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THE
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RACLE
Volume 98 | Issue 18 | Free in single copy | April 11, 2014
After run-off vote, McDonald declared SGA President
By SARAH DINGWALL Beat Reporter
After a run-off election on Thursday, April 10, Emily McDonald was declared the SGA presidential race winner for the 2014-2015 school year. According to voting data, voter turnout for this re-voting totaled nearly 20 percent of students, mirroring Tuesdays voting at around the same percentage. “I am really excited that students were out there voting,” said newly elected Emily McDonald McDonald. “I really hope that students will have a better understanding of what SGA can do through the elections. I know that students might have been annoyed by having two elections, but I think, ultimately, we did the best we could.” The run-off election on April 10 was conducted due to the fact that none of the SGA presidential candidates had received a majority vote as stipulated by Article VII, Section 3, Subsection A of the current SGA Constitution. “If no candidate receives a majority of the votes on the
By BRITTANY STOVALL Beat Reporter
Sarah Dingwall | The Oracle PRESIDENTIAL POSE- Emily McDonald (Front row, center) and a portion of her campaign team pose for a picture after finding out the result of the second referendum Thursday. first ballot, a run-off election “This is the first time, Dillon James | The Oracle will be held between the in at least recent history, PRESIDENT ON PATROL- SGA President-Elect Emily two candidates receiving the that Student Government McDonald discusses her campaign platform with sophomore largest plurality. The candidate has had a run-off election,” Nathan Cole during the run-off election on Thursday. receiving the most votes shall said Kyle Bieze, presidential then be declared elected,” candidate. In the first round of according to the SGA After taking a quick voting, current SGA President Constitution. look at the election results, Clay Stubblefield announced Kyle Bieze and Emily McDonald said, “Some Emily McDonald winner of There is definitely an McDonald held the highest goals I have would be, the presidential vote, along p e rc e n t a g e s for sure, to bridge the gap with Daniel Tribble as Vice issue in communication, of the four between senators and the President, Will Gableman as c a n d i d a t e s students they represent, treasurer and Kellie Collins the because students right after the because there is definitely new secretary for the coming now don’t know who to r e f e r e n d u m an issue in communication, year. go to if they are having on Tuesday, because students right now “I will more than likely and were don’t know who to go to if still be apart of the Senate, as issues. Bieze asked to run they are having issues.” long as nothing goes terribly again in a second battle of “Congratulations. I wrong with next week’s — Emily McDonald, the ballots on Thursday, know she and I stood for Senator elections.” Bieze April 10. a lot of similar things,” said. “I ran for the benefit of SGA President-Elect Candidates Shabir Bhegani Bieze said upon hearing the the student body and I plan and Roy West additionally ran results. “I hope it goes well to do that in the Senate.” for the office of SGA president. for her.”
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Phi Delta Theta brother arrested on multiple charges By SARAH TOWNSEND & KIM BIGGS Beat Reporters
Kari Oldham | Guest Contributor via Facebook EAGLES SOAR HIGH- President Phil Oldham stands beside one of the Black Hawk helicopters that landed in the front lawn of Walton House Sunday afternoon.
Cadets practice field exercises, Oldham rides in helicopter from Walton House front lawn By LOGAN SHRUM Beat Reporter
ROTC Cadets from Tech’s Golden Eagle Battalion conducted the annual Ranger Field Training Exercise (FTX) in Smyrna from Friday, April 4 to Sunday, April 6 in order to demonstrate their knowledge of military tactics, as well as gain valuable experience leading fellow soldiers. The Ranger FTX is an annual event in which the TTU Ranger Club, in conjunction with the ROTC junior class conducts rifle qualifications, as well as various missions throughout the three-day training event. This year, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicop-
ter ride back to campus was included, courtesy of pilots from the 230th Air Cavalry, rather than the typical van ride, ending with all three Black Hawks, which were incorporated in the operation, landing on President Oldham’s lawn around noon on Sunday. Professor of military science Lieutenant Colonel Dominic Ciaramitaro said the Ranger FTX has been used in past years to allow the ROTC Ranger Club, which consists of “some of our most elite and well-trained cadets in the program,” to learn valuable tactical skills, as well as See “Black Hawk,” page 3
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A Phi Delta Theta brother was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest after an altercation that left one Cookeville police officer injured. On Saturday, April 5 at 8:26 p.m., Cookeville police officers Ryan Acuff and Kenneth Frye responded to a complaint concerning two males fighting on North Peachtree Avenue. Upon arrival to the scene, the officers were forced to wrestle suspect James Curtis Boggs to the ground after he refused officers orders and was unfazed by their Tasers, according to the Cookeville Police report. The police report stated that during the struggle,
Boggs bent a pair of handcuffs Acuff used to restrain him. Acuff then pepper sprayed Boggs, which had no effect. Officer Acuff requested back up from Sergeant James Harris, Officer Daniel Trivette and Officer Roy Chesnut. With the help of the other officers, Boggs was eventually contained by handcuffs and was taken to Cookeville Regional Medical Center to be restrained with the help of emergency room staff. While the incident occurred in front of the newly opened Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, no involvement from within that fraternity was reported. Tech’s Greek Life coordinator Katie Williams said, “Each individual fraternity has their own standards for membership,”
said Williams. “Whether it is some sort of sanction against the member or removal of the member, it just depends on what their bylaws say and what they can do in situations like these.” According to the police report, Boggs later admitted to police officers that he was under the influence of LSD. Once released, Boggs was booked at the Putnam County Jail and was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest. Frye was also treated at the hospital around the same time for a fractured knee, which was a result of the resistance with Boggs. Acuff also received a few scratches along with a torn uniform. Frye received treatment from an orthopedic doctor on Monday, April 7.
Greek Week changed to Greek Weekend By JORDAN BLAIR Beat Reporter Sororities and fraternities at Tech participated in Greek Weekend beginning April 10 through April 12. “Greek Weekend had never been done before,” said sorority member Molly Campbell. “We usually call this event ‘Greek Week.’ Hopefully, this change is successful.” The events for Greek Weekend started on April 10
with a lip sync competition in Derryberry Auditorium. Each group was judged on costumes, creativity, and performance. Greek Weekend continued with Relay for Life on April 11 on Tech’s football field. Organizations set up tents from 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next morning. The theme of Relay for Life was “sports.” Participants continuously walked laps around the
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field in honor of cancer victims. The proceeds for Relay for Life went to the American Cancer Society. The last event of Greek Weekend was community service opportunities beginning at 8:00 a.m. on April 12. Organizations worked around the county to earn community service hours. The results and winners of Greek Weekend will be announced at the Greek Awards Banquet on April 21.
Changes are coming to the Volpe Library – renovations are underway on the third floor to create a new interactive, technology-based learning environment that will be an open-access space for all students. “The Volpe Library third floor is on the verge of becoming home to an innovation and discovery center that will change the way our university prepares and teaches students,” President Phil Oldham said in his President’s Blog on April 8. The project will bring “a virtual reality cave, a research and development lab, flexible team space, lab space and classroom space, along with design and fabrication stations with equipment including 3-D printers,” Oldham stated. Dr. Douglas Bates, library and student learning assistance dean, said the project started coming together last fall, although there is no estimated completion date as of yet. According to a Tech FAQ about the space, there will be a H.I.V.E., or Hybrid Immersive Visualization Environment, which will allow professional researchers and students to use virtual reality technology to explore research problems. There will also be a CAVE, a virtual reality system that will use both 3-D and high-definition technology and allow researchers to mimic virtual reality environments. The CAVE is “possible based on the expertise and experience” of Dr. Bahrat Soni, Tech’s vice president for research and economic development. Bates said in this space, for example, nursing students could research the anatomy of the human heart by building a virtual model. “They could create a 3-D version of the human heart or other parts of the arterial system, and use that as the teaching tool, as opposed at looking at slides,” Bates said. “It would be a powerful teaching tool.” The library was chosen because of its accessibility and high amount of traffic. “Space in the library is limited. We consider it to be a resource,” Bates explained. “Our mission is to support the academic mission of the university. We have a limited amount of space to do that. So we have to think carefully about how we ‘spend’ our space.” Some students are already voicing concerns about losing the quiet, study space on the third floor. Bates said that space will not be lost or compromised, and the library is working toward preserving it.
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CRIME BRIEFS: - Apr. 7- 2:30 Classification: Destruction/Damage/Vandalism Location: Cooper Residential Hall Parking Lot Disposition: Closed. Referred to the Dean of Students Notes: Subject also made to pay restitution. - Apr. 6- 1:30 Classification: Destruction/Damage/Vandalism Location: Ellington Residential Hall Parking Lot Disposition: Open case Notes: None. - Apr. 4- Not Available Classification: Drug/Narcotic Violation Location: Tech Village Disposition: Closed. Referred to the Dean of Students Notes: None. - Apr. 3- 7:30 Classification: Theft from Motor Vehicle Location: Nursing & Health Science Building Parking Lot Disposition: Closed. Victim has option to prosecute Notes: None. - Apr. 3- 10:07 Classification: Drug Narcotic Violation Location: Tech Village Disposition: Closed. Referred to the Dean of Students Notes: None.
For up-to-date crime information, visit tntechoracle.com
K e e p u p w i t h WTT U n o w a n d o v e r t h e s u mme r O n t h e a i r @ 88. 5 FM a n d O n l i n e a t t n t e c h . e d u/w t t u
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Summer swim lessons to begin events @ tech at the Fit, lifeguards needed
By JAKE THREET Beat Reporter
The Health Promotions Office has released the summer swim lesson schedule and is in need of lifeguards for the summer season. Anyone who would like to lifeguard must be certified and willing to work over the summer. Hours are available over the entire summer period. “I’m thinking about getting my lifeguard license, and this would be a great way to make some extra money during summer break,” said student Michael Farragut. The office also announced the schedule for summer swim lessons that are tentatively planned to begin June 3, but are subject to change. Private lessons will consist of six 30-minute sessions.
The sessions require two weeks to be set up. Group lessons will also be offered during the summer. They will consist of eight 45-minute classes, Monday through Thursday for two weeks. Group lessons will be split into two different age groups. Children, ages 3-5, will be in beginners and meet from 5:15 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., while ages 5+ will meet from 6:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Health Promotions Program Coordinator Abbey Jaffe said she wants to make sure that people know private swim lessons are for everyone, not just one age group. “Anybody who wants to learn how to swim, we are willing to work with them,” said Jaffe. “We’ve had babies as young as 18 months to people 55 years of age.”
Students will be offered discounted prices for private lessons. They will also be offered the discount for group lessons if they have children in those age ranges. “I think it’s great that they offer swim lessons during the summer, especially at discounted prices for Tech students that have kids or any type of family that fits those age groups,” said student Morgan Richards. If a preference is wanted for either a male or female instructor, both options are available and the Health Promotions Office will work to accommodate. More information regarding the lessons and lifeguard opportunities can be found online at http://www. tntech.edu/recreation/special/ or by calling the Health Promotions Office at (931) 372-6511.
Before Spring for the Cure takes place a relay will be held on Tennessee Tech’s campus today from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Relay for Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, will have different activities hosted by different fundraisers for cancer research. The Society of Women Engineers will be joining the EJC for Relay for Life. “The idea behind it is we could unite as a College of Engineering, instead of each organization creating a team and competing against each other,” said event chair Christina Bechard. Swagerty said events like this and previous events this semester will help spread awareness of the EJC and College of Engineering. “This year, the EJC wanted to have more of a presence
around the COE and Tech’s campus,” said Swagerty. “To accomplish this, we have tried to have monthly events throughout the year. This includes a meet and greet in September, a softball tourney in October, and breakfast during finals week of last semester.” Spring for the Cure will have live music from the 98.5 radio station and from Chattanooga band, Masseuse who has Tech student Ben Van Winkle playing cello. Swagerty said attendees can expect a jazzy funky band. The event is expected to attract 300 to 500 people and is open to the public. “This is a great way to celebrate the almost end of the semester and a great way to start summer,” Bechard said.
EJC to host charity event for cancer research
By ADAM WEBB Beat Reporter
The Engineering Joint Council will be host an event called Spring for the Cure in Sherlock Park from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 25. Spring for the Cure is an event designed to raise money for cancer research. The event will have food, live music and bounce houses. Attendees can create teams of five for $25 to compete for prizes. Different engineering organizations will be demonstrating what they have done in the past year as well. “One of the Engineering Joint Council’s (EJC) officers suggested we have an event like relay to celebrate spring and raise money for a good cause,” said Ian Swagerty, president of the EJC. “This birthed the idea for ‘Spring for the Cure’ event.”
Farm Bureau hosts Ag in the Classroom By WESTLEE WALKER Guest Contributor
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The sounds of livestock and excited school children filled the arena April 8 and 9 when the local branch of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation held the “Ag in the Classroom” event at Hyder-Burks Agriculture Pavilion for the 22nd year. The event is free to attend for all first grade students in Putnam and Jackson County and gives students a chance to learn about the agriculture and safety. Children were also about to interact with cattle, sheep, horses and a zebra, a first for many in attendance. This year’s “Ag in the Classroom” hosted 1,100 first grade students who were given the chance to experience 27 different learning stations throughout the HyderBurks Agriculture Pavilion.
Here students were able to learn about all facets of agriculture, ranging from livestock production, plant sciences, farm machinery safety and food safety. “Two hundred and twenty five volunteers were needed each day, to make our program run effectively,” said Phillip Baker, agency manager of the Putnam County Farm Bureau. “Our involvement with Tennessee Tech students and high school students enrolled in agriculture courses in Putnam County has been extremely beneficial for both parties. These students are closer in age, more energetic and can sometimes make a better connection with students than adults can. Many times, the Tech students are the ones teaching the individual learning stations. “Our program is geared to be able to mesh with what is being taught in the class-
room,” Baker said. “We meet with members of the school board to coordinate the grade appropriateness and reliability.” “This is a great opportunity to expose these students to the importance of agriculture and food systems,” said Dr. Stacy Tomas, program volunteer and assistant professor of agritourism. “Hopefully, this will allow students to garner a greater appreciation on where their food comes from, and for those who work to tirelessly to produce it.” “All of my students have a great time,” said Allison Dudney, a teacher at Capshaw Elementary. “Farm Bureau provides this event for free, so this allows all of the students to be able to participate. This is really beneficial for those students who wouldn’t have been able to attend otherwise.”
April
11 All Day
Michael Ananian, painting exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
FAB Friday for Kids & Families: Alternative Energy STEM Center
6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Putnam County Cattleman’s Association Hyder Burks Ag Pavilion
7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Michaela Grubb & Blake Ward, saxophone, Sophomore Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
She Kills Monsters Jere Whitson Building Back Door Playhouse
8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Ryan Snell, tuba, Graduate Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
12 All Day
Michael Ananian, painting exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Mayhem for Mustard Seed Ranch Hyder Burks Ag Pavilion
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Safari Saturday for PreK- 3rd graders & their families STEM Center
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Window on the World Derryberry, RUC & South Patio
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Men’s Tennis hosts Eastern Kentucky University Tech’s tennis courts
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Women’s Softball hosts Tennessee State University Tech softball field
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
She Kills Monsters Jere Whitson Building Back Door Playhouse
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Caitlin Moscato, flute, Senior Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
4 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Rebecca Sewell, flute, Senior Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Lucy White, voice, Senior Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Josh Davis, piano, Junior Student Recital Wattenbarger Auditorium, Bryan Fine Arts Building
13 All Day
Michael Ananian, painting exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Men’s Tennis hosts Morehead State University Tech tennis courts
LIVING tntechoracle.com
Page 3 | April 11, 2014
Thrift shop fashion show highlights student designers’ skills Merchandising students design and create elaborate fashion works using only 4 pieces of clothing from Goodwill stores. BY JESSICA WILSON Beat Reporter Tech’s Merchandising Association hosted the Thrift Store Couture fashion show and silent auction Tuesday night in the RUC Multipurpose Room. The show featured a student design competition, some student work and looks from Luxe Boutique. Jaylen Moore was codirector for Thrift Store Couture. “This show turned out to be our best yet,� Moore said. “The planning was a
bit chaotic, but, in the end, everything fell into place perfectly, and I had such a fun time designing for the competition.� The eight women who participated in the design competition were allowed to use only four items from the local Goodwill store to create their designs. Audrianna Lyles, a sophomore at Tech majoring in Merchandising and Design, took first place in the design competition with an Angelina Jolieinspired shorts suit. “Seeing it all come together, knowing that I gave it my all, I truly feel
accomplished,� Lyles said. Lyles also presented a mini collection of her clothing line, A. Anna, at the fashion show. “I’ve been sketching out my designs since I could remember how to write and now seeing them come to life has helped me prove to myself that I can do it,� Lyles said. “Mainly I want to create ready-towear clothing and a few couture items.� Stacey Clark took second place in the design competition, and Jaylen Moore took third place. “Everyone did a fabulous job,� Moore said. “I
couldn’t be more proud of all the people that worked so hard to make it happen.� The Merchandising Association hosts a fashion show each semester to provide students with fashion show and design experience and to raise money to fund trips and projects for the organization. The Merchandising and Design Association is a part of the School of Human Ecology, which is currently located in Foundation Hall.
Photos courtesy of Thomas Cohern | Herald-Citizen WALK THE WALK- Taylar Noblett (left) and Catherine Fitzpatrick (right) walk the runway at the Thrift Store Couture fashion show Tuesday night in the RUC.
Tips and tricks for surviving this year’s Finals Week BY SARAH DINGWALL Beat Reporter Finals are fast approaching as Tech students begin to feel the rush to the end of another semester. The questions on every student’s mind should be “When should I start studying? How long should I study each subject in one day?� “You need to start early,� said Edith Duvier, director of the College of Arts and Sciences Student Success Center. “Give yourself plenty of time, because college finals are not like high school finals.� MerriamWe b s t e r. c o m defines the word “study� as “the activity or process of learning Duvier about something by ready, memorizing facts, attending school, etc.� Another definition is “careful or extended consideration.� Cramming is defined as “to study a subject intensively, especially for an imminent examination.�
>> Black Hawk CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 allow the club to experience real life situations. This year, the junior class was brought along in order to take full advantage of the training opportunity. “We did things a little different this year to get our juniors more involved and it really paid off ,� said LTC Ciaramitaro. “The Ranger FTX is their culminating event after a year of specialized training. By including all of our juniors, we really capi-
The New York Daily News released an article in 2012 concerning the subject that cramming is actually bad for your health and said that, according to the American Psychological Association, a student’s best bet is to study in smaller spurts throughout a semester and they will retain more information than if they studied in one uninterrupted session. Duvier suggested managing time. With managing study time students won’t have to wait until the last minute to “cram� everything in.
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You need to start early - give yourself plenty of time, because college finals are not like high school finals.
—Edith Duvier,
,,
Student Success Center
talized on the experience.� When asked about his favorite part of the FTX, Lane Wolfenbarger, a freshman Ranger Club cadet, said, “Everyone was able to be a leader, and the seniors and cadre went above and beyond to make it more realistic than normal.� Sam Dickson, a junior ROTC cadet and Ranger Club member said there were more variables in this year’s FTX than there have been in past years. “It gave us real world experience outside of a univer-
Instructors: Tony Phillips Thelma Phillips Rachael Holloway
11 tips for Finals Week success via Topuniversities.com
1. Give yourself enough time to study: don’t leave it until the last minute. 2. Organize your study space. Make sure to have space to spread out with plenty of light with no distractions around. 3. Use flow charts and diagrams. 4. Think about using visual aids! 5. Practice old exams. 6. Explain your answers to others. 7. Organize study groups with friends. 8. Take regular breaks. 9. Snack on ‘brain food.’ Stay away from junk food! 10. Plan your exam day. 11. Drink plenty of water. Final exams begin on Monday, May 5. Students can check the exam schedule at http://www.tntech.edu/records/finalexamschedule/ and clicking on the “Spring 2014� tab. sity training area with equipment that we typically do not get to use, like the M4 rifles,� Dickinson said. Once all ROTC cadets had exited the helicopters, President Oldham, along with several others, had the opportunity to board one of the Black Hawks and participate in a flyover of campus as onlookers took pictures and waved. Shortly thereafter, the helicopter landed allowing the President and his fellow passengers to safely exit the aircraft.
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OPINION
Send letters to the editor to oracle@tntech.edu. Include your name, email 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.
Page 4 | April 11, 2014
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I am not ashamed: forever I will be a Christian writer
did hurt when I read those letters, but finally I saw why people would write these things. I am stepping on their sin. They don’t see it as such, but their hearts convict them and they can’t stand it. But, I know that feeling of conviction, too. Sometimes, I am preaching totally to my-
self and I convict myself until I feel like the scum of the earth. But, then I remember God’s redeeming love. I find such joy in that love. In that love I find a peace and a joy that surpasses all understanding. It helps me get through the tough letters to the editor to write
again without wanting to make a rebuttal. I guess you could call this my rebuttal, but I am actually saying thank you to those people who have written in. You all have made me stronger than I ever thought possible. I am surer of what I am
Most of the time, my doing on The Oracle staff then I have ever been. I am opinion is what is weighhere to be one small voice, ing the most heavily on my crying out to the Christians heart. Other times, I have to on this campus to strive and find something that moves live a godly lifestyle, one that me to write. In the article “Oldham is holy and pure, no matter speaks about being a what people may say. God gave me everything Christian on a secular camI have and I owe Him my pus,” President Oldham answered life in return. the question It starts with “I cannot of difficulty this position on The change who I am. of being a Oracle. This I am first and for- C h r i s t i a n is a platform ever a Christian. on a secular He I was hired to This will dictate campus. said, “There fill with my many opinion. So, everything I do,...” are challenges that is what I -Dingwall since I do have done. If I were to start deny- represent this University, ing God just to please the higher education in part, the people who dislike me, God Upper Cumberland. I cannot would then deny me. I know change who I am. First and I wouldn’t survive without foremost, I am a Christian Him, so there is no way I will and that colors everything stop bringing God into the for me, whether it is my position as a husband, father or a conversation. I will restate what every president.” I have to concur with Oracle says on each edition what he said. I cannot in the Opinions section: “DISCLAIMER: The change who I am. I am first opinions expressed in this and forever a Christian. This newspaper do not necessar- will dictate everything I do, ily reflect those of Tennessee whether it is as a writer, stuTech University’s employees dent or professional. “I have come to have or of its administration.” I want to add to this peace by knowing the One statement that not all staff who does know it all and members of the Oracle agree knowing that He is in conwith me, but they respect the trol,” Oldham said. My love for God gives fact that I, as a journalist, especially an opinions writer, me peace in everything I do. have the right to voice my So, I ask you now, do you have peace? opinion.
Daniel Tribble supported his peer up to a point. “I wouldn’t say Clay was drunk,” Tribble said. “But, he certainly wasn’t sober.” Clay agreed to speak with me and firmly denied all accusations. “There is no veracity to any of these allegations, which are nothing but malicious gossip,” he said. He adamantly stated his belief that the allegations are character assassination, meant to influence voters into turning against Phi Delta Theta in our recent SGA election. The evidence points in several different directions. Some of Bluebell’s allegations have turned out to be unfounded or difficult to prove in order to be printable in this publication. There are eyewitnesses that say Stubblefield was drunk, and others that say he was not. The problem that I’ve faced in this whole sordid mess is the question of which is more valuable: truth or relationship? By writing this article, I’m sure that a number of people feel threatened, disappointed or possibly vindicated. As a journalist and as a Senator, I feel morally blackmailed by both sides, the accuser and the accused. Is it
not my duty as a journalist, as a historian – hell, even as a Christian – to speak truth to power? But, by the same token, is truth worth the alienation and dread that comes with tearing down deception? Truth is a nebulous commodity, and as Roland Barthes tells us, “Multiple perspectives cannot ever coalesce.” (Yes, that was a Hamlet 2 reference, in case you were wondering.) There is a likely probability that someone is lying to save his or her own skin. Whether that’s Bluebell, Stubblefield, or the people accused of protecting him, I don’t know. And really, it doesn’t matter. Wait, what? Yeah. I said it. You can’t prove that Stubblefield was drunk, because I’ve tried. But you can’t prove that Bluebell isn’t telling the truth, because I’ve tried that, too. What does matter, though, is that this whole scandal has revealed tendencies toward backbiting and blackballing on both sides of the situation. As people who were elected or hired to serve the needs and desires of students, all parties involved – including myself – should realize that they owe the University both truth and good relations. As servants of something greater than
ourselves, it is our duty and imperative to be as honest, as hard-working, and as honorable as possible. It is such a privilege to serve that we owe the best of our abilities and integrity in return. Ultimately, I didn’t write this piece to reprimand Mr. Stubblefield or the people who may or may not have shielded him. And likewise, I didn’t write this piece to further Bluebell’s aims. Rather, this piece is for the next cycle of Student Government representatives and our new Executive Council. I hope you realize that leading the student body does not mean that you are above your constituents and the regulations put upon them. Like Bill Clinton and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, you are not exempt from the negative gaze of the public eye. Public persona and service is a cruel mistress. Her scrutiny is a sword that cuts to the bone of an issue, and her esteem will fail you as a shield behind which to hide. With great power comes great responsibility, and duty leaves no room for arrogance or cowardly self-preservation. I wish you all the best in the world. God bless the students, faculty, and administration of Tennessee Tech.
A member of Tennessee Tech’s Association for Computer Machinery student chapter takes a swing at a computer during the group’s ‘computer smash’ event from 4:oo p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10 at The Biz Foundry. The Biz Foundry is a non-profit group, that takes business ideas from inception to start-up with the use of mentors, counselors, expertise, and access to capital.
SARAH DINGWALL Opinion Editor
Over the last year and a half of writing for The Oracle, readers have come to expect an extreme, conservative Christian viewpoint from me. Well, to be honest, I don’t think of myself so much as a conservative, but rather that I am unashamed of the Gospel and my writing has expressed that consistently. I prefer to call myself a fervent Christian who walks on the conservative side of politics. I recently viewed the movie “God’s Not Dead” and, though my struggles with being a Christian aren’t any where near what that young man went through, or any of the other characters in the movie, I saw myself in it. The sad part to me about all of this is that I truly believe our nation is the way it is today because we are a spoiled nation. We have so many issues that other countries make fun of this once professed “Christian Nation.” I know I am far from perfect and my faith isn’t always visible, but, with this article, I want to take a stand. I believe, with every fiber of my being, that God is NOT dead. He is very much alive. So many people in my first semester on The Oracle wrote complaining about the kind of writer I was and it
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Prayer is a part of a Christian walk. Going to church and studying the Bible should be regular exercise for stretching your faith. If you don’t stretch your faith, God can never use you to your potential.
The problem with Student Government A smashing Association and anonymous sources stress release
LYDIE-CLAIRE BROWN Assistant Opinion Editor
Most of the time, you shouldn’t trust everything you read on the Internet, or in your email. If you do, I’ll forward you all the emails I got from a prince in Nigeria who wants to send us MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! So, understandably, when I was approached via email by an unnamed source, whom I’ve nicknamed Bluebell, I was skeptical. Actually, I was 99% sure I was being punk’d, and ain’t nobody got time for that. In aggravated response, I asked Bluebell to put up or shut up, and, boy, did they ever. The main accusation is that current SGA President Clay Stubblefield was allegedly intoxicated at the Fray S.O.L.O. concert last semester and, because of his position – again, allegedly – the infraction was covered up, and swept under the rug. Kimmy Manning confirmed that Stubblefield appeared to be drunk and smelled of alcohol that night. “He reeked,” said Manning. “He kept asking me the same questions over and over because he didn’t remember asking them ten seconds beforehand.” Current SGA Secretary and SGA Vice President-Elect
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ENTERTAINMENT tntechoracle.com
Page 5 | April 11, 2014
Must see movies in May, summer preview
‘Captain America’ continues Marvel’s success
By JAKE THREET Entertainment Editor
By HANNAH BENJAMIN Entertainment Critic
Movies, movies and more movies! This summer looks to be a great time for movies-goers and I am really excited to have back-toback summers that are full of great films. Below, I’m going to kick things off in May, because that’s when the fun begins and it looks to be the most jam packed month. ‘The Amazing Spiderman 2’ Now I will admit, I have yet to see the first one. I was biased when it first came out and was totally against rebooting the series. As they say, time heals all wounds and the new trailer for the sequel looks really good. The action looks intense and has sparked my interest. So, begrudgingly, I am going to watch the ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ before going to see the sequel. Hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised. ‘The Amazing Spiderman 2’ is rated PG-13 and swings into theaters on May 2. ‘Neighbors’ It’s about time we get a good comedy out this year. I’ve been hearing nothing but good things about this film from those whose have already had a chance to see it at special screenings. They say the trailer does not do the film justice in how hilarious the film is. I hear it’s pretty vulgar and raunchy, but I’m always down for a good naughty laugh. The setup of the film is that a couple with a newborn baby move into a new neighborhood and face unexpected difficulties following the establishment of a fraternity house in the adjacent residence. An intense conflict between the two parties ensues. The films stars Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne and Dave Franco. ‘Neighbors’ is rated R for pervasive language, strong, crude and sexual
Courtesy of Collider
‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ will be the seventh film in Marvel’s X-Men film series.
content, graphic nudity, and drug use throughout and arrives in theaters on May 9. ‘Godzilla’ I have been waiting for this since the day they announced they were remaking it. The only thing I can say about this is “watch the trailer.” It is amazing how good this looks and I am hoping that it thrills us. Sorry, Matthew Broderick and the 1998 remake, but I believe this one is going to be far and away the best remake of them all (fingers crossed). The films stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, and Elizabeth Olsen. ‘Godzilla’ is not yet rated and opens in theaters May 16. ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ The second Marvel film to be released this year after ‘Captain American: The Winter Soldier,’ which was awesome and you need to see, is the highly anticipated sequel to 2011’s ‘X-Men: First Class’ and 2006’s ‘X-Men: Last Stand.’ The whole gang, old and new faces, is together in this film and I could not be more excited. The budget is huge and I cannot wait to see where this group of heroes and mutants goes. ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ opens in theaters May 23. ‘Maleficent’ Oh, how I love the Disney villains. Ever since I was little, I have always
been a fan of the villains. Don’t get me wrong, I love when the good guy wins, but the villains have always had a special place in my heart. You name them from Maleficent and The Evil Queen to Cruella de Vil and Hades (my personal favorite), the villains are the best. This live action movie starring Angelina Jolie looks haunting in the trailer. Jolie is exactly as what someone would picture Maleficent to be if not a cartoon. The haunting voice is there and the horns are ever so scary. ‘Maleficent’ is rated PG and comes to theaters May 30. Didn’t I tell you May was going to be a blast at the movies? That’s all I’ve got room to go in detail about, but June, July, and August offer some great stuff, as well. In June, be sure to check out: ‘The Fault in Our Stars,’ ’22 Jump Street,’ and ‘Think Like a Man Too.’ In July, look out for: ‘Tammy,’ ‘Dawn of Planet of the Apes,’ ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ ‘The Purge: Anarchy,’ and ‘Sex Tape.’ In August, don’t miss: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘Lucy,’ ‘Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles,’ ‘The Expendables 3,’ and ‘The Giver.’ That’s just a taste of what is coming and what has yet to be announced. All movie information can be found at fandango.com.
T h e n e w e s t addition to the Marvel universe is the sequel to Captain America’s story, ‘The Winter Soldier.’ This time around, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is working for S.H.I.E.L.D., but struggles to figure out why he is fighting. The world has changed since the 1940s and the threats are less defined, leaving Captain America’s noble fight for justice outdated. When an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) exposes an internal threat, Captain America must sort out the good guys from the bad guys and face a figure from his past, with the help of the Black Widow (Scarlett Johanson) and the Falcon
(Anthony Mackie). ‘The Winter Soldier’ starts off very slowly, leaving action seeking fans a little disappointed. However, this leaves room for plenty of character development and weaving plot intricacies. The plot is considerably more complex than some of the latest Marvel flicks, introducing a political element about how far the government should be able to go to protect its citizens and how much protection the citizens will allow. While not the most original subplot, this is enough to diversify ‘The Winter Soldier’ from its previous counterparts and make for a more grown up action flick. The film delivers all of the classic Marvel signatures: clips at the end of the movie, a Stan Lee cameo, and impressive CGI and fight scenes. The only disappointment was a lack of allusion to the other
Avengers. One of my favorite aspects of ‘Iron Man 3’ was how Tony Stark dealt with the incidents in New York, the aliens and mentioned his fellow Avengers. In ‘The Winter Soldier,’ it’s almost as if these events never happened. Fans get a slight tease at ‘Avengers 2’ at the ending credits, but it doesn’t make up for the lack of references. Overall, ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ continues to add to the success of the comic book franchise. The film is more enjoyable than part two of ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Thor,’ and it appears to set the stage for the ‘Avengers’ sequel next summer. Coming in number one in the box office, it may be years before America gets over the superhero trend. But, who’s complaining? ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is rated PG13 for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout.
‘How I Met Your Mother’ finale outrage By KIMMY MANNING Entertainment Critic Devout “How I Met your Mother” fans watched the show for the final time last week with a little less enthusiasm than expected. Just a warning to all—many spoilers will be spilling out of this article. Fans took to Twitter and other forms of social media pretty quickly after the finale aired to put in their two cents. One tweet from @ SnarkOff read, “I just feel like I just found out that my favorite love song was written about a sandwich.” Another negative tweet came from fan @JakeHarris4, saying, “How I Threw Away 9 Years of Character Development.” Needless to say, fans did
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not show much appreciation to co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas’ ending that “they’d mapped out from the beginning,” according to Entertainment Weekly. Bays also threw in, “Not everyone is going to like it, but that was never the guarantee anyway.” Throughout the show, an ongoing relationship with Ted and Robin is obvious. However, as a fan, we were rooting for Robin and Barney to end up successfully, instead. Seeing this relationship fail after all the emotional tugging they put on their audience feels like a hit below the belt. Maybe the better way to say it is that the writers have insulted their fan base. As for the mom dying, reassuring the fans will be difficult. You can only build up the show for so long (nine years) to just ruin the title itself. They might as well
rename it “How I Met Your Mother Barely and Then She Died So I Moved on to My Ex-Lover.” Wordy, but at least it’s factual. According to “Rolling Stone” this week, Bays said an alternate ending is out there and is said to be included in the season nine box set. Bays said, “Sixteen days ago today, we were in the HIMYM edit room, trying to decide between two very different endings. We only shot one script, but through edit room magic, we had two possible outcomes for the series. We chose the ending we chose, and we stand by it. But, we loved the other version, too.” So, for all those out there who still want a little more pep in their step and security in their HIMYM relationship, the writers have been made aware and are planning to accommodate.
SPORTS
tntechoracle.com
Page 6 | April 11, 2014
FOOTBALL
Brown impressed with spring practices By SHEA HAILE
Assistant Sports Editor Tech’s football team ended its spring practices this week. The Golden Eagles held 15 sessions of spring practice, including the annual Purple and Gold Game. A common theme in the scrimmages has been emergence of young players, especially on the offense. “We did get some injuries, but it was not too bad,” said Head Coach Watson Brown.
“We had goals of making sure we found the best players we got and fitting our systems to those players.” Spring practice gives players the opportunity to impress coaches and move up the depth chart. Brown noticed several players during the spring sessions. A new addition to the Tech offense has generated excitement among the players and coaches this spring. The new QW, quarterbackwide receiver, position on offense allows the Golden
Eagles to be more flexible and the coaches to utilize the abundance of talent at the quarterback position. “What we have done is created a QW position and a QB position,” said Brown. “We have them out there together. The number one reason I am excited about it is because we think we are getting the best players we have on the field together and that is really important.” Coach Brown has high expectations for the Golden Eagles this upcoming season,
especially when it comes to Ohio Valley Conference success. “I think that we will go into the season where nobody will be better than us,” said Brown. “I just do not believe anybody in the league will have a better chance to have a shot at the title. I think there are going to be six or seven teams even as good as us. I believe it is going to be a tossup year.” The Golden Eagles will be searching for their first OVC title in three years.
James Dillon | Guest Contributor
CHANGE OF HANDS - Quarterback James Davis makes a read for a hand off to Radir Annoor during the Purple and Gold spring game.
BASEBALL
Golden Eagles split non-conference games, prepare for EIU By SHEA HAILE
Assistant Sports Editor
Jamal Ferugson | The Oracle COMING HOME - Dylan Bosheers rounds third and scores the second run of the game for Tech against MTSU.
Weekly Roundup This week’s sports stories at a glance Quidditch competes at high level The Tennessee Tech Quidditch club team was eliminated during the second round of competition and finished 26th out of the 80 teams that competed at the Quidditch World Cup on Monday. On the first day of competition, the Golden Hippogriffs went 3-1, allowing them to move on to single elimination bracket play. After winning their first game in the single elimination part of the tournament, Tech narrowly lost to the University of Michigan, 120 - 180. “We felt really good about we played,” said Andrea Brys, a beater for Tech. “Our last game was lost by a snitch grab, but we did really well. To give you an idea of how dedicated the team was, one of the players actually lost half of his tooth during a game and kept playing. We were bummed at how the game ended, but we feel good
about the tournament as a whole.” The team grabbed wins over Arizona State University, Toledo University, and Harvard University. “We did extremely well against high caliber teams,” said Kellie Davis, a chaser and captain for Tech. “In our two losses, we kept in snitch range, which means we could’ve tied and forced overtime with a snitch grab. We were predicted to place fourth but finished second.” Davis said she’s proud of how much the team has accomplished in the short time they have been together. The Tech Quidditch club team has been competing together for three years. They placed first at the 2013 U.S.A. Fall Break Tournament and first at the Tenn-Tucky Cup in 2013. They placed 32nd at last year’s World Cup.
Kendrick shines in Red Wolf The Tennessee Tech men’s golf team held on for a tie for 11th place at the Red Wolf Intercollegiate at RidgePointe Country Club April 8, holding off a late surge by Northern Iowa while catching the University of New Orleans for the tie. The Golden Eagles men’s team was led by sophomore Bryce Kendrick, who tied for 22nd out of over 100 participants after carding a final round score of 73. He finished the event with a 224 after first and second rounds of 76 and 75. He also helped Tech to a total three-round score of 910 for the tournament. Finishing second on the team was sophomore Mitch
Thomas. Thomas wrapped up play with a 75 for a 228 overall and tied for 35th in the tournament after first and second rounds of 77 and 76, respectively. Sophomore Adam Cunningham finished third for Tech with a 232, tying for 59th. Juniors Mason Griffin and Lee Whitehead rounded out the Golden Eagles scoring. Griffin shot a 233 total and Whitehead shot 235. The Golden Eagles will get one more tune up before the Ohio Valley Conference Championships as the Golden Eagles will head to the UK Bluegrass Invitational hosted by Kentucky this Saturday.
This week’s Weekly Roundup features stories by Beat Reporter Shane Foley and TTU Sports Information
The Tech baseball team has experienced a week of ups and downs. Following a 10-1 defeat at the hands of the Southeastern Conference’s Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday, the Golden Eagles bounced back to easily handle the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders 10-3 on Wednesday. On a rainy and windy night, the Volunteers started the game with an early run. The Golden Eagles answered quickly. Brandon Thomasson’s double down the left field line allowed Jake Rowland to score. After one, the score was tied 1-1. The deadlock would continue until the top of fourth, when Tennessee’s Christin Stewart blasted a homerun to right center field. Two runs scored off of Stewart’s homer. The Volunteers added two more runs in the seventh, scoring off a Vincent Jackson single and a fielder’s choice. The Golden Eagles chances
were dashed in the top of the ninth when an error and four hits allowed five more Volunteer runs. Junior Jacob Honea began the night pitching for the Golden Eagles. He lasted four innings and gave up five hits, two earned runs and one home run while facing 17 batters. He was also handed a loss. Pitchers Evan Frailiex, Jeb Scoggins and Vann Boyce finished out the game. Outfielder Jake Rowland had the best stats at the plate for Tech. Rowland went 2-4 and scored Tech’s only run. Brandon Thomasson and Dylan Bosheers also had hits for the Golden Eagles. Wednesday’s contest with MTSU gave the Golden Eagles a chance to redeem themselves for the loss only 24 hours prior. Tech had defeated the Blue Raiders 9-5 earlier in the season and was looking for its first season series sweep of MTSU since 1998. Both teams had early offensive success. Tech’s first score was a groundout tag by
senior Zach Zarzour. In the second inning, junior David Allen singled to left field. Dylan Bosheers took advantage and was able to score Tech’s second run. MTSU would score two runs in its next at bat and regained the advantage 3-2. This would be the Blue Raiders’ last lead. Zach Stephens began the offensive explosion for the Golden Eagles as he scored on Brandon Thomasson’s sacrifice fly. Stephens would strike again with a historic home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. This solo shot marked Stephens’ 52nd homer of his career. It made him the Stephens new record holder for the most career home runs ever hit by a Tennessee Tech player. The previous record holder was A.J Kirby- Jones. Brandon Thomasson, Jordan Hopkins and David
Allen added three doubles and five RBIs to the inning giving the Golden Eagles a 9-3 lead at the end of the fifth. Thomasson would finish Tech’s scoring with a homerun of his own in the bottom of the seventh. Tech utilized five pitchers in the team’s0 victory: John Gora, Cain Sloan, Kyle Keatts, Stanton Taylor, and Justin Alexander. Sloan was credited with the win. The Golden Eagles are in action again today. Tech begins a weekend series at Ohio Valley Conference rival Eastern Illinois at 3 p.m. Tech’s current OVC record sits at 9-6, third in the conference. Eastern Illinois is near the bottom of the conference with a 4-8 conference record. Both teams will be looking to improve their conference records in the OVC as their schedules begin to come to an end. Both weekend games will start at 1 p.m.