volpe Library is a printer with scanning and copying capabilities. Students now have

the ability to scan papers, punch holes and collate printed papers at no extra cost. Copies cost 8 cents per sheet, the same as normal printing.

Stapling print jobs, another feature included in the printer, it will cost a penny per print job, according to Joshua Knight, Academic & Client Technologies manager.

“It doesn’t matter how many staples you use,” he said. “The price remains the same for each print job.”

Knight also mentioned that the new printer is currently in trial mode, and that if found to be beneficial to students and the library, the library staff will be replacing all of the black and white Xerox printers in the Library Learning Commons with similar brand printers.

When asked about the factors that went into deciding to consolidate the IT

February

9

11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Career Readiness Career Fair Workshop Tech Pride Room

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Brass Arts Quintet Mardi Gras Celebration Wattenbarger Auditorium

10 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Sean Henriques | The Oracle

By MARANDA TANKERSLEY Beat Reporter

events @ tech

desk with the circulation desk, Volpe Library’s Public Service Coordinator Sharon Holderman mentioned that the No. 1 complaint students had was that the IT desk closed too early.

This was the “driving force” to adding IT services to the front desk.

“The only changes we’ve made are the location and hours,” she said.

Holderman said that the library is always open to changes and encourages feedback by students.

The library’s website features a feedback link for suggestions students and faculty may have.

The suggestions are received by the Library Dean, Doug Bates, and are implemented by the library’s staff if and when possible.

“We don’t know what students want or need unless they tell us,” said Holderman.

Student Recital: Olivia Spangler and Cynthia Taylor, Oboe Wattenbarger Auditorium

11 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

Career Readiness Resume Workshop Clement Hall 212

5:15 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Additively Innovative Virtual Lecture Series with Jennifer Loy iMakerSpace, Volpe Library

8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Theta Tau Dodgeball TTU Fitness Center

12

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

TTU Symphony Band in Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium

13

All Day

Tommy West Barrel and Poles Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion

5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Festival of Winds and Percussion Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium

5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

TTU Women’s Basketball vs. Jacksonville State Hooper Eblen Center

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

WTTU wants YOU

TTU Men’s Basketball vs.

Jacksonville State Hooper Eblen Center

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Bryan Symphony Orchestra Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium

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Professional Development Series with Karen Malmquist Clement Hall 212

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NEWS

University room reservation moves to new online system

By REBECCA FINLEY Beat Reporter

Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 10, students and faculty will be able to reserve rooms on campus with just the click of a button and without any paperwork.

The Virtual Events Management System will allow students, faculty and staff to be able to quickly and easily request room reservations on campus for a variety of events or meetings.

Instead of calling different offices on campus to check room availability, the changes will make reserving a room much more efficient.

The online reservation system has multiple features that will improve the overall process of reserving a room, such as being able to see what rooms are available to reserve on certain days and the events on campus that are already scheduled.

Diane Smith, assistant to the vice president for planning and finance, said, “Now you can browse online to see if a space is available before even making that phone call. If you don’t know what certain building, you can search for a size of room available from this or this time, and it will tell you what your options are.”

Users will also be able to search by features if something specific is needed such as if the room has a projector or laptop, room setup type, a specific

area on campus or space needed.

“It should make it a lot more streamline,” Smith said.

The system will also be beneficial for administration in the fact that it will give them the access to see, should there be a crisis on campus, where and when groups are meeting or an event is being held.

Students will be able to access the online reservation system under the student tab on Tech’s website.

The student’s username and password are required in order to access the system and see scheduled event information.

People who are not affiliated with Tech will be able to access the system by clicking on the Events at Tech tab at the bottom of Tech’s website.

Reserving rooms are free of charge to students, faculty and staff for events that are campus related or sponsored by Tech.

For non-campus related events, users will need to fill out a work order form that will be a request for custodial and rental fees, as well as the reservation form.

Online reservations are required to be submitted at least three days in advance and will be reviewed by appointed faculty advisors.

A confirmation email will be sent upon approval.

Reference guides and other helpful forms can be found through the VEMS Request Process link on the Events Management System’s home page.

Tech to offer more degree programs with new doctoral university classification Tennessee Tech has officially been classified as a doctoral university. With this classification, Tech will be able to offer higher level degrees in more than 200 subject areas.

By LAUREN HENLEY Beat Reporter

In 2015, Tennessee Tech celebrated its 100th year anniversary, but 2016 has already brought just as much celebration with another university milestone.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education now classifies Tech as a doctoral institution.

“This new classification adds to the momentum

we are experiencing toward adding tremendous value to the education students receive at Tech,” said President Phil Oldham.

“We strive to create and share knowledge, and this is another step toward showing how we are maturing and contributing as a university.”

What does this mean for undergraduate and graduate degree students? More financial support, resources and several opportunities to excel.

Karen Lykins, the associate vice president for

Communications and Marketing, said, “We have reached the point where we have been able to produce enough doctoral degrees to move up to the next level.”

Tech has worked hard to get to this point. Tech started as a small Master’s program awarding up to 99 master’s-level degrees, grew into a large Master’s program awarding at least 200 master’s-level degrees, and is now awarding at least 20 doctoral degrees per year.

Tech is in the big leagues now and has risen to com-

pare with other universities like the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the University of Memphis.

Although at this point, it is unclear which departments will begin offering doctoral degrees, Tennessee Tech will not remain stagnant by only granting 20 doctoral degrees per year. Lykins said we will see a significant increase from that number.

As a doctoral institution, Tech will solve problems in research, develop workforce and improve the economy of the city, state and region.

According to Kory Riemensperger’s Department of Communications and Marketing news release, “The Carnegie Classification has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education for the past four and a half decades. Derived from empirical data on colleges and universities, the Carnegie Classification was originally published in 1973 and is reviewed and updated every five years.”

‘Bird is the Word’ lecture series brings Williams to discuss art of writing fiction Tom Williams, author of ‘The Mimic’s Own Voice,’ captivated audience members in the Talon Theatre Feb. 4. After a reading, he discussed the importance of writing everyday for the generation that still reads and wants to be amazed.

By BETH BILES Beat Reporter Thursday, Feb. 4, fiction writer Tom Williams read selections from his works at the Talon Theatre in Tech’s Foundation Hall.

English Department Chair, Ted Pelton, organizer of the event and English department chair, started the evening by playing The Trashmen’s “Surfin’ Bird” to commemorate that this lecture is a part of the Tech English department’s series “Bird is the Word!” which brings writers and scholars from across the country to interact with students on campus.

The “Bird is the Word” series is expected to grow with several other events planned for this semester.

“It’s nice to have writers come here and interact with students so that students can realize that authors are just regular people who are engaged with an art form,” explained Pelton.

“This kind of forum allows students to see what it means to be a working artist in fiction, and I think it’s terrific to have these kinds of events.”

Pelton has been involved with creating events like this

‘‘

The most rewarding part is getting to see that there is a reason to get up and work on your fiction each morning, because there is a generation who still reads.

—Tom Williams Guest Author

for decades and he hopes that students have fun with them too.

After the song and introduction to the series, Williams read an excerpt from his short story collection “Among the Wild Mulattos & Other Tales,” from which he read “Ethnic Studies.”

Patrick Ingrum, junior political science major, stated “I really enjoyed how interesting he was. I like that he picked such a controversial topic, like racism and discrimination, and managed to make it new, fresh and funny.

Especially the ending.”

After the reading, Williams took questions from students and he rewarded the ones who participated with free copies of his works.

Students asked him questions about his writing process, his inspiration, his writing voice and even writer’s block.

,,

Williams said his favorite part of these sessions is getting to be a writer with readers, because the most enthusiastic readers are usually students.

“The most rewarding part is getting to see that there is a reason to get up and work on your fiction each morning; because there is a generation who still reads, who still takes it seriously and still wants to be amused and amazed,” stated Williams.

Williams is the author of three books of fiction: the novella “The Mimic’s Own Voice,” the novel “Don’t Start Me Talkin’” and the short story collection “Among The Wild Mulattos & Other Tales.”

The latter work was featured on NPR’s Great Books of 2015 list. He is also an associate editor of American Book Review and chairs the English department at Morehead State University in Kentucky.

New pavilion opens to aid intramural staff with organization

By OLIVIA HOFFMAN Beat Reporter

As intramural season gears up, the staff is prepared for major changes, including searching for a new coordinator and the completion of the new intramural pavilion.

Victor Martin, assistant coordinator of Campus Recreation, is currently the Interim Intramural Coordinator.

Advertising for the new coordinator position will start in a couple weeks, and the intramural team is hoping to fill the position by May. “We need a professional to be at the events, but also a professional to organize the program, so it is very busy right now,” said David Mullinax, director of Campus Recreation.

There is a lot of work that goes into the program, from the coordinator position to the graduate assistants.

“There are anywhere from 50 to 75 students working for us right now,” said Mullinax.

Once the evening rolls around, games begin and all the student workers prepare for their jobs, making the nighttime just as busy as the daytime.

Currently, the only major sport that has started is basketball.

“We have about 100 teams this year, and that takes a lot of work,” said Mullinax.

Jonah Devaney, a junior chemistry major, plays on an intramural basketball team this year and explained, “Everything has gone smoothly this intramural season, in my opinion. I know there are a lot of teams this year, but it has been organized and on schedule.”

Along with the management changes, the new intramural pavilion will be opening in two weeks.

The pavilion contains a new check-in area, eliminating previous hassle, restrooms and concessions.

The intramural fields will also be getting a new irrigation system to help with the condition of the fields.

“The program keeps getting bigger and bigger, and we need to plan for that,” said Mullinax.

On the same topic of sports and changes, breaking ground for the new fitness center will begin in Sept. 2016.

“We are looking at 160,000 square feet. The fitness center will take up a third or better of that block on Ninth Street and Willow Avenue. We are set to move into the building fall of 2018, so it’ll be really exciting,” said Mullinax.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

>> Reviews

2015 year in review: Strong cinematography and adaptations become a common theme

By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor In the realm of film, 2015 was a year full of the expected. There were movies on various ends of the industry spectrum, but all seemed to fulfill what they needed to fulfill. Whether they were crowd-pleasers or the cerebral indie film, most were done adequately well, but not without standouts. Certain experiences in the theater this past year remind me why we still go to the movies: the cultural and communal aspect of it all, tied with the realization that seeing movies on a big screen is still an experience.

I suppose 2015 should be known as a director’s year.

So many great visions were adapted or dreamt up in the hands of skilled directors that made unforgettably distinct movies. There were movies made by legendary, respected directors while some newcomers and newly familiar filmmakers took the helm behind some of the most memorable films in 2015.

Cinematographers also had a marked year. Movies were often beautiful, and some from last year are among the best looking I’ve seen. Even if some films didn’t please their audiences, it would be hard to deny the visual allure on screen.

With the passing of time, so comes the task of listing my favorite films released in 2015. Granted, I missed a few I wanted to see, but they

Photo Courtesy: io9.gizmodo.com THE BOX OFFICE AWAKENS - 2015 produced some of the highest-grossing movies of all time, including ‘Jurassic World,’ ‘Furious 7,’ ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ ‘Minions’ and ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’ won’t put a damper on the list. These are largely great films and really only a fraction of what I saw last year.

In no order, here are a few of my favorite films of 2015.

Mad Max: Fury Road Sometimes there needs to be a high voltage jolt of joy to the brain, and Mad Max: Fury Road most certainly delivered it to pretty much everyone. No movie in recent memory has simply come out in such audacious terms; the speed of it all and the audacity to actually even release another one of these after so long, speaks to the commitment of director George Miller. Miller’s crazy, frenetic world doesn’t care if you can’t keep up with all the inside references to its lore and machinations: it really wants you to have a great time with

nonstop psychotic characters driving and fighting in a weird, beautifully filmed and realized wasteland.

The Big Short - While it does seem like an economics lesson, The Big Short is leagues beyond that. Stylized by brilliant editing, Adam McKay directs an obviously talented cast including involved performances from Christian Bale and Steve Carell in this, at times, unbelievable true story about the financial collapse of 2008.

The film is not intrinsically happy, but McKay manages to create an expert duality of anger and comedy. Laughing at the characters then uncovering the hard truth is the thrill of The Big Short. You learn, but then become angry at what that knowledge helps you understand. That

process enthralls you over its runtime, until the film ends and the thought of “I can’t believe it” rushes all over your brain.

Inside Out - Pixar is… back? After a string of misses from the legendary animation studio comes this astoundingly smart and genuinely heartwarming comedy.

The foundation is laid by the hilarious voice work by Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith. It was a reminder of how clever Pixar’s films are and how Pixar can instill magic moments and characters into the pantheon of modern animation.

By exploring the emotions themselves, Pixar already has sketches for these characters, but by the end the audience truly sees them as living,

breathing things that carry out the film’s most emotional facets. The script is equally clever, exploring the density of human emotion in the simplest way possible, enlisting the brain as a visual marvel full of its own striking areas and lands.

The Hateful Eight - Being able to see a Tarantino film in 70mm was reason enough to remember the experience, but the lingering thoughts I had on The Hateful Eight usually recalled its ability to build and actually, truly pay off. What starts out as a languid Western road trip slowly morphs into a terrifying stage play of deceit and murder mystery; Tarantino enlists his trademark zany darkness into the script with characters brought to life by veteran actors chewing scen-

ery while also pledging sincerity to their roles. Though its central action takes its time to get started, once it does, all bets are off and Tarantino’s magic works more than most of his intentionally slow works.

The Revenant - As far as a theater experience, The Revenant is amongst the strongest I had in 2015. The film itself is light on plot, but the air of it all, the incredible cinematography that envelops you in a blanket of cold and grime, the masterful camera work, and the realistic intensity all work to put the viewer inside the movie. Although the movie aims to make you feel and think, the latter is poorly done, and what really takes place is a surrender to your surroundings. It’s a bloody, unrelenting story about revenge done in arguably the best way possible.

The list was far beyond what I wrote about above.

In terms of honorable mentions, or even a larger list, I’d include: Sicario, The End of The Tour, Macbeth, The Martian and Ex Machina. These were all simply great and worth your time.

Whatever kind of movie you like, there is something exceptional from that genre in 2015. It was a strong, highly visual year overall, filled with originality and an approach to adapting books to screen in a unique and refreshing way. Here’s to hoping 2016 continues the trend of great filmmakers supplying their talents in the best way possible, while newcomers and smaller films only continue to grow.

Frist ‘Phantom Bodies’ exhibit draws to a close

By STEVEN STOIK Guest Critic Nashville’s Frist Center for the Visual Arts will conclude its exhibition “Phantom Bodies” on Sunday, Feb. 14, offering visitors a last chance to immerse themselves in its diverse collection of works representing the human aura’s fleeting presence.

“The exhibition includes artworks that indicate such presences through surrogates: shadows, imprints, or masks; objects as memento mori; or forms of pure energy,” explains the Frist Center’s pamphlet for the exhibition. The pamphlet goes on to mention that the name “Phantom Bodies” was chosen to reference the medical phenomenon known as phantom limb syndrome, a condition with which patients who have lost limbs through trauma or surgery experience pain or other sensations in the area of the missing limb.

Ellen Pryor, the Frist Center’s director of communications, further explained the allusion to phantom limb syndrome in the title, which is used for aiding the art in evoking notions of human presence versus human absence.

“The premise of the exhibitory name includes the idea that the corporeal body can be simultaneously absent and present. Have you heard of phantom limb syndrome?

People continue to feel sensation in a part of their body that isn’t there anymore. So you walk through this exhibition and get to see the

human aura represented as both there and not there at the same time,” Pryor explained. “Mark Scala developed this idea of simultaneous presence and absence to bring that idea to visitors.”

With dozens of installations ranging from altered vintage photographs and videos to highly detailed sculptures and intricate mechanical collections, there is an array of objects and color, each piece more or less intended to signify the ghostly embodiment of unknown individuals whose humanity is never fully revealed. One such piece, a sculpture titled “Pupil” by Elizabeth King, greets visitors as soon as they enter the exhibit. King uses a combination of hyperrealistic porcelain and wood carving to embody her own self-portrait in a miniature humanoid, described “like a marionette with no strings.”

Another work, by Christian Boltanski, known as “Untitled (Reserve),” is a combination of blurred yearbook portraits from a girls’ school in Vienna shortly before the Nazi invasion. An accompanying stack of children’s clothing on the floor symbolizes the persecuted Jewish children of World War II, whose humanity was wiped out without a trace.

In one room, a video titled “Isolde’s Ascension”, plays on a vertical screen, which unfolds with a woman’s body rising from a dark blue pool of water lit in the center by sunlight. The work plays with notions of spirituality and love after death. In describing his interpretation after having studied the piece, security guard Corrigan

Campbell mentioned how this piece stood out to him.

“This is really a full view of–how should I say it—it’s your interpretation of life, death, and life after death … it’s not really about happiness or joy. It’s about loss and death, and you should see that one I call “the blue room.” The lady ascends from life to death, and into the afterlife. So that’s really what this part of the exhibit is about: death, violence and life after death,” Campbell said.

Conversely, a rather bright photogram by Adam Fuss, “Untitled,” displays an almost X-ray-like relief of an infant laying in a light, shallow pool, with its inner body shown in dark relief.

The photo is made from a novel film material called Cibachrome. Local Vanderbilt pledges Nicolette Granata and Jason Vincze gave their first impression of the photograph.

“I kind of see, as opposed to it just being a photo, it truly captures the moment,” remarked Vincze.

“The head is like, turned to the side, but it’s kind of facing us. I think it’s very powerful, since it’s an infant.

So simple. It invokes life without needing to explain,” said Granata, when asked what she thought the artist is conveying through her work.

The entire gallery is loosely divided into four sections, or themes, that collectively help express the artists’ attempts to humanize the dehumanized subjects. These themes include “Objects and Absence,” “Violence, Empathy and Erasure”, “Sublimation” and “The Mind-Body

Problem.”

“Phantom Bodies: The Human Aura in Art” is the third and final installment of a three-part series developed in part by The Frist Center’s Curator, Mark Scala, and others. The two previous exhibitions included “Fairy Tales, Monsters and the Genetic Imagination” in 2012 and “Paint Made Flesh” in 2009.

“I think if it’s your charge in life to help curate art like this, it helps people to understand how to think about it…It behooves us to put ourselves in a frame of mind to interpret the meaning,” Pryor said.

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OPINIONS

Practicing politics has become newest spectator sport KATE TREBING Opinions Editor L a s t S u n d a y, an average of about 100 million Americans tuned their television sets to CBS to catch the most watched annual sporting event on TV. We grabbed the hot wings and pizza bites and celebrated the 50th annual Super Bowl. My family was among these. While none of us ever sport jerseys or painted faces, we nonetheless eagerly strategize the event for weeks, right down to picking the best party snacks. We are spectators. We love to watch the event; in fact, we treat Super Bowl Sunday almost as if it were a national holiday.

Sadly though, the next day we will be talking more about the adorable commercials than discussing the highlights of the game.

This February is especially significant, and not simply because America will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of this nationally recognized tradition. The year 2016 marks the 58th quadrennial election for our nation’s president. Beginning in February and running until June, the primary elections will be the focus of our country’s politics. Candidates will debate their policies, tour key voting states, and seek to win America’s favor. How many of us will be tuning in?

In preparation for the Super Bowl, I had to face a sad reality. I am among those shallow fans who care very little for the actual game itself. I love the idea of being a Super Bowl watcher. I crave the salty snacks, and I rush to the TV to catch the funniest commercials. But the sad truth is that I remain mostly oblivious to the rival teams.

My most embarrassing Super Bowl tradition is to wait

until the same day pregame footage to learn which teams have made it to the final game. I like to say that I enjoy the element of surprise.

This sad truth does not embarrass me as much as the fact that I sometimes take the same approach to politics.

For example, not long ago, I watched along with the rest of Tennessee citizens as Nashville’s prospective mayors vied for favor through the use of some nontraditional commercial campaigning.

Some of these commercials tended to resemble an episode of Sesame Street (shout out to David Fox’s namesake mascot). While these ads were probably not suitable as serious campaign material, the fact remains that I was completely uninterested in the election until the debates became sensational.

I hope for my sake that I am not the only Tennessee resident who followed the election primarily to discover if Nashville voters would

choose a candidate who saw fit to enlist the help of a larger-than-life fox mascot.

The responsibility of choosing our state capitol’s next mayor did not rest on my shoulders, so I was content to watch the drama unfold on my television screen. On the other hand, I desperately hope that the majority of American voters are following this year’s presidential election for more serious reasons than to simply catch the next scandalous comment that falls from Donald Trump’s mouth.

I realize that I am underestimating a sizable fraction of this article’s audience. If you’re reading a newspaper, chances are you are the type of person who seeks to stay informed.

To you, I apologize. The responsibility of choosing our next president does not fall easily on your shoulders.

However, I suspect that we may be belittling this momentous task on a

nationwide scale. As much as it hurts to point a finger at my own field of study, I cannot deny that the media has played its part in portraying the candidates as less than legitimate. For every blatant remark that Trump has let fly, there are likely five more images of his unique hair styling choices streaming online. These images are good for a laugh, but they distract from the real issues at hand. And while I agree that Donald Trump should respect the position for which he is campaigning (not to mention the diverse nation that come along with it), I am disappointed with the media’s blatant attempts to turn a presidential candidate into a spectacle.

We have forgotten how this election process works. Our main objective is to choose the candidate that fits our personal goals for bettering this country. We analyze each candidate’s consistency, integrity, and loyalty to his or

her agenda. We listen to the objective they present, and we determine who has the character to withstand the pressures of this position.

Make no mistake. To a degree, this election is a popularity contest. Inevitably, some fraction of voters will choose the candidate whom they think has the greatest chance of being elected to office. Voters may not be far from my family tradition of following the Super Bowl simply to catch the quirky commercials and pizza bites.

We have become sidetracked by the pomp and circumstance of election season. We are distracted by the latenight talk shows’ spoofs of disfavored candidates and charmed by the daytime talk shows’ loveable presidential endorsements. This is not a game. This is our future.

Kate Trebing is a junior in communication with a concentration in public relations.

She can be reached at kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu.

Fighting ISIS’ ideology requires learning from our past ‘‘ In order to fight this monster, it is important SONIA USHIJIMA Guest Critic

In view of the current social commotion caused by the killing of innocents, the murdering of children and the enslaving of women, among many other ISIS barbarities, one may feel tempted to erroneously link these atrocities to Islam, assuming that the Qur’an is a book that tells Muslims around the world to commit terrorism. We should be very careful when we make these kinds of conclusions, and be aware of the consequences that an approach like this can have.

There are many reasons why the spectator may take this approach. The most obvious one may be because it is easier to reach a conclusion without a careful examination of the history. Another reason may be due to the spectator’s failure to realize that it has not been only Islam in the past and present that has been an example of how the perturbation of religious beliefs can transform into fanaticism.

We only need to go back 100 years to find Christian radicalism, for instance, with the Ku Klux Klan where, by belonging to any ethnic minority, one could be a target to this fanaticism that based its acts in Christianity.

Does the Bible, perhaps, preach that blacks are inferior and need to be murdered? The answer

by Christians and non-Christians is most likely negative.

Everybody has heard about the Christian Crusades, the Islamic jihad, and the Jewish Milhemet Mitzvah (Commanded War).

However, we should become aware of the fact that an example of religious perversion is not present in Abrahamic religions only, but also in other ancient beliefs. Buddhism, a religion that most people would consider non-violent, is subject to religious fanaticism, too. During the period of 1868-1945, Japanese Buddhists perverted their religion into a warlike doctrine that supported the Japanese emperor no matter how brutal the acts were. During the AsiaPacific War (1937-1945), all Japanese soldiers were indoctrinated with a program of Bushidopromoting “spiritual education” based on the unities of Zen and the sword. The Buddhist

THE

that we first understand that religious-inspired brutality, like ISIS, knows no sectarian label...

,,

priest Brian Daizen Victoria explores this idea, which took place in World War II, in his book “Zen at War”. He explains that the fanatical support that the Japanese militarism was given by the Zen School of Buddhism undoubtedly violated Buddhism’s fundamental beliefs.

“He should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should he incite another to kill”- Gautama Buddha, Sutta Nitapa II, I4. Victoria explains in his book that Japan’s vaunted Bushido (Warrior Code) evolved from a corrupted Buddhist metaphysic that not only sectioned battlefield slaughter but also exalted the Zen-trained warrior’s willingness to die as the antinomian expression of full enlightenment.

Nevertheless, we do not have to go far back in time to find corrupted Buddhist ideas. In Myanmar, for instance, a country where a minority is Muslim, 4 percent of the population, and a majority Buddhist, 80 percent of the population, Buddhist monks, in particular Ashin Wirathu - who strangely enough calls himself “The Burmese Bin Laden” - have attacked Muslims and encouraged the population to murder and prosecute Muslims in the country through a movement called 969.

Also, in Sri Lanka, Buddhist group members of Bodu Bala Sena, the Buddhist Brigade, called for direct action, the boycotting of Muslim businesses, and railed against the size of Muslim families.

Another contributing factor to negative views toward Islam may be due to a lack of knowledge of true Islamic values. The “Open Letter to Baghdadi,” written in 2014 by 120 Islamic Scholars, condemns ISIS atrocities and clearly lists all acts committed by ISIS which are forbidden in Islam, a total of 23 points

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followed by explanations. Point No. 6 states “it is forbidden in Islam to kill the innocent”.

The Qur’an says, “Whoever kills a person [unjustly]…it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.” (Qur’an, 5:32).

It is true that ISIS attempts to use other verses in the Qur’an to justify its violence; “Kill them wherever you find them” (Qur’an, 2:191). However, Islamic scholars state that Quranic verses should not be taken out of context, which is, indeed, what ISIS does.

Islamic Scholar Nouman Ali Khan, does a very good job attempting to put this verse in context. He says that this verse was revealed to The Prophet Mohammed during a time in which he had to migrate from Mecca to Medina due to conspiracies in the Quraysh tribe to kill him. This revelation came to The Prophet Mohammed after the Muslims escaped to Medina. What is important to put in context, Khan states, is that since all Muslims in Mecca were threatened with death and therefore, expelled from their homes, if an event like this were to happen today, even the U.N. would not consider it unlawful to fight for their rights due to it being an act done in self-defense.

Something that is even more important to understand is that along with this revelation, another revelation came once Mecca was conquered peacefully. This revelation allowed the defeated four months to think about either converting to Islam if they wanted to continue living in Mecca or leave from Mecca if they didn’t want to convert. “So travel freely, [O disbelievers], throughout the land [during] four months but know that you cannot cause failure to Allah and that Allah will disgrace the

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disbelievers” (Qur’an, 9:2).

Because of our lack of knowledge about Islam, a religion followed by 1.5 billion people, the assumption that this religion promotes violence is dangerous and should be avoided by all means. It is dangerous, on one hand, because it leads to social panic and can fuel violence and paranoia. And on the other hand, this lack of knowledge of Islam is what ISIS uses for their own benefit by spreading fear in the West. The Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once described fear as the paralyzing gas that enters every home and implants itself in every citizen’s soul. What ISIS is doing is exactly this. By taking advantage of the West’s lack of knowledge about Islam, ISIS is attempting to use it as a tool to gain adepts.

The western media is doing exactly what ISIS expects: spreading a paralyzing gas of fear throughout the west and becoming a tool for ISIS. In the aftermath of Islamic terrorism in the west in this century, people demand out of fear to attack and bomb Syria. These acts would only lead to more civilian casualties and refugees. This would only minimize ISIS’ power. It would not completely eradicate their fanatic ideology. We cannot forget that this war that we are fighting is a type of war that we have not fought before. The same fanaticism that has existed in the past takes place, but this fanatic group has a weapon that those groups didn’t have yet: mass media and Internet as propagandistic tools.

This helps ISIS be decentralized and gather people from all-around the world. In order to fight this monster, it is important that we first understand that religious-inspired brutality, like ISIS, knows no sectarian label, and then ask for the advice of the Muslim community in order to undermine ISIS linkage with Islam, to eventually learn that the war that needs to be fought and won, is not a war of armament, but rather, an ideological one.

Sonia Ushijima is an international student from Spain.

She is a senior in international business and cultures.

She can be reached at sushijima42@students.tntech.edu

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Page 6 || COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE

SPORTS

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

>>Inside the Game

Football adds 19 players in 2016 recruiting class 2016 Football Signees National Signing Day is one of the most anticipated days in the world of college football and the feeling was no different this year for Tech’s first-year head coach Marcus Satterfield and his recruiting coordinator and safeties coach, Chris Polizzi.

The first time that Satterfield and Polizzi spoke on the phone, Polizzi asked what his long term plan was for Tech.

Satterfield told him, “We’re going to develop young men; we’re Satterfield going to be there for a while; we’re going to make it the number one football program in the country.”

Polizzi simply responded, “I’m in. I’m totally in.”

When Satterfield met with the athletic director he had one request, to give him the financial means to hire

“men,” not “boys,” who have coached, who can mentor, who know how to develop young men and how to recruit the type of players they want in their program.

“If we’re going to be a developmental program, if we’re going to extract every ounce of potential from the young men who are coming through this program, we need to recruit ‘high character’ kids,” Polizzi stated.

Using this philosophy, when the coaching staff traveled to scout and recruit the new prospects, they did not just talk to their families and coaches. The staff would approach the janitors, the secretaries, the strength coaches and other faculty working at the prospect’s high school to find out more than just what you see between the lines Friday nights.

Polizzi said, “If we recruit kids who are just good football players, but not of high character, we’re going to spend more time dealing with them and trying to correct their mistakes than we will developing our other players.”

Tech was able to sign

‘‘

We know right now that we are the best football program in America.

—Chris Polizzi, Recruiting Coordinator / Safeties coach

19 new players to the roster from seven different states with 10 of those players coming out of Tennessee. Polizzi said that in-state recruiting is extremely important and it was great to “dominate” the state of Tennessee. One factor that very well could have contributed to the “domination” of in-state recruiting could be the energy of the new head coach. Coach Satterfield has been going to the Tech basketball games and sitting in the middle of the student section.

Polizzi added, “He [Satterfield] actually single handedly started the wave in the Hoop. When’s the last time that’s been done?” These kind of antics definitely draw the attention of young men who are looking for a coach that will not only prepare them for football and life in general, but also knows how to have fun.

Polizzi stated, “We are

going to be the most physical football team in the country.

We know right now that we are the best football program in America.” He also added that he knows people are going to laugh at that statement, but “If you set your standards any lower than that, then that’s how you will run your program.”

The rally cry of the coaching staff as they recruited was to “develop our players, develop young men, so that when they leave campus, exit off the stage with diploma in hand, that they will unequivocally have every ounce of potential drained from them,” according to Polizzi.

With this being the goal and philosophy from day one, maybe the new players will embrace it as much as the coaching staff has and will propel the 2016 Tech football team to achieving their goal of being, “the best football team in America.”

2016 Football Schedule Sept. 1 Wofford Home Sept. 10 APSU Away* Sept. 17 Mercer Away Sept. 24 UT Martin Away*

Oct. 1 EKU Home* Oct. 8 Jax St. Away* Oct. 15 EIU Home* Oct. 22 SEMO Home*

Nov. 5 Tennessee Away Nov. 12 TSU Away* Nov. 19 MSU Home* * denotes OVC game

Shea Haile | The Oracle REIGNING CHAMPS - Danielle Liberatore delivers a pitch against Belmont during their 2015 clash. Tech enters the 2016 season as the preseason favorite to win the Ohio Valley Conference.

Softball begins season as OVC favorite

By SARAH JACOBS Beat Reporter The reigning OVC softball tournament champions are set to hit the diamond for the first time Friday in Starkville, Mississippi.

The Golden Eagles are predicted to place first in the OVC this season after finishing last season with a 33-28 overall record and making it to the NCAA Women’s College World Series after winning the OVC Tournament. Head coach Bonnie Bynum said she is preparing her team for the added pressure of being ranked No. 1.

“I think it always puts pressure on a team when things are expected of them,” Bynum said. “We have explained to them that pressure is a privilege and should be seen that way.

We also know that we will be getting every opponent’s best game, and we need to be prepared for that.”

Junior pitcher Danielle Liberatore said the team is learning how to handle the

added pressure.

“Knowing we’re picked to win the OVC does put extra pressure on the team,” Liberatore said. “The other day one of our coaches said how the pressure is a privilege because it means we’ve done great things. If we weren’t successful then there would be no pressure. So there is pressure, but it’s a great thing and a compliment.”

Coach Bynum has high expectations for her team this season, but doesn’t want them to look too far ahead.

“Our goals are to win a conference championship, get back to post season, and make sure we have focus every day at practice and during games,” Bynum said.

“I’m not sure there are any games that we consider bigger than the other. Obviously we are excited about starting conference play, but we are going to take it one game at a time and make sure we approach each game with the same mentality and focus.”

Liberatore said she is ready to get the season started.

“Offseason can be nice for a little bit but after a while you really miss actually playing games,” Liberatore said. “I think any athlete will tell you their favorite part of the sport is actually getting to play it. When you’re practicing for weeks on end you definitely get impatient and excited. I think the whole team is ready to hit the ground running and continue what we did last year.”

The Golden Eagles have 21 home games scheduled for the 2016 season and are looking to build on what they accomplished last season.

“Our team is great this year and we’ve really added a lot of talent on top of what we had last year,” Liberatore said. “We’re looking for a successful season and to make our way into conference play. We have a target on our back this year and we’re ready to take it even further than we did last season.”

The first home game for the Golden Eagles is Saturday, March 12 at 11 a.m. against Kennesaw State.

Name

‘‘

By BRANDON BURKE Asst. Sports Editor

Position

Hometown

Alex Alcorn

OL

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Ricky Ballard

S

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dontez Byrd

WR

Louisville, Ky.

Lucien Charles

OL

Orlando, Fla.

Matt Cook

LB

Dalton, Ga.

Tyler Enos

LB

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Shannon Fayne

S

Nashville, Tenn.

Jordan Giberti

TE

Gainesville, Fla.

Andrew Goldsmith

RB

Jackson, Tenn.

Norman Hand

DL

Walterboro, S.C.

Jeremiah Jackson

FB

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Matthew Leifheit

TE

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Aderick Moore

LB

Selma, Ala.

Toron Morten

LB

Phenix City, Ala.

Andre Sale

QB

Little Rock, Ark.

Xavier Schlueter

DL

Fayetteville, Tenn.

Hudson Smith

OL

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Brandon Thomas

CB

Jacksonville, Fla.

Dantae Wilkes

LB

Jackson, Tenn.

Haidar Zaidan

K

Paris, Tenn.