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Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, TN | 38505
Volume 93 | Issue 2 | Free in single copy | February 12, 2010
Boucher to raise college alcohol abuse awareness on public access TV show By LEE FERRIS Staff Writer Be sure to mark your calendars! Ed Boucher, dean of students, is set to appear on Tech’s local public television station between 7 and 8 p.m., Feb. 15. “Mediation Services of Putnam County has a grant that I supported,” Boucher said. “The grant was for the B.A.S.I.C.S. program.” B.A.S.I.C.S., or Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention of College Students, is a tool created to help students make better decisions about their alcohol consumption. The target age group is college youth between 18 and 24. Tech viewers will be able to call in to the show “Focus On…” and express their concerns about
BUS
meow
A firsthand account of the new CATS bus route Story and photo by BRANDON JELSON Luckily, I didn’t set up a formal appointment with the bus because I am now watching it drive away. The deceptively named bus stop, TTU University Center West, led me to think that the route picked up at the bottom floor of the UC. Precisely at four o’clock, however, I am left watching the bus come to a halt in front of Clement, which is several hundred feet away. I think to myself, in the usual fashion, “It’ll come back. It has to.” Ten minutes later, I’m still standing on the same 3x3 concrete sidewalk square behind the UC. “Yeah… that’s not gonna happen.” Bummed because I actually did the research this time, I walk over to Clement Hall and notice the CATS bus stop sign. With the printed schedule in hand, I wait patiently for the next bus to come through- only twenty minutes to go. As the bus pulls up, I realize that these are brand-new buses: not some discount buyone-get-one-half-off jalopies. The brakes don’t squeal when stopping, nor does the door squeak when opening. By the spotless interior, shiny wheels and new car smell, I could definitely tell that I wasn’t on an inner-city Chicago bus. There was no fear of catching a disease when I grabbed the handrail and climbed the
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the issue of underage came in,” Boucher said. drinking. “Members of the Coun“I know for part seling Center, Mediation of the grant the local Services and myself were educational televithere and we underwent sion station indicated the training.” they would be able Boucher explained to help us by doB.A.S.I.C.S. as a way to ing events like this,” combat college alcohol Boucher said. abuse and the threat of This event was binge drinking. Students coordinated with undergo a less confrontaBoucher tional style of interventhe Stop Underage Drinking Services tion that reaffirms the Project. The project seeks to help safety of sobriety versus the reckunderage college students who lessness of heavy drinking. are more susceptible to campus The programs are focused on peer pressure. raising student awareness of the Boucher, along with other risk factors involved with alcohol guests, will appear on the call-in abuse. show to give voice to a cause in The grant for the project is which he personally prepared for. pulled from the resources of the “We had a two day training Tennessee Commission on Chilsession where one of the experts dren and Youth.
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ENGINEERS’ WEEK FEB. 15-20
steps to the vastly vacant interior. There was no dirt. There was no grime. There was no stench. The smooth blue vinyl seats gave off the only smell in the entire cabin. My backpack and I were the two sole occupants of the bus, leaving 24 more of those blue vinyl seats empty. My backpack and I were on a journey to an unknown destination. “Where ya headed?” Irma Meade, the bus driver, questions. “Wherever the bus route goes,” I replied. “I don’t really know yet, just figured I would try out the new system.” I grab a seat behind the driver and take a free route guides as the bus leaves Clement Hall, continuing south on Peachtree Avenue. The Green route looks most appealing because it’s the one that goes the furthest. It has the most options. “Anywhere on campus is a flag down area.” Meade says. “Just pull the yellow rope anytime you want while we’re on campus, and I’ll pull over.” As it turns out, any time the bus is in a 20 mph zone or lower, passengers can be let on or off the bus. We pick up our first passenger at the town square: he’s a Tech student as well.
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By WILL HOUSLEY Asst. Managing Editor Tech police arrested a Tech Village resident upon finding a large amount of drug paraphernalia inside an apartment. According to a Tech police report filed on Feb. 2, Lt. Robert Cartwell responded to a call at Tech Village to unlock a vehicle at 6:46 p.m. Upon arrival, Cartwell spoke with a woman who said she locked her keys in her vehicle. While asking her to sign a liability waiver, he could smell a strong burnt marijuana scent on her person. When questioned she stated that she had been around people who were smoking, but she had not smoked. Lt. Tony Nelson responded and was able to unlock the vehicle, but her keys were not inside. The woman and police proceeded to her apartment to find the keys. When Tech police entered the apartment they were greeted by the woman’s male roommate, Jeremy Lee Moore, and an even stronger scent of burnt marijuana. When Tech police questioned Moore about the scent he admitted to smoking just thirty minutes earlier. A search was conducted of the
living area but nothing was found. Cartwell and Nelson then went to the back bedroom and asked him again if he possessed anything illegal. According to the police report, Moore lowered his head and said, “Yes, weed.” When asked how much, he responded, “A bunch, about an ounce or so.” He then told police that the substance could be found in the closet on a shelf in white bags. Nelson and Cartwell found six individual bags of what they believed to be marijuana. “The substance is being sent to the crime lab to be confirmed as marijuana,” said Lt. Donald Frazier. “It appeared to be about 7 ounces, but we won’t know for sure until it is weighed at the crime lab.” Nelson and Cartwell placed Moore under arrest and searched him again before transporting him to the Putnam County jail. He was charged with possession of schedule VI for resale, and a court date has been set.
For official campus crime updates, visit www.tntech.edu/police/ police-crimelogs
Panhellenic conference room layouts revealed The rooms, a feature of New Hall North, are slated to be completed by Fall 2010 By KARLA HAMMAC Staff Writer New Hall North is expected to be completed in Aug. 2010. NHN will have six new suites, four of which will be National Panhellenic Conference chapter suites. The living learning communities will use the remaining space for meetings, programs, and classroom instruction. Residential Life Association will also use those rooms until the sorority system expands. None of the NPC sororities at Tech have access to a solid place to meet on campus. The suites will provide a stable meeting place for the sororities. “None of the NPC sororities have had sorority suites since Dixie Rye, which was torn down in 2001,” said Katie Winningham, Coordinator of Greek Life and University Programming. Formal sorority recruitment in the fall will now take place in NHN instead of the RUC. In the
See “Bus“, page 3
>> State’s largest solar power system to be housed at Tech >> Facilities working on revamping elevators, RUC ventilation system >> Chartwells offers healthy eating options
Tech Village resident arrested, charged with possesion of weed
past, each sorority would have to draw out of a hat for which room they would be in during formal recruitment. This uncertainty will no longer be happening, because each sorority has their own room. “The sororities won’t have to cart their stuff back and forth to the RUC,” said Winningham. Each sorority can customize and decorate their suite in a way they feel is appropriate. This ranges from flooring, colors of the walls, to upgraded baseboards. However, any additions to the base cost above the suite will be paid by the sorority. Each suite has access to a kitchenette, a refrigerator, two bathroom and two closets. These suites can also be used to for a studying or hanging out during class. “I’m not aware of the other housing situations in Tennessee, but I think it’s a necessary addition for us to flourish and grow,” said Winningham. See tntechoracle.com for blueprints of the conference rooms
IN THIS EDITION Tech baseball team seeks to hold title - Page 4 Complete Works premieres at Backdoor - Page 5
SPORTS
ENTERTAINMENT
Former Oracle editor addresses last week’s newspaper theft - Page 2
EDITORIAL & OPINION
OPINION
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Page 2 | February 12, 2010
Green renovations cost students more greenbacks SARAH TOWNSEND filthy bathroom. Asst. Editorial Editor If you read last week’s edition (before the majority of them were stolen), you saw the plan to renovate Tech Village apartments to become greener. Oh, and it has been deemed unsafe to live in, which if you’ve ever lived there, you know why. I started college last semester really excited because I got to live in a big-girl apartment with three other grownup college students! So I thought... Actually, I got stuck in Tech Village with 50 or so other disgruntled freshman girls. Which by the way, putting that many confused, fresh-out-of-high-school kids together at the end of campus with no RA was a fabulous idea. Maybe I am paranoid, but the windows are large enough for someone to break and get into with four of us asleep, and no one would know until the next day. There really isn’t a question about the safety of the place; it was obvious from living there that the place wasn’t secure. I don’t need word from the Tennessee Safety Department to confirm that. Though according to TDS Tech Village was deemed unsafe due to the apartments being structurally unsound. Does a predator opt for breaking into a dorm with security doors or for apartments on the edge of campus that no one really checks on? Other than daily battles with my roommates and generally feeling unsafe there, I noticed something else disturbing about my apartment: the place was disgusting. The huge crack in the front door was okay, because there was some weird, gummy substance holding it together. The problem was the
Despite our best efforts and a bottle of bleach, it wouldn’t come clean from crust and stains probably dating back to the ‘70s. Maybe it was also the fact that one of my roommates found a brown recluse in the den (which went unreported because I found out weeks later), or my broken closet door that was never fixed and would occasionally bonk me on the head when I was running late and searching for something to wear in the morning was the final reason why I just had to move. I agree Tech needs to fix that junky mess that I lovingly referred to as Tech-Killage for my entire first semester of college. It really gave me the worst impression of this school possible. I also think that green is the way to go. It will save energy in the future, and that is a great idea. However, most students that live there didn’t know about this plan until recently. Most students that live in Tech Village can’t afford to pay extra rent because Tech neglected the apartments’ upkeep for a few decades. Let me get this straight. Tech didn’t maintain these apartments and now needs residents to move out for at least a year so the place can be renovated, and then charge more for those same residents to move back in? Yes. Not only that, some current residents are bound by a 12 month lease. The question is, what are these residents supposed to do about housing during these renovations? If you live in Tech Village, it’s usually because you’re a single parent, a married couple or an unlucky freshman. Does Tech really think these groups can afford $600 rent a month? They need to support themselves and, if they have them, their children. Another group, Tech
must have totally over looked, is the international students living in the apartments. I probably have more international friends than American friends here at Tech and every one of them has a scholarship with a specific stipend. Most of them don’t have money for a lot of extra things or over-priced housing. With more and more international students each year, this is going to be a real problem. Especially since more than half of the international residents I know have student visas, which do not permit them to work in the US or take paid internships. It really isn’t fair. Most international students don’t get apartments off campus because they don’t have vehicles. Imagine yourself in a foreign country, speaking a different language than you are used to, and learning a completely different way of life. Learning in English, socializing, and coping with homesickness is enough. Do you really think they need another obstacle? I’d like to point out one of my favorite ridiculous policies here at Tech. Students must live on campus until junior year. Here’s the problem with that: there isn’t enough space for us all [notice the amount of people stuck in hotel rooms and Tech Village]. Of course, Tech is remedying that problem by building more dorms, all of which will cost significantly more than traditional dorm rooms. New Dorm is about $1,000 more per semester than any other the other res halls and the new ones will be the same story. Even with scholarships, that’s an expensive pill to swallow. The newer Resident’s Halls also have fewer rooms than the traditional ones we have on campus now. Somehow I don’t think that is
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really a good way to solve the space problem on campus. I agree that for the first year of college students should be in dorms. It is part of the college experience. However, about 80 of us were robbed of that experience freshman year because the sophomores-on-campus policy is so important. The same problem occurred previous years. The policy should either be changed or less people should be accepted here because there isn’t enough room for a reasonable price. Tech Village will become too expensive to be an alternative for juniors and people who qualify, and Tech will either lose money or fill it with people who can pay the extra money. Where does that leave everyone who can’t afford the inflated prices?
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Poll of the Week >> Did you think this year’s Super Bowl ads were sexist? Go to tntechoracle.com to vote!
Stealing papers is immature action Guest Writer THOMAS CORHERN Thomas Corhern is the assistant sports editor for The Herald-Citizen and a former editor for The Oracle. Last week, a majority of the copies of this paper were stolen. It reminds me of an incident in Spring 2001, when I was just a freshman at the University. That entire week, I had worked hard tracking down research and conducting interviews about the closing of the Varsity Twin theatre, which at that time was a campus landmark before becoming the current offices for MMA Creative. That story was my first feature story, of what has now become a long line of features. I was very proud of that story then, and still am. However, that same week, assistant editorial editor Denny Fry wrote an editorial piece about a student falling off a bicycle. Yes, it was humorous, but it could have also been seen as cruel and embarrassing. I was fortunate to grab a copy of that paper early that Friday. Later that evening, every copy of the paper was stolen. The victim of Fry’s joke wasn’t too pleased. My point is this — while there may have been one article in there that may have offended a student or group, there’s still other things of
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merit in the paper that won’t be seen because of that act. The Oracle may just look like a classroom assignment to most outsiders, but it’s much more than that. To the journalism students at this university, it’s a job. It’s a chance to hone their skills before entering the real world. But under the surface, it’s even more. I made many lifelong friends working up there on the third floor of the RUC, but with it came long hours of work, a lot of dedication and a tremendous amount of patience. Many of my friends and classmates are working all around the country in the newspaper field, in television and many other endeavors, and just like any organization on campus, we were a family. Did I open myself to a lot of criticism with the job? Heck, yeah. It comes with the territory, especially when your name and photo is right next to the article. But you have to learn how to take criticism the right way. I admit, I might get a little angry now and then, but you learn to let it roll off your back. That’s just one of the life lessons you learn in college. It’s much more than just cracking open the books and taking classes. It’s about being part of a community. The act of stealing the papers was immature, plain and simple. What came of it? A mo-
ment of satisfaction? For a comment that most likely would have been forgotten in a week or two? There are always better solutions. If you’re angry, write a letter to the editor. Show some diplomacy and make your case. After all, that’s what an editorial page is for. Being the better man is much more impressive than gangland-style tactics any day of the week. The paper itself may be free as a single copy to the students, but there is a lot of money involved with its organization. From the advertisers who hawk their wares on its pages, to the salaries its editors are paid to oversee the production, to my employer — the Herald-Citizen — who prints the paper. Then there’s the time and effort from the staff writers to produce the copy. When the final tally is complete, one issue’s press run isn’t cheap, and the culprits have effectively stolen from all of them, including you, the reader, who didn’t get to see the final product. As a Tech alumnus, I find the act disgraceful. As a former Oracle editor, I find it atrocious. It’s all about dealing with criticism. You find the right outlet and let it go. The damage, however, is done. There’s still time for the guilty parties to save some face after this act. Now, it’s time for those who stole the papers to be the bigger men.
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Weekly. Student operated. | P.O. Box 5072 Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN 38505
CHRISTINE SEIBER Managing Editor
SARAH TOWNSEND Asst. Editorial Editor
WILL HOUSLEY Asst. Managing Editor
BRANDON GOODWIN Sports Editor
SARA BOHANNON Ad Manager
JAMES SCHIERMEYER Asst. Sports Editor
ALLISON WHEELER DIANA CARSON Ad Assistants
CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor
EMILY BOOKER Editorial Editor
TALLULAH GILLIAM BAILEY DARROW Copy Editors
Tennessee Technological University--nondiscriminatory on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities including employment and admission of students to the University as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and regulations based therein and published in CFR, part 86. Tennessee Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer.
BRENDA WILSON, Faculty Adviser BEAT REPORTERS: Erica Betschart, Ellie Boles, Courtney Clifford, Matt Davis,
Justin Duke, Casey Elrod, Jordan Farrell, Darrel Ferris, Christina Gillim, Kayla Gulley, Karla Hammac, Hannah Harris, Ross Harvey, Lauren Huxford, Brandon Jelson, Christopher Jones, Dhir Joshi, Jonathan Kaulay, Samantha Kendall, David Lane, Gerilyn Lemons, Leasa McCall, Amber McCarty, Amanda Miller, Bailey Morgan, Aleksandr Peterson, Jonathan Pierce, Ashlee Polk, Brittney Robinson, Nicholas Rollins, Jessica Smith, Brandon Stephenson, Evan Taylor, Laura Vaught, Dakota Weatherford, Geri Anna Wilson, Jenda Wilson
NEWS www.tntechoracle.com
Page 3 | February 12, 2010
Bus
CONTINUED from page 1 “I might as well use it, it’s free,” the student says. “They’re kinda cool too.” We make our first official drop-off when the student asks the driver to stop just before the Wal-Mart area. Meade says “We can’t go anywhere on Wal-Mart property, because of insurance reasons, so this is as close as I can get you.” According to Meade, the Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency is waiting on lawyers’ clearance to make the Wal-Mart shopping center parking lot an official stop. For now, the bus pulls over alongside East Veterans Drive, which runs beside the shopping center. “I hate to do it, but [UCHRA and CATS] gotta start somewhere I guess.” It’s the same situation alongside the Carmike Highland 12 theatre. The actual bus stop is several hundred feet away from the movie theatre building, by Jefferson Avenue. To get to the stop, patrons of the bus have to walk down the side of the road,
where there is no shoulder: this could become a problem in the future. “I enjoy the bus so far. I wouldn’t mind a few more passengers,” Meade says, “but then again it is the first official day[of the route].” It was my time to pull the slim yellow cord, anxious as to the noise it’s going to make. A funny escape hatchtype buzzer initiates when the trigger is pulled. We stop at the Jackson Plaza Shopping Center in front of Rack Room Shoes. According to Meade, the last bus that picks up from the Jackson Plaza stop is around seven at night. After perusing the magazine racks at Books-A-Million, then pricing some tools at Sears, I head back to the stop in front of the shoe store. At 6:17 the bus rolls to a stop, motor gently purring. I climb on board and remark “Right on time.” “Good to see you again,” Meade replies, “Back to Tech?” “Sounds good to me.” According to Meade, drivers of the CATS are instructed to be on time, but if anything else, to be late. “It’s always better for them [the passengers] to be waiting on us for two or three minutes,
rather than getting left behind.” After the Jackson Plaza Shopping Center, we head back to Tech on Willow Avenue, making one small detour through the Seventh Street Development. Meade notes that the residential developments along the routes are also flag down areas. As we pull up to the stop in front of Clement Hall, I notice two people. Clad with backpacks, they are patiently awaiting Cookeville’s newest form of public transportation. Meade and I part ways and two more passengers, a guy and girl holding hands, climb on. Hopefully the couple enjoyed the smooth ride, comfy blue seats and unmistakable new car smell as much as I did.
Stay tuned for future installments of this feature story www.tntechoracle.com
Tech celebrates Engineers’ Week By LAURA VAUGHT Staff Writer The Tech Engineering Joint Council will be combining traditions of the past, technology of the future and new ideas as they host the annual Engineering week Feb. 15-20. This year, students from all six engineering majors will compete in the traditional engineering week events, as well as four new events. The most traditional event, the 25th annual egg launch, will kick off the week of events on Monday at 4 p.m. The four new events that
were added this year are the rockwall, relay race, engineering bowl and cardboard canoe race. Placing in the nine events will count as points toward winning the Best Darn Major Award. Majors can also win participation points by students attending each event. According to Engineering Joint Council President Azurae Johnson, Engineering week is going green this year by using as little paper as possible. Instead of using paper to tally participation points from events, students will be given wristbands at events. Then they can enter informa-
tion online to get participation points from each event. The ETC also put engineering week scholarships online this year to save paper. Other new features of this year’s engineering week are crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Engineer at the Engineering banquet and numerous door prizes at every event. “ A l l majors are welcome to attend any events,” Johnson said. To learn more about engineering week, to order a t-shirt, or learn more about wristbands and participation points, visit the EJC website at http://orgs.tntech.edu/ ejc/.
ENGINEERS’ WEEK SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AVALIBLE ONLINE AT HTTP://ORGS.TNTECH.EDU/EJC/EWEEKSCHEDULE.HTML
Get a bird’s-eye view of weather at Tech By GERILYN LEMONS Staff Writer News Channel 5 installed a SkyNet Camera at Tech, helping to put Cookeville on the map. Channel 5 considered installing the camera in Cookeville for several months but was unsure of the location. The station chose Tech because they saw the university as a symbol of the community. “The university will benefit greatly from the new SkyNet Cam because it provides Tech the opportunity to be mentioned and recognized across the state,” said Monica Greppin, associate vice presi-
dent for marketing and communications. With help from campus facilities, Channel 5 considered several locations before installing the camera, mount and computer on Kittrell Hall. “We chose this location so that the camera could face DerryBerry Hall,” said Greppin. “We wanted to display the iconic image of Tech, the tower and eagle of DerryBerry.” Several cities across middle Tennessee are home to SkyNet Cameras, including Murfreesboro, Clarksville and Columbia, all of which are available for viewing at www.newschannel5.com.
Channel 5 is currently working on posting the Cookeville SkyNet Camera online. “Our eventual goal would be to implement the SkyNet Camera with the Tech website,” said Greppin. “We would like to have a live link to the camera as well as current weather conditions.” Once the camera is posted online, it may be viewed at www.newschannel5.com by clicking on Weather, then SkyNet Cameras. For more information, email Greppin at MGreppin@ tntech.edu.
Tech student seeks Putnam political seat By DAVID LANE Staff Writer Tech student and Cookeville local Michael Lane is running for Putnam County Trustee in the May primary election. Not being your average candidate for the office at a young age of 21, Michael plans on using his age to his advantage. “With so many young voters in the town, having someone their age in the election will hopefully get their interest up in county elections,” Lane said. Even if he is unsuccessful in obtaining the office, Lane hopes that in running, he will show the local area that
young voters are going out to the polls and making a difference in the local elections. Lane, born in Cookeville to John and Lynn Lane, and has lived here his entire life and graduated from Cookeville High School in 2007, where he was a leader in sports and his youth group at church. He is a full time student here at Tech and is majoring in Business. While young political officials don’t seem to be falling from the trees, and local officials are normally thought of as older citizens, there have been cases where the young prevail. According to the Young Elected Officials network, people between 18 and 35
hold 4.8 percent of all U.S. elected offices. Jonathan Wallace of Rock Island County Ill was elected to Coe Township Trustee at just 18 years of age. This made him the youngest trustee in that county’s history. Along with other young elected officials, there seems to be a push to get younger voter involved in their county elections. While running for public office might be a little too much for the average student, Tech has plenty of volunteer programs through the Service Center on campus in need of helping hands. For more information on how to get involved with the Service Center visit http://www.tntech. edu/volunteer.
FAFSA deadline approaching, grants going fast By ALEKSANDR PETERSON Staff Writer Tech students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid soon or they may miss out on a chance to get financial aid. The Office of Financial Aid says the window will not be open for long on several grants that are offered only on a first-come, first-serve basis. Assistant Director Adriane King said aid funds start to run out during Feb., although students won’t actually see
any money until the next semester. The two grants that usually go the fastest are the Tennessee Student Assistance Award and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Work-study positions are also distributed first-come, first-serve. The SEOG has been worth about $2,300 per student in the past, although the value may go down this year, according to King. King says one of the department’s most common hang-ups is students not completing their federal aid applications on time. “It’s about procrastina-
tion,” she said. The financial aid staff doesn’t waste any time during the spring semester; they begin processing incoming high school seniors in mid-March. If current students don’t start planning now, they might be in for a rude awakening. The final deadline for the FAFSA is June 30.
Fill out the FAFSA online as soon as possible.
www.fafsa.ed.gov Tech’s School Code: 003523
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www.tntechoracle.com Award nominations solicited - Mail nominations to the Outstanding Faculty Awards Committee at Box 5136 no later than Feb. 19. Outstanding Faculty Awards in Teaching and Professional Service. Nominations for our faculty awards in outstanding teaching and professional service are being solicited by the Outstanding Faculty Awards Committee. Any faculty member with three or more years of teaching and service to the University is eligible (although faculty members who have won one of the awards in the past three years are not). Any faculty member, student or alumnus may submit nominations, which should be in letter form describing why nominee merits consideration; only one letter per nominee is needed. Nominations for teaching awards should be based on instructional competence and effectiveness. Nominations for the service award should be based on service to the University in non-teaching and non-research capacities and on service to the community, state, region and nation. Winners of the teaching award over the past five years were Shirley Laird, Thomas Timmerman, Daniel Swartling, Bonita Barger, Donald Visco, David Smith, Joseph Biernacki, Richard Le Borne, Shannon Collins and Susan Gore. Winners of the service award were Barbara Jackson, Eugene Kline, Paula Hinton, Joseph Hermann and Jessica Matson.
SPORTS
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Page 4 | February 12, 2010
Tech baseball looks to win OVC title again in 2010 By JAMES SCHIERMEYER
Asst. Sports Editor
The Golden Eagle baseball team will begin its Ohio Valley Conference title defense next weekend when it opens the season at Georgia Southern. Picked third in the preseason poll, Tech will look to continue its consecutive 30-win seasons in pursuit of another OVC title. “We really like our depth,” Head Coach Matt Bragga said. “We return six position players and all but two of our pitchers from last season, and we feel like we had a pretty good pitching staff last year.” The pitching staff will be led by pre-season All-OVC pick Lee Henry. After starting the season in the bullpen, Henry was instrumental in an undefeated OVC title run, winning two tournament games. He finished the year with a 9-3 record, a 3.43 E.R.A., and he led the team with five complete games. “Lee is such a great guy to have on your team and on the mound,” Bragga said. “He’s got great stuff and is a competitor. We’re really happy he made the preseason all-conference team.” Henry said the team is excited about the season. “We’re anxious to get out there,” he said. “We wanna get to where we were last year and exceed that. We just gotta keep our minds focused on what we have to do out there day in and day out.” The return of Adam Liberatore and Jared Dobbs from injury will add depth to the deepest staff in the OVC. Liberatore was 2-0 with 21 strikeouts in 17 innings last year before having season-ending surgery. Dobbs was 1-1 with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings before shutting down due to injury. Junior A.J. Kirby-Jones, the MVP of last year’s OVC tournament, will lead the offense after hitting a school record 20 home runs last season. “AJ is a great player,” said Bragga. “As long as I’ve coached the game I’m not sure that I’ve ever coached anyone better. He’s got such a level head, and his mentality and ap-
The 2010 Tech baseball team
proach to the game are unbelievable.” Junior Chad Oberacker and sophomore Ben Burgess will also look to make big contributions after starting every game last season. Oberacker led the Golden Eagles with a .354 batting average. The Golden Eagles’ home opener is Feb. 26-28 against Cleveland State. This year’s schedule includes non-conference contests at Southeastern Conference powers Vanderbilt and Tennessee, as well as trips to South Alabama, Memphis and the season opener at Georgia Southern.
4th and Long BY BRANDON GOODWIN
Sports Editor bagoodwin21@tntech.edu
Photo courtesy of Sports Information
In addition to Cleveland State, the University of Buffalo, SIU-Edwardsville and Bradley will visit Cookeville for weekend series. Tech has home-and-home contests against Middle Tennessee State, Belmont, Lipscomb and East Tennessee State. The OVC schedule starts Apr. 2. The 2010 OVC baseball tournament will be in Jackson, Tenn. for the first time ever, May 26-30 at Pringles Park. The top six teams qualify for the tournament. Last season, Tech was the first No. 5-seed to win the OVC tournament.
Working out with a partner can help you keep New Year’s resolutions By HANNAH HARRIS
Staff Writer When I came to Tech in 2006, I enrolled in engineering. I had heard all the hype regarding the engineering departments at Tech and thought I’d fit right in. After taking several calculus, physics and programming classes, I realized engineering just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t that the classes were too difficult or that I wasn’t smart enough, but rather that it didn’t interest me. After two years of searching, I found my niche: sports writing. I love my job because I love sports. Sports are pure. There are no debates between players, elections for coaches or even corruption for the most part. Sure, every once in a while there will be a couple of athletes who do something stupid to make the sports community look bad, but overall, it remains steadfast. The rules may change slightly, but the meaning of the games can still be found in the hearts of every athlete who plays them. Sports bring people together. They spark conversations, friendships and sometimes romances. They are passed down from one generation to another like a precious heirloom. What other events do you see 100,000 people gather at the same place each week? Athletes may not always sound like the smartest people in the world, but they speak from their hearts, not a teleprompter. Obama can’t even do that. I have attended well over 300 Tech athletic events in my three and a half years here, and I can easily say that I know more about
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Tech athletics than most, if not all, other students. From sitting in the stands with my dad at a cold, rainy Tech football game my freshman year to broadcasting the football games from the field last season, I’ve loved every minute of it. I will leave you with a brief recap of one of the most heartfelt stories I have ever heard. Her name is hanging on the Wall of Honor at the Tech softball field, but Kayla Cantrell never dressed out for a single game. Kayla was from Dickson, Tenn. and loved to play softball. She was the starting shortstop on her varsity team. That is, until she was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer in 2007. While battling through chemotherapy and heavy doses of medication, Kayla’s dream to play collegiate softball was as strong as ever. Tech softball coach Tory Acheson told Kayla he would have a place for her on his team when she was healthy enough to play. Sadly, Kayla Kristine Cantrell passed away on March 7, 2008 at the age of 19. The Golden Eagles donned green ribbons that season to honor her. Green was Kayla’s favorite color.
“To succeed...You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.“ - Tony Dorsett
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Thieves Jud Dillard. The freshman has been on fire lately, Dillard averaged 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds last week. He shot 9-of-12 from the field for a career-high 25 points against Morehead State. Dillard also tacked on 12 rebounds in that game for his first career double-double.
Last week, some students stole most of the copies of The Oracle that were distributed in the RUC. These students wasted hundreds of man-hours and thousands of dollars that were spent to produce the issue. I would like to apologize to our readers who were unable to pick up a copy of The Oracle. I would also like to apologize to the staff writers who were published for the first time, but now have nothing to show for it.
Finding motivation to get in shape can be difficult, but what if that could change? Walking around Tech’s fitness center are students working out with other students. But does having a work out buddy benefit a workout more? Or is working out alone more beneficial? “Work out buddies can be an enjoyment,” said Ramona Mahood-Pennington, health promotions coordinator. “The social part of working out with them can relieve stress in your life. You are meeting people and having fun.” “Having a work out buddy can help people stay consistent in their work out.” Working out with someone can be motivating and bring accountability. When students want to back-out of working out, having someone can bring encouragement and accountability to their work out. It can also challenge a person to have a partner to work out with. People can challenge others to attain certain goals, and they are more likely to reach those goals because of the challenge and motivation. Working out with a buddy can also raise self-esteem with their up-lifting and encouraging words. Having a partner tends to make a work out feel less like work. Working out by oneself is still beneficial. People will still get the same benefits, but they may not have as much motivation to keep going. They hit a plateau more quickly without a work out buddy. “Working out with a buddy or by
The brothers of Kappa Sigma have requested that a correction be printed to clarify that the fraternity was awarded third-place instead of second-place in the Most Spirited Student Group contest.
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yourself is based on your personality, ” said Mahood-Pennington. “You can only keep yourself motivated so long until you need someone to challenge you, and working out with someone you can go off of each other strengths,” senior Josh Malone said. “There are always more things to learn; you can’t know everything about fitness.“ When trying to find the right people to work out with, it is ok to be picky. Make sure to look for people who have somewhat of the same schedule, the same goals, and the same level of motivation. This can become a problem if they do not have these things. People will find themselves with no one to work out with because their schedules don’t match up. If their goal is to do cardio and the others are to weight train this causes conflict. “Make sure to have a variety of work out buddies,” said Malone “Have some with different personalities and goals. I have one for cardio, weights and both. “The reason behind this is, when I don’t feel like doing cardio, I got my cardio group because they are gung-ho about cardio, and they motivate me to work harder. Plus schedules change and you always have someone to work out with.” The fitness center also offers several fitness classes that provide great opportunities to meet new people who are interested in similar fitness goals. For more information on these classes, visit www.tntech. edu/recreation/fitclasses or call 372-6511 for pricing and scheduling.
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Page 5 | February 12, 2010
Backdoor opens the semester with complete Shakespeare Backdoor By CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor
house box office at 372-6595 or go online to www.tntech.edu/bdph/ home.
The Backdoor Playhouse opened its first performance of the semester last night, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). The production was written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. Even if you don’t like Shakespeare, you will find something to love in this production. “If you love Shakespeare, you will like the show. If you hate Shakespeare, you will love it,” Director Mark Harry Creter said, talking about the show. The show covers all of Shakespeare’s plays, often poking fun along the way. The show promises to be a rousing start for the semester as the Tech Players, Tech’s drama club, enters its 55th season. Tech students, with ID, get in for free, for everyone else, admission is $10 for general admission, $8 for senior citizens and $5 for non-Tech students. You can catch the show tonight at 8 p.m. in the Backdoor Playhouse located on the backside of the Jere Whitson Building. If you can’t make it tonight, the show runs Feb. 13, 15, 16, 19, and 20 at 8 p.m. The late show is Feb. 18 at 10 p.m. and the matinee is Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. For more information The play features three actors comprising all the contact the Backdoor Play- roles in the play. Photo provided by Mark Creter
“Three Actors, Thirty-Seven Plays, Ninety Minutes... DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!”
announces open casting call PRESS RELEASE Open auditions for Round Dance (Reigen) by Arthur Schnitzler directed by Mark H. Creter will be held Sunday, February 21, 2010 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. in the TTU Backdoor Playhouse located in the Jere Whitson Building. Mr. Creter is looking to cast ten actors in this production. There are 5 male roles and 5 female roles. The characters ages range from 19 to 60 so, ideally, he would like to cast age appropriate performers. Auditions are open to everyone. Minority performers are strongly encouraged. No preparation is necessary for the auditions although interested actors are encouraged to read the script in advance. A copy is available online under the title Hands Around by Arthur Schnitzler at http://www.theatrehistory.com/ plays/reigen001.html or you may borrow one from Mr. Creter by contacting him at 931-372-3478 or mcreter@tntech.edu.
Craft Center needs your donations French club hosts to help keep programs operating Tech’s own Mardi Gras celebration By LAUREN HUXFORD Staff Writer
The Appalachian Center for Craft needs donations to keep several of its programs running. The Visiting Artist Program, Exhibitions Program, Educational Outreach Program, and the Housing and Studio Energy-Saving Upgrades Program remain stable through donations. Donations can also be made to the Appalachian Center for Craft Fund, which provides support to the programs with the highest priority. The Visiting Artist Program provides the Craft Center with the resources to attract various artists from the Southeast to come and share their expertise. The Exhibitions Program allows the Craft Center to host gallery exhibitions of local artists, attracting tourists and bringing in more money. The Educational Outreach Program helps the craft center stay connected with the community through various workshops, and the Housing and Studio
Energy-Saving Program provides new technology and upgrades at the center to conserve energy. “Giving to the craft center makes our future better because we can get the materials we need to have hands-on experience,” student Trent Hand, said. All donations are tax-deductible and can be made online at http://www.tntech.edu/ giving/home or by mailing or faxing the Annual Giving Campaign donor card. For more information regarding donations, contact Assistant Director Kathie McGlamery at kmcglamery@tntech.edu. Donations can also help the Craft Center match grants like the Artist in Residence grant. In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the craft center raised a $100,000-match for this grant, making $200,000 available to pay an annual stipend to the residential artists. Last year’s grants included $75,000 for studio upgrades, $500,000 for student scholarships, and $30,500 for safety equipment and technology upgrades.
By NICHOLAS ROLLINS Staff Writer If you cannot make it to Fat Tuesday in New Orleans this year, you can still celebrate on campus. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Avant Garde, the French Club at Tech, will be hosting “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler at Mardi Gras,” which translates “Let the Good Times Roll at Mardi Gras.” The event will take place in the Tech Pride Room in the RUC. The Mardi Gras celebration is a fundraising event for the French Club open to all students. It will inform students and guests about Mardi Gras and the New Orleans traditions that go with it. “We will be serving jambalaya, king cake, as well as hosting door prizes,” French Club President Rebecca Hillebrand said. During the celebration, there will be games and activities, such as a game of Bingo using French vocabulary. There will be a contest for most festively dressed attendant. There will be a PowerPoint presentation about the origins of Mardi Gras and the celebration today. This year, the French Club is going green by using real dishes and not disposable ones. Each guest will also receive a cup that they can take home with them. To get tickets, you can go to the foreign language department located on the second floor of South Hall or from any French Club member. Tickets are $5 for Tech students and $7 for non-students. Tickets will only be available before the event. They will not be sold at the door.
Did some bully take your copy of The Oracle? That’s OK, you can still read it online at TNTechOracle.com By Matt Knieling / Voyage of the Clementide is a weekly comic featured in The Oracle. The top comic is the first and the bottom is the second in the series.
Movie Talk By CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor
From Paris with Love The plot opens with Jonathan Rhys Myers’ character James Reece living in Paris and working as the personal aide to the American ambassador to France. Reece lives a secret double life as a lowlevel agent for the CIA, which he tries to keep secret from his livein fiancé, Caroline. When Reece is teamed up with Charlie Wax, played by John Travolta, to investigate the alleged drug overdose of the Secretary of Defense’s niece, the plot embarks on a roller coaster ride that keeps the audience guessing until the very end. The storyline in this movie is very well developed, delivering sophisticated plot twists throughout the film. Even though the movie gets off to a slow start, it quickly picks up in pace and holds the attention of the crowd until the end, thanks in large part to Travolta. While Travolta does not reach the same level of suave, coolness he had in Pulp Fiction, he comes very close. The character of Charlie Wax is an eccentric spy who operates out of his own playbook. Even though the general category Wax falls into is an extremely tired genre of action hero, Travolta manages to reinvigorate this type of hero, delivering an interesting, over-the-top, but still believable character. Unfortunately, Travolta is the only person to give a stand out performance. That’s not to say any of the actors were bad, just nobody else really exceeded expectations like Travolta. Don’t let the staleness of the actors deter you from seeing this fun and interesting film. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who can handle a little violence. MPAA Rating: R
Final Grade: ADue to the disappearance of last week’s Oracle, the first and second installments of Voyage of the Clementide are presented this week.
next week: The Wolfman
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Page 6 | February 12, 2010
New network promises campus-wide, faster wireless coverage events By EVAN TAYLOR Staff Writer An upgrade to Tech’s network infrastructure should address many of the complaints of slow connections and increase network speed drastically. The upgrades, funded with federal stimulus money, are tentatively scheduled to begin in May 2010. The wired connections are scheduled to be finished by May of the following year, while the wireless connections should take less time.
“We’re going to increase the raw speed to the buildings by a power of 10,” Jerry Boyd, assistant director of campus Information Technology Services said. The upgrade will bring the typical network speed to any one of the buildings from 100 megabits per second to one gigabit per second on the wired connections and 54 megabits per second to 130 megabits per second for wireless. The new network infrastructure will not only speed up Internet connections, but will allow for technologies such as voice over Internet
protocol, video conferencing, and medical imaging. Revamping the wired connections will involve changing out all the data switches in Clement Hall, as well as replacing the copper and fiber infrastructures amongst all the buildings. The switch will be made to accommodate even faster network speed in the future. The wireless network, in addition to increasing in speed, will also increase in range, covering most of Tech’s campus inside and out. While there are currently a limited number of wireless hotspots, none of which are in
the residence halls, the new wireless network is expected to be much more far-reaching. There will also be a number of new systems put into place that will ensure that the upgraded network will live up to its speedy potential. New network access controls will be implemented, so that when a person connects to the network, their computer will be checked for the most recent anti-virus software and operating system patches. There will also be a new bandwidth-shaping device in place, which will shape traffic according to ITS’ policies
to make sure no one person or group can take up too much bandwidth. The replacement of the old network technology is projected to cost about $6.16 million from the $10 million stimulus. Other projects funded by the stimulus include IT support for distance learning, ITS for learning villages, a regional economic development operations center, and a learning commons on the first floor of the Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library.
@tech February
13 5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball v. UT Martin 7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball v. UT Martin
14 2 p.m. Holly Sanders: Bassoon Recital BFA, Wattenbarger Auditorium
15 Until Feb. 20 Engineers’ Week
16 11 a.m. Last day to sign up for Relay for Life RUC, Tech Pride Rm. 6 p.m. Avant Garde (TTU French Club) Mardi Gras celebration 7 p.m. Showing of When Harry Met Sally RUC, Multipurpose Rm.
19 7 p.m. Performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers BFA, Wattenbarger Auditorium
-- tntech.edu/calendar
2010 Golden Eagle Prose Writing Competition Short Story & Narrative Essay First prize: $100 Second prize: $50 Deadline: March 7 Visit the English Department for more details
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