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Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, TN | 38505
Volume 92 | Issue 7 | November 6, 2009
Students to vote on SGA Tech student earns national constitutional change Vote allows SGA to allocate money to fund campus concerts By EMILY BOOKER Editorial Editor Students will have the chance to vote online Thursday on a change to the SGA constitution. The vote will be on how to organize and run a recently passed bill which created the Student Organization Life Opportunity fund. The fund, created from $20 assessed from students’ tuition each semester, will finance oncampus concerts and allow organizations to apply for funding for on-campus activities. “SOLO is a new step to help students get interested and active on campus each semester,” Sean Ochsenbein, SGA president, said. “Any step in that direction is a positive step.” Seventy-five percent of the fund will go toward a major concert every fall and spring semester. “These events give students something to look forward to,” Ochsenbein said. The hope is that events and concerts on campus will increase student retention. In addition to a major concert, part of the fund will be used as allocation for on-campus events. Twenty-five percent will be available for campus organizations to receive funding for campus events. The event must be open to all students and “support a majority of students in a positive way on campus,” Ochsenbein said. Organizations will only be able receive up to $1,000 an event and up to $2,000 a semester. Leftover money will roll over to the next semester. Because the fund is self-operating from student tuition, the fund will still be able to operate and provide concerts and allocation money, even with further budget cuts. The SOLO fund is based off the Better University Community fund of ETSU. The ETSU
Current student fees in addiƟon to University tuiƟon Sustainability Campus Fee:
$8 SGA Fee: $10
Post Office Box: $14
Debt Service Fee: $29
General Access Fee: $418 tntech.edu/bursar/otherfees for list of additional charges
BUC fund has funded on-campus concerts for several years. “I think it’s a well-written base for the SOLO fund,” Ochsenbein said. ETSU SGA President Brian Bowman said, “I believe the way [the BUC fund] has changed campus is immeasurable. There is no telling how many students have benefitted and have been inspired to stay [at ETSU] from events funded from BUC.” To review applications of organizations seeking funding through the SOLO fund and to search out artists for the major concert each semester, the SGA must have a constitutional change to create a committee to operate the fund. This change requires a majority of those in the student body who vote in the online election. If approved by the students, the SOLO fund bill and the constitution change still need approval by Tech administration. It will also require Tennessee Board of Regents approval of the $20 tuition increase.
Crime Briefs Oct. 25
3:25 a.m. Maddux Hall Charges: Intoxicated Student Student Reprimanded
Collegiate FFA office
4:10 a.m. Crawford Hall Chrages: Intoxicated Student Student Reprimanded
Oct. 27
By CANDICE GRIGGS Staff Writer Chelsea Doss of Tech’s Collegiate Future Farmers of America earned Southern Region Vice President at the 82nd National FFA Convention last week in Indianapolis, Ind.. Doss was the first Tech student to be awarded a national office and was the first Tennessean to do so in more than 20 years. Doss is an agriculture business major at Tech. According to Julie Adams’ press release, she has served as a student government supreme court justice and senator, treasurer for the Collegiate Women’s Agricultural Service Club, an Agribusiness Economics Club Council representative, and a Tech Agricultural Ambassador. In 2007 she was named president of the Tennessee FFA Association.
Doss
“The real success we achieve while wearing the blue jacket is the impact we make,” Adams quoted Doss saying. “We impact our schools, our community and our country. We don’t always win; but we always learn. The lessons we learn vary, but we are bound together by a common thread—passion for agriculture and FFA.” “Chelsea’s sheer desire to offer herself to help others is an amazing quality,” said David Frazier, school of agriculture assistant professor. “People don’t realize just how huge this all is.” Doss’s responsibilities as vice president will include traveling, meeting leaders in business, participating in an international experience tour to Japan and providing personal growth and leadership training to students.
4:30 p.m. Warf Hall bike rack Charges: Bike theft No Arrest
Oct. 30
3:30 a.m. New Hall Charges: Public Intoxication, Evading Arrest Arrested: Ryan D. Amos of Cookeville 11:38 a.m. Open Pkg W. Capital Quad Charges: Vehicle Vandalism No Arrest 5:23 p.m. Peachtree Ave. by McCord Hall Charges: Two band members shot with BB gun
tntech.edu/police-crimelogs for daily crime updates
Professional Development Week kicks off Monday By HANNAH HARRIS Staff Writer The Student Success Center will be having Professional Development Week, a week of workshops to help students learn and apply professional techniques to their lives, Nov. 9 through 13 in Johnson Hall. Students choose a written workshop, an oral workshop and two additional workshops of their choice to attend. “This week is important because of the importance of networking and the importance of contacts.” Amy Carpenter, dean of College of Business, said. “This allows students to meet the people (speakers)
at Professional Development Week and they are the type of people who remember who you are.“ Guest speakers for these additional workshops include Tennessee State Representative Henry Fincher, President of Community Bank of the Cumberland Dan Calcote, Beth Null Dorris of State Farm, director of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Melinda Keifer, and Alice Camuti, director of Career Services at Tech. More information about these speakers is available at www. tntech.edu/scbusiness/professional-development-week. “These people have changed things not just in Tennessee but all over,” Carpenter said. “They made
it a better place.” Although it is required for all business students going into upper division, students from any major can attend. “You can go to class and go home and work on good grades, but without enriching your own experience through a personal network, you don’t enrich the lives of others either,” Carpenter said. Students will also have the opportunity to become involved in the Beth Null Dorris internship program. The dress is business casual and sign up is available online at www. tntech.edu/scbusiness/professional-development-week.
Genesis House to offer presentation on bystander intervention techniques By BAILEY DARROW Copy Editor
The importance of bystander intervention and safe intervention techniques have made their way into the spotlight in recent weeks, and the Tech community will have an opportunity to learn more about the topic. A program, entitled “Play it Safe,” will be presented at 11 a.m. on Thursday in RUC Room 342. “‘Play it Safe’ is an interactive presentation that I created to get students thinking about what they can do to help prevent violence,” said Tara Bates, primary prevention educator from Genesis House. “Students will hopefully learn the difference between ‘risk reduction’ and
‘prevention.’ Students will also be given specific examples of helpful actions they can take to keep each other safe.” Although students often tend to ignore the topic of safety on campus, Bates feels she will be able to get around this. “I think most students want to be helpful members of the campus community,” Bates said. “So to give them ideas for helping keep others safe may make the subject more palatable than your typical ‘to be safe you shouldn’t walk alone at night, you should carry your keys like a weapon, etc.’ lecture.” The presentation will offer many techniques for safe intervention which have been a topic of discussion in school across the country since the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl at a high school in Richmond,
events @ tech November
tntech.edu/calendar/main.php for more events
07
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Until Nov. 22 Registration for Spring Semester 2010
that took place in front of over 20 bystanders, this presentation...is unfortunately and particularly relevant. -- Diana Lalani, Women’s Center secretary
Calif. “With the recent California gang rape that took place in front of over 20 bystanders, this presentation, which has been in the planning stages for some time, is unfortunately and particularly relevant,” Diana Lalani, Women’s Center secretary,
2 p.m. Volleyball v. Austin Peay
09
With the recent California gang rape
10 7 p.m. “Animal House“ movie night in Derryberry Hall
12 11 a.m. Play it Safe: Exploring Bystander Intervention
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added. The presentation will also focus on keeping the topic relevant to Tech’s campus. “I think everyone knows someone who has intervened in a situation that could have led to someone getting hurt,” Bates said. “I also
15 3 p.m. Bryan Symphony Orchestra in concert
18 10:45 a.m. Dixie College Day Parade
think that whether they admit it or not, people admire those who intervene for being proactive.” Whether they realize it or not, most people have taken part in bystander intervention of some kind. “If you have ever had a friend volunteer to drive you home when you’ve been drinking, you have experienced a form of bystander intervention,” Bates said. Campuses often offer many opportunities for students to step in and prevent the escalation of situations. “I want to stress that you do not have to do anything that you makes you feel unsafe in order to intervene,” Bates said. For more information on this event, contact womenscenter@tntech.edu.
11 a.m. Time capsule ceremony All day Display of historic photos, video presentation in RUC Please recycle your copy of The Oracle.
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