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Russell recommended by SGA for student board seat By CASSIE CONLEY Beat Reporter SGA members favor Nick Russell, a member of the SGA president’s council, as the student representative on the inaugural Tech board of trustees, according to a “secret” ballot vote taken during a previous meeting. Russell received 22 of the 36 votes – 61 percentagainst two other nominees. The names of all three candidates – Russell, graduate student Bobby Adams and Micayla Holton, an SGA senator representing the College of Arts and Sciences – are expected to be forwarded to President Phil Oldham. SGA members voted by secret ballot on which of the three nominees they preferred. Adams received nine votes, and Holton received five, according to the information released by Terri Taylor, an assistant to the president. Taylor released the vote results March 2 in re-
sponse to an open records request submitted by The Oracle. The request was filed after SGA President Alex Martin said the information had to be released by Taylor, and Taylor deferred the request back to the SGA. Martin said the primaRussell ry reason why the vote was not initially released was to ensure the integrity of the interview process the nominees will go through. “When the open records request is fulfilled, then there is a possibility the board would select based on the popular vote of the SGA senate, rather than upon merits,” Martin said in a prepared statement. He said he intended to release the vote results for each nominee once the board reached a final decision.
“I feel very strongly releasing this vote prematurely could result in the corruption of the interview process,” said Martin, who also expressed concerns about the well-being of the individuals nominated. “What useful purpose does it serve to shake the confidence of these individuals before they interview, and cause any of them to feel at a disadvantage to their peers,” Martin said in the release. “I stand firm in withholding the results of the vote until after the board has concluded its selection and the student trustee member is announced.” The Oracle’s Managing Editor Haylee Eaton said she believes the students have a right to know the results of the vote because students elected the SGA members to represent them. Eaton said she believes the student body benefits from knowing how their representatives voted. “Our [The Oracle’s] goal is to share campus news with the student body. It’s important information that they deserve to know,” she said. “I’m glad that we were able to work with SGA through the proper channels to release the information.”
War of the Wings
WING IT: Michael “Buck” Eanes took second place for Pi Kappa Alpha in Kappa Delta’s War of the Wings Thursday. The fundraiser was a part of the sorority’s annual Shamrock Week. Funds from the event as well as other events throughout the week will benefit Prevent Child Abuse America, one of Kappa Delta’s philanthropies.
Christian Oliver | The Oracle
Student struck by car while crossing University Drive Michael Louthan | The Oracle DEBATE - Marcello Gonzales delivers his side of a debate during the Speech and Debate Team event March 1. Gonzales argued for idolizing or supporting celebrities that have distinct accomplishments.
Speech and Debate argues idolizing celebrities By SYDNEY COWAN & DILLON EAKES Beat Reporters
Members of the Tech Speech and Debate Team argued the topic “Should We Idolize People Who are Famous for No Reason” March 1 in the Tech Pride Room of the RUC. Ryan Goke and Angela Jones argued against idolization. Marcello Gonzales and Justin Hilliard argued in support of celebrities who have distinct accomplishments. The supporters argued that celebrities should justify their speRead More Online
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cific reasons for being famous. Goke and Jones contend celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton threaten America’s educational values and beauty standards. “You become who you idolize,” Jones said. “Society can admire these celebrities, but no one should idolize them. These celebrities shouldn’t be our standard for the way we see ourselves.” The opposition argued that celebrities took a chance on their life and it worked. Gonzales and Hilliard said a person’s free time is just that, free time. Members of society have a right to choose whom they idolize and what celebrities they follow.
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“Celebrities are humans, too. Everyone messes up and society finds relatable qualities in these famous people,” Gonzales said. “They’ve been through things just like the rest of society has. Not everyone reaches success the same way. You will learn more from your failures than your successes.” The arguments supporting both sides of the issue appeared to have left some audience members without a clear answer to the question. “I thought it was interesting to see both points of views,” Jake Long, a student in general curriculum, said. “By the end of the debate, I was torn on which side to vote for because both sides made such good arguments.”
By HANNAH SARAGO & ASHLEY SARAGO Beat Reporters A student suffered minor injuries Feb. 21 after being struck by a vehicle near Bruner Hall. Megan Winfrey suffered scrapes on her knees and arms and a possible twisted ankle, according to a police report. Winfrey told a Tech police officer she was talking on her cellphone as she crossed the street. She said she saw the vehicle coming, but assumed the driver would stop, according to the report. The student driving the car, Garrett McElderry, told police he was changing the song on the radio and did not see the woman crossing the street. Neither McElderry nor his passenger were injured, according to the report. Winfrey was taken by ambulance to Cookeville Regional Medical Center following the incident.
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