The Oracle- September 12, 2014

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Friday| September 12, 2014

RACLE Volume 99 | Issue 1 | Free in single copy

>>Page 5 >>P

>What shows to watch this fall.

IN THIS ISSUE: 2 Calendar 2 Campus News 3 Living 4 Opinion 5 Entertainment 6 Sports

>>Page 6

>Van >Vanlier nlier liie shines at Indiana State.

The primary news source of the Golden Eagles since 1924

> EXCLUSIVE: Updates to several campus buildings are in full swing. >>Page

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Serving Tennessee Tech weekly during the fall and spring semesters

> Local yogurt shop locks doors for good in final closing blowout party. >>Page

> Is the common book too intense?

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>>Page 4

SAE rises from the ashes After March house fire, Sigma Alpha Epsilon keeps charter. Fraternity to carry out rush and chapter activities on campus as part of one year University Probation.

By KELLY MILLS Beat Reporter

By DRAKE FENLON Managing Editor Sigma Alpha Epsilon is recovering from the destruction of their former Eighth Street fraternity house that occurred toward the end of last semester.

The former house of the Tennessee Delta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was consumed by an early morning fire that claimed their house on March 22. The fire started in the basement, where it spread through the rest of the house and burned the building down to the foundation.

“Fortunately for the chapter, no composites or anything related to our Farmer ritual was lost because we had moved it from the old house to the new house,” said SAE chapter member, David Farmer.

“As for the other few brothers who lived in the house with me, we lost basically all of our personal possessions.”

Farmer said the three fraternity members living in the house at the time of the fire, Tyler McFall, Elliot Keas

Drake Fenlon | The Oracle HOT STEPPING- An external staircase of the former Sigma Alpha Epsilon house the morning after a fire destroyed the fraternity building in March. and himself, lost all of their possessions still inside the house, besides the shirts they had on their backs. In addition to losing schoolbooks and a laptop, Farmer also lost his car due to it being parked close to the house.

Some of the members’ personal insurance covered thousands of dollars’ worth of the brothers’ belongings to try and get back what they had lost.

Farmer said in addition to the insurance support, some chapter members pulled together after the fire to help their fellow brothers who had lost all of their belongings. They gave them the essentials such as clothing, bed sheets, pillows, and

a place to sleep among other things that would help them recover from their loss.

Just before the fire in March, the fraternity had moved into a newly constructed fraternity house on West Fifth Street.

“Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a brotherhood that is still striving today,” said Ryan Gibbons, SAE president.

“Because we are so close and strong, not even a disaster such as the fire has or can tear this family apart.”

Despite the group being issued a cease and desist by the University immediately after the incident in March, the Fraternity was granted permission to still take in new members this

Jordan Pace | The Oracle PROBATION SANCTION- Due to the one year probation period sanctions, the newly constructed Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house must keep their greek house letters covered to disassociate the house from the chapter. fall. The group is still under University Probation.

Katie Williams, Director of Greek Life, said the group is on probation with the University and has to report all group activity to the Greek Life office to maintain their status as a social group on campus.

Most notably, the group has now been sanctioned to join the University list of alcohol-free fraternity houses along with Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Delta Theta.

The chapter was able to host several rush events last week to pull new potential members to their fraternity.

Williams said that all recruitment events and all chapter meetings will be held on campus for a period of one year. The newly constructed fraternity house must also keep a board over their letters to disassociate the chapter from that location since all of their events for the year are on campus.

Dylan Barstad, recruitment chair of SAE, says that he is pleased with the success of rush events, even under the campus probation.

See “SAE” >>Page 2

Nelson replaces Shepherd as new semester starts with new interim campus Chief of Police in new location

By LUCAS MCCOY Beat Reporter Tony Nelson has assumed the duty of interim police chief for the Tennessee Tech police department after Gay Shepherd retired over the summer.

“Tony Nelson, who is serving as interim chief, has 20-plus years with the department,” said Marc Burnett, vice president of student affairs. “He was widely considered to be second in command, making him the logical choice for interim chief.”

Nelson said that he is ap-

‘‘

preciating his time in the interim position, but could not comment on whether or not he would take the position of full-time police chief.

“I’m basically looking after the department until they make a decision,” said Nelson.

Nelson said President Oldham will make the final decision of who will become the new police chief at a later date.

Nelson started working for the TTUPD in 1995.

Nelson took over the position after Gay Shepherd retired as police chief. Shepherd served Tech for 34 years.

“She did a wonderful

service for this university, and she’s now happily enjoying retirement,” said Nelson.

Tech’s police department moved locations over the summer and is now found in Foundation Hall.

Students are known to complain about lack of parking, but a new parking lot was opened behind the building as well.

“Parking is hard, but isn’t parking hard everywhere?” said Fred Nichols, Tech police officer.

As for the new residence, Nelson said the department is happy with it and that people can get in and out easily.

“I’m basically looking after the department until they make a decision.”

— Lt. Tony Nelson,

,,

Interim TTU Campus Chief of Police

Spencer Williams | The Oracle TECH PD- Jaime Pulido Ariza talks to the front window clerk at the newly relocated campus police station Thursday. The police station was formerly located just off the Main Quad.

SGA Senator appointed to commission

by Governor

By MATTHEW PHILLIPS Beat Reporter

SGA senator, Alex Martin has been appointed

by Governor Bill Haslam as the Tennessee Board of Regents’ representative on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, for a two-year term.

There are two student representatives: one for the University of Tennessee system, and one for the TBR, with voting rights rotating each year.

“It’s an honor being the student voice for 500,000 TBR members for the next two years,” said Martin.

THEC was created in the fall of 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly, to achieve coordination and foster unity in the state’s higher education Martin went through three interviews before landing the position. The first being an in-person interview at the site of the Martin THEC meetings in Nashville, the second was a phone interview by two members of the Governor’s staff, and lastly a final in-person interview at the state capitol.

Martin laughed that he was “nervous for that last interview.”

Something else stood out to Martin from that final interview.

“Mr. Bryan McCormick asked me why I should be the third TBR representative to come from Tennessee Tech in the last four years.”

Martin said. I explained that being on THEC and being a TBR representative, which is what Lee Gatts and Ashley Humphrey were, are two separate positions, so I would be the first from the school to do this.”

Martin went on to describe that the culture of the students at Tennessee Tech are concerned about their education and not just about the party lifestyle. Martin believes that this is why the state positions have been held by Tennessee Tech students in recent years.

Over the next two years, Martin will have numerous duties for the THEC and the state, including sitting on the Students President Council, attending quarterly THEC meetings, which stream live on their website, and, beginning next year, being the only student vote of 500,000 TBR students.

“It’s definitely an honor and a privilege. I’m excited for it and I can’t wait to help out my fellow students,” Martin said.

Center Stage releases 2014-2015 season of events

By KAYLEE GENTRY Beat Reporter

By DRAKE FENLON Managing Editor Thanks to Center Stage, several cultural and artistic events have been scheduled for the year, with four of them taking place this month across campus.

Center Stage recently released their schedule of upcoming artistic events Read More Online

@

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that are free to students.

The events range from guest speakers and concerts to art displays and poets.

Among the several events offered, an array of artists’ works are to be featured in the Joan Derryberry Art Gallery throughout the semester. This program is known as the “artist in residence” series.

The current artist in residence is Matt Hutton, a furniture designer from Portland, Maine.

CONTACT:

According to the artist’s website, “Hutton earned his BFA in woodworking and furniture design at the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana and an MFA from San Diego State University.”

“I think it’s very stylized.

It’s simplistic. It borrows kind of a lot of the designs that some of the artists were going for in the 90s when it comes to furniture art,” said Jonathan Carpenter, a junior art major.

Carpenter’s favorite piece is called “Core Sample.”

“As an artist myself, I know that whatever one seems to be the most fussed with is the most personal,” said Carpenter.

Hutton’s work is on display in the Joan Derryberry Art Gallery, located on the main level of the RUC. The exhibit opened Sept. 2 and will run through Sept. 25.

Hutton will give a gallery talk on Sept. 25 at 4:30 p.m.

The gallery is free and open

to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The first guest speaker of the semester will be Juliet Schor. Schor will speak about time management and happiness. This event will be Sept.

18 at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Hall auditorium.

At the end of the semester, the art of Jim Graham will take its place in the Joan Derryberry Art Gallery.

Graham is the department chair of painting at

Southeastern Louisiana University. His paintings will be on display from Sept. 29 until Oct. 23.

Closing out the month, on Sept. 30, Amy Roloff, star of the hit TLC reality show, “Little People Big World,” is scheduled to speak about her life as a little person with a presentation in Derryberry Auditorium.

See

“Center Stage” >>Page 3

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NEWS

Friday, September 12, 2014

tntechoracle.com Contact us: oracle@tntech.edu

>> Campus

South Hall Renovations draw to a close

By DAVID McMINN Web Editor Students and faculty can expect to see South Hall open next semester as construction in the building draws to a close. The renovations, which began in January of this year, are due to finish around November. Originally constructed in 1931, South Hall has seen many functions throughout its life.

“It being such an old building, we’ve run into a lot of things as we’re demoing (sic),” said project manager DeLayne Miller. “It used to be the cafeteria and the University Center a long time ago, so there’s a lot of quarry tile throughout.”

Quarry tile can cause floors to be uneven or prevent carpet from adhering to them.

Another challenge is the inconsistency of the building.

South Hall has received several additions over the years which were sometimes built differently from the rest of the structure.

Some renovations involve knocking down walls to make bigger classrooms, a task made much more difficult by these structural differences.

Construction is still on schedule, despite these setbacks, so students can look forward to a more pleasant experience in South Hall >> SAE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “We had a lot of guys come down,’’ said Barstad.

“We had A.J. Carter, a local guitarist, come play on Main Quad while we cooked out and talked to new potentials.

We also had a low country boil where we played corn hole. We met a lot of great guys on campus.”

Barstad said that more than 20 male students came to the fraternity recruitment events to see if they had interest in joining the fraternity.

The fraternity only ended up offering membership bids to four of the 20 students.

“For us to dwell on the past would get our chapter nowhere,” said Barstad.

“This recruitment is a great example of walking strong and looking onward.”

Elissa Longfellow l The Oracle

Top: South Hall’s windows are boarded up due to ongoing renovations.

Left: On the inside of South Hall. The rooms have been gutted for ongoing renovations. Renovations should be complete by November 2014.

Elissa Longfellow l The Oracle come spring 2015.

Work on the building included extensive resurfacing,

installation of sprinklers and an entirely new climate control system.

Classes located in South Hall were moved to Foundation Hall for the du-

ration of the work.

An old building itself, Foundation Hall was once Prescott Middle School and some students have found themselves taking college courses in their old preteen haunts.

“It’s pretty much like I left it in the sixth grade,” said human ecology major Janeth Cruz. “It’s a little creepy, but I like that it has its own parking. I don’t have to struggle to find a spot when I have a class over there.”

As the work in South Hall draws to a close, Tech is setting its sights on the next building to be renovated: Jere Whitson, home of the Backdoor Playhouse.

“We’re going to put a sprinkler system in there and upgrade the air conditioning,” said Miller. “Right now we’re in the process of programming to see who’s going into that building. I think there will be a few changes with who’s going in there, but we haven’t gotten into that yet. I’m pretty sure the Backdoor Playhouse will still be there, but as far as who else will be in there, we don’t really know yet.”

Much like South Hall, all departments will have to move out of the building during the renovations.

The entire operation is still in the planning phase but is tentatively slated to begin in December of 2015.

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September

12 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

College Day at Denso Manufacturing Denso Manufacturing Plant

13 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

STEM Safari Saturday- DOT Day Oakley STEM Center

14 All Day Matt Hutton Furniture Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

15 All Day Matt Hutton Furniture Exhibition Joan Derryberry Art Gallery

All Day

School of Nutrition Supervisors Meeting RUC Multi-Purpose Room

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Engineering Orientation Fair RUC Multi-Purpose Room

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FFA Soils Land Judging TBD

Follow on Twitter

events @ tech

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Drake Fenlon l The Oracle EAT MOR CHIKIN- On Thursday, Sept. 4, the new Chick-fil-a, located in the basement of the Roaden University Center, celebrated its grand opening. Chick-fil-a is one of three new establishments on Tech’s campus. President Oldham attended the grand opening along with Awesome Eagle and others.

Juliet Schor: Time, Self Provisioning and Happiness Johnson Hall Auditorium

www.tntech.edu/calendar

Dr. Ghorashi, build up this wall New technology known as Tech Wall is being discussed as a possible addition on the inside of the Jere Whitson Memorial Building. Tech Wall will give information to students looking to change majors and answer questions about other interests.

ByHAYLEY GREENHOUSE Beat Reporter

An electronic interactive wall, also known as Tech Wall, is being discussed as a possible future accessory inside of Jere Whitson Memorial Building for the division of Enrollment Management.

Provost Bahman Ghorashi believes the Tech Wall and other technological transformations will recruit “attractive, qualified students to TTU.” The Tech Wall is a near-term objective from the Flight Plan focusing on transforming technology to help increase enrollment.

Ghorashi said the Wall will provide students with pertinent information regarding various disciplines and majors. The Tech Wall would be installed in Jere Whitson after when construction is completed in about two years.

Prospective students will not be the only ones to benefit from this tool.

“We have students undecided at the freshman level,” said Ghorashi.

A student looking to change majors will be able to go to the Tech Wall and answer questions about their interests. Content provided by the different departments will match Ghorashi the student with the right major. The student can then watch a video about the department they are interested in.

Tennessee Tech is following in the footsteps of other universities with this technology. Other universities include: Illinois State University, which uses an electronic interactive wall to communicate student life to students; University of Missouri, which uses it to recruit athletes; and University of Florida, which uses it as a political poll to inform students about voting.

The Oracle staff thanks you for your readership. Have a great weekend!

COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 3

Friday, September 12, 2014

Features <<

Women’s Center to hold twice monthly meetings

By ELLEN CONTI Beat Reporter Women that suffer from body insecurities have the opportunity to attend monthly Women’s Center support groups on Tennessee Tech’s campus.

The group meets on the second and fourth Thursday of every month in Pennebaker 203 at 11 a.m.

A peer led support group will be held, with the Women’s Center counselors assisting.

“Last year we did not meet as often,” said Gretta Stranger, associate professor of sociology and political science. “This year though, since there was a bigger in-

terest from the parents at the S.O.A.R. orientations, we will be holding them more efficiently.”

B.I.D.E., which stands for Body Image and Disordered Eating, is the name for this all-inclusive peer support group.

The meetings are confidential to allow the women to share and reflect their present or past situations.

Students that are unimpressed with the body they see in the mirror may then cause self-harm to correct their image.

With all the celebrities and the media giving women ideas, this group helps students to interact and reflect.

Web directors redesign Tech website

By SHELBEY ASHBURN Beat Reporter

The Tennessee Tech website underwent many changes this summer as web directors Lisa Maas and David Willis took on the task of visually and technologically improving its features.

Visitors to the new website will notice significant changes in the overall appearance of the homepage along with updated features such as the search tool and navigation section, two major goals set to be achieved during the redesign process.

“The previous site was out of maintenance,” said Maas. “Updates involved migration rather than simply updating the software. We took this as an opportunity to redesign the site as well.”

Maas and Willis played the primary role in updating and redesigning the website but also received many contributions from staff and out-

side sources.

“Everyone in our office contributed to one degree or another,” Willis said. “We also contracted out some portions of the work to third parties with specific areas of expertise.”

Willis said the website has been receiving both positive and negative feedback in regards to the design and software updates.

“One thing I noticed was when the browser was half the normal size, none of the submenus would stay up long enough to click the category within,” said Brenna Edwards, web design student. “I sent the site designer a note through the website form and they told me they were aware of the issue.”

The new website was planned for nearly an entire year before updates and designing took place. Overall, the project took about 14 months to complete and was made public June 2014.

LIVING

Mae Pearl’s closes doors Mae Pearl’s closed on Sept. 3 after three years of operation. Students react to the closing of the business.

By TYLER RANDOLPH Beat Reporter Cookeville is back to having just one local frozen yogurt shop after Mae Pearl’s Frozen Yogurt closed its doors for good on Wednesday, Sept. 3 after three years of operation.

Mae Pearl’s owners, brothers Russ and Jason Fowler, closed the doors of their S. Jefferson Ave. dessert shop after not being able to turn a desirable profit.

“There were shifts I worked where, sometimes an hour at a time, there were no customers,” said former Mae Pearl’s employee, Jordan Pace.

“There were shifts I worked where, sometimes an hour at a time, there were no customers.”

In addition to the lack of business, the Fowler brothers wanted to use the time they devoted to Mae Pearl’s to focus primarily on their family construction business, Fowler and Sons Construction Company.

In an effort to keep Mae Pearl’s up and running, the Fowlers casually reached out to select individuals and offered to sell the shop.

“The Fowlers called me one day about a month ago and offered to sell me the shop,” said TTU senior and former Mae Pearl’s employee, Drake Fenlon. “I had told them that I might be interested in purchasing the store at some further time down the road, but because I’m still a student, I had to deny their offer.”

Fenlon went on to describe that the Fowler brothers had told him they were considering selling the store to him due to not having

Photo Courtesy of Mae Pearl’s Frozen Yougurt NO MO YO- Mae Pearl’s closed the doors on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Mae Pearl’s sold frozen yogurt to the local community of Cookeville.

enough time to run their construction company, in addition to running a frozen yogurt shop. The Fowlers also told Fenlon that money was not coming in as consistently as once projected.

Some students are saddened by the closing of the

local business.

On closing day, Mae Pearl’s opened their doors to the public allowing anyone to come and eat free forzen yogurt.

Throughout the afternoon, locals from the community came to pay their

tribute to the frozen yogurt store and ate their last cup of frozen yogurt from Mae Pearls.

“Mae Pearl’s was the only (yogurt) place I went to and I’m sad that it’s closed,” said senior journalism student, Reanna Young. >> CENTER STAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

9/11 HONORED ON MAIN QUAD

Roloff was born with dwarfism and only stands at a height of 4 feet 2 inches. She has made it her mission to live a purposeful life despite her disability.

According to the Center Stage website, Roloff will divulge stories from her life related to her dwarfism and will deliver a message about the values of respect in herself and others, honest communication and acceptance.

This event is being cosponsored by Disability Services.

“I put the events together once it is decided who we’re going to bring in. I do the contracting and scheduling and setting everything up behind the scenes to make sure they happen,” said Anne Thurmond, coordinator for Center Stage.

Thurmond said because the events are funded by student fees, students can attend for free, with the exception of theatrical productions.

Ben Hay l Guest Contributor

NEVER FORGET- On Thrusday, Sept. 11, flags were placed on Main Quad in rememberance of the attacks made on the World Trade Center 13 years ago. Each flag placed on the quad represented one life lost on 9/11. The placement of the flags was sponsored by the Student Alumni Association on campus.

Page 4 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

OPINION

Friday, September 12, 2014

>> Think Freely

Send letters to the editor to oracle@tntech.edu 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.

Coffee or Clean Water?

Comparitive Thinking and Unnecessary Coffee:

Warm scarf.

Frayed sweater.

Crisp air.

Burning trash.

Rosy cheeks.

Starving bellies.

It is time to speak up on an issue of contrasting standards. It is time to talk about my favorite season and why I need to enjoy it more this year.

Every year, autumn swarms me with tastings of pumpkin, warm wool and heaps of colorful leaves.

However, after spending a summer in Kenya, I can’t help but be thankful. American autumn is nothing short of first-world bliss. We delight in our taste buds, layer ourselves in overpaid clothing and crank up our thermostat.

How can I come home with a Starbucks in hand and ignore the beautiful faces I saw — the beautiful faces that wept over clean water alone?

I’m not writing this article to make you hate yourself or donate every penny to Feed the Children. I’m writing this to remind you we’re part of the one percent.

As a first world citizen, I can admit a stack of my paycheck goes straight to the coffeehouse.

“We make just over $3,000 in a day,” senior EXPW major Jordynn Holm, barista at the Starbucks on campus, said.

Holm has worked

KIMMY MANNING Opinion Editor

at the campus Starbucks for over four years and is no stranger to the million-dollar franchise of coffee. She also has seen the sudden rise in income at the end of a cool, near-autumn day.

“Everyone loves the fall flavors. Everyone, everyone!

I see tweets about it all the time. I see Facebook comments about it, that as long as they get their pumpkin spice latte, their day is made.”

Our days are made by lattes.

Ouch.

This summer I had a sweet, chocolate-skinned girl

Kimmy Manning | The Oracle

IN THE SLUMS - Pictured is a girl who Manning met in Kenya, being sponsored to recieve aid.

place a bracelet in my hands.

A bracelet made out of the material of her sweater. Her only sweater. She gave me a piece of one of her few belongings. I couldn’t help but wince at the thought of my closet busting from the seams at home.

After trying to find my balance among infuriation of

where we blessed first-world spenders shell out our money, I had to remind myself there is good in this world, and I certainly can’t be the only one convincing myself of this.

In and out of hallways through the University Center and at the convenience of others in line for lunch, I got to scratch the surface. I acquired the feedback of 24 different students about where their money is going day-to-day.

My first results were expected, as 25 percent of those I interviewed said they don’t donate to charity — considering we are college students, after all.

However, an equally matched 25 percent of my polls revealed they do not purchase coffee leisurely.

This data can at least say one thing: they aren’t frivolous with their money.

But, I needed to dig deeper.

So I found what juxtaposed this situation: 54 percent of these college students said they spend less than $25 on their daily brew a month.

With less than a dollar a day on coffee, it seems fairly reasonable. I can’t even fight against that. If you know anything about me, I’m not functioning until I’ve had two cups of dark roast and a pat on the back. I need a lot to keep me going.

What encouraged me more was the 58 percent of

the freshman Intolerant views make the world blind: Isbook too extreme?

DRAKE FENLONManaging Editor

I have a love-hate relationship with social media.

Somewhere in between the time I got my own computer in middle school and the time I got an Ethernet cable in my room, I started my life with social media.

Back then social media was so innocent and sweet.

Not everyone had a Facebook and Twitter. Not everyone was out to self-promote themselves. Just being able to interact with your friends across town and across the world was so fascinating, and a majority of the world jumped aboard the train.

Fast forward to 2014 where everyone has at least some online presence.

Whether you have a folder on your iPhone with eight different social apps or you are a grandma sharing recipes with friends on Facebook, everyone is involved.

This can be viewed as a good thing because people can connect where they most likely wouldn’t if it wasn’t for social media and the Internet.

THE

On the other hand, this gives a public forum for all voices. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for freedom of speech, but this can be very destructive for free thought thinking where everyone has a voice and can easily share anything they see in just a few clicks.

Regarding that, in the past month when I logged on to Facebook in the mornings I frequently saw posts and links being shared saying Tennessee Tech and President Oldham were products of the liberal media and were attempting to “indoctrinate” all freshmen students into the Muslim Brotherhood.

Wait, what? When I first saw the headline being shared around, my jaw literally dropped and my faith in society dropped a little more.

Not because I believed a lick of what the article was saying, but because people were believing this was actually the truth.

Okay, so what are they talking about here?

For the past three years, the University has had a common book that all freshmen read to learn a common

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lesson to help them in their future. In the past, the books have been stories of overcoming great odds to eventually reach success in life.

This year’s book is no different, except that it is causing a backlash against the school for choosing a book dealing with the Muslim faith.

“Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation,” by Eboo Patel

“Life is about learning from experiences even if they make you a little uneasy at first.” is an autobiography of how Patel grew up in America as a member of the Islamic faith and his struggles with being persecuted because of his differences.

Doesn’t sound too dangerous, does it? Well once news broke that this book was chosen for the common book, websites such as Dailyrollcall and the website for former Saturday Night Live cast member, Victoria Jackson (for some reason)

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Kimmy Manning | The Oracle

ON CAMPUS - Starbucks barista, Jordynn Holm, writes up an order for a Pumpkin Spice Latte for senior accounting student, Brent Burton on Wednesday of this week. the students who said they donate up to $25 a month toward charity, like freshman social work major Emily Sherrill.

“Most causes need the money more than we do,” she said.

“It turned into a popularity contest of forcing donations out of your friends.”

Some students weren’t as convinced.

“It’s important to research the charity,” junior physical therapy major Taylor Gillespie said.

I can respect that.

Research the charity.

Research the heck out of the have written some very indepth blog posts saying how having students read this book is the same as high-fiving the terrorists.

Dailyrollcall defines the purpose of their website as to “inform the public of the indoctrination and infiltration of various Islamist organizations throughout the country, and in particular the state of Tennessee.”

However, what these sites are truly doing is stirring up an Internet storm of fear and hatred among the uninformed and are leading to more social intolerance.

What happens is people will see a link to the website shared by one of their friends online, and then pass it on and on without doing any research on the topic first.

This happens all the time with simple little stories going around about how doctors say not to eat peanut butter because it causes cancer. This article circulates and then the next week there is a story saying peanut butter is great again and it is a cureall. These articles circulate around, but people do read them.

In this case, though, we can see directly how an interest group can have an effect

charity, but don’t ignore it.

We’ve all seen the ALS ice bucket challenge, and goodness knows you probably were challenged to do it, but we need more than just a nomination. It turned into a popularity contest of forcing donations out of your friends. I’m glad people gave, but I’m looking for that urge.

We need to want to give. We need to involve ourselves into making this world better than it is.

According to “Business Insider,” the United States is the sixth wealthiest country in the world, with a GDP per capita of $47,084.

If we are the sixth richest, we have some pocket change to spare.

I challenge you this week to replace ONE of your Starbucks indulgences for solidified charity. We all need to do a little good, with me be-

ing the biggest critic.

Yes, I am going to enjoy autumn this year. Yes, I am still going to choose to crochet, watch Netflix and make mountains of pumpkin bread instead of doing my homework. But I’m not going to enjoy my autumn bliss without being a realist.

I could have easily been a Kenyan living in the slums of Kibera or an Eskimo in Alaska, yet I’m in Cookeville, Tenn., living the American dream of earning a college degree.

Let’s not forget how lucky we are. Let’s make the most of this beautiful season by giving to others instead of just ourselves.

Kimmy Manning is a senior in Journalism/Public Relations. She can be reached at kemanning42@students.tntech. edu.

on a reader that won’t go out and do their own research or question what they read.

An anonymous commenter on the Dailyrollcall website said the following comment: “Phillip Oldham is another example of elitist liberal scum! I feel sorry for his children!!!”

Wow. Are you serious?

The people writing these pieces and comments are blindly making mountains out of craters in an attempt to wind up more boxed hate against a group they believe are the keys to destroying our country.

They want to make it seem that the University and President Oldham are forcing radical liberal ideas on the students, when the truth is the University is simply trying to show students that diversity is a good thing, but a tough thing we all face. If anything, this entire backlash is only strengthening Patel’s point that he is being attacked just for his beliefs and that our country is not as accepting as it could be.

I have not read the Eboo Patel book yet, that is now optional for freshmen to read, but neither have the authors of the blog sites that are spreading this hate. I can, however, promise you that if

you open its pages, the terrorists won’t automatically win. The book is attempting to profile how we as a society should be tolerant in this very diverse world we live in.

Heaven forbid there are people of other religions out there and heaven forbid they might just be here in Cookeville getting a college education. We are a statefunded school. We are not a private Christian school.

Another Dailyrollcall article suggests that simply because we have a Muslim student group on campus and they try to host events on campus, we are setting up a path for destruction.

They have every right to worship and organize clubs just as anyone else does.

Every religion has their radicals. Every group has their radicals. That doesn’t mean just because one Muslim wrote a book he is automatically trying to brainwash you into thinking his way.

Please use your own mind to think large scale.

Question everything. Don’t take it at face value. Think Freely.

Drake Fenlon is a senior in Journalism/News Editorial. He can be reached at ddfenlon42@students. tntech.edu.

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COOKEVILLE, TN || THE ORACLE || Page 5

Friday, September 12, 2014

Reviews <<

ENTERTAINMENT

New fall shows to check out

‘As Above, So Below’ a creepy treasure

By JAKE THREET Entertainment Editor

By HANNAH BENJAMIN Entertainment Critic

Well fall TV is upon us again and, for me, it’s an exciting time of year. All my favorite shows are coming back (well not all of them— I’m looking at you ABC and the cancelation choices you have made recently) and some future favorites are joining the lineup. Honestly, no one particular network is offering a slew of hits.

Most of the shows premiering are not going to make it.

Some will barely make it a few episodes. I viewed the trailers for the new shows and have picked out the top new show from each network, plus a few honorable mentions. Below, I’ve listed my top new shows to watch out for this fall.

“How to Get Away With Murder” Okay, if the title doesn’t get your attention immediately then nothing else I’ve listed will either. The show stars Academy Award nominee Viola Davis as an intense, mysterious criminal defense professor who, along with a group of her ambitious law students, becomes entangled in a murder plot that will rock the entire university and change all of their lives. Just hearing Davis mutter the show’s title in the preview sold me on this show. The show is executive produced

by Shonda Rhimes and will air after her hits “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.”

Time will tell if this series will become a powerhouse like the other two. Thank God it’s Thursday. “How to Get Away With Murder” will air Thursdays at 10/9 central on ABC. “Scorpion” With nearly all of their shows returning from last year, CBS really didn’t have much room to add too many new shows. Out of nine new-ordered shows, this seems to be the clear winner. I think CBS believes so too as it seems to get more advertising than others. Nonetheless, the show is about super genius Elyes Gabel who pulls together a team of similar individuals to help stop threats against the United States.

Intelligent, humorous and fast-moving are all words to characterize this show. If viewers agree, the network should have another hit on its hands. “Scorpion” is set to air Mondays at 9/8 central on CBS. “Marry Me” Finally, a comedy makes the list! Sadly this show is the only one on it.

From the creator of “Happy Endings,” still looking you ABC, comes this hilarious comedy starring Casey Wilson and Ken Marino.

The duo star as Annie and Jake, a longtime couple who, after many botched engagements, decide to pull themselves together before officially getting engaged. Hilarity ensues, with plenty of moments that help this couple realize that no matter what, they cannot get away from each

In perhaps one of the creepiest films to release in the last few months, “As Above/So Below” is half thriller and half adventure, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. Deep within the ancient catacombs of Paris, a team of ragtag treasure hunters accidentally stumble upon a portal to hell amidst the millions of ancient skeletons. Terror ensues when each member of the team is haunted by their past as they try to escape the underworld.

“As Above/So Below” begins with found footage and shaky-cam details of the research of a woman named Scarlett (Perdita Weeks). She recruits her friends, Benji and George, to find the ancient Philosopher’s Stone.

Their findings lead them to a French graffiti gang leader named Papillion, known for exploring the hidden tunnels in the Catacombs.

Once they’re inside, the real thrills begin.

The film does an excellent job of building up suspense without starting off too slow. While the creepiness takes a while to set in, the character and plot development is interesting enough to keep the audience engaged. Scarlett and her friends have a likable dynamic, and the search for the Philosopher’s Stone gives off a “National Treasure”-esque vibe. The

Photo Courtesy of Comic Vine

“The Flash” premieres Tuesday, October 7, at 8/7 central on the CW before the long running newtwork hit “Supernatural”.

other. If you were a fan of “Happy Endings” and miss it as much as I do, this looks to take some of the pain away. “Marry Me” will air Tuesdays at 9/8 central on NBC. “Red Band Society” Octavia Spencer. That is really all you need to know.

The Academy Award winner stars in this provoking, inspiring and, at times, comedic show about a group of teenagers who meet as patients in the pediatric ward of Ocean Park Hospital in Los Angeles. There’s a lot of heart in this show and no doubt will it tug some heartstrings. Spencer plays Nurse Jackson who, along with the other hospital staff, gives these kids the freedom to have life inside the hospital, just within medical safety. I would say this is the underdog of all the new shows premiering this fall, but there’s a fight to this cast and the show’s message. “Red Band Society” will air Wednesdays at 10/9 central on FOX. Below are two shows that will make some noise, but were not necessarily my favorite. There are only two and one has not even begun filming yet. There is not even a trailer.

“The Flash” After the success of “Arrow,” the CW clearly knew what it was doing by bringing this series to life. Given, I have never seen “Arrow” or watched anything on the CW since “One Tree Hill” went off the air, but I will say the trailer for this show peaked my interest. Like “Arrow,” and also former CW show “Smallville,” this DC comic-based series looks to be full of action. While DC has had its fair share of flubs in the cinematic universe, their projects on television have fared far better and have told the story of its lead character in a better fashion. “The Flash” will air Tuesdays at 8/7 central on the CW. Below are two honorable mentions that will make some noise, but were not necessarily my favorite.

Only one of the shows has begun filming. There is not even a trailer. Nonetheless, both look to incorporate freshness to television.

“Gotham” In this new take on “The Caped Crusader,” the story mainly focuses on Commissioner James Gordon and his rise to prominence in Gotham City. If you are expecting to see Batman in all of his glory, then this is not the show for you. Yes, Bruce Wayne is in the show, along with favorite villains and comic characters, but this story is all about the before and how the characters got to where we know them today. “Gotham” will air Mondays at 8/7 central on FOX. “Agent Carter” Marvel continues to build its television stock with this new show. It stars Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, who appeared in both “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Set in 1946, Carter must balance the routine office work she does for the Strategic Scientific Reserve while secretly working with Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) on missions. Not much has been released about the show, and it will not be making its way onto the schedule until mid-season when “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” goes on hiatus.

There you have it, the best new show from each of the five major networks and a couple of honorable mentions. I am sure there will be a few more shows I did not mention that will do well, but for now these are the ones that are sure to make must-see TV. Unfortunately, cable networks offered nothing exciting, but I have hope they will offer something exciting for the beginning of next year.

Next week be sure to check out part two of my fall TV preview, as I take a look at some of the exciting returning series this fall and what to expect from them.

Photo Courtesy of Screen Rant

‘“As Above, So Below” opened in fourth place at the weekend box office with $8.3 million and has since made $16.7 million.

puzzles don’t detract from the main focus of the movie but draw the audience into something more than found footage of a haunted place.

“As Above/So Below” keeps the story fresh, but definitely could have been scarier. For an R rating, it doesn’t take the opportunity to freak out the audience as much as it could have. The film could have made hell look a lot scarier, but it seems only moderately creepy. The ending was particularly rushed as

well, leaving the conclusion mostly up to the audience to figure out.

Though summer is over and most of the blockbusters have already left our Highland 12, “As Above/ So Below” did not disappoint. The film is a creepy treasure hunt gone wrong, perfect for a late night viewing.

“As Above/So Below” is rated R for bloody violence and terror, as well as strong language throughout.

Album Review: “The Physical World”

By ADAM WEBB Guest Critic After a decade of silence, Toronto noise rock duo Death From Above 1979 have finally released a new album, “The Physical World.”

DFA1979 is made up of singer/drummer Sebastian Grainger and bassist/synth player Jesse Keeler. Hype has been building for this album since the band started touring again in 2011 after their falling out in 2006. While this album may not live up to their first album, “You’re a Woman I’m a Machine,” it’s still a solid follow-up.

The first track off the album, “Cheap Talk,” starts exactly the way a DFA1979 album should with heavily distorted bass and fast paced hi-hats. This trend continues throughout most of the album, and it’s nice to hear the guys haven’t lost their signature sound.

“White is Red” is the closest thing to a mellow song the band has released to date. Keeler’s bass has a much higher pitch than usual and Grainger doesn’t use a cymbal until the first chorus. Even though the song is a bit of a departure from the normal style of the duo, it’s not as much of a departure as the

Photo Courtesy of DeathFromAbove 1979.

After reuniting in 2011, Death From Above 1979 released their second album,“The Physical World”, on September 9th.

track “Trainwreck 1979.”

“Trainwreck 1979” has the band going for more of a pop punk vibe rather than their traditional noise/dance punk. It’s not a bad track and it carries an infectious chorus, but with the rest of the album sticking to the band’s signature sound, it’s definitely a track that stands out.

The song “Right On, Frankenstein!” and “Always On” are true returns to form for Grainger and Keeler. These songs sound like they could come off the duo’s debut album with loud drums and groovy bass lines that are still as fresh now as they were the first time around.

Grainger hasn’t lost his vocal touch either since the band’s breakup. On the track “Gemini,” he’s

screaming lyrics like “My girl is a Gemini she gets things done. Sometimes she’s mean but she can be a lot of fun,” all to the sound of Keeler’s high pitched distortion on bass.

A lot of the songs on this album deliver and there’s no denying it’s exciting to have some new material from the band, but some songs are still better than others. However after 10 years, it’s exciting to finally have new material from the band.

If you haven’t heard of these guys, check out their first album, “You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine,” as it serves as the foundation “The Physical World” was built on. Overall this album should satisfy new and old fans alike and have them eager for more.

Page 6 || THE ORACLE || COOKEVILLE, TN

SPORTS

Friday, September 12, 2014

>> Inside the Game FOOTBALL

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball visits Mcneese Vanlier: OVC special teams player of the week State for weekend games

By SHEA HAILE Sports Editor

Tennessee Tech’s volleyball team is preparing for an action packed weekend at Mcneese State University.

The Golden Eagles will face Alcorn State University, Mcneese State, LouisianaMonroe and Prairie View A&M University in the Mcneese State Invitational.

Second year head coach Dave Zelenock is excited to have the opportunity to play the host school.

“They have a small gymnasium that only seats 500 and they fill them every time,” said Zelenock,”That will be a good environment to play in.”

Tech’s first match begins Sept. 12 at 12:15 p.m. against the Lady Braves of Alcorn State. The Lady Braves enter the contest with a 2-3 record.

The Golden Eagles will face the Mcneese Sate Cowgirl’s at 7 p.m. for the feature match. The Cowgirls start the tournament with a 5-3 record.

The Golden Eagles will play the Sunbelt Conference’s Louisiana-Monroe and the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Prairie View A&M on Saturday.

“We are very young. We have got a lot of underclassman. At times we have had four kids on the court at the same time who didn’t play a college volleyball game last year,” said Zelenock.

This Mcneese State Invitational is the third straight invitational for the team. Zelenock is hoping

the experiences will help his young team improve. ”We are learning by fire,” Zelenock continued, “Basically,I knew we were going to have a young team so I just wanted to throw as many matches and opportunities out there as possible.”

Zelenock The Golden Eagles have only won one game so far this, defeating Norfolk State, but there have been some impressive perfoemances.

Junior Cody Dodd reached her career high 18 kills twice in the East Carolina Invitational against Norfolk State, and the University of North Carolina Wilmington, earning her a spot on the East Carolina Invitational AllTournament team.

“Cody put up ridiculous numbers she got a little bit robbed of the player of the week as did Jordan. She (Jordan) did not get defensive player of the week. Jordan had 19 blocks which is an insane number,” says Zelonock Freshman Jordan Wachowiak’s 19 blocks placed her in the top 20 in the country. Senior Courtney Smith and sophomore Kennedy Wade were impressive passers for the Golden Eagles last weekend.

The Golden Eagles will be on the road again beginning on September 19 in the Wo ff o rd / G a rd n e r- We b b Invitational.

By JORDAN PACE Assistant Sports Editor

The Golden Eagles managed to come away with a silver lining from their 49-14 loss while away against the Indiana State Sycamores on Saturday as running back Ladarius Vanlier was named the OVC Special Teams Player of the Week.

The 5 foot 8 inch junior finished Saturday’s outing with 200 all-purpose yards, which included a third quarter 72-yard punt return for a Golden Eagle Touchdown.

“That was a catch he

wouldn’t have made last season,” said head coach Watson Brown of Vanlier’s 72-yard punt return. “That type of play just shows the improvements he’s made since last year.”

In addition to receiving this week’s award, Vanlier stays in the headlines by nationally ranking fifth in punt returns (20.4 yards per return), 14th in kickoff returns (26.8 yards per return) and 15th in all-purpose yards (178.5 yards per game).

Although he was awarded by the conference for his efforts on special teams, Vanlier said he would have

rather been awarded with a win over the Sycamores.

“It’s an accomplishment, but nothing is more important to me than winning the game as a team,” said Vanlier.

Already a winner of the conference’s weekly special teams honor, Vanlier believes he can win more awards in his future.

“You can never be ‘too good.’ There is no ceiling to success, and I know I still have a lot I can work on,” said Vanlier. “Yeah, the award happened, but we have to move on as a team and get better before we play our next opponent.”

gained 160 yards on the ground rushing. LeMonte Booker, running back for Indiana State, rushed for 77 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries.

“We allowed multiple plays on defense of 30 yards or more,” said Watson Brown, head coach for the Golden Eagles. “We can’t do that if we expect to win football games.”

In response to Sycamore’s dominant offensive performance, Tech’s offense put up 166 yards of total offense with quarterback Jared Davis throwing for just 98 passing yards.

“The loss had more to do with our offense underperforming,” said Brown, whose team finished without an offensive score

last Saturday.

The Golden Eagles finally made an appearance on the scoreboard midway through

Vanlier The Golden Eagles will travel to Hale Stadium in Nashville Sept. 20 to take on conference rival Tennessee State University.

Tech struggles on both sides of the ball against Indiana State:Refocusing for TSU

By JORDAN PACE Assistant Sports Editor The Golden Eagles were handed their first loss of the 2014 season last Saturday while on the road against the Indiana State Sycamores.

Indiana State took a commanding 49-14 win over Tech by putting them out of the game early with a 21-0 first half lead.

TheSycamores outplayed the Golden Eagles by moving the ball for 543 yards on offense.

Indiana State quarterback Mike Perish threw for 383 yards with three touchdowns and added a second quarter rushing touchdown. Receiver Gary Owens grabbed 199 yards in the sky on six receptions for the Sycamores.

The home team also

Rob Schabert| Asst. Ad Sports Information

Endzone Bound-Ladarius Vanlier returning a punt at Indiana State.

the third quarter on a blocked punt for a touchdown by

defensive end Jordan Patrick.

“That was a gorgeous block by Patrick. He put his big hands in there and made a fantastic play,” said Brown.

Less than two minutes after their first score, the Golden Eagles added six more points when Ladarius Vanlier ran a 72-yard punt return touchdown.

The effort was too little too late for the Golden Eagles, however, as Indiana State added three more touchdowns to close out the game in Terre Haute, Ind. The 1-1 Golden Eagles look to regroup and recharge during their bye week before they take on conference rival Tennessee State University on Sept. 20 at Hale Stadium in Nashville.

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