The Oracle - 030116

THE

1000 N. Dixie Ave. | Cookeville, TN | 38505

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Tuesday, March 1, 2016

RACLE Volume 100 | Issue 13 | Free in single copy

The primary news source of the Golden Eagles since 1924

> Men’s basketball wins 19th game of season over EKU.

Serving Tennessee Tech weekly during the fall and spring semesters

>>Page 4

Chemical engineering wins “Best Darn Major” title

By REBECCA FINLEY Beat Reporter & MARANDA TANKERSLY Beat Reporter For the first time since 2010, chemical engineers won the “Best Darn Major” award as part of the annual Engineering Week, breaking mechanical engineering’s 3-year winning streak.

“It’s about time,” said chemical engineering major Erin Ekart.

E-Week is an annual, weeklong competition where the six engineering majors participate in events to collect the most points and win the “Best Darn Major” award. Sponsored by the Engineering Joint Council, E-Week occurs every year in the third week of February at universities nationwide.

This year, two new events, Eagle Ethics and Raspberry Pi, were added to the week of competitions that already includes tug-of-war, egg drop and cardboard canoe.

According to EJC President Molly Lydick, the Eagle Ethics event required students to submit “fun and creative” videos about academic integrity.

She further explained the Raspberry Pi event, stating that Raspberry Pi is a programmable mini computer.

Monday, Feb. 22, the Building Blitz was held in Prescott Hall; Tugof-War took place at Tucker Stadium; Dodgeball took place in Memorial Gym, and Cardboard Canoe in the Fitness Center’s pool. Chemical Engineers took home wins for the Building Blitz, Tug-of-War and the Dodgeball competitions. Civil engineers secured their first win in the Cardboard Canoe event.

Tuesday, Feb. 23, mechanical engineers wont the Egg Drop competition, which was held at the west

Kate Trebing l The Oracle E-WEEK - Engineering students race against the clock to assemble and dissemble the DaVinci Bridge during the SAME Obstacle course. Chemical engineering won the SAME Obstacle course event during E-Week. side of Tucker Stadium. Poker/Chili night took place in Clement Hall.

Mechanical Engineers were victorious at the Chili event, but chemical engineers won their hand at Poker.

The new Eagle Ethics event was held Tuesday in Johnson Hall; chemical engineers submitted the video that displayed their academic integrity most creatively.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, the SAME Obstacle course was held in Memorial Gym, and the Engineering Bowl took

place in Clement Hall. Chemical Engineers won the Obstacle course, and mechanical engineers secured the win for the Engineering Bowl.

Electrical and computer engineers were victorious for the first time Wednesday night at the Raspberry Pi event, which took place in Prescott Hall.

“Students were given $50 to spend on any part they wanted and to create whatever they wanted,” said Lydick. “This year, Electrical

Engineering created a scanner that if you had a picture of your eagle card on your phone, you could still use it— in case you lost your card.”

The Engineering Awards Banquet was held Thursday night at the Leslie Town Centre, concluding the week’s events.

Along with the “Best Darn Major” award, Mr. and Ms. Engineer were announced at the banquet.

Each department nominates fellow classmates as candidates and com-

petes in the Penny Wars competition throughout the week. Mechanical engineering students, Riley Collins and Allena Ward, were crowned Mr. and Ms. Engineer 2016.

Collins said, “I’ve worked really hard, and I’ve put in a lot of work. I competed in all of the E-Week events, and it’s a very humbling feeling to be Mr. Engineer.”

See “E-Week” >> Page 2

Rugby wins first Dixie conference title, playoffs to begin March 19

By ANNA MCFARLAND Beat Reporter Tennessee Tech’s Rugby team claimed its first Dixie Conference title after defeating its No. 1 rival, Lee University, Saturday, Feb. 20.

Tech Rugby walked away from Lee’s home field with a victory of 46-12 to claim the title. Out of five teams in the conference, Tech came out on top after losing to Lee by eight points last season.

According to senior play-

er and president of the team, Blake Holder, having a game plan going into the match against Lee was a major advantage. The team scored 19 points within the first 20 minutes.

“Definitely, overall as a team, we’ve gotten closer together on the field and off the field,” said Holder.

Hard work and talent from new players were among the reasons Holder claims the team was able to take the victory this season.

After returning from an

injury in one of the first games of the semester, team captain David Simms claimed Lee is usually one of the more dominant teams in the conference.

“Honestly, the difference in this game and why we were able to pull away was, one: we knew what was on the line to be able to bring home the conference title for the first time in Tech’s history,” said Simms. “Two: the way the team pulled together.”

According to Simms, this is one of the first semesters the new players and veteran

players on the team were equal in talent. Simms emphasized the value of Tech’s rugby program as a family and not just a club.

“We need to make sure that we reach out and let people know that they are not just playing a sport, but they are getting into a family,” Simms said.

Simms claims he could see Tech Rugby becoming an official sport in the next few years and hopes people will see that Tech has a serious program.

Tech Rugby will be competing in the first round of playoffs March 19 and 20 against Valdosta State.

Sandra Harbison | Guest Contributor NO. 1 - Blake Holder tackles a runner from the Lee University rugby team on Saturday, Feb. 20.

FOCUS Act prompts discussion among students and faculty of impact on campus

By ELISSA LONGFELLOW Beat Reporter Students and faculty have voiced their concerns on Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed Focus on College and University Success Act. President Philip Oldham remains positive about the changes, but faculty and students are skeptical.

“At Tech, we embrace the autonomy this change will bring and also recognize the increased responsibility our university faces. We look forward to the opportunities to be flexible and responsive in terms of the academic programs and services we offer as we continue to align our work to the university’s Flight Plan,”

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said Oldham.

The act is being announced as the “next step in the ‘Drive to 55’ initiative,” according to Gov. Haslam. The initiative was launched to ensure that by 2025, at least 55 percent of Tennesseans have a postsecondary degree or certificate. In his address, the governor mentioned that as of 2014, only 33 percent meet these qualifications.

The FOCUS Act has three main parts. The first is to make the Tennessee Board of Regents more focused on community and technical colleges. The second is to establish individual local boards for the six universities under the TBR. The third portion is to strengthen the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

The primary concerns students and faculty

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have voiced deal with the creation of the local governing board.

“As a commission member on THEC and a student, I support the intent of the FOCUS Act, but I disagree with the composition of the university board of trustees that are being established. Specifically, the nonvoting student members,” said Alex Martin.

The board will have 10 members, nine voting and one nonvoting, with eight of the members being appointed by the governor. Six of these members are required to be Tennessee residents and at least three members must be Tech alumni.

The remaining two members will represent faculty and student interests for the university.

One active faculty member and one student will be selected by the board and serve a oneyear term. The faculty member will be a voting member of the board, while the student will be a nonvoting member.

Of the board’s powers, there are three main points of impact. The first is the board will be able to select and employ the university president. The second point is the board will be able to set tuition, which must be approved by THEC. The third point is the board will be able to establish policies regarding the university and campus life.

See “Focus Act” >> Page 2

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NEWS >>“Focus Act” Continued from Page 1

Since the board will set university tuition, Tech students will be directly affected by this change.

“These boards will make tuition increase recommendations in the future, and I think it is very important for a student to have a vote on that issue,” said Martin.

The current student representatives for the TBR and THEC are voting members.

Under the new plan, the student will be a nonvoting member, and the board will appoint a student to the position, instead the student body electing a representative.

“This is a real step back for student representation in the state. I strongly believe the student member of the board should either be chosen by his peers or by a partnership between his peers and campus administration,” said Nicholas Russell, TBR student regent.

President Oldham stance on the issue acknowledges the student voice, but he agrees with the governor’s proposed structure for the board.

“I do understand the students concerns regarding the voting issue, but assert to them that having even a non-voting student board member is a very powerful position. Student concerns and opinions will be well represented and carry considerable weight with the full board,” said Oldham.

Both Russell and Martin have been working with SGA presidents from other universities to change the voting status for the student board member.

Martin recently met with Harry Brooks, chair of education administration and planning for the Tennessee House of Representatives, who agreed to an amendment, which has been filed with the operations committee.

In addition to student concerns, Tech faculty members have their own opinions about the coming changes.

One of those concerns is that the faculty from the six universities will be removed from the TBR faculty sub-council.

The sub-council provides an environment that fosters relationships between representatives from 2 and 4-year schools, according to Julia Gruber, president of the TTU chapter of the American

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

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>> Campus

Association of University Professors.

“Without such a statewide representative body, the faculty will lose much of its voice. This may be an intended or unintended consequence of the FOCUS Act, but it would reduce the influence of those people who actually deliver the goods in our Drive to 55,” said Gruber.

A second concern the faculty has voiced deals with the board’s influence over academic curricula. Under the FOCUS Act, the board will have the power to “[p] rescribe curricula and requirements for diplomas and degrees.”

Some faculty members think that this would place the decision making power with people who don’t know enough about the specific academic programs, according to the AAUP website.

“The current TBR board has approval power over curricula and academic standards. However, just as now, the faculty will continue to have primary control and responsibility for curriculum and academic decisions,” said Oldham.

Russell supports the act, despite the various issues with the student member and representation, because the bill gives the Tech community the chance to improve itself.

“The impact on Tennessee Tech will be completely what we make of it. Any change in governance can be a net positive or a net loss, it all depends on the leadership’s take on the change and the campus’s ability to adapt,” said Russell.

“President Oldham has seemed very optimistic about the changes in store, and I believe he is the kind of leader that will help Tech thrive in this changing environment. No one should be scared or think this will result in any massive changes in student life. Changes will be phased in slowly, and there are already task forces working to evaluate how to handle this change process smoothly.”

The FOCUS Act has been submitted to the Tennessee Legislature and is in the process of being reviewed.

Various amendments to the act have been proposed and are also under review.

No date is set for when a decision will be made, but the transition period is slated to begin July 1, 2016.

events @ tech March

1

All Day

Order The Centennial Eagle Yearbook RUC 372

All Day

John Oles, Ceramic Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

11 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.

Professional Development Series with Eric Hyche Clement Hall 212

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

Olivia Hoffman | The Oracle CARDBOARD BOAT RACE - The Civil Engineering team, made up of Brown Holden and Evan Anderson, rejoice in their victory in the Cardboard Boat Race Feb. 22. The race was one of many events held throughout Tech’s Engineers Week.

>>“E-Week” Continued from Page 1 The money that is collected from the Penny Wars competition is used to fund the Engineering Joint Council scholarship for which all engineering majors can apply.

Awards were also given at the banquet to outstanding students, faculty and staff on behalf of their achievements. Awards for

outstanding alumni included: Alumnus of the Year, Technologist of Distinction and the Young Alumnus Achievement award.

Carlos Carvajal, recipient of the Young Alumnus Achievement Award, said, “E-Week is about celebrating how engineers make a difference in the world. As we look at our professors, I want the students to look up to them, because I want [the students] to think about ‘how can I make a difference in the world when I graduate?’”

Career Readiness Career Fair Workshop Multipurpose Room

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

Senior Student Recital: Zachary Eberhart, Saxophone Wattenbarger Auditorium

2

All Day

John Oles, Ceramic Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

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

Saxophone Studio Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

3

All Day

John Oles, Ceramic Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

AAUP Meeting RUC 370

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

QPR Training Tech Pride Room

11 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.

Professional Development Series with Lito Mendoza Clement Hall 212

12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Healthcare Fair 2016 Multipurpose Room

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

Additively Innovative Virtual Lecture Series with Ian Campbell iMakerSpace

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

Studio Voice Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium

4

All Day

John Oles, Ceramic Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

Upper Cumberland Home and Garden Show Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion

All Day

CISE Grant Application Deadline Derryberry Hall

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

Joint Student Recital: Dalton Swallows, Clarinet; Travis Welcher, Flute Wattenbarger Auditorium

5 All Day

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John Oles, Ceramic Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

Upper Cumberland Home and Garden Show Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion

www.tntech.edu/calendar

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Features <<

NEWS

Nontraditional Student Organization elects new officers for Spring semester

By KATELYN MOSER Beat Reporter

Tennessee Tech’s Nontraditional Student Organization met Tuesday, Feb. 23 in Southwest Hall to discuss upcoming events and plans for 2016.

“A traditional student is defined as anyone 18 to 24 years old. They’re someone who’s starting college straight out of high school,” said Director of the Interdisciplinary Student Success Center, Jeannie Smith.

“A nontraditional student is usually anyone who is typically 25 years or older who may have family and

work obligations. Their needs are different from the typical student. They don’t live on campus. They just have different needs than a college student coming straight out of high school.”

New officer positions were elected; President Amy Collier, Vice President Tammy Long, Secretary Tara Bennett, and Student at Large Jeremy Burnsides were chosen for representation on Tech’s campus.

“For me this organization is a way to meet students I can better relate to outside of school, many of us have children and jobs,” said Collier, senior in child development and family relations.

“It’s nice to be able to talk about life with someone

who really understands the hardships of being a mom in college. I am 26, so I’m older than most students. I have been in college since fall of 2008. I took three semesters off after I had my daughter in 2012 and came back to finish my CDFR Degree.”

Those who participated in Tuesday’s meeting spoke about how comforting it was to find that there were others students like them on Tech’s campus.

According to Smith, 12 to 14 percent of Tech’s population consist of those 26 years of age or older.

“There’s this huge push by the state to help find ways to get nontraditional students back into school and help them finish their

degrees. For the first time I’ve ever known there’s this kind of support being given to the nontraditional students,” said Smith.

Events are being coordinated within the organization for students to meet and support one another.

Smith “We’re possibly going to reach out and join forces with the Veterans group on campus to see if they’d like to participate with us to have a family day. The students and their families can bring a potluck dish and get together and have fun,” said Smith.

A food crawl was also mentioned by Long.

“I really like the idea of each major bringing a dish!

It’s such a great idea for each major to get together with this,” said Long.

A mentoring program was discussed and, if put into action, would be available for nontraditional students within the organization who would like to talk with students who have been successful in their career paths who were also nontraditional students.

Those who wish to be a part of the organization are encouraged to join.

“It’s not a lot of work, we don’t ask a lot of our members. We just want to encourage all of the nontra-

ditional students to pop in a meeting and say hi.

Having people on campus who you can better relate to makes juggling school, work and life a little less stressful,” said Collier.

“I am hoping we can really get this organization off the ground. I am looking forward to having an impact with nontraditional students on campus.

“I hope we can in some way help every one of them.

We have some great plans for this semester, and I hope we keep involvement up and are able to make a difference on campus.”

The next meeting for NTSO will be March 15 at 5 p.m. in Southwest Hall Room 142.

Student Government hosts voter registration drive to increase turnout by November election

By MEGAN WILLIAMSON Beat Reporter The Student Government Association is hosting a voter registration drive Tuesday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Roaden University Center first floor lobby.

Students do not need any kind of ID to register, but they will need to provide ID when voting for the first time.

Students will fill out a form that allows them to pick the city that they consider their residence; this will be the city in which they can vote.

Elliot Mitzelfeld, SGA secretary of programming, is in charge of the drive and has high hopes

that the drive will help register more students than last year.

“Last year, 39 schools were involved [in organizing a drive], and we registered 133 new voters at TTU. This was the same amount as the University of Tennessee, and they have quite a bit larger student population,” said Mitzelfeld.

“Our goal for this year is to double that number by the time of the presidential election.”

In the U.S. Census Bureau’s article, “Young Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections 1964-2012,” statistics show that the amount of 18 to 24 year olds that vote in the presidential election has decreased from 50 percent in 1964 to 38 percent in 2012.

According to Mitzelfeld, these registration drives are a part of a

push from the Tennessee Secretary of State office to increase voting involvement with college-aged students.

Student leaders in the state met at the Secretary of State office to discuss their overall goal of registering more voters than previous years and to plan improvements that will help these leaders accomplish this goal.

“Part of our plan is to use the hashtag ‘#GoVoteTN’ to promote voting and the registration drive,” said Mitzelfeld.

Allyson Dunn, a sophomore cellular and molecular biology major, plans on voting in the presidential election for the first time.

She was not able to because of her age during the 2012 election.

“I’m going to vote because I

‘‘Our goal for this year is to double that

number by the time of the presidential election.

—Elliot Mitzelfeld SGA Secretary of Programing

feel like it’s my responsibility to exercise my right to vote,” said Dunn.

“I think it’s important to vote in college because this sets the tone for the rest of your voting career. If you start voting now, you are more likely to continue to vote as you get older. It’s important to establish your political stance.”

,,

There will also be two other registration drives this year.

A drive is scheduled to take place at the end of April. The other will be scheduled during the fall semester.

SGA encourages other student organizations and groups to get involved and to volunteer at the upcoming voter registration drives.

Engineering Career Fair CAREER FAIR - Daniel Schlenker, an engineering technology major, speaks with representatives from Endura at the career fair Feb. 25.

The University was host to more than 200 firms and corporations for the annual Engineering Career Fair. Students were able to meet with representative from these firms and even set up interviews for later in the day.

The career fair was a part of the College of Engineering’s Engineers Week.

Isaac Wright | The Oracle

Cookeville Golf Club donates facilities to Tech for use in athletic and academic programs

By DEWAYNE WRIGHT Press Release The Cookeville Golf Club is being donated to Tennessee Tech.

Owner Lanny Dunn announced the planned gift on Wednesday night at a meeting for club members and property owners.

TTU President Phil Oldham and Mark Wilson, director of athletics, were in attendance.

“This gift expands ways for Tech students to have hands-on experiences that make their degrees distinctive,” Oldham said.

“It provides ways for several academic programs, such as turfgrass management and food system ad-

ministration, to further customize the experience of our students.”

The university expects to continue operation of the property as a golf club open to the public, and it will b e c o m e the home course for Oldham Tech men’s and women’s golf teams.

Tech will arrange an appraisal of the property to establish a value for this gift.

The gift will not become official until the value of the property is determined and the university and Dunn sign a gift agreement.

Following that, the university will review and

establish the operational structure of the golf course.

According to Wilson, Tech will be developing a business plan and an operational strategy for the golf club.

Once the gift is official and Tech begins to manage the golf club, the university plans to operate it “as-is” while developing plans for the property.

The gift of the property and buildings will be to the TTU Foundation, which will then transfer it to the university.

Kevin Braswell, vice president for university advancement, said that once Tech’s plans are set, the university would look for private support for any possible future improvements of the golf club.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Page 4 || COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE

SPORTS

>> Inside the Game

Basketball splits senior night double header

By BRANDON BURKE Asst. Sports Editor

Saturday, Feb. 27, Tennessee Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball teams split with Eastern Kentucky.

It was an emotional night for both Golden Eagle teams as Tech hosted its senior night.

The Golden Eagles said goodbye to seniors Tia Nicholson, Samaria Howard, Mariah Dean, Torrance Rowe, Ryan Martin and Anthony Morse.

Being a senior, Howard was in disbelief after the women lost to a resilient Eastern Kentucky team 71-67 in overtime. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over,â&#x20AC;? said Howard.

Eastern Kentucky jumped out to an early lead over Tech outscoring them 20-12 in the first quarter. By the end of the first half, the Colonels held a 10 point advantage over the Golden Eagles.

After the game, Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball coach Jim Davis said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We came out very slow in the first half, that had as much to do with it [the loss] than anything. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m disappointed; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hurt more for our seniors than anybody.

They are a wonderful group of young ladies.â&#x20AC;?

A couple of Davisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s points of emphasis all season have been physicality and rebounding. Dean had another dominant rebounding performance in this game pulling 16 boards. However as a team, Tech was outrebounded by EKU 48-42 for the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entirety. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just hate it for our seniors. The next group of players, the underclassman, have got to step up and make things happen for the future,â&#x20AC;? said Davis.

The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contest was a 3-point shootout from the first whistle; however, shots did not start falling consistently until the second half.

The Golden Eagles shot a mere 25 percent from beyond the arc in the first half, but with the help of Aleksa Jugovic, junior, and Rowe, Tech increased that percentage to 55.6 percent from 3-point range in the second half helping their team se-

Christian McCall | The Oracle GOING OUT IN STYLE - Senior Torrance Rowe looks for an open man during Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior night matchup with Eastern Kentucky. Rowe scored 23 points.

Shea Haile | The Oracle STRAIGHT OUT OF THE GATE - Junior Chase Burkett delivers a pitch from the mound during his first start of the 2016 season for Tech. Burkett pitched for seven innings in Feb. 26 game against Bucknell.

cure the victory over Eastern Kentucky, 92-82.

Jugovic alone made 7-12 3-point shots while putting up 30 points for the Golden Eagles.

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball coach Steve Payne commented on Jugovicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s his job. We got on him at halftime for not shooting a couple. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even realize he had 30,â&#x20AC;? said Payne. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What he does is stretch the defense out and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a really good player.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really proud of how hard he worked and the success he had. Our guys found him, and he did a great job.â&#x20AC;?

Jugovic also spoke to the adjustments made by Tech to improve that shooting percentage in the second half. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great execution on offense and moving the ball for not a good shot, but a great shot. If my teammate is open I will pass the ball and he will knock it down. We all have trust in each other to knock down the threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly what happened in this game,â&#x20AC;? said Jugovic.

The trust and ball movement were apparent to begin the second half. Rowe also had a huge game for the Golden Eagles from beyond the arc making 5-12 shots while scoring 23 points in his final game at the Hooper Eblen Center. Rowe began the second half making four baskets, three of which were 3-pointers. Rowe also went a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line.

This win gave the men 14 home victories this season. This mark ties this Tech squad with the 2000-01 squad for the second-most home

Baseball loses series to Bucknell

victories in program history for a single season. It also gives the Golden Eagles a positive momentum heading into the OVC tournament.

Payne said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope everybody can come to Nashville [for the OVC tournament] because this is a team that can win the tournament.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to play well; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tough, tough game, a tough league, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really looking forward to taking this bunch over there and playing.â&#x20AC;?

Payne believes mental preparation is equally important as physical preparation when it comes to the OVC tournament. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You got to have a next game, next play mentality in the tournament. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to prepare like we do every other game. If you win, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got to be on to the next game.

You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend a lot of time worrying about the game before. You just have to focus on the task at hand, stay in the moment, worry about doing the next thing right and the next thing right. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done all year, we just want to do the next thing right,â&#x20AC;? said Payne.

Hakeem Rogers, junior, typically starts for the Golden Eagles, however he did play Saturday night. According to Payne, Rogers pulled a hamstring and could not practice for a couple of days leading up to the game. The coaching staff made the decision to sit Rogers against Eastern Kentucky in hopes he will be at full health come time for OVC tournament play.

The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OVC tournament starts Wednesday, March 2 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

" # ! " " #

By SHEA HAILE Sports Editor The Golden Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bats played a huge role in its 9-3 victory against Bucknell Friday. Feb. 26. Sophomore slugger Chase Chambers started the scoring for Tech with a two-run homer in the first inning.

The Bison responded in the fourth inning by scoring a run after a Tech error.

The Golden Eagles added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Kevin Strohschein crossed home plate during a Jake Rowland groundout.

Tech held a slight 3-1 lead after four innings and extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Strohscheinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single allowed Jake Farr to score the first run of the half inning. Bucknell pitcher Andrew Andreychik walked Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Matt Jones with the bases loaded which resulted in Golden Eagle catcher Chris Brown crossing home plate. Rowland was hit by a pitch during the next at-bat, which allowed Chambers to score from third. The last run of the inning came from a Matt Garza single to right field. Strohschein scored from third on the play. The Golden Eagles lead was 7-1 following a very productive fifth inning.

Farr scored on a fielderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choice in the sixth. Another Strohschein single scored Trevor Putzig from second and gave the Golden Eagles a 9-1 advantage in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Bucknell had a late offensive spark in the bottom of the ninth. Spencer Stokes smashed a two-run homer to right field.

Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Levi Wright closed out the game striking out Alex Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neil for the final out of the game and secured a 9-3 win for the Golden Eagles Chase Burkett had an impressive outing for Tech.

Burkett pitched seven innings, had four strikeouts, gave up only three hits and relinquished no earned runs.

Strohschein had the best hitting performance for the Golden Eagles. The freshman from McDonough, Georgia was 3-for-4 at the plate and had two RBIs. The only home run for Tech came from Chambers.

Both teams struggled at the plate in game two of the series Saturday. Bucknell took the lead early. Joe Orgen scored after a Tech fielding error in the top of the first inning.

The Golden Eagles received their first run from Matt Garza, who had a solo

Shea Haile | The Oracle MAKING CONTACT - Chris Brown swings at a ball during Feb. 27 game against Bucknell. Brown went 5-for-14 in the series. shot home run in the second inning.

The Bison broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth inning after a pitch from Travis Moths got away from catcher Chris Brown. Jon Mayer scored on the play giving Bucknell the 2-1 lead. The Bison scored again in the sixth inning and extended their lead to 3-1.

The Golden Eagles responded with their last run of the game in the seventh inning. Chambers connected on a pitch for a solo home run making the score 3-2. The homer was also Chambersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; second of the series. Neither team was able to add a run in the last two innings.

Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pitchers only gave up one earned run in the loss. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we had one earned run today. We allowed a run on a passed ball. We allowed a run on a throwing error in the first,â&#x20AC;? said head coach Matt Bragga about the performance of the Golden Eagles pitchers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, they did a good job.â&#x20AC;?

Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s batters left 16 runners on base. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Offensively, the game came down to how many guys we left on base,â&#x20AC;? said Bragga. â&#x20AC;&#x153; I know we left the bases loaded four times.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is too many. That is a veteran team over there [Bucknell]. They understand the game. They know how to play the game. You are not going to beat a good veteran team that plays solid baseball doing that. We have got to execute a little better offensively,â&#x20AC;? said Bragga.

Chase Chambers had his second home run of the series in the 3-2 and gave Tech one of its two runs in the game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They had been throw-

ing me a lot of pitches outside,â&#x20AC;? said Chambers. â&#x20AC;&#x153; I came into this year knowing a lot of teams would try to do that because that was one of my weaknesses last year.

They left a couple pitches elevated. Definitely, good pitches to hit and I just drove them and did about everything I could do with them.â&#x20AC;?

Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conclusion to the series began slowly.

Bucknell got on the board first in the fourth inning with two runs. The Bison added three more runs and gained a 6-0 advantage before the Golden Eagle bats came alive in the seventh inning.

Chris Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homer resulted in two RBIs for Tech and closed the gap 6-2. Matt Jones sacrifice fly scored Strohschein in the same inning cutting the Bison lead to 6-3. Ryan Flick added a home run of his own in the bottom of the ninth. The two-run blast brought Tech within one.

Bucknell dashed Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hopes of a come back on the next at bat. The Bisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Danny Rafferty closed out the game with a strikeout of Matt Jones for the last out of the game.

Brown led the Golden Eagles in hitting for the series finale. Brown was 3-for5 including a home run and two RBIs. Evan Fraliex tallied the loss in his first start of the season. Fraliex pitched four innings and gave up five hits and struck out two.

The Golden Eagles will face the Vanderbilt Commodores Tuesday, March 1 in Nashville. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 5

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Reviews <<

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Fuller House’ regrettably looks to the past to improve its equally cheesy present

By CAMERON FOWLER Entertainment Editor At this point in time, it’s weird to admit that ‘Fuller House’ exists. It’s in every way an extension of ‘Full House’ with the same roles it had, though they’ve shifted to new and returning actors. Netflix picked the show up as a reasonable nostalgia play, as seems to be one of their methods of putting series out. ‘Fuller House’ is always one step away from seeming like too much; a pitch that went too far. It’s not surprising to say that the show leans heavily on the past, while there is a little to admire about its present.

‘Fuller House’ sees the return of the Tanner family and friends, with every major actor returning in the same roles, except for the Olson twins, a fact that is actually lampooned in the first episode. The family is still under the same roof,

acting the same way, even if they’ve grown up. This leads quickly to some nice moments but no real depth for most of the cast. Sure, Stephanie Tanner is now a DJ named “DJ Tanner,” and while that is actually a pretty neat joke, the first episode is full of references to the past that draw applause from the studio audience, who seem eager to laugh and clap at pretty much anything.

The majority of the first episode spends time on where the family has been.

Danny Tanner is no longer the co-lead on ‘Wake Up, San Francisco,’ rather he is taking another job in Los Angeles on ‘Wake Up USA.’ Jesse is now a composer for ‘General Hospital,’ and Joey is, predictably, a Vegas comedian. It’s fun to see returning characters end up where they do, but the attempts to make them seem progressed don’t work as well as they should. Instead, the show tries to sway attention to D.J., Stephanie, and their childhood friend, Kimmy. Throughout the episode, they slowly assume the same roles that Bob Saget, John

Photo Courtesy: tvguide.com HAVE MERCY - The creators of ‘Fuller House’ pitched the show to many TV networks to no avail until Netflix picked it up in April 2015.

Stamos, and David Coulier had on ‘Full House,’ respectively.

This aspect of the show comes off as lazy and cheap, basically relying on the same roles as ‘Full House’ did, which makes one wonder why ‘Fuller House’ even

exists in the first place. All three women are now grown up, and by the end of the episode, all live in the Tanner house together. D.J. is a mom juggling many responsibilities, Stephanie is a worldtraveling DJ, and Kimmy is… just there.

Despite this basic premise, the actresses are still all great together, and if there’s one thing the show gets right, it’s the chemistry between them and the entire cast. Stamos, in particular, hasn’t missed a beat, giving the same cool guy delivery

to his lines. The only weak link in the cast is the man who drew in so many viewers all those years ago: Bob Saget. Saget simply seems like he doesn’t want to be there, blandly saying his lines with an awkward gait.

He’s the only cast member who seems disenchanted with the whole affair. It’s almost depressing to see him return to character with no new approach on how to play him, seeing that he did so with such enthusiasm during ‘Full House.’

‘Fuller House’ embraces what it knows, and the writers have found a way to divert something fresh.

This series is for a specific kind of audience, one that already appreciated what ‘Full House’ did when it was originally on or was syndicated. In any case, what turns up is a lackluster retelling of an already plain story, just without the same spark of heart that was present in ‘Full House.’ Perhaps the series comes into its own during later episodes, but sadly the first episode is a ho-hum debut.

‘The Witch’ is an infectious, violently bleak historical horror experience

By HANNAH BARGER Entertainment Critic

The year is 1630. The family is doing well despite exile from their village. The family’s five children are all healthy, the small farm is prospering, and the weather is holding up. Then autumn comes. One gloomy afternoon, the eldest daughter, Thomasin, is baby-sitting her infant brother, Sam. She takes her eyes off him for a split second and finds him gone. Was he taken by wolves, or by the witch of the woods?

The Witch is a shocking movie, and not in the tired, cliche fashion that so many recent horror movies have adopted. It’s horrifyingly violent, but the violence comes in short, painful bursts. Not much can be said about these specific scenes without giv-

ing the plot away, but believe me when I say that you’ll be sick to your stomach within the first 30 minutes or so. The Witch’s brand of horror is a wild ride. It’s gut wrenching and impossible to get out of your head, but it lulls you into complacency between bloodbaths and rituals.

At the same time, it’s as much of a slice-of-life family drama as it is a horror movie. The mother and father wrestle between their nearfanatical faith, their love for their children, and their urge to blame their daughter for their baby’s disappearance.

The older children deal with boredom, isolation, and their desperate need for the company of people who don’t share their family name or bloodline. Really, the only members of the family who seem content with their situation are the youngest. Jonah and Mercy are cheerfully bratty twins, roughly 6 years old, whose only friends are each other and the family’s

black goat. In a nutshell, no one in this little family unit is very well adjusted. This is exactly the kind of environment that allows for the paranoia, distrust, and fear that permeates every scene after the baby goes missing.

The atmosphere becomes even grayer, the music more sinister, and the dialogue more fast-paced and desperate.

On the subject of the dialogue, every line of the movie was written to be as historically accurate as possible.

Allegedly adapted from the journals of seventeenth-century New Englanders, the accents, topics of conversation and word choice make the audience feel as though they’ve literally been transported back in time to Massachusetts 1630.

As someone who’s seen far too many movies in this setting that used modern English peppered with a few “thee’s” and “thou’s,” I was impressed. My only com-

Photo Courtesy: youtube.com ONE FOR THE BOOKS - ‘The Witch’ receives praise from renown horror author Stephen King, as well as the Satanic Temple, who claim they are “empowered” by the film’s narrative. plaint is that the family, especially the father, is incredibly difficult to understand at times. I think adding subtitles may have solved this problem, but hopefully that will be an option by the time the DVD release comes

11th Annual TTU Research & Creative Activities Day

ot be . n l l i w cts ch 4 Abstread after Mar accept

Submit your abstract at https://www.tntech.edu/research/research-day/registration.

ABSTRACTS DUE MARCH 4.

Setup and Judging Wednesday, April 6, 2016 (Multipurpose Room) Noon-4 p.m.: Registration and Poster Setup 4-7 p.m.: Judging (students are invited to be available to discuss posters.) *Hors d’oeuvres will be served from 4-7 p.m.

Event

(free and open to the public)

Thursday, April 7, 2016 (Multipurpose Room) 9-11 a.m.: Poster Display (students are invited to be available to discuss posters.)

11 a.m.-noon: Awards Ceremony 12-1 p.m.: Poster Pickup/Cleanup *Breakfast will be served from 8-9 a.m.

The Office of Research sponsors this event to support student research and creative activities and to provide experience in making presentations in a professional setting. In addition to the traditional posters,

Research and Creative Activities Day welcomes students from the humanities to share their projects in whatever format is appropriate.

For more information, visit www.tntech.edu/research/research-day or call (931) 372-6587.

Plan to be part of this year’s event!

around.

If you’re a fan of slowburn horror, I can’t recommend The Witch enough. It’s the kind of movie that takes awhile to sink in, but when it does, you can’t get it out of your head.

I know the year is young and it’s early to make this call, but I’d argue that it’s one of the best horror movies of 2016. If not, then it’s definitely one of the best I’ve seen in years.

DiCaprio wins first Oscar, Rock speaks about diversity

By KIM BIGGS Guest Critic Here’s the thing, I don’t care who won the Academy Award for Best Cinematographer, and I really don’t care what designer Jennifer Lawrence wore on the red carpet.

However, Leonardo DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor, in case you didn’t know, and I care about that.

One shining moment during the 2016 Academy Award ceremony has created countless memes and one-liners for this long-awaited, overdue award for DiCaprio. After receiving the Oscar, I half expected him to make a joking remark about the, what some would call, pinnacle of his career. He deserved to snidely address the previous awards he missed. Instead, he humbly thanked the Academy and the crowd for this honor and chose to use his moment to address more a serious matter.

Climate change.

“I just want to say this – making “The Revenant” was about man’s relationship to the natural world, a world

that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history,” said DiCaprio during his acceptance speech.

DiCaprio wasn’t the only celebrity who decided to use the Academy Award ceremony as a political platform.

Chris Rock, who hosted the Academy Award ceremony for 2016, addressed the lack of diversity among Oscar nominees. During his opening monologue, Rock makes scathing remarks about the racial sameness represented in Hollywood. Throughout the opening speech, Rock crafted pointed remarks about the controversial issue surrounding the event and continued to drive in his point throughout the ceremony. Rock’s opening monologue and interspersed appearances set the stage for others to deliver well-crafted comments concerning the lack of diversity in Hollywood.

While DiCaprio and Rock stole most of the limelight, “Mad Max: Fury Road” received six Oscars, but no one cares. Leo got his Oscar, and that’s what is important.

Page 6 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

OPINION

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

>> Think Freely

Apple stands firm against the government KATE TREBING Opinions Editor T h a t phone in your pocket is such a big part of your daily life that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become almost an appendage.

Perhaps more accurately, it has become your second brain. My iPhone multitasks far better than I ever will.

It holds my (almost) entire life schedule, two email accounts, credit card information, innumerable contacts and multiple social media accounts. All of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessities, right there at your fingertips. I can honestly say that I have never paid a bill via post, simply because I find it so much more convenient to pay with my phone. Initially, my phoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ease of access to my finances troubled me. I was unsettled by the thought of my financial information being projected out into cyberspace. But I have overcome this inhibition and learned to trust my passcodes and touch ID. After all, our phones are programmed to be secure, like miniature bank vaults we carry around in our pockets. When we want to move on from one phone to the next, we simply transfer our data, wipe the memory clean and start fresh. That is the privilege of sophisticated technology.

Yet one of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most influential technological companies, Apple, is

ELENA SCOTTI | Fusion FREE SPEECH - Apple CEO Tim Cook remains unyielding in his decision to withhold the technology required to break into an ISIS terrorist's iPhone. being requested (or rather demanded) to create a new technology which would enable governmental officials to access this erased information. The reason for this unprecedented breach of privacy? Terrorism.

To be more specific, the ISIS sympathizers behind the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking more information about the married couple who committed the acts of terrorism last December.

While both Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik perished in the shooting, access to the data on Farookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s phone could provide

information on ISIS activities and help prevent another attack by the extremist group.

This seems a simple enough scenario. The FBI wants to make headway in the fight against ISIS and is asking the creators of the suspectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iPhone to cooperate with investigations. And up to this point, Apple has done just that. So why is Apple refusing to decode the encoded information? As CEO Tim Cook explained in a letter to Apple customers, the allowance of such a â&#x20AC;&#x153;back doorâ&#x20AC;? technology could cause a slippery slope effect, in which the government could have the freedom to demand increasingly more

control over the privacy of independent companies and American citizens alike.

Cook argues a valid point.

According to a poll by Gallup, six out of 10 citizens fear that the United States government has too much power. After all, was not our nation created with the rights of the individual citizen in mind?

Everything from the right to choose your religion to the freedom to speak your mind was permanently protected in our Bill of Rights. If the federal government gains control, will the individual citizen respectively lose some measure of control and freedom?

Interestingly enough, a majority of citizens

are actually opposed to Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stance on this issue.

According to a survey by Pew, 51 percent of responders believed that the industrious company should create a â&#x20AC;&#x153;back doorâ&#x20AC;? for the iPhone.

As it seems, most Americans prefer the well-being of the sum over the liberty of the individual.

This is a noble sentiment, but it is an outlook that seems to ignore the future implications of allowing this infringement upon privacy.

Once this door is made accessible, it will not ever be fully closed. That decoding process will be an almost irresistible asset to those parties who would use it to its worst. If seized by the

wrong hands, the decoding tool could even become a new source of terrorism. The very threat which we are trying to root out by decoding this phone could quite possibly use our own defenses against us.

Our cell phone-crazed nation would launch into a panic. We would demand security, and Apple would likely be obligated to design a completely new encoding system to render the compromised one obsolete. Additionally, the standard would have been set that a private company can and must share private customer information and act beyond its will if the federal government decides that this is in everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best interest.

This controversy is a double-sided coin. We as a nation (not to mention as a united globe) are deep in the throes of a fight against a major terror in our world.

If we allow our fear to cloud our judgment, we are much more likely to fall prey to our enemyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schemes. While we may be tempted to view this situation from the perspective of what would do the most good in the present, our actions will set the precedent for the future of our nation. Before we throw the first stone at Apple, we need to decide just how much privacy we are willing to sacrifice.

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

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

UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE

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Photo courtesy of: Peter Bernik WORKING THROUGH THE WEEKEND - Many students choose to work part-time jobs through college. This often means sacrificing sleep to keep up with studies.

All work and no sleep: One student defends the merits of part-time jobs ASHLEY MOYERS Guest Critic Depending on the student, Friday night can be dedicated to a part-time job or partying.

Saturdays can be reserved for catching up on sleep or a double shift.

A new U.S. Census report determined that 71 percent of the nation's 19.7 million college undergraduates work part-time jobs. Of that number, one in five undergraduates work at least 35 hours a week year-round.

Some college students are able to attend school without the burden of a part-time job taking away their free time. I, however, do not fall under that category.

I have three part-time jobs averaging 30 hours a week, along with 17 credit hours.

I work nights and weekends while also balancing my schoolwork. Sometimes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m jealous of my friends who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have jobs because they seem to have more fun, time to relax, or simply because their parents pay for everything.

I insist on working anyway. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always

had a strong desire to work and make my own money. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like asking for money. I like developing new skills, meeting new people, and, of course, receiving my paychecks.

Over the years, working part-time jobs and being a full-time student has given me with many benefits, with the most important benefit being improved time management skills.

Having a part-time job has forced me to learn time management skills that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need for the rest of my life. I use my planner religiously, and without it, my life would be a wreck. Since I have a limited amount of free hours throughout the week, I have to set aside specific times to complete my assignments because I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it at any other time.

I honestly believe that having a job through college has made me the determined student I am today. Even though I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go out with my friends every chance I get, I know having a job will pay of in the long run. At least thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I keep telling myself.

Ashley Moyers is a junior in communication with a concentration in public relations. She can be reached at admoyers42@students.tntech.edu.

Schedule of Events December *]aJIKS JWWS[ :MV\IT March 15: 1 - 10: Senior Salute in the Tech Pride Room from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. +PMKS QV[ March 16: December 3:

Senior Salute in the Tech Pride Ugly Room fromSweater 10 a.m. Holiday - 2 p.m.

Party from 11a.m. - 1 p.m.

To-Do at Senior Salute

DecemberPick 1 -13:up Wâ&#x20AC;Ť Ůşâ&#x20AC;ŹITT +PIUXQWV cap and gown products Take cap and gown pictures

Purchase graduation announcements

December 10: and :MV\IT ZM\]ZV L]M LI\M class rings

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COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 7

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Think Freely <<

OPINIONS

Co-writing rap songs gets an undeserved bad rap RICHARD MOSLEY Guest Critic

Ever since Drake dropped his Grammy–nominated diss track “Back to Back,” which was aimed at Meek Mill, the world has been lost wondering if their favorite artists ever write their own songs. The sad truth behind this is that no they don’t, at least not alone.

Collaboration is a common theme throughout life. Think about it, in classes we have group work, and even if not, we still prefer to work in groups. Something about having our peers around us makes us focus more and brings the best out of us. The same applies in the workplace. Everywhere you look you’ll find humans just love interaction.

In the rap community fans love to believe their favorite artists make their songs all by themselves. However, when you look at the credits for artists from Kanye West to J. Cole, all of them have help on some of their songs.

Photo courtesy of: Associated Press HEAD TO HEAD - Rapping artists Meek Mill and Drake continue to feud over their collaborated song, R.I.C.O. Mill accuses Drake of not having written his portion of the lyrics.

In the music community as a whole, co-writing is not nearly as bad of a look. Taylor Swift, who recently just won album of the year at the 2016 Grammys, has cowriter’s all over her albums and is still

looked at with great prestige.

Rap fans are nowhere near as understanding.

Drake’s sales haven’t fallen since the world found out about his ghostwriter, but the majority of people

were on his side during the beef. Co-writing can still be crippling for upcoming as well as established artists.

Co-writing gives the main artist access to different pools of inspiration and creative

input. This, in result, gives the listener the best product the main artist has to offer. If artists had to construct their visions with only the tools they brought to the table, their work would eventually reach its peak. Artists like Kanye say they use cowriting to create the best music they can, and when you get to the level of trying to win a Grammy, you have to collaborate.

In the song writing community, and in literature in general, writer’s block is a major problem. Writer’s block can push back the completion of pending projects. This costs the label or artist more money because they have to spend more on additional recording and postponing promotion.

Artist collaborations can help prevent that. Record labels equip their talent with groups of songwriters to keep productivity in studio session at a high.

Recently, R&B/Pop artist Rihanna had to delay the release of her eighth studio

album because she switched creative directions for the album. She called upon new artists like Travis Scott to help on her project ‘ANTI.’ This, however, is where cowriting can become a bad thing. Travis Scott’s influence on Rihanna’s album is prevalent and easy to notice.

Some songs sound like she is the girl version of Travis; her auto tune sounds just like his because similar melodies and beats are used. This is an extreme example, like Drake, where collaboration becomes way too one-sided in rap. This upsets some fans because the roots of rap music are based on being an independent lyricist. It’s not bad to collaborate on other aspects of the songs, but fans really like knowing lyrics that inspire us actually come from who we look up to.

Richard Mosley is a senior in communication. He can be reached at ramosley42@students.tntech.edu.

Should Kesha be freed from her contract?

BRIANA SMITH Guest Critic If you have been on any type of social media lately, you were probably bombarded with a myriad posts or tweets about the legal battle between Kesha Rose Sebert and her producer known as Dr. Luke.

You’ve probably seen the picture of a puffy faced, teary-eyed Kesha after the news of the verdict was released, but can anyone decipher the stories? As with any argument, there are three sides to it: his, hers and the truth. I’m asking, what is the truth? While millions of fans and several celebrities are supporting Kesha, Dr. Luke is being attacked for the allegations against him.

Although, I don’t condone rape or abuse in any form, I also don’t condone false allegations. In a video that surfaced recently from a former legal battle between Luke and DAS Communications, Kesha and her mother both stated, under oath, that Dr. Luke had never made sexual advantages toward Kesha nor had he drugged her in any way. Shortly after the video surfaced, Kesha’s lawyer spoke out for her saying that Dr. Luke had threatened her and her mother before the legal battle.

Her lawyer also stated that it wasn’t until she went through intense rehabilitation that she was strong enough to speak out about the situation. The whole thing is a bunch of ‘he said, she said.’ According to Dr. Luke’s lawyer, this whole lawsuit is “nothing more than a continuation of her bad and offensive acts.” Which brings me to this, Kesha—under

THE

the guidance and mentoring of Dr. Luke—has become known to the world as a drunken party girl. This image seemingly makes all of these allegations toward Dr. Luke null and void to most people, maybe even the Judge of her case.

All of this “he said, she said” is making me sick. I understand that there are careers on the line. I also understand that there are many other artists out there that have begged to get out of their contracts. Just last year, Zayn Malik of One Direction requested to get out of his contract with Modest Management because he no longer felt the same about the band and the way that they made music. Why can’t it be that simple for Kesha? Why can one artist just up and leave a management company, but she can’t? Why must there be these allegations toward her producer to get her out of her contract? Why do females need something horrendous to happen to them to get out of a contract but some male artists can just up and leave their contracts? I’m not even going to pretend to know the reason.

I just want answers. Why are Kesha’s allegations toward Dr. Luke invalid because of her ‘party girl’ image, but people still praise Chris Brown for physically abusing Rihanna? Why has the music industry become less about the music and more about buying and selling artists as if they’re property? Why aren’t artists free to write and record whatever they feel like? Why is there so much censorship in the media, and why don’t we know the truth about what is really happening between Kesha

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JEFFERSON SIEGEL: NY Daily News #FREEKESHA - The latest court ruling on February 19 determined that Kesha could not break her contract with Sony Music and her producer, Dr. Luke. Kesha fans began the #FreeKesha on social media to show their support. and Dr. Luke?

I believe that an artist should be free to terminate their contract, or be terminated, for any reason. If Kesha can’t terminate her contract because Dr. Luke apparently mentally, sexually, and physically abused

her so severely that she had to go to rehab; then I don’t believe that Zayn Malik should have gotten out of his contract, because he didn’t feel like making music with the band anymore. I feel that all of the artists of today should be treated fairly,

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and with respect. Not as if they’re property, to be bought and sold as they progress.

Briana Smith is a sophomore in English.

She can be reached at bsmith42@students.tntech.edu.

2. Originality is required. 5. The Oracle reserves Plagiarized works will not the right to edit for style, The Oracle encourages be considered. grammar, length and readers to write letters and clarity. commentaries on topics of 3. For verification, letters interest. A few guidelines: and commentaries MUST 6. Submissions must be include your name, e-mail received by 4 p.m. on 1. Letters should not address, home town and Friday. exceed 300 words. classification or title.

Commentaries should be 7. Your thoughts are free. around 500 words and 4. Letters may not run Think often, think free. include a picture of the in every edition due to writer. space. kdtrebing42@students.tntech.edu

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paid summer

INTERNSHIP Are you looking for a paid summer internship that will help you develop your research and creative inquiry skills?

If so, Tech’s Creative Inquiry Summer Experience (CISE) grant program is for you.

CISE grants are part of Tech’s new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) named “EDGE: Enhanced Discovery through Guided Exploration.”

Grants are for a maximum of $4,000, with up to $3,500 as a paid stipend.

To apply, visit www.tntech.edu/cise Deadline: March 25, 2016. at 4:30 p.m.

Creative Inquiry Summer Experience (CISE) Grants Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)