THE
1000 N. Dixie Ave. | Cookeville, TN | 38505
O
> Tech Football Spring Practice begins for team.
Friday, March 20, 2015
RACLE Volume 99 | Issue 14 | Free in single copy
The primary news source of the Golden Eagles since 1924
>>Page 3
∆IVERSITY Examined
is here on campus.
>>Page 4
Jordan Pace | The Oracle
Leaders of TTU Greek Life value diversity By ADAM WEBB Staff Writer & DRAKE FENLON Managing Editor
University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter’s racially charged chant incident ignited interest in greek life diversity at Tennessee Tech. On March 7, 2015, a video surfaced online showing members of the SAE chapter at OU chanting “There will never be a n----- in SAE. You can hang him from a tree, but he can never sign with me.” Days later, the fraternity’s chapter was suspended by the parent organization and OU requested the members move out of the house within two days. Katie Williams, director of Greek Life at Tech, said this kind of activity has no place on Tech’s campus. “Greek organizations and any organizations that are steeped in tradition and heritage, those things are great, but there’s no place for racism in those traditions,” Williams said. “I’ve spoken with the InterFraternity Council just to say ‘Examine your traditions and examine your chants, examine your songs … I don’t think that there is a problem, but it’s better to be proactive. That doesn’t have any place here in the fraternity system at Tennessee Tech.’” Tech’s SAE chapter president Ryan Gibbons said the fraternity began reassessing their organization the day the incident made the news. “I was contacted the day that they decided to suspend the Oklahoma chapter. They created a new position – Diversity and Inclusion Director – and every member will also have mandatory
diversity training,” Gibbons said. Despite being a predominantly white fraternity, Gibbons said Tech’s SAE chapter is diverse. “I’d say we’re extremely diverse, not just in ethnicity but also in the origin of where everyone comes from … I’d say we’re one of the most diverse on campus,” Gibbons said. Gibbons however did disagree with the expulsion of the OU students. “I’ve never even heard of anything like that until that video was posted. I can’t ever see anything like the Oklahoma incident happening at Tennessee Tech,” said Gibbons. Other fraternity members on Tech’s campus reacted to the Oklahoma situation as well. “I heard about the chant, I’m still not sure what it was but from what it seemed like, it was something we would not accept,” said Austin Moore, member of the Pi Kappa Phi when asked about his thoughts regarding the chant. When questioned about OU’s handling of SAE after the video was released, Pi Kappa Phi member Zac Gulledge said, “I think a lot of it was the university trying to save its own image. “It seemed like they reacted extremely fast. So from the outside looking in, it looks like there was not really an investigation, they were just immediately kicked out of campus and the university will look at it later,” Gulledge finished. The members of the fraternity defended their own diversity given Tech’s racial makeup. “Considering the density and the overall demographics of this University, I would consider this chapter to be very open-minded and diverse with its numbers,” Moore said.
Phi Delta Theta president Alex Martin said the SAE chapter at OU made not just their own fraternity look bad, but also all of greek life. “It was definitely irresponsible and it’s very unfortunate how one part of their chapter can bring shame on not just their entire chapter but on the entire greek world,” Martin said. Martin said it’s not just greek organizations that may act the way SAE did but that some people just don’t hold themselves to the same standard as the organization to which they belong. Despite having one Japanese pledge and other members of Asian ethnicity, according to Martin, PhiDelt does not currently have any black members but has in the past. “That’s not a chapter or cultural thing, there’s only 25 of us,” Martin said. Martin defended the SAE members’ right to free speech and said they shouldn’t have been expelled, but he did not support what the OU students said. “If those were everyday students and they hadn’t been part of a greek life organization, I’m very interested to see if they would’ve been expelled. We all know those aren’t the only kids who are saying racial slurs or anything like that and more likely than not, they’re not the only ones who’ve been recorded saying it,” said Martin. “To me I think it’s a huge violation of the first amendment.” Vice President of Tech Marc Burnett said Tech is making strides to become more racially diverse. He said the situation paints organizations with a broad brush, but efforts have been made at Tech to increase diversity. See
“Diversity,” >>Page 2
International student enrollment numbers up By KAYLA CLOUSE Beat Reporter According to the Office of Institutional Research, 11.5 percent of Tennessee Tech’s enrollment is international students. Director of International Education Charles Wilkerson predicted in 2010 that Tech would have 1,000 international students by 2015 if not sooner. Tech currently has 1,188 international students, with the largest group being Kuwaiti students. “That’s not including our students in the English-language center,” Wilkerson said. Tech has seen a rapid increase of international students since the English-language center opened July 2010. “I’ve seen kids come in and can’t say yes, no or thank you. Now they’re speaking English like nobody’s business. I’ve got a saying: If they can complain, they’re speaking English,” Wilkerson said. “I get some complaints – ‘Why this?’ or ‘Why not that?’ There’s 10 people in this office supporting 1,400 students. We work hard in here. If there wasn’t Read More Online
@
tntechoracle.com
CONTACT:
someone pulling their weight, everything would sink.” Wilkerson completed his undergraduate degree in education in Tokyo, Japan. “My first six months I was there, the biggest issue I faced was just speaking the language. I asked a lady for a receipt, and she thought I asked her for a cocktail,” said Wilkerson. Ashley Watson, Tech’s first full-time international recruiter, said that Tech’s rapid increase is largely because of the ESL program. “I think it’s the staff and volunteers. There’s a community here that may be less present at other institutions,” said Watson. “My first big project is going to be getting to know on a more intimate level the agencies working for international students,” Watson said. “The biggest issue is going to be the competition. A lot of other universities are doing the same thing. There’s also a financial component to that. That is also the reason why personal relationships are imperative.” If Tech’s diversity improves, Wilkerson said it would be as a result of Watson’s activities.
>>Page 2
Student to pay fines for parking on campus grass Student to pay fines after allegedly damaging grass with car. By LUCAS MCCOY Beat Reporter
MELTING POT- Members of Tau Kappa Epsilon play foosball Thursday afternoon at their fraternity house.
2 2 3 4 5 6
> Virtual Reality
> EXCLUSIVE:
Has “Frozen” overstayed its welcome?
Serving Tennessee Tech weekly during the fall and spring semesters
IN THIS ISSUE: Calendar News Sports Opinion Entertainment News
The week before students whisked away to beaches or their couches for Spring Break, one student received two parking tickets and a restitution fee. On March 3, Tech officer Michael Lambert saw a vehicle parked behind Matthews-Daniel Halls in a spot previously cultivated for grass, located in the middle of the faculty and staff parking lot behind the building. The ground was muddy and soft because of inclement weather, and the tires from the student’s car damaged the ground, according to the police report submitted by Lambert. Lambert issued fines for parking in an unauthorized area and for parking in a no parking zone. With weather conditions permitting, the ground will have to be cultivated again in an attempt to get grass to grow in that area, according to the report. Lambert also contacted Bruce Allen, a Facilities associate, who requested the
report be forwarded to Jack Butler, associate vice president of Facilities. Lambert identified the owner of the vehicle the next day and asked him to come by the police station. The report stated the reason the student parked in that place was because he couldn’t find any other parking. Lambert informed the student his reason for parking in that spot was inexcusable and that Facilities was going to bill him for the damages the vehicle’s tires caused. Lambert also told the student he was required to pay restitution. The student said no “real damage” was done, and said he would repair the damage himself because “he had done this type of work before,” according to the report. Butler said the repairs to the ground will cost around $300 and that students should park in appropriate places. Butler also said a shuttle service is available and operates five days a week and runs every 15 minutes. Attempts to reach the student were unsuccessful.
Tennessee Tech 100 Years later An Oracle Series
Unknown Photographer | The Story of Tennessee Tech (1957)
100 YEARS AGO- A woman and her horse sit in front of the then Dixie College Administration Building circa 1915.
Centennial Charter Day ceremony next week By ELISSA LONGFELLOW Press Release- TTU News In honor of 100 years of academics, Tennessee Tech University begins its Centennial Celebration Friday, March 27, with a ”Charter Day” ceremony. Guests are invited to attend the event, which takes place from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. in Derryberry Hall Auditorium. The ceremony includes a historical re-enactment of events leading up to the signing of the Tennessee Tech charter and proclamations declaring March 27 “Tennessee Tech University Charter Day” in the state, county and city. “Hitting our century mark is a huge accomplishment, and we’re commemo-
rating the occasion with more than a year’s worth of special events and activities,” said Laura Clemons, coordinator of the University’s Centennial Celebration. “The fact that we’ve reached this moment in our history is due in large part to the people of the Upper Cumberland, who lobbied successfully for the first public college in our region.” Tennessee Tech began as Dixie College in the early 1900s. The school’s primary goal was to increase the technical workforce in middle Tennessee and to bring public higher education, in the form of a high school, to the area. See
“Charter Day,” >>Page 6
news - 931-372-3285 - oracle@tntech.edu | advertising - 931-372-3031 - ttuoracleads@gmail.com
facebook.com/tntechoracle
@tntechoracle
@tntechoracle
FRIDAY 58/45 °F
SATURDAY 67/48 °F
SUNDAY 61/42 °F