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Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, TN | 38505
Volume 95 | Issue 13 | Free in single copy | February 24, 2012
PROPOSED INCREASES OF MANDATORY AND NON-MANDATORY FEES BY TECH Non-mandatory Fees
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$25
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Students are encouraged to wear purple to Saturday’s game against Murray State University. The first game starts at 5:30 p.m. at The Hoop.
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Tech requests 3 to 6 percent tuition increase, fee hike By JONATHAN KAULAY Beat Reporter Tech submitted requests to the Tennessee Board of Regents to increase many student fees by Fall 2012. Included is a tuition increase, an increase in both mandatory and non-mandatory fees and changes to residential housing fees and apartment rent. Tuition is likely to increase in the fall by 3 to 6 percent. “The Governor proposed a budget and we had less of a cut than most state departments,” Claire Stinson, Tech’s Business and Planning vice president, said. “Then the governor put back more money, but it got distributed based on a new formula, so there were winners and losers.” Stinson said this is the reason students will most likely see a tuition increase in the fall. Tech also proposed an increase to both mandatory and non-mandatory fees. All students are required to pay mandatory fees. Non-mandatory fees are those implemented based on a student’s major or participation in a class or lab.
An increase has been requested for two different mandatory fees. The athletics fee could increase by $25. This fee is used to fund official University sports. A document provided by Stinson states one of the reasons for the proposed fee change is “to budget for potential NCAA implementation of $2,000 miscellaneous expense funding for any student-athlete receiving a full grant-in-aid from any source.” Another mandatory fee, which Stinson called a student recreation fee, could see a $10 increase. This will be used to repair campus recreation facilities and replace recreational equipment. It will also be used to fund intramural sports. Tech requested various other non-mandatory fees. These fees would include an increase in the amount paid by engineering, nursing and education majors. Engineering has a $10 per-credit-hour increase, nursing has a $5 per-credit-hour increase and education has a $25 per-credit-hour increase on its specialized academic course fees. See “Tuition & Fees Increase,” page 6
Students asked to wear purple, display Tech pride at Saturday double-header By ARIEL PERRY Beat Reporter Crowds are expected as Murray State University comes to Tech Saturday for a double-header. Murray State’s men’s team is ranked No. 14 nationally. It’s Senior Night as both teams come off wins, set to compete in the last home game of the season. Tech’s women’s team has already clinched the third place seed in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. With all of the hype, Tech students are getting excited about both of the games. “I don’t really follow sports, but, of course, I’m always happy when our teams win something,” Andrea Davis, freshman animal science major, said. Students have been encouraged to create a sea of purple by wearing purple T-shirts for the games. “Football seems to be more popular around campus,” Febrienne Box, senior music education major, said. “I think winning this
game would raise the popularity of the basketball team.” If students can’t make the games, but are on campus, WCTE will carry the games and can be seen in the residence halls. With such a big crowds expected, there is more pressure and excitement for the players. “It’s exciting to know we will have more fans at this game,” said Senior Forward Brittany Darling. A season of hard work for both teams comes down to one major double-header and the biggest games of the year. Students will need to show up early to get the best seats, as the seating in the Hoop is first come, first serve. Tech and Murray State University have been in the OVC for more than 20 years and have always had a rivalry. The long standing rivalry game is the last hurdle for Tech basketball until the OVC conference tournament in Nashville. The women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m., the men’s game will follow.
Community voices opinion on future president By KAYLA GULLEY Beat Reporter
Tech hosted an open forum Feb. 17 for the Cookeville community to speak about what they want in a new president and to ask the Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. search firm about the process. “We do not worry about numbers, we worry about quality of candidates,” Betty Asher, Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. partner, said. Currently, 12 candidates have applied for the president position through the search firm. Public Opinion: Asher encouraged the audience to speak about what attributes are wanted and needed in a president in order to make the firm and the Search Advisory Committee aware of what the public wants. “What do you want your new
president to do in the next three to five years to be considered successful?” Asher said. “I am very proud that President Bell has instituted the STEM center,” Ward Norris, Cookeville resident, said. “He has made a substantial place in the world of academia throughout the United States, and I would like to see someone that innovated.” Phil Walbrum, a 1960s Tech engineering alumnus, said, “I would like to know if that is going to be a criteria of the new president, to try to elevate engineering back to the flag pole of this school.” Bailey Darrow, Cookeville resident, said, “One thing I see a lot in the community as a whole, is the effects the university has on our students in the public school system,” “There are a lot of good programs that come to our school systems that originate from Tech.
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“That is an important part that makes a community great, and I hope that will be a part of what the president wants as well.” Advisory committee meets: Committee member, Corinne Darvennes said, “This is not just a university, but a technological university, and I would like our next president to see that and understand what it means.” The committee will begin processing all candidates in late March, during a two-day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. meeting, where the committee will narrow down the candidates and decide on who they want to bring in for the first round of interviews. The search firm does not do any prescreening before the list of candidates is handed given to the committee.
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NEWS Page 2 | February 24, 2012
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Seventh Street closures expected through summer By NICK ROLLINS Asst. Managing Editor
events @ tech February - March
ter services from the water line in the middle of the road,” Vaughn said. “A lot of those lines were old; I think the sewer lines were installed in the ‘60s.” Vaughn said the department also plans to use a camera to examine the lines and see if they need to be replaced or repaired. The Water Department expects to be completed with its portion of the construction by the end of Tech’s spring break. “Once we get through moving any utilities that need to be done, the city is going to come in and widen a portion of the road starting from Medical Center Boulevard,” Vaughn said. “They are supposed to be starting with a new curb and gutter, and sidewalk. They told us two to three weeks, so we are trying to stay ahead of them. “As far as the overall work, I think they are waiting to get the curb and sidewalk work done, and they are actually waiting until Tech is done for the summer, in May, before they do the majority of their road work.”
A Cookeville Public Works project will intermittently close a portion of Seventh Street for the remainder of the semester and throughout the summer. “The city has been asked by the hospital to expand the road and to make a turning lane,” said Carey Vaughn, Cookeville Water and Sewer Department civil engineer. The widening of Seventh Street will start at the intersection with Peachtree Avenue and end at the intersection with Laurel Avenue, which is a block west of Willow Avenue. According to Vaughn, before the turn lane can be added, the Water Department has been asked to move water meters and to replace any services, sewer and water, in the road. In addition to the turn lane, the city also plans to replace the storm drains. “We are basically out there moving fire hydrants, and replacing all of the water meters and wa-
24 6:00 p.m. STEM FAB Friday for 4th-12th Graders STEM Center
25 8:30 a.m. Engineering a Future for 5th-6th Grade Girls STEM Center 5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball v. Murray State Hooper Eblen Center Casey Woodard
Cookeville Water and Sewage Department workers Nate Beauty and Richard Light perform maintenance on a waterline on Seventh Street in preparation for future renovations of the street. Seventh Street is expected to have sporadic lane closures for the remainder of the semester due to the construction. “There is probably going to be
days where there is a lane closed on and off for the majority of this semester,” Vaughn said. “Hopefully when students return in the fall, it will all be fixed.”
Tech among state’s most popular schools for ACT submissions By MICA BILBREY Beat Reporter According to the latest ACT test statistics, Tech ranked as the fifth most popular school to send test scores to among Tennessee ACT takers. According to act.org, Tech ranked
in the top five schools in the state for the past five years. Tech’s numbers rank over schools such as Vanderbilt University, East Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee-Martin. “Students choose Tech based on
our academic reputation, the atmosphere of the campus and affordability,” James Gray, Admissions associate director, said. According to the National Score Report from the ACT website, a little more than 2,000 high school students chose Tech as their first choice in 2011. Unlike other years, Tech is closing the gap on the University of Memphis, which is number four on the list. Gray said Tech recently enrolled 1,960 full-time, first-year students. According to the report, Tech received approximately 5,900
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ACT scores, compared to the University of Memphis with approximately 6,300. “Many times, students who live close to their local university will choose that particular school as their first institution of choice,” Gray said. Also according to the report, Tech is currently outranked by the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and U of M. UT-Chattanooga received around 7,000 ACT scores and enrolled approximately 2,100 first-time undergraduate students. Vanderbilt University received approximately 3,900 ACT scores and enrolled around 1,600 firsttime undergraduate students.
Women’s rugby team in works to become a Tech organization By EMILY HAILE Beat Reporter
PERCENT OF TENNESSEE TECH
STUDENTS
HAVE NEVER MISSED A CLASS
DUE TO DRINKING. D A T A
T A K E N
F R O M
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2 0 1 0
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This poster was produced by the Counseling Center and the Office of Communications & Marketing. Tennessee Tech University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its program and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of Diversity & Legal Affairs, PO Box 5164, Cookeville, TN 38505, 931-372-3016. Pub#116-PDF-12
T E C H
S T U D E N T S .
A women’s rugby team is forming at Tech. According to Veronica Sublett, women’s rugby captain, rugby is a contact sport, but there aren’t any physical requirements to being a rugby player. “The one thing people say is that they’re too small,” Sublett said. “You’re never too small. I’m 5-foot-2.” Sublett also said that rugby is like a cross between football and soccer. “We don’t wear pads, we pass the ball backwards and we do tackle,” Sublett said. Even though the women don’t wear protective gear, major injuries are unlikely, according to Sublett. “If you’re taught how to tackle and be tackled, you should be able to do it perfectly in a game and not come out with any injuries, except for a bruise or two,” Sublett said. According to Sublett, offense and defense are played at the same time, with a team of 15 players constantly on the field. The team is divided into backs and forwards. “The forwards tend to tackle a lot more,” Sublett said. “[Backs] are usually considered the brains, and they’re the fast people,”
Sublett said. The last position is the scrum-half, who connects the backs and the forwards. “They’re your quarterback of rugby, so they tell everyone what to do,” Sublett said. “You want to protect them because they’re normally really small and very fast.” “We’re getting to the point that we’re able to build up a team,” Sublett said. “We’ll have about two scrimmages, hopefully, this semester. Next year we’ll be in the tournament during the spring semester.” This isn’t the first time that a women’s rugby team has been mentioned at Tech. “They tried starting a team here two or three years ago,” Sublett said. “But it didn’t pan out for them.” According to Sublett, any female who is physically capable can play, as long as she has the dedication. “Once you fall in love with the sport, you don’t want to leave it,” Sublett said. “It’s just like a sisterhood of athletes.” The team is in the process toward being recognized as a Tech organization. Sublett said the team hopes to be an official organization by the end of March. For more information, contact Sublett at vcs1129@ gmail.com.
7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball v. Murray State Hooper Eblen Center
26 3:00 p.m. The Mastersingers Mid Winter Concert Wattenbarger Auditorium
27 3:30 p.m. Faculty Senate Meeting President’s Conference Room, Derryberry Hall 7:30 p.m. TTU Concert Band Wattenbarger Auditorium
28 11:00 a.m. TAB Giveaway: Sunglasses Roaden University Center 6:30 p.m. Black History Month: IMPACT Banquet RUC Multipurpose Room 7:30 p.m. Philip Barham, Faculty Recital, saxophone Wattenbarger Auditorium
29 6:30 p.m. Black History Month: Midday Matinee Black Cultural Center
1 7:30 p.m. Austin Vogt, Student Recital, euphonium Wattenbarger Auditorium 7:30 p.m. Alex Hill, tuba, Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium
3 8:30 a.m. STEM Center User Group Training and Professional Development for Teachers 3rd12th Grade STEM Center
5 Beginning of Spring Break
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OPINION
Send letters to the editor to oracle@tntech.edu. Include your name, e-mail address and limit letters to 300 words. Anonymous letters are not accepted. Deadline for letters is 4 p.m. Tuesday. We reserve the right to edit grammar, length and clarity. tntechoracle.com
Page 3 | February 24, 2012
Technology hates students CASSIE TESAURO Editorial Editor
Photo courtesy of http://www.chrisbrownworld.com
Chris Brown enjoys a smoke while performing.
Chris Brown still getting away with too much JONATHAN FRANK Asst. Editorial Editor
If you watched the Grammy Awards broadcast earlier this month, then you saw—among the weird techno-number with Deadmau5 in the mouse ears, a trippy Nicki Minaj performance, and Adele cashing in on her exes and putting everyone else to shame—not one, but two songs featuring singer Chris Brown. You may remember that Brown faced assault charges in 2009 after an altercation with then girlfriend Rihanna. The police report detailed contusions on Rihanna’s face, arms and legs, blood covering her clothes and the interior of the vehicle, and stated that Brown had also threatened to kill her. According to MTV, Brown apologized to Rihanna nine days later via text message. What a gentleman. In March 2011, Brown, in another display of reckless violence, threw a chair through a window of the Good Morning America studios following an interview that did not go his way. An unrepentant Brown then tweeted, as he stormed
out of the studio, “I’m so over people bringing this past [expletive] up!” Now Brown is not only gracing the Grammy stage, but is also pairing up with Rihanna for remixes of her song, “Birthday Cake,” and his song “Turn up the Music.” Additionally, Us Weekly magazine reported that Rihanna and Brown, who were forcibly separated by a court order until February 2011, are spending time together again. I’m all for second chances and forgiveness, but I also believe in common sense. Chris Brown is a talented entertainer. He also beat up a young lady, and never once humbled himself to accept full responsibility for his choices, or accept ownership of his problem. Of all crimes, domestic violence has the highest rate of recidivism, and Brown’s arrogant refusal to work towards changing his pattern of violent behavior makes him even more likely to offend again. The Grammys’ willingness to celebrate Chris
Brown sends all of the wrong messages to young viewers at home, and to their families who seek to instill in them an understanding of why behavior like Brown’s is never acceptable. Additionally, Rihanna’s decision to allow Brown back into her life shows a heartbreaking lack of self-respect and is only an invitation for further destruction and hurt. If nothing else, I hope that this scenario will provide a teachable moment for those of us who are watching the story unfold. You can forgive the wrongs of another without allowing them an opportunity to hurt you again, or abandoning regard for your own safety. At the risk of being trite or sounding like a public service announcement, I sincerely hope that if you or anyone you know has been a victim of domestic violence, you will have the good sense this young lady sadly lacks, and will take the steps necessary to protect yourself and stay away from whose who would do you harm. Trust that you are worth more and deserve better. As for me, I’ll opt to ignore the suggestion of Chris Brown’s latest track title and turn down the music when his songs play.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Custodians deserve our gratitude Just recently, my parents received a save-the-date for a banquet in honor of Dr. Bell. Yay. I believe instead of doing something for Dr. Bell it is time to do something for the people who clean up after us, set things up for us and generally make sure we all are having a good day. Our Custodians deserve better than a pat on the back, final pay check and a sarcastic goodbye. They have given us their best, so why can’t we? It is inevitable that they will have to leave, but that doesn’t mean we can’t
THE
say thank you. We should honor them even more. I put it to the students, faculty and staff: We all should do something in honor of these men and women who do just about everything we ask them to do. I suggest we plan a banquet of some kind for them. They deserve it just as much as Dr. Bell, most of them have been here twice as long as him. We need to do this. May 1, they are being booted out; we need to do something to honor them before they go. Post it on Facebook, Twitter and anything else. We need to show these men and women we care and we appreciate all that
ORACLE
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they have done. Talk to SGA, maybe instead of a SOLO concert, we celebrate the people most of us will always remember. I will always remember how on a bad day, I would look up and see a smiling face. The Custodians have become the grandpas, grandmas, aunts and uncles who look in on us, making sure we are doing ok. I will start only by saying “thank you,” knowing it will never be enough. We are going to miss all of you, more than we know.
Is it just me, or is technology becoming a major problem for college students? We’re surrounded by it all the time. Our phones, our laptops, our tablets and whatever else they have out there have all become essential to everyday life. I spend more time sitting in front of a computer than I do in the classroom. Almost all of my major tests and assignments are online. Even my study breaks have transformed from meeting friends for lunch to texting them instead. When was the last time you actually used the thumbs-up sign in real life? Now think about how many things you liked on Facebook last week. The technological takeover happened so gradually that I barely noticed it, until the other day when I got on the elevator in the RUC. There was a group of us all going from the ground floor to the third floor. Timewise, that usually takes less than a minute. Yet the moment the elevator started to move, everyone pulled out cell phones and started texting, or checking Twitter. Whatever happened to the good old days when people on elevators just awkwardly stared at the doors? We lost this battle the moment we got cell phones with internet. By now our social skills in face-to-face conversations have regressed to the point where we’ve become 13-year-olds. I actually heard a group of students use bad cafeteria food as an icebreaker the other day. Surely we can do better than mystery casserole jokes. It’s a sad day when someone studying physics and philosophy has to say, “like, you know, whatever” to move a conversation along. It’s not just social skills we’re losing. Classes have gotten really complicated. Don’t get me wrong, new
technology is a great teaching tool. When it comes to studying microbiology, animated YouTube videos make my life much easier. But sometimes I feel like instructors spend half the class trying to get the volume to work on a computer or trying to fix a projector. The worst cases are in speech classes. It’s not enough to give a speech anymore, now it has to be a PowerPoint presentation with all the bells and whistles. So you end up spending all of your time practicing with this PowerPoint. After all, there’s no point in making a lot of note cards if the words are on a screen behind you. Then comes the day you have to present to the class. You know what that means, either the class computer or your flash drive won’t work. Now you get to give a tenminute speech on the history of Peru without visual aid or notes. Of course, instructors always say to save the presentation on a flash drive and e-mail it to yourself just in case. But if you e-mail it, the internet won’t work once you try to sign in. That’s the big problem with technology on campus; it’s advanced enough to sense whatever you need the most, and malicious enough to malfunction at the worst possible moment. I can stay logged in to iLearn for hours and have no problem, but the moment I start a timed iLearn test, everything will freeze up. This is the same phenomenon that causes your printer to magically run out of ink— never mind that you replaced the cartridges yesterday—ten minutes before your paper is due. I’m telling you, technology is out to get us. When I walk across the stage at graduation, I’m half expecting the terminator to tackle me before I reach my diploma.
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SPORTS Page 4 | February 24, 2012
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Tech Doubleheader Preview Murray State Racers (26-1, 13-1 OVC) at Golden Eagles (18-11, 9-6 OVC) WHEN: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. WHERE: The Hoop LAST MEETING: Murray State defeated Tech 82-74 on Jan. 14 at Murray
Tech expects record-breaking attendance at Hoop Saturday Athletics encourages all fans attending to support teams by wearing purple By JESSICA SMITH Beat Reporter
The women’s basketball team hopes for a record-breaking crowd at the Murray State game Feb. 25. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m., with the men’s game following after. Athletics is encouraging students, faculty and staff and community members to come to the games wearing purple. “Attendance matters for support for the team,” said Rob Schabert, Sports Information and Broadcasting assistant athletics director. “One of the most difficult things to do in college sports is to win a basketball game on the road; it’s such a hostile environment and atmosphere. “We are hoping that our fans will make it very difficult for the visiting team when they come to the Eblen Center.” Tech’s women’s basketball record attendance of 6,113 was set Feb. 3, 1990 when Tech hosted and won against rival Middle Tennessee State University. Schabert said that a large crowd was at both the women’s and men’s game in the doubleheader, but attendance for the record was counted only from those attending the women’s game. Saturday’s attendance will be counted the same way. “Tech’s women’s basketball led the Ohio Valley Conference in attendance for more than 20 years, and we’re hoping to get back to that level,” Schabert said. “Winning the OVC championship last year was a good first
step toward rebuilding a huge following for our women’s basketball program.” This year, Tech’s women will be seeded No. 3 out of eight in the OVC Tournament, and they have won eight out of their last 10 games. The two losses were by a total of three points. “I think it’s pretty cool that they’re trying to get as many people at this game because for both men’s and women’s, it’s probably the most important game of the season,” sophomore Elise Robertson, said. “The women are on a really high swing into the conference tournament, and I think that they could use a big crowd just as well as the men could. “It will be interesting to see if the women can get the record they need to break the record right before they head into conference season.” Tickets will be available all day Friday in the Athletic Ticket Office in the Hoop and were distributed in the RUC the past two weeks. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. Schabert said, “All of the lower bowl reserved seats are sold out. As of Tuesday, about 2,000 tickets remained for the upper bowl, and tickets were selling briskly Monday and Tuesday, so all indications are that it’s going to add up to a very good crowd.” Ticket distributions alone will not count toward attendance, but the number of people who walk through the door to see the women’s game will count.
THE BREAKDOWN
Tech
OFFENSE Murray State and Tech rank 1 and 2, respectively, in scoring offense in the OVC. The Racers average 74.8 points a game and the Golden Eagles average 73.2.
DEFENSE The Racers have the best defense in the conference. They average 4.1 blocks, 8.4 steals and only allow 61.6 points a game, all OVC bests.
REBOUNDING Tech leads the OVC in rebounding margin with a +2.9 and average 34.7 a game in conference play. Junior Jud Dillard leads the conference in boards with 8.7 a game.
MINDSET Murray State has already clinched the regular season OVC title and the 1 seed in the conference tournament. Tech has clinched a berth but is looking to secure a first round bye and a potential 3 seed.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION The previous matchup was only an eight-point game at Murray. With a record crowd projected to pack the Eblen Center and Murray State having nothing to play for, be on upset alert.
Murray State 64, Tennessee Tech 68
Weekly Roundup Intramural round
Allie Sampson
Tech pitcher Tristan Archer fields a ground ball from the mound in practice. Archer got his first win of the year in a 3-2 victory against Missouri State, who was ranked 31st in the Nation.
Tech completes Red Raider Classic, turns to contest against in-state rival ETSU By AARON VICK Beat Reporter
Tech’s baseball team finished the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas on Feb. 19. The Golden Eagles started the weekend with a win against Missouri State University (ranked 31st in the nation) by a score of 3-2. Tech pitcher Tristan Archer achieved his first win of the season with six scoreless innings, giving up only four hits and striking out five. Zane Morton got the save with 2 innings of work. Contributing offensively to the victory were Austin Wulf and Chad Hayes. Wulf went 3-for-4 and Hayes batted 2-for-4, with one run batted in. Although Tech began the season with a win, they finished the Red Raider Classic with three straight losses. In their loss to their second game against Missouri State, Tech went into the ninth inning down 10-7. However, their rally was cut short, resulting in a 10-8 loss. The Golden Eagles also dropped two more losses in both games against Texas Tech, losing 9-5 and 8-0 respectively. For the entire weekend, Wulf had eight hits with one homerun and Zack Stephens
notched one homer with three RBI’s. “Baseball isn’t like football,” Matt Bragga, head coach, said. “[In football] you lose one game and it keeps you from reaching big time goals. In baseball, we don’t expect to lose ever, but no team went undefeated last year. We have a mentality that we will lose a few along the way, hoping to be a much better team by the time the postseason begins.” Although Tech has started their season 1-3, they are looking forward to continuing the season against rival East Tennessee State University. Freshman Seth Lucio is expected to make his first college start on the mound against ETSU, and will also be expected to contribute with the bat as well. “Seth will contribute very, very heavily on the mound for us this year,“ Bragga said. “[He] will be our first or second guy off the bench offensively, so we expect great things out of him on the mound and offensively. He’s led the team in quality atbats all fall and early spring [in practice]”. Tech leads the all-time rivalry with ETSU 46-41, but last year the Buccaneers took home the victory with a 6-5 win over the Golden Eagles. Tech is looking to take revenge on ETSU’s field Feb.24.
Murray
Dodgeball
hits
This week’s sports stories at a glance
final the spring semester at night on Monday,
Tech intramural dodgeball has entered in to the championship rounds. Intramural dodgeball has amassed nearly 45 different teams this semester of men, women and professional fraternities and religious organizations. Students have their own personal preference of why they play dodgeball and what attracts them to it. “I like hitting people with the ball,” Leeroy Johnston, member of Fork Truck, and fifth-year senior at Tech, said. “It’s a good form of anger management.” There are times when the games can get heated and tempers can flair in the heat of a match, especially when a player says a ball did or did not make contact. The team known as “Fork Truck” defeated “Cracker Stack” Feb. 16, but this match didn’t go without controversy. “The game we just got through playing was pretty intense,” Cameron Grey, member of Fork Truck and fifth-year senior at Tech, said. “He said the ball didn’t touch his hand but it did when I slung it at him.” Some teams like to just play the game and do its best, while others take it more seriously and like to develop a strategy and practice it before playing its opponent. “Our team practices regularly, probably twice a week,” Grey said. “The face-offs are really big. “If you have three balls on your side of the court you want to try and get the opponent to throw their ball so your team has all of the balls and you can launch them away at the other team.” “If you throw two balls at the same time at a player they usually can’t handle it and won’t catch it,” Johnston said. Games are played between two teams of four players. There are four balls placed at the middle of the court, and at the beginning of the match there will be a face-off where the two teams will run to the middle to try and get a ball before the other team does. Players must touch the wall behind them with the ball before they can throw it; this can be done by throwing the ball at the back wall or running to the wall with the ball and then touching the wall. Games are won by the team that wins the best out of five games and it is double elimination. Intramural dodgeball is played during
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Fitness Center.
Women’s golf team earns secondplace result in seasons’ first play, at Ann Rhoads Invitational
Tech’s women’s golf team finished second out of 16 teams at the Ann Rhoads Invitational. The two day tournament, from Feb. 19 to Feb. 20, was hosted by Birmingham Southern College. This was the first rounds of play for the Golden Eagles in the 2012 season. At the end of the first round, Tech’s Amanda Randolph and Brandy VanEtten were one shot behind the leader in a twoway tie for second place. The Golden Eagles, as a team, were also tied for second with a combined score of 337, while the University of Indianapolis led the play with a score of 336. “It was a struggle for all of us because the conditions were so bad,” VanEtten said. “I have never played in such bad weather in my life, but we toughed it out and played our hearts out.” VanEtten scored 82 back-to-back in the two rounds, securing her 10th place in a field of 84 golfers. This marked the sophomore’s best finish in her collegiate career. All five of the Golden Eagles finished within four strokes of one another. Amanda Shephard ended in a tie for 14th overall, while junior Katherine Bell finished in a tie for 17th. Randolph and Katy Beth Glover both tied for 21st, with a score of 168 after two rounds of play. “Our next tournament isn’t for a couple of weeks,” VanEtten said. “That gives us time to work on what we are struggling with. By the time conference rolls around there is no doubt in my mind that we will improve by leaps and bounds.” The Golden Eagles next tournament is scheduled for March 19-20 at the Pinehurst Challenge in Pinehurst, N.C.
This week’s Weekly Roundup features stories from Beat Reporters Justin Duke and David Lane.
ENTERTAINMENT tntechoracle.com
Page 5 | February 24, 2012
“This Means War”: Just a corny catastrophe By LINDSEY GORE Beat Reporter
Alt Press
fun., the indie pop trio, released a new album Feb. 21 entitled “Some Nights” that features ‘80s pop elements such as synthesizers and distorted 8-bit drum beats.
fun. “Some Nights”
Album Review By LOGAN NICKLESON Web Editor “Some Nights,” the second album from indie pop trio fun., was released Feb. 21 and holds its own against its hard-to-follow 2009 counterpart, “Aim and Ignite.” Avoiding stagnancy through a tasteful experimentation with new sounds, the slower-paced release does not radically depart from what listeners adore and expect from fun. “Some Nights” possesses similar euphoric,
larger-than-life musical arrangements, flawless, playful vocals, brutally honest lyrics and innovative inclusion of various genre styles that makes fun. difficult to categorize but always interesting to listen to. fun. abandons the classical symphony-backing prominent in its debut, incorporating signature ‘80s pop elements like synthesizers and distorted 8-bit drum machine beats in its place throughout “Some Nights.” The regrettable decision to auto-tune vocals on several songs is the only major mistake fun. makes
on the album, as the robotic effect significantly detracts from the band’s strongest, unmistakable trademark: singer Nate Ruess’s pitch-perfect voice. Consistent with fun.’s debut, “Some Nights” is uplifting both sonically and lyrically. In the song “Carry On,” Ruess encourages listeners by singing, “If you’re lost and alone or you’re sinking like a stone, carry on. May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on.” Soul and R&B singer Janelle Monáe joins the band
for a brief vocal appearance on the inspirational third track, “We Are Young,” and leaves listeners feeling empowered and capable of conquering the world. The title track would fit well among songs from the soundtrack of the original “Lion King,” featuring heroic percussion and the stirring, Queen-like choir backing vocals and contagious joy for which fun. is renowned.
“This Means War” puts a tacky, macho CIA man spin on a story that has been told countless times before. Lauren, played by Reese Witherspoon, is a single woman whose best friend Trish, played by Chelsea Handler, takes Lauren’s love life into her own hands and makes Lauren a profile on a dating website. Lauren reluctantly goes on a date with the calm, collected British dad Tuk, played by Tom Hardy, and hits it off. She meets FDR, played by Chris Pine, in a matter of minutes after her date with Tuk, and FDR tries to woo her with his smooth talking. FDR shows up to Lauren’s job the next day and insists on taking her on a date. Lauren does not know she has just gotten herself into a love triangle with two best friends who use their CIA skills to try and win Lauren over. When Tuk and FDR realize they are both chasing the same woman, they decide to let the best man win. They let Lauren continue dating them both without ever telling her they know each other. They each use their spy skills to help themselves and hinder the other’s progress with Lauren. “This Means War” would benefit from just being a romantic comedy or a spy movie, not both. Integrating the spy theme into the film adds a cheesy,
unpleasant atmosphere and comes across as tacky and cheap a majority of them time. The spy plot, focuses on catching the criminal Heinrich, played by Til Schweiger, is haphazardly placed and comes to a crashing halt with all loose ends coming together all at once. Witherspoon’s performance is annoying at times, and her acting seems forced during some scenes. Hardy and Pine outshine Witherspoon throughout most of the film with solid acting. Hardy’s role as the sensitive, single dad is a strange role for him, but he pulls the character together nicely. Handler is the shining gem of the film. She comes off with countless, hilariously crude remarks, many of which had to be cut to allow the film its PG-13 rating. Handler’s dirty mouth and blunt honesty, that she packs into her short amount of screen time, is almost reason enough to go see the romantic comedy. “This Means War” is a nearly catastrophic romantic comedy gone macho that is corny, but oddly entertaining. “This Means War” is rated PG-13 for some sexual content including references, some violence and action, and for language.
Lindsey’s Rating
Logan’s Rating
Fashion Forward Escape the muffin-top: Buy jeans that fit, flatter your body shape By CHRISTINA RIDDLE Entertainment Editor Do you suffer from a muffin-top or jeans that don’t curve with the shape of your body? Try buying jeans that flatter your personal body type. There are so many different body shapes that the idea that one style of jeans will be right for everyone is unrealistic. One significant milestone reached by college students is the realization that they are no longer junior’s; therefore, they should no longer shop in the junior’s section in stores. The most important thing is to figure out what your body shape is, make your peace with it and dress accordingly. One of the most important rules when choosing a pair of jeans is to avoid the
dreaded muffin-top. Believe it or not, this downfall is avoidable, regardless of your shape and size. Choosing the right size jeans will determine if you have that extra flab hanging out over your jeans or not. Remember, when all else fails, buy a larger size and wear a belt. Figuring out what body shape you have is a simple task, however, these categories are not exclusive in the fact that you might very well fit into more than one. Nevertheless, gaining a general idea of your shape is very helpful. The Apple. Those with appleshaped bodies have broad shoulders compared to their hips. They also tend to have slim thighs and a fuller chest. Jeans that create a waist and are not too
tight are important for this body shape. High waisted trouser jeans would be perfect for the apple-shaped body. These jeans create the illusion of a dramatic waist line and fit thighs comfortably preventing the “topple-over” look apple figures face. The Rectangle. Women with rectangularly-shaped bodies tend to gain weight equally over their bodies. Because of this equal weight distribution, their bodies are straight with little curvature. Similar to the apple, rectangularshaped women should look for jeans that create the illusion of a waist. Fortunately, for the rectangle shape’s lack of weight in the lower portion of their body, they can choose light or dark wash jeans.
The Pear. The pear-shaped body gains weight predominantly in the lower portion of their body, making it exactly the opposite shape of the apple shape. Pear shapes should choose jeans with a darker wash to draw attention away from the largest portion of their body. Curvy jeans with a slight stretch for comfort are ideal for the pear body. The Hourglass. Women with the hourglass body shape have significantly smaller waists than their bust or hips. The curvier a person is, the more they need jeans that have a higher waist line. Hourglass shapes also benefit from a contoured waist line and jeans with a slightly flared or booth cut to balance out their hips.
Listen online at tntech.edu/wttu
Jillian Boreing
Steak Fajitas is one of the many dishes at Pueblo Viejo.
Restaruant Review: Pueblo Viejo By WILL SHECKLER Asst. Entertainment Editor Welcome to Club Viejo! It may not the clubbing hot spot anymore, but the Pueblo Viejo Mexican Restaurant and Banquet Hall is located where Club Jet, the Cookeville Expo, used to be on 12th Street, towards Algood. As I parked outside this huge, white restaurant, I couldn’t help but think how much this place has changed over the last decade, from a skating rink, to various clubs and now a Mexican restaurant. On entering, you’ll notice a finely decorated lobby before you. Just beyond is the main part of the restaurant, with many tables, but not many people dining. I ordered the huarache with chicken my first time here. It was a long corn tortilla with grilled onions, ja-
lapenos and hot sauce that I could add on the side. The chicken wasn’t over cooked and the onions were made just right, making me one happy customer after I finish this meal. Although the experience inside the place was cozy, I still couldn’t help but think I was eating inside a festively decorated warehouse. The food at this joint was super good both times and the only turn off was price. When quality and quantity are both important aspects of a place it’s not too surprising that you’ll be paying it. If interested, check out the restaurant’s website for coupons, specials and more. The site also tells about upcoming events in the restaurant’s banquet hall. I’m surprised there weren’t a lot of people at this place because the food is worth it, whether or not you have coupons.
NEWS Page 6 | February 24, 2012
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Tuition & Fees Increase CONTINUED from page 1
Students who take lab sciences may also have new fees. “We now have requested a breakage fee in chemistry,” Stinson said. “If a student is careless and breaks a beaker or something that costs more than $89, which some of them do, they will have to pay for it.” Non-mandatory fees are not used to run the general operations of the University, but are funneled directly to the department the fee is connected to. Tech requested a total of eight non-mandatory fee increases. Tech also requested to change its housing fee structure. Tech Village, for example, could see an increase of 4.5 to 4.7 percent if the request passes. Residence halls could see an increase
of 2 to 4.5 percent per semester based on the state of repair of a given residence hall. “New Hall North and New Hall South have a low increase of 2.5 percent, and that is because they are newer buildings and do not need much repair,” Stinson said. “The rest of them, we have some major renovations to do. So rather than wait and hit you with a 10 percent increase, we will build into it.” Tech has taken other controversial cost cutting measures this semester, like outsourcing custodial work, and is in the process of implementing a system that will charge students using campus printers if they surpass a print quota. These proposed fee and tuition increases also come
Presidential Search CONTINUED from page 1
The search firm has chosen the Nashville Marriot Airport Hotel to host the first round of interviews. It is customary to host the interviews where they can bring in the candidates and have them fly out close to the interview location. Committee member Steve Rains offered his business in town, Progressive Savings Bank, to host the first round of interviews. “My preference is do the interviews here,” Joe Albrecht, committee member, said. “It would not be a real inconvenience for the candidates to do the interviews
here.” After the committee narrows down the list to 3 to 5 candidates from the first round of interviews, the second interviews are conducted on campus. Asher encourages the candidates to bring his or her spouses for the campus interview because they are a big factor in determining if the candidate will want to be Tech’s president. The candidates will have an interview on campus and are taken to talk to people at Tech and in the community.
at a time when many students struggle to pay for college. Last year USA Today reported that student loan debt surpassed credit card debt in the U.S., for the first time in history. “You can’t look at all this and say it is better for education,” Nathan Strickland, Tech English, said. “Students just want to get out of college without debt. That’s what students want and the University isn’t helping.” Stinson remains hopeful that Tech students will understand the need for the fee and tuition increases. “I find that students are not unreasonable,” Stinson said. “We would all like us not to have fee increases, but students are involved. The Student Government were the first ones to propose the increased recreational fee. ” The TBR will vote later in the semester on these fee increases.
CRIME BRIEFS: - Feb. 1 - 9:30 Classification: Burglary/ Breaking & Entering Location: Prescott Middle School
- Feb. 17 - 4:05 Classification: Trespass of Real Property Location: Volpe Library & Media Center
- Feb. 22 - Not Available Classification: Theft from Building Location: Prescott Middle School
- Feb. 16 - 3:00 Classification: Theft of Vehicle Parts Location: Memorial Gym West Parking Lot
- Feb. 18 - 5:07 Classification: Intimidation Location: Tech Village Community Center Parking Lot
- Feb. 22 - 1:00 Classification: Disorderly Conduct Location: Johnson Hall
- Feb. 16 - Not Available Classification: Theft from Building Location: Foster Hall
- Feb. 16 - 8:04 Classification: Larceny Location: Evins Hall - Bike Rack
- Feb. 16 - Not Available Classification: Destruction/ Damage/Vandalism Location: Memorial Gym Gym C
- Feb. 21 - Not Available Classification: Destruction/ Damage/Vandalism Location: New Hall South
For up-to-date crime information, visit tntechoracle.com
Bicyclist struck by vehicle on campus By JACOB WALKER Beat Reporter
Advice from the Chancellor: Chancellor John Morgan advised the committee to “not try to find another Bob Bell; that is not possible.” “Find someone that can take this institution from a good place to a great place,” Morgan said. The committee is expected to choose a president by the end of April.
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- Feb. 23 - 2:00 Classification: Drug/ Narcotic Violation Location: Jobe Hall North Parking Lot
Tech Police responded to a call at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 20, involving a collision between a bicyclist and a car. The incident occurred at the intersection between Clement and Lewis Halls. “It was a nice, clear day,” Gay Shepherd, Tech police chief, said. “The lady that was driving was very upset that this bicycle ran into her car.” Although were no serious injuries to either party, the approximate amount of
damage caused is unknown. The police report was not available to the public, as the investigation is still pending. “Students on bicycles still have to follow the same traffic laws that apply to all motorists,” Shepherd said. “They have to stop at all stop signs, yield to the right of way when it’s not their turn and basically just be aware of their surroundings.” Shepherd said the old saying “check both ways before crossing the road” still applies to students who are simply walking on campus.
“Students that might be running late for class or something like that need to be cautious of others on the sidewalks and streets,” Shepherd said. A safety tip for students using bicycles to travel around Tech would be to use reflectors in order to decrease the chances of not being seen. Also, traveling at night increases the odds of a potential accident due to low visibility levels. For more safety information, please visit www.tntech. edu/police.
SOLO Super Fund lacks student group participation By JODI LAWERENCE Beat Reporter SGA’s Student Organization Life Opportunity Bill General Operating Fund has excess funds available to students and student groups. The SOLO Bill is designed provide Tech students with more than a concert each semester. The bill is divided into two sections, the Super and the General Funds. The Super Fund, which accounts for 75 percent, is the fund that allows for a major concert each semester. The General Fund, which makes up the other 25 percent, provides funding to student organizations promoting their organizations on campus, as long as the events are free. In recent semesters not all of the money in the General Fund has been dispersed. The amount of money
generally given to organizations is $1000. “The fund for this is growing,” Ashley Humphrey, SGA treasure, said. “We have approximately $40,000 that can be given out, but we are having a lot of difficulty getting student organizations to apply for this funding.” The fund has three allocation periods in which it awards money to groups who have applied for funding. There are no limits as to how many groups can be approved during each period. “Each allocation period has three major dates that you have to look into,” said Humphrey. “There is a date that you have to submit your application. “Then our senate will vote on every application. Once an application passes through the senate, it goes to
the Student Affairs office and that is where the organization goes to deal with all their funding.” Five organizations were granted funding in the last allocation period. “We want to give the money out, but unless we see more applications we just aren’t able to do so,” Humphrey said. If organizations do not apply for funding, it puts a snag in SGA’s to bring more events to Tech students. “The SOLO Bill’s main driving purpose is to promote student retention on campus and to get students involved on campus,” Lee Gatts, SGA president, said. “Hopefully going to our SOLO funded events will help students to learn about the organization.”